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O  LIVER      GOLD  SMITH  .  M.B. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  EARTH, 


AND 


ANIMATED  NATURE. 


BY  OLIVER  GOLDSMITH. 


TO  WHICH  ARE  ADDED, 

THE  LIFE  OF  THE  AUTHOR,  HIS  DESERTED  VILLAGE, 

TRAVELLER,  MISCELLANIES,  S/-c.  fyc. 


Adieu,  sweet  lurd !  to  each  fine  feeling  true, 
Tby  virtues  many,  and  thy  foibles  few j 
Those  form VI  to  charm  e'en  vicious  minds — and  these 
With  harmless  mirth  the  social  soul  to  please. 
Another's  woe  thy  heart  could  always  melt; 
None  gave  more  free — for  none  more  deeply  felt. 
Sweet  bard,  adieu  !  thy  own  harmonious  lays 


Have  sculptur'd  out  thy  monument  of  praise  > 
Yes,  these  survive  to  time's  remotest  day ; 
While  drops  the  bust,  and  boastful  tombs  decay. 
Reader,  if  number'd  in  the  muse's  train, 
Go,  tune  the  lyre,  and  imitate  his  strain : 
But,  if  no  poet  thou,  reverse  the  plan  j 
Depart  in  peace,  and  imitate  the  man. 


IN  ONE  VOLUME. 


EMBELLISHED  WITH  A  SERIES  OF  BEAUTIFUL  AND  APPROPRIATE 


DESIGNED  AND  EXECUTED  BY  THE  FIRST  ARTISTS. 


NEW-YORK: 
PRINTED  AND  PUBLISHED  BY  THOMAS  KINNERSLEY, 

OPPOSITE  THE  MANHATTAN  BANK,  BROADWAY. 

1825. 


<tx*t«~,i  -ftfff 


& 


PREFACE. 


JN  ATURAL  History,  considered  in  its  utmost  extent,  comprehends  two  objects.  First,  that 
of  discovering,  ascertaining,  and  naming,  all  the  various  productions  of  Nature.  Secondly, 
that  of  describing  the  properties,  manners,  and  relations,  which  they  bear  to  us,  and  to  each 
other.  The  first,  which  is  the  most  difficult  part  of  this  science,  is  systematical,  dry,  mechan- 
ical and  incomplete.  The  second  is  more  amusing,  exhibits  new  pictures  to  the  imagination, 
and  improves  our  relish  for  existence,  by  widening  the  prospect  of  nature  around  us. 

Both,  however,  are  necessary  to  those  who  would  understand  this  pleasing  science  in  its 
utmost  extent.  The  first  care  of  every  inquirer,  no  doubt,  should  be,  to  see,  to  visit,  and  ex- 
amine, every  object,  before  he  pretends  to  inspect  its  habitudes  or  its  history.  From  seeing 
and  observing  the  thing  itself,  he  is  most  naturally  led  to  speculate  upon  its  uses,  its  delights, 
or  its  inconveniences. 

Numberless  obstructions,  however,  are  found  in  this  part  of  his  pursuit,  that  frustrate  his 
diligence  and  retard  his  curiosity.  The  objects  in  nature  are  so  many,  and  even  those  of 
the  same  kind  are  exhibited  in  such  a  variety  of  forms,  that  the  inquirer  finds  himself  lost  in 
the  exuberance  before  him,  and,  like  a  man  who  attempts  to  count  the  stars,  unassisted  by 
art,  his  powers  are  all  distracted  in  barren  superfluity. 

To  remedy  this  embarrassment,  artificial  systems  have  been  devised,  which  grouping  into 
masses  those  parts  of  nature  more  nearly  resembling  each  other,  refer  the  inquirer  for  the  name 
of  the  single  object  he  desires  to  know,  to  some  one  of  those  general  distributions,  where  it  is 
to  be  found  by  further  examination. 

If,  for  instance,  a  man  should  in  his  walks  meet  with  an  animal,  the  name,  and  consequently 
the  history,  of  which  he  desires  to  know,  he  is  taught  by  systematic  writers  of  natural  history 
to  examine  its  most  obvious  qualities,  whether  a  quadruped,  a  bird,  a  fish,  or  an  insect.  Hav- 
ing determined  it,  for  explanation  sake,  to  be  an  insect,  he  examines  whether  it  has  wings;  if 
he  finds  it  possessed  of  these,  he  is  taught  to  examine  whether  it  has  two  or  four;  if  possessed 
of  four,  he  is  taught  to  observe  whether  the  two  upper  wings  are  of  a  shelly  hardness,  and 
serve  as  cases  to  those  under  them;  if  he  finds  the  wings  composed  in  this  manner,  he  is  then 
taught  to  pronounce  that  this  insect  is  one  of  the  beetle  kind:  of  the  beetle  kind,  there  are 
three  different  classes  distinguished  from  each  other  by  their  feelers ;  he  examines  the  insect 
before  him,  and  finds  that  the  feelers  are  clavated  or  knobbed  at  the  ends ;  of  beetles,  with 
feelers  thus  formed,  there  are  ten  kinds ;  and  among  those  he  is  taught  to  look  for  the  precise 
name  of  that  which  is  before  him.  If,  for  instance,  the  knob  be  divided  at  the  ends,  and  the 


iv  PREFACE 

belly  be  streaked  with  white,  it  is  no  other  than  the  Dor,  or  the  May-bug;  an  animal,  tht 
noxious  qualities  of  which  give  it  a  very  distinguished  rank  in  the  history  of  the  insect  crea- 
tion. In  this  manner  a  system  of  natural  history  may,  in  some  measure,  be  compared  to  a 
dictionary  of  words.  Both  are  solely  intended  to  explain  the  names  of  things;  but  wilh 
this  difference,  that  in  the  dictionary  of  words  we  are  led  from  the  name  of  the  thing  to 
its  definition ;  whereas  in  the  system  of  natural  history,  we  are  led  from  the  definition  to 
find  out  the  name. 

Such  are  the  efforts  of  writers,  who  have  composed  their  works  with  great  labour  and  in- 
genuity, to  direct  the  learner  in  his  progress  through  nature,  and  to  inform  him  of  the  name  of 
every  animal,  plant,  or  fossil  substance,  that  he  happens  to  meet  with:  but  it  would  be  only 
deceiving  the  reader  to  conceal  the  truth,  which  is,  that  books  alone  can  never  teach  him 
this  art  in  perfection ;  and  the  solitary  student  can  never  succeed.  Without  a  master,  and  a 
previous  knowledge  of  many  of  the  objects  of  nature,  his  book  will  only  serve  to  confound 
and  disgust  him.  Few  of  the  individual  plants  or  animals,  that  he  may  happen  to  meet  with, 
are  in  that  precise  state  of  health,  or  that  exact  period  of  vegetation,  from  whence  their  de- 
scriptions were  taken.  Perhaps  he  meets  the  plant  only  with  leaves,  but  the  systematic  wri- 
ter has  described  it  in  flower.  Perhaps  he  meets  the  bird  before  it  has  moulted  its  first  feathers, 
while  the  systematic  description  was  made  in  its  state  of  full  perfection.  He  thus  ranges 
without  an  instructor,  confused,  and  with  sickening  curiosity,  from  subject  to  subject,  till  at 
last  he  gives  up  the  pursuit,  in  the  multiplicity  of  his  disappointments. 

Some  practice,  therefore,  much  instruction,  and  diligent  reading,  are  requisite  to  make  a 
ready  and  expert  naturalist,  who  shall  be  able,  even  by  the  help  of  a  system,  to  find  out  the 
name  of  every  object  he  meets  with.  But  when  this  tedious,  though  requisite,  part  of  study 
is  attained,  nothing  but  delight  and  variety  attend  the  rest  of  his  journey.  Wherever  he  tra- 
vels, like  a  man,  in  a  country  where  he  has  many  friends,  he  meets  with  nothing  but  ac- 
quaintances and  allurements  in  all  the  stages  of  his  way.  The  mere  uninformed  spectator 
passes  on  in  gloomy  solitude;  but  the  naturalist,  in  every  plant,  in  every  insect,  and  every  peb- 
ble, finds  something  to  entertain  his  curiosity,  and  excite  his  speculation. 

From  hence  it  appears,  that  a  system  may  be  considered  as  a  dictionary  in  the  study  of 
nature.  The  ancients,  however,  who  have  written  most  delightfully  on  this  subject,  seem  en- 
tirely to  have  rejected  those  humble  and  mechanical  helps  to  science.  They  contented 
themselves  with  seizing  upon  the  great  outlines  of  history,  and  passing  over  what  was  com- 
mon, as  not  worth  the  detail ;  they  only  dwelt  upon  what  was  new,  great,  and  surprising,  and 
sometimes  even  warmed  the  imagination  at  the  expense  of  truth.  Such  of  the  moderns  as  re- 
vived this  science  in  Europe,  undertook  the  task  more  methodically,  though  not  in  a  manner 
so  pleasing.  Aldrovandus,  Gesner,  and  Johnson,  seemed  desirous  of  uniting  the  entertaining 
and  rich  descriptions  of  the  ancients  with  the  dry  and  systematic  arrangement,  of  which  they 
were  the  first  projectors.  This  attempt,  however,  was  extremely  imperfect,  as  the  great  variety 
of  nature  was,  as  yet,  but  very  inadequately  known.  Nevertheless,  by  attempting  to  carry  on 
both  objects  at  once,  first  directing  us  to  the  name  of  the  thing,  and  then  giving  the  detail  of 
its  history,  they  drew  out  their  works  into  a  tedious  and  unreasonable  length;  and  thus  mixing 
incompatible  aims,  they  have  left  their  labours  rather  to  be  occasionally  consulted,  than  read 
with  delight,  by  posterity 


PREFACE.  v 

The  later  moderns,  with  that  good  sense  which  they  have  carried  into  every  other  part  of 
science,  have  taken  a  different  method  in  cultivating  natural  history.  They  have  been  con- 
tent to  give,  not  only  the  brevity,  but  also  the  dry  and  disgusting  air  of  a  dictionary,  to  their 
systems.  Ray,  Klein,  Brisson,  and  Linnaeus,  have  had  only  one  aim,  that  of  pointing  out  the 
object  in  nature,  of  discovering  its  name,  and  where  it  was  to  be  found  in  those  authors  that 
treated  of  it  in  a  more  prolix  and  satisfactory  manner.  Thus  natural  history,  at  present,  is 
carried  on  in  two  distinct  and  separate  channels ;  the  one  serving  to  lead  us  to  the  thing,  the 
other  conveying  the  history  of  the  thing,  as  supposing  it  already  known. 

The  following  Natural  History  is  written  with  only  such  an  attention  to  system  as  serves  to 
remove  the  reader's  embarrassments,  and  allure  him  to  proceed.  It  can  make  no  pretensions 
in  directing  him  to  the  name  of  every  object  he  meets  with ;  that  belongs  to  works  of  a  dif- 
ferent kind,  and  written  with  very  different  aims.  It  will  fully  answer  my  design,  if  the  reader, 
being  already  possessed  of  the  name  of  any  animal,  shall  find  here  a  short,  though  satisfactory, 
history  of  its  habitudes,  its  subsistence,  its  manners,  its  friendships,  and  hostilities.  My  aim  has 
been  to  carry  on  just  as  much  method  as  was  sufficient  to  shorten  my  descriptions  by  general- 
izing them,  and  never  to  follow  order  where  the  art  of  writing,  which  is  but  another  name  for 
good  sense,  informed  me  that  it  would  only  contribute  to  the  reader's  embarrassment. 

Still,  however,  the  reader  will  perceive  that  I  have  formed  a  kind  of  system  in  the  history  of 
every  part  of  animated  nature,  directing  myself  by  the  great  obvious  distinctions  that  she  her- 
self seems  to  have  made ;  which,  though  too  few  to  point  exactly  to  the  name,  are  yet  sufficient 
to  illuminate  the  subject,  and  remove  the  reader's  perplexity.  Mr.  Buffon,  indeed,  who  has 
brought  greater  talents  to  this  part  of  learning  than  any  other  man,  has  almost  entirely  reject- 
ed method  in  classing  quadrupeds.  This,  with  great  deference  to  such  a  character,  appears 
to  me  running  into  the  opposite  extreme ;  and,  as  some  moderns  have  of  late  spent  much  time, 
great  pains,  and  some  learning,  all  to  very  little  purpose,  in  systematic  arrangement,  he  seems 
so  much  disgusted  by  their  trifling,  but  ostentatious  efforts,  that  he  describes  his  animals,  al- 
most in  the  order  they  happen  to  come  before  him.  This  want  of  method  seems  to  be  a  fault; 
but  he  can  lose  little  by  a  criticism  which  every  dull  man  can  make,  or  by  an  error  in  arrange- 
ment, from  which  the  dullest  are  most  usually  free. 

In  other  respects,  as  far  as  this  able  philosopher  has  gone,  I  have  taken  him  for  my  guide. 
The  warmth  of  hi i  style,  and  the  brilliancy  of  his  imagination,  are  inimitable.  Leaving  him, 
therefore,  without  a  rival  in  these,  and  only  availing  myself  of  his  information,  I  have  been 
content  to  describe  things  in  my  own  way;  and  though  many  of  the  materials  are  taken  from 
him.  yet  I  have  added,  retrenched,  and  altered,  as  1  thought  proper.  It  was  my  intention  at 
one  time,  whenever  I  differed  from  him,  to  have  mentioned  it  at  the  bottom  of  the  page ;  but 
this  occurred  so  often,  that  I  soon  found  it  would  look  like  envy,  and  might  perhaps  convict 
me  of  those  very  errors  which  I  was  wanting  to  lay  upon  him.  I  have,  therefore,  as  being  eve- 
ry way  his  debtor,  concealed  my  dissent,  where  my  opinion  was  different ;  but  wherever  I  bor- 
row from  him,  I  take  care  at  the  bottom  of  the  page  to  express  my  obligations.  But  though  my 
obligations  to  this  writer  are  many,  they  extend  to  but  the  smallest  part  of  the  work,  as  he  has 
hitherto  completed  only  the  history  of  quadrupeds.  I  was,  therefore,  left  to  my  own  reading 
alone,  to  make  out  the  history  of  birds,  fishes,  and  insects,  of  which  the  arrangement  was  so  diffi- 

NO.  l.  B 


vi  .  PREFACE. 

cult,  and  the  necessary  information  so  widely  diffused,  and  so  obscurely  related  when  found, 
that  it  proved  by  much  the  most  laborious  part  of  the  undertaking.  Thus  having  made  use 
of  Mr.  Burton's  lights  in  the  first  part  of  the  work,  I  may  with  some  share  of  confidence  re- 
commend it  to  the  public.  But  what  shall  I  say  to  that  part,  where  I  have  been  entirely  left 
without  his  assistance  ?  As  I  would  affect  neither  modesty  nor  confidence,  it  will  be  sufficient 
to  say,  that  rny  reading  upon  this  part  of  the  subject  has  been  very  extensive ;  and  that  I  have 
taxed  my  scanty  circumstances  in  procuring  books,  which  are  on  this  subject,  of  all  others, 
the  most  expensive.  In  consequence  of  this  industry,  I  here  offer  a  work  to  the  public,  of  a 
kind  which  has  never  been  attempted  in  ours,  or  any  other  modern  language,  that  I  know 
of.  The  ancients,  indeed,  and  Pliny  in  particular,  have  anticipated  me  in  the  present  manner 
of  treating  natural  history.  Like  those  historians  who  describe  the  events  of  a  campaign,  they 
have  not  condescended  to  give  the  private  particulars  of  every  individual  that  formed  the 
army ;  they  were  content  with  characterizing  the  generals,  and  describing  their  operations, 
while  they  left  it  to  meaner  hands  to  carry  the  muster-roll.  I  have  followed  their  manner, 
rejecting'  the  numerous  fables  which  they  adopted,  and  adding  the  improvements  of  the 
moderns,  which  are  so  numerous,  that  they  actually  make  up  the  bulk  of  natural  history. 

The  delight  which  I  found  in  reading  Pliny,  first  inspired  me  with  the  idea  of  a  work  of  this 
nature.  Having  a  taste  rather  classical  than  scientific,  and  having  but  little  employed  myself 
in  turning  over  the  dry  labours  of  modern  system-makers,  my  earliest  intention  was  to  trans- 
late this  agreeable  writer,  and  by  the  help  of  a  commentary  to  make  my  work  as  amusing  as 
I  could.  Let  us  dignify  natural  history  never  so  much  with  the  grave  appellation  of  an  useful 
science,  yet  still  we  must  confess,  that  it  is  the  occupation  of  the  idle  and  the  speculative,  more 
than  of  the  busy  and  the  ambitious  part  of  mankind.  My  intention,  therefore,  was  to  treat 
what  I  then  conceived  to  be  an  idle  subject,  in  an  idle  manner ;  and  not  to  hedge  round  plain 
and  simple  narratives  with  hard  words,  accumulated  distinctions,  ostentatious  learning,  and 
disquisitions  that  produced  no  conviction.  Upon  the  appearance,  however,  of  Mr.  Buffbn's 
work,  I  dropped  my  former  plan,  and  adopted  the  present,  being  convinced,  by  his  manner, 
that  the  best  imitation  of  the  ancients  was  to  write  from  our  own  feelings,  and  to  imitate  nature. 

It  will  be  my  chief  pride,  therefore,  if  this  work  may  be  found  an  innocent  amusement  for 
those  who  have  nothing  else  to  employ  them,  or  who  require  a  relaxation  from  labour.  Pro- 
fessed naturalists  will,  no  doubt,  find  it  superficial;  and  yet  I  should  hope  that  even  these  will 
discover  hints  and  remarks,  gleaned  from  various  reading,  not  wholly  trite  or  elementary, 
would  wish  for  their  approbation.  But  my  chief  ambition  is  to  drag  up  the  obscure  and 
gloomy  learning  of  the  cell  to  open  inspection,  to  strip  it  from  its  garb  of  austerity,  and  to  show 
the  beauties  of  that  form,  which  only  the  industrious  and  the  inquisitive  have  been  hitherto 
permitted  to  approach. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Life  of  Goldsmith i— xvi 

GHAP.  I.  A  Sketch  of  the  Universe   .        2 

II.  A  short  survey  of  the  Globe, 

from  the  light  of  Astro- 
nomy, ami  Geography     .        3 

III.  A  view  of  the  surface  of 

the  Earth 5 

IV.  A   review  of  the  different 

Theories  of  the  Earth    .        7 

V.  Fossil-shells  and  other  ex- 

traneous Fossils      ...       12 

VI.  The  internal  Structure  of 

the  Earth 15 

VII.  Caves   and   Subterrane- 
ous Passages   that   sink, 
but  not  perpendicularly, 

into  the  Earth    ....       19 

VIII.  Mines,   Damps,  and  Mi- 
neral Vapours    ....      22 

IX.  Volcanoes     and     Earth- 
quakes   26 

X.  Earthquakes 30 

XI.  The  appearance  of  Islands 

and   Tracts  ;   and  of  the 
disappearing  of  others    .      36 

XII.  Mountains 40 

XIII.  Water 48 

XIV.  The  origin  of  Rivers     .       57 

XV.  The   Ocean   in  general ; 

and  of  its  Saltness      .     .      67 

XVI.  The  Tides,  Motion,  and 
Currents,    of    the   Sea; 
with  their  effects   ...       73 

XVII.  The  changes  produced 

by  the  Sea  upon  the  Earth      79 

XVIII.  A  summary  account  of 
the   mechanical    proper- 
ties of  Air 87 

XIX.  An  Essay  towards  a  natural 
history  of  the  Air  .     ,     .      91 

XX.  Winds  regular  and  irregu- 

lar     99 

XXI.  Meteors,  and   such   ap- 
pearances as  result  from 
a    combination    of    the 
Elements 107 

XXII.  The  Conclusion  ...     117 

ANIMALS. 

0HAP.  XXIII.  A  comparison  of  Ani- 
mals with  the  inferior 
ranks  of  Creation  .  .  .  119 

XXIV.  The  generation  of  Ani- 
mals      123 

XXV.  The  Infancy  of  Man     .     133 

XXVI.  Puberty 138 

XXVII.  The  Age  of  Manhood     140 

XXVIII.  Sleep  and  Hunger     .     153 

XXIX.  Seeing 159 

XXX.  Hearing 164 

XXXI.  Smelling,  Peeling,  and 
Tasting 168 

XXXII.  Old  Age  and  Death    .     172 

XXXIII.  The   Varieties  in  the 
Human  Race     ....     177 

XXXIV.  Monsters     .     ,     .     .     186 

XXXV.  Mummies,      Wax- 
works, &c 193 

XXXVI.  Animals 198 

XXXVII.  Quadrupeds  in  gene- 
ral, compared  to  Man     .    204 

ANIMALS    Of   THE    HORSE  KIND. 

CHAP.  XXXVIII.  The  Horse  .    814 


CHAP.  XXXIX.  The  Ass 

XL.  The  Zebra     , 


Page. 
.  223 
.  227 


RUMINATING    ANIMALS. 

CHAP.  XLI.  Introduction      ....  231 

XLJI.  The  Cow  Kind     .     .     .  233 

The   Buffalo 238 

XLIII.  Animals  of  the    Sheep 

and  Goat  Kind  ....  240 

The  Sheep 241 

The  Goat  and  its      ... 

numerous  Varieties    .     .  245 

The  Gazelles 250 

XLIV.  The  Musk  Animal       .  255 
XLV.  Animals  of  the  Deer 

Kind 257 

The  Fallow-Deer      ...  265 

The  Roe-buck 2G7 

The  Elk 269 

The  Rein-Deer     ....  272 

QUADRUPEDS    OF  THE  HOG  KIND. 

CHAP.  XLVI.  Introduction       ...  279 

The  Wild  Boar     ....  ib. 

The   Hog 280 

XLVII.  The  Peccary,  or  Taiacu  282 
XLV1II.  The  Capibara,  or  Ca- 

biai 284 

XLIX.   The   Babyrouessa,   or 

Indian   Hog 285 

CARNIVOROUS    ANIMALS. 

CHAP.  L.  Animals  of  the  Cat  Kind    .  288 

The  Lion 292 

The  Tiger 297 

The  Panther  and  the  Leo- 
pard        302 

LI.  Animals  of  the  Dog  Kind  307 

The  Wolf 317 

The  Fox 322 

The  Jackal 325 

Thelsatis 326 

The    Hyaena 327 

LII.  Animals  of  the   Weasel 

Kind 328 

The  Ermine,  or  Stoat   .     .  330 

The   Ferret 332 

The  Pole-cat 333 

The   Martin 334 

The  Sable 336 

The  Ichneumon     ....  337 

The  Stinkards 338 

The  Genet 340 

The  Civet ib. 

The  Glutton 342 

ANIMALS    OF    THE    HARE    KIND. 

Introduction 345 

The  Hare ib. 

The  Rabbit 349 

The  Squirrel 351 

The  Flying  Squirrel .     .     .  3M 

The  Marmout 355 

The  Agouti 358 

The  Paca 359 

The  Guinea-pig    ....  360 

ASIMAL!  OF  THE  RAT  AND   HEDGEHOG  KINDS. 


CHAP.  LIII.  The  Rat  Kind 
The  Great  Rat 
The  Mouse 


303 

it. 

365 


CHAP.  LIII.  The  Dormouse    .  $>6 

The  Musk-Rat     ....  367 

The  C'ricetus 368 

The  Leming     .     .     .     •     .  369 

The  Mole     ......  370 

L1V. The  Hedgehog,  or  Prick- 
ly Kind 373 

The  Tanrcc  and  Tendrac  .  374 

The  Porcupine      ....  375 

LV.  Quadrupeds  covered  with 
scales   or   shells  instead 

of  hair 377 

The  Pangolin 378 

The  Armadillo,  or  Tatou    .  380 

LV1.  Animals  of  the  Rat  Kind  382 

LVII.  Amphibious  Quadrupeds  386 

The  Otter ib. 

The  Beaver 389 

The  Seal 392 

The  Morse        395 

The  Manati 396 

THE  MONKEY  KIND,  THE  ELEPHANT,  RHINOCE- 
ROS, &G. 

CHAP.  LVIII.  Animals  of  the  Monkey 

Kind 398 

The  Ouran  Outang  ...  399 

The  Baboon 404 

The  Monkey 406 

The  Maki 4)2 

The  Oppossum  and  its  Kinds  4  J  3 

LIX.  The  Elephant    ....  416 

LX.  The  Rhinoceros      ...  425 

LXI.  The  Hippopotamus     .     .  427 

LXII.  The  Camelopard  ...  429 
LXIII.  The  Camel  and  the 

Dromedary 430 

LXIV.  The   Lama      ....  4:!3 

LXV.  The  Nyl-ghau       ...  435 

LXVI.  The  Bear     .....  436 

LXV1I.  The  Badger  .     .     .     .  438 

LXVIII.  The  Tapir  ....  439 

LXIX.  The  Racoon  ....  ,'*: 

LXX.  The  Coatimondi  .     .     .  440 

LXXI.  The  Ant-Bear     ...  441 

LXXII.  The  Sloth     ....  442 

LXXIII.  The  Jerboa      .     .  444 

BIRDS. 

OF  BIRDS  IN  GENF.RAL. 

CHAP.  LXXIV.  Introduction  ...  448 
LXXV.  The  generation,  nest- 
ling, and  incubation  of  Birds  454 
LXXVI.  The  division  of  Birds  459 
LXX  VII.  The  Ostrich  .  .  .  4(i2 
LXXVIII.  The  Emu  ...  466 
LXXIX.  The  Cassowary  .  ,  4(57 
LXXX.  The  Dodo 469 

RAPACIOUS    BIRDS. 

CHAP.  LXXXI.  Rapacious  Birds  .  .  471 

LXXXn.  Tiie  Ea<rle,  &c. .  .  473 
LXXXIII.  The  Condor  of 

America  .  .  .  477 

LXX  XIV.  The  Vulture.  &c.  .  479 

LXXXV.  The  Falcon  Kind  .  482 

LXX  XVI.  The  Butcher- Bird  486 
LXXXVII.  Rapacious  Birds  of 

the  Owl  Kind 488 

BIRDS    OF    THE    POULTRY  KIND. 

CHAP.  LXXXVIII.  Birds  of  the  Poul- 
try Kind      , 4fl^ 


CONTENTS. 


Page.  ' 

CHAP.  LXXXIX.  Tho  Cock  .  .  .  4U4 
XC.  The  Peacock  ....  497 
XCI.  The  Turkey  ....  499 
XCII.  The  Pheasant  ....  501 
XC11I.  The  Pintada,or  Gui- 
nea Hen  503 

XC1V.  The  Bustard    ....  504 

XCV.   The  Grous      ....  505 

XCVI.  The  Partridge     .     .     .  507 

XCVII.  The  Quail    ....  509 

BIRDS    OF   THE    PIE    KIND. 

CHAP.  XCVIJ1.  Birds  of  the  Pie  Kind  511 
XCIX.  The  Raven  and  the  Crow  512 

C.  The  Magpie 516 

CI.  The  Woodpecker     ...  519 

CII.  The  Bird  of  Paradise  .     .  522 

CHI.  The  Cuckoo      ....  593 

CIV.  The  Parrot 535 

CV.  The  Pigeon 529 

BIRDS  OF  THE  SPARROW  KIND. 

CHAP.  C  VI.  Birds  of  the  Sparrow  Kind  533 

CVII.  The  Thrush,  &c       .     .  539 

CVIII.  The  Nightingale,  &c. .  540 

CIX.  The  Canary-Bird,  &c.     .  544 

CX.  The  Swallow       ....  546 

CXI.  The  Humming-Bird  .     .  548 

BIRDS  OF  THE  CRANE  KIND. 

CHAP.  CXII.  Birds  of  the  Crane  Kind 

in  general 551 

CXI11.  The  Crane  ....  552 

CXIV.  The  Stork  ....  556 
CXV.  The  Balearic  and  other 

Foreign  Cranes  ....  557 

CXVI.  The  Heron,  &c.  .  .  559 

CXVII.  The  Bittern  .  .  .  .  5ti2 

CXVIII.  The  Spoonbill ...  563 

CXIX.  The  Flamingo  ...  564 
CXX.  The  Avosetta  and  the 

Corrira 567 

CXXI.  Small  Birds  of  the 

Crane  Kind ......  568 

CXXII.  The  Water  Hen  and 

the  Coot '572 

WATER-FOWL. 

CHAP.  CXXIII.  Water-Fowl  in  ge- 
nera!     574 

CXXIV.  The  Pelican    ...  576 

CXX  V.  The  Albatross     ...  579 

CXXVI.  The  Cormorant     .     .  580 

CXXVII.  The  Gannet  ...  582 
CXXVIII.  Smaller  Gulls  and  . 

Petrels 583 

CXXIX.  The  Penguin  Kind  .  587 

CXXX.  The  Auk,  Puffin,  &c.  589 
CXXXI.  Birds  of  the  Goose 

Kind 592 

CXXX  II.  The   Swan     ...  593 

CXXXI1I.  The  Goose,  &c.    .  596 

CXXXIV.  The  Duck,  &c.  .     .  597 

CXXXV.  The  King-Fisher     .  602 


FISHKS  IN  GENERAL. 

CHAP.  CXXXVI.  Introduction    .     .  605 
CXXX  VII.  Cetaceous  Fishes  in 

general 614 

CXXXVIII.  The  Whale    .    .  616 


Page. 

CHAP.  CXXXIX.  The  Nsrwhale  .     .    621 
CXL.  The  Cachalot,  &c.     .     .     W3 
CXLI.     The     Dolphin,      the 
Grampus,  and  the  porpoise, 
&c 624 

CARTILAGINOUS    FISHES. 

CHAP.  CXLII.    Cartilaginous  Fishes 

in  general 627 

CXLI1I.  Cartilaginous  Fishes 

of  the  Shark  Kind     ...     629 
CXLIV.     Cartilaginous    Flat- 
fish of  the  Ray  Kind     .     .     632 
CXLV.  The  Lamprey,  &c  .     .     638 
CXLVI.  The  Sturgeon,  &c.   .     640 
CXLV1I.   Anomalous  Cartila- 
ginous Fishes 642 

SP1SOUS    FISHES. 

CHAP.  CXLVIII.  The  Division  of  Spi- 

nous   Fishes 646 

SECT.  I.  Prickly-finned  Fishes     .     .  647 

SKCT.  II.  Soft-finned  Fishes    ...  649 

CXL1X.  Spinous  Fishes     .     .  651 

CRUSTACEOUS  AND  TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 

CHAP.  CL.  TheDivisionof  Shell-Fish  662 
CLI.  Crustaceous  Animals  of 

the  Lobster  Kind  ...     663 
CLII.  The  Tortoise  and  its  Kinds  Go'9 
CLIII.  The  Shell  of  Testace- 
ous Fishes 676 

CLIV.    Turbinated   Shell-fish 

of  the  Snail  Kind  ...     681 
CLV.  Bivalved    Shell-fish,   or 

Shells  of  the  Oyster  Kind  687 
CLVI.  Multivalve  Shell-fish        693 

FROGS,  LIZARDS,  AND  SERPENTS. 

FROGS    AND    TOADS. 

CHAP.  CLVII.  Frogs  and  Toads  in 

general 697 

CLVIII.  The  Frog  and  its  Va- 
rieties   ti. 

CLIX.  The  Toad  and  its  Varieties  702 

THE    LIZARD    KIND. 

CHAP.  CLX.  Lizards  in  general  .  .  709 
CLXI.  The  Crocodile,  and  its 

Affinities 711 

CLXII.  The  Salamander    .     .     717 
CLXIII.  The  Chamelion,  the 
Iguana,   and    Lizards  of 
different  Kinds       ...     719 

SERPENTS,  &C. 

CLXIV.  Serpents  in  general  ...  723 
CLXV.  Venomous  Serpents  in 

genera] 732 

CLXV1.  Serpents  withont  venom  739 

INSECTS. 

INSECTS    OF    THE    FIRST    ORDER. 

CHAP.  CLXVII.  Insects  in  general  743 
CLXVIII.  Insects  without  wings  746 
CLXIX.  The  Spider  and  its 

Varieties 747 


CHAP.  CLXX.  The  Flea          .     .     .   "f& 
CLXXI.  The  Louse  and   its 

Varieties       753 

CLXXII.  The  Bug    and    its 

Varieties 756 

CLXX11I.  The  Woodlouse  and 

its  Varieties       ....     758 
CLXXIV.  The  Moncculus,  or 

Arborescent  Water-flea    .     ti. 
CLXXV.    The   Scorpion   and 

its  Varieties       ....     759 
CLXXV1.    The    Scolopendra 

and  Gally-worm     .     .     .     7G2 
CLXXVII.  The  Leech      .     .    76;i 

INSECTS    OF    THE    SECOND    ORDER. 

CHAP.  CLXXVIII.  The  Second  Or- 
der of  Insects  in  general      76t> 
CLXXIX.  The  Libella.or  Dra- 

f  on-fly il>. 
X.  The  Formica   Leo, 
or  Lion-Ant       ....     768 

CLXXXI.  The  Grasshopper, 
the  Locust,  the  Cicada, 
the  Cricket, and  the  Mole- 
Cricket  771 

CLXXXII.  The  Earwig,  the 
Froth  Insect,  and  some 
others  belonging  to  the 
Second  Order  of  Insects  778 

CLXXX1II.  The  Ephemera       780 

INSECTS  OF  THE  THIRD  ORDER. 

CHAP.  CLXXXIV.  Caterpillars  in 

general 783 

CLXXXV.  The  Transforma- 
tion of  the  Caterpillar  in- 
to its  corresponding  But- 
terfly or  Moth  ....  784 

CLXXXVI.  Butterflies  and 

Moths  791 

CLXXXVII.  The  Enemies  of 

the  Caterpillar  ...  794 

CLXXXVIII.  The  Silkworm     796 

INSECTS    OF    THE    FOURTH   ORDER. 

CHAP.  CLXXXIX.  The  Fourth  Or- 
der of  Insects  in  general  800 
CLXL.  The  Bee  .  .  .  .  il>. 
CLXLI.  The  Wasp  ....  809 
CLXLU.  The  Ichneumon  Fly  813 
CLXLIII.  The  Ant  ...  814 
CLXLIV.  The  Beetle  and  its 

Varieties 818 

CLXLV.  The  Gnat  and  Tipula  825 

THE    ZOOPHYTES. 

CHAP.  CLXLVI.  Zoophytes  in  ge- 
neral     828 

CLXLVII.  Worms  ....  829 
CLXLVIII.  The  Star-fish  .  832 
CLXLIX  The  Polypus  .  .  833 
CC.  Lythophytes  and  Sponges  837 

POETRY. 

Traveller 843 

Deserted  Village 850 

Hermit 858 

Logicians  Refuted  .  .  •  .  858 
Essavs 859— #» 


THE  LIFE 


•  rf* 
L  HE  life  of  a  Scholar,"  Dr.  Goldsmith  has  remarked,  "seldom  abounds  with  adventure: 

"  his  fame  is  acquired  in  solitude ;  and  the  historian,  who  only  views  him  at  a  distance,  must 
"  be  content  with  a  dry  detail  of  actions  by  which  he  is  scarce  distinguished  from  the  rest  of 
"  mankind :  but  we  are  fond  of  talking  of  those  who  have  given  us  pleasure ;  not  that  we  have 
*  any  thing  important  to  say,  but  because  the  subject  is  pleasing." 

Oliver  Goldsmith,  son  of  the  Reverend  Charles  Goldsmith,  was  born  at  Elphin,  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Roscommon,  in  Ireland,  in  the  year  1729.  His  father  had  four  sons,  of  whom  Oliver 
was  the  third.  After  being  well  instructed  in  the  classics,  at  the  school  of  Mr.  Hughes,  he 
was  admitted  a  sizer  in  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  on  the  llth  of  June,  1744.  While  he  re- 
sided there,  he  exhibited  no  specimens  of  that  genius,  which,  in  maturer  years,  raised  his 
character  so  high.  On  the  27th  of  February,  1749,  O.  S.  (two  years  after  the  regular  time,) 
he  obtained  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  Soon  after  he  turned  his  thoughts  to  the  pro- 
fession of  physic ;  and,  after  attending  some  courses  of  anatomy  in  Dublin,  proceeded  to 
Edinburgh,  in  the  year  1751,  where  he  studied  the  several  branches  of  medicine  under  the 
different  professors  in  that  university.  His  beneficent  disposition  soon  involved  him  in  unex- 
pected difficulties ;  and  he  was  obliged  precipitately  to  leave  Scotland,  in  consequence  of 
having  engaged  himself  to  pay  a  considerable  sum  of  money  for  a  fellow  student. 

The  beginning  of  the  year  1754,  he  arrived  at  Sunderlaud,  near  Newcastle,  where  he  was 
arrested  at  the  suit  of  one  Barclay,  a  taylor  in  Edinburgh,  to  whom  he  had  given  security  for 
his  friend.  By  the  good  offices  of  Laughlin  Maclane,  Esq.  and  Dr.  Sleigh,  who  were  then  in 


ii  LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH. 

the  college,  he  was  soon  delivered  out  of  the  hands  of  the  bailiff,  and  took  his  passage  on  board 
a  Dutch  ship  to  Rotterdam,  where,  after  a  short  stay,  he  proceeded  to  Brussels.  He  then 
visited  great  part  of  Flanders ;  and,  after  passing  some  time  at  Strasbourg  and  Louvain,  where 
he  obtained  a  degree  of  Bachelor  in  Physic,  he  accompanied  an  English  gentleman  to  Geneva. 

It  is  undoubtedly  a  fact,  that  this  ingenious  unfortunate  man  made  most  part  of  his  tour  on 
foot.  He  had  left  England  with  very  little  money;  and  being  of  a  philosophic  turn,  and  at 
that  time  possessing  a  body  capable  ol  sustaining  every  fatigue,  and  a  heart  not  easily  terrifi- 
ed by  danger,  he  became  an  enthusiast  to  the  design  he  had  formed  of  seeing  the  manners  of 
different-countries.  He  had  some  knowledge  of  the  French  language,  and  of  music:  heplav- 
ed  tolerably  well  on  the  German  flute ;  which,  from  amusement,  became,  at  some  times,  the 
means  of  subsistence.  His  learning  produced  him  an  hospitable  reception  at  most  of  the  re- 
ligious houses  he  visited ;  and  his  music  made  him  welcome  to  the  peasants  of  Flanders  and 
Germany.  "  Whenever  I  approached  a  peasant's  house  towards  night-fall,"  he  used  to  say, 
"I  played  one  of  my  most  merry  tune?,  and  that  generally  procured  me  not  only  a  lodging 
but  subsistence  for  the  next  day:  but,  in  truth"  (his  constant  expression,)  "I  must  own,  when- 
ever I  attempted  to  entertain  persons  of  a  higher  rank,  they  always  thought  my  perfor- 
mance odious,  and  never  made  me  any  return  for  my  endeavours  to  please  them." 

On  his  arrival  at  Geneva,  he  was  recommended  as  a  proper  person  for  a  travelling  tutor  to 
a  young  man,  who  had  been  unexpectedly  left  a  considerable  sum  of  money  by  his  uncle 
Mr.  S.  ******.  This  youth,  who  was  articled  to  an  attorney,  on  the  receipt  of  his  fortune  de- 
termined to  see  the  world. 

During  Goldsmith's  continuance  in  Switzerland,  he  assiduously  cultivated  his  poetical  talent, 
of  which  he  had  given  some  striking  proofs  at  the  college  of  Edinburgh.  It  was  from  hence 
he  sent  the  first  sketch  of  his  delightful  epistle,  called  the  Traveller,  to  his  brother  Henry,  a 
clergyman  in  Ireland,  who,  giving  up  fame  and  fortune,  had  retired  with  an  amiable  wife  to 
happiness  and  obscurity,  on  an  income  of  only  forty  pounds  a  year.  The  great  affection 
Goldsmith  bore  for  this  brother,  is  expressed  in  the  poem  before  mentioned,  and  gives  a 
striking  picture  of  his  situation. 

From  Geneva  Mr.  Goldsmith  and  his  pupil  proceeded  to  the  south  of  France,  where  the 
young  man,  upon  some  disagreement  with  his  preceptor,  paid  him  the  small  part  of  his  salary 
which  was  due,  and  embarked  at  Marseilles  for  England.  Our  wanderer  was  left  once  more 
upon  the  world  at  large,  and  passed  through  a  number  of  difficulties  in  traversing  the  greatest 
part  of  France.  At  length  his  curiosity  being  gratified,  he  bent  his  course  towards  England, 
and  arrived  at  Dover,  the  beginning  of  the  winter,  in  the  year  1758. 

His  finances  were  so  low  on  his  return  to  England,  that  he  with  difficulty  got  to  the  metro- 
polis, his  whole  stock  of  cash  amounting  to  no  more  than  a  few  half-pence.  An  entire  stranger 
'n  London,  his  mind  was  filled  with  the  most  gloomy  reflections  in  consequence  of  his  embar- 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH.  iiv 

rassed  situation.  He  applied  to  several  apothecaries,  in  hopes  of  being  received  in  the  capa- 
city of  a  journeyman ;  but  his  broad  Irish  accent,  and  the  uncouthness  of  his  appearance, 
occasioned  him  to  meet  with  insult  from  most  of  the  medical  tribe.  The  next  day,  however, 
a  chymist,  near  Fish-street,  struck  with  his  forlorn  condition,  arid  the  simplicity  of  his  manner, 
took  him  into  his  laboratory,  where  he  continued  till  he  discovered  that  his  old  friend  Dr. 
Sleigh  was  in  London.  "  It  was  Sunday,"  said  Goldsmith,  "  when  I  paid  him  a  visit ;  and  it  is 
to  be  supposed,  in  my  best  clothes.  Sleigh  scarcely  knew  me:  such  is  the  tax  the  unfortu- 
nate pay  to  p  >veity.  However,  when  he  did  recollect  me,  I  found  his  heart  as  warm  as  ever; 
and  he  shared  his  purse  and  his  friendship  with  me  during  his  continuance  in  London."  Gold- 
smith, unwilling  to  be  a  burden  to  his  friend,  a  short  time  after,  eagerly  embraced  an  offer 
which  was  made  him  to  assist  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Milner,  in  instructing  the  young  gentlemen 
at  the  Academy  at  Peckham ;  and  acquitted  himself  greatly  to  the  Doctor's  satisfaction  for  a 
short  time;  but,  having  obtained  some  reputation  by  the  criticisms  he  had  written  in  the 
Monthly  Review,  Mr.  Griffith,  the  principal  proprietor,  engaged  him  in  the  compilation  of  it; 
and  resolving  to  pursue  the  profession  of  writing,  he  returned  to  London,  as  the  mart  where 
abilities  of  every  kind  were  sure  of  meeting  distinction  and  reward.  Here  he  determined  to 
adopt  a  plan  of  the  strictest  economy,  and,  at  the  close  of  the  year  1759,  took  lodgings  in 
Green-Arbour-Court,  in  the  Okl  Baily,  where  he  wrote  several  ingenious  pieces.  His  first 
works  were  The  Bee,  a  weekly  pamphlet;  and  Jin  Inquiry  into  the  present  State  of  Polite  Learning 
in  Europe.  The  late  Mr.  Newberry,  who,  at  that  time,  gave  great  encouragement  to  men  of 
literary  abilities,  became  a  kind  of  patron  to  Goldsmith,  and  introduced  him  as  one  of  the 
writers  in  the  Public  Ledger,"  in  which  his  Citizen  of  the  World  originally  appeared,  under 
title  of  "Chinese  Letters." 

Through  the  generosi  y  of  Mr.  Newberry,  for  whom  he  had  written  and  compiled  a  variety 
of  pieces,  or,  in  other  terms,  had  held  the  "pen  of  a  ready  writer,"  our  Author  was  enabled 
to  shift  his  quarters  from  Green-Arbour-Court  to  Wine-Olfice-Court,  in  Fleet-street,  where 
he  put  the  finishing  stroke  to  his  Vicar  of  Wak°ficll.  Having  conciliated  the  esteem  of  Dr. 
Johnson  by  that  passport  to  the  human  heart,  flattery,  the  Colossus  of  Literature  gave  so  strong 
a  recommendation  of  Goldsmith's  Novel,  that  the  Author  obtained  sixty  pounds  for  the  copy; 
a  sum  far  beyond  his  expectation,  as  he  candidly  acknowledged  to  a  literary  friend.  It  was, 
however,  a  very  seasonable  relief,  as  it  extricated  our  Author  from  many  embarrassments  un- 

(a)  During  this  time  (according  to  another  account)  he  wrote  for  the  British  Magazine,  of  which  Dr.  Smollett  was  then 
editor,  most  of  those  Essays  and  Tales,  which  he  afterwards  collected  and  published  in  a  separate  volume-  He  also 
wrote  occasionally  for  the  Critical  Review;  and  it  was  the  merit  which  he  discovered  in  criticising  a  despicable  transla- 
tion of  Ovid's  Fasti,  by  a  pedantic  schoolmaster,  and  his  Inquiry  into  the  pmtent  State  of  Learning  in  Europe,  \vhicli 
first  introduced  him  to  the  acquaintance  of  Dr.  Smollett,  who  recommended  him  to  several  literati,  and  to  most  of  the 

booksellers  by  whom  he  was  afterwards  patronized. 

a* 


iv  LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH. 

der  which  he  then  laboured.  But  as  Goldsmith's  reputation  as  a  writer  was  not  yet  establish- 
ed, the  bookseller  was  doubtful  of  the  success  of  the  Novel,  and  he  kept  the  manuscript  by 
him  till  the  Traveller  appeared,  when  he  published  it  with  great  advantage. 

Among  many  other  persons  of  distinction  who  were  desirous  to  know  him,  was  the  Duke  of 
Northumberland,  and  the  circumstance  that  attended  his  introduction  to  that  nobleman,  is 
worthy  of  being  related,  in  order  to  show  a  striking  trait  of  his  character.  "  I  was  invited," 
said  the  Doctor,  "  by  my  friend  Percy,  to  wait  upon  the  Duke,  in  consequence  of  the  satisfac- 
tion he  had  received  from  the  perusal  of  one  of  my  productions.  I  dressed  myself  in  the  best 
manner  I  could,  and,  after  studying  some  compliments  I  thought  necessary  on  such  an  occa- 
sion, proceeded  to  Northumberland  house,  and  acquainted  the  servants  that  I  had  particular 
business  with  his  Grace.  They  showed  me  into  an  anti-chamber,  where,  after  waiting  some 
time,  a  gentleman,  very  elegantly  dressed,  made  his  appearance.  Taking  him  for  the  Duke, 
I  delivered  all  the  fine  things  I  had  composed,  in  order  to  compliment  him  on  the  honour  he 
had  done  me;  when,  to  my  great  astonishment, he  told  me  I  had  mistaken  him  for  his  master, 
*ho  would  see  me  immediately.  At  that  instant  the  Duke  came  into  the  apartment;  and  I 
«vas  so  confounded  on  the  occasion,  that  I  wanted  words  barely  sufficient  to  express  the  sense 
f,  entertained  of  the  Duke's  politeness,  and  went  away  exceedingly  chagrined  at  the  blunder 
I  had  committed." 

The  Doctor,  at  the  time  of  this  visit,  was  much  embarrassed  in  his  circumstances ;  but, 
vain  of  the  honour  done  him,  was  continually  mentioning  it.  One  of  those  ingenious  executors 
of  the  law,  a  bailiff,  who  had  a  writ  against  him,  determined  to  turn  this  circumstance  to  hi? 
own  advantage.  He  wrote  him  a  letter,  that  he  was  steward  to  a  nobleman  who  was  charm- 
ed with  reading  his  last  production,  and  had  ordered  him  to  desire  the  Doctor  to  appoint  a 
place  where  he  might  have  the  honour  of  meeting  him,  to  conduct  him  to  his  Lordship.  The 
vanity  of  poor  Goldsmith  immediately  swallowed  the  bait:  he  appointed  the  British  Coffee- 
house, to  which  he  was  accompanied  by  his  friend  Mr.  Hamilton,  the  printer  of  the  Critical 
[le'view,  who  in  vain  remonstrated  on  the  singularity  of  the  application.  On  entering  the 
coffee-room,  the  bailiff  paid  his  respects  to  the  Doctor,  and  desired  that  he  might  have  the 
honour  of  immediately  attending  him.  They  had  scarce  entered  Pall-Mall,  in  their  way  to 
kis  Lordship,  when  the  bailiff  produced  his  writ.  Mr.  Hamilton  generously  paid  the  money, 
and  redeemed  the  Doctor  from  captivity. 

Dr.  Goldsmith,  in  1765,  produced  his  poem  of  the  Traveller,  which  obtained  the  commenda- 
lion  of  Dr.  Johnson,  who  candidly  acknowledged,  "that  there  had  not  been  so  fine  a  Poem 
since  the  time  of  Pope."  But  such  was  his  diffidence,  that  he  kept  the  manuscript  by  him 
pome  years;  nor  could  he  be  prevailed  on  to  publish  it,  till  persuaded  by  Dr.  Johnson,  who 
furnished  him  with  some  ideas  for  its  enlargement. 

This  Poem,  in  consequence  of  the  reception  it  met  with  from  the  public,  enhanced  his 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH.  v 

literary  character  with  the  booksellers,  and  introduced  him  to  the  notice  of  several  persons 
eminent  for  their  rank  and  superior  talents,  as  Lord  Nugent,  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  Dr.  Nugent, 
Beauclerc,  Mr.  Dyer,  &c.  These  distinguished  characters  were  entertained  with  his  conver- 
sation, and  highly  pleased  with  his  blunders :  at  the  same  time  they  admired  the  elegance  of 
his  poems  and  simplicity  of  the  man.  He  published,  the  same  year,  a  Collection  of  Essays, 
which  had  previously  appeared  in  the  newspapers,  magazines,  and  other  periodical  publica- 
tions. But  The  Vicar  of  Wakefield,  published  in  1766,  established  his  reputation  as  a  Novelist. 

Goldsmith's  finances  augmented  with  his  fame,  and  enabled  him  to  live  in  a  superior  style; 
for,  soon  after  the  publication  of  his  Traveller,  he  changed  his  lodgings  in  Wine-Office-Court 
for  a  set  of  chambers  in  the  Inner  Temple ;  and  at  the  same  time,  in  conjunction  with  Mr. 
Bolt,  a  literary  friend,  took  a  country  house  on  the  Edgware  Road,  for  the  benefit  of  the  air, 
and  the  convenience  of  retirement.  He  gave  this  little  mansion  the  jocular  appellation  of  the 
Shoemaker's  Paradise,  being  built  in  a  fantastic  style  by  its  original  possessor,  who  was  one  of 
the  craft. 

In  this  rural  retirement  he  wrote  his  History  of  England,  in  a  Series  of  Letters  from  a  Noble* 
man  to  his  Son  ;  and,  as  an  incontestible  proof  of  the  merit  of  this  production,  it  was  generally 
supposed  to  have  come  from  the  pen  of  Lord  Lyttleton,  one  of  the  most  elegant  writers  of  his 
time:  and  it  may  be  further  observed,  to  enhance  the  reputation  of  the  work,  that  it  was  never 
disavowed  by  that  Noble  Lord  to  any  of  his  most  intimate  friends.  It  had  a  very  extensive 
sale,  and  was  introduced  into  many  seminaries  of  learning  as  a  most  useful  guide  to  the  study 
of  English  history. 

It  was  a  true  observation  with  the  Doctor,  that  "of  all  his  compilations,  his  Selection  of  . 
ll'igliiih  Poetry  showed  most  the  heart  of  the  profession."  To  furnish  copy  for  this  work,  it  re- 
quired no  invention,  and  but  little  thought:  he  had  only  to  mark  with  a  pencil  the  particular 
passages  for  the  printer,  so  that  he  easily  acquired  two  hundred  pounds ;  but  then  he  observ- 
ed, lest  the  premium  should  be  deemed  more  than  a  compensation  for  the  labour,  "that  a  man 
shows  his  judgment  in  these  selections;  and  he  may  be  often  twenty  years  of  his  life  in  cul» 
tivating  that  judgment." 

His  Comedy  of  the  Good-natured  Man  was  produced  at  Covent-Garden  Theatre  in  1768, 
which,  though  it  exhibited  strong  marks  of  genius,  and  keen  observations  on  men  and  manner?, 
did  not  at  first  meet  with  that  applause  which  was  due  to  its  merit.  The  baiiiff  scene  was 
generally  reprobated,  though  the  characters  were  well  drawn  ;  but,  to  comply,  however,  with 
the  taste  of  the  town,  the  scene  was  afterwards  greatly  abridged.  Many  parts  were  highly 
applauded,  as  possessing  great  comic  genius,  and  particularly  that  of  Croaker,  a  character 
truly  original,  excellently  conceived  by  the  Author,  and  highly  supported  by  Shuter,  the  most 
popular  comedian  of  his  day.  The  manner  of  his  reading  the  incendiary  letter  in  the  fourth 
pet,  and  the  expression  of  the  different  passions  by  which  he  was  agitated,  produced  shouts 


vd  LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH. 

of  applause.  Goldsmith  himself  was  so  transported  with  the  acting  of  Shuter,  that  he  ex- 
pressed his  gratitude  to  him  before  the  whole  company,  assuring  him,  "  he  had  exceeded  his 
own  idea  of  the  character,  and  that  the  fine  comic  richness  of  his  colouring  made  it  almost 
appear  as  new  to  him  as  to  any  other  person  in  the  house."  Dr.  Johnson,  as  a  token  of  his 
friendship  for  the  Author,  wrote  the  prologue. 

The  production  of  this  comedy  added  considerably  to  his  purse,  as,  from  the  profits  of  his 
three  nights,  and  the  sale  of  the  copy,  lie  acquired  the  sum  of  five  hundred  pounds,  which, 
with  an  additional  sum  he  had  reserved  out  of  the  product  of  a  Roman  History,  in  2  vols.  8vo. 
and  an  History  of  England, 4  vols.  8vo.  he  was  enabled  to  descend  fromtheattic  story.heoccu- 
pied  in  the  Inner  Temple,  and  take  possession  of  a  spacious  suit  of  chambers  in  Brook-Court, 
Middle  Temple,  which  he  purchased  at  no  less  a  sum  than  four  hundred  pounds.  He  was  at 
the  further  charge  of  furnishing  his  chambers  in  an  elegant  manner,  fitting  up  a  handsome 
library,  and  procuring  every  article,  convenient  and  ornamental,  that  was  proper  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  a  man  who  stood  high  in  the  republic  of  letters,  and  whose  talents  were  re- 
warded in  a  degree  proportionate  to  their  merit. 

But  this  improvement  in  his  circumstances,  and  manner  of  living,  by  no  means  compensated  for 
the  mortification  he  underwent  from  the  very-severe  strictures  of  some  rigid  critics  on  his  comedy. 
Sentimental  writing  was  the  prevailing  taste  of  the  town,  with  which  a  comedy,  called  False 
Delicacy,  written  by  Kelly,  abounded  ;  arid  being  got  up  at  the  Theatre  in  Drury  Lane,  under 
the  superintendance  of  Mr.  Garrick,  it  met  with  such  general  approbation,  that  it  was  per- 
formed for  several  successive  nights  with  unbounded  applause,  and  bore  away  the  palm  from 
"Goldsmith's  comedy,  which  came  out  much  at  the  same  time  at  the  other  theatre.     False 
Delicacy  became  so  popular  a  piece,  that  ten  thousand  copies  were  sold  in  the  course  of  only 
one  season;  and  the  booksellers  concerned  in  the  property,  as  a  token  of  their  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  merit  of  the  comedy,  apparent  from  its  extraordinary  sale,  presented  Kelly  with 
a  piece  of  plate  of  considerable  value,  and  gave  an  elegant  entertainment  to  him  and  his 
friends.     These  circumstances  irritated  the  feelings  of  Goldsmith  to  so  violent  a  degree,  as  to 
dissolve  the  bands  of  friendship  between  Kelly  and  him;  for  though,  in  every  other  instance, 
he  bore  a  near  resemblance  to  his  own  character  of  the  Good  Natured  Man,  yet,  in  literary 
fame,  he  "  could  bear  no  rival  near  his  throne."     Had  not  his  countryman  and  lellow  bard  aspired 
at  rivalship,  had  he  been  modestly  content  to  move  in  an  humbler  sphere,  he  might  not  only 
have  retained  his  friendship,  but  commanded  his  purse;  but,  as  emphatically  expressed  by 
the  same  author  from  .whom  we  cited  the  last  quotation;  "To  contend  for  the  bow  of  Ulysses; 
this  was  a  fault ;  that  way  envy  lay." 

There  is  a  humorous  anecdote  related  of  Goldsmith  concerning  a  periodical  publication  in 
which  he  was  jointly  concerned  with  Dr.  Kenrick,  BickorstafK  and  others.     The  publication 
dropped;  upon  which  a  friend  remarked  that  it  was  a  very  short-lived  production,  and 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH.  v& 

had  died  a  very  extraordinary  sudden  death.  "Not  at  all,  Sir,"  said  Goldsmith;  "a  very 
common  case;  it  died  of  too  many  Doctors." 

But  Goldsmith,  soon  disgusted  with  such  trivial  pursuits,  applied  himself  to  nobler  subjects, 
and  produced  a  highly  finished  Poem,  called  The  Deserted  Village.  The  bookseller  gave 
him  a  note  of  a  hundred  guineas  for  the  copy,  which  Goldsmith  returned,  saying  to  a  friend, 
"  It  is  too  much ;  it  is  more  than  the  honest  bookseller  can  afford,  or  the  piece  is  worth." 
He  estimated  the  value  according  to  the  following  computation;  "  That  it  was  near  five  shil- 
lings a  couplet,  which  was  more  than  any  bookseller  could  afford,  or,  indeed,  anv  modern  poe- 
try was  worth  :"  but  the  sale  was  so  rapid,  that  the  bookseller,  with  the  greatest  pleasure,  soon 
paid  him  the  hundred  guineas,  with  acknowledgment  for  the  generosity  he  had  evinced  upon 
the  occasion.  . 

The  author  addresses  this  Poem  to  his  friend  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds.  He  writes  in  the  cha- 
racter of  a  native  of  a  country  village,  to  which  he  gives  the  name  of  Auburn,  and  which  he 
pathetically  addresses.  He  then  proceeds  to  contrast  the  innocence  and  happiness  of  a  sim- 
ple and  a  natural  state  with  the  miseries  and  vices  that  have  been  introduced  by  polished  life, 
and  gives  the  following  beautiful  apostrophe  to  retirement: 


O  blest  retirement !  friend  to  life's  decline, 
Retreats  from  care,  that  never  must  be  mine  ; 
How  blest  is  he  who  crowns,  in  shades  like  these, 
A  youth  of  labour  with  an  age  of  ease ; 
Who  quits  a  world  where  strong  temptations  try, 
And,  since  'tis  hard  to  combat,  learns  to  fly  ! 
For  him  no  wretches,  born  to  work  and  weep, 
Explore  the  mine,  or  tempt  the  dangerous  deep  ; 


No  surly  porter  stands  in  guilty  state, 
To  spurn  imploring  famine  from  the  gaie  ; 
But  on  he  moves  to  meet  his  latter  end, 
Angels  around  befriending  virtue's  friend ; 
Sinks  to  the  grave  with  unperceiv'd  decay, 
While  resignation  gently  slopes  the  way  ; 
And  all  his  prospects  brightening  to  the  last, 
His  heaven  commences  ere  the  world  be  past !' 


The  description  of  the  parish  priest  (probably  intended  for  a  character  of  his  brother 
Henry)  would  have  done  honour  to  any  poet  of  any  age.  In  this  description  the  simile  of  the 
bird  teaching  her  young  to  fly,  and  of  the  mountain  that  rises  above  the  storm,  are  not  easily 
to  be  paralleled.  The  rest  of  the  poem  consists  of  the  character  of  the  village  school-master, 
and  a  description  of  the  village  ale-house;  both  drawn  with  admirable  propriety  and  force; 
a  descant  on  the  mischiefs  of  luxury  and  wealth;  the  variety  of  artificial  pleasures;  the  mise- 
ries of  those  who,  for  want  of  employment  at  home,  are  driven  to  settle  new  colonies  abroad  ; 
and  concludes  with  the  following  beautiful  apostrophe  to  poetry: 


'.nd  thou,  sweet  poetry  !  thou  loveliest  maid, 
•(till  first  to  fly  where  sensual  jnys  invade  ; 
Jnfit,  in  these  degenerate  times  of  shame, 
To  catch  the  heart,  or  strike  for  honest  fame  ; 
Dear  charming  nymph  !  neglected  and  decried, 


My  shame  in  crowds,  my  solitary  pride ; 
Thou  source  of  all  my  bliss,  and  all  my  woe, 
That  found'st  me  poor  at  first,  and  keep'st  me  so; 
Thou  guide,  by  which  the  nobler  arts  excel, 
Thou  nurse  of  every  virtue,  fare  thee  well, 


The  Doctor  did  not  reap  a  profit  from  his  poetical  labours  equal  to  those  of  his  prose.  The 


viii  LIFE  OF  GOLDSMfTH. 

Earl  of  Lisburne,  whose  classical  taste  is  well  known,  one  day  at  a  dinner  of  the  Royal  Acade- 
micians, lamented  to  the  Doctor  his  neglecting  the  muses,  and  inquired  of  him  why  he  forsook 
poetry,  in  which  he  was  sure  of  charming  his  readers,  to  compile  histories  and  write  novels? 
The  Doctor  replied,  'My  Lord,  by  courting  the  muses  I  shall  starve;  but  by  my  other  labours, 
I  eat,  drink,  have  good  clothes,  and  enjoy  the  luxuries  of  life.' 

This  finished  Poem  was  by  no  means  a  hasty  production ;  it  occupied  two  years  in  com- 
posing; and  was  the  effect  of  the  most  minute  observation,  during  an  excursion  of  between 
four  and  five  years.  Soon  after  the  appearance  of  this  work,  he  paid  a  tribute  to  the  merit 
of  Dr.  Parnell,  in  a  Life  prefixed  to  a  new  Edition  of  that  elegant  writer's  "  Poems  on  several 
occasions ;"  a  work  that  does  honour  to  the  head  and  heart  of  the  author. 

The  next  Comedy  the  Doctor  produced  was  in  the  year  1772:  it  was  called,  She  Stoops  to 
Conquer,  and  proved  more  successful  than  the  Good-natured  Man.  Colman,  who  was  then 
manager  of  Covent-Garden  Theatre,  and  had  given  incontestible  proofs  of  dramatic  genius  in 
the  production  of  various  excellent  pieces,  was  greatly  mistaken  in  his  judgment  of  this  comedy, 
which  he  thought  too  farcical,  and  had  consigned  to  condemnation  at  the  time  of  its  last  re- 
hearsal. Indeed,  the  performers,  in  general,  coincided  with  the  manager  in  opinion.  The 
piece,  however,  notwithstanding  the  sentence  pronounced  by  that  acknowledged  critic,  was 
received  with  great  applause,  to  his  mortification,  and  the  exultation  of  the  author,  who  was 
not  a  little  piqued  at  the  critic  from  the  following  circumstance. 

The  first  night  of  the  performance  of  his  comedy,  Goldsmith  did  not  come  to  the  house  till 
it  approached  the  close,  having  been  ruminating  in  St.  James's  Park  on  the  very  important 
decision  of  the  fate  of  his  piece  then  pending;  and  such  were  his  anxiety,  and  apprehension 
of  its  failure,  that  he  was  with  great  difficulty  prevailed  on  to  repair  to  the  theatre,  on  the  sugges- 
tion of  a  friend,  who  pointed  out  the  necessity  of  his  presence,  in  order  to  take  cognizance  of 
any  passages  that  might  appear  objectionable,  for  the  purpose  of  omission,  or  alteration  in  the 
repetition  of  the  performance.  Our  Author,  with  an  expectation  suspended  between  hope 
and  fear,  had  scarcely  entered  the  passage  that  leads  to  the  stage,  than  his  ears  were  shock 
ed  at  a  hiss,  which  proceeded  from  the  audience,  as  a  token  of  their  disapprobation  of  the 
farcical  supposition  of  Mrs.  Hardcastle's  being  so  palpably  deluded,  as  to  conceive  herself  at 
the  distance  of  fifty  miles  from  her  house,  when  she  was  not  at  the  distance  of  fifty  yards. 
Such  was  the  tremor  and  agitation  of  the  Doctor  on  this  unwelcome  salute,  that,  running  up 
to  the  manager,  he  exclaimed,  "What's  that?"  Pshaw!  Doctor,''  replied  Colman,  in  a  sar- 
castic tone,  "  don't  be  terrified  at  squibs,  when  we  have  been  sitting  these  two  hours  upon  a 
barrel  of  gunpowder."1  Goldsmith's  pride  was  so  hurt  by  the  poignancy  of  this  remark,  that  the 
friendship  which  had  before  subsisted  between  the  Manager  and  the  Author  was  dissolved 
for  life. 

The  success  of  the  comedy  of  She  Stoops  to  Conquer  produced  a  most  illiberal  personal  at- 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH.  ix 

tack  on  the  author  in  one  of  the  public  prints.  Enraged  at  this  abusive  publication,  Dr.  Gold- 
smith repaired  to  the  house  of  the  publisher,  and,  after  remonstrating  on  the  malignity  of  this 
attack  on  his  character,  began  to  apply  his  cane  to  the  shoulders  of  the  publisher,  who, 
making  a  powerful  resistance,  from  being  the  defensive  soon  became  the  offensive  combatant. 
Dr.  Kenrick,  who  was  sitting  in  a  private  room  of  the  publisher's,  hearing  a  noise  in  the  shop, 
came  in,  put  an  end  to  the  fight,  and  conveyed  the  Doctor  to  a  coach.  The  papers  instantly 
teemed  with  fresh  abuse  on  the  impropriety  of  the  Doctor's  attempting  to  beat  a  person  in 
his  own  house,  on  which,  in  the  Daily  Advertiser  of  Wednesday,  March  31,  1773,  he  inserted 
the  following  address. 

'  TO  THE  PUBLIC. 

'  Lest  it  may  be  supposed  that  I  have  been  willing  to  correct  in  others  an  abuse  of  which  I 
have  been  guilty  myself,  I  beg  leave  to  declare,  that,  in  all  my  life,  I  never  wrote,  or  dictated, 
a  single  paragraph,  letter,  or  essay,  in  a  newspaper,  except  a  few  moral  essays,  under  the 
character  of  a  Chinese,  about  ten  years  ago,  in  the  Ledger;  and  a  letter,  to  which  I  signed 
my  name,  in  the  St.  James's  Chronicle.  If  the  liberty  of  the  press  therefore  has  been  abused, 
I  have  had  no  hand  in  it. 

'  I  have  always  considered  the  press  as  the  protector  of  our  freedom,  as  a  watchful  guar- 
dian, capable  of  uniting  the  weak  against  the  encroachments  of  power.  What  concerns  the 
public,  most  properly  admits  of  a  public  discussion.  But  of  late,  the  press  has  turned  from 
defending  public  interest,  to  making  inroads  upon  private  life;  from  combating  the  strong,  to 
overwhelming  the  feeble.  No  condition  is  now  too  obscure  for  its  abuse,  and  the  protector  is 
become  the  tyrant  of  the  people.  In  this  manner  the  freedom  of  the  press  is  beginning  to  sow 
the  seeds  of  its  own  dissolution;  the  great  must  oppose  it  from  principle,  and  the  weak  from 
fear;  till,  at  last,  every  rank  of  mankind  shall  be  found  to  give  up  its  benefits,  content  with  se- 
curity from  its  insults. 

'  How  to  put  a  stop  to  this  licentiousness,  by  which  all  are  indiscriminately  abused,  and  by 
which  vice  consequently  escapes  in  the  general  censure,  I  am  unable  to  tell ;  all  I  could  wish 
is,  that,  as  the  law  gives  us  no  protection  against  the  injury,  so  it  should  give  calumniators  no 
shelter  after  having  provoked  correction.  The  insults  which  we  receive  before  the  public. 
by  being  more  open,  are  the  more  distressing;  by  treating  them  with  silent  contempt,  we  do 
not  pay  a  sufficient  deference  to  the  opinion  of  the  world.  By  recurring  to  leg:il  redress,  we 
too  often  expose  the  weakness  of  the  law,  which  only  serves  to  increase  our  mortification  by 
failing  to  relieve  us.  In  short,  every  man  should  singly  consider  himself  as  a  guardian  of  the 
liberty  of  the  press,  and,  as  far  as  his  influence  can  extend,  should  endeavour  to  prevent  its 
licentiousness  becoming  at  last  the  grave  of  its  freedom. 

6  'OLIVER  GOLDSMITH.' 


x  LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH. 

The  profits  arising  from  his  two  comedies  were  estimated  at  £1300,  rating  the  Good-natured 
Man  at  £500,  and  She  Stoops  to  Conquer  at  £800,  which,  with  the  product  of  other  works, 
amounted,  as  is  asserted  upon  a  good  authority,  to  £1800;  but,  through  a  profuse  liberality  to 
indigent  authors,  and  particularly  those  of  his  own  country,  who  played  on  his  credulity,  to- 
gether with  the  effects  of  a  habit  he  had  contracted  for  gaming,  he  found  himself,  at  the  close 
of  that  very  year,  not  in  a  state  of  enjoyment  of  a  pleasing  prospect  before  him,  but  enveloped 
in  the  gloom  of  despondency,  and  all  the  perplexities  of  deht,  accumulated  by  his  own 
indiscretion. 

It  is  remarkable,  that,  about  this  time,  our  Author  altered  his  mode  of  address;  he  rejected 
the  title  of  Doctor,  and  assumed  that  of  plain  Mr.  Goldsmith.  This  innovation  has  been  at- 
tributed to  various  causes.  Some  supposed  he  then  formed  a  resolution  never  to  engage  as 
a  practical  professor  in  the  healing  art;  others  imagined  that  he  conceived  the  important  ap- 
pellation of  Doctor,  and  the  grave  deportment  attached  to  the  character,  incompatible  with 
the  man  of  fashion,  to  which  he  had  the  vanity  to  aspire ;  but,  whatever  might  be  his  motive, 
he  could  not  throw  off  the  title,  which  the  world  imposed  on  him  to  the  day  of  his  death,  and 
which  is  annexed  to  his  memory  at  the  present  day;  though  he  never  obtained  a  degree  su- 
perior to  that  of  Bachelor  of  Physic. 

Though  Goldsmith  was  indiscreet,  he  was,  at  the  same  time,  industrious ;  and,  though  his 
genius  was  lively  and  fertile,  he  frequently  submitted  to  the  dull  task  of  compilation.  He  had 
previously  written  Histories  of  England,  Greece,  and  Rome;  and  afterwards  undertook,  and 
finished,  a  work,  entitled,  An  History  of  the  Earth  and  Animated  Nature, 

His  last  production,  Retaliation,  though  not  intended  for  public  view,  but  merely  his  own 
private  amusement,  and  that  of  a  few  particular  friends,  exhibits  strong  marks  of 
genuine  humour.  It  originated  from  some  jokes  of  festive  merriment  on  the  Author's 
person  and  dialect,  in  a  club  of  literary  friends,  where  good  nature  was  sometimes  sacrificed 
at  the  shrine  of  wit  and  sarcasm;  and  as  Goldsmith  could  not  disguise  h^s  feelings  upon 
the  occasion  he,  was  called  upon  for  retaliation,  which  he  produced  the  very  next  club 
meeting. 

It  may  not  be  so  accurate  as  his  other  poetical  productions,  as  he  did  not  revise  it,  or  live 
to  finish  it  in  the  manner  he  intended;  yet  high  eulogiums  have  been  passed  on  it  by  some  of 
the  first  characters  in  the  learned  world,  and  it  has  obtained  a  place  in  most  o.f  the  editions 
of  the  English  Poets. 

Our  Author  no\v  approached  the  period  of  his  dissolution.  He  had  been  frequently  attack- 
ed for  some  years  with  a  strangury,  and  the  embarrassed  state  of  his  affairs  aggravated  the 
violence  of  the  disorder,  which,  with  the  agitation  of  his  mind,  brought  on  a  nervous  fever, 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH.  xi 

that  operated  in  so  great  a  degree,  that  he  exhibited  signs  of  despair,  and  even  a  disgust 
with  life  itself. 

Finding  his  disorder  rapidly  increase,  he  sent  for  Mr.  Halves,  his  apothecary,  as  well  as  in- 
timate friend,  to  whom  he  related  the  symptoms  of  his  malady.  He  told  him  he  had  taken 
two  ounces  of  ipecacuanha  wine  as  an  emetic;  and  expressed  a  great  desire  of  making  trial 
of  Dr.  James's  fever  powders,  which  lie  desired  him  to  send  him.  The  apothecary  represent- 
ed to  his  patient  the  impropriety  of  taking  this  medicine  at  that  time ;  but  no  argument  could 
prevail  with  him  to  relinquish  his  intention;  so  that  Mr.  Hawes,  apprehensive  of  the  fatal 
consequences  of  his  putting  this  rash  resolve  into  execution,  in  order  to  divert  him  from  it, 
requested  permission  to  send  for  Doctor  Fordyce,  who  attended  immediately,  on  receiving 
the  message. 

Doctor  Fordyce,  of  whose  medical  abilities  Goldsmith  always  expressed  the  highest  sense, 
corroborated  the  opinion  of  the  apothecary,  and  used  every  argument  to  dissuade 
him  from  taking  the  powders ;  but,  deaf  to  all  the  remonstrances  of  his  physician  and 
friend,  he  fatally  persisted  in  his  resolution;  and  when  the  apothecary  visited  him  the  follow- 
ing day,  and  inquired  of  him  how  he  did,  he  fetched  a  deep  sigh,  and  said,  in  a  dejected  tone, 
"  He  wished  he  had  taken  his  friendly  advice  last  night."  Doctor  Fordyce,  alarmed  at  the 
dangerous  symptoms  which  the  disorder  indicated,  thought  it  necessary  to  call  in  the  advice 
of  another  physician ;  and  accordingly  proposed  sending  for  Doctor  Turton,  of  whom  he  knew 
Goldsmith  had  a  great  opinion.  The  proposal  was  acceded  to;  a  servant  was  immediately 
despatched  with  a  message ;  and,  on  his  arrival,  the  two  doctors  assisted  at  a  consultation, 
which  they  continued  regularly  every  day  till  the  disorder  put  a  period  to  the  existence  of 
their  patient,  on  the  fourth  day  of  April,  1774,  in  the  45th  year  of  his  age. 

His  friends,  who  were  very  numerous  and  respectable,  had  determined  to  bury  him  in 
Westminster-abbey  :  his  pall  was  to  have  been  supported  by  Lord  Shelburne,  Lord  Louth, 
Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  the  Honourable  Mr.  Beauclerc,  Mr.  Edmund  Burke,  and  Mr.  Garrick ; 
but,  from  some  unaccountable  circumstances,  this  design  was  dropped;  and  his  remains  were 
privately  deposited  in  the  Temple  burial-ground,  on  Saturday,  the  9th  of  April ;  when  Mr. 
Hugh  Kelly,  Messrs.  John  and  Robert  Day,  Mr.  Palmer,  Mr.  Etherington,  and  Mr.  Hawes, 
gentlemen  who  had  been  his  friends  in  life,  attended  his  corpse  as  mourners,  and  paid  the  last 
tribute  to  his  memory. 

A  subscription,  however,  was  afterwards  raised  by  his  friends,  to  defray  the  expense  of  a 
marble  monument,  which  was  placed  in  Westminster-abbey,  between  Gay's  monument -and 
the  Duke  of  Argyle's,  in  the  Poet's  corner,  with  the  following  Latin  inscription,  written  by  his 
friend  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  : 


Xll 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH. 


OLIVARI  GOLDSMITH, 

Poetae,  Physici,  Historic!, 
qui  nullum  fere  scribendi  genus 

non  tetigit, 

nullum  quod  tetigit  non  ornavit; 
sive  risus  cssent  movendi, 

sive  lacrymae, 

affectuum  potens,  at  lenis  dominator ; 

ingeoio  sublimis,  vividus,  versatilis  ; 

oratione  grandis,  p.itidus,  venustus  j 

hoc  monumento  memoriain  coluit 

sodalium  amor, 

amicorum  fides, 

lectorum  veneratio. 

Natus  Hibernia,  Forniae  Lonfordiensis, 

in  loco  cui  nomen  Pallas, 

Nov.  xxix.  MDCCXXXI. 

Eblanre  liter  is  insti  tutus, 

obiit  Londini, 
April  iv.  MbCCLXXIV. 


Trantlation. 
This  monument  is  raised  to  the  memory  of 

OLIVER  GOLDSMITH, 

Poet,  Natural  Philosopher,  and  Historian, 

who  left  no  species  of  writing  untouched,  or 

unadorned  by  his  pen, 

whether  to  move  laughter,  or  draw  tears  : 

he  was  a  powerful  master  over  the  affections, 

though  at  the  same  time,  a  gentle  tyrant ; 

of  a  genius 
at  once  sublime,  lively,  and  equal  to  every  subject : 

in  expression  at  once  noble,  pure,  and  delicate. 
His  memory  will  last  as  long  as  society  retains  affection, 

friendship  is  not  void  of  honour, 

and  reading  wants  not  her  admirers. 

He  was  born  in  the  kingdom  of  Ireland,  at  Femes, 

in  the  province  of  Leinster, 
Where  Pallas  had  set  her  name, 

Nov.  29, 1731. 

He  was  educated  at  Dublin,  and  died  in  London, 
April  4,  1774. 


We  insert  the  following  lines,  in  verse  and  prose,  written  by  a  friend  immediately  after  his 
death,  as  they  were  deemed  faithful  transcripts  of  his  character. 


Here  rests,  from  the  cares  of  the  world  and  his  pen, 
A  poet,  whose  like  we  shall  scarce  meet  again ; 
Who,  though  form'd  in  an  age  when  corruption  ran 

high, 

And  folly  alone  seem'd  with  folly  to  vie ; 
When  genius,  with  traffic  too  commonly  train'd, 
Recounted  her  merits  by  what  she  hacPgain'd  ; 
Yet  spurn'd  at  those  walks  of  debasement  and  pelf, 
And  in  poverty's  spite  dar'd  to  think  for  himself. 
Thus  free'd  from  those  fetters  the  muses  oft  bind, 
He  wrote  from  the  heart  to  the  hearts  of  mankind ; 
And  such  was  the  prevalent  force  of  his  song, 
Sex,  ages,  and  parties,  he  drew  in  a  throng. 

The  lovers — 'twas  theirs  to  esteem  and  commend, 
/for  his  Hermit  had  prov'd  him  their  tutor  and  friend  : 
•>   The  statesmen,  his  politic  passions  on  fire, 
Acknowledg'd  repose  from  the  charms  of  his  lyre. 
The  moralist  too  had  a  feel  for  his  rhymes, 
For  his  Essays  were  curbs  on  the  rage  of  the  times ; 
Nay,  the  critic,  all  school'd  in  grammatical  sense, 
Who  look'd  in  the  glow  of  description  for  sense  ; 


Reform'd  as  he  read,  fell  a  dupe  to  his  art, 

And  confess'd  by  his  eyes  what  he  felt  at  his  heart. 

Yet,  blest  with  original  powers  like  these, 

His  principal  force  was  on  paper  to  please  ; 

Like  a  fleet-footed  hunter,  though  first  in  the  chace, 

On  the  road  of  plain  sense  he  oit  slacken'd  his  pace ; 

Whilst  dullness  and  cunning,  by  whipping  and  goring, 

Tlieir  hard-footed  hackneys  paraded  before  him  ; 

Compounded  likewise  of  sucli  primitive  parts, 

That  his  manners  alone  would  have  gain'd  him  our  hearts. 

So  simple  in  truth,  so  ingenuously  kind, 
So  ready  to  feel  for  the  wants  of  mankind  ; 
Yet  praise  but  an  author  of  popular  quill, 
His  flux  of  philanthropy  quickly  stood  still; 
Transform'd  from  himself,  he  grew  meanly  severe, 
And  rail'd  at  those  talents  he  ought  not  to  fear. 

Such  then  were  his  foibles  ;  but  though  they  were  such 
As  shadow'd  the  picture  a  little  too  much, 
The  style  was  all  graceful,  expressive  ind  grand, 
And  the  whole  the  result  of  a  masterly  hand. 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH.  xiii 

The  prosaic  eulogium  which  follows,  does  the  highest  honour  to  his  character,  both  literary 
and  personal. 

"  In  an  age  when  genius  and  learning  are  too  generally  sacrificed  to  the  purposes  of  ambi- 
tion and  avarice,  it  is  the  consolation  of  virtue,  as  well  as  its  friends,  that  they  can  commemo- 
rate the  name  of  Goldsmith  as  a  shining  example  to  the  contrary. 

"  Early  compelled  (like  many  of  the  greatest  men)  into  the  service  of  the  muses,  he  never 
once  permitted  his  necessities  to  have  the  least  improper  influence  on  his  conduct;  but,  know- 
ing and  respecting  the  honourable  line  of  his  profession,  he  made  no  farther  use  of  fiction,  than 
to  set  off  the  dignity  of  truth;  and  in  this  he  succeeded  so  happily,  that  his  writings  stamp 
him  no  less  the  man  of  genius,  than  the  universal  friend  of  mankind. 

"  Such  is  the  outline  of  his  poetical  character,  which,  perhaps,  will  be  remembered,  whilst 
the  first  rate  poets  of  this  country  have  any  monuments  left  them.  But,  alas  !  his  noble  and 
immortal  part,  the  good  man,  is  only  consigned  to  the  short-lived  memory  of  those  who  are 
left  to  lament  his  death. 

"  Having  naturally  a  powerful  bias  on  his  mind  to  the  cause  of  virtue,  he  was  cheerful  and 
indefatigable  in  every  pursuit  of  it;  warm  in  his  friendship,  gentle  in  his  manners,  and  in 
every  act  of  charity  and  benevolence,  "  the  very  milk  of  human  nature."  Nay,  even  his  foi- 
bles, and  little  weaknesses  of  temper,  may  be  said  rather  to  simplify  than  degrade  his  under- 
standing; for,  though  there  may  be  many  instances  adduced,  to  prove  he  was  no  man  of  the 
ivorld,  most  of  those  instances  would  attest  the  unadulterated  purity  of  his  heart.  One  who 
esteemed  the  kindness  and  friendship  of  such  a  man,  as  forming  a  principal  part  of  the  happi- 
ness of  his  life,  pays  this  last  sincere  and  grateful  tribute  to  his  memory," 

The  esteem  in  which  our  Author  was  held  by  Dr.  Johnson,  is  evident  from  the  following 
passage,  extracted  from  a  letter  of  the  Doctor  to  Mr.  Boswell,  soon  after  his  demise.  "  Of 
poor  dear  Dr.  Goldsmith  there  is  little  to  be  told,  more  than  the  papers  have  made  public. 
He  died  of  a  fever,  made,  I  am  afraid,  more  violent  by  uneasiness  of  mind.  His  debts  be- 
gan to  be  heavy,  and  all  his  resources  were  exhausted.  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  is  of  opinion, 
that  he  owed  no  less  than  two  thousand  pounds.  Was  ever  poet  so  trusted  before  ?" 

To  so  high  a  degree  of  literary  fame  did  Goldsmith  arrive,  that  the  product  of  his  writings 
in  general  is  said  to  have  amounted,  in  the  course  of  fourteen  years,  to  more  than  £8000,  but 
this  s«m  WHS  dissipated  by  an  improvident  liberality  without  discrimination  of  objects,  and 
other  foibles  incidental  to  mankind,  which  our  Author  could  not  see  in  himself;  or,  if  he  could 
see,  wanted  resolution  to  correct.  But  with  these  foibles  he  possessed  many  virtues,  and 
those  particularly  of  humanity  and  benevolence,  which  disposed  him  to  do  all  the  good  within 
his  power ;  so  that  he  lived  respected,  and  died  lamented. 

"Thepersr.  of  Goldsmith,"  (says  Mr.  Boswell,  in  his  Life  of  Dr.  Johnson,)  "was  short; 
his  countenance  coarse  and  vulgar  ;  his  deportment  that  of  a  scholar,  awkwardly  affecting  the 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH. 

complete  gentleman.  No  man  had  the  art  of  displaying,  with  more  advantage  as  a  writer, 
whatever  literary  acquisitions  he  made.  His  mind  resembled  a  fertile  but  thin  soil ;  there 
was  a  quick  but  not  a  strong  vegetation  of  whatever  chanced  to  be  thrown  upon  it.  No  deep 
root  could  be  struck.  The  oak  of  the  forest  did  not  grow  there ;  but  the  elegant  shrubbery, 
and  the  fragrant  parterre,  appeared  in  gay  succession.  It  has  been  generally  circulated,  and 
believed,  that  he  was  a  mere  fool  in  conversation.  In  allusion  to  this,  Mr.  Horatio  Walpole, 
who  admired  his  writings,  said,  he  was  "an  inspired  idiot;"  andGarrick  describes  him  as  one: 


-for  shortness  call'd  Noll, 


Who  wrote  like  an  angel,  and  talk'd  like  poor  P"M. 

t » 

But,  in  reality,  these  descriptions  are  greatly  exaggerated.  He  had,  no  doubt,  a  more  than 
common  share  of  that  hurry  of  ideas,  which  we  often  find  in  his  countrymen,  and  which  some- 
times introduces  a  laughable  confusion  in  expressing  them.  He  was  very  much  what  the 
French  call  un  et  vurdie  ;  and  from  vanity,  and  an  eager  desire  of  being  conspicuous  wherever 
he  was,  he  frequently  talked  carelessly,  without  any  knowledge  of  the  subject,  or  even  with- 
out thought.  Those  who  were  any  ways  distinguished,  excited  envy  in  him  to  so  ridiculous 
an  excess,  that  the  instances  of  it  are  hardly  credible.  He,  I  am  told,  had  no  settled  system 
of  any  sort,  so  that  his  conduct  must  not  be  too  strictly  criticised;  but  his  affections  were 
social  and  generous  ;  and  when  he  had  money,  he  bestowed  it  liberally.  His  desires  of  ima- 
ginary consequence  frequently  predominated  over  his  attention  to  truth. 

In  the  opinion  of  many  of  the  literati,  Goldsmith  rivalled  in  prose  writing,  and  even  sur- 
passed, Dr.  Johnson.  His  prose  has  been  admitted  as  the  model  of  perfection,  and  the  stan- 
dard of  the  English  language.  Dr.  Johnson  says,  "Goldsmith  was  a  man  of  such  variety  of 
powers,  and  such  felicity  of  performance,  that  he  seemed  to  excel  in  whatever  he  attempted; 
a  man  who  had  the  art  of  being  minute  without  tediousness,  and  general  without  confusion ; 
whose  language  was  capacious  without  exuberance;  exact  without  restraint;  and  easy  with- 
out weakness." 

The  most  admired  of  his  prosaic  writings  are  the  Vicar  of  Wakefield,  Essays,  Letters  from  a 
Nobleman  to  his  Son,  and  Life  of  Parnetl. 

With  respect  to  the  Vicar  of  Wakefield,  it  is  certainly  a  composition  which  has  justly  merit- 
ed the  applause  of  all  discerning  persons  as  one  of  the  best  novels  in  the  English  language. 
The  diction  is  chaste,  correct,  and  elegant.  The  characters  are  drawn  to  the  life  ;  and  the 
scenes  it  exhibits  are  ingeniously  variegated  with  humour  and  sentiment.  The  hero  of  the 
piece  displays  the  most  shining  virtues  that  can  adorn  relative  and  social  life ;  sincere  in  his 
professions,  humane  and  generous  in  his  disposition,  he  is  himself  a  pattern  of  the  character 
he  represents,  enforcing  that  excellent  maxim,  that  example  is  more  powerful  than  precept. 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH.  xv 

His  wife  is  drawn  as  possessing  many  laudable  qualifications;  and  her  prevailing  passion  for 
external  parade  is  an  inoffensive  foible,  calculated  rather  to  excite  our  mirth  than  incur  our 
censure.  The  character  of  Olivia,  the  Vicar's  eldest  daughter,  is  contrasted  with  that  of  So- 
phia, the  younger;  the  one  being  represented  as  of  a  disposition  gay  and  volatile,  the  other 
as  rather  grave  and  steady;  though  neither  of  them  seems  to  have  indulged  their  peculiar 
propensity  beyond  the  bounds  of  moderation. 

Upon  a  review  of  this  excellent  production,  it  may  be  truly  said,  that  it  inculcates  the  purest 
lessons  of  morality  and  virtue,  free  from  the  rigid  laws  of  stoicism,  and  adapted  to  attract  the 
esteem  and  observation  of  every  ingenious  mind.  It  excites  not  a  thought  that  can  be  injuri- 
ous in  its  tendency,  nor  breaths  an  idea  that  can  offend  the  chastest  ear;  or,  as  it  has  been 
expressed,  the  language  is  such  as  "angels  might  have  heard, and  virgins  told."  The  writer, 
who  suggested  this  pleasing  idea,  observes  further,  that,  "  if  we  do  not  always  admire  his 
knowledge  or  extensive  philosophy,  we  feel  the  benevolence  of  his  heart,  and  are  charmed 
with  the  purity  of  its  principles.  If  we  do  not  follow,  with  awful  reverence,  the  majesty  of  his 
reason,  or  the  dignity  of  the  long-extended  period,  we  at  least  catch  a  pleasing  sentiment  in 
a  natural  and  unaffected  style." 

Goldsmith's  merit,  as  a  poet,  is  universally  acknowledged.  His  writings  partake  rather  of 
the  elegance  and  harmony  of  Pope,  than  the  grandeur  and  sublimity  of  Milton;  and,  as  we  ob- 
served before,  from  the  authority  of  Dr.  Johnson,  he  rivals  every  writer  of  verse  since  the 
death  of  Pope;  and  it  is  to  be  lamented  that  his  poetical  productions  are  not  more  numerous; 
for  though  his  ideas  flowed  rapiJly,  he  arranged  them  with  great  caution,  and  occupied  much 
time  in  polishing  his  periods,  and  harmonizing  his  numbers. 

His  most  favourite  Poems  are  the  Traveller,  Deserted  Village,  Hermit,  and  Retaliation.  These 
productions  may  justly  be  ranked  with  the  most  admired  works  in  English  Poetry. 

The  Traveller  delights  us  with  a  display  of  charming  imagery,  refined  ideas,  and  happy  ex- 
pression. The  characteristics  of  the  different  natiqns  are  strongly  marked,  and  the  predilec- 
tion of  each  inhabitant  in  favour  of  his  own  ingeniously  described. 

The  Deserted  Village  is  generally  admired  :  the  characters  are  drawn  from  the  life.  The 
descriptions  are  lively  and  picturesque ;  and  the  whole  appears  so  easy  and  natural,  as  to 
bear  the  semblance  of  historical  truth  more  than  poetical  fiction. 

The  Hermit  holds  equal  estimation  with  the  rest  of  his  poetical  productions;  and  its  beau- 
ties did  not  fail  to  attract  the  notice  of  the  artist.  The  subject  is  delineated  in  a  masterly 
manner  by  the  pencil  of  Mr.  Kirk,  to  which  ample  justice  is  done  by  the  engraving  of  Mr. 
Anker  Smith  ;  and,  through  the  united  skill  of  those  ingenious  artists,  produces  a  very  chaste 
and  elegant  vignette. 

His  last  poem  of  Retaliation,  to  which  we  have  before  adverted,  is  replete  with  humour,  free 


LIFE  OF  GOLDSMITH. 

from  spleen,  and  forcibly  exhibits  the  prominent  features  of  the  several  characters  to  which 
it  alludes.  Dr.  Johnson,  as  reported  by  Mr.  Boswell,  sums  up  his  literary  character  in  the 
following  concise  manner.  "  Take  him  [Goldsmith]  as  a  Poet,  his  Traveller  is  a  very  fine  per- 
formance, and  so  is  his  DeSerted  Village,  were  it  not  sometimes  too  much  the  echo  of  his  Tro- 
veller.  Whether  we  take  him  as  a  poet,  as  a  comic  writer,  or  as  an  historian,  he  stands  in  the 
first  class." 


HISTORY  OF  THE  EARTH. 


CHAPTER  1. 

A  SKETCH  OF  THE  UNIVERSE. 


HHHE  world  may  be  considered  as  one  vast 
mansion,  where  man  has  been  admitted 
to  enjoy,  to  admire,  and  to  be  grateful.  The 
first  desires  of  savage  nature  are  merely  to 
gratify  the  importunities  of  sensual  appetite, 
and  to  neglect  the  contemplation  of  things, 
barely  satisfied  with  their  enjoyment :  the 
beauties  of  nature,  and  all  the  wonders  of 
creation,  have  but  little  charms  for  a  being 
taken  up  in  obviating  the  wants  of  the  day, 
and  anxious  for  precarious  subsistence. 

Philosophers,  therefore,  who  have  testified 
such  surprise  at  the  want  of  curiosity  in  the 
ignorant,  seem  not  to  consider  that  they  are 
usually  employed  in  making  provisions  of  a 
more  important  nature ;  in  providing  rather 
for  the  necessities  than  the  amusements  of 
life.  It  is  not  till  our  more  pressing  wants  are 
sufficiently  supplied,  that  we  can  attend  to  the 
calls  of  curiosity;  so  that  in  every  age  scien- 
tific refinement  has  been  the  latest  effort  of 
human  industry. 

But  human  curiosity,  though  at  first  slowly 
excited,  being  at  last  possessed  of  leisure  for 
indulging  its  propensity,  becomes  one  of  the 
greatest  amusements  of  life,  and  gives  higher 
satisfactions  than  what  even  the  senses  can 
afford.  A  man  of  this  disposition  turns  all 
nature  into  a  magnificent  theatre,  replete  with 
objects  of  wonder  and  surprise,  and  fitted  up 
chiefly  for  his  happiness  and  entertainment : 
he  industriously  examines  all  things,  from  the 


minutest  insect  to  the  most  finished  animal; 
and,  when  his  limited  organs  can  no  longer 
make  the  disquisition,  he  sends  out  his  imagi- 
nation upon  new  inquiries. 

Nothing,  therefore,  can  be  more  august  and 
striking  than  the  idea  which  his  reason,  aided 
by  his  imagination,  furnishes  of  the  universe 
around  him.  Astronomers  tell  us,  that  this 
earth  which  we  inhabit  forms  but  a  very  mi- 
nute part  in  that  great  assemblage  of  bodies 
of  which  the  world  is  composed.  It  is  a  mil- 
lion of  times  less  than  the  sun,  by  which  it  is 
enlightened.  The  planets  also,  which,  like 
it,  are  subordinate  to  the  sun's  influence,  ex- 
ceed the  earth  a  thousand  times  in  magni- 
tude. These,  which  were  at  first  supposed 
to  wander  in  the  heavens  without  any  fixed 
pathj  and  that  took  their  name  from  their  ap- 
parent deviations,  have  long  been  found  to 
perform  their  circuits  with  great  exactness 
ancl  strict  regularity.  They  have  been  dis- 
covered as  forming,  with  our  earth,  a  system 
of  bodies  circulating  round  the  sun,  all  obe- 
dient to  one  law,  and  impelled  by  one  com- 
mon influence. 

Modern  philosophy  has  taught  us  to  be- 
lieve, that,  when  the  great  Author  of  nature 
began  the  work  of  creation,  he  chose  to 
operate  by  second  causes;  and  that,  suspend- 
ing the  constant  exertion  of  his  power,  he 
endued  matter  with  a  quality,  by  which  the 
universal  economy  of  nature  might  be  con- 


A  HISTORY  OF 


tinued  without  his  immediate  assistance. 
This  quality  is  called  attraction ;  a  sort  of 
approximating  influence,  which  all  bodies, 
whether  terrestrial  or  celestial,  are  found  to 
possess;  and  which  in  all  increases  as  the 
quantity  of  matter  in  each  increases.  The 
sun,  by  far  the  greatest  body  in  our  system,  is, 
of  consequence,  possessed  of  much  the  great- 
est share  of  this  attracting  power ;  and  all  the 
planets,  of  which  our  earth  is  one,  are,  of  j 
course,  entirely  subject  to  its  superior  in- 
fluence. Were  this  power,  therefore,  left 
uncontrolled  by  any  other,  the  sun  must 
quickly  have  attracted  all  the  bodies  of  our 
celestial  system  to  itself;  but  it  is  equally 
counteracted  by  another  power  of  equal  ef- 
ficacy; namely,  a  progressive  force,  which 
each  planet  received  when  it  was  impelled 
forward  by  the  divine  Architect,  upon  its  first 
formation.  The  heavenly  bodies  of  our  sys- 
tem being  thus  acted  upon  by  two  opposing 
powers ;  namely,  by  that  of  attraction,  which 
draws  them  towards  the  sun;  and  that  of 
impulsion,  which  drives  them  straight  forward 
into  the  great  void  of  space ;  they  pursue  a 
track  between  these  contrary  directions ;  and 
each,  like  a  stone  whirled  about  in  a  sling, 
obeying  two  opposite  forces,  circulates  round 
its  great  centre  of  heat  and  motion. 

In  this  manner,  therefore,  is  the  harmony 
of  our  planetary  system  preserved.  The  sun, 
in  the  midst,  gives  heat,  and  light,  and  cir- 
cular motion,  to  the  planets  which  surround 
it :  Mercury,  Venus,  the  Earth,  Mars.  Jupiter, 
Saturn,  and  Herschel,  or  the  Georgium  Sidus, 
perform  their  constant  circuits  at  different 
distances,  each  taking  up  a  time  to  complete 
its  revolutions  proportioned  to  the  greatness 
of  the  circle  which  it  is  to  describe.  The 
lesser  planets  also,  which  are  attendants  upon 
some  of  the  greater,  are  subject  to  the  same 
laws ;  they  circulate  with  the  same  exactness ; 
and  are,  in  the  same  manner,  influenced  by 
their  respective  centres  of  motion. 

Besides  those  bodies  which  make  a  part 
of  our  peculiar  system,  and  which  may  be 
said  to  reside  within  its  great  circumference, 
there  are  others  that  frequently  come  among  us, 
from  the  most  distant  tracts  of  space,  and  that 
seem  like  dangerous  intruders  upon  the  beau- 
tiful simplicity  of  nature.  These  are  Comets, 
whose  appearance  was  once  so  terrible  to 


mankind ;  and  the  theory  of  which  is  so  little 
understood  at  present :  all  we  know  is,  that 
their  number  is  much  greater  than  that  of  the 
planets;  and  that,  like  these,  they  roll  in 
orbits,  in  some  measure  obedient  to  solar  in- 
fluence. Astronomers  have  endeavoured  to 
calculate  the  returning  periods  of  many  of 
them;  but  experience  has  not,  as  yet,  con- 
firmed the  veracity  of  their  investigations. 
Indeed,  who  can  tell,  when  those  wanderers 
have  made  their  excursions  into  other  worlds 
and  distant  systems,  what  obstacles  may  be 
found  to  oppose  their  progress,  to  accelerate 
their  motions,  or  retard  their  return  ? 

But  what  we  have  hitherto  attempted  to 
sketch,  is  but  a  small  part  of  that  great  fabric 
in  which  the  Deity  has  thought  proper  to 
manifest  his  wisdom  and  omnipotence.  There 
are  multitudes  of  other  bodies,  dispersed  over 
the  face  of  the  heavens,  that  lie  too  remote  for 
examination:  these  have  no  motion,  such  as  the 
planets  are  found  to  possess,  and  are  there- 
fore called  fixed  stars;  and  from  their  extreme 
brilliancy,  and  their  immense  distance,  philo- 
sophers have  been  induced  to  suppose  them 
to  be  suns,  resembling  that  which  enlivens 
our  system.  As  the  imagination  also,  once 
excited,  is  seldom  content  to  stop,  it  has  fur- 
nished each  with  an  attendant  system  of  pla- 
nets belonging  to  itself;  and  has  even  induced 
some  to  deplore  the  fate  of  those  systems, 
whose  imagined  suns,  which  sometimes  hap- 
pens, have  become  no  longer  visible. 

But  conjectures  of  this  kind,  which  no  rea- 
soning can  ascertain,  nor  experiment  reach, 
are  rather  amusing  than  useful.  Though  we 
see  the  greatness  and  wisdom  of  the  Deity  in 
all  the  seeming  worlds  that  surround  us,  it  is 
our  chief  concern  to  trace  him  in  that  which 
we  inhabit.  The  examination  of  the  earth, 
the  wonders  of  its  contrivance,  the  history  of 
its  advantages,  or  of  the  seeming  defects  in 
its  formation,  are  the  proper  business  of  the 
natural  historian.  A  description  of  this  earth, 
its  animals,  vegetables,  and  minerals,  is  the  most 
delightful  entertainment  the  mind  can  be  fur- 
nished with,  as  it  is  the  most  interesting  and 
useful.  I  would  beg  leave,  therefore,  to  con- 
clude these  common-place  specula' it ns.  with 
an  observation  which,!  hope,is  not  entirely  so. 

An  use,  hitherto  not  much  insist  vd  upon, 
that  may  result  from  the  contemplation  of  ce- 


THE  EARTH. 


lestial  magnificence,  is,  that  it  will  teach  us  to 
make  an  allowance  for  the  apparent  irregu- 
larities we  find  below.  Whenever  we  can 
examine  the  works  of  the  Deity  at  a  proper 
point  of  distance,  so  as  to  take  in  the  whole 
of  his  design,  we  see  nothing  but  uniformity, 
beauty,  and  precision.  The  heavens  present 
us  with  a  plan,  which,  though  inexpressibly 
magnificent,  is  yet  regular  beyond  the  power 
of  invention.  Whenever,  therefore,  we  find 


any  apparent  defects  in  the  earth,  which  we 
are  about  to  consider,  instead  of  attempting 
to  reason  ourselves  into  an  opinion  that  they 
are  beautiful,  it  will  be  wiser  to  say,  that  we 
do  not  behold  them  at  the  proper  point  of  dis- 
tance, and  that  our  eye  is  laid  too  close  to  the 
objects,  to  take  in  the  regularity  of  their  con- 
nexion. In  short,  we  may  conclude,  that  God, 
who  is  regular  in  his  GREAT  productions,  acts 
with  equal  uniformity  in  the  LITTLE. 


CHAPTER  II. 

A  SHORT  SURVEY  OF  THE  GLOBE,  FROM  THE  LIGHT  OF  ASTRONOMY  AND 

GEOGRAPHY. 


ALL  the  sciences  are  in  some  measure 
linked  with  each  other,  and  before  the  one  is 
ended,  the  other  begins.  In  a  natural  histo- 
ry, therefore,  of  the  earth,  we  must  begin  with 
a  short  account  of  its  situation  and  form,  as 
given  us  by  astronomers  and  geographers :  it 
will  be  sufficient,  however,  upon  this  occa- 
sion, just  to  hint  to  the  imagination,  what  they, 
by  the  most  abstract  reasonings,  have  forced 
upon  the  understanding.  The  earth  which 
we  inhabit  is,  as  has  been  said  before,  one  of 
those  bodies  which  circulate  in  our  solar  sys- 
tem; it  is  placed  at  a  happy  middle  distance 
from  the  centre  ;  and  even  seems,  in  this  re- 
spect, privileged  beyond  all  other  planets 
that  depend  upon  our  great  luminary  for  their 
support.  Less  distant  from  the  sun  than  Her- 
schel,  or  the  Georgium  Sidus,  Saturn,  Jupiter, 
and  Mars,  and  yet  less  parched  up  than  Ve- 
nus and  Mercury,  that  are  situate  too  near 
the  violence  of  its  power,  the  earth  seems  in 
a  peculiar  manner  to  share  the  bounty  of  the 
Creator :  it  is  not,  therefore,  without  reason, 
that  mankind  consider  themselves  as  the  pe- 
culiar objects  of  his  providence  and  regard. 

Besides  that  motion  which  the  earth  has 
round  the  sun,  the  circuit  of  which  is  per- 
formed in  a  year,  it  has  another  upon  its  own 
axle,  which  it  performs  in  twenty-four  hours. 
Thus,  like  a  chariot-wheel,  it  has  a  compound 
motion;  for  while  it  goes  forward  on  its  jour- 
ney, it  is  all  the  while  turning  upon  itself. 
From  the  first  of  these  two  arise  the  grateful 


vicissitude  of  the  seasons;  from  the  second, 
that  of  day  and  night. 

It  may  be  also  readily  conceived,  that  a 
body  thus  wheeling  in  circles  will  most  pro- 
bably be  itself  a  sphere.  The  earth,  beyond 
all  possibility  of  doubt,  is  found  to  be  so. 
Whenever  its  shadow  happens  to  fall  upon 
the  moon,  in  an  eclipse,  it  appears  to  be  al- 
ways circular,  in  whatever  position  it  is  pro- 
jected :  and  it  is  easy  to  prove,  that  a  body 
which  in  every  position  makes  a  circular  sha- 
dow, must  itself  be  round.  The  rotundity  of 
the  earth  may  be  also  proved  from  the  meeting 
of  two  ships  at  sea:  the  topmasts  of  each  are 
the  first  parts  that  are  discovered  by  both, 
the  under  parts  being  hidden  by  the  convexi- 
ty of  the  globe  which  rises  between  them. 
The  ships,  in  this  instance,  may  be  resembled 
to  two  men  who  approach  each  other  on  the 
opposite  sides  of  a  hill:  their  heads  will  first 
be  seen,  and  gradually  as  they  come  nearer 
they  will  come  entirely  into  view. 

However,  though  the  earth's  figure  is  said 
to  be  spherical,  we  ought  only  to  conceive  it  as 
being  nearly  so.  It  has  been  found  in  the  last 
age  to  be  rather  flatted  at  both  poles,  so  that  its 
form  is  commonly  resembled  to  that  of  a  turnip. 
The  cause  of  this  swelling  of  the  equator  is 
ascribed  to  the  greater  rapidity  of  the  motion 
with  which  the  parts  of  the  earth  are  there 
carried  round  ;  and  which,  consequently,  en- 
deavouring to  fly  off,  act  in  opposition  to  cen- 
tral attraction.  The  twirling  of  a  mop  may 


A  HISTORY  OF 


serve  as  an  homely  illustration;  which,  as 
every  one  has  seen,  spreads  and  grows  broad- 
er in  the  middle  as  it  continues  to  be  turned 
round. 

As  the  earth  receives  light  and  motion  from 
the  sun,  so  it  derives  much  of  its  warmth  and 
power  of  vegetation  from  the  same  beneficent 
source.     However,  the  different  parts  of  the 
globe  participate  of  these  advantages  in  very 
different  proportions,  and  accordingly  put  on 
very  different  appearances ;  a  polar  prospect, 
and  a  landscape  at  the  equator,  are  as  oppo- 
site in  their  appearances  as  in  their  situation. 
The  polar  regions,  that  receive  the  solar 
beams  in  a  very  oblique  direction,  and  conti- 
nue for  one  half  of  the  year  in  night,  receive 
but  few  of  the  genial  comforts  which  other 
parts  of  the  world  enjoy.  Nothing  can  be  more 
mournful  or  hideous  than  the  picture  which 
travellers  present  of  those  wretched  regions. 
The  ground,  "which  is  rocky  and  barren, rears 
itself  in  every  place  in  lofty  mountains  and  in- 
accessible cliffs,  and  meets  the  mariner's  eye 
at  even  forty  leagues  from  shore    These  pre- 
cipices, frightful  in  themselves,  receive  an  ad- 
ditional horror  from  being  constantly  covered 
with  ice  and  snow,  which  daily  seem  to  accu- 
mulate, and  fill  all  the  valleys  with  increasing 
desolation.    The  few  rocks  and  cliffs  that  are 
bare  of  snow,  look  at  a  distance  of  a  dark 
brown  colour,  and  quite  naked.  Upon  a  near- 
er approach,  however,  they  are  found  replete 
with  many  different  veins  of  coloured  stone, 
here  and  there  spread  over  with  a  little  earth, 
and  a  scanty  portion  of  grass  and  heath.  The 
internal  parts  of  the  country  are  still  more  de- 
solate and  deterring.     In  wandering  through 
these  solitudes,  some  plains  appear  covered 
with  ice,  that,  at  first  glance,  seem  to  promise 
the  traveller  an  easy  journey.6  But  these  are 
even  more  formidable  and  more  unpassable 
than  the  mountains  themselves,  being  cleft 
with    dreadful    chasms,    and    every    where 
abounding  with  pits  that  threaten  certain  de- 
struction.    The  seas  that  surround  these  in- 
hospitable coasts  are  still  more  astonishing, 
being  covered  with  flakes  of  floating  ice,  that 
spread  like  extensive  fields,  or  that  rise  out  of 
the  water  like  enormous  mountains.     These, 


*  Crantz's  History  of  Greenland,  p.  3. 
"Ibid.  p.  22.  'Ibid.  p.  27. 


which  are  composed  of  materials  as  clear  and 
transparent  as  glass,c  assume  many  strange  and 
fantastic  appearances.  Some  of  them  look 
like  churches  or  castles,  with  pointed  turrets  ; 
some  like  ships  in  full  sail ;  and  people  have 
often  given  themselves  the  fruitless  toil  to  at- 
tempt piloting  the  imaginary  vessels  into  har- 
bour. There  are  still  others  that  appear  like 
large  islands,  with  plains,  valleys,  and  hills, 
which  often  rear  their  heads  two  hundred 
yards  above  the  level  of  the  sea ;  and  although 
the  height  of  these  be  amazing,  yet  their  depth 
beneath  is  still  more  so;  some  of  them  being 
found  to  sink  three  hundred  fathom  under 
water. 

The  earth  presents  a  very  different  appear- 
ance at  the  equator,  where  the  sun-beams, 
darting  directly  downwards,  burn  up  the  light- 
er soils  into  extensive  sandy  deserts,  or  quick- 
en all  the  moister  tracts  with  incredible  vege- 
tation. In  these  regions,  almost  all  the  same 
inconveniences  are  felt  from  the  proximity  of 
the  sun,  that  in  the  former  were  endured  from 
its  absence  The  deserts  are  entirely  barren, 
except  where  they  are  found  to  produce  ser- 
pents, and  that  in  such  quantities,  that  some 
extensive  plains  seem  almost  entirely  covered 
with  them.u 

It  not  unfrequently  happens  also,  that  this 
dry  soil,  which  is  so  parched  and  comminu- 
ted by  the  force  of  the  sun,  rises  with  the 
smallest  breeze  of  wind  ;  and  the  sands  being 
composed  of  parts  almost  as  small  as  those  of 
water,  they  assume  a  similar  appearance,  roll- 
ing onward  in  waves  like  those  of  a  troubled 
sea,  and  overwhelming  all  they  meet  with  in- 
evitable destruction.  On  the  other  hand, 
those  tracts  which  are  fertile,  teem  with  ve- 
getation even  to  a  noxious  degree.  The  grass 
rises  to  such  a  height  as  often  to  require  burn- 
ing ;  the  forests  are  impassable  from  under- 
woods, and  so  matted  above,  that  even  the 
sun,  fierce  as  it  is,  can  seldom  penetrate.* 
These  are  so  thick  as  scarcely  to  be  extirpa- 
ted ;  for  the  tops  being  so  bound  together  by 
the  climbing  plants  that  grow  round  them, 
though  an  hundred  should  be  cut  at  the  bot- 
tom, yet  no  one  would  fall,  as  they  mutually 
support  each  other.  In  these  dark  and  tan- 

d  Adanson's  Description  of  Senegal. 
e  Limuri  Amienit.  vol.  vi.  p.  67- 


THE  EARTH. 


gled  forests,  beasts  of  various  kinds,  insects  in 
astonishing  abundance,  and  serpents  of  sur- 
prising magnitude,  find  a  quiet  retreat  from 
man,  and  are  seldom  disturbed  except  by  each 
other. 

In  this  manner  the  extremes  of  our  globe 
seem  equally  unfitted  for  the  comforts  and  con- 
veniences of  life :  and  although  the  imagina- 
tion may  find  an  awful  pleasure  in  contempla- 
ting the  frightful  precipices  of  Greenland,  or 
the  luxurious  verdure  of  Africa,  yet  true  hap- 
piness can  only  be  found  in  the  more  moder- 
ate climates,  where  the  gifts  of  nature  may 
be  enjoyed,  without  incurring  danger  in  ob- 
taining them. 

It  is  in  the  temperate  zone,  therefore,  that 


all  the  arts  of  improving  nature,  and  refining 
upon  happiness,  have  been  invented :  and  this 
part  of  the  earth  is,  more  properly  speaking, 
the  theatre  of  natural  history.  Although  there 
be  millions  of  animals  and  vegetables  in  the 
unexplored  forests  under  the  line,  yet  most  of 
these  may  for  ever  continue  unknown,  as  cu- 
riosity is  there  repressed  by  surrounding  dan- 
ger. But  it  is  otherwise  in  these  delightful 
regions  which  we  inhabit,  and  where  this  art 
has  had  its  beginning.  Among  us  there  is 
scarce  a  shrub,  a  flower,  or  an  insect,  without 
its  particular  history;  scarce  a  plant  that  could 
be  useful,  which  has  not  been  propagated; 
nor  a  weed  that  could  be  noxious,  which  has 
not  been  pointed  out. 


CHAPTER  III. 


A  VIEW  OF  THE  SURFACE  OF  THE  EARTH. 


WHEN  we  take  a  slight  survey  of  the  sur- 
face of  our  globe,  a  thousand  objects  offer 
themselves,  which,  though  long  known,  yet 
still  demand  our  curiosity.  The  most  obvious 
beauty  that  every  where  strikes  the  eye  is  the 
verdant  covering  of  the  earth,  which  is  form- 
ed by  an  happy  mixture  of  herbs  and  trees  of 
various  magnitudes  and  uses.  It  has  been  of- 
ten remarked,  that  no  colour  refreshes  the 
sight  so  much  as  green :  and  it  may  be  added, 
as  a  further  proof  of  the  assertion,  that  the  in- 
habitants of  those  places  where  the  fields  are 
continually  white  with  snow,  generally  be- 
come blind  long  before  the  usual  course  of 
nature. 

This  advantage,  which  arises  from  the  ver- 
dure of  the  fields,  is  not  a  little  improved  by 
their  agreeable  inequalities.  There  are 
scarcely  two  natural  landscapes  that  offer 
prospects  entirely  resembling  each  other; 
their  risings  and  depressions,  their  hills  and 
valleys,  are  never  entirely  the  same,  but  al- 
ways offer  something  new  to  entertain  and 
refresh  the  imagination. 

But  to  increase  the  beauties  of  the  face  of 


nature,  the  landscape  is  enlivened  by  springs 
and  lakes,  and  intersected  by  rivulets.  These 
lend  a  brightness  to  the  prospect ;  give  mo- 
tion and  coolness  to  the  air ;  and,  what  is 
much  more  important,  furnish  health  and  sub- 
sistence to  animated  nature. 

Such  are  the  most  obvious  and  tranquil  ob- 
jects that  every  where  offer :  but  there  are 
objects  of  a  more  awful  and  magnificent  kind ; 
the  Mountain  rising  above  the  clouds,  and 
topt  with  snow;  the  River  pouring  down  its 
sides,  increasing  as  it  runs,  and  losing  itself, 
at  last,  in  the  ocean ;  the  Ocean  spreading  its 
immense  sheet  of  waters  over  one  half  of  the 
globe,  swelling  and  subsiding  at  well  known 
intervals,  and  forming  a  communication  be- 
tween the  most  distant  parts  of  the  earth. 

If  we  leave  those  objects  that  seem  to  be 
natural  to  our  earth,  and  keep  the  same  con- 
stant tenor,  we  are  presented  with  the  great 
irregularities  of  nature:  the  burning  moun- 
tain; the  abrupt  precipice;  the  unfathoma- 
ble cavern ;  the  headlong  cataract ;  and  the 
rapid  whirlpool. 

If  we  carry  our  curiosity  a  little  further, 


6 


A  HISTORY  OF 


and  descend  to  the  objects  immediately  be- 
low the  surface  of  the  globe,  we  shall  there 
find  wonders  still  as  amazing.  We  first  per- 
ceive the  earth  for  the  most  part  lying  in  re- 
gular beds  or  layers,  every  bed  growing  thick- 
er in  proportion  as  it  lies  deeper,  and  its  con- 
tents more  compact  and  heavy.  We  shall 
find,  almost  wherever  we  make  our  subterra- 
nean inquiry,  an  amazing  number  of  shells 
that  once  belonged  to  aquatic  animals.  Here 
and  there,  at  a  distance  from  the  sea,  beds  of 
oyster-shells,  several  yards  thick,  and  many 
miles  over;  sometimes  testaceous  substances 
of  various  kinds  on  the  tops  of  mountains,  and 
often  in  the  heart  of  the  hardest  marble. 
These,  which  are  dug  up  by  the  peasants  in 
every  country,  are  regarded  with  little  curi- 
osity ;  for  being  so  very  common,  they  are 
considered  as  substances  entirely  terrene. 
But  it  is  otherwise  with  the  inquirer  after  na- 
ture, who  finds  them,  not  only  in  shape  but 
in  substance,  every  way  resembling  those  that 
are  found  in  the  sea;  and  he,  therefore,  is  at 
a  loss  to  account  for  their  removal. 

Yet  not  one  part  of  nature  alone,  but  all 
her  productions  and  varieties,  become  the  ob- 
ject of  the  speculative  man's  inquiry :  he  takes 
different  views  of  nature  from  the  inattentive 
spectator;  and  scarcely  an  appearance,  how 
common  soever,  but  affords  matter  for  his 
contemplation :  he  inquires  how  and  why  the 
surface  of  the  earth  has  those  risings  and  de- 
pressions which  most  men  call  natural ;  he 
demands  in  what  manner  the  mountains  were 
formed,  and  in  what  consists  their  uses ;  he 
asks  from  whence  springs  arise,  and  how  ri- 
vers flow  round  the  convexity  of  the  globe ;  he 
enters  into  an  examination  of  the  ebbings  and 
flowings,  and  the  other  wonders,  of  the  deep ; 
he  acquaints  himself  with  the  irregularities  of 
nature,  and  endeavours  to  investigate  their 
causes ;  by  which,  at  least,  he  will  become 
better  versed  in  their  history.  The  internal 
structure  of  the  globe  becomes  an  object  of 
his  curiosity ;  and,  although  his  inquiries  can 
fathom  but  a  very  little  way,  yet,  if  possessed 
with  a  spirit  of  theory,  his  imagination  will 
supply  the  rest.  He  will  endeavour  to  ac- 
count for  the  situation  of  the  marine  fossils 


•  Buffon,  Woodward.  Burnet,  Whiston,  Kircher,  Bour- 
quat,  Leibnitz,  Steno,  Ray,  &c. 


that  are  found  in  the  earth,  and  for  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  different  beds  of  which  it  is 
composed.  These  have  been  the  inquiries 
that  have  splendidly  employed  many  of  the 
philosophers  of  the  last  and  present  age,°  and, 
to  a  certain  degree,  they  must  be  serviceable. 
But  the  worst  of  it  is,  that,  as  speculations 
amuse  the  writer  more  than  facts,  they  may 
be  often  carried  to  an  extravagant  length ; 
and  that  time  may  be  spent  in  reasoning  upon 
nature,  which  might  be  more  usefully  em- 
ployed in  writing  her  history. 

Too  much  speculation  in  natural  history  is 
certainly  wrong;  but  there  is  a  defect  of  an 
opposite  nature  that  does  much  more  preju- 
dice ;  namely,  that  of  silencing  all  inquiry,  by 
alleging  the  benefits  we  receive  from  a  thing, 
instead  of  investigating  the  cause  of  its  pro- 
duction. If  I  inquire  how  a  mountain  came  to 
be  formed ;  such  a  reasoner,  enumerating  its 
benefits,  answers,  because  God  knew  it  would 
be  useful.  If  I  demand  the  cause  of  an  earth- 
quake, he  finds  some  good  produced  by  it, 
and  alleges  that  as  the  cause  of  its  explosion. 
Thus  such  an  inquirer  has  constantly  some 
ready  reason  for  every  appearance  in  nature, 
which  serves  to  swell  his  periods,  and  give 
splendour  to  his  declamation ;  every  thing 
about  him  is,  on  some  account  or  other,  decla- 
red to  be  good ;  and  he  thinks  it  presumption 
to  scrutinize  into  its  defects,  or  to  endeavour 
to  imagine  how  it  might  be  better.  Such  wri- 
ters, and  there  are  many  such,  add  very  little 
to  the  advancement  of  knowledge.  It  is  finely 
remarked  by  Bacon,  that  the  investigation  of 
final  causes"  is  a  barren  study ;  and,  like  a 
virgin  dedicated  to  the  Deity,  brings  forth 
nothing.  In  fact,  those  men  who  want  to  com- 
pel every  appearance  and  every  irregularity 
m  nature  into  our  service,  and  expatiate  on 
their  benefits,  combat  that  very  moralitj 
which  they  would  seem  to  promote.  God 
has  permitted  thousands  of  natural  evils  to 
exist  in  the  world,  because  it  is  by  their  inter- 
vention that  man  is  capable  of  moral  evil; 
and  he  has  permitted  that  we  should  be  sub- 
ject to  moral  evil,  that  we  might  do  something 
to  deserve  eternal  happiness,  by  showing  that 
we  had  rectitude  to  avoid  it. 

b  Investigatio  causarum  finalium  sterifis  est,  et  veluti 
virgo  Deo  dedicata,  nil  parit. 


THE  EARTH. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

A  REVIEW  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  THEORIES  OF  THE  EARTH. 


HUMAN  invention  has  been  exercised  for 
several  ages  to  account  for  the  various  irre- 
gularities of  the  earth.  While  those  philo- 
sophers, mentioned  in  the  last  chapter,  see 
nothing  but  beauty,  symmetry,  and  order; 
there  are  others,  who  look  upon  the  gloomy 
side  of  nature,  enlarge  on  its  defects,  and 
seem  to  consider  the  earth,  on  which  they 
tread,  as  one  scene  of  extensive  desolation." 
Beneath  its  surface  they  observe  minerals 
and  waters  confusedly  jumbled  together;  its 
different  beds  of  earth  irregularly  lying  upon 
each  other;  mountains  rising  from  places  that 
once  were  level;b  and  hills  sinking  into  val- 
leys; whole  regions  swallowed  by  the  sea, 
and  others  again  rising  out  of  its  bosom.  All 
these  they  suppose  to  be  but  a  few  of  the 
changes  that  have  been  wrought  in  our  globe; 
and  they  send  out  the  imagination  to  describe 
its  primeval  state  of  beauty. 

Of  those  who  have  written  theories  de- 
scribing the  manner  of  the  original  formation 
of  the  earth,  or  accounting  for  its  present  ap- 
pearances, the  most  celebrated  are  Burnet, 
Whiston,  Woodward,  and  Buffbn.  As  specu- 
lation is  endless,  so  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
that  all  these  differ  from  each  other,  and  give 
opposite  accounts  of  the  several  changes, 
which  they  suppose  our  earth  to  have  under- 
gone. As  the  systems  of  each  have  had  their 
admirers,  it  is,  in  some  measure,  incumbent 
upon  the  natural  historian  to  be  acquainted, 
at  least,  with  their  outlines ;  and,  indeed,  to 
know  what  others  have  even  dreamed  in  mat- 
ters of  science,  is  very  useful,  as  it  may  often 
prevent  us  from  indulging  similar  delusions 
ourselves,  which  we  should  never  have  adopt- 
ed, but  because  we  take  them  to  be  wholly 
our  own.  However,  as  entering  into  a  detail 
of  these  theories  is  rather  furnishing  a  history 
of  opinions  than  things,  I  will  endeavour  to 
be  as  concise  as  I  can. 

The  first  who  formed  this  amusement  of 
earth-making  into  system,  was  the  celebrated 

•  Buffon's  Second  Discourse. 
NO.  2. 


Thomas  Burnet,  a  man  of  polite  learning  and 
rapid  imagination.  His  Sacred  Theory,  as  he 
calls  it,  describing  the  changes  which  the 
earth  has  undergone,  or  shall  hereafter  un- 
dergo, is  well  known  for  the  warmth  with 
which  it  is  imagined,  and  the  weakness  with 
which  it  is  reasoned;  for  the  elegance  of  its- 
style,  and  the  meanness  of  its  philosophy. 
"  The  earth,"  says  he,  "  before  the  deluge, 
was  very  differently  formed  from  what  it  is  at 
present :  it  was  at  first  a  fluid  mass ;  a  chaos 
composed  of  various  substances,  differing  both 
in  density  and  figure :  those  which  were  most 
heavy  sunk  to  the  centre,  and  formed  in  the 
middle  of  our  globe  a  hard  solid  body ;  those 
of  a  lighter  nature  remained  next ;  and  the 
waters,  which  were  lighter  still,  swam  upon 
its  surface,  and  covered  the  earth  on  every 
side.  The  air,  and  all  those  fluids  which  were 
lighter  than  water,  floated  upon  this  also ;  and 
in  the  same  manner  encompassed  the  globe ; 
so  that  between  the  surrounding  body  of  wa- 
ters, and  the  circumambient  air,  there  was 
formed  a  coat  of  oil,  and  other  unctuous  sub- 
stances, lighter  than  water.  However,  as  the 
air  was  still  extremely  impure,  and  must  have 
carried  up  with  it  many  of  those  earthy  parti- 
cles with  which  itoncewas  intimately  blended, 
it  soon  began  to  defecate,  and  to  depose  these 
particles  upon  the  oily  surface  already  men- 
tioned, which  soon  uniting,  the  earth  and  oil 
formed  that  crust,  which  soon  became  an  ha- 
bitable surface,  giving  life  to  vegetation,  and 
dwelling  to  animals. 

"  This  imaginary  antediluvian  abode  was 
very  different  from  what  we  see  it  at  present. 
The  earth  was  light  and  rich ;  and  formed  of 
a  substance  entirely  adapted  to  the  feeble 
state  of  incipient  vegetation ;  it  was  an  uni- 
form plain,  every  where  covered  with  ver- 
dure ;  without  mountains,  without  seas,  or 
the  smallest  inequalities.  It  had  no  difference 
of  seasons,  for  its  equator  was  in  the  plane  of 
the  ecliptic,  or,in  other  words,  it  turned  d:.rect- 

b  Senec.  Qua;st.  lib.  vi.  cap.  21 
D 


8 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ly  opposite  to  the  sun,  so  that  it  enjoyed  one 
perpetual  and  luxuriant  spring.  However,  this 
delightful  face  of  nature  did  not  long  continue 
in  the  same  state ;  for,  after  a  time,  it  began 
to  crack  and  open  in  fissures;  a  circumstance 
which  always  succeeds  when  the  sun  exhales 
the  moisture  from  rich  or  marshy  situations. 
The  crimes  of  mankind  had  been  for  some 
time  preparing  to  draw  down  the  wrath  of 
Heaven;  and  they,  at  length,  induced  the 
Deity  to  defer  repairing  these  breaches  in  na- 
ture. Thus  the  chasms  of  the  earth  every 
day  became  wider,  and,  at  length,  they  pene- 
trated to  the  great  abyss  of  waters ;  and  the 
whole  earth,  in  a  manner,  fell  in.  Then  en- 
sued a  total  disorder  in  the  uniform  beauty 
of  the  first  creation,  the  terrene  surface  of  the 
globe  being  broken  down:  as  it  sunk  the  wa- 
ters gushed  out  in  its  place ;  the  deluge  be- 
came universal;  all  mankind,  except  eight 
persons,  were  destroyed,  and  their  posterity 
condemned  to  toil  upon  the  ruins  of  desolated 
nature." 

It  only  remains  to  mention  the  manner  in 
which  he  relieves  the  earth  from  this  univer- 
sal wreck,  which  would  seem  to  be  as  difficult 
as  even  its  first  formation:  "These  great  mas- 
ses of  earth  falling  into  the  abj'ss,  drew  down 
with  them  vast  quantities  also  of  air ;  and,  by 
dashing  against  each  other,  and  breaking  into 
small  parts  by  the  repeated  violence  of  the 
shock,  they,  at  length,  left  between  them  large 
cavities,  filled  with  nothing  but  air.  These 
cavities  naturally  offered  a  bed  to  receive 
the  influent  waters;  and  in  proportion  as  they 
filled,  the  face  of  the  earth  became  once  more 
visible.  The  higher  parts  of  its  broken  sur- 
face, now  become  the  tops  of  mountains,  were 
the  first  that  appeared ;  the  plains  soon  after 
came  forward,  and,  at  length,  the  whole  globe 
was  delivered  from  the  waters,  except  the  pla- 
ces in  the  lowest  situations ;  so  that  the  ocean 
and  the  seas  are  still  a  part  of  the  ancient 
abyss,  that  have  not  had  a  place  to  return. 
Islands  and  rocks  are  fragments  of  the  earth's 
former  crust ;  kingdoms  and  continents  are 
larger  masses  of  its  broken  substance;  and  all 
the^  inequalities  that  are  to  be  found  on  the 
surface  of  the  present  earth,  are  owing  to  the 
accidental  confusion  into  which  both  earth 
and  waters  were  then  thrown.'' 

The  next  theorist  was  Woodward,  who,  in 


his  Essay  towards  a  Natural  History  of  the 
Earth,  which  was  only  designed  to  precede  a 
greater  work,  has  endeavoured  to  give  a  more 
rational  account  of  its  appearances  ;  and  was, 
in  fact,  much  better  furnished  for  such  an  un- 
dertaking than  any  of  his  predecessors,  being 
one  of  the  most  assiduous  naturalists  of  his 
time.  His  little  book,  therefore,  contains  many 
important  facts,  relative  to  natural  history, 
although  his  system  may  be  weak  and  ground- 
less. 

He  begins  by  asserting  that  all  terrene  sub- 
stances are  disposed  in  beds  of  various  na- 
tures, lying  horizontally  one  over  the  other, 
somewhat  like  the  coats  of  an  onion ;  that 
they  are  replete  with  shells,  and  other  produc- 
tions of  the  sea ;  these  shells  being  found  in 
the  deepest  cavities,  and  on  the  tops  of  the 
highest  mountains.  From  these  observations, 
which  are  warranted  by  experience,  he  pro- 
ceeds to  observe,  that  these  shells  and  extra- 
neous fossils  are  not  productions  of  the  earth, 
but  are  all  actual  remains  of  those  animals 
which  they  are  known  to  resemble ;  that  all 
the  beds  of  the  earth  lie  under  each  other,  in 
the  order  of  their  specific  gravity ;  and  that 
they  are  disposed  as  if  they  had  been  left  there 
by  subsiding  waters.  All  these  assertions  he 
affirms  with  much  earnestness,  although  daily 
experience  contradicts  him  in  some  of  them; 
particularly  we  find  layers  of  stone  often  over 
the  lightest  soils,  and  the  softest  earth  under 
the  hardest  bodies.  However,  having  taken 
it  for  granted,  that  all  the  layers  of  the  earth 
are  found  in  the  order  of  their  specific  gravi- 
ty, the  lightest  at  the  top,  and  the  heaviest 
next  the  centre,  he  consequently  asserts,  and 
it  will  not  improbably  follow,  that  all  the  sub- 
stances of  which  the  earth  is  composed  were 
once  in  an  actual  state  of  dissolution.  This 
universal  dissolution  he  takes  to  have  hap- 
pened at  the  time  of  the  flood.  He  supposes, 
that  at  that  time  a  body  of  water,  which  was 
then  in  the  centre  of  the  earth,  uniting  with 
that  which  was  found  on  the  surface,  so  far 
separated  the  terrene  parts  as  to  mix  all  to- 
gether in  one  fluid  mass;  the  contents  of 
which  afterwards  sinking  according  to  their 
respective  gravities,  produced  the  present  ap- 
pearances of  the  earth.  Being  aware,  how- 
ever, of  an  objection,  that  fossil  substances  are 
not  found  dissolved,  he  exempts  ihein  from 


THE  EARTH 


this  universal  dissolution,  and,  for  that  pur- 
pose, endeavours  to  show  that  the  parts  of 
animals  have  a  stronger  cohesion  than  those 
o(  minerals  ;  and  that,  while  even  the  hardest 
rocks  may  be  dissolved,  bones  and  shells 
may  still  continue  entire. 

So  much  for  Woodward:  but  of  all  the  sys- 
tems which  were  published  respecting  the 
earth's  formation,  that  of  Whiston  was  most 
applauded,  and  most  opposed.  Nor  need  we 
wonder:  for  being  supported  with  all  the  pa- 
rade of  deep  calculation,  it  awed  the  igno- 
rant, 'and  produced  the  approbation  of  such 
as  would  be  thought  otherwise ;  as  it  implied 
a  knowledge  of  abstruse  learning,  to  be  even 
thought  capable  of  comprehending  what  the 
writer  aimed  at.  In  fact,  it  is  not  easy  to 
divest  this  theory  of  its  mathematical  garb  : 
but  those  who  have  had  leisure,  have  found 
the  result  of  our  philosopher's  reasoning  to  be 
thus:  He  supposes  the  earth  to  have  been  ori- 
ginally a  comet;  and  he  considers  the  history 
of  the  creation,  as  given  us  in  scripture,  to  have 
its  commencement  just  when  it  was,  by  the 
hand  of  the  Creator,  more  regularly  placed  as 
a  planet  in  our  solar  system.  Before  that  time 
he  supposes  it  to  have  been  a  globe  without 
beauty  or  proportion ;  a  world  in  disorder ; 
subject  to  all  the  vicissitudes  which  comets 
endure ;  some  of  which  have  been  found,  at 
different  times,  a  thousand  times  hotter  than 
melted  iron;  at  others,  a  thousand  times 
colder  than  ice.  These  alterations  of  heat  and 
cold,  continually  melting  and  freezing  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  he  supposes  to  have  pro- 
duced, to  a  certain  depth,  a  chaos  entirely 
resembling  that  described  by  the  poets,  sur- 
rounding the  solid  contents  of  the  earth,  which 
still  continued  unchanged  in  the  midst,  making 
a  great  burning  globe  of  more  than  two  thou- 
sand leagues  in  diameter.  This  surrounding 
chaos,  however,  was  far  from  being  solid :  he 
resembles  it  to  a  dense  though  fluid  atmos- 
phere, composed  of  substances  mingled,  agi- 
tated, and  shocked  against  each  other;  and 
in  this  disorder  he  describes  the  earth  to  have 
been  just  at  the  eve  of  creation. 

But  upon  its  orbit  being  then  changed,  when 
it  was  more  regularly  wheeled  round  the  sun, 
every  thing  took  its  proper  place ;  every  part 
of  the  surrounding  fluid  then  fell  into  a  situa- 
tion, in  proportion  as  it  was  light  or  heavy. 


The  middle,  or  central  part,  which  always  re- 
mained unchanged,  still  continued  so,  retain- 
ing a  part  of  that  heat  which  it  received  in  its 
primeval  approaches  towards  the  sun ;  which 
neat,  he  calculates,  may  continue  for  about 
six  thousand  years.  Next  to  this  fell  the  hea- 
vier parts  of  the  chaotic  atmosphere,  which 
serve  to  sustain  the  lighter:  but  as  in  descend- 
ing they  could  not  entirely  be  separated  from 
many  watery  parts,  with  which  they  were 
intimately  mixed,  they  drew  down  a  part  of 
these  also  with  them;  and  these  could  not 
mount  again  after  the  surface  of  the  earth  was 
consolidated :  they,  therefore,  surrounded  the 
heavy  first-descending  parts  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  these  surround  the  central  globe.  Thus 
the  entire  body  of  the  earth  is  composed  in- 
ternally of  a  great  burning  globe :  next  which 
is  placed  a  heavy  terrene  substance,  that 
encompasses  it ;  round  which  also  is  circum- 
fused  a  body  of  water.  Upon  this  body  of  water, 
the  crust  of  earth,  which  we  inhabit,  is  placed: 
so  that,  according  to  him,  the  globe  is  compo- 
sed of  a  number  of  coats,  or  shells,  one  within 
the  other,  all  of  different  densities.  The  body 
of  the  earth  being  thus  formed,  the  air,  which 
is  the  lightest  substance  of  all,  surrounded  its 
surface ;  and  the  beams  of  the  sun,  darting 
through,  produced  that  light  which,  we  are 
told,  hrst  obeyed  the  Creator's  command. 

The  whole  economy  of  the  creation  being 
thus  adjusted,  it  only  remained  to  account  for 
the  risings  and  depressions  on  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  with  the  other  seeming  irregulari- 
ties of  its  present  appearance.  The  hills  and 
valleys  are  considered  by  him  as  formed  by 
their  pressing  upon  the  internal  fluid,  which 
sustains  the  outward  shell  of  earth,  with  great- 
er or  less  weight :  those  parts  of  the  earth 
which  are  heaviest  sink  into  the  subjacent 
fluid  more  deeply,  and  become  valleys;  those 
that  are  lightest,  rise  higher  upon  the  earth's 
surface,  and  are  called  mountains. 

Such  was  the  face  of  nature  before  the  de- 
luge :  the  earth  was  then  more  fertile  and  po- 
pulous than  it  is  at  present ;  the  life  of  man 
and  animals  was  extended  to  ten  times  its  pre- 
sent duration;  and  all  these  advantages  arose 
from  the  superior  heat  of  the  central  globe, 
which  ever  since  has  been  cooling.  As  its 
heat  was  then  in  full  power,  the  genial  prin- 
ciple was  also  much  greater  than  at  present ; 


10 


A  HISTORY  OF 


vegetation  and  animal  increase  were  carried 
on  with  more  vigour ;  and  all  nature  seemed 
teeming  with  the  seeds  of  life.  But  these  phy- 
sical advantages  were  only  productive  of  mo- 
ral evil;  the  warmth  which  invigorated  the 
body  increased  the  passions  and  appetites  of 
the  mind ;  and,  as  man  became  more  power- 
ful, he  grew  less  innocent.  It  was  found 
necessary  to  punish  this  depravity ;  and  all 
living  creatures  were  overwhelmed  by  the 
deluge  in  universal  destruction. 

This  deluge,  which  simple  believers  are 
willing  to  ascribe  to  a  miracle,  philosophers 
have  long  been  desirous  to  account  for  by  na- 
tural causes ;  they  have  proved  that  the  earth 
could  never  supply  from  any  reservoir  towards 
its  centre,  nor  the  atmosphere  by  any  dis- 
charge from  above,  such  a  quantity  of  water 
as  would  cover  the  surface  of  the  globe  to  a 
certain  depth  over  the  tops  of  our  highest 
mountains.  Where,  therefore,  was  all  this  wa- 
ter to  be  found  ?  Whiston  has  found  enough, 
and  more  than  a  sufficiency,  in  the  tail  of  a 
comet ;  for  he  seems  to  allot  comets  a  very 
active  part  in  the  great  operations  of  nature. 

He  calculates,  with  great  seeming  preci- 
sion, the  year,  the  month,  and  the  day  of  the 
week,  on  which  this  comet  (which  has  paid 
the  earth  some  visits  since,  though  at  a  kind- 
er distance)  involved  our  globe  in  its  tail. 
The  tail  he  supposed  to  be  a  vaporous  fluid 
substance,  exhaled  from  the  body  of  the  comet 
by  the  extreme  heat  of  the  sun,  and  increasing 
in  proportion  at  it  approached  that  great  lu- 
minary. It  was  in  this  that  our  globe  was  in- 
volved at  the  time  of  the  deluge ;  and,  as  the 
earth  still  acted  by  its  natural  attraction,  it 
drew  to  itself  all  the  watery  vapours  which 
were  in  the  comet's  tail;  and  the  internal  wa- 
ters being  also  at  the  same  time  let  loose,  in 
a  very  short  space  the  tops  of  the  highest 
mountains  were  laid  under  the  deep. 

The  punishment  of  the  deluge  being  thus 
completed,  and  all  the  guilty  destroyed,  the 
earth,  which  had  been  broken  by  the  eruption 
of  the  internal  waters,  was  also  enlarged  by 
it ;  so  that,  upon  the  comet's  recess,  there  was 
found  room  sufficient  in  the  internal  abyss  for 
the  recess  of  the  superfluous  waters ;  whither 
they  all  retired,  and  left  the  earth  uncovered, 
but  in  some  respects  changed,  particularly  in 
its  figure,  which,  from  being  round,  was  now 


become  oblate.  In  this  universal  wreck  of  na- 
ture, Noah  survived,  by  a  variety  of  happy 
causes,  to  re-people  the  earth,  and  to  give 
birth  to  a  race  of  men  slow  in  believing  ill- 
imagined  theories  of  the  earth. 

After  so  many  theories  of  th-i  earth  which 
have  been  published,  applauded,  answered, 
and  forgotten,  Mr.  Buffbn  ventured  to  add  one 
more  to  the  number.  This  philosopher  was, 
in  every  respect,  better  qualified  than  any  of 
his  predecessors  for  such  an  attempt,  being 
furnished  with  more  materials,  having  abright- 
er  imagination  to  find  new  proofs,  and  a=better 
style  to  clothe  them  in.  However,  if  one  so 
ill  qualified  as  I  am  may  judge,  this  seems  the 
weakest  part  of  his  admirable  work ;  and  I 
could  wish  that  he  had  been  content  with 
giving  us  facts  instead  of  systems;  that,  in- 
stead of  being  a  reasoner,  he  had  contented 
himself  with  being  merely  an  historian 

He  begins  his  system  by  making  a  distinc- 
tion between  the  first  part  of  it  and  the  last ; 
the  one  being  founded  only  on  conjecture,  the 
other  depending  entirely  upon  actual  obser- 
vation. The  latter  part  of  his  theory  may, 
therefore,  be  true,  though  the  former  should 
be  found  erroneous. 

"  The  planets,"  says  he,  "  and  the  earth 
among  the  number,  might  have  been  formerly 
(he  only  offers  this  as  conjecture)  a  part  of 
the  body  of  the  sun,  and  adherent  to  its  sub- 
stance. In  this  situation,  a  comet  falling  in 
upon  that  great  body,  might  have  given  it 
such  a  shock,  and  so  shaken  its  whole  frame, 
that  some  of  its  particles  might  have  been 
driven  off  like  streaming  sparkles  from  red- 
hot  iron ;  and  each  of  these  streams  of  fire, 
small  as  they  were  in  comparison  of  the  sun, 
might  have  been  large  enough  to  have  made 
an  earth  as  great,  nay,  many  times  greater, 
than  ours.  So  that  in  this  manner  the  planets, 
together  with  the  globe  which  we  inhabit, 
might  have  been  driven  off  from  the  body  of 
the  sun  by  an  impulsive  force :  in  this  man- 
ner also  they  would  continue  to  recede  from 
it  for  ever,  were  they  not  drawn  back  by  its 
superior  power  of  attraction ;  and  thus,  by  the 
combination  of  the  two  motions,  they  are 
wheeled  round  in  circles. 

"  Being  in  this  manner  detached  at  a  dis- 
tance from  the  body  of  the  sun,  the  planets, 
from  having  been  at  first  globes  of  liquid  fire, 


THE  EARTH. 


gradually  became  cool.  The  earth  also,  hav- 
ing been  impelled  obliquely  forward,  received 
a  rotatory  motion  upon  its  axis  at  the  very  in- 
stant of  its  formation ;  and  this  motion  being 
greatest  at  the  equator,  the  parts  there  acting 
against  the  force  of  gravity,  they  must  have 
swollen  out,  and  given  the  earth  an  oblate  or 
flatted  figure. 

"  As  to  its  internal  substance,  our  globe, 
having  once  belonged  to  the  sun,  it  continues 
to  be  an  uniform  mass  of  melted  matter,  very 
probably  vitrified  in  its  primeval  fusion.  But 
its  surface  is  very  differently  composed.  Hav- 
ing been  in  the  beginning  heated  to  a  degree 
equal  to,  if  not  greater,  than  what  comets  are 
found  to  sustain ;  like  them  it  had  an  atmos- 
phere of  vapours  floating  round  it,  and  which, 
cooling  by  degrees,  condensed  and  subsided 
upon  its  surface.  These  vapours  formed,  ac- 
cording to  their  different  densities,  the  earth, 
the  water,  and  the  air ;  the  heavier  parts  fall- 
ing first,  and  the  lighter  remaining  still  sus- 
pended." 

Thus  far  our  philosopher  is,  at  least,  as 
much  a  system-maker  as  Whiston  or  Burnet ; 
and,  indeed,  he  fights  his  way  with  great  per- 
severance and  ingenuity,  through  a  thousand 
objections  that  naturally  arise.  Having,  at 
last,  got  upon  the  earth,  he  supposes  himself 
on  firmer  ground,  and  goes  forward  with  great- 
er security.  Turning  his  attention  to  the  pre- 
sent appearance  of  things  upon  this  globe,  he 
pronounces  from  the  view,  that  the  whole 
earth  was  at  first  under  water.  This  water 
he  supposes  to  have  been  the  lighter  parts 
of  its  former  evaporation,  which,  while  the 
earthy  particles  sunk  downwards  by  their  na- 
tural gravity,  floated  on  the  surface,  and  co- 
vered it  for  a  considerable  space  of  time. 

"  The  surface  of  the  earth,"  says  he,"  "must 
have  been  in  the  beginning  much  less  solid 
than  it  is  at  present ;  and,  consequently,  the 
same  causes  which  at  this  day  produce  but 
very  slight  changes,  must  then,  upon  so  com- 
plying a  substance,  have  had  very  considera- 
ble effects.  We  have  no  reason  to  doubt  but 
that  it  was  then  covered  with  the  waters  of 
the  sea;  and  that  those  waters  were  above  the 
tops  of  our  highest  mountains:  since,  even  in 
such  elevated  situations,  we  find  shells  and 

•  Theorie  de  la  Terre,  vol.  i.  p.  111. 


other  marine  productions  in  very  great  abun- 
dance. It  appears  also  that  the  sea  continued 
for  a  considerable  time  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth  :  for  as  these  layers  of  shells  are  found 
so  very  frequent  at  such  great  depths,  and  in 
such  prodigious  quantities,  it  seems  impossible 
for  such  numbers  to  have  been  supported  all 
alive  at  one  time;  so  that  they  must  have 
been  brought  there  by  successive  depositions. 
These  shells  also  are  found  in  the  bodies  of 
the  hardest  rocks,  where  they  could  not  have 
been  deposited,  all  at  once,  at  the  time  of  the 
deluge,  or  at  any  such  instant  revolution ; 
since  that  would  be  to  suppose,  that  all  the 
rocks  in  which  they  are  found,  were,  at  that 
instant,  in  a  state  of  dissolution,  which  would 
be  absurd  to  assert.  The  sea,  therefore,  de- 
posited them  wheresoever  they  are  now  to  be 
found,  and  that  by  slow  and  successive  de- 
grees. 

"  It  will  appear  also,  that  the  sea  covered 
the  whole  earth,  from  the  appearance  of  its 
layers,  which  lying  regularly  one  above  the 
other,  seem  all  to  resemble  the  sediment  form- 
ed at  different  times  by  the  ocean.  Hence, 
by  the  irregular  force  of  its  waves,  and  its 
currents  driving  the  bottom  into  sand- 
banks, mountains  must  have  been  gradually 
formed  within  this  universal  covering  of 
waters;  and  these  successively  raising  their 
heads  above  its  surface,  must,  in  time,  have 
formed  the  highest  ridges  of  mountains  upon 
land,  together  with  continents,  islands,  and 
low  grounds,  all  in  their  turns.  This  opinion 
will  receive  additional  weight  by  considering, 
that  in  those  parts  of  the  earth  where  the  pow- 
er of  the  ocean  is  greatest,  the  inequalities  on 
the  surface  of  the  earth  are  highest.  The 
ocean's  power  is  greatest  at  the  equator, 
where  its  winds  and  tides  are  most  constant ; 
and,  in  fact,  the  mountains  at  the  equator  are 
found  to  be  higher  than  in  any  other  part  of  the 
world.  The  sea,  therefore,  has  produced  the 
principal  changes  in  our  earth :  rivers,  volca- 
noes, earthquakes,  storms,  and  rain,  having 
made  but  slight  alterations,  and  only  such  as 
have  affected  the  globe  to  very  inconsidera- 
ble depths." 

This   is   but   a  very  slight  sketch  of  Mr. 

Buffon's  theory  of  the  earth ;   a  theory  which 

he  has  much  more  powerfully  supported,  than 

happily  invented ;  and  it  would  be  needless  to 

E 


12 


A  HISTORY  OF 


take  up  the  reader's  time  from  the  pursuit  of   |  most    compact    and    ponderous    substances 


truth  in  the  discussion  of  plausibilities.  In 
fact,  a  thousand  questions  might  be  asked  this 
most  ingenious  philosopher,  which  he  would 
not  find  it  easy  to  answer ;  but  such  is  the  lot 
of  humanity,  that  a  single  Goth  can  in  one 
day  destroy  the  fabric  which  Ctesars  were  em- 
ployed an  age  in  erecting.  We  might  ask, 
How  mountains,  which  are  composed  of  the 


should  be  the  first  whose  parts  the  sea  began 
to  remove  ?  We  might  ask,  How  fossil-wood 
is  found  deeper  even  than  shells  ?  which  ar- 
gues, that  trees  grew  upon  the  places  he  sup- 
poses once  to  have  been  covered  with  the  ocean. 
But  we  hope  this  excellent  man  is  better  em- 
ployed than  to  think  of  gratifying  the  petulance 
of  incredulity,  by  answering  endless  objections. 


CHAPTER  V. 

OF  FOSSIL-SHELLS,  AND  OTHER  EXTRANEOUS  FOSSILS. 


WE  may  affirm  of  Mr.  Buffon,  that  which 
has  been  said  of  the  chymists  of  old  ;  though 
he  may  have  failed  in  attaining  his  principal 
aim,  of  establishing  a  theory,  yet  he  has 
brought  together  such  a  multitude  of  facts 
relative  to  the  history  of  the  earth,  and  the 
nature  of  its  fossil  productions,  that  curiosity 
finds  ample  compensation,  even  while  it  feels 
the  want  of  conviction. 

Before,  therefore,  I  enter  upon  the  descrip- 
tion of  those  parts  of  the  earth  which  seem 
more  naturally  to  fall  within  the  subject,  it 
will  not  be  improper  to  give  a  short  history 
of  those  animal  productions  that  are  found  in 
such  quantities,  either  upon  its  surface,  or  at 
different  depths  below  it.  They  demand  our 
curiosity;  and,  indeed,  there  is  nothing  in  na- 
tural history  that  has  afforded  more  scope  for 
doubt,  conjecture,  and  speculation.  Whatever 
depths  of  the  earth  we  examine,  or  at  what- 
ever distance  within  land  we  seek,  we  most 
commonly  find  a  number  of  fossil-shells,  which 
being  compared  with  others  from  the  sea,  of 
known  kinds,  are  found  to  be  exactly  of  a 
similar  shape  and  nature."  They  are  found  at 
the  very  bottom  of  quarries  and  mines,  in  the 
retired  and  inmost  parts  of  the  most  firm  and 
solid  rocks,  upon  the  tops  of  even  the  highest 
hills  and  mountains,  as  well  as  in  the  valleys 
and  plains ;  and  this  not  in  one  country  alone, 
but  in  all  places  where  there  is  any  digging 
for  marble,  chalk,  or  any  other  terrestrial  mat- 

"  Woodward's  Essay  towards  a  Natural  History,  p  3,6. 


ters,  that  are  so  compact  as  to  fence  off  the 
external  injuries  of  the  air,  and  thus  preserve 
these  shells  from  decay. 

These  marine  substances,  so  commonly  dif- 
fused, and  so  generally  to  be  met  with,  were 
for  a  long  time  considered  by  philosophers  as 
productions,  not  of  the  sea,  but  of  the  earth, 
"  As  we  find  that  spars,"  said  they,  "  always 
shoot  into  peculiar  shapes,  so  these  seeming 
snails,  cockles,  and  mussel-shells,  are  only 
sportive  forms  that  nature  assumes  amongst 
others  of  its  mineral  varieties:  they  have  the 
shape  of  fish,  indeed,  but  they  have  always 
been  terrestrial  substances.'"1 

With  this  plausible  solution  mankind  were 
for  a  long  time  content :  but  upon  closer  in- 
quiry, they  were  obliged  to  alter  their  opinion. 
It  was  found  that  these  shells  had  in  every  re- 
spect the  properties  of  animal,  and  not  of  mi- 
neral nature.  They  were  found  exactly  of 
the  same  weight  with  their  fellow  shells  upon 
shore.  They  answered  all  the  chymical  trials 
in  the  same  manner  as  sea-shells  do.  Their 
parts,  when  dissolved,  had  the  same  appearr 
ance  to  view,  the  same  smell  and  taste.  They 
had  the  same  effects  in  medicine,  when  in- 
wardly administered ;  and,  in  a  word,  were 
so  exactly  conformable  to  marine  bodies, 
that  they  had  all  the  accidental  concretions 
growing  to  them,  (such  as  pearls,  corals,  and 
smaller  shells,)  which  are  found  in  shells  just 
gathered  on  the  shore.  They  were,  there- 

b  Lowthorp's  Abridgment,  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  426. 


THE  EARTH. 


13 


fore,  from  these  considerations,  given  back 
to  the  sea;  but  the  wonder  was,  how  to  ac- 
count for  their  coining  so  far  from  their  own 
natural  element  upon  land." 

As  this  naturally  gave  rise  to  many  conjec- 
tures, it  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  some 
among  them  have  been  very  extraordinary. 
An  Italian,  quoted  by  Mr.  Buffbn,  supposes 
them  to  have  been  deposited  in  the  earth  at 
the  time  of  the  crusades,  by  the  pilgrims  who 
returned  from  Jerusalem;  who  gathering  them 
upon  the  sea-shore,  in  their  return  carried 
them  to  their  different  places  of  habitation. 
But  this  conji-cturer  seems  to  have  but  a  very 
inadequate  idea  of  their  numbers.  At  Tou- 
raine,  in  France,  more  than  a  hundred  miles 
from  the  sea,  there  is  a  plain  of  about  nine 
leagues  long,  and  as  many  broad,  whence  the 
peasants  of  the  country  supply  themselves 
with  marl  for  manuring  their  lands.  They 
seldom  dig  deeper  than  twenty  feet ;  and  the 
whole  plain  is  composed  of  the  same  mate- 
rials, which  are  shells  of  various  kinds,  with- 
out the  smallest  portion  of  earth  between 
them.  Here  then  is  a  large  space,  in  which 
are  deposited  millions  of  tons  of  shells,  that 
pilgrims  could  not  have  collected,  though  their 
whole  employment  had  been  nothing  else. 
England  is  furnished  with  its  beds,  which, 
though  not  quite  so  extensive,  yet  are  equally 
wonderful.  "  Near  Reading,  in  Berkshire,  for 
many  succeeding  generations,  a  continued 
body  of  oyster-shells  has  been  found  through 
the  whole  circumference  of  five  or  six  acres 
of  ground.  The  foundation  of  these  shells  is 
a  hard  rocky  chalk  ;  and  above  this  chalk, 
the  oyster-shells  lie  in  a  bed  of  green  sand, 
upon  a  level,as  nigh  as  can  possibly  be  judged, 
and  about  two  feet  thickness."b  These  shells 
are  in  their  natural  state,  but  they  were  found 
also  petrified,  and  almost  in  equal  abundance8 
in  all  the  Alpine  rocks,  in  the  Pyrenees,  on 
the  hills  of  France,  England,  and  Flanders. 
Even  in  all  quarries  from  whence  marble  is 
dug,  if  the  rocks  be  split  perpendicularly 
downwards,  petrified  shells  and  other  marine 
substances  will  be  plainly  discerned. 

"  About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  river 
Medway,  in  the  county  of  Kent,  after  the 


•  Woodward,  p.  43. 

*  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  427- 


c  Button,  vol.  i.  p.  40". 


taking  off"  the  coping  of  a  piece  of  ground 
there,  the  workmen  came  to  a  blue  marble, 
which  continued  for  three  feet  and  a  half 
deep,  or  more,  and  then  beneath  appeared  a 
hard  iloor,  or  pavement,  composed  of  petrified 
shells  crowded  closely  together.  This  layer 
was  about  an  inch  deep,  and  several  yards 
over;  and  it  could  be  walked  upon  as  upon  a 
beach.  These  stones,  of  which  it  was  com- 
posed, (the  describer  supposes  them  to  have 
always  been  stones,)  were  either  wreathed 
as  snails,  or  bivalvular  like  cockles.  The 
wreathed  kinds  were  about  the  size  of  a 
hazel-nut,  and  were  filled  with  a  stony  sub- 
stance of  the  colour  of  marl ;  and  they  them- 
selves, also,  till  they  were  washed,  were  of 
the  same  colour;  but  when  cleaned,  they  ap- 
peared of  the  colour  of  bezoar,  and  of  the 
same  polish.  After  boiling  in  w  ater  they  be- 
came whitish,  and  left  a  chalkiness  upon  the 
fingers."" 

In  several  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa,  travel- 
lers have  observed  these  shells  in  great  abun- 
dance. In  the  mountains  of  Castravan,  which 
lie  above  the  city  Barut,  they  quarry  out  a 
white  stone,  every  part  of  which  contains  pe- 
trified fishes  in  great  numbers,  and  of  sur- 
prising diversity.  They  also  seem  to  continue 
in  such  preservation,  that  their  fins,  scales, 
and  all  the  minutest  distinctions  of  their  make, 
can  be  perfectly  discerned." 

From  all  these  instances  we  may  conclude, 
that  fossils  are  very  numerous ;  and,  indeed, 
independent  of  their  situation,  they  afford  no 
small  entertainment  to  observe  them  as  pre- 
served in  the  cabinets  of  the  curious.  The 
varieties  of  their  kinds  are  astonishing.  Most 
of  the  sea-shells  which  are  known,  and  many 
others  to  which  we  are  entirely  strangers,  are 
to  be  seen  either  in  their  natural  state,  or  in 
various  degrees  of  petrifaction/  In  the  place 
of  some  we  have  mere  spar,  or  stone,  exactly 
expressing  all  the  lineaments  of  animals,  as 
having  been  wholly  formed  from  them.  For 
it  has  happened,  that  the  shells  dissolving  by 
very  slow  degrees,  and  the  matter  having 
nicely  and  exactly  filled  all  the  cavities  within, 
this  matter,  after  the  shells  have  perished,  has 
preserved  exactly  and  regularly  the  whole 


rt  Phil.  Trans,  p.  426. 
e  Buflbn,  vol.  i.  p.  408. 


Hill,  p.  646. 


14 


A  HISTORY  OF 


print  of  their  internal  surface.  Of  these  there 
are  various  kinds  found  in  our  pits;  many  of 
them  resembling  those  of  our  own  shores;  and 
many  others  that  are  only  to  be  found  on  the 
coasts  of  other  countries.  There  are  some 
shells  resembling  those  that  are  never  strand- 
ed upon  otir  coasts;"  but  always  remain  in 
the  deep:b  and  many  more  there  are  which 
we  can  assimulate  with  no  shells  that  are 
known  amongst  us.  But  we  find  not  only 
shells  in  our  pits,  but  also  fishes  and  corals 
in  great  abundance;  together  with  almost 
every  sort  of  marine  production. 

It  is  extraordinary  enough,  however,  that 
the  common  red  coral,  though  so  very  fre- 
quent at  sea,  is  scarcely  seen  in  the  fossil 
world;  nor  is  there  any  account  of  its  having 
ever  been  met  with.  But  to  compensate  for 
this,  there  are  all  the  kinds  of  the  white  coral 
now  known,  and  many  other  kinds  of  that 
substance  with  which  we  are  unacquainted. 
Of  animals  there  are  various  parts :  the  ver- 
tebrae of  whales,  and  the  mouths  of  lesser 
fishes;  these,  with  teeth  also  of  various  kinds, 
are  found  in  the  cabinets  of  the  curious; 
where  they  receive  long  Greek  names,  which 
it  is  neither  the  intention  nor  the  province  of 
this  work  to  enumerate.  Indeed,  few  readers 
would  think  themselves  much  improved, 
should  I  proceed  with  enumerating  the  va- 
rious classes  of  the  Conicthyodontes,  Poly- 
leptoginglimi,  or  the  Orthoceratites.  These 
names,  which  mean  no  great  matter  when 
they  are  explained,  may  serve  to  guide  in  the 
furnishing  a  cabinet;  but  they  are  of  very 
little  service  in  furnishing  the  page  of  instruc- 
tive history. 

From  all  these  instances  we  see  in  what 
abundance  petrifactions  are  to  be  found;  and, 
indeed,  Mr.  Buffbn,  to  whose  accounts  we 
have  added  some,  has  not  been  sparing  in  the 
variety  of  his  quotations,  concerning  the 
places  where  they  are  mostly  to  be  found. 
However,  I  am  surprised  that  he  should  have 
omitted  the  mention  of  one,  which,  in  some 
measure,  more  than  any  of  the  rest,  would 
have  served  to  strengthen  his  theory.  We  are 
informed,  by  almost  every  traveller'  that  has 
described  the  pyramids  of  Egypt,  that  one  of 
them  is  entirely  built  of  a  kind  of  free-stone, 


*  Littorales. 


b  Pelagii. 


in  which  these  petrified  shells  are  found  in 
great  abundance.  This  being  the  case,  it 
may  be  conjectured,  as  we  have  accounts  of 
these  pyramids  among  the  earliest  records  of 
mankind,  and  of  their  being  built  so  long 
before  the  age  of  Herodotus,  who  lived  but 
fifteen  hundred  years  after  the  flood,  that  even 
the  Egyptian  priests  could  tell  neither  the 
time  nor  the  cause  of  their  erection ;  I  say,  it 
may  be  conjectured  that  they  were  erected 
but  a  short  time  after  the  flood.  It  is  not  very 
likely,  therefore,  that  the  marine  substances 
found  in  one  of  them,  had  time  to  be  formed 
into  a  part  of  the  solid  stone,  either  during 
the  deluge,  or  immediately  after  it ;  and,  con- 
sequently, their  petrifaction  must  have  been 
before  that  period.  And  this  is  the  opinion 
Mr.  Buffbn  has  so  strenuously  endeavoured  to 
maintain;  having  given  specious  reasons  to 
prove,  that  such  shells  were  laid  in  the  beds 
where  they  are  now  found,  not  only  before 
the  deluge,  but  even  antecedent  to  the  for- 
mation oi'  man,  at  the  time  when  the  whole 
earth,  as  he  supposes,  was  buried  beneath  a 
covering  of  waters. 

But  while  there  are  many  reasons  to  per- 
suade us  that  these  extraneous  fossils  have 
been  deposited  by  the  sea,  there  is  one  fact 
that  will  abundantly  serve  to  convince  us, 
that  the  earth  was  habitable,  if  not  inhabited, 
before  these  marine  substances  came  to  be 
thus  deposited.  For  we  find  fossil-trees, 
which  no  doubt  once  grew  upon  the  earth, 
as  deep,  and  as  much  in  the  body  of  solid 
rocks,  as  these  sheila  are  found  to  be.  Some 
of  these  fallen  trees  also  have  lain  at  least  as 
long,  if  not  longer,  in  the  earth,  than  the 
shells,  as  they  have  been  found  sunk  deep  in 
a  marly  substance,  composed  of  decayed 
shells,  and  other  marine  productions.  Mr. 
Buffbn  has  proved,  that  fossil-shells  could  not 
have  been  deposited  in  such  quantities  all  at 
once  by  the  flood;  and  I  think,  from  the  above 
instance,  it  is  pretty  plain,  that,  howsoever 
they  were  deposited,  the  earth  was  covered 
with  trees  before  their  deposition ;  and,  con- 
sequently, that  the  sea  could  not  have  made 
a  very  permanent  stay.  How  then  shall  we 
account  for  these  extraordinary  appearances 
in  nature?  A  suspension  of  all  assent  is 

c  Hasselquist,  Sandys. 


THE  EARTH. 


15 


certainly  the  first,  although  the  most  morti- 
fying conduct.  For  my  own  part,  were  I  to 
offer  a  conjecture,  (and  all  that  has  been  said 
upon  this  subject  is  but  conjecture,)  instead 
of  supposing  them  to  be  the  remains  of  ani- 
mals belonging  to  the  sea,  I  would  consider 
them  rather  as  bred  in  the  numerous  fresh- 
water lakes,  that  in  primeval  times  covered 
the  face  of  uncultivated  nature.  Some  of 
these  shells  we  know  to  belong  to  fresh  wa- 
ters; some  can  be  assimilated  to  none  of  the 
marine  shells  now  known ;"  why,  therefore, 
may  we  not  as  well  ascribe  the  production  of 
all  to  fresh  waters,  where  we  do  not  find 


them,  as  we  do  that  of  the  latter  to  the  sea 
only,  where  we  never  find  them  ? 

We  know  that  lakes,  and  lands  also,  have 
produced  animals  that  are  now  no  longer  ex- 
isting ;  why,  therefore,  might  not  these  fossil 
productions  be  among  the  number?  I  grant 
that  this  is  making  a  very  harsh  supposition ; 
but  I  cannot  avoid  thinking,  that  it  is  not  at- 
tended with  so  many  embarrassments  as 
some  of  the  former,  and  that  it  is  much 
easier  to  believe  that  these  shells  were  bred 
in  fresh  water,  than  that  the  sea  had  for  a 
long  time  covered  the  tops  of  the  highest 
mountains. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

OF  THE  INTERNAL  STRUCTURE  OF  THE  EARTH. 


HAVING,  in  some  measure,  got  free  from 
the  regions  of  conjecture,  let  us  now  proceed 
to  a  description  of  the  earth  as  we  find  it  by 
examination,  and  observe  its  internal  compo- 
sition, as  far  as  it  has  been  the  subject  of  ex- 
perience, or  exposed  to  human  inquiry.  These 
inquiries,  indeed,  have  been  carried  but  to  a 
very  little  depth  below  its  surface,  and  even 
in  that  disquisition  men  have  been  conducted 
more  by  motives  of  avarice  than  of  curiosity. 
The  deepest  mine,  which  is  that  at  Cotteberg 
in  Hungary,b  reaches  not  more  than  three 
thousand  feet  deep;  but  what  proportion  does 
that  bear  to  the  depth  of  the  terrestrial  globe, 
down  to  the  centre,  which  is  above  four  thou- 
sand miles?  All,  therefore,  that  has  been 
said  of  the  earth,  to  a  deeper  degree,  is 
merely  fabulous  or  conjectural :  we  may  sup- 
pose with  one,  that  it  is  a  globe  of  glass  ;c 
with  another,  a  sphere  of  heated  iron;d  with  a 
third,  a  great  mass  of  waters  ;e  and  with  a 
fourth,  one  dreadful  volcano  :f  but  let  us  at 
the  same  time  show  our  conciousness,  that 
all  these  are  but  suppositions. 

Upon  examining  the  earth,  where  it  has 
been  opened  to  any  depth,  the  first  thing  that 

•  Hill's  FossUs,  p.  41.  b  Boyle,  vol.  iii.  p.  240. 

<=  Buffon.  «  Whiston. 


occurs,  is  the  different  layers  or  beds  of  which 
it  is  composed  ;  these  all  lying  horizontally 
one  over  the  other,  like  the  leaves  of  a  book, 
and  each  of  them  composed  of  materials  that 
increase  in  weight  in  proportion  as  they  lie 
deeper.  This  is,  in  general,  the  disposition 
of  the  different  materials,  where  the  earth 
seems  to  have  remained  unmolested ;  but  this 
order  is  frequently  inverted ;  and  we  cannot 
tell  whether  from  its  original  formation,  or 
from  accidental  causes.  Of  different  sub- 
stances, thus  disposed,  the  far  greatest  part 
of  our  globe  consists,  from  its  surface  down- 
wards to  the  greatest  depths  we  ever  dig  or 
mine.6 

The  first  layer,  most  commonly  found  at 
the  surface,  is  that  light  coat  of  blackish 
mould,  which  is  called  by  some  garden  earth. 
With  this  the  earth  is  every  where  invested, 
unless  it  be  washed  off  by  rains,  or  removed 
by  some  other  external  violence.  This  seems 
to  have  been  formed  from  animal  and  vege- 
table bodies  decaying,  and  thus  turning  into 
its  substance.  It  also  serves  again  as  a  store- 
house, from  whence  animal  and  vegetable 
nature  are  renewed ;  and  thus  are  all  vital 

e  Burnet.  f  Kircher 

e  Woodward,  p.  9 


A  HISTORY  OF 


blessings  continued  with  unceasing  circula- 
tion. This  earth,  however,  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed entirely  pure,  but  is  mixed  with  much 
stony  and  gravelly  matter,  from  the  layers 
lying  immediately  beneath  it.  It  generally 
happens,  that  the  soil  is  fertile  in  proportion 
to  the  quantity  that  this  putrefied  mould  bears 
to  the  gravelly  mixture ;  and  as  the  former 
predominates,  so  far  is  the  vegetation  upon  it 
more  luxuriant.  It  is  this  external  covering 
that  supplies  man  with  all  the  true  riches  he 
enjoys.  He  may  bring  up  gold  and  jewels 
from  greater  depths ;  but  they  are  merely  the 
toys  of  a  capricious  being,  things  upon  which 
he  has  placed  an  imaginary  value,  and  for 
which  fools  alone  part  with  the  more  substan- 
tial blessings  of  life.  "  It  is  this  earth,"  says 
Pliny ,"  "that,  like  a  kind  mother,  receives  us 
at  our  birth,  and  sustains  us  when  born."  It 
is  this  alone,  of  all  the  elements  around  us, 
that  is  never  found  an  enemy  to  man.  The 
body  of  waters  deluge  him  with  rains,  oppress 
him  with  hail,  and  drown  him  with  inunda- 
tions. The  air  rushes  in  storms,  prepares  the 
tempest,  or  lights  up  the  volcano ;  but  the 
earth,- gentle  and  indulgent,  ever  subservient 
to  the  wants  of  man,  spreads  his  walks  with 
flowers,  and  his  table  with  plenty;  returns 
with  interest  every  good  committed  to  her 
care ;  and  though  she  produces  the  poison, 
she  still  supplies  the  antidote ;  though  con- 
stantly teased  more  to  furnish  the  luxuries  of 
man  than  his  necessities,  yet,  even  to  the  last, 
she  continues  her  kind  indulgence,  and,  when 
life  is  over,  she  piously  covers  his  remains  in 
her  bosom. 

This  external  and  fruitful  layer  which  co- 
vers the  earth,  is,  as  was  said,  in  a  state  of 
continual  change.  Vegetables,  which  are 
naturally  fixed  and  rooted  to  the  same  place, 
receive  their  adventitious  nourishment  from 
the  surrounding  earth  and  water;  animals, 
which  change  from  place  to  place,  are  sup- 
ported by  these,  or  by  each  other.  Both, 
however,  having  for  a  time  enjoyed  a  life 
adapted  to  their  nature,  give  back  to  the 
earth  those  spoils,  which  they  had  borrowed 
for  a  very  short  space,  yet  still  to  be  quick- 
ened again  into  fresh  existence.  But  the  de- 
posits they  make  are  of  very  dissimilar  kinds, 


*  Plinii  Historia  Naturalis,  lib.  ii.  cap.  63. 


and  the  earth  is  very  differently  enriched  by 
their  continuance;  those  countries,  that  have 
for  a  long  time  supported  men  and  other  ani- 
mals, having  been  observed  to  become  every 
day  more  barren ;  while,  on  the  contrary, 
those  desolate  places,  in  which  vegetables 
only  are  abundantly  produced,  are  known  to 
be  possessed  of  amazing  fertility.  "In  regions 
which  are  uninhabited,"1"  says  Mr.  Buffbn, 
"  where  the  forests  arc  not  cut  down,  and 
where  animals  do  not  feed  upon  the  plants, 
the  bed  of  vegetable  earth  is  constantly  in- 
creasing. In  all  woods,  and  even  in  those 
Avhich  are  often  cut,  there  is  a  layer  of  earth, 
of  six  or  eight  inches  thick,  which  has  been 
formed  by  the  leaves,  branches,  and  bark, 
which  fall  and  rot  upon  the  ground.  I  have 
frequently  observed  on  a  Roman  way,  which 
crosses  Burgundy  for  a  long  extent,  that  there 
is  a  bed  of  black  earth,  of  more  than  a  toot 
thick,  gathered  over  the  stony  pavement,  on 
which  several  trees,  of  a  very  considerable 
size,  are  supported.  This  I  have  found  to  be 
nothing  else  than  an  earth  formed  by  decayed 
leaves  and  branches,  which  have  been  con- 
verted by  time  into  a  black  soil.  Now,  as 
vegetables  draw  much  more  of  their  nourish- 
ment from  the  air  and  water  than  they  do 
from  the  earth,  it  must  follow,  that  in  rotting 
upon  the  ground,  they  must  give  more  to  the 
soil  than  they  have  taken  from  it.  Hence, 
therefore,  in  woods  kept  a  long  time  without 
cutting,  the  soil  below  increases  to  a  con- 
siderable depth ;  and  such  we  actually  find 
the  soil  in  those  American  wilds,  where  the 
forests  have  been  undisturbed  for  ages.  But 
it  is  otherwise  where  men  and  animals  have 
long  subsisted  :  for  as  they  make  a  conside- 
rable consumption  of  wood  and  plants,  both 
for  firing  and  other  uses,  they  take  more  from 
the  earth  than  they  return  to  it ;  it  follows, 
therefore,  that  the  bed  of  vegetable  earth,  in 
an  inhabited  country,must  be  always  diminish- 
ing; and  must  at  length  resemble  the  eoil  of 
Arabia  Petrea,  and  other  provinces  of  the 
East,  which  having  been  long  inhabited, 
are  now  become  plains  of  salt  and  sand  ;  the 
fixed  salt  always  remaining,  while  the  other 
volatile  parts  have  flown  away." 

If  from  this  external  surface  we  descend 

b  Buifon,  vol.  i.  p.  353. 


THE  EARTH. 


17 


deeper,  and  view  the  earth  cut  perpendicu- 
larly downwards,  either  in  the  banks  of  great 
rivers,  or  sleepy  sea-shores,  or,  going  still 
deeper,  if  we  observe  it  in  quarries  or  mines, 
we  shill  find  its  layers  regularly  disposed  in 
their  proper  order.  We  must  not  expect, 
however,  to  find  them  of  the  same  kind  or 
thickness  in  every  place,  as  they  diiler  in  dif- 
ferent soils  and  situations.  Sometimes  marl 
is  seen  to  be  over  sand,  and  sometimes  under 
it.  The  most  common  disposition  is,  that 
under  the  first  earth  is  found  gravel  or  sand, 
then  clay  or  marl,  then  chalk  or  coal,  marbles, 
ores,  sands,  gravels;  and  thus  an  alternation 
of  these  substances,  each  growing  more  dense 
as  it  sinks  deeper.  The  clay,  for  instance, 
found  at  the  depth  of  a  hundred  feet,  is  usually 
more  heavy  than  that  found  not  far  from  the 
surface.  In  a  well  which  was  dug  at  Amster- 
dam, to  the  depth  of  two  hundred  and  thirty 
feet,  the  following  substances  were  found  in 
succession:"  seven  feet  of  vegetable  earth, 
nine  of  turf,  nine  of  soft  clay,  eight  of  sand, 
four  of  earth,  ten  of  clay,  four  of  earth, 
ten  of  sand,  two  of  clay,  four  of  white  sand, 
one  of  soft  earth,  fourteen  of  sand,  eight 
of  clay  mixed  with  sand,  four  of  sea-sand 
mixed  with  shells,  then  a  hundred  and 
two  feet  of  soft  clay,  and  then  thirty-one  feet 
of  sand. 

In  a  well  dug  at  Marly,  to  the  depth  of  a 
hundred  feet,  Mr.  BufFon  gives  us  a  still  more 
exact  enumeration  of  its  layers  of  earth. 
"  Thirteen  of  a  reddish  gravel,  two  of  gravel 
mingled  with  a  vitrifiable  sand,  three  of  mud 
or  slime,  two  of  marl,  four  of  marly  stone, 
five  of  marl  in  dust  mixed  with  vitrifiable  sand, 
six  of  very  fine  vitrifiable  sand,  three  of  earthy 
marl,  three  of  hard  marl,  one  of  gravel,  one  of 
eglantine,  a  stone  of  the  hardness  and  grain  of 
marble,  one  of  gravelly  marl,  one  of  stony 
marl,  one  of  a  coarser  kind  of  stony  marl,  two 
of  a  coarser  kind  still,  one  of  vitrifiable  sand 
mixed  with  fossil-shells,  two  of  fine  gravel, 
three  of  stony  marl,  one  of  coarse  powdered 
marl,  one  of  stone  calcinable  like  marble, 
three  of  gray  sand,  two  of  white  sand,  one  of 
red  sand  streaked  with  white,  eight  of  gray 
sand  with  shells,  three  of  very  fine  sand,  three 
of  a  hard  gray  stone,  four  of  red  sand  streaked 


»  Varenius,  as  quoted  by  Mr.  Buffon,  p. 


with  white,  three  of  white  sand,  and  fifteen  of 
reddish  vitrifiable  sand. 

In  this  manner  the  earth  is  every  where 
found  in  beds  over  beds;  and,  what  is  still  re 
markable,  each  of  them,  as  far  as  it  extends 
always  maintains  exactly  the  same  thickness 
It  is  found  also,  that  as  we  proceed  to  con- 
siderable depths,  every  layer  grows  thicker. 
Thus  in  the  adduced  instances  we  might  have 
observed,  that  the  last  layer  was  fifteen  feet 
thick,  while  most  of  the  others  were  not  above 
eight ;  and  this  might  have  gone  much  deeper, 
for  aught  we  can  tell,  as  before  they  got 
through  it  the  workmen  ceased  digging 

These  layers  are  sometimes  very  extensive, 
and  often  arc  found  to  spread  over  a  space  of 
some  leagues  in  circumference.  But  it  must  not 
be  supposed  that  they  are  uniformly  continued 
over  the  whole  globe  without  any  interruption: 
on  the  contrary,  they  are  ever,  at  small  intervals, 
cracked  through  as  it  were  by  perpendicular 
fissures  ;  the  earth  resembling,  in  this  respect, 
the  muddy  bottom  of  a  pond,  from  whence  the 
water  has  been  dried  off  by  the  sun,  and  thus 
gaping  in  several  chinks,  which  descend  in  a 
direction  perpendicular  to  its  surface.  These 
fissures  are  many  times  found  empty,  but 
oftener  closed  up  with  adventitious  sub- 
stances, that  the  rain,  or  some  other  acci- 
dental causes,  have  conveyed  to  fill  their 
cavities.  Their  openings  are  not  less  different 
than  their  contents,  some  being  not  above  half 
an  inch  wide,  some  a  foot,  and  some  several 
hundred  yards  asunder ;  which  last  form  those 
dreadful  chasms  that  are  to  be  found  in  the 
Alps,  at  the  edge  of  which  the  traveller  stands 
dreading  to  look  down  at  the  immeasurable 
gulf  below.  These  amazing  clefts  are  well 
known  to  such  as  havepassed  thesemountains, 
where  a  chasm  frequently  presents  itself  se- 
veral hundred  feet  deep,  and  as  many  over, 
at  the  edge  of  which  the  way  lies.  It  often 
happens  also,  that  the  road  leads  along  the 
bottom,  and  then  the  spectator  observes  on 
each  side  frightful  precipices  several  hundred 
yards  above  him;  the  sides  of  which  corres- 
pond so  exactly  with  each  other,  that  they 
evidently  seem  torn  asunder. 

But  these  chasms,  to  be  found  in  the  Alps, 
are  nothing  to  what  Ovalle  tells  us  are  to  be 
seen  in  the  Andes.  These  amazing  moun- 
tains, in  comparison  of  which  the  former  are 


18 


A  HISTORY  OF 


but  little  hills,  have  their  fissures  in  propor- 
tion to  their  greatness.  In  some  places  they 
are  a  mile  wide,  and  deep  in  proportion ;  and 
there  are  some  others,  that,  running  under 
ground,  in  extent  resemble  a  province. 

Of  this  kind  also  is  that  cavern  called  El- 
denhole,  in  Derbyshire,  which  Dr.  Plott  tells  us 
was  sounded  by  a  line  of  eight  and  twenty 
hundred  feet,  without  finding  the  bottom,  or 
meeting  with  water:  and  yet  the  mouth  at  the 
top  is  not  above  forty  yards  over."  This  im- 
measurable cavern  runs  perpendicularly  down- 
ward ;  and  the  sides  of  it  seem  to  tally  so 
plainly  as  to  show  that  they  once  were  united. 
Those  who  come  to  visit  the  place,  generally 
procure  stones  to  be  thrown  into  its  mouth ; 
and  these  are  heard  for  several  minutes,  fall- 
ing and  striking  against  the  sides  of  the  ca- 
vern, producing  a  sound  that  resembles  distant 
thunder,  dying  away  as  the  stone  goes  deeper. 

Of  this  kind  also  is  that  dreadful  cavern 
described  by  ^Elian ;  his  account  of  which  the 
reader  may  not  have  met  with.b  "In  the 
country  of  the  Arrian  Indians,  is  to  be  seen 
an  amazing  chasm,  which  is  called,  The  Gulf 
of  Pluto.  The  depth  and  the  recesses  of  this 
horrid  place  are  as  extensive  as  they  are  un- 
known. Neither  the  natives,  nor  the  curious 
who  visit  it,  are  able  to  tell  how  it  was  first 
made,  or  to  what  depths  it  descends.  The 
Indians  continually  drive  thither  great  multi- 
tudes of  animals,  more  than  three  thousand  at 
a  time,  of  different  kinds,  sheep,  horses,  and 
goats :  and,  with  an  absurd  superstition,  force 
them  into  the  cavity,  from  whence  they  never 
return.  Their  several  sounds,  however,  are 
heard  as  they  descend ;  the  bleating  of  sheep, 
the  lowing  of  oxen,  and  the  neighing  of  horses, 
issuing  up  to  the  mouth  of  the  cavern.  Nor 
do  these  sounds  cease,  as  the  place  is  con- 
tinually furnished  with  a  fresh  supply." 

»  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  370 


There  are  many  more  of  these  dreadful 
perpendicular  fissures  in  different  parts  oi 
the  earth ;  with  accounts  of  which  Kircher, 
GafFarellus,  and  others,  who  have  given  histo- 
ries of  the  wonders  of  the  subterranean  world, 
abundantly  supply  us.  The  generality  of 
readers,  however,  will  consider  them  with  less 
astonishment  when  they  are  informed  of  their 
being  common  all  over  the  earth;  that  in 
every  field,  in  every  quarry,  these  perpendi- 
cular fissures  are  to  be  found,  either  still 
gaping,  or  filled  with  matter  that  has  acci- 
dentally closed  their  interstices.  The  inat- 
tentive spectator  neglects  the  inquiry,  but 
their  being  common  is  partly  the  cause  that 
excites  the  philosopher's  attention  to  them; 
the  irregularities  of  nature  he  is  often  content 
to  let  pass  unexamined ;  but  when  a  constant 
and  a  common  appearance  presents  itself, 
every  return  of  the  object  is  a  fresh  call  to 
his  curiosity ;  and  the  chink  in  the  next  quarry 
becomes  as  great  a  matter  of  wonder  as  the 
chasm  in  Eldenhole.  Philosophers  have  long, 
therefore,  endeavoured  to  find  out  the  cause 
of  these  perpendicular  fissures,  which  our  own 
countrymen,  Woodward  and  Ray,  were  the 
first  that  found  to  be  so  common  and  univer- 
sal. Mr.  Buffbn  supposes  them  to  be  cracks 
made  by  the  sun,  in  drying  up  the  earth, 
immediately  after  its  emersion  from  the 
deep. 

The  heat  of  the  sun  is  very  probably  a  prin- 
cipal cause ;  but  it  is  not  right  to  ascribe  to 
one  only,  what  we  find  may  be  the  result  of 
many.  Earthquakes,  severe  frosts,  bursting 
waters,  and  storms  tearing  up  the  roots  of 
trees,  have,  in  our  own  times,  produced  them ; 
and  to  this  variety  of  causes  we  must,  at  pre- 
sent, be  content  to  assign  those  that  have 
happened  before  we  had  opportunities  for 
observation. 

b  yEliani  Var.  Hist.  lib.  xvi.  cap.  16. 


THE  EARTH. 


19 


CHAPTER  VH. 

OF  CAVES  AND  SUBTERRANEOUS  PASSAGES  THAT  SINK,  BUT  NOT  PER- 
PENDICULARLY, INTO  THE  EARTH. 


IN  surveying  the  subterranean  wonders  of 
the  globe,  besides  those  fissures  that  descend 
perpendicularly,  we  frequently  find  others 
that  descend  but  a  little  way,  and  then  spread 
themselves  often  to  a  great  extent  below  the 
surface.  Many  of  these  caverns,  it  must  be 
confessed,  mny  be  the  production  of  art  and 
human  industry;  retreats  made  to  protect  the 
oppressed,  or  shelter  the  spoiler.  The  fa- 
mous labyrinth  of  Candia,  for  instance,  is 
supposed  to  be  entirely  the  work  of  art.  Mr. 
Tournefort  assures  us,  that  it  bears  the  im- 
pression of  human  industry,  and  that  great 
pains  have  been  bestowed  upon  its  formation. 
The  stone-quarry  of  Maastricht  is  evidently 
made  by  labour:  carts  enter  at  its  mouth, 
and  load  within,  then  return,  and  discharge 
their  freight  into  boats  that  lie  on  the  brink 
of  the  river  Maese.  This  quarry  is  so  large, 
that  forty  thousand  people  may  take  shelter 
in  it:  and  it  in  general  serves  for  this  purpose, 
when  armies  march  that  way ;  becoming  then 
an  impregnable  retreat  to  the  people  that  live 
thereabout.  Nothing  can  be  more  beautiful 
than  this  cavern,  when  lighted  up  with 
torches :  for  there  are  thousands  of  square 
pillars,  in  large  level  walks,  about  twenty  feet 
high ;  and  all  wrought  with  much  neatness 
and  regularity.  In  this  vast  grotto  there  is 
very  little  rubbish;  which  shows  both  the 
goodness  of  the  stone  and  the  carefulness  of 
the  workmen.  To  add  to  its  beauty,  there 
also  are,  in  various  parts  of  it,  little  pools  of 
water,  for  the  convenience  of  the  men  and 
cattle.  It  is  remarkable  also,  that  no  drop- 
pings are  seen  to  fall  from  the  roof,  nor  are 
the  walks  any  way  wet  under  foot,  except 
in  cases  of  great  rains,  where  the  water  gets 
in  by  the  air-shafts.  The  salt-mines  in  Poland 
are  still  more  spacious  than  these.  Some  of 
the  catacombs,  both  in  Egypt  and  Italy,  are 
said  to  be  very  extensive.  But  no  part  of  the 
world  has  a  greater  number  of  artificial  ca- 

a  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  368. 
NO.  3. 


verns  that  Spain,  which  were  made  to  serve  as 
retreats  to  the  Christians  against  the  fury  of 
the  Moors,  when  the  latter  conquered  that 
country.  However,  an  account  of  the  works 
of  art  does  not  properly  belong  to  a  natural 
history.  It  will  be  enough  to  observe,  that 
though  caverns  be  found  in  every  country, 
far  the  greatest  part  of  them  have  been 
fashioned  by  the  hand  of  nature  only.  Their 
size  is  found  beyond  the  power  of  man  to 
have  effected,  and  their  forms  but  ill  adapted 
to  the  conveniences  of  a  human  habitation. 
In  some  places,  indeed,  we  find  mankind  still 
make  use  of  them  as  houses;  particularly  in 
those  countries  where  the  climate  is  very  se- 
vere;" but  in  general  they  are  deserted  by 
every  race  of  meaner  animals,  except  the 
bat :  these  nocttirnal  solitary  creatures  are 
usually  the  only  inhabitants ;  and  these  only 
in  such  whose  descent  is  sloping,  or,  at  least, 
not  directly  perpendicular. 

There  is  scarcely  a  country  in  the  world 
without  its  natural  caverns;  and  many  new 
ones  are  discovered  every  day.  Of  those  in 
England,  Oakey-hole,  the  Devil's-hole,  and 
Penpark-hole,  have  been  often  described. 
The  former,  which  lies  on  the  south  side  of 
Mendip-hills,b  within  a  mile  of  the  town  of 
Wells,  is  much  resorted  to  by  travellers.  To 
conceive  a  just  idea  of  this,  we  must  imagine 
a  precipice  of  more  than  a  hundred  yards 
high,  on  the  side  of  a  mountain  which  shelves 
away  a  mile  above  it.  In  this  is  an  opening 
not  very  large,  into  which  you  enter,  going 
along  upon  a  rocky  uneven  pavement,  some- 
times ascending,  and  sometimes  descending. 
The  roof  of  it,  as  you  advance,  grows  higher; 
and,  in  some  places,  is  fifty  feet  from  the 
floor.  In  some  places,  however,  it  is  so  low, 
that  a  man  must  stoop  to  pass.  It  extends 
itself,  in  length,  about  two  hundred  yards: 
and  from  every  part  of  the  roof  and  the  floor, 
there  are  formed  sparry  concretions  of  various 


b  Phil.  Traus.  vol.  ii.  p.  368. 
G 


A  HISTORY  OF 


figures,  that  by  strong  imaginations  have  been 
likened  to  men,  lions,  and  organs.  At  the 
farthest  part  of  this  cavern  rises  a  stream  of 
water,  well  stored  with  fish,  large  enough  to 
turn  a  mill,  and  which  discharges  itself  near 
the  entrance. 

Penpark-hole,  in  Gloucestershire,  is  almost 
as  remarkable  as  the  former.  Captain  Sturmy 
descended  into  this  by  a  rope,  twenty-five 
fathoms  perpendicular,  and  at  the  bottom 
found  a  very  large  vault  in  the  shape  of  a 
horse-shoe.  The  floors  consisted  of  a  kind 
of  white  stone  enamelled  with  lead  ore,  and 
the  pendant  rocks  were  glazed  with  spar. 
Walking  forward  on  this  stony  pavement, 
for  some  time, he  came  to  a  great  river,  twenty 
fathoms  broad,  and  eight  fathoms  deep ;  and 
having  been  informed  that  it  ebbed  and 
flowed  with  the  sea,  he  remained  in  this 
gloomy  abode  for  five  hours,  to  make  an  ex- 
act observation.  He  did  not  find,  however, 
any  alteration  whatsoever  in  its  appearance. 
But  his  curiosity  was  ill  requited ;  for  it  cost 
this  unfortunate  gentleman  his  life :  imme- 
diately after  his  return  he  was  seized  with  an 
unusual  and  violent  headach,  which  threw 
him  into  a  fever,  of  which  he  died  soon  after. 

But  of  all  the  subterranean  caverns  now 
known,  the  grotto  of  Antiparos  is  the  most 
remarkable,  as  well  for  its  extent  as  for  the 
beauty  of  its  sparry  incrustations.  This  ce- 
lebrated cavern  was  first  discovered  by  one 
Magni,  an  Italian  traveller,  about  an  hundred 
years  ago,  at  Antiparos,  an  inconsiderable 
island  of  the  Archipelago."  The  account  he 
gives  of  it  is  long  and  inflated,  but  upon  the 
whole  amusing.  "  Having  been  informed," 
says  he,  "  by  the  natives  of  Paros,  that  in  the 
little  island  of  Antiparos,  which  lies  about  two 
miles  from  the  former,  of  a  gigantic  statue 
that  was  to  be  seen  at  the  mouth  of  a  cavern 
in  that  place,  it  was  resolved  that  we  (the 
French  consul  and  himself)  should  pay  it  a 
visit.  In  pursuance  of  this  resolution,  after 
we  had  landed  on  the  island,  and  walked 
about  four  miles  through  the  midst  of  beau- 
tiful plains,  and  sloping  woodlands,  we  at 
length  came  to  a  little  hill,  on  the  side  of 


•  Kircher  Mund.  sub.  112.  I  have  translated  a  part  of 
Kircher's  description,  rather  than  Tournefort's,  as  the 
latter  was  written  to  support  an  hypothesis. 


which  yawned  a  most  horrid  cavern,  that  with 
its  gloom  at  first  struck  us  with  terror,  and 
almost  repressed  curiosity.  Recovering  the 
first  surprise,  however,  we  entered  boldly ; 
and  had  not  proceeded  above  twenty  paces, 
when  the  supposed  statue  of  the  giant  pre- 
sented itself  to  our  view.  We  quickly  per- 
ceived, that  what  the  ignorant  natives  had 
been  terrified  at  as  a  giant,  was  nothing  more 
than  a  sparry  concretion,  formed  by  the  water 
dropping  from  the  roof  of  the  cave,  and  by 
degrees  hardening  into  a  figure  that  their 
fears  had  formed  into  a  monster.  Incited  by 
this  extraordinary  appearance,  we  were  in- 
duced to  proceed  still  farther,  in  quest  of 
new  adventures  in  this  subterranean  abode. 
As  we  proceeded,  new  wonders  offered  them- 
selves; the  spars  formed  into  trees  and 
shrubs  presented  a  kind  of  petrified  grove; 
some  white,  some  green ;  and  all  receding  in 
due  perspective.  They  struck  us  with  the 
more  amazement,  as  we  knew  them  to  be  mere 
productions  of  Nature,  who,  hitherto  in  soli- 
tude, had,  in  her  playful  moments,  dressed 
the  scene  as  if  for  her  own  amusement. 

"  But  we  had  as  yet  seen  but  a  few  of  the 
wonders  of  the  place;  and  were  introduced 
only  into  the  portico  of  this  amazing  temple. 
In  one  corner  of  this  half-illuminated  recess, 
there  appeared  an  opening  of  about  three 
feet  wide,  which  seemed  to  lead  to  a  place 
totally  dark,  and  that,  one  of  the  natives  as- 
sured us,  contained  nothing  more  than  a  reser- 
voir of  water.  Upon  this  we  tried,  by  throwing 
down  some  stones,  which  rumbling  along  the 
sides  of  the  descent  for  some  time,  the  sound 
seemed  at  last  quashed  in  a  bed  of  water.  In 
order,  however,  to  be  more  certain,  we  sent 
in  a  Levantine  mariner,  who,  by  the  promise 
of  a  good  reward,  with  a  flambeaux  in  his 
hand,  ventured  into  this  narrow  aperture. 
After  continuing  within  it  for  about  a  quarter 
of  an  hour,  he  returned,  carrying  some  beau- 
tiful pieces  of  white  spar  in  his  hand,  which 
art  could  neither  imitate  nor  equal.  Upon 
being  informed  by  him  that  the  place  was 
full  of  these  beautiful  incrustations,!  ventured 
in  once  more  with  him  for  about  fifty  paces, 
anxiously  and  cautiously  descending  by  a 
steep  and  dangerous  way.  Finding,  however, 
that  we  came  to  a  precipice  which  led  into 
a  spacious  amphitheatre,  if  I  may  so  call  it. 


THE  EARTH. 


-21 


still  deeper  than  any  other  part,  we  returned, 
and  being  provided  with  a  ladder,  flambeaux, 
and  other  things  to  expedite  our  descent,  our 
whole  company,  man  by  man,  ventured  into 
the  same  opening,  and  descending  one  after 
another,  we  at  last  saw  ourselves  alto- 
gether in  the  most  magnificent  part  of  the 
cavern. 

"  Our  candles  being  now  all  lighted  up,  and 
the  whole  place  completely  illuminated,  never 
could  the  eye  be  presented  with  a  more  glit- 
tering, or  a  more  magnificent  scene.  The 
roof  all  hung  with  solid  icicles,  transparent 
as  glass,  yet  solid  as  marble.  The  eye  could 
scarcely  reach  the  lofty  and  noble  ceiling; 
the  sides  were  regularly  formed  with  spars ; 
and  the  whole  presented  the  idea  of  a  mag- 
nificent theatre,  illuminated  with  an  immense 
profusion  of  lights.  The  floor  consisted  of 
solid  marble ;  and  in  several  places  magnifi- 
cent columns,  thrones,  altars,  and  other  ob- 
jects, appeared,  as  if  nature  had  designed  to 
mock  the  curiosities  of  art.  Our  voices,  upon 
speaking  or  singing,  were  redoubled  to  an 
astonishing  loudness ;  and  upon  the  firing  of 
a  gun,  the  noise  and  reverberations  were 
almost  deafening.  In  the  midst  of  this  grand 
amphitheatre  rose  a  concretion  of  about  fif- 
teen feet  high,  that,  in  some  measure,  resem- 
bled an  altar;  from  which,  taking  the  hint, 
we  caused  mass  to  be  celebrated  there.  The 
beautiful  columns  that  shot  up  round  the  al- 
tar, appeared  like  candlesticks;  and  many 
other  natural  objects  represented  the  custo- 
mary ornaments  of  this  sacrament. 

"  Below  even  this  spacious  grotto  there 
seemed  another  cavern ;  down  which  I  ven- 
tured with  my  former  mariner,  and  descended 
about  fifty  paces  by  means  of  a  rope.  I  at 
last  arrived  at  a  small  spot  of  level  ground, 
where  the  bottom  appeared  different  from 
that  of  the  amphitheatre,  being  composed  of 
a  soft  clay,  yielding  to  the  pressure,  and  in 
which  I  thrust  a  stick  to  about  six  feet  deep. 
In  this,  however,  as  above,  numbers  of  the 
most  beautiful  crystals  were  formed,  one  of 
which  particularly  resembled  a  table.  Upon 
our  egress  from  this  amazing  cavern,  we  per- 


ceived a  Greek  inscription  upon  a  rock  at  the 
mouth,  but  so  obliterated  by  time,  that  we 
could  not  read  it.  It  seemed  to  import,  that 
one  Antipater,  in  the  time  of  Alexander,  had 
come  thither;  but  whether  he  had  penetrated 
into  the  depths  of  the  cavern,  he  does  not 
think  fit  to  inform  us." 

Such  is  the  account  of  this  beautiful  scene, 
as  communicated  in  a  letter  to  Kircher.  We 
have  another,  and  a  more  copious  description 
of  it,  by  Tournefort,  which  is  in  every  body's 
hands ;  but  I  have  given  the  above,  both  be- 
cause it  was  communicated  by  the  first  dis- 
coverer, and  because  it  is  a  simple  narrative 
of  facts,  without  any  reasoning  upon  them. 
According  to  Tournefort's  account,  indeed, 
we  might  conclude,  from  the  rapid  growth  of 
the  spars  in  this  grotto,  that  it  must  every 
year  be  growing  narrower,  and  that  it  must  in 
time  be  choked  up  with  them  entirely ;  but 
no  such  thing  has  happened  hitherto,  and  the 
grotto  at  this  day  continues  as  spacious  as 
we  ever  knew  it. 

This  is  not  a  place  for  inquiry  into  the 
seeming  vegetation  of  those  stony  substances, 
with  which  this  and  almost  every  cavern  are 
incrusted :  it  is  enough  to  observe,  in  gene- 
ral, that  they  are  formed  by  an  accumulation 
of  that  little  gritty  matter  which  is  carried 
thither  by  the  waters,  and  which  in  time  ac- 
quires the  hardness  of  marble.  What  in  this 
place  more  imports  us  to  know,  is,  how  these 
amazing  hollows  in  the  earth  came  to  be 
formed.  And  I  think,  in  the  three  instances 
above  mentioned,  it  is  pretty  evident,  that 
their  excavation  has  been  owing  to  water. 
These  finding  subterraneous  passages  under 
the  earth,  and  by  long  degrees  hollowing  the 
beds  in  which  they  flowed,  the  ground  above 
them  has  slipped  down  closer  to  their  surface, 
leaving  the  upper  layers  of  the  earth  or  stone 
still  suspended ;  the  ground  that  sinks  upon 
the  face  of  the  waters  forming  the  floor  of  the 
cavern ;  the  ground  or  rock,  that  keeps  sus- 
pended, forming  the  roof:  and,  indeed,  there 
are  but  few  of  these  caverns  found  without 
water,  either  within  them,  or  near  enough  to 
point  out  their  formation. 


22 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

OF  MINES,  DAMPS,  AND  MINERAL  VAPOURS. 


THE  caverns,  which  we  have  been  de- 
scribing, generally  carry  us  but  a  very  little 
way  below  the  surface  of  the  earth.  Two 
hundred  feet,  at  the  utmost,  is  as  much  as  the 
lowest  of  them  is  found  to  sink.  The  perpen- 
dicular fissures  run  much  deeper;  but  few 
persons  have  been  bold  enough  to  venture 
down  to  their  deepest  recesses;  and  some 
few  who  have  tried,  have  been  able  to  bring 
back  no  tidings  of  the  place,  for  unfortunately 
they  left  their  lives  below.  The  excavations 
of  art  have  conducted  us  much  farther  into 
the  bowels  of  the  globe.  Some  mines  in 
Hungary  are  known  to  be  a  thousand  yards 
perpendicular  downwards ;  and  I  have  been 
informed,  by  good  authority,  of  a  coal-mine  in 
the  north  of  England,  an  hundred  yards  deeper 
still. 

It  is  beside  our  present  purpose  to  inquire 
into  the  peculiar  contrivance  and  construction 
of  these,  which  more  properly  belongs  to  the 
history  of  fossils.  It  will  be  sufficient  to  ob- 
serve in  this  place,  that  as  we  descend  into  the 
mintvs,  the  various  layers  of  earth  are  seen  as 
we  have  already  described  them;  and  in  some 
of  these  are  always  found  the  metals  or  mine- 
rals for  which  the  mine  has  been  dug.  Thus 
frequently  gold  is  found  dispersed  and  mixed 
with  clay  and  gravel;"  sometimes  it  is  mingled 
with  other  metallic  bodies,  stones,  or  bitu- 
mens ;h  and  sometimes  united  with  that  most 
obstinate  of  all  substances,  platina,  from  which 
scarce  any  art  can  separate  it.  Silver  is 
sometimes  found  quite  pure  ;c  sometimes 
mixed  with  other  substances  and  minerals. 
Copper  is  found  in  beds  mixed  with  various 
substances,  marbles,  sulphurs,  and  pyrites. 
Tin,  the  ore  of  which  is  heavier  than  that  of 
any  other  metal,  is  generally  found  mixed  with 
every  kind  of  matter :  lead  is  also  equally 
common ;  and  iron  we  well  know  can  be  ex- 
tracted from  all  the  substances  upon  earth. 

a  Ulloa.  vol.  ii.  p.  470.  b  Ulloa,  ibid. 

c  Macquer's  Chymistry,  vol.  i.  p.  316. 


The  variety  of  substances  which  are  thus 
found  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  in  their 
native  state,  have  a  very  different  appearance 
from  what  they  are  afterwards  taught  to  as- 
sume by  human  industry.  The  richest  me- 
tals are  very  often  less  glittering  and  splendid 
than  the  most  useless  marcasites;  and  the 
basest  ores  are  generally  the  most  beautiful 
to  the  eye. 

This  variety  of  substances,  which  compose 
the  internal  parts  of  our  globe,  is  productive 
of  equal  varieties,  both  above  and  below  its 
surface.  The  combination  of  the  different 
minerals  with  each  other,  the  heats  which 
arise  from  their  mixture,  the  vapours  they 
diffuse,  the  fires  which  they  generate,  or  the 
colds  which  they  sometimes  produce,  are  all 
either  noxious  or  salutary  to  man ;  so  that  in 
this  great  elaboratory  of  nature,  a  thousand 
benefits  and  calamities  are  forging,  of  which 
we  are  wholly  unconscious ;  and  it  is  happy 
for  us  that  we  are  so. 

Upon  our  descent  into  mines  of  consider- 
able depth,  the  cold  seems  to  increase  from 
the  mouth  as  we  descend  ;e  but  after  passing 
very  low  down,  we  begin  by  degrees  to  come 
into  a  warmer  air,  which  sensibly  grows  hot- 
ter as  we  go  deeper,  till,  at  last,  the  labourers 
can  scarcely  bear  any  covering  as  they  con- 
tinue working. 

This  difference  in  the  air  was  supposed  by 
Boyle  to  proceed  from  magazines  of  fire  that 
lay  nearer  the  centre,  and  that  diffused  their 
heat  to  the  adjacent  regions.  But  we  now 
know  that  it  may  be  ascribed  to  more  obvious 
causes.  In  some  mines,  the  composition  ot 
the  earth  all  around  is  of  such  a  nature,  that, 
upon  the  admission  of  water  or  air,  it  fre- 
quently becomes  hot,  and  often  bursts  out 
into  eruptions.  Besides  this,  as  the  external 
air  cannot  readily  reach  the  bottom,  or  be 
renewed  there,  an  observable  heat  is  per- 


d  Hill's  Fossils,  p.  628. 
e  Boyle,  vol.  iii.  p.  232. 


THE  EARTH. 


23 


ceived  below,  without  the  necessity  of  recur- 
ring to  the  central  heat  for  an  explanation. 

Hence,  therefore,  there  are  two  principal 
causes  of  the  warmth  at  the  bottom  of  mines : 
the  heat  of  the  substances  of  which  the  sides 
are  composed ;  and  the  want  of  renovation  in 
the  air  below.  Any  sulphureous  substance, 
mixed  with  iron,  produces  a  very  great  heat, 
by  the  admission  of  water.  If,  for  instance,  a 
quantity  of  sulphur  be  mixed  Avith  a  propor- 
tionable share  of  iron  filings,  and  both  kneaded 
together  into  a  soft  paste,  with  water,  they 
will  soon  grow  hot,  and  at  last  produce  a 
flame.  This  experiment,  produced  by  art, 
is  very  commonly  effected  within  the  bowels 
of  the  earth  by  nature.  Sulphurs  and  irons 
are  intimately  blended  together,  and  want 
only  the  mixture  of  water  or  air  to  excite 
their  heat ;  and  this,  when  once  raised,  is 
communicated  to  all  bodies  that  lie  within 
the  sphere  of  their  operation.  Those  beau- 
tiful minerals  called  marcasites  and  pyrites,  are 
often  of  this  composition ;  and  wherever  they 
are  found,  either  by  imbibing  the  moisture  of 
the  air,  or  having  been  by  any  means  com- 
bined with  water,  they  render  the  mine  con- 
siderably hot.a 

The  want  of  fresh  air  also,  at  these  depths, 
is,  as  we  have  said,  another  reason  for  their 
being  found  much  hotter.  Indeed,  without 
the  assistance  of  art,  the  bottom  of  most  mines 
would,  from  this  cause,  be  insupportable.  To 
remedy  this  inconvenience,  the  miners  are 
often  obliged  to  sink,  at  some  convenient  dis- 
tance from  the  mouth  of  the  pit  where  they 
are  at  work,  another  pit,  which  joins  the  for- 
mer below,  and  which,  in  Derbyshire,  is  called 
an  air-shaft.  Through  this  the  air  circulates ; 
and  thus  the  workmen  are  enabled  to  breathe 
freely  at  the  bottom  of  the  place ;  which  be- 
comes, as  Mr.  Boyle  affirms,  very  commodious 
for  respiration,  and  also  very  temperate  as  to 
heat  and  cold.b  Mr.  Locke,  however,  who  has 
left  us  an  account  of  the  Mendip  mines,  seems 
to  present  a  different  picture.  "  The  descent 
into  theseisexceedinglydifficult  and  dangerous; 
for  they  are  not  sunk  like  wells,  perpendicu- 
larly, but  as  the  crannies  of  the  rocks  happen 
to  run.  The  constant  method  is  to  swing  down 

•  Kircher  Mund.  Subt.  vol.  ii.  p.  216. 
k  Boyle,  vol.  iii.  p.  238. 


by  a  rope  placed  under  the  arms,  and  clam- 
ber along  by  applying  both  feet  and  hands  to 
the  sides  of  the  narrow  passage.  The  air  is 
conveyed  into  them  through  a  little  passage 
that  runs  along  the  sides  from  the  top,  where 
they  set  up  some  turfs,  on  the  lee-side  of  the 
hole,  to  catch  and  force  it  down.  These  turfs 
being  removed  to  the  windy  side,  or  laid  over 
the  mouth  of  the  hole,  the  miners  below  pre- 
sently want  breath,  and  faint;  and  if  sweet- 
smelling  flowers  chance  to  be  placed  there, 
they  immediately  lose  their  fragrancy,  and 
stink  like  carrion."  An  air  so  putrefying  can 
never  be  very  commodious  for  respiration. 

Indeed,  if  we  examine  the  complexion  of 
most  miners,  we  shall  be  very  well  able  to 
form  a  judgment  of  the  unwholesomeness  of 
the  place  where  they  are  confined.  Their 
pale  and  sallow  looks  show  how  much  the 
air  is  damaged  by  passing  through  those  deep 
and  winding  ways,  that  are  rendered  humid 
by  damps,  or  warmed  with  noxious  exhala- 
tions. But  although  every  mine  is  unwhole- 
some, all  are  not  equally  so.  Coal-mines  are 
generally  less  noxious  than  those  of  tin ;  tin 
than  those  of  copper ;  but  none  are  so  dread- 
fully destructive  as  those  of  quicksilver.  At 
the  mines  near  the  village  of  Idra,  nothing 
can  adequately  describe  the  deplorable  in- 
firmities of  such  as  fill  the  hospital  there; 
emaciated  and  crippled  ;  every  limb  con- 
tracted or  convulsed,  and  some  in  a  manner 
transpiring  quicksilver  at  every  pore.  There 
was  one  man,  says  Dr.  Pope,c  who  was  not  in 
the  mines  above  half  a  year,  and  yet  whose 
body  was  so  impregnated  with  this  mineral, 
that  putting  a  piece  of  brass  money  in  his 
mouth,  or  rubbing  it  between  his  fingers,  it 
immediately  became  as  white  as  if  it  had 
been  washed  over  with  quicksilver.  In  this 
manner  all  the  workmen  are  killed  sooner  or 
later;  first  becoming  paralytic,  and  (hen 
dying  consumptive :  and  all  this  they  sustain 
for  the  trifling  reward  of  seven  pence  a  day. 

But  these  metallic  mines  are  not  so  noxious 
from  their  own  vapours,  as  from  those  of  the 
substances  with  which  the  ores  are  usually 
united,  such  as  arsenic,  cinnabar,  bitumen,  or 
vitriol.  From  the  fumes  of  these,  variously 

c  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  578. 
H 


24 


A  HISTORY  OF 


combined,  and  kept  inclosed,  are  produced 
those  various  damps,  that  put  on  so  many 
dreadful  forms,  and  are  usually  so  fatal. 
Sometimes  those  noxious  vapours  are  per- 
ceived by  the  delightful  fragrance  of  their 
smell,"  somewhat  resembling  the  pea-blossom 
in  bloom,  from  whence  one  kind  of  damp  has 
its  name.  The  miners  are  not  deceived, 
however,  by  its  flattering  appearances ;  but 
as  they  have  thus  timely  notice  of  its  coming, 
they  avoid  it  while  it  continues,  which  is  gene- 
rally during  the  whole  summer  season.  Ano- 
ther shows  its  approach  by  the  burning  of  the 
candles,  which  seem  to  collect  their  flame  into 
a  globe  of  light,  and  thus  gradually  lessen, 
till  they  are  quite  extinguished.  From  this, 
also,  the  miners  frequently  escape ;  however, 
such  as  have  the  misfortune  to  be  caught  in 
it,  either  swoon  away,  and  are  suffocated,  or 
slowly  recover  in  excessive  agonies.  Here  also 
is  a  third,  called  the  fulminating  damp,  much 
more  dangerous  than  either  of  the  former, 
as  it  strikes  down  all  before  it  like  a  flash  of 
gunpowder,  without  giving  any  warning  of  its 
approach.  But  there  is  another,  more  deadly 
than  all  the  rest,  which  is  found  in  those  places 
where  the  vapour  has  been  long  confined,  and 
has  been,  by  some  accident,  set  free.  The  air 
rushing  out  from  thence,  always  goes  upon 
deadly  errands ;  and  scarce  any  escape  to 
describe  the  symptoms  of  its  operations. 

Some  colliers  in  Scotland,  working  near  an 
old  mine  that  had  been  long  closed  up,  hap- 
pened, inadvertently,  to  open  a  hole  into  it, 
from  the  pit  where  they  were  then  employed. 
By  great  good  fortune,  they  at  that  time,  per- 
ceived their  error,  and  instantly  fled  for  their 
lives.  The  next  day,  however,  they  were  re- 
solved to  renew  their  work  in  the  same  pit, 
and  eight  of  them  ventured  down,  without  any 
great  apprehensions ;  but  they  had  scarcely 
got  to  the  bottom  of  the  stairs  that  led  to  the 
pit,  but,  coming  within  the  vapour,  they  all 
instantly  dropped  down  dead,  as  if  they  had 
been  shot.  Amongst  these  unfortunate  poor 
men,  there  was  one  whose  wife  was  informed 
he  was  stifled  in  the  mine ;  and,  as  he  hap- 
pened to  be  next  the  entrance,  she  so  far 
ventured  down  as  to  see  where  he  lay.  As 
ehe  approached  the  place,  the  sight  of  her 

•  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  375. 


husband  inspired  her  with  a  drsire  to  rescue 
him,  if  possible,  from  that  dreadful  situation; 
though  a  little  reflection  might  have  shown 
her  it  was  then  too  late.  But  nothing  could 
deter  her;  she  ventured  forward,  and  had 
scarce  touched  him  with  her  hand,  when  the 
damp  prevailed,  and  the  misguided,  but  faith- 
ful creature,  fell  dead  by  his  side. 

Thus,  the  vapours  found  beneath  the  sur- 
face of  the  earth  are  very  various  in  their  ef- 
fects upon  the  constitution :  and  they  are  not 
less  in  their  appearances.  There  are  many 
kinds  that  seemingly  are  no  way  prejudicial 
to  health,  but  in  which  the  workmen  breathe 
freely;  and  yet  in  these,  if  a  lighted  candle  be 
introduced,  they  immediately  take  fire,  and 
the  whole  cavern  at  once  becomes  one  furnace 
of  flame.  In  mines,  therefore,  subject  to  damps 
of  this  kind,  they  are  obliged  to  have  recourse 
to  a  very  peculiar  contrivance  to  supply  suffi- 
cient light  for  their  operations.  This  is  by  a 
great  wheel ;  the  circumference  of  which  is 
beset  with  flints,  which  striking  against  steels 
placed  for  that  purpose  at  the  extremity,  a 
stream  of  fire  is  produced,  which  affords  light 
enough,  and  yet  which  does  not  set  fire  to  the 
mineral  vapour. 

Of  this  kind  are  the  vapours  of  the  mines 
about  Bristol :  on  the  contrary,  in  other  mines, 
a  single  spark  struck  out  from  the  collision  of 
flint  and  steel,  would  set  the  whole  shaft  in  a 
flame.  In  such,  therefore,  every  precaution 
is  used  to  avoid  a  collision;  the  workmen 
making  use  only  of  wooden  instruments  in 
digging ;  and  being  cautious,  before  they  en- 
ter the  mine,  to  take  out  even  the  nails  from 
their  shoes.  Whence  this  strange  difference 
should  arise,  that  the  vapours  of  some  mines 
catch  fire  with  a  spark,  and  others  only  with 
a  flame,  is  a  question  that  we  must  be  content 
to  leave  in  obscurity,  till  we  know  more  of 
the  nature  both  of  mineral  vapour  and  of  fire 
This  only  we  may  observe,  that  gunpowder 
will  readily  fire  with  a  spark,  but  not  with  the 
flame  of  a  candle ;  on  the  other  hand,  spirits 
of  wine  will  flame  with  a  candle,  but  not  with 
a  spark :  but  even  here  the  cause  of  this  dif- 
ference as  yet  remains  a  secret. 

As  from  this  account  of  mines,  it  appears 
that  the  internal  parts  of  the  globe  are  filled 
with  vapours  of  various  kinds,  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  they  should,  at  different  times, 


THE  EARTH. 


25 


reach  the  surface,  and  there  put  on  various 
appearances.  In  (act,  much  of'  the  salubrity, 
and  much  of  the  unwholesomeness,  of  climates 
and  soils,  is  to  be  ascribed  to  these  vapours, 
which  make  their  way  from  the  bowels  of  the 
earth  upwards,  and  refresh  or  taint  the  air 
with  their  exhalations.  Salt  mines,  being  na- 
turally cold,"  send  forth  a  degree  of  coldness 
to  the  external  air,  to  comfort  and  refresh  it : 
on  the  contrary,  metallic  mines  are  known, 
not  only  to  warm  it  with  their  exhalations, 
but  often  to  destroy  all  kinds  of  vegetation  by 
their  volatile  corrosive  fumes.  In  some  mines, 
dense  vapours  are  plainly  perceived  issuing 
from  their  mouths,  and  sensibly  warm  to  the 
touch.  In  some  places,  neither  snow  nor  ice 
will  continue  on  the  ground  that  covers  a 
mine ;  and  over  others  the  fields  are  found 
destitute  of  verdure.b  The  inhabitants,  also, 
are  rendered  dreadfully  sensible  of  these  sub- 
terraneous exhalations,  being  affected  with 
such  a  variety  of  evils  proceeding  entirely 
from  this  cause,  that  books  have  been  pro- 
fessedly written  upon  this  class  of  disorders. 

Nor  are  these  vapours,  which  thus  escape 
to  the  surface  of  the  earth,  entirely  uncon- 
fined ;  for  they  are  frequently,  in  a  manner, 
circumscribed  to  a  spot.  The  grotto  Del 
Cane,  near  Naples,  is  an  instance  of  this; 
the  noxious  effects  of  which  have  made  that 
cavern  so  very  famous.  This  grotto,  which 
has  so  much  employed  the  attention  of  tra- 
vellers, lies  within  four  miles  of  Naples,  and 
is  situated  near  a  large  lake  of  clear  whole- 
some water.c  Nothing  can  exceed  the  beauty 
of  the  landscape  which  this  lake  affords;  being 
surrounded  with  hills  covered  with  forests  of 
the  most  beautiful  verdure,  and  the  whole 
bearing  a  kind  of  amphitheatrical  appearance. 
However,  this  region,  beautiful  as  it  appears, 
is  almost  entirely  uninhabited ;  the  few  pea- 
sants that  necessity  compels  to  reside  there, 
looking  quite  consumptive  and  ghastly,  from 
the  poisonous  exhalations  that  rise  from  the 
earth.  The  famous  grotto  lies  on  the  side  of 
a  hill,  near  which  place  a  peasant  resides, 
who  keeps  a  number  of  dogs  for  the  purpose 
of  showing  the  experiment  to  the  curious. 
These  poor  animals  always  seem  perfectly  sen- 
sible of  the  approach  of  a  stranger,  and  endea- 
vour  to  get  out  of  the  way.  However,  their  at- 


•  Phil.  Trans.  voL  ii.  p.  523.     b  Boyle,  vol.  iii.  p.  238. 


tempts  being  perceived,  they  are  taken  and 
brought  to  the  grotto ;  the  noxious  effects  of 
which  they  have  so  frequently  experienced. 
Upon  entering  this  place,  which  is  a  little 
cave,  or  hole  rather,  dug  into  the  hill,  about 
eight  feet  high,  and  twelve  feet  long,  the  ob- 
server can  see  no  visible  mark  of  its  pestilen- 
tial vapour;  only  to  about  a  foot  from  the 
bottom,  the  wall  seems  to  be  tinged  with  a 
colour  resembling  that  which  is  given  by 
stagnant  waters.  When  the  dog,  this  poor 
philosophical  martyr,  as  some  have  called 
him,  is  held  above  this  mark,  he  does  not 
seem  to  feel  the  smallest  inconvenience ;  but 
when  his  head  is  thrust  down  lower,  he  strug- 
gles to  get  free  for  a  little ;  but  in  the  space 
of  four  or  five  minutes  he  seems  to  lose  all 
sensation,  and  is  taken  out  seemingly  without 
life.  Being  plunged  in  the  neighbouring  lake, 
he  quickly  recovers,  and  is  permitted  to 
run  home,  seemingly  without  the  smallest  in- 
jury. 

This  vapour,  which  thus  for  a  time  suffo- 
cates, is  of  the  humid  kind,  as  it  extinguishes 
a  torch,  and  sullies  a  looking-glass ;  but  there 
are  other  vapours  perfectly  inflammable,  and 
that  only  require  the  approach  of  a  candle  to 
set  them  blazing.  Of  this  kind  was  the  burn- 
ing well  at  Brosely,  which  is  now  stopped  up  ; 
the  vapour  of  which,  when  a  candle  was 
brought  within  about  a  foot  of  the  surface  of 
the  water,  caught  flame  like  spirits  of  wine, 
and  continued  blazing  for  several  hours  after. 
Of  this  kind,  also,  are  the  perpetual  fires  in 
the  kingdom  of  Persia.  In  that  province, 
where  the  worshippers  of  fire  hold  their  chief 
mysteries,  the  whole  surface  of  the  earth, 
for  some  extent,  seems  impregnated  with  in- 
flammable vapours.  A  reed  stuck  into  the 
ground  continues  to  burn  like  a  flambeau;  a 
hole  made  beneath  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
instantly  becomes  a  furnace,  answering  all 
the  purposes  of  a  culinary  fire.  There  they 
make  lime  by  merely  burying  the  stones  in 
the  earth;  and  watch  with  veneration  the 
appearances  of  a  flame  that  has  not  been  ex- 
tinguished for  times  immemorial.  How  dif- 
ferent are  men  in  various  climates !  This  de- 
luded people  worship  these  vapours  as  a 
deity,  which  in  other  parts  of  the  world  are 
considered  as  one  of  the  greatest  evils. 

c  Kircher,  Mund.  Subt.  vol.  i.  p.  191. 


26 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  IX. 

OF  VOLCANOES  AND  EARTHQUAKES. 


MINES  and  caverns,  as  we  have  said, 
reach  but  a  very  little  way  under  the  surface 
of  the  earth,  and  we  have  hitherto  had  no 
opportunities  of  exploring  further.  Without 
all  doubt,  the  wonders  that  are  still  unknown 
surpass  those  that  have  been  represented,  as 
there  are  depths  of  thousands  of  miles  which 
are  hidden  from  our  inquiry.  The  only 
tidings  we  have  from  those  unfathomable  re- 
gions are  by  means  of  volcanoes,  those  burn- 
ing mountains  that  seem  to  discharge  their 
materials  from  the  lowest  abysses  of  the 
earth.a  A  volcano  may  be  considered  as  a 
cannon  of  immense  size,  the  mouth  of  which 
is  often  near  two  miles  in  circumference.  From 
this  dreadful  aperture  are  discharged  torrents 
of  dame  and  sulphur,  and  rivers  of  melted 
metal.  Whole  clouds  of  smoke  and  ashes, 
with  rocks  of  enormous  size,  are  discharged 
to  many  miles  distance;  so  that  the  force  of 
the  most  powerful  artillery,  is  but  as  a  breeze 
agitating  a  feather  in  comparison.  In  the 
deluge  of  fire  and  melted  matter  which  runs 
down  the  sides  of  the  mountain,  whole  cities 
are  sometimes  swallowed  up  and  consumed. 
Those  rivers  of  liquid  fire  are  sometimes  two 
hundred  feet  deep ;  and,  when  they  harden, 
frequently  form  considerable  hills.  Nor  is 
the  danger  of  these  confined  to  the  eruption 
only :  but  the  force  of  the  internal  fire  strug- 
gling for  vent,  frequently  produces  earth- 
quakes through  the  whole  region  where  the 
volcano  is  situated.  So  dreadful  have  been 
these  appearances,  that  men's  terrors  have 
added  new  horrors  to  the  scene,  and  they 
have  regarded  as  prodigies,  what  we  know 
to  be  the  result  of  natural  causes.  Some 
philosophers  have  considered  them  as  vents 
communicating  with  the  fires  of  the  centre; 
and  the  ignorant,  as  the  mouths  of  hell  itself. 
Astonishment  produces  fear,  and  fear  super- 
stition :  the  inhabitants  of  Iceland  believe  the 
bellowings  of  Hecla  are  nothing  else  but  the 

»  Buffon,  vol.  i.  p.  291. 


cries  of  the  damned,  and  that  its  eruptions 
are  contrived  to  increase  their  tortures. 

But  if  we  regard  this  astonishing  scene  of 
terror  with  a  more  tranquil  and  inquisitive 
eye,  we  shall  find  that  these  conflagrations 
are  produced  by  very  obvious  and  natural 
causes.  We  have  already  been  apprised  of 
the  various  mineral  substances  in  the  bosom 
of  the  earth,  and  their  aptness  to  burst  out 
into  flames.  Marcasites  and  pyrites,  in  par- 
ticular, by  being  humified  with  water  or  air, 
contract  this  heat,  and  often  endeavour  to 
expand  with  irresistible  explosion.  These, 
therefore,  being  lodged  in  the  depths  of  the 
earth,  or  in  the  bosom  of  mountains,  and 
being  either  washed  by  the  accidental  influx 
of  waters  below,  or  fanned  by  air,  insinuating 
itself  through  perpendicular  fissures  from 
above,  take  fire  at  first  by  only  heaving  in 
earthquakes,  but  at  length  by  bursting  through 
every  obstacle,  and  making  their  dreadful 
discharge  in  a  volcano. 

These  volcanoes  are  found  in  all  parts  of 
the  earth:  In  Europe  there  are  three  that  are 
very  remarkable;  2Etna  in  Sicily,  Vesuvius  in 
Italy,  and  Hecla  in  Iceland.  jEtna  has  been 
a  volcano  for  ages  immemorial.  Its  eruptions 
are  very  violent,  and  its  discharge  has  been 
known  to  cover  the  earth  eighty-six  feet  deep. 
In  the  year  1 537,  an  eruption  of  this  mountain 
produced  an  earthquake  through  the  whole 
island  for  twelve  days,  overturned  many 
houses,  and  at  last  formed  a  new  aperture, 
which  overwhelmed  all  within  five  leagues 
round.  The  cinders  thrown  up  were  driven 
even  into  Italy,  and  its  burnings  were  seen  at 
Malta,  at  the  distance  of  sixty  leagues.  "  There 
is  nothing  more  awful,"  says  Kircher,  "  than 
the  eruptions  of  this  mountain,  nor  nothing 
more  dangerous  than  attempting  to  examine 
its  appearances,  even  long  after  the  eruption 
has  ceased.  As  we  attempt  to  clamber  up 
its  steepy  sides,  every  step  we  take  upward, 
the  feet  sink  back  half  way.  Upon  arriving 
near  the  summit,  ashes  and  snow,  with  an  ill- 


THE  EARTH. 


27 


assorted  conjunction,  present  nothing  but  ob- 
jects of  desolation.  Nor  is  this  the  worst, 
for,  as  all  places  are  covered  over,  many 
caverns  are  entirely  hidden  from  the  sight, 
into  which,  if  the  inquirer  happens  to  fall,  he 
sinks  to  the  bottom,  and  meets  inevitable  de- 
struction. Upon  coming  to  the  edge  of  the 
great  crater,  nothing  can  sufficiently  represent 
the  tremendous  magnificence  of  the  scene. 
A  gulf  two  miles  over,  and  so  deep  that  no 
bottom  can  be  seen;  on  the  sides  pyramidi- 
cal  rocks  starting  out  between  apertures  that 
emit  smoke  and  flame;  all  this  accompanied 
with  a  sound  that  never  ceases,  louder  than 
thunder,  strikes  the  bold  with  horror,  and  the 
religious  with  veneration  for  HIM  that  has 
power  to  control  its  burnings." 

In  the  descriptions  of  Vesuvius  or  Hecla, 
we  shall  find  scarcely  any  thing  but  a  repe- 
tition of  the  same  terrible  objects,  but  rather 
lessened,  as  these  mountains  are  not  so  large 
as  the  former.  The  crater  of  Vesuvius  is  but 
a  mile  across,  according  to  the  same  author; 
whereas  that  of  ^Etna  is  two.  On  this  par- 
ticular, however,  we  must  place  no  depen- 
dence, as  these  caverns  every  day  alter;  being 
lessened  by  the  mountain's  sinking  in  at  one 
eruption,  and  enlarged  by  (he  fury  of  another. 
It  is  not  one  of  the  least  remarkable  particu- 
lars respecting  Vesuvius,  that  Pliny  the  na- 
turalist was  suffocated  in  one  of  its  eruptions; 
for  his  curiosity  impelling  him  too  near,  he 
found  himself  involved  in  smoke  and  cinders 
when  it  was  too  late  to  retire;  and  his  com- 
panions hardly  escaped  to  give  an  account  of 
the  misfortune.  It  was  in  that  dreadful  erup- 
tion that  the  city  of  Herculaneum  was  over- 
whelmed; the  ruins  of  which  have  lately  been 
discovered  at  sixty  feet  distance  below  the 
surface,  and,  what  is  still  more  remarkable, 
forty  feet  below  the  bed  of  the  sea.  One  of 
the  most  remarkable  eruptions  of  this  moun- 
tain was  in  the  year  1707,  which  is  finely  de- 
scribed by  Valetta:  a  part  of  whose  descrip- 
tion I  shall  beg  leave  to  translate. 

"Towards  the  latter  end  of  summer,  in  the 
year  1707,  the  mount  Vesuvius,  that  had  for  a 
long  time  been  silent,  now  began  to  give  some 
signs  of  commotion.  Little  more  than  internal 
murmurs  at  first  were  heard,  that  seemed  to 
contend  within  the  lowest  depths  of  the 
mountain;  no  flame,  nor  even  any  smoke,  was  ! 


as  yet  seen.  Soon  after  some  smoke  appear- 
ed by  day,  and  a  flame  by  night,  which  seem- 
ed to  brighten  all  the  campania.  At  inter- 
vals, also,  it  shot  ofT  substances  with  a  sound 
very  like  that  of  artillery,  but  which,  even  at 
so  great  a  distance  as  we  were  at,  infinitely 
exceeded  them  in  greatness.  Soon  after  it 
began  to  throw  up  ashes,  which  becoming  the 
sport  of  the  winds,  fell  at  great  distances,  and 
some  many  miles.  To  this  succeeded  showers 
of  stones,  which  killed  many  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  valley,  but  made  a  dreadful  ravage 
among  the  cattle.  Soon  after  a  torrent  of 
burning  matter  began  to  roll  down  the  sides 
of  the  mountain,  at  first  with  a  slow  and  gen- 
tle motion,  but  soon  with  increased  celerity. 
The  matter  thus  poured  out,  when  cold,  seem- 
ed upon  inspection  to  be  of  vitrified  earth, 
the  whole  united  into  a  mass  of  more  than 
stony  hardness.  But  what  was  particularly 
observable  was,  that  upon  the  whole  surface 
of  these  melted  materials,  a  light  spongy  stone 
seemed  to  float,  while  the  lower  body  was  of 
the  hardest  substance  of  which  our  roads  are 
usually  made.  Hitherto  there  were  no  ap- 
pearances but  what  had  been  often  remarked 
before;  but  on  the  third  or  fourth  day,  seem- 
ing flashes  of  lightning  were  shot  forth  from 
the  mouth  of  the  mountain,  with  a  noise  far 
exceeding  the  loudest  thunder.  These  flashes, 
in  colour  and  brightness,  resembled  what  we 
usually  see  in  tempests,  but  they  assumed  a 
more  twisted  and  serpentine  form.  After  this 
followed  such  clouds  of  smoke  and  ashes,  that 
the  whole  city  of  Naples,  in  the  midst  of  the 
day,  was  involved  in  nocturnal  darkness,  and 
the  nearest  friends  were  unable  to  distinguish 
each  other  in  this  frightful  gloom.  If  any  per- 
son attempted  to  stir  out  without  torch-light, 
he  was  obliged  to  return,  and  every  part  of 
the  city  was  filled  with  supplications  and  ter- 
ror. At  length,  after  a  continuance  of  some 
hours,  about  one  o'clock  at  midnight,  the 
wind  blowing  from  the  north,  the  stars  began 
to  be  seen;  the  heavens,  though  it  was  night, 
began  to  grow  brighter;  and  the  eruptions, 
after  a  continuance  of  fifteen  days,  to  lessen. 
The  torrent  of  melted  matter  was  seen  to  ex- 
tend from  the  mountain  down  to  the  shore; 
the  people  began  to  return  to  their  former 
dwellings,  and  the  whole  face  of  nature  to 
resume  its  former  appearance." 
I 


28 


A  HISTORY  OF 


The  famous  Bishop  Berkley  gives  an  ac- 
count of  one  of  these  eruptions  in  a  manner 
something  different  from  the  former."  "  In  the 
year  1717,  and  the  middle  of  April,  with  much 
dilficulty  I  reached  the  top  of  Mount  Vesu- 
vius, in  which  I  saw  a  vast  aperture  full  of 
smoke,  which  hindered  me  from  seeing  its 
depth  and  figure.  I  heard  within  that  horrid 
gulf  certain  extraordinary  sounds,  which 
seemed  to  proceed  from  the  bowels  of  the 
mountain,  u  sort  of  murmuring,  sighing,  dash- 
ing sound ;  and,  between  whiles,  a  noise  like 
that  of  thunder  or  cannon,  with  a  clattering 
like  that  of  tiles  falling  from  the  tops  of  houses 
into  the  streets.  Sometimes,  as  the  wind 
changed,  the  smoke  grew  thinner,  discovering 
a  very  ruddy  flame,  and  the  circumference  of 
the  crater  streaked  with  red  and  several 
shades  of  yellow.  After  an  hour's  stay,  the 
smoke,  being  moved  by  the  wind,  gave  us 
short  and  partial  prospects  of  the  great  hol- 
low; in  the  flat  bottom  of  which  I  could  dis- 
cern two  furnaces  almost  contiguous;  that  on 
the  left  seeming  about  three  yards  over, 
glowing  with  ruddy  flame,  and  throwing  up 
red-hot  stones  with  a  hideous  noise,  which, 
as  they  fell  back,  caused  the  clattering  al- 
ready taken  notice  of. — May  8,  in  the  morning, 
I  ascended  the  top  of  Vesuvius  a  second  time, 
and  found  a  different  face  of  things.  The 
smoke  ascending  upright,  gave  a  full  prospect 
of  the  crater,  which,  as  I  could  judge,  was 
about  a  mile  in  circumference,  and  a  hundred 
yards  deep.  A  conical  mount  had  been 
formed,  since  my  last  visit,  in  the  middle  of 
the  bottom,  which  I  could  see  was  made  by 
the  stones,  thrown  up  and  fallen  back  again 
into  the  crater.  In  this  new  hill  remained  the 
two  furnaces  already  mentioned.  The  one 
was  seen  to  throw  up  every  three  or  four 
minutes,  with  a  dreadful  sound,  a  vast  number 
of  red-hot  stones,  at  least  three  hundred  feet 
higher  than  my  head,  as  I  stood  upon  the 
brink;  but  as  there  was  no  wind,  they  fell 
perpendicularly  back  from  whence  they  had 
been  discharged.  The  other  was  filled  with 
red-hot  liquid  matter,  like  that  in  the  furnace 
of  a  glass-house,  raging  and  working  like  the 
waves  of  the  sea,  with  a  short  abrupt  noise. 
This  matter  would  sometimes  boil  over,  and 

•  Phil.  Trans.  voL  ii.  p.  209. 


run  down  the  side  of  the  conical  hill,  appear- 
ing at  first  red  hot,  but  changing  colour  as  it 
hardened  and  cooled.  Had  the  wind  driven 
in  our  faces,  we  had  been  in  no  small  danger 
of  stifling  by  the  sulphureous  smoke,  or  being 
killed  by  the  masses  of  melted  minerals  that 
were  shot  from  the  bottom.  But  as  the  wind 
was  favourable,  I  had  an  opportunity  of  sur- 
veying this  amazing  scene  for  above  an  hour 
and  a  half  together.  On  the  fifth  of  June, 
after  a  horrid  noi*e,  the  mountain  was  seen 
at  Naples  to  work  over;  and,  about  three 
days  after,  its  thunders  were  renewed  so, 
that  not  only  the  windows  in  the  city,  but  all 
the  houses,  shook.  From  that  time  it  con- 
tinued to  overflow,  and  sometimes  at  night 
were  seen  columns  of  fire  shooting  upward 
from  its  summit.  On  the  tenth,  when  all  was 
thought  to  be  over,  the  mountain  again  re- 
newed its  terrors,  roaring  and  raging  most 
violently.  One  cannot  form  ajuster  idea  of 
the  noise,  in  the  most  violent  fits  of  it,  than 
by  imagining  a  mixed  sound  made  up  of  the 
raging  of  a  tempest,  the  murmur  of  a  troubled 
sea,  and  the  roaring  of  thunder  and  artillery, 
confused  all  together.  Though  we  heard  this 
at  a  distance  of  twelve  miles,  yet  it  was  very 
terrible.  I  therefore  resolved  to  approach 
nearer  to  the  mountain;  and,  accordingly, 
three  or  four  of  us  got  into  a  boat,  and  were 
set  ashore  at  a  little  town  situated  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountain.  From  thence  we  rode  about 
four  or  five  miles,  before  we  came  to  the  tor- 
rent of  fire  that  was  descending  from  the  side 
of  the  volcano;  and  here  the  roaring  grew 
exceedingly  loud  and  terrible  as  we  ap- 
proached. I  observed  a  mixture  of  colours 
in  the  cloud,  above  the  crater,  green,  yellow, 
red,  and  blue.  There  was  likewise  a  ruddy 
dismal  light  in  the  air,  over  that  tract  where 
the  burning  river  flowed.  These  circum- 
stances, set  off  and  augmented  by  the  horror 
of  the  night,  made  a  scene  the  most  uncom- 
mon and  astonishing  I  ever  saw;  which  still 
increased  as  we  approached  the  burning 
river.  Imagine  a  vast  torrent  of  liquid  fire, 
rolling  from  the  top  down  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  and  with  irresistible  fury  bear- 
ing down  and  consuming  vines,  olives,  and 
houses ;  and  divided  into  different  channels, 
according  to  the  inequalities  of  the  mountain. 
The  largest  stream  seemed  half  a  mile  broad 


THE  EARTH. 


at  least,  and  five  miles  long.  I  walked  so  far 
before  my  companions  up  the  mountain,  along 
the  side  of  the  river  of  tire,  that  I  was  obliged 
to  retire  in  gre.it  haste,  the  sulphureous  stream 
having  surprised  me,  and  almost  taken  away 
my  breath.  During  our  return,  which  was 
about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  roar- 
ing of  the  mountain  was  heard  all  the  way, 
while  we  observed  it  throwing  up  huge  spouts 
of  fire  and  burning  stones,  which,  falling,  re- 
sembled the  stars  in  a  rocket.  Sometimes  I 
observed  two  or  three  distinct  columns  of 
flame,  and  sometimes  one  only,  that  was  large 
enough  to  fill  the  whole  crater.  These  burn- 
ing columns,  and  fiery  stones,  seemed  to  be 
shot  a  thousand  feet  perpendicular  above  the 
summit  of  the  volcano;  and  in  this  manner 
the  mountain  continued  raging  for  six  or  eight 
days  after.  On  the  18th  of  the  same  month, 
the  whole  appearance  ended,  and  the  moun- 
tain remained  perfectly  quiet,  without  any 
visible  smoke  or  flame. 

The  matter  which  is  found  to  roll  down 
from  the  mouth  of  all  volcanoes  in  general, 
resembles  the  dross  that  is  thrown  from  a 
smith's  forge.     But  it  is  different,  perhaps,  in 
various  parts  of  the  globe ;  for,  as  we  have 
already  said,  there  is  not  a  quarter  of  the 
world  that  has  not  its  volcanoes.     In  Asia, 
particularly  in  the  islands  of  the  Indian  Ocean, 
there  are  many.     One  of  the  most  famous  is 
that  of  Albouras,  near   Mount  Taurus,   the 
(summit  of  which  is  continually  on  fire,  and 
covers  the  whole  adjacent  country  with  ashes. 
In  the  island  of  Ternate  there  is  a  volcano, 
which,  some  travellers  assert,  burns  most  fu- 
riously in  the  times  of  the  equinoxes,  because 
of  the  winds  which  then  contribute  to  increase 
the   flames.      In  the  Molucco  islands  there 
are  many  burning  mountains;  they  are  also 
seen  in  Japan,   and   the   islands   adjacent ; 
and  in  Java  and  Sumatra,  as  well  as  in  other 
of  the  Philippine  islands.     In  Africa  there  is 
a  cavern,  near  Fez,  which  continually  sends 
forth  either  smoke  or  flames.     In  the  Cape 
de  Verde  islands,    one  of  them,  called  the 
Island  del  Fuego,  continually  burns ;  and  the 
Portuguese,  who  frequently  attempted  a  set- 
tlement there,  have  as  often  been  obliged  to 
desist.     The  Peak  of  Teneriffe  is,  as  every 
one    knows,  a  volcano,  that  seldom  desists 
from  eruptions.   But,  of  all  parts  of  the  earth, 


America  is  the  place  where  those  dreadful 
irregularities  of  nature  are  the  most  conspicu- 
ous.     Vesuvius,    and   YEtria  itself,    are    but 
mere  fireworks  in  comparison  to  the  burning- 
mountains  of  the  Andes ;  which,  as  they  are 
the  highest  mountains  of  the  world,  so  also 
are  they  the  most  formidable  for  their  erup- 
tions.    The  mountain  of  Arequipa  in  Peru,  is 
one   of  the  most  celebrated ;   Carassa,    and 
Malahallo,  are  very  considerable ;  but  that 
of  Cotopaxi,  in  the  province  of  Quito,  exceeds 
any  thing  we  have  hitherto  read  or  heard  of. 
The  mountain  of  Cotopaxi,  as  described  by 
Ulloa,"  is  more  than  three  miles  perpendicular 
from  the  sea ;  and  it  became  a  volcano  at  the 
time  of  the   Spaniards'  first  arrival  in  that 
country.    A  new  eruption  of  it  happened  in  the 
year  1743,having  been  some  days  preceded  by 
a  continual  roaring  in  its  bowels.    The  sound 
of  one  of  these  mountains  is  not,  like  that  of 
the  volcanoes  in  Europe,  confined  to  a  pro- 
vince, but  is  heard  at  a  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  distance.1*     "  An  aperture  was  made  in 
the  summit  of  this  immense  mountain ;  and 
three  more  about  equal  heights  near  the  mid- 
dle of  its  declivity,  which  was  at  that  time 
buried  under  prodigious  masses  of  snow.   The 
ignited  substances  ejected  on  that  occasion, 
mixed  with  a  prodigious  quantity  of  ice  and 
snow,  melting  amidst  the  flames,  were  car- 
ried down  with  such  astonishing  rapidity,  that 
in  an  instant  the  valley  from  Callo  to  Latu- 
cunga  was  overflowed;  and  besides  its  ravages 
in  bearing  down  the  houses  of  the  Indians, 
and  other  poor  inhabitants,  great  numbers  of 
people  lost  their  lives.     The  river  of  Latu- 
cunga  was  the  channel  of  this  terrible  flood ; 
till  being  too  small  for  receiving  such  a  pro- 
digious current,  it  overflowed  the  adjacent 
country,  like  a  vast  lake,  near  the  town,  and 
carried  away  all  the  buildings  within  its  reach. 
The  inhabitants  retired  into  a  spot  of  higher 
ground  behind  the  town,  of  which  those  parts 
which  stood  within  the  limits  of  the  current 
were  totally  destroyed.     The  dread  of  still 
greater  devastations  did  not  subside  for  three 
days;  during  which  the  volcano  ejected  cin- 
ders, while  torrents  of  melted  ice  and  snow 
poured  down  its  sides.     The  eruption  lasted 
several  days,  and  was  accompanied  with  ter- 


a  Ulloa,  vol.  i.  p.  442. 


b  Ulloa,  vol.  i.  p.  442. 


30 


A  HISTORY  OF 


rible  roarings  of  the  wind,  rushing  through 
the  volcano,  still  louder  than  the  former 
rumblings  in  its  bowels.  At  last  all  was 
quiet,  neither  fire  nor  smoke  to  be  seen,  nor 
noise  to  be  heard;  till,  in  the  ensuing  year, 
the  flames  again  appeared  with  recruited  vio- 
lence, forcing  their  passage  through  several 
other  parts  of  the  mountain,  so  that  in  clear 
nights  the  flames  being  reflected  by  the  trans- 
parent ice,  formed  an  awfully  magnificent 
illumination." 

Such  is  the  appearance  and  the  effect  of  those 
lires  which  proceed  from  the  more  inward 
recesses  of  the  earth  :  for  that  they  generally 
come  from  deeper  regions  than  man  has 
hitherto  explored,  I  cannot  avoid  thinking, 
contrary  to  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Buffbn,  who 
supposes  them  rooted  but  a  very  little  way  be- 
low the  bed  ofthe  mountain.  "We  can  never  sup- 
pose," says  this  great  naturalist,  "that  these 
substances  are  ejected  from  any  great  distance 
below,  if  we  only  consider  the  great  force 
already  required  to  fling  them  up  to  such 
vast  heights  above  the  mouth  ofthe  mountain ; 
if  we  consider  the  substances  thrown  up, 
which  we  shall  find  upon  inspection  to  be  the 
same  with  those  of  the  mountain  below ;  if  we 
take  into  our  consideration,  that  air  is  always 
necessary  to  keep  up  the  flame ;  but,  most  of 
all,  if  we  attend  to  one  circumstance,  which 
is,  that  if  these  substances  were  exploded 
from  a  vast  depth  below,  the  same  force  re- 
quired to  shoot  them  up  so  high,  would  act 
against  the  sides  of  the  voJcano,  and  tear  the 
whole  mountain  in  pieces."  To  all  this  spe- 


cious reasoning,  particular  answers  might  be 
easily  given  ;  as,  that  the  length  of  the  funnel 
increases  the  force  of  the  explosion ;  that  the 
sides  of  the  funnel  are  actually  often  burst 
with  the  great  violence  of  the  flame ;  that  air 
may  be  supposed  at  depths  at  least  as  far  as 
the  perpendicular  fissures  descend.  But  the 
best  answer  is  a  well-known  fact ;  namely, 
that  the  quantity  of  matter  discharged  from 
./Etna  alone,  is  supposed,  upon  a  moderate 
computation,  to  exceed  twenty  times  the 
original  bulk  ofthe  mountain."  The  greatest 
part  of  Sicily  seems  covered  with  its  erup- 
tions. 

The  inhabitants  of  Catanea  have  found, 
at  the  distance  of  several  miles,  streets  and 
houses  sixty  feet  deep,  overwhelmed  by  the 
lava  or  matter  it  has  discharged.  But  what 
is  still  more  remarkable,  the  walls  of  these 
very  houses  have  been  built  of  materials  evi- 
dently thrown  up  by  the  mountain.  The  in- 
ference from  all  this  is  very  obvious ;  that  the 
matter  thus  exploded  cannot  belong  to  the 
mountain  itself,  otherwise  it  would  have  been 
quickly  consumed ;  it  cannot  be  derived  from 
moderate  depths,  since  its  amazing  quantity 
evinces,  that  all  the  places  near  the  bottom 
must  have  long  since  been  exhausted;  nor 
can  it  have  an  extensive,  and,  if  I  may  so  call 
it,  a  superficial  spread,  for  then  the  country 
round  would  be  quickly  undermined ;  it  must, 
therefore,  be  supplied  from  the  deeper  regions 
ofthe  earth ;  those  undiscovered  tracts  where 
the  Deity  performs  his  wonders  in  solitude, 
satisfied  with  self-approbation ! 


CHAPTER  X. 

OF  EARTHQUAKES. 


HAVING  given  the  theory  of  volcanoes,  we 
have  in  some  measure  given  also  that  of 
earthquakes.  They  both  seem  to  proceed 
from  the  same  cause,  only  with  this  differ- 
ence, that  the  fury  of  the  volcano  is  spent  in 
the  eruption;  that  of  an  earthquake  spreads 

•  Kircher,  Mund.  Subt.  vol.  i.  p.  202. 


wider,  and  acts  more  fatally  by  being  confin- 
ed. The  volcano  only  affrights  a  province ; 
earthquakes  have  laid  whole  kingdoms  in 
ruin. 

Philosophers'*  have  taken  some  pains  to  dis- 
tinguish between  the  various  kinds  of  earth- 

b  Aristotle,  Agricola,  Buffon. 


THE  EARTH. 


31 


quakes,  such  as  the  tremulous,  the  pulsative, 
the  perpendicular,  and  the  inclined ;  but 
these  are  rather  the  distinctions  of  art  than 
of  nature,  mere  accidental  differences  arising 
from  the  situation  of  the  country  or  of  the 
cause.  If,  for  instance,  the  confined  h're  acts 
directly  under  a  province  or  a  town,  it  will 
heave  the  earth  perpendicularly  upward, 
and  produce  a  perpendicular  earthquake.  If 
it  acts  at  a  distance,  it  will  raise  that  tract 
obliquely,  and  thus  the  inhabitants  will  per- 
ceive an  inclined  one. 

Nor  does  it  seem  to  me  that  there  is  much 
greater  reason  for  Mr.  BufFon's  distinction  of 
earthquakes ;  one  kind  of  which  he  supposes" 
to  be  produced  by  fire  in  the  manner  of  vol- 
canoes, and  confined  but  to  a  very  narrow 
circumference.  The  other  kind  he  ascribes 
to  the  struggles  of  confined  air,  expanded  by 
heat  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  and  endeavour- 
ing to  get  free.  For  how  do  these  two  causes 
differ?  Fire  is  an  agent  of  no  power  whatso- 
ever without  air.  It  is  the  air,  which  being  at 
first  compressed,  and  (hen  dilated  in  a  cannon, 
that  drives  the  ball  with  such  force.  It  is  the 
air  struggling  for  vent  in  a  volcano,  that 
throws  up  its  contents  to  such  vast  heights. 
In  short,  it  is  the  air  confined  in  the  bonds 
of  the  earth,  and  acquiring  elasticity  by  heat. 
that  produces  all  those  appearances  which 
are  generally  ascribed  to  the  operation  of 
fire.  When,  therefore,  we  are  told  lh;tt  there 
are  two  causes  of  earthquakes,  we  only  learn 
that  a  greater  or  smaller  quantity  of  heat  pro- 
duces those  terrible  effects ;  for  air  is  the  only 
active  operator  in  either. 

Some  philosophers,  however,  have  been 
willing  to  give  the  air  as  great  a  share  in  pro- 
ducing these  terrible  efforts  as  they  could ; 
and,  magnifying  its  powers,  have  called  in 
but  a  very  moderate  degree  of  heat  to  put  it 
in  action.  Although  experience  tell  us  that 
the  earth  is  full  of  inflammable  materials,  and 
tint  fires  are  produced  wherever  we  descend  ; 
although  it  tells  us  that  those  countries  where 
there  are  volcanoes,  are  most  subject  to  earth- 
quakes; yet  they  step  out  of  their  way,  and 
so  find  a  new  solution.  These  only  allow  but 
just  heat  enough  to  produce  the  most  dreadful 
phenomena,  and,  backing  their  assertions  with 

*  Buffbn,  vol.  ii.  p.  328. 
i»o.  4. 


long  calculations,  give  theory  an  air  of  de- 
monstration. Mr.  Amontonsb  has  been  par- 
ticularly sparing  of  the  internal  heat  in  this 
respect ;  and  has  shown,  perhaps  accurately 
enough,  that  a  very  moderate  degree  of  heat 
may  suffice  to  give  the  air  amazing  powers  of 
expansion. 

It  is  amazing  enough,  however,  to  trace  the 
progress  of  a  philosophical  fancy  let  loose  in 
imaginary  speculations.  They  run  thus:  "A 
very  moderate  degree  of  heat  may  bring  the 
air  into  a  condition  capable  of  producing 
earthquakes ;  for  the  air,  at  the  depth  of 
forty-three  thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  fathom  below  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
becomes  almost  as  heavy  as  quicksilver. 
This,  however,  is  but  a  very  slight  depth  in 
comparison  of  the  distance  to  the  centre,  and 
is  scarcely  a  seventieth  part  of  the  way.  The 
air,  therefore,  at  the  centre,  must  be  infinitely 
heavier  than  mercury,  or  any  body  that  we 
know  of.  This  granted,  we  shall  take  some- 
thing more,  and  say,  that  it  is  very  probable 
there  is  nothing  but  air  at  the  centre.  Now 
let  us  suppose  this  air  heated,  by  some  means, 
even  to  the  degree  of  boiling  water,  (as  we 
have  proved  that  the  density  of  the  air  is  here 
very  great.)  its  elasticity  must  be  in  propor- 
tion ;  a  heat,  therefore,  which  at  the  surface 
of  the  earth  would  have  produced  but  a  slight 
expansive  force,  must,  at  the  centre,  produce 
one  very  extraordinary,  and,  in  short,  be  per- 
fectly irresistible.  Hence,  this  force  may, 
with  great  ease,  produce  earthquakes;  and, 
if  increased,  it  may  convulse  the  globe;  it 
may  (by  only  adding  figures  enough  to  the 
calculation)  destroy  the  solar  system,  and 
even  the  fixed  stars  themselves."  These 
reveries  generally  produce  nothing;  for,  as  I 
have  ever  observed,  increased  calculations, 
while  they  seem  to  tire  the  memory,  give  the 
reasoning  faculty  perfect  repose. 

However,  as  earthquakes  are  the  most 
formidable  ministers  of  nature,  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  that  a  multitude  of  writers  have 
been  curiously  employed  in  their  considera- 
tion. Woodward  has  ascribed  the  cause  to 
a  stoppage  of  the  waters  below  the  earth's 
surface  by  some  accident.  These  being  thus 
accumulated,  ami  yet  acted  upon  by  fires. 

b  Memoires  de  1'Academie  de  Sciences.  An.  1703. 
K 


32 


A  HISTORY  OF 


which  he  supposes  still  deeper,  both  contri- 
bute to  heave  up  the  earth  upon  their  bosom. 
This,  he  thinks,  accounts  for  the  lakes  of  water 
produced  in  an  earthquake,  as  well  as  for  the 
fires  that  sometimes  burst  from  the  earth's 
surface  upon  those  dreadful  occasions.  There 
are  others  who  have  supposed  that  the  earth 
may  be  itself  the  cause  of  its  own  convulsions. 
"  When,"  say  they,  "the  root  or  basis  of  some 
large  tract  is  worn  away  by  a  fluid  under- 
neath, the  earth  sinking  therein,  its  weight 
occasions  a  tremour  of  the  adjacent  parts, 
sometimes  producing  a  noise,  and  sometimes 
an  inundation  of  water."  Not  to  tire  the 
reader  with  a  history  of  opinions  instead  of 
facts,  some  have  ascribed  them  to  electricity, 
and  some  to  the  same  causes  that  produce 
thunder. 

It  would  be  tedious,  therefore,  to  give  all 
the  various  opinions  that  have  employed  the 
speculative  on  this  subject.  The  activity  of 
the  internal  heat  seems  alone  sufficient  to 
account  for  every  appearance  that  attends 
these  tremendous  irregularities  of  nature.  To 
conceive  this  distinctly,  let  us  suppose,  at 
some  vast  distance  under  the  earth,  large 
quantities  of  inflammable  matter,  •  pyrites, 
bitumens,  and  marcasites,  disposed,  and  only 
waiting  tor  the  aspersion  of  water,  or  the  hu- 
midity of  the  air,  to  put  their  fires  in  motion: 
at  last,  this  dreadful  mixture  arrives ;  waters 
find  their  way  into  those  depths,  through  the 
perpendicular  fissures ;  or  air  insinuates  itself 
through  the  same  minute  apertures:  instantly 
new  appearances  ensue ;_  those  substances, 
which  for  ages  before  lay  dormant,  now  con- 
ceive new  apparent  qualities ;  they  grow  hot, 
produce  new  air,  and  ouly  want  room  for  ex- 
pansion. However,  the  narrow  apertures  by 
which  the  air  or  water  had  at  first  admission, 
are  now  closed  up ;  yet  as  new  air  is  con- 
tinually generated,  and  as  the  heat  every  mo- 
ment gives  this  air  new  elasticity,  it  at  length 
bursts,  and  -dilates  all  round;  and,  in  its 
struggles  to  get  free,  throws  all  above  it  into 
similar  convulsions.  Thus  an  earthquake  is 
produced,  more  or  less  extensive,  according 
to  the  depth  or  the  greatness  of  the  cause. 

But  before  we  proceed  with  the  causes,  let 
us  take  a  short  view  of  the  appearances  which 

»  Plin.  lib.  ii.  cap.  86. 


have  attended  the  most  remarkable  earth- 
quakes. By  these  we  shall  see  how  far  the 
theorist  corresponds  with  the  historian.  The 
greatest  we  find  in  antiquity  is  that  mentioned 
by  Hiny,a  in  which  twelve  cities  in  Asia  Mi- 
nor were  swallowed  up  in  one  night :  lie  tells 
us  also  of  another,  near  the  lake  Thrasymene, 
which  was  not  perceived  by  the  armies  of 
the  Carthaginians  and  Romans,  that  were 
then  engaged  near  that  lake,  although  it  shook 
the  greatest  part  of  Italy.  In  another  placeb 
he  gives  the  following  account  of  an  earth- 
quake of  an  extraordinary  kind.  "  When 
Lucius  Marcus  and  Sextus  Julius  were  con- 
suls, there  appeared  a  very  strange  prodigy 
of  the  earth,  (as  I  have  read  in  the  book  of 
./Etruscan  discipline,)  which  happened  in  the 
province  of  Mutina.  Two  mountains  shocked 
against  each  other,  approaching  and  retir- 
ing with  the  most  dreadful  noise.  They,  at 
the  same  time,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  day, 
appeared  to  cast  forth  fire  and  smoke,  while 
a  vast  number  of  Roman  knights  and  travel- 
lers from  the  jEmilian  Way,  stood  and  con- 
tinued amazed  spectators.  Several  towns 
were  destroyed  by  this  shock;  and  all  the 
animals  that  were  near  them  were  killed." 
In  the  times  of  Trajan,  the  city  of  Antioch, 
and  a  great  part  of  the  adjacent  country,  was 
buried  by  an  earthquake.  About  three  hun- 
dred years  after,  in  the  times  of  Justinian, 
it  was  once  more  destroyed,  together  with 
forty  thousand  inhabitants ;  and,  after  an 
interval  of  sixty  years,  the  same  ill-fated  city 
was  a  third  time  overturned,  with  the  loss  of 
not  less  than  sixty  thousand  souls.  In  the 
year  1182,  most  of  the  cities  of  Syria,  and 
the  kingdom  of  Jerusalem,  were  destroyed 
by  the  same  accident.  In  the  year  1594,  the 
Italian  historians  describe  an  earthquake  at 
Puteoli,  which  caused  the  sea  to  retire  two 
hundred  yards  from  its  former  bed. 

But  one  of  those  most  particularly  describ- 
ed in  history,  is  that  of  the  year  1693;  the 
damages  of  which  were  chiefly  felt  in  Sicily, 
but  its  motion  perceived  in  Germany,  France, 
and  England.  It  extended  to  a  circumfer- 
ence of  two  thousand  six  hundred  leagues; 
chiefly  affecting  the  sea-coast  and  great  riv- 
ers; more  perceivable  also  upon  the  nioun- 

b  Plin.  lib.  iii.  cap.  85. 


THE  EARTH. 


33 


tains  than  in  the  valleys.  Its  motions  were 
so  rapid,  that  those  who  lay  at  their  length 
were  tossed  from  side  to  side,  as  upon  a  roll- 
ing billow.*  The  walls  were  dashed  from 
their  foundations ;  and  no  less  than  fifty-four 
cities,  with  an  incredible  number  of  villages, 
were  either  destroyed  or  greatly  damaged. 
The  city  of  Catanca,  in  particular,  was  utterly 
overthrown.  A  traveller,  who  was  on  his  way 
thither,  at  the  distance  of  some  miles,  per- 
ceived a  black  cloud,  like  night,  hanging- 
over  the  place.  The  sea,  all  of  a  sudden, 
began  to  roar;  Mount  J^tna  to  send  forth 
great  spires  of  flame;  and  soon  after  a  shock 
ensued,  with  a  noise  as  if  all  the  artillery  in 
the  world  had  been  at  once  discharged.  Our 
traveller,  being  obliged  to  alight  instantly, 
felt  himself  raised  a  foot  from  the  ground ; 
and  turning  his  eyes  to  the  city,  he,  with 
amazement,  saw  nothing  but  a  thick  cloud  of 
dust  in  the  air.  The  birds  flew  about  asto- 
nished; the  sun  was  darkened ;  the  beasts  ran 
howling  from  the  hills;  and  although  the 
shock  did  not  continue  above  three  minutes, 
yet  near  nineteen  thousand  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Sicily  perished  in  the  ruins.  Catanea,  to 
which  city  the  describer  was  travelling,  seem- 
ed the  principal  scene  of  ruin;  its  place  only 
was  to  be  found ;  and  not  a  footstep  of  its 
former  magnificence  was  to  be  seen  remain- 
ing. „  •- 

The  earthquake  which  happened  in  Ja- 
maica, in  1692,  was  very  terrible,  and  its 
description  sufficiently  minute.  "  In  two 
minutes'  time  it  destroyed  the  town  of  Port 
Royal,  and  sunk  the  houses  in  a  gulf  forty 
fathoms  deep.  It  was  attended  with  a  hollow 
rumbling  noise,  like  that  of  thunder;  and,"  in 
less  than  a  minute,  three  parts  of  the  houses, 
and  their  inhabitants,  were  all  sunkquite  under 
water.  While  they  were  thus  swallowed  up 
on  one  side  of  the  street,  on  the  other  the 
houses  were  thrown  into  heaps;  the  sand 
of  the  streets  rising  like  the  waves  of  the 
eea,  lifting  up  those  that  stood  upon  it,  and 
immediately  overwhelming  them  in  pits.  All 
the  wells  discharged  their  waters  with  the 
most  vehement  agitation.  The  sea  felt  an 
equal  share  of  turbulence,  and,  bursting  over 
its  mounds,  deluged  all  that  came  in  its  way. 

•  Phil.  Trans, 


The  fissures  of  the  earth  were,  in  some  places, 
so  great,  that  one  of  the  streets  appeared 
twice  as  broad  as  formerly.  In  many  places, 
however,  it  opened  and  closed  again,  and 
continued  this  agitation  for  some  time.  Of 
these  openings,  two  or  three  hundred  might 
be  seen  at  a  time ;  in  some  whereof  the  peo- 
ple were  swallowed  up ;  in  others,  the  earth 
closing,  caught  them  by  the  middle,  and  thus 
crushed  them  instantly  to  death.  Other 
openings,  still  more  dreadful  than  the  rest, 
swallowed  up  whole  streets ;  and  others, 
more  formidable,  spouted  up  whole  cataracts 
of  water,  drowning  such  as  the  earthquake 
had  spared.  The  whole  was  attended  with 
the  most  noisome  stench ;  while  the  thunder- 
ing of  the  distant  falling  mountains,  the  whole 
sky  overcast  with  a  dusky  gloom,  and  the 
crash  of  falling  habitations,  gave  unspeaka- 
ble horror  to  the  scene.  After  this  dreadful 
calamity  was  over,  the  whole  island  seemed 
converted  into  a  scene  of  desolation ;  scarcely 
a  planter's  house  was  left  standing ;  almost 
all  were  swallowed  up;  houses,  people,  trees, 
shared  one  universal  ruin;  and  in  their  places 
appeared  great  pools  of  water,  which,  when 
dried  up  by  the  sun,  left  only  a  plain  of  barren 
sand,  without  any  vestige  of  former  inhabi- 
tants. Most  of  the  rivers,  during  the  earth- 
quake, were  stopped  up  by  the  falling  in  of  the 
mountains ;  and  it  was  not  till  after  some  time 
that  they  made  themselves  new  channels. 
The  mountains  seemed  particularly  attacked 
by  the  force  of  the  shock ;  and  it  was  sup- 
posed that  the  principal  seat  of  the  concus- 
sion was  among  them.  Those  who  were 
saved  got  on  board  ships  in  the  harbour,  where 
many  remained  above  two  months;  the  shocks 
continuing,  during  that  interval,  with  more  or 
less  violence  every  day." 

As  this  description  seems  to  exhibit  all  the 
appearances  that  usually  make  up  the  cata- 
logue of  terrors  belonging  to  an  earthquake. 
I  will  suppress  the  detail  of  that  which  hap- 
pened at  Lisbon  in  our  own  times,  and  which 
is  too  recent  to  require  a  description.  In  fact, 
there  are  few  particulars  in  the  accounts  of 
those  who  were  present  at  that  scene  of  deso- 
lation, that  we  have  not  more  minutely  and 
accurately  transmitted  to  us  by  former  wri- 
ters, whose  narratives  I  have  for  that  reason 
preferred,  I  will  therefore  close  this  descrip- 


34 


A  HISTORY  OF 


tion  of  human  calamities  with  the  account  of 
the  dreadful  earthquake  at  Calabria,  in 
1638.  It  is  related  by  the  celebrated  Fa- 
ther Kircher,  as  it  happened  while  he  was 
on  his  journey  to  visit  Mount  ^Etna.  and 
the  rest  of  the  wonders  that  lie  towards 
the  south  of  Italy.  I  need  scarcely  inform 
the  reader,  that  Kircher  is  considered,  by 
scholars,  as  one  of  the  greatest  prodigies  of 
learning. 

"Having  hired  a  boat,  in  company  with 
four  more,  two  friars  of  the  order  of  St.  Fran- 
cis, and  two  seculars,  we  launched,  on  the 
twenty-fourth  of  March,  from  the  harbour  of 
Messina,  in  Sicily,  and  arrived  the  same  day 
at  the  promontory  of  Pelorus.  Our  destina- 
tion was  for  the  city  of  Euphaemia,  in  Calabria, 
where  we  had  some  business  to  transact,  and 
where  we  designed  to  tarry  for  some  time. 
However,  Providence  seemed  willing  to  cross 
our  design;  for  we  were  obliged  to  continue 
for  three  days  at  Pelorus,  upon  account  of 
the  weather ;  and  though  we  often  put  out  to 
sea,  yet  we  were  as  often  driven  back.  At 
length,  however,  wearied  with  the  delay,  we 
resolved  to  prosecute  our  voyage ;  and,  al- 
though the  sea  seemed  more  than  usually 
agitated,  yet  we  ventured  forward.  The 
gulf  of  Charybdis,  which  we  approached, 
seemed  whirled  round  in  such  a  manner,  as 
to  form  a  vast  hollow,  verging  to  a  point  in 
the  centre.  Proceeding  onward,  and  turning 
my  eyes  to  ^Etna,  I  saw  it  cast  forth  large 
volumes  of  smoke,  of  mountainous  sizes,  which 
entirely  covered  the  whole  island,  and  blotted 
out  the  very  shores  from  my  view.  This,  to- 
gether with  the  dreadful  noise,  and  the  sul- 
phureous stench,  which  was  strongly  per- 
ceived, filled  me  with  apprehensions  that 
some  more  dreadful  calamity  was  impending. 
The  sea  itself  seemed  to  wear  a  very  unusual 
appearance ;  those  who  have  seen  a  lake  in 
a  violent  shower  of  rain  covered  all  over  with 
bubbles,  will  conceive  some  idea  of  its  agita- 
tions. My  surprise  was  still  increased  by  the 
calmness  and  serenity  of  the  weather;  not  a 
breeze,  not  a  cloud,  which  might  be  suppos- 
ed to  put  all  nature  thus  into  motion.  I 
therefore  warned  my  companions  that  an 
earthquake  was  approaching ;  and,  after  some 
time,  making  for  the  shore  with  all  possible 
diligence,  we  landed  at  Tropae,  happy  and 


thankful  for  having  escaped  the  threatening 
dangers  of  the  sea. 

"  But  our  triumphs  at  land  were  of  short 
duration  ;  for  we  had  scarcely  arrived  at  the 
Jesuits'College  in  thatcity,  when  our  ears  were 
stunned  with  a  horrid  sound,  resembling  that 
of  an  infinite  number  of  chariots  driven  fierce- 
ly forward,  the  wheels  rattling,  and  the  thongs 
cracking.  Soon  after  this,  a  most  dreadful 
earthquake  ensued,  so  that  the  whole  tract 
upon  which  we  stood  seemed  to  vibrate,  as 
if  we  were  in  the  scale  of  a  balance  that  con- 
tinued wavering.  This  motion,  however,  soon 
grew  more  violent;  and  being  no  longer  able 
to  keep  my  legs,  I  was  thrown  prostrate  upon 
the  ground.  In  the  mean  time,  the  universal 
ruin  round  me  redoubled  my  amazement. 
The  crash  of  falling  houses,  the  tottering  of 
towers,  and  the  groans  of  the  dying,  all  con- 
tributed to  raise  my  terror  and  despair.  On 
every  side  of  me  I  saw  nothing  but  a  scene 
of  ruin,  and  danger  threatening  wherever  I 
should  fly.  I  commended  myself  to  God,  as  my 
last  great  refuge.  At  that  hour,  Ohow  vain  was 
every  sublunary  happiness !  wealth,  honour, 
empire?  wisdom,  all  mere  useless  sounds,  and 
as  empty  as  the  bubbles  in  the  deep.  Just 
standing  on  the  threshold  of  eternity,  nothing 
but  God  was  my  pleasure;  and  the  nearer  I  ap- 
proached, I  only  loved  him  the  more. — After 
some  time,  however,  finding  that  I  remained 
unhurt  amidst  the  general  concussion,  I  re- 
solved to  venture  for  safety,  and  running  as- 
fast  as  I  could,  reached  the  shore,  but  al- 
most terrified  out  of  my  reason.  I  did  not 
search  long  here  till  I  found  the  boat  in  which 
I  had  landed,  and  my  companions  also,  whose 
terrors  were  even  greater  than  mine.  Our 
meeting  was  not  of  that  kind  where  every  one 
is  desirous  of  telling  his  own  happy  escape ; 
it  was  all  silence,  and  a  gloomy  dread  of  im- 
pending terrors. 

"  Leaving  this  seat  of  desolation,  we  pro- 
secuted our  voyage  along  the  coast,  and  the 
next  day  came  to  Rochetta,  where  we  landed, 
although  the  earth  still  continued  in  violent 
agitations.  But  we  were  scarcely  arrived  at 
our  inn,  when  we  were  once  more  obliged  to 
return  to  the  boat,  and  i«  about  half  an  hour 
we  saw  the  greatest  part  of  the  town,  and  the  inn 
at  which  we  had  set  up,  dashed  to  the  ground, 
and  burying  all  i<e  inhabitants  beneath  its  ruins. 


THE  EARTH. 


35 


"  In  this  manner,  proceeding  onward  in  our 
little  vessel,  finding  no  safety  at  land,  and 
yet,  from  the  smallness  of  our  boat,  having 
but  a  very  dangerous  continuance  at  sea,  we 
at  length  landed  at  Lopizium,  a  castle  mid- 
way between  Tropse  and  Eupha3mia,  the  city 
to  which,  as  1  said  before,  we  were  bound. 
Here,  wherever  I  turned  my  eyes,  nothing  f>ut 
scenes  of  ruin  and  horror  appeared;  towns 
and  castles  levelled  to  the  ground ;  Strom- 
balo,  though  at  sixty  miles  distance,  belching 
forth  tlaines  in  an  unusual  manner,  and  with 
a  noise  which  I  could  distinctly  hear.  But 
my  attention  was  quickly  turned  from  more 
remote  to  contiguous  danger.  The  rumbling 
sound  of  an  approaching  earthquake,  which 
we  by  this  time  were  grown  acquainted  with. 
alarmed  us  for  the  consequences ;  it  every 
moment  seemed  to  grow  louder,  and  to  ap- 
proach more  near.  The  place  on  which  we 
stood  now  began  to  shake  most  dreadfully, 
so  that  being  unable  to  stand,  my  compani- 
ons and  I  caught  hold  of  whatever  shrub  grew 
next  us,  and  supported  ourselves  in  that  man- 
ner. 

"  After  some  time,  this  violent  paroxysm 
ceasing,  we  again  stood  up,  in  order  to  pro- 
secute our  voyage  to  Euphaemia,  that  lay 
within  sight.  In  the  mean  time,  while  we 
were  preparing  for  this  purpose.  I  turned  my 
eyes  towards  the  city,  but  could  see  only  a 
frightful  dark  cloud  that  seemed  to  rest  upon 
the  place.  This  the  more  surprised  i.b,  as 
the  weather  was  so  very  serene.  We  waited, 
therefore,  till  the  cloud  was  passed  away; 
then  turning  to  look  for  the  city,  it  was  to- 
tally sunk.  Wonderful  to  tell !  nothing  but 
a  dismal  and  putrid  lake  was  to  be  seen 
where  it  stood.  We  looked  about  to  find 
some  one  that  could  tell  us  of  its  sad  catas- 
trophe, but  could  see  none  !  All  was  become 
a  melancholy  solitude!  a  scene  of  hideous  de- 
solation !  Thus  proceeding  pensively  along, 
in  quest  of  some  human  being  that  could  give 
us  some  little  information,  we  at  length  saw 
a  boy  sitting  by  the  shore,  and  appearing 
stupified  with  terror.  Of  him,  therefore,  we 
inquired  concerning  the  fate  of  the  city,  but 
he  could  not  be  induced  to  give  us  an  an- 
swer. We  entreated  him  with  every  ex- 
pression of  tenderness  and  pity  to  tell  us  : 
but  his  senses  were  quite  wrapt  up  in  the 


contemplation  of  the  danger  he  had  escaped. 
We  offered  him  some  victuals,  but  he  seemed 
to  loathe  the  sight.  We  still  persisted  in  our 
offices  of  kindness ;  but  he  only  pointed  to  the 
place  of  the  city,  like  one  out  of  his  senses ; 
and  then  running  up  into  the  woods,  was 
never  heard  of  after.  Such  was  the  fate  of 
the  city  of  EuphaBmia!  and  as  we  continued 
our  melancholy  course  along  the  shore,  the 
whole  coast,  for  the  space  of  two  hundred 
miles,  presented  nothing  but  the  remains  of 
cities,  and  men-  scattered,  without  an  habita- 
tion, over  the  fields.  Proceeding  thus  along, 
we  at  length  ended  our  distressful  voyage  by 
arriving  at  Naples,  after  having  escaped  a 
thousand  dangers  both  at  sea  and  land." 

The  reader,  I  hope,  w  ill  excuse  me  for  this 
long  translation  from  a  favourite  writer,  and 
that  the  sooner,  as  it  contains  some  particulars 
relative  to  earthquakes  not  to  be  found  else- 
where. From  the  whole  of  these  accounts 
we  may  gather,  that  the  most  concomitant 
circumstances  are  these : 

A  rumbling  sound  before  the  earthquake. 
This  proceeds  from  the  air  or  fire,  or  both, 
forcing  their  way  through  the  chasms  of  the 
earth,  and  endeavouring  to  get  free;  which 
is  also  heard  in  volcanoes. 

A  violent  agitation  or  heaving  of  the  sea, 
sometimes  before  and  sometimes  after  that  at 
land.  This  agitation  is  only  a  similar  effect 
produced  on  the  waters  with  that  at  land, 
and  may  be  called,  for  the  sake  of  perspicui- 
ty, a  sea-quake;  and  this  also  is  produced  by 
volcanoes. 

A  spouting  up  of  waters  to  great  heights. 
It  is  not  easy  to  describe  the  manner  in  which 
this  is  performed:  but  volcanoes  also  perform 
the  same ;  Vesuvius  being  known  frequently 
to  eject  a  vast  body  of  water. 

A  rocking  of  the  earth  to  and  fro,  and 
sometimes  a  perpendicular  bouncing,  if  it 
may  be  so  called,  of  the  same.  This  differ- 
rnce  chiefly  arises  from  the  situation  of  the 
place  with  respect  to  the  suhferranean  fire. 
Directly  under,  it  lifts;  at  a  farther  distance, 
it  rocks. 

Some  earthquakes  seem  to  travel  onward, 
and  are  felt  in  different  countries  at  different 
hours  the  same  day.  This  arises  from  the 
great  shock  being  given  to  the  earth  at  one 
place,  and  that  being  communicated  onward 
T, 


36 


A  HISTORY  OF 


by  an  undulatory  motion,  successively  affects 
different  regions  in  its  progress ;  as  the  blow 
given  by  a  stone  falling  in  a  lake,  is  not  per- 
ceived at  the  shores  till  some  time  after  the 
first  concussion. 

The  shock  is  sometimes  instantaneous,  like 
the  explosion  of  gunpowder;  and  sometimes 
tremulous,  and  continuing  for  several  minutes. 
The  nearer  the  place  where  the  shock  is  first 
given,  the  more  instantaneous  and  simple  it 
appears.  At  a  greater  distance,  the  earth 
redoubles  the  first  blow  witli  a  sort  of  vibra- 
tory continuation. 

As  waters  have  generally  so  great  a  share 
in  producing  earthquakes,  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  that  they  should  generally  follow 
those  breaches  made  by  the  force  of  fire,  and 
appear  in  the  great  chasms  which  the  earth- 
quake has  opened. 

These  are  some  of  the  most  remarkable 
phenomena  of  earthquakes,  presenting  a 
frightful  assemblage  of  the  most  terrible  effects 
of  air,  earth,  fire,  and  water. 

Th'>  v.dley  ofSolfatara,  near  Naples,  seems 
to  exhibit,  in  a  minuter  degree,  whatever  is 
seen  of  this  horrible  kind  oa  the  great  theatre 
of  nature.  This  plain,  which  is  about  twelve 
hundred  feet  long,  and  a  thousand  broad,  is 
embosomed  in  mountains,  and  has  in  the  mid- 
dle of  it  a  lake  of  noisome  blackish  water, 
covered  with  a  bitumen,  that  floats  upon  its 


surface.  In  every  part  of  this  plain,  caverns 
appear  smoking  with  sulphur,  and  often 
emitting  flames.  The  earth,  wherever  we 
walk  over  it,  trembles  beneath  the  feet. 
Noises  of  flames,  and  the  hissing  of  waters, 
are  heard  at  the  bottom.  The  water  some- 
times spouts  up  eight  or  ten  feet  high.  The 
most  noisome  fumes,  fetid  water,  and  sul- 
phureous vapours,  offend  the  smell.  A  stone 
thrown  into  any  of  the  caverns,  is  ejected 
again  with  considerable  violence.  These  ap- 
pearances generally  prevail  when  the  sea  is 
any  way  disturbed  ;  and  the  whole  seems"  to 
exhibit  the  appearance  of  an  earthquake  in 
miniature.  However,  in  this  smaller  scene 
of  wonders,  as  well  as  in  the  greater,  there 
are  many  appearances  for  which,  perhaps, 
we  shall  never  account ;  and  many  questions 
may  be  asked,  which  no  conjectures  can 
thoroughly  resolve.  It  was  the  fault  of  the 
philosophers  of  the  last  age,  to  be  more  in- 
quisitive after  the  causes  of  things  than 
after  the  things  themselves.  They  seemed 
to  think  that  a  confession  of  ignorance  can- 
celled their  claims  to  wisdom ;  they,  there- 
fore, had  a  solution  for  every  demand. — 
But  the  present  age  has  grown,  if  not 
more  inquisitive,  at  least  more  modest;  and 
none  are  now  ashamed  of  that  ignorance 
which  labour  can  neither  remedy  nor  re- 
move. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

OF  THE  APPEARANCE  OF  NEW  ISLANDS  AND  TRACTS;  AND  OF  THE 

DISAPPEARING  OF  OTHERS. 


HITHERTO  we  have  taken  a  survey  only 
of  the  evils  which  are  produced  by  subter- 
ranean fires,  but  we  have  mentioned  nothing 
of  the  benefits  they  may  possibly  produce. 
They  may  be  of  use  in  warming  and  cherish- 
ing the  ground,  in  promoting  vegetation,  and 
giving  a  more  exquisite  flavour  to  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  earth.  The  imagination  of  a 
person  who  has  never  been  out  of  our  vovvn 
mild  region,  can  scarcely  reach  to  that  luxu- 
riant beauty  with  which  all  nature  appears 


clothed  in  those  very  countries  that  we  hare 
but  just  now  described  as  desolated  by  earth- 
quakes, and  undermined  by  subterranean 
fires.  It  must  be  granted,  therefore,  that 
though  in  those  regions  they  have  a  greater 
share  in  the  dangers,  they  have  also  a  larger 
proportion  in  the  benefits  of  nature. 

But  there  is  another  advantage  arising  from 
subterranean  fires,  which,  though  hitherto 
disregarded  by  man,  yet  may  one  day  be- 
come serviceable  to  him;  I  mean,  that  while 


THE  EARTH. 


they  are  found  to  swallow  up  cities  and  plains 
in  one  place,  they  are  also  known  to  produce 
promontories  and  islands  in  another.  We 
have  many  instances  of  islands  being  thus 
formed  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  which,  though 
for  a  long  time  barren,  have  afterwards  be- 
come fruitful  seats  of  happiness  and  industry. 

New  islands  are  formed  in  two  ways ;  ei- 
ther suddenly,  by  the  action  of  subterraneous 
fires;  or  more  slowly,  by  the  deposition  of 
mud,  carried  down  by  rivers,  and  stopped  by 
some  accident."  With  respect  particularly 
to  the  first,  ancient  historians,  and  modern 
travellers,  give  us  such  accounts  as  we  can 
have  no  room  to  doubt  of.  Seneca  assures  us, 
that  in  his  time  the  island  of  Therasia  ap- 
peared unexpectedly  to  some  mariners,  as 
they  were  employed  in  another  pursuit.  Pliny 
assures  us,  that  thirteen  islands  in  the  Medi- 
terranean appeared  at  once  emerging  from 
the  water;  the  cause  of  which  he  ascribes 
rather  to  the  retiring  of  the  sea  in  those  parts, 
than  to  any  subterraneous  elevation.  How- 
ever, he  mentions  the  island  of  Hiera,  near 
that  of  Therasia,  as  formed  by  subterraneous 
explosions ;  and  adds  to  his  list  several  others 
formed  in  the  same  manner.  In  one  of  which 
he  relates  that  fish  in  great  abundance  were 
found,  and  that  all  those  who  ate  of  them 
died  shortly  after. 

"  On  the  twenty-fourth  of  May,b  in  the 
year  1707,  a  slight  earthquake  was  perceived 
at  Santorin;  and  the  day  following,  at  sun- 
rising,  an  object  was  seen  by  the  inhabitants 
of  that  island,  at  two  or  three  miles  distance 
at  sea,  which  appeared  like  a  floating  rock. 
Some  persons,  desirous  either  of  gain,  or  in- 
cited by  curiosity,  went  there,  and  found, 
even  while  they  stood  upon  this  rock,  that  it 
seemed  to  rise  beneath  their  feet.  They  per- 
ceived also,  that  its  surface  was  covered  with 
pumice-stones  and  oysters,  which  it  had  rais- 
ed from  the  bottom.  Every  day  after,  until 
the  fourteenth  of  June,  this  rock  seemed  con- 
siderably to  increase;  and  then  was  found  to 
be  half  a  mile  round,  and  about  thirty  feet 
above  the  sea.  The  earth  of  which  it  was 
composed  seemed  whitish,  with  a  small  pro- 
portion of  clay.  Soon  after  this  the  sea  again 

a  Buffon,  vol.  ii.  p.  343. 

"  Hist,  de  1'Acad.  an.  1708,  p.  23- 

«  Justin,  lib.  xxx.  cap.  4. 


appeared  troubled,  and  steams  arose  which 
were  very  offensive  to  the  inhabitants  of  San- 
torin. But  on  the  sixteenth  of  the  succeeding 
month,  seventeen  or  eighteen  rocks  more 
were  seen  to  rise  out  of  the  sea,  and  at  length 
to  join  together.  All  this  was  accompanied 
with  the  most  terrible  noise,  and  fires  which 
proceeded  from  the  island  that  was  newly 
formed.  The  whole  mass,  however,  of  all 
this  new-formed  earth,  uniting,  increased 
every  day,  both  in  height  and  breadth,  and, 
by  the  force  of  explosions,  cast  forth  rocks 
to  seven  miles  distance.  This  continued  to 
bear  the  same  dreadful  appearances  till  the 
month  of  November  in  the  same  year;  and  it 
is  at  present  a  volcano,  which  sometimes  re- 
news its  explosions.  It  is  about  three  miles  in 
circumference ;  and  more  than  from  thirty-five 
to  forty  feet  high." 

It  seems  extraordinary,  that,  about  this 
place  in  particular,  islands  have  appeared  at 
different  times,  particularly  that  of  Hiera, 
mentioned  above,  which  has  received  con- 
siderable additions  in  succeeding  ages.  Justin 
tells  us,c  that  at  the  time  the  Macedonians 
were  at  war  with  the  Romans,  a  new  island 
appeared  between  those  of  Theramenes  and 
Therasia,  by  means  of  an  earthquake.  We 
are  told  that  this  became  half  as  large  again 
about  a  thousand  years  after,  another  island 
rising  up  by  its  side,  and  joining  to  it,  so  as 
scarcely  at  present  to  be  distinguished  from 
the  former. 

A  new  island  was  formed  in  the  year  1720, 
near  that  of  Tercera,  near  the  continent  of 
Africa,  by  the  same  causes.  In  the  begin- 
ning of  December,  at  night,  there  was  a  ter- 
rible earthquake  at  that  place,  and  the  top 
of  a  new  island  appeared,  which  cast  forth 
smoke  in  vast  quantities.  The  pilot  of  a  ship, 
who  approached  it,  sounded  on  one  side  of  this 
island,  and  could  not  find  ground  at  sixty 
fathom :  at  tlie  other  side  the  sea  was  totally 
tinged  of  a  different  colour,  exhibiting  a  mix- 
ture of  white,  blue,  and  green;  and  was  very 
shallow.  This  island,  on  its  first  appearance, 
larger  than  it  is  at  present;  for  it  has 
since  that  time  sunk  in  such  a  manner,  as  to 
be  scarcely  above  water/1 

a  In  the  spring  of  1783,  a  volcanic  island  was  formed 

about  30  miles  from  the  south-west  point  of  Iceland.    The 

I    discoverer,  Captain  Von  Lowenhorn,  in  the  Danish  service 


38 


A  HISTORY  OF 


A  traveller,  whom  these  appearances  could 
not  avoid  affecting,  speaks  of  them  in  this 
manner :a  "What  can  be  more  surprising 
than  to  see  fire  not  only  break  out  of  the  bow- 
els of  the  earth,  but  also  to  make  itself  a  pas- 
sage through  the  waters  of  the  sea!  What 
can  be  more  extraordinary,  or  foreign  to  our 
common  notions  of  things,  than  to  see  the  bot- 
tom of  the  sea  rise  up  into  a  mountain  above 
the  water,  and  become  so  firm  an  island  as  to 
be  able  to  resist  the  violence  of  the  greatest 
storms !  I  know  that  subterraneous  fires,  when 
pent  in  a  narrow  passage,  are  able  to  raise 
up  a  mass  of  earth  as  large  as  an  island  :  but 
that  this  should  be  done  in  so  regular  and  ex- 
act a  manner  that  the  water  of  the  sea  should 
not  be  able  to  penetrate  and  extinguish  those 
fires;  that  after  having  made  so  many  passa- 
ges, they  should  retain  force  enough  to  raise 
the  earth ;  and,  in  fine,  after  having  been  ex- 
tinguished, that  the  mass  of  earth  should  not 
fall  down,  or  sink  again  with  its  own  weight, 
but  still  remain  in  a  manner  suspended  over 
the  great  arch  below !  This  is  what  to  me 
seems  more  surprising  than  any  thing  that 
has  been  related  of  Mount  J^tna,  Vesuvius, 
or  any  other  volcano." 

Such  are  his  sentiments :  however,  there 
are  few  of  these  appearances  any  way  more 
extraordinary  thcin  those  attending  volcanoes 
arid  earthquakes  in  general.  We  are  not  more 
to  be  surprised  that  inflammable  substances 
should  be  found  beneath  the  bottom  of  the 
sea,  than  at  similar  depths  at  land.  These 
have  all  the  force  of  fire,  giving  expansion  to 
air,  and  tending  to  raise  the  earth  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  sea,  till  it  at  length  heaves  above 
water.  These  marine  volcanoes  are  not  so 
frequent;  for,  if  we  may  judge  of  the  usual 
procedure  of  nature,  it  must  very  often  hap- 
pen, that  before  the  bottom  of  the  sea  is  ele- 
vated above  the  surface,  a  chasm  is  opened 
in  it,  and  then  the  water  pressing  in,  extin- 
guishes the  volcano  before  it  has  time  to  pro- 


who  arrived  just  at  the  time  of  the  first  eruption,  when 
smoke  and  flames  ascended  out  of  the  sea,  relates  that  no 
island  or  any  land  could  be  seen,  from  which  these  flames 
could  originate.  No  wonder,  then,  that  he  fell  into  the 
greatest  consternation,  when,  as  he  expresses  himself,  he 
saw  the  waves  on  fire.  The  following  year  the  Danish 
government  directed,  that  all  ships  bound  to  Iceland 
should  examine  the  new-formed  island ;  but  so  entirely 


duce  its  effects.  This  extinction,  however, 
is  not  effected  without  very  great  resistance 
from  the  fire  beneath.  The  water,  upon  dash- 
ing into  the  cavern,  is  very  probably  at  first 
ejected  back  with  great  violence ;  and  thus 
some  of  those  amazing  water-spouts  are  seen, 
which  have  so  often  astonished  the  mariner. 
j  and  excited  curiosity.  But  of  these  in  their 
place. 

Besides  the  production  of  those  islands  by 
the  action  of  fire,  there  are  others,  as  was  said, 
produced  by  rivers  or  seas  carrying  mud, 
earth,  and  such  like  substances,  along  with 
their  currents;  and  at  last  depositing  them  in 
some  particular  place.  At  the  mouths  of 
most  great  rivers,  there  are  to  be  seen  banks, 
thus  formed  by  the  sand  and  mud  carried 
down  with  the  stream,  which  have  rested  at 
that  place,  where  the  force  of  the  current  is 
diminished  by  its  junction  with  the  sea.  These 
banks,  by  slow  degrees,  increase  at  the  bot 
torn  of  the  deep :  the  water  in  those  places, 
is  at  first  found  by  mariners  to  grow  more 
shallow ;  the  bank  soon  heaves  up  above  the 
surface ;  it  is  considered,  for  a  while,  as  a 
tract  of  useless  and  barren  sand ;  but  the 
seeds  of  some  of  the  more  hardy  vegetables 
are  driven  thither  by  the  wind,  take  root,  and 
thus  binding  the  sandy  surface,  the  whole 
spot  is  clothed  in  time  with  a  beautiful  ver- 
dure. In  this  manner  there  are  delightful 
and  inhabited  islands  at  the  mouths  of  many 
rivers,  particularly  the  Nile,  the  Po,  the  Mis- 
sissippi, the  Ganges,  and  the  Senegal.  There 
has  been,  in  the  memory  of  man,  a  beautiful 
and  large  island  formed  in  this  manner  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Nanquin,  in  China,  made 
from  depositions  of  mud  at  its  opening :  it  is 
not  less  than  sixty  miles  long,  and  about 
twenty  broad.  La  Loubere  informs  us,1*  in 
his  voyage  to  Siam,  that  these  sand-banks  in- 
crease every  day,  at  the  mouths  of  all  the 
great  rivers  in  Asia :  and  hence,  he  asserts, 
that  the  navigation  up  these  rivers  becomes 

had  it  vanished,  that  none  of  them  either  saw  or  could 
discover  the  smallest  trace  of  it.  However,  towards  the 
end  of  the  next  year,  a  Danish  ship  of  war,  of  64  guns,  was 
wrecked  on  this  rock ;  which  is  now  no  longer  visible,  but 
remains  a  most  dangerous  rock,  nearly  level  with  the  sur- 
face of  the  water. 

a  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  v.  p.  197- 

b  Lettres  Curieuses  et  Edifiantes,  sec.  xi.  p.  234. 


THE  EARTH. 


39 


every  day  more  difficult,  and  will,  at  one  time 
or  other,  be  totally  obstructed.  The  same 
may  be  remarked  with  regard  to  the  Wolga, 
which  has  at  present  seventy  openings  into 
the  Caspian  sea;  and  of  the  Danube,  which 
has  seven  into  the  Euxine.  We  have  had  an 
instance  of  the  formation  of  a  new  island  not 
very  long  since  at  the  mouth  of  the  Humber, 
in  England.  "  It  is  yet  within  the  memory  of 
man,'r  says  the  relater,*  "  since  it  began  to 
raise  its  head  above  the  ocean.  It  began  its 
appearance  at  low  water,  for  the  space  of  a 
few  hours,  and  was  buried  again  till  the  next 
tide's  retreat.  Thus  successively  it  lived  and 
died,  until  the  year  1666,  when  it  began  to 
maintain  its  ground  against  the  insult  of  the 
waves,  and  then  first  invited  the  aid  of  human 
industry.  A  bank  was  thrown  about  its  rising 
grounds,  and  being  thus  defended  from  the 
incursions  of  the  sea,  it  became  firm  and  so- 
lid, and,  in  a  short  time,  afforded  good  pas- 
turage for  cattle.  It  is  about  nine  miles  in 
circumference,  and  is  worth  to  the  proprietor 
about  eight  hundred  pounds  a  year.1"  It  would 
be  endless  to  mention  all  the  islands  that  have 
been  thus  formed,  and  the  advantages  that 
have  been  derived  from  them.  However,  it 
is  frequently  found,  that  new  islands  may  of- 
ten be  considered  as  only  turning  the  ri- 
vers from  their  former  beds ;  so  that  in  pro- 
portion as  land  is  gained  at  one  part,  it  is  lost 
by  the  overflowing  of  some  other. 

Little,  therefore,  is  gained  by  such  acces- 
sion; nor  is  there  much  more  by  the  new  is- 
lands which  are  sometimes  formed  from  the 
spoils  of  the  continent.  Mariners  assure  us. 
that  there  are  sometimes  whole  plains  unroot- 
ed from  the  main  lands,  by  floods  and  tem- 
pests. These  being  carried  out  to  sea,  with 
all  their  trees  and  animals  upon  them,  are 
frequently  seen  floating  in  the  ocean,  and  ex- 
hibiting a  surprising  appearance  of  rural  tran- 
quillity in  the  midst  of  danger.  The  greatest 
part,  however,  having  the  earth  at  their  roots 
at  length  washed  away,  are  dispersed,  and  their 
animals  drowned;  but  now  and  then  some 
arc  (bund  to  brave  the  fury  of  the  ocean,  till 
being  stuck  either  among  rocks  or  sands, 
'hoy  again  take  firm  footing,  and  become  per- 
manent islands. 

8  Phil  Trans,  vol.  iv.  p.  251. 


As  different  causes  have  thus  concurred  to 
produce  new  islands,  so  we  have  accounts  of 
others,  that  the  same  causes  have  contributed 
to  destroy.  We  have  already  seen  the  power 
of  earthquakes  exerted  in  sinking  whole  ci- 
ties, and  leaving  lakes  in  their  room.  Them 
have  been  islands,  and  regions  also,  that  have 
shared  the  same  fate ;  and  have  sunk  with 
their  inhabitants  never  more  to  be  heard  of 
Thus  Pausaniasb  tells  us  of  an  island  called 
Chryses,  that  was  sunk  near  Lemnos.  Plin; 
mentions  several ;  among  others,  the  island 
of  Cea,  for  thirty  miles,  having  been  washed 
away,  with  several  thousands  of  its  inhabi- 
tants. But  of  all  the  noted  devastations  of 
this  kind,  the  total  submersion  of  the  island 
of  Atalantis,  as  mentioned  by  Plato,  has  been 
most  the  subject  of  speculation.  Mankind,  in 
general,  now  consider  the  whole  of  his  de- 
scription as  an  ingenious  fable  ;  but  when  fa- 
bles are  grown  famous  by  time  and  authority, 
they  become  an  agreeable,  if  not  a  necessary, 
part  of  literary  information. 

"  About  nine  thousand  years  are  passed," 
says  Plato,0  "  since  the  island  of  Atalantis  was 
in  being.  The  priests  of  Egypt  were  well 
acquainted  with  it;  and  the  first  heroes  of 
Athens  gained  much  glory  in  their  wars  with 
the  inhabitants.  This  island  was  as  large  as 
Asia  Minor  and  Syria  united;  and  was  situa- 
ted beyond  the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  in  the  At- 
lantic ocean.  The  beauty  of  the  buildings, 
and  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  were  far  beyond 
any  thing  a  modern  imagination  can  conceive: 
gold  and  ivory  were  every  where  common  ; 
and  the  fruits  of  the  earth  offered  themselves 
without  cultivation.  The  arts  and  the  courage 
of  the  inhabitants,  were  not  interior  to  the 
happiness  of  their  situation;  and  they  were 
frequently  known  to  make  conquests,  and 
overrun  the  continents  of  Europe  and  Asia.'' 
The  imagination  of  the  poetical  philosopher 
riots  in  the  description  of  the  natural  and  ac- 
quired advantages,  which  they  long  enjoyed 
in  this  charming  region.  "  If,"  says  he,  "  we 
compare  that  country  to  our  own,  ours  will 
appear  a  mere  wasted  skeleton,  when  oppo- 
sed to  it.  Their  mountains,  to  the  very  tops, 
were  clothed  with  fertility,  and  poured  down 
rivers  to  enrich  the  plains  below/' 

b  Pausanias,  1.  8.  in  Arcad.  p.  509-         '  Plato  in  Critia. 
M 


40 


A  HISTORY  OF 


However,  all  these  beauties  and  benefits 
were  destroyed  in  one  day  by  an  earthquake 
sinking  the  earth,  and  the  sea  overwhelming 
it.  At  present  not  the  smallest  vestiges  of  such 
an  island  are  to  be  found  ;  Plato  remains  as 
the  only  authority  for  its  existence ;  and  phi- 
losophers dispute  about  its  situation.  It  is 
not  for  me  to  enter  into  the  controversy,  when 
there  appears  but  little  probability  to  support 
the  fact;  and,  indeed,  it  would  be  useless  to 
run  back  nine  thousand  years  in  search  of 
difficulties,  as  we  are  surrounded  with  objects 


that  more  closely  affect  us,  and  that  de- 
mand admiration  at  our  very  doors.  When 
I  consider,  as  Lactantius  suggests,  the  va- 
rious vicissitudes  of  nature ;  lands  swal- 
lowed by  yawning  earthquakes,  or  over- 
whelmed in  the  deep;  rivers  and  lakes 
disappearing,  or  dried  away;  mountains  le- 
velled into  plains ;  and  plains  swelling  up 
into  mountains;  I  cannot  help  regarding  this 
earth  as  a  place  of  every  little  stability;  as 
a  transient  abode  of  still  more  transitory 
beings. 


CHAPTER  XH. 

OF  MOUNTAINS. 


HAVING  at  last,  in  some  measure,  emerg- 
ed from  the  deeps  of  the  earth,  we  come  to  a 
scene  of  greater  splendour;  the  contempla- 
tion of  its  external  appearance.  In  this  sur- 
vey, its  mountains  are  the  first  objects  that 
strike  the  imagination,  and  excite  our  curio- 
sity. There  is  not,  perhaps,  any  thing  in  all 
nature  that  impresses  an  unaccustomed  spec- 
tator with  such  ideas  of  awful  solemnity,  as 
these  immense  piles  of  Nature's  erecting,  that 
seem  to  mock  the  minuteness  of  human  mag- 
nificence. 

In  countries  where  there  are  nothing  but 
plains,  the  smallest  elevations  are  apt  to  ex- 
cite wonder.  In  Holland,  which  is  all  a  fiat, 
they  show  a  little  ridge  of  hills,  near  the  sea- 
side, which  Boerhaave  generally  marked  out 
to  his  pupils,  as  being  mountains  of  no  small 
consideration.  What  would  be  the  sensations 
of  such  an  auditory,  could  they  at  once  be 
presented  with  a  view  of  the  heights  and  pre- 
cipices of  the  Alps  or  the  Andes !  Even 
among  us  in  England,  we  have  no  adequate' 
ideas  of  a  mountain  prospect;  our  hills  are 
generally  sloping  from  the  plain,  and  clothed 
to  the  very  top  with  verdure  :  we  can  scarce- 
ly, therefore,  lift  our  iin-.ginations  to  those 
immense  piles,  whose  tops  peep  up  behind 
intervening  clouds,  sharp  and  precipitate,  and 
reach  to  heights  thit  human  avarice  or  curio- 
sity have  never  been  able  to  ascend. 


We,  in  this  part  of  the  world,  are  not,  for 
that  reason,  so  immediately  interested  in  the 
question  which  has  so  long  been  agitated 
among  philosophers,  concerning  what  gave 
rise  to  these  inequalities  on  the  surface  of  the 
globe.  In  our  own  happy  region,  we  gene- 
rally see  no  inequalities  but  such  as  contri- 
bute to  use  and  beauty;  and  we  therefore 
are  amazed  at  a  question,  inquiring  how  such 
necessary  inequalities  came  to  be  formed, 
and  seeming  to  express  a  wonder  how  the 
globe  comes  to  be  so  beautiful  as  we  find  it 
But  though  with  us  there  may  be  no  great 
cause  for  such  a  demand,  yet  in  those  places 
where  mountains  deform  the  face  of  nature, 
where  they  pour  down  cataracts,  or  give  fury 
to  tempests,  there  seems  to  be  good  reason 
for  inquiry  either  into  their  causes  or  their  uses. 
It  has  been,  therefore,  asked  by  many,  in  what 
manner  mountains  have  come  to  be  formed ; 
or  for  what  uses  they  are  designed  ? 

To  satisfy  curiosity  in  these  respects,  much 
reasoning  has  been  employed,  and  very  little 
knowledge  propagated.  With  regard  to  the 
first  part  of  the  demand,  the  manner  in  which 
mountains  were  formed,  we  have  already 
seen  the  conjectures  of  different  philosophers 
on  that  head.  One  supposing  that  they  were 
formed  from  the  earth1?  iiroken  shell  at  the 
time  of  the  deluge  ;  another,  that  they  exist- 
ed from  the  creation,  and  only  acquired  their 


THE  EARTH. 


41 


deformities  in  process  of  time ;  a  third,  that 
they  owed  their  original  to  earthquakes  ;  and 
still  a  fourth,  with  much  more  plausibility  than 
the  rest,  ascribing  them  entirely  to  the  fluc- 
tuations of  the  deep,  which  he  supposes  in 
the  beginning  to  have  covered  the  whole 
earth.  Such  as  are  pleased  with  disquisitions 
of  this  kind,  may  consult  Burnet,  Winston, 
Woodward,  or  Buffon.  Nor  would  I  be 
thought  to  decry  any  mental  amusements,  that 
at  worst  keep  us  innocently  employed ;  but, 
for  my  own  part,  I  cannot  help  wondering 
how  the  opposite  demand  has  never  come  to 
be  made ;  and  why  philosophers  have  never 
asked  how  we  come  to  have  plains?  Plains 
are  sometimes  more  prejudicial  to  man  than 
mountains.  Upon  plains,  an  inundation  has 
greater  power;  the  beams  of  the  sun  are  often 
collected  there  with  suffocating  fierceness; 
they  are  sometimes  found  desert  for  several 
hundred  miles  together,  as  in  the  country  east 
of  the  Caspian  sea,  although  otherwise  fruit- 
ful, merely  because  there  are  no  risings  or 
depressions  to  form  reservoirs,  or  collect  the 
smallest  rivulet  of  water.  The  most  rational 
answer,  therefore,  why  either  mountains  or 
plains  were  formed,  seems  to  be  that  they 
were  thus  fashioned  by  the  hand  of  Wisdom, 
in  order  that  pain  and  pleasure  should  be  so 
contiguous,  as  that  morality  might  be  exer- 
cised either  in  bearing  the  one,  or  communi- 
cating the  other. 

Indeed,  the  more  I  consider  this  dispute 
respecting  the  formation  of  mountains,  the 
more  I  am  struck  with  the  futility  of  the  ques- 
tion. There  is  neither  a  straight  line,  nor  an 
exact  superficies,  in  all  nature.  If  we  con- 
sider a  circle,  even  with  mathematical  pre- 
cision, we  shall  find  it  formed  of  a  number  of 
small  right  lines,  joining  at  angles  together. 
These  angles,  therefore,  may  be  considered 
in  a  circle  as  mountains  are  upon  our  globe ; 
and  to  demand  the  reason  for  the  one  being 
mountainous,  or  the  other  angular,  is  only  to 
ask,  why  a  circle  is  a  circle,  or  a  globe  is  a 
globe.  In  short,  if  there  be  no  surface  with- 
out inequality  in  nature,  why  should  we  be 
surprised  that  the  earth  has  such  ?  It  has  often 
been  said,  that  the  inequalities  of  its  surface 
are  scarce  distinguishable,  if  compared  to  its 
magnitude;  and  !  think  we  have  every  reason 
to  be  content  with  the  answer. 


Some,  however,  have  avoided  the  difficulty 
by  urging  the  final  cause.  They  allege,  that 
mountains  have  been  formed  merely  because 
they  are  useful  to  man.  This  carries  the  in- 
quirer but  a  part  of  the  way ;  for  no  one 
can  affirm,  that  in  all  places  they  are  useful. 
The  contrary  is  known,  by  horrid  experience, 
in  those  valleys  that  are  subject  to  their  in- 
fluence. However,  as  the  utility  of  any  part 
of  our  earthly  habitation  is  a  very  pleasing 
and  flattering  speculation  to  every  philoso- 
pher, it  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  much  has 
been  said  to  prove  the  usefulness  of  these. 
For  this  purpose  many  conjectures  have  been 
made,  that  have  received  a  degree  of  assent 
even  beyond  their  evidence;  for  men  were 
unwilling  to  become  more  miserably  wise. 

It  has  been  alleged,  as  one  principal  ad- 
vantage that  we  derive  from  them,  that  they 
serve,  like  hoops  or  ribs,  to  strengthen  our 
earth,  and  to  bind  it  together.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  theory,  Kircher  has  given  us  a 
map  of  the  earth,  in  this  manner  hooped  with 
its  mountains ;  which  might  have  a  much 
more  solid  foundation,  did  it  entirely  corres- 
pond with  truth. 

Others  haVe  found  a  different  use  for  them. 
!  especially  when  they  run  surrounding  our 
globe ;  which  is,  that  they  stop  the  vapours 
which  are  continually  travelling  from  the 
equator  to  the  poles ;  for  these  being  urged 
by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  from  the  warm  regions 
of  the  line,  must  all  be  accumulated  at  the 
poles,  if  they  were  not  stopped  in  their  way 
by  those  high  ridges  of  mountains  which  cross 
their  direction.  But  an  answer  to  this  may 
be,  that  all  the  great  mountains  in  America 
lie  lengthwise,  and  therefore  do  not  cross 
their  direction. 

But  to  leave  these  remote  advantages, 
others  assert,  that  not  only  the  animal  but 
vegetable  part  of  the  creation  would  perish 
for  want  of  convenient  humidity,  were  it  not 
for  their  friendly  assistance.  Their  summits 
are,  by  these,  supposed  to  arrest,  as  it  were, 
the  vapours  which  float  in  the  regions  of  the 
'heir  large  inflections  and  channels  are 


air. 


considered  as  so  many  basons  prepared  for 
the  reception  of  those  thick  vapours,  and  im- 
petuous rains,  which  descend  into  them.  The 
huge  caverns  beneath  are  so  many  magazines 
or  conservatories  of  water  for  the  peculiar 


42 


A  HISTORY  OF 


e  of  man  ;  and  those  orifices  by  which 
Ihe  water  is  discharged  upon  the  plain,  are 
so  situated  as  to  enrich  and  render  them 
fruitful,  instead  of  returning  through  subter- 
raneous  channels  to  the  sea,  after  the  perform- 
ance of  a  tedious  and  fruitless  circulation.3 

However  this  be,  certain  it  is,  that  almost 
all  our  great  rivers  find  their  source  among 
mountains ;  and,  in  general,  the  more  exten- 
sive the  mountain,  the  greater  the  river:  thus 
the  river  Amazon,  the  greatest  in  the  world, 
has  its  source  among  the  Andes,  which  are 
the  highest  mountains  on  the  globe ;  the  ri- 
ver Niger  travels  a  long  course  of  several 
hundred  miles  from  the  mountains  of  the 
Moon,  the  highest  in  all  Africa;  and  the  Da- 
nube and  the  Rhine  proceed  from  the  Alps, 
which  are  probably  the  highest  mountains  of 
Europe. 

It  needs  scarcely  be  said,  that,  with  respect 
to  height,  there  are  many  sizes  of  mountains, 
from  the  gently  rising  upland,  to  the  tall  crag- 

§y  precipice.  The  appearance  is  in  general 
ifferent  in  those  of  different  magnitudes.  The 
first  are  clothed  with  verdure  to  the  very  tops, 
and  only  seem  to  ascend  to  improve  our  pros- 
pects, or  supply  us  with  a  purer  air :  but  the 
lofty  mountains  of  the  oilier  class  have  a  very 
different  aspect.  At  a  distance  their  tops  are 
seen,  in  wavy  ridges,  of  the  very  colour  of  the 
clouds,  and  only  to  be  distinguished  from 
them  by  their  figure;  which,  as  I  have  said, 
resembles  the  billows  of  the  sea.b  As  we  ap- 
proach, the  mountain  assumes  a  deeper  co- 
lour ;  it  gathers  upon  the  sky,  and  seems  to 
hide  half  the  horizon  behind  it.  Its  summits 
also  are  become  more  distinct,  and  appear 
with  a  broken  and  perpendicular  line.  What 
at  first  seemed  a  single  hill,  is  now  found  to 
be  a  chain  of  continued  mountains,  whose 
tops  running  along  in  ridges,  are  embosomed 
in  each  other;  so  that  the  curvatures  of  one 
are  fitted  to  the  prominences  of  the  opposite 
•side,  and  form  a  winding  valley  between,  of- 
ten of  several  miles  in  extent ;  and  all  the 
way  continuing  nearly  of  the  same  breadth. 

Nothing  can  be  finer,  or  more  exact,  than 
Mr.  Pope's  description  of  a  traveller  stniining 
tip  the  Alps.  Every  mountain  he  comes  to 

a  Nature  Displayed,  vol.  iii.  p.  88. 

h  Lettres  1'hiloFophiques  sur  la  Formation,  &rr.  p.  IOC. 


he  thinks  will  be  the  last;  he  finds,  however, 
an  unexpected  hill  rise  before  him ;  and  thaf 
being  scaled,  he  finds  the  highest  summit  al- 
most at  as  great  a  distance  as  before.  Upon 
quitting  the  plain,  he  might  have  left  a  green 
and  fertile  soil,  and  a  climate  warm  and  pleas- 
ing. As  he  ascends,  the  ground  assumes  a 
more  russet  colour;  the  grass  becomes  more 
mossy,  and  the  weather  more  moderate.  Still 
as  he  ascends,  the  weather  becomes  more 
cold,  and  the  earth  more  barren.  In  this  dreary 
passage  he  is  often  entertained  with  a  little 
valley  of  surprising  verdure,  caused  by  the 
reflected  heat  of  the  sun  collected  into  a  nar- 
row spot  on  the  surrounding  heights.  But  it 
much  more  frequently  happens  that  he  sees 
only  frightful  precipices  beneath,  and  lakes  of 
amazing  depths;  from  whence  rivers  are 
formed,  and  fountains  derive  their  original. 
On  those  places  next  the  highest  summits, 
vegetation  is  scarcely  carried  on ;  here  and 
there  a  few  plants  of  the  most  hardy  kind  ap- 
pear. The  air  is  intolerably  cold ;  either 
continually  refrigerated  with  frosts,  or  dis- 
turbed with  tempests.  All  the  ground  here 
wears  an  eternal  covering  of  ice,  and  snows 
that  seem  constantly  accumulating.  Upon 
emerging  from  this  war  of  the  elements,  he 
ascends  into  a  purer  and  serener  region, 
where  vegetation  is  entirely  ceased  ;  where 
the  precipices,  composed  entirely  of  rocks, 
rise  perpendicularly  above  him ;  while  he 
views  beneath  him  all  the  combat  of  the  ele- 
ments; clouds  at  his  feet,  and  thunders  dart- 
ing upwards  from  their  bosoms  below."  A 
thousand  meteors,  which  are  never  seen  on 
the  plain,  present  themselves.  Circular  rain- 
bows;*1 mock  suns;  the  shadow  of  the  moun- 
tain projected  upon  the  body  of  the  air  :e  and 
the  traveller's  own  image,  reflected  as  in  a 
looking-glass,  upon  the  opposite  cloud/ 

Such  are,  in  general,  the  wonders  that  pre- 
sent themselves  to  a  traveller  in  bis  journey 
either  over  the  Alps  or  the  Andes.  But  we 
must  not  suppose  that  this  picture  exhibits 
either  a  constant  or  an  invariable  likeness  of 
those  stupendous  heights.  Indeed,  nothing 
can  be  more  capricious  or  irregular  than  the 
forms  of  many  of  them.  The  tops  of  some 

«  Ulloa.  vol.  i.  d  Ibid. 

«  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  v.  p.  152.  f  Ulloa,  vol.  i. 


THE  EARTH. 


43 


run  in  ridges  for  a  considerable  length, 
without  interruption ;  in  others,  the  line  seems 
indented  by  great  valleys  to  an  amazing 
depth.  Sometimes  a  solitary  and  a  single 
mountain  rises  from  the  bosom  of  the  plain ; 
and  sometimes  extensive  plains,  and  even 
provinces,  as  those  of  Savoy  and  Quito,  are 
found  embosomed  near  tops  of  mountains. 
In  general,  however,  those  countricsthat  are 
most  mountainous,  are  the  most  barren  and 
uninhabitable. 

If  we  compare  the  heights  of  mountains 
with  each  other,  we  shall  lind  that  the  great- 
est and  highest  are  found  under  the  line."  It 
is  thought  by  some,  that  the  rapidity  of  the 
earth's  motion  in  these  parts,  together  with 
the  greatness  of  the  tides  there,  may  have 
thrown  >up  those  stupendous  masses  of  earth. 
But,  be  the  cause  as  it  may,  it  is  a  remarka- 
ble fact,  that  the  inequalities  of  the  earth's 
surface  are  greatest  there.  Near  the  poles, 
the  earth,  indeed,  is  craggy  and  uneven 
enough;  but  the  heights  of  the  mountains 
there  are  very  inconsiderable.  On  the  con- 
trary, at  the  equator,  where  nature  seems  to 
sport  in  the  amazing  size  of  all  her  produc- 
tions, the  plains  are  extensive,  and  the  moun- 
tains remarkably  lofty.  Some  of  them  are 
known  to  rise  three  miles  perpendicular  above 
the  bed  of  the  ocean. 

To  enumerate  the  most  remarkable  of  these, 
according  to  their  size,  we  shall  begin  with 
the  Andes,  of  which  we  have  an  excellent  de- 
scription by  Ulloa,  who  wont  thither  by  com- 
mand of  the  king  of  Spain,  in  company  with 
the  French  Academicians,  to  measure  a  de- 
gree of  the  meridian.  His  journey  up  these 
mountains  is  too  curious  not  to  give  an  ex- 
tract from  it. 

After  many  incommodious  days  sailing  up 
the  river  Guayaquil,  he  arrived  at  Caracol,  a 
town  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Andes.  No- 
thing could  exceed  the  inconveniences  which 
ho  experienced  in  this  voyage,  from  the  flies 
and  moschotoes,  (an  animal  resembling  our 
gnat.)  "  We  were  the  whole  day,"  says  he, 
"  in  continual  motion  to  keep  them  off;  but 
at  night  our  torments  were  excessive.  Our 
gloves,  indeed,  were  some  defence  to  our 
hands;  but  our  faces  were  entirely  exposed; 

•  Kuftbn,  passim. 
NO.  5. 


nor  were  our  clothes  a  sufficient  defence  for 
the  rest  of  our  bodies ;  for  their  stings  pene- 
trating through  the  cloth,  caused  a  very  pain- 
ful and  fiery  itching.  One  night,  in  coming 
to  an  anchor  near  a  large  and  handsome  house 
that  was  uninhabited,  we  had  no  sooner  seat- 
ed ourselves  in  it,  than  we  were  attacked  on 
all  sides  by  swarms  of  moschetoes,  so  that  it 
was  impossible  to  have  one  moment's  quiet. 
Those  who  had  covered  themselves  with 
clothes  made  for  this  purpose,  found  not  the 
smallest  defence ;  wherefore,  hoping  to  find 
some  relief  in  the  open  fields,  we  ventured 
out,  though  in  danger  of  suffering  in  a  more 
terrible  manner  from  the  serpents.  But  both 
places  were  equally  obnoxious.  On  quitting 
this  inhospitable  retreat,  we  the  next  night 
took  up  our  quarters  in  a  house  that  was  in- 
habited ;  the  host  of  which  being  informed  of 
the  terrible  manner  we  had  past  the  night  bc-« 
fore,  gravely  told  us,  that  the  house  we  so 
greatly  complained  of,  had  been  forsaken  on 
account  of  its  being  the  purgatory  of  a  soul. 
But  we  had  more  reason  to  believe  that  it 
was  quitted  on  account  of  its  being  the  pur- 
gatory of  the  body.  After  having  journeyed 
for  upwards  of  three  days,  through  boggy 
roads,  in  which  the  mules  at  every  step  sunk 
up  to  their  bellies,  we  began  at  length  to  per- 
ceive an  alteration  in  the  climate;  and  hav- 
ing been  long  accustomed  to  heat,  we  now 
began  to  feel  it  grow  sensibly  colder. 

"  It  is  remarkable,  that  at  Tariguagua  we 
often  see  instances  of  the  effects  of  two  op- 
posite temperatures,  in  two  persons  happen- 
ing to  meet;  one  of  them  leaving  the  plains 
below,  and  the  other  descending  from  the 
mountain.  The  former  thinks  the  cold  so  se- 
vere, that  he  wraps  himself  up  in  all  the  gar- 
ments he  can  procure ;  while  the  latter  finds 
the  heat  so  great,  that  he  is  scarce  able  to 
bear  any  clothes  whatsoever.  The  one  thinks 
the  water  so  cold,  that  he  avoids  being  sprink- 
led by  it;  the  ofher  is  so  delighted  with  its 
warmth,  that  he  uses  it  as  a  bath.  Nor  is  the 
ease  very  different  in  the  same  person,  who 
experiences  the  same  diversity  of  sensation 
upon  his  journey  up,  and  upon  his  return. 
This  difference  only  proceeds  from  the  change 
naturally  felt  at  leaving  a  climate  to  which 
one  has  been  accustomed,  and  coming  into 
another  of  an  opposite  tempeniture. 

N 


44 


A  HISTORY  OF 


•;  The  ruggedness  of  the  road  from  Tarigu- 
agua,  leading  up  the  mountain,  is  not  easily 
described.  In  some  parts,  the  declivity  is  so 
great,  that  the  mules  can  scarcely  keep  their 
tooting;  and  in  others,  the  acclivity  is  equally 
difficult.  The  trouble  of  having  people  going 
before  to  mend  the  road,  the  pains  arising 
from  the  many  falls  and  bruises,  and  the  being 
constantly  wet  to  the  skin,  might  be  support- 
ed, were  not  these  inconveniences  augmented 
by  the  sight  of  such  frightful  precipices,  and 
deep  abysses,  as  must  fill  the  mind  with 
ceaseless  terror.  There  are  some  places 
where  the  road  is  so  steep,  and  yet  so  nar- 
roAV,  that  the  mules  are  obliged  to  slide  down, 
without  making  any  use  of  their  feet  whatso- 
ever. On  one  side  of  the  rider,  in  this  situa- 
tion, rises  an  eminence  of  several  hundred 
yards ;  and  on  the  other,  an  abyss  of  equal 
depth ;  so  that  if  he  in  the  least  checks  his 
mule,  so  as  to  destroy  the  equilibrium,  they 
both  must  unavoidably  perish. 

"  After  having  travelled  about  nine  days  in 
this  manner,  slowly  winding  along  the  side  of 
the  mountain,  we   began  to  find  the  whole 
country  covered  with  an  hoar  frost;  and  an 
hut,  in  which  we  lay,  had  ice  on  it.     Having 
escaped  many  perils,  we  at  length,  after  a 
journey  of  fifteen  days,  arrived  upon  the  plain, 
on  the  extremity  of  which  stand*  the  city  of 
Quito,  the  capital  of  one  of  the  most  charming 
regions  upon  earth.     Here,  in  the  centre  of 
the  torrid  zone,  the  heat  is  not  only  very 
tolerable,  but  in  some  places  the  cold  also  is 
painful.    Here  they  enjoy  all  the  temperature 
and  advantages  of  perpetual   spring;   their 
fields  being  always  covered  with  verdure,  and 
enamelled  with  flowers  of  the  most  lively  co- 
lours.    However,  although  this  beautiful  re- 
gion be  higher  than  any  other  country  in  the 
world,  and  although  it  took  up  so  many  days 
of  painful  journey   in   the  ascent,  it  is  still 
overlooked  by  tremendous  mountains ;  their 
sides   covered  with  snow,   and   yet   flaming 
with  volcanoes  at  the  top.     These  seemed 
piled  one  upon  the  other,  and  rise  to  a  most 
astonishing  height,  with  great  coldness.    How- 
ever, at  a  determined  point  above  the  surface 
of  the  sea,  the  congelation  is  found  at  the 
same  height   in   all   the   mountains.     Those 
parts  which  are  not  subject  to  a  continual 
frost,  have  here  and  there  growing  upon  them 


a  rush,  resembling  the  genista,  but  much  more 
soft  and  flexible.     Towards  the  extremity  of 
the  part  where  the  rush  grows,  and  the  cold 
begins  to  increase,  is  found  a  vegetable,  with 
a  round  bulbous   head,  which,  when  dried, 
becomes  of  amazing  elasticity.     Higher  up, 
the  earth  is  entirely  bare  of  vegetation,  and 
seems    covered    with    eternal    snow.      The 
most  remarkable  mountains  are,  that  of  Co- 
topaxi,    (already   described    as    a   volcano,) 
Chimborazo,   and  Pinchincha.     Colopaxi  is 
more   than  three   geographical  miles  above 
the  surface  of  the  sea:  the  rest  are  not  much 
inferior.     On  the  top  of  the  latter  was  my 
station  for  measuring  a  degree  of  the  meri- 
dian; where  I  suffered  particular  hardships, 
from  the  intenseness  of  the  cold,  and  the  vio- 
lence of  the  storms.     The  sky  round  was,  in 
general,  involved  in  thick  fogs,  which,  when 
they  cleared  away,  and  the  clouds,  by  their 
gravity,  moved  nearer  to  the  suriace  of  the 
earth,  they  appeared  surrounding  the  loot  of 
the  mountain,  at  a  vast  distance  below,  like  a 
sea,  encompassing  an  island  in  the  midst  of 
it.    When  this  happened,  the  horrid  noises  of 
tempests  were  heard  from  beneath,  then  dis- 
charging themselves  on  Quito,  and  the  neigh- 
bouring country.     I  saw  the  lightnings  issue 
from  the  clouds,  and  heard  the  thunders  roll 
far  beneath  me.    All  this  time,  vshile  the  tem- 
pest  was   raging  below,   the    mountain  top, 
where  I  was  placed,  enjoyed  a  delightful  se- 
renity; the  wind  was  abated;  the  sky  clear; 
and  the  enlivening  rays  of  the  sun  moderated 
the  severity  of  the  cold.     However,  this  was 
of  no  very  long  duration,  for  the  wind  returned 
with  all  its  violence,  and  with  such  velocity 
as  to  dazzle  the  sight;  whilst  my  fears  were 
increased  by  the  dreadful  concussions  of  the 
precipice,  and   the   fall  of  enormous  rocks ; 
the  only  sounds  that  were  heard  in  this  fright- 
ful situation." 

Such  is  the  animated  picture  of  those  moun 
tains,  as  given  us  by  this  ingenious  Spaniard  : 
and  I  believe  the  reader  will  wish  that  1  had 
made  the  quotation  still  longer.  A  passage 
over  the  Alps,  or  a  journey  across  the  Pyre- 
nees, appear  petty  trips  or  excursions  in  the 
comparison;  and  yet  these  are  the  most  lofty 
mountains  we  know  of  in  Europe. 

If  we  compare  the  Alps  with  the  mountains 
already  described,  we  shall  find  them  but  lit- 


THE  EARTH. 


tie  more  than  one  half  of  the  height  of  the 
former.  The  Andes,  upon  being  measured 
by  the  barometer,  are  found  above  three 
thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  toises 
or  fathoms  above  the  surface  of  the  sea." 
Whereas  the  highest  point  of  the  Alps  is 
not  above  sixteen  hundred.  The  one,  in 
other  words,  is  above  three  miles  high ;  the 
other  about  a  mile  and  a  half.  The  highest 
mountains  in  Asia  are  Mount  Taurus,  Mount 
Immaus,  Mount  Caucasus,  and  the  mountains 
of  Japan.  Of  these,  none  equals  the  Andes 
in  height ;  although  Mount  Caucasus,  which 
is  the  highest  of  them,  makes  very  near  ap- 
proaches. Father  Verbiest  tells  of  a  moun- 
tain in  China,  which  he  measured,  and  found 
a  mile  and  a  half  high.b  In  Africa,  the  moun- 
tains of  the  Moon,  famous  for  giving  source 
to  the  Niger  and  the  Nile,  are  rather  more 
noted  than  known.  Of  the  Peak  of  Teneriffe, 
one  of  the  Canary  Islands  that  lie  off  this 
coast,  we  have  more  certain  information.  In 
the  year  1727,  it  was  visited  by  a  company 
of  English  merchants,  who  travelled  up  to  the 
top,  where  they  observed  its  height,  and  the 
volcano  on  its  very  summit.0  They  found  it 
a  heap  of  mountains,  the  highest  of  which  ri- 
ses over  the  rest  like  a  sugar-loaf,  and  gives 
a  name  to  the  whole  mass.  It  is  computed  to 
be  a  mile  and  a  half  perpendicular  from  the 
surface  of  the  sea.  Kircher  gives  us  an  esti- 
mate of  the  heights  of  most  of  the  other  great 
mountains  in  the  world;  but  as  he  has  taken 
his  calculations  in  general  from  the  ancients, 
or  from  modern  travellers,  who  had  not  the 
art  of  measuring  them,  they  are  quite  incredi- 
ble. The  art  of  taking  the  heights  of  places 
by  the  barometer,  is  a  new  and  ingenious  in- 
vention. As  the  air  grows  lighter  as  we  as- 
cend, the  fluid  in  the  tube  rises  in  due  pro- 
portion :  thus  the  instrument  being  properly 
marked,  gives  the  height  with  a  tolerable  de- 
gree of  exactness ;  at  least  enough  to  satisfy 
curiosity. 

Few  of  our  great  mountains  have  been  es- 
timated in  this  manner;  travellers  having, 
perhaps,  been  deterred,  by  a  supposed  im- 
possibility of  breathing  at  the  top.  However, 
it  has  been  invariably  found,  that  the  air  in 
the  highest  that  our  modern  travellers  have 

•  Ulloa,  vol.  i.  p.  442 


ascended,  is  not  at  all  too  fine  for  respiration. 
At  the  top  of  the  Peak  of  Teneriffe,  there  was 
found  no  other  inconvenience  from  the  air, 
except  its  coldness ;  at  the  top  of  the  Andes, 
there  was  no  difficulty  of  brea tiling  perceived. 
The  accounts,  therefore,  of  those  w^ho  have 
asserted  that  they  were  unable  to  breathe, 
although  at  much  less  heights,  are  greatly  to 
be  suspected.  In  fact,  it  is  very  natural  for 
mankind  to  paint  those  obstacles  as  insur- 
mountable, which  they  themselves  have  not 
had  the  fortitude  or  perseverance  to  sur- 
mount. 

The  difficulty  and  danger  of  ascending  to 
the  tops  of  mountains,  proceeds  from  other 
causes,  not  the  thinness  of  the  air.  For  in- 
stance, some  of  the  summits  of  the  Alps  have 
never  yet  been  visited  by  man.  But  the  rea- 
son is,  that  they  rise  with  such  a  rugged  and 
precipitate  ascent,  that  they  are  utterly  inac- 
cessible. In  some  places  they  appear  like 
a  great  wall  of  six  or  seven  hundred  feel 
high ;  in  others,  there  stick  out  enormous 
rocks,  that  hang  upon  the  brow  of  the  steep, 
and  every  moment  threaten  destruction  to  the 
traveller  below. 

In  this  manner  almost  all  the  tops  of  the 
highest  mountains  are  bare  and  pointed.  And 
this  naturally  proceeds  from  their  being  so 
continually  assaulted  by  thunders  and  tem- 
pests. All  the  earthy  substances  with  which 
they  might  have  been  once  covered,  have  for 
ages  been  washed  away  from  their  summits  ; 
and  nothing  is  left  remaining  but  immense 
rocks,  which  no  tempest  has  hitherto  been 
able  to  destroy. 

Nevertheless,  time  is  every  day,  and  every 
hour,  making  depredations;  and  huge  frag- 
ments are  seen  tumbling  down  the  precipice, 
either  loosened  from  the  summit  by  frost  or 
rains,  or  struck  down  by  lightning.  Nothing 
can  exhibit  a  more  terrible  picture  than  one 
of  these  enormous  rocks,  commonly  larger 
than  a  house,  falling  from  its  height,  with  a 
noise  louder  than  thunder,  and  rolling  down 
the  side  of  the  mountain.  Doctor  Plot  tells 
us  of  one  in  particular,  which  being  loosened 
from  its  bed,  tumbled  down  the  precipice,  and 
was  partly  shattered  into  a  thousand  pieces. 
Notwithstanding,  one  of  the  largest  frag- 

b  Verbiest,  a  la  Chine.  c  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  \. 


46 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ments  of  the  same,  still  preserving  its  motion, 
'travelled  over  the  plain  below,  crossed  a  ri- 
vulet in  the  midst,  and  at  last  stopped  on  the 
other  side  of  the  bank !  These  fragments,  as 
was  said,  arc  often  struck  offby  lightning,  and 
sometimes  undermined  by  rains ;  but  the  most 
usual  manner  in  which  they  are  disunited  from 
the  mountain,  is  by  frost :  the  rains  insinua- 
ting between  the  interstices  of  the  mountain, 
continue  there  until  there  comes  a  frost,  and 
then,  when  converted  into  ice,  the  water  swells 
with  an  irresistible  force,  and  produces  the 
same  effect  as  gunpowder,  splitting  the  most 
solid  rocks,  and  thus  shattering  the  summits 
of  the  mountain. 

But  not  rocks  alone,  but  whole  mountains 
are,  by  various  causes,  disunited  from  each 
other.  We  see  in  many  parts  of  the  Alps, 
amazing  clefts,  the  sides  of  which  so  exactly 
correspond  with  the  opposite,  that  no  doubt 
can  be  made  of  their  having  been  once  joined 
together.  At  Cajeta,"  in  Italy,  a  mountain  was 
split  in  this  manner  by  an  earthquake ;  and 
there  is  a  passage  opened  through  it,  that  ap- 
pears as  if  elaborately  done  by  the  industry 
of  man.  In  the  Andes  these  breaches  are 
frequently  seen.  That  at  Thermopyle,  in 
Greece,  has  been  long  famous.  The  mountain 
of  the  Troglodytes,  in  Arabia,  .has  thus  a  pas- 
sage through  it :  and  that  in  Savoy,  which  na- 
ture began,  and  which  Victor  Amadeus  com- 
pleted, is  an  instance  of  the  same  kind. 

We  have  accounts  of  some  of  these  disrup- 
tions, immediately  after  their  happening.  "  In 
the  month  of  June,b  in  the  year  1714,  a  part 
of  the  mountain  of  Diableret,  in  the  district  of 
Valais,  in  France,  suddenly  fell  down  between 
two  and  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the 
Aveather  being  very  calm  and  serene.  It 
was  of  a  conical  figure,  and  destroyed  fifty- 
five  cottages  in  the  fall.  Fifteen  persons,  to- 
gether with  about  a  hundred  beasts,  were 
also  crushed  beneath  its  ruins,  which  cover- 
ed an  extent  of  a  good  league  square.  The 
dust  it  occasioned  instantly  covered  all  the 
neighbourhood  in  darkness.  The  heaps  of 
rubbish  were  more  than  three  hundred  feet 
high.  They  stopped  the  current  of  a  river 
that  ran  along  the  plain,  which  is  now  form- 
ed into  several  new  and  deep  lakes.  There 

"  Burton,  vol.  ii.  p.  364. 


appeared,  through  the  whole  of  this  rubbish, 
none  of  those  substances  that  seemed  to  indi- 
cate that  this  disruption  had  been  by  means 
of  subterraneous  fires.  Most  probably,  the 
base  of  this  rocky  mountain  was  rotted  and 
decayed ;  and  thus  fell,  without  any  extrane- 
ous violence."  In  the  same  manner,  in  the 
year  1018,  the  town  ofPleurs, in  France,  v>as 
buried  beneath  a  rocky  mountain,  at  the  ion) 
of  which  it  was  situated. 

These  accidents,  and  many  more  that  might 
be  enumerated  of  the  same  kind,  have  been 
produced  by  various  causes;  by  earthquakes, 
as  in  the  mountain  at  Cajeta;  or  by  being  de- 
cayed at  the  bottom,  as  at  Diableret.  But 
the  most  general  way  is,  by  the  foundation  of 
one  part  of  the  mountain  being  hollowed  by 
waters,  and  thus  wanting  a  support,  breaking 
from  the  other.  Thus  it  generally  has  been 
found  in  the  great  chasms  in  the  Alps;  and 
thus  it  almost  always  is  known  in  those  dis- 
ruptions of  hills,  which  are  known  by  the 
name  of  land-slips.  These  are  nothing  more 
than  the  slidings  down  of  a  higher  piece-  of 
ground,  disrooted  from  its  situation  by  sub- 
terraneous inundations,  and  settling  itself 
upon  the  plain  below. 

There  is  not  an  appearance  in  all  nature 
that  so  much  astonished  our  ancestors,  as 
these  land-slips.  In  fact,  to  behold  a  large 
upland  with  its  houses,  its  corn,  and  cattle,"at 
once  loosened  from  its  place,  and  iloating,  as 
it  were,  upon  the  subjacent  water  ;  to  behold 
it  quitting  its  ancient  situation,  and  travelling 
forward  like  a  ship  in  quest  of  new  adven- 
tures; this  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  extra- 
ordinary appearances  that  can  be  imagined; 
and  (o  a  people,  ignorant  of  the  powers  of  na- 
ture, might  well  be  considered  as  a  prodigy. 
Accordingly,  we  find  all  our  old  historians 
mentioning  it  as  an  omen  of  approaching  ca- 
lamities. In  this  more  enlightened  age.  how- 
ever, its  cause  is  very  well  known;  and,  in- 
stead of  exciting  ominous  apprehensions  in 
the  populace,  it  only  gives  rise  to  some  very 
ridiculous  law-suits  among  them,  about  whose 
the  property  shall  be;  whether  the  land 
which  has  thus  slipt  shall  belong  to  the  origi- 
nal possessor,  or  to  him  upon  whose  grounds 
it  has  encroached  and  settled.  What  has 

b  Hist,  de  1'Academie  dcs  Sciences,  p.  4.  an.  1715. 


THE  EARTH. 


',7 


been  the  determination  of  the  judges,  is  not 
so  well  known,  but  the  circumstances  of  the 
slips  have  been  minutely  and:  exactly  de- 
scribed. 

In  the  lands  of  Slatberg,a  in  the  kingdom  of 
Iceland,  there  stood  a  declivity,  gradually 
ascending  for  near  half  a  mile.  In  the  year 
,1713,  and  on  the  10th  of  March,  the  inhabi- 
tants perceived  a  crack  on  its  side,  somewhat 
like  a  furrow  made  with  a  plough,  which  they 
imputed  to  the  effects  of  lightning,  as  there 
had  been  thunder  the  night  before.  How- 
e\er,  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  they 
were  surprised  to  hear  an  hideous  confused 
noise  issuing  all  round  from  the  side  of  the 
hill;  and  their  curiosity  being  raised,  they 
resorted  to  the  place.  There,  to  their  amaze- 
ment, they  found  the  earth,  for  near  five  acres, 
all  in  gentle  motion,  and  sliding  down  the  hill 
upon  the  subjacent  plain.  This  motion  con- 
tinued the  remaining  part  of  the  day,  and  the 
whole  night  Aor  did  the  noise  cease,  during 
the  whole  time ;  proceeding,  probably,  from 
the  attrition  of  the  ground  beneath.  The  day 
following,  however,  this  stras-ge  journey  down 
the  hill  ceased  entirely;  and  above  an  acre 
of  the  meadow  below  was  found  covered 
whut  before  composed  a  part  of  the  de- 
clivity. 

i  lowevcr,  these  slips,  when  a  whole  moun- 
tain's side  seems  to  descend,  happen  but  very 
rar.-ly.  There  are  some  of  another  kind, 
ever,  much  more  co;n;:ion;  and,  as  they 
are  always  sudden,  much  more  dangerous. 
These  are  snow-slips,  well  known,  and  great- 
ly dreaded  by  travellers.  It  often  happens, 
that  when  snow  has  long  been  accumulated 
on  the  tops  and  on  the  sides  of  mountains,  it 
is  borne  down  the  precipice,  either  by  means 
of  tempests,  or  its  own  m-'-Hing.  At  first,  when 
loosened,  the  volume  in  motion  is  but  small ; 
but  gathers  as  it  continues  to  roll ;  and,  by 
the  time  it  has  reached  the  habitabfc  parts  of 
the  mountain,  is  generally  grown  of  enormous 
bulk.  Wherever  it  rolls,  it  levels  all  things 

»  Phil.  TYaus.  vol.  iv.  p.  U30. 


in  its  way;  or  buries  them  in  unavoidable 
destruction.  Instead  of  rolling,  it  someti;ne> 
is  found  to  slide  along  from  the  top;  yet  e\e  i 
thus  it  is  generally  as  fatal  as  before.  Never- 
theless, we  have  had  an  instance,  a  few  years 
ago,  of  a  small  family  in  Germany,  that  lived 
for  above  a  fortnight  beneath  one  of  these 
snow-slips.  Although  they  were  buried,  du- 
ring that  whole  time,  in  utter  darkness,  and 
under  a  bed  of  some  hundred  feet  deep,  yet 
they  were  luckily  taken  out  alive;  the  weight 
of  the  snow  being  supported  by  a  beam  that 
kept  up  the  roof;  and  nourishment  being  sup- 
plied them  by  the  milk  of  an  ass,  if  I  remem- 
ber right,  that  was  buried  under  the  same 
ruin. 

But  it  is  not  the  parts  alone  that  are^  thus 
found  to  subside,  whole  mountains  have  been 
known  totally  to  disappear.  Pliny  tells  us,b 
that  in  his  own  time  the  lofty  mountain  of 
Cybotus,  together  with  the  city  of  Eurites, 
were  swallowed  by  aa earthquake.  The  same 
fate,  he  says,  attended  Phlegium,  one  of  the 
highest  mountains  in  Ethiopia;  which,  after 
one  night's  concussion,  was  never  seen  more. 
In  more  modern  times,  a  very  noted  moun- 
tain in  the  Molucca  islands,  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Peak,  and  remarkable  for  being 
seen  at  a  very  great  distance  from  sea,  was 
swallowed  by  an  earthquake;  and  nothing 
but  a  lake  was  left  in  the  place  where  it  stood. 
Thus,  while  storms  arid  tempests  are  levelled 
against  mountains  above,  earthquakes  and 
waters  are  undermining  them  below.  All  our 
histories  talk  of  their  destruction  ;  and  very 
few  new  ones  (if  we  except  mount  Cenere.  and 
one  or  two  such  heaps  of  cinders,)  arc  produ- 
ced. If  mountains,  therefore,  were  of  such  great 
utility,  as  some  philosophers  make  them,  to 
mankind,  it  would  be.  a  very  melancholy  con- 
sideration that  such  benefits  were  diminishing 
every  day.  But  the  truth  is,  the  valleys  are 
fertilized  by  that  earth  which  is  washed  from 
their  sides;  and  (he  plains  become  richer,  in 
proportion  as  the  mountains  decay. 


b  Plin.  lib.  ii.  cap.  P.:J. 


48 


A  HISTORY  OP 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

OF  WATER. 


IN  contemplating  nature,  we  shall  often  find 
the  same  substances  possessed  of  contrary 
qualities,  and  producing  opposite  effects.  Air, 
which  liquefies  one  substance,  dries  up  ano- 
ther. That  fire  which  is  seen  to  burn  up  the 
desert,  is  often  found,  in  other  places,  to  assist 
the  luxuriance  of  vegetation;  and  water, 
which,  next  to  fire,  is  the  most  fluid  substance 
upon  earth,  nevertheless  gives  all  other  bo- 
dies their  firmness  and  durability ;  so  that 
every  element  seems  to  be  a  powerful  servant, 
capable  either  of  good  or  ill,  and  only  await- 
ing external  direction,  to  become  the  friend 
or  the  enemy  of  mankind.  These  opposite 
qualities,  in  this  substance  in  particular, 
have  not  failed  to  excite  the  admiration  and 
inquiry  of  the  curious. 

That  water  is  the  most  fluid  penetrating 
body,  next  to  fire,  and  the  most  difficult  to 
confine,  is  incontestably  proved  by  a  vari- 
ety of  experiments.  A  vessel  through  which 
water  cannot  pass,  may  be  said  to  retain  any 
thing.  It  may  be  objected,  indeed,  that  syrups, 
oils,  and  honey,  leak  through  some  vessels 
that  water  cannot  pass  through ;  but  this  is 
far  from  facing  the  result  of  the  greater  tenuity 
and  fineness  of  their  parts ;  it  is  owing  to 
the  rosin  wherewith  the  wood  of  such  vessels 
abounds,  which  oils  and  syrups  have  a  power 
of  dissolving;  so  that  these  fluids,  instead  of 
finding  their  way,  may  more  properly  be  said 
to  eat  their  way  through  the  vessels  that  con- 
tain them.  However,  water  will  at  last  find  its 
way  even  through  these ;  for  it  is  known  to 
ascape  through  vessels  of  every  substance, 
glass  only  excepted.  Other  bodies  may  be 
ifound  to  make  their  way  out  more  readily  in- 
deed ;  as  air,  when  it  finds  a  vent,  will  escape 
at  once;  and  quicksilver,  because  of  its  weight, 
quickly  penetrates  through  whatever  chinky 
vessel  confines  it :  but  water,  though  it  oper- 
ates more  slowly,  yet  always  finds  a  more  cer- 
tain issue.  As,  for  instance,  it. is  well  known 
that  air  will  not  pass  through  leather ;  which 
water  will  very  readily  penetrate.  Air  also 


may  be  retained  in  a  bladder;  but  water  will 
quickly  ooze  through.  And  those  who  drive 
this  to  the  greatest  degree  of  precision,  pre- 
tend to  say,  that  it  will  pass  through  pores 
ten  times  smaller  than  air  can  do.  Be  this  as 
it  may,  we  are  very  certain  that  its  parts  are 
so  small  that  they  have  been  actually  driven 
through  the  pores  of  gold.  This  has  been 
proved  by  the  famous  Florentine  experiment, 
in  which  a  quantity  of  water  was  shut  up  in  a 
hollow  ball  of  gold,  and  then  pressed  with  a 
huge  force  by  screws,  during  which  the  fluid 
was  seen  to  ooze  out  through  the  pores  of  the 
metal,  and  to  stand,  like  a  dew,  upon  its  sur- 
face. 

As  water  is  thus  penetrating,  and  its  parts 
thus  minute,  it  may  easily  be  supposed  that 
they  enter  into  the  composition  of  all  bodies, 
vegetable,  animal,  and  fossil.  This  every  chy- 
mist's  experience  convinces  him  of;  and  the 
mixture  is  the  more  obvious,  as  it  can  always 
be  separated,  by  a  gentle  heat,  from  those 
substances  with  which  it  had  been  united. 
Fire,  as  was  said,  will  penetrate  where  water 
cannot  pass ;  but  then  it  is  not  so  easily  to  be 
separated.  But  there  is  scarce  any  substance 
from  which  its  water  cannot  be  divorced. 
The  parings  or  filings  of  lead,  tin,  and  antimo- 
ny, by  distillation,  yield  water  plentifully :  the 
hardest  stones,  sea-salt,  nitre,  vitriol,  and  sul- 
phur, are  found  to  consist  chiefly  of  water; 
into  which  they  resolve  by  force  of  fire.  "All 
birds,  beasts,  and  fishes,"  says  Newton,  "  in- 
sects, trees,  and  vegetables,  with  their  parts, 
grow  from  water ;  and,  by  putrefaction,  return 
to  water  again."  In  short,  almost  every  sub- 
stance that  we  see,  owes  its  texture  and  firm- 
ness to  the  parts  of  water  that  mix  with  its 
earth  ;  and,  deprived  of  this  fluid,  it  becomes 
a  mass  of  shapeless  dust  and  ashes. 

From  hence  we  see,  as  was  above  hinted, 
that  this  most  fluid  body,  when  mixed  with 
others,  gives  them  consistence  and  form.  Wa- 
ter, by  being  mixed  with  earth  or  ashes,  and 
formed  into  a  vessel,  when  baked  before  the 


THE  EARTH. 


49 


fire,  becomes  a  coppel,  remarkable  for  this, 
that  it  will  bear  the  utmost  force  of  the  hot- 
test furnace  that  art  can  contrive.  So  the 
Chinese  earth,  of  which  porcelain  is  made,  is 
nothing  more  than  an  artificial  composition  of 
earth  and  water,  united  by  heat;  and  which 
a  greater  degree  of  heat  could  easily  separate. 
Tli us  we  see  a  body,  extremely  fluid  of  it- 
self, in  some  measure  assuming  a  new  nature, 
l>y  being  united  with  others :  we  see  a  body, 
whose  fluid  and  dissolving  qualities  are  so  ob- 
*  ious,  giving  consistence  and  hardness  to  all 
ihe  substances  of  the  earth. 

From  considerations  of  this  kind,  Thales, 
and  many  of  the  ancient  philosophers,  held 
that  all  things  were  made  of  water.  In  order 
to  confirm  this  opinion,  Helmont  made  an  ex- 
periment, by  divesting  a  quantity  of  earth  of 
all  its  oils  and  salts,  and  then  putting  this 
earth,  so  prepared,  into  an  earthen  pot,  which 
nothing  but  rain-water  could  enter,  and  plant- 
ing a  willow  therein ;  this  vegetable,  so  plant- 
ed, grew  up  to  a  considerable  height  and 
bulk,  merely  from  the  accidental  aspersion 
of  rain-water;  while  the  earth,  in  which  it 
v/as  planted,  received  no  sensible  diminution. 
From  this  experiment,  he  concluded,  that 
water  was  the  only  nourishment  of  the  vege- 
table tribe;  and  that  vegetables,  being  the 
nourishment  of  animals,  all  organized  sub- 
stances, therefore,  owed  their  support  and 
being  only  to  water.  But  this  has  been  said 
by  Woodward  to  be  a  mistake:  for  he  shows, 
that  water  being  impregnated  with  earthy 
particles,  is  only  the  conveyer  of  such  substan- 
ces into  the  pores  of  vegetables,  rather  than 
an  increaser  of  them  by  its  own  bulk :  and 
likewise,  that  water  is  ever  found  to  afford 
so  much  less  nourishment,  in  proportion  as  it 
is  purified  by  distillation.  A  plant  in  distil- 
led water  will  not  grow  so  fast  as  in  water  not 
dis'.illed:  and  if  the  same  be  distilled  three 
or  four  times  over,  the  plant  will  scarcely  grow 
ut  all,  or  receive  any  nourishment  1'rom  it.  So 
that  water,  as  such,  does  not  seem  the  proper 
nourishment  of  vegetables,  but  only  the  vehi- 
cle thereof,  which  contains  the  nutritious  par- 
ticles, and  carries  them  through  all  parts  of 

•  Hill's  History  of  Fossils. 

''  Hermetically  sealing  a  glass  vessel,  means  no  more 
tlian  beating  the  mouth  of  the  phial  red  hot ;  and  thus, 


the  plant.  Water,  in  its  pure  state,  may  suf- 
fice to  extend  or  swell  the  parts  of  a  plant, 
but  affords  vegetable  matter  in  a  moderate 
proportion. 

However  this  be,  it  is  agreed  on  all  sides, 
that  water,  such  as  we  find  it,  is  far  from  being 
a  pure  simple  substance.  The  most  genuine 
we  know  is  mixed  with  exhalations  and  disso- 
lutions of  various  kinds ;  and  no  expedient 
that  has  been  hitherto  discovered,  is  capable 
of  purifying  it  entirely.  If  we  filter  and  distil 
it  a  thousand  times,  according  to  Boerhaave, 
it  will  still  depose  a  sediment :  and  by  repeat- 
ing the  process  we  may  evaporate  it  entirely 
away,  but  can  never  totally  remove  its  impu- 
rities. Some,  however,  assert,  that  water, 
properly  distilled,  will  have  no  sediment  ;a  and 
that  the  little  white  speck  which  is  found  at 
the  bottom  of  the  still,  is  a  substance  that  en- 
ters from  without.  Kircher  used  to  show  in 
his  Museum,  a  phiai  of  water,  that  had  been 
kept  for  fifty  years,  hermetically  sealed  ;b  du- 
ring which  it  had  deposed  no  sediment,  but 
continued  as  transparent  as  when  first  it  was 
put  in.  How  far,  therefore,  it  may  be  brought 
to  a  state  of  purity  by  distillation,  is  unknown; 
but  we  very  well  know,  that  all  such  water 
as  we  every  where  see,  is  a  bed  in  which 
plants,  minerals,  and  animals,  are  all  found 
confusedly  floating  together. 

Rain-water,  which  is  a  fluid  of  Nature's  own 
distilling,  and  which  has  been  raised  so  high 
by  evaporation,  is  nevertheless  a  very  mixed 
and  impure  substance.  Exhalations  of  all 
kinds,  whether  salts,  sulphurs,  or  metals,  make 
a  part  of  its  substance,  and  tend  to  increase 
its  weight.  If  we  gather  the  water  that  falls, 
after  a  thunder-clap,  in  a  sultry  summers  day, 
and  let  it  settle,  we  shall  find  a  real  salt  stick- 
ing at  the  bottom.  In  winter,  however,  its 
impure  mixtures  are  fewer,  but  still  may  be 
separated  by  distillation.  But  as  to  that  which 
is  generally  caught  pouring  from  the  tops  of 
houses,  it  is  particularly  foul,  being  impreg- 
nated with  the  smoke  ol  the  chimneys,  the  va- 
pour of  the  slates  or  tiles,  and  with  other  im- 
purities that  birds  and  animals  may  have  de- 
posited there.  Besides,  though  it  should  be 


when  the  glass  is  become  pliant,  squeezing  the  mouth  to- 
gether with  a  pair  of  pincers,  and  then  twisting  it  six  or 
seven  times  round,  'vhich  effectually  closes  it  up. 


A  HISTORY  OF 


supposed  live  iVoin  all  these,  it  is  mixed  with 
u  quantityof  air,  which,  after  being  kept  for 
some  time,  will  be  seen  to  separate. 

Spring-water  is  next  in  point  of  purity.  This, 
according  to  Dr.  Halley,  is  collected  from  the 
air  itself;  which  being  sated  with  ^yater,  and 
coming  to  be  condensed  by  the  evening's  cold, 
is  driven  against  the  tops  of  the  mountains, 
where  being  condensed  and  collected,  it 
trickles  down  by  the  sides,  into  the  cavities 
of  the  earth ;  and  running  for  a  while  under- 
ground,bubbles  up  in  fountains  upon  the  plain. 
This  having  made  but  a  short  circulation,  has 
generally  had  no  long  time  to  dissolve  or  im- 
bibe any  foreign  substances  by  the  way. 

River-water  is  generally  more  foul  than  the 
former.  Wherever  the  stream  flows,  it  re- 
ceives a  tincture  from  its  channel.  Plants, 
minerals,  and  animals,  all  contribute  to  add 
to  its  impurities :  so  that  such  as  live  at  the 
mouths  of  great  rivers,  are  generally  subject 
to  all  those  disorders  which  contaminated  and 
unwholesome  waters  are  known  to  produce. 
Of  all  the  river-water  in  the  world,  that  of  the 
Indus  and  the  Thames  is  said  to  be  the  most 
light  and  wholesome. 

The  most  impure  fresh  water  that  we  know, 
is  that  of  stagnating  pools  and  lakes,  •*  Inch, 
in  summer,  may  be  more  properly  considered 
as  a  jelly  of  floating  insects,  than  a  collection 
of  water.  In  this,  millions  of  little  reptiles, 
undisturbed  by  any  current,  which  might  crush 
their  frames  to  pieces,  breed  and  engender. 
The  whole  teems  with  shapeless  life,  and 
only  grows  more  fruitful  by  increasing  putre- 
faction. 

Of  the  purity  of  all  these  waters,  the  light- 
ness, and  not  the  transparency,  ought  fo  be 
the  test.  Water  may  be  extremely  ck  a.r  and 
beautiful  to  the  eye,  and  yet  very  much  im- 
pregnated with  mineral  particles.  In  fact, 
sea-water  is  the  most  transparent  of  any,  and 
yet  it  is  well  known  to  contain  a  large  mix- 
ture of  salt  and  bitumen.  On  the  contrary, 
those  waters  which  are  lightest,  have  the  few- 
est  dissolutions  floating  in  them ;  and  may, 
therefore,  be  the  most  useful  for  all  the  pur- 
poses of  life.  But,  after  all,  though  much  has 
been  said  upon  this  subject,  and  although  wa- 
ters have  been  weighed  with  great  assiduity, 
to  determine  their  degree  of  salubrity,  yet 
neither  this,  nor  their  curdling  with  soap,  nor 


any  other  philosophical  standard  whatsoever, 
will  answer  the  purposes  of  true  information. 
Experience  alone  ought  to  determine  the  use- 
ful or  noxious  qualities  of  every  spring ;  and 
|  experience  assures  us,  that  different  kinds  of 
1   water  are  adopted  to  different  constitutions. 
I  An  incontestable  proof  of  this,  are  the  many 
i   medicinal  springs  throughout  the  world,  whose 
i  peculiar  benefits  are  known  to  the  natives  of 
•  their  respective  countries.     These  are  of  va- 
rious kinds,  according  to  the  different  miner- 
als with  which  they   are  impregnated  ;  hot, 
saline,  sulphureous,  bituminous,  and  oily.  But 
the  account  of  these  will  come  most  properly 
under  that  of  the  several  minerals  by  which 
they  are  produced. 

After  all,  therefore,  we  must  be  contented 
with  but  an  impure  mixture  for  our  daily  be- 
verage. And  yet,  perhaps,  this  very  mixture 
may  often  be  more  serviceable  to  our  health 
than  that  of  a  purer  kind.  We  know  that  it 
is  so  with  regard  to  vegetables  :  and  why  not, 
also,  in  general,  to  man  ?  Be  this  as  it  will,  if 
we  are  desirous  of  having  water  in  its  greatest 
purity,  we  are  ordered,  by  the  curious  in  this 
particular,  to  distil  it  from  snow,  gathered 
upon  the  tops  of  the  highest  mountains,  and 
to  take  none  but  the  outer  and  superficial 
part  thereof.  This  we  must  be  satisfied  to  call 
pure  water;  but  even  this  is  far  short  of  the 
pure  unmixed  philosophical  element ;  which, 
in  reality,  is  no  where  to  be  found. 

As  water  is  thus  mixed  with  foreign  matter, 
and  often  the  repository  of  minute  animals,  or 
vegetable  seeds,  we  need  not  be  surprised 
that,  when  carried  to  sea,  it  is  always  found 
to  putrefy.  But  we  must  not  suppose  that  it 
is  the  element  itself  which  thus  grows  putrid 
and  offensive,  but  the  substances  with  which 
it  is  impregnated.  It  is  true,  the  utmost  pre- 
cautions are  taken  to  destroy  all  vegetable 
and  animal  substances  that  may  have  previ- 
ously been  lodged  in  it,  by  boiling ;  but,  not- 
withstanding this,  there  are  some  that  will 
still  survive  the  operation,  and  others  that  find 
their  way  during  the  time  of  its  stowage.  Sea- 
men, therefore,  assure  us,  that  their  water  is 
generally  found  to  putrefy  twice,  at  least,  and 
sometimes  three  times,  in  a  long  voyage.  In 
about  a  month  after  it  has  been  at  sea,  when 
the  bung  is  taken  out  of  the  cask,  it  sends  up 
o  noisonie  and  dangerous  vapour,  which 


THE  EARTH. 


51 


woulct  take  fire  upon  the  application  of  a  can- 
dle." The  whole  body  of  the  water  then  is 
found  replete  with  little  worm-like  insects, 
that  float,  with  great  briskness,  through  all  its 
parts.  These  generally  live  for  about  a  cou- 
ple of  days ;  and  then  dying,  by  depositing 
their  spoils,  for  awhile  increase  the  putrefac- 
tion. After  a  time,  the  heavier  parts  of  these 
sinking  to  the  bottom,  the  lighter  float  in  a 
scum,  at  the  top ;  and  this  is  what  mariners 
call,  the  water's  purging  itself.  There  is  still, 
however,  another  race  of  insects,  which  are 
bred,  very  probably,  from  the  spoils  of  the 
former ;  and  produce,  after  some  time,  similar 
appearances :  these  dying,  the  water  is  then 
thought  to  change  no  more.  However,  it  ve- 
ry often  happens,  especially  in  hot  climates, 
that  nothing  can  drive  these  nauseous  insects 
from  the  ship's  store  of  water.  They  often 
increase  to  a  very  disagreeable  and  frightful 
size,  so  as  to  deter  the  mariner,  though  parch- 
ing with  thirst,  from  tasting  that  cup  which 
they  have  contaminated. 

This  water,  as  thus  described,  therefore,  is 
a  very  different  fluid  from  that  simple  element- 
ary substance  upon  which  philosophical  the- 
ories have  been  founded ;  and  concerning  the 
nature  of  which  there  have  been  so  many  dis- 
putes. Elementary  water  is  no  way  com- 
pounded ;  but  is  without  taste,  smell,  or 
colour;  and  incapable  of  being  discerned  by 
any  of  the  senses,  except  the  touch.  This  is 
the  famous  dissolvent  of  the  chymists,  into 
which,  as  they  have  boasted,  they  can  reduce 
all  bodies;  and  which  makes  up  all  other 
substances,  only  by  putting  on  a  different  dis- 
guise. In  some  forms,  it  is  fluid,  transparent, 
and  evasive  of  the  touch;  in  others,  hard, 
firm,  and  elastic.  In  some,  it  is  stiffened  by 
cold ;  in  others,  dissolved  by  fire.  Accord- 
ing to  them,  it  only  assumes  external  shapes 
from  accidental  causes ;  but  the  mountain  is 
as  much  a  body  of  water,  as  the  cake  of  ice 
that  melts  on  its  brow ;  and  even  the  philoso- 
pher himself  is  composed  of  the  same  materi- 
als with  the  cloud  or  meteor  which  he  con- 
templates. 

Speculation  seldom  rests  when  it  begins. 
Others,  disallowing  the  universality  of  this 
substance,  will  not  allow  that  in  a  state  ofna- 

"  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  v.  part  ii.  p.  71.' 


ture  there  is  any  such  thing  as  Avater  at  all. 
"  What  assumes  the  appearance,"  say  they, 
"  is  nothing  more  than  melted  ice.  Ice  is  the 
real  element  of  Nature's  making ;  and  when 
found  in  a  state  of  fluidity,  it  is  then  in  a  state 
of  violence.  All  substances  are  naturally  hard; 
but  some  more  readily  melt  with  heat  than 
others.  It  requires  a  great  heat  to  melt  iron; 
a  smaller  heat  will  melt  copper;  silver,  gold, 
tin,  and  lead,  melt  with  smaller  still ;  ice. 
which  is  a  body  like  the  rest,  melts  with  a 
very  moderate  warmth;  and  quicksilver  melts 
with  the  smallest  warmth  of  all.  Water,  there- 
fore, is  but  ice  kept  in  continual  fusion ;  and 
still  returning  to  its  former  state,  when  the 
heat  is  taken  away."  Between  these  oppo- 
site opinions,  the  controversy  has  been  car- 
ried on  with  great  ardour,  and  much  has  been 
written  on  both  sides  ;  and  yet,  when  we  conn- 
to  examine  the  debate,  it  will  probably  ter- 
minate in  this  question,  whether  cold  or  heat 
first  began  their  operations  upon  water  ?  This 
is  a  fact  of  very  little  importance,  if  known  : 
and,  what  is  more,  it  is  a  fact  we  can  never 
know. 

Indeed,  if  we  examine  into  the  operation? 
of  cold  and  heat  upon  water,  we  shall  find 
that  they  produce  somewhat  similar  effects. 
Water  dilates  in  its  bulk,  by  heat,  to  a  very 
considerable  degree ;  and,  what  is  more  ex- 
traordinary, it  is  likewise  dilated  by  cold  in 
the  same  manner. 

If  water  be  placed  over  a  fire,  it  grows  gra- 
dually larger  in  bulk,  as  it  becomes  hot,  until 
it  begins  to  boil ;  after  which  no  art  can  either 
increase  its  bulk  or  its  heat.  By  increasing 
the  fire,  indeed,  it  may  be  more  quickly  eva- 
porated away ;  but  its  heat  and  its  bulk  still 
continue  the  same.  By  the  expanding  of  this 
fluid,  by  heat,  philosophers  have  found  a  way 
to  determine  the  warmth  or  the  coldness  of 
other  bodies ;  for  if  put  into  a  glass  tube,  by 
its  swelling  and  rising,  it  shows  the  quantity 
of  heat  in  the  body  to  which  it  is  applied ;  and 
by  its  contracting  and  sinking,  it  shows  the 
absence  of  the  same.  Instead  of  using  water 
in  this  instrument,  which  is  called  a  thermo- 
meter, they  now  make  use  of  spirit  of  wine, 
which  is  not  apt  to  freeze,  and  which  is  en- 
dued even  with  a  greater  expansion,  by  heat, 
than  water.  The  instrument  consists  of  no- 
thing more  than  a  hollow  ball  of  glass,  with  a 
P 


52 


A  HISTORY  OF 


long  tube  growing  out  of  it.  This  being  part- 
ly filled  with  spirits  of  wine  tinctured  red,  so 
as  to  be  seen  when  it  rises,  the  ball  is  plunged 
into  boiling  water,  which  making  the  spirit 
within  expand  and  rise  in  the  tube,  the  water 
marks  the  greatest  height  to  which  it  ascends; 
at  this  point  the  tube  is  to  be  broken  off,  and 
then  herrnetrically  sealed,  by  melting  the 
glass  with  a  blow-pipe;  a  scale  being  placed 
by  the  side,  completes  the  thermometer.  Now 
as  the  fluid  expands  or  condenses  with  heat 
or  cold,  it  will  rise  and  fall  in  the  tube  in  pro- 
portion; and  the  degree  or  quantity  of  ascent 
or  descent  will  be  seen  in  the  scale. 

No  lire,  as  was  said,  can  make  water  hotter, 
after  it  begins  to  boil.  We  can,  therefore,  at 
any  time  be  sure  of  an  equable  certain  heat ; 
which  is  that  of  boiling  water,  which  is  in- 
variably the  same.  The  certainty  of  such  a 
heat  is  not  less  useful  than  the  instrument  that 
measures  it.  It  affords  a  standard,  fixed  de- 
gree of  heat  over  the  whole  world ;  boiling 
water  being  as  hot  in  Greenland  as  upon  the 
coast  of  Guinea.  One  fire  is  more  intense 
than  another;  of  heat  there  are  various  de- 
grees; but  boiling  water  is  a  heat  every  where 
the  same,  and  easily  procurable. 

As  heat  thus  expands  water,  so  cold,  when 
it  is  violent  enough  to  freeze  the  same,  pro- 
duces exactly  the  same  effect,  and  expands  it 
likewise.  Thus  water  is  acted  upon  in  the 
same  manner  by  two  opposite  qualities;  being 
dilated  by  both.  As  a  proof  that  it  is  dilated 
by  cold,  we  have  only  to  observe  the  ice 
floating  on  the  surface  of  a  pond,  which  it 
would  not  do  were  it  not  dilated,  and  grown 
more  bulky,  by  freezing,  than  the  water  which 
remains  unfroze.  Mr.  Boyle,  however,  put 
the  matter  past  a  doubt,  by  a  variety  of  ex- 
periments." Having  poured  a  proper  quan- 
tity of  water  into  a  strong  earthen  vessel,  he 
exposed  it,  uncovered,  to  the  open  air,  in 
frosty  nights ;  and  observed,  that  continually 
the  ice  reached  higher  than  the  water  before 
it  was  frozen.  He  filled  also  a  tube  with 
water,  and  stopped  both  ends  with  wax:  the 
water,  when  frozen,  was  found  to  push  out  the 
stopples  from  both  ends ;  and  a  rod  of  ice  ap- 
peared at  each  end  of  the  tube,  which  showed 
how  much  it  was  swollen  by  the  cold  within. 

»  Boyle,  voL  i.  p.  610. 


From  hence,  therefore,  we  may  be  very 
certain  of  the  cold  dilating  of  the  water;  and 
experience  also  shows  that  the  force  of  this 
expansion  has  been  found  as  great  as  any 
which  heat  has  been  found  to  produce.  The 
touch-hole  of  a  strong  gun-barrel  being  stop- 
ped, and  a  plug  of  iron  forcibly  driven  into 
the  muzzle,  after  the  barrel  had  been  filled 
with  water,  it  was  placed  in  a  mixture  of  ice 
and  salt;  the  plug,  though  soldered  to  the 
barrel,  at  first  gave  way,  but  being  fixed  in 
more  firmly,  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the 
gun-barrel  burst  with  a  loud  noise,  and  blew 
up  the  cover  of  the  box  wherein  it  lay.  Such 
is  its  force  in  an  ordinary  experiment.  But 
it  has  been  known  to  burst  cannons,  filled 
with  water,  and  then  left  to  freeze ;  for  the 
cold  congealing  the  water,  and  the  ice  swell- 
ing, it  became  irresistible.  The  bursting  of 
rocks  by  frost,  which  is  frequent  in  the  north- 
ern climates,  and  is  sometimes  seen  in  our 
own,  is  an  equal  proof  of  the  expansion  of 
congealed  water.  For  having  by  some  means 
insinuated  itself  into  the  body  of  the  rock,  it 
has  remained  there  till  the  cold  w  as  sufficient 
to  affect  it  by  congelation.  But  when  once 
frozen,  no  obstacle  is  able  to  confine  it  from 
dilating ;  and,  if  it  cannot  otherwise  find  room, 
the  rock  must  burst  asunder. 

This  alteration  in  the  bulk  of  water  might 
have  served  as  a  proof  that  it  was  capable  of 
being  compressed  into  a  narrower  space  than 
it  occupied  before ;  but,  till  of  late,  water  was 
held  to  be  incompressible.  The  general  opi- 
nion was,  that  no  art  whatsoever  could 
squeeze  it  into  a  narrower  compass ;  that  no 
power  on  earth,  for  instance,  could  force  a 
pint  of  water  into  a  vessel  that  held  an  hair's- 
breadth  less  than  a  pint  And  this,  said  they, 
appears  from  the  famous  Florentine  experi- 
ment ;  where  the  water,  rather  than  suffer  a 
compressure,  was  seen  to  ooze  through  the 
pores  of  the  solid  metal ;  and,  at  length,  mak- 
ing a  cleft  in  the  side,  spun  out  with  great 
vehemence.  But  later  trials  have  proved  that 
water  is  very  compressible,  and  partakes  of 
that  elasticity  which  every  other  body  pos- 
sesses in  some  degree.  Indeed,  had  not  man- 
kind been  dazzled  by  the  brilliancy  of  one  in- 
conclusive experiment,  there  were  numerous 
reasons  to  convince  them  of  its  having  the 
same  properties  with  other  substances.  Ice, 


THE  EARTH. 


which  is  water  in  another  state,  is  very  elastic. 
A  stone,  flung  slantingly  along  the  surface  of 
a  pond,  bounds  from  the  water  several  times; 
which  shows  it  to  be  elastic  also.  But  the 
trials  of  Mr.  Canton  have  put  this  past  all 
doubt ;  which  being  somewhat  similar  to  those 
of  the  great  Boyle,  who  pressed  it  with  weights 
properly  applied,  carry  sufficient  conviction. 

What  has  been  hitherto  related,  is  chiefly 
applicable  to  the  element  of  water  alone ;  but 
its  fluidity  is  a  property  that  it  possesses  in 
common   with  several   other  substances,  in 
other  respects  greatly  differing  from  it.    That 
quality  which  gives  rise  to  the  definition  of 
the  fluid,  namely,  that  its  parts  are  in  a  con- 
tinual intestine  motion,  seems  extremely  ap- 
plicable to  water.    What  the  shapes  of  those 
parts  are,  it  would  be  vain  to  attempt  to  dis- 
cover.    Every  trial  only  shows  the  futility  of 
the  attempt;  all  we  find  is,  that  they  are  ex- 
tremely minute ;  and  that  they  roll  over  each 
other  with  the  greatest  ease.     Some,  indeed, 
from  this  property  alone,  have  not  hesitated 
to  pronounce  them  globular;    and  we  have, 
in   all   our   hydrostatical   books,  pictures  of 
these  little  globes  in  a  state  of  sliding  and 
rolling  over  each  other.    But  all  this  is  merely 
the  work  of  imagination;  we  know  that  sub- 
stances of  any  kind,  reduced  very  small,  as- 
sume a  fluid  appearance,  somewhat  resem- 
bling that  of  water.     Mr.  Boyle,  after  finely 
powdering  and  sifting  a  little  dry  powder  of 
plaister  of  Paris,  put  it  in  a  vessel  over  the 
fire,  where  it  soon  began  to  boil  like  water, 
exhibiting  all  the  motions  and  appearances  of 
a  boiling  liquor.    Although  but  a  powder,  the 
parts  of  which  we  know  are  very  different 
from   each  other,  and  just  as  accident  has 
formed  them,  yet  it  heaved  in  great  waves 
like  water.    Upon  agitation,  a  heavy  body  will 
sink  to  the  bottom,  and  a  light  one  emerge  to 
the  top.    There  is  no  reason,  then,  to  suppose 
the  figure  of  the  parts  of  water  round,  since 
we  see  their  fluidity  very  well  imitated  by  a 
composition,  the  parts  of  which  are  of  various 
forms  and  sizes.     The  shape  of  the  parts  of 
water,  therefore,  we  must  be  content  to  con- 
tinue ignorant  of.    All  we  know  is,  that  earth, 
air,  and  fire,  conduce  to  separate  the  parts 
from  each  other. 

Earthy  substances  divide  the   parts  from 
each  other,  and  keep  them  asunder.     This 


division  may  be  so  great,  that  the  water  will 
entirely  lose  its  fluidity  thereby.  Mud,  pot- 
ter's clay,  and  dried  bricks,  are  but  so  many 
different  combinations  of  earth  and  water: 
each  substance  in  which  the  parts  of  water 
are  most  separated  from  each  other,  appear- 
ing to  be  the  most  dry.  In  some  substances, 
indeed,  where  the  parts  of  water  are  greatly 
divided,  as  in  porcelain,  for  instance,  it  is  no 
easy  matter  to  recover  and  bring  them  to- 
gether again;  but  they  continue  in  a  manner 
fixed  and  united  to  the  manufactured  clay. 
This  circumstance  led  Doctor  Cheney  into  a 
very  peculiar  train  of  thinking.  He  sus- 
pected that  the  quantity  of  water,  on  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  was  daily  decreasing. 
For,  says  he,  some  parts  of  it  are  continually 
joined  to  vegetable,  animal,  and  mineral  sub- 
stances, which  no  art  can  again  recover. 
United  with  these,  the  water  loses  its  fluidity; 
for  if,  continues  he,  we  separate  a  few  parti- 
cles of  any  fluid,  and  fasten  them  to  a  solid 
body,  6r  keep  them  asunder,  they  will  be 
fluid  no  longer.  To  produce  fluidity,  a  con- 
siderable number  of  such  particles  are  re- 
quired ;  but  here  they  are  close,  and  destitute 
of  their  natural  properties.  Thus,  according 
to  him,  the  world  is  growing  every  day  harder 
and  harder,  and  the  earth  firmer  and  firmer; 
and  there  may  come  a  time  when  every  ob- 
ject around  us  may  be  stiffened  in  universal 
frigidity !  However,  we  have  causes  enough 
of  anxiety  in  this  world  already,  not  to  add 
this  preposterous  concern  to  the  number. 

That  air  also  contributes  to  divide  the  parts 
of  water,  we  can  have  no  manner  of  doubt ; 
some  have  even  disputed  whether  water  be 
not  capable  of  being  turned  into  air.  How- 
ever, though  this  cannot  be  allowed,  it  must 
be  granted,  that  it  may  be  turned  into  a  sub- 
stance which  greatly  resembles  air  (as  we 
have  seen  in  the  experiment  of  the  aeolipile) 
with  all  its  properties ;  except  that,  by  cold, 
this  new-made  air  may  be  condensed  again 
into  water. 

But  of  all  the  substances  which  tend  to 
divide  the  parts  of  water,  fire  is  the  most 
powerful.  Water,  when  heated  into  steam, 
acquires  such  force,  and  the  parts  of  it  tend 
to  fly  off  from  each  other  with  such  violence, 
that  no  earthly  substance  we  know  of  is  strong 
to  confine  them.  A  single  drop  of 


enough 


A  HISTORY  OF 


water,  converted  into  steam,  has  been  found 
capable  of  raising  a  weight  of  twenty  tons  ; 
and  would  have  raised  twenty  thousand,  were 
the  vessel  confining  it  sufficiently  strong,  and 
the  fire  below  increased  in  proportion. 

From  this  easy  yielding  of  its  parts  to  ex- 
ternal pressure,  arises  the  art  of  determining 
the  specific  gravity  of  bodies  by  plunging 
them  in  water ;  with  many  other  useful  dis- 
coveries in  that  part  of  natural  philosophy, 
called  hydrostatics.  The  laws  of  this  science, 
which  Archimedes  began,  and  Pascal,  Avith 
some  other  of  the  moderns,  have  much  im- 
proved, rather  belongs  to  experimental  than 
to  natural  history.  However,  I  will  take  leave 
to  mention  some  of  the  most  striking  paradox- 
es in  this  branch  of  science,  which  are  as  well 
confirmed  by  experiment,  as  rendered  uni- 
versal by  theory.  It  would,  indeed,  be  un- 
pardonable, while  discoursing  on  the  proper- 
ties of  water,  to  omitgiving  some  account  of  the 
manner  in  which  it  sustains  such  immense 
bulks  as  we  see  floating  upon  its  soft  and 
yielding  surface :  how  some  bodies,  that  are 
known  to  sink  at  one  time,  swim  with  ease,  if 
their  surface  be  enlarged:  how  the  heaviest 
body,  even  gold  itself,  may  be  made  to  swim 
upon  water;  and  how  the  lightest,  such  as 
cork,  shall  remain  sunk  at  the  bottom :  how 
the  pouring  in  of  a  single  quart  of  water,  will 
burst  a  hogshead  hooped  with  iron  :  and  how 
it  ascends,  in  pipes,  from  the  valley,  to  travel 
over  the  mountain :  these  are  circumstances 
that  are  at  first  surprising ;  but,  upon  a  slight 
consideration,  lose  their  wonder. 

"  In  order  to  conceive  the  manner  in  which 
all  these  wonders  are  effected,  we  must  be- 
gin by  observing  that  water  is  possessed  of 
an  invariable  property,  which  has  not  hither- 
to been  mentioned ;  that  of  always  keeping 
its  surface  level  and  even.  Winds,  indeed,  may 
raise  it  into  waves,  or  art  spurt  it  up  in  foun- 
tains ;  but  ever,  when  left  to  itself,  it  sinks  in- 
to a  smooth  even  surface,  of  which  no  one 
part  is  higher  than  another.  If  I  should  pour 
vrater,  for  instance,  into  the  arm  of  a  pipe  of 
the  shape  of  the  letter  U,  the  fluid  would  rise 
in  the  other  arm  just  to  the  same  height;  be- 

•  In  the  above  sketch,  the  manner  of  demonstrating 
used  by  Monsieur  D'Alembert  is  made  use  of,  as  the  most 
obvious,  and  the  most  satisfactory.  Vide  Essai  sur,  &c. 


cause,  otherwise,  it  would  not  find  its  level, 
which  it  invariably  maintains.  A  pipe  bend- 
ing from  one  hill  down  into  the  valley,  and 
rising  by  another,  may  be  considered  as  a 
tube  of  this  kind,  in  which  the  water,  sinking 
in  one  arm,  rises"  to  maintain  its  level  in  the 
other.  Upon  this  principle  all  water-pipes 
depend;  which  can  never  raise  the  water 
higher  than  the  fountain  from  which  they 
proceed. 

Again,  let  us  suppose  for  a  moment,  that 
the  arms  of  the  pipe  already  mentioned,  may 
be  made  long  or  short  at  pleasure ;  and  let 
us  still  further  suppose,  that  there  is  some  ob- 
stacle at  the  bottom  of  it,  which  prevents  the 
water  poured  into  one  arm,  from  rising  in  the 
other.  Now  it  is  evident,  that  this  obstacle 
at  the  bottom  will  sustain  a  pressure  from  the 
water  in  one  arm,  equal  to  what  would  make 
it  rise  in  the  other;  and  this  pressure  will  be 
great,  in  proportion  as  the  arm  filled  with  wa- 
ter is  tall.  We  may,  therefore,  generally  con- 
clude, that  the  bottom  of  every  vessel  is  pres- 
sed by  a  force,  in  proportion  to  the  height  of 
the  water  in  that  vessel.  For  instance,  if  the 
vessel  filled  with  water  be  forty  feet  high,  the 
bottom  of  that  vessel  will  sustain  such  a  pres- 
sure as  would  raise  the  same  water  forty  feet 
high,  which  is  very  great.  From  hence  we 
see  how  extremely  apt  our  pipes,  that  con- 
vey water  to  the  city,  are  to  burst ;  for  de- 
scending from  a  hill  of  more  than  forty  feet 
high,  they  are  pressed  by  the  water  contained 
in  them,  with  a  force  equal  to  what  would 
raise  it  to  more  than  forty  feet  high ;  and  that 
this  is  sometimes  able  to  burst  a  \vooden  pipe, 
we  can  have  no  room  to  doubt  of. 

Still  recurring  to  our  pipe,  let  us  suppose 
one  of  its  arms  ten  times  as  thick  as  the  other; 
this  will  produce  no  effect  whatsoever  upon 
the  obstacle  below,  wrhich  we  supposed  hin- 
dering its  rise  in  the  other  arm ;  because,  how 
thick  soever  the  pipe  may  be,  its  contents 
would  only  rise  to  its  own  level;  and  it  will, 
therefore,  press  the  obstacle  with  a  force 
equal  thereto.  We  may,  therefore,  univer- 
sally conclude,  that  the  bottom  of  any  vessel 
is  pressed  by  its  water,  not  as  it  is  broad  or 
narrow,  but  in  proportion  as  it  is  high.  Thus 
the  water  contained  in  a  vessel  not  thicker 
than  my  finger,  presses  its  bottom  as  forcibly 
as  the  water  contained  in  an  hogshead  of  an 


THE  EARTH. 


55 


equal  height ;  and,  if  we  made  holes  in  the 
bottoms  of  both,  the  water  would  burst  out  as 
forceful  from  the  one  as  the  other.  Hence  we 
may,  with  great  ease,  burst  an  hogshead  with 
a  single  quart  of  water;  and  it  has  been  often 
done.  W  e  have  only,"  for  this,  to  place  an 
hogshead  on  one  end,  filled  with  water  :  we 
then  bore  a  hole  in  its  top,  into  which  we 

Elant  a  narrow  tin  pipe,  of  about  thirty  feet 
igh :  by  pouring  a  quart  of  water  into  this, 
at  the  top,  as  it  continues  to  rise  higher  in 
the  pipe,  it  will  press  more  forcibly  on  the 
bottom  and  sides  of  the  hogshead  below,  and 
at  last  burst  it. 

Still  returning  to  our  simple  instrument  of 
demonstration.  If  we  suppose  the  obstacle 
at  the  bottom  of  the  pipe  to  be  moveable,  so 
as  that  the  force  of  the  water  can  push  it  up 
into  the  other  arm ;  such  a  body  as  quick- 
silver, for  instance.  Now,  it  is  evident,  that 
the  weight  of  water  weighing  down  upon  this 
quicksilver  in  one  arm,  will  at  last  press  it  up 
in  the  other  arm ;  and  will  continue  to  press 
it  upwards,  until  the  fluid  in  both  arms  be  up- 
on a  par.  So  that  here  we  actually  see  quick- 
silver, the  heaviest  substance  in  the  world, 
except  gold  and  platina,  floating  upon  a  wa- 
ter, which  is  but  a  very  light  subsbince. 

When  we  see  water  thus  capable  of  sus- 
taining quicksilver,  we  need  not  be  surprised 
that  it  is  capable  of  floating  much  lighter  sub- 
stances, ships,  animals,  or  timber.  When  any 
thing  floats  upon  water,  we  always  see  that  a 
part  of  it  sinks  in  the  same.  A  cork,  a  ship, 
a  buoy,each  buries  itself  in  a  bed  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  water;  this  bed  may  be  considered 
as  so  much  water  displaced;  the  water  Will, 
therefore,  lose  so  much  of  its  own  weight,  as 
is  equal  to  the  weight  of  that  bed  of  water 
which  it  displaces.  If  the  body  be  heavier 
than  a  similar  bulk  of  water,  it  will  sink;  if 
lighter,  it  '.vill  swim.  Universally,  therefore, 
a  body  plunged  in  water,  loses  as  much  of 
its  weight  as  is  equal  to  the  weight  of  a  body 
of  water  of  its  own  bulk.  Some  light  bodies, 
therefore,  such  as  cork,  lose  much  of  their 
weight,  and  therefore  swim;  other  more  pon- 
derous bodies  sink,  because  they  are  heavier 
than  their  bulk  of  water. 

Upon  this  simple  theorem  entirely  depends 

a  IN7ollet:'s  Lectures. 
NO.  6. 


the  art  of  weighing  metals  hydrostatically.  I 
have  a  guinea,  for  instance,  and  desire  to 
know  whether  it  be  pure  gold ;  I  have  weigh- 
ed it  in  the  usual  way  with  another  guinea, 
and  find  it  exactly  of  the  same  weight,  but 
still  I  have  some  suspicion,  from  its  greater 
bulk,  that  it  is  not  pure^  In  order  to  deter- 
mine this,  I  have  nothing  more  to  do  than  to 
weigh  it  in  water  with  that  same  guinea  that 
I  know  to  be  good,  and  of  the  same  weight : 
and  this  will  instantly  show  the  difference ; 
for  the  true  ponderous  metal  will  sink,  and 
the  false  bulky  one  will  be  sustained  in  pro- 
portion to  the  greatness  of  its  surface.  Those 
whose  business  it  is  to  examine  the  purity  of 
metals,  have  a  balance  made  for  this  purpose, 
by  which  they  can  precisely  determine  which 
is  most  ponderous,  or,  as  it  is  expressed, 
which  has  the  greatest  specific  gravity.  Se- 
venty-one pound  and  a  half  of  quicksilver, 
is  found  to  be  equal  in  bulk  to  a  hundred 
pound  weight  of  gold.  In  the  same  propor- 
tion sixty  of  lead,  fifty-four  of  silver,  forty- 
seven  of  copper,  forty-five  of  brass,  forty-two 
of  iron,  and  thirty-nine  of  tin,  are  each  equal 
to  an  hundred  pound  of  the  same  mosi  pon- 
derous of  all  metals. 

This  method  of  precisely  determining  the 
parity  of  gold,  by  weighing  in  water,  was  first 
discovered  by  Archimedes,  to  whom  mankind 
have  been  indebted  for  many  useful  discove- 
ries. Hiero,  king  of  Sicily,  having  sent  a  cer- 
tain quantity  of  gold  to  be  made  into  a  crown, 
the  workman,  it  seems,  kept  a  part  for  his 
own  use,  and  supplied  the  deficiency  with  a 
baser  metal.  His  fraud  was  suspected  by 
the  king,  but  could  not  be  detected;  lill  he 
applied  to  Archimedes,  who  weighed  the 
crown  in  water;  and,  by  this  method,  inform- 
ed the  king  of  the  quantity  of  gold  which  was 
taken  away.  \. 

It  has  been  said,  that  all  fluids  endeavour 
to  preserve  their  level ;  and,  likewise,  that  a 
body  pressing  on  the  surface,  tended  to  de- 
stroy that  level.  From  hence,  therefore,  it 
will  ensily  be  inferred,  that  the  deeper  any 
body  sinks,  the  greater  will  be  the  resistance 
of  the  depressed  fluid  beneath.  It  will  be 
asked,  therefore,  as  the  resistance  increases 
in  proportion'  as  the  body  descends,  how 
comes  the  body,  after  it  has  got  a  certain 
way,  to  sink  at  all  ?  The  answer  is  obvious : 
Q 


A  HISTORY  OF 


From  the  fluid  above  pressing  it  down  with 
almost  as  great  a  force  as  the  fluid  beneath 
presses  it  up.     Take  away,  by  any  art,  the 
pressure  of  the  fluid  from  above,  and  let  only 
the  resistance  of  the  fluid  from  below  be  suf- 
fered to  act,  and  after  the  body  is  gone  down 
very  deep,  the  resistance  will  be  insuperable. 
To  give  an  instance :  A  small  hole  opens  in 
the  bottom  of  a  ship  at  sea,  forty  feet  we  will 
suppose   below   the   surface  of  the  water; 
through  this  the  water  bursts  up  with  great 
violence ;  I  attempt  to  stop  it  with  my  hand, 
but  it  pushes  the  hand  violently  away.    Here 
the  hand  is,  in  fact,  a  body  attempting  to  sink 
upon  water,  at  a  depth  of  forty  feet,  with  the 
pressure  from  above  taken  away.     The  wa- 
ter, therefore,  will  overcome  my  strength;  and 
Avill  continue  to  burst  in  till  it  has  got  to  its 
level :  if  I  should  then  dive  into  the  hold,  and 
clap  my  hand  upon  the  opening,  as  before, 
I  should  perceive  no  force  acting  against  my 
hand  at  all ;  for  the  water  above  presses  the 
hand  as  much  down  against  the  hole,  as  the 
water  without  presses  it  upward.     For  this 
reason,  also,  when  we  dive  to  the  bottom  of 
the  water,  we  sustain  a  very  great  pressure 
from  above,  it  is  true,  but  it  is  counteracted 
by  the  pressure  from  below ;  and  the  whole 
acting  uniformly  on  the  surface  of  the  body, 
wraps  us  close  round  without  injury. 

As  I  have  deviated  thus  far,  I  will  just  men- 
tion one  or  two  properties  more,  which  water, 
and  all  such  like  fluids,  is  found  to  possess. 

"  This  phenomenon,  which  has  so  long  embarrassed 
philosophers,  is  easily  soluble  upon  the  principle,  that  the 
attraction  between  the  particles  of  glass  and  water  is 
greater  than  the  attraction  between  the  particles  of  water 
themselves :  for,  if  a  glass  tube  be  held  parallel  to  the 
horizon,  and  a  drop  of  water  be  applied  to  the  under  side 
of  the  tube,  it  will  adhere  to  it :  nor  will  it  fall  from  the 


And,  first,  their  ascending  in  vessels  which 
are  emptied  of  air,  as  in  our  common  pumps 
for  instance.  The  air,  however,  being  the 
agent  in  this  case,  we  must  previously  ex- 
amine its  properties,  before  we  undertake 
the  explanation.  The  other  property  to  be 
mentioned  is,  that  of  their  ascending  in  small 
capillary  tubes.  This  is  one  of  the  most  ex- 
traordinary and  inscrutable  appearances  in 
nature.  Glass  tubes  may  be  drawn,  by  means 
of  a  lamp,  as  fine  as  a  hair ;  still  preserving 
their  hollow  within.  If  one  of  these  be  plant- 
ed in  a  vessel  of  water,  or  spirit  of  wine,  the 
liquor  will  immediately  be  seen  to  ascend ; 
and  it  will  rise  higher,  in  proportion  as  the 
tube  is  smaller ;  a  foot,  two  feet,  and  more. 
How  does  this  come  to  pass  ?  Is  the  air  the 
cause?  No:  the  liquor  rises,  although  the 
air  be  taken  away.  Is  attraction  the  cause  ? 
No  :  for  quicksilver  does  not  ascend,  which 
it  otherwise  would.  Many  have  been  the 
theories  of  experimental  philosophers  to  ex- 
plain this  property.  Such  as  are  fond  of 
travelling  in  the  regions  of  conjecture,  may 
consult  Hawksbee,  Morgan,  Jurin,  or  Watson, 
who  have  examined  the  subject  with  great 
minuteness.  Hitherto,  however,  nothing  but 
doubts,  instead  of  knowledge,  have  been  the 
result  of  their  inquiries.  It  will  not,  there- 
fore, become  us  to  enter  into  the  minute- 
ness of  the  inquiry,  when  we  have  so 
many  greater  wonders  to  call  our  attention 
away.8 

glass,  till  its  bulk  and  gravity  are  so  far  increased  as  to 
overbalance  the  attraction  of  the  glass.  Hence  it  is  easy 
to  conceive,  how  sensibly  such  a  power  must  act  on  the 
surface  of  a  fluid  not  viscid,  as  water,  contained  within  the 
cavity  of  a  small  glass  tube ;  as  also  that  the  quantity  of 
the  fluid  raised,  will  be  as  the  surface  of  the  bore  which  it 
fills,  that  is,  as  the  diameter  of  the  tube. 


THE  EARTH. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

OF  THE  ORIGIN  OF  RIVERS. 


"  THE  sun  ariseth,  and  the  sun  goeth  down, 
and  pants  for  the  place  from  whence  he 
arose.  All  things  are  filled  with  labour,  and 
man  cannot  utter  it.  All  rivers  run  into  the  sea, 
yet  the  sea  is  not  full.  Unto  the  place  whence 
the  rivers  come,  thither  they  return  again. 
The  eye  is  not  satisfied  with  seeing,  nor  the 
ear  with  hearing.'"  Thus  speaks  the  wisest 
of  the  Jews.  And  at  so  early  a  period  was 
the  curiosity  of  man  employed  in  observing 
these  great  circulations  of  nature.  Every  eye 
attempted  to  explain  those  appearances;  and 
every  philosopher  who  has  long  thought  up- 
on the  subject,  seems  to  give  a  peculiar  solu- 
tion. The  inquiry  whence  rivers  are  produ- 
ced ;  whence  they  derive  those  unceasing 
stores  of  water,  which  continually  enrich  the 
world  with  fertility  and  verdure ;  has  been 
variously  considered,  and  divided  the  opin- 
ions of  mankind  more  than  any  other  topic 
in  natural  history. 

In  this  contest  the  various  champions  may 
be  classed  under  two  leaders ;  Mr.  De  la 
Hire,  who  contends  that  rivers  must  be  sup- 
plied from  the  sea,  strained  through  the  pores 
of  the  earth  ;  and  Dr.  Halley,  who  has  endea- 
voured to  demonstrate  that  the  clouds  alone 
are  sufficient  for  the  supply.  Both  sides 
have  brought  in  mathematics  to  their  aid ; 
and  have  shown  that  long  and  laborious  cal- 
culations can  at  any  time  be  made  to  obscure 
both  sides  of  a  question. 

De  la  Hireb  begins  his  proofs,  that  rain- 
water, evaporated  from  the  sea,  is  insufficient 
for  the  production  of  rivers;  by  showing  that 
rain  never  penetrates  the  surface  of  the  earth 
above  sixteen  inches.  From  thence  he  infers, 
that  it  is  impossible  for  it,  in  many  cases,  to 
sink  so  as  to  be  found  at  such  considerable 
depths  below.  Rain-water,  he  grants,  is  often 
Been  to  mix  with  rivers,  and  to  swell  their 
currents  ;  but  a  much  greater  part  of  it  eva- 

a  Ecclesiastes,  chap.  i.  ver.  5,  J,  8. 
b  Hist,  de  1'Acad.  1713,  p.  56. 


porates.   "  In  fact,"  continues  he,  "  if  we  sup- 
pose the  earth  every  where  covered   with 
water,  evaporation  alone  would  be  sufficient 
to  carry  off  two  feet  nine  inches  of  it  in  a 
year:    and    yet   we   very   well   know,   that 
scarcely  nineteen  inches  of  rain-water  falls 
in  that  time ;  so  that  evaporation  would  car- 
ry off  a  much  greater  quantity  than  is  ever 
known  to  descend.     The  small  quantity  of 
rain-water  that  falls  is,  therefore,  but  barely 
sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  vegetation.  Two 
leaves  of  a  fig-tree  have  been  found,  by  ex- 
periment, to  imbibe  from  the  earth,  in  five 
hours  and  a  half,  two  ounces  of  water.    This 
implies  the  great  quantity  of  fluid  that  must 
be  exhausted  in  the  maintenance  of  one  sin- 
gle plant.     Add  to  this,  that  the  waters  of 
the  river  Rungis  will,  by  calculation,  rise  to 
fifty   inches;  and   the   whole   country   from 
whence  they  are  supplied!!,  ever  receives  fif- 
ty inches  in  the  year  by  rain.     Besides  this, 
there  are  many  salt  springs,  which  are  known 
to  proceed  immediately  from  the  sea,  and  are 
subject    to  its    flux  and  reflux.      In    short, 
wherever  we  dig  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  except  in  a  very  few  instances,  water 
is  to  be  found  :  and  it  is  by  this  subterraneous 
water  that  springs  and  rivers,  nay,  a  great 
part  of  vegetation  itself,  is  supported.     It  is 
this  subterraneous  water  which  is  raised  into 
steam,  by  the  internal  heat  of  the  earth,  that 
feeds  plants.     It  is  this  subterraneous  water 
that  distils  through  interstices;    and  there, 
cooling,  forms  fountains.     It  is  this,  that  by 
the  addition  of  rains,  is  increased  into  rivers, 
and  pours  plenty  over  the  whole  earth." 

On  the  other  side  of  the  question/  it  is  as- 
serted, that  the  vapours  which  are  exhaled 
from  the  sea,  and  driven  by  the  winds  upon 
land,  are  more  than  sufficient  to  supply  not 
only  plants  with  moisture,  but  also  to  furnish 
a  sufficiency  of  water  to  the  greatest  rivers. 

c  Phil.  Trans.  voL  ii.  p.  128. 


A  HISTORY  OF 


For  this  purpose,  an  estimate  has  been  made 
of  the  quantity  of  water  emptied  at  the 
mouths  of  the  greatest  rivers;  and  of  the 
quantity  also  raised  from  the  sea  by  evapo- 
ration ;  arid  it  has  been  found,  that  the  latter 
by  far  exceeds  the  former.  This  calculation 
was  made  by  Mr.  Marriotte.  By  him  it  was 
found,  upon  receiving  such  rain  as  fell  in  a 
year,  in  a  proper  vessel  fitted  for  that  pur- 
pose, that,  one  year  with  another,  there 
might  fall  about  twenty  inches  of  water  upon 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  throughout  Europe. 
It  was  also  computed  that  the  river  Seine, 
from  its  source  to  the  city  of  Paris,  might 
cover  an  extent  of  ground,  that  would  supply 
it  annually  with  above  seven  millions  of  cubic 
feet  of  this  water,  formed  by  evaporation. 
But  upon  computing  the  quantity  which  pass- 
ed through  the  arches  of  one  of  its  bridges 
in  a  year,  it  was  found  to  amount  only  to  two 
hundred  and  eighty  millions  of  cubic  feet, 
which  is  not  above  the  sixth  part  of  the  for- 
mer number.  Hence  it  appears,  that  this  ri- 
ver may  receive  a  supply,  brought  to  it  by 
the  evaporated  waters  of  the  sea,  six  times 
greater  than  what  it  gives  back  to  the  sea  by 
its  current ;  and,  therefore,  evaporation  is 
more  than  sufficient  for  maintaining  the  great- 
est rivers,  and  supplying  the  purposes  also 
of  vegetation. 

In  this  manner,  the  sea  supplies  sufficient 
humidity  to  the  air,  for  furnishing  the  earth 
with  all  necessary  moisture.  One  part  of  its 
vapours  fall  upon  its  own  bosom,  before  they 
arrive  upon  land.  Another  part  is  arrested 
by  the  sides  of  mountains,  and  is  compelled, 
by  the  rising  stream  of  air,  to  mount  upward 
towards  the  summits.  Here  it  is  presently 
precipitated,  dripping  down  by  the  crannies 
of  the  stone.  In  some  places,  entering  into 
the  caverns  of  the  mountain,  it  gathers  in 
those  receptacles,  which  being  once  filled, 
all  the  rest  overflows;  and  breaking  out  by 
the  sides  of  the  hills,  forms  single  springs. 
Many  of  these  run  down  by  the  valleys  or  guts 
between  the  ridges  of  the  mountain,  and, 
coming  to  unite,  form  little  rivulets  or  brooks ; 
many  of  these  meeting  in  one  common  valley, 
and  gaining  the  plain  ground,  being  grown 
less  rapid,  become  a  river;  and  many  of 

•Phil.  Trans. vol.  ii.  p.  128. 


these  uniting,  make  such  vast  bodies  of  water, 
as  the  Rhine,  the  Rhone,  and  the  Danube. 

There  is  still  a  third  part,  which  falls  upon 
the  lower  grounds,  and  furnishes  plants  with 
their  wonted  supply.  But  the  circulation 
does  not  rest  even  here ;  for  it  is  again  exha- 
led into  vapour  hy  the  action  of  the  sun ;  and 
afterwards  returned  to  that  great  mass  of  wa- 
ters whence  it  first  arose.  "This,"  adds  Dr. 
Halley,  "seems  the  most  reasonable  hypo- 
thesis ;  and  much  more  likely  to  be  true,  than 
that  of  those  who  derive  all  springs  from  the 
filtering  of  the  sea-waters,  through  certain 
imaginary  tubes  or  passages  within  the 
earth ;  since  it  is  well  known  that  the  great- 
est rivers  have  their  most  copious  fountains 
the  most  remote  from  the  sea."a 

This  seems  the  most  general  opinion ;  and 
yet,  after  all,  it  is  still  pressed  with  great 
difficulties ;  and  there  is  still  room  to  look 
out  for  a  better  theory.  The  perpetuity  of 
many  springs,  which  always  yield  the  same 
quantity  when  the  least  rain  or  vapour  is  af- 
forded, as  well  as  when  the  greatest,  is  a 
strong  objection.  Derhamu  mentions  a  spring 
at  Upminster,  which  he  could  never  perceive 
by  his  eye  to  be  diminished,  in  the  greatest 
droughts,  even  when  all  the  ponds  in  the 
country,  as  well  as  an  adjoining  brook,  have 
been  dry  for  several  months  together.  In  the 
rainy  seasons,  also,  it  was  never  overflowed ; 
except  sometimes,  perhaps,  for  an  hour  or  so, 
upon  the  immission  of  the  external  rains.  He, 
therefore,  justly  enough  concludes,  that  had 
this  spring  its  origin  from  rain  or  vapour, 
there  would  be  found  an  increase  or  decrease 
of  its  water,  corresponding  to  the  causes  of 
its  production. 

Thus  the  reader,  after  having  been  tossed 
from  one  hypothesis  to  another,  must  at  last  be 
content  to  settle  in  conscious  ignorance.  All 
that  has  been  written  upon  this  subject,  af- 
fords him  rather  something  to  say,  than  some- 
thing to  think ;  something  rather  for  others 
than  for  himself.  Varenius,  indeed,  although 
he  is  at  a  loss  for  the  origin  of  rivers,  is  by  no 
means  so  as  to  their  formation.  He  is  pretty 
positive  that  all  rivers  are  artificial.  He 
boldly  asserts,  that  their  channels  have  been 
originally  formed  by  the  industry  of  man. 

b  Derham  Physico-Theol. 


THE  EARTH. 


f>9 


His  reasons  arc,  that  when  a  new  spring 
breaks  forth,  the  water  does  not  make  itself 
a  new  channel,  but  spreads  over  the  adjacent 
land.  "  Thus,"  says  he,  "  men  are  obliged 
to  direct  its  course ;  or,  otherwise,  Nature 
would  never  have  found  one."  He  enume- 
rates many  rivers  that  are  certainly  known, 
from  history,  to  have  been  dug  by  men. 
He  alleges,  that  no  salt-water  rivers  are 
found,  because  men  did  not  want  salt-water ; 
and  as  for  salt,  that  was  procurable  at  less 
expense  than  digging  a  river  for  it.  How- 
ever, it  costs  a  speculative  man  but  a  small 
expense  of  thinking  to  form  such  an  hypothe- 
sis. It  may,  perhaps,  engross  the  reader's 
patience  to  detain  him  longer  upon  it. 

Nevertheless,  though  Philosophy  be  thus 
ignorant,  as  to  the  production  of  rivers,  yet 
the  laws  of  their  motion,  and  the  nature  of 
their  currents,  have  been  very  well  explain- 
ed. The  Italians  have  particularly  distin- 
guished themselves  in  this  respect;  and  it  is 
chiefly  to  them  that  we  are  indebted  for  the 
improvement." 

All  rivers  have  their  source  either  in  moun- 
tains, or  elevated  lakes;  and  it  is  in  their 
descent  from  these  that  they  acquire  that  ve- 
locity which  maintains  their  future  current. 
At  first  their  course  is  generally  rapid  and 
headlong ;  but  it  is  retarded  in  its  journey, 
by  the  continual  friction  against  its  banks,  by 
the  many  obstacles  it  meets  to  divert  its 
stream,  and  by  the  plains  generally  becoming 
more  level  as  it  approaches  towards  the  sea. 

If  this  acquired  velocity  be  quite  spent, 
and  the  plain  through  which  the  river  passes 
is  entirely  level;  it  will,  notwithstanding, 
still  continue  to  run,  from  the  perpendicular 
pressure  of  the  water,  which  is  always  in  ex- 
act proportion  to  the  depth.  This  perpen- 
dicular pressure  is  nothing  more  than  the 
weight  of  the  upper  waters  pressing  the  low- 
er out  of  their  places ;  and,  consequently, 
driving  them  forward,  as  they  cannot  recede 
against  the  stream.  As  this  pressure  is  great- 
est in  the  deepest  parts  of  the  river,  so  we 
generally  find  the  middle  of  the  stream  most 
rapid ;  both  because  it  has  the  greatest  mo- 
tion thus  communicated  by  the  pressure,  and 

•  S.  Guglielmiui  della  Natui-a  de  Fiumi,  passim. 
"  Ibid. 


the  fewest  obstructions  from  the  banks  on 
either  side. 

Rivers  thus  set  into  motion  are  almost  al- 
ways found  to  make  their  own  beds.  Where 
they  find  the  bed  elevated,  they  wear  its  sub- 
stance away,  and  deposit  the  sediment  in  the 
next  hollow,  so  as  in  time  to  make  the  bot- 
tom of  their  channels  even.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  water  is  continually  gnawing  and 
eating  away  the  banks  on  each  side ;  and 
this  with  more  force  as  the  current  happens 
to  strike  more  directly  against  them.  By 
these  means  it  always  has  a  tendency  to  ren- 
der them  more  straight  and  parallel  to  its 
own  course.  Thus  it  continues  to  rectify  its 
banks,  and  enlarge  its  bed ;  and,  consequent- 
ly, to  diminish  the  force  of  its  stream,  till 
there  becomes  an  equilibrium  between  the 
force  of  the  water,  and  the  resistance  of  its 
banks,  upon  which  both  will  remain  without 
any  further  mutation.  And  it  is  happy  for 
man  that  bounds  are  thus  put  to  the  erosion 
of  the  earth  by  water;  and  that  we  find  all 
rivers  only  dig  and  widen  themselves  but  to 
a  certain  degree.1" 

In  those  plains"  and  large  valleys  where 
great  rivers  flow,  the  bed  of  the  river  is  usu- 
ally lower  than  any  part  of  the  valley.  But  it 
often  happens,  that  the  surface  of  the  water 
is  higher  than  many  of  the  grounds  that  are 
adjacent  to  the  banks  of  the  stream.  If,  after 
inundations,  we  take  a  view  of  some  rivers, 
we  shall  find  their  banks  appear  above  wa- 
ter, at  a  time  that  all  the  adjacent  valley  is 
overflowed.  This  proceeds  from  the  frequent 
deposition  of  mud,  and  such  like  substances, 
upon  the  banks,  by  the  rivers  frequently 
overflowing;  and  thus,  by  degrees,  they  be- 
come elevated  above  the  plain ;  and  the  wa- 
ter is  often  seen  higher  also. 

Rivers,  as  every  one  has  seen,  are  always 
broadest  at  the  mouth,  and  grow  narrower 
towards  their  source.  But  what  is  less  known, 
and  probably  more  deserving  curiosity,  is, 
that  they  run  in  a  more  direct  channel  as  they 
immediately  leave  their  sources;  and  that 
their  sinuosities  and  turnings  become  more 
numerous  as  they  proceed.  It  is  a  certain 
sign  among  the  savages  of  North  America, 

c  Buflbn,  de  Fleuves,  passim,  vol.  ii. 


R 


CO 


A  HISTORY  OF 


that  they  are  near  the  sea,  when  they  find 
the  rivers  winding,  and  every  now  and  then 
changing  their  direction.  And  this  is  even 
now  become  an  indication  to  the  Europeans 
themselves,  in  their  journeys  through  those 
trackless  forests.  As  those  sinuosities,  there- 
fore, increase  as  the  river  approaches  the 
sea,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  they 
sometimes  divide,  and  thus  disembogue  by 
different  channels.  The  Danube  disem- 
bogues into  the  Euxine  by  seven  mouths  ;  the 
Nile  by  the  same  number ;  and  the  Wolga 
by  seventy. 

The  currents"  of  rivers  are  to  be  estimated 
very  differently  from  the  manner  in  which 
those  writers,  who  have  given  us  mathemati- 
cal theories  on  this  subject,  represent  them. 
They  found  their  calculations  upon  the  sur- 
face being  a  perfect  plain  from  one  bank  to 
the  other :  but  this  is  not  the  actual  state  of 
nature;  for  rivers,  in  general,  rise  in  the 
middle ;  and  this  convexity  is  greatest  in 
proportion  as  the  rapidity  of  the  stream  is 
greater.  Any  person,  to  be  convinced  of 
this,  need  only  lay  his  eye,  as  nearly  as  he 
can,  on  a  level  with  the  stream,  and  looking 
across  to  the  opposite  bank,  he  will  perceive 
the  river  in  the  midst  to  be  elevated  consi- 
derably above  what  it  is  at  the  edges.  This 
rising,  in  some  rivers,  is  often  found  to  be 
three  feet  high;  and  is  ever  increased  in  pro- 
portion to  the  rapidity  of  the  stream.  In  this 
case,  the  water  in  the  midst  of  the  current, 
loses  a  part  of  its  weight,  from  the  velocity 
of  its  motion;  while  that  at  the  sides,  for  the 
contrary  reason,  sinks  lower.  It  sometimes, 
however,  happens,  that  this  appearance  is 
reversed ;  for  when  tides  are  found  to  flow 
up  with  violence  against  the  natural  current 
of  the  water,  the  greatest  rapidity  is  then 
found  at  the  sides  of  the  river,  as  the  water 
there  least  resists  the  influx  from  the  sea. 
On  those  occasions,  therefore,  the  river  pre- 
sents a  concave  rather  than  a  convex  surface ; 
and,  as  in  the  former  case,  the  middle  waters 
rose  in  a  ridge,  in  this  case  they  sink  in  a 
i  arrow. 

The  stream  of  all  rivers  is  more  rapid  in 
proportion  as  its  channel  is  diminished.  For 
instance,  it  will  be  much  swifter  where  it  is 

a  Button,  de  Fleuves,  passim,  vol.  ii. 


ten  yards  broad,  than  where  it  is  twenty , 
for  the  force  behind  still  pushing  the  water 
forward,  when  it  comes  to  the  narrow  part, 
it  must  make  up  by  velocity  what  it  wants  in 
room. 

It  often  happens  that  the  stream  of  a  river 
is  opposed  by  one  of  its  jutting  banks,  by  an 
island  in  the  midst,  the  arches  of  a  bridge, 
or  some  such  obstacle.  This  produces  not 
unfrequently  a  back  current ;  and  the  water 
having  passed  the  arch  with  great  velocity, 
pushes  the  water  on  each  side  of  its  direct 
current.  This  produces  a  side  current,  tend- 
ing to  the  bank ;  and  not  unfrequently  a 
whirlpool ;  in  which  a  large  body  of  waters 
are  circulated  in  a  kind  of  cavity,  sinking 
down  in  the  middle.  The  central  point  of 
the  whirlpool  is  always  lowest,  because  it 
has  the  least  motion ;  the  other  parts  are 
supported,  in  some  measure,  by  the  violence 
of  theirs,  and  consequently  rise  higher  as 
their  motion  is  greater ;  so  that  towards  the 
extremity  of  the  whirlpool,  must  be  higher 
than  towards  the  centre. 

If  the  stream  of  a  river  be  stopped  at  the 
surface,  and  yet  be  free  below ;  for  instance, 
if  it  be  laid  over  by  a  bridge  of  boats,  there 
will  then  be  a  double  current ;  the  water  at 
the  surface  will  flow  back,  while  that  at  the 
bottom  will  proceed  with  increased  velocity. 
It  often  happens  that  the  current  at  the  bot- 
tom is  swifter  than  at  the  top,  when,  upon 
violent  land-floods,  the  weight  of  waters  to- 
wards the  source  presses  the  waters  at  the 
bottom,  before  it  has  had  time  to  communi- 
cate its  motion  to  the  surface.  However,  in 
all  other  cases,  the  surface  of  the  stream  is 
swifter  than  the  bottom,  as  it  is  not  retarded 
by  rubbing  over  the  bed  of  the  river. 

It  might  be  supposed  that  bridges,  dams, 
and  other  obstacles  in  the  current  of  a  river, 
would  retard  its  velocity.  But  the  difference 
they  make  is  very  inconsiderable.  The  wa- 
ter, by  these  stoppages,  gets  an  elevation 
above  the  object;  which,  when  it  has  sur- 
mounted, it  gives  a  velocity  that  recom- 
penses the  former  delay.  Islands  and  turn- 
ings also  retard  the  course  of  the  stream  but 
very  inconsiderably ;  any  cause  which  di- 
minishes the  quantity  of  the  water,  most 
sensibly  diminishes  the  force  and  the  velo- 
city of  the  stream. 


THE  EARTH. 


An  increase*  of  water  in  the  bed  of  the 
river  always  increases  its  rapidity;  except  in 
cases  of  inundation.  The  instant  the  river 
has  overflowed  its  banks,  the  velocity  of  its 
current  is  always  turned  that  way,  and  the 
inundation  is  perceived  to  continue  for  some 
days ;  which  it  would  not  otherwise  do,  if,  as 
soon  as  the  cause  was  discontinued,  it  ac- 
quired its  former  rapidity. 

A  violent  storm,  that  sets  directly  up  against 
the  course  of  the  stream,  will  always  retard, 
and  sometimes  entirely  stop  its  course.  I  have 
seen  an  instance  of  this,  when  the  bed  of  a 
large  river  was  left  entirely  dry  for  some 
hours,  and  lish  were  caught  among  the  stones 
at  the  bottom. 

Inundations  are  generally  greater  towards 
the  source  of  rivers  than  farther  down ;  be- 
cause the  current  is  generally  swifter  below   j 
than  above ;  and  that  for  the  reasons  already 
assigned. 

A  little  riverb  may  be  received  into  a  large  I 
one,  without  augmenting  either  its  width  or  | 
depth.  This,  which  at  first  view  seems  a 
paradox,  is  yet  very  easily  accounted  for. 
The  little  river,  in  this  case,  only  goes  towards 
increasing  th-3  swiftness  of  the  larger,  and  put- 
ting its  dormant  waters  into  motion.  In  this 
manner  the  Venetian  branch  of  the  Po  was 
pushed  on  by  the  Ferrarese  branch  and  that 
of  Penaro,  without  any  enlargement  of  its 
breadth  or  depth  from  these  accessions. 

A  river  tending  to  enter  another,  either  j 
perpendicularly,  or  in  an  opposite  direction,  j 
will  be  diverted  by  degrees  from  that  direc-  j 
tion ;  arid  be  obliged  to  make  itself  a  more  ; 
favourable  entrance  downward,  and  more 
conspiring  with  the  stream  of  the  former. 

The  union  of  two  rivers  into  one,  makes  it 
flow  the  swifter ;  since  the  same  quantity  of 
water,  instead  of  rubbing  against  four  shores, 
now  only  rubs  against  two.     And,  besides,   i 
the  current  being  deeper,  becomes,  of  con-  | 
sequence,  more  fitted  for  motion. 

With  respect  to  the  places  from  whence 
rivers  proceed,  it  may  be  taken  for  a  general 
rule,  that  the  largest"  and  highest  mountains  ' 
supply  the  greatest  and  most  extensive  rivers. 
It  may  also  be  remarked,  in  whatever  direc- 
tion the  ridge  of  the  mountain  runs,  the  river 

»  Buffon,  vol.  ii.  p.  62.         b  Guglielmini. 


takes  an  opposite  course.  If  the  mountain, 
for  instance,  stretches  from  north  to  south, 
the  river  runs  from  east  to  west;  and  so  con- 
trariwise. These  are  some  of  the  most  ge- 
nerally received  opinions  with  regard  to  the 
course  of  rivers ;  however,  they  are  liable  to 
many  exceptions;  and  nothing  but  an  actual 
knowledge  of  each  particular  river  can  fur- 
nish us  with  an  exact  theory  of  its  current. 

The  largest  rivers  of  Europe  are,  first,  the 
Wolga,  which  is  about  six  hundred  and  fifty 
leagues  in  length,  extending  from  Rcschow  to 
Astrachan.  It  is  remarkable  of  this  river, 
that  it  abounds  with  water  during  the  sum- 
mer months  of  May  and  June ;  but  all  the  rest 
of  the  year  is  so  shallow  as  scarce  to  cover 
its  bottom,  or  allow  a  passage  for  loaded  ves- 
sels that  trade  up  its  stream.  It  was  up  this 
river  that  the  English  attempted  to  trade  into 
Persia,  in  which  they  were  so  unhappily  dis- 
appointed, in  the  year  1741.  The  next  in 
order  is  the  Danube.  The  course  of  this  is 
about  four  hundred  and  fifty  leagues,  from  the 
mountains  of  Switzerland  to  the  Black  Sea. 
It  is  so  deep  between  Buda  and  Belgrade, 
that  the  Turks  and  Christians  have  fleets  of 
men  of  war  upon  it ;  which  frequently  en- 
gaged during  the  last  war  between  the  Otto- 
mans and  the  Austrians :  however,  it  is  un- 
navigable  further  down,  by  reason  of  its  cata- 
racts, which  prevent  its  commerce  into  the 
Black  Sea.  The  Don,  or  Tanais,  which  is 
four  hundred  leagues  from  the  source  of  that 
branch  of  it  called  the  Softna,  to  its  mouth  in 
the  Euxine  Sea.  In  one.  part  of  its  course,  it 
approaches  near  the  Wolga ;  and  Peter  the 
Great  had  actually  begun  a  canal,  by  which 
he  intended  joining  those  two  rivers ;  but 
this  he  did  not  live  to  finish.  The  Nieper,  or 
Boristhenes,  which  rises  in  the  middle  of  Mus- 
covy, and  runs  a  course  of  three  hundred  and 
fifty  leagues,  to  empty  itself  into  the  Black 
Sea.  The  Old  Cossacks  inhabit  the  banks 
and  islands  of  this  river;  and  frequently  cross 
the  Black  Sea,  to  plunder  the  maritime  places 
on  the  coasts  of  Turkey.  The  Dwina,  which 
takes  its  rise  in  a  province  of  the  same  name 
in  Russia,  that  runs  a  course  of  three  hundred 
leagues,  and  disembogues  into  the  White  Sea, 
a  little  below  Archangel. 

c  Doctor  Halley. 


A  HISTORY  OF 


The  largest  rivers  of  Asia  are,  the  Hohanho, 
in  China,  which  is  eight  hundred  and  fifty 
leagues  in  length,  computing  from  its  source 
at  Raja  Ribron,  to  its  mouth  in  the  gulf  of 
Changi.  The  Jenisca  of  Tartary,  about  eight 
hundred  leagues  in  length,  from  the  lake  Se- 
linga,  to  the  Icy  Sea.  This  river  is,  by  some, 
supposed  to  supply  most  of  that  great  quan- 
tity of  drift  wood  which  is  seen  floating  in  the 
seas  near  the  Arctic  circle.  The  Oby,  of 
five  hundred  leagues,  running  from  the  lake 
of  Kila  into  the  Northern  Sea.  The  Amour, 
in  Eastern  Tartary,  whose  course  is  about 
five  hundred  and  seventy-five  leagues,  from 
its  source  to  its  entrance  into  the  sea  of 
Kamtschatka.  The  Kiam,  in  China,  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty  leagues  in  length.  The  Ganges, 
one  of  the  most  noted  rivers  in  the  world, 
and  about  as  long  as  the  former.  It  rises  in 
the  mountains  which  separate  India  from 
Tartary ;  and  running  through  the  dominions 
of  the  Great  Mogul,  discharges  itself  by  se- 
veral mouths  into  the  bay  of  Bengal.  It  is 
not  only  esteemed  by  the  Indians  for  the 
depth  and  pureness  of  its  stream,  but  for  a 
supposed  sanctity  which  they  believe  to  be 
in  its  waters.  It  is  visited  annually  by  several 
hundred  thousand  pilgrims,  who  pay  their 
devotions  to  the  river  as  to  a  god :  lor  savage 
simplicity  is  always  known  to  mistake  the 
blessings  of  the  Deity,  for  the  Deity  himself. 
They  carry  their  dying  friends  from  distant 
countries,  to  expire  on  its  banks;  and  to  be 
buried  in  its  stream.  The  water  is  lowest  in 
April  or  May ;  but  the  rains  beginning  to  fall 
soon  after,  the  flat  country  is  overflowed  for 
several  miles,  till  about  the  end  of  September; 
the  waters  then  begin  to  retire,  leaving  a  pro- 
lific sediment  behind,  that  enriches  the  soil, 
and,  in  a  few  days  time,  gives  a  luxuriance  to 
vegetation,  beyond  what  can  be  conceived  by 
an  European.  Next  to  this  may  be  reckoned 
the  still  more  celebrated  river  Euphrates. 
This  rises  from  two  sources,  northward  of  the 
city  Erzerum,  in  Turcomania,  and  unites 
about  three  days'  journey  below  the  same ; 
from  whence,  after  performing  a  course  of 
five  hundred  leagues,  it  falls  into  the  gulf  of 
Persia,  fifty  miles  below  the  city  of  Bassora 
in  Arabia.  The  river  Indus  is  extended,  from 
its  source  to  its  discharge  into  the  Arabian 
Sea,  four  hundred  leagues. 


The  largest  rivers  of  Africa  are,  the  Senegal, 
which  runs  a  course  of  not  less  than  eleven 
hundred  leagues,  comprehending  the  Niger, 
which  some   have  supposed  to  fall  into  it. 
However,  later  accounts  seem  to  affirm  that 
the  Niger  is  lost  in  the  sands,  about  three 
hundred  miles  up  from  the  western  coasts  of 
Africa.     Be  this  as  it  may,  the  Senegal  is 
well  known  to  be  navigable  for  more  than 
three  hundred  leagues  up  the  country ;  and 
how  much  higher  it  may  reach  is  not  yet  dis- 
covered, as  the  dreadful  fatality  of  the  inland 
parts  of  Africa,  not  only  deters  curiosity,  but 
even  avarice,  which  is  a  much  stronger  pas- 
sion.    At  the  end  of  last  war,  of  fifty  English- 
men that  were  sent  to  the  factory  at  Galam, 
a  place  taken   from   the  French,  and  nine 
hundred  miles  up  the  river,  only  one  returned 
to  tell  the  fate  of  his  companions,  who  were 
destroyed  by  the  climate.     The  celebrated 
river  Nile  is  said   to  be  nine  hundred  aud 
seventy  leagues,  from  its  source  among  the 
Mountains  of  the  Moon,  in  Upper  ^Ethiopia, 
to  its  opening  into  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 
The  sources  of  this  river  were  considered  as 
inscrutable  by  the  ancients;  and  the  causes 
of  its  periodical  inundation  wero  equally  un- 
known.    They  have  both  been  ascertained 
by  the  missionaries  who  have  travelled  into 
the  interior  parts  of  ^Ethiopia.     The  Nile 
takes  its  rise  in  the  kingdom  of  Gojam,"  from 
a  small  aperture  on  the  top  of  a  mountain, 
which,  though  not  above  a  foot  and  a  half 
over,  yet  was  unfathomable.     This  fountain, 
when  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  ex- 
pands into  a  river;  and  being  joined  by  others, 
forms  a  lake  thirty  leagues  long,  and  as  many 
broad;  from  this,  its  channel,  in  some  mea- 
sure, winds  back  to  the  country  where  it  first 
began ;  from  thence,  precipitating  by  fright- 
ful cataracts,  it  travels  through  a  variety  of 
desert  regions,  equally  formidable,  such  as 
Amhara,  Olaca,  Damot,  and  Xaoa.    Upon  its 
arrival  in  the  kingdom  of  Upper  Egypt,  it 
runs  through  a  rocky  channel,  which  some 
late  travellers  have  mistaken  for  its  cataracts. 
In   the   beginning   of  its  course,  it  receives 
many  lesser  rivers   into  it;   and  Pliny  was 
mistaken  in  saying  that  it  received  none.    In 
the  beginning  also  of  its  course,  it  has  many 

»  Kircher,  Mund.  Subt.  vol.  ii.  p.  72. 


THE  EARTH. 


windings;  but,forabove  three  hundred  leagues 
from  the  sea,  runs  in  a  direct  line.  Its  an- 
nual overflowings  arise  from  a  very  obvious 
cause,  which  is  almost  universal  with  the 
great  rivers  that  take  their  source  near  the 
line.  The  rainy  season,  which- is  periodical 
in  those  climates,  floods  the  rivers ;  and  as 
this  always  happens  in  our  summer,  so  the 
Nile  is  at  that  time  overflown.  From  these 
inundations,  the  inhabitants  of  Egypt  derive 
happiness  and  plenty;  and,  when  the  river 
does  not  arise  to  its  accustomed  heights,  they 
prepare  for  an  indifferent  harvest.  It  begins 
to  overflow  about  the  seventeenth  of  June; 
it  generally  continues  to  augment  for  forty 
days,  and  decreases  in  about  as  many  more. 
The  time  of  increase  and  decrease,  however, 
is  much  more  inconsiderable  now  than  it  was 
among  the  ancients.  Herodotus  informs  us, 
that  it  was  a  hundred  days  rising,  and  as 
many  falling ;  which  shows  that  the  inunda- 
tion was  much  greater  at  that  time  than  at 
present.  Mr.  BufTon"  has  ascribed  the  pre- 
sent diminution,  as  well  to  the  lessening  of  the 
Mountains  of  the  Moon,  by  their  substance 
having  so  long  been  washed  down  with  the 
stream,  as  to  the  rising  of  the  earth  in  Egypt, 
that  has  for  so  many  ages  received  this  ex- 
traneous supply.  But  we  do  not  find,  by  the 
buildings  that  have  remained  since  the  times 
of  the  ancients,  that  the  earth  is  much  raised 
since  then.  Besides  the  Nile  in  Africa,  we 
may  reckon  the  Zara,  and  the  Coanza,  from 
the  greatness  of  whose  openings  into  the  sea, 
and  the  rapidity  of  whose  streams,  we  form 
an  estimate  of  the  great  distance  from  whence 
they  come.  Their  courses,  however,  are 
spent  in  watering  deserts  and  savage  coun- 
tries, whose  poverty  or  fierceness  have  kept 
strangers  away. 

But  of  all  parts  of  the  world,  America,  as 
its  exhibits  the  most  lofty  mountains,  so  also 
it  supplies  the  largest  rivers.  The  foremost 
of  these  is  the  great  river  Amazon,  which, 
from  its  source  in  the  lake  of  Lauricocha,  to 
its  discharge  into  the  Western  Ocean,  per- 
forms a  course  of  more  than  twelve  hundred 
leagues.11  The  breadth  and  depth  of  this 
river  are  answerable  to  its  vast  length ;  and, 
where  its  width  is  most  contracted,  its  depth 

•  Buffon,  vol.  ii.  p.  82. 


is  augmented  in  proportion.  So  great  is  the 
body  of  its  waters,  that  other  rivers,  though 
before  the  objects  of  admiration,  are  lost  in 
its  bosom.  It  proceeds,  after  their  junction, 
with  its  usual  appearance,  without  any  visible 
change  in  its  breadth  or  rapidity ;  and,  if  we 
may  so  express  it,  remains  great  without  os- 
tentation. In  some  places  it  displays  its  whole 
magnificence,  dividing  into  several  large 
branches,  and  encompassing  a  multitude  of 
islands ;  and,  at  length,  discharging  itself  into 
the  ocean,  by  a  channel  of  a  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  broad.  Another  river,  that  may 
almost  rival  the  former,  is  the  St.  Lawrence, 
in  Canada,  which  rising  in  the  lake  Assini- 
boils,  passes  from  one  lake  to  another,  from 
Christinaux  to  Alempigo;  from  thence  to 
lake  Superior;  thence  to  the  lake  Hurons; 
to  lake  Erie;  to  lake  Ontario;  and,  at  last, 
after  a  course  of  nine  hundred  leagues,  pours 
their  collected  waters  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 
The  river  Mississippi  is  of  more  than  seven 
hundred  leagues  in  length,  beginning  at  its 
source  near  the  lake  Assiniboils,  and  ending 
at  its  opening  into  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  The 
river  Plate  runs  a  length  of  more  than  eight 
hundred  leagues  from  its  source  in  the  river 
Parana,  to  its  mouth.  The  river  Oroonoko 
is  seven  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  in  length, 
from  its  source  near  Pasto,  to  its  discharge 
into  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

Such  is  the  amazing  length  of  the  greatest 
rivers ;  and  even  in  some  of  these,  the  most 
remote  sources  very  probably  yet  continue 
unknown.  In  fact,  if  we  consider  the  num- 
ber of  rivers  which  they  receive,  and  the  little 
acquaintance  we  have  with  the  regions  through 
which  they  run,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
that  geographers  are  divided  concerning  the 
sources  of  most  of  them.  As  among  a  num- 
ber of  roots  by  which  nourishment  is  con- 
veyed to  a  stately  tree,  it  is  difficult  to  de- 
termine precisely  that  by  which  the  tree 
is  chiefly  supplied ;  so  among  the  many 
branches  of  a  great  river,  it  is  equally  difficult 
to  tell  which  is  the  original.  Hence  it  may 
easily  happen,  that  a  similar  branch  is  taken 
for  the  capital  stream ;  and  its  runnings  are 
pursued,  and  delineated,  in  prejudice  of  some 
other  branch  that  better  deserved  the  name 

b  Ulloa,  vol.  i.  p.  388. 


(54 


A  HISTORY  OF 


and  the  description.  In  this  manner,*  in  Eu- 
rope, the  Danube  is  known  to  receive  thirty 
lesser  rivers ;  the  Wolga,  thirty-two  or  thirty- 
three.  In  Asia,  the  Hohanho  receives  thirty- 
five;  the  Jenisca  above  sixty;  the  Oby  as 
many ;  the  Amour  about  forty ;  the  Nanquin 
receives  thirty  rivers,;  the  Ganges  twenty; 
and  the  Euphrates  about  eleven.  In  Africa, 
the  Senegal  receives  more  than  twenty  rivers; 
the  Nile  receives  not  one  for  five  hundred 
leagues  upwards,  and  then  only  twelve  or 
thirteen.  In  America,  the  river  Amazon 
receives  above  sixty,  and  those  very  consi- 
derable ;  the  river  St.  Lawrence  about  forty, 
counting  those  which  fall  into  its  lakes ;  the 
Mississippi  receives  forty;  and  the  river  Plate 
above  fifty. 

I  mentioned  the  inundations  of  the  Ganges 
and  the  Nile ;  but  almost  every  other  great 
river,  whose  source  lies  within  the  tropics, 
have  their  stated  inundations  also.  The  river 
Pegu  has  been  called,  by  travellers,  the  In- 
dian Nile,  because  of  the  similar  overflowings 
of  its  stream :  this  it  does  to  an  extent  of 
thirty  leagues  on  each  side ;  and  so  fertilizes 
the  soil,  that  the  inhabitants  send  great  quan- 
tities of  rice  into  other  countries,  and  have 
still  abundance  for  their  own  consumption. 
The  river  Senegal  has  likewise  its  inunda- 
tions, which  cover  the  whole  flat  country  of 
Negroland,  beginning  and  ending  much  about 
the  same  time  with  those  of  the  Nile ;  as,  in 
fact,  both  rivers  rise  from  the  same  mountains. 
But  the  difference  between  the  effects  of  the 
inundations  in  each  river  is  remarkable :  in 
the  one,  it  distributes  health  and  plenty;  in 
the  other,  diseases,  famine,  and  death.  The 
inhabitants  along  the  torrid  coasts  of  the 
Senegal,  can  receive  no  benefit  from  any  ad- 
ditional manure  the  river  may  carry  down  to 
their  soil,  which  is  by  nature  more  than  suf- 
ficiently luxuriant ;  or,  even  if  they  could, 
they  have  not  industry  to  turn  it  to  any  ad- 
vantage. The  banks,  therefore,  of  the  rivers, 
tie  uncultivated,  overgrown  with  rank  and 
noxious  herbage,  and  infested  with  thousands 
of  animals  of  various  malignity.  Every  new 
flood  only  tends  to  increase  the  rankness  of 
the  soil,  and  to  provide  fresh  shelter  for  the 
creatures  that  infest  it.  If  the  flood  continues 

8  Buffon.  vol.  ii.  p.  74. 


but  a  few  days  longer  than  usual,  the  impro- 
vident inhabitants,  who  are  driven  up  in  the 
higher  grounds,  want  provisions,  and  a  famine 
ensues.  When  the  river  begins  to  return 
into  its  channel,  the  humidity  and  heat  of  the 
air  are  equally  fatal ;  and  the  carcases  of  in- 
finite numbers  of  animals,  swept  away  by  the 
inundation,  putrefying  in  the  sun,  produce  a 
stench  that  is  almost  insupportable.  But 
even  the  luxuriance  of  the  vegetation  becomes 
a  nuisance.  I  have  been  assured,  by  persons 
of  veracity  who  have  been  up  the  river  Sene- 
gal, that  there  are  some  plants  growing  along 
the  coast,  the  smell  of  which  is  so  powerful, 
that  it  is  hardly  to  be  endured.  It  is  certain, 
that  all  the  sailors  and  soldiers  who  have 
been  at  any  of  our  factories  there,  ascribe  the 
unwholesomeness  of  the  voyage  up  the  stream, 
to  the  vegetable  vapour.  However  this  be, 
the  inundations  of  the  rivers  in  this  wretched 
part  of  the  globe,  contribute  scarcely  any 
advantage,  if  we  except  the  beauty  of  the 
prospects  which  they  afford.  These,  indeed, 
are  finished  beyond  the  utmost  reach  of  art : 
a  spacious  glassy  river,  with  its  banks  here 
and  there  fringed  to  the  very  surface  by  the 
mangrove-tree  that  grows  down  into  the  wa- 
ter, presents  itself  to  view.  Lofty  forests  of 
various  colours,  with  openings  between,  car- 
peted with  green  plants,  and  the  most  gaudy 
flowers ;  beasts  and  animals  of  various  kinds, 
that  stand  upon  the  banks  of  the  river,  and, 
with  a  sort  of  wild  curiosity,  survey  the  mari- 
ners as  they  pass,  contribute  to  heighten  the 
scene.  This  is  the  sketch  of  an  African  pros- 
pect; which  delights  the  eye,  even  while  it 
destroys  the  constitution. 

Besides  these  annually  periodical  inunda- 
tions, there  are  many  rivers  that  overflow  at 
much  shorter  intervals.  Thus  most  of  those 
in  Peru  and  Chili  have  scarcely  any  motion 
by  night;  but  upon  the  appearance  of  the 
morning  sun,  they  resume  their  former  ra- 
pidity :  this  proceeds  from  the  mountain 
snows,  which,  melting  with  the  heat,  increase 
the  stream,  and  continue  to  drive  on  the  cur- 
rent while  the  sun  continues  to  dissolve  them. 
Some  rivers  also  flow  with  an  even,  steady 
current,  from  their  source  to  the  sea ;  others 
flow  with  greater  rapidity,  their  stream  being 
poured  down  in  a  cataract,  or  swallowed  by 
the  sands,  before  they  reach  the  sea. 


THE  EARTH. 


65 


The  rivers  of  those  countries  that  have 
been  least  inhabited,  are  usually  more  rocky, 
uneven,  and  broken  into  waterfalls  or  cata- 
racts, than  those  where  the  industry  of  man 
has  "been  more  prevalent.  Wherever  man 
comes,  nature  puts  on  a  milder  appearance : 
the  terrible  and  the  sublime  are  exchanged 
for  the  gentle  and  the  useful ;  the  cataract  is 
sloped  away  into  a  placid  stream;  and  the 
banks  become  more  smooth  and  even.a  It 
mast  have  required  ages  to  render  the  Rhone 
or  the  Loire  navigable ;  their  beds  must  have 
been  cleaned  and  directed ;  their  inequalities 
removed ;  and,  by  a  long  course  of  industry, 
nature  must  have  been  taught  to  conspire 
with  the  desires  of  her  controller.  Every 
one's  experience  must  have  supplied  instances 
of  rivers  thus  being  made  to  How  more  evenly, 
and  more  beneficially  to  mankind ;  but  there 
are  some  whose  currents  are  so  rapid,  and 
falls  so  precipitate,  that  no  art  can  obviate , 
and  that  must  for  ever  remain  as  amazing  in- 
stances of  incorrigible  nature. 

Of  this  kind  are  the  cataracts  of  the  Rhine; 
one  of  which  I  have  seen  exhibit  a  very 
strange  appearance;  it  was  that  at  Schaff- 
hausen,  which  was  frozen  quite  across,  and 
the  water  stood  in  columns  where  the  cata- 
ract had  formerly  fallen.  The  Nile,  as  was 
said,  has  its  cataracts.  The  river  Vologda, 
in  Russia,  has  two.  The  river  Zara,  in 
Africa,  has  one  near  its  source.  The  river 
Velino,  in  Italy,  has  a  cataract  of  above  a 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  perpendicular.  Near 
the  city  of  Gottenburgh,1'  in  Sweden,  the  river 
rushes  down  from  a  prodigious  high  precipice 
into  a  deep  pit,  with  a  terrible  noise,  and 
such  dreadful  force,  that  those  trees  designed 
for  the  masts  of  ships,  which  are  floated  down 
the  river,  are  usually  turned  upside  down  in 
their  fall,  and  often  are  shattered  to  pieces, 
by  being  dashed  against  the  surface  of  the 
water  in  the  pit ;  this  occurs  if  the  masts  fall 
sideways  upon  the  water;  but  if  they  fall 
endways,  they  dive  so  far  under  water  that 
they  disappear  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  or 
more :  the  pit  into  which  they  are  thus  plung- 
ed has  been  often  sounded  with  a  line  of  some 
hundred  fathoms  long,  but  no  ground  has 
been  found  hitherto.  There  is  also  a  cata- 

*  Bufibn  vol.  ii.  p.  90. 


I  ract  at  Powerscourt,  in  Ireland,  in  which,  if  I 
am  rightly  informed,  the  water  falls  three 
hundred  feet  perpendicular;  which  is  a 
greater  descent  than  that  of  any  other  cata- 
ract in  any  part  of  the  world.  There  is  a 
cataract  at  Albany,  in  the  province  of  New 
York,  which  pours  its  stream  fifty  feet  per- 
pendicular But  of  all  the  cataracts  in  the 
world,  that  of  Niagara,  in  Canada,  if  we  con- 
sider the  great  body  of  water  that  falls,  must 
be  allowed  to  be  the  greatest,  and  the  most 
astonishing 

This  amazing  fall  of  water  is  made  by  the 
river  St.  Lawrence,  in  its  passage  from  the 
lake  Erie  into  the  lake  Ontario.  We  have 
already  said  that  St.  Lawrence  was  one  of 
the  largest  rivers  in  the  world ;  and  yet  the 
whole  of  its  waters  are  here  poured  down  by 
a  fall  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  perpendicu- 
lar. It  is  not  easy  to  bring  the  imagination 
to  correspond  with  the  greatness  of  the  scene; 
a  river  extremely  deep  and  rapid,  and  that 
serves  to  drain  the  waters  of  almost  all  North 
America  into  the  Atlantic  ocean,  is  here 
poured  precipitately  down  a  ledge  of  rocks, 
that  rise  like  a  wall,  across  the  whole  bed  of 
its  stream.  The  width  of  the  river,  a  little 
above,  is  near  three  quarters  of  a  mile  broad, 
and  the  rocks,  where  it  grows  narrower,  are 
four  hundred  yards  over.  Their  direction  is 
not  straight  across,  but  hollowing  inwards 
like  a  horse-shoe ;  so  that  the  cataract,  which 
bends  to  the  shape  of  the  obstacle,  rounding 
inwards,  presents  a  kind  of  theatre  the  most 
tremendous  in  nature.  Just  in  the  middle 
of  this  circular  wall  of  waters,  a  little  island, 
that  has  braved  the  fury  of  the  current,  pre- 
sents one  of  its  points,  and  divides  the  stream 
at  top  into  two ;  but  it  unites  again  long  be- 
fore it  has  got  to  the  bottom.  The  noise  of 
the  fall  is  heard  at  several  leagues  distance : 
and  the  fury  of  the  waters  at  the  bottom  of 
their  fall  is  inconceivable.  The  dashing  pro- 
duces a  mist  that  rises  to  the  very  clouds ; 
and  that  produces  a  most  beautiful  rainbow, 
when  the  sun  shines.  It  may  easily  be  con- 
ceived, that  such  a  cataract  quite  destroys 
the  navigation  of  the  stream  ;  and  yet  some 
Indian  canoes,  as  it  is  said,  have  been  known 
to  venture  down  it  with  safety. 

b  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  325. 


66 


A  HISTORY  OF 


Of  those  rivers  that  lose  themselves  in  the 
sands,  or  are  swallowed  up  by  chasms  in  the 
earth,  we  have  various  information.  What 
we  are  told  by  the  ancients,  of  the  river  Al- 
pheus,  in  Arcadia,  that  sinks  into  the  ground, 
and  rises  again  near  Syracuse,  in  Sicily, 
where  it  takes  the  name  of  Arethusa,  is  ra- 
ther more  known  than  credited.  But  we 
have  better  information  with  respect  to  the 
river  Tigris  being  lost  in  this  manner  under 
Mount  Taurus ;  of  the  Guadilquiver  in  Spain, 
being  buried  in  the  sands ;  of  the  river 
Greatah,  in  Yorkshire,  running  underground, 
and  rising  again;  and  even  of  the  great 
Rhine  itself,  a  part  of  which  is  no  doubt  lost 
in  the  sands,  a  little  above  Leyden.  But  it 
ought  to  be  observed  of  this  river,  that  by 
much  the  greatest  part  arrives  at  the  ocean  : 
for,  although  the  ancient  channel  which  fell 
into  the  sea  a  little  to  the  west  of  that  city, 
be  now  entirely  choked  up,  yet  there  are 
still  a  number  of  small  canals,  that  carry  a 
great  body  of  waters  to  the  sea :  and  besides, 
it  has  also  two  very  large  openings,  the  Lech, 
and  the  Waal,  below  Rotterdam,  by  which  it 
empties  itself  abundantly. 

Be  this  as  it  will,  nothing  is  more  common 
in  sultry  and  sandy  deserts,  than  rivers  being 
thus  either  lost  in  the  sands,  or  entirely  dried 
up  by  the  sun.  And  hence  we  see,  that  un- 
der the  Line,  the  small  rivers  are  but  few ; 
for  such  little  streams  as  are  common  in  Eu- 
rope, and  which  with  us  receive  the  name 
of  rivers,  would  quickly  evaporate,  in  those 
parching  and  extensive  deserts.  It  is  even 
confidently  asserted,  that  the  great  river 
Niger  is  thus  lost  before  it  reaches  the  ocean; 

•  Krantz's  History  of  Greenland,  vol.  i.  p.  41. 


and  that  its  supposed  mouths,  the  Gambia, 
and  the  Senegal,  are  distinct  rivers,  that 
come  a  vast  way  from  the  interior  parts  of 
the  country.  It  appears  that  the  rivers  un- 
der the  Line  are  large ;  but  it  is  otherwise  at 
the  Poles,8  where  they  must  necessarily  be 
small.  In  that  desolate  region,  as  the  moun- 
tains are  covered  with  perpetual  ice,  which 
melts  but  little,  or  not  at  all,  the  springs  and 
rivulets  are  furnished  with  a  very  small  sup- 
ply. Here,  therefore,  man  and  beast  would 
perish,  and  die  for  thirst,  if  Providence  had 
not  ordered,  that  in  the  hardest  winter,  thaws 
should  intervene,  which  deposit  a  small  quan- 
tity of  snow-water  in  pools  under  the  ice ; 
and  from  this  source  the  wretched  inhabi- 
tants drain  a  scanty  beverage. 

Thus,  whatever  quarter  of  the  globe  we 
turn  to,  we  shall  find  new  reasons  to  be  satis- 
fied with  that  part  of  it  in  which  we  reside. 
Our  rivers  furnish  all  the  plenty  of  the  Afri- 
can stream,  without  its  inundation;  they  have 
all  the  coolness  of  the  Polar  rivulet,  with  a 
more  constant  supply ;  they  may  want  the  ter- 
rible magnificence  of  huge  cataracts,  or  ex- 
tensive lakes,  but  they  are  more  navigable, 
and  more  transparent ;  though  less  deep  and 
rapid  than  the  rivers  of  the  torrid  zone,  they 
are  more  manageable,  and  only  wait  the  will 
of  man  to  take  their  direction.  The  rivers 
of  the  torrid  zone,  like  the  monarchs  of  the 
country,  rule  with  despotic  tyranny,  profuse 
in  their  bounties,  and  ungovernable  in  their 
rage.  The  rivers  of  Europe,  like  their  kings, 
are  the  friends,  and  not  the  oppressors  of  the 
people ;  bounded  by  known  limits,and  abridg- 
ed in  the  power  of  doing  ill,  directed  by  hu- 
man sagacity,  and  only  at  freedom  to  distri- 
bute happiness  and  plenty. 


THE  EARTH. 


67 


CHAPTER  XV. 

OF  THE  OCEAN  IN  GENERAL;  AND  OF  ITS  SALTNESS. 


IF  we  look  upon  a  map  of  the  world,  we 
shall  find  that  the  ocean  occupies  considera- 
bly more  of  the  globe,  than  the  land  is  found 
to  do.  This  immense  body  of  waters  is  dif- 
fused round  both  the  Old  and  New  Conti- 
nent, to  the  south ;  and  may  surround  them 
also  to  the  north,  for  what  we  know,  but  the 
ice  in  those  regions  has  stopped  our  inqui- 
ries. Although  the  ocean,  properly  speak- 
ing, is  but  one  extensive  sheet  of  waters,  con- 
tinued over  every  part  of  the  globe,  without 
interruption,  and  although  no  part  of  it  is  di- 
vided from  the  rest,  yet  geographers  have 
distinguished  it  by  different  names ;  as  the 
Atlantic  or  Western  Ocean,  the  Northern 
Ocean,  the  Southern  Ocean,  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  the  Indian  Ocean.  Others  have 
divided  it  differently,  and  given  other  names ; 
as  the  Frozen  Ocean,  the  Inferior  Ocean,  or 
the  American  Ocean.  But  all  these  being 
arbitrary  distinctions,  and  not  of  Nature's 
making,  the  naturalist  may  consider  them 
with  indifference. 

In  this  vast  receptacle,  almost  all  the  rivers 
of  the  earth  ultimately  terminate;  nor  do 
such  great  supplies  seem  to  increase  its 
stores ;  for  it  is  neither  apparently  swollen 
by  their  tribute,  nor  diminished  by  their  fai- 
lure ;  it  still  continues  the  same.  Indeed, 
what  is  the  quantity  of  water  of  all  the  rivers 
and  lakes  in  the  world,  compared  to  that  con- 
tained in  this  great  receptacle  ?B  If  we 
should  offer  to  make  a  rude  estimate,  we  shall 
find  that  all  the  rivers  in  the  world,  flowing 
into  the  bed  of  the  sea,  with  a  continuance 
of  their  present  stores,  would  take  up  at  least 
eight  hundred  years  to  till  it  to  its  present 
height.  For,  supposing  the  sea  to  be  eighty- 
five  millions  of  square  miles  in  extent,  and  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  upon  an  average  in  depth, 
this,  upon  calculation,  will  give  above  twen- 
ty-one millions  of  cubic  miles  of  water,  as  the 
contents  of  the  whole  ocean.  Now,  to  esti- 

•  Buffon,  vol.  ii.  p.  ~Q. 
KO.  7- 


mate  the  quantity  of  water  which  all  the  ri- 
vers supply,  take  any  one  of  them ;  the  Po, 
for  instance,  the  quantity  of  whose  discharge 
into  the  sea,  is  known  to  be  one  cubic  mile 
of  water  in  twenty-six  days.  Now  it  will  be 
found,  upon  a  rude  computation,  from  the 
quantity  of  ground  the  Po,  Avith  its  influent 
streams,  covers,  that  all  the  the  rivers  of  the 
world  furnish  about  two  thousand  times  that 
quantity  of  water.  In  the  space  of  a  year, 
therefore,  they  will  have  discharged  into  the 
sea  about  twenty-six  thousand  cubic  miles  of 
water  ;  and  not  till  eight  hundred  years,  will 
they  have  discharged  as  much  water  as  is 
contained  in  the  sea  at  present.  I  have  no<. 
troubled  the  reader  with  the  odd  num- 
bers, lest  he  should  imagine  I  was  giving 
precision  to  a  subject  that  is  incapable  of 
it. 

Thus  great  is  the  assemblage  of  waters  dif- 
fused round  our  habitable  globe ;  and  yet. 
immeasurable  as  they  seem,  they  are  mostly 
rendered  subservient  to  the  necessities  and 
the  conveniences  of  so  little  a  being  as  man. 
Nevertheless,  if  it  should  be  asked  whe- 
ther they  be  made  for  him  alone,  the  ques- 
tion is  not  easily  resolved.  Some  philoso- 
phers have  perceived  so  much  analogy  to 
man  in  the  formation  of  the  ocean,  that  they 
have  not  hesitated  to  assert  its  being  made 
for  him  alone.  The  distribution  of  land  and 
water,1"  say  they,  is  admirable ;  the  one  being 
laid  against  the  other  so  skilfully,  that  there 
is  a  just  equipoise  of  the  whole  globe.  Thus 
the  Northern  Ocean  balances  against  the 
Southern ;  and  the  New  Continent  is  an  ex- 
act counterweight  to  the  Old,  As  to  any  ob 
jection  from  the  ocean's  occupying  too  large 
a  share  of  the  globe,  they  contend,  that  there 
could  not  have  been  a  smaller  surface  em- 
ployed to  supply  the  earth  with  a  due  share 
of  evaporation.  On  the  other  hand,  some 
take  the  gloomy  side  of  the  question;  they 

b  Derham's  Physico-Theol. 
T 


68 


A  HISTORY  OF 


cither  magnify1  its  apparent  defects ;  or  as- 
sert, thatb  what  seems  defects  to  us,  may  be 
real  beauties  to  some  wiser  order  of  beings. 
They  observe,  that  multitudes  of  animals  are 
concealed  in  the  ocean,  and  but  a  small  part 
of  them  are  known ;  the  rest,  therefore,  they 
fail  not  to  say,  were  certainly  made  for  their 
own  benefit,  and  not  for  ours.  How  far  ei- 
ther of  these  opinions  be  just,  I  will  not  pre- 
sume to  determine;  but  of  this  we  are  cer- 
tain, that  God  has  endowed  us  with  abilities 
to  turn  this  great  extent  of  waters  to  our  own 
advantage.  He  has  made  these  things,  per- 
haps, for  other  uses ;  but  he  has  given  us  fa- 
culties to  convert  them  to  our  own.  This 
much  agitated  question,  therefore,  seems  to 
terminate  here.  We  shall  never  know  whe- 
ther the  things  of  this  world  have  been 
made  for  our  use;  but  we  very  well  know 
that  we  have  been  made  to  enjoy  them.  Let 
us  then  boldly  affirm,  that  the  earth,  and 
all  its  wonders,  are  ours;  since  we  are  fur- 
nished with  powers  to  force  them  into  our 
service.  Man  is  the  lord  of  all  the  sublunary 
creation ;  the  howling  savage,  the  winding 
serpent,  with  all  the  untameable  and  rebel- 
lious offspring  of  nature,  are  destroyed  in  the 
contest,  or  driven  to  a  distance  from  his  ha- 
bitations. The  extensive  and  tempestuous 
ocean,  instead  of  limiting  or  dividing  his 
power,  only  serves  to  assist  his  industry,  and 
enlarge  the  sphere  of  his  enjoyments.  Its 
billows,  and  its  monsters,  instead  of  present- 
ing a  scene  of  terror,  only  call  up  the  cou- 
rage of  this  little  intrepid  being ;  and  the 
greatest  danger  that  man  now  fears  on  the 
deep,  is  from  his  fellow-creatures.  Indeed, 
when  I  consider  the  human  race  as  Nature 
has  formed  them,  there  is  but  very  little  of 
the  habitable  globe  that  seems  made  for 
them.  But  when  I  consider  them  as  accumu- 
lating the  experience  of  ages,  in  commanding 
the  earth,  there  is  nothing  so  great,  or  so  ter- 
rible. What  a  poor  contemptible  being  is  the 
naked  savage,  standing  on  the  beach  of  the 
ocean,  and  trembling  at  its  tumults !  How 
little  capable  is  he  of  converting  its  terrors 
into  benefits;  or  of  saying,  behold  an  ele- 
ment made  wholly  for  my  enjoyment !  He 
considers  it  as  an  angry  deity,  and  pays  it 

"  Burner's  Theory,  passim. 


the  homage  of  submission.  But  it  is  very 
different  when  he  has  exercised  his  mental 
powers ;  when  he  has  learnt  to  find  his  own 
superiority,  and  to  make  it  subservient  to  his 
commands.  It  is  then  that  his  dignity  begins 
to  appear,  and  that  the  true  Deity  is  justly- 
praised  for  having  been  mindful  of  man ;  for 
having  given  him  the  earth  for  his  habitation, 
and  the  sea  for  an  inheritance. 

This  power  which  man  has  obtained  over 
the  ocean,  was  at  first  enjoyed  in  common , 
and  none  pretended  to  a  right  in  Liat  ele- 
ment where  all  seemed  intruders.  The  sea, 
therefore,  was  open  to  all  till  the  time  of  the 
emperor  Justinian.  His  successor  Leo  grant- 
ed such  as  were  in  possession  of  the  shore 
the  sole  right  of  fishing  before  their  respec- 
tive territories.  The  Thracian  Bosphorus 
was  the  first  that  was  thus  appropriated ;  and 
from  that  time  it  has  been  the  struggle  of 
most  of  the  powers  of  Europe  to  obtain  an 
exclusive  right  in  this  element.  The  repub- 
lic of  Venice  claims  the  Adriatic.  The  Danes 
are  in  possession  of  the  Baltic.  But  the  Eng- 
lish have  a  more  extensive  claim  to  the  em- 
pire of  all  the  seas  encompassing  the  king- 
doms of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland ;  and 
although  these  have  been  long  contested,  yet 
they  are  now  considered  as  their  indisputa- 
ble property.  Every  one  knows  that  the 
great  power  of  the  nation  is  exerted  on  this 
element ;  and  that  the  instant  England  ceases 
to  be  superior  upon  the  ocean,  its  safety  be- 
gins to  be  precarious. 

It  is  in  some  measure  owing  to  our  de- 
pendance  upon  the  sea,  and  to  our  commerce 
there,  that  we  are  so  well  acquainted  with  its 
extent  and  figure.  The  bays,  gulfs,  currents, 
and  shallows  of  the  ocean,  are  much  better 
known  and  examined  than  the  provinces  and 
kingdoms  of  the  earth  itself.  The  hopes  of 
acquiring  wealth  by  commerce,  has  carried 
man  to  much  greater  length  than  the  desire 
of  gaining  information  could  have  done.  In 
consequence  of  this,  there  is  scarcely  a  strait 
or  a  harbour,  scarcely  a  rock  or  a  quicksand, 
scarcely  an  inflexion  of  the  shore,  or  the  jut- 
ting of  a  promontory,  that  has  not  been  mi- 
nutely described.  But  as  these  present  very 
little  entertainment  to  the  imagination,  or  de- 

b  Pope's  Ethic  Epistle,  passim. 


THE  EARTH. 


light  to  any  but  those  whose  pursuits  are 
lucrative,  they  need  not  be  dwelt  upon  here. 
While  the  merchant  and  the  mariner  are  soli- 
citous in  describing  currents  and  soundings, 
the  naturalist  is  employed  in  observing  won- 
ders, though  not  so  beneficial,  yet  to  him  of  a 
much  more  important  nature.  The  saltness 
of  the  sea  seems  to  be  foremost. 

Whence  the  sea  has  derived  that  peculiar 
bitterish  saltness  which  we  find  in  it,  appears, 
by  Aristotle,  to  have  exercised  the  curiosity 
of  naturalists  in  all  ages.  He  supposed  (and 
mankind  were  for  ages  content  with  the  solu- 
tion) that  the  sun  continually  raised  dry  sa- 
line exhalations  from  the  earth,  and  deposit- 
ed them  upon  the  sea ;  and  hence,  say  his 
followers,  the  waters  of  the  sea  are  more  salt 
at  top  than  at  bottom.  But,  unfortunately  for 
this  opinion,  neither  of  the  facts  is  true.  Sea- 
salt  is  not  to  be  raised  by  the  vapours  of  the 
sun ;  and  sea-water  is  not  salter  at  the  top 
than  at  the  bottom.  Father  Bohours  is  of 
opinion  that  the  Creator  gave  the  waters  of 
the  ocean  their  saltness  at  the  beginning ; 
not  only  to  prevent  their  corruption,  but  to 
enable  them  to  bear  greater  burthens.  But 
their  saltness  does  not  prevent  their  corrup- 
tion ;  for  stagnant  sea-writer,  like  fresh,  soon 
grows  putrid:  and,  as  for  their  bearing  great- 
er burthens,  fresh  waters  answer  all  the  pur- 
poses of  navigation  quite  as  well.  The  esta- 
blished opinion,  therefore,  is  that  of  Boyle," 
who  supposes,  "  that  the  sea's  saltness  is  sup- 
plied not  only  from  rocks  or  masses  of  salt  at 
the  bottom  of  the  sea,  but  also  from  the  salt 
which  the  rains  and  rivers,  and  other  waters, 
dissolve  in  their  passage  through  many  parts 
of  the  earth,  and  at  length  carry  with  them 
to  the  sea."  But  as  there  is  a  difference  in 
the  taste  of  rock-salt  found  at  land,  and  that 
dissolved  in  the  waters  of  the  ocean,  this  may 
be  produced  by  the  plenty  of  nitrous  and  bitu- 
minous bodies  that,  with  the  salts,  are  like- 
wise washed  into  that  great  receptacle.  These 
substances  being  thus  once  carried  to  the 
sea,  must  for  ever  remain  there ;  for  they  do 
not  rise  by  evaporation,  so  as  to  be  returned 
back  from  whence  they  came.  Nothing  but 
the  fresh  waters  of  the  sea  rise  in  vapours ; 
and  all  the  saltness  remains  behind.  Hence 

»  Boyle,  vol.  iii.  p.  221. 


it  follows,  that  every  year  the  sea  must  be- 
come more  and  more  salt ;  and  this  specula- 
tion Doctor  Halley  carries  so  far  as  to  lay 
down  a  method  of  finding  out  the  age  of  the 
world  by  the  saltness  of  its  waters.  "  For  if 
it  be  observed,"1"  says  he,  "  what  quantity  of 
salt  is  at  present  contained  in  a  certain  weight 
of  water,  taken  up  from  the  Caspian  Sea,  for 
example,  and,  after  some  centuries,  what  great- 
er quantity  of  salt  is  contained  in  the  sanif 
weight  of  water  taken  from  the  same  place ; 
we  may  conclude,  that  in  proportion  as  the 
saltness  has  increased  in  a  certain  time, 
so  much  must  it  have  increased  before  that 
time ;  and  we  may  thus,  by  the  rule  of  pro- 
portion, make  an  estimate  of  the  whole  time 
wherein  the  water  would  acquire  the  degree 
of  saltness  it  should  be  then  possessed  of." 
All  this  may  be  fine ;  however,  an  experi- 
ment, begun  in  this  century,  which  is  not  to 
be  completed  till  some  centuries  hence,  is 
rather  a  little  mortifying  to  modern  curiosity : 
and,  I  am  induced  to  think,  the  inhabitants 
round  the  Caspian  Sea  will  not  be  apt  to  un- 
dertake the  inquiry.  t 

This  saltness  is  found  to  prevail  in  every 
part  of  the  ocean ;  and  as  much  at  the  sur- 
lace  as  at  the  bottom.  It  is  also  found  in  all 
those  seas  that  communicate  with  the  ocean; 
but  rather  in  a  less  degree. 

The  great  lakes,  likewise,  that  have  no 
outlets  nor  communication  with  the  ocean, 
are  found  to  be  salt:  but  some  of  them  in 
less  proportion.  On  the  contrary,  all  those 
lakes  through  which  rivers  run  into  the  sea, 
however  extensive  they  be,  are,  notwithstand- 
ing very  fresh:  for  the  rivers  do  not  deposite 
their  salts  in  the  bed  of  the  lake,  but  carry 
them, with  their  currents,  intotheocean.  Thus 
the  lakes  Ontario  and  Erie,in  North  America, 
although  for  magnitude  they  may  be  consi- 
dered as  inland  seas,  are,  nevertheless,  fresh- 
water lakes ;  and  kept  so  by  the  river  St. 
Lawrence,  which  passes  through  them.  But 
those  lakes  that  have  no  communication  with 
the  sea,  nor  any  rivers  going  out,  although 
they  be  less  than  the  former,  are,  however, 
always  salt.  Thus,  that  which  goes  by  the 
name  of  the  Dead  Sea,  though  very  small, 
when  compared  to  those  already  mentioned, 

b  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  v.  p.  218, 


70 


A  HISTORY  OF 


is  so  exceedingly  salt,  that  its  waters  seem 
scarcely  capable  of  dissolving  any  more. 
The  lakes  of  Mexico,  and  of  Titicaca,  in 
Peru,  though  of  no  great  extent,  are,  ne- 
vertheless, salt;  and  botli  for  the  same 
reason. 

Those  who  are  willing  to  turn  all  things  to 
the  best,  have  not  failed  to  consider  this  salt- 
ness  of  the  sea  as  a  peculiar  blessing  from 
Providence,  in  order  to  keep  so  great  an  ele- 
ment sweet  and  wholesome.  What  founda- 
tion there  may  be  in  the  remark,  I  will  not 
pretend  to  determine ;  but  we  shall  shortly 
find  a  much  better  cause  for  its  being  kept 
sweet,  namely,  its  motion. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  have  been  many 
who  have  considered  the  subject  in  a  differ- 
ent light,  and  have  tried  every  endeavour  to 
make  salt-water  fresh,  so  as  to  supply  the 
wants  of  mariners  in  long  voyages,  or  when 
exhausted  of  their  ordinary  stores.  At  first 
it  was  supposed  simple  distillation  would  do; 
but  it  was  soon  found  that  the  bitter  part  of 
the  water  still  kept  mixed.  It  was  then  tried 
by  uniting  salt  of  tartar  with  sea-water,  and 
distilling  both;  but  here  the  expense  was 
greater  than  the  advantage.  Calcined  bones 
were  next  thought  of;  but  a  hogshead  of  cal- 
cined bones,  carried  to  sea,  would  take  up 
as  much  room  as  a  hogshead  of  water,  and 
was  more  hard  to  be  obtained.  In  this  state, 
therefore,  have  the  attempts  to  sweeten  sea- 
water  rested  ;  the  chymist  satisfied  with  the 
reality  of  his  invention ;  and  the  mariner  con- 
vinced of  its  being  useless.  I  cannot,  there- 
fore, avoid  mentioning  a  kind  of  succeda- 
neum  which  has  been  lately  conceived  to  an- 
swer the  purposes  of  fresh  water,  when  ma- 
riners are  quite  exhausted.  It  is  well  known, 
the  persons  who  go  into  a  warm  bath,  come 
out  several  ounces  heavier  than  they  went 
in;  their  bodies  having  imbibed  a  corres- 
pondent quantity  of  water.  This  more  par- 
ticularly happens,  if  they  have  been  previous- 
ly debarred  from  drinking,  or  go  in  with  a 
violent  thirst;  which  they  quickly  find 
quenched,  and  their  spirits  restored.  It  was 
supposed,  that  in  case  of  a  total  failure  of 
fresh-water  at  sea,  a  warm  bath  might  be 
made  of  sea-water,  for  the  use  of  mariners ; 
and  that  their  pores  would  thus  imbibe  the 
fluid,  without  any  of  its  salts,  which  would  be 


I  seen  to  crystallize  on  the  surface  of  their  bo- 
I  dies.     In  this  manner,  it  is  supposed,  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  moisture  may  be  procured 
to  sustain  life,  till  time  or  accident  furnish 
a  more  copious  supply. 

But,  however  this  be,  the  saltness  of  the 
sea  can  by  no  means  be  considered  as  a  prin- 
cipal cause  in  preserving  its  waters  from  pu- 
trefaction. The  ocean  has  its  currents,  like 
rivers,  which  circulate  its  contents  round  the 
globe ;  and  these  may  be  said  to  be  the  great 
agents  that  keep  it  sweet  and  wholesome. 
Its  saltness  alone  would,  by  no  means,  answer 
this  purpose :  and  some  have  even  imagined 
that  the  various  substances  with  which  it  is 
mixed,  rather  tend  to  promote  putrescence 
than  impede  it.  Sir  Robert  Hawkins,  one  of 
our  most  enlightened  navigators,  gives  the 
following  account  of  a  calm,  in  which  the  sea 
continuing  for  some  time  without  motion,  be- 
gan to  assume  a  very  formidable  appearance. 
"  Were  it  not,"  says  he,  "  for  the  moving  of 
the  sea,  by  the  force  of  winds,  tides,  and  cur- 
rents, it  would  corrupt  all  the  world.  The 
experiment  of  this  I  saw  in  the  year  1590, 
lying  with  a  fleet  about  the  islands  of  Azores, 
almost  six  months;  the  greatest  part  of  which 
time  we  were  becalmed.  Upon  which  all  the 
sea  became  so  replenished  with  several  sorts 
of  jellies,  and  forms  of  serpents,  adders,  and 
snakes,  as  seemed  wonderful :  some  green, 
some  black,  some  yellow,  some  white,  some 
of  divers  colours,  and  many  of  them  had  life ; 
and  some  there  were  a  yard  and  a  half,  and 
two  yards  long ;  which  had  I  not  seen,  I  could 
hardly  have  believed.  And  hereof  are  wit- 
nesses all  the  company  of  the  ships  which 
were  then  present :  so  that  hardly  a  man 
could  draw  a  bucket  of  water  clear  of  some 
corruption.  In  which  voyage,  towards  the 
end  thereof,  many  of  every  ship  fell  sick,  and 
began  to  die  apace.  But  the  speedy  passage 
into  our  country  was  a  remedy  to  the  crazed, 
and  a  preservative  for  those  that  were  not 
touched." 

This  shows,  abundantly,  how  little  the  sea's 
saltness  was  capable  of  preserving  it  from 
putrefaction :  but,  to  put  the  matter  beyond 
all  doubt,  Mr.  Boyle  kept  a  quantity  of  sea- 
water,  taken  up  in  the  English  Channel,  for 
some  time  barrelled  up ;  and,  in  the  space 
of  a  few  weeks,  it  began  to  acquire  a  fetid 


THE  EARTH. 


smell :'  he  was  also  assured,  by  one  of  his  ac- 
quaintance, who  was  becalmed  for  twelve  or 
fourteen  days  in  the  Indian  sea,  that  the 
water,  for  want  of  motion,  began  to  stink; 
and  that  had  it  continued  much  longer,  the 
stench  would  probably  have  poisoned  him. 
It  is  the  motion,  therefore,  and  not  the  salt- 
ness  of  the  sea,  that  preserves  it  in  its  present 
state  of  salubrity;  and  this,  very  probably, 
by  dashing  and  breaking  in  pieces  the  rudi- 
ments, if  I  may  so  call  them,  of  the  various 
animals  that  would  otherwise  breed  there, 
and  putrefy. 

There  are  some  advantages,  however, which 
are  derii  ed  from  the  saltness  of  the  sea.  Its 
waters  betng  evaporated,  furnish  that  salt 
which  is  use  ;  *or  domestic  purposes;  and, 
although  In  some  places  it  is  made  from 
springs,  and,  ii  otners,  dug  out  of  mines,  yet 
the  greatest  quantity  is  made  only  from  the 
sea.  That  which  is  called  bay-salt,  (from 
its  coming  to  us  by  the  Bay  of  Biscay,)  is  a 
stronger  kind,  made  by  evaporation  in  the 
sun :  that  called  common  salt,  is  evaporated 
in  pans  over  the  fire,  and  is  of  a  much  inferior 
quality  to  the  former. 

Another  benefit  arising  from  the  quantity 
of  salt  dissolved  in  the  sea,  is,  that  it  thus 
becomes  heavier,  and,  consequently,  more 
buoyant.  Mr.  Boyle,  who  examined  the  dif- 
ference between  sea-water  and  fresh,  found 
that  the  former  appeared  to  be  about  a  forty- 
fifth  part  heavier  than  the  latter.  Those, 
also,  who  have  had  opportunities  of  bathing 
in  the  sea,  pretend  to  have  experienced  a 
much  greater  ease  in  swimming  there,  than 
in  fresh-water.  However,  as  we  see  they 
have  only  a  forty-fifth  part  more  of  their 
weight  s-ustained  by  it,  I  am  apt  to  doubt 
whether  so  minute  a  difference  can  be  prac- 
tically perceivable.  Be  this  as  it  may,  as 
sea-water  alters  in  its  weight  from  fresh,  so 
it  is  found  also  to  differ  from  itself  in  different 
parts  of  the  ocean.  In  general,  it  is  per- 
ceived to  be  heavier,  and  consequently  salter, 
the  nearer  we  approach  the  Line.b 

But  there  is  an  advantage  arising  from  the 
saltness  of  the  waters  of  the  sea,  much  greater 
than  what  has  been  yet  mentioned ;  which  is, 

a  Boyle,  vol.  iii.  p.  222. 

»  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  297-        «  Macrobius. 


that  their  congelation  is  thus  retarded.  Some, 
indeed,  have  gone  so  far  as  to  say,  that c sea- 
water  never  freezes :  but  this  is  an  assertion 
contradicted  by  experience.  However,  it  is 
certain  that  it  requires  a  much  greater  degree 
of  cold  to  freeze  it  than  fresh-water ;  so  that, 
while  rivers  and  springs  are  seen  converted 
into  one  solid  body  of  ice,  the  sea  is  always 
fit  for  navigation,  and  no  way  affected  by  the 
coldness  of  the  severest  winter.  It  is,  there- 
fore, one  of  the  greatest  blessings  we  derive 
from  this  element,  that  when  at  land  all  the 
stores  of  Nature  arc  locked  up  from  us,  we 
find  the  sea  ever  open  to  our  necessities,  and 
patient  of  the  hand  of  industry. 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed,  because  in 
our  temperate  climate  we  never  see  the  sea 
frozen,  that  it  is  in  the  same  manner  open  in 
every  part  of  it.  A  very  little  acquaintance 
with  the  accounts  of  mariners,  must  have  in- 
formed us,  that  at  the  polar  regions  it  is  em- 
barrassed with  mountains,  and  moving  sheets 
of  ice,  that  often  render  it  impassable.  These 
tremendous  floats  are  of  different  magnitudes; 
sometimes  rising  more  than  a  thousand  fee- 
above  the  surface  of  the  water;'1  sometimes 
diffused  into  plains  of  above  two  hundred 
leagues  in  length ;  and,  in  many  parts,  sixty 
or  eighty  broad.  They  are  usually  divided 
by  fissures ;  one  piece  following  another  so 
close,  that  a  person  may  step  from  one  to  the 
other.  Sometimes  mountains  are  seen  rising 
amidst  these  plains,  and  presenting  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  variegated  landscape,  with  hills 
and  valleys,  houses,  churches,  and  towers. 
These  are  appearances  in  which  all  natu- 
ralists are  agreed ;  but  the  great  contest  is 
respecting  their  formation.  Mr.  Buffon  as- 
serts," that  they  are  formed  from  fresh-water 
alone ;  which  congealing  at  the  mouths  of 
great  rivers,  accumulate  those  huge  masses 
that  disturb  navigation.  However,  this  great 
naturalist  seems  not  to  have  been  aware  that 
there  are  two  sorts  of  ice  floating  in  these 
seas;  the  flat  ice,  and  the  mountain  ice :  the 
one  formed  of  sea-water  only,  the  other  of 
fresh/ 

The  flat,  or  driving  ice,  is  entirely  com- 
posed of  sea-water;  which,  upon  dissolution, 

d  Krantz's  History  of  Greenland,  vol.  i.  p.  31. 
'  Buffon,  vol.  ii.  p.  91.        *  Krantz. 


72 


A  HISTORY  OF 


is  found  to  be  salt;  and  is  readilydistinguished 
from  the  mountain  or  fresh-water  ice,  by  its 
whiteness,  and  want  of  transparency.     This 
ice  is  much  more  terrible  to  mariners  than 
that  which  rises  up  in   lumps :   a  ship  can 
avoid  the  one,  as  it  is  seen  at  a  distance ;  but 
it  often  gets  in  among  the  other,  which  some- 
times  closing,  crushes   it  to  pieces.     This, 
which  manifestly  has  a  different  origin  from 
the  fresh-water  ice,  may  perhaps  have  been 
produced  in  the  Icy  Sea,  beneath  the  Pole ;  or 
along  the  coasts  of  Spitzberg,  or  Nova  Zembla. 
The  mountain-ice,  as  was  said,  is  different 
in  every  respect,  being  formed  of  fresh-water, 
and  appearing  hard  and  transparent;  it  is 
generally  of  a  pale  green  colour,  though  some 
pieces  are  of  a  beautiful  sky  blue;  many  large 
masses,  also,  appear  gray;  and  some  black. 
If  e::r.mined  more  nearly,  they  are  found  to 
be  incorporated  with  earth,  stones,  and  brush- 
wood,  wrashed  from   the   shore.     On    these 
also  are  sometimes  found,  not  only  earth,  but 
nests  with   birds'  eggs,  at   several  hundred 
miles  from  land.     The  generality  of  these, 
though  almost  totally  fresh,  have,  neverthe- 
less, a  thick  crust  of  salt-water  frozen  upon 
them,  probably  from  the  power  that  ice  has 
sometimes  to  produce  ice.     Such  mountains 
•as    are   here   described,    are   most   usually 
seen  at  spring-time,  and  after  a  violent  storm, 
driving  out  to  sea,  where  they  at  first  terrify 
the  mariner,  and  are  soon  after  dashed  to 
pieces  by  the  continual  washing  of  the  waves; 
or  driven   into  the   warmer   regions  of  the 
south,  there  to  be  melted  away.    They  some- 
times, however,  strike  back  upon  their  native 
shores,  where  they  seem  to  take  root  at  the 
feet  of  mountains ;  and,  as  Martius  tells-  us, 
are   sometimes  higher  than   the   mountains 
themselves.     Those  seen  by  him  were  blue, 
full  of  clefts  and  cavities  made  by  the  rain, 
and  crowned  with  snow,  which  alternately 
thawing  and  freezing  every  year,  augmented 
their  size.     These,   composed   of  materials 
more  solid  than  that  driving  at  sea,  presented 
a  variety  of  agreeable  figures  to  the  eye,  that, 
with  a  little  help  from  fancy,  assumed  the 
appearance  of  trees  in  blossom ;  the  inside 
of  churches,  with  arches,  pillars,  and  win- 
dows; and  the  blue  coloured  rays,darting  from 
within,  presented  the  resemblance  of  a  glory. 
If  we  inquire  into  the  origin  and  formation 


of  these,  which,  as  we  see,  are  very  different 
from  the  former,  I  think  we  have  a  very  satis- 
factory account  of  them  in  Krantz's  History 
of  Greenland;  and  I  will  take  leave  to  give 
the   passage,   with   a  very   few   alterations. 
"  These  mountains  of  ice,"  says  he,  "  are  not 
salt,   like   the   sea-water,   but    sweet;    and, 
therefore,  can  be  formed  no  where  except 
on  the  mountains,  in  rivers,  in  caverns,  and 
against  the  hills  near  the  sea-shore.     The 
mountains  of  Greenland  are  so  high,  that  the 
snow  which  falls  upon  them,  particularly  on 
the  north  side,  is,  in  one  night's  time,  wholly- 
converted  into  ice :  they  also  contain  clefts 
and  cavities,  where  the  sun  seldom  or  never 
injects  his  rays :  besides  these,  are  projec- 
tions, or  landing  places,  on  the  declivities  of 
the  steepest  hills,  where  the  rain  and  snow- 
water  lodge,   and   quickly  congeal.    When 
now  the  accumulated  Hakes  of  snow  slide 
down,  or  fall  with  the  rain  from  the  eminences 
above  on  these  prominences;  or,  when  here 
and  there  a  mountain-spring  comes  rolling 
down  to  such  a  lodging  place,  where  the  ice 
has  already  seated  itself,  they  all  freeze,  and 
add  their  tribute  to  it.     This,  by  degrees, 
waxes  to  a  body  of  ice,  that  can  no  more  be 
overpowered  by  the  sun ;  and  which,  though 
it  may  indeed,  at  certain  seasons,  diminish 
by  a  thaw,  yet,  upon  the  whole,  through  an- 
nual   acquisitions,    it    assumes    an    annual 
growth.     Such  a  body  of  ice  is  often  promi- 
nent far  over  the  rocks.     It  does  not  melt  on 
the  upper  surface,  but  underneath ;  and  often 
cracks   into  many  larger  or  smaller  clefts, 
from  whence  the  thawed  water  trickles  out. 
By  this  it  becomes,  at  last,  so  weak,  that  be- 
ing overloaded  with  its  own  ponderous  bulk 
it  breaks  loose  and  tumbles  down  the  rocks 
with  a  terrible  crash.     Where  it  happens  to 
overhang  a  precipice  on  the  shore,  it  plung- 
es into  the  deep  with  a  shock  like  thunder  : 
and  with  such  an  agitation  of  the  water,  as 
will  overset  a  boat  at  some  distance,  as  many 
a  poor  Greenlander  has  fatally  experienced." 
Thus  are  these  amazingice  mountains  launch- 
ed forth  to  sea,  and  found  floating  in  the  wa- 
ters round  both  the  Poles.  It  is  these  that  have 
hindered  mariners  from  discovering  the  ex- 
tensive countries  that  lie  round  the  South 
Pole :  and  that  probably   block  up  the  pas 
sage  to  China  bv  the  North. 


THE  EARTH. 


73 


I  will  conclude  this  chapter  with  one  effect 
more,  produced  by  the  saltness  of  the  sea ; 
which  is,  the  luminous  appearance  of  its 
waves  in  the  night.  All  who  have  been  spec- 
tators of  a  sea  by  night,  a  little  ruffled  with 
winds,  seldom  fail  of  observing  its  fiery 
brightness.  In  "some  places  it  shines  as  far 
as  the  eye  can  reach ;  at  other  times,  only 
"when  the  waves  boom  against  the  side  of  the 
vessel,  or  the  oar  dashes  into  the  water. 
Some  seas  shine  often  ;  others  more  seldom ; 
some,  ever  when  particular  winds  blow ;  and 
others,  within  a  narrow  compass ;  a  long 
tract  of  light  being  seen  along  the  surface, 
whilst  all  the  rest  is  hid  in  total  darkness. 
It  is  not  easy  to  account  for  these  extraordi- 


nary appearances :  some  have  supposed  that 
a  number  of  luminous  insects  produced  the 
effect,  and  this  is  in  reality  sometimes  the 
case ;  in  general,  however,  they  have  every 
resemblance  to  that  light  produced  by  elec- 
tricity ;  and,  probably,  arise  from  the  agita- 
tion and  dashing  of  the  saline  particles  of  the 
fluid  against  each  other.  But  the  manner  in 
which  this  is  done,  (for  we  can  produce  no- 
thing similar  by  any  experiments  hitherto 
made,)  remains  for  some  happier  accident  to 
discover.  Our  progress  in  the  knowledge 
of  Nature  is  slow ;  and  it  is  a  mortifying 
consideration,  that  we  are  hitherto  more 
indebted  for  success  to  chance  than 
d  us  try. 


in- 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

OF  THE  TIDES,  MOTION,  AND  CURRENTS  OF  THE  SEA;  WITH  THEIR 

EFFECTS. 


IT  was  said,  in  the  former  chapter,  that  the  i 
waters  of  the  sea  were  kept  sweet  by  their 
motion,  without  which  they  would  soon  pu- 
trefy, and  spread  universal  infection.  If  we 
look  for  final  causes,  here,  indeed,  we  have 
a  great  and  an  obvious  one  that  presents  itself 
before  us.  Had  the  sea  been  made  without 
motion,  and  resembling  a  pool  of  stagnant 
water,  the  nobler  races  of  animated  nature 
would  shortly  be  at  an  end.  Nothing  would 
then  be  left  alive  but  swarms  of  ill-formed 
creatures,  with  scarcely  more  than  vegetable 
life  ;  and  subsisting  by  putrefaction.  Were 
this  extensive  bed  of  waters  entirely  quies- 
cent, millions  of  the  smaller  reptile  kinds 
would  there  find  a  proper  retreat  to  breed 
and  multiply  in ;  they  would  find  there  no 
agitation,  no  concussion  in  the  parts  of  the 
fluid  to  crush  their  feeble  frames,  or  to  force 
them  from  the  places  where  they  were  bred ; 
there  they  would  multiply  in  security  and 
ease,  enjoy  a  short  life,  and  putrefying,  thus 
again  give  nourishment  to  numberless  other, 
as  little  worthy  of  existence  as  themselves. 

«  Boyle,  vol.  i.  p.  294. 


But  the  motion  of  this  great  element  effectu- 
ally destroys  the  number  of  these  viler  crea- 
tures ;  its  currents  and  its  tides  produce  con- 
tinual agitations,  the  shock  of  which  they 
are  not  able  to  endure;  the  parts  of  the  fluid 
rub  against  each  other,  destroy  all  viscidi- 
ties ;  and  the  ocean,  if  I  may  so  express  it, 
acquires  health  by  exercise. 

The  most  obvious  motion  of  the  sea,  and 
the  most  generally  acknowledged,  is  that  of 
its  tides.  This  element  is  observed  to  flow 
for  certain  hours,  from  south  towards  the 
north ;  in  which  motion  or  flux,  which  lasts 
about  six  hours,  the  sea  gradually  swells;  so 
that  entering  the  mouths  of  rivers,  it  drives 
back  the  river  waters  to  their  heads.  After 
a  continual  flux  of  six  hours,  the  sea  seems 
to  rest  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour;  and  then 
begins  to  ebb,  or  retire  back  again,  from 
north  to  south,  for  six  hours  more  ;  in  which 
time  the  waters  sinking,  the  rivers  resume 
their  natural  course.  After  a  seeming  pause 
of  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  the  sea  again  begins 
to  flow  as  before  :  and  thus  it  has  alternate- 
ly risen  and  fallen,  twice  a  day,  since  the 
creation. 


74 


A  HISTORY  OF 


This  amazing  appearance  did  not  fail  to 
excite  the  curiosity,  as  it  did  the  wonder  of 
the  ancients.  After  some  wild  conjectures 
of  the  earliest  philosophers,  it  became  well 
known,  in  the  time  of  Pliny,  that  the  tides 
were  entirely  under  the  influence,  in  a  small 
degree,  of  the  sun ;  but  in  a  much  greater, 
of  the  moon.  It  was  found  that  there  was  a 
flux  and  reflux  of  the  sea,  in  the  space  of 
twelve  hours  fifty  minutes,  which  is  exactly 
the  time  of  a  lunar  day.  It  was  observed, 
that  whenever  the  moon  was  in  the  meridian, 
or,  in  other  words,  as  nearly  as  possible  over 
any  part  of  the  sea,  that  the  sea  flowed  to 
that  part,  and  made  a  tide  there ;  on  the  con- 
trary, it  was  found,  that  when  the  moon  left 
the  meridian,  the  sea  began  to  flow  back 
again  from  whence  it  came ;  and  there  might 
be  said  to  ebb.  Thus  far  the  waters  of  the 
sea  seemed  very  regularly  to  attend  the  mo- 
tions of  the  moon.  But  it  appeared,  likewise, 
that  when  the  moon  was  in  the  opposite  me- 
ridian, as  far  off  on  the  other  side  of  the 
globe,  that  there  was  a  tide  on  this  side  also ; 
so  that  the  moon  produced  two  tides,  one  by 
her  greatest  approach  to  us ;  and  another  by 
her  greatest  distance  from  us  :  in  other  words, 
the  moon,  in  once  going  round  the  earth, 
produced  two  tides,  always  at  the  same 
time ;  one  on  the  part  of  the  globe  directly 
under  her ;  and  the  other,  on  the  part  of  the 
globe  directly  opposite. 

Mankind  continued  for  several  ages  con- 
tent with  knowing  the  general  cause  of  these 
wonders,  hopeless  of  discovering  the  parti- 
cular manner  of  the  moon's  operation.  Kep- 
ler was  the  first  who  conjectured  that  attrac- 
tion was  the  principal  cause  ;  asserting,  that 
the  sphere  of  the  moon's  operation  extended 
to  the  earth,  and  drew  up  its  waters.  The 
precise  manner  in  which  this  is  done,  was 
discovered  by  Newton. 

The  moon  has  been  found,  like  all  the  rest 
of  the  planets,  to  attract,  and  to  be  attracted 
by  the  earth.  This  attraction  prevails 
throughout  our  whole  planetary  system.  The 
more  matter  there  is  contained  in  any  body, 
the  more  it  attracts :  and  its  influence  de- 
creases in  proportion  as  the  distance,  when 
squared,  increases.  This  being  premised, 
Jet  us  see  what  must  ensue  upon  supposing 
tl  le  moon  in  the  meridian  of  any  tract  of  the  j 


sea.  The  surface  of  the  water  immediately 
under  the  moon  is  nearer  the  moon  than  any 
other  part  of  the  globe  is ;  and,  therefore, 
must  be  more  subject  to  its  attraction  than 
the  waters  any  where  else.  The  waters  will, 
therefore,  be  attracted  by  the  moon,  and  rise 
in  a  heap ;  whose  eminence  will  be  the  high- 
est where  the  attraction  is  greatest.  In  or- 
der to  form  this  eminence,  it  is  obvious  that 
the  surface,  as  well  as  the  depths,  will  be 
agitated ;  and  that  wherever  the  water  runs 
from  one  part,  succeeding  waters  must  run 
to  fill  up  the  space  it  has  left.  Thus  the 
waters  of  the  sea,  running  from  all  parts,  to 
attend  the  motion  of  the  moon,  produce  the 
flowing  of  the  tide ;  and  it  is  high  tide  at  that 
part  wherever  the  moon  comes  over  it,  or  to 
its  meridian. 

But  when  the  moon  travels  onward,  and 
ceases  to  point  over  the  place  where  the  wa- 
ters were  just  risen,  the  cause  here  of  their 
rising  ceasing  to  operate,  they  will  flow  back 
by  their  natural  gravity,  into  the  lower  parts 
from  whence  they  had  travelled;  and  this 
retiring  of  the  waters  will  form  the  ebbing  of 
the  sea. 

Thus  the  first  part  of  the  demonstration  is 
obvious ;  since,  in  general,  it  requires  no 
great  sagacity  to  conceive  that  the  waters 
nearest  the  moon  are  most  attracted,  or  rais- 
ed highest  by  the  moon.  But  the  other  part 
of  the  demonstration,  namely,  how  there 
come  to  be  high  tides  at  the  same  time,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  globe,  and  where 
the  waters  are  farthest  from  the  moon,  is  not 
so  easy  to  conceive.  To  comprehend  this, 
it  must  be  observed,  that  the  part  of  the 
earth  and  its  waters  that  are  farthest  from 
the  moon  are  the  parts  of  all  others  that  are 
least  attracted  by  the  moon :  it  must  also  be 
observed,  that  all  the  waters,  when  the  moon 
is  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  earth,  must  be 
attracted  by  it  in  the  same  direction  that  the 
earth  itself  attracts  them ;  that  is,  if  I  may 
so  say,  quite  through  the  body  of  the  earth, 
towards  the  moon  itself.  This,  therefore, 
being  conceived,  it  is  plain  that  those  waters 
which  are  farthest  from  the  moon,  will  have 
less  weight  than  those  of  any  other  part,  on 
the  same  side  of  Ihe  globe;  because  the 
moon's  attraction,  which  conspires  with  the 
earth's  attraction,  is  there  least.  Now.  there- 


THE  EARTH. 


75 


fore,  the  waters  farthest  from  the  moon,  hav- 
ing less  weight,  and  being  lightest,  will  be 
pressed  on  all  sides,  by  those  that,  having 
more  attraction,  are  heavier;  they  will  be 
pressed,  I  say,  on  all  sides ;  and  the  heavier 
waters  (lowing  in,  will  make  them  swell  and 
rise  in  an  eminence  directly  opposite  to 
that  on  the  other  side  of  the  globe,  caused 
by  the  more  immediate  influence  of  the 
moon. 

In  this  manner  the  moon,  in  one  diurnal  re- 
volution, produces  two  tides;  one  raised  im- 
mediately under  the  sphere  of  its  influence, 
and  the  other  directly  opposite  to  it.  As 
the  moon  travels,  this  vast  body  of  waters 
rears  upward,  as  if  to  watch  its  motions ;  and 
pursues  the  same  constant  rotation.  How- 
ever, in  this  great  work  of  raising  the  tides, 
the  sun  has  no  small  share ;  it  produces  its 
own  tides  constantly  every  day,  just  as  the 
moon  does,  but  in  much  less  degree,  because 
the  eun  is  at  an  immensely  greater  distance. 
Thus  there  are  solar  tides,  and  lunar  tides. 
When  the  forces  of  these  two  great  lumina- 
ries concur,  which  they  always  do  when  they 
are  either  in  the  same,  or  in  opposite  parts 
of  the  heavens,  they  jointly  produce  a  much 
greater  tide,  than  when  they  are  so  situated 
in  the  heavens,  as  each  to  make  peculiar 
tides  of  their  own.  To  express  the  very 
same  thing  technically ;  in  the  conjunctions 
and  oppositions  of  the  sun  and  moon,  the  attrac- 
tion of  the  sun  conspires  with  the  attraction  of 
the  moon  ;  by  which  means  the  high  spring 
tides  are  formed.  But  in  the  quadratures  of 
the  sun  and  moon,  the  water  raised  by  the 
one  is  depressed  by  the  other ;  and  hence 
the  lower  neap-tides  have  their  production. 
In  a  word,  the  tides  are  greatest  in  the  syzi- 
gies,  and  least  in  the  quadratures. 

This  theory  well  understood,  and  the  as- 
tronomical terms  previously  known,  it  may 
readily  be  brought  to  explain  the  various  ap- 
pearances of  the  tides,  if  the  earth  were  co- 
vered with  a  deep  sea,  and  the  waters  unin- 
fluenced by  shoals,  currents,  straits,  or  tem- 
pests. But  in  every  part  of  the  sea,  near  the 
shores,  the  geographer  must  come  in  to  cor- 
rect the  calculations  of  the  astronomer.  For, 
by  reason  of  the  shallowness  of  some  places, 
and  the  narrowness  of  the  straits  in  others, 
there  arises  a  great  diversity  in  the  effect. 

U 


not  to  be  accounted  for  without  an  exact 
knowledge  of  all  the  circumstances  of  the 
place.  In  the  great  depths  of  the  ocean,  for 
instance,  a  very  slow  and  imperceptible  mo- 
tion of  the  whole  body  of  water  will  suffice 
to  raise  its  surface  several  feet  high ;  but  if 
the  same  increase  of  water  is  to  be  conveyed 
through  a  narrow  channel,  it  must  rush 
through  it  with  the  most  impetuous  rapidity. 
Tims,  in  the  English  Channel,  and  the  Ger- 
man Ocean,  the  tide  is  found  to  flow  strong- 
est in  those  places  that  are  narrowest ;  the 
same  quantity  of  water  being,  in  this  case, 
driven  through  a  smaller  passage.  It  is  of- 
ten seen,  therefore,  pouring  through  a  strait 
with  great  force  ;  and,  by  its  rapidity,  consi- 
derably raised  above  the  surface  of  that  par! 
of  the  ocean  into  which  it  runs. 

This  shallowness  and  narrowness  in  many 
parts  of  the  sea,  give  also  rise  to  a  peculiari- 
ty in  the  tides  of  some  parts  of  the  world. 
For  in  many  places,  and  in  our  own  seas  in 
particular,  the  greatest  swell  of  the  tide  i? 
not  while  the  moon  is  in  its  meridian  height, 
and  directly  over  the  place,  but  some  time 
after  it  has  declined  from  thence.  The  sea, 
in  this  case,  being  obstructed,  pursues  the 
moon  with  what  despatch  it  can,  but  does  not 
arrive  with  all  its  waters  till  long  after  the 
moon  has  ceased  to  operate.  Lastly,  from 
this  shallowness  of  the  sea,  and  from  its  be- 
ing obstructed  by  shoals  and  straits,  we  may 
account  for  the  Mediterranean,  the  Baltic, 
and  the  Black  Sea,  having  no  sensible  tides. 
These,  though  to  us  they  seem  very  exten- 
sive, are  not  however  large  enough  to  be  af- 
fected by  the  influence  of  the  moon ;  and  as 
to  their  communication  with  the  ocean, 
through  such  narrow  inlets,  it  is  impossible 
in  a  few  hours  they  should  receive  and  re- 
turn water  enough  to  raise  or  depress  them 
in  any  considerable  degree. 

In  general  we  may  observe,  that  all  tides 
are  much  higher,  and  more  considerable  in 
the  torrid  zone,  than  in  the  rest  of  the  ocean  ; 
the  sea  in  those  parts  being  generally  deep- 
er, and  less  affected  by  changeable  winds,  or 
winding  shores."  The  greatest  tide  we  know 
of,  is  that  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Indus, 
where  the  water  rises  thirty  feet  in  height. 


»  Bufibn,  vol.  ii.  p.  1 87- 


76 


A  HISTORY  OF 


How  great,  therefore,  must  have  been  the 
amazement  of  Alexander's  soldiers  at  so 
strange  an  appearance !  They  who  always 
before  had  been  accustomed  only  to  the 
scarcely  perceptible  risings  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, or  the  minute  intumescence  of  the 
Black  Sea,  when  made  at  once  spectators  of 
a  river  rising  and  falling  thirty  feet  in  a  few 
hours,  must  no  doubt  have  felt  the  most  ex- 
treme awe,  and,  as  we  are  told,a  a  mixture  of 
curiosity  and  apprehension.  The  tides  are 
also  remarkably  high  on  the  coast  of  Malay, 
in  the  straits  of  Sunda,  in  the  Red  Sea,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  along 
the  coasts  of  China  and  Japan,  at  Panama,  and 
in  the  gulf  of  Bengal.  The  tides  of  Ton- 
quin,  however,  are  the  most  remarkable  in 
the  world.  In  this  part  there  is  but  one  tide, 
and  one  ebb,  in  twenty-four  hours ;  whereas, 
as  we  have  said  before,  in  other  places  there 
are  two.  Besides,  there,  twice  in  each  month 
there  is  no  tide  at  all,  when  the  moon  is  near 
the  equinoctial,  the  water  being  for  some 
time  quite  stagnant.  These,  with  some  other 
odd  appearances  attending  the  same  phasno- 
mena,  were  considered  by  many  as  inscruta- 
ble ;  but  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  with  peculiar  sa- 
gacity, adjudged  them  to  arise  from  the  con- 
currence of  two  tides,  one  from  the  South 
Sea,  and  the  other  from  the  Indian  Ocean. 
Of  each  of  these  tides  there  come  successive- 
ly two  every  day ;  two  at  one  time  greater, 
and  two  at  another  that  are  less.  The  time 
between  the  arrival  of  the  two  greater,  is 
considered  by  him  as  high  tide ;  the  time 
between  the  two  lesser,  as  ebb.  In  short, 
with  this  clue,  that  great  mathematician  solv- 
ed every  appearance,  and  so  established 
his  theory,  as  to  silence  every  opposer. 

This  fluctuation  of  the  sea  from  the  tides, 
produces  another,  and  more  constant  rota- 
tion of  its  waters,  from  the  east  to  the  west, 
in  this  respect  following  the  course  of  the 
moon.  This  may  be  considered  as  one  great 
and  general  current  of  the  waters  of  the  sea; 
and  although  it  be  not  every  where  distin- 
guishable, it  is  nevertheless  every  where  ex- 
istent, except  when  opposed  by  some  parti- 
cular current  or  eddy,  produced  by  partial 
and  local  causes.  This  tendency  of  the  sea 

*  Quintus  Curtius. 


towards  the  west  is  plainly  perceivable  in 
all  the  great  straits  of  the  ocean ;  as,  for  in- 
stance, in  those  of  Magellan,  where  the  tide 
running  in  from  the  east.,  rises  twenty  feei 
high,  and  continues  flowing  six  hours;  where- 
as the  ebb  continues  but  two  hours,  and  the 
current  is  directed  to  the  west  This  proves 
that  the  flux  is  not  equal  to  the  reflux ;  and 
that  from  both  results  a  motion  of  the  sea 
westward,  which  is  more  powerful  during  the 
time  of  the  flux  than  the  reflux. 

But  this  motion  westward  has  been  sensi- 
bly observed  by  navigators,  in  their  passage 
back  from  India  to  Madagascar,  and  so  on 
to  Africa.  In  the  great  Pacific  Ocean  also  it 
is  very  perceivable :  but  the  places  where  it 
is  most  obvious,  are,  as  was  said,  in  those 
straits  which  join  one  ocean  to  another.  In 
the  straits  between  the  Maldivia  islands,  in 
the  gulf  of  Mexico,  between  Cuba  and  Ju- 
catan.  In  the  straits  of  the  gulf  of  Paria, 
the  motion  is  so  violent,  that  it  hath  received 
the  appellation  of  the  Dragon's  Mouth.  North- 
ward in  the  sea  of  Canada,  in  Waigat's  straits, 
in  the  straits  of  Java,  and,  in  short,  in  every 
strait  where  the  ocean  on  one  part  pours  in- 
to the  ocean  on  the  other.  In  this  manner, 
therefore,  is  the  sea  carried  with  an  unceas- 
ing circulation  round  the  globe;  and,  at  the 
same  time  that  its  waters  are  pushed  back 
and  forward  with  the  tide,  they  have  thus  a 
progressive  current  to  the  west,  which  though 
less  observa>\e,  is  not  the  less  real. 

Besides  these  two  general  motions  of  the 
sea,  there  are  others  which  are  particular  to 
many  parts  of  it,  and  are  called  currents. 
These  are  found  to  run  in  all  directions,  east, 
west,  north,  and  south ;  being  formed,  as  was 
said  above,  by  various  causes;  the  promi- 
nence of  the  shores,  the  narrowness  of  the 
straits,  the  variations  of  the  wind,  and  the  in- 
equalities at  the  bottom.  These,  though  no 
great  object  to  the  philosopher,  as  their 
causes  are  generally  local  and  obvious,  are 
nevertheless  of  the  most  material  conse- 
quence to  the  mariner ;  and,  without  a  know- 
ledge of  which,  he  could  never  succeed.  It 
often  has  happened,  that  when  a  ship  has 
unknowingly  got  into  one  of  these,  every 
thing  seems  to  go  forward  with  success,  the 
mariners  suppose  themselves  every  hour  ap- 
proaching their  wished-for  port,  the  wind  fills 


THE  EARTH. 


77 


their  sails,  and  the  ship's  prow  seems  to  di- 
vide the  water ;  but,  at  last,  by  miserable 
experience  they  find,  that  instead  of  going 
forward,  they  have  been  all  the  time  reced- 
ing. The  business  of  currents,  therefore, 
makes  a  considerable  article  in  navigation; 
and  the  direction  of  (heir  stream,  and  their 
rapidity  has  been  carefully  set  down.  This 
some  do  by  the  observation  of  the  surface  of 
the  current ;  or  by  the  driving  of  the  froth 
along  the  shore ;  or  by  throwing  out  what  is 
called  the  log-line,  with  a  buoy  made  for 
that  purpose ;  and  by  the  direction  and  mo- 
tion of  this,  they  judge  of  the  setting,  and  the 
rapidity  of  the  current. 

These  currents  are  generally  found  to  be 
most  violent  under  the  equator,  where  in- 
deed all  the  motions  of  the  ocean  are  most 
perceivable.     Along  the  coasts  of  Guinea,  if 
a  ship  happens  to  overshoot  the  mouth  of  any 
river  it  is  bound  to,  the  current  prevents  its 
return ;  so  that  it  is  obliged  to  steer  out  to 
sea,  and  take  a  very  large  compass,  in  order 
to  correct  the  former  mistake.     These  set  in 
a  contrary  direction  to  the  general  motion  of 
the  sea  westward  ;  and  that  so  strongly,  that 
a  passage  which  with  the  current  is  made  in 
two  days,  is  with  difficulty  performed  in  six 
weeks  against  it.     However,  they  do  not  ex- 
tend above  twenty  leagues  from  the  coast : 
and  ships  going  to  the  East  Indies,  take  care 
not  to  come  within  the  sphere  of  their  action. 
At  Sumatra,  the  currents,  which  are  extreme- 
ly rapid,  run  from  south  to  north  ;  there  are 
also  strong   currents   between   Madagascar 
and  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.     On  the  west- 
ern coasts  of  America,  the  current  always 
runs  from  the  south  to  the  north,  where  a 
south  wind,  continually  blowing,  most  proba- 
bly occasions   this  phaenomenon.      But  the 
currents  that  are  most  remarkable,  and  those 
continually  flowing,  into  the  Mediterranean 
sea,  both  from  the  ocean  by  the  straits  of 
Gibralter,  and  at  its  other  extremity,  from 
the  Euxine  sea  by  the  Archipelago.     This 
is  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  appear- 
ances in  nature,  this  large  sea  receiving  not 
only  the  numerous  rivers  that  fall  into  it,  such 
as  the  Nile,  the  Rhone,  and  the  Po,  but  also 
a  very  great  influx  from  the  Euxine  sea  on 
one  part,  and  the  Ocean  on  the  other.     At 
the  same  time,  it  is  seen  to  return  none  of 


those  waters  it  is  thus  known  to  receive : 
outlets  running  from  it  there  are  none ;  no 
rivers  but  such  as  bring  it  fresh  supplies;  no 
straits  but  what  are  constantly  pouring  their 
waters  into  it.  It  has  therefore  been  the 
wonder  of  mankind  in  every  age,  how  and 
by  what  means  this  vast  concourse  of  waters 
are  disposed  of;  or  how  this  sea,  which  is 
always  receiving,  and  never  returning,  is  no 
way  fuller  than  before.  In  order  to  account 
for  this,  some  have  said,  that  the  water  was 
re-conveyed  by  subterraneous  passages  into 
the  Red  Sea.*  There  is  a  story  told  of  an 
Arabian  caliph,  who  caught  a  dolphin  in  this 
sea,  admiring  the  beauty  of  which,  he  let  it 
go  again,  having  previously  marked  it  by  a 
ring  of  iron.  Some  time  after  a  dolphin  was 
caught  in  the  Red  Sea,  and  quickly  known 
by  the  ring  to  be  the  same  that  had  been  ta- 
ken in  the  Mediterranean  before.  Such,  how- 
ever, as  have  not  been  willing  to  found  their 
opinions  upon  a  story,  have  attempted  to  ac- 
count for  the  disposal  of  the  waters  of  the 
Mediterranean  by  evaporation.  For  this 
purpose  they  have  entered  into  long  calcula- 
tions upon  the  extent  of  its  surface,  and  the 
quantity  of  water  that  would  be  raised  from 
such  a  surface  in  a  year.  They  then  com- 
pute how  much  water  runs  in  by  its  rivers 
and  straits  in  that  time ;  and  find,  that  the 
quantity  exhausted  by  evaporation  greatly  ex- 
ceeds the  quantity  supplied  by  rivers  and  seas. 
This  solution,  no  doubt,  would  be  satisfactory, 
did  not  the  Ocean,  and  the  Euxine,  evapo- 
rate as  well  as  the  Mediterranean :  and  as 
these  are  subject  to  the  same  drain,  it  must 
follow,  that  all  the  seas  will  in  this  respect 
be  upon  a  par;  and,  therefore,  there  must 
be  some  other  cause  for  this  unperceived 
drain,  and  continual  supply.  This  seems  to 
be  satisfactorily  enough  accounted  for  by 
Dr.  Smith,  who  supposes  an  under  current 
running  through  the  straits  of  Gibraltar  to 
carry  out  as  much  water  into  the  Ocean,  as 
the  upper  current  continually  carries  in  from 
it.  To  confirm  this,  he  observes,  that  nearer 
home,  between  the  north  and  south  Ireland, 
the  tide  is  known  to  run  one  way  at  top,  and 
the  ebb  another  way  at  bottom.  This  dou- 
ble current  he  also  confirms  by  an  expen- 

. -       - -.-_!--_  iPl—  ... 

»  Kircher  Mund.  Subt.  vol.  i. 


78 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ment  communicated  to  him  by  an  able  sea- 
man, who  being  with  one  of  the  king's  fri- 
gates in  the  Baltic,  found  he  went  with  his 
boat  into  the  mid-stream,  and  was  carried 
violently  by  the  current ;  upon  which  a  bas- 
ket was  sunk,  with  a  large  cannon  ball,  to  a 
certain  depth  of  water,  which  gave  a  check 
to  the  boat's  motion ;  as  the  basket  sunk  still 
lower,  the  boat  was  driven  by  the  force  of 
the  water  below  against  the  upper  current ; 
and  the  lower  the  basket  was  let  down,  the 
stronger  the  under  current  was  fotfrid,  and  the 
quicker  was  the  boat's  motion  against  the 
upper  stream,  which  seemed  not  to  be  above 
four  fathom  deep.  Hence  we  may  readily 
infer,  that  the  same  cause  may  operate  at  the 
straits  of  Gibraltar ;  and  that  while  the  Me- 
diterranean seems  replenishing  at  top,  it  may 
be  emptying  at  bottom. 

The  number  of  the  currents  at  sea  are  im- 
possible to  be  recounted,  nor,  indeed,  are 
they  always  known ;  new  ones  are  daily  pro- 
duced by  a  variety  of  causes,  and  as  quickly 
disappear.  When  a  regular  current  is  oppo- 
sed by  another  in  a  narrow  strait,  or  where 
the  bottom  of  the  sea  is  very  uneven,  a 
whirlpool  is  often  formed.  These  were  for- 
merly considered  as  the  most  formidable  ob- 
structions to  navigation,  and  the  ancient  po- 
ets and  historians  speak  of  them  vvitli  terror; 
they  are  described  as  swallowing  up  ships, 
and  dashing  them  against  the  rocks  at  the 
bottom :  apprehension  did  no  fail  to  add 
imaginary  terrors  to  the  description,  ancl  pla- 
ced at  the  centre  of  the  whirlpool  a  dreadful 
den,  fraught  with  monsters,  whose  howlings 
served  to  add  new  horrors  to  the  dashings  of 
the  deep.  Mankind  at  present,  however, 
view  these  eddies  of  the  sea  with  very  little 
apprehension ;  and  some  have  wondered 
how  the  ancients  could  have  so  much  over- 
charged their  descriptions.  But  all  this  is 
very  naturally  accounted  for.  In  those  times 
when  navigation  was  in  its  infancy,  and  the 
slightest  concussion  of  the  waves  generally 
sent  the  poor  adventurer  to  the  bottom,  it  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  he  was  terrified 
at  the  violent  agitations  in  one  of  these. 
When  his  little  ship,  but  ill  fitted  for  oppos- 
ing the  fury  of  the  sea,  was  got  within  the 
vortex,  there  was  then  no  possibility  of  ever 
returning.  To  add  to  the  fatality,  they  were 


always  near  the  shore ;  and  along  the  shore 
was  the  only  place  where  this  ill-provided 
mariner  durst  venture  to  sail.  These  were 
therefore  dreadful  impediments  to  his  navi- 
gation ;  for  if  he  attempted  to  pass  between 
I  hem  and  the  shore,  he  was  sometimes  suck- 
ed in  by  the  eddy;  and  if  he  attempted  to 
avoid  them  out  at  sea,  he  was  often  sunk  by 
the  storm.  But  in  our  time,  and  in  our  pre- 
sent improved  state  of  navigation,  Charybdis, 
and  the  Euripus,  with  all  the  other  irregular 
currents  of  the  Mediterranean,  are  no  long- 
er formidable.  Mr.  Addison,  not  attending 
to  this  train  of  thinking,  upon  passing  through 
the  straits  of  Sicily,  was  surprised  at  the  lit- 
tle there  was  of  terror  in  the  present  appear- 
ance of  Scylla  and  Charybdis;  and  seems  to 
be  of  opinion,  that  their  agitations  are  much 
diminished  since  the  times  of  antiquity.  In 
fact,  from  the  reasons  above,  all  the  wonders 
of  the  Mediterranean  Sea  are  described  in 
much  higher  colours  than  they  merit,  to  us 
who  are  acquainted  with  the  more  magnifi- 
cent terrors  of  the  Ocean.  The  Mediterra- 
nean is  one  of  the  smoothest  and  most  gentle 
seas  in  the  world ;  its  tides  are  scarcely  per- 
ceivable, except  in  the  gulf  of  Venice,  and 
shipwrecks  are  less  known  there  than  in  any 
other  part  of  the  world. 

It  is  in  the  Ocean,  therefore,  that  these 
whirlpools  are  particularly  dangerous,  where 
the  tides  are  violent,  and  the  tempests  fierce. 
To  mention  only  one,  that  called  the  Maels- 
troom,  upon  the  coasts  of  Norway,  which  is 
considered  as  the  most  dreadful  and  vora- 
cious in  the  world.  -  The  name  it  has  receiv- 
ed from  the  natives,  signifies  the  navel  of  the 
sea,  since  they  suppose  that  a  great  share  of 
the  water  of  the  sea  is  sucked  up  and  dis- 
charged by  its  vortex.  A  minute  descrip- 
tion of  the  internal  parts  is  not  to  be  expect- 
ed, since  none  who  were  there  ever  returned 
to  bring  back  information.  The  body  of  the 
waters 'that  form  this  whirlpool,  are  extended 
in  a  circle  above  thirteen  miles  in  circumfer- 
ence." In  the  midst  of  this  stands  a  rock, 
against  which  the  tide  in  its  ebb  is  dashed 
with  inconceivable  fury.  At  this  time  it  in- 
stantly swallows  up  all  tilings  that  come  with- 
in the  sphere  of  its  violence,  trees,  timber, 

»  Kircher  Mund.  Subt.  vol.  i.  p.  15G. 


THE  EARTH. 


79 


and  shipping.  No  skill  in  the  mariner,  nor 
strength  of  rowing,  can  work  an  escape :  the 
sailor  at  the  helm  finds  the  ship  at  first  go  in 
a  current  opposite  to  his  intentions ;  his  ves- 
sel's motion,  though  slow  in  the  beginning, 
becomes  every  moment  more  rapid ;  it  goes 
round  in  circles  still  narrower  and  narrower, 
till  at  last  it  is  dashed  against  the  rocks,  and 
instantly  disappears ;  nor  is  it  seen  again  for 


six  hours  :  till  the  tide  flowing,  it  is  vomited 
forth  with  the  same  violence  with  which  it 
was  drawn  in.  The  noise  of  this  dreadful 
vortex  still  farther  contributes  to  increase 
its  terror,  which,  with  the  dashing  of  the 
waters,  and  the  dreadful  valley,  if  it  may 
be  so  called,  caused  by  their  circulation, 
makes  one  of  the  most  tremendous  objects  in 
nature. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

OF  THE  CHANGES  PRODUCED  BY  THE  SEA  UPON  THE  EARTH. 


FROM  what  has  been  said,  as  well  of  the 
earth  as  of  the  sea,  they  both  appear  to  be 
in  continual  fluctuation.  The  earth,  the 
common  promptuary  that  supplies  subsist- 
ence to  men,  animals,  and  vegetables,  is  con- 
tinually furnishing  its  stores  to  their  support. 

But  the  matter  which  is  thus  derived  from 
it,  is  soon  restored  and  laid  down  again  to 
be  prepared  for  fresh  mutations.  The  trans- 
migration of  souls  is  no  doubt  false  and  whim- 
sical ;  but  nothing  can  be  more  certain  than 
the  transmigration  of  bodies :  the  spoils  of 
the  meanest  reptile  may  go  to  the  formation 
of  a  prince ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  as  the  po- 
et has  it,  the  body  of  Caesar  may  be  employ- 
ed in  stopping  a  beer-barrel.  From  this,  and 
other  causes,  therefore,  the  earth  is  in  con- 
tinual change.  Its  internal  fires,  the  devia- 
tion of  its  rivers,  and  the  falling  of  its  moun- 
tains, are  daily  altering  its  surface  ;  and  geo- 
graphy can  scarcely  recollect  the  lakes  and 
the  valleys  that  history  once  described. 

But  these  changes  are  nothing  to  the  in- 
stability of  the  ocean.  It  would  seem  that 
inquietude  was  as  natural  to  it  as  its  fluidity. 
It  is  first  seen  with  a  constant  and  equable 
motion  going  towards  the  west;  the  tides 
then  interrupt  this  progression,  and  for  a 
time  drive  the  waters  in  a  contrary  direction ; 
beside  these  agitations,  the  currents  act  their 
part  in  a  smaller  sphere,  being  generally 
greatest  where  the  other  motions  of  the  sea 
are  least ;  namely,  nearest  the  shore :  the 
winds  also  contribute  their  share  in  this  uni- 


versal fluctuation :  so  that  scarcely  any  part 
of  the  sea  is  wholly  seen  to  stagnate. 

Nil  enim  quiescii,  widis  impellitur  undo, 
Et  spiritua  et  calor  toto  se  corpore  miscent. 

As  this  great  element  is  thus  changed,  and 
continually  labouring  internally,  it  may  be 
readily  supposed  that  it  produces  correspond- 
ent changes  upon  its  shores,  and  those  parts 
of  the  earth  subject  to  its  influence.  In  fact, 
it  is  every  day  making  considerable  altera- 
tions, either  by  overflowing  its  shores  in  one 
place,  or  deserting  them  in  others :  by  cover- 
ing over  whole  tracts  of  country,  that  were 
cultivated  and  peopled,  at  one  time ;  or  by 
leaving  its  bed  to  be  appropriated  to  the 
purposes  of  vegetation,  and  to  supply  a  new 
theatre  for  human  industry  at  another. 

In  this  struggle  between  the  earth  and  the 
sea  for  dominion,  the  greatest  number  of  our 
shores  seem  to  defy  the  whole  rage  of  the 
waves,  both  by  their  height,  and  the  rocky 
materials  of  which  they  are  composed.  The 
coasts  of  Italy,  for  instance,a  are  bordered 
with  rocks  of  marble  of  different  kinds,  the 
quarries  of  which  may  easily  be  distinguished 
at  a  distance  from  sea,  and  appear  like  per- 
pendicular columnsof  the  most  beautiful  kinds 
of  marble,  ranged  along  the  shore.  In  gene- 
ral, the  coasts  of  France,  from  Brest  to 
Bordeaux,  are  composed  of  rocks;  as  are 
also  those  of  Spain  and  England,  which  de- 

»  Buffon,  vol.  ii.  p.  199- 


80 


A  HISTORY  OF 


fend  the  land,  and  only  are  interrupted  here 
and  there  to  give  an  egress  to  rivers,  and  to 
grant  the  conveniences  of  bays  and  harbours 
to  our  shipping.  It  may  be  in  general  re- 
marked, that  wherever  the  sea  is  most  vio- 
lent and  furious,  there  the  boldest  shores, 
and  of  the  most  compact  materials,  are  found 
to  oppose  it.  There  are  many  shores  several 
hundred  feet  perpendicular,  against  which 
the  sea,  when  swollen  with  tides,  or  storms, 
rises  and  beats  with  inconceivable  fury.  In 
"the  Orkneys,  where  the  shores  are  thus  form- 
ed, it  sometimes,  when  agitated  by  a  storm, 
rises  two  hundred  feet  perpendicular,  and 
dashes  up  its  spray,  together  with  sand,  and 
other  substances  that  compose  its  bottom, 
upon  land,  like  showers  of  rain. 

Hence,  therefore,  we  may  conceive  how 
the  violence  of  the  sea,  and  the  boldness  of 
the  shore,  may  be  said  to  have  made  each 
other.  Where  the  sea  meets  no  obstacles, 
it  spreads  its  waters  with  a  gentle  intume- 
scence, till  all  its  power  is  destroyed,  by 
wanting  depth  to  aid  the  motion.  But  when 
its  progress  is  checked  in  the  midst,  by  the 
prominence  of  rocks,  or  the  abrupt  elevation 
of  the  land,  it  dashes  with  all  the  force  of  its 
depth  against  the  obstacle,  and  forms,  by  its 
repeated  violence,  that  abruptness  of  the 
shore  which  confines  its  impetuosity.  Where 
the  sea  is  extremely  deep,  or  very  much  vex- 
ed by  tempests,  it  is  no  small  obstacle  that 
can  confine  its  rage ;  and  for  this  reason  we 
see  the  boldest  shores  projected  against  the 
deepest  waters;  all  less  impediments  having 
long  before  been  surmounted  and  washed 
away.  Perhaps  of  all  the  shores  in  the  world, 
there  is  not  one  so  high  as  that  on  the  west 
of  St.  Kilda,  which,  upon  a  late  admeasure- 
ment,1' was  found  to  be  six  hundred  fathom 
perpendicular  above  the  surface  of  the  sea. 
Here,  also,  the  sea  is  deep,  turbulent,  and 
stormy ;  so  that  it  requires  great  force  in  the 
shore  to  oppose  its  violence.  In  many  parts 
of  the  world,  and  particularly  upon  the  coasts 
of  the  East  Indies,  the  shores,  though  not 
high  above  water,  are  generally  very  deep, 
and  consequently  the  waves  roll  against  the 
land  with  great  weight  and  irregularity. 
This  rising  of  the  waves  against  the  shore,  is 

*  BufTon,  vol.  ii.  p.  191.     b  Description  of  St.  Kilda. 


called  by  mariners  the  surf  of  the  sea; 
and  in  shipwrecks  is  generally  fatal  to  such 
as  attempt  to  swim  on  shore.  In  this  case, 
no  dexterity  in  the  swimmer,  no  float  he  can 
use,  neither  swimming  girdle  nor  cork  jacket 
will  save  him;  the  weight  of  the  superincum- 
bent waves  breaks  upon  him  at  once,  and 
crushes  him  with  certain  ruin.  Some  few  of 
the  natives,  however,  have  the  art  of  swim- 
ming and  of  navigating  their  little  boats  near 
those  shores,  where  an  European  is  sure  of 
instant  destruction. 

In  places  where  the  force  of  the  sea  is  less 
violent,  or  its  tides  less  rapid,  the  shores  are 
generally  seen  to  descend  with  a  more  gra- 
dual declivity.  Over  these,  the  waters  of  the 
tide  steal  by  almost  imperceptible  degrees, 
covering  them  for  a  large  extent,  and  leav- 
ing them  bare  on  its  recess.  Upon  these 
shores,  as  was  said,  the  sea  seldom  beats 
with  any  great  violence,  as  a  large  wave  has 
not  depth  sufficient  to  float  it  onwards;  so 
that  here  only  are  to  be  seen  gentle  surges 
making  calmly  towards  land,  and  lessening 
as  they  approach.  As  the  sea,  in  the  former 
description,  is  generally  seen  to  present  pros- 
pects of  tumult  and  uproar,  here  it  more  usu- 
ally exhibits  a  scene  of  repose  and  tranquil 
beauty.  Its  waters,  which  when  surveyed 
from  the  precipice,  afforded  a  muddy  greenish 
hue,  arising  from  their  depth  and  position  to 
the  eye,0  when  regarded  from  a  shelving 
shore,  wear  the  colour  of  the  sky,  and  seem 
rising  to  meet  it.  The  deafening  noise  of  the 
deep  sea  is  here  converted  into  gentle  mur- 
murs ;  instead  of  the  water's  dashing  against 
the  face  of  the  rock,  it  advances  and  recedes, 
still  going  forward,  but  with  just  force  enough 

i  to  push  its  weeds  and  shells,  by  insensible 

|  approaches,  to  the  shore. 

There  are  other  shores,  beside  those  al- 
ready described,  which  either  have  been 
raised  by  art  to  oppose  the  sea's  approaches, 
or,  from  the  sea's  gaining  ground,  are  threat- 
ened with  imminent  destruction.  The  sea's 
being  thus  seen  to  give  and  take  away  lands 
at  pleasure,  is,  without  question,  one  of  the 
most  extraordinary  considerations  in  all  na- 
tural history.  In  some  places  it  is  seen  to 
obtain  the  superiority  by  slow  and  certain 

«  Newton's  Optics,  p.  163 — 167- 


THE  EARTH. 


approaches ;  or  to  burst  in  at  once,  and  over- 
whelm all  things  in  undistinguished  destruc- 
tion; in  other  places  it  departs  from  its 
shores,  and  where  its  waters  have  been 
known  to  rage,  it  leaves  fields  covered  with 
the  most  beautiful  verdure. 

The  formation  of  new  lands,  by  the  sea's 
continually  bringing  its  sediment  to  one  place, 
and  by  the  accumulation  of  its  sands  in  ano- 
ther, is  easily  conceived.  We  have  had  ma- 
ny instances  of  this  in  England.  The  island 
of  Oxney,  which  is  adjacent  to  Romney 
marsh,  was  produced  in  this  manner.  This 
had  for  a  long  time  been  a  low  level,  conti- 
nually in  danger  of  being  overflown  by  the  ri- 
ver Rother ;  but  the  sea,  by  its  depositions, 
has  gradually  raised  the  bottom  of  the  river, 
while  it  has  hollowed  the  mouth ;  so  that  the 
one  is  sufficiently  secured  from  inundations, 
and  the  other  is  deep  enough  to  admit  ships 
of  considerable  burthen.  The  like  also  may 
be  seen  at  that  bank  called  the  Dogger-sands, 
where  two  tides  meet,  and  which  thus  re- 
ceives new  increase  every  day,  so  that  in 
time  the  place  seems  to  promise  fair  for  be- 
ing habitable  earth.  On  many  parts  of  the 
coasts  of  France,  England,  Holland,  Germa- 
ny, and  Prussia,  the  sea  has  been  sensibly 
known  to  retire.8  Hubert  Thomas  asserts, 
in  his  Description  of  the  country  of  Liege, 
that  the  sea  formerly  encompassed  the  city 
of  Tongres,  which,  however,  is  at  present 
thirty-five  leagues  distant  from  it :  this  asser- 
tion he  supports  by  many  strong  reasons ; 
and  among  others,  by  the  iron  rings  fixed  in 
the  walls  of  the  town,  for  fastening  the  ships 
that  came  into  the  port.  In  Italy  there  is  a 
considerable  piece  of  ground  gained  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Arno;  and  Ravenna,  that 
once  stood  by  the  sea  side,  is  now  consider- 
ably removed  from  it.  But  we  need  scarce- 
ly mention  these,  when  we  find  that  the  whole 
republic  of  Holland  seems  to  be  a  conquest 
upon  the  sea,  and  in  a  manner  rescued  from 
its  bosom.  The  surface  of  the  earth,  in  this 
country,  is  below  the  level  of  the  bed  of  the 
sea :  and  I  remember,  upon  approaching  the 
coast,  to  have  looked  down  upon  it  from  the 
sea,  as  into  a  valley ;  however,  it  is  every 
day  rising  higher  by  the  depositions  made 

*  BufTon,  vol.  vi.  p.  424. 


upon  il  by  the  sea,  the  Rhine,  and  the  Meuse ; 
and  those  parts  which  formerly  admitted 
large  men  of  war,  are  now  known  to  be  too 
shallow  to  receive  ships  of  very  moderate 
burthen.b  The  province  of  Jucatan,  a  penin- 
sula in  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  was  formerly  a 
part  of  the  sea ;  this  tract,  which  stretches 
out  into  the  ocean,  a  hundred  leagues,  and 
which  is  above  thirty  broad,  is  every  where, 
at  a  moderate  depth  below  the  surface,  com- 
posed of  shells,  which  evince  that  its  land 
once  formed  the  bed  of  the  sea.  In  France, 
the  town  of  Aigues  Mortes  was  a  port  in  the 
times  of  St.  Louis,  which  is  now  removed 
more  than  four  miles  from  the  sea.  Psalmodi, 
in  the  same  kingdom,  was  an  island  in  the 
year  815,  but  is  now  more  than  six  miles 
from  the  shore.  All  along  the  coasts  of  Nor- 
folk, I  am  very  well  assured,  that  in  the  mr- 
mory  of  man,  the  sea  has  gained  fifty  yards 
in  some  places,  and  has  lost  as  much  in 
others. 

Thus  numerous,  therefore,  are  the  instan- 
ces of  new  lands  having  been  produced  from 
the  sea,  which,  as  we  see,  is  brought  about 
two  different  ways  :  first,  by  the  waters  rais- 
ing banks  of  sand  and  mud  where  their  sedi- 
ment is  deposited :  and  secondly,  by  their 
relinquishing  the  shore  entirely,  and  leaving 
it  unoccupied  to  the  industry  of  man. 

But  as  the  sea  has  been  thus  known  to  re- 
cede  from  some  lands,  so  has  it,  by  fatal  ex- 
perience,been  found  to  encroach  upon  others; 
and,  probably,  these  depredations  on  one 
part  of  the  shore,  may  account  for  their  de- 
reliction from  another ;  for  the  current  which 
rested  upon  some  certain  bank,  having  got 
an  egress  in  some  other  place,  it  no  longer 
presses  upon  its  former  bed,  but  pours  all  its 
stream  into  the  new  entrance,  so  that  every 
inundation  of  the  sea  may  be  attended  with 
some  correspondent  dereliction  of  another 
shore. 

However  this  be,  we  have  numerous  his- 
tories of  the  sea's  inundations,  and  its  bury- 
ing whole  provinces  in  its  bosom.  Many 
countries  that  have  been  thus  destroyed  bear 
melancholy  witness  to  the  truth  of  history ; 
and  show  the  tops  of  their  houses,  and  the 
spires  of  their  steeples,  still  standing  at  the 

b  Burton,  vol.  vi.  p.  424 


82 


A  HISTORY  OF 


bottom  of  the  water.  One  of  the  most  con- 
siderable inundations  we  have  in  history,  is 
that  which  happened  in  the  reign  of  Henry  I. 
which  overflowed  the  estates  of  the  Earl 
Godwin,  and  forms  now  that  bank  called  the 
Goodwin  Sands.  In  the  year  1546,  a  similar 
irruption  of  the  sea  destroyed  a  hundred  thou- 
sand persons  in  the  territory  of  Dort;  and  yet 
a  greater  number  round  Dullart.  In  Friez- 
land,  and  Zealand,  there  were  more  than 
three  hundred  villages  overwhelmed ;  and 
their  remains  continue  still  visible  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  water  in  a  clear  day.  The  Baltic 
Sea  has,  by  slow  degrees,  covered  a  large 
part  of  Pomerania  ;  and,  among  others,  de- 
stroyed and  overwhelmed  the  famous  port  of 
Vineta.  In  the  same  manner,  the  Norwegian 
Sea  has  formed  several  little  islands  from  the 
main  land,  and  still  daily  advances  upon  the 
continent.  The  German  Sea  has  advanced 
upon  the  shores  of  Holland,  nearCatt;  so 
that  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  citadel  of  the 
Romans,  which  was  formerly  built  upon  this 
coast,  are  now  actually  under  water.  To 
these  accidents  several  more  might  be  added  ; 
our  own  historians,  and  those  of  other  coun- 
tries, abound  with  them;  almost  every  flat 
shore  of  any  extent  being  able  to  show  some- 
thing that  it  has  lost,  or  something  that  it  has 
gained  from  the  sea. 

There  are  some  shores  on  which  the  sea 
has  made  temporary  depredations ;  where  it 
has  overflowed,  and  after  remaining  perhaps 
some  ages,  it  has  again  retired  of  its  own 
accord,  or  been  driven  back  by  the  industry 
of  man."  There  are  many  lands  in  Norway, 
Scotland,  and  the  Maldivia  islands,  that  are 
at  one  time  covered  with  water,  and  at  ano- 
ther free.  The  country  round  the  Isle  of 
Ely,  in  the  times  of  Bedc,  about  a  thousand 
years  ago,  was  one  of  the  most  delightful 
spots  in  the  whole  kingdom.  It  was  not  only 
richly  cultivated,  and  produced  all  the  neces- 
saries of  life,  but  grapes  also  that  afforded 
excellent  wine.  The  accounts  of  that  time 
are  copious  in  the  description  of  its  verdure 
and  fertility ;  its  rich  pastures,  covered  with 
flowers  and  herbage;  its  beautiful  shades, 
and  wholesome  air.  But  the  sea  breaking  in 
upon  the  land,  overwhelmed  the  whole  coun- 


1  Buffon,  vol.  ii.  p.  425. 


try,  took  possession  of  the  soil,  and  totally 
destroyed  one  of  the  most  fertile  valleys  in 
the  world.  Its  air,  from  being  dry  and  health- 
ful, from  that  time  became  most  unwhole- 
some, and  clogged  with  vapours;  and  the 
small  part  of  the  country  that,  by  being 
higher  than  the  rest,  escaped  the  deluge, 
was  soon  rendered  uninhabitable,  from  its 
noxious  vapours.  Thus  this  country  con- 
tinued under  water  for  some  centuries;  till, 
at  last,  the  sea,  by  the  same  caprice  which 
had  prompted  its  invasions,  began  to  aban- 
don the  earth  in  like  manner.  It  has  con- 
tinued for  some  ages  to  relinquish  its  former 
conquests;  and  although  the  inhabitants  can 
neither  boast  the  longevity,  nor  the  luxuries 
of  their  former  preoccupants,  yet  they  find 
ample  means  of  subsistence ;  and  if  they  hap- 
pen to  survive  the  first  years  of  their  resi- 
dence there,  they  are  often  known  to  arrive 
at  a  good  old  age. 

But  although  history  be  silent  as  vo  many 
other  inundations  of  the  like  kind,  where  the 
sea  has  overflowed  the  country,  and  after- 
wards retired,  yet  we  have  numberless  testi- 
monies of  another  nature,  that  prove  it  be- 
yond the  possibility  of  a  doubt :  I  mean  those 
numerous  trees  that  are  found  buried  at 
considerable  depths  in  places  where  either 
rivers  or  the  sea  has  accidentally  overflown.1' 
At  the  mouth  of  the  river  Ness,  near  Bruges, 
in  Flanders,  at  the  depth  of  fifty  feet,  are 
found  great  quantities  of  trees  lying  as  close 
to  each  other  as  they  do  in  a  wood :  the 
trunks,  the  branches,  and  the  leaves,  are  in 
such  perfect  preservation,  that  the  particular 
kind  of  each  tree  may  instantly  be  known. 
About  five  hundred  years  ago,  this  very 
ground  was  known  to  have  been  covered  by 
the  sea;  nor  is  there  any  history  or  tradition 
of  its  having  been  dry  ground,  which  we  can 
have  no  doubt  must  have  been  the  case. 
Thus  we  see  a  country  flourishing  in  verdure, 
producing  large  forests,  and  trees  of  various 
kinds,  overwhelmed  by  the  sea.  We  see  this 
element  depositing  its  sediment  to  a  height 
of  fifty  feet;  and  its  waters  must,  therefore, 
have  risen  much  higher.  We  see  the  same, 
after  it  ha»thus  overwhelmed  and  sunk  the 
land  so  deep  beneath  its  slime,  capriciously 


b  Buffon,  vol.  ii.  p.  403. 


THE  EARTH. 


retiring  from  the  same  coasts,  and  leaving 
that  habitable  once  more,  which  it  had  for- 
merly destroyed.  All  this  is  wonderful;  and, 
perhups,  instead  of  attempting  to  inquire  after 
the  cause,  which  has  hitherto  been  inscru- 
table, it  will  best  become  us  to  rest  satisfied 
with  admiration. 

At  the  city  of  Modena  in  Italy,  and  about 
four  miles  round  it,  wherever  it  is  dug,  when 
the  workmen  arrive  at  the  depth  of  sixty-three 
feet,  they  come  to  a  bed  of  chalk,  which  they 
bore  with  an  augre  five  feet  deep :  they  then 
withdraw  from  the  pit,  before  the  augre  is 
removed,  and  upon  its  extraction,  the  water 
bursts  up  through  the  aperture  with  great 
violence,  and  quickly  fills  this  new-made  well, 
which  continues  full,  and  is  affected  neither 
by  rains  nor  droughts.  But  that  which  is 
most  remarkable  in  this  operation,  is  the 
layers  of  earth  as  we  descend.  At  the  depth 
of  fourteen  feet,  are  found  the  ruins  of  an 
ancient  city,  paved  streetf,  houses,  floors,  and 
different  pieces  of  Mosaic.  Under  this  is 
found  a  solid  earth,  that  would  induce  one  to 
think  had  never  been  removed ;  however, 
under  it  is  found  a  soft  oozy  earth,  made  up 
of  vegetables ;  and  at  twenty-six  feet  depth, 
large  trees  entire,  such  as  walnut-trees,  with 
the  walnuts  still  sticking  on  the  stem,  and 
their  leaves  and  branches  in  exact  preserva- 
tion. At  twenty-eight  feet  deep,  a  soft  chalk 
is  found,  mixed  with  a  vast  quantity  of  shells; 
and  this  bed  is  eleven  feet  thick.  Under  this, 
vegetables  are  found  again,  with  leaves  and 
branches  of  trees  as  before ;  and  thus  alter- 
nately chalk  and  vegetable  earth  to  the  depth 
of  sixty-three  feet.  These  are  the  layers 
wherever  theworkmen  attempt  to  bore;  while 
in  many  of  them,  they  also  find  pieces  of 
charcoal,  bones,  and  bits  of  iron.  From  this 
description,  therefore,  it  appears,  that  this 
country  has  been  alternately  overflowed  and 
deserted  by  the  sea,  one  age  after  another : 
nor  were  these  overflowings  and  retirings  of 
trifling  depth,  or  of  short  continuance.  When 
the  sea  burst  in,  it  must  have  been  a  long 
time  in  overwhelming  the  branches  of  the 
fallen  forest  with  its  sediments ;  and  still 
longer  in  forming  a  regular  bed  of  shells  ele- 
ven feet  over  them.  It  must  have,  therefore, 
taken  an  age,  at  least,  to  make  any  one  of 
these  layers;  and  we  may  conclude,  that  it 


must  have  been  many  ages  employed  in  the 
production  of  them  all.  The  land,  also,  upon 
being  deserted,  must  have  had  time  to  grow 
compact,  to  gather  fresh  fertility,  arid  to  bo 
drained  of  its  waters  before  it  could  be  dis- 
posed to  vegetation ;  or  before  its  trees  could 
have  shot  forth  again  to  maturity. 

We  have  instances  nearer  home  of  thr 
same  kind,  given  us  in  the  Philosophical 
Transactions ;  one  of  them  by  Mr.  Derham. 
An  inundation  of  the  sea  at  Dagenham,  in 
Essex,  laying  bare  a  part  of  the  adjacent 
pasture,  for  above  two  hundred  feet  wide, 
and,  in  some  places,  twenty  deep,  it  discover- 
ed a  number  of  trees  that  had  lain  there  for 
many  ages  before;  these  trees,  by  laying 
long  under  ground,  were  become  black  and 
hard,  and  their  fibres  so  tough,  that  one  might 
as  easily  break  a  wire,  as  any  of  them  :  they 
lay  so  thick  in  the  place  where  they  were 
found,  that  in  many  parts  he  could  step  from 
one  to  another :  he  conceived,  also,  that  not 
only  all  the  adjacent  marshes,  for  several 
hundred  acres,  were  covered  underneath 
with  such  timber,  but  also  the  marshes  along 
the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  for  several  miles, 
The  meeting  with  these  trees,  at  such  depths, 
he  ascribes  to  the  sediment  of  the  river,  and 
the  tides,  which  constantly  washing  over 
them,  have  always  left  some  part  of  their  sub- 
stance behind,  so  as,  by  repeated  alluvions, 
to  work  a  bed  of  vegetable  earth  over  them, 
to  the  height  at  which  he  found  it. 

The  levels  of  Hatfield-Chace,  in  Yorkshire, 
a  tract  of  above  eighteen  thousand  acres, 
which  was  yearly  overflown,  was  reduced  to 
arable  and  pasture  land,  by  one  Sir  Cornelius 
Vermusden,  a  Dutchman.  At  the  bottom  of 
this  wide  extent,  are  found  millions  of  the 
roots  and  bodies  of  trees,  of  such  as  this  isltyid 
either  formerly  did,  or  does  at  present  pro- 
duce. The  roots  of  all  stand  in  their  proper 
postures  ;  and  by  them,  as  thick  as  ever  they 
could  grow,  the  respective  trunks  of  each, 
some  above  thirty'  yards  long.  The  oaks, 
some  of  which  have  been  sold  for  fifteen 
pounds  apiece,  are  as  black  as  ebony,  very 
lasting,  and  close  grained.  The  ash-trees 
are  as  soft  as  earth,  and  are  commonly  cut 
in  pieces  by  the  workmen's  spades,  and  as 
soon  as  flung  up  into  the  open  air,  turn  to 
dust.  But  all  the  rest,  even  the  willows 


A  HISTORY  OF 


themselves,  which  are  softer  than  the  ash, 
preserve  their  substance  and  texture  to  this 
very  day.  Some  of  the  firs  appear  to  have 
vegetated,  even  after  they  were  fallen,  and 
to  have,  from  their  branches,  struck  up  large 
trees,  as  great  as  the  parent  trunk.  It  is  ob- 
servable, that  many  of  these  trees  have  been 
burnt,  some  quite  through,  some  on  one  side, 
Borne  have  been  found  chopped  and  squared, 
others  riven  with  great  wooden  wedges,  all 
sufficiently  manifesting,  that  the  country  which 
was  deluged,  had  formerly  been  inhabited. 
Near  a  great  root  of  one  tree  were  found 
eight  coins  of  the  Roman  emperors;  and  in 
some  places,  the  marks  of  the  ridge  and  fur- 
row were  plainly  perceivable,  which  testified 
that  the  ground  had  formerly  been  patient 
of  cultivation. 

The  learned  naturalist  who  has  given  this 
description,"  has  pretty  plainly  evinced,  that 
this  forest,  in  particular,  must  have  been  thus 
levelled  by  the  Romans ;  and  that  the  falling 
of  the  trees  must  have  contributed  to  the  ac- 
cumulation of  the  waters.  "  The  Romans," 
says  he,  "  when  the  Britons  fled,  always  pur- 
sued them  into  the  fortresses  of  low  woods, 
and  miry  forests :  in  these  the  wild  natives 
found  shelter;  and,  when  opportunity  offered, 
issued  out,  and  fell  upon  their  invaders  with- 
out mercy.  In  this  manner,  the  Romans  were 
at  length  so  harassed,  that  orders  were  issued 
out  for  cutting  down  all  the  woods  and  forests 
in  Britain.  In  order  to  effect  this,  and  destroy 
the  enemy  the  easier,  they  set  fire  to  the 
woods  composed  of  pines,  and  other  inflam- 
mable timber,  which  spreading,  the  conflagra- 
tion destroyed  not  only  the  forest,  but  infinite 
numbers  of  the  wretched  inhabitants  who  had 
taken  shelter  therein.  When  the  pine-trees 
had  thus  done  what  mischief  they  could,  the 
Romans  then  brought  their  army  nearer,  and, 
with  whole  legions  of  the  captive  Britons,  cut 
down  most  of  the  trees  that  were  yet  left 
standing ;  leaving  only  here  and  there  some 
great  trees  untouched,  as  monuments  of  their 
fury.  These,  unneedful  of  their  labour,  being 
destitute  of  the  support  of  the  underwood, 
and  of  their  neighbouring  trees,  were  easily 
overthrown  by  the  winds,  and,  without  inter- 
ruption, remained  on  the  places  where  they 

•  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  iv.  part  ii.  p.  214. 


happened  to  fall.  The  forest  thus  fallen,  must 
necessarily  have  stopped  up  the  currents, 
both  from  land  and  sea;  and  turned  into 
great  lakes,  what  were  before  but  temporary 
streams.  The  working  of  the  waters  here, 
the  consumption  and  decay  of  rotten  boughs 
and  branches,  and  the  vast  increase  of  water- 
moss  which  flourishes  upon  mars-hy  grounds, 
soon  formed  a  covering  over  the  trunks  of  the 
fallen  trees,  and  raised  the  earth  several  feet 
above  its  former  level.  The  earth  thus  every 
day  swelling,  by  a  continual  increase  from 
the  sediment  of  the  waters,  and  by  the  light- 
ness of  the  vegetable  substances  of  which  it 
was  composed,  soon  overtopt  the  waters  by 
which  this  intumescence  was  at  first  effected  ; 
so  that  it  entirely  got  rid  of  its  inundations, 
or  only  demanded  a  slight  assistance  from 
man  for  that  purpose."  This  may  be  the 
origin  of  all  bogs,  which  are  formed  by  the 
putrefaction  of  vegetable  substances,  mixed 
with  the  mud  and  slime  deposited  by  waters, 
and  at  length  acquiring  a  sufficient  con- 
sistency. 

From  this  we  see  what  powerful  effects  the 
sea  is  capable  of  producing  upon  its  shores, 
either  by  overflowing  some  or  deserting 
others;  by  altering  the  direction  of  these, 
and  rendering  those  craggy  and  precipitate, 
which  before  were  shelving.  But  the  influence 
it  has  upon  these  is  nothing  to  that  which  it 
has  upon  that  great  body  of  earth  which  forms 
its  bottom.  lit  is  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
that  the  greatest  wonders  are  performed,  and 
the  most  rapid  changes  are  produced ;  it  is 
there  that  the  motion  of  the  tides  and  the 
currents  have  their  whole  force,  and  agitate 
the  substances  of  which  their  bed  is  com- 
posed. But  all  these  are  almost  wholly  hid 
from  human  curiosity  :  the  miracles  of  the 
deep  are  performed  in  secret;  and  we  have 
but  little  information  from  its  abysses,  except 
what  we  receive  by  inspection  at  very  shal- 
low depths,  or  by  the  plummet,  or  from  divers, 
who  are  known  to  descend  from  twenty  to 
thirty  fathom.11 

The  eye  can  reach  but  a  very  short  way 
into  the  depths  of  the  sea;  and  that  only 
when  its  surface  is  glassy  and  serene.  In 
many  seas  it  perceives  nothing  but  a  bright 

11  fhil.  Trans,  vol.  iv.  part  ii.  p.  lPr., 


THE  EARTH. 


85 


sandy  plain  at  bottom,  extending  for  several 
hundred  miles,  without  an  intervening  object. 
But  in  others,  particularly  in  the  Red  Sea, 
it  is  very  different :  the  whole  bottom  of  this 
extensive  hed  of  waters  is,  literally  speaking, 
a  forest  of  sub-marine  plants,  and  corals  form- 
ed by  insects  for  their  habitation,  sometimes 
branching  out  to  a  great  extent.  Here  are 
seen  the  madrepores,  the  sponges,  mosses,  sea- 
mushrooms,  and  other  marine  productions, 
covering  every  part  of  the  bottom ;  so  that 
some  have  even  supposed  the  sea  to  have 
taken  its  name  from  the  colour  of  its  plants 
below.  However,  these  plants  are  by  no 
means  peculiar  to  this  sea,  as  they  are  found 
in  great  quantities  in  the  Persian  gulf,  along 
the  coast  of  Africa,  and  those  of  Provence 
and  Catalonia. 

The  bottom  of  many  parts  of  the  sea  near 
America  presents  a  very  different,  though  a 
very  beautiful  appearance.  This  is  covered 
with  vegetables,  which  make  it  look  as  green 
as  a  meadow,  and  beneath  are  seen  thousands 
of  turtles,  and  other  sea-animals,  feeding 
thereon. 

In  order  to  extend  our  knowledge  of  the 
sea  to  greater  depths,  recourse  has  been  had 
to  the  plummet ;  which  is  generally  made  of 
a  lump  of  lead  of  about  forty  pounds  weight, 
fastened  to  a  cord."  This,  however,  only  an- 
swers in  moderate  depths;  for  when  a  deep 
sea  is  to  be  sounded,  the  matter  of  which  the 
cord  is  composed,  being  lighter  than  the 
water,  floats  upon  it,  and  when  let  down  to  a 
considerable  depth,  its  length  so  increases 
its  surface,  that  it  is  often  sufficient  to  prevent 
the  lead  from  sinking;  so  that  this  may  be 
the  reason  why  some  parts  of  the  sea  are  said 
to  have  no  bottom. 

In  general,  we  learn  from  the  plummet,  that 
the  bottom  of  the  sea  is  tolerably  even  where 
it  has  been  examined ;  and  that  the  farther 
from  the  shore,  the  sea  is  in  general  the 
deeper.  Notwithstanding,  in  the  midst  of 
a  great  and  unfathomable  ocean,  we  often 
find  an  island  raising  its  head,  and  singly 
braving  its  fury.  Such  islands  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  mountains  of  the  deep ;  and, 
could  we  for  a  moment  imagine  the  waters 
of  the  ocean  removed,  or  dried  away,  we 

»  Boyle,  vol.  ii.  p  5. 


should  probably  find  the  inequalities  of  its 
bed  resembling  those  that  are  found  at  land. 
Here  extensive  plains ;  there  valleys ;  and,  in 
many  places,  mountains  of  amazing  height. 
M.  Buache  has  actually  given  us  a  map  of  that 
part  of  its  bottom,  which  lies  between  Africa 
and  America,  taken  from  the  several  sound- 
ings of  mariners :  in  it  we  find  the  same  un- 
even surface  that  we  do  upon  land,  the  same 
eminences,and  the  same  depressions.  In  such 
an  imaginary  prospect,  however,  there  would 
be  this  difference,  that  as  the  tops  of  land- 
mountains  appear  the  most  barren  and  rocky, 
the  tops  of  sea-mountains  would  be  found  the 
most  verdant  and  fruitful. 

The  plummet,  which  thus  gives  us  some  idea 
of  the  inequalities  of  the  bottom,leaves  us  total- 
ly in  the  dark  as  to  every  other  particular; 
recourse,  therefore,  has  been  had  to  divers : 
these,  either  being  bred  up  in  this  dangerous 
way  of  life,  and  accustomed  to  remain  some 
time  under  water  without  breathing,  or  assist- 
ed by  means  of  a  diving-bell,  have  been  able 
to  return  some  confused  and  uncertain  ac- 
counts of  the  places  below.  In  the  great  diving- 
bell  improved  by  Dr.  Halley,  which  was  large 
enough  to  contain  five  men,  and  was  sup- 
plied with  fresh  air  by  buckets,  that  alternate- 
ly rose  and  fell,  they  descended  fifty  fathom. 
In  this  huge  machine,  which  was  let  down- 
from  the  mast  of  the  ship,  the  doctor  himself 
went  down  to  the  bottom,  where,  when  the 
sea  was  clear,  and  especially  when  the  sun 
shone,  he  could  see  perfectly  well  to  write  or 
read,  and  much  more  to  take  up  any  thing 
that  was  underneath :  at  other  times,  when 
the  water  was  troubled  and  thick,  it  was  as 
dark  as  night  below,  so  that  he  was  obliged 
to  keep  a  candle  lighted  at  the  bottom.  But 
there  is  one  thing  very  remarkable ;  that  the 
water,  which  from  above  was  usually  seen  of 
a  green  colour,  when  looked  at  from  below, 
appeared  to  him  of  a  very  different  one,  cast- 
ing a  redness  upon  one  of  his  hands,  like  that 
of  damask  roses b — a  proof  of  the  sea's  taking 
its  colour  not  from  any  thing  floating  in  it,  but 
from  the  different  reflexion*  of  the  rays  of 
light.  Upon  the  whole,  the  accounts  we  have 
received  from  the  bottom,  by  this  contrivance, 
are  but  few.  We  learn  from  it,  and  from 

b  Newton's  Optics,  p.  56. 

X* 


86 


A  HISTORY  OF 


divers  in  general,  that  while  the  surface  of 
the  sea  may  be  deformed  by  tempests,  it  is 
usually  calm  and  temperate  below ;"  that  some 
divers  who  have  gone  down  when  the  wea- 
ther was  calm,  and  came  up  when  it  was  tem- 
pestuous, were  surprised  at  their  not  per- 
ceiving the  change  at  the  bottom.  This,  how- 
ever, must  not  be  supposed  to  obtain  with 
regard  to  the  tides  and  the  currents,  as  they 
are  seen  constantly  shifting  their  bottom ; 
taking  their  bed  with  great  violence  from  one 
place,  and  depositing  it  upon  another.  We 
are  informed,  also,  by  divers,  that  the  sea 
grows  colder  in  proportion  as  they  descend 
to  the  bottom ;  that  as  far  as  the  sun's  rays 
pierce,  it  is  influenced  by  their  warmth ;  but 
lower,  the  cold  becomes  almost  intolerable. 
A  person  of  quality,  who  had  been  himself  a 
diver,  as  Mr.  Boyle  informs  us,  declared,  that 
though  he  seldom  descended  above  three  or 
four  fathoms,  yet  he  found  it  so  much  colder 
than  near  the  top,  that  he  could  not  well  en- 
dure it;  and  that  being  let  down  in  a  great 
diving-bell,  although  the  water  could  not  im- 
mediately touch  him,  he  found  the  air  ex- 
tremely cold  upon  his  first  arrival  at  the 
bottom. 

From  divers  also  we  learn,  that  the  sea,  in 
many  places,  is  filled  with  rocks  at  bottom ; 
and  that,  among  their  clefts,  and  upon  their 
sides,  various  substances  sprout  forward, 
which  are  either  really  vegetable,  or  the  nests 
of  insects,  increased  to  some  magnitude.  Some 
of  these  assume  the  shape  of  beautiful  flowers; 
and  though  soft,  when  taken  up,  soon  harden, 
and  are  kept  in  the  cabinets  of  the  curious. 

But  of  all  those  divers  who  have  brought 
us  information  from  the  bottom  of  the  deep, 
the  famous  Nicola  Pesce,  whose  performances 
are  told  us  by  Kircher,  is  the  most  celebrated. 
I  will  not  so  much  as  pretend  to  vouch  for  the 
veracity  of  Kircher's  account,  which  he  as- 
sures us  he  had  from  the  archives  of  the 
kings  of  Sicily ;  but  it  may  serve  to  enliven  a 
heavy  chapter.  "  In  the  times  of  Frederic, 
king  of  Sicily,  there  lived  a  celebrated  diver, 
whoso  name  was  Nicolas,  and  who,  from  his 
amazing  skill  in  swimming,  and  his  persever- 
ance under  water,  was  surnamed  the  Fish. 
This  man  had,  from  his  infancy,  been  used  to 

Boyle,  vol.  iii.  p.  242. 


the  sea ;  and  earned  his  scanty  subsistence  by 
diving  for  corals  and  oysters  ;  which  he  sold 
to  the  villagers  on  shore.  His  long  acquaint- 
ance with  the  sea,  at  last,  brought  it  to  be 
almost  his  natural  element.  He  frequently 
was  known  to  spend  five  days  in  the  midst 
of  the  waves,  without  any  other  provisions 
than  the  fish  which  he  caught  there,  and  ate 
raw.  He  often  swain  over  from  Sicily  to  Ca- 
labria, a  tempestuous  and  dangerous  passage, 
carrying  letters  from  the  king.  He  was  fre- 
quently known  to  swim  among  the  gulfs  of 
the  Lipari  islands,  no  way  apprehensive  of 
danger. 

"  Some  mariners  out  at  sea,  one  day  ob- 
served something  at  some  distance  from  them, 
which  they  regarded  as  a  sea-monster;  but, 
upon  its  approach,  it  was  known  to  be  Ni- 
colas, whom  they  took  into  their  ship.  When 
they  asked  him  whither  he  was  going  in  so 
stormy  and  rough  a  sea,  and  at  such  a  dis- 
tance from  land,  he  showed  them  a  packet 
of  letters,  which  he  was  carrying  to  one  of  the 
towns  of  Italy,  exactly  done  up  in  a  leather 
bag,  in  such  a  manner  as  that  they  could  not 
be  wetted  by  the  sea.  He  kept  them  thus 
company  for  some  time  on  their  voyage,  con- 
versing and  asking  questions;  and  after  eat- 
ing a  hearty  meal  with  thein^  he  took  his 
leave,  and  jumping  into  the  sea,  pursued  his 
voyage  alone. 

"  In  order  to  aid  these  powers  of  enduring 
in  the  deep,  nature  seemed  to  have  assisted 
him  in  a  very  extraordinary  manner ;  for  the 
spaces  between  his  fingers  and  toes  were 
webbed,  as  in  a. goose;  and  his  chest  became 
so  very  capacious,  that  he  could  take  in,  at 
one  inspiration,  as  much  breath  as  would 
serve  him  for  a  whole  day. 

"  The  account  of  so  extraordinary  a  per- 
son did  not  fail  to  reach  the  king  himself; 
who,  actuated  by  the  general  curiosity,  or- 
dered that  Nicolas  should  be  brought  be- 
fore him.  It  was  no  easy  matter  to  find  Ni- 
colas, who  generally  spent  his  time  in  the 
solitudes  of  the  deep;  but  at  last,  however, 
after  much  searching,  he  was  found,  and 
brought  before  his  majesty.  The  curiosity 
of  this  monarch  had  been -long  excited  by 
the  accounts  he  had  heard  of  the  bottom  of 
the  gulf  of  Ch-uybdis;  he  therefore  con- 
ceived that  it  would  be  a  proper  opportunity 


THE  EARTH. 


87 


to  have  more  certain  information;  and  com- 
manded our  poor  diver  to  examine  the  bot- 
tom of  this  dreadful  whirlpool :  as  an  incite- 
ment to  his  obedience,  he  ordered  a  golden 
cup  to  be  flung  into  it.  Nicolas  was  not  in- 
sensible of  the  danger  to  which  he  was  ex- 
posed ;  dangers  best  known  only  to  himself; 
and  he  therefore  presumed  to  remonstrate : 
but  the  hopes  of  the  reward,  the  desire  of 
pleasing  the  king,  and  the  pleasure  of  show- 
ing his  skill,  at  last  prevailed.  He  instantly 
jumped  into  the  gulf,  and  was  swallowed  as 
instantly  up  in  its  bosom.  He  continued 
for  three  quarters  of  an  hour  below ;  during 
which  time  the  king  and  his  attendants  re- 
mained upon  shore  anxious  for  his  fate ;  but 
he  at  last  appeared,  buffeting  upon  the  sur- 
face, holding  the  cup  in  triumph  in  one  hand, 
and  making  his  way  good  among  the  waves 
with  the  other.  It  may  be  supposed  he  was 
received  with  applause,  upon  his  arrival  on 
shore ;  the  cup  was  made  the  reward  of  his 
adventure ;  the  king  ordered  him  to  be  taken 
proper  care  of;  and,  as  he  was  somewhat 
fatigued  and  debilitated  by  his  labour,  after 
a  hearty  meal  he  was  put  to  bed,  and  permit- 
ted to  refresh  himself  by  sleeping. 

"  When  his  spirits  were  thus  restored,  he 
was  again  brought  to  satisfy  the  king's  curi- 
osity with  a  narrative  of  the  wonders  he  had 
seen;  and  his  account  was  to  the  following 
effect : — He  would  never,  he  said,  have  obey- 


ed the  king's  commands,  had  he  been  ap- 
prized of  half  the  dangers  that  were  before 
him.  There  were  four  things,  he  said,  that 
rendered  the  gulf  dreadful,  not  only  to  men, 
but  even  to  the  fishes  themselves :  first,  the 
force  of  the  water  bursting  up  from  the  bot- 
tom, which  requires  great  strength  to  resist ; 
secondly,  the  abruptness  of  the  rocks,  that  on 
everyside  threatened  destruction;  thirdly,  the 
force  of  the  whirlpool,  dashing  against  those 
rocks ;  and  fourthly,  the  number  and  magni- 
tude of  the  polypous  fish,  some  of  which  ap- 
peared as  large  as  a  man,  and  which,  every 
where  sticking  against  the  rocks,  projected 
their  fibrous  arms  to  entangle  him.  Being 
asked  how  he  was  able  so  readily  to  find  the 
cup  that  had  been  thrown  in,  he  replied,  that 
it  happened  to  be  flung  by  the  waves  into  the 
cavity  of  a  rock,  against  which  he  liimself 
was  urged  in  his  descent.  This  account, 
however,  did  not  satisfy  the  king's  curiosity : 
being  requested  to  venture  once  more  inte 
the  gulf  for  further  discoveries,  he  at  first  re- 
fused ;  but  the  king,  desirous  of  having  the 
most  exact  information  possible  of  all  things 
to  be  found  in  the  gulf,  repeated  his  solicita- 
tions; and,  to  give  them  still  greater  weight, 
produced  a  larger  cup  than  the  former,  and 
added  also  a  purse  of  gold.  Upon  these 
considerations,  the  unfortunate  Pessacola 
once  again  plunged  into  the  whirlpool,  and 
was  never  heard  of  more." 


CHAPTER  XVHI. 

A  SUMMARY  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  MECHANICAL  PROPERTIES  OF  AIR, 


HAVING  described  the  earth  and  the  sea, 
we  now  ascend  into  that  fluid  which  surrounds 
them  both ;  and  which,  in  some  measure,  sup- 
ports and  supplies  all  animated  nature.  As, 
upon  viewing  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  from 
its  surface,  we  see  an  infinity  of  animals 
moving  therein,  and  seeking  food ;  so,  were 
some  su  perior  being  to  regard  the  earth  at  a  pro- 
per distance,  he  might  consider  us  in  the  same 
light :  he  might,  from  his  superior  station,  be- 
hold a  number  of  busy  little  beings,  immersed 


in  the  aerial  fluid,  that  every  where  surrounds 
them,  and  sedulously  employed  in  procuring 
the  means  of  subsistence.  This  fluid,  though 
too  fine  for  the  gross  perception  of  its  in- 
habitants, might,  to  his  nicer  organs  of  sight, 
be  very  visible;  and,  while  he  at  once  saw 
into  its  operations,  he  might  smile  at  the  va- 
rieties of  human  conjecture  concerning  it :  he 
might  readily  discern,  perhaps,  the  height 
above  the  surface  of  the  earth  to  which  this 
fluid  atmosphere  reaches :  he  might  exactly 


A  HISTORY  OF 


determine  the  peculiar  form  of  its  parts  which  fl 
gives  it  the  spring  or  elasticity  with  which  it 
is  endued  :  he  might  distinguish  which  of  its  ; 
parts  were  pure  incorruptible  air,  and  which 
only  made  for  a  little  time  to  assume  the  ap- 
pearance, so  as  to  be  quickly  returned  back 
to  the  element  from  whence  it  came.  But  as 
for  us,  who  are  immersed  at  the  bottom  of  this 
gulf,  we  must  be  contented  with  a  more  con- 
fined knowledge;  and.  wanting  a  proper  point 
of  prospect,  remain  satisfied  with  a  combina- 
tion of  the  effects. 

One  of  the  first  things  that  our  senses  in- 
form us  of  is,  that  although  the  air  is  too  fine   '• 
for  our  sight,  it  is  very  obvious  to  our  touch. 
Although  we  cannot  see  the  wind  contained 
in  a  bladder,  we  can  very  readily  feel  its  re- 
sistance ;  and  though  the  hurricane  may  want   j 
colour,  we  often  fatally  experience  that  it 
does  not  want  force.     We  have  equal  expe- 
rience of  the  air's  spring  or  elasticity :  the   [ 
bladder,  when  pressed,  returns  again,  upon 
the   pressure   being  taken   away;    a  bottle, 
when  filled,  often  bursts,  from  the  spring  of 
air  which  is  included. 

So  far  the  slightest  experience  reaches; 
but,  by  carrying  experiment  a  little  farther, 
we  learn  that  air  also  is  heavy :  a  round  glass 
vessel  being  emptied  of  its  air,  and  accurate- 
ly weighed,  has  been  found  lighter  than  when 
it  was  weighed  with  the  air  in  it.  Upon  com- 
puting the  superior  weight  of  the  full  vessel, 
a  cubic  foot  of  air  is  found  to  weigh  some- 
thing more  than  an  ounce. 

From  this  experiment,  therefore,  we  learn, 
that  the  earth,  and  all  things  upon  its  surface, 
are  every  where  covered  with  a  ponderous 
fluid,  which  rising  very  high  over  our  heads, 
must  be  proportionably  heavy.  For  instance, 
as  in  the  sea,  a  man  at  the  depth  of  twenty 
feet  sustains  a  greater  weight  of  water,  than 
a  man  at  the  depth  of  but  ten  feet ;  so  will  a 
man  at  the  bottom  of  a  valley  have  a  greater 
weight  of  air  over  him,  than  a  man  on  the 
top  of  a  mountain. 

From  hence  we  may  conclude,  that  we 
sustain  a  very  great  weight  of  air;  and  al- 
though, like  men  walking  at  the  bottom  of 
the  sea,  we  cannot  feel  the  weight  which 
presses  equally  round  us,  yet  the  pressure  is 
not  the  less  real.  As  in  morals,  we  seldom 
know  the  blessings  that  surround  us  till  we 


are  deprived  of  them  5  so  here  we  do  not  per- 
ceive the  weight  of  the  ambient  fluid  till  a 
a  part  of  it  is  taken  away.  If,  by  any  means, 
we  contrive  to  take  away  the  pressure  of  the 
air  from  any  one  part  of  our  bodies,  we  are 
soon  made  sensible  of  the  weight  upon  the 
other  parts.  Thus,  if  we  clap  our  hand  upon 
the  mouth  of  a  vessel  from  whence  the  air 
lias  been  taken  away,  there  will  thus  be  air 
on  one  side,  and  none  on  the  other;  upon 
which  we  shall  instantly  find  the  hand  vio- 
lently sucked  inwards ;  which  is  nothing  more 
than  the  weight  of  the  air  upon  the  back  of 
the  hand  that  forces  it  into  the  space  which, 
is  empty  below. 

As,  by  this  experiment,  we  perceive  that 
the  air  presses  with  great  weight  upon  every 
thing  on  the  surface  of  the  earth,  so  by  other 
experiments  we  learn  the  exact  weight  with 
which  it  presses.  First,  if  the  air  be  exhaust- 
ed out  of  any  vessel,  a  drinking  vessel  for 
instance,"  arid  tliis  vessel  be  set  with  the 
mouth  downwards  in  water,  the  water  will 
rise  up  into  the  empty  space,  and  fill  the  in- 
verted glass;  for  the  external  air  will,  in  this 
case,  press  up  the  water  where  there  is  no 
weight  to  resist ;  as,  one  part  of  a  bed  being 
pressed,  makes  the  other  parts,  that  have  no 
weight  upon  them,  rise.  In  this  case,  as  was 
said,  the  water  being  pressed  without,  will 
rise  in  the  glass;  and  would  continue  to  rise 
(if  the  empty  glass  were  tall  enough)  thirty- 
two  feet  high.  In  fact,  there  have  been  pipes 
made  purposely  for  this  experiment  of  above 
thirty-two  feet  high;  in  which,  upon  being 
exhausted,  the  water  has  always  risen  to  the 
height  of  thirty-two  feet :  there  it  has  always 
rested,  and  never  ascended  higher.  From 
this,  therefore,  we  learn,  that  the  weight  of 
the  air  which  presses  up  the  water,  is  equal 
to  a  pillar  or  column  of  water  which  is  thirty- 
two  feet  high;  as  it  is  just  able  to  raise  such 
a  column,  and  no  more.  In  other  words,  the 
surface  of  the  earth  is  every  where  covered 
with  a  weight  of  air,  which  is  equivalent  to 
a  covering  of  thirty-two  feet  deep  of  water; 
or  to  a  weight  of  twenty-nine  inches  and  a 
half  of  quicksilver,  which  is  known  to  be  just 
as  heavy  as  the  former. 

»  This  may  be  done  by  burning  a  bit  of  paper  in  the 
same,  and  then  quickly  turning  it  down  upon  the  water. 


THE  EARTH. 


89 


Thus  we  see  that  the  air  at  the  surface  of 
the  earth  is  just  as  heavy  as  thirty-two  feet 
of  water,  or  twenty-nine  inches  and  a  half  of 
quicksilver ;  and  it  is  easily  found,  by  com- 
putation, that  to  raise  water  thirty-two  feet 
will  require  a  weight  of  fifteen  pounds  upon 
every  square  inch.  Now,  if  we  are  fond  of 
computations,  we  have  only  to  calculate  how 
many  square  inches  are  in  the  surface  of  an 
ordinary  human  body,  and  allowing  every 
inch  to  sustain  fifteen  pounds,  we  may  amaze 
ourselves  at  the  weight  of  air  we  sustain.  It 
has  been  computed,  and  found,  that  our  or- 
dinary load  of  air  amounts  to  within  a  little 
of  forty  thousand  pounds  :  this  is  wonderful ! 
but  wondering  is  not  the  way  to  grow  wise. 

Notwithstanding  this  be  our  ordinary  load, 
and  our  usual  supply,  there  are  at  different 
times  very  great  variations.  The  air  is  not, 
like  water,  equally  heavy  at  all  seasons ;  but 
sometimes  is  lighter  and  sometimes  more 
heavy.  It  is  sometimes  more  compressed,  and 
sometimes  more  elastic  or  springy,  which 
produces  the  same  effects  as  an  increase  of 
its  weight.  The  air  which  at  one  time  raises 
water  thirty-two  feet  in  the  tube,  and  quick- 
silver twenty-nine  inches,  will  not  at  another 
raise  the  one  to  thirty  feet,  or  the  other  to 
twenty-six  inches.  This  makes,  therefore, 
a  very  great  difference  in  the  weight  we  sus- 
tain ;  and  we  are  actually  known,  by  compu- 
tation, to  carry  at  one  time  four  thousand 
pounds  of  air  more  than  at  another. 

The  reason  of  this  surprising  difference  in 
the  weight  of  air,  is  either  owing  to  its  pres- 
sure from  above,  or  to  an  increase  of  vapour 
floating  in  it.  Its  increased  pressure  is  the 
consequence  of  its  spring  or  elasticity,  which 
cold  and  heat  sensibly  affect,  and  are  con- 
tinually changing. 

This  elasticity  of  the  air  is  one  of  its  most 
amazing  properties ;  and  to  which  it  should 
seem  nothing  can  set  bounds.  A  body  of  air 
that  may  be  contained  in  a  nut-shell,  may 
easily,  with  heat,  be  dilated  into  a  sphere  of 
unknown  dimensions.  On  the  contrary,  the 
air  contained  in  a  house,  may  be  compressed 
into  a  cavity  not  larger  than  the  eye  of  a 
needle.  In  short,  no  bounds  can  be  set  to 
its  confinement  or  expansion ;  at  least,  expe- 
riment has  hitherto  found  its  attempts  in- 
definite. In  every  situation,  it  retains  its 


elasticity ;  and  the  more  closely  we  compress 
it,  the  more  strongly  does  it  resist  the  pres- 
sure. If  to  the  increasing  the  elasticity  on 
one  side  by  compression,  we  increase  it  on 
the  other  side  by  heat,  the  force  of  both  soon 
becomes  irresistible ;  and  a  certain  French 
philosopher"  supposed,  that  air  thus  confined, 
and  expanding,  was  sufficient  for  the  explo- 
sion of  a  world. 

Many  instruments  have  been  formed  to 
measure  and  determine  these  different  pro- 
perties of  the  air;  and  which  serve  several 
useful  purposes.  The  barometer  serves  to 
measure  its  weight;  to  tell  us  when  it  is  hea- 
vier, and  when  lighter.  It  is  composed  of  a 
glass  tube  or  pipe,  of  about  thirty  inches  in 
length,  closed  up  at  one  end :  this  tube  is 
then  filled  with  quicksilver;  this  done,  the 
maker,  clapping  his  finger  upon  the  open  end, 
inverts  the  tube,  and  plunges  the  open  end. 
finger  and  all,  into  a  bason  of  quicksilver, 
and  then  takes  his  finger  away :  now  the 
quicksilver  in  the  tube  will,  by  its  own 
weight,  endeavour  to  descend  into  that  in  the 
bason;  but  the  external  air,  pressing  on  the 
surface  of  the  quicksilver  in  the  bason  with- 
out, and  no  air  being  in  the  tube  at  top, 
the  quicksilver  will  continue  in  the  tube,  be- 
ing pressed  up,  as  was  said,  by  the  air,  on  the 
surface  of  the  bason  below.  The  height  at 
which  it  is  known  to  stand  in  the  tube,  is 
usually  about  twenty-nine  inches,  when  the 
air  is  heavy;  but  not  above  twenty-six,  when 
the  air  is  very  light.  Thus,  by  this  instru- 
ment we  can,  with  some  exactness,  determine 
the  weight  of  the  air;  and,  of  consequence, 
tell  before-hand  the  changes  of  the  weather. 
Before  fine  dry  weather,  the  air  is  charged 
with  a  variety  of  vapours,  which  float  in  it 
unseen,  and  render  it  extremely  heavy,  so 
that  it  presses  up  the  quicksilver ;  or,  in  other 
words,  the  barometer  rises.  In  moist,  rainy 
weather,  the  vapours  are  washed  down,  or 
there  is  not  heat  sufficient  for  them  to  rise, 
so  that  the  air  is  then  sensibly  lighter,  and 
presses  up  the  quicksilver  with  less  force ; 
or,  in  other  words,  the  barometer  is  seen  to 
fall.  Our  constitutions  seem  also  to  corres^ 
pond  with  the  changes  of  the  weather-glass ; 
they  are  braced,  strong,  and  vigorous,  with 

a  Monsieur  Amontous. 


Or) 


A  HISTORY  OF 


a  large  body  of  air  upon  them ;  they  are  lan- 
guid, relaxed,  and  feeble,  when  the  air  is 
light,  and  refuses  to  give  our  fibres  their  pro- 
per tone. 

But  although  the  barometer  thus  measures 
the  weight  of  the  air  with  exactness  enough 
for  the  general  purposes  of  life,  yet  it  is  often 
affected  with  a  thousand  irregularities,  that 
no  exactness  in  the  instrument  can  remedy, 
nor  no  theory  account  for.  When  high  winds 
blow,  the  quicksilver  generally  is  low ;  it  ri- 
ses higher  in  cold  weather  than  in  warm  ; 
and  is  usually  higher  at  morning  and  evening 
than  at  mid-day :  it  generally  descends  low- 
er after  rain  than  it  was  before  it.  There 
are  also  frequent  changes  in  the  air,  without 
any  sensible  alteration  in  the  barometer. 

As  the  barometer  is  thus  used  in  predict- 
ing the  changes  of  the  weather,  so  it  is  also 
serviceable  in  measuring  the  heights  of  moun- 
tains, which  mathematicians  cannot  so  readi- 
ly do :  for  as,  the  higher  we  ascend  from  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  the  air  becomes  lighter, 
so  the  quicksilver  in  the  barometer  will  de- 
scend in  proportion.  It  is  found  to  sink  at  the 
rate  of  the  tenth  part  of  an  inch  for  every  ninety 
feet  we  ascend  ;  so  that  in  going  up  a  moun- 
tain, if  I  find  the  quicksilver  fallen  an  inch,  I 
conclude  that  I  am  got  upon  an  ascent  of 
near  nine  hundred  feet  high.  In  this  there 
has  been  found  some  variation ;  into  a  detail 
of  which,  it  is  not  the  business  of  a  natural 
historian  to  enter. 

In  order  to  determine  the  elasticity  of  air, 
the  wind-gun  has  been  invented,  which  is  an 
instrument  variously  made ;  but  in  all  upon 
the  principle  of  compressing  a  large  quanti- 
ty of  air  into  a  tube,  in  which  there  is  an  ivo- 
ry ball,  and  then  giving  the  compressed  elas- 
tic air  free  power  to  act,  and  drive  the  ball 
as  directed.  The  ball  thus  driven,  will 
pierce  a  thick  board ;  and  will  be  as  fatal,  at 
small  distances,  as  if  driven  with  gunpowder. 
I  do  not  know  whether  ever  th"  force  of  this 
instrument  has  been  assisted  by  means  of 
heat ;  certain  I  am,  that  this,  which  could  be 
very  easily  contrived  by  means  of  phospho- 
rus, or  any  other  hot  substance  applied  to 
the  barrel,  would  give  such  a  force  as  I  doubt 
whether  gunpowder  itself  could  produce. 

The  air-pump  is  an  instrument  contrived 
to  exhaust  the  air  from  round  a  vessel  adapt- 


ed to  that  purpose,  called  a  receiver.  This 
method  of  exhausting,  is  contrived  in  the 
simple  instrument,  by  a  piston,  like  that  of  a 
syringe,  going  down  into  the  vessel,  and  thus 
pushing  out  its  air ;  which,  by  means  of  a 
valve,  is  prevented  from  returning  into  the 
vessel  again.  But  this,  like  all  other  compli- 
cated instruments,  will  be  better  understood 
by  a  minute  inspection,  than  an  hour's  de- 
scription :  it  may  suffice  here  to  observe,  that 
by  depriving  animals,  and  other  substances, 
of  all  air,  it  shows  us  what  the  benefits  and 
effects  of  air  are  in  sustaining  life,  or  promo- 
ting vegetation. 

The  digester  is  an  instrument  of  still  more 
extraordinary  effects  than  any  of  the  former; 
and  sufficiently  discovers  the  amazing  force 
of  air,  when  its  elasticity  is  augmented  by 
fire.  A  common  tea-kettle,  if  the  spout  were 
closed  up,  and  the  lid  put  firmly  down,  would 
serve  to  become  a  digester,  if  strong  enough. 
But  the  instrument  used  for  this  purpose  is  a 
strong  metal  pot,  with  a  lid  to  screw  close 
on,  so  that,  when  down,  no  air  can  get  in  or 
return :  into  this  pot  meat  and  bones  are  put, 
with  a  small  quantity  of  water,  and  then  the 
lid  screwed  close ;  a  lighted  lamp  is  put  un- 
derneath, and,  what  is  very  extraordinary, 
(yet  equally  true,)  in  six  or  eight  minutes  the 
whole  mass,  bones  and  all,  are  dissolved  into 
a  jelly;  so  great  is  the  force  and  elasticity  of 
the  air  contained  within,  struggling  to  escape, 
and  breaking  in  pieces  all  the  substances 
with  which  it  is  mixed.  Care,  however,  must 
be  taken  not  to  heat  this  instrument  too  vio- 
lently ;  for  then  the  inclosed  air  would  be- 
come irresistible,  and  burst  the  whole,  with 
perhaps  a  fatal  explosion. 

There  are  numberless  other  useful  instru- 
ments made  to  depend  on  the  weight,  the 
elasticity,  or  the  fluidity,  of  the  air,  which  do 
not  come  within  the  plan  of  the  present 
work;  the  design  of  which  is  not  to  give  an 
account  of  the  inventions  that  have  been 
made  for  determining  the  nature  and  proper- 
ties of  air,  but  a  mere  narrative  of  its  effects. 
The  description  of  the  pump,  the  forcing- 
pump,  the  fire-engine,  the  steam-engine,  the 
syphon,  and  many  others,  belong  not  to  the 
naturalist,  but  the  experimental  pnilosopher: 
the  one  gives  a  history  of  Nature,  as  he  finds 
she  presents  herself  to  him ;  and  he  draws 


THE  EARTH. 


91 


the  obvious  picture :  the  other  pursues  her 
with  close  investigation,  tortures  her  by  ex- 
periment to  give  up  her  Secrets,  and  mea- 
sures her  latent  qualities  with  laborious  pre- 
cision. Much  more,  therefore,  might  be  said 
of  the  mechanical  effects  of  air,  and  of  the 
conjectures  that  have  been  made  respecting 
the  form  of  its  parts ;  how  some  have  suppo- 
sed them  to  resemble  little  hoops  coiled  up 
a  spring;  others,  like  fleeces  of  wool; 


in 


others,  that  the  parts  are  endued  with  a  re- 
pulsive quality,  by  which,  when  squeezed 
together,  they  endeavour  to  fly  off,  and  re- 
cede from  each  other.  We  might  have  given 
the  disputes  relative  to  the  height  to  which 
this  body  of  air  extends  above  us,  and  con- 


cerning which  there  is  no  agreement.  We 
might  have  inquired  how  much  of  the  air  we 
breathe  is  .elementary,,  and  not  reducible  to 
any  other  substance  ;  and  of  what  density  it 
would  become,  if  it  were  supposed  to  be  con- 
tinued down  to  the  centre  of  the  earth.  At  that 
place  we  might,  with  the  help  of  figures,  and 
a  bold  imagination,  have  shown  it  twenty 
thousand  times  heavier  than  its  bulk  of  gold. 
We  might  also  prove  it  millions  of  times 
purer  than  upon  earth,  when  raised  to  the 
surface  of  the  atmosphere.  But  these  specu- 
lations do  not  belong  to  natural  history ;  and 
they  have  hitherto  produced  no  great  advan- 
tages in  that  branch  of  science  to  which  they 
more  properly  appertain. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

AN  ESSAY  TOWARDS  A  NATURAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AIR. 


A  LATE  eminent  philosopher  has  consi- 
dered our  atmosphere  as  one  large  chymical 
vessel,  in  which  an  infinite  number  of  various 
operations  are  constantly  performing.  In  it 
all  the  bodies  of  the  earth  are  continually 
sending  up  a  part  of  their  substance  by 
evaporation,  to  mix  in  this  great  alembic,  and 
to  float  a  while  in  common.  Here  minerals, 
from  their  lowest  depths,  ascend  in  noxious, 
or  in  warm  vapours,  to  make  a  part  of  the 
general  mass ;  seas,  rivers,  and  subterranean 
springs,  furnish  their  copious  supplies ;  plants 
receive  and  return  their  share ;  and  animals, 
that  by  living  upon,  consume  this  generalstore, 
are  found  to  give  it  back  in  greater  quanti- 
ties when  they  die."  The  air,  therefore,  that 
we  breathe,  and  upon  which  we  subsist, 
bears  very  little  resemblance  to  that  pure 
elementary  body  which  was  described  in  the 
last  chapter;  and  which  is  rather  a  sub- 
stance that  may  be  conceived,  than  experi- 
enced to  exist.  Air,  such  as  we  find  it,  is 
one  of  the  most  compounded  bodies  in  all 
nature.  Water  may  be  reduced  to  a  fluid 
every  way  resembling  air,  by  heat ;  which, 

a  Boyle,  vol.  ii.  p.  593. 
wo.  9  &  10. 


by  cold,  becomes  water  again.  Every  thing 
we  see  gives  off  its  parts  to  the  air,  and  has 
a  little  floating  atmosphere  of  its  own  round 
it.  The  rose  is  encompassed  with  a  sphere 
of  its  own  odorous  particles;  while  the  night- 
shade infects  the  air  with  a  scent  of  a  more 
ungrateful  nature.  The  perfume  of  musk 
flies  off  in  such  abundance,  that  the  quantity 
remaining  becomes  sensibly  lighter  by  the 
loss.  A  thousand  substances  that  escape  all 
our  senses  we  know  to  be  there ;  the  power- 
ful emanations  of  the  load-stone,  the  effluvia 
of  electricity,  the  rays  of  light,  and  the  insi- 
nuations of  fire.  Such  are  the  various  substan- 
ces through  which  we  move,  and  which 
we  are  constantly  taking  in  at  every  pore, 
and  returning  again  with  imperceptible  dis- 
charge ! 

This  great  solution,  or  mixture  of  all  earth- 
ly bodies,  is  continually  operating  upon  it- 
self; which,  perhaps,  may  be  the  cause  of 
its  unceasing  motion:  but  it  operates  still 
more  visibly  upon  such  grosser  substances 
as  are  exposed  to  its  influence;  for  scarcely 
any  substance  is  found  capable  of  resisting  the 
corrodingqualities  of  the  air.  The  air,  say  the 
chymists,  is  a  chaos  furnished  with  all  kinds 
Y 


92 


A  HISTORY  OF 


of  salts  and  menstruums ;  and,  therefore,  it  is 
capable  of  dissolving  all  kinds  of  bodies.  It 
is  well  known,  that  copper  and  iron  are 
quickly  covered,  and  eaten  with  rust;  and 
that,  in  the  climates  near  the  equator,  no  art 
can  keep  them  clean.  In  those  dreary  coun- 
tries, the  instruments,  knives  and  keys,  that 
are  kept  in  the  pocket,  are  nevertheless 
quickly  incrusted ;  and  the  great  guns,  with 
every  precaution,  after  some  years,  become 
useless.  Stones,  as  being  less  hard,  may  be 
readily  supposed  to  be  more  easily  soluble. 
The  marble  of  which  the  noble  monuments 
of  Italian  antiquity  are  composed,  although 
in  one  of  the  finest  climates  in  the  world, 
show  the  impressions  which  have  been  made 
upon  them  by  the  air.  In  many  places  they 
seem  worm-eaten  by  time;  and,  in  others, 
they  appear  crumbling  into  dust.  Gold  alone 
seems  to  be  exempted  from  this  general  state 
of  dissolution ;  it  is  never  found  to  contract 
rust,  though  exposed  never  so  long  :  the  rea- 
son of  this  seems  to  be,  that  sea-salt,  which 
is  the  only  menstruum  capable  of  acting  up- 
on, and  dissolving  gold,  is  but  very  little  mix- 
ed with  the  air ;  for  salt  being  a  very  fixed 
body,  and  not  apt  to  volatilize,  and  rise  with 
heat,  there  is  but  a  small  proportion  of  it  in 
the  atmosphere.  In  the  elaboratories,  and 
shops,  however,  where  salt  is  much  used,  and 
the  air  is  impregnated  with  it,  gold  is  found 
to  rust  as  well  as  other  metals. 

Bodies  of  a  softer  nature  are  obviously  de- 
stroyed by  the  air.*  Mr.  Boyle  says,  that 
silks  brought  to  Jamaica,  will,  if  there  expo- 
sed to  the  air,  rot,  even  while  they  preserve 
their  colour ;  but  if  kept  therefrom,  they  both 
retain  their  strength  and  gloss.  The  same 
happens  in  Brazil,  where  their  clothes,  which 
are  black,  soon  turn  of  an  iron  colour; 
though,  in  the  shops,  they  preserve  their 
proper  hue.b  In  these  tropical  climates  also, 
such  are  the  putrescent  qualities  of  the  air, 
that  white  sugar  will  sometimes  be  full  of 
maggots.  Drugs  and  plaisters  lose  their  vir- 
tue, and  become  verminous.  In  some  places 
they  are  obliged  to  expose  their  sweetmeats 
by  day  in  the  sun,  otherwise  the  night  air 
would  quickly  cause  them  to  putrefy.  On 
the  contrary,  in  the  cold  arctic  regions,  ani- 

a  Button,  vol.  iii.  p.  62. 


mal  substances,  during  their  winter,  are  ne- 
ver known  to  putrefy ;  and  meat  may  be  kept 
for  months  without  any  salt  whatsoever.  This 
experiment  happily  succeeded  with  the  eight 
Englishmen  that  were  accidentally  left  upon 
the  inhospitable  coasts  of  Greenland,  at  a 
place  where  seven  Dutchmen  had  perished 
but  a  few  years  before ;  for  killing  some  rein- 
deer for  their  subsistence,  and  having  no  salt 
to  preserve  the  flesh,  to  their  great  surprise 
they  soon  found  it  did  not  want  any,  as  it  re- 
mained sweet  during  their  eight  months  con- 
tinuance upon  that  shore. 

These  powers,  with  which  air  is  endued 
over  unorganized  substances,  are  exerted  in 
a  still  stronger  manner  over  plants,  animals 
of  an  inferior  nature,  and,  lastly,  over  man 
himself.  Most  of  the  beauty,  and  the  luxuri- 
ance of  vegetation,  is  well  known  to  be  de- 
rived from  the  benign  influence  of  the  air; 
and  every  plant  seems  to  have  its  favourite 
climate,  not  less  than  its  proper  soil.  The 
lower  ranks  of  animals,  also,  seem  formed  for 
their  respective  climates,  in  which  only  they 
can  live.  Man  alone  seems  the  child  of  every 
climate,  and  capable  of  existing  in  all.  How- 
ever, this  peculiar  privilege  does  not  exempt 
him  from  the  influences  of  the  air;  he  is  as 
much  subject  to  its  malignity  as  the  meanest 
insect  or  vegetable. 

With  regard  to  plants,  air  is  so  absolutely 
necessary  for  their  life  and  preservation,  that 
they  will  not  vegetate  in  an  exhausted  re- 
ceiver. All  plants  have  within  them  a  quan- 
tity of  air,  which  supports  and  agitates  their 
juices.  They  are  continually  imbibing  fresh 
nutriment  from  the  air,  to  increase  this  store, 
and  to  supply  the  wants  which  they  sustain 
from  evaporation.  When,  therefore,  the  ex- 
ternal air  is  drawn  from  them,  they  are  no 
longer  able  to  subsist.  Even  that  quantity 
of  air  which  they  before  were  possessed  of, 
escapes  through  their  pores,  into  the  ex- 
hausted receiver;  and  as  this  continues  to  be 
pumped  away,  they  become  languid,  grow 
flaccid,  and  die.  However,  the  plant  or  flow- 
er thus  ceasing  to  vegetate,  is  kept,  by  being 
secured  from  the  external  air,  a  much  longer 
time  sweet  than  it  would  have  continued,  had 
it  been  openly  exposed. 

b  Buffon,  vol.  iii.  p.  68, 


THE  EARTH. 


93 


That  air  which  is  so  necessary  to  the  life 
of  vegetables,  is  still  more  so  to  that  of  ani- 
mals ;  there  are  none  found,  how  seemingly 
torpid  soever,  that  do  not  require  their  need- 
ful supply.  Fishes  themselves  will  not  live 
in  water  from  whence  the  air  is  exhausted  ; 
and  it  is  generally  supposed  that  they  die  in 
frozen  ponds,  from  the  want  of  this  necessary 
to  animal  existence.  Many  have  been  the 
animals  that  idle  curiosity  has  tortured  in  the 
prison  of  a  receiver,  merely  to  observe  the 
manner  of  their  dying.  We  shall,  from  a 
thousand  instances,  produce  that  of  the  viper, 
as  it  is  known  to  be  one  of  the  most  vivacious 
reptiles  in  the  world ;  and  as  we  shall  feel 
but  little  compassion  for  its  tortures.  Mr. 
Boyle  took  a  new-caught  viper,  and  shutting 
it  up  into  a  small  receiver,  began  to  pump 
away  the  air."  "  At  first,  upon  the  air's  being 
drawn  away,  it  began  to  swell ;  some  time  af- 
ter he  had  done  pumping,  it  began  to  gape, 
and  open  its  jaws ;  being  thus  compelled  to 
open  its  jaws,  it  once  more  resumed  its  for- 
mer lankness ;  it  then  began  to  move  up  and 
down  within,  as  if  to  seek  for  air,  and  after  a 
while  foamed  a  little,  leaving  the  foam  stick- 
ing to  the  inside  of  the  glass ;  soon  after,  the 
body  and  neck  grew  prodigiously  tumid,  and 
a  blister  appeared  upon  its  back;  an  hour 
and  a  half  after  the  receiver  was  exhausted, 
the  distended  viper  moved,  and  gave  manifest 
signs  of  life ;  the  jaws  remained  quite  distend- 
ed ;  as  it  were  from  beneath  the  epiglottis, 
came  the  black  tongue,  and  reached  beyond 
it;  but  the  animal  seemed,  by  its  posture, 
not  to  have  any  life ;  the  mouth  also  was 
grown  blackish  within ;  and  in  this  situation 
it  continued  for  twenty-three  hours.  But  upon 
the  air's  being  re-admitted,  the  viper's  mouth 
was  presently  closed,  and  soon  after  opened 
again ;  and  for  some  time  those  motions  con- 
tinued, which  argued  the  remains  of  life." 
Such  is  the  fate  of  the  most  insignificant  or 
minute  reptile  that  can  be  thus  included. 
Mites,  fleas,  and  even  the  little  eels  that  are 
found  swimming  in  vinegar,  die  for  want  of 
air.  Not  only  these,  but  the  eggs  of  these  ani- 
mals, will  not  produce  in  vacuo,  but  require 
air  to  bring  them  to  perfection. 

As  in  this  manner  air  is  necessary  to  their 

Boyle'*  Physico-Mechan.  Exper.  passim. 


subsistence,  so  also  it  must  be  of  a  proper 
kind,  and  not  impregnated  with  foreign  mix- 
tures. That  factitious  air  which  is  pumped 
from  plants  or  fluids,  is  generally,  in  a  short 
time,  fatal  to  them.  Mr.  Boyle  has  given  us 
many  experiments  to  this  purpose.  After 
having  shown  that  all  vegetable,  and  most 
mineral  substances,  properly  prepared,  may 
afford  air,  by  being  placed  in  an  exhausted 
receiver,  and  this  in  such  quantities,  that 
some  have  thought  it  a  new  substance,  made 
by  the  alteration  which  the  mineral  or  plant 
has  undergone  by  the  texture  of  its  parts 
being  loosened  in  the  operation — having 
shown,  I  say,  that  this  air  may  be  drawn  in 
great  quantities  from  vegetable,  animal,  or 
mineral  substances,  such  as  apples,  cherries, 
amber  burnt,  or  hartshornb — he  included  a 
frog  in  artificial  air,  produced  from  paste ;  in 
seven  minutes  space  it  suffered  convulsionsv 
and  at  last  lay  still,  and  being  taken  out,  re- 
covered no  motion  at  all,  but  was  dead.  A 
bird,  inclosed  in  artificial  air,  from  raisins, 
died  in  a  quarter  of  a  minute,  and  never  stir- 
red more.  A  snail  was  put  into  the  re- 
ceiver, with  air  of  paste ;  in  four  minutes  it 
ceased  to  move,  and  was  dead,  although  it  had 
survived  in  vacuo  for  several  hours :  so  that 
factitious  air  proved  a  greater  enemy  to  ani- 
mals than  even  a  vacuum  itself. 

Air  also  may  be  impregnated  with  fumes 
that  are  instantly  fatal  to  animals.  The 
fumes  of  hot  iron,  copper,  or  any  other  heated 
metal,  blown  into  the  place  where  an  animal 
is  confined,  instantly  destroy  it.  We  have  al- 
ready mentioned  the  vapours  in  the  grotto 
Del  Cane  suffocating  a  dog.  The  ancients 
even  supposed,  that  these  animals,  as  they  al- 
ways ran  with  their  noses  to  the  gr.ound,  were 
the  first  that  felt  any  infection.  In  short,  it 
should  seem  that  the  predominance  of  any 
one  vapour,  from  any  body,  how  wholesome 
soever  in  itself,  becomes  infectious ;  and  that 
we  owe  the  salubrity  of  the  air  to  the  variety 
of  its  mixture. 

But  there  is  no  animal  whose  frame  is 
more  sensibly  affected  by  the  changes  of  the 
air  than  man.  It  is  true,  he  can  endure  a 
greater  variety  of  climates  than  the  lower 
orders  generally  are  able  to  do;  but  it  is 

.    b  Boyle's  Physico-Mechan,  vol.  ii.  p.  598. 
Y* 


94 


A  HISTORY  OF 


rather  by  the  means  which  he  has  discovered 
pf  obviating  their  effects,  than  by  the  ap- 
parent strength  of  his  constitution.  Most 
other  animals  can  bear  cold  or  hunger  better, 
endure  greater  fatigues  in  proportion,  and 
are  satisfied  with  shorter  repose.  The  varia- 
tions of  the  climate,  therefore,  would  pro- 
bably affect  them  the  less,  if  they  had  the 
same  means  or  skill  in  providing  against  the 
severities  of  the  change.  However  this  be, 
the  body  of  man  is  an  instrument  much  more 
nicely  sensible  of  the  variations  of  the  air, 
than  any  of  those  which  his  own  art  has  pro- 
duced ;  for  his  frame  alone  seems  to  unite  all 
their  properties,  being  invigorated  by  the 
weight  of  the  air,  relaxed  by  its  moisture, 
enfeebled  by  its  heat,  and  stiffened  by  its 
frigidity. 

But  it  is  chiefly  by  the  predominance  of 
some  peculiar  vapour,  that  the  air  becomes 
unfit  for  human  support.  It  is  often  found, 
by  dreadful  experience,  to  enter  into  the 
constitution,  to  mix  with  its  juices,  and  to 
putrefy  the  whole  mass  of  blood.  The  ner- 
vous system  is  not  less  affected  by  its  opera- 
tions; palsies  and  vertigoes  are  caused  by 
its  damps ;  and  a  still  more  fatal  train  of  dis- 
tempers by  its  exhalations.  In  order  that 
the  air  should  be  wholesome,  it  is  necessary, 
as  we  have  seen,  that  it  should  not  be  of  one 
kind,  but  the  compound  of  several  sub- 
stances; and  the  more  various  the  compo- 
sition, to  all  appearance  the  more  salubrious. 
A  man,  therefore,  who  continues  in  one  place, 
is  not  so  likely  to  enjoy  this  wholesome  va- 
riety, as  he  who  changes  his  situation ;  and, 
if  I  may  so  express  it,  instead  of  waiting  for 
a  renovation  of  air,  walks  forward  to  meet 
its  arrival.  This  mere  motion,  independent 
even  of  the  benefits  of  exercise,  becomes 
wholesome,  by  thus  supplying  a  great  variety 
of  that  healthful  fluid  by  which  we  are  sus- 
tained. 

A  thousand  accidents  are  found  to  increase 
these  bodies  of  vapour,  that  make  one  place 
more  or  less  wholesome  than  another.  Heat 
may  raise  them  in  too  great  quantities ;  and 
cold  may  stagnate  them.  Minerals  may  give 
off  tHeir  effluvia  in  such  proportion  as  to 
keep  away  all  other  kind  of  air;  vegetables 
may  render  the  air  unwholesome  by  their 
supply ;  and  animal  putrefaction  seems  to 


furnish  a  quantity  of  vapour,  at  least  as 
noxious  as  any  of  the  former.  All  these 
united,  generally  make  up  the  mass  of  respi- 
ration, and  are,  when  mixed  together,  harm- 
less ;  but  any  one  of  them,  for  a  long  time 
singly  predominant,  becomes  at  length  fa- 
tal. 

The  effects  of  heat  in  producing  a  noxious 
quality  in  the  air,  are  well  known.  Those 
torrid  regions  under  the  Line  are  always  un- 
wholesome. At  Senegal,  I  am  told,  the  na- 
tives consider  forty  as  a  very  advanced  time 
of  life,  and  generally  die  of  old  age  at  fifty. 
At  Carthagena,"  in  America,  where  the  heat 
of  the  hottest  day  ever  known  in  Europe  is 
continual,  where,  during  their  winter  season, 
thesedreadful  heats  are  united  with  a  continual 
succession  of  thunder,  rain,  and  tempests, 
arising  from  their  intenseness,  the  wan  and  li- 
vid complexions  of  the  inhabitants  might  make 
strangers  suspect  that  they  were  just  recover- 
ed from  some  dreadful  distemper;  the  ac- 
tions of  the  natives  are  conformable  to  their 
colour;  in  all  their  motions  there  is  some- 
what relaxed  and  languid ;  the  heat  of  the 
climate  even  affects  their  speech,  which  is 
soft  and  slow,  and  their  words  generally 
broken.  Travellers  from  Europe  retain  their 
strength  and  ruddy  colour  in  that  climate, 
possibly  for  three  or  four  months ;  but  after- 
wards suffer  such  decays  in  both,  that  they 
are  no  longer  to  be  distinguished  from  the 
inhabitants  by  their  complexion.  However, 
this  languid  and  spiritless  existence  is  fre- 
quently drawled  on  sometimes  even  to  eighty. 
Young  persons  are  generally  most  affected 
by  the  heat  of  climate,  which  spares  the 
more  aged ;  but  all,  upon  their  arrival  on  the 
coasts,  are  subject  to  the  same  train  of  fatal 
disorders.  Few  nations  have  experienced 
the  mortality  of  these  coasts,  so  much  as  our 
own ;  in  our  unsuccessful  attack  upon  Car- 
thagena, more  than  three  parts  of  our  army 
were  destroyed  by  the  climate  alone ;  and 
those  that  returned  from  that  fatal  expedition, 
found  their  former  vigour  irretriev;>l  ty  gone. 
In  our  more  fortunate  expedition,  which  gave 
us  the  Havannah,  we  had  little  reason  to 
boast  of  our  success;  instead  of  a  third,  not 
a  fifth  part  of  the  army  were  left  survivors  of 

»  Ullo»,  vol.  i.  p.  42. 


THE  EARTH. 


95 


their  victory,  the  climate  being  an  enemy 
that  even  heroes  cannot  conquer. 

The  distempers  that  thus  proceed  from 
the  cruel  malignity  of  those  climates  are 
many ;  that,  for  instance,  called  the  Chapo- 
tonadas,  carries  off'  a  multitude  of  people; 
and  extremely  thins  the  crews  of  European 
ships,  whom  gain  tempts  into  those  inhos- 
pitable regions.  The  nature  of  this  distem- 
per is  but  little  known,  being  caused  in  some 
persons  by  cold,  in  others  by  indigestion. 
But  its  effects  are  far  from  being  obscure ; 
it  is  generally  fatal  in  three  or  four  days: 
upon  its  seizing  the  patient,  it  brings  on 
what  is  there  called  the  black  vomit,  which 
is  the  sad  symptom  after  which  none  are 
ever  found  to  recover.  Some,  when  the 
vomit  attacks  them,  are  seized  with  a  de- 
lirium, that,  were  they  not  tied  down,  they 
would  tear  themselves  to  pieces,  and  thus 
expire  in  the  midst  of  this  furious  paroxysm. 
This  disorder,  in  milder  climates,  takes  the 
name  of  the  bilious  fever,  and  is  attended 
with  milder  symptoms,  but  very  dangerous 
in  all. 

There  are  many  other  disorders  incident 
to  the  human  body,  that  seem  the  offspring 
of  heat ;  but  to  mention  no  other,  that  very 
lassitude  which  prevails  in  all  the  tropical 
climates,  may  be  considered  as  a  disease. 
The  inhabitants  of  India,"  says  a  modern  phi- 
losopher, sustain  an  unceasing  languor,  from 
the  heats  of  their  climate;  and  are  torpid  in 
the  midst  of  profusion.  For  this  reason,  the 
great  Disposer  of  Nature  has  clothed  their 
country  with  trees  of  an  amazing  height, 
whose  shade  might  defend  them  from  the 
beams  of  the  sun ;  and  whose  continual  fresh- 
ness might,  in  some  measure,  temperate  their 
fierceness.  From  these  shades,  therefore, 
the  air  receives  refreshing  moisture,  and  ani- 
mals a  cooling  protection.  The  whole  race 
ef  savage  animals  retire,  in  the  midst  of  the 
day,  to  the  very  centre  of  the  forests,  not  so 
much  to  avoid  their  enemy  man,  as  to  find  a 
defence  against  the  raging  heats  of  the  sea- 
son. This  advantage,  which  arises  from 
shades  in  torrid  climates,  may  probably  af- 
ford a  solution  for  that  extraordinary  circum- 
stance related  by  Boyle,  which  he  imputes  to 

•  Lirmaei  Amceuitates,  vol.  v.  p.  444. 


a  different  cause.  In  the  island  of  Ternate, 
belonging  to  the  Dutch,  a  place  that  had  been 
long  celebrated  for  its  beauty  and  healthful- 
ness,  the  clove-trees  grew  in  such  plenty, 
that  they  in  some  measure  lessened  their 
own  value :  for  this  reason,  the  Dutch  re 
solved  to  cut  down  the  forests,  and  thus  to 
raise  the  price  of  the  commodity;  but  they 
had  soon  reason  to  repent  of  their  avarice ; 
for  such  a  change  ensued,  by  cutting  down 
the  trees,  that  the  whole  island,  from  being 
healthy  and  delightful,  having  lost  its  charm- 
ing shades,  became  extremely  sickly,  and 
has  actually  continued  so  to  this  day.  Boer- 
haave  considered  heat  so  prejudicial  to 
health,  that  he  was  never  seen  to  go  near 
a  fire. 

An  opposite  set  of  calamities  are  the  con- 
sequence, in  climates  where  the  air  is  con- 
densed by  cold.  In  such  places,  all  that 
train  of  distempers  which  are  known  to  arise 
from  obstructed  perspiration,  are  very  com- 
mon ;b  eruptions,  boils,  scurvy,  and  a  loath- 
some leprosy,  that  covers  the  whole  body 
with  a  scurf,  and  white  putrid  ulcers.  These 
disorders  also  are  infectious ;  and,  while  they 
thus  banish  the  patient  from  society,  they 
generally  accompany  him  to  the  grave.  The 
men  of  those  climates  seldom  attain  to  the 
age  of  fifty ;  but  the  women,  who  do  not  lead 
such  laborious  lives,  are  found  to  live  longer. 

The  antumnal  complaints  which  attend  a 
wet  summer,  indicate  the  dangers  of  a  moist 
air.  The  long  continuance  of  an  east  wind 
also,  shows  the  prejudice  of  a  dry  one. 
Mineral  exhalations,  when  copious,  are  every 
where  known  to  be  fatal ;  and  although  we 
probably  owe  the  increase  and  luxuriance 
of  vegetation  to  a  moderate  degree  of  their 
warmth,  yet  the  natives  of  those  countries 
where  there  are  mines  in  plenty,  but  too  often 
experience  the  noxious  effects  of  their  vici- 
nity. Those  trades  also  that  deal  in  the  pre- 
parations of  metals  of  all  kinds,  are  always 
unwholesome ;  and  the  workmen,  after  some 
time,  are  generally  seen  to  labour  under 
palsies,  and  other  nervous  complaints.  The 
vapours  from  some  vegetable  substances,  are 
well  known  to  be  attended  with  dangerous 
effects.  The  shade  of  the  machinel  tree,  in 

b  Krantz's  History  of  Greenland,  vol.  i.  p.  235. 


A  HISTORY  OF 


America,  is  said  to  be  fatal ;  as  was  that  of  the 
juniper,  if  we  may  credit  the  ancients.  Those 
who  walk  through  fields  of  poppies,  or  in  any 
manner  prepare  those  flowers  for  making 
opium,  are  very  sensibly  affected  with  the 
drowsiness  they  occasion.  A  physician  of 
Mr.  Boyle's  acquaintance,  causing  a  large 
quantity  of  black  hellebore  to  be  pounded  in 
a  mortar,  most  of  the  persons  who  were  in 
the  room,  and  especially  the  person  who 
pounded  it,  were  purged  by  it,  and  some  of 
them  strongly.  He  also  gathered  a  certain 
plant  in  Ireland,  which  the  person  who  beat 
it  in  a  mortar,  and  the  physician  who  was 
standing  near,  were  eo  strongly  affected  by, 
that  their  hands  and  faces  swelled  to  an  enor- 
mous size,  and  continued  tumid  for  a  long 
time  after. 

But  neither  mineral  nor  vegetable  steams 
are  so  dangerous  to  the  constitution,  as  those 
proceeding  from  animal  substances,  putrefying 
either  by  disease  or  death.  The  effluvia  that 
come  from  diseased  bodies,  propagate  that 
frightful  catalogue  of  disorders  which  are 
called  infectious.  The  parts  which  compose 
vegetable  vapours,  and  mineral  exhalations, 
seem  gross  and  heavy,  in  comparison  of  these 
volatile  vapours,  that  go  to  great  distances, 
and  have  been  described  as  spreading  deso- 
lation over  the  whole  earth.  They  fly  every 
where ;  penetrate  every  where ;  and  the  va- 
pours that  fly  from  a  single  disease,  soon  ren- 
der it  epidemic. 

The  plague  is  the  first  upon  the  list  in  this 
class  of  human  calamities.  From  whence 
this  scourge  of  man's  presumption  may  have 
its  beginning,  is  not  well  known ;  but  we  well 
know  that  it  is  propagated  by  infection.  What- 
ever be  the  general  state  of  the  atmosphere, 
we  learn,  from  experience,  that  the  noxious 
vapours,  though  but  singly  introduced  at  first, 
taint  the  air  by  degrees :  every  person  in- 
fected, tends  to  add  to  the  growing  malignity; 
and,  as  the  disorder  becomes  more  general, 
the  putrescence  of  the  air  becomes  more 
noxious,  so  that  the  symptoms  are  aggravated 
by  continuance.  When  it  is  said  that  the 
origin  of  this  disorder  is  unknown,  it  implies, 
that  the  air  seems  to  be  but  little  employed 
in  first  producing  it.  There  are  some  coun- 
tries, even  in  the  midst  of  Africa,  that  we 
learn  have  never  been  infected  with  it ;  but 


continue,  for  centuries,  unmolested.  On  the 
contrary,  there  are  others,  that  are  generally 
visited  once  a  year,  as  in  Egypt,  which,  never- 
theless, seems  peculiarly  blessed  with  the 
serenity  and  temperature  of  its  climate.  In 
the  former  countries,  which  are  of  vast  extent, 
and  many  of  them  very  populous,  every  thing 
should  seem  to  dispose  the  air  to  make  the 
plague  continual  among  them.  The  great 
heats  of  the  climate,  the  unwholesomeness 
of  the  food,  the  sloth  and  dirt  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, but,  above  all,  the  bloody  battles  which 
are  continually  fought  among  them,  after 
which  heaps  of  dead  bodies  are  left  unburied, 
and  exposed  to  putrefaction.  All  these  one 
might  think  would  be  apt  to  bring  the  plague 
among  them ;  and  yet,  nevertheless,  we  are 
assured,  by  Leo  Africanus,  that  in  Numidia 
the  plague  is  not  known  once  in  a  hundred 
years ;  and  that  in  Negroland,  it  is  not  known 
at  all.  This  dreadful  disorder,  therefore, 
must  have  its  rise,  not  from  any  previous  dis- 
position of  the  air,  but  from  some  particular 
cause,  beginning  with  one  individual,  and 
extending  the  malignity,  by  communication, 
till  at  last  the  air  becomes  actually  tainted 
by  the  generality  of  the  infection. 

The  plague  which  spread  itself  over  the 
whole  world,  in  the  year  1346,  as  we  are  told 
by  Mezeray,  was  so  contagious,  that  scarcely 
a  village,  or  even  a  house,  escaped  being  in- 
fected by  it.  Before  it  had  reached  Europe, 
it  had  been  for  two  years  travelling  from  the 
great  kingdom  of  Cathay,  where  it  began  by 
a  vapour  most  horridly  fetid ;  this  broke  out 
of  the  earth  like  a  subterranean  fire,  and 
upon  the  first  instant  of  its  eruption,  consumed 
and  desolated  above  two  hundred  leagues  of 
that  country,  even  to  the  trees  and  stones. 

In  that  great  plague  which  desolated  the 
city  of  London,  in  the  year  1665,  a  pious  and 
learned  schoolmaster  of  Mr.  Boyle's  acquain- 
tance, who  ventured  to  stay  in  the  city,  and 
took  upon  him  the  humane  office  of  visiting 
the  sick  and  the  dying,  who  had  been  de- 
serted by  better  physicians,  averred,  that 
being  once  called  to  a  poor  woman  who  had 
buried  her  children  of  the  plague,  he  found 
the  room  where  she  lay  so  little  that  it 
scarcely  could  hold  any  more  than  the  bed 
whereon  she  was  stretched.  However,  in 
this  wretched  abode,  beside  her,  in  an  open 


THE  EARTH. 


97 


coffin,  her  husband  lay,  who  had  some  time 
before  died  of  the  same  disease ;  and  whom 
she,  poor  creature,  soon  followed.  But  what 
showed  the  peculiar  malignity  of  the  air,  thus 
suffering  from  animal  putrefaction,  was,  that 
the  contagious  steams  had  produced  spots  on 
the  very  wall  of  their  wretched  apartment : 
and  Mr.  Boyle's  own  study,  which  was  con- 
tiguous to  a  pest-house,  was  also  spotted  in 
the  same  frightful  manner.  Happily  for  man- 
kind, this  disorder,  for  more  than  a  century, 
has  not  been  known  in  our  island ;  and,  for 
this  last  age,  has  abated  much  of  its  violence, 
even  in  those  countries  where  it  is  most  com- 
mon. Diseases,  like  empires,  have  their  re- 
volutions ;  and  those  which  for  a  while  were 
the  scourge  of  mankind,  sink  unheard  of,  to 
give  place  to  new  ones,  more  dreadful,  as 
being  less  understood. 

For  this  revolution  in  disorders,  which  has 
employed  the  speculation  of  many,  Mr.  Boyle 
accounts  in  the  following  manner:  "  Since," 
says  he,  "  there  want  not  causes  in  the  bowels 
of  the  earth  to  make  considerable  changes 
amongst  the  materials  that  nature  has  plenti- 
fully treasured  up  in  those  magazines,  »md  as 
those  noxious  steams  are  abundantly  supplied 
to  the  surface,  it  may  not  seem  improbable, 
that  in  this  great  variety  some  may  be  found 
capable  of  affecting  the  human  frame  in  a 
particular  manner,  and  thus  of  producing  new 
diseases.  The  duration  of  these  may  be 
greater  or  less,  according  to  the  lastingness 
of  those  subterraneous  causes  that  produced 
them.  On  which  account,  it  need  be  no  won- 
der that  some  diseases  have  but  a  short  du- 
ration, and  vanish  not  long  after  they  appear; 
whilst  others  may  continue  longer,  as  having 
under  ground  more  settled  and  durable  cau- 
ses to  maintain  them." 

From  the  recital  of  this  train  of  mischiefs 
produced  by  the  air  upon  minerals,  plants, 
animals,  and  man  himself,  a  gloomy  mind  may 
be  apt  to  dread  this  indulgent  nurse  of  na- 
ture as  a  cruel  and  an  inexorable  stepmother : 
but  it  is  far  otherwise ;  and,  although  we  are 
sometimes  injured,  yet  almost  all  the  com- 
forts and  blessings  of  life  spring  from  its  pro- 
pitious influence.  It  would  be  needless  to 
observe,  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for 

a  Keil,  Robinson. 


the  support  of  our  lives ;  for  of  this,  every  mo- 
ment's experience  assures  us.  But  how  it. 
contributes  to  this  support,  is  not  so  readily 
comprehended.  All  allow  it  to  be  a  friend,  to 
whose  benefits  we  are  constantly  obliged  : 
and  yet,  to  this  hour,  philosophers  are  divi- 
ded as  to  the  nature  of  the  obligation.  The 
dispute  is,  whether  the  air  is  only  useful  by 
its  weight  to  force  our  juices  into  circulation  ;" 
or,  whether,  by  containing  a  peculiar  spirit,  it 
mixes  with  the  blood  in  our  vessels,  and  acts 
like  a  spur  to  their  industry.1*  Perhaps  it 
may  exert  both  these  useful  offices  at  the 
same  time.  Its  weight  may  give  the  blood 
its  progressive  motion,  through  the  larger 
vessels  of  the  body ;  and  its  admixture  with 
it  cause  those  contractions  of  all  the  vessels, 
which  serve  to  force  it  still  more  strongly  for- 
ward, through  the  minutest  channels  of  the 
circulation.  Be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  well 
known,  that  that  part  of  our  blood  which  has 
just  received  the  influx  of  the  air  in  our  bo- 
dies, is  of  a  very  different  colour  from  that 
which  has  almost  performed  its  circuit.  It 
has  been  found,  that  the  arterial  blood,  which 
has  been  immediately  mixed  with  the  air  in 
the  lungs,  and,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  is  just 
beginning  its  journey  through  the  body,  is  of 
a  fine  florid  scarlet  colour ;  while,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  blood  of  the  veins,  that  is  returning 
from  having  performed  its  duty,  is  of  a  black- 
ish crimson  hue.  Whence  this  difference  of 
colour  should  proceed,  is  not  well  under- 
stood ;  we  only  know  the  fact,  that  this  florid 
colour  is  communicated  by  the  air;  and  we 
are  well  convinced,  that  this  air  has  been  ad- 
mitted into  the  blood  for  very  useful  purposes. 
Besides  this  vital  principal  in  animals,  the 
air  also  gives  life  and  body  to  flame.  A  can- 
dle quickly  goes  out  in  at  exhausted  receiver; 
for  having  soon  consumed  the  quantity  of  air, 
it  then  expires  for  want  of  a  fresh  supply. 
There  has  been  a  flame  contrived  that  will 
burn  under  water ;  but  none  has  yet  been 
found  that  will  continue  to  burn  without  air. 
Gunpowder,  which  is  the  most  catching  and 
powerful  fire  we  know,  will  not  go  oft0  in  an 
exhausted  receiver ;  nay,  if  a  train  of  gunpow- 
der be  laid,  so  as  that  one  part  may  be  fired 
in  the  open  air,  yet  the  other  part  in  vacuo 

b  Whytt  upon  Vital  and  Involuntary  Motions. 


98 


A  HISTORY  OF 


will  remain  untouched,  and  unconsumed. 
Wood  also  set  on  fire,  immediately  goes  out, 
and  its  flame  ceases,  upon  removing  the  air ; 
for  something  is  then  wanting  to  press  the 
body  of  the  fire  against  that  of  the  fuel,  and 
to  prevent  the  too  speedy  diffusion  of  the 
flame.  We  frequently  see  cooks,  and  others, 
whose  business  it  is  to  keep  up  strong  fires, 
take  proper  precautions  to  exclude  the  beams 
of  the  sun  from  shining  upon  them,  which 
effectually  puts  them  out.  This  they  are  apt 
to  ascribe  to  a  wrong  cause;  namely,  the 
operation  of  the  light ;  but  the  real  fact  is, 
that  the  warmth  of  the  sun-beams  lessens  and 
dissipates  the  body  of  the  air  that  goes  to  feed 
the  flame ;  and  the  fire,  of  consequence,  lan- 
guishes for  want  of  a  necessary  supply. 

The  air,  while  it  thus  kindles  fire  into 
flame,  is  notwithstanding  found  to  moderate 
the  rays  of  light,  to  dissipate  their  violence, 
and  to  spread  an  uniform  lustre  over  every 
object.  Were  the  beams  of  the  sun  to  dart 
directly  upon  us,  without  passing  through 
this  protecting  medium,  they  would  either 
burn  us  up  at  once,  or  blind  us  with  their 
effulgence.  But  by  going  through  the  air, 
they  are  reflected,  refracted,  and  turned  from 
their  direct  course,  a  thousand  different  ways; 
and  thus  are  more  evenly  diffused  over  the 
face  of  nature. 

Among  the  other  necessary  benefits  the 
air  is  of  to  us,  one  of  the  principal  is  its  con- 
veyance of  sound.  Even  the  vibrations  of  a 
bell,  which  have  the  loudest  effect  that  we 
know  of,  cease  to  be  heard,  when  under  the 
receiver  of  an  air-pump.  Thus  all  the  plea- 
sures we  receive  from  conversation  with  each 
other,  or  from  music,  depend  entirely  upon 
the  air. 

Odours  likewise  are  diffused  only  by  the 
means  of  air;  without  this  fluid  to  swim  in, 
they  would  for  ever  remain  torpid  in  their 


respective  substances;  and  the  rose  would 
affect  us  with  as  little  sensations  of  pleasure, 
as  the  thorn  on  which  it  grew. 

Those  who  are  willing  to  augment  the 
catalogue  of  the  benefits  we  receive  from 
this  element,  assert  also,  that  tastes  them- 
selves would  be  insipid,  were  it  not  that  the 
air  presses  their  parts  upon  the  nerves  of  the 
tongue  and  palate,  so  as  to  produce  their 
grateful  effects.  Thus,  continue  they,  upon 
the  tops  of  high  mountains,  as  on  the  Peak 
of  Teneriffe,  the  most  poignant  bodies,  as 
pepper,  ginger,  salt,  and  spice,  have  no  sen- 
sible taste,  for  want  of  their  particles  being 
thus  sent  home  to  the  sensory.  But  we  owe 
the  air  sufficient  obligations,  not  to  be  stu- 
dious of  admitting  this  among  the  number :  in 
fact,  all  substances  have  their  taste,  as  well*' 
on  the  tops  of  mountains,  as  in  the  bottom  of 
the  valley ;  and  I  have  been  one  of  many,  who 
have  ate  a  very  savoury  dinner  on  the  Alps. 

It  is  sufficient,  therefore,  that  we  regard 
the  air  as  the  parent  of  health  and  vegetation ; 
as  a  kind  dispenser  of  light  and  warmth  ;  and 
as  the  conveyer  of  sounds  and  odours.  This 
is  an  element  of  which  avarice  will  not  de- 
prive us;  and  which  power  cannot  monopo- 
lize. The  treasures  of  the  earth,  the  verdure 
of  the  fields,  and  even  the  refreshments  of  the 
stream,  are  too  often  seen  going  only  to  assist 
the  luxuries  of  the  great ;  while  the  less  for- 
tunate part  of  mankind  stand  humble  spec- 
tators of  their  encroachments.  But  the  air 
no  limitations  can  bound,  nor  any  land-marks 
restrain.  In  this  benign  element,  all  mankind 
can  boast  an  equal  possession ;  and  for  this 
we  all  have  equal  obligations  to  Heaven. 
We  consume  a  part  of  it,  for  our  own  sus- 
tenance, while  we  live;  and,  when  we  die,  our 
putrefyingbodies  give  back  the  supply,  which, 
during  life,  we  had  accumulated  from  the  ge- 
neral mass. 


THE  EARTH. 


99' 


CHAPTER  XX. 

OF  WINDS,  IRREGULAR  AND  REGULAR. 


WIND  is  a  current  of  air.  Experimental 
philosophers  produce  an  artificial  wind,  by 
an  instrument  called  an  eolipile.  This  is 
nothing  more  than  a  hollow  copper  ball,  with 
a  long  pipe ;  a  tea-kettle  might  be  readily 
made  into  one,  if  it  were  entirely  closed  at 
the  lid,  and  the  spout  left  open ;  through  this 
spout  it  is  to  be  filled  with  water,  and  then 
set  upon  the  fire,  by  which  means  it  produces 
a  violent  blast,  like  wind,  which  continues 
while  there  is  any  water  remaining  in  the 
instrument.  In  this  manner  water  is  con- 
verted into  a  rushing  air;  which,  if  caught 
as  it  goes  out,  and  left  to  cool,  is  again  quick- 
ly converted  into  its  former  element.  Besides 
this,  as  was  mentioned  in  the  former  chapter, 
almost  every  substance  contains  some  por- 
tions of  air.  Vegetables,  or  the  bodies  of 
animals  left  to  putrefy,  produce  it  in  a  very 
copious  manner.  But  it  is  not  only  seen  thus 
escaping  from  bodies,  but  it  may  be  very 
easily  made  to  enter  into  them.  A  quantity 
of  air  may  be  compressed  into  water,  so  as 
to  be  intimately  blended  with  it.  It  finds  a 
much  easier  admission  into  wine,  or  any  fer- 
mented liquor;  and  an  easier  still,  into  spirits 
of  wine.  Some  salts  suck  up  the  air  in  such 
quantities,  that  they  are  made  sensibly  hea- 
vier thereby,  and  often  are  melted  by  its 
moisture.  In  this  manner,  most  bodies,  being 
found  either  capable  of  receiving  or  affording 
it,  we  are  not  to  be  surprised  at  those  streams 
of  air  that  are  continually  fleeting  round  the 
globe.  Minerals,  vegetables,  and  animals, 
contribute  to  increase  the  current;  and  are 
sending  ofF  their  constant  supplies.  These, 
as  they  are  differently  affected  by  cold  or 
hoat,  by  mixture  or  putrefaction,  all  yield 
different  quantities  of  air  at  different  times ; 
and  the  loudest  tempests,  and  most  rapid 
whirlwinds,  are  formed  from  their  united 
contributions. 

The  sun  is  the  principal  instrument  in 
rarefying  the  juices  of  plants,  so  as  to  give 
an  escape  to  their  imprisoned  air ;  it  is  also 


equally  operative  in  promoting  the  putrefac- 
tion of  animals.  Mineral  exhalations  are 
more  frequently  raised  by  subterranean  heat. 
The  moon,  the  other  planets,  the  seasons, 
are  all  combined  in  producing  these  effects 
in  a  smaller  degree.  Mountains  give  a  direc- 
tion to  the  courses  of  the  air.  Fires  carry 
a  current  of  air  along  their  body.  Night  and 
day  alternately  chill  and  warm  the  earth,  and 
produce  an  alternate  current  of  its  vapours. 
These,  and  many  other  causes,  may  be  as- 
signed for  the  variety  and  the  activity  of  the 
winds,  their  continual  change,  and  uncertain 
duration. 

With  us  on  land,  as  the  wind  proceeds  from 
so  many  causes,  and  meets  such  a  variety  of 
obstacles,  there  can  be  but  little  hopes  of 
everbringing  its  motions  to  conform  to  theory; 
or  of  foretelling  how  it  may  blow  a  minute  to 
come.  The  great  Bacon,  indeed,  was  of 
opinion,  that  by  a  close  and  regular  history 
of  the  winds,  continued  for  a  number  of  ages 
together,  and  the  particulars  of  each  observa- 
tion reduced  to  general  maxims,  we  might  at 
last  come  to  understand  the  variations  of  this 
capricious  element;  and  that  we  could  fore- 
tell the  certainty  of  a  wind,  with  as  much 
ease  as  we  now  foretell  the  return  of  an 
eclipse.  Indeed,  his  own  beginnings  in  this 
arduous  undertaking,  seem  to  speak  the  pos- 
sibility of  its  success ;  but,  unhappily  for  man- 
kind, this  investigation  is  the  work  of  ages, 
and  we  want  a  Bacon  to  direct  the  process. 

To  be  able,  therefore, with  any  plausibility, 
to  account  for  the  variations  of  the  wind  upon 
land,  is  not  to  be  at  present  expected  ;  and 
to  understand  any  thing  of  their  nature,  we 
must  have  recourse  to  those  places  where 
they  are  more  permanent  and  steady.  This 
uniformity  and  steadiness  we  are  chiefly  to 
expect  upon  the  ocean.  There,  where  there 
is  no  variety  of  substances  to  furnish  the  air 
with  various  and  inconstant  supplies ;  where 
there  are  no  mountains  to  direct  the  course 
of  its  current,  but  where  all  is  extensively 


100 


A  HISTORY  OF 


uniform  and  even;  in  such  a  place,  the  wind 
arising  from  a  simple  cause,  must  have  but 
one  simple  motion.  In  fact,  we  find  it  so. 
There  are  many  parts  of  the  world  where 
the  winds,  that  with  us  are  so  uncertain,  pay 
their  stated  visits.  In  some  places  they  are 
found  to  hlow  one  way  by  day,  and  another 
by  night ;  in  others,  for  one  half  of  the  year, 
they  go  in  a  direction  contrary  to  their  former 
course:  but,  what  is  more  extraordinary  still, 
there  are  some  places  where  the  winds  never 
change,  but  for  ever  blow  the  same  way. 
This  is  particularly  found  to  obtain  between 
the  tropics  in  the  Atlantic  and  ^Ethiopic 
oceans ;  as  well  as  in  the  great  Pacific  sea. 

Few  things  can  appear  more  extraordinary 
to  a  person  who  has  never  been  out  of  our 
variable  latitudes,  than  this  steady  wind,  that 
for  ever  sits  in  the  sail,  sending  the  vessel 
forward  ;  and  as  effectually  preventing  its  re- 
turn. He  who  has  been  taught  to  consider 
that  nothing  in  the  world  is  so  variable  as  the 
winds,  must  certainly  be  surprised  to  find  a 
place  where  there  is  nothing  more  uniform. 
With  us  their  inconstancy  has  become  a  pro- 
verb ;  with  the  natives  of  those  distant  cli- 
mates they  may  talk  of  a  friend  or  a  mistress 
as  fixed  arid  unchangeable  as  the  winds,  and 
mean  a  compliment  by  the  comparison.  When 
our  ships  are  once  arrived  into  the  proper 
latitudes  of  the  great  Pacific  ocean,  the  ma- 
riner forgets  the  helm,  and  his  skill  becomes 
almost  useless :  neither  storms  nor  tempests 
are  known  to  deform  the  glassy  bosom  of 
that  immense  sheet  of  waters;  a  gentle  breeze, 
that  for  ever  blows  in  the  same  direction, 
rests  upon  the  canvass,  and  speeds  the  na- 
vigator. In  the  space  of  six  weeks,  ships  are 
thus  known  to  cross  an  immense  ocean,  that 
takes  more  than  so  many  months  to  return. 
Upon  returning,  the  trade-wind,  which  has 
been  propitious,  is  then  avoided :  the  mari- 
ner is  generally  obliged  to  steer  into  the  nor- 
thern latitudes,  and  to  take  the  advantage 
of  every  casual  wind  that  offers,  to  assist  him 
into  port.  This  wind,  which  blows  with  such 
constancy  one  way,  is  known  to  prevail  riot 
only  in  the  Pacific  ocean,  but  also  in  the 
Atlantic,  between  the  coasts  of  Guinea  and 
Brazil ;  and,  likewise,  in  the  vEthiopic  ocean. 
This  seems  to  be  the  great  universal  wind, 
blowing  from  the  east  to  the  west,  that  pre- 


vails in  all  the  extensive  oceans,  where  the 
land  does  not  frequently  break  the  general 
current.  Were  the  whole  surface  of  the 
globe  an  ocean,  there  would  probably  be  but 
this  one  wind,  for  ever  blowing  from  the  east, 
and  pursuing  the  motions  of  the  sun  west- 
ward. All  the  other  winds  seem  subordinate 
to  this  ;  and  m.vny  of  them  are  made  from  the 
deviations  of  its  current.  To  form,  therefore, 
any  conception  relative  to  the  variations  of 
the  wind  in  general,  it  is  proper  to  begin  with 
that  which  never  varies. 

There  have  been  many  theories  to  explain 
this  invariable  motion  of  the  winds ;  among 
the  rest,  we  cannot  omit  that  of  Dr.  Lyster, 
for  its  strangeness.  "  The  sea,"  says  he,  "  in 
those  latitudes,  is  generally  covered  over  with 
green  weeds,  for  a  great  extent ;  and  the  air 
produced  from  the  vegetable  perspiration  of 
these,  produces  the  trade-wind."  The  theory 
ofCartesius  was  not  quite  so  absurd.  He  al- 
leged, that  the  earth  went  round  faster  than 
its  atmosphere  at  the  equator ;  so  that  its  mo- 
tion, from  west  to  east,  gave  the  atmosphere 
an  imaginary  one  from  east  to  west ;  and  thus 
an  east  wind  was  eternally  seen  to  prevail. 
Rejecting  those  arbitrary  opinions,  conceived 
without  force,  and  asserted  without  proof,  Dr. 
Halley  has  given  one  more  plausible;  which 
seems  to  be  the  reigning  system  of  the  day. 

To  conceive  his  opinion  clearly,  let  us  for 
a  moment  suppose  the  whole  surface  of  the 
earth  to  be  an  ocean,  and  the  air  encompas- 
sing it  on  every  side,  without  motion.  Now 
it  is  evident,  that  that  part  of  the  air  which 
lies  directly  under  the  beams  of  the  sun,  will 
be  rarefied ;  and  if  the  sun  remained  for  ever 
in  the  same  place,  there  would  be  a  great 
vacuity  in  the  air,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  be- 
neath the  place  where  the  sun  stood.  The 
sun  moving  forward  from  east  to  west,  this  va- 
cuity will  follow  too,  and  still  be  made  under 
it.  But  while  it  goes  on  to  make  new  vacui- 
ties, the  air  will  rush  in  to  fill  up  those  the  sun 
has  already  made ;  in  other  words,  as  it  is  still 
travelling  forward,  the  air  will  continually  be 
rushing  in  behind,  and  pursue  its  motions  from 
east  to  west.  In  this  manner  the  air  is  put 
into  motion  by  day;  and  by  night  the  parts 
continue  to  impel  each  other,  till  the  next  re- 
turn of  the  sun,  that  gives  a  new  force  to  the 
circulation. 


THE  EARTH. 


101 


In  this  manner  is  explained  the  constant 
east  wind  that  is  found  blowing  round  the 
globe,  near  the  equator.  But  it  is  also  known, 
that  as  we  recede  from  the  equator  on  either 
side,  we  come  into  a  trade-wind,  that  con- 
tinually blows  from  the  poles,  from  the  north 
on  one  side,  or  the  south  on  the  other,  both 
directing  towards  the  equator.  This  also  pro- 
ceeds from  a  similar  cause  with  the  former; 
for  the  air  being  more  rarefied  in  those  places 
over  which  the  sun  more  directly  darts  its 
rays,  the  currents  will  come  both  from  the 
north  and  the  south,  to  fill  up  the  interme- 
diate vacuity. 

These  two  motions,  namely,  the  general 
one  from  east  to  west,  and  the  more  parti- 
cular one  from  both  the  poles,  will  account 
for  all  the  phaenomena  of  trade-winds;  which, 
if  the  whole  surface  of  the  globe  were  sea, 
would  undoubtedly  be  constant,  and  for  ever 
continue  to  blow  in  one  direction.  But  there 
are  a  thousand  circumstances  to  break  these 
air-currents  into  smaller  ones ;  to  drive  them 
back  against  their  general  course ;  to  raise 
or  depress  them ;  to  condense  them  into 
storms;  or  to  whirl  them  in  eddies.  In  con- 
sequence of  this,  regard  must  be  often  had 
to  the  nature  of  the  soil,  the  position  of  the 
high  mountains,  the  course  of  the  rivers,  and 
even  to  the  luxuriance  of  vegetation. 
:  If  a  country,  lying  directly  under  the  sun,  be 
very  flat  and  sandy,  and  if  the  land  be  low  and 
extensive,  the  heats  occasioned  by  the  re- 
flection of  the  sun-beams,  produces  a  very 
great  rarefaction  of  the  air.  The  deserts  of 
Africa,  which  are  conformable  to  this  descrip- 
tion, are  scarcely  ever  fanned  by  a  breath 
of  wind  by  day;  but  the  burning  sun  is  con- 
tinually seen  blazing  in  intolerable  splendour 
above  them.  For  this  reason,  all  along  the 
coasts  of  Guinea,  the  wind  is  always  per- 
ceived blowing  in  upon  land,  in  order  to  fill 
up  the  vacuity  caused  by  the  sun's  operation. 
In  those  shores,  therefore,  the  wind  blows 
in  a  contrary  direction  to  that  of  its  general 
current;  and  is  constantly  found  setting  in 
from  the  west. 

From  the  same  cause  it  happens,  that  those 
constant  calms,  attended  with  deluges  of  rain, 
are  found  in  the  same  part  of  the  ocean.  For 
this  tract  being  placed  in  the  middle,  be- 
tween the  westerly  winds  blowing  on  the 


coast  of  Guinea,  and  the  easterly  trade-winds 
that  move  at  some  distance  from  shore,  in  a 
contrary  direction,  the  tendency  of  that  part 
of  the  air  that  lies  between  these  two  oppo- 
site currents,  is  indifferent  to  either,  and  so 
rests  between  both  in  torpid  serenity ;  and 
the  weight  of  the  incumbent  atmosphere, 
being  diminished  by  the  continual  contrary 
winds  blowing  from  hence,  it  is  unable  to 
keep  the  vapours  suspended  that  are  copi- 
ously borne  thither ;  so  that  they  fall  in  con- 
tinual ruins. 

But  it  is  not  to  be  supposed,  that  any 
theory  can  account  for  all  the  phaenomena  of 
even  those  winds  that  are  known  to  be  most 
regular.  Instead  of  a  complete  system  of  the 
trade-winds,  we  must  rather  be  content  with 
an  imperfect  history.  These,"  as  was  said, 
being  the  result  of  a  combination  of  effects, 
assume  as  great  a  variety  as  the  causes  pro- 
ducing them  are  various. 

Besides  the  great  general  wind  above  men- 
tioned, in  those  parts  of  the  Atlantic  that  lie 
under  the  temperate  zone,  a  north  wind  pre- 
vails constantly  during  the  months  of  Octo- 
ber, November,  December,  and  January. 
These,  therefore,  are  the  most  favourable 
months  for  embarking  for  the  East  Indies,  in 
order  to  take  the  benefit  of  these  winds,  for 
crossing  the  Line:  and  it  has  been  often  found, 
by  experience,  that  those  who  had  set  sail 
five  months  before,  were  not  in  the  least  far- 
ther advanced  in  their  voyage,  than  those 
who  waited  for  the  favourable  wind.  During 
the  winter  of  Nova  Zembla,  and  the  other 
arctic  countries,  a  north  wind  reigns  almost 
continually.  In  the  Cape  de  Verde  islands, 
a  south  wind  prevails  during  the  month  of 
July.  At  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  a  north- 
west wind  blows  during  the  month  of  Sep- 
tember. There  are  also  regular  winds,  pro- 
duced by  various  causes,  upon  land.  The 
ancient  Greeks  were  the  first  who  observed 
a  constant  breeze,  produced  by  the  melting 
of  the  snows,  in  some  high  neighbouring 
countries.  This  was  perceived  in  Greece, 
Thrace,  Macedonia,  and  the  jEgean  sea. 
The  same  kind  of  winds  are  now  remarked 
in  the  kingdom  of  Congo,  and  the  most  south- 
ern parts  of  Africa.  The  flux  and  reflux  of 

•  Buftbn,  vol.  ii.  p.  230. 


102 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  sea  also  produces  some  regular  winds, 
that  serve  the  purposes  of  trade ;  and,  in 
general,  it  may  be  observed,  that  wherever 
there  is  a  strong  current  of  water,  there  is  a 
current  of  air  that  seems  to  attend  it. 

Besides  these  winds  that  are  Ibund  to  blow 
in  one  direction,  there  are,  as  was  said  be- 
fore, others  that  blow  for  certain  months  of 
the  year,  one  way,  and  the  rest  of  the  year 
the  contrary  way  :  these  are  called  the  mon- 
soons, from  a  famous  pilot  of  that  name,  who 
first  used  them  in  navigation  with  success." 
In  all  that  part  of  the  ocean  that  lies  between 
Africa  and  India,  the  east  winds  begin  at 
the  month  of  January,  and  continue  till  about 
the  commencement  of  June.  In  the  month 
of  August  or  September,  the  contrary  direc- 
tion takes  place ;  and  the  west  winds  pre- 
vail for  three  or  four  months.  The  interval 
between  these  winds,  that  is  to  say,  from  the 
end  of  June  to  the  beginning  of  August,  there 
is  no  fixed  wind  •,  but  the  sea  is  usually  tossed 
by  violent  tempests,  proceeding  from  the 
north.  These  winds  are  always  subject  to 
their  greatest  variations  as  they  approach 
the  land ;  so  that,  on  one  side  of  the  great 
peninsula  of  India,  the  coasts  are,  for  near 
half  the  year,  harassed  by  violent  hurricanes, 
and  northern  tempests ;  while,  on  the  oppo- 
site side,  and  all  along  the  coasts  of  Coro- 
mandel,  these  dreadful  tempests  are  wholly 
unknown.  At  Java  and  Ceylon,  a  west  wind 
begins  to  reign  in  the  month  of  September; 
but,  at  fifteen  degrees  of  south  latitude,  this 
wind  is  found  to  be  lost,  and  the  great  ge- 
neral trade-wind  from  the  east  is  perceived 
to  prevail.  On  the  contrary,  at  Cochin,  in 
China,  the  west  wind  begins  at  March;  so 
that  these  monsoons  prevail,  at  different 
seasons,  throughout  the  Indies.  So  that  the 
mariner  takes  one  part  of  the  year  to  go  from 
Java  to  the  Moluccas ;  another  from  Cochin 
to  Molucca:  another  from  Molucca  to  China; 
and  still  another  to  direct  him  from  China 
to  Japan. 

There  are  winds  also  that  may  be  con- 
sidered as  peculiar  to  certain  coasts;  for 
example,  the  south  wind  is  almost  constant 
upon  the  coasts  of  Chili  and  Peru ;  western 
winds  almost  constantly  prevail  on  the  coast 

*  Varenii  Geographia  Generalis,  cap.  20. 


of  Terra  Magellanica ;  and  in  the  environs 
of  the  Straits  Le  Maire.  On  the  coasts  of 
Malabar,  north  and  north-west  winds  prevail 
continually;  alorg  the  coast  of  Guinea,  the 
north-west  wind  is  also  very  frequent ;  and, 
at  a  distance  from  the  coasts,  the  north-east 
is  always  found  prevailing.  From  the  begin- 
ning of  November  to  the  end  of  December,  a 
west  wind  prevails  on  the  coasts  of  Japan  $ 
and,  during  the  whole  winter,  no  ships  can 
leave  the  port  of  Cochin,  on  account  of  the 
impetuosity  of  the  winds  that  set  upon  the 
coast.  These  blow  with  such  vehemence, 
that  the  ports  are  entirely  choked  up  with 
sand,  and  even  boats  are  not  able  to  enter. 
However,  the  east  winds  that  prevail  for  the 
other  half  of  the  year,  clear  the  mouths  of 
their  harbours  from  the  accumulations  of  the 
preceding  winter,  and  set  the  confined  ships 
at  liberty.  At  the  Straits  of  Babelmandel 
there  is  a  south  wind  that  periodically  re- 
turns, and  which  is  always  followed  by  a 
north-east. 

Besides  winds  thus  peculiar  to  certain 
coasts,  there  are  others  found  to  prevail  on 
all  the  coasts,  in  warm  climates,  which,  during 
one  part  of  the  day,  blow  from  the  shore, 
and,  during  another  part  of  it,  blow  from  the 
sea.  The  sea-breeze,  in  those  countries,  as 
Dampier  observes,  commonly  rises  in  the 
morning,  about  nine,  proceeding  slowly,  in  a 
tine  small  black  curl,  upon  the  surface  of  the 
water,  and  making  its  way  to  refresh  the 
shore.  It  is  gentle  at  first,  but  increases  gra- 
dually till  twelve,  then  insensibly  sinks  away, 
and  is  totally  hushed  at  five.  Upon  its  ceas- 
ing, the  land-breeze  begins  to  take  its  turn, 
which  increases  till  twelve  at  night,  and  is 
succeeded,  in  the  morning,  by  the  sea-breeze 
again.  Without  all  doubt,  nothing  could 
have  been  more  fortunate  for  the  inhabitants 
of  the  warm  countries,  where  those  breezes 
blow,  than  this  alternate  refreshment,  which 
they  feel  at  those  seasons  when  it  is  most 
wanted.  The  heat,  on  some  coasts,  would 
be  insupportable,  were  it  not  for  such  a  sup- 
ply of  air,  when  the  sun  has  rarefied  all  that 
which  lay  more  immediately  under  the  coast. 
The  sea-breeze  temperates  the  heat  of  the 
sun  by  day ;  and  the  land-breeze  corrects 
the  malignity  of  the  dews  and  vapours  by 
night.  Where  these  breezes,  therefore,  pre- 


THE  EARTH 


103 


vail,  (and  they  are  very  common,)  the  in- 
habitants enjoy  a  share  of  health  and  hap- 
piness, unknown  to  those  that  live  much  far- 
ther up  the  country,  or  such  as  live  in  similar  j 
latitudes  without  this  advantage.  The  cause  | 
of  these  obviously  seems  to  arise  from  the  . 
rarefaction  of  the  air  by  the  sun,  as  their  ! 
duration  continues  with  its  appearance,  and  I 
alters  when  it  goes  down.  The  sun,  it  is  ob- 
served, equally  diffusing  his  beams  upon  land 
and  sea,  the  land,  being  a  more  solid  body 
than  the  water,  receives  a  greater  quantity 
of  heat,  and  reflects  it  more  strongly.  Being 
thus,  therefore,  heated  to  a  greater  degree 
than  the  waters,  it,  of  consequence,  drives 
the  air  from  land  out  to  sea:  but,  its  influence 
being  removed,  the  air  returns  to  fill  up  the 
former  vacuity.  Such  is  the  usual  method 
of  accounting  for  this  phenomenon;  but,  un- 
rortunately,  these  sea  and  land-breezes  are 
visitants  that  come  at  all  hours.  On  the 
coasts  of  Malabar,"  the  land-breezes  begin 
at  midnight,  and  continue  till  noon;  then  the 
sea-breezes  take  their  turn,  and  continue  till 
midnight.  While,  again,  at  Congo,  the  land- 
breezes  begin  at  five,  and  continue  till  nine 
the  next  day. 

But,  if  the  cause  of  these  be  so  inscrutable, 
that  are,  as  we  see,  tolerably  regular  in  their 
visitations,  what  shall  we  say  to  the  winds 
of  our  own  climate,  that  are  continually  shift- 
ing, and  incapable  of  rest?  Some  general 
causes  may  be  assigned,  which  nothing  but 
particular  experience  can  apply.  And,  in 
the  first  place,  it  may  be  observed,  that 
clouds  and  heat,  and,  in  short,whatever  either 
increases  the  density  or  the  elasticity  of  the 
air,  in  any  one  place,  will  produce  a  wind 
there :  for  the  increased  activity  of  the  air 
thus  pressing  more  powerfully  on  the  parts 
of  it  that  are  adjacent,  will  drive  them  for- 
ward ;  and  thus  go  on,  in  a  current,  till  the 
whole  comes  to  an  equality. 

In  this  manner,  as  a  denser  air  produces  a 
wind,  on  the  one  hand ;  so  will  any  accident, 
that  contributes  to  lighten  the  air,  produce  it 
on  the  other  :  for,  a  lighter  air  may  be  con- 
sidered as  a  vacuity  into  which  the  neigh- 
bouring air  will  rush :  and  hence  it  happens, 
that  when  the  barometer  marks  a  peculiar 

•  Buffon,  vol.  ii.  p.  252. 


lightness  in  the  air,  it  is  no  wonder  that  it 
foretells  a  storm. 

The  winds,  upon  large  waters,  are  gene- 
rally more  regular  than  those  upon  land. 
The  wind  at  sea  generally  blows  with  an  even 
steady  gale;  the  wind,  at  land,  puff's  by  inter- 
vals, increasing  its  strength,  and  remitting  it, 
without  any  apparent  cause.  This,  in  a  great 
measure,  may  be  owing  to  the  many  moun 
tains,  towers,  or  trees,  that  it  meets  in  its 
way,  all  contributing  either  to  turn  it  from 
its  course,  or  interrupt  its  passage. 

The  east  wind  blows  more  constantly  than 
any  other,  arid  for  an  obvious  reason :  all 
other  winds  are,  in  some  measure,  deviations 
from  it,  and  partly  may  owe  their  origin 
thereto.  It  is  generally,  likewise,  the  most 
powerful,  and  for  the  same  reason. 

There  are  often  double  currents  of  the  air. 
While  the  wind  blows  one  way,  we  frequent- 
ly see  the  clouds  move  another.  This  is  ge- 
nerally the  case  before  thunder;  for  it  is  well 
known  that  the  thunder  cloud  always  moves 
against  the  wind:  the  cause  of  this  surprising 
appearance  has  hitherto  remained  a  secret. 
From  hence  we  may  conclude,  that  weather- 
cocks only  inform  us  of  that  current  of  the 
air,  which  is  near  the  surface  of  the  earth ; 
but  are  often  erroneous  with  regard  to  the 
upper  regions ;  and,  in  fact,  Derham  has 
often  found  them  erroneous. 

Winds  are  generally  more  powerful  on 
elevated  situations  than  on  the  plain,  because 
their  progress  is  interrupted  by  fewer  ob- 
stacles. In  proportion  as  we  ascend  the 
heights  of  a  mountain,  the  violence  of  the 
weather  seems  to  increase,  until  we  have  got 
above  the  region  of  storms,  where  all  is 
usually  calm  and  serene.  Sometimes,  how- 
ever, the  storms  rise  even  to  the  tops  of  the 
highest  mountains;  as  we  learn  from  those 
who  have  been  on  the  Andes,  and  as  we  are 
convinced  by  the  deep  snows  that  crown 
even  the  highest. 

Winds  blowing  from  the  sea  are  generally 
moister,  and  more  attended  with  rains,  than 
those  which  blow  over  extensive  tracts  of 
land:  for  the  sea  gives  off  more  vapours  to 
the  air,  and  these  are  rolled  forward  upon 
land,  by  the  winds  blowing  from  thence.b  Foi 

b  Derham's  Physico-Theol. 


104 


A  HISTORY  OF 


this  reason,  our  easterly  winds  that  blow 
from  the  continent,  are  dry,  compared  with 
those  that  blow  from  the  surface  of  the  ocean, 
with  which  we  are  surrounded  on  every 
other  quarter. 

In  general  the  winds  are  more  boisterous 
in  spring  and  autumn  than  at  other  seasons : 
for  that  being  the  time  of  high  tides,  the  sea 
may  communicate  a  part  of  its  motions  to  the 
winds.  The  sun  and  moon,  also,  which  then 
have  a  greater  effect  upon  the  waters,  may 
also  have  some  influence  upon  the  winds  :  for, 
there  being  a  great  body  of  air  surrounding 
the  globe,  which,  if  condensed  into  water, 
would  cover  it  to  the  depth  of  thirty-two  feet, 
it  is  evident  that  the  sun  and  moon  will,  to  a 
proportionable  degree,  affect  the  atmosphere, 
and  make  a  tide  of  air.  This  tide  will  be 
scarcely  perceivable,  indeed ;  but,  without 
doubt,  it  actually  exists;  and  may  contribute 
to  increase  the  vernal  and  autumnal  storms, 
which  are  then  known  to  prevail. 

Upon  narrowing  the  passage  through  which 
the  air  is  driven,  both  the  density  and  the 
swiftness  of  the  wind  is  increased.  For,  as 
currents  of  water  flow  with  greater  force  and 
rapidity  by  narrowing  their  channels  ;  so  also 
will  a  current  of  air,  driven  through  a  con- 
tracted space,  grow  more  violent  and  irresis- 
tible. Hence  we  find  those  dreadful  storms 
that  prevail  in  the  defiles  of  mountains, 
•where  the  wind,  pushing  from  behind  through 
a  narrow  channel,  at  once  increases  in  speed 
and  density,  levelling,  or  tearing  up,  every 
obstacle  that  rises  to  obstruct  its  passage. 

Winds  reflected  from  the  sides  of  moun- 
tains and  towers,  are  often  found  to  be  more 
forceful  than  those  in  direct  progression. 
This  we  frequently  perceive  near  lofty  build- 
ings, such  as  churches  or  steeples,  where 
winds  are  generally  known  to  prevail,  and 
that  much  more  powerfully  than  at  some 
distance.  The  air,  in  this  case,  by  striking 
against  the  side  of  the  building,  acquires  ad- 
ditional density,  and,  therefore,  blows  with 
more  force. 

These  differing  degrees  of  density,  which 
the  air  is  found  to  possess,  sufficiently  show 
that  the  force  of  the  winds  do  not  depend 
upon  their  velocity  alone ;  so  that  those  in- 
struments called  anemometers,  which  are  made 
to  measure  the  velocity  of  the  wind,  will  by 


!  no  means  give  us  certain  information  of  the 
j  force  of  the  storm.  In  order  to  estimate  this 
with  exactness,  we  ought  to  know  its  density ; 
I  which  also  these  are  not  calculated  to  dis- 
:  cover.  For  this  reason  we  often  see  storms, 
!  with  very  powerful  effects,  that  do  not  seem  to 
I  show  any  great  speed;  and, on  the  contrary,  we 
j  see  these  wind-measurers  go  round  with  great 
!  swiftness,  when  scarcely  any  damage  has  fol- 
i  lowed  from  the  storm. 

Such  is  the  nature  and  the  inconstancy  of 
the  irregular  winds,  with  which  we  are  best 
acquainted.  But  their  effects  are  much  more 
formidable  in  those  climates  near  the  tropics, 
where  they  are  often  found  to  break  in  upon 
the  steady  course  of  the  trade-winds,  and  to 
mark  their  passage  with  destruction.  With 
us  the  tempest  is  but  rarely  known,  and  its 
ravages  are  registered  as  an  uncommon  cala- 
mity ;  but  in  the  countries  that  lie  between 
the  tropics, and  for  a  good  space  beyond  them, 
its  visits  are  frequent,  and  its  effects  are  an- 
ticipated. In  these  regions  the  winds  vary 
their  terrors  ;  sometimes  involving  all  things 
in  a  suffocating  heat ;  sometimes  mixing  all 
the  elements  of  fire,  air,  earth,  and  water,  to- 
gether ;  sometimes,  with  a  momentary  swift- 
ness, passing  over  the  face  of  the  country,  and 
destroying  all  things  in  their  passage;  and 
sometimes  raising  whole  sandy  deserts  in  one 
country,  to  deposite  them  upon  some  other. 
We  have  little  reason,  therefore,  to  envy 
these  climates  the  luxuriance  of  their  soil,  or 
the  brightness  of  their  skies.  Our  own  muddy 
atmosphere,  that  wraps  us  round  in  obscurity, 
though  it  fails  to  gild  our  prospects  with  sun- 
shine, or  our  groves  with  fruitage,  neverthe- 
less answers  the  call  of  industry.  They  may 
boast  of  a  plentiful,  but  precarious,  harvest ; 
while,  with  us,  the  labourer  toils  in  a  certain 
expectation  of  a  moderate,  but  a  happy  re- 
turn. 

In  Egypt,a  a  kingdom  so  noted  for  its  fer- 
tility and  the  brightness  of  its  atmosphere, 
during  summer,  the  south  winds  are  so  hot, 
that  they  almost  stop  respiration;  besides 
which,  they  are  charged  with  such  quantities 
of  sand,  that  they  sometimes  darken  the  air, 
as  with  a  thick  cloud.  These  sands  are  so 
fine,  and  driven  with  such  violence,  that  they 

»  Buflfon,  vol.  ii.  p.  258. 


THE  EARTH. 


J05 


penetrate  every  where,  even  into  chests,  be 
they  shut  never  so  closely.  If  these  winds 
happen  to  continue  for  any  length  of  time, 
they  produce  epidemic  diseases,  and  are  of- 
ten followed  by  a  great  mortality.  It  is  also 
found  to  rain  but  very  seldom  in  that  country  : 
however,  the  want  of  showers  is  richly  com- 
pensated by  the  copiousness  of  their  dews, 
which  greatly  tend  to  promote  vegetation. 

In  Persia,  the  winter  begins  in  November, 
and  continues  till  March.  The  cold  at  that 
time  is  intense  enough  to  congeal  the  water ; 
and  snow  falls  in  abundance  upon  their  moun- 
tains. During  the  months  of  March  and 
April,  winds  arise,  that  blow  with  great  force, 
and  seem  to  usher  in  the  heats  of  summer. 
These  return  again  in  autumn,  with  some  vio- 
lence; without,  however,  producing  any 
dreadful  effects.  But,  during  their  summer, 
all  along  the  coasts  of  the  Persian  Gulf,  a 
very  dangerous  wind  prevails,  which  the  na- 
tives call  the  Sameyel,  still  more  dreadful  and 
burning  than  that  of  Egypt,  and  attended 
with  instant  and  fatal  effects.  This  terrible 
blast,  which  was,  perhaps,  the  pestilence  of 
the  ancients,  instantly  kills  all  those  that  it 
involves  in  its  passage.  What  its  malignity 
consists  in,  none  can  tell,  as  none  have  ever 
survived  its  effects,  to  give  information.  It 
frequently,  as  I  am  told,  assumes  a  visible 
form,  and  darts,  in  a  kind  of  bluish  vapour, 
along  the  surface  of  the  country.  The  na- 
tives, not  only  of  Persia,  but  of  Arabia,  talk 
of  its  effects  with  terror ;  and  their  poets  have 
not  failed  to  heighten  them  with  the  assis- 
tance of  imagination.  They  have  described 
it  as  under  the  conduct  of  a  minister  of  ven- 
geance, who  governs  its  terrors,  and  raises, 
or  depresses  it,  as  he  thinks  proper.3  These 
deadly  winds  are  also  known  along  the  coasts 
of  India,  at  Negapatam,  Masulipatam,  and 
Petapoli.  But,  luckily  for  mankind,  the  short- 
ness of  their  duration  diminishes  the  injuries 
that  might  ensue  from  their  malignity. 

The  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  as  well  as  many 
islands  in  the  West-Indies,  are  famous  for 
their  hurricanes,  and  that  extraordinary  kind 
of  cloud  which  is  said  to  produce  them. 
This  cloud,  which  is  the  forerunner  of  an  ap- 
proaching hurricane,  appears,  when  first  seen, 

•  Herbelot,  Bibliotheque  Oriental. 


like  a  small  black  spot,  on  the  verge  of  the 
horizon  ;  and  is  called,  by  sailors,  the  bull's 
eye,  from  being  seen  so  minute  at  a  vast  dis- 
tance. All  this  time  a  perfect  calm  reigns 
over  the  sea  and  land,  while  the  cloud  grows 
gradually  broader  as  it  approaches.  At 
length,  coming  to  the  place  where  its  fury  is 
to  fall,  it  invests  the  whole  horizon  with  dark- 
ness. During  all  the  time  of  its  approach,  an 
hollow  murmur  is  heard  in  the  cavities  of  the 
mountains ;  and  beasts  and  animals,  sensible 
of  its  approach,  are  seen  running  over  the 
fields,  to  seek  for  shelter.  Nothing  can  be 
more  terrible  than  its  violence  when  it  begins. 
The  houses  in  those  countries,  which  are 
made  of  timber,  the  better  to  resist  its  fury, 
bend  to  the  blast  like  osiers,  and  again  re- 
cover their  rectitude.  The  sun,  which  but 
a  moment  before  blazed  with  meridian  splen- 
dour, is  totally  shut  out;  and  a  midnight 
darkness  prevails,  except  that  the  air  is  in- 
cessantly illuminated  with  gleams  of  lightning, 
by  which  one  can  easily  see  to  read.  The 
rain  falls,  at  the  same  time,  in  torrents ;  and 
its  descent  has  been  resembled  to  what  pours 
from  the  spouts  of  our  houses  after  a  violent 
shower.  These  hurricanes  are  not  less  offen- 
sive to  the  sense  of  smelling  also,  and  never 
come  without  leaving  the  most  noisome  stench 
behind  them.  If  the  seamen  also  lay  by 
their  wet  clothes,  for  twenty-four  hours,  they 
are  all  found  swarming  with  little  white  rnag- 

S)ts,  that  were  brought  with  the  hurricane, 
ur  first  mariners,  when  they  visited  these 
regions,  were  ignorant  of  its  effects,  and  the 
signs  of  its  approach;  their  ships,  therefore, 
were  dashed  to  the  bottom  at  the  first  onset ; 
and  numberless  were  the  wrecks  which  the 
hurricane  occasioned.  But,  at  present,  being 
forewarned  of  its  approach,  they  strip  their 
masts  of  all  their  sails,  and  thus  patiently 
abide  its  fury.  These  hurricanes  are  com- 
mon in  all  the  tropical  climates.  On  the 
coasts  of  Guinea  they  have  frequently  three 
or  four  in  a  day,  that  thus  shut  out  the  hea- 
vens for  a  liltle  space ;  and,  when  past,  leave 
all  again  in  former  splendour.  They  chiefly 
prevail,  on  that  coast,  in  the  intervals  of  the 
trade  winds ;  the  approach  of  which  clears 
the  air  of  its  meteors,  and  gives  these  mortal 
showers  that  little  degree  of  wholesomeness 
which  they  possess.  They  chiefly  obtain 


106 


A  HISTORY  OF 


there  during  the  months  of  April  and  May ; 
they  are  known  at  Loango  from  January  to 
April;  on  the  opposite  coast  of  Africa,  the 
hurricane  season  begins  in  May;  and,  in  ge- 
neral, whenever  a  trade-wind  begins  to  cease, 
these  irregular  tempests  are  found  to  exert 
their  fury. 

All  this  is  terrible :  but  there  is  a  tempest, 
known  in  those  climates,  more  formidable  than 
any  we  have  hitherto  been  describing,  which 
is  called,  by  the  Spaniards,  a  Tornado.  As 
the  former  was  seen  arriving  from  one  part 
of  the  heavens,  and  making  a  line  of  destruc- 
tion ;  so  the  winds  in  this  seem  to  blow  from 
every  quarter,  and  settle  upon  one  destined 
place,  with  such  fury,  that  nothing  can  resist 
their  vehemence.  When  they  have  all  met 
in  their  central  spot,  then  the  whirlwind  be- 
gins with  circular  rapidity.  The  sphere  every 
moment  widens,  as  it  continues  to  turn,  and 
catches  every  object  that  lies  within  its  attrac- 
tion. This  also,  like  the  former,  is  preceded 
by  a  flattering  calm;  the  air  is  every  where 
hushed ;  and  the  sea  is  as  smooth  as  polished 
glass :  however,  as  its  effects  are  more  dread- 
ful than  those  of  the  ordinary  hurricane,  the 
mariner  tries  all  the  power  of  his  skill  to 
avoid  it;  which,  if  he  fails  of  doing,  there  is 
the  greatest  danger  of  his  going  to  the  bot- 
tom. All  along  the  coasts  of  Guinea,  begin- 
ning about  two  degrees  north  of  the  line,  and 
so  downward,  lengthwise,  for  about  a  thou- 
sand miles,  and  as  many  broad,  the  ocean  is 
unnavigable  on  account  of  these  tornadoes. 
In  this  torrid  region  there  reign  unceasing 
tornadoes,  or  continual  calms ;  among  which, 
whatever  ship  is  so  unhappy  as  to  fall,  is  to- 
tally deprived  of  all  power  of  escaping.  In 
this  dreadful  repose  of  all  the  elements,  the 
solitary  vessel  is  obliged  to  continue,  without 
a  single  breeze  to  assist  the  mariner's  wishes, 
except  those  whirlwinds,  which  only  serve  to 
increase  his  calamity.  At  present,  therefore, 
this  part  of  the  ocean  is  totally  avoided  ;  and, 
although  there  may  be  much  gold  along  the 
coasts  of  that  part  of  Africa,  to  tempt  avarice, 
yet  there  is  something  much  more  dreadful 
than  the  fabled  dragon  of  antiquity,  to  guard 
the  treasure.  Asthe  internal  parts  of  that  coun- 
try are  totally  unknown  to  travellers,  from 
their  burning  sands  and  extensive  deserts, 
so  here  we  find  a  vast  tract  of  ocean,  lying 


oiF  its  shores,  equally  unvisited  by  the  ma- 
riner. 

But  of  all  these  terrible  tempests  that  de- 
form the  face  of  Nature,  and  repress  human 
presumption,  the  sandy  tempests  of  Arabia 
and  Africa  are  the  most  terrible,  and  strike 
the  imagination  most  strongly.  To  conceive 
a  proper  idea  of  these,  we  are  by  no  means 
to  suppose  them  resembling  those  whirlwinds 
of  dust  that  we  sometimes  see  scattering  in 
in  our  air,  and  sprinkling  their  contents  upon 
our  roads  or  meadows.  The  sand-storm  of 
Africa  exhibits  a  very  different  appearance. 
As  the  sand  of  which  the  whirlwind  is  com- 
posed is  excessively  fine,  and  almost  resem- 
bles the  parts  of  water,  its  motion  entirely  re- 
sembles that  of  a  fluid  ;  and  the  whole  plain 
seems  to  float  onward,  like  a  slow  inundation. 
The  body  of  sand  thus  rolling,  is  deep  enough 
to  bury  nouses  and  palaces  in  its  bosom :  tra- 
vellers, who  are  crossing  those  extensive  de- 
serts, perceive  its  approach  at  a  distance ; 
and,  in  genera1  have  time  to  avoid  it,  or  turn 
out  of  its  way,  as  it  generally  extends  but  to 
a  moderate  breadth.  However,  when  it  is 
extremely  rapid,  or  very  extensive,  as  some- 
times is  the  case,  no  swiftness,  no  art,  can 
avail;  nothing  then  remains,  but  to  meet 
death  with  fortitude,  and  submit  to  be  buried 
alive  with  resignation. 

It  is  happy  for  us  of  Britain,  that  we  have 
no  such  calamity  to  fear;  for, from  this,  even 
some  parts  of  Europe  are  not  entirely  free. 
We  have  an  account  given  us,  in  the  History 
of  the  French  Academy,  of  a  miserable  town 
in  France,  that  is  constantly  in  danger  of  be- 
ing buried  under  a  similar  inundation;  with 
which  I  will  take  leave  to  close  this  chapter. 
"  In  the  neighbourhood  of  St.  Paul  de  Leon, 
in  Lower  Brittany,  there  lies  a  tract  of  coun- 
try along  the  sea-side,  which  before  the  year 
1666  was  inhabited,  but  now  lies  deserted, 
by  reason  of  the  sands  which  cover  it,  to  the 
height  of  twenty  feet ;  and  which  every  year 
advance  more  and  more  inland,  and  gain 
ground  continually.  From  the  time  men- 
tioned above,  the  sand  has  buried  more  than 
six  leagues  of  the  country  inward  :  and  it  is 
now  but  half  a  league  from  the  town  of  St. 
Paul ;  so  that,  in  all  appearance,  the  inha- 


"  Histoire  de  1'Academie  des  Sciences,  an.  1722. 


THE  EARTH. 


107 


bitants  must  be  obliged  to  abandon   it  en- 
tirely. 

In  the  country  that  has  been  overwhelm- 
ed, there  are  still  to  be  seen  the  tops  of  some 
steeples  peeping  through  the  sand,  and  many 
chimneys  that  still  remain  above  the  sandy 
ocean.  The  inhabitants,  however,  had  suffi- 
cient time  to  escape  ;  but  being  deprived  of 
their  little  all,  they  had  no  other  resource 
but  begging  for  their  subsistence.  This  ca- 
lamity chiefly  owes  its  advancement  to  a 
north,  or  an  east  wind,  raising  the  sand,  which 
is  extremely  fine,  in  such  great  quantities, 
and  with  such  velocity,  that  M.  Deslandes, 
who  gave  the  account,  says,  that  while  he 
was  walking  near  the  place,  during  a  mode- 
rate breeze  of  wind,  he  was  obliged,  from 
time  to  time,  to  shake  the  sand  from  his 
clothes  and  his  hat,  on  which  it  was  lodged 
in  great  quantities,  and  made  them  too  heavy 
to  be  easily  borne.  Still  further,  when  the 
wind  was  violent,  it  drove  the  sand  across  a 
little  arm  of  the  sea,  into  the  town  of  Roscoff, 
and  covered  the  streets  of  that  place  two 
feet  deep ;  so  that  they  have  been  obliged 


to  carry  it  off  in  carts.  It  may  also  be  ob- 
served, that  there  are  several  particles  of 
iron  mixed  with  the  sand,  which  are  readily 
affected  by  the  loadstone.  The  part  of  the 
coast  that  furnishes  these  sands,  is  a  tract  of 
about  four  leagues  in  length ;  and  is  upon  a 
level  with  the  sea  at  high-water.  The  shore 
lies  in  such  a  manner  as  to  leave  its  sands 
subject  only  to  the  north  and  east  winds, 
that  bear  them  farther  up  the  shore.  It  is 
easy  to  conceive  how  the  same  sand  that  has 
at  one  time  been  borne  a  short  way  inland, 
may,  by  some  succeeding  and  stronger  blast, 
be  carried  up  much  higher;  and  thus  the 
whole  may  continue  advancing  forward,  de- 
luging the  plain,  and  totally  destroying  its 
fertility.  At  the  same  time,  the  sea,  from 
whence  this  deluge  of  sand  proceeds,  may 
furnish  it  in  inexhaustible  quantities.  This 
unhappy  country,  thus  so  overwhelmed  in  so 
singular  a  manner,  may  well  justify  what  the 
ancients  and  the  moderns  have  reported  con- 
cerning those  tempests  of  sand  in  Africa,  that 
are  said  to  destroy  villages,  and  even  armies 
in  their  bosom." 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

OF  METEORS,  AND  SUCH  APPEARANCES  AS  RESULT  FROM  A  COMBINATION 

OF  THE  ELEMENTS. 


IN  proportion  as  the  substances  of  nature 
are  more  compounded  and  combined,  their 
appearances  become  more  inexplicable  and 
amazing.  The  properties  of  water  have  been 
very  nearly  ascertained.  Many  of  the  quali- 
ties of  air,  earth,  and  fire,  have  been  disco- 
vered and  estimated ;  but  when  these  come 
to  be  united  by  nature,  they  often  produce 
a  result  which  no  artificial  combinations  can 
imitate:  and  we  stand  surprised, that  although 
we  are  possessed  of  all  those  substances 
which  nature  makes  use  of,  she  shows  her- 
self a  much  more  various  operator  than  the 
most  .skilful  chemist  ever  appeared  to  be. 
Every  cloud  that  moves,  and  every  shower 
that  falls,  serves  to  mortify  the  philosopher's 
pride,  and  to  show  him  hidden  qualities  in 


air  and  water,  that  he  finds  it  difficult  to  ex- 
plain. Dews,  hail,  snow,  and  thunder,  are 
not  less  difficult  for  being  more  common.  In- 
deed, when  we  reflect  on  the  manner  in 
which  nature  performs  any  one  of  these  ope- 
rations, our  wonder  increases.  To  see  water, 
which  is  heavier  than  air,  rising  in  air,  and 
then  falling  in  a  form  so  very  different  from 
that  in  which  it  rose ;  to  see  the  same  fluid 
at  one  time  descending  in  the  form  of  hail, 
at  another  in  that  of  snow ;  to  see  two  clouds, 
by  dashing  against  each  other,  producing  an 
electrical  fire,  which  no  watery  composition 
that  we  know  of  can  effect ;  these,  I  say, 
serve  sufficiently  to  excite  our  wonder;  and 
still  the  more,  in  proportion  as  the  objects 
are  ever  pressing  on  our  curiosity.  Much. 
2  A 


100 


A  HISTORY  OF 


however,  has  been  written  concerning  the 
manner  in  which  nature  operates  in  these 
productions ;  as  nothing  is  so  ungrateful  to 
mankind  as  hopeless  ignorance. 

And  first,  with  regard  to  the  manner  in 
which  water  evaporates,  and  rises  to  form 
clouds,  much  has  been  advanced,  and  many 
theories  devised.  All  water,"  say  some,  has 
a  quantity  of  air  mixed  with  it ;  and  the  heat 
of  the  sun  darting  down,  disengages  the  par- 
ticles of  this  air  from  the  grosser  fluid  ;  the 
sun's  rays  being  reflected  back  from  the 
water,  carry  back  with  them  those  bubbles 
of  air  and  water,  which,  being  lighter  than 
the  condensed  air,  will  ascend  till  they  meet 
with  a  more  rarefied  air;  and  they  will  then 
stand  suspended.  Experience,  however, 
proves  nothing  of  all  this.  Particles  of  air 
or  fire,  are  not  thus  known  to  ascend  with  a 
thin  coat  of  water;  and,  in  fact,  we  know 
that  the  little  particles  of  steam  are  solid 
drops  of  water.  But,  besides  this,  water  is 
known  to  evaporate  more  powerfully  in  the 
severest  frost,  than  when  the  air  is  moderately 
warm.b  Dr.  Hamilton,  therefore,  of  the  uni- 
versity of  Dublin,  rejecting  this  theory,  has 
endeavoured  to  establish  another.  According 
to  him,  as  aqua-fortis  is  a  menstruum  that  dis- 
solves iron,  and  keeps  it  mixed  in  the  fluid ; 
as  aqua-regia  is  a  menstruum  that  dissolves 
gold ;  or  as  water  dissolves  salts  to  a  certain 
quantity,  so  air  is  a  menstruum  that  corrodes 
and  dissolves  a  certain  quantity  of  water,  and 
keeps  it  suspended  above.  But  however  in- 
genious this  may  be,  it  can  hardly  be  admit- 
ted :  as  we  know  by  Mariotte's  experiment," 
that  if  water  and  air  be  inclosed  together,  in- 
stead of  the  air's  acting  as  a  menstruum  upon 
the  water,  the  water  will  act  as  a  menstruum 
upon  the  air,  and  take  it  all  up.  We  know 
also,  that  of  two  bodies,  that  which  is  most 
fluid  and  penetrating,  is  most  likely  to  be 
the  menstruum  of  the  other;  but  water  is 
more  fluid  and  penetrating  than  air,  and 
therefore  the  most  likely  of  the  two  to  be  the 
menstruum.  We  know  that  all  bodies  are 
more  speedily  acted  upon,  the  more  their 
parts  are  brought  into  contact  with  the  men- 
struum that  dissolves  them ;  but  water,  in- 

a  Spectacle  de  la  Nature,  vol.  iii. 

b  Memoires  de  1' Academic  des  Sciences,  an.  1705. 


closed  with  compressed  air,  is  not  the  mdre 
diminished  thereby.*1  In  short,  we  know  that 
cold,  which  diminishes  the  force  of  other  men- 
struuras,  is  often  found  to  promote  evapora- 
tion. In  this  variety  of  opinion  and  uncer- 
tainty of  conjecture,  I  cannot  avoid  thinking 
that  a  theory  of  evaporation  may  be  formed 
upon  very  simple  and  obvious  principles,  and 
embarrassed,  as  far  as  I  can  conceive,  with 
very  few  objections. 

We  know  that  a  repelling  power  prevails 
in  nature,  not  less  than  an  attractive  one. 
This  repulsion  prevails  strongly  between  the 
body  of  fire  and  that  of  water.  If  I  plunge 
the  end  of  a  red-hot  bar  of  iron  into  a  vessel 
of  water,  the  fluid  rises,  and  large  drops  of  it 
fly  up  in  all  manner  of  directions,  every  part 
bubbling  and  steaming  until  the  iron  be  cold. 
Why  may  we  not  ibr  a  moment  compare  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  darted  directly  upon  the  sur- 
face of  the  water,  to  so  many  bars  of  red-hot 
iron,  each  bar  indeed  infinitely  small,  but 
not  the  less  powerful  ?  In  this  case,  wher- 
ever a  ray  of  fire  darts,  the  water,  from  its  re- 
pulsive quality,  will  be  driven  on  all  sides; 
and,  of  consequence,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
bar  of  iron,  a  part  of  it  will  rise.  The  parts 
thus  rising,  however,  will  be  extreau-ly  small ; 
as  the  ray  that  darts  is  extremely  so.  The 
assemblage  of  the  rays  darting  upon  the  water 
is  this  manner,  will  cause  it  to  rise  in  a  light 
thin  steam  above  the  surface ;  and  as  the 
parts  of  this  steam  are  extremely  minute,  they 
will  be  lighter  than  air,  and  consequently 
float  upon  it.  There  is  no  need  for  supposing 
them  bubbles  of  water  filled  with  fire ;  for 
any  substance,  even  gold  itself,  will  float  on 
air,  if  its  parts  be  made  small  enough  ;  or,  in 
other  words,  if  its  surface  be  sufficiently  in- 
creased. This  water,  thus  disengaged  from 
the  general  mass,  will  be  still  farther  atten- 
uated and  broken  by  the  reflected  rays,  and 
consequently  more  adapted  for  ascending. 

From  this  plain  account,  every  appearance 
in  evaporation  may  be  easily  deduced.  The 
quantity  of  heat  increases  evaporation,  be- 
cause it  raises  a  greater  quantity  of  steam. 
The  quantity  of  wind  increases  evaporation  ; 
for,  by  waving  the  surface  of  the  wateryjt  thus 

c  Mariotte,  de  la  Nature  de  1'Air,  p.  97,  106. 
*  See  Boyle'*  Works,  vol.  ii.  p.  6l9. 


THE  EARTH. 


109 


exposes  a  greater  surface  to  the  vaporating 
rays.  A  dry  frost,  in  some  measure,  assists 
the  quantity  of  evaporation ;  as  the  quantity 
of  rtys  are  found  to  be  no  way  diminished 
th<>  'by.  Moist  weather  alone  prevents  eva- 
poration; for  the  rays  being  absorbed,  re- 
fracted, and  broken,  by  the  intervening  mois- 
ture, before  they  arrive  at  the  surface,  cannot 
produce  the  effect;  and  the  vapour  will  rise 
in  a  small  proportion. 

Thus  far  we  have  accounted  for  the  ascent 
of  vapours;  but  to  accountfor  their  fallingagain 
is  attetided  with  rather  more  difficulty.  We 
have  already  observed,  that  the  particles  of 
vapour,  disengaged  from  the  surface  iof  the 
water,  will  be  broken  and  attenuated  in  their 
ascent,  by  the  reflected,  and  even  the  direct 
rays,  that  happen  to  strike  upon  their  minute 
surfaces.  They  will,  therefore,  continue  to 
ascend,  till  they  rise  above  the  'operation  of 
the  reflected  rays,  which  reaches  but  to  a 
certain  height  above  the  surface  of  the  earth. 
Being  arrived  at  tin's  region,  which  is  cold 
for  want  of  reflected  heat,  they  will  be  con- 
densed, and  suspended  in  the  form  of  clouds. 
Some  vapours,  that  ascend  to  great  heights, 
will  be  frozen  into  snow  :  others,  that  are  con- 
densed lower  down,  will  put  on  the  appear- 
ance of  a  mist,  which  we  find  the  clouds  to 
be  when  we  ascend  among  them,  as  they  hang 
along  the  sides  of  a  mountain.  These  clouds 
of  snow  and  rain,  being  blown  about  by  winds, 
are  either  entirely  scattered  and  dispersed 
above,  or  they  are  still  more  condensed  by  ; 
motion,  like  a  snow-ball,  that  grows  more 
large  and  solid  as  it  continues  to  roll.  At  last, 
therefore,  they  will  become  too  weighty  for 
the  air  which  first  raised  them  to  sustain ;  and 
they  will  descend  with  their  excess  of  weight, 
either  in  snow  or  rain.  But,  as  they  will  fall 
precipitately,  when  they  begin  to  descend,the 
air,  in  some  measure,  will  resist  the  falling: 
for,  as  the  descending  fluid  gathers  velocity 
in  its  precipitation,  the  air  will  increase  its 
resistance  to  it,  and  the  water  will,  therefore, 
be  thus  broken  into  rain ;  as  we  see  that  wa- 
ter which  falls  from  the  tops  of  houses,  though 
it  begins  in  a  spout,  separates  into  drops 
before  it  has  got  to  the  bottom.  Were  it  not 
for  this  happy  interposition  of  the  air,  be- 
tween us  and  the  water  falling  from  a  consi- 
derable height  above  us,  a  drop  of  rain  might 


fall  with  dangerous  force,  and   a  hailstone 
might  strike  us  with  fatal  rapidity. 

In  this  mariner,  evaporation  is  produced 
by  day  ;  hut  when  the  sun  goes  down,  a  part 
of  that  vapour  which  his  rays  had  excited, 
being  no  longer  broken,  and  attenu  ted  by 
the  reflecting  rays,  it  will  become  heavier 
than  the  air,  even  before  it  has  reached  the 
clouds;  and  it  will,  therefore,  fall  back  in 
dews,  which  differ  only  from  rain  in  descend- 
ing before  they  have  had  time  to  condense 
into  a  visible  form. 

Hail,  the  Cartesians  say,  is  a  frozen  cloud, 
half  melted,  and  frozen  again  in  its  descent. 
A  hoar  frost  is  but  a  frozen  dew.  Lightning 
we  know  to  be  an  electrical  flash,  produced 
by  the  opposition  of  two  clouds :  and  thun- 
der to  be  the  sound  proceeding  from  the 
same,  continued  by  an  echo  reverberated 
among  them.  It  would  be  to  very  little  pur- 
pose to  attempt  explaining  exactly  how 
these  wonders  are  effected  ;  we  have  as  yet 
but  little  insight  into  the  manner  in  which 
these  meteors  are  found  to  operate  upon  each 
other;  and,  therefore,  we  must  be  contented 
with  a  detail  rather  of  their  effects  than  their 
causes. 

In  our  own  gentle  climate,  where  nature 
wears  the  mildest  and  kindest  aspect,  every 
meteor  seems  to  befriend  us.  With  us,  rains 
fall  in  refreshing  showers,  to  enliven  our  fields, 
and  to  paint  the  landscape  with  a  more  vivid 
beauty.  Snows  cover  the  earth,  to  preserve 
its  tender  vegetables  from  the  inclemency  of 
the  departing  winter.  The  dews  descend 
with  such  an  imperceptible  fall  as  no  way  in- 
jures the  constitution.  Even  thunder  is  sel- 
dom injurious  ;  and  it  is  often  wished  lor  by 
the  husbandman,  to  clear  the  air,  and  to  kill 
numberless  insects  that  are  noxious  to  vege- 
tation. Hail  is  the  most  injurious  meteor 
that  is  known  in  our  climate ;  but  it  seldom 
visits  us  with  violence,  and  then  its  fury  is 
but  transient. 

One  of  the  most  dreadful  storms  we  hear 
of,"  was  that  of  Hertfordshire,  in  the  year 
1697.  It  began  by  thunder  and  lightning, 
which  continued  for  some  hours,  when  sud- 
denly a  black  cloud  came  forward,  against 
the  wind,  and  marked  its  passage  with  de- 

»  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  147. 

2A» 


110 


A  HISTORY  OF 


vastation.  The  hailstones  which  it  poured 
down,  being  measured,  were  found  to  be 
many  of  them  fourteen  inches  round,  and,  con- 
sequently, as  large  as  a  bowling-green  ball. 
Wherever  it  came,  every  plantation  fell  be- 
fore it ;  it  tore  up  the  ground,  split  great  oaks, 
and  other  trees,  without  number ;  the  fields 
of  rye  were  cut  down,  as  if  levelled  with  a 
scythe;  wheat,  oats,  and  barley, suffered  the 
same  damage.  The  inhabitants  found  but  a 
precarious  shelter,  even  in  their  houses,  their 
tiles  and  windows  being  broke  by  the  violence 
of  the  hailstones,  which,  by  the  force  with 
which  they  came,  seemed  to  have  descended 
from  a  great  height.  The  birds,  in  this  uni- 
versal wreck,  vainly  tried  to  escape  by  flight ; 
pigeons,  crows,  rooks,  and  many  more  of  the 
smaller  and  feebler  kinds,were  brought  down. 
An  unhappy  young  man,  who  had  not  time  to 
take  shelter,  was  killed;  one  of  his  eyes  was 
struck  out  of  his  head,  and  Ins  body  was  all 
over  black  with  the  bruises;  another  had  just 
time  to  escape,  but  not  without  the  most  im- 
minent danger,  his  body  being  bruised  all 
over.  But  what  is  most  extraordinary,  all 
this  fell  within  the  compass  of  a  mile. 

Mezeray,  in  his  history  of  France,  tells  us 
of  a  shower  of  hail  much  more  terrible,  which 
happened  in  the  year  1510,  when  the  French 
monarch  invaded  Italy.  There  was,  for  a 
time,  a  horrid  darkness,  thicker  than  that  of 
midnight,  which  continued  till  the  terrors  of 
mankind  were  changed  to  still  more  terrible 
objects,  by  thunder  and  lightning  breaking 
the  gloom,  and  bringing  on  such  a  shower  of 
hail,  as  no  history  of  human  calamities  could 
equal.  These  hailstones  were  of  a  bluish 
colour,  and  some  of  them  weighed  not  less 
than  a  hundred  pounds.  A  noisome  vapour 
of  sulphur  attended  the  storm.  All  the  birds 
and  beasts  of  the  country  were  entirely  de- 
stroyed. Numbers  of  the  human  race  suffer- 
ed the  same  fate.  But  what  is  still  more  ex- 
traordinary, the  fishes  found  no  protection 
from  their  native  element ;  but  were  equal 
sufferers  in  the  general  calamity. 

These,  however,  are  terrors  that  are  seldom 
exerted  in  our  mild  cliimtes.  They  only 
serve  to  mark  the  page  of  history  with  won- 
der; and  stand  as  admonitions  to  man- 
kind of  the  various  stores  of  punishment 
in  the  hands  of  the  Deity,  which  his  power 


can  treasure  up,  and  his  mercy  can  suspend. 

In  the  temperate  zones,  therefore,  meteors 
I  are  rarely  found  thus  terrible;  but  between 
the  tropics,  and  near  the  poles,  they  assume 
very  dreadful  and  various  appearances.  In 
those  inclement  regions,  where  cold  and  heat 
exert  their  chief  power,  meteors  seem  pecu- 
liarly to  have  fixed  their  residence.  They 
are  seen  there  in  a  thousand  terrifying  forms, 
astonishing  to  Europeans,  yet  disregarded  by 
the  natives,  from  their  frequency.  The  won- 
ders of  air,  fire,  and  water,  are  there  com- 
bined, to  produce  the  most  tremendous  ef- 
fects ;  and  to  sport  with  the  labours  and  ap- 
prehensions of  mankind.  Lightnings,  that 
flash  without  noise ;  hurricanes,  that  tear  up 
the  earth  ;  clouds,  that  all  at  once  pour  down 
their  contents, and  produce  an  instant  deluge; 
mock  suns;  northern  lights,  that  illuminate 
half  the  hemisphere ;  circular  rainbows ; 
halos;  fleeting  balls  of  fire  ;  clouds,  reflecting 
back  the  images  of  things  on  earth,  like  mir- 
rors ;  and  water-spouts,  that  burst  from  the 
sea,  to  join  with  the  mists  that  hang  imme- 
diately above  them.  These  are  but  a  part 
of  the  phenomena  that  are  common  in  those 
countries ;  and  from  many  of  which  our  own 
climate  is,  in  a  great  measure,  exempted. 

The  meteors  of  the  torrid  zone  are  different 
from  those  that  are  found  near  the  polar  cir- 
cles ;  and  it  may  readily  be  supposed,  that 
in  those  countries  where  the  sun  exerts  the 
greatest  force  in  raising  vapours  of  all  kinds, 
there  should  be  the  greatest  quantity  of  me- 
teors. Upon  the  approach  of  the  winter 
months,  as  they  are  called,  under  the  Line, 
which  usually  begin  about  May,  the  sky,  from 
a  fiery  brightness,  begins  to  be  overcast,  and 
the  whole  horizon  seems  wrapt  in  a  muddy 
cloud.  Mists  and  vapours  still  continue  to 
rise ;  and  the  air,  which  so  lately  before  was 
clear  and  elastic,  now  becomes  humid,  ob- 
scure, and  stifling :  the  fogs  become  so  thick, 
that  the  light  of  the  sun  seems,  in  a  manner, 
excluded;  nor  would  its  presence  be  known, 
but  for  the  intense  and  suffocating  heat  of  its 
beams,  which  dart  through  the  gloom,  and, 
instead  of  dissipating,  only  serve  to  incr^°"e 
the  mist. 

After  this  preparation,  there  follcws  r*,j  al 
most  continual  succession  of  thunder,  rain, 
and  tempests.    During  this  dreadful  season, 


THE  EARTH. 


Ill 


the  streets  of  cities  flow  like  rivers ;  and  the 
whole  country  wears  the  appearance  of  an 
ocean.  The  inhabitants  often  make  use  of 
this  opportunity  to  lay  in  a  stock  of  fresh 
water,  for  the  rest  of  the  year;  as  the  same 
cause  which  pours  down  the  deluge  at  one 
season,  denies  the  kindly  shower  at  another. 
The  thunder  which  attends  the  fall  of  these 
rains,  is  much  more  terrible  than  that  we  are 
generally  acquainted  with.  With  us  the  flash 
is  seen  at  some  distance,  and  the  noise  short- 
ly after  ensues ;  our  thunder  generally  rolls 
on  one  quarter  of  the  sky,  and  one  stroke 
pursues  another.  But  here  it  is  otherwise; 
the  whole  sky  seems  illuminated  with  unrc- 
mitted  ilishes  of  lightning;  every  part  of  the 
air  stains  productive  of  its  own  thunders; 
and  every  cloud  produces  its  own  shock. 
The  strokes  come  so  thick,  that  the  inhabi- 
tants can  scarcely  mark  the  intervals;  butall  is 
one  unremitted  roar  of  elementary  confusion. 
It  should  seem,  however,  that  the  lightning 
of  those  countries  is  not  so  fatal,  or  so  dan- 
gerous, as  with  us ;  since,  in  this  case,  the 
torrid  zone  would  be  uninhabitable. 

When  these  terrors  have  ceased,  with 
which,  however,  the  natives  are  familiar,  me- 
teors of  another  kind  begin  to  make  their  ap- 
pearance. The  intense  beams  of  the  sun, 
darting  upon  stagnant  waters,  that  generally 
cover  the  surface  of  the  country,  raise  va- 
pours of  various  kinds.  Floating  bodies  of 
fire,  which  assume  different  names,  rather 
from  their  accidental  forms,  than  from  any 
real  difference  between  them,  are  seen  with- 
out surprise.  The  draco  volans,  or  flying 
dragon,  as  it  is  called ;  the  ignis  fatuus,  or 
wandering  fire;  the  fires  of  St.  Helmo,  or  the 

ariner's  light,  are  every  where  frequent ; 
and  of  these  we  have  numberless  descriptions. 
"  As  I  was  riding  in  Jamaica,"  says  Mr.  Barb- 
ham,  "  one  morning  from  my  habitation,  situ- 
ated about  three  miles  north-west  from  Jago 
de  la  Vega,  I  saw  a  ball  of  tire,  appearing  to 
me  of  the  bigness  of  a  bomb,  swiftly  falling 
down  with  a  great  blaze.  At  first  I  thought 
it  fell  into  the  town  ;  but  when  I  came  nearer, 
I  saw  many  people  gathered  together,  a  little 
to  the  southward,  in  the  savanna,  to  whom 
I  rode  up,  to  inquire  the  cause  of  their  meet- 
ing: they  were  admiring,  as  I  found,  the 
ground's  being  strangely  broke  up  and  plough- 


ed by  a  ball  of  fire ;  which,  as  they  said,  fell 
down  there.  I  observed  there  were  many 
holes  in  the  ground ;  one  in  the  middle,  of 
the  bigness  of  a  man's  head,  and  five  or  six 
smaller  roundabout  it,  ol  the  bigness  of  one's 
fist,  and  so  deep  as  not  to  be  fathomed  by 
such  implements  as  were  at  hand.  It  was 
observed  also,  that  all  the  green  herbage  was 
burnt  up,  near  the  holes;  and  there  conti- 
nued a  strong  smell  of  sulphur  near  the  place, 
for  some  time  after." 

Ulloa  gives  an  account  of  one  of  a  similar 
kind,  at  Quito.*  "  About  nine  at  night,"  says 
he,  "  a  globe  of  fire  appeared  to  rise  from  the 
side  of  the  mountain  Pichinca,  and  so  large, 
that  it  spread  a  light  over  all  the  part  of  the 
city  facing  that  mountain.  The  house  where 
I  lodged  looking  that  way,  I  was  surprised 
with  an  extraordinary  light,  darting  through 
the  crevices  of  the  window-shutters.  On 
this  appearance,  and  the  bustle  of  the  people 
in  the  street,  I  hastened  to  the  window,  and 
came  time  enough  to  see  it,  in  the  middle  of 
its  career;  which  continued  from  west  to 
south,  till  I  lost  sight  of  it,  being  intercepted 
by  a  mountain,  that  lay  between  me  and  it. 
It  was  round ;  and  its  apparent  diameter 
about  a  foot.  I  observed  it  to  rise  from  the 
sides  of  Pichinca ;  although,  to  judge  from  its 
course,  it  was  behind  that  mountain  where 
this  congeries  of  inflammable  matter  was 
kindled.  In  the  first  half  of  its  visible  course, 
it  emitted  a  prodigious  effulgence,  then  it  be- 
gan gradually  to  grow  dim ;  so  that,  upon  its 
disappearing  behind  the  intervening  moun- 
tain, its  light  was  very  faint." 

Meteors  of  this  kind  are  very  frequently 
seen  between  the  tropics;  but  they  some- 
times, also,  visit  the  more  temperate  regions 
of  Europe.  We  have  the  description  of  a 
very  extraordinary  one,  given  us  by  Monta- 
nari,  that  serves  to  show  to  what  great 
heights,  in  our  atmosphere,  these  vapours  are 
found  to  ascend.  In  the  year  1676,  a  great 
globe  of  fire  was  seen  at  Bononia,  in  Italy, 
about  three  quarters  of  an  hour  after  sun-set. 
It  passed  westward,  with  a  most  rapid  course, 
and  at  the  rate  of  not  less  than  a  hundred 
and  sixty  miles  in  a  minute,  which  is  much 
swifter  than  the  force  of  a  cannon-ball,  and, 

»  Ulloa,  vol.  i.  p.  41. 


112 


A  HISTORY  OF 


at  last,  stood  over  the  Adriatic  sea.  In  its 
course  it  crossed  over  all  Italy ;  and,  by  com- 
putation, it  could  not  have  been  less  than 
thirty-eight  miles  above  the  surface  of  the 
earth.  In  the  whole  line  of  its  course,  wher- 
ever it  approached,  the  inhabitants  below 
could  distinctly  hear  it,  with  a  hissing  noise, 
resembling  that  of  a  fire-work.  Having  pass- 
ed away  to  sea,  towards  Corsica,  it  was  heard, 
at  last,  to  go  off  with  a  most  violent  explosion, 
much  louder  than  that  of  a  cannon  :  and,  im- 
mediately after,  another  noise  was  heard,  like 
the  rattling  of  a  great  cart  upon  a  stony  pave- 
ment ;  which  was,  probably,  nothing  more 
than  the  echo  of  the  former  sound.  Its  mag- 
nitude, when  at  Bononia,  appeared  twice  as 
long  as  the  moon,  one  way,  and  as  broad  the 
other;  so  that,  considering  its  height,  it  could 
not  have  been  less  than  a  mile  long,  and  half 
a  mile  broad.  From  the  height  at  which  this 
was  seen,  and  there  being  no  volcano  on  that 
quarter  of  the  world  from  whence  it  came,  it 
is  more  than  probable  that  this  terrible  globe 
was  kindled  on  some  part  of  the  contrary  side 
of  the  globe,  in  those  regions  of  vapours  which 
we  have  been  just  describing;  and  thus,  rising 
above  the  air,  and  passing  in  a  course  oppo- 
site to  that  of  the  earth's  motion,  in  this  man- 
ner it  acquired  its  amazing  rapidity. 

To  these  meteors,  common  enough  south- 
ward, we  will  add  one  more  of  a  very  uncom- 
mon kind,  which  was  seen  byUlloa,  at  Quito, 
in  Peru;  the  beauty  of  which  will,  in  some 
measure,  serve  to  relieve  us,  after  the  descrip- 
tion of  those  hideous  ones  preceding.  "  At 
day  break,"  says  he,  "  the  whole  mountain 
of  Pambamarca,  where  we  then  resided,  was 
encompassed  with  very  thick  clouds ;  which 
the  rising  of  the  sun  dispersed  so  far,  as  to 
leave  only  some  vapours,  too  fine  to  be  seen. 
On  the  side  opposite  to  the  rising  sun,  and 
about  ten  fathoms  distant  from  the  place 
where  we  were  standing,  we  saw,  as  in  a 
looking-glass,  each  his  own  image  ;  the  head 
being  as  it  were,  the  centre  of  three  circular 
rainbows,  one  without  the  other,  and  just 
near  enough  to  each  other  as  that  the  colours 
of  the  internal  verged  upon  those  more  ex- 
ternal ;  while  round  all  was  a  circle  of  white, 
but  with  a  greater  space  between.  In  this 
manner  these  circles  were  erected,  like  a  mir- 
ror, before  us  ;  and  as  we  moved,  they  moved, 
in  disposition  and  order.  But  what  is  most 


remarkable,  though  we  were  six  in  number, 
every  one  saw  the  phenomenon  with  regard 
to  himself,  and  not  that  relating  to  others. 
The  diameter  of  the  arches  gradually  altered, 
as  the  sun  rose  above  the  horizon  ;  and  the 
whole,  after  continuing  a  long  time,  insensibly 
faded  away.  In  the  beginning,  the  diameter 
of  the  inward  iris,  taken  from  its  last  colour, 
was  about  five  degrees  and  a  half;  and  that 
of  the  white  arch,  which  surrounded  the  rest, 
was  not  less  than  sixty-seven  degrees.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  phenomenon,  the  arches 
seemed  of  an  oval,  or  elliptical  figure,  like  the 
disk  of  the  sun ;  and  afterwards  became  per- 
fectly circular.  Each  of  these  was  of  a  red 
colour,  bordered  with  an  orange ;  and  the 
last  bordered  by  a  bright  yellow,  which  altered 
into  a  straw  colour,  and  this  turned  to  a  green ; 
but,  in  all,  the  external  colour  remained  red." 
Such  is  the  description  of  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  illusions  that  has  ever  been  seen  in 
nature.  This  alone  seems  to  have  combined 
all  the  splendours  of  optics  in  one  view.  To 
understand  the  manner,  therefore,  how  this 
phsenomenon  was  produced,  would  require  a 
perfect  knowledge  of  optics ;  which  it  is  not 
our  present  province  to  enter  upon.  It  will 
be  sufficient,  therefore,  only  to  observe,  that 
all  these  appearances  arise  from  the  density 
of  the  cloud,  together  with  its  uncommon  and 
peculiar  situation,  with  respect  to  the  specta- 
tor and  the  sun.  It  may  be  observed,  that 
but  one  of  these  three  rainbows  was  real,  the 
rest  being  only  reflections  thereof.  It  may 
also  be  observed,  that  whenever  the  spectator 
stands  between  the  sun  and  a  cloud  of  fulling 
rain,  a  rainbow  is  seen,  which  is  nothing  more 
than  the  reflection  of  the  different  coloured 
rays  of  light  from  the  bosom  of  the  cloud.  If, 
for  instance,  we  take  a  glass  globe,  filled  wit 
water,  and  hang  it  up  before  us  opposite  th 
sun,  in  many  situations  it  will  appear  trans- 
parent ;  but  if  it  is  raised  higher,  or  sidewnys, 
to  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees,  it  will  ot  lirst 
appear  red ;  altered  a  very  little  higher,  yellow ; 
then  green,  then  blue,  then  violet  colour:  in 
short,  it  will  assume  surrossively  all  the  colours 
of  the  rainbow ;  but,  if  raisi  d  higher  still,  it 
will  become  transparent  again.  A  falling 
shower  may  be  considered  as  an  infinite  Dum- 
ber of  these  little  transparent  globes,  assuming 
different  colours,  by  being  placed  at  their 
proper  heights.  The  rest  of  the  shower  will 


THE  EARTH. 


113 


appear  transparent,  and  no  part  of  it  will 
seem  coloured ;  but  such  as  are  at  angles  of 
forty-five  degrees  from  the  eye,  forty-rive  de- 
grees upward,  forty-five  degrees  on  each  side, 
and  forty-five  degrees  downward,  did  not  the 
plane  of  the  earth  prevent  us.  We  therefore 
see  only  an  arch  of  the  rainbow,  the  lower 
part  being  cut  ofFfrom  our  sight  by  the  earth's 
interposition.  However,  upon  the  tops  of 
very  high  mountains,  circular  rainbows  are 
Been,  because  we  can  see  to  an  angle  of  forty- 
five  degrees  downward,  as  well  as  upward, 
or  sideways,  and  therefore  we  take  in  the 
rainbow's  complete  circle. 

In  those  forlorn  regions  round  the  poles, 
the  meteors,  though  of  another  kind,  are  not 
less  numerous  and  alarming.  When  the  win- 
ter begins,  and  the  cold  prepares  to  set  in, 
the  same  misty  appearance  which  is  pro- 
duced in  the  southern  climates  by  the  heat, 
is  there  produced  by  the  contrary  extreme." 
The  sea  smokes  like  an  oven,  and  a  fog 
arises,  which  mariners  call  the  frost  smoke. 
This  cutting  mist  commonly  raises  blisters 
on  several  parts  of  the  body ;  and,  as  soon  as 
it  is  wafted  to  some  colder  part  of  the  atmos- 
phere, it  freezes  to  little  icy  particles,  which 
are  driven  by  the  wind,  and  creates  such  an 
intense  cold  on  land,  that  the  limbs  of  the 
inhabitants  are  sometimes  frozen,  and  drop 
off 

There,  also,  halos,  or  luminous  circles 
round  the  moon,  are  oftener  seen  than  in  any 
other  part  of  the  earth,  being  formed  by  the 
frost  smoke ;  although  the  air  otherwise 
seems  to  be  clear.  A  lunar  rainbow  also  is 
often  seen  there,  though  somewhat  different 
from  that  which  is  common  with  us ;  as  it  ap- 

«irs  of  a  pale  white,  striped  with  gray.  In 
se  countries  also,  the  aurora  borealis 
streams  with  peculiar  lustre,  and  variety  of 
colours.  In  Greenland  it  generally  arises  in 
the  east,  and  darts  its  sportive  fires,  with  va- 
riegated beauty,  over  the  whole  horizon. 
Its  appearance  is  almost  constant  in  winter; 
and  at  those  seasons  when  the  sun  departs, 
to  return  no  more  for  half  a  year,  this  meteor  | 
kindly  rises  to  supply  its  beams,  and  affords 
sufficient  light  for  all  the  purposes  of  exis- 
tence. However,  in  the  very  midst  of  their 

•  Paul  Egede's  History  of  Greenland. 


tedious  night,  the  inhabitants  are  not  entirely 
forsaken.  The  tops  of  the  mountains  are  of- 
ten seen  painted  with  the  red  rays  of  the  sun ; 
and  the  poor  Greenlander  from  thence  begins 
to  date  his  chronology.  It  would  appear 
whimsical  to  read  a  Greenland  calendar,  in 
which  we  might  be  told,  That  one  of  their 
chiefs,  having  lived  forty  days,  died,  at  last, 
of  a  good  old  age ;  and  that  his  widow  con- 
tinued for  half  a  day  to  deplore  his  loss,  with 
great  fidelity,  before  she  admitted  a  second 
husband. 

The  meteors  of  the  day,  in  these  countries, 
are  not  less  extaordinary  than  those  of  the 
night :  mock  suns  are  often  reflected  upon 
an  opposite  cloud ;  and  the  ignorant  spec- 
tator fancies  that  there  are  often  three  or 
four  real  suns  in  the  firmament  at  the  same 
time.  In  this  splendid  appearance  the  real 
sun  is  always  readily  known  by  its  superior 
brightness,  every  reflection  being  seen  with 
diminished  splendour.  The  solar  rainbow 
there,  is  often  seen  different  from  ours.  In- 
stead of  a  pleasing  variety  of  colours,  it  ap- 
pears of  a  pale  white,  edged  with  a  stripe  of 
dusky  yellow;  the  whole  being  reflected 
from  the  bosom  of  a  frozen  cloud. 

But,  of  all  the  meteors  which  mock  the 
imagination  with  an  appearance  of  reality, 
those  strange  illusions  that  are  seen  there,  m 
fine  serene  weather,  are  the  most  extraor- 
dinary and  entertaining.  "  Nothing,"  says 
Krantz,  "  ever  surprised  me  more,  than  on  a 
fine  warm  summer,s  day,  to  perceive  the  islands 
that  lie  four  leagues  west  of  our  shore,  putting 
on  a  form  quite  different  from  what  they  are 
known  to  have.  As  I  stood  gazing  upon 
them,  they  appeared  at  first  infinitely  greater 
than  what  they  naturally  are ;  and  seemed 
as  if  I  viewed  them  through  a  large  mag- 
nifying glass.  They  were  not  thus  only  made 
larger,  but  brought  nearer  to  me.  I  plainly 
descried  every  stone  upon  the  land,  and  all 
the  furrows  filled  with  ice,  as  if  I  stood  close 
by.  When  this  illusion  had  lasted  for  a 
while,  the  prospect  seemed  to  break  up,  and 
a  new  scene  of  wonder  to  present  itself.  The 
island  seemed  to  travel  to  the  shore,  and  re- 
presented a  wood,  or  a  tall  cut  hedge.  The 
scene  then  shifted,  and  showed  the  ap- 
pearance of  all  sorts  of  curious  figures ;  as 
ships  with  sails,  streamers,  and  flags ;  antique 


J14 


A  HISTORY  OF 


elevated  castles,  with  decayed  turrets ;  and 
a  thousand  forms,  for  which  fancy, .found  a 
resemblance  in  nature.  When  the  eye  had 
been  satisfied  with  gazing,  the  whole  group 
of  riches  seemed  to  rise  in  air,  and  at  length 
vanish  into  nothing.  At  such  times  the  wea- 
ther is  quite  serene  and  clear;  but  compressed 
with  such  subtle  vapours,  as  it  is  in  very  hot 
weather ;  and  these  appearing  between  the 
eye  and  the  object,  give  it  all  that  variety  of 
appearances  which  glasses  of  different  re- 
frangibilities  would  have  done."  Mr.  Krantz 
observes,  that  commonly  a  couple  of  hours 
afterwards,  a  gentle  west  wind  and  a  visible 
mist  follow,  which  put  an  end  to  this  lusus 
natures. 

It  were  easy  to  swell  this  catalogue  of  me- 
teors with  the  names  of  many  others,  both  in 
our  own  climate  and  in  other  parts  of  the 
world.  Such  as  falling  stars,  which  are 
thought  to  be  no  more  than  unctuous  vapours, 
raised  from  the  earth  to  small  heights,  and 
continuing  to  shine  till  that  matter  which  first 
raised  and  supported  them,  being  burnt  out, 
they  fall  back  again  to  the  earth,  with  ex- 
tinguished flame.  Burning  spears,  which  are 
a  peculiar  kind  of  aurora  borealis;  bloody 
rains,  which  are  said  to  be  the  excrements  of 
an  insect,  that  at  that  time  has  been  raised 
into  the  air.  Showers  of  stones,  fishes,  and 
ivy-berries,  at  first,  no  doubt,  raised  into  the 
air  by  tempests  in  one  country,  and  falling  at 
some  considerable  distance,  in  the  manner  of 
rain,  to  astonish  another.  But  omitting  these, 
of  which  we  know  little  more  than  what  is 
thus  briefly  mentioned,  I  will  conclude  this 
chapter  with  the  description  of  a  water-spout; 
a  most  surprising  phenomenon ;  not  less 
dreadful  to  mariners,  than  astonishing  to  the 
observer  of  nature. 

These  spouts  are  seen  very  commonly  in 
the  tropical  seas,  and  sometimes  in  our  own. 
Those  seen  by  Tournefort,  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean, he  has  described  as  follows :  "  The 
first  of  these,"  says  this  great  botanist,  "  that 
we  saw,  was  about  a  musket-shot  from  our 
ship.  There  we  perceived  the  water  began 
to  boil,  and  to  rise  about  a  foot  above  its 
level.  The  water  was  agitated  and  whitish ; 
and,  above  its  surface,  there  seemed  to  stand 
a  smoke,  such  as  might  be  imagined  to  come 
from  wet  straw  before  it  begins  to  blaze.  It 


made  a  sort  of  a  murmuring  sound,  like  that 
of  a  torrent  heart  at  a  distance,  mixed,  at  the 
same  time,  with  a  hissing  noise,  like  that  of 
a  serpent:  shortly  after,  we  perceived  a  co- 
lumn of  this  smoke  rise  up  to  the  clouds,  at 
the  same  time  whirling  about  with  great  rapi- 
dity.  It  appeared  to  be  as  thick  as  one's  fin- 
ger; and  the  former  sound  still  continued. 
When  this  disappeared,  after  lasting  forabout 
eight  minutes,  upon  turning  to  the  opposite 
quarter  of  the  sky,  we  perceived  another, 
which  began  in  the  manner  of  the  former ; 
presently  after,  a  third  appeared  in  the  west ; 
and  instantly  beside  it  still  another  arose. 
The  most  distant  of  these  three  could  not  be 
above  a  musket-shot  from  the  ship.     They 
all  continued  like  so  many  heaps  of  wet  straw 
set  on  fire,  that  continued  to  smoke,  and  to 
make  the  same  noise  as  before.     We  soon 
after  perceived  each,  with  its  respective  canal, 
mounting  up  in   the  clouds,  and   spreading 
where  it  touched  ;  the  cloud,  like  the  mouth 
of  a  trumpet,  making  a  figure,  to  express  it 
intelligibly,  as  if  the  tail  of  an  animal  were 
pulled  at  one  end  by  a  weight.   These  canals 
were  of  a  whitish  colour,  and  so  tinged,  as  I 
suppose,  by  the  water  which  was  contained 
in  them;  for,  previous  to  this,  they  were  ap- 
parently empty,  and  of  the  colour  of  transpa- 
rent glass.     These  canals  were  not  straight, 
but  bent   in  some  parts,  and  far  from  being 
perpendicular,  but  rising  in  their  clouds  with 
a  very  inclined  ascent.  But  what  is  very  par- 
ticular, the  cloud  to  which  one  of  them  was 
pointed  happening  to  be  driven  by  the  wind, 
the  spout  still  continued  to  follow  its  motion, 
without  being  broken ;  and  passing  behind 
one  of  the  others,  the  spouts  crossed  each 
other,  in  the  form  of  a  St.  Andrew's  cross.  Iji 
the  beginning  they  were  all  about  as  thick  aP 
one's  finger,  except  at  the  top,  where  they 
were  broader,  and  two  of  them  disappeared ; 
but  shortly  after,  the  last  of  the  three  increased 
considerably;  and  its  canal,   which  was  at 
first  so  small,  soon  became  as  thick  as  a  man's 
arm,  then  as  his  leg,  and,  at  last,  thicker  than 
his  whole  body.    We  saw  distinctly,  through 
this  transparent  body,  the  water,  which  rose 
up  with  a  kind  of  spiral  motion;  and  it  some- 
times diminished  a  little  of  its  thickness,  and 
again  resumed  the  same ;  sometimes  widen- 
ing at  top,  and  sometimes  at  bottom ;  exactly 


THE  EARTH 


115 


resembling  a  gut  filled  with  water,  pressed 
with  the  fingers,  to  make  the  fluid  rise,  or  fall ; 
and  I  am  well  convinced  that  this  alteration 
in  the  spout  w  is  caused  by  the  wind,  which 
pressed  the  cloud,  and  impelled  it  to  give  up 
its  contents.  After  some  time  its  bulk  was 
so  diminished  as  to  be  no  thicker  than  a  man's 
arm  again  ;  and  thus,  swelling  and  diminishing, 
it  at  last  became  very  small.  In  the  end,  I 
observed  the  sea  which  was  raised  about  it 
to  resume  its  level  by  degrees,  and  the  end 
of  the  canal  that  touched  it  to  become  as 
small  as  if  it  had  been  tied  round  with  a  cord ; 
and  this  continued  till  the  light,  striking 
through  the  cloud,  took  away  the  view.  I 
still,  however,  continued  to  look,  expecting 
that  its  parts  would  join  again,  as  I  had  be- 
fore seen  in  one  of  the  others,  in  which  the 
spout  was  more  than  once  broken,  and  yet 
again  came  together ;  but  I  was  disappointed, 
for  the  spout  appeared  no  more." 

Many  have  been  the  solutions  offered  for 
this  surprising  appearance.  Mr.  Buffbn  sup- 
poses the  spout,  here  described,  to  proceed 
irorn  the  operation  of  fire,  beneath  the  bed 
of  the  sea ;  as  the  waters  at  the  surface  are 
thus  seen  agitated.  However,  the  solution  of 
Dr.  Stuart  is  not  divested  of  probability ;  who 
thinks  it  may  be  accounted  for  by  suction,  as 
in  the  application  of  a  cupping-glass  to  the 
skin. 

Wherever  spouts  of  this  kind  are  seen,  they 
are  extremely  dreaded  by  mariners;  for  if 
they  happen  to  fall  upon  a  ship,  they  most 
commonly  dash  it  to  the  bottom.  But,  if  the 
ship  be  large  enough  to  sustain  the  deluge, 
they  are  at  least  sure  to  destroy  its  sails  and 
rigging,  and  render  it  unfit  for  sailing.  It  i<» 
aid  that  vessels  of  any  force  usually  fire  their 
guns  at  them,  loaden  with  a  bar  of  iron  ;  and 
if  so  happy  as  to  strike  them,  the  water  is 
instantly  seen  to  fall  from  them,  with  a  dread- 
ful noise,  though  without  any  farther  mischief. 

I  am  at  a  loss  whether  we  ought  to  reckon 
these  spouts  called  typhous,  winch  are  some- 
times seen  at  land,  of  the  same  kind  with  those 
so  often  described  by  mariners  at  sea,  as  they 
seem  to  differ  in  several  respects.  That,  for 
instance,  observed  at  Hatfield,  in  Yorkshire, 
in  1687,  as  it  is  described  by  the  person  who 
•aw  it,  seems  rather  to  have  been  a  whirl- 
wind than  a  water-spout  The  season  in 

MO.  11  &  12. 


which  it  appeared  was  very  dry,  the  weather 
extremely  hot,  and  the  air  very  cloudy.  After 
the  wind  had  blown  for  some  time  with  con- 
siderable force,  and  condensed  the  black 
clouds  one  upon  another,  a  great  whirling  of 
the  air  ensued ;  upon  which  the  centre  of  the 
clouds,  every  now  and  then,  darted  down  in 
the  shape  of  a  thick  long  black  pipe;  in 
which  the  relator  could  distinctly  view  a  mo- 
tion, like  that  of  a  screw,  continually  screw- 
ing up  to  itself,  as  it  were,  whatever  it  hap- 
pened to  touch.  In  its  progress  it  moved 
slowly  over  a  grove  of  young  trees,  which  it 
violently  bent  in  a  circular  motion.  Going 
forward  to  a  barn,  it  in  a  minute  stript  it  of 
all  the  thatch,  and  filled  the  whole  air  with 
the  same.  As  it  came  near  the  relator,  he 
perceived  that  its  blackness  proceeded  from 
a  gyration  of  the  clouds,  by  contrary  winds 
meeting  in  a  point,  or  a  centre ;  and  where 
the  greatest  force  was  exerted,  there  darting 
down,  like  an  Archimedes'  screw,  to  suck 
up  all  that  came  in  its  way.  Another  which 
he  saw,  some  time  after,  was  attended  with 
still  more  terrible  effects ;  levelling  or  tear- 
ing up  great  oak-trees,  catching  up  the  birds 
in  its  vortex,  and  dashing  them  against  the 
ground.  In  this  manner  it  proceeded  with 
an  audible  whirling  noise,  like  that  of  a  mill ; 
and  at  length  dissolved,  after  having  done 
much  mischief. 

But  we  must  still  continue  to  suspend  our 
assent  as  to  the  nature  even  of  these  land 
spouts,  since  they  have  been  sometimes  found 
to  drop,  in  a  great  column  of  water,  at  once 
upon  the  earth,  and  produce  an  instant  inun- 
dation," which  could  not  readily  have  hap- 
pened had  they  been  caused  by  the  gyration 
of  a  whirlwind  only.  Indeed,  every  conjec- 
ture regarding  these  meteors,  seems  to  me 
entirely  unsatisfactory.  They  sometimes  ap- 
pear in  the  calmest  weather  at  sea,  of  which 
I  have  been  an  eye-witness ;  and,  therefore, 
these  are  not  caused  by  a  whirlwind.  They 
are  always  capped  bya  cloud;  and,  therefore, 
are  not  likely  to  proceed  from  fires  at  the 
bottom.  They  change  place ;  and,  therefore, 
suction  seems  impracticable.  In  short,  we 
still  want  facts,  upon  which  to  build  a  ra- 
tional theory  ;  and,  instead  of  knowledge,  we 

•  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  iv.  p.  108. 
2B 


116 


A  HISTORY  OF 


must  be  contented  with  admiration.  To  be 
well  acquainted  with  the  appearances  of  na- 
ture, even  though  we  are  ignorant  of  their 
causes,  often  constitutes  the  most  useful 
wisdom.* 

[But  among  all  the  wonders  that  have  late- 
ly engaged  the  attention  of  the  philosopher 
and  the  chemist,  is  the  circumstance,  that 
after  the  explosion  of  these  luminous  meteors, 
heavy  stones,  varying  in  bulk  and  number, 
have  almost  constantly  fallen  from  them  to 
the  earth.  Credibility  in  a  fact,  for  which 
not  even  a  conjectural  cause  in  the  remotest 
degree  probable  could  be  assigned,  was  for 
some  time  suspended :  but  the  proofs  are 
now  so  numerous,  and  of  such  respectable 
authority,  that  it  can  no  longer  be  doubted. 

In  the  year  1794,  Dr.  Chaldni  published 
a  dissertation  on  this  subject;  and  two  years 
afterwards  Mr.  King  produced  a  still  more 
complete  collection  of  examples,  both  ancient 
and  modern,  many  of  them  supported  by 
such  evidence,  that  even  scepticism  could 
no  longer  refuse  its  consent.  Mr.  Howard, 
in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  for  1802, 
published  an  admirable  treatise,  endeavour- 
ing to  throw  all  possible  light  upon  a  subject 
BO  singular  and  interesting.  He  not  only  col- 
lected all  the  recent  and  well-authenticated 
accounts  of  the  fall  of  the  stony  bodies,  and 
examined  the  evidence  of  their  truth,  but  pro- 
cured specimens  of  the  stones  which  were 
said  to  have  fallen  in  different  places,  com- 
pared them  together,  and  subjected  them  to 

[a  Dr.  Franklin  supposes  a  water-spout  and  a  whirlwind 
to  proceed  from  the  same  cause  :  a  fluid  moving  from 
all  points  horizontally  towards  a  centre,  must  at  that 
centre  either  mount  or  descend.  If  a  hole  be  opened  in 
the  middle  of  the  bottom  of  a  tub  filled  with  water,  the 
water  will  flow  from  all  sides  to  the  centre,  and  then  de- 
scend in  a  whirl :  but  the  air  flowing  on  or  near  the  sur- 
face of  land  or  water,  from  all  sides  towards  a  centre, 
must  at  that  centre  ascend,  because  the  land  or  water  will 
hinder  descent. 

The  lower  region  of  the  air  is  often  more  heated,  and 
»o  more  rarefied,  than  the  upper,  and  consequently  spe- 
cifically lighter :  if  therefore  a  large  tract  of  land  or  sea, 
unsheltered  by  clouds,  and  unrufiled  by  wind,  become 
violently  heated  and  rarefied,  so  that  the  lower  region 
become  lighter  than  the  superincumbent  upper  one,  the 
heated  lighter  air  will  ascend  like  smoke  up  a  chimney; 
and  as  this  rising  cannot  operate  through  the  whole  tract 
at  once,  because  that  would  leave  too  extensive  a  vacuum, 
the  rising  will  begin  in  that  column  which  happens  to  be 
most  rarefied ;  and  the  warm  air  will  flow  horizontally 


chemical  analysis.  It  may  here  be  proper 
to  give  a  few  of  the  more  recent  instances, 
with  the  testimonies  upon  which  they  rest. 

In  July,  1794,  about  twelve  stones  fell  near 
Sienna  in  Tuscany,  as  related  by  the  Earl  of 
Bristol.  December  13,  1795,  a  large  stone 
of  fifty-six  pounds  weight,  fell  at  W  old  cot- 
tage in  Yorkshire,  and  is  described  by  cap- 
tain Topham.  February  19,  1796,  a  stone  of 
ten  pounds  weight  fell  in  Portugal,  an  account 
of  which  is  given  by  Mr.  Southey.  December 
19,  1798,  showers  of  stones  fell  at  Benares  in 
the  East  Indies,  upon  the  testimony  of  J.Lloyd 
Williams, Esq.  April 26, 1803,  according  toM. 
Fourcroy,  several  stones,  from  ten  to  fourteen 
pounds  weight,  fell  near  L'Aigle  in  Normandy. 

In  corrohoration  of  these  facts,  it  appears, 
that  whether  they  have  fallen  in  England, 
France,  Italy,  Germany,  or  India,  they  are 
all  composed  of  the  same  ingredients,  all  re- 
semble each  other,  and  completely  differ 
from  any  other  known  stone.  Sometimes  the 
stones  continue  luminous  till  they  sink  into 
the  earth,  but  most  commonly  their  luminous- 
ness  disappears  at  the  time  of  explosion:  but 
they  are  always  found  hot.  Their  size  differs 
from  a  few  ounces  to  several  tons ;  they  are 
usually  of  a  roundish  form,  and  always  co- 
vered with  a  black  crust.  When  broken  they 
appear  of  an  ashy-gray  colour,  and  of  a  gran- 
ular texture,  like  a  coarse  sand-stone,  and 
have  an  earthy  srnell. 

A  stone  which  fell  in  Yorkshire,  deprived 
as  much  as  possible  of  its  metallic  particles, 

from  all  parts  of  this  column,  where  the  several  currents 
meeting,  a  whirl  or  eddy  is  naturally  formed,  ascending 
by  a  spiral  motion,  in  the  same  manner  as  water  descends 
spirally  through  the  hole  in  the  tub. 

If  the  vacuum  passes  over  water,  the  water  may  rise 
in  a  body  or  column  to  the  height  of  about  32  feet ;  and 
this  whirl  of  air  may  be  as  invisible  as  air  itself.  As  the 
whirl  weakens,  the  tube  may  apparently  separate  in  the 
middle  ;  the  column  of  water  subsiding,  the  superior  con- 
densed part  drawing  up  to  the  cloud.  The  tube  or  whirl 
of  air  may  nevertheless  remain  entire,  the  middle  only 
becoming  invisible,  as  not  containing  any  visible  matter. 

The  author  has,  frequently,  in  a  fine  calm  summer's 
day,  when  the  sun  has  been  very  hot,  and  the  atmosphere 
unrufiled  by  winds,  seen  sheaves  of  corn,  hay-cocks,  and 
other  moveable  substances,  suddenly  lifted  up  with  a  cir- 
cular motion,  and  carried  to  a  considerable  distance :  and 
in  a  blazing  fire,  where  the  (!ame  and  smoke  are  carried 
up  through  a  small  chimney,  if  a  piece  of  paper  or  other 
very  light  substance  be  put  into  the  flame,  it  will  be  lifted 
up  the  chimney  with  a  spiral  motion.] 


THE  EARTH. 


117 


according  to  Mr.  Howard,  produced  from 
one  hundred  and  fifty  grains,  seventy-five  of 
siliceous  earth,  thirty-seven  of  magnesia, 
forty-eight  of  oxyde,  or  calx  of  iron,  and  two 
of  oxyde,  or  calx  of  nickell ;  leaving  an  ex- 
cess from  its  original  weight  of  twelve  grains, 
owing  to  the  oxydation  of  the  metallic  bodies. 
Various  conjectures  have  been  made,  to 
account  for  their  appearance ;  but  such  is  the 
obscurity  of  the  subject,  that  no  opinion  in 
the  slightestdegree  probable  has  yet  been  ad- 
vanced. It  was  at  first  supposed,  that  they 
had  been  thrown  out  of  volcanoes,  but  the 
immense  distance  from  all  volcanoes  renders 
this  opinion  of  little  value.  Chaldni  endea- 
voured to  prove,  that  the  meteors  from  which 
they  fell,  were  bodies  floating  in  space,  un- 
connected with  any  planetary  system,  at- 
tracted by  the  earth  in  their  progress,  and 
kindled  by  their  rapid  motion  in  the  atmos- 
phere. Laplace  suggests  the  probability  of 
their  having  been  thrown  off  by  the  volcanoes 


of  the  moon ;  but  the  meteors  which  almost 
always  accompany  them,  and  the  swiftness 
of  their  horizontal  motion,  persuade  us  to  re- 
ject this  opinion.  Sir  William  Hamilton, 
and  Mr.  King,  with  greater  probability  con- 
sider them  as  concretions  actually  formed  in 
the  atmosphere. 

In  addition  to  these,  the  showers  of  sulphur 
which  are  related  to  have  occasionally  fallen, 
and  the  vast  masses  of  iron  found  in  South 
America,  and  Siberia,  are  supposed  to  have 
their  origin  from  the  same  causes :  for  it  is  a 
singular  coincidence,  that  these  pieces  of 
iron  contain  nickell,  which  has  never  been 
known  to  be  present  in  real  native  iron. 

Upon  the  whole,  we  can  only  look  with 
ignorant  astonishment,  and  at  present  con- 
sider these  stony  and  metallic  masses  as  frag- 
ments of  meteoric  fire-balls,  which  have  burst 
in  the  atmosphere,  the  origin  and  causes  of 
which  must  be  left  to  the  accumulated  wis- 
dom and  inquiry  of  future  ages.] 


CHAPTER  XXn. 

THE    CONCLUSION. 


HAVING  thus  gone  through  a  particular 
description  of  the  earth,  let  us  now  pause  for 
a  moment,  to  contemplate  the  great  picture 
before  us.  The  universe  may  be  considered 
as  the  palace  in  which  the  Deity  resides ;  and 
this  earth  as  one  of  its  apartments.  In  this, 
all  the  meaner  races  of  animated  nature 
mechanically  obey  him ;  and  stand  ready  to 
execute  his  commands  without  hesitation. 
Man  alone  is  found  refractory ;  he  is  the  only 
being  endued  with  a  power  of  contradicting 
these  mandates.  The  Deity  was  pleased  to 
exert  superior  power  in  creating  him  a  su- 
perior being ;  a  being  endued  with  a  choice 
of  good  and  evil ;  and  capable,  in  some  mea- 
sure, of  co-operating  with  his  own  intentions. 
Man,  therefore,  may  be  considered  as  a 
limited  creature,  endued  with  powers  imita- 
tive of  those  residing  in  the  Deity.  He  is 
thrown  into  a  world  that  stands  in  need 
of  his  help ;  and  has  been  granted  a  power 


of  producing  harmony  from  partial   confu- 


sion. 


If,  therefore,  we  consider  the  earth  as  al- 
lotted for  our  habitation,  we  shall  find  that 
much  has  been  given  us  to  enjoy,  and  much 
to  amend ;  that  we  have  ample  reasons  for 
our  gratitude,  and  still  more  for  our  industry. 
In  those  great  outlines  of  nature,  to  which  art 
cannot  reach,  and  where  our  greatest  efforts 
must  have  been  ineffectual,  God  himself  has 
finished  these  with  amazing  grandeur  and 
beauty.  Our  beneficent  Father  has  consi- 
dered these  parts  of  nature  as  peculiarly  his 
own ;  as  parts  which  no  creature  could  have 
skill  or  strength  to  amend:  and,  therefore, 
made  them  incapable  of  alteration,  or  of  more 
perfect  regularity.  The  heavens  and  the  fir- 
mament show  the  wisdom  and  the  glory  of 
the  Workman.  Astronomers,  who  are  best 
skilled  in  the  symmetry  of  systems,  can  find 
nothing  there  that  they  can  alter  for  the  bet- 
2  B* 


118 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ter.  God  made  these  perfect,  because  no 
subordinate  being  could  correct  their  de- 
fects. 

When,  therefore,  we  survey  nature  on  this 
.side,  nothing  can  be  more  splendid,  more  cor- 
rect, or  amazing.  We  there  behold  a  Deity 
residing  in  the  midst  of  an  universe,  infinitely 
extended  every  way,  animating  all,  and  cheer- 
ing the  vacuity  with  his  presence !  We  behold 
an  immense  and  shapeless  mass  of  matter, 
formed  into  worlds  by  his  power,  and  dis- 
persed at  intervals,  to  which  even  the  imagi- 
nation cannot  travel !  In  this  great  theatre  of 
his  glory,  a  thousand  suns,  like  our  own,  ani- 
mate their  respective  systems,  appearing  and 
vanishing  at  divine  command.  We  behold 
our  own  bright  luminary,  fixed  in  the  centre 
of  its  system,  wheeling  its  planets  in  times 
proportioned  to  their  distances,  and  at  once 
dispensing  light,  heat,  and  action.  The  earth 
also  is  seen  with  its  twofold  motion;  pro- 
ducing, by  the  one,  the  change  of  seasons; 
and,  by  the  other,  the  grateful  vicissitudes 
of  day  and  night.  With  what  silent  mag- 
nificence is  all  this  performed !  with  what 
Beeming  ease !  The  works  of  art  are  exerted 
with  interrupted  force ;  and  their  noisy  pro- 
gress discovers  the  obstructions  they  receive: 
but  the  earth,  with  a  silent  steady  rotation, 
successively  presents  every  part  of  its  bosom 
to  the  sun;  at  once  imbibing  nourishment 
and  light  from  that  parent  of  vegetation  and 
fertility. 

But  not  only  provisions  of  heat  and  light 
are  thus  supplied,  but  its  whole  surface  is 
covered  with  a  transparent  atmosphere,  that 
turns  with  its  motion,  and  guards  it  from  ex- 
ternal injury.  The  rays  of  the  sun  are  thus 
broken  into  a  genial  warmth ;  and,  while  the 
surface  is  assisted,  a  gentle  heat  is  produced 
in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  which  contributes 
to  cover  it  with  verdure.  Waters  also  are 
supplied  in  healthful  abundance,  to  support 
life,  and  assist  vegetation.  Mountains  arise, 
to  diversify  the  prospect,  and  give  a  current 
to  the  stream.  Seas  extend  from  one  conti- 
nent to  the  other,  replenished  with  animals 
that  may  be  turned  to  human  support;  and 
also  serving  to  enrich  the  earth  with  a  suf- 


ficiency of  vapour.  Breezes  fly  along  the 
surface  of  the  nVlds,  to  promote  health  and 
vegetation.  The  coolness  of  the  evening  in- 
vites to  rest;  and  the  freshness  of  the  morn- 
ing renews  for  labour. 

Such  are  the  delights  of  the  habitation  that 
has  been  assigned  to  man ;  without  any  one 
of  these,  he  must  have  been  wretched ;  and 
none  of  these  could  his  own  industry  have 
supplied.  But  while  many  of  his  wants  are 
thus  kindly  furnished  on  the  one  hand,  there 
are  numberless  inconveniences  to  excite  his 
industry  on  the  other.  This  habitation, 
though  provided  with  all  the  conveniences 
of  air,  pasturage,  and  water,  is  but  a  desert 
place,  without  human  cultivation.  The  lowest 
animal  finds  more  conveniences  in  the  wilds 
of  nature  than  he  who  boasts  himself  their 
lord.  The  whirlwind,  the  inundation,  and 
all  the  asperities  of  the  air,  are  peculiarly 
terrible  to  man,  who  knows  their  conse- 
quences, and,  at  a  distance,  dreads  their  ap- 
proach. The  earth  itself,  where  human  art 
has  not  pervaded,  puts  on  a  frightful  gloomy 
appearance.  The  forests  are  dark  and  tang- 
led; the  meadows  overgrown  with  rank  weeds; 
and  the  brooks  stray  without  a  determined 
channel.  Nature,  that  has  been  kind  to  every 
lower  order  of  beings,  has  been  quite  neg- 
lectful with  regard  to  him ;  to  the  savage 
uncontriving  man  the  earth  is  an  abode  of 
desolation,  where  his  shelter  is  insufficient, 
and  his  food  precarious. 

A  world  thus  furnished  with  advantages  ou 
one  side,  and  inconveniences  on  the  other,  is 
the  proper  abode  of  reason,  is  the  fittest  to 
exercise  the  industry  of  a  free  and  a  thinking 
creature.  These  evils,  which  art  can  re- 
medy, and  prescience  guard  against,  are  a 
proper  call  for  the  exertion  of  his  faculties; 
and  they  tend  still  more  to  assimilate  him  to 
his  Creator.  God  beholds  with  pleasure  that 
being  which  he  has  made,  converting  the 
wretchedness  of  his  natural  situation  into  a 
theatre  of  triumph ;  bringing  all  the  headlong 
tribes  of  nature  into  subjection  to  his  will; 
and  producing  that  order  and  uniformity  upon 
earth,  of  which  his  own  heavenly  fabric  is  BO 
bright  an  example. 


ANIMALS. 


119 


CHAPTER 

A  COMPARISON  OF  ANIMALS  WITH  THE  INFERIOR  RANKS  OF  CREATION. 


HAVING  given  an  account  of  the  earth 
in  general,  and  the  advantages  and  incon- 
veniences with  which  it  abounds,  we  now 
come  to  consider  it  more  minutely.  Having 
described  the  habitation,  we  are  naturally 
led  to  i  '.quire  alter  the  inhabitants.  Amidst 
the  infinitely  different  productions  which  the 
earth  offers,  and  with  which  it  is  every  where 
covered,  animals  hold  the  first  rank ;  as  well 
because  of  the  liner  formation  of  their  parts, 
as  of  their  superior  power.  The  vegetable, 
which  is  fixed  to  one  spot,  and  obliged  to  wait 
for  its  accidental  supplies  of  nourishment, 
may  be  considered  as  the  prisoner  of  nature. 
Unable  to  correct  the  disadvantages  of  its  si- 
tuation, or  to  shield  itself  from  the  dangers 
that  surround  it,  every  object  that  has  motion 
may  be  its  destroyer. 

But  animals  are  endowed  with  powers  of 
motion  and  defence.  The  greatest  part  are 
capable,  by  changing  place,  of  commanding 
nature;  and  of  thus  obliging  her  to  furnish 
that  nourishment  which  is  most  agreeable  to 
their  state.  Those  few  that  are  fixed  to  one 
spot,  even  in  this  seemingly  helpless  situation, 
are,  nevertheless,  protected  from  external  in- 
jury by  a  hard  shelly  covering ;  which  they 
often  can  close  at  pleasure,  and  thus  defend 
themselves  from  every  assault.  And  here, 
I  think,  we  may  draw  the  line  between  the 
animal  and  vegetable  kingdoms.  Every  ani- 
mal, by  some  means  or  other,  finds  protec- 
tion from  injury;  either  from  its  force,  or  cou- 
rage, its  swiftness,  or  cunning.  Some  are  pro- 
tected by  hiding  in  convenient  plac-s ;  and 
others  by  taking  refuge  in  a  hard  resisting 
shell.  But  vegetables  are  totally  unprotect- 
ed ;  they  are  exposed  to  every  assailant,  and 


patiently  submissive  in  every  attack.  In  a 
word,  an  animal  is  an  organized  being,  thai 
is  in  some  measure  provided  for  its  own  secu- 
rity ;  a  vegetable  is  destitute  of  every  protec- 
tion. 

But  though  it  is  very  easy,  without  the 
help  of  definitions,  to  distinguish  a  plant  from 
an  animal,  yet  both  possess  many  properties 
so  much  alike,  that  the  two  kingdoms,  as  they 
are  called,  seemed  mixed  with  each  other. 
Hence,  it  frequently  puzzles  the  naturalist  to 
tell  exactly  where  animal  life  begins, and  vege- 
tative terminates;  nor,  indeed,  is  it  easy  to  re- 
solve, whether  some  objects  offered  to  view  be 
of  the  lowest  of  the  animal,  or  the  highest  of  the 
vegetable  races.  The  sensitive  plant,  that 
moves  at  the  touch,  seems  to  have  as  much 
perception  as  the  fresh-water  polypus,  that  is 
possessed  of  a  still  slower  share  of  motion. 
Besides,  the  sensitive  plant  will  not  repro- 
duce upon  cutting  in  pieces,  which  the  poly- 
pus is  known  to  do;  so  that  the  vegetable 
production  seems  to  have  the  superiority. 
But,  notwithstanding  this,  the  polypus  hunts 
for  its  food,  as  most  other  animals  do.  It 
changes  its  situation ;  and,  therefore,  pos- 
sesses a  power  of  choosing  its  food, or  retreat- 
ing from  danger.  Still,  therefore,  the  animal 
kingdom  is  far  removed  above  the  vegetable; 
and  its  lowest  denizen  is  possessed  of  very 
great  privileges,  when  compared  with  the 
plants  with  which  it  is  often  surrounded. 

However,  both  classes  have  many  resem- 
blances, by  which  they  are  raised  above  the 
unorganized  and  inert  masses  of  nature.  Mi- 
nerals are  mere  inactive,  insensible  bodies, 
entirely  motionless  of  themselves,  and  wait- 
ing some  external  force  to  alter  their  forms, 


120 


A  HISTORY  OF 


or  their  properties.  But  it  is  otherwise  with 
animals  and  vegetables ;  these  are  endued 
with  life  and  vigour :  they  have  their  state  of 
improvement  and  decay ;  they  are  capable 
of  reproducing  their  kinds  ;  they  grow  from 
seeds  in  some,  and  from  cuttings  in  others ; 
they  seem  all  possessed  of  sensation,  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree ;  they  both  have  their 
enmities  and  affections ;  and,  as  some  animals 
are,  by  nature,  impelled  to  violence,  so  some 
plants  are  found  to  exterminate  all  others, 
and  make  a  wilderness  of  the  places  round 
them.  As  the  lion  makes  a  desert  of  the 
forest  where  it  resides,  thus  no  other  plant 
will  grow  under  the  shade  of  the  manchineel- 
tree.  Thus,  also,  that  plant,  in  the  West 
Indies,  called  caraguata,  clings  round  what- 
ever tree  it  happens  to  approach :  there  it 
quickly  gains  the  ascendant;  and,  loading 
the  tree  with  a  verdure  not  its  own,  keeps 
away  that  nourishment  designed  to  feed  the 
trunk;  and,  at  last,  entirely  destroys  its  sup- 
porter. As  all  animals  are  ultimately  sup- 
ported upon  vegetables,  so  vegetables  are 
greatly  propagated,  by  being  made  a  part  of 
animal  food.  Birds  distribute  the  seeds  wher- 
ever they  fly,  and  quadrupeds  prune  them 
into  greater  luxuriance.  By  these  means  the 
quantity  of  food,  in  a  state  of  nature,  is  kept 
equal  to  the  number  of  the  consumers ;  and, 
lest  some  of  the  weaker  ranks  of  animals 
should  find  nothing  for  their  support,  but  all 
the  provisions  be  devoured  by  the  strong, 
different  vegetables  are  appropriated  to  dif- 
ferent appetites.  If,  transgressing  this  rule, 
the  stronger  ranks  should  invade  the  rights 
of  the  weak,  and,  breaking  through  all  regard 
to  appetite,  should  make  an  indiscriminate 
use  of  every  vegetable,  nature  then  punishes 
the  transgression,  and  poison  marks  the  crime 
as  capital. 

If,  again,  we  compare  vegetables  and  ani- 
mals, with  respect  to  the  places  where  they 
are  found,  we  shall  find  them  bearing  a  still 
stronger  similitude.  The  vegetables  that  grow 
in  a  dry  and  sunny  soil,  are  strong  and  vigo- 
rous, though  not  luxuriant ;  so,  also,  are  the 
animals  of  such  a  climate.  Those,  on  the 
contrary,  that  are  the  joint  product  of  heat 
and  moisture,  are  luxuriant  and  tender ;  and 
the  animals  assimilating  to  the  vegetable  food, 
on  which  they  ultimately  subsist,  are  much 


larger  in  such  places  than  in  others.  Thus, 
in  the  internal  parts  of  South  America  and 
Africa,  where  the  sun  usually  scorches  all 
above,  while  inundations  cover  all  below,  the 
insects,  reptiles,  and  other  animals,  grow  to 
a  prodigious  size:  the  earth-worm  of  America 
is  often  a  yard  in  length,  and  as  thick  as  a 
walking  cane;  the  boiguacu,  which  is  the 
largest  of  the  serpent  kind,  is  sometimes  forty 
feet  in  length;  the  bats,  in  those  countries, 
are  as  big  as  a  rabbit ;  the  toads  are  bigger 
than  a  duck ;  and  their  spiders  are  as  large 
as  a  sparrow.  On  the  contrary,  in  the  cold 
frozen  regions  of  the  north,  where  vegetable 
nature  is  stinted  of  its  growth,  the  few  ani- 
mals in  those  climates  partake  of  the  diminu- 
tion ;  all  the  wild  animals,  except  the  bear, 
are  much  smaller  than  in  milder  countries ; 
and  such  of  the  domestic  kinds  as  are  car- 
ried thither,  quickly  degenerate,  and  grow, 
less.  Their  very  insects  are  of  the  minute 
kinds,  their  bees  and  spiders  being  not  half 
so  large  as  those  in  the  temperate  zone. 

The  similitude  between  vegetables  and 
animals  is  no  where  more  obvious  than  in 
those  that  belong  to  the  ocean,  where  the 
nature  of  one  is  admirably  adapted  to 
the  necessities  of  the  other.  This  element, 
it  is  well  known,  has  its  vegetables,  and  its 
insects  that  feed  upon  them  in  great  abun- 
dance. Over  many  tracts  of  the  sea,  a  weed 
is  seen  floating,  which  covers  the  surface,  and 
gives  the  resemblance  of  a  green  and  exten- 
sive meadow.  On  the  under  side  of  these 
unstable  plants,  millions  of  little  animals  are 
found,  adapted  to  their  situation.  For,  aa 
their  ground,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  lies  over 
their  heads,  their  feet  are  placed  upon  their 
backs;  and,  as  land  animals  have  their  legs 
below  their  bodies,  these  have  them  above. 
At  land  also,  most  animals  are  furnished  with 
eyes  to  see  their  food ;  but  at  sea,  almost  all 
the  reptile  kinds  are  without  eyes,  which 
might  only  give  them  prospects  of  danger  at 
a  time  when  unprovided  with  the  means  of 
escaping  it." 

Thus,  in  all  places,  we  perceive  an  ob- 
vious similitude  between  the  animals  and  the 
vegetables  of  every  region.  In  general,  how- 
ever, the  most  perfect  races  have  the  least 

•  Linnrei  Amccnitates,  vol.  v.  p.  68. 


ANIMALS. 


121 


similitude  to  the  vegetable  productions  on 
which  they  are  ultimately  fed;  while,  on  the 
contrary,  the  meaner  the  animal,  the  more 
local  it  is  found  to  be,  and  the  more  it  is  influ- 
enced by  the  varieties  of  the  soil  where  it 
resides.  Many  of  the  more  humble  reptile 
kinds  are  not  only  confined  to  one  country, 
but  also  to  a  plant ;  nay,  even  to  a  leaf.  Upon 
that  they  subsist;  increase  with  its  vegeta- 
tion, and  seem  to  decay  as  it  declines.  They 
are  merely  the  circumscribed  inhabitants  of 
a  single  vegetable  :  take  them  from  that,  and 
they  instantly  die ;  being  entirely  assimilat- 
ed to  the  plant  they  feed  on,  assuming  its  co- 
lour, and  even  its  medicinal  properties.  For 
this  reason,  there  are  infinite  numbers  of  the 
meaner  animals  that  we  have  never  an  op- 
portunity of  seeing  in  this  part  of  the  world ; 
they  are  incapable  of  living  separate  from 
their  kindred  vegetables,  which  grow  only  in 
a  certain  climate. 

Such  animals  as  are  formed  more  perfect, 
lead  a  life  of  less  dependance;  and  some 
kinds  are  found  to  subsist  in  many  parts  of 
the  world  at  the  same  time.  But,  of  all  the 
races  of  animated  nature,  man  is  the  least 
affected  by  the  soil  where  he  resides,  and 
least  influenced  by  the  variations  of  vegeta- 
ble sustenance :  equally  unaffected  by  the 
luxuriance  of  the  warm  climates,  or  the  steri- 
lity of  the  poles,  he  has  spread  his  habitations 
over  the  whole  earth ;  and  finds  subsistence 
as  well  amidst  the  ice  of  the  north  as  the 
burning  deserts  under  the  Line.  All  crea- 
tures of  an  inferior  nature,  as  has  been  said, 
have  peculiar  propensities  to  peculiar  cli- 
mates ;  they  are  circumscribed  to  zones,  and 
confined  to  territories,  where  their  proper 
food  is  found  in  the  greatest  abundance;  but 
man  may  be  called  the  animal  of  every  cli- 
mate, and  suffers  but  very  gradual  alterations 
from  the  nature  of  any  situation. 

As  to  animals  of  a  meaner  rank,  whom 
man  compels  to  attend  him  in  his  migrations, 
these  being  obliged  to  live  in  a  kind  of  con- 
straint, and  upon  vegetable  food,  often  differ- 
ent from  that  of  their  native  soil,  they  very 
soon  alter  their  natures  with  the  nature  of 
their  nourishment,  assimilate  to  the  vegeta- 
bles upon  which  they  are  fed,  and  thus  as- 
sume very  different  habits  as  well  as  appear- 
ances. Thus  man,  unaffected  himself,  alters 


and  directs  the  nature  of  other  animals  at  his 
pleasure ;  increases  their  strength  for  his  de- 
light, or  their  patience  for  his  necessities. 

This  power  of  altering  the  appearances  of 
things,  seems  to  have  been  given  him  for  very 
wise  purposes.  The  Deity,  when  he  made 
the  earth,  was  willing  to  give  his  favoured 
creature  many  opponents,  that  might  at  once 
exercise  his  virtues,  and  call  forth  his  latent 
abilities.  Hence  we  find,  in  those  wide  un- 
cultivated wildernesses,  where  man,  in  his 
savage  state,  owns  inferior  strength,  and  the 
beasts  claim  divided  dominion,  that  the 
whole  forest  swarms  with  noxious  animals 
and  vegetables ;  animals,  as  yet  undescri- 
bed,  and  vegetables  which  want  a  name. 
In  those  recesses,  nature  seems  rather 
lavish  than  magnificent  in  bestowing  life. 
The  trees  are  usually  of  the  largest  kinds, 
covered  round  with  parasite  plants,  and 
interwoven  at  the  tops  with  each  other. 
The  boughs,  both  above  and  below,  are  peo- 
pled with  various  generations ;  some  of  which 
have  never  been  upon  the  ground,  and  others 
have  neK.er  stirred  from  the  branches  on 
which  they  were  produced.  In  this  manner 
millions  of  minute  and  loathsome  creatures 
pursue  a  round  of  uninterrupted  existence,and 
enjoy  a  life  scarcely  superior  to  vegetation. 
At  the  same  time,  the  vegetables  in  those 
places  are  of  the  larger  kinds,  while  the 
animal  race  is  of  the  smaller :  but  man  has  al- 
tered this  disposition  of  nature ;  having,  in  a 
great  measure,  levelled  the  extensive  forests, 
cultivated  the  softer  and  finer  vegetables,  de- 
stroyed the  numberless  tribes  of  minute  and 
noxious  animals,  and  taken  every  method  to 
increase  a  numerous  breed  of  the  larger 
kinds.  He  thus  has  exercised  a  severe  con- 
trol ;  unpeopled  nature,  to  embellish  it ;  and 
diminished  the  size  of  the  vegetable,  in  or- 
der to  improve  that  of  the  animal  kingdom. 

To  subdue  the  earth  to  his  own  use  was, 
and  ought  to  be,  the  aim  of  man ;  which  was 
only  to  be  done  by  increasing  the  number  of 
plants,  and  diminishing  that  of  animals :  to 
multiply  existence,  alone  was  that  of  the 
Deity.  For  this  reason,  we  find,  in  a  state  of 
nature,  that  animal  life  is  increased  to  the 
greatest  quantity  possible;  and,  we  can 
scarcely  form  a  system  that  could  add  to  its 
numbers.  First,  plants  or  trees  are  pro- 


122 


A  HISTORY  OF 


vided  by  nature,  of  the  largest  kinds ;  and, 
consequently,  the  nourishing  surface  is  thus 
extended.  In  the  second  place,  there  are 
animals  peculiar  to  every  part  of  the  vegeta- 
ble, so  that  no  part  of  it  is  lost.  But  the 
greatest  possible  increase  of  life  would  still 
be  deficient,  were  there  not  other  animals 
that  lived  upon  animals;  and  these  are, 
themselves,  in  turn,  food  for  some  other 
greater  and  stronger  set  of  creatures.  Were 
all  animals  to  live  upon  vegetables  alone, 
thousands  would  be  extinct  that  now  have 
existence,  as  the  quantity  of  their  provision 
would  shortly  fail.  But,  as  things  are  wisely 
constituted,  one  animal  now  supports  ano- 
ther ;  and  thus,  all  take  up  less  room  than 
they  would  by  living  on  the  same  food ;  as, 
to  make  use  of  a  similar  instance,  a  greater 
number  of  people  may  be  crowded  into  the 
same  space,  if  each  is  made  to  bear  his  fel- 
low upon  his  shoulders. 

To  diminish  the  number  of  animals,  and 
increase  that  of  vegetables,  has  been  the  ge- 
neral scope  of  human  industry ;  and,  if  we 
compare  the  utility  of  the  kinds,  with  respect 
to  man,  we  shall  find,  that  of  the  vast  va- 
riety in  the  animal  kingdom,  but  very  few  are 
serviceable  to  him ;  and,  in  the  vegetable, 
but  very  few  are  entirely  noxious.  How  small 
a  part  of  the  insect  tribes,  for  instance,  are 
beneficial  to  mankind,  and  what  numbers 
are  injurious  !  In  some  countries  they  almost 
darken  the  air :  a  candle  cannot  be  lighted 
without  their  instantly  flying  upon  it,  and 
putting  out  the  flame."  The  closest  recesses 
are  no  safeguard  from  their  annoyance ;  and 
the  most  beautiful  landscapes  of  nature  only 
serve  to  invite  their  rapacity.  As  these  are 
injurious,  from  their  multitudes,  so  most  of 
the  larger  kinds  are  equally  dreadful  to  him, 
from  their  courage  and  ferocity.  In  the  most 
uncultivated  parts  of  the  forest  these  main- 
tain an  undisputed  empire ;  and  man  invades 

•  Ulloa's  Description  of  Guayaquil. 


their  retreats  with  terror.  These  are  dread- 
ful; and  there  are  still  more  which  are  utter- 
ly useless  to  him,  that  serve  to  take  up  the 
room  which  more  beneficial  creatures  might 
possess;  and  incommode  him,  rather  with 
their  numbers  than  their  enmities.  Thus,  in 
a  catalogue  of  land-animals,  that  amounts  to 
more  than  twenty  thousand,  we  can  scarcely 
reckon  up  a  hundred  that  are  any  way  use- 
ful to  him ;  the  rest  being  either  all  his  open 
or  his  secret  enemies,  immediately  attacking 
him  in  person,  or  intruding  upon  that  food  he 
has  appropriated  to  himself.  Vegetables,  on 
the  contrary,  though  existing  in  greater  vari- 
ety, are  but  few  of  them  noxious.  The  most 
deadly  poisons  are  often  of  great  use  in  me- 
dicine ;  and  even  those  plants  that  only  seern 
to  cumber  the  ground,  serve  for  food  to  that 
race  of  animals  which  he  has  taken  into 
friendship  or  protection.  The  smaller  tribes 
of  vegetables,  in  particular,  are  cultivated, 
as  contributing  either  to  his  necessities  or 
amusement ;  so  that  vegetable  life  is  as  much 
promoted  by  human  industry,  as  animal  life 
is  controlled  and  diminished. 

Hence  it  was  not  without  a  long  struggle, 
and  various  combinations  of  experience  and 
art,  that  man  acquired  his  present  dominion. 
Almost  every  good  that  he  possesses  was  the 
result  of  the  contest ;  for,  every  day,  as  he 
was  contending,  he  was  growing  more  wise; 
and  patience  and  fortitude  were  the  fruits  of 
his  industry. 

Hence,  also,  we  see  the  necessity  of  some 
animals  living  upon  each  other,  to  fill  up  the 
plan  of  Providence ;  and  we  may,  conse- 
quently, infer  the  expediency  of  man's  living 
upon  all.  Both  animals  and  vegetables  seem 
equally  fitted  to  his  appetites ;  and  were  any 
religious  or  moral  motives  to  restrain  him 
from  taking  away  life,  upon  any  account,  he 
would  only  thus  give  existence  to  a  variety 
of  beings  made  to  prey  upon  each  other; 
and,  instead  of  preventing,  multiply  mutual 
destruction. 


ANIMALS. 


123 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

OF  THE  GENERATION  OF  ANIMALS. 


BEFORE  we  survey  animals  in  their  state 
of  maturity,    and   performing  the   functions 
adapted  10  their  respective  natures,  method 
requires  that  we  should  consider  them  in  the 
more  early  periods  of  their  existence.  There 
has  been  a  time  when  the  proudest  and  the 
noblest  animul  was  a  partaker  of  the  same 
imbecility  with    the  meanest    reptile;    and, 
while  yet  a  candidate  for  existence,  equally 
helpless  and    contemptible.     In  their   inci- 
pient state,  all  are  upon  a  footing ;  the  insect 
and  the  philosopher  being  equally  insensible, 
clogged  with  matter,  and  unconscious  of  ex- 
istence.    Where  then  are  we  to  begin  with 
the  history  of  those  beings,  that  make  such 
a  distinguished  figure  in  the  creation  ?   Or, 
where  lie  those   peculiar  characters  in  the 
parts  that  go  to  make  up  animated  nature — 
that  mark  one  animal  as  destined  to  creep  in 
the  dust,  and  another  to  glitter  on  the  throne  ? 
This  has  been  a  subject  that  has  employ- 
ed the  curiosity  of  all  ages,  and  the  philoso- 
phers of  every  age  have  attempted  the  so- 
lution.   In  tracing  nature  to  her  most  hidden 
recesses,  she  becomes  too  minute  or  obscure 
for  our  inspection ;  so  that  we  find  it  impos- 
sible to  mark  her  first  differences,  to  discover 
the  point  where  animal    life  begins,  or  the 
cause  that  conduces  to  set  it  in  motion.    We 
know  little  more  than  that  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  animals  require  the  concurrence  of  a 
male  arid  female  to  reproduce  their  kind ; 
and  that  these,  distinctly  and  invariably,  are 
found  to  beget  creatures  of  their  own  species. 
Curiosity  has,  therefore,  been  active  in  try- 
ing to  discover  the  immediate  result  of  this 
union ;  how  far  either  sex  contributes  to  the 
bestowing  animal  life,  and  whether  it  be  to 
the  male  or  female  that  we  are  most  indebt- 
ed for  the  privilege  of  our  existence. 

Hippocrates  has  supposed  that  fecundity 
proceeded  from  the  mixture  of  the  seminal 
liquor  of  both  sexes,  each  of  which  equally 
contributes  to  the  formation  of  the  incipient 
animal.  Aristotle,  on  the  other  hand,  would 


have  the  seminal  liquor  in  the  male  alone  to 
contribute  to  this  purpose,  while  the  female 
supplied  the  proper  nourishment  for  its  sup- 
port. Such  were  the  opinions  of  these  fa- 
thers of  philosophy ;  and  these  continued  to 
be  adopted  by  the  naturalists  and  schoolmen 
of  succeeding  ages,  with  blind  veneration. 
At  length,  Steno  and  Harvey,  taking  anatomy 
for  their  guide,  gave  mankind  a  nearer  view 
of  nature  just  advancing  into  animation. 
These  perceived,  in  all  such  animals  as  pro- 
duced their  young  alive,  two  glandular  bo- 
dies, near  the  womb,  resembling  that  ovary, 
or  cluster  of  small  eggs,  which  is  found  in 
fowls ;  and  from  the  analogy  between  both, 
they  gave  these  also  the  name  of  ovaria. 
These,  as  they  resembled  eggs,  they  natural- 
ly concluded  had  the  same  offices ;  and, 
therefore,  they  were  induced  to  think  that  all 
animals,  of  what  kind  soever,  were  produced 
from  eggs.  At  first,  however,  there  was  some 
altercation  raised  against  this  system :  for, 
as  these  ovaria  were  separate  from  the  womb, 
it  was  objected  that  they  could  not  be  any 
way  instrumental  in  replenishing  that  organ, 
with  which  they  did  not  communicate.  But, 
upon  more  minute  inspection,  Fallopius,  the 
anatomist,  perceived  two  tubular  vessels 
depending  from  the  womb,  which,  liku  the 
horns  of  a  snail,  had  a  power  of  erecting 
themselves,  of  embracing  the  ovaria,  and  of 
receiving  the  eggs,  in  order  to  be  fecundated 
by  the  seminal  liquor.  This  discovery  seem- 
ed, for  a  long  time  after,  to  fix  the  opinions 
of  philosophers.  The  doctrine  of  Hippocrates 
was  re-established,  and  the  chief  business  of 
generation  was  ascribed  to  the  female.  This 
was  for  a  long  time  the  established  opinion 
of  the  schools;  but  Leuwenhoeck,  once 
more,  shook  the  whole  system,  and  produced 
a  new  schism  among  the  lovers  of  specula- 
tion. Upon  examining  the  seminal  liquor  of 
a  great  variety  of  male  animals  with  mi- 
croscopes, which  helped  his  sight  more  than 
that  of  any  of  his  successors,  he  perceived 
2C 


121 


A  HISTORY  OF 


therein  infinite  numbers  of  little  living  crea- 
tures, like  tadpoles,  very  brisk,  and  floating 
in  the  fluid  with  a  seeming  voluntary  motion. 
Each  of  these,  therefore,  was  thought  to  be 
the  rudiments  of  an  animal,  similar  to  that 
from  which  it  was  produced ;  and  this  only 
required  a  reception  from  the  female,  toge- 
ther with  proper  nourishment,  to  complete 
its  growth.  The  business  of  generation  was 
now,  therefore,  given  back  to  the  male  a  se- 
cond time,  by  many;  while  others  suspended 
their  assent,  and  chose  rather  to  confess  ig- 
norance than  to  embrace  error.* 

In  this  manner  has  the  dispute  continued 
for  several  ages,  some  accidental  discovery 
serving,  at  intervals,  to  renew  the  debate, 
and  revive  curiosity.  It  was  a  subject  where 
speculation  could  find  much  room  to  display 
itself;  and  Mr.  Buffon,  who  loved  to  specu- 
late, would  not  omit  such  an  opportunity  of 
giving  scope  to  his  propensity.  According  to 
this  most  pleasing  of  all  naturalists,  the  mi- 
croscope discovers  that  the  seminal  liquor, not 
only  ot  males,  but  of  females  also,  abounds 
in  these  moving  little  animals,  which  have 
been  mentioned  above,  and  that  they  appear 
equally  brisk  in  either  fluid.  These  he  takes 
not  to  be  real  animals,  but  organical  parti- 
cles, which,  being  simple,  cannot  be  said  to 
be  organized  themselves,  but  go  to  the  com- 
position of  all  organized  bodies  whatsoever; 
in  the  same  manner  as  a  tooth,  in  the  wheel 
of  a  watch,  cannot  be  called  either  the  wheel 
or  the  watch,  and  yet  contributes  to  the  sum 
of  the  machine.  These  organical  particles 
are,  according  to  him,  diffused  throughout  all 
nature,  and  to  be  found  not  only  in  the  semi- 
nal liquor,  but  in  most  other  fluids  in  the 
parts  of  vegetables,  and  all  parts  of  animated 
nature.  As  they  happen,  therefore,  to  be  dif- 
ferently applied,  they  serve  to  constitute  a 
part  of  the  animal,  or  the  vegetable,  whose 
growth  they  serve  to  increase,  while  the  su- 
perfluity is  thrown  off*  in  the  seminal  liquor 
of  both  sexes,  for  the  reproduction  of  other 
animals  or  vegetables  of  the  same  species. 
These  particles  assume  different  figures,  ac- 
cording to  the  receptacle  into  which  they 
enter ;  falling  into  the  womb,  they  unite  into 
a  fostus ;  beneath  the  bark  of  a  tree  they  pul- 

•  Bonnet  Considerations  sui  les  Corps  Organises. 


lulate  into  branches;  and,  in  short,  the  same 
particles  that  first  formed  the  animal  in  the 
womb,  contribute  to  increase  its  growth  when 
brought  forth.'1 

To  this  system  it  has  been  objected,  that 
it  is  impossible  to  conceive  organical  sub- 
stances without  being  organized ;  and  that, 
if  divested  of  organization  themselves,  they 
could  never  make  an  organized  body,  as  an 
infinity  of  circles  could  never  make  a  trian- 
gle. It  has  been  objected,  that  it  is  more 
difficult  to  conceive  the  transformation  of 
these  organical  particles,  than  even  that  of 
the  animal,  whose  growth  we  are  inquiring 
after ;  and  this  system,  therefore,  attempts  to 
explain  one  obscure  thing  by  another  still 
more  obscure. 

But  an  objection,  still  stronger  than  theset 
has  been  advanced  by  an  ingenious  coun- 
tryman of  our  own ;  who  asserts,  that  these 
little  animals,  which  thus  appear  swimming 
and  sporting  in  almost  every  fluid  we  exa- 
mine with  a  microscope,  are  not  real  living 
particles,  but  some  of  the  more  opaque  parts 
of  the  fluid,  that  are  thus  increased  in  size, 
and  seem  to  have  a  much  greater  motion 
than  they  have  in  reality.  For  the  motion 
being  magnified  with  the  object,  the  smallest 
degree  of  it  will  seem  very  considerable; 
and  a  being  almost  at  rest  may,  by  these 
means,  be  apparently  put  into  violent  action. 
Thus,  for  instance,  if  we  look  upon  the  sails 
of  a  windmill  moving  at  a  distance,  they  ap- 
pear to  go  very  slow ;  but,  if  we  approach 
them,  and  thus  magnify  their  bulk  to  our  eye, 
they  go  round  with  great  rapidity.  A  micro- 
scope, in  the  same  manner,  serves  to  bring 
our  eye  close  to  the  object,  and  thus  to  en- 
large it;  and  not  only  increase  the  magni- 
tude of  its  parts,  but  of  its  motion.  Hence, 
therefore,  it  would  follow,  that  these  organi- 
cal particles,  that  are  said  to  constitute  the 
bulk  of  living  nature,  are  but  mere  optical 
illusions ;  and  the  system  founded  on  them 
must,  like  them,  be  illusive. 

These,  and  many  other  objections,  have 
been  made  to  this  system ;  which,  instead  of 
enlightening  the  mind,  serve  only  to  show, 
that  too  close  a  pursuit  of  nature  very  often 
leads  to  uncertainty.  Happily,  however,  for 

b  Mr.  Buffon. 


ANIMALS. 


125 


mankind,  the  most  intricate  inquiries  are  ge- 
nerally the  most  useless.  Instead,  therefore,  of 
balancing  accounts  between  the  sexes,  and  at- 
tempting to  ascertain  to  which  the  business  of 
generation  most  properly  belongs,  it  will  be 
more  instructive,  as  well  as  amusing,  to  begin 
with  animal  nature,  from  its  earliest  retire- 
ments, and  evanescent  outlines,  and  pursue 
the  incipient  creature  through  all  its  changes 
in  the  womb,  till  it  arrives  into  open  day. 

The  usual  distinction  of  animals,  with  re- 
spect to  their  manner  of  generation,  has  been 
into  the  oviparous  and  viviparous  kinds;  or, 
in  other  words,  into  those  that  bring  forth  an 
egg,  which  is  afterwards  hatched  into  life, 
and  those  that  bring  forth  their  young  alive 
and  perfect.  In  one  of  these  two  ways  all 
animals  were  supposed  to  have  been  pro- 
duced, and  all  other  kinds  of  generation  were 
supposed  imaginary  or  erroneous.  But  later 
discoveries  have  taught  us  to  be  more  cau- 
tious in  making  general  conclusions,  and 
have  even  induced  many  to  doubt  whether 
animal  life  may  not  be  produced  merely 
from  putrefaction.' 

Indeed,  the  infinite  number  of  creatures 
that  putrid  substances  seem  to  give  birth  to, 
and  the  variety  of  little  insects  seen  floating 
in  liquors,  by  the  microscope,  appear  to  fa- 
vour this  opinion.  But,  however  this  may  be, 
the  former  method  of  classing  animals  can 
now  by  no  means  be  admitted,  as  we  find 
many  animals  that  are  produced  neither  from 
the  womb,  nor  from  the  shell,  but  merely 
from  cuttings  ;  so  that  to  multiply  life  in  some 
creatures,  it  is  sufficient  only  to  multiply  the 
dissection.  This  being  the  simplest  method 
of  generation,  and  that  in  which  life  seems  to 
require  the  smallest  preparation  for  its  exist- 
tence,  I  will  begin  with  it,  and  so  proceed  to 
the  two  other  kinds,  from  the  meanest  to 
the  most  elaborate. 

The  earth-worm,  the  millepedes,  the  sea- 
worm,  and  many  marine  insects,  may  be  mul- 
tiplied by  being  cut  in  pieces ;  but  the  poly- 
pus is  noted  for  its  amazing  fertility;  and 
from  hence  it  will  be  proper  to  take  the  de- 
scription. The  structure  of  the  polypus  may 
be  compared  to  the  finger  of  a  glove,  open 
at  one  end,  and  closed  at  the  other.  The 

•  Bonnet  Consid.  p.  100. 


closed  end  represents  the  tail  of  the  polypus, 
with  which  it  serves  to  fix  itself  to  any  sub- 
stance it  happens  to  be  upon ;  the  open  end 
may  be  compared  to  the  mouth ;  and,  if  we 
conceive  six  or  eight  small  strings  issuing 
from  this  end,  we  shall  have  a  proper  idea 
of  its  arms,  which  it  can  erect,  lengthen,  and 
contract,  at  pleasure,  like  the  horns  of  a  snail. 
This  creature  is  very  voracious,  and  makes 
use  of  its  arms  as  a  fisherman  does  of  his  net, 
to  catch  and  entangle  such  little  animals  as 
happen  to  come  within  its  reach.  It  lengthens 
these  arms  several  inches,  keeps  them  sepa- 
rated from  each  other,  and  thus  occupies  a 
large  space  in  the  water,  in  which  it  resides. 
These  arms,  when  extended,  are  as  fine  as 
threads  of  silk,  and  have  a  most  exquisite  de- 
gree of  feeling.  If  a  small  worm  happens  to 
get  within  the  sphere  of  their  activity,  it  is 
quickly  entangled  by  one  of  these  arms,  and, 
soon  after,  the  other  arms  come  to  its  aid ; 
these  all  together  shortening,  the  worm  is 
drawn  into  the  animal's  mouth,  and  quickly 
devoured,  colouring  the  body  as  it  is  swal- 
lowed. Thus  much  is  necessary  to  be  ob- 
served of  this  animal's  method  of  living,  to 
show  that  it  is  not  of  the  vegetable  tribe,  but 
a  real  animal,  performing  the  functions  which 
other  animals  are  found  to  perform,  and  en- 
dued with  powers  that  many  of  them  are  des- 
titute of.  But  what  is  most  extraordinary  re- 
mains yet  to  be  told ;  for,  if  examined  with  a 
microscope,  there  are  seen  several  little 
specks,  like  buds,  that  seem  to  pullulate  from 
different  parts  of  its  body ;  and  these  soon 
after  appear  to  be  young  polypi,  and,  like 
the  large  polypus,  begin  to  cast  their  little 
arms  about  for  prey,  in  the  same  manner. 
Whatever  they  happen  to  ensnare  is  devour- 
ed, and  gives  a  colour  not  only  to  their  own 
bodies,  but  to  that  of  the  parent ;  so  that  the 
same  food  is  digested,  and  serves  for  the 
nourishment  of  both.  The  food  of  the  little 
one  passes  into  the  large  polypus,  and  co- 
lours its  body ;  and  this,  in  its  turn,  digests, 
and  swallows  its  food  to  pass  into  theirs.  In 
this  manner  every  polypus  has  a  new  colony 
sprouting  from  its  body ;  and  these  new  ones, 
even  while  attached  to  the  parent  animal, 
become  parents  themselves,  having  a  smaller 
colony  also  budding  from  them ;  all,  at  the 
same  time,  busily  employed  in  seeking  for 
C* 


126 


A  HISTORY  OF 


their  prey,  and  the  food  of  any  one  of  them 
serving  for  the  nourishment,  and  circulating 
through  the  bodies,  of  all  the  rest.  This  so- 
ciety, however,  is  every  hour  dissolving; 
those  newly  produced  are  seen  at  intervals 
to  leave  the  body  of  the  large  polypus,  and 
become,  shortly  after,  the  head  of  a  begin- 
ning colony  themselves. 

In  this  manner  the  polypus  multiplies  na- 
turally; but  one  may  take  a  much  readier 
and  shorter  way  to  increase  them,  and  this 
only  by  cutting  them  in  pieces.  Though  cut 
into  thousands  of  parts,  each  part  still  retains 
its  vivacious  qualities,  and  each  shortly  be- 
comes a  distinct  and  complete  polypus;  whe- 
ther cut  lengthways  or  crossways,  it  is  all 
the  same :  this  extraordinary  creature  seems 
a  gainer  by  our  endeavours,  and  multiplies 
by  apparent  destruction.  The  experiment 
haS  been  tried,  times  without  number,  and 
still  attended  with  the  same  success.  Here, 
therefore,  naturalists,  who  have  been  blamed 
for  the  cruelty  of  their  experiments  upon 
living  animals,  maynow  boast  of  their  increas- 
ing animal  life,  instead  of  destroying  it.  The 
production  of  the  polypus  is  a  kind  of  philo- 
sophical generation.  The  famous  Sir  Tho- 
mas Brown  hoped  one  day  to  be  able  to 
produce  children  by  the  same  method  as 
trees  are  produced :  the  polypus  is  multi- 
plied in  this  manner;  and  every  philosopher 
may  thus,  if  he  please,  boast  of  a  very  nume- 
rous, though,  I  should  suppose,  a  very  useless 
progeny. 

This  method  of  generation,  from  cuttings, 
may  be  considered  as  the  most  simple  kind, 
and  is  a  strong  instance  of  the  little  pains 
nature  takes  in  the  formation  of  her  lower 
and  humbler  productions.  As  the  removal 
of  these  from  inanimate  into  animal  existence 
is  but  small,  there  are  but  few  preparations 
made  for  their  journey.  No  organs  of  gene- 
ration seem  provided,  no  womb  to  receive, 
no  shell  to  protect  them  in  their  state  of  tran- 
sition. The  little  reptile  is  quickly  fitted  for 
all  the  offices  of  its  humble  sphere,  and,  in  a 
very  short  time,  arrives  at  the  height  of  its 
contemptible  perfection. 

The  next  generation  is  of  those  animals 
that  we  see  produced  from  the  egg.  In  this 
manner  all  birds,  most  fishes,  and  many  of  the 
insect  tribes,  are  brought  forth.  An  egg  may 


be  considered  as  a  womb,  detached  from  the 
body  of  the  parent  animal,  in  which  the  em- 
bryo is  but  just  beginning  to  be  formed.  It  maj 
be  regarded  as  a  kind  of  incomplete  delivery, 
in  which  the  animal  is  disburdened  of  its 
young  before  its  perfect  formation.  Fishe* 
and  insects,  indeed,  most  usually  commit  the 
care  of  their  eggs  to  hazard;  but  birds, 
which  are  more  perfectly  formed,  are  found 
to  hatch  them  into  maturity  by  the  warmth 
of  their  bodies.  However,  any  other  heat, 
of  the  same  temperature,  would  answer  the 
end  as  well;  for  either  the  warmth  of  the 
sun,  or  of  a  stove,  is  equally  efficacious  in 
bringing  the  animal  in  the  egg  to  perfection. 
In  this  respect,  therefore,  .we  may  consider 
generation  from  the  egg  as  inferior  to  that 
in  which  the  animal  is  brought  forth  alive. 
Nature  has  taken  care  of  the  viviparous  ani- 
mal in  every  stage  of  its  existence.  That 
force  which  separates  it  from  the  parent,  se- 
parates it  from  life ;  and  the  embryo  is  shield- 
ed with  unceasing  protection  till  it  arrives 
at  exclusion.  But  it  is  different  with  the  lit- 
tle animal  in  the  egg ;  often  totally  neglected 
by  the  parent,  and  always  separable  from  it, 
every  accident  may  retard  ita  growth,  or  even 
destroy  its  existence.  Besides,  art  or  acci- 
dent, also,  may  bring  this  animal  to  a  state 
of  perfection ;  so  that  it  can  never  be  consi- 
dered as  a  complete  work  of  nature,  in  which 
so  much  is  left  for  accident  to  finish  or  de- 
stroy. 

But,  however  inferior  this  kind  of  genera- 
tion may  be,  the  observation  of  it  will  afford 
great  insight  into  that  of  nobler  animals,  as 
we  can  here  watch  the  progress  of  the  grow- 
ing embryo  in  every  period  of  its  existence, 
and  catch  it  in  those  very  moments  when  it 
first  seems  stealing  into  motion.  Malpighi 
and  Haller  have  been  particularly  indus- 
trious on  this  subject;  and,  with  a  patience 
almost  equalling  that  of  the  sitting  hen,  have 
attended  incubation  in  all  its  stages.  From 
them,  therefore,  we  have  an  amazing  history 
of  the  chicken  in  the  egg,  and  of  its  advances 
into  complete  formation. 

It  would  be  methodically  tedious  to  de- 
scribe those  parts  of  the  egg  which  are  well 
known,  and  obvious ;    such  as  its  shell,  its 
white,  and  its  yolk;  but  the  disposition  of   , 
these  is  not  so  apparent.  Immediately  under 


ANIMALS. 


127 


the  shell  lies  that  common  membrane,  or 
skin,  which  lines  it  on  the  inside,  adhering 
closely  to  it  every  where,  except  at  the  broad 
end,  where  a  little  cavity  is  left,  that  is  filled 
with  air,  which  increases  as  the  animal  with- 
in grows  larger.  Under  this  membrane  are 
contained  two  whites,  though  seeming  to  us 
to  be  only  one,  each  wrapped  up  in  a  mem- 
brane of  its  own,  one  white  within  the  other. 
In  the  midst  of  all  is  the  yolk,  wrapped  round 
likewise  in  its  own  membrane.  At  each  end 
of  this  are  two  ligaments,  called  chalazae, 
which  are,  as  it  were,  the  poles  of  this  micro- 
cosm, being  white  dense  substances,  made 
from  the  membranes,  and  serving  to  keep  the 
white  and  the  yolk  in  their  places.  It  was 
the  opinion  of  Mr.  Derham,  that  they  served 
also  for  another  purpose ;  for  a  line  being 
drawn  from  one  ligament  to  the  other,  would 
not  pass  directly  through  the  middle  of  the 
yolk,  but  rather  towards  one  side,  and  would 
divide  the  yolk  into  two  unequal  parts,  by 
which  means  these  ligaments  served  to  keep 
the  smallest  side  of  the  yolk  always  upper- 
most ;  and  in  this  part  he  supposed  the  cica- 
tricula,  or  first  speck  of  life,  to  reside ;  which, 
by  being  uppermost,  and  consequently  next 
the  hen,  would  be  thus  in  the  warmest  situ- 
ation. But  this  is  rather  fanciful  than  true, 
the  incipient  animal  being  found  in  all  situa- 
tions, and  not  particularly  influenced  by 
any.*  The  cicatricula,  which  is  the  part 
where  the  animal  first  begins  to  show  signs 
of  life,  is  not  unlike  a  vetch,  or  a  lentil,  lying 
on  one  side  of  the  yolk,  and  within  its  mem- 
brane. All  these  contribute  to  the  little  ani- 
mal's convenience  or  support;  the  outer 
membranes  and  ligaments,  preserve  the  fluids 
in  their  proper  places ;  the  white  serves  as 
nourishment ;  and  the  yolk,  with  its  mem- 
branes, after  a  time,  becomes  a  part  of  the 
animal's  body.b  This  is  the  description  of  a 
hen's  egg,  and  answers  to  that  of  all  others, 
how  large  or  how  small  soever. 

Previous  to  putting  the  eggs  to  the  hen, 
our  philosophers  first  examined  the  cicatri- 
cula, or  little  spot,  already  mentioned  ;  and 
which  may  be  considered  as  the  most  im- 
portant part  of  the  egg.  This  was  found,  in 
those  that  were  impregnated  by  the  cock,  to 


Mailer. 


b  Ibid. 


be  large ;  but  in  those  laid  without  the  cock, 
very  small.  It  was  found  by  the  microscope, 
to  be  a  kind  of  bag,  containing  a  transparent 
liquor,  in  the  midst  of  which  the  embryo  was 
seen  to  reside.  The  embryo  resembled  a 
composition  of  little  threads,  which  the 
warmth  of  future  incubation  tended  to  en- 
large, by  varying  and  liquefying  the  other 
fluids  contained  within  the  shell,  and  thus 
pressing  them  either  into  the  pores  or  tubes 
of  their  substance. 

Upon  placing  the  eggs  in  a  proper  warmth,c 
either  under  the  sun,  or  in  a  stove,  after  six 
hours  the  vital  speck  begins  to  dilate,  like  the 
pupil  of  the  eye.  The  head  of  the  chicken 
is  distinctly  seen,  with  the  back-bone,  some- 
thing resembling  a  tadpole,  floating  in  its  am- 
bient fluid,  but  as  yet  seeming  to  assume 
none  of  the  functions  of  animal  life.  In  about 
six  hours  more  the  little  animal  is  seen  more 
distinctly ;  the  head  becomes  more  plainly 
visible,  and  the  vertebrae  of  the  back  more 
easily  perceivable.  All  these  signs  of  prepa- 
ration for  life  are  increased  in  six  hours  more : 
and,  at  the  end  of  twenty-four  hours,  the  ribs 
begin  to  take  their  places,  the  neck  begins 
to  lengthen,  and  the  head  to  turn  to  one  side. 

At  this  time,d  also,  the  fluids  in  the  egg 
seem  to  have  changed  place ;  the  yolk,  which 
was  before  in  the  centre  of  the  shell,  ap- 
proaches nearer  to  the  broad  end.  The  wa- 
tery part  of  the  white  is,  in  some  measure, 
evaporated  through  the  shell,  and  the  grosser 
part  sinks  to  the  small  end.  The  little  animal 
appears  to  turn  towards  the  part  of  the  broad 
end,  in  which  a  cavity  has  been  described, 
and  with  its  yolk  seems  to  adhere  to  the 
membrane  there.  At  the  end  of  forty  hours 
the  great  work  of  life  seems  fairly  begun,  and 
the  animal  plainly  appears  to  move;  the 
back-bone,  which  is  of  a  whitish  colour, 
thickens ;  the  head  is  turned  still  more  on  one 
side  ;  the  first  rudiments  of  the  eyes  begin  to 
appear,  the  heart  beats,  and  the  blood  begins 
already  to  circulate.  The  parts,  however,  as 
yet  are  fluid ;  but,  by  degrees,  become  more 
and  more  tenacious,  and  harden  into  a  kind 
of  jelly.  At  the  end  of  two  days,  the  liquor,  in 
which  the  chicken  swims,  seems  to  increase ; 
the  head  appears  with  two  little  bladders  in 


•  Malpighi. 


Harvey. 


128 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  place  of  eyes  ;  the  heart  beats  in  the  man- 
ner of  every  embryo  where  the  blood  does  not 
circulate  through   the  lungs.    In  about  four- 
teen hours  after  this,  the  chicken  is  grown 
more  strong;  its  head,  however,  is  still  bent 
downwards  ;  the  veins  and  arteries  begin  to 
branch,  in  order  to  form  the  brain  ;  and  the 
spinal    marrow  is  seen  stretching  along  the 
back-bone.     In  three  days,  the  whole  body  of 
the  chicken  appears  bent ;  the  head,  with  its 
two  eye-balls,  with  their  different   humours, 
now  distinctly  appear ;  and  five  other  vesicles 
are  seen,  which  soon  unite  to  form  the  rudi- 
ments of  the  brain.    The  outlines  also  of  the 
thighs  and  wings  begin  to  be  seen,  and  the 
body  begins  to  gather  flesh.    At  the  end  of  the 
fourth  day,  the  vesicles  that  go  to  form  the 
brain  approach  each  other;    the  wings  and 
thighs  appear  more  solid  ;  the  whole  body  is 
covered  with  a  jelly-like  flesh;  the  heart,  that 
was  hitherto  exposed,  is  now  covered  up  with- 
in the  body,  by  a  very  thin  transparent  mem- 
brane ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  umbilical 
vessels,  that  unite  the  animal  to  the  yolk,  now 
appear    to  come  forth  from    the  abdomen. 
After  the  fifth  and  sixth  days,  the  vessels  of 
the  brain  begin  to  be  covered  over;  the  wings 
and  thighs  lengthen ;  the  belly  is  closed  up, 
and  tumid ;    the  liver  is  seen  within  it,  very 
distinctly,  not  yet  grown  red,  but  of  a  very 
dusky  white ;  both  the  ventricles  of  the  heart 
are  discerned,  as  if  they  were  two  separate 
hearts,  beating  distinctly ;  the  whole  body  of 
the  animal  is  covered  over ;  and  the  traces  of 
the  incipient  feathers  are  already  to  be  seen. 
The  seventh  day,  the  head  appears  very  large; 
the  brain  is  covered  entirely  over ;  the  bill 
begins  to  appear  betwixt  the  eyes ;  and  the 
wings,  the  thighs,  and  the  legs,  have  acquired 
their  perfect  figure.'    Hitherto,  however,  the 
animal  appears  as  if  it  had  two  bodies ;  the 
yolk  is  joined  to  it  by  the  umbilical   vessels 
that  come  from  the  belly ;  and  is  furnished 
with  its  vessels,  through  which  the  blood  cir- 
culates, as  through  the  rest  of  the  body  of  the 
chicken,  making  a  bulk  greater  than  that  of 
the  animal  itself.     But  towards  the  end  of  in- 
cubation, the  umbilical  vessels  shorten  the 
yolk,  and  with  it  the  intestines  are  thrust  up 
into  the  body  of  the  chicken,  by  the  action  of 

•  Halter. 


the  muscles  of  the  belly ;  and  the  two  bodies 
are  thus  formed  into  one.  During  this  state, 
all  the  organs  are  found  to  perform  their  se- 
cretions ;  the  bile  is  ibund  to  be  separated, 
as  in  grown  animals ;  but  it  is  fluid,  transpa- 
rent, and  without  bitterness :  and  the  chicken 
then  also  appears  to  have  lungs.  On  the  tenth, 
the  muscles  of  the  wings  appear,  and  the  fea- 
thers begin  to  push  out.  On  the  eleventh, 
the  heart,  which  hitherto  had  appeared  di- 
vided, begins  to  unite;  the  arteries  which  be- 
long to  it  join  into  it,  like  the  fingers  into  the 
palm  of  the  hand.  All  these  appearances 
only  come  more  into  view,  because  the  fluids 
the  vessels  had  hitherto  secreted  were  more 
transparent;  but  as  the  colour  of  the  fluids 
deepen,  their  operations  and  circulations  are 
more  distinctly  seen.  As  the  animal  thus,  by 
the  eleventh  day  completely  formed,  begins 
to  gather  strength,  it  becomes  more  uneasy 
in  its  situation,  and  exerts  its  animal  powers 
with  increasing  force.  For  some  time  before 
it  is  able  to  break  the  shell  in  Avhich  it  is  im- 
prisoned, it  is  heard  to  chirrup,  receiving  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  air  for  this  purpose,  from 
that  cavity  which  lies  between  the  membrane 
and  the  shell,  and  which  must  contain  air  to 
resist  the  external  pressure.  At  length,  upon 
the  twentieth  day,  in  some  birds  sooner,  and 
later  in  others,  the  inclosed  animal  breaks  the 
shell  within  which  it  has  been  confined,  with 
its  beak ;  and,  by  repeated  efforts,  at  last  pro- 
cures its  enlargement. 

From  this  little  history  we  perceive,  that 
those  parts  which  are  most  conducive  to  life, 
are  the  first  that  are  begun :  the  head,  and 
the  back-bone,  which  no  doubt  inclose  the 
brain,  and  the  spinal  marrow,  though  both 
are  too  limpid  to  be  discerned,  are  the  first 
that  are  seen  to  exist:  the  beating  of  the 
heart  is  perceived  soon  after :  the  less  noble 
parts  seem  to  spring  from  these ;  the  wings, 
the  thighs,  the  feet,  and,  lastly,  the  bill. 
Whatever,  therefore,  the  animal  has  double, 
or  whatever  it  can  live  without  the  use  of, 
these  are  latest  in  production :  Nature  first 
sedulously  applying  to  the  formation  of  the 
nobler  organs,  without  which  life  would  be  of 
short  continuance,  and  would  be  begun  in  vain. 

The  resemblance  between  the  beginning 
animal  in  the  egg,  and  the  embryo  in  the  womb, 
is  very  striking ;  and  this  similitude  has  in- 


ANIMALS. 


129 


<luced  many  to  assert,  that  all  animals  are  pro- 
duced from  eggs,  in  the  same  manner.  They 
consider  an  egg  excluded  from  the  body  by 
some,  and  separated  into  the  womb  by  others, 
to  be  actions  merely  of  one  kind ;  with  this 
only  d inference,  that  the  nourishment  of  the 
one  is  kept  within  the  body  of  the  parent,  and 
increases  as  the  embryo  happens  to  want  the 
supply ;  the  nourishment  of  the  other  is  pre- 
pared all  at  once,  and  sent  out  with  the  be- 
ginning animal,  as  entirely  sufficient  for  its 
future  support.  But  leaving  this  to  the  dis- 
cussion of  anatomists,  let  us  proceed  rather 
with  facts  than  dissertations ;  and  as  we  have 
seen  the  progress  of  an  oviparous  animal,  or 
one  produced  from  the  shell,  let  us  likewise 
trace  that  of  a  viviparous  animal,  which  is 
brought  forth  alive.  In  this  investigation, 
Graaf  has,  with  a  degree  of  patience  charac- 
teristic of  his  nation,  attended  the  progress 
and  increase  of  various  animals  in  the  womb, 
and  minutely  marked  the  changes  they  un- 
dergo. Having  dissected  a  rabbit,  half  an 
hour  after  impregnation,  he  perceived  the 
horns  of  the  womb,  that  go  to  embrace  and 
communicate  with  the  ovary,  to  be  more  red 
than  before ;  but  no  other  change  in  the  rest 
of  the  parts.  Having  dissected  another,  six 
hours  after,  he  perceived  the  follicules,  or  the 
membrane  covering  the  eggs  contained  in  the 
ovary,  to  become  reddish.  In  a  rabbit  dis- 
sected after  twenty-four  hours,  he  perceived, 
in  one  of  the  ovaries,  three  follicules,  and,  in 
the  other,  five,  that  were  changed ;  being  be- 
come, from  transparent,  dark  and  reddish. 
In  one  dissected  after  three  days,  he  per- 
ceived the  horns  of  the  womb  very  strictly  to 
embrace  the  ovaries ;  and  he  observed  three 
of  the  follicules  in  one  of  them,  much  longer 
and  harder  than  before :  pursuing  his  inqui- 
sition, he  also  found  two  of  the  eggs  actually 
separated  into  the  horns  of  the  womb,  and 
each  about  the  size  of  a  grain  of  mustard-seed; 
these  little  eggs  were  each  of  them  inclosed 
in  a  double  membrane,  the  inner  parts  being 
filled  with  a  very  limpid  liquor.  After  four 
days,  he  found,  in  one  of  the  ovaries,  four,  and 
in  the  other,  five  fbllicules,  emptied  of  their 
eggs:  and  in  the  horns  correspondent  to  these, 
he  found  an  equal  number  of  eggs  thus  sepa- 
rated: these  eggs  were  now  grown  larger  than 
before,  and  somewhat  of  the  size  of  sparrow- 


shot.  In  five  days,  the  eggs  were  grown  to 
the  size  of  duck-shot,  and  could  be  blown 
from  the  part  of  the  womb  where  they  were, 
by  the  breath.  In  seven  days,  these  eggs 
were  found  of  the  size  of  a  pistol-bullet,  each 
covered  with  its  double  membrane,  and  these 
much  more  distinct  than  before.  In  nine  days, 
having  examined  the  liquor  contained  in  one 
of  these  eggs,  he  found  it,  from  a  limpid  colour, 
less  fluid,  to  have  got  a  light  cloud  floating 
upon  it.  In  ten  days,  this  cloud  began  to 
thicken,  and  to  form  an  oblong  body,  of  the 
figure  of  a  little  worm  :  and,  in  twelve  days, 
the  figure  of  the  embryo  was  distinctly  to  be 
perceived,  and  even  its  parts  came  into  view. 
In  the  region  of  the  breast  he  perceived  two 
bloody  specks ;  and  two  more,  that  appeared 
whitish.  Fourteen  days  after  impregnation, 
the  head  of  the  embryo  was  become  large  and 
transparent,  the  eyes  prominent,  the  mouth 
open,  and  the  rudiments  of  the  ears  begin- 
ning to  appear;  the  back-bone,  of  a  whitish 
colour,  was  bent  towards  the  breast ;  the  two 
bloody  specks  being  now  considerably  increas- 
ed, appeared  to  be  nothing  less  than  the  out- 
lines of  the  two  ventricles  of  the  heart;  and 
the  two  whitish  specks  on  each  side,  now  ap- 
peared to  be  the  rudiments  of  the  lungs ;  to- 
wards the  region  of  the  belly,  the  liver  began 
to  be  seen,  of  a  reddish  colour:  and  a  little 
intricate  mass,  like  ravelled  thread,  discerned, 
which  soon  appeared  to  be  the  stomach  and 
the  intestines :  the  legs  soon  after  began  to  be 
seen,  and  to  assume  their  natural  positions: 
and  from  that  time  forth,  all  the  parts  being 
formed,  every  day  only  served  to  deveJope 
them  still  more,  until  the  thirty-first  day,  when 
the  rabbit  brought  forth  her  young,  complete- 
ly fitted  for  the  purposes  of  their  humble 
happiness. 

Having  thus  seen  the  stages  of  generation 
in  the  meaner  animals,  let  us  take  a  view  of  its 
progress  in  man ;  and  trace  the  feeble  begin- 
nings of  our  own  existence.  An  account  of 
the  lowliness  of  our  own  origin,  if  it  cannot 
amuse,  will  at  least  serve  to  humble  us;  and 
it  may  take  from  our  pride,  though  it  fails  to 
gratify  our  curiosity.  We  cannot  here  trace 
the  variations  of  the  beginning  animal,  as  in 
the  former  instances;  for  the  opportunities 
of  inspection  are  but  few  and  accidental :  for 
this  reason,  we  must  be  content  often  to  fill 


130 


A  HISTORY  OF 


up  the  blanks  of  our  history  with  conjecture. 
And,  first,  we  are  entirely  ignorant  of  the  state 
of  the  infant  in  the  womb,  immediately  after 
conception  ;  but  we  have  good  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  it  proceeds,  as  in  most  other  animals, 
from  the  egg.a  Anatomists  inform  us,  that 
four  days  after  conception,  there  is  found  in 
the  womb  an  oval  substance,  about  the  size  of 
a  small  pea,  but  longer  one  way  than  the 
other  ;  this  little  body  is  formed  by  an  extreme- 
ly fine  membrane,  inclosing  a  liquor  a  good 
deal  resembling  the  white  of  an  egg  :  in  this 
may,  even  then,  be  perceived,  several  small 
fibres,  united  together,  which  form  the  first  ru- 
diments of  the  embryo.  Beside  these,  are  seen 
another  set  of  fibres,  which  soon  after  become 
the  placenta,  or  that  body  by  which  the  ani- 
mal is  supplied  with  nourishment. 

Seven  days  after  conception,  we  can  readily 
distinguish,  by  the  eye,  the  first  lineaments  of 
the  child  in  the  womb.  However,  they  are  as 
yet  without  form ;  showing,  at  the  end  of  seven 
days,  pretty  much  such  an  appearance  as  that 
of  the  chicken  after  four  and  twenty  hours, 
being  a  small  jelly-like  mass,  yet  exhibiting 
the  rudiments  of  the  head  ;  the  trunk  is  barely 
visible :  there  likewise  is  to  be  discerned  a  small 
assemblage  of  fibres  issuing  from  the  body  of 
the  infant,  which  afterwards  become  the  blood- 
vessels that  convey  nourishment  from  the  pla- 
centa to  the  child,  while  inclosed  in  the  womb. 

Fifteen  days  after  conception,  the  head  be- 
comes distinctly  visible,  and  even  the  most 
prominent  features  of  the  visage  begin  to  ap- 
pear. The  nose  is  a  little  elevated  :  there  are 
two  black  specks  in  the  place  of  eyes ;  and 
two  little  holes,  where  the  ears  are  afterwards 
seen.  The  body  of  the  embryo  also  is  grown 
larger ;  and  both  above  and  below,  are  seen 
two  little  protuberances,  which  mark  the  pla- 
ces from  whence  the  arms  and  thighs  are  to 
proceed.  The  length  of  the  whole  body,  at 
this  time,  is  less  than  half  an  inch. 

At  the  end  of  three  weeks,  the  body  has  re- 
ceived very  little  increase  ;  but  the  legs  and 
feet,  with  the  hands  and  arms,  are  become  ap- 
parent. The  growth  of  the  arms  is  more 
speedy  than  that  of  the  legs  ;  and  the  fingers 
are  sooner  separated  than  the  toes.  About 
this  time  the  internal  parts  are  found,  upon 

•  This  history  of  the  child  in  the  womb  is  translated 
from  Mr.  Bufibn,  with  some  alterations. 


dissection,  to  become  distinguishable.  The 
places  of  the  bones  are  marked  by  small  thread- 
like substances,  that  are  yet  more  fluid  even 
than  a  jelly.  Among  them,  the  ribs  are  dis- 
tinguishable, like  threads  also,  disposed  on 
each  side  of  the  spine  ;  and  even  the  fingers 
and  toes  scarcely  exceed  hairs  in  thickness. 

In  a  month,  the  embryo  is  an  inch  long  ; 
the  body  is  bent  forward,  a  situation  which  it 
almost  always  assumes  in  the  womb,  either  lie- 
cause  a  posture  of  this  kind  is  the  most  easy, 
or  because  it  takes  up  the  least  room.  The 
human  figure  is  now  no  longer  doubtful ;  every 
part  of  the  face  is  distinguishable  ;  the  body  is 
sketched  out ;  the  bowels  are  to  be  distinguish- 
ed as  threads  ;  the  bones  are  still  quite  soft,  but 
in  some  places  beginning  to  assume  a  greater 
rigidity ;  the  blood-vessels  that  go  to  the  pla- 
centa, which,  as  was  said,  contributes  to  the 
child's  nourishment,  are  plainly  seen  issuing 
from  the  navel,  (being  therefore  called  the  um- 
bilical vessels,)  and  going  to  spread  themselves 
upon  the  placenta.  According  to  Hippocrates, 
the  male  e.rtbryo  developes  sooner  than  the  fe- 
male :  he  adds,  that,  at  the  end  of  thirty  days, 
the  parts  of  the  body  of  the  male  are  distin- 
guishable ;  while  those  of  the  female  are  not 
equally  so  till  ten  days  after. 

In  six  weeks,  the  embryo  is  grown  two 
inches  long  ;  the  human  figure  begins  to  grow 
every  day  more  perfect ;  the  head  being  still 
much  larger,  in  proportion  to  the  rest  of  the 
body  ;  and  the  motion  of  the  heart  is  perceiv- 
ed almost  by  the  eye.  It  has  been  seen  to 
beat  in  an  embryo  of  fifty  days  old,  a  long 
time  after  it  had  been  taken  out  of  the  womb. 

In  two  months,  the  embryo  is  more  than  two 
inches  in  length.  The  ossification  is  per- 
ceivable in  the  arms  and  thighs,  and  in  the 
point  of  the  chin,  the  under  jaw  being  greatly 
advanced  before  the  upper.  These  parts,  how- 
ever, may  as  yet  be  considered  as  bony  points, 
rather  than  as  bones.  The  umbilical  vessels, 
which  before  went  side  by  side,  are  now  be- 
gun to  be  twisted,  like  a  rope,  one  over  the 
other,  and  go  to  join  with  the  placenta,  which, 
as  yet,  is  but  small. 

In  three  months,  the  embryo  is  above  three 
inches  long,  and  weighs  about  three  ounces. 
Hippocrates  observes,  that  not  till  then  the  mo- 
ther perceives  the  child's  motion  :  and  he  adds, 
that  in  female  children,  the  motion  is  not  ob- 
servable till  the  end  of  four  months.  How- 


ANIMALS. 


131 


»ver,  this  is  no  general  rule,  as  there  are  wo- 
men who  assert,  that  they  perceived  themselves 
to  be  qaick  with  child,  as  their  expression  is, 
at  the  end  of  two  months;  so  that  this  quick- 
ness seems  rather  to  arise  from  the  proportion 
between  the  child's  strength  and  the  mother's 
sensiYility,  than  from  any  determinate  period 
of  time.  At  all  times,  however,  the  child  is 
equally  alive  ;  and,  consequently,  those  juries 
of  matrons,  that  are  to  determine  upon  the 
pregnancy  of  criminals,  should  not  inquire 
whether  the  woman  be  quick,  but  whether  she 
be  with  chill ;  if  the  latter  be  perceivable,  the 
former  follows  of  course. 

Four  months  and  a  half  after  conception, 
the  embryo  is  from  six  to  seven  inches  long. 
All  the  parts  are  so  augmented,  that  even  their 
proportions  are  now  distinguishable.  The 
very  nails  begin  to  appear  upon  the  fingers 
and  toes :  and  the  stomach  and  intestines  al- 
ready begin  to  perform  their  functions  of  re- 
ceiving and  digesting.  In  the  stomach  is  found 
a  liquor  similar  to  that  in  which  the  embryo 
floats ;  in  one  part  of  the  intestines,  a  milky 
substance  ;  and,  in  the  other,  an  excrementi- 
tious.  There  is  found,  also,  a  small  quantity 
of  bile  in  the  gall  bladder ;  and  some  urine  in 
its  own  proper  receptacle.  By  this  time,  also, 
the  posture  of  the  embryo  seems  to  be  deter- 
mined. The  head  is  bent  forward,  so  that  the 
chin  seems  to  rest  upon  its  breast ;  the  knees 
are  raised  up  towards  the  head,  and  the  legs 
bent  backward,  somewhat  resembling  the  pos- 
ture of  those  who  sit  on  their  haunches.  Some- 
times the  knees  are  raised  so  high  as  to  touch 
the  cheeks,  and  the  feet  are  crossed  over  each 
other ;  the  arms  are  laid  upon  the  breast,  while 
one  of  the  hands,  and  often  both,  touch  the  vi- 
sage ;  sometimes  the  hands  are  shut,  and  some- 
times also  the  arms  are  found  hanging  down 
by  the  body.  These  are  the  most  usual  pos- 
tures which  the  embryo  assumes  ;  but  these  it 
is  frequently  known  to  change  ;  and  it  is  ow- 
ing to  these  alterations  that  the  mother  so  fre- 
quently feels  those  twitches,  which  are  usually 
attended  with  pain. 

The  embryo,  thus  situated,  is  furnished  by 
nature  with  all  things  proper  for  its  support ; 
and,  as  it  increases  in  size,  its  nourishment  also 
is  found  to  increase  with  it.  As  soon  as  it  first 
begins  to  grow  in  the  womb,  that  receptacle, 
from  being  very  small,  grows  larger ;  and, 
what  is  more  surprising,  thicker  every  day. 


The  sides  of  a  bladder,  as  we  know,  the  more 
they  are  distended,  the  more  they  become  thin. 
But  here,  the  larger  the  womb  grows,  the  more 
it  appears  to  thicken.  Within  this  the  embryo 
is  still  farther  involved  in  two  membranes, 
called  the  chorion  and  amnios ;  and  floats  in 
a  thin  transparent  fluid,  upon  which  it  seems, 
in  some  measure,  to  subsist.  However,  the 
great  storehouse,  from  whence  its  chief  nou- 
rishment is  supplied,  is  called  the  placenta  ;  a 
red  substance  somewhat  resembling  a  sponge, 
that  adheres  to  the  inside  of  the  womb,  and 
communicates,  by  the  umbilical  vessels,  with 
the  embryo.  These  umbilical  vessels,  which 
consist  of  a  vein  and  two  arteries,  issue  from 
the  navel  of  the  child,  and  are  branched  out 
upon  the  placenta  ;  where  they,  in  fact,  seem 
to  form  its  substance  ;  and,  if  I  may  so  express 
it,  to  suck  up  their  nourishment  from  the  womb, 
and  the  fluids  contained  therein.  The  blood 
thus  received  from  the  womb,  by  the  placenta, 
and  communicated  by  the  umbilical  vein  to 
the  body  of  the  embryo,  is  conveyed  to  the  heart ; 
where,  without  ever  passing  into  the  lungs,  as 
in  the  born  infant,  it  takes  a  shorter  course  ; 
for,  entering  the  right  auricle  of  the  heart,  in- 
stead of  passing  up  into  the  pulmonary  artery, 
it  seems  to  break  this  partition,  and  goes  di- 
rectly through  the  body  of  the  heart,  by  an 
opening  called  the  foramen  ovale,  and  from 
thence  to  the  aorta,  or  great  artery  ;  by  which 
it  is  driven  into  all  parts  of  the  body.  Thus 
we  see  the  placenta,  in  some  measure,  supply- 
ing the  place  of  lungs ;  for,  as  the  little  animal 
can  receive  no  air  by  inspiration,  the  lungs  are 
therefore  useless.  But  we  see  the  placenta 
converting  the  fluid  of  the  womb  into  blood, 
and  sending  it,  by  the  umbilical  vein,  to  the 
heart ;  from  whence  it  is  despatched  by  a  quicker 
and  shorter  circulation  through  the  whole  frame. 
In  this  manner  the  embryo  reposes  in  the 
womb ;  supplied  with  that  nourishment  which 
is  fitted  to  its  necessities,  and  furnished  with 
those  organs  that  are  adapted  to  its  situation. 
As  its  sensations  are  but  few,  its  wants  are  in 
the  same  proportion  ;  and  it  is  probable  that 
a  sleep,  with  scarcely  any  intervals,  marks  the 
earliest  period  of  human  life. 

As  the  little  creature,  however,  gathers 
strength  and  size,it  seems  to  become  more  wake- 
ful and  uneasy ;  even  in  the  womb  it  begins  to 
feel  the  want  of  something  it  does  not  possess ; 
a  sensation  that  seems  coeval  with  man's  nature, 

2D 


132 


A  HISTORY  OF 


and  never  leaves  him  till  he  dies.  The  em- 
bryo even  then  begins  to  struggle  for  a  state 
more  marked  by  pleasure  and  pain,  and,  from 
about  the  sixth  month,  begins  to  give  the 
mother  warning  of  the  greater  pain  she  is  yet 
to  endure.  The  continuation  of  pregnancy,  in 
woman,  is  usually  nine  months ;  but  there 
have  been  many  instances  when  the.child  has 
lived  that  was  born  at  seven  ;  and  some  are 
found  to  continue  pregnant  a  month  above  the 
usual  time.  When  the  appointed  time  ap- 
proaches, the  infant,  that  has  for  some  months 
been  giving  painful  proofs  of  its  existence,  now 
begins  to  increase  its  efforts  for  liberty.  The 
head  is  applied  downward,  to  the  aperture  of 
the  womb,  and  by  reiterated  efforts  it  endea- 
vours to  extend  the  same :  these  endeavours 
produce  the  pain  which  all  women  in  labour 
feel  in  some  degree  ;  those  of  strong  constitu- 
tions the  least,  those  most  weakly  the  most 
severely ;  since  we  learn,  that  the  women  of 
Africa  always  deliver  themselves,  and  are  well 
a  few  hours  after ;  while  those  of  Europe  re- 
quire assistance,  and  recover  more  slowly. 
Thus  the  infant,  still  continuing  to  push  with 
its  head  forward,  by  the  repetition  of  its  endea- 
vours, at  last  succeeds,  and  issues  into  life. 
The  blood,  which  had  hitherto  passed  through 
the  heart,  now  takes  a  wider  circuit ;  and  the 
foramen  ovale  closes ;  the  lungs,  that  had  till 
this  time  been  inactive,  now  first  begin  their 
functions  ;  the  air  rushes  in  to  distend  them  ; 
and  this  produces  the  first  sensation  of  pain, 
which  the  infant  expresses  by  a  shriek ;  so 
that  the  beginning  of  our  lives,  as  well  as  the 
end,  is  marked  with  anguish." 

From  comparing  these  accounts,  we  per- 
ceive that  the  most  laboured  generation  is  the 
most  perfect ;  and  that  the  animal  which,  in 
proportion  to  its  bulk,  takes  the  longest  time 
.for  production,  is  always  the  most  complete 
when  finished.  Of  all  others,  man  seems  the 
slowest  in  coming  into  life,  as  he  is  the  slowest 
in  coming  to  perfection  ;  other  animals,  of  the 
same  bulk,  seldom  remain  in  the  womb  above 
six  months,  while  he  continues  nine  ;  and  even 
after  his  birth  appears  mdre  than  any  other  to 
have  his  state  of  imbecility  prolonged. 

We  may  observe  also,  that  that  generation 
is  the  most  complete  in  whicli  the  fewest  ani- 
mals are  produced  :  Nature,  by  attending  to 

"  Bonnet  Contemplate,  de  la  Nature,  vol.  i.  p.  212. 


the  production  of  one  at  a  time,  seems  to  exert 
all  her  efforts  in  bringing  it  10  perfection  ;  but, 
where  this  attention  is  divided,  the  animals  so 
produced  come  into  the  world  with  partial  ad- 
vantages. In  this  manner  twins  are  never,  at 
least  while  infants,  so  large  or  so  strong  as 
those  that  come  singly  into  the  world ; 
each  having,  in  some  measure,  robbed  the 
other  of  its  right ;  as  that  support,  which 
Nature  meant  for  one,  has  been  prodigally 
divided. 

In  this  manner,  as  those  animals  are  the  best 
that  are  produced  singly,  so  we  find  that  the 
noblest  animals  are  ever  the  least  fruitful. 
These  are  seen  usually  to  bring  forth  but  one 
at  a  time,  and  to  place  all  their  attention  upon 
that  alone.  On  the  other  hand,  all  the  ovipa- 
rous kinds  produce  in  amazing  plenty  ;  and 
even  the  lower  tribes  of  viviparous  animals  in- 
crease in  a  seeming  proportion  to  their  mi- 
nuteness and  imperfection.  Nature  seems  la- 
vish of  life  in  the  lower  orders  of  the  creation ; 
and,  as  if  she  meant  them  entirely  for  the  use  of 
the  nobler  races,  she  appears  to  have  bestowed 
greater  pains  in  multiplying  the  number  than 
in  completing  the  kind.  In  this  manner, 
while  the  elephant  and  the  horse  bring  forth 
but  one  at  a  time,  the  spider  and  the  beetle 
are  seen  to  produce  a  thousand  :  and  even 
among  the  smaller  quadrupeds,  all  the  inferior 
kinds  are  extremely  fertile  ;  any  one  of  these 
being  found,  in  a  very  few  months,  to  become 
the  parent  of  a  numerous  progeny. 

In  this  manner,  therefore,  the  smallest  ani- 
mals multiply  in  the  greatest  proportion  ;  and 
we  have  reason  to  thank  Providence,  that  the 
most  formidable  animals  are  the  least  fruitful. 
Had  the  lion  and  the  tiger  the  same  degree 
of  fecundity  with  the  rabbit  or  the  rat,  all  the 
arts  of  man  would  be  unable  to  oppose  these 
fierce  invaders ;  and  we  should  soon  perceive 
them  become  the  tyrants  of  those  who  claim 
the  lordship  of  the  creation.  But  Heaven,  in 
this  respect,  has  wisely  consulted  the  advantage 
of  all.  It  has  opposed  to  man  only  such  ene- 
mies as  he  has  art  and  strength  to  conquer ; 
and,  as  large  animals  require  proportional  sup- 
plies, Nature  was  unwilling  to  give  new  life, 
where  it,  in  some  measure,  denied  the  neces- 
sary means  of  subsistence. 

In  consequence  of  this  pre-established  order, 
the  animals  that  are  endowed  with  the  most 
perfect  methods  of  generation,  and  bring  forth 


ANIMALS. 


133 


but  one  at  a  time,  seldom  begin  to  procreate 
till  they  have  almost  acquired  their  full  growth. 
On  the  other  hand,  those  which  bring  forth 
many,  engender  before  they  have  arrived  at 
half  their  natural  size.  The  horse  and  the  bull, 
come  almost  to  perfection  before  they  begin  to 
generate  ;  the  hog  and  the  rabbit,  scarcely 
leave  the  teat  before  they  become  parents 
themselves.  In  whatever  light,  therefore,  we 
consider  this  subject,  we  shall  find  that  all  crea- 
tures approach  most  to  perfection,  whose  ge- 


neration most  nearly  resembles  that  of  man. 
The  reptile  produced  from  cutting,  is  but  one 
degree  above  the  vegetable.  The  animal  pro- 
duced from  the  egg,  is  a  step  higher  in  the  scale 
of  existence  :  that  class  of  animals  which  are 
brought  forth  alive,  are  still  more  exalted.  Of 
these,  such  as  bring  forth  one  at  a  time  are  the 
most  complete ;  and  foremost  of  these  stands 
man,  the  great  master  of  all,  who  seems  to  have 
united  the  perfections  of  all  the  rest  in  his  for- 
mation. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  INFANCY  OF  MAN. 


WHEN  we  take  a  survey  of  the  various 
classes  of  animals,  and  examine  their  strength, 
their  beauty,  or  their  structure,  we  shall  find 
man  to  possess  most  of  those  ad  vantages  united, 
which  the  rest  enjoy  partially.  Infinitely  su- 
perior to  all  others  in  the  powers  of  the  under- 
standing, he  is  also  superior  to  them  in  the  fit- 
ness and  proportions  of  his  form.  He  would, 
indeed,  have  been  one  of  the  most  miserable 
beings  upon  earth,  if  with  a  sentient  mind  he 
was  so  formed  as  to  be  incapable  of  obeying  its 
impulse  :  but  nature  has  otherwise  provided ; 
as  with  the  most  extensive  intellects  to  com- 
mand, she  has  furnished  him  with  a  body  the 
best  fitted  for  obedience. 

In  infancy,*  however,  that  mind,  and  this 
body,  form  the  most  helpless  union  in  all  ani- 
mated nature  ;  and,  if  any  thing  can  give  us  a 
picture  of  complete  imbecility,  it  is  a  man  when 
just  come  into  the  world.  The  infant  just 
born,  stands  in  need  of  all  things,  without  the 
power  of  procuring  any.  The  lower  races  of 
animals,  upon  being  produced,  are  active, 
vigorous,  and  capable  of  self-support ;  but  the 
infant  is  obliged  to  wait  in  helpless  expectation, 
and  its  cries  are  its  only  aid  to  procure  sub- 
sistence. 

An  infant  just  born  may  be  said  to  come 
from  one  element  into  another ;  for,  from  the 
watery  fluid  in  which  it  was  surrounded,  it 
now  immerges  into  air ;  and  its  first  cries  seem 

•  Buffon,  vol.  iv.  p.  173. 


to  imply  how  greatly  it  regrets  the  change. 
How  much  longer  it  could  have  continued  in 
a  state  of  almost  total  insensibility,  in  the 
womb,  is  impossible  to  tell ;  but  it  is  very  pro- 
bable that  it  could  remain  there  some  hours 
more.  In  order  to  throw  some  light  upon  this 
subject,  Mr.  Buffon  so  placed  a  pregnant  bitch 
as  that  her  puppies  were  brought  forth  in 
warm  water,  in  which  he  kept  them  above 
half  an  hour  at  a  time.  However,  he  saw  no 
change  in  the  animals,  thus  newly  brought 
forth  ;  they  continued  the  whole  time  vigorous ; 
and,  during  the  whole  time,  it  is  very  probable 
that  the  blood  circulated  through  the  same 
channels  through  which  it  passed  while  they 
continued  in  the  womb. 

Almost  all  animals  have  their  eyes  closed,b 
for  some  days  after  being  brought  into  the 
world.  The  infant  opens  them  the  instant  of 
its  birth.  However,  it  seems  to  keep  them 
fixed  and  idle ;  they  want  that  lustre  which 
they  acquire  by  degrees  ;  and  if  they  happen 
to  move,  it  is  rather  an  accidental  gaze  than 
an  exertion  of  the  act  of  seeing.  The  light 
alone  seems  to  make  the  greatest  impression 
upon  them.  The  eyes  of  infants  are  sometimes 
found  turned  to  the  place  where  it  is  strongest ; 
and  the  pupil  is  seen  to  dilate  and  diminish, 
as  in  grown  persons,  in  proportion  to  the  quan- 
tity it  receives.  But  still,  the  infant  is  in- 
capable of  distinguishing  objects  ;  the  sense  of 


Buffon,  vol.  iv.  p.  173. 


2D» 


134 


A  HISTORY  OF 


seeing,  like  the  rest  of  the  senses,  requires  a 
habit  before  it  becomes  any  way  serviceable. 
All  the  senses  must  be  compared  with  each 
other,  and  must  be  made  to  correct  the  de- 
fects of  one  another,  before  they  can  give  just 
information.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  if 
the  infant  could  express  its  own  sensations,  it 
would  give  a  very  extaordinary  description 
of  the  illusions  which  it  suffers  from  them. 
The  sight  might,  perhaps,  be  represented  as 
inverting  objects,  or  multiplying  them ;  the 
hearing,  instead  of  conveying  one  uniform 
tone,  might  be  said  to  bring  up  an  interrupted 
succession  of  noises  ;  and  the  touch  apparently 
would  divide  one  body  into  as  many  as  there 
are  fingers  that  grasped  it.  But  all  these  er- 
rors are  lost  in  one  common  confused  idea  of 
existence  ;  and  it  is  happy  for  the  infant,  that 
it  then  can  make  but  very  little  use  of  its  sen- 
ses, when  they  could  serve  only  to  bring  it  false 
information. 

If  there  be  any  distinct  sensations,  those  of 
pain  seem  to  be  much  more  frequent  and 
stronger  than  those  of  pleasure.  The  infant's 
cries  are  sufficient  indications  of  the  uneasi- 
nesses it  must,  at  every  interval,  endure  ; 
while,  in  the  beginning,  it  has  got  no  exter- 
nal marks  to  testify  its  satisfactions.  It  is  not 
till  after  forty  days  that  it  is  seen  to  smile ; 
and  not  till  that  time  also  the  tears  begin  to  ap- 
pear, its  former  expressions  of  uneasiness  be- 
ing always  without  them.  As  to  any  other 
marks  of  the  passions,  the  infant  being  as  yet 
almost  without  them,  it  can  express  none  of 
them  in  its  visage ;  which,  except  in  the  act  of 
crying  and  laughing,  is  fixed  in  a  settled  se- 
renity. All  the  other  parts  of  the  body  seem 
equally  relaxed  and  feeble;  its  motions  are 
uncertain,  and  its  postures  without  choice ;  it 
is  unable  to  stand  upright ;  its  hams  are  yet 
bent,  from  the  habit  which  it  received  from 
its  position  in  the  womb ;  it  has  not  strength 
enough  in  its  arms  to  stretch  them  forward, 
much  less  to  grasp  any  thing  with  its  hands; 
it  rests  just  in  the  posture  it  is  laid  ;  and,  if 
abandoned,  must  continue  in  the  same  po- 
sition. 

Nevertheless,  though  this  be  the  description 
of  infancy  among  mankind  in  general,  there 
are  countries  and  races,  among  whom  infancy 
docs  not  seem  marked  with  such  utter  imbe- 
cility, but  where  the  children,  not  long  after 
they  are  born,  appear  possessed  of  a  greater 


share  of  self  support.  The  children  of  Ne- 
groes have  a  surprising  degree  of  this  prema- 
ture industry :  they  are  able  to  walk  at  two 
months ;  or,  at  least,  to  move  from  one  place 
to  another:  they  also  hang  to  the  mother's 
back  without  any  assistance,  and  seize  the 
breast  over  her  shoulder,  continuing  in  this 
posture  till  she  thinks  proper  to  lay  them 
down.  This  is  very  different  in  the  children 
of  our  countries,  that  seldom  are  able  to  walk 
under  a  twelvemonth. 

The  skin  of  children  newly  brought  forth  is 
always  red,  proceeding  from  its  transparency, 
by  which  the  blood  beneath  appears  more 
conspicuous.  Some  say  that  this  redness  is 
greatest  in  those  children  that  are  afterwards 
about  to  have  the  finest  complexions  ;  and  it 
appears  reasonable  that  it  should  be  so,  since 
the  thinnest  skins  are  always  the  fairest.  The 
size  of  a  new-born  infant  is  generally  about 
twenty  inches,  and  its  weight  about  twelve 
pounds.  The  head  is  large,  and  all  the  mem- 
bers delicate,  soft,  and  puffy.  These  appear- 
ances alter  with  its  age  ;  as  it  grows  older, 
the  head  becomes  less  in  proportion  to  the  rest 
of  the  body ;  the  flesh  hardens ;  the  bones 
that  befon1  birth  grew  very  thick  in  propor- 
tion, now  lengthen  by  degrees,  and  the  human 
figure  more  and  more  acquires  its  due  dimen- 
sions. In  such  children,  however,  as  are  but 
feeble  or  sickly,  the  head  always  continues  too 
big  for  the  body  ;  the  heads  of  dwarfs  being 
extremely  large  in  proportion. 

Infants,  when  newly  born,  pass  most  of 
their  true  in  sleeping,  and  awake  with  crying, 
excited  either  by  sensations  of  pain,  or  of 
hunger.  Man,  when  come  to  maturity,  but 
rarely  feels  the  want  of  food,  as  eating  twice 
or  thrice  in  the  four-and  twenty  hours,  is 
known  to  suffice  the  most  voracious :  but  the 
infant  may  be  considered  as  a  little  glutton, 
whose  only  pleasure  consists  in  its  appetite ; 
and  this,  except  when  it  sleeps,  it  is  never 
easy  without  satisfying.  Thus  nature  has 
adapted  different  desires  to  the  different  periods 
of  life ;  each  as  it  seems  most  necessary  for 
human  support  or  succession.  While  the  ani- 
mal is  yet  forming,  hunger  excites  it  to  that 
supply  which  is  necessary  for  its  growth ;  when 
it  is  completely  formed,  a  different  appetite 
takes  place,  that  incites  it  to  communicate 
existence.  Thuse  two  desires  i  .ke  up  the 
whole  attention  at  different  periods,  but  are 


ANIMALS. 


135 


very  seldom  found  to  prevail  strongly  toge- 
gether  in  the  same  age ;  one  pleasure  ever 
serving  to  repress  the  other :  and,  if  we  find 
a  person  of  full  age,  placing  a  principal  part 
of  his  happiness  in  the  nature  and  quantity 
of  his  food,  we  have  strong  reasons  to  suspect, 
that  with  respect  to  his  other  appetites,  he 
still  retains  a  part  of  the  imbecility  of  his 
childhood. 

It  is  extraordinary,  however,  that  infants, 
who  are  thus  more  voracious  than  grown 
persons,  are  nevertheless  more  capable  of 
sustaining  hunger.  We  haveseveral  instances, 
in  accidental  cases  of  famine,  in  which  the 
child  has  been  known  to  survive  the  parent; 
and  seen  clinging  to  the  breast  of  its  dead 
mother.  Their  little  bodies  also  are  more 
patient  of  cold;  and  we  have  similar  instances 
of  the  mother's  perishing  in  the  snow,  while 
the  infant  has  been  found  alive  beside  her. 
However,  if  we  examine  the  internal  struc- 
ture of  infants,  we  shall  find  an  obvious  rea- 
son for  both  these  advantages.  Their  blood- 
vessels are  known  to  be  much  larger  than  in 
adults ;  and  their  nerves  much  thicker  and 
softer :  thus,  being  furnished  with  a  more  co- 
pious quantity  of  juices,  both  of  the  nervous 
and  sanguinary  kinds,  the  infant  finds  a  tern 
porary  sustenance  in  this  superfluity,  and 
does  not  expire  till  both  are  exhausted.  The 
circulation  also  being  larger  and  quicker, 
supplies  it  with  proportionable  warmth,  so 
that  it  is  more  capable  of  resisting  the  acci- 
dental rigours  of  the  weather. 

The  first  nourishment  of  infants  is  well 
known  to  be  the  mother's  milk ;  and,  what 
is  remarkable,  the  infant  has  milk  in  its  own 
breasts,  which  may  be  squeezed  out  by 
compression :  this  nourishment  becomes  less 
grateful  as  the  child  gathers  strength;  and 
perhaps,  also,  more  unwholesome.  However, 
in  cold  countries,  which  are  unfavourable  to 

Sropagation,  and  where  the  female  has  sel- 
om  above  three  or  four  children  at  the  most, 
during  her  life,  she  continues  to  suckle  the 
child  for  four  or  five  years  together.  In  this 
manner  the  mothers  of  Canada  and  Green- 
land are  often  seen  suckling  two  or  three 
children,  of  different  ages,  at  a  time. 

The  life  of  infants  is  very  precarious,  till  the 
age  of  three  or  four,  from  which  time  it  be- 
comes more  secure ;  and  when  a  child  ar- 


rives at  its  seventh  year,  it  is  then  considered 
as  a  more  certain  life,  as  Mr.  Buflbn  asserts, 
than  at  any  other  age  whatever.  It  appears, 
from  Simson's  Tables,  that  of  a  certain  num- 
ber of  children  born  at  the  same  time,  a 
fourth  part  are  found  dead  at  the  end  of  the 
first  year;  more  than  one  third  at  the  end  of 
the  second ;  and,  at  least,  half,  at  the  end  of 
the  third :  so  that  those  who  live  to  be  above 
three  years  old,  are  indulged  a  longer  term 
than  half  the  rest  of  their  fellow  creatures. 
Nevertheless,  life,  at  that  period,  may  be  con- 
sidered as  mere  animal  existence ;  and  rather 
a  preparation  for,  than  an  enjoyment  of  those 
satisfactions,  both  of  mind  and  body,  that 
make  life  of  real  value :  and  hence  it  is  more 
natural  for  mankind  to  deplore  a  fellow  crea- 
ture, cut  off  in  the  bloom  of  life,  than  one 
dying  in  early  infancy.  The  one,  by  living 
up  to  youth,  and  thus  wading  through  the 
disadvantageous  parts  of  existence,  seems  to 
have  earned  a  short  continuance  of  its  enjoy- 
ments ;  the  infant,  on  the  contrary,  has  ser- 
ved but  a  short  apprenticeship  to  pain ;  and, 
when  taken  away,  may  be  considered  as  res- 
cued from  a  long  continuance  of  misery. 

There  is  something  very  remarkable  in  the 
growth  of  the  human  body."  The  embryo  in 
the  womb  continues  to  increase  still  more 
and  more,  till  it  is  born.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  child's  growth  is  less  every  year  till  the 
time  of  puberty,  when  it  seems  to  start  up  of 
a  sudden.  Thus,  for  instance,  the  embryo, 
which  is  an  inch  long,  in  the  first  month, 
grows  but  one  inch  and  a  quarter  in  the  se- 
cond ;  it  then  grows  one  and  a  half  in  the 
third ;  two  and  a  half  in  the  fourth ;  and  in 
this  manner  it  keeps  increasing,  till,  in  the 
last  month  of  its  continuance,  it  is  actually 
found  to  grow  four  inches ;  and,  in  the  whole, 
about  eighteen  inches  long.  But  it  is  other- 
wise with  the  child  when  born :  if  we  suppose 
it  eighteen  inches  at  that  time,  it  grows,  in 
the  first  year,  six  or  seven  inches;  in  the  se- 
cond year,  it  grows  but  four  inches ;  in  the 
third  year  about  three ;  and  so  on,  at  the 
rate  of  about  an  inch  and  a  half,  or  two  inches, 
each  year,  till  the  time  of  puberty,  when  na- 
ture seems  to  make  one  great  last  effort  to 
complete  her  work,  and  unfold  the  whole 
animal  machine. 

•  Buflbn,  vol.  i?.  p.  173. 


136 


A  HISTORY  OF 


The  growth  of  the  mind  in  children  seems 
to  correspond  with  that  of  the  body.  The 
comparative  progress  of  the  understanding 
is  greater  in  infants  than  in  children  of  three 
or  four  years  old.  If  we  only  reflect  a  mo- 
ment on  the  amazing  acquisitions  that  an  in- 
fant makes  in  the  first  and  second  years  of 
life,  we  shall  have  much  cause  for  wonder. 
Being  sent  into  a  world  where  every  thing 
is  new  and  unknown,  the  first  months  of  life 
are  spent  in  a  kind  of  torpid  amazement ;  an 
attention  distracted  by  the  multiplicity  of  ob- 
jects that  press  to  be  known.  The  first  la- 
bour, therefore,  of  the  little  learner  is,  to 
correct  the  illusions  of  the  senses,  to  distin- 
guish one  object  from  another,  and  to  exert 
the  memory,  so  as  to  know  them  again.  In 
this  manner  a  child  of  a  year  old  has  already 
made  a  thousand  experiments ;  all  which  it 
has  properly  ranged,  and  distinctly  remem- 
bers. Light,  heat,  fire,  sweets,  and  bitters, 
sounds  soft  or  terrible,  are  all  distinguished 
at  the  end  of  a  very  few  months.  Besides 
this,  every  person  the  child  knows,  every  in- 
dividual object  it  becomes  fond  of,  its  rattles, 
or  its  bells,  may  be  all  considered  as  so  many 
new  lessons  to  the  young  mind,  with  which 
it  has  not  become  acquainted,  without  re- 
peated exertions  of  the  understanding.  At 
this  period  of  life,  the  knowledge  of  every 
individual  object  cannot  be  acquired  without 
the  same  effort  which,  when  grown  up,  is  em- 
ployed upon  the  most  abstract  idea:  every 
thing  the  child  hears  or  sees,  all  the  marks 
and  characters  of  nature,  are  as  much  un- 
known, and  require  the  same  attention  to  at- 
tain, as  if  the  reader  were  set  to  understand 
the  characters  of  an  Ethiopic  manuscript: 
and  yet,  we  see  in  how  short  a  time  the  little 
studept  begins  to  understand  them  all,  and 
to  give  evident  marks  of  early  industry. 

It  is  very  amusing  to  pursue  the  young  mind, 
while  employed  in  its  first  attainments.  At 
about  a  year  old,  the  same  necessities  that 
first  engaged  its  faculties,  increase,  as  its  ac- 
quaintance with  nature  enlarges.  Its  sudies, 
therefore,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  are  no 
way  relaxed ;  for,  having  experienced  what 
gave  pleasure  at  one  time,  it  desires  a  repe- 
tition of  it  from  the  same  object ;  and,  in  or- 
der to  obtain  this,  that  object  must  be  pointed 
out ;  here,  therefore,  a  new  necessity  arises, 


which,  very  often,  neither  its  little  arts  nor 
importunities  can  remove;  so  that  the  child 
is  at  last  obliged  to  set  about  naming  the  ob- 
jects it  desires  to  ppssess  or  avoid.  In  begin- 
ning to  speak,  which  is  usually  about  a  year 
old,  children  find  a  thousand  difficulties.  It 
is  not  without  repeated  trials  that  they  come 
to  pronounce  any  one  of  the  letters ;  nor  with- 
out an  effort  of  the  memory,  that  they  can  re- 
tain them.  For  this  reason,  we  frequently  see 
them  attempting  a  sound  which  they  had 
learned,  but  forgot ;  and  when  they  have  fail- 
ed, I  have  often  seen  their  attempt  attended 
with  apparent  confusion.  The  letters  soon- 
est learned,  are  those  which  are  most  easily 
formed ;  thus  A  and  B  require  an  obvious  dis- 
position of  the  organs,  arid  their  pronuncia- 
tion is  consequently  soon  attained.  Z  and  R, 
which  require  a  more  complicated  position, 
are  learned  with  greater  difficulty.  And  this 
may,  perhaps,  be  the  reason  why  the  children 
in  some  countries  speak  sooner  than  in  others; 
for  the  letters  mostly  occurring  in  the  lan- 
guage of  one  country,  being  such  as  are  of 
easy  pronunciation,  that  language  is  of  course 
more  easily  attained.  In  this  manner  the 
children  of  the  Italians  are  said  to  speak 
sooner  than  those  of  the  Germans ;  the  lan- 
guage of  the  one  being  smooth  and  open ; 
that  of  the  other,  crowded  with  consonants, 
and  extremely  guttural. 

But  be  this  as  it  will,  in  all  countries  chil- 
dren are  found  able  to  express  the  greatest 
part  of  their  wants  by  the  time  they  arrive  at 
two  years  old  ;  and  from  the  moment  the  ne- 
cessity of  learning  new  words  ceases,  they  re- 
lax their  industry.  It  is  then  that  the  mind, 
like  the  body,  seems  every  year  to  make  slow 
advances;  and,  in  order  to  spur  up  attention, 
many  systems  of  education  have  been  con- 
trived. 

Almost  every  philosopher,  who  has  written 
on  the  education  of  children,  has  been  wil- 
ling to  point  out  a  method  of  his  own,  chiefly 
professing  to  advance  the  health,  and  improve 
the  intellects  at  the  same  time.  These  are 
usually  found  to  begin  with  finding  nothing 
right  in  the  common  practice  ;  and  by  urging 
a  total  reformation.  In  consequence  of  this, 
nothing  can  be  more  wild  or  imaginary  than 
their  various  systems  of  improvement.  Some 
will  have  the  children  every  day  plunged  in 


ANIMALS. 


137 


cold  water,in  order  tostrengthen  their  bodies; 
they  will  have  them  converse  with  the  servants 
in  nothing  but  the  Latin  language,  in  order  to 
strengthen  their  minds;  every  hour  of  the  day 
must  be  appointed  for  its  own  studies,  and  the 
child  must  learn  to  make  these  very  studies 
an  amusement ;  till  about  the  age  of  ten  or 
eleven  it  becomes  a  prodigy  of  premature  im- 
provement. Quite  opposite  to  this,  we  have 
others,  whom  the  courtesy  of  mankind  also 
calls  philosophers:  and  they  will  have  the 
child  learn  nothing  till  the  age  of  ten  or  ele- 
ven, at  which  the  former  has  attained  so  much 
perfection  ;  with  them  the  mind  is  to  be  kept 
empty,  until  it  has  a  proper  distinction  of  some 
metaphysical  ideas  about  truth;  and  the  pro- 
mising pupil  is  debarred  the  use  of  even  his 
own  faculties,  lest  they  should  conduct  him 
into  prejudice  and  error.  In  this  manner, 
some  men,  whom  fashion  has  celebrated  for 
profound  and  fine  thinkers,  have  given  their 
hazarded  and  untried  conjectures,  upon  one 
of  the  most  important  subjects  in  the  world, 
and  the  most  interesting  to  humanity.  When 
men  speculate  at  liberty  upon  innate  ideas, 
or  the  abstracted  distinctions  between  will 
and  power,  they  may  be  permitted  to  enjoy 
their  systems  at  pleasure,  as  they  are  harm- 
less, although  they  may  be  wrong ;  but  when 
they  allege  that  children  are  to  be  every  day 
plunged  in  cold  water,  and,  whatever  be  their 
constitutions,  indiscriminately  inured  to  cold 
and  moisture ;  that  they  are  to  be  kept  wet  in 
the  feet,  to  prevent  their  catching  cold;  and 
never  to  be  corrected  when  young,  for  fear 
of  breaking  their  spirits  when  old;  these  are 
such  noxious  errors,  that  all  reasonable  men 
should  endeavour  to  oppose  them.  Many 
have  been  the  children  whom  these  opinions, 
begun  in  speculation,  have  injured  or  destroy- 
ed in  practice  ;  and  I  have  seen  many  a  little 
philosophical  martyr,  whom  I  wished,  but  was 
unable  to  relieve. 

If  any  system  be  therefore  necessary,  it  is 
one  that  would  serve  to  show  a  very  plain 
point ;  that  very  little  system  is  necessary. 
The  natural  and  common  course  of  education 
is  in  every  respect  the  best ;  I  mean  that  in 
which  the  child  is  permitted  to  play  among 
its  little  equals,  from  whose  similar  instruc- 
tions it  often  gains  the  most  useful  stores  of 
knowledge.  A  child  is  not  idle  because  it  is 


playing  about  the  fields,  or  pursuing  a  but- 
terfly ;  it  is  all  this  time  storing  its  mind  with 
objects,  upon  the  nature,  the  properties,  and 
the  relations  of  which  future  curiosity  may 
speculate. 

I  have  ever  found  it  a  vain  task  to  try  to 
make  a  child's  learning  its  amusement ;  nor 
do  I  see  what  good  end  it  would  answer,  were 
it  actually  attained.  The  child,  as  was  said, 
ought  to  have  its  share  of  play,  and  it  will  be 
benefited  thereby ;  and  for  every  reason  also 
it  ought  tohave  its  share  of  labour.  The  mind, 
by  early  labour,  will  be  thus  accustomed  to 
fatigues  and  subordination  ;  and  whatever  be 
the  person's  future  employment  in  life,  he  will 
be  better  fitted  to  endure  it :  he  will  be  thus 
enabled  to  support  the  drudgeries  of  office 
with  content;  or  to  fill  up  the  vacancies  of 
life  with  variety.  The  child, therefore, should 
by  times  be  put  to  its  duty;  and  be  taught  to 
know,  that  the  task  is  to  be  done,  or  the  pu- 
nishment to  be  endured.  I  do  not  object 
against  alluring  it  to  duty  by  reward  ;  but  we 
well  know,  that  the  mind  will  be  more  strongly 
stimulated  by  pain;  and  both  may,  upon  some 
occasions,  take  their  turn  to  operate.  In  this 
manner,  a  child,  by  playing  with  its  equals 
abroad,  and  labouring  with  them  at  school, 
will  acquire  more  health  and  knowledge,  than 
by  being  bred  up  under  the  wing  of  any  spe- 
culative system-maker;  and  will  be  thus  qua- 
lified for  a  life  of  activity  and  obedience.  It 
istrue,i:ideed,that  when  educated  inthis  man- 
ner, the  boy  may  not  be  so  seemingly  sensi- 
ble and  forward  as  one  bred  up  under  solita- 
ry instruction ;  and,  perhaps,  this  early  for- 
wardness is  more  engaging  than  useful.  It 
is  well  known,  that  many  of  those  children 
who  have  been  such  prodigies  of  literature 
before  ten,  have  not  made  an  adequate  pro- 
gress to  twenty.  It  should  seem,  that  they 
only  began  learning  manly  things  before  their 
time  ;  and,  while  others  were  busied  in  pick- 
ing up  that  knowledge  adapted  to  their  age 
andcuriosity,these  were  forced  upon  subjects 
unsuited  to  their  years;  and,  upon  that  ac- 
count alone,  appearing  extraordinary.  The 
stock  of  knowledge  in  both  may  be  equal ; 
but  with  this  difference,  that  each  is  yet  to 
learn  what  the  other  knows. 

But  whatever   may  have  been  the  acquisi- 
tions of  children  at  ten  or  twelve,  their  great- 


138 


A  HISTORY  OF 


est  and  most  rapid  progress,  is  made  when 
they  arrive  near  the  age  of  puberty.  It  is  then 
that  all  the  powers  of  nature  seem  at  work  in 
strengthening  the  mind,  and  completing  the 
body;  the  youth  acquires  courage,  and  the 
virgin  modesty;  the  mind,  with  new  sensations, 
assumes  new  powers ;  it  conceives  with  grea- 


ter force,  and  remembers  with  greater  tenacity. 
About  this  time,  therefore,  which  is  vari- 
ous in  different  countries,  more  is  learned 
in  one  year  tha*n  in  any  two  of  the  pre- 
ceding; and  on  this  age,  in  particular,  the 
greatest  weight  of  instruction  ought  to  be 
thrown. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

OF  PUBERTY. 


IT  has  been  often  said,  that  the  season  of 
youth  is  the  season  of  pleasures :  but  this  can 
only  be  true  in  savage  countries,  where  but 
little  preparation  is  made  for  the  perfection 
of  human  nature;  and  where  the  mind  has  but 
a  very  small  part  in  the  enjoyment.  It  is 
otherwise  in  those  places  where  nature  is  car- 
ried to  the  highest  pitch  of  refinement,  in 
which  this  season  of  the  greatest  sensual  de- 
light is  wisely  made  subservient  to  the  suc- 
ceeding and  more  rational  one  of  manhood. 
Youth,  with  us,  is  but  a  scene  of  preparation ; 
a  drama,  upon  the  right  conduct  of  which  all 
future  happiness  is  to  depend.  The  youth 
who  follows  his  appetites,  too  soon  seizes  the 
cup, before  it  has  received  its  best  ingredients; 
and,  by  anticipating  his  pleasures,  robs  the 
remaining  parts  of  life  of  their  share ;  so  that 
his  eagerness  only  produces  a  manhood  of 
imbecility,  and  an  age  of  pain. 

The  time  of  puberty  is  different  in  various 
countries,  and  always  more  late  in  men  than 
in  women.  In  the  warm  countries  of  India, 
the  women  are  marriageable  at  nine  or  ten, 
and  the  men  at  twelve  or  thirteen.  It  is  also 
different  in  cities,  where  the  inhabitants  lead 
a  more  soft,  luxurious  life,  from  the  country, 
where  they  work  harder,  and  fare  less  deli- 
cately. Its  symptoms  are  seldom  alike  in  dif- 
ferent persons ;  but  it  is  usually  known  by  a 
swelling  of  the  breasts  in  one  sex,  and  a  rough- 
ness of  the  voice  in  the  other.  At  this  season, 
also,  the  women  seem  to  acquire  new  beauty, 
while  the  men  lose  all  that  delicate  effeminacy 
of  countenance  which  they  had  when  boys. 

All  countries,  in  proportion  as  they  are  ci- 


vilized or  barbarous,  improve  or  degrade  the 
nuptial  satisfaction.  In  those  miserable  re- 
gions, where  strength  makes  the  only  law,  the 
stronger  sex  exerts  its  power,  and  becomes 
the  tyrant  over  the  weaker :  while  the  inha- 
bitant of  Negroland  is  indolently  taking  his 
pleasure  in  the  fields,  his  wife  is  obliged  to 
till  the  grounds,  thatserve  for  theirmutual  sup- 
port. It  is  thus  in  all  barbarous  countries, 
where  the  men  throw  all  the  laborious  duties 
of  life  upon  the  women ;  and,  regardless  of 
beauty,  put  the  softer  sex  to  those  employ- 
ments that  must  effectually  destroy  it. 

But,  in  countries  that  are  half  barbarous, 
particularly  wherever  Mahometanism  pre- 
vails, the  men  run  into  the  very  opposite  ex- 
treme. Equally  brutal  with  the  former,  they 
exert  their  tyranny  over  the  weaker  sex,  and 
consider  that  half  of  the  human  creation  as 
merely  made  to  be  subservient  to  the  depra- 
ved desires  of  the  other.  The  chief,  and,  in- 
deed, the  only  aim  of  an  Asiatic,  is  to  be  pos- 
sessed of  many  women ;  and  to  be  able  to  fur- 
nish a  seraglio,  is  the  only  tendency  of  his  am 
bition.  As  the  savage  was  totally  regardless 
of  beauty,  he,  on  the  contrary,  prizes  it  too 
highly ;  he  excludes  the  person  who  is  pos- 
sessed of  such  personal  attractions  from  any 
share  in  the  duties  or  employments  of  life;  . 
and,  as  if  willing  to  engross  all  beauty  to  him- 
self, increases  the  number  of  his  captives  in 
proportion  to  the  progress  of  his  fortune.  In 
this  manner  he  vainly  expects  to  augment  his 
satisfactions,  by  seeking  from  many  that  hap- 
piness which  he  ought  to  look  for  in  the  so- 
ciety of  one  alone.  He  lives  a  gloomy  tyrant, 


ANIMALS. 


139 


amidst  wretches  of  his  own  making;  lie  feels 
none  of  those  endearments  which  spring  from 
affection,  none  of  those  delicacies  which  arise 
from  knowledge.  His  mistresses,  being  shut 
out  from  the  world,  and  totally  ignorant  of  all 
that  passes  there,  have  no  arts  to  entertain 
his  mind,  or  cr.lm  his  anxieties  ;  the  day  pas- 
ses with  them  in  sullen  silence,  or  languid  re- 
pose ;  appetite  can  furnish  but  few  opportu- 
nities of  varying  the  scene ;  and  all  that  falls 
beyond  it  must  be  irksome  expectation. 

From  this  avarice  of  women,  if  I  may  be 
allowed  to  express  it  so,  has  proceeded  that 
jealousy  and  suspicion  which  ever  attends  the 
miser :  hence  those  low  and  barbarous  me- 
thods of  keeping  the  women  of  those  countries 
guarded,  and  of  making  and  procuring  eu- 
nuchs to  attend  them.  These  unhappy  crea- 
tures are  of  two  kinds,  the  white  and  the 
black.  The  white  are  generally  made  in  the 
country  where  they  reside,  being  but  partly 
deprived  of  the  marks  of  virility ;  the  black 
are  generally  brought  from  the  interior  parts 
of  Africa,  and  are  made  entirely  bare.  These 
are  chiefly  chosen  for  their  deformity ;  the 
thicker  the  lips,  the  flatter  the  nose,  and  the 
more  black  the  teeth,  the  more  valuable  the 
eunuch;  so  that  the  vile  jealousy  of  mankind 
here  inverts  the  order  of  Nature;  and  the  poor 
wretch  finds  himself  valued  in  proportion  to 
his  deficiencies.  In  Italy,  where  this  barba- 
rous custom  is  still  retained,  and  eunuchs  are 
made  in  order  to  improve  the  voice,  the  laws 
are  severely  aimed  against  such  practice ;  so 
that  being  entirely  prohibited,  none  but  the 
poorest,  and  most  abandoned  of  the  people, 
still  secretly  practise  it  upon  their  children. 
Of  those  served  in  this  manner,  not  one  in  ten 
is  found  to  become  a  singer;  but  such  is  the 
luxurious  folly  of  the  times,  that  the  success 
of  one  amply  compensates  for  the  failure  of 
the  rest.  It  is  very  difficult  to  account  for 
the  alterations  which  castration  makes  in  the 
voice,  and  the  other  parts  of  the  body.  The 
eunuch  is  shaped  differently  from  others. 
His  legs  are  of  an  equal  thickness  above  and 
below ;  his  knees  weak ;  his  shoulders  nar- 
row ;  and  his  beard  thin  and  downy.  In  this 
manner  his  person  is  rendered  more  deform- 
ed ;  but  his  desires,  as  I  am  told,  still  con- 
tinue the  same ;  and  actually,  in  Asia,  some 
of  them  are  found  to  have  their  seraglios,  as 

HO.  13  &  14. 


well  as  their  masters.  Even  in  our  country, 
we  have  an  instance  of  a  very  fine  woman 
being  married  to  one  of  them,  whose  appear- 
ance was  the  most  unpromising;  and,  what 
is  more  extraordinary  still,  I  am  told,  that 
this  couple  continue  perfectly  happy  in  each 
other's  society. 

The  mere  necessities  of  life  seem  the  only 
aim  of  the  savage  ;  the  sensual  pleasures  are 
the  only  study  of  the  semi-barbarian  ;  but  the 
refinement  of  sensuality,  by  reason,  is  the  boast 
of  real  politeness.  Among  the  merely  barba- 
rous nations,  such  as  the  natives  of  Madagas- 
car, or  the  inhabitants  of  Congo,  nothing  is 
desired  so  ardently  as  to  prostitute  their  wives, 
or  daughters,  to  strangers,  for  the  most  trifling 
advantages  ;  they  will  account  it  a  dishonour 
not  to  be  among  the  foremost  who  are  thus 
received  into  favour:  on  the  other  hand,  the 
Mahometan  keeps  his  wife  faithful,  by  con- 
fining her  person ;  and  would  instantly  put 
her  to  death,  if  he  but  suspected  her  chastity. 
With  the  politer  inhabitants  of  Europe  both 
these  barbarous  extremes  are  avoided ;  the 
woman's  person  is  left  free,  and  no  constraint 
is  imposed  but  upon  her  affections.  The  pas- 
sion of  love,  which  may  be  considered  as  the 
nice  conduct  of  ruder  desire,  is  only  known, 
and  practised  in  this  part  of  the  world ;  so 
that  what  other  nations  guard  as  their  right, 
the  more  delicate  European  is  contented  to 
ask  as  a  favour.  In  this  manner,  the  concur- 
rence of  mutual  appetite  contributes  to  in- 
crease mutual  satisfaction ;  and  the  power 
on  one  side  of  refusing,  makes  every  blessing 
more  grateful  when  obtained  by  the  other. 
In  barbarous  countries,  woman  is  considered 
merely  as  an  useful  slav  e ;  in  such  as  are 
somewhat  more  refined,  she  is  regarded  as  a 
desirable  toy  ;  in  countries  entirely  polished,, 
she  enjoys  juster  privileges,  the  wife  being 
considered  as  an  useful  friend,  and  an  agreea 
ble  mistress.  Her  mind  is  still  more  prized 
than  her  person ;  and  without  the  improve- 
ment of  both,  she  can  never  expect  to  be- 
come truly  agreeable ;  for  her  good  sense 
alone  can  preserve  what  she  has  gained  by 
her  beauty. 

Female  beauty,  as  was  said,  is  always  seen 
to  improve  about  the  age  of  puberty :  but  if 
we  should  attempt  to  define  in  what  this  beau- 
ty consists,  or  what  constitutes  its  perfection, 
2E 


140 


A  HISTORY  OF 


\ve  should  find  nothing  more  difficult  to  deter- 
mine. Every  country  has  its  peculiar  way  of 
thinking,  in  this  respect;  and  even  the  same 
country  thinks  differently  at  different  times. 
The  ancients  had  a  very  different  taste  from 
what  prevails  at  present.  The  eye-brows 
joining  in  the  middle  was  considered  as  a  very 
peculiar  grace  by  Tibullus,  in  the  enumera- 
tion of  the  charms  of  his  mistress.  Narrow 
foreheads  were  approved  of,  and  scarcely  any 
of  the  Roman  ladies,  that  are  celebrated  for 
their  other  perfections,  but  are  also  praised 
for  the  redness  of  their  hair.  The  nose  also 
of  the  Grecian  Venus,  was  such  as  would  ap- 
pear at  present  an  actual  deformity ;  as  it  fell 
in  a  straight  line  from  the  forehead,  without 
the  smallest  sinking  between  the  eyes; 
without  which  we  never  see  a  face  at 
present. 

Among  the  moderns,  every  country  seems 
to  have  peculiar  ideas  of  beauty."  The  Per- 
sians admire  large  eye-brows,  joining  in  the 
middle;  the  edges  and  corners  of  the  eyes 
are  tinctured  with  black,  and  the  size  of  the 
head  is  increased  by  a  great  variety  of  ban- 
dages, formed  into  a  turban.  In  some  parts 
of  India,  black  teeth  and  white  hair  are  desi- 
red with  ardour;  and  one  of  the  principal 
employments  of  the  women  of  Thibet,  is  to 
redden  the  teeth  with  herbs,  and  to  make 
their  hair  white  by  a  certain  preparation. 
The  passion  for  coloured  teeth  obtains  also 
in  China  and  Japan ;  where,  to  complete  their 
idea  of  beauty,  the  object  of  desire  must  have 
little  eyes,  nearly  closed,  feet  extremely  small, 
and  a  waist  far  from  being  shapely.  There 

»  Buffon. 


are  some  nations  of  the  American  Indians  that 
flatten  the  heads  of  their  children,  by  keeping 
them,  while  young,  squeezed  between  two 
boards,  so  as  to  make  the  visage  much  larger 
than  it  would  naturally  be.  Others  flatten 
the  head  at  top  ;  and  others  make  it  as  round 
as  they  possibly  can.  The  inhabitants  along 
the  western  coasts  of  Africa  have  a  very  ex- 
traordinary taste  for  beauty.  A  flat  nose, 
thick  lips,  and  a  jet  black  complexion,  are 
there  the  most  indulgent  gifts  of  Nature.  Such, 
indeed,  they  are  all,  in  some  degree,  found  to 
possess.  However,  they  take  care,  by  art,  to 
increase  the  natural  deformities,  as  they 
should  seem  to  us ;  and  they  have  many  ad- 
ditional methods  of  rendering  their  persons 
stillmorefrightfully  pleasing.  Thewholebody 
and  visage  is  often  scarred  with  a  variety  of 
monstrous  figures ;  which  is  not  done  without 
great  pain,  and  repeated  incision ;  and  even 
sometimes  parts  of  the  body  are  cut  away. 
But  it  would  be  endless  to  remark  the  vari- 
ous arts  which  caprice,  or  custom,  has  em- 
ployed to  distort  and  disfigure  the  body,  in 
order  to  render  it  more  pleasing :  in  fact, 
every  nation,  how  barbarous  soever,  seems 
unsatisfied  with  the  human  figure,  as  Nature 
has  left  it,  and  has  its  peculiar  arts  of  heigh- 
tening beauty.  Painting,  powdering,  cutting, 
boring  the  nose  and  the  ears,  lengthening  the 
one  and  depressing  the  other,  are  arts  prac- 
tised in  many  countries ;  and,  in  some  degree, 
admired  in  all.  These  arts  might  have  been 
at  first  introduced  to  hide  epidemic  deformi- 
ties :  custom,  by  degrees,  reconciles  them  to 
the  view ;  till,  from  looking  upon  them  with 
indifference,  the  eye  at  length  begins  to  gaze 
with  pleasure. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

OF  THE  AGE  OF  MANHOOD." 


THE  human  body  attains  to  its  full  height 
during  the  age  of  puberty  ;  or,  at  least,  a  short 
time  after.  Some  young  people  are  found  to 
cease  growing  at  fourteen  or  fifteen ;  others 
continue  their  growth  till  two  or  three  and 
twenty.  During  this  period  they  are  all  of 

b  This  chapter  is  translated  from  Mr.  Buffon,  whose  de- 
scription is  very  excellent.  Whatever  I  have  ndded.  is 


a  slender  make ;  their  thighs  and  legs  small, 
and  the  muscular  parts  are  yet  unfilled.  But, 
by  degrees,  the  fleshy  fibres  augment;  the 
muscles  swell,  and  assume  their  figure ;  the 
limbs  become  proportioned,  and  rounder; 
and  before  the  age  of  thirty,  the  body  in  men 

marked  by  inverted  commas,  "  thus."  And  in  whatever 
trifling  points  I  have  differed,  the  notpi  will  »>-v*  »«  .t-~— 


ANIMALS. 


141 


has  acquired  the  most  perfect  symmetry.  In 
women,  the  body  arrives  at  perfection  much 
sooner,  as  they  arrive  at  the  age  of  maturity 
more  early ;  the  muscles,  and  all  the  other 
parts  being  weaker,  less  compact  and  solid, 
than  those  of  man,  they  require  less  time  in 
coming  to  perfection ;  and,  as  they  are  less 
in  size,  that  size  is  sooner  completed.  Hence 
the  persons  of  women  are  found  to  be  as  com- 
plete at  twenty,  as  those  of  men  are  found  to 
be  at  thirty. 

The  body  of  a  well-shaped  man  ought  to 
be  square ;  the  muscles  should  be  expressed 
with  boldness,  and  the  lines  of  the  face 
strongly  marked.  In  the  woman,  all  the  mus- 
cles should  be  rounder,  the  lines  softer,  and 
the  features  more  delicate.  Strength  and 
majesty  belong  to  the  man,  grace  and  softness 
are  the  peculiar  embellishments  of  the  other 
sex.  In  both,  every  part  of  their  form  de- 
clares their  sovereignty  over  other  creatures. 
Man  supports  his  body  erect;  his  attitude  is 
that  of  command ;  and  his  face,  which  is 
turned  towards  the  heavens,  displays  the 
dignity  of  his  station.  The  image  of  his  soul 
is  painted  in  his  visage ;  and  the.  excellence 
of  his  nature  penetrates  through  the  material 
form  in  which  it  is  enclosed.  His  majestic 
port,  his  sedate  and  resolute  step,  announce 
the  nobleness  of  his  rank.  He  touches  the 
earth  only  with  his  extremity;  and  beholds 
it  as  if  at  a  disdainful  distance.  His  arms 
are  not  given  him,  as  to  other  creatures,  for 
pillars  01  support ;  nor  does  he  lose,  by  ren- 
dering them  callous  against  the  ground,  that 
delicacy  of  touch  which  furnishes  him  with 
so  many  of  his  enjoyments.  His  hands  are 
made  for  very  different  purposes;  to  second 
every  intention  of  his  will,  and  to  perfect  the 
gifts  of  Nature. 

When  the  soul  is  at  rest,  all  the  features 
of  the  visage  seem  settled  in  a  state  of  pro- 
found tranquillity.  Their  proportion,  their 
union,  and  their  harmony,  seem  to  mark  the 
sweet  serenity  of  the  mind,  and  give  a  true 
information  of  what  passes  within.  But,  when 
the  soul  is  excited,  the  human  visage  becomes 
a  living  picture ;  where  the  passions  are 
expressed  with  as  much  delicacy  as  energy, 
where  every  motion  is  designed  by  some 
correspondent  feature,  where  every  impres- 
sion anticipates  the  will,  and  betrays  those 


hidden  agitations,  that  he  would  often  wish 
to  conceal. 

It  is  particularly  in  the  eyes  that  the  pas- 
sions are  painted ;  and  in  which  we  may 
most  readily  discover  their  beginning.  The 
eye  seems  to  belong  to  the  soul  more  than 
any  other  organ ;  it  seems  to  participate  of 
all  its  emotions ;  as  well  the  most  soft  and 
tender,  as  the  most  tumultuous  and  forceful. 
It  not  only  receives,  but  transmits  them  by 
sympathy :  the  observing  eye  of  one  catches 
the  secret  fire  from  another ;  and  the  passion 
thus  often  becomes  general. 

Such  persons  as  are  short-sighted  labour 
under  a  particular  disadvantage  in  this  re- 
spect. They  are,  in  a  manner,  entirely  cut 
off  from  the  language  of  the  eyes ;  and  this 
gives  an  air  of  stupidity  to  the  face,  which 
often  produces  very  unfavourable  preposses- 
sions. However  intelligent  we  find  such 
persons  to  be,  we  can  scarcely  be  brought 
back  from  our  first  prejudice,  and  often  con- 
tinue in  the  first  erroneous  opinion.  In  this 
manner  we  are  too  much  induced  to  judge 
of  men  by  their  physiognomy;  and  having, 
perhaps,  at  first,  caught  up  our  judgments 
prematurely,  they  mechanically  influence  us 
all  our  lives  after.  This  extends  even  to  the 
very  colour,  or  the  cut  of  people's  clothes ; 
and  we  should,  for  this  reason,  be  careful, 
even  in  such  trifling  particulars,  since  they 
go  to  make  up  a  part  of  the  total  judgment 
which  those  we  converse  with  may  form  to 
our  advantage. 

The  vivacity,  or  the  languid  motion  of  the 
eyes,  give  the  strongest  marks  to  physiog- 
nomy; and  their  colour  contributes  still  more 
to  enforce  the  expression.  The  different 
colours  of  the  eye  are  the  dark  hazle,  the 
light  hazle,  the  green,  the  blue,  and  gray, 
the  whitish  gray,  "  and  also  the  red."  These 
different  colours  arise  from  the  different 
colours  of  the  little  muscles  that  serve  to 
contract  the  pupil;  "  and  they  are  very  often 
found  to  change  colour  with  disorder  and 
with  age." 

The  most  ordinary  colours  are  the  hazle 
and  the  blue,  and  very  often  both  these  co- 
lours are  found  in  the  eyes  of  the  same  per- 
son. Those  eyes  which  are  called  black  are 
only  of  the  dark  hnzle,  which  may  be  easily 
seen  upon  closer  inspection;  however,  those 

'2  C* 


! 


A  HISTORY  OF 


eyes  aro  reckoned  the  most  beautiful  where 
die  shade  is  the  deepest ;  and  either  in  these, 
or  the  blue  eyes,  the  lire,  which  gives  its 
finest  expression  to  the  eye,  is  more  distin- 
guishable in  proportion  to  the  darkness  of 
the  tint.  For  this  reason,  the  black  eyes,  as 
they  are  called,  have  the  greatest  vivacity; 
but,  probably,  the  blue  have  the  most  power- 
ful effect  in  beauty,  as  they  reflect  a  greater 
variety  of  lights,  being  composed  <5f  more 
various  colours. 

This  variety,  which  is  found  in  the  colour 
of  the  eyes,  is  peculiar  to  man,  and  one  or  two 
other  kinds  of  animals ;  but,  in  general,  the 
colour  in  any  one  individual  is  the  same  in 
all  the  rest.  The  eyes  of  oxen  are  brown ; 
those  of  sheep  of  a  water-colour;  those  of 
goats  are  gray  :  "  and  it  may  also  be,  in  ge- 
neral, remarked,  that  the  eyes  of  most  white 
animals  are  red  ;  thus  the  rabbit,  the  ferret, 
and,  even  in  the  human  race,  the  white  Moor, 
all  have  their  eyes  of  a  red  colour." 

Although  the  eye,  when  put  into  motion, 
seems  to  be  drawn  on  one  side,  yet  it  only 
moves  round  the  centre ;  by  which  its  co- 
loured part  moves  nearer  or  farther  from  the 
angle  of  the  eye-lids,  or  is  elevated  or  depres- 
sed. The  distance  between  the  eyes  is  less 
in  man  than  in  any  other  animal :  and  in  some 
of  them  it  is  so  great,  that  it  is  impossible 
that  they  should  ever  view  the  same  object 
with  both  eyes  at  once,  unless  it  be  very  far 
off!  "  This,  however,  in  them,  is  rather  an 
advantage  than  an  inconvenience,  as  they  are 
thus  able  to  watch  round  them,  and  guard 
against  the  dangers  of  their  precarious  situa- 
tion." 

Next  to  the  eyes,  the  features,  which  most 
give  a  character  to  the  face,  are  the  eye-brows; 
which  being,  in  some  measure,  more  appa- 
rent than  the  other  features,  are  most  readi- 
ly distinguished  at  a  distance.  "  Le  Brun, 
in  giving  a  painter  directions,  with  regard  to 
the  passions,  places  the  principal  expression 
of  the  face  in  the  eye-brows.  From  their  ele 
vation  and  depression,  most  of  the  furious  pas- 
sions are  characterized;  and  such  as  have 
this  feature  extremely  moveable,  are  usually 
known  to  have  an  expressive  face.  By  means 
of  these  wre  can  imitate  all  the  other  passions, 
as  they  are  raised  or  depressed  at  command ; 
the  rest  of  the  features  are  generally  fixed ; 


or,  when  put  into  motion,  they  do  not  obey 
the  will :  the  mouth  and  eyes,  in  an  actor,  for 
instance,  may,  by  being  violently  distorted, 
give  a  very  different  expression  from  what  he 
would  intend  ;  but  the  eye-brows  can  scarce- 
ly be  exerted  improperly  ;  their  being  raised, 
denotes  all  those  passions  which  pride  or 
pleasure  inspire  ;  and  their  depression  marks 
those  which  are  the  effects  of  contemplation 
and  pain ;  and  such  who  have  this  feature, 
therefore,  most  at  command,  are  often  found 
to  excel  as  actors." 

The  eye-lashes  have  an  effect,  in  giving  ex- 
pression to  the  eye,  particularly  when  long 
and  close :  they  soften  its  glances,  and  im- 
prove its  sweetness.  Man  and  apes  are  the 
only  animals  that  have  eye-lashes  both  upon 
the  upper  and  lower  lids ;  all  other  animals 
want  them  on  the  lid  below. 

The  eye-lids  serve  to  guard  the  ball  of  the 
eye,  and  to  furnish  it  with  a  proper  moisture. 
The  upper  lid  rises  and  falls ;  the  lower  has 
scarcely  any  motion;  and  although JbjeLrJbeing 
moved  depends  on  the  will,  yet  it  often  hap- 
pens that  the  will  is  unable  to  keep  them 
open,  when  sleep  or  fatigue  oppresses  the 
mind.  In  birds  and  amphibious  quadrupeds, 
the  lower  lid  alone  has  motion ;  fishes  and 
insects  have  no  eye-lids  whatsoever. 

The  forehead  makes  a  large  part  of  the 
face,  and  a  part  which  chiefly  contributes  to 
its  beauty.  It  ought  to  be  justly  proportioned; 
neither  too  round  nor  too  flat ;  neither  too  nar- 
row nor  too  low ;  and  the  hair  should  come 
thick  upon  its  extremities.  It  is  known  to 
every  body  how  much  the  hair  tends  to  im- 
prove the  face ;  and  how  much  the  being  bald 
serves  to  take  away  from  beauty.  The  high- 
est part  of  the  head  is  that  which  becomes 
bald  the  soonest,  as  well  as  that  part  which 
lies  immediately  above  the  temples.  The 
hair  under  the  temples,  and  at  the  back  of  the 
head,  is  very  seldom  known  to  fail,  "  and 
women  are  much  less  apt  to  become  bald 
than  men.  Mr.  Buffbn  seems  to  think  they 
never  become  bald  at  all ;  but  we  have  too 
many  instances  of  the  contrary  among  us,  not 
to  contradict  very  easily  the  assertion.  Of  all 
parts  or  appendages  of  the  body,  the  hair  is 
that  which  is  found  most  different,  in  different 
climates;  and  often  not  only  contributes  to 
mark  the  country,  but  also  the  disposition  of 


ANIMALS. 


143 


the  man.  It  is,  in  general,  thickest  where  the 
constitution  is  strongest;  and  more  glossy, 
and  beautiful,  where  the  health  is  most  per- 
manent. The  ancients  held  the  hair  to  be  a 
sort  of  excrement,  produced  like  the  nails; 
the  part  next  the  root  pushing  out  that  im- 
mediately contiguous.  But  the  moderns  have 
found  that  every  hair  may  be  truly  said  to  live, 
to  receive  nutriment,  to  fill  and  distend  itself, 
like  the  other  parts  of  the  body.  The  roots, 
they  observe,  do  not  turn  gray  sooner  than 
the  extremities,  but  the  whole  hair  changes 
colour  at  once ;  and  we  have  many  instances 
of  persons  who  have  grown  gray  in  one  night's 
time.'  Each  hair,  if  viewed  with  a  microscope, 
is  found  to  consist  of  five  or  six  lesser  ones, 
all  wrapped  up  in  one  common  covering;  it 
appears  knotted,  like  some  sorts  of  grass,  and 
sends  forth  branches  at  the  joints.  It  is  bul- 
bous at  the  root,  by  which  it  imbibes  its  mois- 
ture from  the  body  :  and  it  is  split  at  the 
points ;  so  that  a  single  hair,  at  its  end,  re- 
sembles a  brush.  Whatever  be  the  size  or 
the  shape  of  the  pore,  through  which  the  hair 
issues,  it  accommodates  itself  to  the  same  ; 
being  either  thick,  as  they  are  large ;  small, 
as  they  are  less  ;  round,  triangular,  and  vari- 
ously formed,  as  the  pores  happen  to  be  va- 
rious. The  hair  takes  its  colour  from  the 
juices  flowing  through  it;  and  it  is  found  that 
this  colour  differs  in  different  tribes  and  ra- 
ces of  people.  The'  Americans  and  the  Asia- 
tics have  their  hair  black,  thick,  straight,  and 
shining.  The  inhabitants  of  the  torrid  cli- 
mates of  Africa  have  it  black,  short,  and  wool- 
ly. The  people  of  Scandinavia  have  it  red, 
long,  and  curled ;  and  those  of  our  own,  and 
the  neighbouring  countries,  are  found  with 
hair  of  various  colours.  However,  it  is  sup- 
posed by  many,  that  every  man  resembles  in 
his  disposition  the  inhabitants  of  those  coun- 
tries whom  he  resembles  in  the  colour  and  the 
nature  of  his  hair ;  so  that  the  black  are  said, 
like  the  Asiatics,  to  be  grave  and  acute ;  the 
red,  like  the  Gothic  nations,  to  be  choleric 
and  bold.  However  this  may  be,  the  length 
and  the  strength  of  the  hair  is  a  general  mark 
of  a  good  constitution ;  and,  as  that  hair  which 
is  strongest  is  most  commonly  curled,  so  curl- 
ed hair  is  generally  regarded  among  us  as  a 

•  Mr.  BufTon  says,  that  the  hair  begins  to  grow  gray 
at  the  points  ;  but  the  fact  is  otherwise. 

b  Mr.  Bullun  is  of  this  opinion.     Ho  says,  that  the  up- 


beauty.  The  Greeks,  however,  had  a  very 
different  idea  of  beauty  in  this  respect;  and 
seem  to  have  taken  one  of  their  peculiar  na- 
tional distinctions  from  the  length  and  the 
straightness  of  the  hair." 

The  nose  is  the  most  prominent  feature  in 
the  face ;  but,  as  it  has  scarcely  any  motion, 
and  that  only  in  the  strongest  passions,  it  ra- 
ther adds  to  the  beauty  than  to  the  expres- 
sion of  the  countenance.  "  However,  I  am  told, 
by  the  skilful  in  this  branch  of  knowledge, 
that  wide  nostrils  add  a  great  deal  to  the  bold 
and  resolute  air  of  the  countenance ;  and 
where  they  are  narrow,  though  it  may  con- 
stitute beauty,  it  seldom  improves  expression." 
The  form  of  the  nose,  and  its  advanced  posi- 
tion, are  peculiar  to  the  human  visage  alone. 
Other  animals,  for  the  most  part,  have  nos- 
trils, with  a  partition  between  them ;  but  none 
of  them  have  an  elevated  nose.  Apes  them- 
selves have  scarcely  any  thing  else  of  this  fea- 
ture but  the  nostrils ;  the  rest  of  the  feature 
lying  flat  upon  the  visage,  and  scarcely  higher 
than  the  cheek-bones.  "  Among  all  the  tribes 
of  the  savage  wen  also,  the  nose  is  very  flat ; 
and  I  have  seen  a  Tartar  who  had  scarcely 
any  thing  else  but  two  holes  through  which  to 
breathe." 

The  mouth  and  lips,  next  to  the  eyes,  are 
found  to  have  the  greatest  expression.  The 
passions  have  great  power  over  this  part  of 
the  face ;  and  the  mouth  marks  its  different 
degrees  by  its  different  forms.  The  organ  of 
speech  still  more  animates  this  part,  and  gives 
it  more  life  than  any  other  feature  in  the  coun- 
tenance. The  ruby  colour  of  the  lips,  and  the 
white  enamel  of  the  teeth,  give  it  such  a  su- 
periority over  every  other  feature,  that  it 
seems  to  make  the  principal  object  of  our  re- 
gards. In  fact,  the  whole  attention  is  fixed 
upon  the  lips  of  the  speaker:  however  rapid 
his  discourse,  however  various  the  subject, 
the  mouth  takes  correspondent  situations ; 
and  deaf  men  have  been  often  found  to  see 
the  force  of  those  reasonings  which  they  could 
not  hear,  understanding  every  word  as  it  was 
spoken. 

"The  under  jaw  in  man  possesses  a  great 
variety  of  motions  ;  while  the  upper  has  been 
thought,  by  many,  to  be  quite  immoveable." 

per  jaw  is  imiTioveahlc  in  all  animals.  However,  the  pat- 
rot  is  an  obvious  exception  ;  and  so  is  man  himself,  as 
shown  above. 


144 


A  HISTORY  OF 


However,  that  it  moves  in  man,  a  very  easy 
experiment  will  suffice  to  convince  us.  If  we 
keep  the  head  fixed,  with  any  thing  between 
our  teeth,  the  edge  of  a  table  for  instance, 
and  then  open  our  mouths,  we  shall  find  that 
both  jaws  recede  from  it  at  the  same  time; 
the  upper  jaw  rises,  the  lower  falls,  and  the 
table  remains  untouched  between  them.  The 
upper  jaw  has  motion  as  well  as  the  under; 
and,  what  is  remarkable,  it  has  its  proper 
muscles  behind  the  head  for  thus  raising  and 
depressing  it.  Whenever,  therefore,  we  eat, 
both  jaws  move  at  the  same  time,  though  very 
unequally;  for  the  whole  head  moving  with 
the  upper  jaw,  of  which  it  makes  a  part,  its 
motions  are  thus  less  observable."  In  the  hu- 
man embryo,  the  under  jaw  is  very  much  ad- 
vanced before  the  upper.  "  In  the  adult,  it 
hangs  a  good  deal  more  backward ;  and  those 
whose  upper  and  under  row  of  teeth  are  equal- 
ly prominent,  and  strike  directly  against  each 
other,  are  what  the  painters  call  under-hung ; 
and  they  consider  this  as  a  great  defect  in 
beauty."  The  under  jaw  in  a  Chinese  face 
falls  greatly  more  backward  than  with  us ; 
and,  I  am  told,  the  difference  is  half  an  inch, 
when  the  mouth  is  shut  naturally."  In  instan- 
ces of  the  most  violent  passion,  the  under  jaw 
has  often  an  involuntary  quivering  motion ; 
and  often,  also,  a  state  of  languor  produces 
another,  which  is  that  of  yawning.  "Every 
one  knows  how  very  sympathetic  this  kind 
of  languid  motion  is ;  and  that  for  one  person 
to  yawn,  is  sufficient  to  set  all  the  rest  of  the 
company  a  yawning.  A  ridiculous  instance 
of  this  was  commonly  practised  upon  the  fa- 
mous M'Laurin,  one  of  the  professors  at  Edin- 
burgh. He  was  very  subject  to  have  his  jaw 
dislocated;  so  that  when  he  opened  his  mouth 
wider  than  ordinary,  or  when  he  yawned,  he 
could  not  shut  it  again.  In  the  midst  of  his 
harangues,  therefore,  if  any  of  his  pupils  be- 
gan to  be  tired  of  his  lecture,  he  had  only  to 
gape  or  yawn,  and  the  professor  instantly 
caught  the  sympathetic  affection ;  so  that  he 
thus  continued  to  stand  speechless,  with  his 
mouth  wide  open,  till  his  servant,  from  the 
next  room,  was  called  in  to  set  his  jaw  again."" 
When  the  mind  reflects  with  regret  upon 

a  Mr.  Buffon  says,  that  both  jaws,  in  a  perfect  face, 
should  be  on  a  level :  but  this  is  denied  by  the  best 
painters. 


some  good  unattained  or  lost,  it  feels  an  inter- 
nal emotion,  which  acting  upon  the  diaphragm, 
and  that  upon  the  lungs,  produces  a  sigh; 
this,  when  the  mind  is  strongly  affected,  is  re- 
peated ;  sorrow  succeeds  these  first  emotions, 
and  tears  are  often  seen  to  follow :  sobbing  is 
the  sigh  still  more  invigorated ;  and  lamen- 
tation, or  crying,  proceeds  from  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  plaintive  tone  of  the  voice, 
which  seems  to  implore  pity.  "  There  is  yet 
a  silent  agony,  in  which  the  mind  appears  to 
disdain  all  external  help,  and  broods  over  its 
distresses  with  gloomy  reserve.  This  is  the 
most  dangerous  state  of  mind  :  accidents  or 
friendship  may  lessen  the  louder  kindsof  grief; 
but  all  remedies  for  this  must  be  had  from 
within ;  and  there  despair  too  often  finds  the 
most  deadly  enemy." 

Laughter  is  a  sound  of  the  voice,  interrupt- 
ed and  pursued  for  some  continuance.  The 
muscles  of  the  belly,  and  the  diaphragm,  are 
employed  in  the  slightest  exertions ;  but  those 
of  the  ribs  are  strongly  agitated  in  the  louder; 
and  the  head  sometimes  is  thrown  backward, 
in  order  to  raise  them  with  greater  ease. 
The  smile  is  often  an  indication  of  kindness 
and  good-will :  it  is  also  often  used  as  a  mark 
of  contempt  and  ridicule. 

Blushing  proceeds  from  different  passions ; 
being  produced  by  shame,  anger,  pride,  and 
joy.  Paleness  is  often  also  the  effect  of  an- 
ger;  and  almost  ever  attendant  on  fright  and 
fear.  These  alterations  in  the  colour  of  the 
countenance  are  entirely  involuntary;  all  the 
other  expressions  of  the  passions  are,  in  some 
small  degree,  under  control;  but  blushing  and 
paleness  betray  our  secret  purposes  ;  and  we 
might  as  well  attempt  to  stop  them,  as  the 
circulation  of  the  blood,  by  which  they  are 
caused. 

The  whole  head,  as  well  as  the  features  of 
the  face,  takes  peculiar  attitudes  from  its  pas 
sions :  it  bends  forward,  to  express  humility, 
shame,  or  sorrow;  it  is  turned  to  one  side  in 
languor  or  in  pity;  it  is  thrown  with  the  chin 
forward  in  arrogance  and  pride;  erect  in 
self-conceit  and  obstinacy ;  it  is  thrown  back- 
wards in  astonishment ;  and  combines  its  mo- 
tion to  the  one  side  and  the  other,  to  express 

[b  Since  the  publication  of  this  work,  the  editor  has  been 
credibly  informed,  that  the  professor  had  not  the  defect 
here  mentioned.] 


ANIMALS. 


145 


contempt,  ridicule,  anger,  and  resentment. 
"Painters,  whose  study  leads  to  the  contem- 
plation of  external  forms,  are  much  more  ade- 
quate judges  of  these  than  any  naturalist  can 
be;  and  it  is  with  these  a  general  remark, 
that  no  one  passion  is  regularly  expressed  on 
different  countenances  in  the  same  manner; 
but  that  grief  often  sits  upon  the  face  like  joy; 
and  pride  assumes  the  air  of  passion.  It 
would  be  vain,  therefore,  in  words,  to  express 
their  general  effect,  since  they  are  often  as 
various  as  the  countenances  they  sit  upon ; 
and  in  making  this  distinction  nicely,  lies  all 
the  skill  of  the  physiognomist.  In  being  able 
to  distinguish  what  part  of  the  face  is  marked 
by  nature,  and  what  by  the  mind ;  what  part 
had  been  originally  formed,  and  what  is  made 
by  habit,  constitutes  this  science,  upon  which 
the  ancients  so  much  valued  themselves,  and 
which  we  at  present  so  little  regard.  Some, 
however,  of  the  most  acute  men  among  us, 
have  paid  great  attention  to  this  art ;  and,  by 
long  practice,  have  been  able  to  give  some 
character  of  every  person  whose  face  they  ex- 
amined. Montaigne  is  well  known  to  have 
disliked  those  men  who  shut  one  eye  in  look- 
ing upon  any  object ;  and  Fielding  asserts, 
that  he  never  knew  a  person  with  a  steady 
glavering  smile,  but  he  found  him  a  rogue. 
However,  most  of  these  observations,  tending 
to  a  discovery  of  the  mind  by  the  face,  are 
merely  capricious ;  and  Nature  has  kindly  hid 
our  hearts  from  each  other,  to  keep  us  in  good 
humour  with  our  fellow-creatures." 

The  parts  of  the  head  which  give  the  least 
expression  to  the  face,  are  the  ears  ;  and  they 
are  generally  found  hidden  under  the  hair. 
These,  which  are  immoveable,  and  make  so 
small  an  appearance  in  man,  are  very  distin- 
guishing features  in  quadrupeds.  They  serve 
in  them  as  the  principal  marks  of  the  passions; 
the  ears  discover  their  joys  or  their  terrors, 
with  tolerable  pecision ;  and  denote  all  their 
internal  agitations.  The  smallest  ears,  in  men, 
are  said  to  be  most  beautiful ;  but  the  largest 
are  found  the  best  for  hearing.  There  are 
some  savage  nations  who  bore  their  ears,  and 
so  draw  that  part  down,  that  the  tips  of  the 
ears  are  seen  to  rest  upon  their  shoulders. 

The  strange  variety  of  the  different  customs 
of  men,  appears  still  more  extravagant  in  their 
manner  of  wearing  their  beards.  Some,  and 


among  others  the  Turks,  cut  the  hair  off*  their 
heads,  and  let  their  beards  grow.  The  Eu- 
ropeans, on  the  contrary,  shave  their  beards, 
and  wear  their  hair.  The  Negroes  shave 
their  heads  in  figures  at  one  time,  in  stars  af 
another,  in  the  manner  of  friars ;  and  still 
morecommonly  in  alternate  stripes  ;  and  their 
little  boys  are  shaved  in  the  same  manner. 
The  Talapoins,  of  Siam,  shave  the  heads  and 
the  eye-brows  of  such  children  as  are  com- 
mitted to  their  care.  Every  nation  seems  to 
have  entertained  different  prejudices,  at  dif- 
ferent times,  in  favour  of  one  part  or  another 
of  the  beard.  Some  have  admired  the  hair 
upon  the  cheeks  on  each  side,  as  we  see  with 
some  low-bred  men  among  ourselves,  who 
want  to  be  fine.  Some  like  the  hair  lower 
down ;  some  choose  it  curled ;  and  others 
like  it  straight.  "  Some  have  cut  it  into  a 
peak ;  and  others  shave  all  but  the  whisker. 
This  particular  part  of  the  beard  was  highly 
prized  among  the  Spaniards ;  till  of  late,  a 
man  without  whiskers  was  considered  as  un- 
fit for  company ;  and  where  Nature  had  de- 
nied them,  Art  took  care  to  supply  the  defi- 
ciency. We  are  told  of  a  Spanish  'general 
who,  when  he  borrowed  a  large  sura  of  money 
from  the  Venetians,  pawned  his  whisker, 
which  he  afterwards  took  proper  care  to  re- 
lease. Kingson  assures  us,  that  a  considera- 
ble part  of  the  religion  of  the  Tartars  con- 
sists in  the  management  of  their  whiskers;  and 
that  they  waged  a  long  and  bloody  war  with 
the  Persians,  declaring  them  infidels,  merely 
because  they  would  not  give  their  whiskers 
the  orthodox  cut.  The  kings  of  Persia  car- 
ried the  care  of  their  beards  to  a  ridiculous 
excess,  when  they  chose  to  wear  them  mat- 
ted with  gold  thread  :  and  even  the  kings  ol 
France,  of  the  first  races,  had  them  knotted 
and  buttoned  with  gold.  But  of  all  nations, 
the  Americans  take  the  greatest  pains  in  cut 
ting  their  hair,  and  plucking  their  beards. 
The  under  part  of  the  beard,  and  all  but  the 
whisker,  they  take  care  to  pluck  up  by  the 
roots,  so  that  many  have  supposed  them  to 
have  no  hair  naturally  growing  on  that  part : 
and  even  Linnaeus  has  fallen  into  that  mistake. 
Their  hair  is  also  cut  into  bands;  and  no 
small  care  employed  in  adjusting  the  whisker. 
In  fact,  we  have  a  very  wrong  idea  of  savage 
finery ;  and  are  apt  to  suppose  that,  like  the 


146 


A  HISTORY  OF 


beasts  of  the  forest,  they  rise,  and  are  dres- 
sed with  a  shake :  but  the  reverse  is  true ; 
for  no  birth-night  beauty  takes  more  time  or 
pains  in  the  adorning  her  person  than  they. 
I  remember,  when  the  Cherokee  kings  were 
over  here,  that  I  have  waited  for  three  hours 
during  the  time  they  were  dressing.  They 
never  would  venture  to  make  their  appear- 
ance till  they  had  gone  through  the  tedious 
ceremonies  of  the  toilet :  they  had  their  boxes 
of  oil  and  ochre,  their  fat.  and  their  perfumes, 
like  the  most  effeminate  beau,  and  generally 
took  up  four  hours  in  dressing,  before  they 
considered  themselves  as  fit  to  he  seen.  We 
must  not,  therefore,  consider  a  delicacy  in 
point  of  dress,  as  a  mark  of  refinement,  since 
savages  are  much  more  difficult  in  this  par- 
ticular, than  the  most  fashionable  or  tawdry 
European.  The  more  barbarous  the  people, 
the  fonder  of  finery.  In  Europe,  the  lustre  of 
jewels,  and  the  splendour  of  the  most  brilliant 
colours,  are  generally  given  up  to  women,  or 
to  the  weakest  part  of  the  other  sex,  who  are 
willing  to  be  contemptibly  fine :  but  in  Asia, 
these  trifling  fineries  are  eagerly  sought  after 
by  every  condition  of  men ;  and,  as  the  pro- 
verb has  it,  we  find  the  richest  jewels  in  an 
jEthiop's  ear.  The  passion  for  glittering  or- 
naments, is  still  stronger  among  the  absolute 
barbarians,  who  often  exchange  their  whole 
stock  of  provisions,  and  whatever  else  they 
happen  to  be  possessed  of,  with  our  seamen, 
for  a  glass-bead,  or  a  looking-glass." 

Although  fashions  have  arisen  in  different 
countries  from  fancy  and  caprice,  these,  when 
they  become  general,  deserve  examination. 
Mankind  have  always  considered  it  as  a  mat- 
ter of  moment,  and  they  will  ever  continue 
desirous  of  drawing  the  attention  of  each 
other,  by  such  ornaments  as  mark  the  riches, 
the  power,  or  the  courage  of  the  wearer. 
The  value  of  those  shining  stones  which  have 
at  all  times  been  considered  as  precious  or- 
naments,is  entirely  founded  upon  their  scarce- 
ness or  their  brilliancy.  It  is  the  same  like- 
wise with  respect  to  those  shining  metals,  the 
weight  of  which  is  so  little  regarded,  when 
spread  over  our  clothes.  These  ornaments 
are  rather  designed  to  draw  the  attention  of 
others,  than  to  add  to  any  enjoyments  of  our 
own ;  and  few  there  are  that  these  ornaments 
will  not  serve  to  dazzle,  and  who  can  coolly 


distinguish  between  the  metal  and  the  man. 

All  things  rare  and  brilliant  will,  therefore, 
ever  continue  to  be  fashionable,  while  men 
derive  greater  advantage  from  opulence  than 
virtue ;  while  the  means  of  appearing  con- 
siderable are  more  easily  acquired,  than  the 
title  to  be  considered.  The  first  impression 
we  generally  make,  arises  from  our  dress ; 
and  this  varies,  in  conformity  to  our  inclina- 
tions, and  the  manner  in  which  we  desire  to 
be  considered.  The  modest  man,  or  he  who 
would  wish  to  be  thought  so,  desires  to  show 
the  simplicity  of  his  mind  by  the  plainness 
of  his  dress ;  the  vain  man,  on  the  contrary, 
takes  a  pleasure  in  displaying  his  superiority, 
"  and  is  willing  to  incur  the  spectator's  dis- 
like, so  he  does  but  excite  his  attention." 

Another  point  of  view  which  men  have  in 
dressing,  is  to  increase  the  size  of  their  figure ; 
and  to  take  up  more  room  in  the  world  than 
Nature  seems  to  have  allotted  them.  We  de- 
sire to  swell  out  our  clothes  by  the  stiffness 
of  art,  and  raise  our  heels,  while  we  add  to 
the  largeness  of  our  heads.  How  bulky  so- 
ever our  dress  may  be,  our  vanities  are  still 
more  bulky.  The  largeness  of  the  doctor's 
wig  arises  from  the  same  pride  with  the  small- 
ness  of  the  beau's  queue.  Both  want  to  have 
the  size  of  their  understanding  measured  by 
the  size  of  their  heads. 

There  are  some  modes  that  seem  to  have 
a  more  reasonable  origin,  which  is  to  hide  or 
to  lessen  the  defects  of  Nature.  To  take  men 
altogether,  there  are  many  more  deformed 
and  plain,  than  beautiful  and  shapely.  The 
former,  as  being  the  most  numerous,  give  law 
to  fashion  ;  and  their  laws  are  generally  such 
as  are  made  in  their  own  favour.  The  wo- 
men begin  to  colour  their  cheeks  with  red, 
when  the  natural  roses  are  faded;  and  the 
younger  are  obliged  to  submit,  though  not 
compelled  by  the  same  necessity.  In  all  parts 
of  the  world,  this  custom  prevails  more  or  less; 
and  powdering  and  frizzing  the  hair,  though 
not  so  general,  seems  to  have  arisen  from  a 
similar  control. 

But  leaving  the  draperies  of  the  human  pic- 
ture, let  us  return  to  the  figure,  unadorned  by 
art.  Man's  head,  whether  considered  exter- 
nally or  internally,  is  differently  formed  from 
that  of  all  other  animals,  the  monkey-kind 
only  excepted,  in  which  there  is  a  striking 


ANIMALS. 


147 


similitude.  There  fire  some  differences,  how- 
ever, which  we  shall  take  notice  of  in  ano- 
ther place.  The  bodies  of  all  quadruped  ani- 
mals are  covered  with  hair ;  but  the  head  of 
man  seems  the  part  most  adorned  ;  and  that 
more  abundantly  than  in  any  other  animal. 

There  is  a  very  great  variety  in  the  teeth 
of  all  animals ;  some  have  them  above  and 
below ;  others  have  them  in  the  under  jaw 
only ;  in  some  they  stand  separate  from  each 
other ;  while  in  some  they  are  continued  and 
united.  The  palate  of  some  fishes  is  nothing 
else  but  a  bony  plate  studded  with  points, 
which  perform  the  offices  of  teeth.  All  these 
substances,  in  every  animal,  derive  their  ori- 
gin from  the  nerves ;  the  substance  of  the 
nerves  hardens  by  being  exposed  to  the  air; 
and  the  nerves  that  terminate  in  the  mouth, 
being  thus  exposed,  acquire  a  bony  solidity. 
In  this  manner,  the  teeth  and  nails  are  formed 
in  man ;  and  in  this  manner,  also,  the  beak, 
the  hoofs,  the  horns,  and  the  talons,  of  other 
animals,  are  found  to  be  produced. 

The  neck  supports  the  head,  and  unites  it 
to  the  body.  This  part  is  much  more  con- 
siderable in  the  generality  of  quadrupeds, 
than  in  man.  But  fishes,  and  other  animals 
that  want  lungs  similar  to  ours,  have  no  neck 
whatsoever.  Birds,  in  general,  have  the  neck 
longer  than  any  other  kind  of  animals :  those 
of  them,  which  have  short  claws,  have  also 
short  necks  ;  those,  on  the  contrary,  that  have 
them  long,  are  found  to  have  the  neck  in  pro- 
portion. "  In  men,  there  is  a  lump  upon  the 
wind-pipe,  formed  by  the  thyroid  cartilage, 
which  is  not  to  be  seen  in  women ;  an  Arabi- 
an fable  says,  that  this  is  a  part  of  the  origi- 
nal apple,  that  has  stuck  in  the  man's  throat 
by  the  way,  but  that  the  woman  swallowed 
her  part  of  it  down." 

The  human  breast  is  outwardly  formed  in 
a  very  different  manner  from  that  of  other 
animals.  It  is  larger  in  proportion  to  the  size 
of  the  body ;  and  none  but  man,  and  such  ani- 
mals as  make  use  of  their  fore  feet  as  hands, 
such  as  monkeys,  bats,  and  squirrels,  and 
such  quadrupeds  as  climb  trees,  are  found  to 
have  those  bones  called  the  clavicles,  or,  as 
we  usually  term  them,  the  collar-bones." 

*  Mr.  Buffon  says,  that  none  but  monkeys  have  them  ; 
hut  this  is  an  oversight. 


The  breasts  in  women  are  larger  than  in  men; 
however,  they  seem  formed  in  the  same  man- 
ner; and,  sometimes,  milk  is  found  in  the 
breasts  of  men,  as  well  as  in  those  of  women. 
Among  animals,  there  is  a  great  variety  in 
this  part  of  the  body.  The  teats  of  some,  as 
in  the  ape  and  the  elephant,  are  like  those  of 
men,  being  but  two,  and  placed  on  each  side 
of  the  breast.  The  teats  of  the  bear  amount 
to  four.  The  sheep  has  but  two,  placed 
between  the  hinder  legs.  Other  animals, 
such  as  the  bitch  and  the  sow,  have  them  all 
along  the  belly ;  and,  as  they  produce  many 
young,  they  have  a  great  many  teats  for  their 
support.  The  form  also  of  the  teats  varies 
in  different  animals ;  and,  in  the  same  animal, 
at  different  ages.  The  bosom  in  females, 
seems  to  unite  all  our  ideas  of  beauty,  where 
the  outline  is  continually  changing,  and  the 
gradations  are  soft  and  regular. 

"  The  graceful  fall  of  the  shoulders,  both 
in  man  and  woman,  constitute  no  small  part 
of  beauty.  In  apes,  though  otherwise  made 
like  us,  the  shoulders  are  high,  and  drawn  up 
on  each  side  towards  the  ears.  In  man  they 
fall  by  a  gentle  declivity ;  and  the  more  so, 
in  proportion  to  the  beauty  of  his  form.  In 
fact, being  high-shouldered, is  not  without  rea- 
son considered  as  a  deformity,  for  we  find  very 
sickly  persons  are  always  so ;  and  people, 
when  dying,  are  ever  seen  with  their  shoul- 
ders drawn  up  in  a  surprising  manner.  The 
muscles  that  serve  to  raise  the  ribs,  mostly 
rise  near  the  shoulders :  and  the  higher  we 
raise  the  shoulders,  we  the  more  easily  raise 
the  ribs  likewise.  It  happens,  therefore,  in 
the  sickly  and  the  dying,  who  do  not  breathe 
without  labour,  that  to  raise  the  ribs,  they  are 
obliged  to  call  in  the  assistance  of  the  shoul- 
ders; and  thus  their  bodies  assume,  from  ha- 
bit, that  form  which  they  are  so  frequently 
obliged  to  assume.  Women  with  child  also, 
are  usually  seen  to  be  high-shouldered ;  for 
the  weight  of  the  inferior  parts  drawing  down 
the  ribs,  they  are  obliged  to  use  every  effort 
to  elevate  them,  and  thus  they  raise  the  shoul- 
ders of  course.  During  pregnancy,  also,  the 
shape,  not  only  of  the  shoulders,  but  also  of 
the  breast,  and  even  the  features  of  the  face, 
are  greatly  altered  :  for  the  whole  upper  fore- 
part of  the  body  is  covered  with  a  broad  thin 
skin,  called  the  myoides;  which  being,  at 


148 


A  HISTORY  OF 


that  time,  drawn  down,  it  also  draws  down 
with  it  the  skin,  and,  consequently,  the  fea- 
tures of  the  face.  By  these  means  the  visage 
takes  a  particular  form ;  the  lower  eye-lids, 
and  the  corners  of  the  mouth,  are  drawn  down- 
wards ;  so  that  the  eyes  are  enlarged,  and  the 
mouth  lengthened ;  and  women,  in  these  cir- 
cumstances, are  said,  by  the  midwives,  to  be 
all  mouth  and  eyes." 

The  arms  of  men  but  very  little  resemble 
the  fore  feet  of  quadrupeds,  and  much  less 
the  wings  of  birds.  The  ape  is  the  only  ani- 
mal that  is  possessed  of  hands  and  arms  ;  but 
these  are  much  more  rudely  fashioned,  and 
with  less  exact  proportion,  than  in  men ;  "  the 
thumb  not  being  so  well  opposed  to  the  rest 
of  the  lingers,  in  their  hands,  as  in  ours." 

The  form  of  the  back  is  not  much  different 
in  mail  from  that  of  other  quadruped  animals, 
only  that  the  reins  are  more  muscular  in  him, 
and  stronger.  The  buttock,  however,  in  man, 
is  different  from  that  of  all  other  animals 
whatsoever.  What  goes  by  that  name,  in 
other  creatures,  is  only  the  upper  part  of  the 
thigh ;  man  being  the  only  animal  that  sup- 
ports himself  perfectly  erect,  the  largeness 
of  this  part  is  owing  to  the  peculiarity  of  his 
position. 

Man's  feet,  also,  are  different  from  those  of 
all  other  animals,  those  even  of  apes  not  ex- 
cepted.  The  foot  of  the  ape  is  rather  a  kind 
of  awkward  hand ;  its  toes,  or  rather  fingers, 
are  long,  and  that  of  the  middle  longest  of  all. 
This  foot  also  wants  the  heel,  as  in  man ;  the 
sole  is  narrower,  and  less  adapted  to  main- 
tain the  equilibrium  of  the  body  in  walking, 
dancing,  or  running. 

The  nails  are  less  in  man  than  in  any  other 
animal.  If  they  were  much  longer  than  the 
extremities  of  the  fingers,  they  would  rather 
be  prejudicial  than  serviceable,  and  obstruct 
the  management  of  the  hand.  Such  savages 
as  let  them  grow  long,  make  use  of  them  in 
flaying  animals,  in  tearing  their  flesh, and  such 
like  purposes  ;  however,  though  their  nails 
are  considerably  larger  than  ours,  they  are 
|jy  no  means  to  be  compared  to  the  hoofs  or 
the  claws  of  other  animals.  "They  may 
sometimes  be  seen  longer,  indeed,  than  the 
claws  of  any  animal  whatsoever  ;  as  we  learn 
that  the  nails  of  some  of  the  learned  men  in 
China  are  longer  than  their  fingers.  But 


these  want  that  solidity  which  might  give 
force  to  their  exertions ;  and  could  never,  in 
a  state  of  nature,  have  served  them  for  an- 
noyance or  defence." 

There  is  little  known  exactly  with  regard 
to  the  proportion  of  the  human  figure ;  and 
the  beauty  of  the  best  statues  is  better  con- 
ceived by  observing  than  by  measuring  them. 
The  statues  of  antiquity,  which  were  at  first 
copied  after  the  human  form,  are  now  become 
the  models  of  it;  nor  is  there  one  man  fouiid 
whose  person  approaches  to  those  inimitable 
performances,  that  have  thus,  in  one  figure, 
united  the  perfections  of  many.  It  is  suffici- 
ent to  say  that,  from  being  at  first  models, 
they  are  now  become  originals ;  and  are  used 
to  correct  the  deviations  in  that  form  from 
whence  they  were  taken.  I  will  not,  how- 
ever, pretend  to  give  the  proportions  of  the 
human  body,  as  taken  from  these,  there  being 
nothing  more  arbitrary,  and  which  good  pain- 
ters themselves  so  much  contemn.  Some,  for 
instance,  who  have  studied  after  these,  divide 
the  body  into  ten  times  the  length  of  the  face, 
and  others  into  eight.  Some  pretend  to  tell 
us,  that  there  is  a  similitude  of  proportion  in 
different  parts  of  the  body.  Thus,  that  the 
hand  is  the  length  of  the  face  ;  the  thumb  the 
length  of  the  nose ;  the  space  between  the 
eyes  is  the  breadth  of  an  eye ;  that  the  breadth 
of  the  thigh,  at  thickest,  is  double  that  of  the 
thickest  part  of  the  leg,  and  treble  the  small- 
est ;  that  the  arms  extended,  are  as  long  as 
the  figure  is  high ;  that  the  legs  and  thighs 
are  half  the  length  of  the  figure.  All  this,  how- 
ever, is  extremely  arbitrary;  and  the  excel- 
lence of  a  shape,  or  the  beauty  of  a  statue, 
results  from  the  attitude  and  position  of  the 
whole,  rather  than  any  established  measure- 
ments, begun  without  experience,  and  adopt- 
ed by  caprice.  In  general,  it  may  be  re- 
marked, that  the  proportions  alter  in  every 
age,  and  are  obviously  different  in  the  two 
sexes.  In  women,  the  shoulders  are  narrow- 
er, and  the  neck  proportionably  longer,  than 
in  men.  The  hips  also  are  considerably  lar- 
ger, and  the  thighs  much  shorter,  than  in  men. 
These  proportions,  however,  vary  greatly  at 
different  ages.  In  infancy,  the  upper  parts  of 
the  body  are  much  larger  than  the  lower ;  the 
legs  and  thighs  do  not  constitute  any  thing 
like  half  the  height  of  the  wkole  figure :  in 


ANIMALS. 


1-19 


proportion  as  the  child  increases  in  age,  the 
inferior  parts  are  found  to  lengthen;  so  that 
the  body  is  not  equally  divided  until  it  has 
acquired  its  full  growth. 

The  size  of  men  varies  considerably.  Men 
are  said  to  be  tall  who  are  from  five  feet  eight 
inches  to  six  feet  high.  The  middle  stature 
is  from  five  feet  five  to  five  feet  eight :  and 
those  are  said  to  be  of  small  stature  who  fall 
under  these  measures.  "  However,  it  ought 
to  be  remarked,  that  the  same  person  is  al- 
ways taller  when  he  arises  in  the  morning, 
than  upon  going  to  bed  at  night ;  and  some- 
times there  is  an  inch  difference;  and  I  have 
seen  more.  Few  persons  are  sensible  of  this 
remarkable  variation;  and  I  am  told,  it  was 
first  perceived,  in  England,  by  a  recruiting 
officer.  He  often  found  that  those  men  whom 
he  had  enlisted  for  soldiers,  and  answered  to 
the  appointed  standard  at  one  time,  fell  short 
of  it  when  they  came  to  be  measured  before 
the  colonel,  at  the  head-quarters.  This  di- 
minution in  their  size  proceeded  from  the  dif- 
ferent times  of  the  day,  and  the  different  states 
of  the  body,  when  they  happened  to  be  mea- 
sured. If,  as  was  said,  they  were  measured 
in  the  morning,  after  the  night's  refreshment, 
they  were  found  to  be  commonly  half  an  inch, 
and  very  often  a  whole  inch,  taller  than  if 
measured  after  the  fatigues  of  the  day ;  if  they 
were  measured  when  fresh  in  the  country, 
and  before  a  long  fatiguing  march  to  the  re- 
giment, they  were  found  to  be  an  inch  taller 
than  when  they  arrived  at  their  journey's  end. 
All  this  is  now  well  known  among  those  who 
recruit  for  the  army,  and  the  reason  of  this 
difference  of  stature  is  obvious.  Between  all 
the  joints  of  the  back-bone,  which  is  compo- 
sed of  several  pieces,  there  is  a  glutinous  li- 
quor deposited,  which  serves,  like  oil  in  a 
,  machine,  to  give  the  parts  an  easy  play  upon 
each  other.  This  lubricating  liquor,  or  sy- 
novia, as  the  anatomists  call  it,  is  poured  in 
during  the  season  of  repose,  and  is  consumed 
by  exercise  and  employment;  so  that  in  a 
body,  after  hard  labour,  there  is  scarce  any 
of  it  remaining;  but  all  the  joints  grow  stiff, 
and  their  motion  becomes  hard  and  painful. 
It  is  from  hence,  therefore,  that  the  body  di- 
minishes in  stature.  For  this  moisture  being 
drained  away  from  between  the  numerous 
joints  of  the  back-bone,  they  lie  closer  upon  ! 


each  other;  and  their  whole  length  is  thus 
very  sensibly  diminished ;  but  sleep,  by  re- 
storing the  lluid  again,  swells  the  spaces  be- 
tween the  joints,  and  the  whole  is  extended 
to  its  former  dimensions. 

"  As  the  human  body  is  thus  often  found  to 
differ  from  itself  in  size,  so  it  is  found  to  dif- 
fer in  its  weight  also;  and  the  same  person, 
without  any  apparent  cause,  is  found  to  be 
heavier  at  one  time  than  another.  If,  after 
having  eaten  a  hearty  dinner,  or  having  drunk 
hard,  the  person  should  find  himself  thus  hea- 
vier, it  would  appear  no  way  extraordinary ; 
but  the  fact  is,  the  body  is  very  often  Ibuud 
heavier  some  hours  after  eating  a  hearty  meal 
than  immediately  succeeding  it.  If,  for  in- 
stance, a  person,  fatigued  by  a  day's  hard  la- 
bour, should  eat  a  plentiful  supper,  and  then 
get  himself  weighed  upon  going  to  bed;  after 
sleeping  soundly,  if  he  is  again  weighed,  he 
will  find  himself  considerably  .heavier  than 
before ;  and  this  difference  is  often  found  to 
amount  to  a  pound,  or  sometimes  to  a  pound 
and  a  half.  From  whence  his  adventitious 
weight  is  derived  is  not  easy  to  conceive; 
the  body,  during  the  whole  night,  appears  ra- 
ther plentifully  perspiring  than  imbibing  any 
fluid,  rather  losing  than  gaining  moisture  : 
however, we  have  no  reason  to  doubt,  but  that 
either  by  the  lungs,  or  perhaps,  by  a  pecu- 
liar set  of  pores,  it  is  all  this  time  inhaling  a 
quantity  of  fluid,  which  thus  increases,  the 
weight  of  the  whole  body,  upon  being  weigh- 
ed the  next  morning."11 

Although  the  human  body  is  externally 
more  delicate  than  any  of  the  quadruped  kind, 
it  is,  notwithstanding,  extremely  muscular; 
and,  perhaps,  for  its  size,  stronger  than  that 
of  any  other  animal.  If  we  should  offer  to 
compare  the  strength  of  the  lion  with  that  of 
man,  we  should  consider  that  the  claws  of 
this  animal,  give  us  a  false  idea  of  its  power ; 
we  ascribe  to  its  force  what  is  only  the  effects 
of  its  arms.  Those  which  man  has  received 
from  Nature  are  not  offensive  ;  happy  had  Art 
never  furnished  him  with  any  more  terrible 
than  those  which  arm  the  paws  of  the 
lion ! 

a  From  the  experiment  also,  the  learned  may  gather 
upon  what  a  weak  foundation  the  whole  doctrine  of'Sanc- 
torian  perspiration  is  built:  but  this  disquisition  more  pro- 
perly belongs  to  medicine  than  natural  history. 
2F* 


A  HISTORY  OF 


But  there  is  another  manner'1  of  comparing 
the  strength  of  man  with  that  of  other  ani- 
mals ;  namely,  by  the  weights  which  either  can 
carry.  We  are  assured  that  the  porters  of 
Constantinople  carry  burdens  of  nine  hun- 
dred pounds  weight.  Mr.  Desaguliers  tells  us 
of  a  man,  who  by  distributing  weights  in  such 
a  manner,  as  that  every  part  of  his  body  bore 
its  share,  was  thus  able  to  raise  a  weight  of  two 
thousand  pounds.  A  horse,  which  is  about 
seven  times  our  bulk,  would  be  thus  able  to 
raise  a  weight  of  fourteen  thousand  pounds,  if 
its  strength  were  in  the  same  proportion.11 
"  But,  the  truth  is,  a  horse  will  not  carry  upon 
its  back  above  a  weight  of  two  or  three  hun- 
dred pounds  ;  while  a  man,  of  confessedly  in- 
ferior strength,  is  thus  able  to  support  two 
thousand.  Whence  comes  this  seeming  su- 
periority ?  The  answer  is  obvious.  Because 
the  load  upon  the  man's  shoulders  is  placed  to 
the  greatest  advantage  ;  while,  upon  the  horse's 
back,  it  is  placed  at  the  greatest  disadvantage. 
Let  us  suppose,  for  a  moment,  the  man  stand- 
ing as  upright  as  possible,  under  the  great  load 
above  mentioned.  It  is  obvious  .that  all  the 
bones  of  his  body  may  be  compared  to  a  pil- 
lar supporting  a  building,  and  that  his  muscles 
have  scarce  any  share  in  this  dangerous  duty. 
However,  they  are  not  entirely  inactive;  as 
man,  let  him  stand  never  so  upright,  will  have 
some  bending  in  different  parts  of  his  body. 
The  muscles,  therefore,  give  the  bones  some 
assistance,  and  that  with  the  greatest  possible 
advantage.  In  this  manner,  a  man  has  been 
found  to  support  two  thousand  weight ;  but 
may  be  capable  of  supporting  a  still  greater. 
The  manner  in  which  this  is  done,  is  by  strap- 
ping the  load  round  the  shoulders  of  the  per- 
son who  is  to  bear  it,  by  a  machine  something 
like  that  by  which  milk  vessels  or  water- 
buckets  are  carried.  The  load  being  thus 
placed  on  a  scaffold,  on  each  side,  contrived 
for  that  purpose,  and  the  man  standing  erect 
in  the  midst,  all  parts  of  the  scaffold,  except 
that  where  the  man  stands,  arc  made  to  sink ; 
and  thus  the  man  maintaining  his  position,  the 
load,  whatever  it  is,  becomes  suspended,  and 
the  column  of  his  bones  may  be  fairly  said  to 
support  it.  If,  however,  he  should  but  ever 
so  little  give  way,  he  must  inevitably  drop  ; 

* 

a  Mr.  Buflbn  calls  it  a  better  manner;  but  this  is  not 
the  case. 


and  no  power  of  his  can  raise  the  weights 
again.  But  the  case  is  very  different  with  re- 
gard to  a  load  laid  upon  a  horse.  The 
column  of  the  bones  there  lies  a  different  way  ; 
and  a  weight  of  five  hundred  pounds,  as  I  am 
told,  would  break  the  back  of  the  strongest 
horse  that  could  be  found.  The  great  force 
of  a  horse,  and  other  quadrupeds,  is  exerted 
when  the  load  is  in  such  a  position  as  that  the 
column  of  the  bones  can  be  properly  applied, 
which  is  lengthwise.  When,  therefore,  we  are 
to  estimate  the  comparative  strength  of  a  horse, 
we  are  not  to  try  what  he  can  carry,  but 
what  he  can  draw  ;  and,  in  this  case,  his  ama- 
zing superiority  over  man  is  easily  discerned  ; 
for  one  horse  can  draw  a  load  that  ten  men 
cannot  move.  And,  in  some  cases,  it  happens 
that  a  draft-horse  draws  the  better  for  being 
somewhat  loaded ;  for,  as  the  peasants  say, 
the  load  upon  the  back  keeps  him  the  better 
to  the  ground." 

There  is  still  another  way  of  estimating  hu- 
man strength,  by  the  perseverance  and  agility 
of  our  motions.  Men,  who  are  exercised  in 
running,  outstrip  horses ;  or,  at  least,  hold 
their  speed  for  a  longer  continuance.  In  a 
journey,  also,  a  man  will  walk  down  a  horse ; 
and,  after  they  have  both  continued  to  proceed 
for  several  days,  the  horse  will  be  quite  tired, 
and  the  man  will  be  fresher  than  in  the  begin- 
ning. The  king's  messengers  of  Ispahan,  who 
are  runners  by  profession,  go  thirty-six  leagues 
in  fourteen  hours.  Travellers  assure  us,  that 
the  Hottentots  outstrip  lions  in  the  chase  ;  and 
that  the  savages,  who  hunt  the  elk,  pursue 
with  such  speed,  that  they  at  last  tire  down 
and  take  it.  We  are  told  many  very  surprising 
things  of  the  great  swiftness  of  the  savages, 
and  of  the  long  journeys  they  undertake,  on 
foot,  through  the  most  craggy  mountains, 
where  there  are  no  paths  to  direct,  nor  houses 
to  entertain  them.  They  are  said  to  perform  a 
journey  of  twelve  hundred  leagues  in  less  than 
six  weeks.  "  But  notwithstanding  what  tra- 
vellers report  of  this  matter,  I  have  been  as- 
sured, from  many  of  our  officers  and  soldiers, 
who  compared  their  own  swiftness  with  that 
of  the  native  Americans,  during  the  last  war, 
that  although  the  savages  held  out,  and,  as 
the  phrase  is,  had  better  bottoms,  yet,  for  a 

b  Mr.  Buflbn  carries  this  subject  no  farther ;  and  thus 
far,  without  explanation,  it  is  erroneous. 


OF  ANIMALS. 


151 


spurt,  the  Englishmen  were  more  nimble  and 
speedy." 

Nevertheless,  in  general,  civilized  man  is 
ignorant  of  his  own  powers :  he  is  ignorant 
how  much  he  loses  by  effeminacy ;  and  what 
might  be  acquired  by  habit  and  exercise.  Here 
and  there,  indeed,  men  are  found  among  us 
of  extraordinary  strength;  but  that  strength, 
for  want  of  opportunity,  is  seldom  called  into 
exertion.  "  Among  the  ancients  it  was  a  qua- 
lity of  nuch  greater  use  than  at  present ;  as  in 
wur,  the  same  man  that  had  strength  sufficient 
to  carry  the  heaviest  armour,  had  strength 
sufficient  also  to  strike  the  most  fatal  blow. 
In  this  case,  his  strength  was  at  once  his  pro- 
tection and  his  power.  We  ought  not  to  be 
surprised,  therefore,  when  we  hear  of  one  man 
terrible  to  an  army,  and  irresistible  in  his  ca- 
reer, as  we  find  some  generals  represented  in 
ancient  history.  But  we  may  be  very  certain 
that  this  prowess  was  exaggerated  by  flattery, 
and  exalted  by  terror.  An  age  of  ignorance 
is  ever  an  age  of  wonder.  At  such  times, 
mankind,  having  no  just  ideas  of  the  human 
powers,  are  willing  rather  to  represent  what 
they  wish,  than  what  they  know  ;  and  exalt 
human  strength,  to  fill  up  the  whole  sphere  of 
their  limited  conceptions.  Great  strength  is 
an  accidental  thing  ;  two  or  three  in  a  coun- 
try may  possess  it ;  and  these  may  have  a 
claim  to  heroism.  But  what  may  lead  us  to 
doubt  of  the  veracity  of  these  accounts  is,  that 
the  heroes  of  antiquity  are  represented  as  the 
sons  of  heroes ;  their  amazing  strength  is  de- 
livered down  from  father  to  son ;  and  this  we 
know  to  be  contrary  to  the  course  of  nature. 
Strength  is  not  hereditary,  although  titles  are : 
and  I  am  very  much  induced  to  believe,  that 
this  great  tribe  of  heroes,  who  are  all  repre- 
sented as  the  descendants  of  heroes,  are  more 
obliged  to  their  titles  than  to  their  strength, 
for  their  characters.  With  regard  to  the 
shining  characters  in  Homer,  they  are  all  re- 
presented as  princes,  and  as  the  sons  of  princes ; 
while  we  are  told  of  scarce  any  share  of 
prowess  in  the  meaner  men  of  the  army ;  who 
are  only  brought  into  the  field  for  these  to  pro- 
tect, or  to  slaughter.  But  nothing  can  be 
more  unlikely  than  that  those  men,  who  were 
bred  in  the  luxury  of  courts, should  be  strong  ; 
while  the  whole  body  of  the  people,  who  re- 
ceived a  plainer  and  simpler  education,  should 
be  comparatively  weak.  Nothing  can  be 


more  contrary  to  the  general  laws  of  nature, 
than  that  all  the  sons  of  heroes  should  thus  in- 
herit not  only  the  kingdoms,  but  the  strength 
of  their  forefathers;  and  we  may  conclude, 
that  they  owe  the  greatest  share  of  their  im- 
puted strength  rather  to  the  dignity  of  their  sta- 
tions than  the  force  of  their  arms ;  and,  like 
all  fortunate  princes,  their  flatterers  happened 
to  be  believed.  In  later  ages,  indeed,  we  have 
some  accounts  of  amazing  strength,  which  we 
can  have  no  reason  to  doubt  of.  But  in  these, 
nature  is  found  to  pursue  her  ordinary  course ; 
and  we  find  their  strength  accidental.  We 
find  these  strong  men  among  the  lowest  of  the 
people,  and  gradually  rising  into  notice,  as 
this  superiority  had  more  opportunity  of  being 
seen.  Of  this  number  was  the  Roman  tribune, 
who  went  by  the  name  of  the  second  Achilles  : 
who,  with  his  own  hand,  is  said  to  have  killed, 
at  different  times,  three  hundred  of  the  enemy; 
and  when  treacherously  set  upon,  by  twenty- 
five  of  his  own  countrymen,  although  then 
past  his  sixtieth  year,  killed  fourteen  of  them 
before  he  was  slain.  Of  this  number  was 
Milo,  who,  when  he  stood  upright,  could  not 
be  forced  out  of  his  place.  Pliny  tells  us  of 
one  Athanatus,  who  walked  across  the  stage 
at  Rome,  loaded  with  a  breastplate  weighing 
five  hundred  pounds,  and  buskins  of  the  same 
weight.  But  of  all  the  prodigies  of  strength, 
of  whom  we  have  any  accounts  in  Roman 
history,  Maximin,  the  emperor,  is  to  be  reckon- 
ed the  foremost.  Whatever  we  are  told  rela- 
tive to  him  is  well  attested  ;  his  character  was 
too  exalted  not  to  be  thoroughly  known ;  and 
that  very  strength,  for  which  he  was  celebrated, 
at  last  procured  him  no  less  a  reward  than  the 
empire  of  the  world.  Maximin  was  above 
nine  feet  in  height,  and  the  best  proportioned 
man  in  the  whole  empire.  He  was  by  birth 
a  Thracian;  and,  from  being  a  simple  herds- 
man, rose  through  the  gradations  of  office, 
until  he  came  to  be  emperor  of  Rome.  The 
first  opportunity  he  had  of  exerting  hisstrength, 
was  in  the  presence  of  all  the  citizens,  in  the 
theatre,  where  he  overthrew  twelve  of  the 
strongest  men  in  wrestling,  and  outstrip!  two 
of  the  fleetest  horses  in  running,  all  in  one  day. 
He  could  draw  a  chariot  loaden,  that  two 
strong  hordes  could  not  move  :  he  could  break 
a  horse's  jaw  with  a  blow  of  his  fist,  and  its 
thigh  with  a  kick.  In  war  he  was  always 
foremost  and  invincible :  happy  had  it  been 


152 


A  HISTORY  OF 


for  him  and  his  subjects  if,  from  being  formi- 
dable to  his  enemies,  he  had  not  brconic  still 
more  so  to  his  subjects  ;  he  reigned,  for  some 
time,  with  all  the  world  his  enemy ;  all  man- 
kind wishing  him  dead,  yet  none  daring  to 
strike  the  blow.  As  if  fortune  had  resolved 
that  through  life  he  should  continue  uncon- 
querable, he  was  killed  at  last  by  his  own  sol- 
diers while  he  was  sleeping.  We  have  many 
other  instances,  in  later  ages,  of  very  great 
strength,  and  not  fewer  of  amazing  swiftness  : 
but  these,  .merely  corporeal  perfections,  are 
now  considered  as  of  small  advantage,  either 
in  war  or  in  peace.  The  invention  of  gun- 
powder has,  in  some  measure,  levelled  all 
force  to  one  standard  ;  and  has  wrought  a 
total  change  in  martial  education  through  all 
parts  of  the  world.  In  peace  also  the  inven- 
tion of  new  machines  every  day,  and  the  ap- 
plication of  the  strength  of  the  lower  animals 
to  the  purposes  of  life,  have  rendered  human 
strength  less  valuable.  The  boast  of  corporeal 
force  is,  therefore,  consigned  to  savage  nations, 
where  those  arts  not  being  introduced,  it  may 
still  be  needful ;  but,  in  more  polite  countries, 
few  will  be  proud  of  that  strength  which  other 
animals  can  be  taught  to  exert  to  as  useful 
purposes  as  they. 

"  If  we  compare  the  largeness  and  thickness 
of  our  muscles  with  those  of  any  other  animal, 
we  shall  find  that,  in  this  respect,  we  have  the 
advantage ;  and  if  strength,  or  swiftness,  de- 
pended upon  the  quantity  of  muscular  flesh 
nlonc,  I  believe  that,  in  this  respect,  we  should 
be  more  active  and  powerful  than  any  other. 
But  this  is  not  the  case ;  a  great  deal  more 
than  the  size  of  the  muscles  goes  to  constitute 
activity  or  force  ;  and  it  is  not  he  who  has  the 
thiekestlegs  that  can  make  the  best  use  of  them. 
Those,  therefore,  who  have  written  elaborate 
treatises  on  muscular  force,  and  have  estimated 
the  strength  of  animals  by  the  thickness  of 
their  muscles,  have  been  employed  to  very 
little  purpose.  It  is  in  general  observed,  that 
thin  and  raw-boned  men  are  always  stronger 


and  more  powerful,  than  such  as  are  seem- 
ingly more  muscular ;  as  in  the  former  all 
the  parts  have  better  room  for  their  ex- 
ertions." 

Women  want  much  of  the  strength  of  men ; 
and,  in  some  countries,  the  stronger  sex  have 
availed  themselves  of  this  superiority,  in  cruelly 
and  tyrannically  enslaving  those  who  were 
made  with  equal  pretensions  to  a  share  in  all 
the  advantages  life  can  bestow.  Savage  na- 
tions oblige  their  women  to  a  life  of  continual 
labour  ;  upon  them  rest  all  the  drudgeries  of 
domestic  duty  ;  while  the  husband,  indolently 
reclined  in  his  hammock,  is  first  served  from 
the  fruits  of  her  industry.  From  this  negli- 
gent situation  he  is  seldom  roused,  except  by 
the  calls  of  appetite,  when  it  is  necessary,  either 
by  fishing  or  hunting,  to  make  a  variety  in  his 
entertainments.  A  savage  has  no  idea  of 
taking  pleasure  in  exercise  ;  he  is  surprised  to 
see  an  European  walk  forward  for  his  amuse- 
ment, and  then  return  back  again.  As  for  his 
part,  he  could  be  contented  to  remain  for  ever 
in  the  same  situation,  perfectly  satisfied  with 
sensual  pleasures  and  undisturbed  repose.  The 
women  of  these  countries  are  the  greatest 
slaves  upon  earth  :  sensible  of  their  weakness ; 
and  unable  to  resist,  they  are  obliged  to  suffer 
those  hardships  which  are  naturally  inflicted 
by  such  as  have  been  taught  that  nothing  but 
corporeal  force  ought  to  give  pre-eminence. 
It  is  not,  therefore,  till  after  some  degree  of 
refinement,  that  women  are  treated  with 
lenity  ;  and  not  till  the  highest  degree  of  po- 
liteness, that  they  are  permitted  to  share  in  all 
the  privileges  of  man.  The  first  impulse  of 
savage  nature  is  to  confirm  their  slavery  ;  the 
next  of  half  barbarous  nations,  is  to  appropriate 
their  beauty  ;  and  that  of  the  perfectly  polite, 
to  engage  their  affections.  In  civilized  coun- 
tries, therefore,  women  have  united  the  force 
of  modesty  to  the  power  of  their  natural 
charms;  and  thus  obtain  that  superiority  over 
the  mind,  which  they  are  unable  to  extort  by 
their  strength. 


ANIMALS. 


153 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

OF  SLEEP  AND  HUNGER. 


AS  man,  in  all  the  privileges  he  enjoys,  and 
the  powers  he  is  invested   with,  has  a  superi- 
ority over  all  other  animals,  so,  in  his  necessities, 
he  seems  inferior  to  the  meanest  of  them  all. 
Nature  has  brought  him  into  life  with  a  greater 
variety  of  wants  and  infir  siities  than  the  rest 
of  her  creatures,  unarmed  in  the  midst  of  ene- 
mies.    The  lion  has  natural  arms;  th:-  l><  ar 
natural  clothing  ;  but  man  is  destitute  of  all 
such  advantages ;  and,  from  the  superiority  of 
his  mind  alone,  he  is  to  supply  the  deficiency. 
The   number  of   his   wants,  however,  were 
merely  given,  in  order  to  multiply  the  number 
of  his  enjoyments  ;  since  the  possibility  of  be- 
ing deprived  of  any  good,  teaches  him  the  value 
of  its  possession.     Were  .HMD  born  with  those 
advantages  which  he  learns  to  possess  by  in- 
clu*try,  he  would  very  probably  enjoy  them 
with  a  blunter  relish  ;   it  is  by  being  naked, 
that  he  knows  the  value  of  a  covering ;  it  is  by 
being  exposed  to  the  weather,  that  he  learns 
the  comforts  of  an  habitation.     Every  want 
thus  becomes  a  means  of  pleasure,  in  the  re- 
dressing; and  the  animal  that  has  most  desires, 
may  be  said   to   be  capable  of  the  greatest 
variety  of  happiness. 

Beside  the  thousand  imaginary  wants  pecu- 
liar to   man,  there  are  two,  which  he  has  in 
common  with  all  other  animals  ;  and  which  he 
feels  in  a  more  necessary  manner  than  they. 
These   are   the   wants  of  sleep  and  hunger. 
Every  animal  that  we  are  acquainted  with, 
seems  to  endure  the  want  of  these  with  much 
less  injury  to  health  than  man  ;  and  some  are  j 
most  surprisingly  patient  in  sustaining  both. 
The  little  domestic  animals  that  we  keep  about 
us,  may  often  set  a  lesson  of  calm  resignation, 
in  supporting  want  and  watchfulness,  to  the 
boasted  philosopher.     They  receive  their  pit- 
tance at  uncertain  intervals,  and  wait  its  coming  j 
with  cheerful  expectation.     We  have  instances  j 
of  the  dog  and  the  cat  living  in  this  manner, 
without  food,  for  several  days  ;  and  yet  still  ! 
preserving  their  attachment  to  the  tyrant  that 
oppresses  them  ;  still  ready  to  exert  their  little 


services  for  his  amusement  or  defence.  But 
the  patience  of  these  is  nothing,  to  what  the 
animals  of  the  forest  endure.  As  these  mostly 
live  upon  accidental  carnage,  so  they  are  often 
known  to  remain  without  food  for  several 
weeks  together.  Nature,  kindly  solicitous  for 
their  support,  has  also  contracted  their  sto- 
machs, to  suit  them  for  their  precarious  way 
of  living:  and  kindly,  while  it  abridges  the 
banquet,  lessens  the  necessity  of  providing  for 
it.  But  the  meaner  tribes  of  animals  are  made 
still  more  capable  of  sustaining  life  without  food, 
many  of  them  remaining  in  a  state  of  torpid 
indifference,  till  their  prey  approaches,  when 
j  they  jump  upon  and  seize  it.  In  this  manner 
the  snake,  or  the  spider,  continue,  for  several 
months  together,  to  subsist  upon  a  single  meal ; 
and  some  of  the  butterfly  kinds  live  upon  little 
or  nothing.  But  it  is  very  different  with  man  : 
his  wants  daily  make  their  importunate  de- 
mands ;  and  it  is  known,  that  he  cannot  con- 
tinue to  live  many  days  without  eating,  drink- 
ing, and  sleeping. 

Hunger  is  a  much  more  powerful  enemy  to 
man  than  watchfulness,  and  kills  him  much 
sooner.  It  may  be  considered  as  a  disorder 
that  food  removes  ;  and  that  would  quickly  be 
fatal,  without  its  proper  antidote.  In  fact,  it  is 
so  terrible  to  man,  that  to  avoid  it  he  even  en- 
counters certain  death ;  and,  rather  than  en- 
dure its  tortures,  exchanges  them  for  immediate 
destruction.  However,  by  what  I  have  been 
told,  it  is  much  more  dreadful  in  its  approaches, 
than  in  its  continuance ;  and  the  pains  of  a 
famishing  wretch  decrease,  as  his  strength  di- 
minishes. In  the  beginning,  the  desire  of  food 
!  is  dreadful  indeed,  as  we  know  by  experience, 
for  there  are  few  who  have  not  in  some  degree, 
felt  its  approaches.  But,  after  the  first  or 
second  day,  its  tortures  become  less  terrible, 
and  a  total  insensibility  at  length  comes  kindly 
in  to  the  poor  wretch's  assistance.  I  have 
talked  with  the  captain  of  a  ship,  who  was  one 
of  six  that  endured  it  in  its  extremities  ;  and 
who  was  the  only  person  that  had  not  lost  his 


154 


A  HISTORY  OF 


senses,  when  they  received  accidental  relief. 
He  assured  me,  his  pains,  at  first,  were  so  great, 
as  to  be  often  tempted  to  eat  a  part  of  one  of 
the  men  who  died  ;  and  which  the  rest  of  his 
crew  actually  for  some  time  lived  upon :  he 
said,  that  during  the  continuance  of  this  pa- 
roxysm, he  found  his  pains  insupportable  ;  and 
was  desirous,  at  one  time,  of  anticipating  that 
death  which  he  thought  inevitable :  but  his 
pains,  he  said,  gradually  decreased  after  the 
sixth  day,  (for  they  had  water  in  the  ship, 
which  kept  them  alive  so  long,)  and  then  he 
was  in  a  state  rather  of  languor  than  desire ; 
nor  did  he  much  wish  for  food,  except  when 
he  saw  others  eating ;  and  that  for  a  while 
revived  his  appetite,  though  with  diminished 
importunity.  The  latter  part  of  the  time, 
when  his  health  was  almost  destroyed,  a  thou- 
sand strange  images  rose  upon  his  mind  ;  and 
every  one  of  his  senses  began  to  bring  him 
wrong  information.  The  most  fragrant  per- 
fumes appeared  to  him  to  have  a  foetid  smell; 
and  every  thing  he  looked  at  took  a  greenish 
hue,  and  sometimes  a  yellow.  When  he  was 
presented  with  food  by  the  ship's  company  that 
took  him  and  his  men  up,  four  of  whom  died 
shortly  after,  he  could  not  help  looking  upon 
it  with  loathing,  instead  of  desire ;  and  it  was 
not  till  after  four  days,  that  his  stomach  was 
brought  to  its  natural  tone,  when  the  violence 
of  his  appetite  returned,  with  a  sort  of  canine 
eagerness. 

Thus  dreadful  are  the  effects  of  hunger ;  and 
yet  when  we  come  to  assign  the  cause  that 
produces  them,  we  find  the  subject  involved  in 
doubt  and  intricacy.  This  longing  eagerness 
is,  no  doubt,  given  for  a  very  obvious  purpose ; 
that  of  replenishing  the  body,  wasted  by  fatigue 
and  perspiration.  Were  not  men  stimulated 
by  such  a  pressing  monitor,  they  might  be  apt 
to  pursue  other  amusements,  with  a  persever- 
ance beyond  their  power;  and  forget  the  useful 
hours  of  refreshment,  in  those  more  tempting 
ones  of  pleasure.  But  hunger  makes  a  demand 
that  will  not  be  refused ;  and,  indeed,  the 
generality  of  mankind  seldom  await  the  call. 

Hunger  has  been  supposed  by  some  to  arise 
from  the  rubbing  of  the  coats  of  the  stomach 
against  each  other,  without  having  any  inter- 
vening substance  to  prevent  their  painful  attri- 
tion. Others  have  imagined,  that  its  juices, 
wanting  their  necessary  supply,  turn  acrid,  or, 
as  some  say,  pungent ;  and  thus  fret  its  internal 


coats,  so  as  to  produce  a  train  of  the  most 
uneasy  sensations.  Boerhaave,  who  establish- 
ed his  reputation  in  physic,  by  uniting  the 
conjectures  of  all  thoae  that  preceded  him, 
ascribes  hunger  to  the  united  effect  of  both 
these  causes;  and  asserts,  that  the  pungency 
of  the  gastric  juices,  and  the  attrition  of  its 
coats  against  each  other,  cause  those  pains, 
which  nothing  but  food  can  remove.  These 
juices  continuing  still  to  be  separated  in  the 
stomach,  and  every  moment  becoming  more 
acrid,  mix  with  the  blood,  and  infect  the  cir- 
culation :  the  circulation  being  thus  contami- 
nated, becomes  weaker,  and  more  contracted  ; 
and  the  whole  nervous  frame  sympathizing,  an 
hectic  fever,  and  sometimes  madness,  is  pro- 
duced ;  in  which  state  the  faint  wretch  expires. 
In  this  manner,  the  man  who  dies  of  hunger, 
may  be  said  to  be  poisoned  by  the  juices  of  his 
own  body ;  and  is  destroyed  less  by  the  want  of 
nourishment,  than  by  the  vitiated  qualities  of 
that  which  he  had  already  taken. 

However  this  may  be,  we  have  but  few  in- 
stances of  men  dying,  except  at  sea,  of  abso- 
lute hunger.  The  decline  of  those  unhappy 
creatures  who  are  destitute  of  food,  at  land, 
bt-ing  more  slow  and  unperceived.  These, 
from  often  being  in  need,  and  as  often  receiv- 
ing an  accidental  supply,  pass  their  lives  be- 
tween surfeiting  and  repining ;  and  UK  ir  con- 
stitution is  impaired  by  insensible  degrees. 
Man  is  unfit  for  a  state  of  precarious  expecta- 
tion. That  share  of  provident  precaution 
which  incites  him  to  lay  up  stores  for  a  distant 
day,  becomes  his  torment,  when  totally  unpro- 
vided against  an  immediate  call.  The  lower 
race  of  animals,  when  satisfied,  for  the  instant 
moment,  are  perfectly  happy  :  but  it  is  other- 
wise with  man  ;  his  mind  anticipates  distress, 
and  feels  the  pangs  of  want  even  before  it  ar- 
rests him.  Thus  the  mind  being  continually 
harassed  by  the  situation,  it  at  length  influen- 
ces the  constitution,  and  unfits  it  for  all  its  func- 
tions. Some  cruel  disorder,  but  no  way  like 
hunger,  seizes  the  unhappy  sufferer ;  so  that 
almost  all  those  men  who  have  thus  long  lived 
by  chance,  and  whose  every  day  may  be  con- 
sidered as  an  happy  escape  from  famine,  are 
known  at  last  to  die  in  reality  of  a  disorder 
caused  by  hunger ;  but  which,  in  the  common 
language,  is  often  called  a  broken  heart.  Some 
of  these  I  have  known  myself,  when  very  lit- 
tle able  to  relieve  them  :  and  I  have  been  told, 


OF  ANIMALS. 


155 


by  a  very  active  and  worthy  magistrate,  that 
the  number  of  such  as  die  in  London  for  want, 
is  much  greater  than  one  would  imagine — I 
think  he  talked  of  two  thousand  in  a  year! 

But  how  numerous  soever  those  who  die  of 
hunger  may  be,  many  times  greater,  on  the 
other  hand,  are  the  number  of  those  who  die 
by  repletion.  It  is  not  the  province  of  the  pre- 
sent page  to  speculate,  with  the  physician,  upon 
the  danger  of  surfeits ;  or,  with  the  moralist, 
upon  the  nauseousness  of  gluttony :  it  will 
only  be  proper  to  observe,  that  as  nothing  is  so 
prejudicial  to  health  as  hunger  by  constraint, 
so  nothing  is  more  beneficial  to  the  constitu- 
tion than  voluntary  abstinence.  It  was  not 
without  reason  that  religion  enjoined  this  duty  ; 
since  it  answered  the  double  purpose  of  re- 
storing the  health  oppressed  by  luxury,  and  di- 
minished the  consumption  of  provisions,  so 
that  a  part  might  come  to  the  poor.  It  should 
be  the  business  of  the  legislature,  therefore,  to 
enforce  this  divine  precept ;  and  thus,  by  re- 
straining one  part  of  mankind  in  the  use  of 
their  superfluities,  to  consult  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  want  the  necessaries  of  life.  The 
injunctions  for  abstinence  are  strict  over  the 
whole  Continent ;  ajid  where  rigorously  obser- 
ved even  among  ourselves,  for  a  long  time  af- 
ter the  Reformation.  Queen  Elizabeth,  by 
giving  her  commands  upon  this  head  the  air  of 
a  political  injunction,  lessened,  in  a  great  mea- 
sure, and  in  my  opinion  very  unwisely,  the  re- 
ligious force  of  the  obligation.  She  enjoined 
that  her  subjects  should  fast  from  flesh  on  Fri- 
days and  Saturdays  ;  but  at  the  same  time  de- 
clared, that  this  was  not  commanded  from  mo- 
tives of  religion,  as  if  there  were  any  differences 
in  meats,  but  merely  to  favour  the  consumpti- 
on offish,  and  thus  to  multiply  the  number  of 
mariners  ;  and  also  to  spare  the  stock  of  sheep, 
which  might  be  more  beneficial  in  another  way. 
In  this  manner  the  injunction  defeated  its  own 
force  ;  and  this  most  salutary  law  became  no 
longer  binding,  when  it  was  supposed  to  come 
purely  from  man.  How  far  it  may  be  enjoin- 
ed in  the  Scriptures,  I  will  not  take  upon  me 
to  say  ;  but  this  may  be  asserted,  that  if  the 
utmost  benefit  to  the  individual,  and  the  most 
extensive  advantage  to  society,  serve  to  mark 
any  institution  as  of  Heaven,  this  of  abstinence 
may  be  reckoned  among  the  foremost. 

Were  we  to  give  an  history  of  the  various 
benefits  that  have  arisen  from  this  command, 


and  how  conducive  it  has  been  to  long  life,  the 
instances  would  fatigue  with  their  multiplicity. 
It  is  surprising  to  what  a  great  age  the  primi- 
tive Christians  of  the  East,  who  retired  from 
persecution  in  the  deserts  of  Arabia,  continued 
to  live,  in  all  the  bloom  of  health,  and  yet  all 
the  rigours  of  abstemious  discipline.  Their 
common  allowance,  as  we  arc  told,  for  four 
and  twenty  hours,  was  twelve  ounces  of  bread, 
and  nothing  but  water.  On  this  simple  beve- 
rage, St.  Anthony  is  said  to  have  lived  a  hun- 
dred and  five  years ;  James,  the  hermit,  an  hun- 
dred and  four ;  Arsenius,  tutor  to  the  emperor 
Arcadius,  an  hundred  and  twenty ;  St.  Epipha- 
nius,  an  hundred  and  fifteen  ;  Simeon,  an 
hundred  and  twelve  ;  and  Rombald,  an  hun- 
dred and  twenty.  In  this  manner  did  these 
holy  temperate  men  live  to  an  extreme  old  age, 
kept  cheerful  by  strong  hopes,  and  healthful  by 
moderate  labour. 

Abstinence,  which  is  thus  voluntary,  may  be 
much  more  easily  supported  than  constrained 
hunger.  Man  is  said  to  live  without  food  for 
seven  days ;  which  is  the  usual  limit  assigned 
him  ;  and,  perhaps,  in  a  state  of  constraint,  this 
is  the  longest  time  he  can  survive  the  want  of 
it.  But  in  cases  of  voluntary  abstinence,  of 
sickness,  or  sleeping,  he  has  been  known  to 
live  much  longer. 

In  the  records  of  the  Tower,  there  is  an  ac- 
count of  a  Scotchman,  imprisoned  for  felony, 
who  for  the  space  of  six  weeks  took  not  the 
least  sustenance,  being  exactly  watched  during 
the  whole  time ;  and  for  this  he  received  the 
king's  pardon. 

When  the  American  Indians  undertake  long 
journeys,  and  when,  consequently,  a  stock  of 
provisions  sufficient  to  support  them  the  whole 
way,  would  be  more  than  they  could  carry  ; 
in  order  to  obviate  this  inconvenience,  instead 
of  carrying  the  necessary  quantity,  they  con- 
trive a  method  of  palliating  their  hunger,  by 
swallowing  pills,  made  of  calcined  shells  and 
tobacco.  These  pills  take  away  all  appetite, 
by  producing  a  temporary  disorder  in  the  sto- 
mach ;  and,  no  doubt,  the  frequent  repetition 
of  this  wretched  expedient  must  at  last  be  fa- 
tal. By  these  means,  however,  they  continue 
several  days  without  eating,  cheerfully  bearing 
such  extremes  of  fatigue  and  watching,  as 
would  quickly  destroy  men  bred  up  in  a  grea- 
ter state  of  delicacy.  For  those  arts  by  which 
we  learn  to  obviate  our  necessities,  do  not 

2G 


156 


A  HISTORY  OF 


fail  to  unfit  us  for  their   accidental   encoun- 
ter. 

Upon  the  whole,  therefore,  man  is  less  able 
to  support  hunger  than  any'other  animal ;  and 
he  is  not  better  qualified  to  support  a  state  of 
watchfulness.  Indeed,  sleep  seems  much 
more  necessary  to  him,  than  to  any  other  crea- 
ture :  as,  when  awake,  he  may  be  said  to  ex- 
haust a  greater  proportion  of  the  nervous  fluid ; 
and,  consequently,  to  stand  in  need  of  an  ade- 
quate supply.  Other  animals,  when  most 
awake,  are  but  little  removed  from  a  state  of 
slumber  ;  their  feeble  faculties,  imprisoned  in 
matter,  and  rather  exerted  by  impulse  than  de- 
liberation, require  sleep,  rather  as  a  cessation 
from  motion,  than  from  thinking.  But  it  is 
otherwise  with  man  ;  his  ideas,  fatigued  with 
their  various  excursions,  demand  a  cessation, 
not  less  than  the  body,  from  toil :  and  he  is 
the  only  creature  that  seems  to  require  sleep 
from  double  motives ;  not  less  for  the  refresh- 
ment of  the  mental,  than  of  the  bodily  frame. 

There  are  some  lower  animals,  indeed,  that 
seem  to  spend  the  greatest  part  of  their  lives 
in  sleep ;  but,  properly  speaking,  the  sleep  of 
such  may  be  considered  as  a  kind  of  death  ; 
and  their  waking,  a  resurrection.  Flies,  and 
insects,  are  said  to  be  asleep,  at  a  time  that  all 
the  vital  motions  have  ceased,  without  res- 
piration, without  any  circulation  of  their  juices; 
if  cut  in  pieces,  they  do  not  awake,  nor  does 
any  fluid  ooze  out  at  the  wound.  These  may 
be  considered  rather  as  congealed  than  as 
sleeping  animals  ;  and  their  rest,  during  win- 
ter, rather  as  a  cessation  from  life,  than  a  ne- 
cessary refreshment ;  but  in  the  higher  races  of 
animals,  whose  blood  is  not  thus  congealed, 
and  thawed  by  heat,  these  all  bear  the  want 
of  sleep  much  better  than  man  ;  and  some  of 
them  continue  a  long  time  without  seeming  to 
take  any  refreshment  from  it  whatsoever. 

But  man  is  more  feeble ;  he  requires  its  due 
return  ;  and  if  it  fails  to  pay  the  accustomed 
visit,  his  whole  frame  is  in  a  short  time  thrown 
into  disorder :  his  appetite  ceases  ;  his  spirits 
are  dejected  ;  his  pulse  becomes  quicker  and 
harder  ;  and  his  mind,  abridged  of  its  slumber- 
ing visions,  begins  to  adopt  waking  dreams. 
A  thousand  strange  phantoms  arise,  which 
come  and  go  without  his  will ;  these,  which 
are  transient  in  the  beginning,  at  last  take  firm 
possession  of  the  mind,  which  yields  to  their 
dominion,  and  after  a  long  struggle,  runs  into 


confirmed  madness.  In  that  horrid  slate,  the 
mind  may  be  considered  as  a  city  without 
walls,  open  to  every  insult,  and  paying  ho- 
mage to  every  invader ;  every  idea  that  then 
starts  with  any  force,  becomes  a  reality ;  and 
the  reason,  over  fatigued  with  its  former  im- 
portunities, makes  no  head  against  the  tyran- 
nical invasion,  but  submits  to  it  from  mere 
imbecility. 

But  it  is  happy  for  mankind,  that  this  state 
of  inquietude  is  seldom  driven  to  an  extreme  ; 
and  that  there  are  medicines  which  seldom 
fail  to  give  relief.  However,  man  finds  it 
more  difficult  than  any  other  animal  to  pro- 
cure sleep :  and  some  are  obliged  to  court 
its  approaches  for  several  hours  together,  be- 
fore they  incline  to  rest.  It  is  in  vain  that  all 
light  is  excluded ;  that  all  sounds  are  re- 
moved ;  that  warmth  and  softness  conspire 
to  invite  it ;  the  restless  and  busy  mind  still 
retains  its  former  activity;  and  Reason,  that 
wishes  to  lay  down  the  reins,  in  spite  of  her- 
self, is  obliged  to  maintain  them.  In  this  dis- 
agreeable state,  the  mind  passes  from  thought 
to  thought,  willing  to  lose  the  distinctness  of 
perception,  by  increasing  the  multitude  of 
the  images.  At  last,  when  the  approaches 
of  sleep  are  near,  every  object  of  the  imagi- 
nation begins  to  mix  with  that  next  it;  their 
outlines  become,  in  a  manner,  rounder ;  a 
part  of  their  distinctions  fade  away;  and 
sleep,  that  ensues,  fashions  out  a  dream  from 
the  remainder. 

If  then  it  should  be  asked  from  what  cause 
this  state  of  repose  proceeds,  or  in  what  man- 
ner sleep  thus  binds  us  for  several  hours  to- 
gether ?  I  must  fairly  confe'ss  my  ignorance ; 
although  it  is  easy  to  tell  what  philosophers 
say  upon  the  subject.  Sleep,  says  one  of 
them,"  consists  in  a  scarcity  of  spirits,  by 
which  the  orifices  or  pores  of  the  nerves  in 
the  brain,  through  which  the  spirits  used  to 
flow  into  the  nerves,  being  no  longer  kept 
open  by  the  frequency  of  the  spirits,  shut  of 
themselves ;  thus  the  nerves,  wanting  a  new 
supply  of  spirits,  become  lax,  and  unfit  to  con- 
vey any  impression  to  the  brain.  All  this, 
however,  is  explaining  a  very  great  obscurity 
by  somewhat  more  obscure ;  leaving,  there- 
fore, those  spirits  to  open  and  shut  the  en- 

•  Rohauh. 


ANIMALS. 


157 


trances  to  the  brain,  let  us  be  contented  with 
simply  enumerating  the  effects  of  sleep  upon 
the  human  constitution. 

In  sleep,  the  whole  nervous  frame  is  re- 
laxed, while  the  heart  and  the  lungs  seem 
more  forcibly  exerted.  This  fuller  circula- 
tion produces  also  a  swelling  of  the  muscles, 
as  they  always  find  who  sleep  with  ligatures 
on  any  part  of  their  body.  This  increased 
circulation  also,  may  be  considered  as  a  kind 
of  exercise,  which  is  continued  through  the 
frame  ;  and  by  this,  the  perspiration  becomes 
more  copious,  although  the  appetite  for  food 
is  entirely  taken  away.  Too  much  sleep 
dulls  the  apprehension,  weakens  the  memory, 
and  unfits  the  body  for  labour.  On  the  con- 
trary, sleep  too  much  abridged,  emaciates 
the  frame,  produces  melancholy,  and  con- 
sumes the  constitution.  It  requires  some 
care,  therefore,  to  regulate  the  quantity  of 
sleep,  and  just  to  take  as  much  as  will  com- 
pletely restore  nature,  without  oppressing  it. 
The  poor,  as  Otway  says,  sleep  little  ;  forced 
by  their  situation,  to  lengthen  out  their  labour 
to  their  necessities,  they  have  but  a  short  inter- 
val for  this  pleasing  refreshment;  and  I  have 
ever  been  of  opinion,  that  bodily  labour  de- 
mands a  less  quantity  of  sleep  than  mental. 
Labourers  and  artizans  are  generally  satis- 
fied with  about  seven  hours;  but  I  have 
known  some  scholars  who  usually  slept  nine, 
and  perceived  their  faculties  no  way  impaired 
by  oversleeping. 

The  famous  Philip  Barrettiere,  who  was 
considered  as  a  prodigy  of  learning  at  the 
age  of  fourteen,  was  known  to  sleep  regularly 
twelve  hours  in  the  twenty-four ;  the  extreme 
activity  of  his  mind,  when  awake,  in  some 
measure  called  for  an  adequate  alternation  of 
repose :  and,  I  am  apt  to  think,  that  when 
students  stint  themselves  in  this  particular, 
they  lessen  the  waking  powers  of  the  imagi- 
nation, and  weaken  its  most  strenuous  exer- 
tions. Animals  that  seldom  think,  as  was 
said,  can  very  easily  dispense  with  sleep ; 
and  of  men,  such  as  think  least,  will,  very 
probably,  be  satisfied  with  the  smallest  share. 
A  life  of  study,  it  is  well  known,  unfits  the 
body  for  receiving  tin's  gentle  refreshment ; 
tho  approaches  of  sleep  are  driven  off  by 
thinking:  when,  therefore,  it  comes  at  last, 
we  should  not  be  too  ready  to  interrupt  its 


continuance.  Sleep  is,  indeed,  to  some,  a  very 
agreeable  period  of  their  existence:  audit  has 
been  a  question  in  the  schools,  Which  was  most 
happy,  the  man  who  was  a  beggar  by  night, 
and  a  king  by  day  ;  or  he  who  was  a  beggar 
by  day,  and  a  king  by  night  ?  It  is  given  in 
favour  of  the  nightly  monarch,  by  him  who 
first  started  the  question  :  "  For  the  dream,*' 
says  he,  "  gives  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  dig- 
nity, without  its  attendant  inconveniences ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  king,  who  sup- 
poses himself  degraded,  feels  all  the  misery 
of  his  fallen  fortune,  without  trying  to  find  tho 
comforts  of  his  humble  situation.  Thus,  by 
day,  both  states  have  their  peculiardistresses: 
but,  by  night,  the  exalted  beggar  is  perfectly 
blessed,  and  the  king  completely  miserable." 
All  this,  however,  is  rather  fanciful  than  just; 
the  pleasure  dreams  can  give  us,  seldom 
reaches  to  our  waking  pitch  of  happiness : 
the  mind  often  in  the  midst  of  its  highest  vi- 
sionary satisfactions,  demands  of  itself,  whe- 
ther it  does  not  owe  them  to  a  dream ;  and 
frequently  awakes  with  the  reply. 

But  it  is  seldom,  except  in  cases  of  the 
highest  delight,  or  the  most  extreme  uneasi- 
ness, that  the  mind  has  power  thus  to  disen- 
gage itself  from  the  dominion  of  fancy.  In 
the  ordinary  course  of  its  operations,  it  sub- 
mits to  those  numberless  fantastic  images  that 
succeed  each  other,  and  which,  like  many  of 
our  waking  thoughts,  arc  generally  forgotten. 
Of  these,  however,  if  any,  by  their  oddity,  or 
their  continuance,  affect  us  strongly,  they 
are  then  remembered ;  and  there  have 
been  some  who  felt  their  impressions  so 
strongly,  as  to  mistake  them  for  realities, 
and  to  rank  them  among  the  past  actions  of 
their  lives. 

There  are  others  upon  whom  dreams  seem 
to  have  a  very  different  effect;  and  who, 
without  seeming  to  remember  their  impres- 
sions the  next  morning,  have  yet  shown,  by 
their  actions  during  sleep,  that  they  were 
very  powerfully  impelled  by  their  dominion. 
We  have  numberless  instances  of  such  per- 
sons who,  while  asleep,  have  performed  many 
of  the  ordinary  duties  to  which  they  had 
been  accustomed  when  waking;  and,  with  a 
ridiculous  industry,  have  completed  by  night, 
what  they  failed  doing  by  day.  We  are  told, 
in  the  German  Ephcmcrides,  of  a  young  stu- 
2Ci» 


153 


A  HISTORY  OF 


dent,  who  being  enjoined  a  severe  exercise 
by  his  tutor,  went  to  bed,  despairing  of  accom- 
plishing it.  The  next  morning  awaking,  to 
his  great  surprise,  he  found  the  task  fairly 
written  out,  and  finished  in  his  own  hand- 
writing. 

He  was  at  first,  as  the  account  has  it,  in- 
duced to  ascribe  this  strange  production  to 
the  operations  of  an  infernal  agent ;  but  his 
tutor,  willing  to  examine  the  affair  to  the  bot- 
tom, set  him  another  exercise,  still  more 
severe  than  the  former,  and  took  precautions 
to  observe  his  conduct  the  whole  night.  The 
young  gentleman,  upon  being  so  severely 
tasked,  felt  the  same  inquietude  that  he  had 
done  on  the  former  occasion ;  went  to  bed 
gloomy  and  pensive,  pondering  on  the  next 
day's  duty,  and,  after  some  time,  fell  asleep. 
But  shortly  after,  his  tutor,  who  continued  to 
observe  him  from  a  place  that  was  concealed, 
was  surprised  to  see  him  get  up,  and  very  de- 
liberately go  to  the  table ;  where  he  took  out 
pen,  ink,  and  paper,  drew  himself  a  chair, 
and  sat  very  methodically  to  thinking:  it 
seems,  that  his  being  asleep,  only  served  to 
strengthen  the  powers  of  his  imagination ;  for 
he  very  quickly  and  easily  went  through  the 
task  assigned  him ;  put  his  chair  aside,  and 
then  returned  to  bed  to  take  out  the  rest  of 
his  nap.  What  credit  we  are  to  give  to  this 
account,  I  will  not  pretend  to  determine ;  but 
this  may  be  said,  that  the  book  from  whence 
it  was  taken,  has  some  good  marks  of  vera- 
city; for  it  is  very  learned,  and  very  dull; 
and  is  written  in  a  country  noted,  if  not  for 
truth,  at  least  for  want  of  invention. 

The  ridiculous  story  of  Arlotto  is  well 
known,  who  has  had  a  volume  written,  con- 
taining a  narrative  of  the  actions  of  his  life, 
not  one  of  which  was  performed  while  he  was 
awake.  He  was  an  Italian  Franciscan  friar, 
extremely  rigid  in  his  manners,  and  remarka- 
bly devout  and  learned  in  his  daily  conver- 
sation. By  night,  however,  and  during  his 
sleep,  he  played  a  very  different  character 
from  what  he  did  by  day,  and  was  often  de- 
tected in  very  atrocious  crimes.  He  was  at 
one  time  detected  in  actually  attempting  a 
rape,  and  did  not  awake  till  the  next  morning, 
when  he  was  surprised  to  find  himself  in  the 
hands  of  justice.  His  brothers  of  the  convent 
often  watched  him  while  he  went  very  deli- 


berately into  the  chapel,  and  there  attempted 
to  commit  sacrilege.  They  sometimes  permit- 
ted him  to  carry  the  chalice  and  the  vest- 
ments away  into  his  own  chamber,  and  the 
next  morning  amused  themselves  at  the  poor 
man's  consternation  for  what  he  had  done. 
But  of  all  his  sleeping  transgressions,  thai 
was  the  most  ridiculous,  in  which  he  was 
called  to  pray  for  the  soul  of  a  person  de- 
parted. Arlotto,  after  having  devoutly  per- 
formed his  duty,  retired  to  a  chamber  which 
was  shown  him,  to  rest;  but  there  he  had  no 
sooner  fallen  asleep,  than  he  began  to  reflect 
that  the  dead  body  had  got  a  ring  upon  one 
of  the  fingers,  which  might  be  useful  to  him  : 
accordingly,  with  a  pious  resolution  of  steal- 
ing it,  he  went  down,  undressed  as  he  was, 
into  a  room  full  of  women,  and,  with  great 
composure,  endeavoured  to  seize  the  ring. 
The  consequence  was,  that  he  was  taken  be- 
fore the  inquisition  for  witchcraft;  and  the 
poor  creature  had  like  to  have  been  con- 
demned, till  his  peculiar  character  acciden- 
tally came  to  be  known :  however,  he  was 
ordered  to  remain  for  the  rest  of  life  in  his 
own  convent,  and  upon  no  account  whatso- 
ever to  stir  abroad. 

What  are  we  to  say  to  such  actions  as 
these  ?  or  how  account  for  this  operation  of 
the  mind  in  dreaming  ?  It  should  seem,  that 
the  imagination,  by  day,  as  well  as  by  night, 
is  always  employed  ;  and  that  often,  against 
our  wills,  it  intrudes,  where  it  is  least  com- 
manded or  desired.  While  awake,  and  in 
health,  this  busy  principle  cannot  much  de- 
lude us :  it  may  build  castles  in  the  air,  and 
raise  a  thousand  phantoms  before  us ;  but  we 
have  every  one  of  the  senses  alive  to  bear 
testimony  to  its  falsehood.  Our  eyes  show 
us  that  the  prospect  is  not  present ;  our  hear- 
ing and  our  touch  depose  against  its  reality ; 
and  our  taste  and  smelling  are  equally  vigi- 
lent  in  detecting  the  imposture.  Reason, 
therefore,  at  once  gives  judgment  upon  the 
cause,  and  the  vagrant  intruder,  Imagination, 
is  imprisoned,  or  banished  from  the  mind. 
But  in  sleep  it  is  otherwise ;  having,  as  much 
as  possible,  put  our  senses  from  their  duty, 
having  closed  the  eyes  from  seeing,  and  the 
ears,  taste,  and  smelling,  from  their  peculiar 
functions,  and  having  diminished  even  the 
touch  itself,  by  all  the  arts  of  softness,  the 


ANIMALS. 


imagination  is  then  left  to  riot  at  large,  and 
to  lead  the  understanding  without  an  opposer. 
Every  incursive  idea  then  becomes  a  reality; 
and  the  mind,  not  having  one  power  that  can 
prove  the  illusion,  takes  them  for  truths.  As 
in  madness,  the  senses,  from  struggling  with 
the  imagination,  are  at  length  forced  to  sub- 
mit ;  so,  in  sleep,  they  seem  for  a  while  sooth- 


ed into  the  like  submission :  the  smallest 
violence  exerted  upon  any  one  of  them,  how- 
ever, rouses  all  the  rest  in  their  mutual  de- 
fence ;  and  the  imagination,  that  had  for  a 
while  told  its  thousand  falsehoods,  is  totally 
driven  away,  or  only  permitted  to  pass  under 
the  custody  of  such  as  are  every  moment 
ready  to  detect  its  imposition. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


OF  SEEING." 


"  HAVING  mentioned  the  senses  as  cor- 
recting the  errors  of  the  imagination,  and  as 
forcing  it,  in  some  measure,  to  bring  us  just 
information,  it  will  naturally  follow,  that  we 
should  examine  the  nature  of  those  senses 
themselves:  we  shall  thus  be  enabled  to  see 
how  far  they  also  impose  on  us,  and  how  far 
they  contribute  to  correct  each  other.  Let 
it  be  observed,  however,  that  in  this  we  are 
neither  giving  a  treatise  of  optics  or  phonics, 
but  a  history  of  our  own  perceptions :  and 
to  those  we  chiefly  confine  ourselves." 

The  eyes  very  soon  begin  to  be  formed  in 
the  human  embryo,  and  in  the  chicken  also. 

Of  all  the  parts  which  the  animal  has  dou- 
ble, the  eyes  are  produced  the  soonest,  and 
appear  the  most  prominent.  It  is  true,  indeed, 
that  in  viviparous  animals,  and  particularly  in 
man,  they  are  not  so  large  in  proportion,  at 
first,  as  in  the  oviparous  kinds;  nevertheless, 
they  are  more  speedily  developed,  when  they 
begin  to  appear,  than  any  other  parts  of  the 
body.  It  is  the  same  with  the  organ  of  hear- 
ing ;  the  little  bones  that  compose  the  inter- 
nal parts  of  the  ear  are  entirely  formed  before 
the  other  bones,  though  much  larger,  hare 
acquired  any  part  of  their  growth  or  solidity. 
Hence  it  appears,  that  those  parts  of  the  body 
which  are  furnished  with  the  greatest  quan- 

•  This  chapter  is  taken  from  Mr.  Buffbn.  I  believe 
the  reader  will  readily  excuse  any  apology  ;  and,  perhaps, 
may  wish  that  I  had  taken  this  liberty  much  more  fre- 
quently. What  I  add  is  marked,  as  in  a  former  instance, 
with  inverted  commas. 


tity  of  nerves,  are  the  first  in  forming.  Thus 
the  brain  and  the  spinal-marrow,  are  the  first 
seen  begun  in  the  embryo ;  and,  in  general, 
it  may  be  said,  that  wherever  the  nerves  go, 
or  send  their  branches  in  great  numbers,  there 
the  parts  are  soonest  begun, and  the  most  com- 
pletely finished. 

If  we  examine  the  eyes  of  a  child  some 
hours,  or  even  some  days,  after  its  birth,  it 
will  be  easily  discerned  that  it  as  yet  makes 
no  use  of  them.  The  humours  of  the  organ 
not  having  acquired  a  sufficient  consistence, 
the  rays  of  light  strike  but  confusedly  upon 
the  retina,  or  expansion  of  nerves  at  the  back 
of  the  eye.  It  is  not  till  about  a  month  after 
they  are  born,  that  children  fix  them  upon 
objects ;  for,  before  that  time,  they  turn  them 
indiscriminately  every  where, without  appear- 
ing to  be  affected  by  any.  At  six  or  seven 
weeks  old,  they  plainly  discover  a  choice  in 
the  objects  of  their  attention ;  they  fix  their 
eyes  upon  the  most  brilliant  colours,  and  seem 
peculiarly  desirous  of  turning  them  towards 
the  light.  Hitherto,  however,  they  only  seem 
to  fortify  the  organ  for  seeing  distinctly  ;  but 
they  have  still  many  illusions  to  correct. 

The  first  great  error  in  vision  is,  that  the 
eye  inverts  every  object :  and  it  in  reality  ap- 
pears to  the  child,  until  the  touch  has  served 
to  undeceive  it,  turned  upside  down.  A  se- 
cond error  in  vision  is,  that  every  object  ap- 
pears double.  The  same  object  forms  itself 
distinctly  upon  each  eye ;  and  is  consequent- 
ly seen  twice.  This  error,  also,  can  only  be 


160 


A  HISTORY  OF 


corrected  by  the  touch ;  and  although,  in  re- 
ality, every  object  we  see  appears  inverted  ! 
and  double,  yet  the  judgment  and  habit  have  ' 
so  often  corrected  the  sense,  that  we  no  lon- 
ger submit  to  its  imposition,  but  see  every  ' 
object  in  its  just  position,  the  very  instant  it  ' 
appears.  Were  we,  therefore,  deprived  of 
feeling,  our  eyes  would  not  only  misrepresent  • 
the  situation,  but  also  the  number  of  all  things  ; 
around  us. 

To  convince  us  that  we  see  objects  invert- 
ed, we  have  only  to  observe  the  manner  in  ! 
which  images  are  represented,  coming  through 
a  small  hole,  in  a  darkened  room.  If  such  a  | 
small  hole  be  made  in  a  dark  room,  so  that  | 
no  light  can  come  in,  but  through  it,  all  the  \ 
objects  without  will  be  painted  on  the  wall 
behind,  but  in  an  inverted  position,  their 
heads  downwards.  For  as  all  the  rays  which 
pass  from  the  different  parts  of  the  object 
without,  cannot  enter  the  hole  in  the  same  ex- 
tent which  they  had  in  leaving  the  object; 
since,  if  so,  they  would  require  the  aperture 
to  be  as  large  as  the  object;  and,  as  each 
part,  and  every  point  of  the  object,  sends  forth 
the  image  of  itself  on  every  side,  and  the  rays, 
which  form  these  images,  pass  from  all  points 
of  the  object  as  from  so  many  centres,  so  such 
only  can  pass  through  the  small  aperture  as 
come  in  opposite  directions.  Thus  the  little 
aperture  becomes  a  centre  for  the  entire  ob-  j 
ject ;  through  which  the  rays  from  the  up- 
per parts,  as  well  as  from  the  lower  parts  of 
it,  pass  in  converging  directions;  and,  conse- 
quently, they  must  cross  each  other,  in  the 
central  point,  and  thus  paint  the  objects  be- 
hind, upon  the  wall,  in  an  inverted  position. 

It  is,  in  like  manner,  easy  to  conceive,  that 
we  see  all  objects  double,  whatever  our  pre- 
sent sensations  may  seem  to  tell  us  to  the  con- 
trary.    For  to  convince  us  of  this,  we  have 
only  to  compare  the  situation  of  any  one  ob- 
ject on  shutting  one  eye,  and  then  compare 
the  same  situation  by  shutting  the  other.     If, 
for  instance,  we  hold  up  a  finger,  and  shut  the 
right  eye,  we  shall  find  it  hide  a  certain  part 
of  the  room ;  if  again  reshutting  the  other  eye, 
we  shall  find  that  part  of  the  room  visible,  i 
and  the  finger  seeming  to  cover  a  part  of  the   • 
room  that  had  been  visible  before.     If  we   | 
open  both  eyes,  however,  the  part  covered  j 
-wiH  appear  to  lie  between  the  two  extremes.  • 


But  the  truth  is,  we  see  the  object  our  finger 
had  covered,  one  image  of  it  to  the  right,  and 
the  other  to  the  left ;  but,  from  habit,  suppose 
that  we  see  but  one  image  placed  between 
both;  our  sense  of  feeling  having  corrected 
the  errors  of  sight.  And  thus,  also,  if  instead 
of  two  eyes  we  had  two  hundred,  we  should, 
at  first,  fancy  the  objects  increased  in  pro- 
portion, until  one  sense  had  corrected  the 
errors  of  another. 

44  The  having  two  eyes  might  thus  be  said 
to  be  rather  an  inconvenience  than  a  benefit; 
since  one  eye  would  answer  the  purposes  of 
sight  as  well,  and  be  less  liable  to  illusion. 
But  it  is  otherwise ;  two  eyes  greatly  contri- 
bute, if  not  to  distinct,  at  least  to  extensive 
vision.*  When  an  object  is  placed  at  a  mo- 
derate distance,  by  the  means  of  both  eyes 
we  see  a  larger  share  of  it  than  we  possibly 
could  with  one ;  the  right  eye  seeing  a  grea- 
ter portion  of  its  right  side,  and  the  left  eye  of 
its  corresponding  side.  Thus  both  eyes,  in 
some  measure,  see  round  the  object;  and  it 
is  this  that  gives  it,  in  nature,  that  bold  re- 
lievo, or  swelling,  with  which  they  appear ; 
and  which  no  painting,  how  exquisite  soever, 
can  attain  to.  The  painter  must  be  content- 
ed with  shading  on  aflat  surface;  but  the 
eyes,  in  observing  nature,  do  not  behold  the 
shading  only,  but  a  part  of  the  figure  also, 
that  lies  behind  (hose  very  shadings,  which 
gives  it  that  swelling,  which  painters  so  ar- 
dently desire,  but  can  never  fully  imitate. 

"  There  is  another  defect,  which  either  of 
the  eyes,  taken  singly,  would  have,  but  which 
is  corrected,  by  having  the  organ  double. 
In  either  eye  there  is  a  point,  which  ha^  no 
vision  whatsoever ;  so  that  if  one  of  them  only 
is  employed  in  seeing,  there  is  a  part  of  the 
object  to  which  it  is  always  totally  blind. 
This  is  that  part  of  the  optic,  nerve  where  its 
vein  and  artery  run;  which  being  insensible, 
that  point  of  the  object  that  is  painted  there 
must  continue  unseen.  To  be  Convinced  of 
this  we  have  only  to  try  a  very  easy  experi- 
ment. If  we  take  three  black  patches,  and 
stick  them  upon  a  white  wall,  about  a  foot 
distant  from  each  other,  each  about  as  high 
as  the  eye  that  is  to  observe  them ;  then  re- 
tiring six  or  seven  feet  back,  and  shutting  one 

"  Leonardo  da  Vinci. 


AXIMALS. 


eye,  by  trying  for  some:  time,  we  shall  find, 
that  while  we  distinctly  behold  the  black 
spots  that  are  to  the  ri>j;!jt  and  left,  that  which 
is  in  the  middle  remains  totally  unseen.  Or, 
in  other  words,  when  we  bring  that  part  of  the 
eye,  where  the  optic  artery  runs,  to  fall  upon 
the  object,  it  will  then  become  invisible. 
This  defect,  however,  in  either  eye,  is  always 
corrected  by  both,  since  the  part  of  the  object 
that  is  unseen  by  one,  will  be  very  distinctly 
perorivrd  by  the  other.'' 

Beside  the  former  defects,  we  can  have  no 
idea  of  distances  from  the  sight,  without  the 
help  of  touch.  Naturally  every  object  we 
see  appears  to  be  within  our  eyes ;  and  a 
child,  who  has  as  yet  made  but  little  use  of 
the  sense  of  feeling,  must  suppose  that  every 
thing  it  sees  makes  a  part  of  itself.  Such  ob- 
jects are  only  seen  more  or  less  bulky  as  they 
approach,  or  recede  from  its  eyes ;  so  that 
a  lly  that  is  near  will  appear  larger  than  an 
ox  at  a  distance.  It  is  experience  alone  that 
can  rectify  this  mistake  ;  and  a  long  acquain- 
tance with  the  real  size  of  every  object,  quick- 
ly assures  us  of  the  distance  at  which  it  is  seen. 
The  last  man  in  a  file  of  soldiers  appears  in 
reality  much  less,  perhaps  ten  times  more  di- 
minutive, than  the  man  next  to  us ;  however, 
we  do  not  perceive  this  difference,  but  con- 
tinue to  think  him  of  equal  stature ;  for  the 
numbers  we  have  seen  thus  lessened  by  dis- 
tance, and  have  found,  by  repeated  experi- 
ence, to  be  of  the  natural  size  when  we  come 
closer,  instantly  correct  the  sense,  and  every 
object  is  perceived  with  nearly  its  natural 
proportion.  But  it  is  otherwise,  if  we  observe 
objects  in  such  situations  as  we  have  not  had 
sufficient  experience  to  correct  the  errors  of 
the  eye ;  if,  for  instance,  we  look  at  men  from 
the  top  of  a  high  steeple,  they,  in  that  case, 
appear  very  much  diminished,  as  we  have  not 
had  a  habit  of  correctitig  the  sense  in  that  po- 
sition. 

Although  a  small  degree  of  reflection  will 
serve  to  convince  us  of  the  truth  of  these  po- 
sitions, it  may  not  be  amiss  to  strengthen 
them  by  an  authority  which  cannot  be  dispu- 
ted. Mr.  Cheselden  having  couched  a  boy 
of  thirteen  for  a  cataract,  who  had  hitherto 
been  blind,  and  thus  at  once  having  restored 
him  to  sight,  curiously  marked  the  progress 
of  his  mind  upon  that  occasion.  This  youth, 


though  he  had  been  till  then  incapable  of  see- 
ing, yet  was  not  totally  blind,  but  could  tell 
day  from  night,  as  persons  in  his  situation 
always  may.  He  could  also,  with  a  strong 
light,  distinguish  black  from  white,  and  either 
from  the  vivid  colour  of  scarlet :  however,  he 
saw  nothing  of  the  form  of  bodies  ;  and,  with- 
out a  bright  light,  not  even  colours  themselves. 
He  was,  at  first,  couched  only  in  one  of  his 
eyes;  and  when  he  saw  for  the  first  time,  he 
was  so  far  from  judging  of  distances,  that  he 
supposed  his  eye  touched  every  object  tiia- 
he  saw,  in  the  same  manner  as  his  hands 
might  be  said  to  feel  them.  The  objects  that 
were  most  agreeable  to  him  were  such  as  were 
of  plain  surfaces  and  regular  figures  :  though 
he  could  as  yet  make  no  judgment  whatever 
of  their  different  forms,  nor  give  a  reason  why 
one  pleased  him  more  than  another.  Al- 
though he  could  form  some  idea  of  colours 
during  his  state  of  blindness,  yet  that  was  not 
sufficient  to  direct  him  at  present;  and  he 
could  scarcely  be  persuaded  that  the  colours 
he  now  saw  were  the  same  with  those  he  had 
formerly  conceived  such  erroneous  ideas  of. 
He  delighted  most  in  green ;  but  black  ob- 
jects, as  if  giving  him  an  idea  of  his  former 
blindness,  he  regarded  with  horror.  He  had, 
as  was  said,  no  idea  of  forms ;  and  was  una- 
ble to  distinguish  one  object  from  another, 
though  never  so  different.  When  those  things 
were  shown  him,  which  he  had  been  former- 
ly familiarized  to  by  his  feeling,  he  beheld 
them  with  earnestness,  in  order  to  remember 
them  a  second  time :  but  as  he  had  too  many 
to  recollect  at  once,  he  forgot  the  greatest 
number ;  and  for  one  he  could  tell,  after  see- 
ing, there  was  a  thousand  he  was  totally  un- 
acquainted with.  He  was  very  much  sur- 
prised to  find,  that  those  things  and  persons 
he  loved  best,  were  not  the  most  beautiful  to 
be  seen;  and  even  testified  displeasure  in 
not  finding  his  parents  so  handsome  as  he 
conceived  them  to  be.  It  was  near  two  months 
before  he  could  find  that  a  picture  resembled 
a  solid  body.  Till  then  he  only  considered 
it  as  a  flat  surface,  variously  shadowed  ;  but 
when  he  began  to  perceive  that  these  kind 
of  shadings  actually  represented  human  beings, 
he  then  began  to  examine,  by  his  touch,  whe- 
ther they  had  not  the  usual  qualities  of  such 
bodies,  and  was  .oreatly  surprised  to  find,  what 


A  HISTORY  OF 


he  expected  a  very  unequal  surface,  to  be 
smooth  and  even.  He  was  then  shown  a  mi- 
niature-picture of  his  father,  which  was  con- 
tained in  his  mother's  watch-case,  and  he  rea- 
dily perceived  the  resemblance;  but  asked, 
with  great  astonishment,  how  so  large  a  face 
could  be  contained  in  so  small  a  compass? 
It  seemed  as  strange  to  him  as  if  a  bushel  was 
contained  in  a  pint  vessel.  At  first  he  could 
bear  but  a  very  small  quantity  of  light,  and 
he  saw  erery  object  much  greater  than  the 
life ;  but,  in  proportion  as  he  saw  objects  that 
were  really  large,  he  seemed  to  think  the  for- 
mer were  diminished ;  and  although  he  knew 
the  chamber  where  he  was  contained  in  the 
house,  yet,  until  he  saw  the  latter,  he  could 
not  be  brought  to  conceive  how  a  house  could 
be  larger  than  a  chamber.  Before  the  ope- 
ration, he  had  no  great  expectations  from  the 
pleasure  he  should  receive  from  a  new  sense; 
he  was  only  excited  by  the  hopes  of  being 
able  to  read  and  write ;  he  said,  for  instance, 
that  he  could  hare  no  greater  pleasure  in 
walking  in  the  garden  with  his  sight,  than  he 
had  without  it,  tor  he  walked  there  at  his  ease, 
and  was  acquainted  with  all  the  walks.  He 
remarked  also,  with  great  justice,  that  his  for- 
mer blindness  gave  him  one  advantage  over 
the  rest  of  mankind,  which  was  that  of  being 
able  to  walk  in  the  night  with  confidence  and 
security.  But  when  he  began  to  make  use 
of  his  new  sense,  he  seemed  transported  be- 
yond measure.  He  said,  that  every  new  ob- 
ject was  a  new  source  of  delight,  and  that  his 
pleasure  was  so  great  as  to  be  past  expres- 
sion. 

About  a  year  after,  he  was  brought  to  Ep- 
som, where  there  is  a  very  fine  prospect,  with 
which  he  seemed  greatly  charmed ;  and  he 
called  the  landscape  before  him  a  new  me- 
thod of  seeing.  He  was  couched  in  the  other 
eye,  a  year  after  the  former,  and  the  opera- 
tion succeeded  equally  well :  when  he  saw 
with  both  eyes,  he  said  that  objects  appear- 
ed to  him  twice  as  large  as  when  he  saw  but 
with  one;  however,  he  did  not  see  them  dou- 
bled, or,  at  least,  he  showed  no  marks  as  if 
he  saw  them  so.  Mr.  Cheselden  mentions  in- 
instances  of  many  more  that  were  restored  to 
sight  in  this  manner ;  they  all  seemed  to  con- 
cur in  their  perceptions  with  this  youth ;  and 
all  seemed  particularly  embarrassed  in 


learning  how  to  direct  their  eyes  to  the  ob 
jects  they  wished  to  observe. 

In  this  manner  it  is  that  our  feeling  correct; 
the  sense  of  seeing,  and  that  objects  which 
appear  of  very  different  sizes  at  different  dis- 
tances, are  all  reduced,  by  experience,  to 
their  natural  standard.  "  But  not  the  feeling 
only,  but  also  the  colour  and  brightness  ot 
the  object,  contributes,  in  some  measure,  to 
assist  us  in  forming  an  idea  of  the  distance  at 
which  it  appears."  Those  which  we  see  most 
strongly  marked  with  light  and  shade,  we  rea- 
dily know  to  be  nearer  than  those  on  which 
the  colours  are  more  faintly  spread,  and  that, 
in  some  measure,  take  a  part  of  their  hue  from 
the  air  between  us  and  them. — Bright  objects 
also  are  seen  at  a  greater  distance  than  such 
as  are  obscure,  and,  most  probably,  for  this 
reason,  that  being  less  similar  in  colour,  to 
the  air  which  interposes,  their  impressions  are 
less  effaced  by  it,  and  they  continue  more  dis- 
tinctly visible.  Thus  a  black  and  distant  ob- 
ject is  not  seen  so  far  off" as  a  bright  and  glit- 
tering one,  and  a  fire  by  night  is  seen  much 
farther  off"  than  by  day." 

The  power  of  seeing  objects  at  a  distance 
is  very  rarely  equal  in  both  eyes.  When  this 
inequality  is  in  any  great  degree,  the  person 
so  circumstanced  then  makes  use  only  of  one 
eye,  shutting  that  which  sees  the  least,  and 
employing  the  other  with  all  its  power.  And 
hence  proceeds  that  awkward  look  which  is 
known  by  the  name  of  strabism. 

There  are  many  reasons  to  induce  us  to 
think  that  such  as  are  near-sighted  see  objects 
larger  than  other  persons ;  and  yet  the  con- 
trary is  most  certainly  true,  for  they  see  them 
less.  Mr.  Buffbn  informs  us  that  he  himself 
is  short-sighted,  and  that  hisleft  eyeisstronger 
than  his  right.  He  has  very  frequently  expe- 
rienced, upon  looking  at  any  object,  such  as 
the  letters  of  a  book,  that  they  appear  less  to 
the  weakest  eye;  and  that  when  he  places  the 
book,  so  as  that  the  letters  appear  double, 
the  images  of  the  left  eye,  which  is  strongest, 
are  greater  than  those  of  the  right,  which  is 
the  most  feeble.  He  has  examined  several 
others,  who  were  in  similar  circumstances,  and 

a  Mr.  Buffon  gives  a  different  theory,  for  which  I  must 
refer  the  reader  to  the  original.  That  I  have  given,  I 
take  to  be  easy  and  satisfactory  enough. 


ANIMALS. 


to;* 


has  always  found  that  the  best  eye  saw  every 
object  the  largest.  This  he  ascribes  to  ha- 
bit; for  near-sighted  people  being  accustom- 
ed to  come  close  to  the  object,  and  view  but 
a  small  part  of  it  at  a  time,  the  habit  ensues, 
when  the  whole  of  an  object  is  seen,  and  it 
appears  less  to  them  than  to  others. 

Infants,  having  their  eyes  less  than  those 
of  adults,  must  see  objects  also  smaller  in  pro- 
portion. For  the  image  formed  on  the  back 
of  the  eye  will  be  large,  as  the  eye  is  capaci- 
ous ;  and  infants,  having  it  not  so  great,  can- 
not have  so  large  a  picture  of  the  object. 
This  may  be  a  reason  also  why  they  are  un- 
able to  see  so  distinctly,  or  at  such  distances, 
as  persons  arrived  at  maturity. 

Old  men,  on  the  contrary,  see  bodies  close 
to  them  very  indistinctly,  but  bodies  at  a  great 
distance  from  them  with  more  precision;  and 
this  may  happen  from  an  alteration  in  the 
coats,  or,  perhaps,  humours  of  the  eye  ;  and 
not,  as  is  supposed,  from  their  diminution. 
The  cornea,  for  instance,  may  become  too  ri- 
gid to  adapt  itself,  and  take  a  proper  convexi- 
ty for  seeing  minute  objects ;  and  its  very 
flatness  will  be  sufficient  tofit  it  fordistant  vision. 

When  we  cast  our  eyes  upon  an  object  ex- 
tremely brilliant,  or  when  we  fix  and  detain 
them  too  long  upon  the  same  object,  the  organ 
is  hurt  and  fatigued,  its  vision  becomes  indis- 
tinct, and  the  image  of  the  body  which  has 
thus  too  violently,  or  too  perseveringly  em- 
ployed us,  is  painted  upon  every  thing  we 
look  at,  and  mixes  with  every  object  that  oc- 
curs. "  And  this  is  an  obvious  consequence 
of  the  eye  taking  in  too  much  light,  either  im- 
mediately, or  by  reflection.  Every  body  ex- 
posed to  the  light,  for  a  time,  drinks  in  a  quan- 
tity of  its  rays,  which  being  brought  into  dark- 
ness, it  cannot  instantly  discharge.  Thus  the 
hand,  if  it  be  exposed  to  broad  day-light  for 
some  time,  and  then  immediately  snatched 
into  a  dark  room,  will  appear  still  lumi- 
nous :  and  it  will  be  some  time  before  it  is  to- 
tally darkened.  It  is  thus  with  the  eye; 
which,  either  by  an  instant  gaze  at  the  sun, 
or  a  steady  continuance  upon  some  less  bril- 
liant object,  has  taken  in  too  much  light ;  its 
humours  are,  for  a  while,  unfit  for  vision,  until 
that  be  discharged,  and  room  made  for  rays 
of  a  milder  nature."  How  dangerous  the  look- 
ing upon  bright  and  luminous  objects  is  to  the 

NO.  15  &  16 


sight,  may  be  easily  seen,  from  such  as  live 
in  countries  covered  for  most  part  of  the  year 
with  snow,  who  become  generally  blind  beibre 
their  time.  Travellers  who  cross  these  coun- 
tries are  obliged  to  wear  a  crape  before  their 
faces,  to  save  their  eyes,  which  would  other- 
wise be  rendered  totally  unserviceable ;  and 
it  is  equally  dangerous  in  the  sandy  plains  of 
Africa.  The  reflection  of  the  light  is  there  so 
strong,  that  it  is  impossible  to  sustain  the  effect 
without  incurring  the  danger  of  losing  one's 
sight  entirely.  Such  persons,  therefore,  as 
read  or  write  for  any  continuance,  should 
choose  a  moderate  light,  in  order  to  save  their 
eyes ;  and  although  it  may  seem  insufficient  al 
first,  the  eye  will  accustom  itself  to  the  shade, 
by  degrees,  and  be  less  hurt  by  the  want  of 
light  than  the  excess. 

"  It  is,  indeed,  surprising  how  far  the  eye 
can  accommodate  itself  to  darkness,  and  make 
the  best  of  a  gloomy  situation.  When  first 
taken  from  the  light,  and  brought  into  a  dark 
room,  all  things  disappear;  or,  if  any  thing 
is  seen,  it  is  only  the  remaining  radiations  that 
still  continue  in  the  eye.  But,  after  a  very 
little  time,  when  these  are  spent,  the  eye 
takes  the  advantage  of  the  smallest  ray  that 
happens  to  enter ;  and  this  alone  would,  in  time, 
serve  for  many  of  the  purposes  of  life.  There 
was  a  gentleman  of  great  courage  and  under- 
standing, who  was  a  major  under  King 
Charles  I. ;  this  unfortunate  man,  sharing  in 
his  master's  misfortunes,  and  being  forced 
abroad,  ventured  at  Madrid  to  do  his  king 
a  signal  service ;  but  unluckily  failed  in  the 
attempt.  In  consequence  of  this,  he  was  in- 
stantly ordered  to  a  dark  and  dismal  dun- 
geon, into  which  the  light  never  entered,  and 
into  which  there  was  no  opening  but  by  a 
hole  at  the  top,  down  which  the  keeper  put 
his  provisions,  and  presently  closed  it  again 
on  the  other  side.  In  this  manner  the  unfor- 
tunate loyalist  continued  for  some  weeks,  dis- 
tressed and  disconsolate  ;  but  at  last  he  be- 
gan to  think  he  saw  some  little  glimmering  of 
light.  This  internal  dawn  seemed  to  in- 
crease from  time  to  time,  so  that  he  could  not 
only  discover  the  parts  of  his  bed,  and  such 
other  large  objects,  but,  at  length,  he  even 
began  to  perceive  the  mice  that  frequented 
his  cell ;  and  saw  them  as  they  ran  about  the 
floor,  eating  the  crumbs  of  bread  that  happen- 

2H 


164 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ed  to  fall.  After  some  months'  confinement  I]  not,  for  some  days,  venture  to  leave  his  dun- 
he  was  at  last  set  free;  but  such  was  the  ef-  geori,  but  was  obliged  to  accustom  himself  by 
feet  of  the  darkness  upon  him,  that  he  could  jj  degrees  to  the  light  of  the  day. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

OF  HEARING." 


AS  the  sense  of  hearing,  as  well  as  of  sight, 
gives  us  notice  of  remote  objects,  so,  like  that, 
it  is  subject  to  similar  errors,  being  capable 
of  imposing  on  us  upon  all  occasions,  where 
we  cannot  rectify  it  by  the  sense  of  feeling. 
We  can  have  from  it  no  distinct  intelligence 
of  the  distance  from  whence  a  sounding  body 
is  heard ;  a  great  noise  far  ofT,  and  a  small 
one  very  near,  produce  the  same  sensation ; 
and  unless  we  receive  information  from  some 
other  sense,  we  can  never  distinctly  tell  whe- 
ther the  sound  be  a  great  or  a  small  one.  It 
is  riot  till  we  have  learned,  by  experience, 
that  the  particular  sound  which  is  heard,  is  of 
a  peculiar  kind ;  then  we  can  judge  of  the 
distance  from  whence  we  hear  it.  When  we 
know  the  tone  of  the  bell,  we  can  then  judge 
how  far  it  is  from  us. 

Every  body  that  strikes  against  another  pro- 
duces a  sound,  which  is  simple,  and  but  one 
in  bodies  which  are  not  elastic,  but  which  is 
often  repeated  in  such  as  are.  If  we  strike  a 
bell,  or  a  stretched  string,  for  instance,  which 
are  both  elastic,  a  single  blow  produces  a 
sound,  which  is  repeated  by  the  undulations 
of  the  sonorous  body,  and  which  is  multiplied 
as  often  as  it  happens  to  undulate  or  vibrate. 
These  undulations  each  strike  their  own  pe- 
culiar blow;  but  they  succeed  so  fast,  one 
behind  the  other,  that  the  ear  supposes  them 
one  continued  sound ;  whereas,  in  reality, 
they  make  many.  A  person  who  should,  for 
the  first  time,  hear  the  toll  of  the  bell,  would 
very  probably  be  able  to  distinguish  these 
breaks  of  sound  ;  and,  in  fact,  we  can  readily 
ourselves  perceive  an  intention  and  premis- 
sion  in  the  sound. 

In  this  manner,  sounding  bodies  are  of  two 

1  This  chapter  is  taken  from  Mr.  Bullbn,  except  where 
marked  by  inverted  commas. 


kinds;  those  unelastic  ones,  which,  being 
struck,  return  but  a  single  sound ;  and  those 
more  elastic,  returning  a  succession  of  sounds; 
which  uniting  together,  form  a  tone.  This 
tone  may  be  considered  as  a  great  number 
of  sounds,  all  produced  one  alter  the  other, 
by  the  same  body,  as  we  find  in  a  bell,  or  the 
string  of  a  harpsichord,  which  continues  to 
sound  for  some  time  after  it  is  struck.  A  con- 
tinuing tone  may  also  be  produced  from  a 
non-elastic  body,  by  repeating  the  blow  quick 
and  often,  as  when  we  beat  a  drum,  or  when 
we  draw  a  bow  along  the  string  of  a  fiddle. 
Considering  the  subject  in  this  light,  if  we 
should  multiply  the  number  of  blows,  or  re- 
peat them  at  quicker  intervals  upon  the 
sounding  body,  as  upon  the  drum,  for  in- 
stance, it  is  evident  that  this  will  have  no  ef- 
fect in  altering  the  tone ;  it  will  only  make 
it  either  more  even,  or  more  distinct.  But  it 
is  otherwise,  if  we  increase  the  force  of  the 
blow:  if  we  strike  the  body  with  double 
weight,  this  will  produce  a  tone  twice  as  loud 
as  the  former.  If,  for  instance,  I  strike  a  table 
with  a  switch,  this  will  be  very-different  from 
the  sound  produced  by  striking  it  with  a  cud- 
gel. Hence,  therefore,  we  may  infer,  that  all 
bodies  give  a  louder  and  a  graver  tone,  not 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  times  they  are 
struck,  but  in  proportion  to  the  force  that 
strikes  them.  And,  if  this  be  so,  those  philo- 
sophers who  make  the  tone  of  a  sonorous 
body,  of  a  bell,  or  the  string  of  a  harpsichord, 
for  instance,  to  depend  upon  the  number  only 
of  its  vibrations,  and  not  the  force,  have  mis- 
taken what  is  only  an  effect  for  a  cause.  A 
bell,  or  an  elastic  string,  can  only  be  consi- 
dered as  a  drum  beaten;  and  the  frequency 
of  the  blows  can  make  no  alteration  whatever 
in  the  tone.  The  largest  bells,  and  the  longest 


ANIMALS. 


16f, 


and  thickest  strings,  have  the  most  forceful 
vibrations ;  and,  therefore,  their  tones  are  the 
most  loud  and  the  most  grave. 

To  know  the  manner  in  which  sounds  thus 
produced  become  pleasing,  it  must  be  observ- 
ed, no  one  continuing  tone,  how  loud  and 
swelling  soever,  can  give  us  satisfaction ;  we 
must  have  a  succession  of  them,  and  those  in 
the  most  pleasing  proportion.     The  nature  of 
this  proportion  may  be  thus  conceived.     If 
we  strike  a  body  incapable  of  vibration  with 
a  double  force,  or,  what  amounts  to  the  same 
thing,  with  a  double  mass  of  matter,  it  will 
produce  a  sound  that  will  be  doubly  grave. 
Music  has  been  said,  by  the  ancients,  to  have 
been  first  invented   from  blows  of  different 
hammers  on  an  anvil.  Suppose  then  we  strike 
an     anvil   with   a    hammer   of    one   pound 
weight,  and  again  with  a   hammer   of  two 
pounds,  it  is  plain  that  the  two-pound  hammer 
will  produce  a  sound  twice  as  grave  as  the 
former.     But  if  we  strike  with  a  two-po'ind 
hammer,  and   then  with  a  three-pound,  it  is 
evident  that  the  latter  will  produce  a  sound 
one-third  more  grave  than  the  former.     If  we 
strike  the  anvil   with  a  three-pound  hammer, 
and  then  with  a  four-pound,   it  will  likewise 
follow  that  the  latter  will  be  a  quarter  part 
more  grave  than  the  former.     Now,  in  the 
comparing  between  all  those  sounds,  it  is  ob- 
vious that  the  difference  between  one  and  fwo 
is  more  easily  perceived,  than  between   two 
and   three,  three  and  four,  or  any  numbers 
succeeding  in  the  same  proportion.   The  suc- 
cession of  sounds  will  be,  therefore,  pleasing 
in  proportion   to  the  ease  with  which  they 
may  be  distinguished.     That  sound  which  is 
double  the  former,  or,  in  other  words,  the  oc- 
tave to  the  preceding  tone,  will,  of  all  others, 
be  the  most  pleasing  harmony.     The  next  to 
that  which  is  as  two  to  three,  or,  in  other 
words,  the  thirl,  will  be  most  agreeable.   And 
thus,  universally,  those  sounds  whose  differ- 
ence may  be  most  easily  compared,  are  the 
most  agreeable. 

"  Musicians,  therefore,  have  contented 
themselves  with  seven  different  proportions 
of  sound,  which  are  called  notes,  and  which 
sufficiently  answer  all  the  purposes  of  plea- 
sure. Not  but  that  they  might  adopt  a  grea- 
ter diversity  of  proportions ;  and  some  have 
actually  done  so ;  but,  in  these,  the  differences 


of  the  proportion  are  so  imperceptible,  that 
the  ear  is  rather  fatigued  than  pleased  in 
making  the  distinction.  In  order,  however, 
to  give  variety,  they  have  admitted  halftones: 
but  in  all  the  countries  where  music  is  yet  in 
its  infancy,  they  have  rejected  such ;  and  they 
can  find  music  in  none  but  the  obvious  ones. 
The  Chinese,  for  instance,  have  neither  flats 
nor  sharps  in  their  music;  but  the  intervals 
between  their  other  notes,  are  in  the  same 
proportion  with  ours. 

"  Many  more  barbarous  nations  have  their 
peculiar  instruments  of  music ;  and,  what  is 
remarkable,the  proportion  between  their  notes 
is  in  all  the  same  as  in  ours.  This  is  not  the 
place  for  entering  into  the  nature  of  these 
sounds,  their  effects  upon  the  air,or  their  con- 
sonances with  each  other.  We  are  not  now  giv- 
ing a  history  of  sound,  but  of  human  perception. 
"  All  countries  are  pleased  with  music ; 
and  if  they  have  not  skill  enough  to  produce 
harmony,  at  least  they  seem  willing  to  substi- 
tute noise.  Without  all  question,  noise  alone 
is  sufficient  to  operate  powerfully  on  the 
spirits ;  and,  if  the  mind  be  already  predis- 
posed to  joy,  I  have  seldom  found  noise  fail 
of  increasing  it  into  rapture.  The  mind  feels 
a  kind  of  distracted  pleasure  in  such  power- 
ful sounds,  braces  up  every  nerve,  and  riots 
in  the  excess.  But,  as  in  the  eye,  an  imme- 
diate gaze  upon  the  sun  will  disturb  the  or- 
gans, so,  in  the  ear,  a  loud  unexpected  noise- 
disorders  the  whole  frame,  arid  sometimes 
disturbs  the  sense  ever  after.  The  mind 
must  have  time  to  prepare  for  the  expected 
shock,  and  to  give  its  organs  the  proper  ten- 
sion for  its  arrival. 

"  Musical  sounds,  however,  seem  of  a  differ- 
ent kind.  Those  are  generally  most  pleasing 
which  are  most  unexpected.  It  is  not  from 
bracing  up  the  nerves,  but  from  the  grateful 
successionof  the  sounds,  that  these  become  so 
charming.  There  /are  few,  how  indifferent 
soever,  but  have  at  times  felt  their  pleasing  im- 
pressions; and,  perhaps,  even  those  who  have 
stood  out  against  the  powerful  persuasion  of 
sounds,  only  wanted  the  proper  tune,  or  the 
proper  instrument,  to  allure  them. 

"  The  ancients  give  us  a  thousand  strange 

instances  of  the  effects  of  music  upon  men 

and  animals.     The  story  of  Arion's  harp,  that 

gathered  the  dolphins  to  the  ship's  side,  is  well 

211* 


166 


A  HISTORY  OF 


known ;  and  what  is  remarkable,  Scholteus 
assures  us,"  that  he  saw  a  similar  instance  of 
fishes  being  allured  by  music.  They  tell  us 
of  diseases  that  have  been  cured,  unchastity 
corrected,  seditions  quelled,  passions  re- 
moved, and  sometimes  excited  even  to  mad- 
ness. Dr.  Wallis  has  endeavoured  to  account 
for  these  surprising  effects,  by  ascribing  them 
to  the  novelty  of  the  art.  For  my  own  part, 
J  can  scarcely  hesitate  to  impute  them  to  the 
exaggeration  of  the  writers.  They  are  as  hy- 
perbolical in  the  effects  of  their  oratory ;  and 
yet,  we  well  know,  there  is  nothing  in  the  ora- 
tions which  they  have  left  us,  capable  of  ex- 
citing madness,  or  of  raising  the  mind  to  that 
ungovernable  degree  of  fury  which  they  de- 
scribe. As  they  have  exaggerated,  therefore, 
in  one  instance,  we  may  naturally  suppose 
that  they  have  done  the  same  in  the  other; 
and,  indeed,  from  the  few  remains  we  have  of 
their  music,  collected  by  Meibornius,  one 
might  be  apt  to  suppose  there  was  nothing 
very  powerful  in  what  is  lost.  Nor  does  any 
one  of  the  ancient  instruments,  such  as  we 
see  them  represented  in  statues,  appear  com- 
parable to  our  fiddle. 

"  However  this  be,  we  have  many  odd  ac- 
counts, not  only  among  them,  but  the  mo- 
derns, of  the  power  of  music  ;  and  it  must  not 
be  denied,  but  that,  on  some  particular  oc- 
casions, musical  sounds  may  have  a  very  pow- 
erful effect.  I  have  seen  all  the  horses  and 
cows  in  a  field,  where  there  were  above  a 
hundred,  gathered  round  a  person  that  was 
blowing  a  French  horn,  and  seeming  to  tes- 
tify an  awkward  kind  of  satisfaction.  Dogs 
are  well  known  to  be  very  sensible  of  dif- 
ferent tones  in  music ;  and  I  have  sometimes 
heard  them  sustain  a  very  ridiculous  part  in 
a  concert,  where  their  assistance  was  neither 
expected  nor  desired. 

"  We  are  told  of  Henry  IV.  of  Denmark,11 
that  being  one  day  desirous  of  trying  in 
person  whether  a  musician,  who  boasted  that 
he  could  excite  men  to  madness,  was  not 
an  impostor,  he  submitted  to  the  operation 
of  his  skill :  but  the  consequence  was  much 
more  terrible  than  he  expected ;  for,  becom- 
ing actually  mad,  he  killed  four  of  his  atten- 


a  Quod  oculis  meis  spectavi.     Schotti  Magic,    univer- 
aalis,  pars.  ii.  lib.  1.  p.  26. 


dants  in  the  midst  of  his  transports.  A  con- 
trary effect  of  music  we  have,c  in  the  cure  of 
a  madman  of  Alais,  in  France,  by  music. 
This  man,  who  was  a  dancing-master,  after  a 
fever  of  five  days,  grew  furious,  and  so  un- 
governable that  his  hands  were  obliged  to  be 
tied  to  his  sides :  what  at  first  was  rage,  in  a 
short  time  was  converted  into  silent  melan- 
choly, which  no  arts  could  exhilarate,  nor  no 
medicines  remove.  In  this  sullen  and  de- 
jected state,  an  old  acquaintance  accidentally 
came  to  inquire  after  his  health ;  he  found 
him  sitting  up  in  bed,  tied,  and  totally  regard- 
less of  every  external  object  around  him. 
Happening,  however,  to  take  up  a  fiddle  that 
lay  in  the  room,  and  touching  a  favourite  air, 
the  poor  madman  instantly  seemed  to  brighten 
up  at  the  sound ;  from  a  recumbent  posture, 
he  began  to  sit  up ;  and,  as  the  musician  con- 
tinued playing,  the  patient  seemed  desirous 
of  dancing  to  the  sound :  but  he  was  tied, 
and  incapable  of  leaving  his  bed,  so  that  he 
could  only  humour  the  tune  with  his  head, 
and  those  parts  of  his  arms  which  were  at 
liberty.  Thus  the  other  continued  playing, 
and  the  dancing-master  practised  his  own  art, 
as  far  as  he^as  able,  for  about  a  quarter  of 
an  hour,  when  suddenly  falling  into  a  deep 
sleep,  in  which  his  disorder  came  to  a  crisis, 
he  awaked  perfectly  recovered. 

""A.  thousand  other  instances  might  be  add- 
ed, equally  true  :  let  it  suffice  to  add  one  more, 
which  is  not  true ;  I  mean  that  of  the  taran- 
tula. Every  person  who  has  been  in  Italy 
now  well  knows,  that  the  bite  of  this  animal, 
and  its  being  cured  by  music,  is  all  a  decep- 
tion. When  strangers  come  into  that  part 
of  the  country,  the  country  people  are  ready 
enough  to  take  money  for  dancing  to  the 
tarantula.  A  friend  of  mine  had  a  servant 
who  suffered  himself  to  be  bit ;  the  wound, 
which  was  little  larger  than  the  puncture  of  a 
pin,  was  uneasy  for  a  few  hours,  and  then  be- 
came well  without  any  farther  assistance. 
Some  of  the  country  people  however,  still 
make  tolerable  livelihood  of  the  credulity  of 
strangers,  as  the  musician  finds  his  account 
in  it  not  less  than  the  dancer." 

Sounds,  like  light,  are  not  only  extensively 

b  Olai  Magni,  1.  15.  hist.  c.  28.  c  Hist,  de  1'Acad. 
1708.  p.  22. 


ANIMALS. 


167 


diffused,  but  are  frequently  reflected.  The 
laws  of  this  reflection,  it  is  true,  are  not  as 
well  understood  as  those  of  light ;  all  we 
know  is,  that  sound  is  principally  reflected 
by  hard  bodies  ;  and  their  being  hollow;  also, 
sometimes  increases  the  reverberation.  "  No 
art,  however,  can  make  an  echo  ;  and  some 
who  have  bestowed  great  labour  and  expense 
upon  such  a  project,  have  only  erected  shape- 
less buildings,  whose  silence  was  a  mortifying 
lecture  upon  their  presumption." 

The  internal  cavity  of  the  ear  seems  to  be 
fitted  up  for  the  purpose  of  echoing  sound 
with  the  greatest  precision.  This  part  is  fa- 
shioned out  in  the  temporal  bone,  like  a  ca- 
vern cut  into  a  rock.  "  In  this  the  sound  is 
repeated  and  articulated ;  and,  as  some  ana- 
tomists tell  us,  (for  we  have  as  yet  but  very 
little  knowledge  on  this  subject,)  is  beaten 
against  the  tympanum,  or  drum  of  the  ear, 
which  moves  four  little  bones  joined  thereto; 
and  these  move  and  agitate  the  internal  air 
which  lies  on  the  other  side;  and  lastly,  this 
air  strikes  and  affects  the  auditory  nerves, 
•which  carry  the  sound  to  the  brain." 

One  of  the  most  common  disorders  in  old 
age  is  deafness ;  which  probably  proceeds 
from  the  rigidity  of  the  nerves  in  the  labyrinth 
of  the  ear.  This  disorder,  also,  sometimes 
proceeds  from  a  stoppage  of  the  wax,  which 
art  may  easily  remedy.  In  order  to  know 
whether  the  defect  be  an  internal  or  an  ex- 
ternal one,  let  the  deaf  person  put  a  repeat- 
ing watch  into  his  mouth,  and  if  he  hears  it 
strike,  he  may  be  assured  that  his  disorder 
proceeds  from  an  external  cause,  and  is,  in 
some  measure,  curable :  "  for  there  is  a  pas- 
sage from  the  ears  into  the  mouth,  by  what 
anatomists  call  the  eustachian  tube ;  and,  by 
this  passage,  people  often  hear  sounds,  when 
they  are  utterly  without  hearing  through  the 
larger  channel :  and  this  also  is  the  reason 
that  we  often  see  persons  who  listen  with 
great  attention,  hearken  with  their  mouths 
open,  in  order  to  catch  all  the  sound  at  every 
aperture." 

It  often  happens,  that  persons  hear  diffe- 
rently with  one  ear  from  the  other ;  and  it  is 
generally  found  that  these  have  what  is  call- 
ed, by  musicians,  a  bad  ear.  Mr.  Buffon, 
who  has  made  many  trials  upon  persons  of 
this  kind,  always  found  that  their  defect  in 


judging  properly  of  sounds  proceeded  from 
the  inequality  of  their  ears  ;  and  receiving  by 
both,  at  the  same  time,  unequal  sensations, 
they  form  an  unjust  idea.  In  this  manner,  as 
those  people  hear  false,  they  also,  without 
knowing  it,  sing  false.  Those  persons  also 
frequently  deceive  themselves  with  regard  to 
the  side  from  whence  the  sound  comes,  gene- 
rally supposing  the  noise  to  come  on  the  part 
of  the  best  ear. 

Such  as  are  hard  of  hearing,  find  the  same 
advantage  in  the  trumpet  made  for  this  pur- 
pose, that  short-sighted  persons  do  from 
glasses.  These  trumpets  might  be  easily  im- 
proved so  as  to  increase  sounds,  in  the  same 
manner  that  the  telescope  does  objects  ;  how- 
ever, they  could  be  used  to  advantage  only 
in  a  place  of  solitude  and  stillness,  as  the 
neighbouring  sounds  would  mix  with  the  more 
distant,  and  the  whole  would  produce  in  the 
ear  nothing  but  tumult  and  confusion. 

Hearing  is  a  much  more  necessary  sense  to 
man  than  to  animals.  With  these  it  is  only 
a  warning  against  danger,  or  an  encourage- 
ment to  mutual  assistance.  In  man,  it  is  the 
source  of  most  of  his  pleasure;  and  without 
which  the  rest  of  his  senses  would  be  of  little 
benefit.  A  man  born  deaf,  must  necessarily 
be  dumb  ;  and  his  whole  sphere  of  knowledge 
must  be  bounded  only  by  sensual  objects. 
We  have  an  instance  of  a  young  man,  who, 
being  born  deaf,  was  restored  at  the  age  of 
twenty-four  to  perfect  hearing :  the  account 
is  given  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Academy  of 
Sciences,  1703,  page  18. 

A  young  man,  of  the  town  of  Chartres,  be- 
tween the  age  of  twenty-three  and  twenty- 
four,  the  son  of  a  tradesman,  and  deaf  and 
dumb  from  his  birth,  began  to  speak  all  of  a 
sudden,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  the 
whole  town.  He  gave  them  to  understand, 
that  about  three  or  four  months  before,  he  had 
heard  the  sound  of  the  bells  for  the  first  time, 
and  was  greatly  surprised  at  this  new  and  un- 
known sensation.  After  some  time,  a  kind  of 
water  issued  from  his  left  ear,  and  he  then 
heard  perfectly  well  with  both.  During  these 
three  months,  he  was  sedulously  employed  in 
listening  without  saying  a  word,  and  accus- 
toming himself  to  speak  softly  (so  as  not  to 
be  heard)  the  words  pronounced  by  others. 
He  laboured  hard  also  in  perfecting  himself 


168 


A  HISTORY  OF 


in  the  pronunciation,  and  in  the  ideas  attached 
to  every  sound.  At  length,  having  supposed 
himself  qualified  to  break  silence,  he  declared, 
that  he  could  now  speak,  although  as  yet  but 
imperfectly.  Soon  after,  some  able  divines 
questioned  him  concerning  his  ideas  of  his  past 
state  ;  and  principally  with  respect  to  God, 
his  soul,  the  morality  or  turpitude  of  actions. 
The  young  man,  however,  had  not  driven  his 
solitary  speculations  into  that  channel.  He 
had  gone  to  mass  indeed  with  his  parents,  and 
learned  to  sign  himself  with  the  cross,  to  kneel 
down  and  assume  all  the  grimaces  of  a  man 
that  was  praying  ;  but  he  did  all  this  without 
any  manner  of  knowledge  of  the  intention  or 
the  cause ;  he  saw  others  do  the  like,  and  that 
was  enough  for  him  ;  he  knew  nothing  even 
of  death,  and  it  never  entered  into  his  head  ; 
he  led  a  life  of  pure  animal  instinct ;  entirely 
taken  up  with  sensible  objects,  and  such  as 
were  present,  he  did  not  seem  even  to  make  as 
many  reflections  upon  these,  as  might  reason- 
ably be  expected  from  his  improving  situation; 
and  yet  the  young  man  was  not  in  want  of 
understanding;  but  the  understanding  of  a 
man  deprived  of  all  commerce  with  others,  is 
so  very  confined,  that  the  mind  is  in  some 


measure  totally  under  the  control  of  its  imme- 
diate sensations. 

Notwithstanding,  it  is  very  possible  to  com- 
municate ideas  to  deaf  men,  which  they  pre- 
viously wanted,  and  even  give  them  very  pre- 
cise notions  of  some  abstract  subjects,  by  means 
of  signs  and  of  letters.  A  person  born  deaf, 
may,  by  time,  and  sufficient  pains,  be  taught 
to  write  and  read,  to  speak,  and  by  the  motions 
of  the  lips,  to  understand  what  is  said  to  him  ; 
however,  it  is  probable  that,  as  most  of  the 
motions  of  speech  are  made  within  the  mouth 
by  the  tongue,  the  knowledge  from  the  motion  of 
the  lips  is  but  very  confined  :  "  nevertheless,  I 
have  conversed  with  a  gentleman  thus  taught, 
and  in  all  the  commonly  occurring  questions, 
and  the  usual  salutations,  he  was  ready  enough, 
merely  by  attending  to  the  motion  of  the  lips 
alone.  When  I  ventured  to  speak  for  a  short 
continuance,  he  was  totally  at  a  loss,  although 
he  understood  the  subject,  when  written,  ex- 
tremely well."  Persons  taught  in  this  manner, 
were  at  first  considered  as  prodigies ;  but  there 
have  been  so  many  instances  of  success  of  late, 
and  so  many  are  skilful  in  the  art  of  instruct- 
ing in  this  way,  that  though  still  a  matter  of  some 
curiosity,  it  ceases  to  be  an  object  of  wonder. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

OF  SMELLING,  FEELING,  AND  TASTING. 


AN  animal  may  be  said  to  fill  up  that  sphere 
which  he  can  reach  by  his  senses  ;  and  is  ac- 
tually large  in  proportion  to  the  sphere  to  which 
its  organ  extends.  By  sight,  man's  enjoyments 
are  diffused  into  a  wide  circle ;  that  of  hearing, 
though  less  widely  diffused,  nevertheless  ex- 
tends his  powers ;  the  sense  of  smelling  is  more 
contracted  still ;  and  the  taste  and  touch  are 
the  most  confined  of  all.  Thus  man  enjoys 
very  distant  objects  but  with  one  sense  only  ; 
more  nearly  he  brings  two  senses  at  once  to 
bear  upon  them  ;  his  sense  of  smelling  assists 
the  other  two,  at  its  own  distance ;  and  of  such 
objects,  as  a  man,  he  may  be  said  to  be  in  per- 
fect possession. 

Each  sense,  however,  the  more  it  acts  at  a 
distance,  the  more  capable  it  is  of  making  com- 


binations; and  is,  consequently,  the  more  im- 
!   proveable.     Refined  imaginations,  and  men  of 
strong  minds,  take  more  pleasure,  therefore,  in 
improving  the  delights  of  the  distant  senses, 
•   than  in  enjoying  such  as  are  scarce  capable  of 
I   improvement. 

By  combining  the  objects  of  the  extensive 
senses,  all  the  arts  of  poetry,  painting,  and 
harmony,  have  been  discovered ;  but  the  closer 
jj   senses,  if  I  may  so  call  them,  such  as  smelling, 
tasting,  and  touching,  are,  in  some  measure, 
as  simple  as  they  are  limited,  and  admit  of 
|   little  variety.     The  man  of  imagination  makes 
i   a  great  and  artificial  happiness  by  the  pleasure 
of  altering  and  combining;  the  sensualist  just 
1  stops  where  he  began,  and  cultivates  only  those 
!   pleasures  which  he  cannot  improve.    The  sea 


ANIMALS 


sualist  is  contented  with  those  enjoyments  that 
are  already  made  to  his  hand ;  but  the  man  of 
pleasure  is  best  pleased  with  growing  happi- 
ness. 

Of  all  the  senses,  perhaps,  there  is  not  one 
in  which  man  is  more  inferior  to  other  animals 
than  in  that  of  smelling.  With  man,  it  is  a 
sense  that  acts  in  a  narrow  sphere,  and  disgusts 
almost  as  frequently  as  it  gives  him  pleasure. 
With  many  other  animals  it  is  diffused  to  a 
very  great  extent ;  and  never  seems  to  offend 
them.  Dogs  not  only  trace  the  steps  of  other 
animals,  but  also  discover  them  by  the  scent  at 
a  very  great  distance ;  and  while  they  are 
thus  exquisitely  ensible  of  all  smells,  they  seem 
no  way  disgusted  by  any. 

But,  although  this  sense  is,  in  general,  so 
very  inferior  in  man,  it  is  much  stronger  in 
those  nations  that  abstain  from  animal  food, 
than  among  Europeans.  The  Bramins  of  India 
have  a  power  of  smelling,  as  I  am  informed, 
equal  to  what  it  is  in  most  other  creatures. 
They  can  smell  the  water  which  they  drink, 
that  to  us  seems  quite  inodorous  ;  and  have  a 
word,  in  their  language,  which  denotes  a 
country  of  fine  water.  We  are  told  also,  that 
the  negroes  of  the  Antilles,  by  the  smell  alone, 
can  distinguish  between  the  footsteps  of  a 
Frenchman  and  a  negro.  It  is  possible,  there- 
fore, that  we  may  dull  this  •  Tgan  by  our  luxuri- 
ous way  of  living ;  and  sacrifice  to  the  pleasures 
of  taste,  those  which  might  be  received  from 
perfume. 

However,  it  is  a  sense  that  we  can,  in  some 
measure,  dispense  with ;  and  I  have  known 
many  that  wanted  it  entirely,  with  but  very 
little  inconvenience  from  its  loss.  In  a  state 
of  nature  it  is  said  to  be  useful  in  guiding  us  to 
proper  nourishment,  and  deterring  us  from  that 
which  is  unwholesome ;  but,  in  our  present 
situation,  such  information  is  but  little  wanted ; 
and,  indeed,  but  little  attended  to.  In  fact, 
the  sense  of  smelling  gives  us  very  often  false 
intelligence.  Many  things  that  have  a  disagree- 
able odour,  are,  nevertheless,  wholesome  and 
pleasant  to  the  taste  ;  and  such  as  make  eating 
an  art,  seldom  think  a  meal  fit  to  please  the  appe- 
titp,  till  it  begins  to  offend  the  nose.  On  the 
otlipr  hand,  there  are  many  things  that  smell 
mo«t  gratefully, and  yet  are  noxious,  or  fatal  to 
the  constitution.  Some  physicians  think  that 
perfunii-s  ingeneralare unwholesome;  thatthey 
relax  the  nerves,  produce  head-aches,  and  even 


retard  digestion.  The  manchineel  apple,  which 
is  known  to  be  deadly  poison,  is  possessed  of 
the  most  grateful  odour.  Some  of  those  mine- 
ral vapours  that  are  often  found  fatal  in  the 
stomach,  smell  like  the  sweetest  flowers,  and 
continue  thus  to  flatter  till  they  destroy.  This 
sense,  therefore,  as  it  should  seem,  was  never 
meant  to  direct  us  in  the  choice  of  food,  but 
appears  rather  as  an  attendant  than  a  necessary 
pleasure. 

Indeed,  if  we  examine  the  natives  of  different 
countries,  or  even  different  natives  of  the  same, 
we  shall  find  no  pleasure  in  which  they  differ 
so  widely  as  that  of  smelling.  Some  persons 
are  pleased  with  the  smell  of  a  rose  ;  while  I 
have  known  others  that  could  not  abide  to  have 
it  approach  them.  The  savage  nations  are 
highly  delighted  with  the  smell  of  assafcetidn, 
which  is  to  us  the  most  nauseous  stink  in  nature. 
It  would  in  a  manner  seem  that  our  delight  in 
perfumes  was  made  by  habit ;  and  that  a  very 
little  industry  could  bring  us  totally  to  invert 
the  perception  of  odours. 

Thus  much  is  certain,  that  many  bodies 
which  at  one  distance  are  an  agreeable  perfume, 
when  nearer  are  a  most  ungrateful  odour. 
Musk  and  ambergrise,  in  small  quantities,  are 
considered  by  most  persons  as  highly  fragrant; 
and  yet,  when  in  larger  masses,  their  scent  is 
insufferable.  From  a  mixture  of  two  bodies, 
each  whereof  is,  of  itself,  void  of  all  smell,  a 
very  powerful  smell  may  be  drawn.  Thus,  by 
grinding  quick-lime  with  sal-ammoniac,  may 
be  produced  a  very  fcetid  mixture.  On  the 
contrary,  from  a  mixture  of  two  bodies,  that 
are  separately  disagreeable,  a  very  pleasant 
aromatic  odour  may  be  gained.  A  mixture  of 
aqua-fortis  with  spirit  of  wine  produces  this 
effect.  But  not  only  the  alterations  of  bodies 
by  each  other,  but  the  smallest  change  in  us, 
makes  a  very  great  alteration  in  this  sense,  and 
frequently  deprives  us  of  it  totally.  A  slight 
cold  often  hinders  us  from  smelling ;  and  as 
often  changes  the  nature  of  odours.  Some 
persons,  from  disorder,  retain  an  incurable 
aversion  to  those  smells  which  most  pleased 
them  before :  and  many  have  been  known  to 
have  an  antipathy  to  some  animals,  whose 
presence  they  instantly  perceived  by  the  smell. 
From  all  this,  therefore,  the  sense  of  smelling 
appears  to  be  an  uncertain  monitor,  easily  dis- 
ordered, and  not  much  missed  when  totally 
wanting. 


170 


A  HISTORY  OF 


The  sense  most  nearly  allied  to  smelling  is 
that  of  tasting.  This,  some  have  been  willing 
to  consider  merely  as  a  nicer  kind  of  touch, 
and  have  undertaken  to  account,  in  a  very 
mechanical  manner,  for  the  difference  of  sa- 
vours. "  Such  bodies,"  said  they,  "  as  are 
pointed,  happening  to  be  applied  to  the  papillte 
of  the  tongue,  excite  a  very  powerful  sensation, 
and  give  us  the  idea  of  saltness.  Such,  on  the 
contrary,  as  are  of  a  rounder  figure,  slide 
smoothly  along  the  papillae,  and  are  perceived 
to  be  sweet."  In  this  manner  they  have  with 
minute  labour,  gone  through  the  variety  of 
imagined  forms  in  bodies,  and  have  given  them 
as  imaginary  effects.  All  we  can  precisely 
determine  upon  the  nature  of  tastes  is,  that  the 
bodies  to  be  tasted  must  be  either  somewhat 
moistened,  or,  in  some  measure,  dissolved  by 
the  saliva,  before  they  can  produce  a  proper 
sensation :  when  both  the  tongue  itself  and  the 
body  to  be  tasted  are  extremely  dry,  no  taste 
whatever  ensues.  The  sensation  is  then  chang- 
ed ;  and  the  tongue  instead  of  tasting,  can  only 
be  said,  like  any  other  part  of  the  body,  to  feel 
the  object. 

It  is  for  this  reason  that  children  have  a 
stronger  relish  of  tastes  than  those  who  are 
more  advanced  in  life.  This  organ  with  them, 
from  the  greater  moisture  of  their  bodies,  is 
kept  in  greater  perfection ;  and  is,  consequent- 
ly, better  adapted  to  perform  its  functions. 
Every  person  remembers  how  great  a  pleasure 
he  found  in  sweets,  while  a  child  ;  but  his  taste 
growing  more  obtuse  with  age,  he  is  obliged  to 
use  artificial  means  to  excite  it.  It  is  then  that 
he  is  found  to  call  in  the  assistance  of  poignant 
sauces,  and  strong  relishes  of  salts  and  aroma- 
tics  ;  all  which  the  delicacy  of  his  tender  organ 
in  childhood  was  unable  to  endure.  His  taste 
grows  callous  to  the  natural  relishes,  and  is 
artificially  formed  t»  others  more  unnatural ; 
so  that  the  highest  epicure  may  be  said  to  have 
the  most  depraved  taste ;  as  it  is  owing  to  the 
bluntness  of  his  organ,  that  he  is  obliged  to  have 
recourse  to  such  a  variety  of  expedients  to 
gratify  his  appetite. 

As  smells  are  often  rendered  agreeable  by 
habit,  so  also  tastes  may  be.  Tobacco  and 
coffee,  so  pleasing  to  many,  are  yet,  atfirst,very 
disagreeable  to  all.  It  is  not  without  perseve- 
rance that  we  begin  to  have  a  relish  for  them  ;  we 
force  nature  so  long,  that  what  was  constraint 
in  the  beginning,  at  last  becomes  inclination. 


The  grossest,  and  yet  the  most  useful  of  all 
the  senses,  is  that  of  feeling.  We  are  often 
seen  to  survive  under  the  loss  of  the  rest ;  but 
of  this  we  can  never  be  totally  deprived,  but 
with  life.  Although  this  sense  is  diffused  over 
all  parts  of  the  body,  yet  it  most  frequently 
happens  that  those  parts  which  are  most  exer- 
cised in  touching,  acquire  the  greatest  degree 
of  accuracy.  Thus  the  fingers,  by  long  habit, 
become  greater  masters  in  the  art  than  any 
other,  even  where  the  sensation  is  more  delicate 
and  fine."  It  is  from  this  habit,  therefore,  and 
their  peculiar  formation,  and  not  as  is  suppos- 
ed, from  their  being  furnished  with  a  greater 
quantity  of  nerves,  that  the  fingers  are  thus 
perfectly  qualified  to  judge  of  forms.  Blind 
men,  who  are  obliged  to  use  them  much  oftener, 
have  this  sense  much  finer;  so  that  the  delicacy 
of  the  touch  arises  rather  from  the  habit  of 
constantly  employing  the  fingers,  than  from 
any  fancied  nervousness  in  their  conformation. 

All  animals  that  are  furnished  with  hands" 
seem  to  have  more  understanding  than  others. 
Monkeys  have  so  many  actions  like  those  of 
men,  that  they  appear  to  have  similar  ideas  of 
the  form  of  bodies.  All  other  creatures, 
deprived  of  hands,  can  have  no  distinct  ideas 
of  the  shape  of  the  objects  by  which  they  are 
surrounded,  as  they  want  this  organ,  which 
serves  to  examine  and  measure  their  forms, 
their  risings,  and  depressions.  A  quadruped, 
probably,  conceives  as  erroneous  an  idea  of 
any  thing  near  him,  as  a  child  would  of  a  rock 
or  a  mountain  that  it  beheld  at  a  distance. 

It  may  be  for  this  reason,  that  we  often  see 
them  frighted  at  things  with  which  they  ought 
to  be  better  acquainted.  Fishes,  whose  bodies 
are  covered  with  scales,  and  who  have  no 
organs  for  feeling,  must  be  the  most  stupid  of 
all  animals.  Serpents,  that  are  likewise  desti- 
tute, are  yet,  by  winding  round  several  bodies, 
better  capable  of  judging  of  their  form.  All 
these,  however,  can  have  but  very  imperfect 
ideas  from  feeling;  and  we  have  already  seen, 
when  deprived  of  this  sense,  how  little  the  rest 
of  the  senses  are  to  be  relied  on. 

The  feeling,  therefore,  is  the  guardian,  the 
judge,  and  the  examiner  of  all  the  rest  of  the 
senses.  It  establishes  their  information,  and 
detects  their  errors.  All  the  other  senses  are 
altered  by  time,  and  contradict  their  former 


«  Buffon,  vol.  vi.  p.  80. 


b  Ibid.  vol.  vi.  p.  82. 


ANIMALS. 


171 


evidence ;  but  the  touch  still  continues  the 
same ;  and,  though  extremely  confined  in  its 
operations,  yet  it  is  never  found  to  deceive. 
The  universe,  to  a  man  who  had  only  used  the 
rest  of  his  senses,  would  be  but  a  scene  of 
illusion ;  every  object  misrepresented,  and  all 
its  properties  unknown.  Mr.  Button  has  im- 
agined a  man  justnewly  brought  into  existence, 
describing  the  illusion  of  his  first  sensations, 
and  pointing  out  the  steps  by  which  he  arrived 
at  reality.  He  considers  him  as  just  created, 
and  awaking  amidst  the  productions  of  nature ; 
and,  to  animate  the  narrative  still  more  strong- 
ly, has  made  his  philosophical  man  a  speaker. 
The  reader  will  no  doubt  recollect  Adam's 
speech  in  Milton  as  being  similar.  All  that  I 
can  say  to  obviate  the  imputation  of  plagiarism 
is,  that  the  one  treats  the  subject  more  as  a 
poet,  the  other  more  as  a  philosopher.  The 
philosopher's  man  describes  his  first  sensations 
in  the  following  manner." 

I  well  remember  that  joyful  anxious  moment 
when  I  first  became  acquainted  with  my  own 
existence.  I  was  quite  ignorant  of  what  I  was, 
bow  I  was  produced,  or  from  whence  I  came. 
I  opened  my  eyes ;  what  an  addition  to  my 
surprise  !  the  light  of  the  day,  the  azure  vault 
of  heaven,  the  verdure  of  the  earth,  the  crystal 
of  the  waters,  all  employed  me  at  once,  and 
animated  and  filled  me  with  inexpressible  de- 
light. I  at  first  imagined  that  all  those  objects 
were  within  me,  and  made  a  part  of  myself. 

Impressed  with  this  idea,  I  turned  my  eyes 
to  the  sun ;  its  splendour  dazzled  and  over- 
powered me:  I  shut  them  once  more;  and,  to 
my  great  concern,  I  supposed  that  during  this 
short  interval  of  darkness,  I  was  again  return- 
ing to  nothing. 

Afflicted,  seized  with  astonishment,  I  ponder- 
ed a  mo.nent  on  this  great  change,  when  I 
heard  a  variety  of  unexpected  sounds.  The 
whistling  of  the  wind,  and  the  melody  of  the 
groves,  formed  a  concert,  the  soft  cadence  of 
which  sunk  upon  my  soul.  I  listened  for 
some  time,  and  was  persuaded  that  all  this 
music  was  within  me. 

Quite  occupied  with  this  new  kind  of  ex- 
istence, I  had  already  forgotten  the  light,  which 
was  my  first  inlet  into  life  ;  when  I  once  more 
opened  my  eyes,  and  found  myself  again  in 
possession  of  my  former  happiness.  The  gra- 

»  Buffbn,  vol.  vi.  p.  88. 


tification  of  the  two  senses  at  once,  was  a 
pleasure  too  great  for  utterance. 

I  turned  my  eyes  upon  a  thousand  various 
objects;  I  soon  found  that  I  could  lose  them, 
and  restore  them  at  will ;  and  amused  myself 
more  at  leisure  with  a  repetition  of  this  new- 
made  power. 

I  now  began  to  gaze  without  emotion,  and 
to  hearken  with  tranquillity,  when  a  light 
breeze,  the  freshness  of  which  charmed  me, 
wafted  its  perfumes  to  my  sense  of  smelling, 
and  gave  me  such  satisfaction  as  even  increas- 
ed my  self-love. 

Agitated,  roused  by  the  various  pleasures  of 
my  new  existence,  I  instantly  arose,  and  per- 
ceived myself  moved  along,  as  if  by  some  un- 
known and  secret  power. 

I  had  scarcely  proceeded  forward,  when 
the  novelty  of  my  situation  once  more  render- 
ed me  immoveable.  My  surprise  returned ;  1 
supposed  that  every  object  around  me  had  been 
in  motion ;  I  gave  to  them  that  agitation  which 
I  produced  by  changing  place ;  and  the  whole 
creation  seemed  once  more  in  disorder. 

I  lifted  my  hand  to  my  head ;  I  touched  my 
forehead  ;  I  felt  my  whole  frame  :  I  then  sup- 
posed that  my  hand  was  the  principal  organ 
of  my  existence  ;  all  its  informations  were 
distinct  and  perfect,  and  so  superior  to  the 
senses  I  had  yet  experienced,  that  I  employed 
myself  for  some  time  in  repeating  its  enjoy- 
ments ;  every  part  of  my  person  I  touched, 
seemed  to  touch  my  hand  in  turn ;  and  gave 
back  sensation  for  sensation. 

1  soon  found  that  this  faculty  was  expanded 
over  the  whole  surface  of  my  body ;  and  I  now 
first  began  to  perceive  the  limits  of  my  existence, 
which  I  had  in  the  beginning  supposed  spread 
over  all  the  objects  I  saw. 

Upon  casting  my  eyes  upon  my  body,  and 
surveying  my  own  form,  I  thought  it  greater 
than  all  the  objects  that  surrounded  me.  I  gaz- 
ed upon  rny  person  with  pleasure  ;  I  examined 
the  formation  of  my  hand,  and  all  its  motions; 
it  seemed  to  me  large  or  little  in  proportion  as 
I  approached  it  to  my  eyes  ;  I  brought  it  very 
near,  and  it  then  hid  almost  every  other  object 
from  my  sight.  I  began  soon,  however,  to 
find  that  my  sight  gave  me  uncertain  informa- 
tion, and  resolved  to  depend  upon  my  feeling 
for  redress. 

This  precaution  was  of  the  utmost  service ; 
I  renewed  my  motions,  and  walked  forward 

21 


172 


A  HISTORY  OF 


with  my  face  turned  towards  the  heavens.  I 
happened  to  strike  lightly  against  a  palm-tree, 
and  this  renewed  my  surprise  :  I  laid  my  hand 
on  this  strange  body  ;  it  seemed  replete  with 
new  wonders,  for  it  did  not  return  me  sensa- 
tion for  sensation,  as  my  former  feelings  had 
done.  I  perceived  that  there  was  something 
external,  and  which  did  not  make  a  part  of  my 
own  existence. 

I  now,  therefore,  resolved  to  touch  whatever 
I  saw,  and  vainly  attempted  to  touch  the  sun ; 
I  stretched  forth  my  arm,  and  felt  only  yielding 
air :  at  every  effort,  I  fell  from  one  surprise  in- 
to another,  for  every  object  appeared  equally 
near  me ;  and  it  was  not  till  after  an  infinity 
of  trials,  that  I  found  some  objects  farther  re- 
moved than  the  rest. 

Amazed  with  the  illusions,  and  the  uncer- 
tainty of  my  state,  I  sat  down  beneath  a  tree ; 
the  most  beautiful  fruits  hung  upon  it,  within 
my  reach  ;  I  stretched  forth  my  hand,  and  they 
instantly  separated  from  the  branch.  I  was 
proud  of  being  able  to  grasp  a  substance  with- 
out me  ;  I  held  them  up,  and  their  weight  ap- 
peared to  me  like  an  animated  power  that  en- 
deavoured to  draw  them  to  the  earth.  I  found 
a  pleasure  in  conquering  their  resistance. 

I  held  them  near  my  eye  ;  I  considered  their 
form  and  beauty ;  their  fragrance  still  more 
allured  me  to  bring  them  nearer  ;  I  approach- 
ed them  to  my  lips,  and  drank  in  their  odours ; 
the  perfume  invited  my  sense  of  tasting,  and  1 
soon  tried  a  new  sense — How  new !  how  ex- 
quisite !  Hitherto  I  had  tasted  only  of  pleasure ; 


but  now  it  was  luxury.  The  power  of  tasting 
gave  me  the  idea  of  possession. 

Flattered  with  this  new  acquisition,  I  con- 
tinued its  excercise,  till  an  agreeable  languor 
stealing  upon  my  mind,  I  felt  all  my  limbs  be- 
come heavy,  and  all  my  desires  suspended. 
My  sensations  were  now  no  longer  vivid  and 
distinct ;  but  seemed  to  lose  every  object,  and 
presented  only  feeble  images,  confusedly  mark- 
ed. At  that  instant  I  sunk  upon  the  flowery 
bank,  and  slumber  seized  me.  All  now  seem- 
ed once  more  lost  to  me.  It  was  then  as  if  I 
was  returning  to  my  former  nothing.  How 
long  my  sleep  continued,  I  cannot  tell ;  as  I 
yet  had  no  perception  of  time.  My  awaking 
appeared  like  a  second  birth ;  ami  I  then  per- 
ceived that  I  had  ceased  for  a  time  to  exist. 
This  produced  a  new  sensation  of  fear  ;  and 
from  this  interruption  in  life,  I  began  to  con- 
clude that  I  was  not  formed  to  exist  for 
ever. 

In  this  state  of  doubt  and  perplexity,  I  be- 
gan to  harbour  new  suspicions ;  and  to  frar 
that  sleep  had  robbed  me  of  some  of  my  late 
powers  ;  when  turning  on  one  side,  to  resolve 
my  doubts,  what  was  my  amazement,  to  be- 
hold another  being  like  myself,  stretched  by 
my  side !  New  ideas  now  began  to  arise ; 
new  passions,  as  yet  unperceived,  with  fears 
and  pleasures,  all  took  possession  of  my  mind, 
and  prompted  my  curiosity :  love  served  to 
complete  that  happiness  which  was  begun  in 
the  individual ;  and  every  sense  was  gratified 
in  all  its  varieties. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

OF  OLD  AGE  AND  DEATH.1 


EVERY  thing  in  nature  has  its  improve- 
ment and  decay.  The  human  form  is  no  soon- 
er arrived  at  its  state  of  perfection,  than  it  be- 
gins to  decline.  The  alteration  is  at  first  in- 
sensible ;  and  often  several  years  are  elap- 
sed before  we  find  ourselves  grown  old.  The 
news  of  this  disagreeable  change  too  gene- 
rally comes  from  without ;  and  we  learn  from 

•  This  chapter  is  taken  from  Mr.  Buffon,  except  where 
it  is  marked  by  inverted  commas. 


others  that  we  grow  old,  before  we  are  wil- 
ling to  believe  the  report. 

When  the  body  has  come  to  its  full  height, 
and  is  extended  into  its  justdimensions;  it  then 
also  begins  to  receive  an  additional  bulk,  which 
rather  loads  than  assists  it.  This  is  formed 
from  fat;  which  generally  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
five,  or  forty,  covers  all  the  muscles,  and  inter- 
rupts their  activity.  Every  action  is  then  per- 
formed with  greater  labour,  and  the  increase 
of  size  only  serves  as  a  forerunner  of  decay. 


ANIMALS. 


173 


The  bones,  also,  become  every  day  more 
solid.  In  the  embryo  they  are  as  soft  almost 
as  the  muscles  of  the  flesh ;  but  by  degrees 
they  harden,  and  acquire  their  natural  vigour; 
but  still,  however,  the  circulation  is  carried 
on  through  them,  and,  how  hard  soever  the 
bones  may  seem,  yet  the  blood  holds  its  cur- 
rent through  them,  as  through  all  other  parts 
of  the  body.  Of  this  we  may  he  convinced, 
by  an  experiment,  which  was  first  accidental- 
ly discovered  by  our  ingenious  countryman 
Mr.  Belcher.  Perceiving  at  a  friend's  house, 
that  the  bones  of  hogs,  which  were  fed  upon 
madder,  were  red,  he  tried  it  upon  various 
animals  by  mixing  this  root  with  their  usual 
food  ;  and  he  found  that  it  tinctured  the  bones 
in  all ;  an  evident  demonstration  that  the  jui- 
ces of  the  body  had  a  circulation  through  the 
bones.  He  fed  some  animals  alternately 
upon  madder  and  their  common  food, for  some 
time,  and  he  found  their  bones  tinctured  with 
alternate  layers,  in  conformity  to  their  man- 
ner of  living.  From  all  this  he  naturally  con- 
cluded, that  the  blood  circulated  through  the 
bones,  as  it  does  through  every  other  part  of 
the  body;  and  that,  how  solid  soever  they 
seemed,  yet,  like  the  softest  parts,  they  were 
furnished  through  all  their  substance,  with 
their  proper  canals.  Nevertheless,  these  ca- 
nals are  of  very  different  capacities,  during 
the  different  stages  of  life.  In  infancy  they 
are  capacious ;  and  the  blood  flows  almost  as 
freely  through  the  bones  as  through  any 
other  part  of  the  body :  in  manhood  their  size 
is  greatly  diminished ;.  their  vessels  are  almost 
imperceptible;  and  the  circulation  through 
them  is  proportionably  slow.  But,  in  the  de- 
cline of  life,  the  blood  which  flows  through 
the  bones,  no  longer  contributing  to  their 
growth,  must  necessarily  serve  to  increase 
their  hardness.  The  channels  that  every 
where  run  through  the  human  frame,  may  be 
compared  to  those  pipes  that  we  every  where 
see  crusted  on  the  inside,  by  the  water,  for  a 
long  continuance,  running  through  them. 
Both  every  day  grow  less  and  less,  by  the 
small  rigid  particles  which  are  deposited 
within  them.  Thus  as  the  vessels  are  by  de- 
grees diminished,  the  juices  also,  which  were 
necessary  for  the  circulation  through  them, 
are  diminished  in  proportion ;  till  at  length, 
in  old  age,  those  props  of  the  human 


frame  are  not   only  more   solid,   but  more 
brittle. 

The  cartilages,  or  gristles,  which  may  be 
considered  as  bones  beginning  to  be  formed, 
grow  also  more  rigid.  The  juices  circulating 
through  them,  for  there  is  a  circulation  through 
all  parts  of  the  body,  every  day  contribute  to 
render  them  harder  ;  so  that  these  substances, 
which,  in  youth,  are  elastic  and  pliant,  in  age 
become  hard  and  bony.  As  these  cartilages 
are  generally  placed  near  the  joints,  the  mo- 
tion of  the  joints  also  must,  of  consequence,  be- 
come more  difficult.  Thus,  in  old  age,  every 
action  of  the  body  is  performed  with  labour  ; 
and  the  cartilages,  formerly  so  supple,  will  now 
sooner  break  than  bend. 

"  As  the  cartilages  acquire  hardness,  and  un- 
fit the  joints  for  motion,  so  also  that  mucous  li- 
quor, which  is  always  separated  between  the 
joints,  and  which  serves,  like  oil  to  a  hinge,  to 
give  them  an  easy  and  ready  play,  is  now 
grown  more  scanty.  It  becomes  thicker,  and 
more  clammy,  more  unfit  for  answering  the 
purposes  of  motion  ;  and  from  thence,  in  old 
age,  every  joint  is  not  only  stiff,  but  awkward. 
At  every  motion  this  clammy  liquor  is  heard 
to  crack ;  and  it  is  not  without  the  greatest 
effort  of  the  muscles  that  its  resistance  is  over- 
come. I  have  seen  an  old  person,  who  never 
moved  a  single  joint,  that  did  not  thus  give  no- 
tice of  the  violence  done  to  it." 

The  membranes  that  cover  the  bones,  the 
joints,  and  the  rest  of  the  body,  become,  as  we 
grow  old,  more  dense  and  more  dry.  Those 
which  surround  the  bones,  soon  cease  to  be 
ductile.  The  fibres,  of  which  the  muscles  or 
flesh  is  composed,  become  every  day  more  ri- 
gid ;  and  while  to  the  touch  the  body  seems, 
as  we  advance  in  years,  to  grow  softer,  it  is, 
in  reality  increasing  in  hardness.  It  is  the 
skin,  and  not  the  flesh,  that  we  feel  upon'such 
occasions.  The  fat,  and  the  flabbiness  of  that, 
seems  to  give  an  appearance  of  softness,  which 
the  flesh  itself  is  very  far  from  having.  There 
are  few  can  doubt  this,  after  trying  the  differ- 
ence between  the  flesh  of  young  and  old  ani- 
mals. The  first  is  soft  and  tender,  the  last  is 
hard  and  dry. 

The  skin  is  the  only  part  of  the  body  that 
age  does  not  contribute  to  harden.  That 
stretches  to  every  degree  of  tension  ;  and  we 
have  horrid  instances  of  its  pliancy,  in  many 
disorders  incident  to  humanity.  *  In  youth 

21* 


174 


A  HISTORY  OF 


therefore,  while  the  body  is  vigorous  and  in- 
creasing, it  still  gives  way  to  its  growth.  But, 
although  it  thus  adapts  itself  to  our  increase, 
it  does  not  in  the  same  manner  conform  to  our 
decay.  The  skin,  which,  in  youth  was  filled 
and  glossy,  when  the  body  begins  to  decline 
has  not  elasticity  enough  to  shrink  entirely 
with  its  diminution.  It  hangs,  therefore,  in 
wrinkles,  which  no  art  can  remove.  The 
wrinkles  of  the  body,  in  general,  proceed 
from  this  cause.  But  those  of  the  face  seem 
to  proceed  from  another;  namely,  from  the 
many  varieties  of  positions  into  which  it  is  put 
by  the  speech,  the  food,  or  the  passions. 
Every  grimace,  and  every  passion,  wrinkles 
up  the  visage  into  different  forms.  These 
are  visible  enough  in  young  persons :  but 
what  at  first  was  accidental  or  transitory,  be- 
eomes  unalterably  fixed  in  the  visage  as  it 
grows  older.  "  From  hence  we  may  conclude, 
that  a  freedom  from  passions  not  only  adds 
to  the  happiness  of  the  mind,  but  preserves 
the  beauty  of  the  face;  and  the  person  that 
has  not  felt  their  influence,  is  less  strongly 
marked  by  the  decays  of  nature." 

Hence,  therefore,  as  we  advance  in  age, 
the  bones,  the  cartilages,  the  membranes,  the 
flesh,  the  skin,  and  every  fibre  of  the  body, 
become  more  solid,  more  brittle,  and  more 
dry.  Every  part  shrinks,  every  motion  be- 
comes more  slow :  the  circulation  of  the  fluids 
is  performed  with  less  freedom ;  perspiration 
diminishes  ;  the  secretions  alter ;  the  diges- 
tion becomes  slow  and  laborious ;  and  the 
juices  no  longer  serving  to  convey  their  ac- 
customed nourishment,  those  parts  may  be 
said  to  live  no  longer  when  the  circulation 
ceases.  Thus  the  body  dies  by  little  and  lit- 
tle ;  all  its  functions  are  diminished  by  de- 
grees ;  life  is  driven  from  one  part  of  the  frame 
to  another;  universal  rigidity  prevails;  and 
death  at  last  seizes  upon  the  little  that  is  left. 

As  the  bones,  the  cartilages,  the  muscles, 
and  all  other  parts  of  the  body,  are  softer  in 
women  than  in  men,  these  parts  must,  of  con- 
sequence, require  a  longer  time  to  come  to 
that  hardness  which  hastens  death.  Women, 
therefore,  ought  to  be  a  longer  time  in  grow- 
ing old  than  men;  and  this  is  actually  the  case. 
If  we  consult  the  tables  which  have  been 
drawn  up  respecting  human  life,  we  shall  find 
that,  after  a  certain  age,  they  are  more  long- 


lived  than  men,  all  other  circumstances  the 
same.  A  woman  of  sixty  has  a  better  chance 
than  a  man  of  the  same  age  to  live  till  eighty. 
Upon  the  whole,  we  may  infer,  that  such  per- 
sons as  have  been  slow  in  coming  up  to  ma- 
turity, will  also  be  slow  in  growing  old ;  and 
this  holds  as  well  with  regard  to  other  ani- 
mals as  to  man. 

The  whole  duration  of  the  life  of  either 
vegetables  or  animals,  may  be,  in  some  measure, 
determined  from  their  manner  of  coming  to 
maturity.  The  tree,  or  the  animal,  which 
takes  but  a  short  time  to  increase  to  its  utmost 
pitch,  perishes  much  sooner  than  such  as  are 
less  premature.  In  both  the  increase  upwards 
is  first  accomplished  ;  and  not  till  they  have 
acquired  their  greatest  degree  of  height  do  they 
b<>gin  to  spread  in  bulk.  Man  grows  in  stature 
till  about  the  age  of  seventeen ;  but  his  body  is 
not  completely  develovedtillabout  thirty.  Dogs, 
on  the  other  hand,  are  at  their  utmost  size  in 
a  year,  and  become  as  bulky  as  they  usually 
are  in  another.  However,  man,  who  is  so  long 
in  growing,  continues  to  live  fourscore,  or  a 
hundred  years;  but  the  dog  seldom  above 
twelve  or  thirteen.  In  general,  also,  it  may  be 
said,  that  large  animals  live  longer  than  little 
ones,  as  they  usually  take  a  longer  time  to 
grow.  But  in  all  animals,  one  thing  is  equally 
certain,  that  they  carry  the  cause  of  their  own 
decay  about  them  ;  and  that  their  deaths  are 
necessary  and  inevitable.  The  prospects  which 
some  visionaries  have  formed  of  perpetuating 
life  by  remedies,  have  been  often  enough  prov- 
ed false  by  their  own  example.  Such  unac- 
countable schemes  would,  therefore,  have  died 
with  them,  had  not  the  love  of  life  always 
augmented  our  credulity. 

When  the  body  is  naturally  well  formed,  it 
is  possible  to  lengthen  out  the  period  of  life  for 
some  years  by  management.  Temperance  in 
diet  is  often  found  conducive  to  this  end.  The 
famous  Cornaro,  who  lived  to  above  a  hundred 
years,  although  his  constitution  was  naturally 
feeble,  is  a  strong  instance  of  the  benefit  of  an 
abstemious  life.  Moderation  in  the  passions 
also  may  contribute  to  extend  the  term  of  our 
existence.  "  Fontenelle,  the  celebrated  writer, 
was  naturally  of  a  very  weak  and  delicate 
habit  of  body.  He  was  affected  by  the  small- 
est irregularities  ;  and  had  frequently  suffered 
severe  fits  of  illness  from  the  slightest  causes. 
But  the  remarkable  equality  of  his  temper,  and 


ANIMALS. 


his  seeming  want  of  passion,  lengthened  out 
his  life  to  above  a  hundred.  It  was  re- 
markable of  him,  that  nothing  could  vex  or 
make  him  uneasy  ;  every  occurrence  seemed 
equally  pleasing ;  and  no  event,  however  un- 
fortunate, seemed  to  come  unexpected."  How- 
ever, the  term  of  life  can  be  prolonged  but  for 
a  very  little  time  by  any  art  we  can  use.  We 
are  told  of  men  who  have  lived  beyond  the 
ordinary  duration  of  human  existence;  such  as 
Parr,  who  lived  to  a  hundred  and  forty-four ; 
and  Jenkins,  to  a  hundred  and  sixty-five ;  yet 
these  men  used  no  peculiar  arts  to  prolong  life ; 
on  the  contrary,  it  appears  that  these,  as  well 
as  others,  remarkable  for  their  longevity,  were 
peasants  accustomed  to  the  greatest  fatigues, 
who  had  no  settled  rules  of  diet,  but  who  often 
indulged  in  accidental  excesses.  Indeed,  if  we 
consider  that  the  European,  the  Negro,  the 
Chinese,  and  the  American,  the  civilized  man 
and  the  savage,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  in- 
habitant of  the  city  and  of  the  country,  though 
all  so  different  in  other  respects,  are  yet  entirely 
similar  in  the  period  allotted  them  for  living  ; 
if  we  consider  that  neither  the  difference  of 
race,  of  climate,  of  nourishment,  of  conveni- 
ence, or  of  soil,  makes  any  difference  in  the 
term  of  life ;  if  we  consider  that  those  men 
who  live  upon  raw  flesh,  or  dried  fishes,  upon 
sago,  or  rice,  upon  cassava,  or  upon  roots, 
nevertheless  live  as  long  as  those  who  are  fed 
upon  bread  and  meat ;  we  shall  readily  be 
brought  to  acknowledge,  that  the  duration  of 
life  depends  neither  upon  habit,  customs,  or  the 
quantity  of  food ;  we  shall  confess,  that  no- 
thing can  change  the  laws  of  that  mechanism 
which  regulates  the  number  of  our  years,  and 
\vhich  can  chiefly  be  affected  only  by  long  fast- 
ing, or  great  excess. 

If  there  be  any  difference  in  the  different 
periods  of  man's  existence,  it  ought  principally 
to  be  ascribed  to  the  quality  of  the  air.  It  has 
been  observed,  that  in  elevated  situations  there 
have  been  found  more  old  people  than  in  those 
that  were  low.  The  mountains  of  Scotland, 
Wales,  Auvergne,  and  Switzerland,  have  fur- 
nished more  instances  of  extreme  old  age,  than 
the  plains  of  Holland,  Flanders,  Germany,  or 
Poland.  But,  in  general,  the  duration  of  life 
is  nearly  the  same  in  most  countries.  Man,  if 
not  cut  off  by  accidental  diseases,  is  often  found 
to  live  to  ninety  or  a  hundred  years.  Our 
ancestors  did  not  live  beyond  that  date  :  and, 


since  the  times  of  David,  this  term  has  under- 
gone little  alteration. 

If  we  be  asked,  how  in  the  beginning  men 
lived  so  much  longer  than  at  present,  and  by 
what  means  their  lives  were  extended  to  nine 
hundred  and  thirty,  or  even  nine  hundred  and 
sixty  years ;  it  may  be  answered,  that  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  earth,  upon  which  they  fed, 
might  be  of  a  different  nature  at  that  time 
from  what  they  are  at  present.  "  It  may  be 
answered,  that  the  term  was  abridged  by  Di- 
vine command,  in  order  to  keep  the  earth 
from  being  overstocked  with  human  inhabi- 
tants; since,  if  every  person  were  now  to  live 
and  generate  for  nine  hundred  years,  mankind 
would  be  increased  to  such  a  degree,  that 
there  would  be  no  room  for  subsistence :  so 
that  the  plan  of  Providence  would  be  altered ; 
which  is  seen  not  to  produce  life  without  pro- 
viding a  proper  supply." 

But  to  whatever  extent  life  may  be  prolong- 
ed, or  however  some  may  have  delayed  the 
effects  of  age,  death  is  the  certain  goal  to 
Avhich  all  are  hastening.  All  the  causes  of  de- 
cay which  have  been  mentioned  contribute 
to  bring  on  this  dreaded  dissolution.  How- 
ever, nature  approaches  to  this  awful  period 
by  slow  and  imperceptible  degrees;  life  is 
consumed  day  after  day;  and  some  one  of 
our  faculties,  or  vital  principles,  is  every  hour 
dying  before  the  rest ;  so  that  death  is  only 
the  last  shade  in  the  picture ;  and  it  is  proba- 
ble that  man  suffers  a  greater  change  in  going 
from  youth  to  age,  than  from  age  into  the 
grave.  When  we  first  begin  to  live,  our  lives 
may  scarcely  be  said  to  be  our  own ;  as  the 
child  grows,  life  increases  in  the  same  propor- 
tion ;  and  is  at  its  height  in  the  prime  of  man- 
hood. But  as  soon  as  the  body  begins  to  de- 
crease, life  decreases  also ;  for  as  the  human 
frame  diminishes,  and  its  juices  circulate  in 
smaller  quantity,  life  diminishesand  circulates 
with  less  vigour ;  so  that  as  we  begin  to  live 
by  degrees,  we  begin  to  die  in  the  same  man- 
ner. 

Why  then  should  we  fear  death,  if  our  lives 
have  been  such  as  not  to  make  eternity  dread- 
ful ?  Why  should  we  fear  that  moment,  which 
is  prepared  by  a  thousand  other  moments  of 
the  same  kind  ?  the  first  pangs  of  sickness  be- 
ing probably  greater  than  the  last  struggles 
of  departure.  Death,  in  most  persons,  is  as 


170 


A  HISTORY  OP 


calmly  endured  as  the  disorder  that  brings  it 
on.  If  we  inquire  from  those  whose  business 
it  is  to  attend  the  sick  and  the  dying,  we  shall 
find  that,  except  in  a  very  few  acute  cases, 
where  the  patient  dies  in  agonies,  the  greatest 
number  die  quietly,  and  seemingly  without 
pain  :  and  even  the  agonies  of  the  former  ra- 
ther terrify  the  spectators  than  torment  the 
patient ;  for  how  many  have  we  not  seen  who 
have  been  accidentally  relieved  from  this  ex- 
tremity, and  yet  had  no  memory  of  what  they 
then  endured  ?  In  fact,  they  had  ceased  to 
live  during  that  time  when  they  ceased  to 
have  sensation ;  and  their  pains  were  only 
those  of  which  they  had  an  idea. 

The  greatest  number  of  mankind  die,  there- 
fore, without  sensation ;  arid  of  those  few  that 
still  preserve  their  faculties  entire  to  the  last 
moment,  there  is  scarcely  one  of  them  that 
does  not  also  preserve  the  hopes  of  still  out- 
living his  disorder.  Nature,  for  the  happiness 
of  man,  has  rendered  this  sentiment  stronger 
than  his  reason.  A  person  dying  of  an  incu- 
rable disorder,  which  he  must  know  to  be  so, 
by  frequent  examples  of  his  case ;  which  he 
perceives  to  be  so  by  the  inquietude  of  all 
around  him,  by  the  tears  of  his  friends,  and 
the  departure  or  the  face  of  the  physician,  is, 
nevertheless,  still  in  hopes  of  getting  over  it. 
His  interest  is  so  great,  that  he  only  attends 
to  his  own  representations;  the  judgment  of 
others  is  considered  as  a  hasty  conclusion ; 
and  while  death  every  moment  makes  new  in- 
roads upon  his  constitution,  and  destroys  life 
in  some  part,  hope  still  seems  to  escape  the 
universal  ruin,  and  is  the  last  that  submits  to 
the  blow. 

Cast  your  eyes  upon  a  sick  man,  who  has 
a  hundred  times  told  you  that  he  felt  himself 
dying,;.that  he  was  convinced  he  could  not 
recover,  and  that  he  was  ready  to  expire; 
examine  what  passes  on  his  visage,  when, 
through  zeal  or  indiscretion,  any  one  comes 
to  tell  him  that  his  end  is  at  hand.  You  will 
see  him  change,  like  one  who  is  told  an  un- 
expected piece  of  news.  He  now  appears 
not  to  have  thoroughly  believed  what  he  had 
been  telling  you  himself:  he  doubted  much ; 
and  his  fears  were  greater  than  his  hopes ; 
but  he  still  had  some  feeble  expectations  of 
living,  and  would  not  have  seen  the  ap- 
proaches of  death,  unless  he  had  been  alarm- 


ed by  the  mistaken  assiduity  of  his  atten- 
dants. 

Death,  therefore,  is  not  that  terrible  thing 
which  we  suppose  it  to  be.  It  is  a  spectre 
which  frights  us  at  a  distance,  but  which  dis- 
appears when  we  come  to  approach  it  more 
closely.  Our  ideas  of  its  terrors  are  conceiv- 
ed in  prejudice,  and  dressed  up  by  fancy :  we 
regard  it  not  only  as  the  greatest  misfortune, 
but  as  also  an  evil  accompanied  with  the  most 
excruciating  tortures ;  we  have  even  increas- 
ed our  apprehensions,  by  reasoning  on  the 
extent  of  our  sufferings.  "It  must  be  dread- 
ful," say  some,  "  since  it  is  sufficient  to  sepa- 
rate the  soul  from  the  body :  it  must  be  long, 
since  our  sufferings  are  proportioned  to  the 
succession  of  our  ideas;  and  these  being  pain- 
ful, must  succeed  each  other  with  extreme  ra- 
pidity." In  this  manner  has  false  philosophy 
laboured  to  augment  the  miseries  of  our  na- 
ture ;  and  to  aggravate  that  period  which  Na- 
ture has  kindly  covered  with  insensibility. 
Neither  the  mind  nor  the  body  can  suffer  these 
calamities :  the  mind  is,  at  that  time,  mostly 
without  ideas ;  and  the  body  too  much  enfee- 
bled to  be  capable  of  perceiving  its  pain. 
A  very  acute  pain  produces  either  death  or 
fainting,  which  is  a  state  similar  to  death  :  the 
body  can  suffer  but  to  a  certain  degree ;  if 
the  torture  become  excessive,  it  destroys  it- 
self; and  the  mind  ceases  to  perceive,  when 
the  body  can  no  longer  endure. 

In  this  manner,  excessive  pain  admits  of  no 
reflection :  and  wherever  there  are  any  signs 
of  it,  we  may  be  sure  that  the  sufferings  of  the 
patient  are  no  greater  than  what  we  ourselves 
may  have  remembered  to  endure. 

But,  in  the  article  of  death,  we  have  many 
instances  in  which  the  dying  person  has  shown 
that  very  reflection  which  presupposes  an  ab- 
sence of  the  greatest  pain;  and,  consequently, 
that  pang  which  ends  life  cannot  even  be  so 
great  as  those  which  have  preceded.  Thus, 
when  Charles  XII.  was  shot  at  the  siege  of 
Frederickshall,  he  was  seen  to  clap  his  hand 
on  the  hilt  of  his  sword;  and  although  the 
blow  was  great  enough  to  terminate  one  of 
the  boldest  and  bravest  lives  in  the  world, 
yet  it  was  not  painful  enough  to  destroy  re- 
flection. He  perceived  himself  attacked ; 
he  reflected  that  he  ought  to  defend  himself; 
and  his  body  obeyed  the  impulse  of  his  mind, 


ANIMALS. 


177 


even  in  the  last  extremity.  Thus  it  is  the 
prejudice  of  persons  in  health,  and  not  the 
body  in  pain,  that  makes  us  suffer  from  the 
approach  of  death;  we  have  all  our  lives  con- 
tracted a  habit  of  making  out  excessive  plea- 
sures and  pains ;  arid  nothing  but  repeated  ex- 
perience shows  us  how  seldom  the  one  can  be 
suffered,  or  the  other  enjoyed  to  the  utmost. 
If  there  be  any  thing  necessary  to  confirm 
what  we  have  said  concerning  the  gradual 
cessation  of  life,  or  the  insensible  approaches 
of  our  end,  nothing  can  more  effectually  prove 
it  than  the  uncertainty  of  the  signs  of  death. 
If  we  consult  what  Winslow  or  Bruhier  have 
said  upon  this  subject,  we  shall  be  convinced, 
that  between  life  and  death  the  shade  is  so 
very  undistinguishable,  that  even  all  the  pow- 
ers of  art  can  scarcely  determine  where  the 
one  ends,  and  the  other  begins.  The  colour 
of  the  visage,  the  warmth  of  the  body,  the  sup- 
pleness of  the  joints,  are  but  uncertain  signs 
of  life  still  subsisting ;  while,  on  the  contrary, 
the  paleness  of  the  complexion,  the  coldness 
of  the  body,  the  stiffness  of  the  extremities, 
the  cessation  of  all  motion,  and  the  total  in- 
sensibility of  the  parts,  are  but  uncertain 


marks  of  death  begun.  In  the  same  manner, 
also,  with  regard  to  the  pulse  and  the  breath- 
ing, these  motions  are  often  so  kept  under, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  perceive  them.  By  ap- 
proaching a  looking-glass  to  the  mouth  of  the 
person  supposed  to  be  dead,  people  often  ex- 
pect to  find  whether  he  breathes  or  not.  But 
this  is  a  very  uncertain  experiment :  the  glass 
is  frequently  sullied  by  the  vapour  of  the  dead 
man's  body ;  and  often  the  person  is  still 
alive,  although  the  glass  is  no  way  tarnished. 
In  the  same  manner,  neither  burning  nor 
scarifying,  neither  noises  in  the  ears  nor  pun- 
gent spirits  applied  to  the  nostrils, give  certain 
signs  of  the  discontinuance  of  life ;  and  there 
are  many  instances  of  persons  who  have  en- 
dured them  all,  and  afterwards  recovered 
without  any  external  assistance,  to  the  asto- 
nishment of  the  spectators.  How  careful, 
therefore,  should  we  be,  before  we  commit 
those  w  ho  are  dearest  to  us  to  the  grave,  to  be 
well  assured  of  their  departure:  experience, 
justice,  humanity,  all  persuade  us  not  to  has- 
ten the  funerals  of  our  friends,  but  to  keep 
their  bodies  unburied,  until  we  have  certain 
signs  of  their  real  decease. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

OF  THE  VARIETIES  IN  THE  HUMAN  RACE. 


HITHERTO  we  have  compared  man  with 
other  animals;  we  now  come  to  compare  men 
with  each  other.  We  have  hitherto  consider- 
ed him  as  an  individual,  endowed  with  ex- 
cellencies above  the  rest  of  the  creation ;  we 
now  come  to  consider  the  advantages  which 
men  have  over  men,  and  the  various  kinds 
with  which  our  earth  is  inhabited. 

If  we  compare  the  minute  differences  of 
mankind,  there  is  scarce  one  nation  upon  the 
earth  that  entirely  resembles  another;  and 
there  may  be  said  to  be  as  many  different 
kinds  of  men  as  there  are  countries  inhabited. 
One  polished  nation  does  not  differ  more  from 
another,  than  the  merest  savages  do  from 
those  savages  that  lie  even  contiguous  to 
them ;  and  it  frequently  happens  that  a  river, 


or  a  mountain,  divides  two  barbarous  tribes 
that  are  unlike  each  other  in  manners,  customs, 
features,  and  complexion.  But  these  differ- 
ences,however  perceivable,  do  not  form  such 
distinctions  as  come  within  a  general  picture 
of  the  varieties  of  mankind.  Custom,accidcnt, 
or  fashion,  may  produce  considerable  altera- 
tions in  neighbouring  nations  ;  their  being 
derived  from  ancestors  of  a  different  climate, 
or  complexion,  may  contribute  to  make  acci- 
dental distinctions,  which  every  day  grow  less; 
and  it  may  be  said,  that  two  neighbouring 
nations,  how  unlike  soever  at  first,  will  assimi- 
late by  degrees ;  and  by  long  continuance, 
the  difference  between  them  will  at  last  be- 
come almost  imperceptible.  It  is  not,  there- 
fore, between  contiguous  nations  we  are  to 


178 


A  HISTORY  OF 


look  for  any  strong  marked  varieties  in  the 
human  species:  it  is  by  comparing  the  in- 
habitants of  opposite  climates  arid  distant 
countries;  those  who  live  within  the  polar 
circles,  with  those  beneath  the  equator;  those 
that  live  on  one  side  of  the  globe,  with  those 
that  occupy  the  other. 

Of  all  animals,  the  differences  between 
mankind  are  the  smallest.  Of  the  lower  races 
of  creatures,  the  changes  are  so  great  as  often 
entirely  to  disguise  the  natural  animal,  and  to 
distort,  or  to  disfigure,  its  shape.  But  the 
chief  differences  in  man  are  rather  taken  from 
the  tincture  of  his  skin  than  the  variety  of  his 
figure :  as  in  all  climates  he  preserves  his 
erect  deportment,  and  the  marked  superiority 
of  his  form.  If  we  look  round  the  world, 
there  seem  to  be  not  above  six"  distinct  varie- 
ties in  the  human  species,  each  of  which  is 
strongly  marked,  and  speaks  the  kind  seldom 
to  have  mixed  with  any  other.  But  there  is 
nothing  in  the  shape,  nothing  in  the  faculties, 
that  shows  their  coming  from  different  origi- 
nals ;  and  the  varieties  of  climate,  of  nourish- 
ment, and  custom,  are  sufficient  to  produce 
every  change. 

The  first  distinct  race  of  men  is  found  round 
the  polar  regions.  The  Laplanders,  the 
Esquimaux  Indians,  the  Samosid  Tartars,  the 
inhabitants  of  Nova  Zembla,  the  Borandians, 
the  Greenlanders,  and  the  natives  of  Kamts- 
chatka,  may  be  considered  as  one  peculiar  race 
of  people,  all  greatly  resembling  each  other 
in  their  stature,  their  complexion,  their  cus- 
toms, and  their  ignorance.  These  nations 
being  under  a  rigorous  climate,  where  the 
productions  of  nature  are  but  few,  and  the 
provisions  coarse  and  unwholesome,  their 
bodies  have  shrunk  to  the  nature  of  their  food; 
and  their  complexions  have  suffered,  from 
cold,  almost  a  similar  change  to  what  heat  is 
known  to  produce ;  their  colour  being  a  deep 
brown,  in  some  places  inclining  to  actual 
blackness.  These,  therefore,  in  general,  are 
found  to  be  a  race  of  short  stature  and  odd 
shape,  with  countenances  as  savage  as  their 
manners  are  barbarous.  The  visage  in  these 
countries,  is  large  and  broad,  the  nose  flat  and 
short,  the  eyes  of  a  yellowish  brown,  inclining 


•  I  have  taken  four  of  these  varieties  from  Linnteus; 
those  of  the  Laplanders  and  Tartars  from  Mr.  Buflbn. 


to  blackness,  the  eye-lids  drawn  towards  the 
temples,  the  cheek-bones  extremely  high,  the 
mouth  very  large,  the  lips  thick  and  turned 
outwards,  the  voice  thin  and  squeaking,  the 
head  large,  the  hair  black  and  straight,  the 
colour  of  the  skin  of  a  dark  grayish.b  They  are 
short  in  stature,  the  generality  not  being  above 
four  feet  high,  and  the  tallest  not  above  five. 
Among  all  these  nations  the  women  are  as 
deformed  as  the  men,  and  resemble  them  so 
nearly,  that  one  cannot  at  first  distinguish  the 
sexes  among  them. 

These  nations  not  only  resemble  each  other 
in  their  deformity,  their  dwarfishness,  the 
colour  of  their  hair  and  eyes,  but  they  have, 
in  a  great  measure,  the  same  inclinations,  and 
the  same  manners,  being  all  equally  rude, 
superstitious,  and  stupid.  The  Danish  Lap- 
landers have  a  large  black  cat,  to  which  they 
communicate  their  secrets,  and  consult  in  all 
their  affairs.  Among  the  Swedish  Laplanders 
there  is  in  every  family  a  drum  for  consulting 
the  devil ;  and  although  these  nations  are 
robust  and  nimble,  yet  they  are  so  cowardly 
that  they  never  can  be  brought  into  the  field. 
Gustavus  Adolphus  attempted  to  form  a  re- 
giment of  Laplanders,  but  he  found  it  impos- 
sible to  accomplish  his  design;  for  it  should 
seem  that  they  can  live  only  in  their  own 
country,  and  in  their  own  manner.  They 
make  use  of  skates,  which  are  made  of  fir,  of 
near  three  feet  long,  and  half  a  foot  broad ; 
these  are  pointed,  and  raised  before,  and  tied 
to  the  foot  by  straps  of  leather.  With  these 
they  skate  on  the  icy  snow,  and  with  such 
velocity,  that  they  very  easily  overtake  the 
swiftest  animals.  They  make  use  also  of  a 
pole,  pointed  with  iron  at  one  end,  and  round- 
ed at  the  other.  This  pole  serves  to  push 
them  along,  to  direct  their  course,  to  support 
them  from  falling,  to  stop  the  impetuosity  of 
their  motion,  and  to  kill  that  game  which  they 
have  overtaken.  Upon  these  skates  they  de- 
scend the  steepest  mountains,  and  scale  the 
most  craggy  precipices ;  and,  in  these  exer- 
cises, the  women  are  not  less  skilful  than  the 
men.  They  have  all  the  use  of  the  bow  and 
arrow,  which  seems  to  be  a  contrivance  com- 
mon to  all  barbarous  nations ;  and  which, 

b  Krantz. 


ANIMALS. 


179 


however,  at  first,  required  no  small  skill  to  in- 
vent. They  launch  a  javelin,  also,  with  great 
force,  and  some  say,  that  they  can  hit  a  mark, 
no  larger  than  a  crown, at  thirty  yardsdistarice, 
and  with  such  force  as  would  pierce  a  man 
through.  They  are  all  hunters;  and  particu- 
larly pursue  the  ermine,  the  fox,  the  ounce, 
and  the  martin,  for  the  sake  of  their  skins. 
These  they  barter,  with  their  southern  neigh- 
bours, for  brandy  and  tobacco ;  both  which 
they  are  fond  of  to  excess.  Their  food  is  prin- 
cipally dried  fish,  the  flesh  of  rein-deer  and 
bears.  Their  bread  is  composed  of  the  bones 
of  fishes,  pounded  and  mixed  with  the  inside 
tender  bark  of  the  pine-tree.  Their  drink  is 
train  oil  or  brandy;  and,  when  deprived  of 
these,  water,  in  which  juniper  berries  have 
been  infused.  With  regard  to  their  morals, 
they  have  all  the  virtues  of  simplicity,  and  all 
the  vices  of  ignorance.  They  offer  their  wives 
and  daughters  to  strangers;  and  seem  to 
think  it  a  particular  honour  if  their  offer  be 
accepted.  They  have  no  idea  of  religion,  or 
a  Supreme  Being ;  the  greatest  number  of 
them  are  idolaters  ;  and  their  superstition  is 
as  profound  as  their  worship  is  contemptible. 
Wretched  and  ignorant  as  they  are,  yet  they 
do  not  want  pride ;  they  set  themselves  far 
above  the  rest  of  mankind ;  and  Krantz  as- 
sures us,  that  when  the  Greenlanders  are  got 
together,  nothing  is  so  customary  among  them 
as  to  turn  the  Europeans  into  ridicule.  They 
are  obliged,  indeed,  to  yield  them  the  pre- 
eminence in  understanding  and  mechanic  arts ; 
but  they  do  not  know  how  to  set  any  value 
upon  these.  Th^y  therefore  count  themselves 
the  only  civilized  and  well-bred  people  in  the 
world ;  and  it  is  common  with  them,  when 
they  see  a  quiet  or  a  modest  stranger,  to  say 
that  heisalmost  as  well  bred  asaGreenlander. 
From  this  description,  therefore,  this  whole 
race  of  people  may  be  considered  as  distinct 
from  any  other.  Their  long  continuance  in  a 
climate  the  most  inhospitable,  their  being  ob- 
liged to  subsist  on  food  the  most  coarse  and 
ill  prepared,  the  savageness  of  their  manners, 
and  their  laborious  lives,  all  have  contributed 
to  shorten  their  stature,  and  to  deform  their 
bodies.3  In  proportion  as  we  approach  to- 
wards the  north  pole,  the  size  of  the  natives 


Ellis's  Voyage,  p.  256. 


appears  to  diminish,  growing  less  and  less  as 
we  advance  higher,  till  we  come  to  those  lati- 
tudes that  are  destitute  of  all  inhabitants 
whatsoever. 

The  wretched  natives  of  these  climates  seem 
fitted  by  nature  to  endure  the  rigours  of  their 
situation.  As  their  food  is  but  scanty  and 
precarious,  their  patience  in  hunger  is  amaz- 
ing." A  man,  who  has  eaten  nothing  for  four 
days,  can  manage  his  little  canoe  in  the  most 
furious  waves,  and  calmly-subsist  in  the  midst 
of  a  tempest,  that  would  quickly  dash  an  Eu- 
ropean boat  to  pieces.  Their  strength  is  not 
less  amazing  than  their  patience ;  a  woman 
among  them  will  carry  a  piece  of  timber,  or 
a  stone,  near  double  the  weight  of  what  an 
European  can  lift.  Their  bodies  are  of  a  dark 
gray  all  over ;  and  their  faces  brown,  or  olive. 
The  tincture  of  their  skins  partly  seems  to 
arise  from  their  dirty  manner  of  living,  being 
generally  daubed  with  train-oil;  and  partly 
from  the  rigours  of  climate,  as  the  sudden  al- 
terations of  cold  and  raw  air  in  winter,  and 
of  burning  heats  in  summer,  shade  their  com- 
plexions by  degrees,  till,  in  a  succession  of 
generations,  they  at  last  become  almost  black. 
As  the  countries  in  which  they  reside  are  the 
most  barren,  so  the  natives  seem  the  most  bar- 
barous of  any  part  of  the  earth.  Their  more 
southern  neighbours  of  America,  treat  them 
with  the  same  scorn  that  a  polished  nation 
would  treat  a  savage  one ;  and  we  may  rea- 
dily judge  of  the  rudeness  of  those  manners, 
which  even  a  native  of  Canada  can  think 
more  barbarous  than  his  own. 

But  the  gradations  of  nature  are  impercep- 
tible ;  and,  while  the  north  is  peopled  with 
such  miserable  inhabitants,  there  are  here 
and  there  to  be  found,  upon  the  edges  of  these 
regions,  people  of  a  larger  stature,  and  com- 
pleter  figure.  A  whole  race  of  the  dwarfish 
breed  is  often  found  to  come  down  from  the 
north,  and  settle  more  to  the  southward ;  and, 
on  the  contrary,  it  sometimes  happens  that 
southern  nations  are  seen  higher  up,  in  the 
midst  of  these  diminutive  tribes,  where  they 
have  continued  for  time  immemorial.  Thus 
the  Ostiac  Tartars  seem  to  be  a  race  that 
have  travelled  down  from  the  north,  and  to 
be  originally  sprung  from  the  minute  savages 

b  Krantz,  p.  134.  vol.  i. 

2K 


180 


A  HISTORY  OF 


we  have  been  describing.  There  are  also 
Norwegians  andFinlanders,  of  proper  stature, 
who  are  seen  to  inhabit  in  latitudes  higher 
even  than  Lapland.  These,  however,  are 
but  accidental  migrations,  and  serve  as  shades 
to  unite  the  distinct  varieties  of  mankind. 

The  second  great  variety  in  the  human  spe- 
cies, seems  to  be  that  of  the  Tartar  race ; 
from  whence,  probably,  the  little  men  we  have 
been  describing  originally  proceeded.  The 
Tartar  country, taken  ingeneral.comprehends 
the  greatest  part  of  Asia ;  and  is,  consequent- 
ly, a  general  name  given  to  a  number  of  nati- 
ons, of  various  forms  and  complexions.  But, 
however  they  seem  to  differ  from  each  other, 
they  all  agree  in  being  very  unlike  the  people 
of  any  other  country.  All  these  nations  have 
the  upper  part  of  the  visage  very  broad,  and 
wrinkledevenwhile  yet  in  their  youth.  Their 
noses  are  short  and  flat,  their  eyes  little,  and 
sunk  in  their  heads ;  and,  in  some  of  them, 
they  are  seen  five  or  six  inches  asunder. 
Their  cheek-bones  are  high,  the  lower  part 
of  their  visage  narrow,  the  chin  long  and  ad- 
vanced forward,  their  teeth  of  an  enormous 
size,  and  growing  separate  from  each  other; 
their  eyebrows  thick,  large,  and  covering 
their  eyes ;  their  eyelids  thick,  the  face  broad 
and  flat,  the  complexion  olive  coloured,  and 
the  hair  black.  They  are  of  a  middle  size, 
extremely  strong,  and  very  robust.  They 
have  but  little  beard,  which  grows  straggling 
on  the  chin.  They  have  large  thighs,  and 
short  legs.  The  ugliest  of  all  are  the  Cal- 
mucks,  in  whose  appearance  there  seems  to 
be  something  frightful.  They  all  lead  an  er- 
ratic life,  remaining  under  tents  of  hair,  or 
skins.  They  live  upon  horse  flesh,  and  that 
of  camels,  either  raw  or  a  little  sodden  be- 
tween the  horse  and  the  saddle.  They  eat 
also  fish  dried  in  the  sun.  Their  most  usual 
drink  is  ^.lares'  milk,  fermented  with  millet 
ground  into  meal.  They  all  have  the  head 
shaven,  except  a  lock  of  hair  on  the  top, 
which  they  let  grow  sufficiently  long  to  form 
into  tresses,  on  each  side  of  the  face.  The 
women,  who  are  as  ugly  as  the  men,  wear 
their  hair,  which  they  bind  up  with  bits  of 
copper,  and  other  ornaments  of  a  like  nature. 
The  majority  of  these  nations  have  no  religi- 
on, no  settled  notions  of  morality,  no  decency 
of  behaviour.  They  are  chiefly  robbers; 


and  the  natives  of  Dagestan,  who  live  near 
their  more  polished  neighbours,  make  a  traf- 
fic of  Tartar  slaves  who  have  been  stolen,  and 
sell  them  to  the  Turks  and  the  Persians.. 
Their  chief  riches  consist  in  horses,  of  which 
perhaps  there  are  more  in  Tartary  than  in 
any  other  part  of  the  world.  The  natives  are 
taught  by  custom  to  live  in  the  same  place 
with  their  horses,  they  are  continually  em- 
ployed in  managing  them,  and  at  last  bring 
them  to  such  great  obedience,  that  the  horse 
seems  actually  to  understand  the  riders  inten- 
tion. 

To  this  race  of  men,  also,  we  must  refer 
the  Chinese  and  the  Japanese,  however  dif- 
ferent they  seem  in  their  manners  and  cere- 
monies. It  is  the  form  of  the  body  that  we 
are  now  principally  considering ;  and  there  is, 
between  these  countries,  a  surprising  resem- 
blance. It  is  in  general  allowed,  that  the 
Chinese  have  broad  faces,  small  eyes,  flat 
noses,  and  scarce  any  beard ;  that  they  are 
broad  and  square  shouldered,  and  rather  less 
in  stature  than  Europeans.  These  are  marks 
common  to  them  and  the  Tartars,  and  they 
may,  therefore,  be  considered  as  being  deriv- 
ed from  the  same  original.  "  I  have  observ- 
ed," says  Chardin,  "  that  in  all  the  people 
from  the  east  and  the  north  of  the  Caspian 
sea,  to  the  peninsula  of  Malacca,  that  the  lines 
of  the  face,  and  the  formation  of  the  visage, 
is  the  same.  This  has  induced  me  to  believe, 
that  all  these  nations  are  derived  from  the 
same  original,  however  different  either  their 
complexions  or  their  manners  may  appear : 
for  as  to  the  complexion,  that  proceeds  entire- 
ly from  the  climate  and  the  food ;  and  as  to 
the  manners,  these  are  generally  the  result  of 
their  different  degrees  of  wealth  or  power." 
That  they  come  from  one  stock,  is  evident 
also  from  this,  that  the  Tartars  who  settle  in 
China,  quickly  resemble  the  Chinese ;  and, 
on  the  contrary,  the  Chinese  who  settle  in 
Tartary,  soon  assume  the  figure  and  the  man- 
ners of  the  Tartars. 

The  Japanese  so  much  resemble  the  Chi- 
nese, that  one  cannot  hesitate  to  rank  them 
in  the  same  class.  They  only  differ  in  being 
rather  browner,  as  they  inhabit  a  more  south- 
ern climate.  They  are,  in  general,  described 
as  of  a  brown  complexion,  a  short  stature,  a 
broad  flat  face,  a  very  little  beard,  and  black 


ANIMALS. 


181 


hair.  Their  customs  and  ceremonies  are 
nearly  the  same ;  their  ideas  of  beauty  simi- 
lar; and  their  artificial  deformities  of  black- 
ening the  teeth,  and  bandaging  the  feet,  en- 
tirely alike  in  both  countries.  They  both, 
therefore,  proceed  from  the  same  stock ;  and 
although  they  differ  very  much  from  their  bru- 
tal progenitors,  yet  they  owe  their  civiliza- 
tion wholly  to  the  mildness  of  the  climate  in 
which  they  reside,  and  to  the  peculiar  fertili- 
ty of  the  soil.  To  this  tribe,  also,  we  may  re- 
fer the  Cochin  Chinese,  the  Siamese,  the  Ton- 
quinese,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Arracan,  Laos, 
and  Pegu,  who,  though  all  differing  from  the 
Chinese  and  each  other,  nevertheless  have 
too  strong  a  resemblance  not  to  betray  their 
common  original. 

Another,  which  makes  the  third  variety  in 
the  human  species,  is,  that  of  the  southern 
Asiatics  ;  the  form  of  whose  features  and  per- 
sons may  be  easily  distinguished  from  those 
of  the  Tartar  races.  The  nations  that  inha- 
bit the  peninsula  of  India,  seem  to  be  the  prin- 
cipal stock  from  whence  the  inhabitants  of  the 
islands  that  lie  scattered  in  the  Indian  ocean 
have  been  peopled.  They  are,  in  general,  of 
a  slender  shape,  with  long  straight  black  hair, 
and  often  with  Roman  noses.  Thus  they  re- 
semble the  Europeans  i.-i  stature  and  features; 
but  greatly  differ  in  colour  and  habit  of  body. 
The  Indians  are  of  an  olive  colour,  and,  in  | 
the  more  southern  parts,  quite  black ;  al- 
though the  word  Mogul,  in  their  language,  sig- 
nifies a  white  man.  The  women  are  extreme- 
ly delicate,  and  bathe  very  often;  they  are 
of  an  olive  colour,  as  well  as  the  men:  their 
legs  and  thighs  are  long,  and  their  bodies 
short,  which  is  the  opposite  to  what  is  seen 
among  the  women  of  Europe.  They  are,  as 
I  am  assured,  by  no  means  so  fruitful  as  the 
European  women ;  but  they  feel  the  pains  of 
child-birth  with  much  less  sensibility,  and  are 
generally  up  and  well  the  day  following.  In 
fact,  these  pains  seem  greatest  in  all  coun- 
tries where  the  women  are  most  delicate,  or 
the  constitution  enfeebled  by  luxury  or  indo- 
lence. The  women  of  savage  nations  seem, 
in  a  great  measure,  exempt  from  painful  la- 
bours; and  even  the  hard-working  wives  of 
the  peasants  among  ourselves,  have  this  ad- 
vantage from  a  life  of  industry,  that  their  child- 
bearing  is  less  painful.  Over  all  India,  the 


children  arrive  sooner  at  maturity,  than  with 
us  of  Europe.  They  often  marry  and  consum- 
mate, the  husband  at  ten  years  old,  and  the 
wife  at  eight ;  and  they  frequently  have  chil- 
dren at  that  age.  However,  the  women  who 
arc  mothers  so  soon, cease  bearing  before  they 
are  arrived  at  thirty ;  and  at  that  time  they 
appear  wrinkled,  and  seem  marked  with  all 
the  deformities  of  age.  The  Indians  have 
long  been  remarkable  for  their  cowardice  and 
effeminacy ;  every  conqueror,  that  has  at- 
tempted the  invasion  of  their  country,  having 
succeeded.  The  warmth  of  the  climate  en- 
tirely influences  their  manners ;  they  are 
slothful,  submissive,  and  luxurious;  satisfied 
with  sensual  happiness  alone,  they  find  no 
pleasure  in  thinking ;  and  contented  with  sla- 
very, they  are  ready  to  obey  any  master. 
Many  tribes  among  them  eat  nothing  that  has 
life ;  they  are  fearful  of  killing  the  meanest  in- 
sect ;  and  have  even  erected  hospitals  for  the 
maintenance  of  all  kinds  of  vermin.  The 
Asiatic  dress  is  a  loose  flowing  garment,  ra- 
ther fitted  for  the  purposes  of  peace  and  in- 
dolence, than  of  industry  or  war.  The  vi- 
gour of  the  Asiatics  is,  in  general,  conformable 
to  their  dress  and  nourishment;  fed  upon  rice, 
and  clothed  in  effeminate  silk  vestments,  their 
soldiers  are  unable  to  oppose  the  onset  of  an 
European  army  ;  and  from  the  times  of  Alex- 
ander to  the  present  day,  we  have  scarcely 
any  instances  of  their  success  in  arms.  Upon 
the  whole,  therefore,  they  may  be  considered 
as  a  feeble  race  of  sensualists,  too  dull  to  find 
rapture  in  any  pleasures,  and  too  indolent  to 
turn  their  gravity  into  wisdom.  To  this  class 
we  may  refer  the  Persians,  and  Arabians,  and, 
in  general,  the  inhabitants  of  the  islands  that 
lie  scattered  in  the  Indian  ocean. 

The  fourth  striking  variety  in  the  human 
species,  is  to  be  found  among  the  negroes  of 
Africa.  This  gloomy  race  of  mankind  is  found 
to  blacken  all  the  southern  parts  of  Africa, 
from  eighteen  degrees  north  of  the  line,  to  its 
extreme  termination  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope.  I  know  it  is  said,  that  the  Caff'res, 
who  inhabit  the  southern  extremity  of  that 
large  continent,  are  not  to  be  ranked  among 
the  negro  race  :  however,  the  difference  be- 
tween them,  in  point  of  colour  and  features, 
is  so  small,  that  they  may  very  easily  be  group- 
ed in  this  general  picture;  and  in  the  one  or 
2K* 


182 


A  HISTORY  OP 


two  that  I  have  seen,  I  could  not  perceive  the 
smallest  difference.  Each  of  the  negro  nati- 
ons, it  must  be  owned,  differ  from  each  other; 
they  have  their  peculiar  countries  for  beauty, 
like  us ;  and  different  nations,  as  in  Europe, 
pride  themselves  upon  the  regularity  of  their 
features.  Those  of  Guinea,  for  instance,  are 
extremely  ugly,  and  have  an  insupportable 
scent ;  those  of  Mosambique  are  reckoned 
beautiful,  and  have  no  ill  smell  whatsoever. 
The  negroes,  in  general,  are  of  a  black  colour, 
with  a  smooth  soft  skin.  This  smoothness 
proceeds  from  the  downy  softness  of  the  hair 
which  grows  upon  it;  the  strength  of  which 
gives  aroughnessto  the  feel,  in  those  of  a  white 
complexion.  Their  skins,  therefore,  have  a 
velvet  smoothness,  and  seem  less  braced  up- 
on the  muscles  than  ours.  The  hair  of  their 
h;  ads  differs  entirely  from  what  we  are  ac- 
customed to, being  soft,  woolly, and  short.  The 
beard  also,  partakes  of  the  same  qualities ; 
but  in  this  it  differs,  that  it  soon  turns  gray, 
which  the  hair  is  seldom  found  to  do ;  so  that 
several  are  seen  with  white  beards,  and  black 
hair,  at  the  same  time.  Their  eyes  are  gene- 
rally of  a  deep  hazel ;  their  noses  flat  and 
short;  their  lips  thick  and  tumid;  and  their 
teeth  of  an  ivory  whiteness.  This,  their  only 
beauty,  however,  is  set  off  by  the  colour  of 
their  skin ;  the  contrast  between  the  black 
and  white  being  the  more  observable.  It  is 
false  to  say  that  their  features  are  deformed 
by  art ;  since,  in  the  negro  children  born  in 
European  countries,  the  same  deformities  are 
seen  to  prevail ;  the  same  flatness  in  the  nose; 
and  the  same  prominence  in  the  lips.  They 
are,  in  general,  said  to  be  well  shaped ;  but 
of  such  as  I  have  seen,  I  never  found  one  that 
might  be  justly  called  so;  their  legs  being 
mostly  ill  formed,  and  commonly  bending  out- 
ward on  the  shin-bone.  But  it  is  not  only  in 
those  parts  of  their  bodies  that  are  obvious, 
that  they  are  disproportioned ;  those  parts 
which  among  us  are  usually  concealed  by 
dress,  with  them  are  large  an*languid.a  The 
women's  breasts,  after  bearing  one  child,  hang 
down  below  the  navel ;  and  it  is  customary 
with  them  to  suckle  the  child  at  their  backs, 
by  throwing  the  breasts  over  the  shoulder. 

a  LiniHEiis,  in  prinia  lines  sna,  faeminas  Af'ricanas  de- 
pingit  sicut  aliquid  defomie  in  parte  genital!  gestaiites, 
quod  sinum  pudoris  nuncupat.  Attamen  nihil  differunt  a 


As  their  persons  are  thus  naturally  deformed, 
at  least  to  our  imaginations,  their  minds  are 
equally  incapable  of  strong  exertions.  The 
climate  seems  to  relax  their  mental  powers 
still  more  than  those  of  the  body ;  they  are, 
therefore,  in  general,  found  to  be  stupid,  in- 
dolent, and  mischievous.  The  Arabians  them- 
selves, many  colonies  of  whom  have  migrated 
southward  into  the  most  inland  parts  of  Africa, 
seem  to  have  degenerated  from  their  ances- 
tors ;  forgetting  their  ancient  learning,  and 
losing  their  beauty,  they  have  become  a  race 
scarcely  any  way  distinguishable  from  the 
original  natives.  Nor  does  it  seem  to  have 
fared  otherwise  with  the  Portuguese,  who 
about  two  centuries  ago,  settled  along  this 
coast.  They  also  are  become  almost  as  black 
as  the  negroes,  and  are  said  by  some  to  be 
even  more  barbarous. 

The  inhabitants  of  America  make  a  fifth 
race,  as  different  from  all  the  rest  in  colour, 
as  they  are  distinct  in  habitation.  The  natives 
of  America  (except  in  the  northern  extremity, 
where  they  resemble  the  Laplanders)  are  of 
a  red  or  copper  colour;  and  although,  in  the 
old  world, different  climates  produce  a  variety 
of  complexions  and  customs,  the  natives  of 
the  new  continent  seem  to  resemble  each  other 
in  almost  every  respect.  They  are  all  nearly 
of  one  colour;  all  have  black  thick  straight 
hair,  and  thin  black  beards ;  which,  however, 
they  take  care  to  pluck  out  by  the  roots. 
They  have,  in  general,  flat  noses,  with  high 
cheek-bones,  and  small  eyes ;  and  these  de- 
formities of  nature  they  endeavour  to  increase 
by  art :  they  flatten  the  nose,  and  often  the 
whole  head  of  their  children,  while  the  bones 
are  yet  susceptible  of  every  impression.  They 
paint  the  body  and  face  of  various  colours, 
and  consider  the  hair  upon  any  part  of  it,  ex- 
cept the  head,  as  a  deformity  which  they  are 
careful  to  eradicate.  Their  limbs  are  gene- 
rally slighter  made  than  those  of  the  Euro- 
peans ;  and,  I  am  assured,  they  are  far  from 
being  so  strong.  All  these  savages  seem  to 
be  cowardly;  they  seldom  are  known  to  face 
their  enemies  in  the  field,  but  fall  upon  them 
at  an  advantage ;  and  the  greatness  of  their 
fears  serves  to  increase  the  rigours  of  their 

nostratibus  in  hac  parte  nisi  quod  labia  pudendae  sint  ali- 
qriantulum  tuniidiora.  In  hominibus  etiam  penis  est  lon- 
gior  et  multo  laxior. 


ANIMALS. 


183 


Cruelty.  The  wants  which  they  often  sustain, 
make  them  surprisingly  patient  in  adversity : 
distress,  by  being  grown  familiar,  becomes 
less  terrible ;  so  that  their  patience  is  less  the 
result  of  fortitude  than  of  custom.  They  have 
all  a  serious  air,  although  they  seldom  think; 
and,  however  cruel  to  their  enemies,  are  kind 
and  just  to  each  other.  In  short,  the  customs 
of  savage  nations  in  every  country  are  almost 
the  same;  a  wild,  independent,  and  preca- 
rious life,  produces  a  peculiar  train  of  virtues 
and  vices  :  and  patience  and  hospitality,  in- 
dolence and  rapacity,  content  and  sincerity, 
are  found  not  less  among  the  natives  of 
America,  than  all  the  barbarous  nations  of  the 
globe. 

The  sixth  and  last  variety  of  the  human 
species,  is  that  of  the  Europeans,  and  the 
nations  bordering  on  them.  In  this  class  we 
may  reckon  the  Georgians,  Circassians,  and 
Mingrelians,  the  inhabitants  of  Asia  Minor, 
and  the  northern  parts  of  Africa,  together 
with  a  part  of  those  countries  which  lie  north- 
west of  the  Caspian  sea.  The  inhabitants  of 
these  countries  differ  a  good  deal  from  each 
other;  but  they  generally  agree  in  the  colour 
of  their  bodies,  the  beauty  of  their  complex- 
ions, the  largeness  of  their  limbs,  and  the 
vigour  of  their  understandings.  Those  arts 
which  might  have  had  their  invention  among 
the  other  races  of  mankind,  have  come  to 
perfection  there.  In  barbarous  countries  the 
inhabitants  go  either  naked, or  are  awkwardly 
clothed  in  furs  or  feathers;  in  countries  semi- 
barbarous,  the  robes  are  loose  and  flowing; 
but  here  the  clothing  is  less  made  for  show 
than  expedition,  and  unites,  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, the  extremes  of  ornament  and  despatch. 

To  one  or  other  of  these  classes  we  may 
refer  the  people  of  every  country:  and  as  each 
nation  has  been  less  visited  by  strangers,  or 
has  had  less  commerce  with  the  rest  of  man- 
kind, we  find  their  persons  and  their  manners 
more  strongly  impressed  with  one  or  other  of 
the  characters  mentioned  above.  On  the 
contrary,  in  those  places  where  trade  has 
long  flourished,  or  where  enemies  have  made 
many  incursions,  the  races  are  usually  found 
blended,  and  properly  fall  beneath  no  one 
character.  Thus,  in  the  islands  of  the  Indian 
ocean,  where  a  trade  has  been  carried  on  for 
time  immemorial,  the  inhabitants  appear  to 


be  a  mixture  of  all  the  nations  upon  the  earth; 
white,  olive,  brown,  and  black  men,  are  all 
seen  living  together  in  the  same  city,  and  pro- 
pagate a  mixed  breed,  that  can  be  referred  to 
none  of  the  classes  into  which  naturalists  have 
thought  proper  to  divide  mankind. 

Of  all  the  colours  by  which  mankind  is 
diversified,  it  is  easy  to  perceive,  that  ours  is 
not  only  most  beautiful  to  the  eye,  but  the 
most  advantageous.  The  fair  complexion 
seems,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  as  a  transparent 
covering  to  the  soul ;  all  the  variations  of  the 
passions,  every  expression  of  joy  or  sorrow, 
flows  to  the  cheek,  and,  without  language, 
marks  the  mind.  In  the  slightest  change  of 
health  also  the  colour  of  the  European  face  is 
the  most  exact  index,  and  often  teaches  us  to 
prevent  those  disorders  that  we  do  not  as  yet 
perceive  :  not  but  that  the  African  black,  and 
the  Asiatic  olive  complexions,  admit  of  their 
alterations  also ;  but  these  are  neither  so 
distinct,  nor  so  visible,  as  with  us;  and  in 
some  countries  the  colour  of  the  visage  is 
never  found  to  change;  but  the  face  continues 
in  the  same  settled  shade  in  shame  and  in  sick- 
ness, in  anger  and  despair. 

The  colour,  therefore, most  natural  toman, 
ought  to  be  that  which  is  most  becoming;  and 
it  is  found,  that,  in  all  regions,  the  children 
are  born  fair,  or  at  least  red,  and  that  they 
grow  more  black,  or  tawny,  as  they  advance 
in  age.  It  should  seem,  consequently,  that 
man  is  naturally  white;  since  the  same  causes 
that  darken  the  complexion  in  infants,  may 
have  originally  operated,  in  slower  degrees, 
in  blackening  whole  nations.  We  could, 
therefore,  readily  account  for  the  blackness 
of  different  nations,  did  we  not  seethe  Ameri- 
cans, who  live  under  the  line,  as  well  as  the 
natives  of  Negroland,  of  a  red  colour,  and  but 
a  very  small  shade  darker  than  the  natives  of 
the  northern  latitudes,  in  the  same  continent. 
For  this  reason,  some  have  sought  for  other 
causes  of  blackness  than  the  climate ;  and 
have  endeavoured  to  prove  that  the  blacks 
are  a  race  of  people  bred  from  one  man,  who 
was  marked  with  accidental  blackness.  This, 
however,  is  but  mere  ungrounded  conjecture  : 
and,  although  the  Americans  are  not  so  dark 
as  the  negroes,  yet  we  must  still  continue  in 
the  ancient  opinion,  that  the  deepness  of  the 
colour  proceeds  from  the  excessive  heat  of 


184 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  climate.  For,  if  we  compare  the  heats  of 
Africa  with  those  of  America,  we  shall  find 
they  bear  no  proportion  to  each  other.  In 
America,  all  that  part  of  the  continent,  which 
lies  under  the  line,  is  cool  and  pleasant,  either 
shaded  by  mountains,  or  refreshed  by  breezes 
from  the  sea.  But  in  Africa,  the  wide  tract 
of  country  that  lies  under  the  line  is  very  ex- 
tensive, and  the  soil  sandy ;  the  reflection  of 
the  sun,  therefore,  from  so  large  a  surface  of 
earth,  is  almost  intolerable ;  and  it  is  not  to 
be  wondered  at,  that  the  inhabitants  should 
bear,  in  their  looks,  the  marks  of  the  inhos- 
pitable climate.  In  America,  the  country  is 
out  thinly  inhabited;  and  the  more  torrid  tracts 
are  generally  left  desert  by  the  inhabitants;  for 
which  reason  they  are  not  so  deeply  tinged 
by  the  beams  of  the  sun.  But  in  Africa  the 
whole  face  of  the  country  is  fully  peopled  ; 
and  the  natives  are  obliged  to  endure  their 
situation,  without  a  power  of  migration.  It  is 
there,  consequently,  that  they  are  in  a  man- 
ner tied  down  to  feel  all  the  severity  of  the 
heat ;  and  their  complexions  take  the  darkest 
hue  they  are  capable  of  receiving.  We  need 
not,  therefore,  have  recourse  to  any  imagina- 
ry propagation,  from  persons  accidentally 
black,  since  the  climate  is  a  cause  obvious  and 
sufficient  to  produce  the  effect. 

In  fact,  if  we  examine  the  complexion  of  dif- 
ferent countries,  we  shall  find  them  darken  in 
proportion  to  the  heat  of  their  climate ;  and 
the  shades  gradually  to  deepen  as  they  ap- 
proach the  line.  Some  nations,  indeed,  may 
be  found  not  so  much  tinged  by  the  sun  as 
others,  although  they  lie  nearer  the  line. 
But  this  ever  proceeds  from  some  accidental 
causes ;  either  from  the  country  lying  higher, 
and  consequently  being  colder ;  or  from  the 
natives  bathing  oftener,  and  leading  a  more 
civilized  life.  In  general,  it  may  be  asserted, 
that  as  we  approach  the  line,  we  find  the  in- 
habitants of  each  country  grow  browner,  un- 
til the  colour  deepens  into  perfect  blackness. 
Thus,  taking  our  standard  from  the  whitest 
race  of  people,  and  beginning  with  our  own 
country,  which,  I  believe,  bids  fairest  for  the 
pre-eminence,  we  shall  find  the  French,  who 
are  more  southern,  a  slight  shade  deeper  than 
we;  going  farther  down,  the  Spaniards  are 
browner  than  the  French;  the  inhabitants  of 
Fez  darker  than  they ;  and  the  natives  of  Ne- 


groland  the  darkest  of  all  In  what  manner 
the  sun  produces  this  effect,  and  how  thesame 
luminary  which  whitens  wax  and  linen,  should 
darken  the  human  complexion,  is  not  easy  to 
conceive.  Sir  Thomas  Brown  first  supposed, 
that  a  mucous  substance,  which  had  some- 
thing of  a  vitriolic  quality,  settled  under  the 
reticular  membrane,  and  grew  darker  with 
heat.  Others  have  supposed  that  the  black- 
ness lay  in  the  epidermis,  or  scarf-skin,  which 
was  burnt  up  like  leather.  But  nothing  has 
been  satisfactorily  discovered  upon  the  sub- 
ject ;  it  is  sufficient  that  we  are  assured  of  the 
fact ;  and  that  we  have  no  doubt  of  the  sun's 
tinging  the  complexion  in  proportion  to  its 
vicinity. 

But  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  the  sun  is 
the  only  cause  of  darkening  the  skin ;  the 
wind,  extreme  cold,  hard  labour,  or  coarse 
and  sparing  nourishment,  are  all  found  to  con- 
tribute to  this  effect.  We  find  the  peasants 
of  every  country,  who  are  most  exposed  to  the 
weather,  a  shade  darker  than  the  higher  ranks 
of  people.  The  savage  inhabitants  of  all  pla- 
ces are  exposed  still  more,  and  therefore  con- 
tract a  still  deeper  hue  ;  and  this  will  account 
for  the  tawny  colour  of  the  North  American 
Indians.  Although  they  live  in  a  climate  the 
same,  or  even  more  northerly  than  ours,  yet 
they  are  found  to  be  of  complexions  very  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  Europe.  But  it  must  be 
considered,  that  they  live  continually  exposed 
to  the  sun ;  that  they  use  many  methods  to 
darken  their  skins  by  art,  painting  them  with 
red  ochre,  and  anointing  them  with  the  fat  of 
bears.  Had  they  taken,  for  a  succession  of 
several  generations,  the  same  precautions  to 
brighten  their  colour  that  an  European  does, 
it  is  very  probable  that  they  would  in  time 
come  to  have  similar  complexions,  and,  per- 
haps, dispute  the  prize  of  beauty. 

The  extremity  of  coll  is  not  less  produc- 
tive of  a  tawny  complexion  than  that  of  heat. 
The  natives  of  the  arctic  circle,  as  was  ob- 
served, are  all  brown ;  and  those  that  lie 
most  to  the  north  are  almost  entirely  black. 
In  this  manner  both  extremes  are  unfavoura- 
ble to  the  human  tbrm  and  colour,  and  the 
same  effects  are  produced  under  the  poles 
that  are  found  at  the  line. 

With  regard  to  the  slature  of  different 
countries,  that  seems  chielly  to  result  from  the 


ANIMALS. 


183 


nature  of  the  food,  and  the  quantity  of  the 
supply.  Not  but  that  the  severity  of  heat  or 
cold,  may,  in  some  measure,  diminish  the 
growth,  and  produce  adwarfishness  of  make. 
But,  in  general,  the  food  is  the  great  agent  in 
producing  this  effect ;  where  that  is  supplied 
in  large  quantities,  and  where  its  quality  is 
wholesome  and  nutrimental,  the  inhabitants 
are  generally  seen  above  the  ordinary  stature. 
On  the  contrary,  where  it  is  afforded  in  a 
sparing  quantity,  or  very  coarse,  and  void  of 
nourishment  in  its  kind,  the  inhabitants  de- 
generate, and  sink  below  the  ordinary  size  of 
mankind.  In  this  respect  they  resemble  other 
animals,  whose  bodies,  by  proper  feeding, 
may  be  greatly  augmented.  An  ox,  on  the 
fertile  plains  of  India,  grows  to  a  size  four 
times  as  large  as  the  diminutive  animal  of  the 
same  kind  bred  in  the  Alps.  The  horses  bred 
in  the  plains  are  larger  than  those  of  the 
mountain.  So  it  is  with  man ;  the  inhabitants 
of  the  valley  are  usually  found  taller  than 
those  of  the  hill;  the  natives  of  the  Highlands 
of  Scotland,  for  instance,  are  short,  broad,  and 
hardy ;  those  of  the  Lowlands  are  tall  and 
shapely.  The  inhabitants  of  Greenland,  who 
live  upon  dried  fish  and  seals,  are  less  than 
those  of  Gambia,  or  Senegal,  where  Nature 
supplies  them  with  vegetable  and  animal 
abundance. 

The  form  of  the  face  seems  rather  to  be 
the  result  of  custom.  Nations  who  have  long 
considered  some  artificial  deformity  as  beau- 
tiful, who  have  industriously  lessened  the  feet, 
or  flattened  the  nose,  by  degrees  begin  to  re- 
ceive the  impression  they  are  taught  to  as- 
sume ;  and  Nature,  in  a  course  of  ages,  shapes 
itself  to  the  constraint,  and  assumes  heredita- 
ry deformity.  We  find  nothing  more  com- 
mon in  births,  than  for  children  to  inherit 
sometimes  even  the  accidental  deformities  of 
their  parents.  We  have  many  instances  of 
squinting  in  thefather,which  he  received  from 
fright  or  habit, communicated  to  the  offspring; 
and  I  myself  have  seen  a  child  distinctly  mark- 
ed with  a  scar,  similar  to  one  the  father  had 
received  in  battle.  In  this  manner,  acciden- 
tal deformities  may  become  natural  ones ;  and 
by  assiduity  may  be  continued,  and  even  in- 
creased, through  successivegenerations.  From 
this,  therefore,  may  have  arisen  the  small  eyes 
and  long  ears  of  the  Tartar  and  Chinese  na- 


tions. From  hence  originally  may  have  come 
the  flat  noses  of  the  blacks,  and  the  flat  heads 
of  the  American  Indians. 

In  this  slight  survey,  therefore,  I  think  we 
may  see  that  all  the  variations  in  the  human 
figure,  as  far  as  they  differ  from  our  own,  are 
produced  either  by  the  rigour  ol  the  climate, 
the  bad  quality  or  the  scantiness  of  the  pro- 
visions, or  by  the  savage  customs  of  the  coun- 
try. They  are  actual  marks  of  the  degenera- 
cy in  the  human  form ;  and  we  may  consider 
the  European  figure  and  colour  as  standards 
to  which  to  refer  all  other  varieties,  and  with 
which  to  compare  them.  In  proportion  as  the 
Tartar  or  American  approaches  nearer  to  Eu- 
ropean beauty,  we  consider  the  race  as  less 
degenerated ;  in  proportion  as  he  differs  more 
widely,  he  has  made  greater  deviations  from 
his  original  form. 

That  we  have  all  sprung  from  one  common 
j  parent  we  are  taught,  both  by  reason  and  re- 
!  ligion,  to  believe ;  and  we  have  good  reason 
also  to  think  that  the  Europeans  resemble  him 
more  than  any  of  the  rest  of  his  children. 
However,  it  must  not  be  concealed  that  the 
olive-coloured  Asiatic,  and  even  the  jet-black 
negro,  claim  this  honour  of  hereditary  resem- 
blance ;  and  assert,  that  white  men  are  mere 
deviations  from  original  perfection.  Odd  as 
this  opinion  may  seem,  they  have  Linnaeus, 
the  celebrated  naturalist,  on  their  side ;  who 
supposes  man  a  native  of  the  tropicnl  climates, 
and  only  a  sojourner  more  to  the  north.  But, 
not  to  enter  into  a  controversy  upon  a  matter 
of  a  very  remote  speculation,  I  think  one  ar- 
gument alone  will  suffice  to  prove  the  contra- 
ry, and  show  that  the  white  man  is  the  origi- 
nal source  from  whence  the  other  varieties 
have  sprung.  We  have  frequently  seen  white 
children  produced  from  black  parents,  but 
have  never  seen  a  black  offspring  the  produc- 
tion of  two  whites.  From  hence  we  may  con- 
clude, that  whiteness  is  the  colour  to  which 
mankind  naturally  tends  :  for,  as  in  the  tulip, 
the  parent  stock  is  known  by  all  the  artificial 
varieties  breaking  into  it ;  so  in  man,  that  co- 
lour must  be  original  which  never  alters,  and 
to  which  all  the  rest  are  accidentally  seen  to 
change.  I  have  seen  in  London,  at  different 
times,  two  white  negroes,  the  issue  of  black 
parents,  that  served  to  convince  me  of  the 
truth  of  this  theory.  I  had  before  been  taught 


180 


A  HISTORY  OF 


to  believe  that  the  whiteness  of  the  negro's  skin 
was  a  disease,  a  kind  of  milky  whiteness,  that 
might  be  called  rather  a  leprous  crust  than  a 
natural  complexion.  I  was  taught  to  suppose, 
that  the  numberless  white  negroes  found  in 
various  parts  of  Africa,  the  white  men  that  go 
by  the  name  of  Chacrelas,  hi  the  East  Indies, 
and  the  white  Americans,  near  the  Isthmus  of 
Darien,  in  the  West  Indies,  were  all  as  so  many 
diseased  persons,  and  even  more  deformed  than 
the  blackest  of  the  natives.  But,  upon  exa- 
mining that  negro  which  was  last  shown  in 
London,  1  found  the  colour  to  be  exactly  like 
that  of  an  European;  the  visage  white  and 
ruddy,  and  the  lips  of  the  proper  redness.  How- 
ever, there  were  sufficient  marks  to  convince 
me  of  its  descent.  The  hair  was  white  and 


woolly,  and  very  unlike  any  thing  I  had  seen 
before.  The  iris  of  the  eye  was  yellow,  inclin- 
ing to  red  ;  the  nose  was  flat,  exactly  resem- 
bling that  of  a  negro  ;  and  the  lips  thick  and 
prominent.  No  doubt,  therefore,  remained  of 
the  child's  having  been  born  of  negro  parents : 
and  the  person  who  showed  it  had  attestations 
to  convince  the  most  incredulous.  From  this, 
then,  we  see  that  the  variations  of  the  negro 
colour  is  into  whiteness,  whereas  the  white  are 
never  found  to  have  a  race  of  negro  children. 
Upon  the  whole,  therefore,  all  those  changes 
which  the  African, the  Asiatic,orthe  American, 
undergo,  are  but  accidental  deformities,  which 
a  kinder  climate,  better  nourishment,  or  more 
civilized  manners,  would,  in  a  course  of  cen- 
turies, very  probably  remove. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

OF  MONSTERS. 


HITHERTO  I  have  only  spoken  of  those 
\rarieties  in  the  human  species,  that  are  com- 
mon to  whole  nations ;  but  there  are  varieties 
of  another  kind,  which  are  only  found  in  the 
individual ;  and  being  more  rarely  seen,  are 
therefore  called  monstrous.  If  we  examine 
into  the  varieties  of  distorted  nature,  there  is 
scarcely  a  limb  of  the  body,  or  a  feature  in  the 
face,  that  has  not  suffered  some  reprobation, 
either  from  art  or  nature ;  being  enlarged  or 
diminished,  lengthened  or  wrested,  from  its 
due  proportion.  Linnaeus,  after  having  given 
a  catalogue  of  monsters,  particularly  adds,  the 
flat  heads  of  Canada,  the  long  heads  of  the 
Chinese,  and  the  slender  waists  of  the  women 
of  Europe,  who,  by  strait  lacing,  take  such 
pains  to  destroy  their  health,  through  a  mis- 
taken desire  to  improve  their  beauty.3  It  be- 


a  Linnaei  Syst.  vol.  i.  p.  29.  Monorchides  ut  minus 
fertiles. 

b  Vide  Phil.  Trans,  passim.  Miscellan.  Curioss.  Johan. 
Baptist.  Wenck.  Dissertatio  Physica  an  ex  virilis  human! 
seminis  cum  brutali  per  nefarium  coitum  commixtione, 
aut  vicissim  ex  bruti  maris  cum  muliebri  humano  seminis 
commixtione  possit  verus  homo  generari.  Vide  etiam, 
Johnstoni  Thaumatographia  Naturalis.  Vide  Adalbert! 
Disquisitio  Physica  ostenti  duoruiu  puerorum  unus  quo- 


longs  more  to  the  physician  than  the  naturalist 
to  attend  to  these  minute  deformities ;  and  in- 
deed it  is  a  melancholy  contemplation  to  specu- 
late upon  a  catalogue  of  calamities,  inflicted 
by  unpitying  Nature,  or  brought  upon  us  by 
our  own  caprice.  Some,  however,  are  fond 
of  such  accounts  ;  and  there  have  been  books 
filled  with  nothing  else.  To  these,  therefore,  I 
refer  the  reader ;  who  may  be  better  pleased 
with  accounts  of  men  with  two  heads,  or  with- 
out any  head,  of  children  joined  in  the  middle, 
of  bones  turned  into  flesh,  or  flesh  converted 
into  bones,  than  I  am.b  It  is  sufficient  here  to 
observe,  that  every  day's  experience  must 
have  shown  us  miserable  instances  of  this 
kind  produced  by  nature  or  affectation;  cala- 
milities  that  no  pity  can  soften,  or  assiduity 
relieve. 


rum  dente  aureo,  alter  cum  capite  giganteo  Bilupe  specta- 
bantur.  A  man  without  lungs  and  stomach,  Journal  de 
Scavans,  1682,  p.  301 ;  another  without  any  brain,  An- 
dreas Carol!  Memorabilia,  p.  167,  an.  167^;  another 
without  any  head,  Giornale  di  Roma,  anno  1(>75,  p.  26; 
another  without  any  arms,  New  Memoirs  of  Literature, 
vol.  iv.  p.  446.  In  short,  the  variety  of  these  accounts  is 
almost  infinite ;  and,  perhaps,  their  use  is  as  much  cir- 
cumscribed as  their  variety  is  extensive 


ANIMALS 


187 


Passing  over,  therefore,  every  other  ac- 
count, I  shall  only  mention  the  famous  instance 
quoted  by  Father  Malbranche,  upon  which- 
he  founds  his  beautiful  theory  of  monstrous 
productions.  A  woman  of  Paris,  the  wife  of 
n  tradesman,  went  to  see  a  criminal  broke 
alive  upon  the  wheel,  at  the  place  of  public 
execution.  She  was  at  that  time  two  months 
advanced  in  her  pregnancy,  and  no  way  sub- 
ject to  any  disorders  to  affect  the  child  in  her 
womb.  She  was,  however,  of  a  tender  habit 
of  body ;  and,  though  led  by  curiosity  to  this 
horrid  spectacle,  very  easily  moved  to  pity 
and  compassion.  She  felt,  therefore,  all  those 
strong  emotions  which  so  terrible  a  sight  must 
naturally  inspire ;  shuddered  at  every  blow 
the  criminal  received,  and  almost  swooned  at 
his  cries.  Upon  returning  from  this  scene  of 
blood,  she  continued  for  some  days  pensive, 
and  her  imagination  still  wrought  upon  the 
spectacle  she  had  lately  seen.  After  some 
timc,however,sheseemed  perfectly  recovered 
from  her  fright,  and  had  almost  forgotten  her 
former  uneasiness.  When  the  time  of  her  de- 
livery approached,  she  seemed  no  ways  mind- 
ful of  her  former  terrors,  nor  were  her  pains 
in  labour  more  than  usual  in  such  circumstan- 
But  what  was  the  amazement  of  her 


ces. 


friends  and  assistants  when  the  child  came 
into  the  world  !  It  was  found  that  every  limb 
in  its  body  was  broken  like  those  of  the  male- 
factor, and  just  in  the  same  place.  This  poor 
infant,  that  had  suffered  the  pains  of  life  even 
before  its  coming  into  the  world,  did  not  die, 
but  lived  in  an  hospital  in  Paris,  for  twenty 
years  after,  a  wretched  instance  of  the  sup- 
posed powers  of  imagination  in  the  mother,  of 
altering  and  distorting  the  infant  in  the  womb. 
The  manner  in  which  Malbranche  reasons 
upon  this  fact,  is  as  follows:  the  Creator  has 
established  such  a  sympathy  between  the  se- 
veral parts  of  nature,  that  we  are  led  not  only 
to  imitate  each  other,  but  also  to  partake  in 
the  same  affections  and  desires.  The  animal 
spirits  are  thus  carried  to  the  respective  parts 
of  the  body,  to  perform  the  same  actions 
which  we  see  others  perform,  to  receive  in 
tome  measure  their  wounds,  and  take  part  in 
their  sufferings.  Experience  tells  us,  that  if 
wo  look  attentively  on  any  person  severely 
beaten,  or  sorely  wounded,  the  spirits  imme- 
diately flow  into  those  parts  of  the  body  which 
NO.  17  &  18. 


correspond  to  those  we  see  in  pain.  The 
more  delicate  the  constitution,  the  more  it  is 
thus  affected ;  the  spirits  making  a  stronger 
impression  on  the  fibres  of  a  weakly  habit 
than  of  a  robust  one.  Strong  vigorous  men 
see  an  execution  without  much  concern,  while 
women  of  nicer  texture  are  struck  with  hor- 
ror and  concern.  This  sensibility  in  them 
must,  of  consequence,  be  communicated  to  all 
parts  of  their  body;  and  as  the  fibres  of  the 
child  in  the  womb  are  incomparably  finer 
than  those  of  the  mother,  the  course  of  the 
animal  spirits  must  consequently  produce 
greater  alterations.  Hence,  every  stroke  giv- 
en to  the  criminal  forcibly  struck  the  imagi- 
nation of  the  woman ;  and,  by  a  kind  of  coun- 
ter-stroke, the  delicate  tender  frame  of  the 
child. 

Such  is  the  reasoning  of  an  ingenious  man 
upon  a  fact,  the  veracity  of  which  many  have 
since  called  in  question.'  They  have  allow- 
ed, indeed,  that  such  a  child  might  have  been 
produced,  but  have  denied  the  cause  of  its 
deformity.  "  How  could  the  imagination  of 
the  mother,"  say  they,  "  produce  such  dread- 
ful effects  upon  her  child  ?  She  has  no  com- 
munication with  the  infant ;  she  scarcely 
touches  it  in  any  part ;  quite  unaffected  with 
her  concerns,  it  sleeps  in  security,  in  a  man- 
ner secluded  by  a  fluid  in  which  it  swims, 
from  her  that  bears  it.  With  what  a  variety 
of  deformities,"  say  they,  "would  all  man- 
kind be  marked,  if  all  the  vain  and  caprici- 
ous desires  of  the  mother  were  thus  readily 
written  upon  the  body  of  the  child !"  Yet, 
notwithstanding  this  plausible  way  of  reason- 
ing, I  cannot  avoid  giving  some  credit  to  the 
variety  of  instances  I  have  either  read  or  seen 
upon  this  subject.  If  it  be  a  prejudice,  it  is 
as  old  as  the  days  of  Aristotle,  and  to  this  day 
as  strongly  believed  by  the  generality  of  man- 
kind as  ever.  It  does  not  admit  of  a  reason; 
and,  indeed,  I  can  give  none,  even  why  the 
child  should,  in  any  respect,  resemble  the  fa- 
ther or  the  mother.  The  fact  we  generally 
find  to  be  so.  But  why  it  should  take  the  par- 
ticular print  of  the  father's  features  in  the 
womb  is  as  hard  to  conceive,  as  why  it  should 
be  effected  by  the  mother's  imagination.  We 
all  know  what  a  strong  effect  the  imagination 

•  Billion,  vol  iv.  p.  9. 

2L 


188 


A  HISTORY  OF 


has  on  those  parts  in  particular,  without  being 
able  to  assign  a  cause  how  this  effect  is  pro- 
duced ;  and  why  the  imagination  may  not 
produce  the  same  effect  in  marking  the  child 
that  it  does  in  forming  it,  I  see  no  reason. 
Those  persons  whose  employment  it  is  to  rear 
up  pigeons  of  different  colours  can  breed 
them,  as  their  expression  is,  to  a  feather.  In 
fact,  by  properly  pairing  them,  they  can  give 
what  colour  they  will  to  any  feather,  in  any 
part  of  the  body.  Were  we  to  reason  upon 
this  fact,  what  could  we  say  ?  Might  it  not 
be  asserted,  that  the  egg,  being  distinct  from 
the  body  of  the  female,  cannot  be  influenced 
by  it  ?  Might  it  not  be  plausibly  said,  that 
there  is  no  similitude  between  any  part  of  the 
egg  and  any  particular  feather  which  we  ex- 
pect to  propagate ;  and  yet,  for  all  this,  the 
tact  is  known  to  be  true,  and  what  no  specu- 
lation can  invalidate.  In  the  same  manner, 
a  thousand  various  instances  assure  us,  that 
the  child  in  the  womb  is  sometimes  marked 
by  the  strong  affections  of  the  mother :  how 
this  is  performed  we  know  not ;  we  only  see 
the  effect,  without  any  connection  between  it 
and  the  cause.  The  best  physicians  have  al- 
lowed it;  and  have  been  satisfied  to  submit 
to  the  experience  of  a  number  of  ages ;  but 
many  disbelieve  it,  because  they  expect  a 
reason  for  every  effect.  This,  however,  is 
very  hard  to  be  given,  while  it  is  very  easy  to 
appear  wise  by  pretending  incredulity. 

Among  the  number  of  monsters,  dwarfs  and 
giants  are  usually  reckoned ;  though  not,  per- 
haps, with  the  strictest  propriety,  since  they 
are  no  way  different  from  the  rest  of  mankind, 
except  in  stature.  It  is  a  dispute,  however, 
about  words;  and,  therefore,  scarcely  worth 
contending  about.  But  there  is  a  dispute,  of 
a  more  curious  nature,  on  this  subject ;  name- 
ly, whether  there  are  races  of  people  thus 
very  diminutive,  or  vastly  large;  or  whether 
they  be  merely  accidental  varieties,  that  now 
and  then  are  seen  in  a  country,  in  a  few  per- 
sons, whose  bodies  some  external  cause  has 
contributed  to  lessen  or  enlarge. 

With  regard  to  men  of  diminutive  stature, 
all  antiquity  has  been  unanimous  in  asserting 
their  national  existence.  Homer  was  the  first 
who  has  given  us  an  account  of  the  pigmy  na- 
tion contending  with  the  cranes;  and  what 
poetical  license  might  be  supposed  to  exag- 


gerate, Athenseus  has  attempted  seriously  to 
confirm  by  historical  assertion."  If  we  attend 
to  these,  we  must  believe  that,  in  the  internal 
parts  of  Africa,  there  are  whole  nations  of  pig- 
my beings,  not  more  than  a  foot  in  stature, 
who  continually  wage  an  unequal  war  with  the 
birds  and  beasts  that  inhabit  the  plains  in 
which  they  reside.  Some  of  the  ancients, 
however,  and  Strabo  in  particular,  have  sup- 
posed all  these  accounts  to  be  fabulous ;  and 
have  been  more  inclined  to  think  this  suppos- 
ed nation  of  pigmies  nothing  more  than  a  spe- 
cies of  apes,  well  known  to  be  numerous  in 
that  part  of  the  world.  With  this  opinion  the 
moderns  have  all  concurred ;  and  that  dimi- 
nutive race,  which  was  described  as  human, 
has  been  long  degraded  into  a  class  of  ani- 
mals that  resemble  us  but  very  imperfectly. 

The  existence,  therefore,  of  a  pigmy  race 
of  mankind  being  founded  in  error,  or  in  fable, 
we  can  expect  to  find  men  of  diminutive  sta- 
ture only  by  accident,  among  men  of  the  or- 
dinary size.  Of  these  accidental  dwarfs, 
every  country,  and  almost  every  village,  can 
produce  numerous  instances.  There  was  a 
time  when  these  unfavoured  children  of  Na- 
ture were  the  peculiar  favourites  of  the  great ; 
and  no  prince  or  nobleman  thought  himself 
completely  attended  unless  he  had  a  dwarf 
among  the  number  of  his  domestics.  These 
poor  little  men  were  kept  to  be  laughed  at ; 
or  to  raise  the  barbarous  pleasure  of  their 
masters,  by  their  contrasted  inferiority.  Even 
in  England,  as  late  as  the  times  of  King  James 
I.  the  court  was  at  one  time  furnished  with  a 
dwarf,  a  giant,  and  a  jester ;  these  the  king 
often  took  a  pleasure  in  opposing  to  each 
other,  and  often  fomented  quarrels  among 
them,  in  order  to  be  a  concealed  spectator  of 
their  animosity.  It  was  a  particular  entertain- 
ment of  the  courtiers  at  that  time  to  see  little 
Jeffrey,  for  so  the  dwarf  was  called,  ride  round 
the  lists,  expecting  his  antagonist;  and  dis- 
covering, in  his  actions,  all  the  marks  of  con- 
temptible resolution. 

It  was  in  the  same  spirit,  that  Peter  of  Rus- 
sia, in  the  year  1710,  celebrated  a  marriage 
of  dwarfs.  This  monarch,  though  raised  by 
his  native  genius  far  above  a  barbarian,  was, 
nevertheless,  still  many  degrees  removed  from 

»  Athenaeus,  ix.  390. 


\NIMALS. 


189 


actual  refinement.  His  pleasures,  therefore, 
were  of  the  vulgar  kind ;  and  this  was  among 
the  number.  Upon  a  certain  day,  which  he 
had  ordered  to  be  proclaimed  several  months 
before,  he  invited  the  whole  body  of  his  cour- 
tiers, and  all  the  foreign  ambassadors,  to  be 
present  at  the  marriage  of  a  pigmy  man  and 
woman.  The  preparations  for  this  wedding 
were  not  only  very  grand,  but  executed  in  a 
style  of  barbarous  ridicule.  He  ordered  that 
all  the  dwarf  men  and  women,  within  two 
hundred  miles,  should  repair  to  the  capital ; 
and  also  insisted  that  they  should  be  present 
at  the  ceremony.  For  this  purpose  he  sup- 
plied them  with  proper  vehicles  ;  but  so  con- 
trived it,  that  one  horse  was  seen  carrying  in 
a  dozen  of  them  into  the  city  at  once,  while 
the  mob  followed,  shouting  and  laughing, 
from  behind.  Some  of  them  were  at  first  un- 
willing to  obey  an  order  which  they  knew  was 
calculated  to  turn  them  into  ridicule,  and  did 
not  come  :  but  he  soon  obliged  them  to  obey ; 
and,  as  a  punishment,  enjoined,  that  they 
should  wait  upon  the  rest  at  dinner.  The 
whole  company  of  dwarfs  amounted  to  seven- 
ty, besides  the  bride  and  bridegroom,  who 
were  richly  adorned,  and  in  the  extremity  of 
the  fashion.  For  this  little  company  in  mini- 
ature, every  thing  was  suitably  provided ;  a 
low  table,  small  plates,  little  glasses,  and,  in 
short,  every  thing  was  so  fitted  as  if  all  things 
had  been  dwindled  to  their  own  standard. 
It  was  his  great  pleasure  to  see  their  gravity 
and  their  pride ;  the  contention  of  the  women 
for  places,  and  the  men  for  superiority.  This 
point  he  attempted  to  adjust,  by  ordering  that 
the  most  diminutive  should  take  the  lead  ;  but 
this  bred  disputes,  for  none  would  then  con- 
sent to  sit  foremost.  All  this,  however,  being 
at  last  settled,  dancing  followed  the  dinner, 
and  the  ball  was  opened  with  a  minuet  by  the 
bridegroom,  who  measured  exactly  three  feet 
two  inches  high.  In  the  end,  matters  were 
so  contrived,  that  this  little  company,  who  met 
together  in  gloomy  pride,  and  unwilling  to  be 
pleased,  being  at  last  familiarized  to  laughter, 
joined  in  the  diversion,  and  became,  as  the 
journalist  has  it,'  extremely  sprightly  and  en- 
tertaining. 

•  Die  dench  wurdige.  Iwerg.  Hockweit,  &c.    Lipsia-, 
1713,  vol.  viii.  p.  102.  seq. 


But  whatever  may  be  the  entertainment 
such  guests  might  afford  when  united,  I  never 
found  a  dwarf  capable  of  affording  any  when 
alone.  I  have  sometimes  conversed  with  some 
of  these  that  were  exhibited  at  our  fairs  about 
Town,  and  have  ever  found  their  intellects  as 
contracted  as  their  persons.  They,  in  gene- 
ral, seemed  to  me  to  have  faculties  very  much 
resembling  those  of  children,  and  their  desires 
likewise  of  the  same  kind ;  being  diverted 
with  the  same  sports,  and  best  pleased  with 
such  companions.  Of  all  those  I  have  seen, 
which  may  amount  to  five  or  six,  the  little  man, 
whose  name  was  Coan,  that  died  lately  at 
Chelsea,  was  the  most  intelligent  and  sprightly. 
I  have  heard  him  and  the  giant,  who  snug  at 
the  theatres,  sustain  a  very  ridiculous  duct, 
to  which  they  were  taught  to  give  great  spirit. 
But  this  mirth,  and  seeming  sagacity,  were 
but  assumed.  He  had,  by  long  habit,  been 
taught  to  look  cheerful  upon  the  approach  of 
company ;  and  his  conversation  was  but  the 
mere  etiquette  of  a  person  that  had  been  used 
to  receive  visiters.  When  driven  out  of  his 
walk,  nothing  could  be  more  stupid  or  igno- 
rant, nothing  more  dejected  or  forlorn.  But 
we  have  a  complete  history  of  a  dwarf,  very 
accurately  related  by  Mr.  Daubenton,  in  his 
part  of  the  Histoire  Naturelle ;  which  I  will 
here  take  leave  to  translate. 

This  dwarf,  whose  name  was  Baby,  was 
well  known,  having  spent  the  greatest  part 
of  his  life  at  Lunenville,  in  the  palace  of  Sta- 
nislaus, the  titular  king  of  Poland.  He  was 
born  near  the  village  of  Plaisne,  in  France,  in 
the  year  1741.  His  father  and  mother  were 
peasants,  both  of  good  constitutions,  and  inured 
to  a  life  of  husbandry  and  labour.  Baby, 
when  born,  weighed  but  a  pound  and  a  quar- 
ter. We  are  not  informed  of  the  dimensions 
of  his  body  at  that  time ;  but  we  may  conjec- 
ture they  were  very  small,  as  he  was  present- 
ed on  a  plate  to  be  baptized,  and  for  a  long 
time  lay  in  a  slipper.  His  mouth,  although 
proportioned  to  the  rest  of  his  body,  was  not, 
at  that  time,  large  enough  to  take  in  the  nip- 
ple; and  he  was,  therefore, obliged  to  be  suck- 
led by  a  she-goat  that  was  in  the  house ;  and 
that  served  as  a  nurse,  attending  to  his  cries 
with  a  kind  of  maternal  fondness.  He  began 
to  articulate  some  words  when  eighteen  months 
old ;  and  at  two  vears  he  was  able  to  walk 
2L* 


190 


A  HISTORY  OF 


alone.  He  was  then  fitted  with  shoes  that 
were  about  an  inch  and  a  half  long.  He  was 
attacked  with  several  acute  disorders;  but 
the  small-pox  was  the  only  one  which  left  any 
marks  behind  it.  Until  he  was  six  years  old, 
he  eat  no  other  food  but  pulse,  potatoes,  and 
bacon.  His  father  and  mother  were,  from 
their  poverty,  incapable  of  affording  him  any 
better  nourishment ;  and  his  education  was 
little  better  than  his  food,  being  bred  up 
among  the  rustics  of  the  place.  At  six  years 
old  he  was  about  fifteen  inches  high ;  and  his 
whole  body  weighed  but  thirteen  pounds. 
Notwithstanding  this,  he  was  well  proportion- 
ed, and  handsome ;  his  health  Avas  good,  but 
his  understanding  scarcely  passed  tlie  bounds 
of  instinct.  It  was  at  that  time  that  the  king 
of  Poland,  having  heard  of  such  a  curiosity, 
had  him  conveyed  to  Lunenville,  gave  him 
the  name  of  Baby,  and  kept  him  in  his  palace. 

Baby,  having  thus  quitted  the  hard  conditi- 
on of  a  peasant,  to  enjoy  all  the  comforts  and 
conveniences  of  life,  seemed  to  receive  no  al- 
teration from  his  new  way  of  living,  either  in 
mind  or  person.  He  preserved  the  goodness 
of  his  constitution  till  about  the  age  of  sixteen, 
but  his  body  seemed  to  increase  very  slowly 
during  the  whole  time ;  and  his  stupidity  was 
such,  that  all  instructions  were  lost  in  improv- 
ing his  understanding.  He  could  never  be 
brought  to  have  any  sense  of  religion,  nor  even 
to  show  the  least  signs  of  a  reasoning  faculty. 
They  attempted  to  teach  him  dancing  and 
music,  but  in  vain  :  he  never  could  make  any 
thing  of  music;  and  as  for  dancing,  although 
he  beat  time  tolerably  exact,  yet  he  could 
never  remember  the  figure,  but  while  his  dan- 
cing master  stood  by  to  direct  his  motions. 
Notwithstanding,  a  mind  thus  destitute  of  un- 
derstanding was  not  without  its  passions ;  an- 
ger and  jealousy  harassed  it  at  times;  nor 
was  he  without  desires  of  another  nature. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen,  Baby  wns  twenty-nine 
inches  tall ;  at  this  he  rested ;  but  having  thus 
arrived  at  his  acme,  the  alterations  of  puber- 
ty, or  rather,  perhaps,  of  old  age,  came  fast 
upon  him.  From  being  very  beautiful,  the 
poor  little  creature  now  became  quite  deform- 
ed; his  strength  quite  forsook  him;  his  back- 
bone began  to  bend ;  his  head  hung  forward ; 
his  legs  grew  weak;  one  of  his  shoulders  turn- 
ed awry;  and  his  nose  grew  disproportionably 


large.  With  his  strength,  his  natural  spirits 
also  forsook  him ;  and,  by  the  time  he  was 
twenty,  he  was  grown  feeble,  decrepit,  and 
marked  with  the  strongest  impressions  of  old 
age.  It  had  been  before  remarked  by  some, 
that  he  would  die  of  old  age  before  he  arriv- 
ed at  thirty;  and,  in  fact,  by  the  time  he  was 
twenty-two,  he  could  scarcely  walk  a  hun- 
dred paces,  being  worn  out  with  the  multipli- 
r  city  of  his  years,  and  bent  under  the  burden 
of  protracted  life.  In  this  year  he  died :  a 
cold,  attended  with  a  slight  fever,  threw  him 
into  a  kind  of  lethargy,  which  had  a  few  mo- 
mentary intervals ;  but  he  could  scarcely  'be 
brought  to  speak.  However,  it  is  asserted, 
that  in  the  five  last  years  in  his  life  he  show- 
ed a  clearer  understanding  than  in  his  times 
of  best  health :  but  at  length  he  died,  after 
enduring  great  agonies,  in  the  twenty-second 
year  of  his  age. 

Opposite  to  this  accidental  diminution  of 
the  human  race,  is  that  of  its  extraordinary 
magnitude.  Concerning  the  reality  of  a  na- 
tion of  giants,  there  have  been  many  disputes 
among  the  learned.  Some  have  affirmed  the 
probability  of  such  a  race ;  and  others,  as 
warmly  have  denied  the  possibility  of  their 
existence.  But  it  is  not  from  any  speculative 
reasonings,  upon  a  subject  of  this  kind,  that 
information  is  to  be  obtained ;  it  is  not  from 
the  disputes  of  I  he  scholar,  but  the  labours  of 
the  enterprising,  that  we  are  to  be  instructed 
in  this  inquiry.  Indeed,  nothing  can  be  more 
absurd,  than  what  some  learned  men  have  ad- 
vanced upon  this  subject.  It  is  very  unlike- 
ly, says  Grew,  that  there  should  either  be 
dwarfs  or  giants;  or  if  such,  they  cannot  be 
fitted  for  the  usual  enjoyment  of  life  and  rea- 
son. Had  man  been  born  a  dwarf,  he  could 
not  have  been  a  reasonable  creature :  for  to 
that  end,  he  must  have  a  jolt  head,  and  then 
he  would  not  have  body  and  blood  enough 
to  supply  his  brain  with  spirits ;  or  if  he  had 
a  small  head,  proportionable  to  his  body, 
there  would  not  be  brain  enough  for  conduct- 
ing life.  But  it  is  still  worse  with  giants;  and 
there  could  never  have  been  a  nation  of  such, 
for  there  would  not  be  food  enough  found  in 
any  country  to  sustain  them ;  or,  if  there  were 
beasts  sufficient  for  this  purpose,  there  would 
not  be  grass  enough  for  their  maintenance. 
But  what  is  stiU  more,  add  others,  giants  could 


ANIMALS. 


191 


never  be  able  to  support  the  weight  of  their 
own  bodies ;  since  a  man  of  ten  feet  high,  must 
be  eight  times  as  heavy  as  one  of  the  ordinary 
stature ;  whereas  he  has  but  twice  the  size  of 
muscles  to  support  such  a  burden  :  and,  con- 
sequently, would  be  overloaded  with  the  weight 
of  his  own  body.  Such  arc  the  theories  upon 
this  subject;  and  they  require  no  other  answer, 
but  that  experience  proves  them  both  to  be 
false :  dwarfs  are  found  capable  of  life  and 
reason  ;  and  giants  are  seen  to  carry  their  own 
bodies.  We  have  several  accounts  from  mari- 
ners, that  a  nation  of  giants  actually  exists ; 
and  mere  speculation  should  never  induce  us  to 
doubt  their  veracity. 

Ferdinand  Magellan  was  the  first  who  dis- 
covered this  race  of  people  along  the  coast 
towards  the  extremity  of  South  America.  Ma- 
gellan was  a  Portuguese,  of  noble  extraction  ; 
who  having  long  behaved  with  great  bravery, 
under  Albuquerque,  the  conqueror  of  India,  he 
was  treated  with  neglect  by  the  court,  upon 
his  return.  Applying,  therefore,  to  the  king 
of  Spain,  he  was  intrusted  with  the  command 
of  five  ships,  to  subdue  the  Molucca  islands ; 
upon  one  of  which  he  was  slain.  It  was  in 
his  voyage  thither,  that  he  happened  to  winter 
in  St.  Julian's  Bay,  an  American  harbour, 
forty-nine  degrees  south  of  the  line.  In  this 
desolate  region,  where  nothing  was  seen  but 
objects  of  terror,  where  neither  trees  nor  ver- 
dure drest  the  face  of  the  country,  they  remain- 
ed for  some  months  without  seeing  any  human 
creature.  They  had  judged  the  country  to  be 
utterly  uninhabitable ;  when  one  day,  they  saw 
approaching,  as  if  he  had  been  dropt  from  the 
clouds,  a  man  of  enormous  stature,  dancing 
and  singing,  and  putting  dust  upon  his  head, 
as  they  supposed,  in  token  of  peace.  This 
overture  for  friendship  was,  by  Magellan's 
command,  quickly  answered  by  the  rest  of  his 
men  ;  and  the  giant  approaching,  testified 
every  mark  of  astonishment  and  surprise.  He 
was  so  tall,  that  the  Spaniards  only  reached 
his  waist ;  his  face  was  broad,  his  colour  brown, 
and  painted  over  with  a  variety  of  tints ;  each 
cheek  had  the  resemblance  of  a  heart  drawn 
upon  it ;  his  hair  was  approaching  to  white- 
ness ;  he  was  clothed  in  skins,  and  armed  with 
a  bow.  Being  treated  with  kindness,  and  dis- 
missed with  some  trifling  presents,  he  soon  re- 
turned with  many  more  of  the  same  stature  ; 
two  of  whom  the  mariners  decoyed  on  ship- 


board :  nothing  could  be  more  gentle  than  they 
were  in  the  beginning ;  they  considered  the 
fetters  that  were  preparing  for  them  as  orna- 
ments, and  played  with  them  like  children  with 
their  toys  ;  but  when  they  found  for  what  pur- 
pose they  were  intended,  they  instantly  exert- 
ed their  amazing  strength,  and  broke  them  in 
pieces  with  a  very  easy  effort.  This  account, 
with  a  variety  of  other  circumstances,  has  been 
confirmed  by  succeeding  travellers  :  Herrara, 
Scbald,  Wert,  Oliver  Van  Noort,  and  James 
le  Maire,  all  correspond  in  affirming  the  fact, 
although  they  differ  in  many  particulars  of 
their  respective  descriptions.  The  last  voyager 
we  have  had,  that  has  seen  this  enormous  race, 
is  Commodore  Byron.  I  have  talked  with  the 
person  who  first  gave  the  relation  of  that  voy- 
age,and  who  was  the  carpenter  of  the  Commo- 
dore's ship ;  he  was  a  sensible,  understanding 
man, and  I  believe  extremely  faithful.  By  him, 
therefore,  I  was  assured,  in  the  most  solemn 
manner,  of  the  truth  of  his  relation  ;  and  this 
account  has  since  been  confirmed  by  one  or 
two  publications  ;  in  all  which  the  particulars 
are  pretty  nearly  the  same.  One  of  the  circum- 
stances which  most  puzzled  me  to  reconcile  to 
probability,  was  that  of  the  horses,  on  which 
they  are  described  as  riding  down  to  the  shore. 
We  know  the  American  horse  to  be  of  Euro- 
pean breed  ;  and,  in  some  measure,  to  be  de- 
generated from  the  original.  I  was  at  a  loss, 
therefore,  to  account  how  a  horse  of  not  more 
than  fourteen  hands  high,  was  capable  of  car- 
rying a  man  of  nine  feet ;  or,  in  other  words, 
an  animal  almost  as  large  as  itself.  But  the 
wonder  will  cease,  when  we  consider,  that  so 
small  a  beast  as  an  ass,  will  carry  a  man  of 
ordinary  size  tolerably  well;  and  the  proportion 
between  this  and  the  former  instance  is  nearly 
exact.  We  can  no  longer,  therefore,  refuse  our 
assent  to  the  existence  of  this  gigantic  race  of 
mankind :  in  what  manner  they  are  propaga- 
ted, or  under  what  regulation's  they  live,  is  a 
subject  that  remains  for  future  investigation. 
It  should  appear,  however,  that  thfy  are  a 
wandering  nation,  changing  their  abode  with 
the  courscTof  the  sun,  and  shifting  their  situa- 
tion, for  the  convenience  of  food,  climate,  or 
pasture." 

This  race  of  giants  are  described  as  possessed 

a  Later  voyagers  have  not  confirmed  this  account,  in 
some  particulars. 


192 


A  HISTORY  OF 


of  great  strength;  and,  no  doubt,  they  must  be 
very  different  from  those  accidental  giants  that 
are  to  be  seen  in  different  parts  of  Europe. 
Stature,  with  these, seems  rather  their  infirmity 
than  their  pride ;  and  adds  to  their  burden, 
without  increasing  their  strength.  Of  those 
I  have  seen,  the  generality  were  ill  formed 
and  unhealthful ;  weak  in  their  persons,  or 
incapable  of  exerting  what  strength  they  were  jj 
possessed  of.  The  same  defects  of  understand- 
ing that  attended  those  of  suppressed  stature, 
were  found  in  those  who  were  thus  overgrown : 
they  were  heavy,  phlegmatic,  stupid,  and  in- 
clined to  sadness.  Their  numbers,  however, 
are  but  few  ;  and  it  is  thus  kindly  ordered  by 
Providence,  that  as  the  middle  stature  is  the 
best  fitted  for  happiness,  so  the  middle  ranks 
of  mankind  are  produced  in  the  greatest 
variety. 

However,  mankind  seems  naturally  to  have 
a  respect  for  men  of  extraordinary  stature ;  and 
it  has  been  a  supposition  of  long  standing,  that 
our  ancestors  were  much  taller,  as  well  as  much 
more  beautiful,  than  we.  This  has  been,  in- 
deed, a  theme  of  poetical  declamation  from 
the  beginning ;  and  man  was  scarcely  formed, 
when  he  began  to  deplore  an  imaginary  decay. 
Nothing  is  more  natural  than  this  progress  of 
the  mind,  in  looking  up  to  antiquity  with  reve- 
rential wonder.  Having  been  accustomed  to 
compare  the  wisdom  of  our  fathers  with  our 
own,  in  early  imbecility,  the  impression  of  their 
superiority  remains  when  they  no  longer  exist, 
and  when  we  cease  to  be  inferior.  Thus  the 
men  of  every  age  consider  the  past  as  wiser 
than  the  present ;  and  the  reverence  seems  to 
accumulate  as  our  imaginations  ascend.  For 
this  reason,  we  allow  remote  antiquity  many 
advantages,  without  disputing  their  title  :  the 
inhabitants  of  uncivilized  countries  represent 
them  as  taller  and  stronger  ;  and  the  people  of 
a  more  polished  nation,  as  more  healthy  and 
more  wise.  Nevertheless,  these  attributes  seem 
to  be  only  the  prejudices  of  ingenuous  minds; 
a  kind  of  gratitude,  which  we  hope  in  turn  to 
receive  from  posterity.  The  ordinary  stature 
of  men,  Mr.  Derham  observes,  is,  in  all  pro- 
bability, the  same  now  as  at  the  beginning. 
The  oldest  measure  we  have  of  the  human 


figure,  is  in  the  monument  of  Cheops,  in  the 
first  pyramid  of  Egypt.  This  must  have  sub- 
sisted many  hundred  years  before  the  times  of 
Homer,  who  is  the  first  that  deplores  the  decay. 
This  monument,  hoivcver,  scarcely  exceeds 
the  measure  of  our  ordinary  coffins :  the  cavity 
is  no  more  than  six  feet  long,  two  feet  wide, 
and  deep  in  about  the  same  proportion.  Several 
mummies  also,  of  a  very  early  age,  are  found 
to  be  only  of  the  ordinary  stature  ;  and  show 
that,  for  these  three  thousand  years  at  least, 
men  have  not  suffered  the  least  diminution. 
We  have  many  corroborating  proofs  of  this,  in 
the  ancient  pieces  of  armour  which  are  dug  up 
in  different  parts  of  Europe.  The  brass  hel- 
met dug  up  at  Medauro,  fits  one  of  our  men, 
and  yet  is  allowed  to  have  been  left  there  at  the 
overthrow  of  Asdrubal.  Some  of  our  finest 
antique  statues,  which  we  learn  from  Pliny  and 
others  to  be  exactly  as  big  as  the  life,  still 
continue  to  this  day,  remaining  monuments  of 
the  superior  excellence  of  their  workmen  indeed, 
but  not  of  the  superiority  of  their  stature.  We 
may  conclude,  therefore,  that  men  have  been 
in  all  ages  pretty  much  of  the  same  size  they 
are  at  present;  and  that  the  only  difference 
must  have  been  accidental,  or  perhaps  na- 
tional. 

As  to  the  superior  beauty  of  our  ancestors, 
it  is  not  easy  to  make  the  comparison  :  beauty 
seems  a  very  uncertain  charm  ;  and  frequently 
is  less  in  the  object,  than  in  the  eye  of  the  be- 
holder. Were  a  modern  lady's  face  formed 
exactly  like  the  Venus  of  Medicis,  or  the  Sleep- 
ing Vestal,  she  would  scarcely  be  considered 
beautiful,  except  by  the  lovers  of  antiquity, 
whom  of  all  her  admirers  perhaps  she  would 
be  least  desirous  of  pleasing.  It  is  true,  that 
we  have  some  disorders  among  us  that  disfigure 
the  features,  and  from  which  the  ancients  were 
exempt ;  but  it  is  equally  true,  that  we  want 
some  which  were  common  among  them,  and 
which  were  equally  deforming.  As  for  their 
intellectual  powers,  these  also  were  probably  the 
same  as  ours :  we  excel  them  in  the  sciences, 
which  may  be  considered  as  a  history  of  ac- 
cumulated experience ;  and  they  excel  us  in  the 
poetic  arts,  as  they  had  the  first  rifling  of  all 
the  striking  images  of  Nature. 


ANIMALS 


193 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

OF  MUMMIES,  WAX-WORKS,  &c. 


"  MAN8  is  not  content  with  the  usual  term 
of  life,  but  he  is  willing  to  lengthen  out  his  ex- 
istence by  art ;  and  although  he  cannot  pre- 
vent death,  he  tries  to  obviate  his  dissolution. 
It  is  natural  to  attempt  to  preserve  even  the 
most  trifling  relics  of  what  has  long  given  us 
pleasure ;  nor  does  the  mind  separate  from 
the  body,  without  a  wish,  that  even  the  wretch- 
ed heap  of  dust  it  leaves  behind  may  yet  be 
remembered.  The  embalming,  practised  in 
various  nations,  probably  had  its  rise  in  this 
fond  desire  :  an  urn  filled  with  ashes,  among 
the  Romans,  served  as  a  pledge  of  continu- 
ing affection;  and  even  the  grassy  graves  in 
our  own  church-yards,  are  raised  above  the 
surface,  with  the  desire  that  the  body  below 
should  not  be  wholly  forgotten.  The  soul, 
ardent  after  eternity  for  itself,  is  willing  to 
procure,  even  for  the  body,  a  prolonged  du- 
ration." 

But  of  all  nations,  the  Egyptians  carried 
this  art  to  the  highest  perfection  :  as  it  Avas 
a  principle  of  their  religion,  to  suppose  the 
soul  continued  only  coeval  to  the  duration  of 
the  body,  they  tried  every  art  to  extend  the 
life  of  the  one  by  preventing  the  dissolution 
of  the  other.  In  this  practice  they  were  ex- 
ercised from  the  earliest  ages ;  and  the  mum- 
mies they  have  embalmed  in  this  manner,  con- 
tinue in  great  numbers  to  the  present  day. 
We  are  told,  in  Genesis,  that  Joseph  seeing 
his  father  expire,  gave  orders  to  his  physici- 
ans to  embalm  the  body,  which  they  execu- 
ted in  the  compass  of  forty  days,  the  usual 
time  of  embalming.  Herodotus  also,  the  most 
ancient  of  the  profane  historians,  gives  us  a 
copious  detail  of  this  art,  as  it  was  practised, 
in  his  time,  among  the  Egyptians.  There  are 
certain  men  among  them,  says  he,  who  prac- 
tise embalming  as  a  trade ;  which  they  per- 
form with  all  expedition  possible.  In  the  first 
place,  they  draw  out  the  brain  through*  the 


*  This  chapter  I  have,  in  a  great  measure,  translated 
from  Mr.  Daubenton.  Whatever  is  atlded  from  others, 
is  marked  with  inverted  commas. 


nostrils,  with  irons  adapted  to  this  purpose; 
and  in  proportion  as  they  evacuate  it  in 
this  manner,  they  fill  up  the  cavity  with  aro- 
matics :  they  next  cut  open  the  belly,  near 
the  sides,  with  a  sharpened  stone,  and  take 
out  the  entrails,  which  they  cleanse,  and  wash 
in  palm  oil ;  having  performed  this  operation, 
they  roll  them  in  aromatic  powder,  fill  them 
with  myrrh,  cassia,  and  other  perfumes,  ex- 
cept incense ;  and  replace  them,  sewing  up 
the  body  again.  After  these  precautions,  they 
salt  the  body  with  nitre,  and  keep  it  in  the 
salting-place  for  seventy  days,  it  not  being  per- 
mitted to  preserve  it  so  any  longer.  When 
the  seventy  days  are  accomplished,  and  the 
body  washed  once  more,  they  swathe  it  in 
bands  made  of  linen,  which  have  been  dipt  in 
a  gum  the  Egyptians  use  instead  of  salt.  When 
the  friends  have  taken  back  the  body,  they 
make  a  hollow  trough,  something  like  the  shape 
of  a  man,  in  which  they  place  the  body ;  and 
this  they  enclose  in  a  box,  preserving  the 
whole  as  a  most  precious  relic,  placed  against 
the  wall.  Such  are  the  ceremonies  used  with 
regard  to  the  rich.  As  for  those  who  are  con- 
tented with  a  humbler  preparation,  they  treat 
them  as  follows :  they  fill  a  syringe  with  an 
odoriferous  liquor  extracted  from  the  cedar- 
tree,  and,  without  making  any  incision,  inject 
it  up  the  body  of  the  deceased,  and  then  keep 
it  in  nitre,  as  long  as  in  the  former  case. 
When  the  time  is  expired,  they  evacuate  the 
body  of  the  cedar  liquor  which  had  been  in- 
jected ;  and  such  is  theefTect  of  this  operation, 
that  the  liquor  dissolves  the  intestines,  and 
brings  them  away  :  the  nitre  also  serves  to  eat 
away  the  flesh,  and  leaves  only  the  skin  and 
the  bones  remaining.  This  done,  the  body 
is  returned  to  the  friends,  and  the  embalmer 
takes  no  farther  trouble  about  it.  The  third 
method  of  embalming  those  of  the  meanest 
condition,  is  merely  by  purging  and  cleansing 
the  intestines  by  frequent  injections,  and  pre- 
serving the  body  for  a  similar  term  in  nitre, 
at  the  end  of  which  it  is  restored  to  the  re- 
lations. 


194 


A  HISTORY  OF 


Diodprus  Siculus  also  makes  mention  of  the 
manner  in  which  these  embalmings  are  per- 
formed. According  to  him,  there  were  seve- 
ral officers  appointed  for  this  purpose;  the 
first  of  them,  who  was  called  the  scribe,  mark- 
ed those  parts  of  the  body,  on  the  left  side, 
which  were  to  be  opened  ;  the  cutter  made 
the  incision;  and  one  of  those  that  were  to 
salt  it  drew  out  all  the  bowels,  except  the 
heart  and  the  kidneys ;  another  washed  them 
in  palm  wine  and  odoriferous  liquors;  after- 
wards they  anointed  for  above  thirty  days 
with  cedar,  gum,  myrrh,  cinnamon,  and  other 
perfumes.  These  aromatics  preserved  the 
body  entire  for  a  long  time,  and  gave  a  very 
agreeable  odour.  It  was  not  in  the  least  dis- 
figured by  this  preparation;  after  which  it 
•was  returned  to  the  relations,  who  kept  it  in 
a  coffin,  placed  upright  against  a  wall. 

Most  of  the  modern  writers  who  have  treat- 
ed on  this  subject,  have  merely  repeated  what 
has  been  said  by  Herodotus ;  and  if  they  add 
any  thing  of  their  own,  it  is  but  merely  from 
conjecture.  Dumont  observes,  that  it  is  very 
probable,  that  aloes,  bitumen,  and  cinnamon, 
make  a  principal  part  of  the  composition 
which  is  used  on  this  occasion  :  he  adds,  that, 
after  embalming,  the  body  is  put  into  a  coffin, 
made  of  the  sycamore-tree,  which  is  almost 
incorruptible.  Mr.  Grew  remarks,  that  in  an 
Egyptian  mummy,  in  the  possession  of  the 
Royal  Society,  the  preparation  was  so  pene- 
trating as  to  enter  into  the  very  substance  of 
the  bones,  and  rendered  them  so  black,  that 
they  seemed  to  have  been  burnt.  From  this 
he  is  induced  to  believe,  that  the  Egyptians 
had  a  custom  of  embalming  their  dead,  by 
boiling  them  in  a  kind  of  liquid  preparation, 
until  all  the  aqueous  parts  of  the  body  were 
exhaled  away  ;  and  until  the  oily  or  gummy 
matter  had  penetrated  throughout.  He  pro- 
poses, in  consequence  of  this,  a  method  of 
macerating,  and  afterwards  of  boiling,  the 
body  in  oil  of  walnut. 

I  am,  for  my  own  part,  of  opinion,  that  there 
were  several  ways  of  preserving  dead  bodies 
from  putrefaction;  and  that  this  would  be 
no  difficult  matter,  since  different  nations 
have  all  succeeded  in  the  attempt.  We  have 
an  example  of  this  kind  among  the  Guanches, 
the  ancient  inhabitants  of  the  island  of  Te- 
neriffi  Those  who  survived  the  general  de- 


struction of  this  people  by  the  Spaniards, 
when  they  conquered  this  island,  informed 
them,  that  the  art  of  embalming  was  still  pre- 
served there ;  and  that  there  was  a  tribe  of 
priests  among  them  possessed  of  the  secret, 
which  they  kept  concealed  as  a  sacred  mys- 
tery. As  the  greatest  part  of  the  nation  was 
destroyed,  the  Spaniards  could  not  arrive  at 
a  complete  knowledge  of  this  art;  they  only 
found  out  a  few  of  the  particulars.  Having 
taken  out  the  bowels,  they  washed  the  body 
several  times  in  a  lee,  made  of  the  dried  bark 
of  the  pine-tree,  warmed,  during  the  summer, 
by  the  sun,  or  by  a  stove  in  the  winter.  They 
afterwards  anointed  it  with  butter,  or  the  fat 
of  bears,  which  they  had  previously  boiled 
with  odoriferous  herbs,  such  as  sage  and  la- 
vender. After  this  unction,  they  suffered  the 
body  to  dry ;  and  then  repeated  the  operati- 
on as  often  as  it  was  necessary,  until  the  whole 
substance  was  impregnated  with  the  prepa- 
ration. When  it  was  become  very  light,  it 
was  then  a  certain  sign  that  it  was  fit  and  pro- 
perly prepared.  They  then  rolled  it  up  in 
the  dried  skins  of  goats ;  which,  when  they 
had  a  mind  to  save  expense,  they  suffered  to 
remain  with  the  hair  still  growing  upon  them. 
Purchas  assures  us,  that  he  has  seen  mummies 
of  this  kind  in  London;  and  mentions  the 
name  of  a  gentleman  who  had  seen  several 
of  them  in  the  island  of  TeneriffJ  which  were 
supposed  to  have  been  two  thousand  years 
old  ;  but  without  any  certain  proofs  of  such 
great  antiquity.  This  people,  who  probably 
came  first  from  the  coasts  of  Africa,  might 
have  learned  this  art  from  the  Egyptians,  as 
there  was  a  traffic  carried  on  from  thence  into 
the  most  internal  parts  of  Africa. 

Father  Acosta  and  Garcilasso  de  la  Vega 
make  no  doubt  but  that  the  Peruvians  under- 
stood the  art  of  preserving  their  dead  for  a 
very  long  space  of  time.  They  assert  their 
having  seen  ihe  bodies  of  several  incas,  that 
were  perfectly  preserved.  They  still  preserv- 
ed their  hair  and  their  eye-brows;  but  they 
had  eyes  made  of  gold,  put  in  the  places  of 
those  taken  out.  They  were  clothed  in  their 
usualliabits,  and  seated  in  the  manner  of  the 
Indians,  their  arms  placed  on  their  breasts. 
Garcilasso  touched  one  of  their  fingers,  and 
found  it  apparently  as  hard  as  wood  ;  and  the 
whole  body  was  not  heavy  enough  to  over 


ANIMALS. 


195 


burden  a  weak  mnn,  who  should  attempt  to 
carry  it  away.  Acosta  presumes  that  these 
bodies  were  embalmed  with  a  bitumen,  of 
which  the  Indians  knew  the  properties.  Gar- 
cil  is-;o,  however,  is  of  a  different  opinion,  as 
he  s.iw  nothing  bituminous  about  them  ;  but 
he  confesses  that  he  di-l  not  examine  them  very 
particularly;  an  I  he  regrets  his  not  having  in- 
quired into  the  methods  used  for  that  purpose. 
He  adds,  tiiat  being  a  Peruvian,  his  country- 
men would  not  have  scrupled  to  inform  him 
of  the  secret,  if  they  really  had  it  still  among 
them. 

Garcilasso,  thus  being  ignorant  of  the  secret, 
makes  use  of  some  inductions  to  throw  light 
upon  the  subject;  he  asserts,  that  the  air  is  so 
dry  and  so  cold  at  Cusco,  that  flesh  dries  there 
like  wood,  without  corrupting ;  and  he  is  of 
opinion,  that  they  dried  the  body  in  snow  be- 
fore they  applied  the  bitumen  :  he  adds,  that 
in  the  times  of  the  incas,  they  usually  dried  the 
flesh  which  was  designed  for  the  use  of  the 
army  ;  and  that,  when  it  had  lost  its  humidity, 
it  .night  be  kept  without  salt,  or  any  other 
preparation. 

It  is  said,  that  at  Spitzbergen,  which  lies 
within  the  arctic  circle,  and  consequently  in 
the  coldest  climate,  bodies  never  corrupt,  nor 
suffer  any  apparent  alteration,  even  though 
buried  for  thirty  years.  Nothing  corrupts  or 
putrefies  in  that  climate ;  the  wood  which  has 
been  employed  in  building  those  houses  where 
the  train-oil  is  separated,  appears  as  fresh  as 
the  day  it  was  first  cut. 

If  excessive  cold,  therefore,  be  thus  capable 
of  preserving  bodies  from  corruption,  it  is  not 
less  certain  that  a  great  degree  of  dryness,  pro- 
duced by  heat,  produces  the  same  effect.  It  is 
well  known  that  the  men  and  animals  that  are 
buried  in  the  sands  of  Arabia  quickly  dry  up, 
and  continue  in  preservation  for  several  'ages, 
as  if  they  had  been  actually  embalmed.  It  has 
often  happened,  that  whole  caravans  have 
perished  in  crossing  those  deserts,  either  by  the 
burning  winds  that  infest  them,  or  by  the  sands 
which  are  raised  by  the  tempest,  and  over- 
whelm every  creature  in  certain  ruin.  The 
bodies  of  those  persons  are  preserved  entire  ; 
and  they  are  often  found  in  this  condition  by 
soiiie  accidental  passenger.  Many  authors, 
both  ancient  and  modern,  make  mention  of 
such  mummies  as  these  ;  and  Shaw  says,  that 
he  has  been  assured  that  numbers  of  men,  as 


well  as  other  animals,  have  been  tfius  preserv- 
ed, for  times  immemorial,  in  the  burning  sands 
of  Saibah,  which  is  a  place,  he  supposes,  situate 
between  Kasein  and  Kgypt. 

The  corruption  of  dead  bodies  being  entire- 
ly caused  by  the  fermentation  of  the  humours, 
whatever  is  capable  of  hindering  or  retarding 
this  fermentation,  will  contribute  to  their  pre- 
servation. Both  heat  and  cold,  though  so 
contrary  in  themselves,  produce  similar  effects 
in  this  particular,  by  drying  up  the  humours. 
The  cold  in  condensing  and  thickening  them, 
and  the  heat  in  evaporating  them  before  they 
have  time  to  act  upon  the  solids.  But  it  is 
necessary  that  these  extremes  should  be  con- 
stant;  for  if  they  succeed  each  other  so  as  that 
cold  shall  follow  heat,  or  dryness  humidity,  it 
must  then  necessarily  happen  that  corrnp  ion 
must  ensue.  However,  in  temperate  climates, 
there  are  natural  causes  capable  of  preserving 
dead  bodies;  among  which  we  may  reckon  the 
quality  of  the  earth  in  which  they  are  buried. 
If  the  earth  be  drying  and  astringent,  it  nil! 
imbibe  the  humidity  of  the  body  ;  and  it  n>av 
probably  be  for  this  reason  that  the  bodies 
buried  in  the  monastery  of  the  Cordeliers,  at 
Thoulouse,  do  not  putrefy,  but  dry  in  such  a 
manner  that  they  may  be  lifted  up  by  one  arm. 

The  gums,  resins,  and  bitumens,  with  which 
dead  bodies  are  embalmed,  keep  off  the  im- 
pressions which  they  would  else  receive  from 
thealteration  of  the  temperature  of  the  air;  and 
still  more,  if  a  body  thus  prepared  be  placed  in 
a  dry  or  burning  sand,  the  most  powerful 
means  will  be  united  for  its  preservation.  We 
are  not  to  be  surprised,  therefore,  at  w  hat  we 
are  told  by  Chardin,  of  the  country  of  Chorosan, 
in  Persia.  The  bodies  which  have  been  pre- 
viously embalmed,  and  buried  in  the  sands  of 
that  country,  as  he  assures  us,  are  found  to 
petrefy,  or,  in  other  words,  to  become  ex- 
tremely hard,  and  are  preserved  for  sevi  ral 
ages.  It  is  asserted,  that  some  of  them  have 
continued  for  a  thousand  years. 

The  Egyptians,  as  has  been  mentioned  above, 
swathed  the  body  with  linen  bands,  and  en- 
closed it  in  a  coffin  :  however,  it  is  probable 
that,  with  all  these  precautions,  they  would  not 
have  continued  till  now,  if  the  tombs,  or  pits, 
in  which  they  were  placed,  had  not  been  dug 
in  a  dry  chalky  soil,  which  was  not  susceptible 
of  humidity;  and  which  was  besides  covered 
over  with  a  dry  sand  of  several  feet  thickness. 
2  M 


196 


A  HISTORY  OF 


The  sepulchres  of  the  ancient  Egyptians 
subsist  to  this  day.  Most  travellers  who  have 
been  in  Egypt  have  described  those  of  ancient 
mummiesj  and  have  seen  the  mummies  interred 
there.  These  eatacombsare  within  two  leagues 
of  the  ruins  of  the  city,  nine  leagues  from 
Grand  Cairo,  and  about  two  miles  from  the 
village  of  Zaccara.  They  extend  from  thence 
to  the  Pyramids  of  Pharaoh,  which  are  about 
eight  miles  distant.  These  sepulchres  lie  in  a 
field,  covered  with  a  fine  running  sand,  of  a 
yellowish  colour.  The  country  is  dry  and 
hilly  ;  the  entrance  of  the  tombs  is  choked  up 
with  sand ;  there  are  many  open,  but  several 
more  that  are  still  concealed.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  neighbouring  village  have  no  other  com- 
merce, or  "method  of  subsisting,  but  by  seeking 
out  mummies,  and  selling  them  to  such  stran- 
gers as  happen  to  be  at  Grand  Cairo.  This 
commerce,  some  years  ago,  was  not  only  a 
very  common,  but  a  very  gainful  one.  A  com- 
plete mummy  was  often  sold  for  twenty  pounds: 
but  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  it  was  bought 
at  such  a  high  price  from  a  mere  passion  for 
antiquity  ;  there  were  much  more  powerful 
motives  for  this  traffic.  Mummy,  at  that  time, 
made  a  considerable  article  in  medicine  ;  and 
a  thousand  imaginary  virtues  were  ascribed  to 
it,  for  the  cure  of  most  disorders,  particularly 
of  the  paralytic  kind.  There  was  no  shop, 
therefore,  without  mummy  in  it ;  and  no  phy- 
sician thought  he  had  properly  treated  his 
patient  without  adding  this  to  his  prescription. 
Induced  by  the  general  repute,  in  which  this 
supposed  drug  was  at  that  time,  several  Jews, 
both  of  Italy  and  France,  found  out  the  art  of 
imitating  mummy  so  exactly,  that  they,  for  a 
long  time,  deceived  all  Europe.  This  they  did 
by  drying  dead  bodies  in  ovens,  after  having 
prepared  them  with  myrrh,  aloes,  and  bitumen. 
Still,  however,  the  request  for  mummies  con- 
tinued, and  a  variety  of  cures  were  daily 
ascribed  to  them.  At  length,  Paraeus  wrote  a 
treatise  on  their  total  inefficacy  in  physic ;  and 
showed  their  abuse  in  loading  the  stomach,  to 
(he  exclusion  of  more  efficacious  medicines. 
From  that  time,  therefore,  their  reputation  be- 
gan to  decline ;  the  Jews  discontinued  their 
counterfeits,  and  the  trade  returned  entire  to 
the  Egyptians,  when  it  was  no  longer  of  value. 
The  industry  of  seeking  after  mummies  is  now 
totally  relaxed,  their  price  merely  arbitrary, 
and  just  what  the  curious  are  willing  to  give. 


In  seeking  for  mummies,  they  first  clear  away 
the  sand,  which  they  may  do  for  weeks  to- 
gether, without  finding  what  is  wanted.  Upon 
coming  to  a  little  square  opening  of  about 
eighteen  feet  in  depth,  they  descend  into  it,  by 
holes  for  the  feet,  placed  at  proper  intervals, 
and  there  they  are  sure  of  finding  what  they 
seek  for.  These  caves,  or  wells,  as  they  call 
them,  are  hollowed  out  of  a  white  free-stone, 
which  is  found  in  all  this  country,  a  few  feet 
below  the  covering  of  sand.  When  one  gets 
to  the  bottom  of  these,  which  are  sometimes 
forty  feet  below  the  surface,  there  are  several 
square  openings  on  each  side,  into  passages  of 
ten  or  fifteen  feet  wide,  and  these  lead  to  cham- 
bers of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  square.  These 
arc  all  hewn  out  of  the  rock ;  and  in  each  of 
the  catacombs  are  to  be  found  several  of  these 
apartments,  communicating  with  each  other. 
They  extend  a  great  way  under  ground,  so  as 
to  be  under  the  city  of  Memphis,  and  in  a 
manner  to  undermine  its  environs. 

In  some  of  the  chambers,  the  walls  are 
adorned  with  figures  and  hieroglyphics ;  in 
others,  the  mummies  are  found  in  tombs  round 
the  apartment  hollowed  out  in  the  rock.  These 
tombs  are  upright,  and  cut  into  the  shape  of  a 
man,  with  his  arms  stretched  out.  There  are 
others  found,  and  these  in  the  greatest  number, 
in  wooden-coffins,  or  in  cloths  covered  with 
bitumen.  These  coffins,  or  wrappers,  are 
covered  all  over  with  a  variety  of  ornaments. 
There  are  some  of  them  painted,  and  adorned 
with  figures,  such  as  that  of  Death,  and  the 
leaden  seals,  on  which  several  characters  are 
engraven.  Some  of  these  coffins  are  carved 
into  the  human  shape  ;  but  the  head  alone  is 
distinguishable  :  the  rest  of  the  body  is  all  of  a 
piece, and  terminated  by  a  pedestal, while  there 
are  some  with  their  arms  hanging  down  ;  and 
it  is  by  these  marks  that  the  bodies  of  persons 
of  rank  are  distinguished  from  those  of  tlie 
meaner  order.  These  are  generally  found  ly- 
ing on  the  floor,  without  any  profusion  of  orna- 
ments ;  and  in  some  chambers  the  mummies 
are  found  indiscriminately  piled  upon  each 
other,  and  buried  in  the  sand. 

Many  mummies  are  found  lying  on  their 
backs  ;  their  heads  turned  to  the  north,  and 
their  hands  placed  on  the  belly.  The  bands 
of  linen,  with  which  these  were  swathed,  are 
found  to  be  more  than  a  thousand  yards  long ; 
and,  of  consequence,  the  number  of  circum- 


ANIMALS. 


197 


volutions  they  make  about  the  body  must 
have  been  amazing.  Those  were  performed 
by  beginning  at  the  head,  and  ending  at  the 
feet;  but  they  contrived  it  so  as  to  avoid  co- 
vering the  face.  However,  when  the  face  is 
entirely  uncovered,  it  moulders  into  dust  im- 
mediately upon  the  admission  of  the  air. 
When,  therefore, it  is  preserved  entire,a  slight 
covering  of  cloth  is  so  disposed  over  it,  that 
the  shape  of  the  eyes,  the  nose,  and  the  mouth, 
are  seen  under  it.  Some  mummies  have  been 
found  with  a  long  beard,  and  hair  that  reach- 
ed down  to  the  mid-leg,  nails  of  a  surprising 
length,  and  some  gilt,  or  at  least  painted  of  a 
gold  colour.  Some  are  found  with  bands  upon 
the  breast,  covered  with  hieroglyphics,  in  gold, 
silver,  or  in  green;  and  some  with  tutelary 
idols,  and  other  figures  of  jasper,  within  their 
body.  A  piece  of  gold  also  has  often  been 
found  under  their  tongues,  of  about  two  pis- 
toles value ;  and,  for  this  reason,  the  Arabians 
spoil  all  the  mummies  they  meet  with,  in 
order  to  get  at  the  gold. 

But  although  art,  or  accident,  has  thus  been 
found  to  preserve  dead  bodies  entire,  it  must 
by  uo  means  be  supposed  that  it  is  capable 

tof  preserving  the  exact  form  and  lineaments 
of  the  deceased  person.  Those  bodies  which 
are  found  dried  away  in  the  deserts,  or  in 
some  particular  church-yards,  are  totally  de- 
formed, and  scarcely  any  lineaments  remain 
of  their  external  structure.  Nor  are  the  mum- 
mies preserved  by  embalming,  in  a  better  con- 
dition. The  flesh  is  dried  away,  hardened, 
and  hidden  under  a  variety  of  bandages;  the 
bowels,  as  we  have  seen,  are  totally  removed ; 
and  from  hence,  in  the  most  perfect  of  them, 
we  see  only  a  shapeless  mass  of  skin  discolour- 
ed ;  and  even  the  features  scarcely  distin- 
guishable. The  art  is,  therefore,  an  effort  ra- 
ther of  preserving  the  substance  than  the  like- 
ness of  the  deceased  ;  and  has,  consequently, 
not  been  brought  to  its  highest  pitch  of  per- 
fection. It  appears  from  a  mummy,  not  long 
since  dug  up  in  France,  that  the  art  of  embalm- 
ing was  more  completely  understood  in  the 
western  world  than  even  in  Egypt.  This  mum- 
my, which  was  dug  up  at  Auvergne,  was  an 
amazing  instance  of  their  skill,  and  is  one  of 
the  most  curious  relics  in  the  art  of  preserva- 
tion. As  some  peasants,  in  that  part  of  the 
world,  were  digging  in  a  field,  near  Rion.  with- 


in about  twenty-six  paces  of  the  highway,  be- 
tween that  and  the  river  Artiers,  they  disco- 
vered a  tomb,  about  afoot  and  a  half  beneath 
the  surface.  It  was  composed  only  of  two 
stones  ;  one  of  which  formed  the  body  of  the 
sepulchre,  and  the  other  the  cover.  This 
tomb  was  of  free-stone,  seven  feet  and  a  halt 
long,  three  feet  and  a  half  broad,  and  aboul 
three  feet  high.  It  was  of  rude  workmanship  ; 
the  cover  had  been  polished,  but  was  without 
figure  or  inscription :  within  this  tomb  was 
placed  a  leaden-coffin,  four  feet  seven  inches 
long,  fourteen  inches  broad,  and  fifteen  high. 
It  was  not  made  coffin-fashion,  but  oblong, 
like  a  box,  equally  broad  at  both  ends,  and 
covered  with  a  lid  that  fitted  on  like  a  snuff- 
box, without  a  hinge.  This  cover  had  two 
holes  in  it,  each  of  about  two  inches  long,  and 
very  narrow,  filled  with  a  substance  resem- 
bling butter;  but  for  what  purpose  intended 
remains  unknown.  Within  this  coffin  was  a 
mummy,  in  the  highest  and  most  perfect  pre- 
servation. The  internal  sides  of  the  coffin 
were  filled  with  an  aromatic  substance,  min- 
gled with  clay.  Round  the  mummy  was  wrap- 
ped a  coarse  cloth,  in  form  of  a  napkin;  un- 
der this  were  two  shirts,  or  shrouds,  of  the 
most  exquisite  texture  ;  beneath  these  a  ban- 
dage, which  covered  all  parts  of  the  body, 
like  an  infant  in  swaddling-clothes;  still  un- 
der this  general  bandage  there  was  another, 
which  went  particularly  round  the  extremities, 
the  hands,  and  the  legs.  The  head  was  co- 
vered with  two  caps ;  the  feet  and  hands 
were  without  any  particular  bandages;  and 
the  whole  body  was  covered  with  an  aromatic 
substance  an  inch  thick.  When  these  were 
removed, arid  thebody  exposed  naked  to  view, 
nothing  could  be  more  astonishing  than  the 
preservation  of  the  whole,  and  the  exact  re- 
semblance it  bore  to  a  body  that  had  been 
dead  a  day  or  two  before.  It  appeared  well 
proportioned, except  that  the  head  was  rather 
large,  and  the  feet  small.  The  skin  had  all 
the  pliancy  and  colour  of  a  body  lately  dead  : 
the  visage,  however,  was  of  a  brownish  hue. 
The  belly  yielded  to  the  touch ;  all  the  joints 
were  flexible,  except  those  of  the  legs  and 
f<vt ;  the  fingers  stretched  forth  of  themselves 
when  bent  inwards.  The  nails  still  continued 
entire;  and  all  the  marks  of  the  joints,  both 
in  the  fingers,  the  palms  of  the  hands,  and  the 
2  M* 


198 


A  HISTORY  OF 


soles  of  the  feet,  remained  perfectly  visible. 
The  bones  of  the  arms  and  legs  were  soft  and 
pliant;  but,  on  the  contrary,  those  of  the  skull 
preserved  their  rigidity ;  the  hair,  which  only 
covered  the  back  of  the  head,  was  of  a  ches- 
nut  colour,  and  about  two  inches  long.  The 
pericranium  at  top  was  separated  from  the 
skull  by  an  incision,  in  order  to  open  it  for  the 
introducing  proper  aromatics  in  the  place  of 
the  brain,  where  they  were  found  mixed  with 
clay.  The  teeth,  the  tongue,  and  the  ears, 
were  all  preserved  in  perfect  form.  The  in- 
testines were  not  taken  out  of  the  body,  but 
remained  pliant  and  entire,  as  in  a  fresh  sub- 
ject ;  and  the  breast  was  made  to  rise  and  iall 
like  a  pair  of  bellows.  The  embalming  pre- 
paration had  a  very  strong  and  pungent  smell, 
which  the  body  preserved  for  more  than  a 
month  after  it  was  exposed  to  the  air.  This 
odour  was  perceived  wherever  the  mummy 
was  laid;  although  it  remained  there  but  a 
very  short  time,  it  was  even  pretended  that 
the  peasants  of  the  neighbouring  villages  were 
incommoded  by  it.  if  one  touched  either  the 
mummy,  or  any  part  of  the  preparation,  the 
hands  smelled  of  it  for  several  hours  after,  al- 
though washed  with  water,  spirit  of  wine,  or 
vinegar.  This  mummy,  having  remained  ex- 
posed for  some  months  to  the  curiosity  of  the 
public,  began  to  suffer  some  mutilations.  A 
part  of  the  skin  of  the  forehead  was  cut  off, 
the  teeth  were  drawn  out,  and  some  attempts 
were  made  to  pull  away  the  tongue.  It  was, 
therefore,  put  into  a  glass-case,  and  shortly 
after  transmitted  to  the  king  of  France's  ca- 
binet at  Paris. 


There  are  many  reasons  to  believe  this  to 
be  the  body  of  a  person  of  the  highest  dis- 
tinction :  however,  no  marks  remain  to  assure 
us  either  of  the  quality  of  the  person,  or  the 
time  of  his  decease.  There  are  only  to  be 
seen  some  irregular  figures  on  the  coiBn  ;  one 
of  which  represents  a  kind  of  star.  There 
were  also  some  singular  characters  upon  the 
bandages,  which  were  totally  defaced  by  those 
who  had  torn  them  away.  However,  it  should 
seem  that  it  had  remained  for  several  ages  in 
this  state,  since  the  first  years  immediately 
succeeding  the  interment,  are  usually  those 
in  which  the  body  is  most  liable  to  decay. 
It  appears  also  to  be  a  much  more  perfect  me- 
thod of  embalming  than  that  of  the  Egyptian.-; 
as  in  this  the  flesh  continues  with  its  natural 
elasticity  and  colour,  the  bowels  remain  en- 
tire, and  the  joints  have  almost  the  pliancy 
which  they  had  when  the  person  was  alive. 
Upon  the  whole,  it  is  probable  that  a  much 
less  tedious  preparation  than  that  used  by  the 
Egyptians  would  have  sufficed  to  keep  the 
body  from  putrefaction;  arid  that  an  injec- 
tion of  petreoleum  inwardly,  and  a  layer  of 
asphaltum  without,  would  have  sufficed  to  have 
made  a  mummy;  and  it  is  remarkable  that 
Auvergne,  where  this  was  found,  affords  these 
two  substances  in  sufficient  plenty.  This  art, 
therefore,  might  be  brought  to  greater  per- 
fection than  it  has  arrived  at  hitherto,  were 
the  art  worth  preserving.  But  mankind  have 
long  since  grown  wiser  in  this  respect;  and 
think  it  unnecessary  to  keep  by  them  adeform- 
ed  carcase,  which,  instead  of  aiding  their  mag- 
nificence, must  only  serve  to  mortify  their  pride. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

OF  ANIMALS 


LEAVING  man,  we  now  descend  to  the 
lower  ranks  of  animated  nature,  and  prepare 
to  examine  the  life,  manners,  and  characters, 
of  these  our  humble  partners  in  the  creation. 
But,  in  such  a  wonderful  variety  as  is  diffused 
around  us,  where  shall  we  begin  ?  The  num- 
ber of  beings  endued  with  life,  as  well  as  we, 


seems,  at  first  view,  infinite.  Not  only  the 
forest,  the  waters,  the  air,  teems  with  animals 
of  various  kinds ;  but  almost  every  vegetable, 
every  leaf,  has  millions  of  minute  inhabit  .-.-Is, 
each  of  which  fill  up  the  circle  of  its  allc.ied 
life,  and  some  are  found  objects  of  the  g  cat- 
est  curiosity.  In  this  seeming  exuberance  of 


ANIMALS. 


199 


animals,  it  is  natural  for  ignorance  to  lie  down 
in  hopeless  uncertainty,  and  to  declare  what 
requires  labour  to  particularize  to  be  utterly 
inscrutable.  It  is  otherwise,  however,  with  the 
active  and  searching  mind ;  no  way  intimi- 
dated with  the  immense  variety,  it  begins  the 
tusk  of  numbering,  grouping,  and  classing,  all 
the  various  kinds  that  fall  within  its  notice ; 
finds  every  day  new  relations  between  the 
several  parts  of  the  creation ;  acquires  the 
art  of  considering  several  at  a  time  under  one 
point  of  view;  and,  at  last,  begins  to  find  that 
the  variety  is  neither  so  great  nor  so  inscru- 
table as  was  at  first  imagined.  As  in  a  clear 
night,  the  number  of  the  stars  seems  infinite; 
yet,  if  we  sedulously  attend  to  each  in  its  place, 
and  regularly  class  them,  they  will  soon  be 
found  to  diminish,  and  come  within  a  very 
scanty  computation. 

Method  is  one  of  the  principal  helps  in  na- 
tural history,  and  without  it  very  little  pro- 
gress can  be  made  in  this  science.  It  is  by 
t'rnt  alone  we  can  hope  to  dissipate  the  glare, 
if  I  may  so  express  it,  which  arises  from  a 
multiplicity  of  objects  at  once  presenting  them- 
selves to  the  view.  It  is  method  that  fixes  the 
attention  to  one  point,  and  leads  it,  by  slow 
and  certain  degrees,  to  leave  no  part  of  na- 
ture unobserved. 

All  naturalists,  therefore,  have  been  very 
careful  in  adopting  some  method  of  classing 
or  grouping  the  several  parts  of  nature;  and 
some  have  written  books  of  natural  history 
with  no  other  view.  These  methodical  divi- 
sions some  have  treated  with  contempt,"  not 
considering  that  books,  in  general,  are  writ- 
ten with  opposite  views ;  some  to  be  read, 
and  some  only  to  be  occasionly  consulted. 
The  methodists  in  natural  history,  seem  to  be 
content  with  the  latter  advantage ;  and  have 
sacrificed  to  order  alone,  all  the  delights  of 
the  subject,  all  the  arts  of  heightening,  awake- 
ning, or  continuing  curiosity.  But  they  cer- 
tainly have  the  same  use  in  science,  that  a 
dictionary  has  in  language;  but  with  this  dif- 
ference, that  in  a  dictionary  we  proceed  from 
the  name  to  the  definition;  in  a  system  of  na- 
tural history,  we  proceed  from  the  definition 
to  find  out  the  thing.  Without  the  aid  of  sys- 
tem, nature  must  still  have  lain  undistinguish- 

'  Mr.  Buffon  in  his  Introduction,  &c. 


ed,  like  furniture  in  a  lumber-room :  every 
thing  we  wish  for  is  there  indeed,  but  we 
know  not  where  to  find  it.  If,  for  instance, 
in  a  morning  excursion,  I  find  a  plant,  or  an 
insect,  the  name  of  which  I  desire  to  learn ; 
or,  perhaps,  am  curious  to  know  whether  al- 
ready known;  in  this  inquiry  I  can  expect 
information  only  from  one  of  these  systems, 
which  being  couched  in  a  methodical  form, 
quickly  directs  me  to  what  I  seek  for.  Thus 
we  will  suppose  that  our  inquirer  has  met 
with  a  spider,  and  that  he  has  never  seen  such 
an  insect  before.  He  is  taught  by  the  writer 
of  a  system1'  to  examine  whether  it  has  wings, 
and  he  finds  it  has  none.  He,  therefore,  is  to 
look  for  it  among  the  wingless  insects,  or  the 
Aptera.  as  Linna3us  calls  them:  he  then  is  to 
sec  whether  the  head  and  breast  make  one 
part  of  the  body,  or  are  disunited ;  he  finds 
they  make  one  :  he  is  then  to  reckon  the  num- 
ber of  feet  and  eyes,  and  he  finds  that  it  has 
eight  of  each.  The  insect,  therefore,  must  be 
either  a  scorpion  or  a  spider;  but  he  lastly 
examines  its  feelers,  which  he  finds  clavated, 
or  clubbed ;  and,  by  all  these  marks,  he  at 
last  discovers  it  to  be  a  spider.  Of  spiders, 
there  are  forty-seven  sorts;  and,  by  reading 
the  description  of  each,  the  inquirer  will  learn 
the  name  of  that  which  he  desires  to  know. 
With  the  name  of  the  insect,  he  is  also  direct- 
ed to  those  authors  that  have  giveri  any  ac- 
count of  it,  and  the  page  where  that  account 
is  to  be  found ;  by  this  means  he  may  know 
at  once  what  has  been  said  of  that  animal  by 
others,  and  what  there  is  of  novelty  in  the  re- 
sult of  his  own  researches. 

From  hence  it  will  appear  how  useful  those 
systems  in  natural  history  are  to  the  inquirer; 
but,  having  given  them  all  their  merit,  it  would 
be  wrong  not  to  observe,  that  they  have,  in 
general,  been  very  much  abused.  Their  au- 
thors, in  general,  seem  to  think  that  they  are 
improvers  of  natural  history,  when  in  reality 
they  are  but  guides ;  they  seem  to  boast  that 
they  are  adding  to  our  knowledge,  while  they 
are  only  arranging  it.  These  authors,  also, 
seem  to  think  that  the  reading  of  their  works 
and  systems  is  the  best  method  to  attain  a 
knowledge  of  nature ;  but  setting  aside  the 
impossibility  of  getting  through  whole  volumes 

a  Linnzeus. 


200 


A  HISTORY  OF 


of  a  dry  long  catalogue,  the  multiplicity  of 
whose  contents  is  too  great  for  even  the  strong- 
est memory,  such  works  rather  tell  us  the 
names  than  the  history  of  the  creature  we 
desire  to  inquire  after.  In  these  dreary  pa- 
ges, every  insect  or  plant,  that  has  a  name, 
makes  as  distinguished  a  figure  as  the  most 
wonderful,  or  the  most  useful.  The  true  end 
of  studying  nature  is  to  make  a  just  selection, 
to  find  those  parts  of  it  that  most  conduce  to 
our  pleasure  or  convenience,  and  to  leave 
the  rest  in  neglect.  But  these  systems,  em- 
ploying the  same  degree  of  attention  upon  all, 
give  us  no  opportunities  of  knowing  which 
most  deserves  attention ;  and  he  who  has 
made  his  knowledge  from  such  systems  only, 
has  his  memory  crowded  with  a  number  of 
trifling,  or  minute  particulars,  which  it  should 
he  his  business  and  his  labour  to  forget. 
These  books,  as  was  said  before,  are  useful 
to  be  consulted,  but  they  are  very  unneces- 
sary to  be  read;  no  inquirer  into  nature  should 
be  without  one  of  them;  and,  without  any 
doubt,  Linnceus  deserves  the  preference. 

One  fault  more,  in  almost  all  these  syste- 
matic writers,  and  that  which  leads  me  to  the 
subject  of  the  present  chapter,  is,  that  seeing 
the  necessity  of  methodical  distribution  in 
some  parts  of  nature,  they  have  introduced 
it  into  all.  Finding  the  utility  of  arranging 
plants,  birds,  or  insects,  they  have  arranged 
quadrupeds  also  with  the  same  assiduity ; 
and  although  the  number  of  these  is  so  few  as 
not  to  exceed  two  hundred,"  they  have  dark- 
ened the  subject  with  distinctions  and  divi- 
sions, which  only  serve  to  puzzle  and  perplex. 
All  method  is  only  useful  in  giving  perspicui- 
ty, where  the  subject  is  either  dark  or  copious : 
but  with  regard  to  quadrupeds,  the  number 
isbutfew;  many  of  themweare  well  acquaint- 
ed with  by  habit ;  and  the  rest  may  very  rea- 
dily be  known,  without  any  method.  In  treat- 
ing of  such,  therefore,  it  would  be  useless  to 
confound  the  reader  with  a  multiplicity  of 
divisions:  as  quadrupeds  are  conspicuous 
enough  to  obtain  the  second  rank  in  nature, 
it  becomes  us  to  be  acquainted  with,  at  least, 
the  names  of  them  all.  However,  as  there 


a  In  Dr.  Shaw's  General  Zoology,  the  number  of  quad- 
rupeds, not  including  the  cetaceous  and  seal  tribes,  amount 
to  five  hundred  and  twelve,  besides  their  varieties. 


are  naturalists  who  have  gained  a  name  from 
the  excellence  of  their  methods  in  classing 
these  animals,  some  readers  may  desire  to 
have  a  knowledge  of  what  has  been  laborious- 
ly invented  for  their  instruction.  I  will  just 
take  leave,  therefore,  to  mention  the  most  ap- 
plauded methods  of  classing  animals,  as  adopt- 
ed by  Ray,  Klein,  and  Linnaeus ;  for  it  often 
happens,  that  the  terms  which  have  been  long 
used  in  a  science,  though  frivolous,  become, 
by  prescription,  a  part  of  the  science  itself. 

Ray,  after  Aristotle,  divides  all  animals 
into  two  kinds ;  those  which  have  blood,  and 
those  which  are  bloodless.  In  the  last  class, 
he  places  all  the  insect  tribes.  The  former 
he  divides  into  such  as  breathe  through  the 
lungs,  and  such  as  breathe  through  gills : 
these  last  comprehend  the  fishes.  In  those 
which  breathe  through  the  lungs,  some  have 
the  heart  composed  of  two  ventricles,  and 
some  have  it  of  one.  Of  the  last  are  all  ani- 
malsof  the  cetaceous  kind,all  oviparous  quad- 
rupeds, and  serpents.  Of  those  that  have  two 
ventricles,  some  are  oviparous,  which  are  the 
birds ;  and  some  viviparous,  which  are  quad- 
rupeds. The  quadrupeds  he  divides  into  such 
as  have  a  hoof,  and  such  as  are  claw-footed. 
Those  witli  the  hoof,  he  divides  into  such  as 
have  it  undivided,  such  as  have  it  cloven,  and 
such  as  have  the  hoof  divided  into  more  parts, 
as  the  rhinoceros,  and  hippopotamus.  Ani- 
mals with  the  cloven  hoof,  he  divides  into  such 
as  chew  the  cud,  as  the  cow,  and  the  sheep; 
and  such  as  are  not  ruminant,  as  the  hog. 
He  divides  those  animals  that  chew  the  cud, 
into  four  kinds :  the  first  have  hollow  horns, 
which  they  never  shed,  as  the  cow ;  the  se- 
cond is  of  a  less  species,  and  is  of  the  sheep 
kind;  the  third  is  of  the  goat  kind;  and  the 
last,  which  have  solid  horns,  and  shed  them 
annually,  are  of  the  deer  kind.  Coming  to 
the  claw-footed  animals,  he  finds  some  with 
large  claws,  resembling  the  fingers  of  the  hu- 
man hand  ;  and  these  he  makes  the  ape  kind. 
Of  the  others,  some  have  the  foot  divided  in 
two,  and  have  a  claw  to  each  division ;  these 
are  the  camel  kind.  The  elephant  makes  a 
kind  by  itself,  as  its  claws  are  covered  over 
by  a  skin.  The  rest  of  the  numerous  tribe  of 
claw-footed  animals  he  .livides  into  two  kinds; 
the  analogous,or  such  as  resemble  each  other; 
and  the  anomalous,  which  differ  from  the  rest. 


ANIMALS. 


201 


The  analogous  claw-footed  animals  are  of 
two  kinds ;  (.hey  have  more  than  two  cutting 
teeth  in  each  jaw,  such  as  the  lion  and  thedog, 
which  are  carnivorous  ;  or  they  have  but  two 
cutting  teeth  in  each  jaw,  and  these  are  chief- 
ly fed  upon  vegetables.  The  carnivorous 
kinds  arc  divided  into  the  great  and  the  lit- 
tle. The  great  carnivorous  animals  are  di- 
vided into  such  as  have  a  short  snout,  as  the 
cat  and  the  lion ;  and  such  as  have  it  long 
and  pointed,  as  the  dog  and  the,  wolf.  The 
little  claw-footed  carnivorous  animals  differ 
from  the  great,  in  having  a  proportionably 
smaller  head,  and  a  slender  body,  that  fits 
them  for  creeping  into  holes,  in  pursuit  of 
their  prey,  like  worms ;  and  they  are  there- 
fore called  the  vermin  kind. 

We  see,  from  this  sketch  of  division  and 
subdivision,  how  a  subject,  extremely  delight- 
ful and  amusing  in  itself,  may  be  darkened 
and  rendered  disgusting.  But,notwithstanding, 
Ray  seems  to  be  one  of  the  most  simple  dis- 
tributors; and  his  method  is  still,  and  not 
without  reason,  adopted  by  many.  Such  as 
have  been  at  the  trouble  to  learn  this  method, 
will  certainly  find  it  useful ;  nor  would  we  be 
thought,  in  the  least,  to  take  from  its  merits ; 
all  we  contend  for  is,  that  the  same  infor- 
mation may  be  obtained  by  a  pleasanter  and 
an  easier  method. 

It  was  the  great  success  of  Ray's  method, 
that  soon  after  produced  such  a  variety  of 
attempts  in  the  same  manner;  but  almost  all 
less  simple,  and  more  obscure.  Mr.  Klein's 
method  is  briefly  as  follows :  he  makes  the 
power  of  changing  place  the  characteristic 
mark  of  animals  in  general ;  and  he  takes  their 
distinctions  from  their  aptitude  and  fitness  for 
such  a  change.  Some  change  place  by  means 
of  feet,  or  some  similar  contrivance  ;  others 
have  wings  and  feet:  some  can  change  place 
only  in  water,  and  have  only  fins :  some  go 
upon  earth,  without  any  feet  at  all :  some 
change  place,  by  moving  their  shell :  and 
some  move  only  at  a  certain  time  of  the  year. 
Of  such,  however,  as  do  not  move  at  all,  he 
takes  no  notice.  The  quadrupeds  that  move 
chiefly  by  means  of  four  feet  upon  land  he  di- 
vi-lcs  into  two  orders.  The  first  are  the  hoof- 
ed kind  ;  and  the  second,  the  claw  kind.  Each 
of  these  orders  is  divided  into  four  families. 
The  first  family  of  the  hoofed  kind,  are  the 


single  hoofed,  such  as  the  horse,  ass,  &c. 
The  second  family  are  such  as  have  the  hoof 
cloven  into  two  parts,  such  as  the  cow,  &c. 
The  third  family  have  the  hoof  divided  into 
three  parts ;  and  in  this  family  is  found  only 
the  rhinoceros.  The  fourth  family  have  the 
hoof  divided  into  five  parts ;  and  in  this  is 
only  to  be  found  the  elephant.  With  respect 
to  the  clawed  kind,  the  first  family  compre- 
hends those  that  have  but  two  claws  on  each 
foot,  as  the  camel ;  the  second  family  have 
three  claws ;  the  third,  four ;  and  the  fourth, 
five.  This  method  of  taking  the  distinctions 
of  animals  from  the  organs  of  motion,  is  inge- 
nious ;  but  is,  at  the  same  time,  incomplete ; 
and,  besides,  the  divisions  into  which  it  must 
necessarily  fall,  is  inadequate  ;  since,  for  in- 
stance, in  his  family  with  two  claws,  there  is 
but  one  animal ;  whereas,  in  his  family  with 
five  claws,  there  are  above  a  hundred. 

Brisson,  who  has  laboured  this  subject 
with  great  accuracy,  divides  animated  nature 
into  nine  classes;  namely,  quadrupeds;  ceta- 
ceous animals,  or  those  of  the  whale  kind  ; 
birds  ;  reptiles,  or  those  of  the  serpent  kind  ; 
cartilaginous  fishes;  spinous  fishes;  shelled 
animals ;  insects ;  and  worms.  He  divides 
the  quadrupeds  into  eighteen  orders ;  and 
takes  their  distinctions  from  the  number  and 
form  of  their  teeth. 

But  of  all  those  whose  systems  have  been 
adopted  and  admired,  Linnaeus  is  the  fore- 
most; as,  with  a  studied  brevity,  his  system 
comprehends  the  greatest  variety  in  the  small- 
est space. 

According  to  him,  the  first  distinction  of 
animals  is  to  be  taken  from  their  internal 
structure.  Some  have  the  heart  with  two 
ventricles,  and  hot  red  blood ;  namely,  quad- 
rupeds and  birds.  The  quadrupeds  are  vi- 
viparous, and  the  birds  oviparous. 

Some  have  the  heart  with  but  one  ventricle, 
and  cold  red  blood ;  namely,  amphibia  and 
fishes.  The  amphibia  are  furnished  with 
lungs ;  the  fishes  with  gills. 

Some  have  the  heart  with  one  ventricle, 
and  cold  white  serum;  namely,  insects  and 
worms :  the  insects  have  feelers ;  and  the 
worms,  holders. 

The  distinctions  of  quadrupeds,  or  animals 
with  paps,  as  he  calls  them,  are  taken  from 
their  teeth.  He  divides  them  into  seven 


•202 


A  HISTORY  OF 


orders ;  to  which  he  gives  names  that  are  not 
easy  of  translation:  Primates,  or  principles, 
with  four  cutting  teeth  in  each  jaw ;  Bruta,  or 
brutes,  with  no  cutting  teeth;  Ferce,  or  wild 
beasts,  with  generally  six  cutting  teeth  in  each 
jaw;  Glires,  or  dormice,  with  two  cutting 
teeth,  both  above  and  below;  Pecora,  or  cat- 
tle, with  many  cutting  teeth  above,  and  none 
below;  Belluae,  or  beasts,  with  the  fore-teeth 
blunt ;  Cete,  or  those  of  the  whale  kind,  with 
cartilaginous  teeth.  I  have  but  just  sketched 
out  this  system,  as  being,  in  its  own  nature, 
the  closest-  abridgment:  it  would  take  vo- 
lumes to  dilate  it  to  its  proper  length.  The 
names  of  the  different  animals,  and  their  clas- 
ses, alone  make  two  thick  octavo  volumes; 
and  yet  nothing  is  given  but  the  slightest  de- 
scription of  each.  I  have  omitted  all  criticism 
also  upon  the  accuracy  of  the  preceding  sys- 
tems :  this  has  been  done  both  by  Buffon  and 
Daubenton,  not  with  less  truth  than  humour ; 
for  they  had  too  much  good  sense  not  to  see 
the  absurdity  of  multiplying  the  terms  of  sci- 
ence to  no  end,  and  disappointing  our  curi- 
osity rather  with  a  catalogue  of  nature's  va- 
rieties, than  a  history  of  nature. 

Instead,  therefore,  of  taxing  the  memory 
and  teazing  the  patience  with  such  a  variety 
of  divisions  and  subdivisions,  I  will  take  leave 
to  class  the  productions  of  nature  in  the  most 
obvious,  though  not  in  the  most  accurate, 
manner.  In  natural  history,  of  all  other  sci- 
ences, there  is  the  least  danger  of  obscurity. 
In  morals,  or  in  metaphysics,  every  definition 
must  be  precise,  because  those  sciences  are 
built  upon  definitions;  but  it  is  otherwise  in 
those  subjects  where  the  exhibition  of  the 
object  itself  is  always  capable  of  correcting 
the  error.  Thus  it  may  often  happen,  that 
in  a  lax  system  of  natural  history,  a  creature 
may  be  ranked  among  quadrupeds  that  be- 
longs more  properly  to  the  fish  or  the  insect 
classes.  But  that  can  produce  very  little 
confusion,  and  every  reader  can  thus  make 
a  system  the  most  agreeable  to  his  own  ima- 
gination. It  will  be  of  no  manner  of  conse- 
quence whether  we  call  a  bird  or  an  insect 
a  quadruped,  if  we  are  careful  in  marking  all 
its  distinctions :  the  uncertainty  in  reasoning, 
or  thinking,  that  these  approximations  of  the 
different  kinds  of  animals  produce,  is  bu'  very 
and  happens  but  very  rarely :  whereas 


the  labour  that  naturalists  have  been  at  to 
keep  the  kinds  asu-ider,  has  been  excessive. 
This,  in  general.  Ins  given  birth  to  th;it  va- 
riety of  systems  which  we  have  just  mention- 
ed, each  of  which  seems  to  be  almost  as 
good  as  the  preceding. 

Taking,  therefore,  this  htitude,  and  using 
method  only  where  it  contributes  to  concise- 
ness or  perspicuity,  we  shall  divide  animated 
nature  into  four  classes;  namely, Quadrupeds, 
Birds,  Fishes,  and  Insects.  All  these  seem 
in  general  pretty  well  distinguished  from 
each  other  by  nature;  yet  there  are  several 
instances  in  which  we  can  scarcely  tell 
whether  it  is  a  bird  or  a  quadruped  that  we 
are  about  to  examine;  whether  it  is  a  fish  or 
an  insect  that  offers  to  our  curiosity.  Nature 
is  varied  by  imperceptible  gradations,  so  that 
no  line  can  be  drawn  between  any  two  classes 
of  its  productions,  and  no  definition  made  to 
comprehend  them  all.  However,  the  dis- 
tinctions between  these  classes  are  suffi- 
ciently marked,  and  their  encroachments 
upon  each  other  are  so  rare,  that  it  will  be 
suificient  particularly  to  apprize  the  reader 
when  they  happen  to  be  blended. 

There  are  many  quadrupeds  that  we  are 
well  acquainted  with ;  and  of  those  we  do  not 
know,  we  shall  form  the  most  clear  and  dis- 
tinct conceptions,  by  being  told  wherein  they 
differ,  and  wherein  they  resemble  those  with 
which  we  are  familiar.  Each  class  of  quad- 
rupeds may  be  ranged  under  some  one  of  the 
domestic  kinds,  that  may  serve  for  the  model 
by  which  we  are  to  form  some  kind  of  idea 
of  the  rest.  Thus  we  may  say  that  a  tiger  is 
of  the  cat  kind, a  wolf  of  the  dog  kind, because 
there  are  some  rude  resemblances  between 
each ;  and  a  person  who  has  never  seen  the 
wild  animals,  will  have  some  incomplete  know- 
ledge of  their  figure  from  the  tame  ones.  On 
the  contrary,  I  will  not,  as  some  systematic 
writers  have  done,"  say  that  the  bat  is  of  the 
human  kind,  or  a  hog  of  the  horse  kind,  mere- 
ly because  there  is  some  resemblance  in  their 
teeth,  or  their  paps.  For  although  this  resem- 
blance may  be  striking  enough,  yet  a  person 
who  has  never  seen  a  bat  or  a  hog,  will  never 
form  any  just  conception  of  either,  by  being 
told  of  this  minute  similitude.  In  short,  the 

"  Linnsei  Sv«t. 


ANIMALS. 


203 


method  in  classing  quadrupeds  should  be  ta- 
ken from  their  most  striking  resemblances ; 
and  where  these  do  not  offer,  we  shall  not 
force  the  similitude,  but  leave  the  animal  to 
be  described  as  a  solitary  species.  The  num- 
ber of  quadrupeds  is  so  few,  that  indeed,  with- 
out any  method  whatever,  there  is  no  great 
danger  of  confusion. 

All  quadrupeds,  the  number  of  which,  ac- 
cording to  Buffbn,  amounts  to  but  two  hun- 
dred, may  be  classed  in  the  following^  manner. 

First,  those  of  the  Horse  kind.  This  class 
contains  the  Horse,  the  Ass,  and  the  Zebra. 
Of  these  none  have  horns,  and  their  hoof  is  of 
one  solid  piece. 

The  second  class  are  those  of  the  Cow  kind; 
comprehending  the  Urus,  the  Buffalo,  the  Bi- 
son, and  the  Bonassus.  These  have  cloven 
hoofs,  and  chew  the  cud. 

The  third  class  is  that  of  the  Sheep  kind ; 
with  cloven  hoofs,  and  chewing  the  cud  like 
the  former.  In  this  is  comprehended  the 
Sheep,  the  Goat,  the  Lama,  the  Vigogne,  the 
Gazella,  the  Guinea  Deer,  and  all  of  a  simi- 
lar form. 

The  fourth  class  is  that  of  the  Deer  kind, 
with  cloven  hoofs,  and  with  solid  horns,  that 
are  shed  every  year.  This  class  contains  the 
Elk,  the  Rein-deer,  the  Stag,  the  Buck,  the 
Roe-buck,  and  the  Axis. 

The  fifth  class  comprehends  all  those  of 
the  Hog  kind,  the  Peccari,  and  the  Baby- 
rouessa. 

The  sixth  class  is,  that  numerous  one  of  the 
Cat  kind.  This  comprehends  the  Cat,  the 
Lion,  the  Panther,  the  Leopard,  the  Jaguar, 
the  Cougar,  the  Jaguarette,  the  Lynx,  the 
Ounce,  and  the  Catamountain.  These  are 
all  carnivorous,  and  furnished  with  crooked 
claws,  which  they  can  sheath  and  unsheath 
at  pleasure. 

The  seventh  class  is  that  of  the  Dog  kind, 
carnivorous,  and  furnished  with  claws  like  the 
former,  but  which  they  cannot  sheath.  This 
class  comprehends  the  Dog,  the  Wolf,  the  Fox, 
the  Jackal,  the  Isatis,  the  Hyaena,  the  Ciret, 
the  Gibet,  and  the  Genet. 

The  eighth  class  is  that  of  the  Weasel  kind, 
with  a  long  small  body,  with  five  toes,  or  claws, 
on  each  foot ;  the  first  of  them  separated  from 
the  rest  like  a  thumb.  This  comprehends 
the  Weasel,  the  Martin,  the  Pole-cat,  the  Fer- 


ret, the  Mangoust,  the  Vansire,  the  Ermine, 
with  all  the  varieties  of  the  American  Mou- 
fettes. 

The  ninth  class  is  that  of  the  Rabbit  kind, 
with  two  large  cutting  teeth  in  each  jaw. 
This  comprehends  the  Rabbit,  the  Hare,  the 
Guinea-pig,  all  the  various  species  of  the 
Squirrel,  the  Dormouse,  the  Marmotte,  the 
Rat,  the  Mouse,  the  Agouti,  the  Paca,  the 
Aperea,  and  the  Tapeti. 

The  tenth  class  is  that  of  the  Hedge-hog 
kind,  with  claw-feet,  and  covered  with  pric- 
kles ;  comprehending  the  Hedge-hog  and  the 
Porcupine,  the  Couando  and  the  Urson. 

The  eleventh  class  is  that  of  the  Tortoise 
kind,  covered  with  a  shell,  or  scales.  This 
comprehends  the  Tortoise,  the  Pangolin,  and 
the  Phataguin. 

The  twelfth  is  that  of  the  Otter,  or  amphi- 
bious kind ;  comprehending  the  Otter,  the 
Beaver,  the  Desman,  the  Morse,  and  the  Seal. 

The  thirteenth  class  is  that  of  the  Ape  and 
Monkey  kinds,  with  hands,  and  feet  resem- 
bling hands. 

The  fourteenth  class  is  that  of  winged  quad- 
rupeds, or  the  Bat  kind ;  containing  the  Bat, 
the  Flying  Squirrel,  and  some  other  varieties. 

The  animals  which  seem  to  approach  no 
other  kind,  either  in  nature  or  in  form,  but  to 
make  each  a  distinct  species  in  itself,  are  the 
following :  the  Elephant,  the  Rhinoceros,  the 
Hippopotamus,  the  Camelopard,  the  Camel, 
the  Bear,  the  Badger,  the  Tapir,  the  Cabrai, 
the  Coati,  the  Ant-bear,  the  Tatou,  and,  last- 
ly, the  Sloth. 

All  other  quadrupeds,  whose  names  are  not 
set  down,  will  be  found  among  some  of  the 
above  mentioned  classes,  and  referred  to  that 
which  they  most  resemble.  When,  therefore, 
we  are  at  a  loss  to  know  the  name  of  any  par- 
ticular animal,  by  examining  which  of  the 
known  kinds  it  most  resembles,  either  in 
shape,  or  in  hoofs,  or  claws,  and  then  exami- 
ning the  particular  description,  we  shall  be 
able  to  discover  not  only  its  name,  but  its  his- 
tory. I  have  already  said,  that  all  methods 
of  this  kind  are  merely  arbitrary,  and  that 
Nature  makes  no  exact  distinction  between 
her  productions.  It  is  hard,  for  instance,  to 
;  tell  whether  we  ought  to  refer  the  civet  to  the 
dog  or  the  cat  kind;  but,  if  we  know  the  ex- 
I  act  history  of  the  civet,  it  is  no  great  matter 

2N 


204 


A  HISTORY  OF 


to  which  kind  we  shall  judge  it  to  bear  the 
greatest  resemblance.  It  is  enough,  that  a 
distribution  of  this  kind  excites  in  us  some 
rude  outlines  of  the  make,  or  some  marked  si- 
militudes in  the  nature  of  these  animals  ;  but 
to  know  them  with  any  precision,  no  system, 
or  even  description,  will  serve,  since  the  ani- 
mal itself,  or  a  good  print  of  it,  must  be  seen, 
and  its  history  be  read  at  length,  before  it 
can  be  said  to  be  known.  To  pretend  to  say 
that  we  have  an  idea  of  a  quadruped,  because 
we  can  tell  the  number  or  the  make  of  its 
teeth,  or  its  paps,  is  as  absurd  as  if  we  should 
pretend  to  distinguish  men  by  the  buttons  of 
their  clothes.  Indeed  it  often  happens  that 
the  quadruped  itself  can  be  but  seldom  seen ; 
that  many  of  the  more  rare  kinds  do  not  come 
into  Europe  above  once  in  an  age,  and  some 
of  them  have  never  been  able  to  bear  the  re- 
moval :  in  such  a  case,  therefore,  there  is  no 
other  substitute  but  a  good  print  of  the  ani- 
mal, to  give  an  idea  of  its  figure :  for  no  de- 
scription whatsoever  can  answer  this  purpose 
so  well.  Mr.  Locke,  with  his  usual  good  sense, 
has  observed,  that  a  drawing  of  the  animal, 
taken  from  the  life,  is  one  of  the  best  me- 
thods of  advancing  natural  history;  and  yet, 
most  of  our  modern  systematic  writers  are 
content  rather  with  describing.  Descriptions, 
no  doubt,  will  go  some  way  towards  giving  an 
idea  of  the  figure  of  an  animal ;  but  they  are 
certainly  much  the  longest  way  about,  and, 
as  they  are  usually  managed,  much  the  most 
obscure.  In  a  drawing  we  can,  at  a  single 


glance,  gather  more  instruction  than  by  a 
day's  painful  investigation  of  methodical  sys- 
tems, where  we  are  told  the  proportions  with 
great  exactness,  and  yet  remain  ignorant  of 
the  totality.  In  fact,  this  method  of  describing 
all  things  is  a  fault  that  has  infected  many  of 
our  books,  that  treat  on  the  meaner  arts,  for 
this  last  age.  They  attempt  to  teach  by 
words,  what  is  only  to  be  learnt  by  practice 
and  inspection.  Most  of  our  dictionaries,  and 
bodies  of  arts  and  sciences,  are  guilty  of  this 
error.  Suppose,  for  instance,  it  be  requisite 
to  mention  the  mariner  of  making  shoes,  it  is 
plain  that  all  the  verbal  instructions  in  the 
world  will  never  give  an  adequate  idea  of  this 
humble  art,  or  teach  a  man  to  become  a  shoe- 
maker. A  day  or  two  in  a  shoemaker's  shop 
will  answer  the  end  better  than  a  whole  fo- 
lio of  instruction,  which  only  serves  to  oppress 
the  learner  with  the  weight  of  its  pretended 
importance.  We  have  lately  seen  a  laborious 
work  carried  on  at  Paris,  with  this  only  intent, 
of  teaching  all  the  trades  by  description : 
however,  the  design  at  first  blush  seems  to  be 
ill  considered ;  and  it  is  probable  that  very 
few  advantages  will  be  derived  from  so  labo- 
rious an  undertaking.  With  regard  to  the 
descriptions  in  natural  history,  these,  without 
all  question,  under  the  direction  of  good  sense, 
are  necessary;  but  still  they  should  be  kept 
within  proper  bounds ;  and,  whore  a  thing 
may  be  much  more  easily  shown  than  describ- 
ed, the  exhibition  should  ever  precede  the 
account. 


— e®e«— 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

OF  QUADRUPEDS  IN  GENERAL,  COMPARED  TO  MAN 


UPON  comparing  the  various  animals  of 
*,he  globe  with  each  other,  we  shall  find  that 
quadrupeds  demand  the  rank  immediately 
next  ourselves ;  and,  consequently,  come  first 
in  consideration.  The  similitude  between 
the  structure  of  their  bodies  and  ours,  those 
instincts  which  they  enjoy  in  a  superior  de- 
gree to  the  rest,  their  constant  services,  or 
their  unceasing  hostilities,  all  render  them 


the  foremost  objects  of  our  curiosity,  the  most 
interesting  parts  of  animated  nature.  These, 
however,  although  now  so  completely  sub- 
dued, very  probably,  in  the  beginning,  were 
nearer  upon  an  equality  with  us,  and  disputed 
the  possession  of  the  earth.  Man,  while  yet 
savage  himself,  was  but  ill  qualified  to  civilize 
the  forest.  While  yet  naked,  unarmed,  and 
without  shelter,  every  wild  beast  was  a  for- 


ANIMALS. 


205 


midable  rival;  and  the  destruction  of  such 
was  the  first  employment  of  heroes.  But 
when  he  began  to  multiply,  and  arts  to  accu- 
mulate, he  soon  cleared  the  plains  of  the  most 
noxious  of  these  his  rivals;  a  part  was  taken 
under  his  protection  and  care,  while  the  rest 
found  a  precarious  refuge  in  the  burning  de- 
sert, or  the  howling  wilderness. 

From  being  rivals,  quadrupeds  have  now 
become  the  assistants  of  man;  upon  them  he 
devolves  the  most  laborious  employments, 
and  finds  in  them  patient  and  humble  coad- 
jutors, ready  to  obey,  and  content  witu  the 
smallest  retribution.  It  was  not,  however, 
without  long  and  repeated  efforts  that  the 
independent  spirit  of  these  animals  was 
broken ;  for  the  savage  freedom,  in  wild  ani- 
mals, is  generally  found  to  pass  down  through 
several  generations  before  it  is  totally  sub- 
dued. Those  cats  and  dogs  that  are  taken 
from  a  state  of  natural  wildness  in  the  forest, 
still  transmit  their  fierceness  to  their  young; 
and,  however  concealed  in  general,  it  breaks 
out  upon  several  occasions.  Thus  the  assi- 
duity and  application  of  man  in  bringii.g  them 
up,  not  only  alters  their  disposition,  but  their 
very  forms;  and  the  difference  between  ani- 
mals in  a  state  of  nature  and  domestic  tame- 
ness,  is  so  considerable,  that  Mr.  Buffbn  has 
taken  this  as  a  principal  distinction  in  class- 
ing them. 

In  taking  a  cursory  view  of  the  form  of 
quadrupeds,  we  may  easily  perceive,  that  of 
all  the  ranks  of  animated  nature,  they  bear 
the  nearest  resemblance  to  man.  This  simi- 
litude will  be  found  more  striking  when, 
erecting  themselves  on  their  hinder  feet,  they 
are  taught  to  walk  forward  in  an  upright 
posture.  We  then  see  that  all  their  extremi- 
ties in  a  manner  correspond  with  ours,  and 
present  us  with  a  rude  imitation  of  our  own. 
In  some  of  the  ape  kind  the  resemblance  is  so 
striking,  that  anatomists  are  puzzled  to  find 
in  what  part  of  the  human  body  man's  supe- 
riority consists;  and  scarcely  any  but  the 
metaphysician  can  draw  the  line  that  divides 
them. 

But  if  we  compare  their  internal  structure 
with  our  own,  the  likeness  will  be  found  still 
to  increase,  and  we  shall  perceive  many  ad- 
vantages they  enjoy  in  common  with  us,  above 
the  lower  tribes  of  nature.  Like  us,  they  are 


placed  above  the  class  of  birds,  by  bringing 
forth  their  young  alive  ;  like  us,  they  are  pla- 
ced above  the  class  of  fishes,  by  breathing 
through  the  lungs;  like  us,  they  are  placed 
above  the  class  of  insects,  by  having  red  blood 
circulating  through  their  veins;  and,  lastly, 
like  us,  they  are  different  from  almost  all  the 
other  classes  of  animated  nature,  being  either 
wholly  or  partly  covered  with  hair.  Thus 
nearly  are  we  represented,  in  point  of  confor- 
mation, to  the  class  of  animals  immediately 
below  us ;  and  this  shows  w  hat  little  reason 
we  have  to  be  proud  of  our  persons  alone, 
to  the  perfection  of  which  quadrupeds  make 
such  very  near  approaches. 

The  similitude  of  quadrupeds  to  man  ob- 
tains also  in  the  fixedness  of  their  nature,  and 
their  being  less  apt  to  be  changed  by  the  in- 
fluence of  climate  or  food,  than  the  lower  ranks 
of  nature.3  Birds  are  found  very  apt  to  alter 
both  in  colour  and  size ;  fishes  likewise  still 
more ;  insects  may  be  quickly  brought  to 
change  and  adapt  themselves  to  the  climate  ; 
and  if  we  descend  to  plants,  which  may  be  al- 
lowed to  have  a  kind  of  living  existence,  their 
kinds  may  be  surprisingly  and  readily  alter- 
ed, and  taught  to  assume  new  forms.  The 
figure  of  every  animal  may  be  considered  as 
a  kind  of  drapery,  which  it  may  be  made  to 
put  on  or  off  by  human  assiduity :  in  man, 
the  drapery  is  almost  invariable ;  in  quadru- 
peds, it  admits  of  some  variation ;  and  the 
variety  may  be  made  greater  still,  as  we  de- 
scend to  the  inferior  classes  of  animal  exist- 
ence. 

Quadrupeds,  although  they  are  thus  strong- 
ly marked,  and  in  general  divided  from  the 
various  kinds  around  them,  yet  some  of  them 
are  often  of  so  equivocal  a  nature,  that  it  is 
hard  to  tell  whether  they  ought  to  be  ranked 
in  the  quadruped  class,  or  degraded  to  those 
below  (hern.  If,  for  instance,  we  were  to 
marshal  the  whole  group  of  animals  round 
man,  placing  the  most  perfect  next  him,  and 
those  most  equivocal  near  the  classes  they 
most  approach,  we  should  find  it  difficult,  after 
the  principal  had  taken  their  stations  near 
him,  where  to  place  many  that  lie  at  the  out- 
skirts of  this  phalanx.  The  bat  makes  a  near 
approach  to  the  aerial  tribe,  and  might,  by 

"  Buflbn,  vol.  xviii.  p.  179. 

2N« 


206 


A  HISTORY  OF 


some,  be  reckoned  among  the  birds.  The 
porcupine  has  not  less  protrusions  to  that  class, 
being  covered  with  quills,  and  showing  that 
birds  are  not  the  only  part  of  nature  that  are 
furnished  with  such  a  defence.  The  armadillo 
might  be  referred  to  the  tribe  of  insects  or 
snails,  being,  like  them,  covered  with  a  shell ; 
the  seal  and  the  morse  might  be  ranked  among 
the  fishes,  like  them  being  furnished  with  fins, 
and  almost  constantly  residing  in  the  same  ele- 
ment. All  these,  the  farther  th^y  recede  from 
the  human  figure,  become  less  perfect,  and 
may  be  considered  as  the  lowest  kinds  of  that 
class  to  which  we  have  referred  them. 

But  although  the  variety  in  quadrupeds  is 
thus  great,  they  all  seem  well  adapted  to  the 
stations  in  which  they  are  placed.  There  is 
scarcely  one  of  them,  how  rudely  shaped  so- 
ever, that  is  not  formed  to  enjoy  a  state  of  hap- 
piness fitted  to  its  nature.  All  its  deformities 
are  only  relative  to  us,  but  all  its  enjoyments 
are  peculiarly  its  own.  We  may  superficially 
suppose  the  sloth,  that  takes  up  months  in 
climbing  a  single  tree,  or  the  mole,  whose 
eyes  are  too  small  for  distant  vision,  are 
wretched  and  helpless  creatures  :  but  it  is  pro- 
bable that  their  life,  with  respect  to  themselves, 
is  a  life  of  luxury ;  the  most  pleasing  food  is 
easily  obtained ;  and  as  they  are  abridged  in 
one  pleasure,  it  may  be  doubled  in  those  which 
remain.  Quadrupeds,  and  all  the  lower  kinds 
of  animals,  have,  at  worst,  but  the  torments 
of  immediate  evil  to  encounter,  and  this  is  but 
transient  and  accidental :  man  has  two  sources 
of  calamity,  that  which  he  foresees,  as  well  as 
that  which  he  feels ;  so  that,  if  his  reward 
were  to  be  in  this  life  alone,  then,  indeed, 
would  he  be,  of  all  beings,  the  most  wretched. 

The  heads  of  quadrupeds,  though  differing 
from  each  other,  are,  in  general,  adapted  to 
their  way  of  living.  In  some  it  is  sharp,  the 
better  to  fit  the  animal  for  turning  up  the  earth 
in  which  its  food  lies.  In  some  it  is  long,  in 
orfter  to  give  a  greater  room  for  the  olfactory 
nerves,  as  in  dogs,  who  are  to  hunt  and  find 
out  their  prey  by  the  scent.  In  others  it  is 
short  and  thick,  as  in  the  lion,  to  increase  the 
strength  of  the  jaw,  and  to  fit  it  the  better  for 
combat.  In  quadrupeds  that  feed  upon  grass, 
they  are  enabled  to  hold  down  their  heads  to 
the  ground,  by  a  strong  tendinous  ligament, 
that  runs  from  the  head  to  the  middle  of  the 
back.  This  serves  to  raise  the  head,  although 


it  has  been  held  to  the  ground  for  several 
hours,  without  any  labour,  or  any  assistance 
from  the  muscles  of  the  neck. 

The  teeth  of  all  animals  are  entirely  fitted 
to  the  nature  of  their  food.  Those  of  such  as 
live  upon  flesh  differ  in  every  respect  from 
such  as  live  upon  vegetables.  la  the  latter 
they  seem  entirely  made  for  gathering  and 
bruising  their  simple  food,  being  edged  before, 
and  fitted  for  cutting ;  but  broad  towards  the 
back  of  the  jaw,  and  fitted  for  pounding.  In 
the  carnivorous  kinds,  they  are  sharp  before, 
and  fitted  rather  for  holding  than  dividing. 
In  the  one,  the  teeth  serve  as  grindstones;  in 
the  other,  as  weapons  of  defence :  in  both, 
however,  the  surface  of  those  teeth  which  serve 
for  grinding  are  unequal ;  the  cavities  and 
risings  fitting  those  of  the  opposite,  so  as  to 
tally  exactly  when  the  jaws  are  brought  to- 
gether. These  inequalities  better  serve  for 
comminuting  the  food ;  but  they  become 
smooth  with  age;  and,  for  this  reason,  old 
animals  take  a  longer  time  to  chew  their  food 
than  such  as  are  in  the  vigour  of  life. 

Their  legs  are  not  better  fitted  than  their 
teeth  to  their  respective  wants  or  enjoyments. 
In  some  they  are  made  for  strength  only,  and 
to  support  a  vast  unwieldly  frame,  without 
much  flexibility  or  beautiful  proportion.  Thus 
the  legs  of  the  elephant,  the  rhinoceros,  and 
the  sea-horse,  resemble  pillars:  were  they 
made  smaller,  they  would  be  unfit  to  support 
the  body ;  were  they  endowed  with  greater 
flexibility,  or  swiftness,  that  would  be  needless, 
as  they  do  not  pursue  other  animals  for  food  ; 
and,  conscious  of  their  own  superior  strength, 
there  are  none  that  they  deiun  to  a  void.  Deers, 
hares,  and  other  creatures,  that  are  to  find  safe- 
ty only  in  flight,  have  their  legs  made  entirely 
for  speed  ;  they  are  slender  and  nervous.  Were 
it  not  for  this  advantage,  every  carnivorous  ani- 
mal would  soon  make  them  a  prey,  and  their 
races  would  be  entirely  extinguished.  But, 
i  in  the  present  state  of  nature,  the  means  of 
safety  are  rather  superior  to  those  of  offence ; 
I  and  the  pursuing  animal  mu.-i  i>  \  e  success  only 
i  to  patience,  perseverance,  and  industry.  The 
feet  of  some,  that  live  upon  lish  alone,  are 
made  for  swimming.  Tlu-  !•••  s  of  these  ani- 
mals are  joined  together  \\iih  membranes, 
being  web-footed  like  a  goose  or  a  duck,  by 
which  they  swim  with  great  rar.idjty.  Those 
animals  that  lead  a  life  of  hostility,  and  live 


ANIMALS. 


207 


upon  others,  have  their  feet  armed  with  sharp 
claws,  which  some  can  sheath  and  unsheath 
at  will.  Those,  on  the  contrary,  who  lead 
peaceful  lives,  have  generally  hoofs,  which 
serve  some  as  weapons  of  defence;  and  which, 
in  all,  are  better  fitted  for  traversing  extensive 
tracts  of  rugged  country  than  the  claw-foot 
of  their  pursuers. 

The  stomach  is  generally  proportioned  to 
the  quality -of  the  animal's  food,  or  the  ease 
with  which  it  is  obtained.  In  those  that  live 
upon  flesh,  and  such  nourishing  substances, 
it  is  small  and  glandular,  affording  such  juices 
as  are  best  adapted  to  digest  its  contents; 
their  intestines  also  are  short,  and  without 
fatness.  On  the  contrary,  such  animals  as 
feed  entirely  upon  vegetables,  have  the  sto- 
mach very  large ;  and  those  who  chew  the 
cud  have  no  less  than  four  stomachs,  all  which 
serve  as  so  many  laboratories,  to  prepare  and 
turn  their  coarse  food  into  proper  nourish- 
ment. In  Africa,  where  the  plants  afford 
greater  nourishment  than  in  our  temperate 
climates,  several  animals,  that  with  us  have 
four  stomachs,  have  there  but  two."  How- 
ever, in  all  animals  the  size  of  the  intestines 
is  proportioned  to  the  nature  of  the  food : 
where  that  is  furnished  in  large  quantities, 
the  stomach  dilates  to  answer  the  increase. 
In  domestic  animals,  that  are  plentifully  sup- 
plied, it  is  large ;  in  the  wild  animals,  that 
live  precariously,  it  is  much  more  contracted, 
and  the  intestines  are  much  shorter. 

In  this  manner,  all  animals  are  fitted  by  na- 
ture to  fill  up  some  peculiar  station.  The 
«••  Mtest  animals  are  made  for  an  inoffensive 
life,  to  range  the  plains  and  the  forest  without 
injuring  others;  to  live  upon  the  productions 
of  the  earth,  the  grass  of  the  field,  or  the  ten- 
df-i  branches  of  trees.  These,  secure  in  their 
own  strength,  neither  fly  from  any  other  quad- 
rupeds, nor  yet  attack  them :  Nature,  to  the 
greatest  strength,  has  added  the  most  gentle 
and  harmless  dispositions  :  without  this,  those 
enormous  creatures  would  be  more  than  a 
match  for  all  the  rest  of  the  creation;  for 
what  devastation  might  not  ensue,  were  the 
elephant,  or  the  rhinoceros,  or  the  buffalo,  as 
fierce  -and  as  mischievous  as  the  tiger  or  the 
rat  ?  In  order  to  oppose  these  larger  animals, 

»  Bufion. 


and  in  some  measure  to  prevent  their  exuber- 
ance, there  is  a  species  of  the  carnivorous 
kind,  of  inferior  strength  indeed,  but  of  greater 
activity  and  cunning.  The  lion  and  the  tiger 
generally  watch  for  the  larger  kinds  of  prey, 
attack  them  at  some  disadvantage,  and  com- 
monly jump  upon  them  by  surprise.  None 
of  the  carnivorous  kinds,  except  the  dog  alone, 
will  make  a  voluntary  attack,  but  with  the  odds 
on  their  side.  They  are  all  cowards  by  na- 
ture, and  usually  catch  their  prey  by  a  bound 
from  some  lurking-place,  seldom  attempting 
to  invade  them  openly;  for  the  larger  beasts 
are  too  powerful  for  them,  and  the  smallei 
too  swift. 

A  lion  does  not  willingly  attack  a  horse ; 
and  then  only  when  compelled  by  the  keen- 
est hunger.  The  combats  between  a  lion 
and  a  horse  are  frequent  enough  in  Italy ; 
where  they  are  both  enclosed  in  a  kind  of 
amphitheatre,  fitted  for  that  purpose.  The 
lion  always  approaches  wheeling  about,  while 
the  horse  presents  his  hinder  parts  to  the  ene- 
my. The  lion  in  this  manner  goes  round  and 
round,  still  narrowing  his  circle,  till  he  comes 
to  the  proper  distance  to  make  his  spring; 
just  at  the  time  the  lion  springs,  the  horse 
lashes  with  both  legs  from  behind,  and,  in  ge- 
neral, the  odds  are  in  his  favour ;  it  more  often 
happening  that  the  lion  is  stunned,  and  struck 
motionless  by  the  blow,  than  that  he  effects 
his  jump  between  the  horse's  shoulders.  If 
the  lion  is  stunned,  and  left  sprawling,  the 
horse  escapes,  without  attempting  to  improve 
his  victory ;  but  if  the  lion  succeeds,  he  sticks 
to  his  prey,  and  tears  the  horse  in  pieces  in 
a  very  short  time. 

But  it  is  not  among  the  larger  animals  of 
the  forest  alone,  that  these  hostilities  are  car- 
ried on ;  there  is  a  minuter,  and  a  still  more 
treacherous  contest,  between  the  lower  ranks 
of  quadrupeds.  The  panther  hunts  for  the 
sheep  and  the  goat ;  the  catamountain  for  the 
hare  or  the  rabbit;  and  the  wild  cat  for  the 
squirrel  or  the  mouse.  In  proportion  as  each 
carnivorous  animal  wants  strength,  it  uses  all 
the  assistance  of  patience,  assiduity,  and  cun- 
ning. However,  the  arts  of  these  to  pursue, 
are  not  so  great  as  the  tricks  of  their  prey  to 
escape;  so  that  the  power  of  destruction  in 
one  class,  is  inferior  to  the  power  of  safety 
in  the  other.  Were  this  otherwise,  the  forest 


208 


A  HISTORY  OF 


would  soon  be  dispeopled  of  the  feebler  races 
of  animals;  and  beasts  of  prey  themselves 
would  want,  at  one  time,  that  subsistence 
which  they  lavishly  destroyed  at  another. 

Few  wild  animals  seek  their  prey  in  the 
day-time ;  they  are  then  generally  deterred 
by  their  fears  of  man  in  the  inhabited  coun- 
tries, and  by  the  excessive  heat  of  the  sun 
in  those  extensive  forests  that  lie  towards 
the  south,  and  in  which  they  reign  the  un- 
disputed tyrants.  As  soon  as  the  morning, 
therefore,  appears,  the  carnivorous  animals 
retire  to  their  dens ;  and  the  elephant,  the 
horse,  the  deer,  and  all  the  hare  kinds,  those 
inoffensive  tenants  of  the  plain,  make  their 
appearance.  But  again,  at  night-fall,  the 
state  of  hostility  begins ;  the  whole  forest  then 
echoes  to  a  variety  of  different  bowlings. 
Nothing  can  be  more  terrible  than  an  African 
landscape  at  the  close  of  evening;  the  deep- 
toned  roarings  of  the  lion ;  the  shriller  yell- 
ings  of  the  tiger;  the  jackal,  pursuing  by  the 
scent,  and  barking  like  a  dog;  the  hypena, 
with  a  note  peculiarly  solitary  and  dreadful ; 
but,  above  all,  the  hissing  of  the  various  kinds 
of  serpents,  that  then  begin  their  call,  and, 
as  I  am  assured,  make  a  much  louder  sympho- 
ny than  the  birds  in  our  groves  in  a  morning. 

Beasts  of  prey  seldom  devour  each  other ; 
nor  can  any  thing  but  the  greatest  degree  of 
hunger  induce  them  to  it.  What  they  chiefly 
seek  after,  is  the  deer,  or  the  goat ;  those 
harmless  creatures,  that  seem  made  to  em- 
bellish nature.  These  are  either  pursued  or 
surprised,  and  afford  the  most  agreeable  re- 
past to  their  destroyers.  The  most  usual 
method  with  even  the  fiercest  animals,  is  to 
hide  and  crouch  near  some  path  frequented 
by  their  prey ;  or  some  water  where  cattle 
come  to  drink;  and  seize  them  at  once  with 
a  bound.  The  lion  and  the  tiger  leap  twenty 
feet  at  a  spring ;  and  this,  rather  than  their 
swiftness  or  strength,  is  what  they  have  most 
to  depend  upon  for  a  supply.  There  is 
scarcely  one  of  the  deer  or  hare  kind,  that  is 
not  very  easily  capable  of  escaping  them  by  its 
swiftness ;  so  that  whenever  any  of  these  fall 
a  prey,  it  must  be  owing  to  their  own  inatten- 
tion. 

But  there  is  another  class  of  the  carnivo- 
rous kind,  that  hunt  by  the  scent,  and  which 
it  is  much  more  difficult  to  escape.  It  is  re- 


markable, that  all  animals  of  this  kind  pur- 
sue in  a  pack;  and  encourage  each  other  by 
their  mutual  cries.  The  jackal,  the  syagush, 
the  wolf,  and  the  dog,  are  of  this  kind ;  they 
pursue  with  patience  rather  than  swiftness  ; 
their  prey  flies  first,  and  leaves  them  for  miles 
behind  ;  but  they  keep  on  with  a  constant 
steady  pace,  and  excite  each  other  by  a  gene- 
ral spirit  of  industry  and  emulation,  till  at  last 
they  share  the  common  plunder.  But  it  too 
often  happens,  that  the  larger  beasts  of  prey, 
when  they  hear  a  cry  of  this  kind  begun,  pur- 
sue the  pack,  and  when  they  have  hunted 
down  the  animal,  come  in  and  monopolize 
the  spoil.  This  has  given  rise  to  the  report 
of  the  jackal's  being  the  lion's  provider ;  when 
the  reality  is,  that  the  jackal  hunts  for  itself, 
and  the  lion  is  an  unwelcome  intruder  upon 
the  fruit  of  his  toil. 

Nevertheless,  with  all  the  powers  which 
carnivorous  animals  are  possessed  of,  they 
generally  lead  a  life  of  famine  and  fatigue. 
Their  prey  has  such  a  variety  of  methods  for 
escaping,  that  they  sometimes  continue  with- 
out food  for  a  fortnight  together  :  but  nature 
has  endowed  them  with  a  degree  of  patience 
equal  to  the  severity  of  their  state;  so  that 
as  their  subsistence  is  precarious,  their  ap- 
petites are  complying.  They  usually  seize 
their  prey  with  a  roar,  either  of  seeming  de- 
light, or  perhaps  to  terrify  it  from  resistance. 
They  frequently  devour  it,  bones  and  all,  in 
the  most  ravenous  manner ;  and  then  retire 
to  their  dens,  continuing  inactive,  till  the  calls 
of  hunger  again  excite  their  courage  and  in- 
dustry. But  as  all  their  methods  of  pursuit 
are  counteracted  by  the  arts  of  evasion,  they 
often  continue  to  range  without  success,  sup- 
porting a  state  of  famine  for  several  days,  nay, 
sometimes,  weeks  together.  Of  their  prey, 
some  find  protection  in  holes,  in  which  na- 
ture has  directed  them  to  bury  themselves ; 
some  find  safety  by  swiftness ;  and  such  as 
are  possessed  of  neither  of  these  advantages, 
generally  herd  together,  and  endeavour  to 
repel  invasion  by  united  force.  The  very 
sheep,  which  to  us  seem  so  defenceless,  are 
by  no  means  so  in  a  state  of  nature ;  they  are 
furnished  with  arms  of  defence,  and  a  very 
great  degree  of  swiftness;  but  they  are  still 
further  assisted  by  their  spirit  of  mutual  de- 
fence :  the  females  fall  into  the  centre ;  and 


ANIMALS. 


209 


the  males,  forming  a  ring  round  them,  oppose 
their  horns  to  the  assailants. 

v  Some  animals,  that  feed  upon  fruits  which 
are  to  be  found  only  at  one  time  of  the  year, 
fill  their  holes  with  several  sorts  of  plants, 
which  enable  them  to  lie  concealed  during  the 
hard  frosts  of  the  winter,  contented  with  their 
prison,  since  it  affords  them  plenty  and  pro- 
tection. These  holes  are  dug  with  so  much 
art,  that  there  seems  the  design  of  an  architect 
in  the  formation.  There  are  usually  two  aper- 
tures, by  one  of  which  the  little  inhabitant  can 
always  escape,  when  the  enemy  is  in  possession 
of  the  other.  Many  creatures  are  equally 
careful  of  avoiding  their  enemies,  by  placing 
a  centinel  to  w;arn  them  of  the  approach  of  j 
danger.  These  generally  perform  this  duty 
by  turns ;  and  they  know  how  to  punish  such 
as  have  neglected  their  post,  or  have  been  un- 
mindful of  the  common  safety.  Such  are  a 
part  of  the  efforts  that  the  weaker  races  of 
quadrupeds  exert  to  avoid  their  invaders;  and, 
in  general,  they  are  attended  with  success. 
The  arts  of  instinct  are  most  commonly  found 
an  overmatch  for  the  invasions  of  instinct. 
Man  is  the  only  creature  against  whom  all 
their  little  tricks  cannot  prevail.  Wherever  he 
has  spread  his  dominion,  scarcely  any  flight 
can  save,  or  any  retreat  harbour ;  wherever  he 
comes,  terror  seems  to  follow,  and  all  society 
ceases  among  the  inferior  tenants  of  the  plain ; 
their  union  against  him  can  yield  them  no 
protection,  and  their  cunning  is  but  weakness. 
In  their  fellow-brutes,  they  have  an  enemy 
whom  they  can  oppose  with  an  equality  of 
advantage;  they  can  oppose  fraud  or  swift- 
ness to  force,  or  numbers  to  invasion  ;  but 
what  can  be  done  against  such  an  enemy  as 
man,  who  finds  them  out  though  unseen  ;  and 
though  remote,  destroys  them  ?  Wherever  he 
comes,  all  the  contest  among  the  meaner  ranks 
seem  to  be  at  an  end,  or  is  carried  on  only  by 
surprise.  Such  as  he  has  thought  proper  to 
protect,  have  calmly  submitted  to  his  protec- 
tion ;  such  as  he  has  found  it  convenient  to 
destroy,  carry  on  an  unequal  war,  and  their 
numbers  are  every  day  decreasing. 

The  wild  animal  is  subject  to  few  altera- 
tions ;  and,  in  a  state  of  savage  nature,  con- 
tinues for  ages  the  same,  in  size,  shape,  and 
colour.  But  it  is  otherwise  when  subdued, 
and  taken  under  the  protection  of  man  ;  its 
external  form,  and  even  its  internal  structure, 


are  altered  by  human  assiduity :  and  this  is 
one  of  the  first  and  greatest  causes  of  the  va- 
riety that  we  see  among  the  several  quadru- 
peds of  the  same  species.  Man  appears  to 
have  changed  the  very  nature  of  domestic  ani- 
mals, by  cultivation  and  care.  A  domestic 
animal  is  a  slave  that  seems  to  have  few  other 
desires  but  such  as  man  is  willing  to  allow  it. 
Humble,  patient,  resigned,  and  attentive,  it 
fills  up  the  duties  of  its  station  ;  ready  for  la- 
bour, and  content  with  subsistence. 

Almost  all  domestic  animals  seem  to  bear 
the  marks  of  servitude  strong  upon  them.  All 
the  varieties  in  their  colour,  all  the  fineness 
and  length  of  their  hair,  together  with  the  de- 
pending length  of  their  ears,  seem  to  have 
arisen  from  a  long  continuance  of  domestic 
slavery.  What  an  immense  variety  is  there 
to  be  found  in  the  ordinary  race  of  dogs  and 
horses!  the  principal  differences  of  which  have 
been  effected  by  the  industry  of  man,  so  adapt- 
ing the  food,  the  treatment,  the  labour,  and 
the  climate,  that  Nature  seems  almost  to  have 
forgotten  her  original  design  ;  and  the  tame 
animal  no  longer  bears  any  resemblance  to  its 
ancestors  in  the  woods  around  him. 

In  this  manner,  nature  is  under  a  kind  of 
constraint,  in  those  animals  we  have  taught  to 
live  in  a  state  of  servitude  near  us.  The 
savage  animals  preserve  the  marks  of  their 
first  formation;  their  colours  are  generally  the 
same ;  a  rough  dusky  brown,  or  a  tawny,  seem 
almost  their  only  varieties.  But  it  is  other- 
wise in  the  tame ;  their  colours  arc  various, 
and  their  forms  different  from  each  other.  The 
nature  of  the  climate  indeed  operates  upon  all; 
but  more  particularly  on  these.  That  nourish- 
ment which  is  prepared  by  the  hand  of  man, 
not  adapted  to  their  appetites,  but  to  suit  his 
own  convenience  ;  that  climate,  the  rigours  of 
which  he  can  soften;  and  that  employment  to 
which  they  are  sometimes  assigned  ;  produce 
a  number  of  distinctions  that  are  not  to  be 
found  among  the  savage  animals.  These,  at 
first,  were  accidental,  but  in  time  became  here- 
ditary ;  and  a  new  race  of  artificial  monsters 
are  propagated,  rather  to  answer  the  purposes 
of  human  pleasure  than  their  own  convenience. 
In  short,  their  very  appetites  may  be  changed; 
and  those  that  feed  only  upon  grass  may  be 
rendered  carnivorous.  I  have  seen  a  sheep 
that  would  eat  flesh,  and  a  horse  that  was 
fond  of  ovsters. 


210 


A  HISTORY  OF 


But  not  their  appetites,  or  their  figure  alone, 
but  their  very  dispositions,  and  their  natural 
sagacity,  are  altered  by  the  vicinity  of  man. 
In  those  countries  where  men  have  seldom  in- 
truded, some  animals  have  been  found,  estab- 
lished in  a  kind  of  civil  state  of  society.  Re- 
mote from  the  tyranny  of  man,  they  seem  to 
have  a  spirit  of  mutual  benevolence,  and  mu- 
tual friendship.  The  beavers,  in  those  distant 
solitudes,  are  known  to  build  like  architects, 
and  rule  like  citizens.  The  habitations  that 
these  have  been  seen  to  erect,  exceed  the 
houses  of  the  human  inhabitants  of  the  same 
country,  both  in  neatness  and  convenience. 
But  as  soon  as  man  intrudes  upon  their  society, 
they  seem  impressed  with  the  terrors  of  their 
inferior  situation,  their  spirit  of  society  ceases, 
the  bond  is  dissolved,  and  every  animal  looks 
for  safety  in  solitude,  and  there  tries  all  its 
little  industry  to  shift  only  for  itself. 

Next  to  human  influence,  the  climate  seems 
to  have  the  strongest  effects  both  upon  the 
nature  and  the  form  of  quadrupeds.  As  in 
man  we  have  seen  some  alterations  produced 
by  the  variety  of  his  situation  ;  so  in  the  lower 
ranks,  that  are  more  subject  to  variation,  the 
influence  of  climate  is  more  readily  perceived. 
As  these  are  more  nearly  attached  to  the  earth, 
and  in  a  manner  connected  to  the  soil ;  as 
they  have  none  of  the  arts  of  shielding  off  the 
inclemency  of  the  weather,  or  softening  the 
rigours  of  the  sun,  they  are  consequently  more 
changed  by  its  variations.  In  general  it  may 
be  remarked,  that  the  colder  the  country,  the 
larger  and  the  warmer  is  the  fur  of  each  ani- 
mal ;  it  being  wisely  provided  by  Nature, 
that  the  inhabitant  should  be  adapted  to  the 
rigours  of  its  situation.  Thus  the  fox  and 
wolf,  which  in  temperate  climates  have  but 
short  hair,  have  a  fine  long  fur  in  the  frozen 
regions  near  the  pole.  On  the  contrary,  those 
dogs  which  with  us  have  long  hair,  when  car- 
ried to  Guinea  or  Angola,  in  a  short  time  cast 
their  thick  covering,  and  assume  a  lighter  dress, 
and  one  more  adapted  to  the  warmth  of  the 
country.  The  beaver,  and  the  ermine,  which 
are  found  in  the  greatest  plenty  in  the  cold  re- 
gions, are  remarkable  for  the  warmth  and 
delicacy  of  their  furs  ;  while  the  elephant,  and 
the  rhinoceros,  that  are  natives  of  the  line,  have 
scarcely  any  hair.  Not  but  that  human  in- 
dustry can,  in  some  measure,  co-operate  with, 
or  repress,  the  effects  of  climate  in  this  par- 


ticular. It  is  well  known  what  alterations  are 
produced  by  prop<  r  eai  ,  in  the  sheep's  fleece, 
in  different  parts  of  our  own  country  ;  and  the 
same  industry  is  pursued  with  alike  success  in 
Syria,  where  many  of  their  animals  are  cloth- 
ed with  a  long  and  beautiful  hair,  which  they 
take  care  to  improve,  as  they  work  it  into  that 
stuff  call'-d  camblet,  so  well  known  in  different 
parts  of  Europe. 

The  disposition  of  the  animal  seems  also  not 
less  marked  by  the  climate  than  the  figure. 
The  same  causes  that  seem  to  have  rendered 
the  human  inhabitants  of  the  rigorous  climates 
savage  and  ignorant,  have  also  operated  upon 
their  animals.  Both  at  the  line  and  the  pole, 
the  wild  quadrupeds  are  fierce  and  untame- 
able.  In  these  latitudes,  their  savage  disposi- 
tions having  not  been  quelled  by  any  efforts 
from  man,  and  being  still  farther  stimulated  by 
the  severity  of  the  weather,  they  continue 
fierce  and  uutrnetable.  Most  of  the  attempts 
which  have  hitherto  been  made  to  tame  the 
wild  beasts  brought  home  from  the  pole  or  the 
equator,  have  proved  ineffectual.  They  are 
gentle  and  harmless  enough  while  young;  hut 
as  they  grow  up,  they  acquire  their  natural 
ferocity,  and  snap  at  the  hand  that  feeds  them. 
It  may  indeed,  in  general,  be  asserted,  that  in 
all  countries  where  the  men  are  most  barba- 
rous, the  beasts  are  most  fierce  and  cruel :  and 
this  is  but  a  natural  consequence  of  the  strug- 
gle between  man  and  the  more  savage  animals 
of  the  forest;  for  in  proportion  as  he  is  weak 
and  timid,  they  must  be  bold  and  intrusive; 
in  proportion  as  his  dominion  is  but  feebly 
supported,  their  rapacity  must  be  more  ob- 
noxious. In  the  extensive  countries,  therefore, 
lying  round  the  pole,  or  beneath  the  line,  the 
quadrupeds  are  fierce  and  formidable.  Africa 
has  ever  been  remarked  for  the  brutality  of  its 
men,  and  the  fierceness  of  its  animals :  its  lions 
and  its  leopards  are  not  less  terrible  than  its 
crocodiles  and  its  serpents  ;  their  dispositions 
seem  entirely  marked  with  the  rigours  of  the 
climate,  and  being  hred  in  an  extreme  of  heat, 
they  show  a  peculiar  f  rocity,  that  neither  the 
force  of  man  can  conquer,  nor  his  arts  allay. 
However,  it  is  happy  for  the  wretched  inhabi- 
tants of  those  climates,  that  its  most  formidable 
animals  are  all  solitary  ones ;  that  they  have 
not  learnt  the  art  of  uniting,  to  oppress  man- 
kind ;  but  each  depending  on  its  own  strength, 
invades  without  any  assistant. 


ANIMALS. 


211 


The  food  also  is  another  cause  of  the  va- 
riety which  \ve  rind  among  quadrupeds  of  the 
same  kind.  Thus  the  beasts  which  feed  in 
the  valley  are  generally  larger  than  those 
which  glean  a  scanty  subsistence  on  the  moun- 
tain. Such  as  live  in  the  warm  climates,  where 
the  plants  are  much  larger  and  moresucculcnt 
than  with  us,  are  equally  remarkable  for  their 
bulk.  The  ox  fed  in  the  plains  of  Indostan, 
is  much  larger  than  that  which  is  more  hardi- 
ly maintained  on  the  side  of  the  Alps.  The 
deserts  of  Africa,  where  the  plants  areextreme- 
ly  nourishing,  produce  the  largest  and  fiercest 
animals  ;  and,  perhaps  for  a  contrary  reason, 
America  is  found  not  to  produce  such  large 
animals  as  are  seen  in  the  ancient  continent. 
But,  whatever  be  the  reason,  the  fact  is  certain, 
that  while  America  exceeds  us  in  the  sixe  of 
its  reptiles  of  all  kinds,  it  is  far  inferior  in  its 

auadruped  productions.  Thus,  for  instance, 
le  largest  animal  of  that  country  is  the  tapir, 
which  can  by  no  means  be  compared  to  the 
elephant  of  Africa.  Its  beasts  of  prey,  also, 
are  divested  of  that  strength  and  courage 
which  is  so  dangerous  in  this  part  of  the  world. 
The  American  lion,  tiger,  and  leopard,  if  such 
diminutive  creatures  deserve  these  names, are 
neither  so  fierce  nor  so  valiant  as  those  of 
Africa  and  Asia.  The  tiger  of  Bengal  has  been 
seen  to  measure  twelve  feet  in  length,  without 
including  the  tail:  whereas  the  American  ti- 
ger seldom  exceeds  three.  This  difference 
obtains  still  more  in  the  other  animals  of  that 
country,  so  that  some  have  been  of  opinion" 
that  all  quadrupeds  in  Southern  America  are 
of  a  different  species  from  those  most  resem- 
bling them  in  the  old  world  ;  and  that  there 
are  none  which  are  common  to  both,  but  such 
as  have  entered  America  by  the  north ;  and 
which,  being  able  to  bear  the  rigours  of  the 
frozen  pole,  have  travelled  from  the  ancient 
continent,  by  that  passage,  into  the  new. 
Thus  the  bear,  the  wolf,  the  elk,  the  stag, 
the  fox,  and  the  beaver,  are  known  to  the  in- 
habitants as  well  of  North  America  as  of 
Russia ;  while  most  of  the  various  kinds  to 
the  southward,  in  both  continents,  bear  no  re- 
semblance to  each  other.  Upon  the  whole, 
such  as  peculiarly  belong  to  the  new  conti- 
nent are  w  ithout  any  marks  of  the  quadruped 

a  Buffon. 
NO.  19  &  20. 


perfection.  They  are  almost  wholly  destitute 
of  the  power  of  defence ;  they  have  neither 
formidable  teeth,  horns,  or  tail;  their  figure 
is  awkward,  and  their  limbs  ill  proportioned. 
Some  among  them,  such  as  the  ant-bear  and 
the  sloth,  appear  so  miserably  formed,  as 
scarcely  to  have  the  power  of  moving  and 
eating.  They,  seemingly,  drag  out  a  misera- 
ble and  languid  existence  in  the  most  desert, 
solitude;  and  would  quickly  have  been  de- 
stroyed in  a  country  where  there  were  inha- 
bitants, or  powerful  beasts  to  oppose  them. 

But  if  the  quadrupeds  of  the  new  continent 
be  less,  they  arc  found  in  much  greater  abun- 
dance; for  it  is  a  rule  that  obtains  through 
nature,  that  the  smallest  animals  multiply  the 
fastest.  The  goat,  imported  from  Europe  to 
South  America,  soon  begins  to  degenerate  ; 
but  as  it  grows  less  it  becomes  more  prolific  ; 
and,  instead  of  one  kid  at  a  time,  or  two  at 
the  most,  it  generally  produces  live,  and  some- 
times more.  What  there  is  in  the  food,  or 
the  climate,  that  produces  this  change,  we 
have  not  been  able  to  learn;  we  might  be 
apt  to  ascribe  it  to  the  heat,  but  that  on  the 
African  coast,  where  it  is  still  hotter,  this  rule 
does  not  obtain ;  for  the  goat,  instead  of  de- 
generating there,  seems  rather  to  improve. 

However,  the  rule  is  general  among  all 
quadrupeds,  that  those  which  are  large  and 
formidable  produce  but  few  at  a  time  ;  while 
such  as  are  mean  and  contemptible  are  ex- 
tremely prolific.  The  lion,  or  tiger,  have  sel- 
dom above  two  cubs  at  a  litter;  while  the  cat, 
that  is  of  a  similar  nature,  is  usually  seen  to 
have  five  or  six.  In  this  manner,  the  lower 
tribes  become  extremely  numerous  :  and,  but 
for  this  surprising  fecundity,  from  their  natu- 
ral weakness  they  would  quickly  be  extir- 
pated. The  breed  of  mice,  for  instance,  would 
have  long  since  been  blotted  from  the  earth, 
were  the  mouse  as  slow  in  production  as  the 
elephant.  But  it  has  been  wisely  provided, 
that  such  animals  as  can  make  but  little  re- 
sistance, should  at  least  have  a  means  ef  re- 
pairing the  destruction,  which  they  must  of- 
ten suffer,  by  their  quick  reproduction;  that 
they  should  increase  even  among  enemies, 
and  multiply  under  tbe  hand  of  the  destroyer. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  has  as  wisely  been  or- 
dered by  Providence,  that  the  larger  kinds 
should  produce  but  slowly;  otherwise,  as  they 
2O 


212 


A  HISTORY  OF 


require  proportional  supplies  from  nature, 
they  would  quickly  consume  their  own  store; 
and,  of  consequence,  many  of  them  would 
soon  perish  through  want;  so  that  life  would 
thus  be  given  without  the  necessary  means  of 
subsistence.  In  a  word,  Providence  has  most 
wisely  balanced  the  strength  of  the  great 
against  the  weakness  of  the  little.  Since  it 
was  necessary  that  some  should  be  great  and 
others  mean,  since  it  was  expedient  that  some 
should  live  upon  others,  it  has  assisted  the 
weakness  of  one  by  granting  it  fruit  fulness; 
and  diminished  the  number  of  the  other  by 
infecundity. 

In  consequence  of  this  provision,  the  larger 
creatures,  which  bring  forth  few  at  a  time, 
seldom  begin  to  generate  till  they  have  near- 
ly acquired  their  full  growth.  On  the  contra- 
ry, those  which  bring  many,  reproduce  before 
they  have  arrived  at  their  natural  size.  Thus 
the  horse  and  the  bull  are  nearly  at  their  best 
before  they  begin  to  breed ;  the  hog  and  the 
rabbit  scarcely  leave  the  teat  before  they  be- 
come parents  in  turn.  Almost  all  animals 
likewise  continue  the  time  of  their  pregnan- 
cy in  proportion  to  their  size.  The  mare  con- 
tinues eleven  months  with  foal,  the  cow  nine, 
the  wolf  five,  and  the  bitch  nine  weeks.  In 
all,  the  intermediate  litters  are  the  most  fruit- 
ful ;  the  first  and  the  last  generally  producing 
the  fewest  in  number,  and  the  worst  of  the 
kind. 

Whatever  be  the  natural  disposition  of  ani- 
mals at  other  times,  they  all  acquire  new  cou- 
rage when  they  consider  themselves  as  defend- 
ing their  young.  No  terrors  can  then  drive 
them  from  the  post  of  duty ;  the  mildest  begin 
to  exert  their  little  force,  and  resist  the  most 
formidable  enemy.  Where  resistance  is  hope- 
less, they  then  incur  every  danger,  in  order 
to  rescue  their  young  by  flight,  and  retard  their 
own  expedition  by  providing  for  their  little 
ones.  When  the  female  oppossum,  an  ani- 
mal of  America,  is  pursued,she  instantly  takes 
her  young  into  a  false  belly,  with  which  nature 
has  supplied  her,  and  carries  them  off,  or 
dies  in  the  endeavour.  I  have  been  lately  as- 
sured of  a  she-fox,  which,  when  hunted,  took 
her  cub  in  her  mouth,  and  run  for  several 
miles  without  quitting  it,  until  at  last  she  was 
forced  to  leave  it  behind,  upon  the  approach 
of  a  mastiff,  as  she  ran  through  a  farmer's  yard. 


But,  if  at  this  period  the  mildest  animals  ac- 
quire new  fierceness,  how  formidable  must 
those  be  that  subsist  by  rapine!  At  such  times, 
no  obstacles  can  stop  their  ravage,  nor  no 
threats  can  terrify ;  the  lioness  then  seems 
more  hardy  than  even  the  lion  himself.  She 
attacks  men  and  beasts  indiscriminately,  and 
carries  all  she  can  overcome  reeking  to  her 
cubs,  whom  she  thus  early  accustoms  to  slaugh- 
ter. Milk,  in  the  carnivorous  animals,  is  much 
more  sparing  than  in  others*  and  it  may  be 
for  this  reason  that  all  such  carry  home  their 
prey  alive,  that,  in  feeding  their  young,  its 
blood  may  supply  the  deficiencies  of  nature, 
and  serve  instead  of  that  milk  with  which 
they  are  so  sparingly  supplied. 

Nature,  that  has  thus  given  them  courage 
to  defend  their  young,  has  given  them  instinct 
to  choose  the  proper  times  of  copulation,  so 
as  to  bring  forth  when  the  provision  suited  to 
each  kind  is  to  be  found  in  the  greatest  plen- 
ty. The  wolf,  for  instance,  couples  in  Novem- 
ber, so  that  the  time  of  pregnancy  continuing 
five  months,  it  may  have  its  young  in  April. 
The  mare,  who  goes  eleven  months,  admits 
the  horse  in  summer,  in  order  to  foal  about 
the  beginning  of  May.  On  the  contrary,  those 
animals  which  lay  up  provisions  for  the  win- 
ter, such  as  the  beaver  and  the  marmotte,  cou- 
ple in  the  latter  end  of  autumn,  so  as  to  have 
their  young  about  January,  against  which  sea- 
son they  have  provided  a  very  comfortable 
store.  These  seasons  for  coupling,  however, 
among  some  of  the  domestic  kinds,  are  gene- 
rally in  consequence  of  the  quantity  of  pro- 
visions with  which  they  are  at  any  time  sup- 
plied. Thus  we  may,  by  feeding  any  of  these 
animals,  and  keeping  off  the  rigour  of  the  cli- 
mate, make  them  breed  whenever  we  please. 
In  this  manner  those  contrive  who  produce 
lambs  all  the  year  round. 

The  choice  of  situation  in  bringing  forth  is 
also  very  remarkable.  In  most  of  the  rapa- 
cious kinds,  the  female  takes  the  utmost  pre- 
cautions to  hide  the  place  of  her  retreat  from 
the  male ;  who  otherwise,  when  pressed  by 
hunger,  would  be  apt  to  devour  her  cubs. 
She  seldom,  therefore,  strays  far  from  the  den, 
and  never  approaches  it  while  he  is  in  view, 
nor  visits  him  again  till  her  young  are  capa- 
ble of  providing  for  themselves.  Such  ani- 
mals as  are  of  tender  constitutions  take  the 


ANIMALS. 


213 


utmost  care  to  provide  a  place  of  warmth,  as 
well  as  safety,  for  their  young ;  the  rapacious 
kinds  bring  forth  in  the  thickest  woods ;  those 
that  chew  the  cud,  with  the  various  tribes  of 
the  vermin  kind,  choose  some  hiding  place 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  man.  Some  dig  holes 
in  the  ground ;  some  choose  the  hollow  of  a 
tree ;  and  all  the  amphibious  kinds  bring  up 
their  young  near  the  water,  and  accustom 
them  betimes  to  their  proper  element. 

Thus  Nature  seems  kindly  careful  for  the 
protection  of  the  meanest  of  her  creatures  : 
but  there  is  one  class  of  quadrupeds  that  seems 
entirely  left  to  chance,  that  no  parent  stands 
forth  to  protect,  nor  no  instructor  leads,  to 
teach  the  arts  of  subsistence.  These  are  the 
quadrupeds  that  are  brought  forth  from  the 
egg,  such  as  the  lizard,  the  tortoise,  and  the 
crocodile.  The  fecundity  of  all  other  animals 
compared  with  these  is  sterility  itself.  These 
bring  forth  above  two  hundred  at  a  time ;  but, 
as  the  offspring  is  more  numerous,  the  paren- 
tal care  is  less  exerted.  Thus  the  numerous 
brood  of  eggs  are,  without  farther  solicitude, 
buried  in  the  warm  sands  of  the  shore,  and 
the  heat  of  the  sun  alone  is  left  to  bring  them 
to  perfection.  To  this  perfection  they  arrive 
almost  as  soon  as  disengaged  from  the  shell. 
Most  of  them,  without  any  other  guide  than 
instinct,  immediately  make  to  the  water.  In 
their  passage  thither,  they  have  numberless 
enemies  to  fear.  The  birds  of  prey  that  haunt 
the  shore,  the  beasts  that  accidentally  come 
there,  and  even  the  animals  that  give  them 
birth,  are  known,  with  a  strange  rapacity,  to 
thin  their  numbers  as  well  as  the  rest. 

But  it  is  kindly  ordered  by  Providence,  that 
these  animals,  which  are  mostly  noxious, 
should  thus  have  many  destroyers :  were  it 
not  for  this,  by  their  extreme  fecundity,  they 
would  soon  over-run  the  earth,  and  cumber 
all  our  plains  with  deformity. 

["  Thus  throughout  the  whole  economy  of 
nature  we  may  trace  displays  of  infinite  wis- 
dom,even  in  regulating  theimpulses  of  instinc- 
tive power,  and  in  governing  its  annual  or  va- 
ried tides.  A  mere  system  of  organized  mat- 
ter, without  any  independent  and  intelligent 
cause,  could  never  have  communicated  to  it- 
self that  prescience  which  the  numerous  tribes 
of  animals  exhibit;  and  to  ascribe  the  visible 


phenomena  to  chance,  is  to  invest  a  mere  ab- 
stract idea  with  attributes,  which,  even  human 
knowledge,  refined  by  all  the  light  which  phi- 
losophy imparts,  is  scarcely  able  to  compre- 
hend. And  even  if  we  allow  chance  to  have 
been  the  primitive  cause  of  existence,  and  of 
the  varied  phenomena  connected  with  it,  we 
must  ascribe  to  it  that  eternity  of  being  which 
Atheism  denies  to  the  intelligent  Creator; 
unless  we  conceive  that  chance,  by  chance, 
has  begotten  chance  throughout  an  infinite 
series  in  past  duration.  The  absurdity  of 
such  a  supposition  it  would  be  folly  to  pursue. 

"That  many  things  appear  inexplicable  in 
the  economy  and  overruling  Providence  of 
God,  will  be  most  readily  allowed.  In  every 
department,  shadows,  and  obscurities,  veil 
from  human  penetration  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  his  ways.  In  the  vast  chain  of  being, 
a  few  links  only  are  open  to  human  inspec- 
tion ;  and  even  these  the  dimness  of  our  bodi- 
ly organs  and  mental  powers  will  not  permit 
us  fully  to  explore.  Sometimes  even  those 
links  which  we  perceive  are  not  immediately 
connected  together;  and  at  other  times,  mists, 
minuteness,  and  distance,  lay  an  embargo  upon 
our  faculties.  It  is  thus  that  the  parts  with 
which  we  are  surrounded,  are  intercepted 
and  concealed  from  our  discernment,  while 
the  chain  itself,  stretching  into  another  world, 
can  only  be  discovered  by  that  light,  which, 
in  futurity,  eternity  shall  impart. 

"  In  the  structure  and  organs  of  animals, 
there  is  an  adaptation  for  certain  ends  which 
the  most  superficial  observer  can  hardly  fail 
to  observe.  Adaptation  implies  design,  and 
this  involves  some  being  or  power  capable  oi 
forming  the  design,  and  calculating  upon  is- 
sues, which  no  combination  of  accidents  has 
in  any  known  case  ever  yet  produced.  The 
evidences  of  wisdom  which  are  scattered  over 
the  surface  of  our  globe,  speak  in  a  language 
that  must  be  heard  even  by  the  most  careless 
and  inattentive ;  and  the  animal  world  pre- 
sents us  with  a  noble  compendium  of  facts, 
that  are  constantly  exposed  to  the  scrutiny  of 
every  eye.  Of  these,  Dr.  Goldsmith  has  fur- 
nished a  grand  exhibition;  and  the  condi- 
tion of  that  reader  is  not  to  be  envied,  who, 
after  perusing  his  Natural  History,  can  close 
his  book,  and  deliberately  think  there  is  no 
God."] 

2O« 


214 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ANXXKAX.S  OF  THE   HORSE  KIND. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

OF  THE  HORSE.* 


horse  kind  deserve  a 
a  history  of  nature. 


ANIMALS  of  the 
place  next  to  man,  in 

Their  activity,  their  strength,  their  usefulness, 
and  their  beauty,  all  contribute  to  render  them 
the  principal  objects  of  our  curiosity  and  care; 
a  race  of  creatures  in  whose  welfare  we  are 
interested  next  to  our  own. 

Of  all  the  quadruped  animals,  the  horse 
seems  the  most  beautiful :  the  noble  largeness 
of  his  form,  the  glossy  smoothness  of  his  skin, 
the  graceful  ease  of  his  motions,  and  the  exact 
symmetry  of  his  shape,  have  taught  us  to  re- 
gard him  as  the  first,  and  as  the  most  per- 
fectly formed ;  and  yet,  what  is  extraordinary 
enough,  if  we  examine  him  internally,  his 
structure  will  be  found  the  most  different  from 
that  of  man  of  all  other  quadrupeds  whatso- 
ever. As  the  ape  approaches  us  the  nearest 
in  internal  conformation,  so  the  horse  is  the 
most  remote  ;b  a  striking  proof  that  there  may 
be  oppositions  of  beauty,  and  that  all  grace  is 
not  to  be  referred  to  one  standard. 

To  have  an  idea  of  this  noble  animal  in  his 


*  As  it  may  happen,  that  in  a  description  where  it  is 
the  aim  rather  to  insert  what  is  not  usually  known,  than 
all  that  is  known,  some  of  the  more  obvious  particulars 
may  be  omitted  ;  I  will  take  leave  to  subjoin  in  the  notes 
the  characteristic  marks  of  each  animal,  as  given  us  by 
Linnaeus.  "  The  horse,  with  six  cutting  teeth  before, 
and  single-hoofed  ;a  a  native  of  Europe  and  the  East,  (but 
I  believe  rather  of  Africa;)  a  generous,  proud,  and  strong 
animal ;  fit  either  for  the  draught,  the  course,  or  the 
road  :  he  is  delighted  with  woods ;  he  takes  care  of  his 
hinder  parts;  defends  himself  from  the  flies  with  his  tail; 
scratches  his  fellow;  defends  his  young ;  calls  by  neigh- 
ing; sleeps  after  night-fall;  fights  by  kicking,  and  by 
biting  also  ;  rolls  on  the  ground  when  he  sweats;  eats  the 
grass  closer  than  the  ox  ;  distributes  the  seed  by  dunging; 
wants  a  gall-bladder ;  never  vomits  ;  the  foal  is  produced 


native  simplicity,  we  are  not  to  look  for  him 
in  the  pastures  or  the  stables,  to  which  he  has 
been  consigned  by  man;  but  in  those  wild 
and  extensive  plains  where  he  has  been  ori- 
ginally produced;  where  he  ranges  without 
control,  and  riots  in  all  the  variety  of  luxurious 
nature.  In  this  state  of  happy  independence, 
he  disdains  the  assistance  of  man,  which  only 
tends  to  servitude.  In  those  boundless  tracts, 
whether  of  Africa  or  New  Spain,  where  he 
runs  at  liberty,  he  seems  no  way  incommoded 
with  the  inconveniences  to  which  he  is  subject 
in  Europe.  The  continual  verdure  of  the 
fields  supplies  his  wants;  and  the  climate,  that 
never  knows  a  winter,  suits  his  constitution, 
which  naturally  seems  adapted  to  heat.  His 
enemies  of  the  forest  are  but  few,  for  none  but 
the  greater  kinds  will  venture  to  attack  him : 
any  one  of  these  he  is  singly  able  to  overcome ; 
while,  at  the  same  time,  he  is  content  to  find 
safety  in  society  ;  for  the  wild  horses  of  those 
countries  always  herd  together. 

In  these  countries,  therefore,  the  horses  are 


with  the  feet  stretched  out;  he  is  injured  by  being  struck 
on  the  ear :  upon  the  stiffle ;  by  being  caught  by  the 
nose  in  barnacles;  by  having  his  teeth  rubbed  with  tallow  ; 
by  the  herb  padus  ;  by  the  herb  phalandria  ;  by  the  cru- 
culio ;  by  the  conops.  His  diseases  are  different  indif- 
ferent countries.  A  consumption  of  the  ethmoid  bones 
of  the  nose,  called  the  glanders,  is  with  us  the  most  in- 
fectious and  fatal.  He  eats  hemlock  without  injury.  The 
mare  goes  with  foal  290  days.  The  placenta  is  not  fixed. 
He  acquires  not  the  canine  teeth  till  the  age  of  five  j't-ars. 

[n  In  South  America  is  found  a  horse  whoso  hoofs  are 
divided,  like  those  of  a  ruminant  quadruped  In  its  ge- 
neral appearance,  size,  and  colour,  it  resembles  the  ass, 
but  has  the  voice  and  ears  of  a  horse,  and  has  no  bat.ds 
crossing  the  shoulders.  It  is  very  wild,  swift,  and  strong.] 

b  Histolce  Naturelle,  Daubenton,  vol.  vii.  p.  374. 


THE  HORSE. 


215 


often  seen  feeding  in  droves  of  five  or  six  hun- 
dred. As  they  do  not  carry  on  war  against 
any  other  race  of  animals,  they  are  satisfied  to 
remain  entirely  upon  the  defensive.  The  pas- 
tures on  which  they  live,  satisfy  all  their 
appetites,  and  all  other  precautions  are  purely 
for  their  security,  in  case  of  a  surprise.  As 
they  arc  never  attacked  but  at  a  disadvantage, 
whenever  they  sleep  in  the  forests,  they  have 
always  one  among  their  number  that  stands 
as  centinel,  to  give  notice  of  any  approaching 
danger ;  and  this  office  they  take  by  turns." 
If  a  man  approaches  them  while  they  are  feed- 
ing by  day,  their  centinel  walks  up  boldly 
near  him,  as  if  to  examine  his  strength,  or  to 
intimidate  him  from  proceeding  ;  but  as  the 
man  approaches  within  pistol-shot,  the  centi- 
nel then  thinks  it  high  time  to  alarm  his  fel- 
lows ;  this  he  does  by  a  loud  kind  of  snorting, 
upon  which  they  all  take  the  signal,  and  fly  off 
with  the  speed  of  the  wind  ;  their  faithful  centi- 
nel bringing  up  the  rear.b 

It  is  not  easy  to  say  from  what  country  the 
horse  came  originally.     It  should  seem  that 
the  colder  climates  do  not  agree  with  his  con- 
stitution ;  for  although  he  is  found  almost  in 
them  all,  yet  his  form  is  altered  there,  and  he 
is  found  at  once  diminutive  and  ill-shaped.  We 
have  the  testimony  of  the  ancients  that   there 
were  wild  horses  once  in  Europe  ;  at  present, 
however,  they  are  totally  brought  under  sub- 
jection ;  and  even  those  which  are  found  in 
America  are  of  a  Spanish  breed,  which  being 
sent  thither  upon  its  first  discovery,  have  since 
become  wild,  and  have  spread  over  all  the 
soutli  of  that  vast  continent  almost  to  the  straits 
of  Magellan.     These,  in  general,  are  a  small 
br'-ed,  of  about   fourteen  hands   high.     They 
have  thick  jaws  and  clumsy  joints  ;  their  ears 
and  neck  also  are  long ;  they  are  easily  tamrd  ; 
for  the  horse,  by  nature,  is  a  gentle  complying 
creature,  and  resists  rather  from  fear  than  ob- 
stinacy.    They  are  caught  by  a  kind  of  noose, 
and  then  held  fast  by  the  legs,  and  tied  to   a 
tree,  where  they  are  left  for  two  days  without 
food  or  drink.     By  that  time  they  begin  to 
grow  manageable  ;  and  in  some  weeks  they 
become  as  ta<ne  as  if  they  had  never  been  in 
a  state  of  vvildness.     If,  by  any  accident,  they 
arc  once  more  set  at  liberty,  they  never  be- 
come wild  again,  but  know  their  masters,  and 

*  Dictionnaire  Universelle  des  Animaux,  p.  19. 


come  to  their  call.  Some  of  the  buccaneers 
have  often  been  agreeably  surprised,  after  a 
long  absence,  to  see  their  faithful  horses  once 
more  present  themselves,  with  their  usual  assi- 
duity ;  and  come  up,  with  fond  submission,  to 
receive  the  rein. 

These  American  horses,  however,  cannot 
properly  be  ranked  among  the  wild  races,  since 
they  were  originally  bred  from  such  as  were 
tame.  It  is  not  in  the  new,  but  the  old  world, 
that  we  are  to  look  for  this  animal  in  a  true 
state  of  nature;  in  the  extensive  deserts  of 
Africa,  in  Arabia,  and  those  wide-spread  coun- 
tries that  separate  Tartary  from  the  more 
southern  nations.  Vast  droves  of  these  ani- 
mals are  seen  wild  among  the  Tartars  ;  they 
are  of  a  small  breed,  extremely  swift,  and  very 
readily  evade  their  pursuers.  As  they  go  to- 
gether, they  will  not  admit  of  any  strange  ani- 
mals among  them,  though  even  of  their  own 
kind.  Whenever  they  find  a  tame  horse  at- 
tempting to  associate  with  them,  they  instantly 
gather  round  him,  and  soon  oblige  him  to  seek 
safety  by  flight.  There  are  vast  numbers  also 
of  wild  horses  to  the  north  of  China,  but  they 
are  of  a  weak,  timid  breed  ;  small  of  stature, 
and  useless  in  war. 

At  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  there  are  num- 
bers of  horses  in  a  state  of  nature,  but  small, 
vicious,  and  untameable.  They  are  found 
wild  also  in  several  other  parts  of  Africa ;  but 
the  wretched  inhabitants  of  that  country  either 
want  the  art  to  tame  them,  or  seem  ignorant 
of  their  uses.  It  is  common  with  the  negroes, 
who  are  carried  over  from  thence  to  America, 
when  they  first  see  a  horse,  to  testify  both  ter- 
ror and  surprise.  These  poor  men  seem  not 
to  have  any  knowledge  of  such  a  creature  ;  and, 
though  the  horse  is  probably  a  native  of  their 
own  country,  they  have  let  all  the  rest  of  man- 
kind enjoy  the  benefit  of  his  services,  without 
turning  them  to  any  advantage  at  home.  In 
some  parts  of  Africa,  therefore,  where  the  horse 
runs  wild,  the  natives  seem  to  consider  him 
rather  in  the  light  of  a  dainty  for  food,  than  a 
useful  creature,  capable  of  assisting  them  either 
in  war  or  in  labour :  riding  seems  a  refinement 
that  the  natives  of  Angola  or  Caffraria  have 
not  as  yet  been  able  to  attend  to  ;  and  when- 
ever they  catch  a  horse,  it  is  only  with  an  in- 
tent to  eat  him. 

b  Labat,  torn.  vii. 


216 


A  HISTORY  OF 


But  of  all  countries  in  the  world,  where  the 
horse  runs  wild,  Arabia  produces  the  most 
beautiful  breed,  the  most  generous,  swift,  and 
persevering.     They  are  found,  though  not  in 
great  numbers,  in  the  deserts  of  that  country ; 
and  the  natives  use  every  stratagem  to  take 
them.     Although  they  are  active  and  beauti- 
ful, yet  they  are  not  so  large  as  those  that  are 
bred  up  tame ;  they  are  of  a  brown  colour, 
their  mane  and  tail  very  short,  and  the  hair 
black  and  tufted."      Their  swiftness  is  incre- 
dible:   the   attempt  to  pursue   them  in  the 
usual  manner  of  the  chase,  with  dogs,  would  be 
entirely  fruitless.    Such  is  the  rapidity  of  their 
flight,  that  they  are  instantly  out  of  view,  and 
the  dogs  themselves  give  up  the  vain  pursuit. 
The  only  method,  therefore,  of  taking  them, 
is  by  traps  hidden  in  the  sand,  which  entang- 
ling their  feet,  the  hunter  at  length  comes  up, 
and  either  kills  them,  or  carries  them  home 
alive.     If  the  horse  be  young,  he  is  consider- 
ed among  the  Arabians  as  a  very  great  deli- 
cacy; and  they  feast  upon  him  while  any  part 
is  found  remaining :  but  if,  from  his  shape  or 
vigour,  he  promises  to  be  serviceable  in  his 
more  noble  capacity,  they  take  the  usual  me- 
thods of  taming  him,  by  fatigue  and  hunger, 
and  he  soon  becomes  a  useful  domestic  animal. 
The  usual  manner  of  trying  their  swiftness 
is  by  hunting  the  ostrich :  the  horse  is  the  only 
animal  whose  speed  is  comparable  to  that  of 
this  creature,  which  is  found  in  the  sandy 
plains,   with   which  those  countries  abound. 
The  instant  the  ostrich  perceives  itself  aimed 
at,  it  makes  to  the  mountains,  while  the  horse- 
man pursues  with  all  the  swiftness  possible, 
and  endeavours  to  cut  off  its  retreat.     The 
chase  then  continues  along  the  plain,  while, 
the  ostrich  makes  use  of  both  legs  and  wings 
to  assist  its  motion.     However,  a  horse  of  the 
first  speed  is  able  to  outrun  it;  so  that  the 
poor  animal  is  then  obliged  to  have  recourse 
to  art  to  elude  the  hunter,  by  frequently  turn- 
ing: at  length,  finding  all  escape  hopeless,  it 
hides  its  head  wherever  it  can,  and  suffers  it- 
self tamely  to  be  taken.     If  the  horse,   in  a 
trial  of  this  kind,  shows  great  speed,  and  is 
not  readily  tired,  his  price  becomes   propor- 
tionably  great,  and  there  are  some  horses  va- 
lued at  a  thousand  ducats. 

a  Mann  Descript  de  1'Aftique,  lib.  i.  p.  51. 


But  the  horses  thus  caught,  or  trained  in 
this  manner,  are  at  present  but  very  few :  the 
value  of  Arabian  horses,  all  over  the  world, 
has,  in  a  great  measure,  thinned  the  deserts 
of  the  wild  breed ;  and  there  are  very  few  to 
be  found  in  those  countries,  except  such  as 
are  tame.  The  Arabians,  as  we  are  told  by 
historians,  first  began  the  management  of 
horses  in  the  time  of  Shaque  Ishmael.  Be- 
fore that,  they  wandered  wild  along  the  face 
of  the  country  neglected  and  useless ;  but 
the  natives  then  first  began  to  tame  their  fierce- 
ness, and  to  improve  their  beauty  ;  so  that  at 
present  they  possess  a  race  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful horses  in  the  world,  with  which  they 
drive  a  trade,  and  furnish  the  stables  of  prin- 
ces at  immense  prices. 

There  is  scarcely  an  Arabian,  how  poor  so- 
ever, but  is  provided  with  his  horse.b  They, 
in  general,  make  use  of  mares  in  their  ordinary 
excursions;  experience  having  taught  them 
that  they  support  fatigue,  thirst,  and  hunger, 
better  than  the  horses  are  found  to  do.  They 
are  also  less  vicious,  of  a  gentler  nature,  and 
are  not  so  apt  to  neigh.  They  are  more  harm- 
less also  among  themselves,  not  so  apt  to  kick 
or  hurt  each  other,  but  remain  Avhole  days 
together  without  the  least  mischief.  The 
Turks,  on  the  contrary,  are  not  fond  of  mares ; 
and  the  Arabians  sell  them  such  horses  as  they 
do  not  choose  to  keep  for  stallions  at  home. 
They  preserve  the  pedigree  of  their  horses 
with  great  care,  and  for  several  ages  back. 
They  know  theiralliances,and  all  their  genea- 
logy; they  distinguish  the  races  by  different 
names,  and  divide  them  into  three  classes. 
The  first  is  that  of  the  nobles,  the  ancient 
breed  and  unadulterated  on  either  side;  the  se- 
cond is  that  of  the  horses  of  the  ancient  race, 
but  adulterated;  and  the  third  is  tiiat  of  the 
common  and  inferior  kind :  the  last  thoy  sell 
at  a  low  price ;  but  those  of  the  first  class, 
and  even  of  the  second,  amongst  which  are 
found  horses  of  equal  value  to  the  former, 
are  sold  extremely  dear.  They  know,  by 
long  experience,  the  race  of  a  horse  by  his 
appearance ;  they  can  tell  the  name,  the  sur- 
name, the  colour,. and  the  marks  properly  be- 
longing to  each.  When  they  are  not  possess- 
ed of  stallions  of  the  noble  race  themselves, 

»  Buffou. 


THE  HORSE. 


217 


for  their  marcs,  they  borrow  from  their  neigh- 
bours, paying  a  proper  price,  as  with  us,  and 
receive  a  written  attestation  of  the  whole. 
In  this  attestation  is  contained  the  name  of 
the  horse  and  the  mare,  and  their  respective 
genealogies.  When  the  mare  has  produced 
her  foal,  new  witnesses  are  called,  and  a  new 
attestation  signed,  in  which  are  described  the 
marks  of  the  foal,  and  the  day  noted  when  it 
was  brought  forth.  These  attestations  increase 
the  value  of  the  horse  ;  and  they  are  given  to 
the  person  who  buys  him.  The  most  ordina- 
ry mare  of  this  race  sells  for  five  hundred 
crowns ;  there  are  many  that  sell  for  a  thou- 
sand;  and  some  of  the  very  finest  kinds  for 
fourteen  or  fifteen  hundred  pounds.  As  the 
Arabians  have  no  other  house  but  a  tent  to 
live  in,  this  also  serves  them  for  a  stable ;  so 
that  the  mare,  the  foal,  the  husband,  the  wife, 
and  the  children,  lie  all  together  indiscrimi- 
nately :  the  little  children  are  often  seen  upon 
the  body  or  the  neck  of  the  mare,  while  these 
continue  inoffensive  and  harmless,  permitting 
them  thus  to  play  with  and  caress  them  with- 
out any  injury.  The  Arabians  never  beat 
their  horses ;  they  treat  them  gently ;  they 
speak  to  them,  and  seem  to  hold  a  discourse; 
they  use  them  as  friends ;  they  never  attempt 
to  increase  their  speed  by  the  whip,  nor  spur 
them,  but  in  cases  of  necessity.  However, 
when  this  happens,  they  set  off  with  amazing 
swiftness ;  they  leap  over  obstacles  with  as 
much  agility  as  a  buck ;  and  if  the  rider  hap- 
pens to  fall,  they  are  so  manageable  that  they 
stand  still  in  the  midst  of  their  most  rapid  ca- 
reer. The  Arabian  horses  are  of  a  middle 
size,  easy  in  their  motions,  and  rather  inclin- 
ed to  leanness  than  fat.  They  are  regular- 
ly dressed  every  morning  and  evening,  and 
with  such  care  that  the  smallest  roughness  is 
not  left  upon  their  skins.  They  wash  the  legs, 
the  mane,  and  the  tail,  which  they  never  cut; 
and  which  they  seldom  comb,  lest  they  should 
thin  the  hair.  They  give  them  nothing  to  eat 
during  the  day;  they  only  give  them  to  drink 
once  or  twice ;  and  at  sun-set  they  hang  a  bag 
to  their  heads,  in  which  there  is  about  half  a 
bushel  of  clean  barley.  They  continue  eating 
the  "whole  night,  and  the  bag  is  again  taken 
away  the  next  morning.  They  are  turned  out 
to  pasture  in  the  beginning  of  March,  when 
the  grass  is  pretty  high,  and  at  which  time 


the  mares  are  given  to  the  stallion.  When 
the  spring  is  past,  they  take  them  again  from 
pasture,  and  they  get  neither  grass  nor  hay 
during  the  rest  of  the  year;  barley  is  their 
only  food,  except  now  and  then  a  little  straw. 
The  mane  of  the  fo;\l  is  always  clipped  when 
about  a  year  or  eighteen  months  old,  in  order 
to  make  it  stronger  and  thicker.  They  be- 
gin to  break  them  at  two  years  old,  or  two 
years  and  a  half  at  farthest ;  they  never  sad- 
dle or  bridle  them  till  at  that  age;  and  then 
they  are  always  kept  ready  saddled  at  the 
door  of  the  tent,  from  morning  till  sun-set,  in 
order  to  be  prepared  against  any  surprise. 
They  at  present  seem  sensible  of  the  great  ad- 
vantage their  horses  are  to  the  country ;  there 
is  a  law,  therefore,  that  prohibits  the  expor- 
tation of  the  mares  ;  and  such  stallions  as  are 
brought  into  England  are  generally  purchased 
on  the  eastern  shores  of  Africa,  and  come 
round  to  us  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
They  are  in  general  less  in  stature  than  our 
own,  being  not  above  fourteen,  or  fourteen 
hands  and  a  half  high :  their  motions  are  much 
more  graceful  and  swifter  than  of  our  own 
horses;  but,  nevertheless,  their  speed  is  far 
from  being  equal ;  they  run  higher  from  the 
ground ;  their  stroke  is  not  so  long  and  close ; 
and  they  are  far  inferior  in  bottom.  Still,  how- 
ever, they  must  be  considered  as  the  first  and 
finest  breed  in  the  world,  and  that  from  which 
all  others  have  derived  their  principal  quali- 
fications. It  is  even  probable  that  Arabia  is 
the  original  country  of  horses ;  since  there, 
instead  of  crossing  the  breed,  they  take  every 
precaution  to  keep  it  entire.  In  other  coun- 
tries they  must  continually  change  the  races, 
or  their  horses  would  soon  degenerate;  but 
there  the  same  blood  has  passed  down  through 
a  long  succession,  without  any  diminution 
either  of  force  or  beauty. 

The  race  of  Arabian  horses  has  spread  it- 
self into  Barbary,  among  the  Moors,  and  has 
even  extended  across  that  extensive  continent 
to  the  western  shores  of  Africa.  Among  the 
negroes  of  Gambia  and  Senegal,  the  chiefs  of 
the  country  are  possessed  of  horses,  which, 
though  little,  are  very  beautiful,  and  extreme- 
ly manageable.  Instead  of  barley,  they  are 
fed  in  those  countries  with  maise  bruised  and 
reduced  into  meal,  and  mixed  up  with  milk 
when  they  design  to  fatten  them.  These  are 


218 


A  HISTORY  OF 


considered  as  next  to  the  Arabian  horses, 
both  for  swiftness  and  beauty;  but  they  are 
rather  still  smaller  than  the  former.  The 
Italians  have  a  peculiar  sport,  in  which  horses 
of  this  breed  run  against  each  other.  They 
have  no  riders,  but  saddles  so  formed  as  to 
flap  ngainst  the  horses'  sides  as  they  move, 
and  thus  to  spur  them  forward.  They  are 
set  to  run  in  a  kind  of  railed  walk,  about  a 
mile  long,  out  of  which  they  never  attempt  to 
escape ;  but  when  they  once  set  forward,  they 
never  stop,  although  the  walk  from  one  end 
to  the  other  is  covered  with  a  crowd  of  spec- 
tators, which  opens  and  gives  way  as  the  horses 
approach.  Our  horses  would  scarcely,  in  this 
manner,face  a  crowd,  and  continue  theirspeed 
without  a  rider,  through  the  midst  of  a  multi- 
tude; and,  indeed,  it  is  a  little  surprising  how 
in  such  a  place  the  horses  find  their  own  way. 
However,  what  our  English  horses  may  want 
in  sagacity,  they  make  up  by  their  swiftness ; 
and  it  has  been  found  upon  computation,  that 
their  speed  is  nearly  one-fourth  greater,  even 
carrying  a  rider,  than  that  of  the  swiftest  Barb 
without  one. 

The  Arabian  breed  has  been  diffused  into 
Egypt  as  well  as  Barbary,and  into  Persia  also; 
where,  as  we  are  told  by  Marcus  Paulus,  there 
are  studs  often  thousand  white  mares  all  to- 
gether, very  fleet,  and  with  the  hoof  so  hard 
that  shoeing  is  unnecessary.     In  these  coun- 
tries, they  in  general  give   their   horses  the 
same  treatment  that  they  gire  in  Arabia,  ex- 
cept that  they  litter  them  upon  a  bed  of  their 
own  dung,  dried  in  the  Sun,  and  then  reduced 
to  powder.     When  this,  which  is  spread  under 
the  horse  about  five  inches  thick,  is  moisten- 
ed, they  dry  it  again,  and  spread  it  as  before. 
The  horses  of  these  countries  a  good  deal  re- 
semble each  other.     They  are  usually   of  a 
slender  make  ;  their  legs  fine,  bony,  and  far 
apart ;  a  thin  mane  ;  a  fine  crest ;  a  beauti- 
ful head ;  the  ear  small  and  well  pointed ;  the 
shoulder  thin  ;  the  side  rounded,  without  any 
unsightly  prominence  ;  the  croup  is  a  little  of 
the  longest,  and  the  tail  is  generally  set  high. 
The  race  of  horses,  however,  is  much  degene- 
rated in  Numidia;  the  natives  having  been 
discouraged  from  keeping  the  breed  up  by 
the   Turks,   who   seize   upon   all   the   good 
horses,  without  paying  the  owners  the  smallest 
gratuity  for  their  care  in  bringing   them  up. 


The  Tingitanians  and  Egyptians  have  now, 
therefore,  the  fame  of  rearing  the  finest  horses, 
both  for  size  and  beauiy.  The  smallest  of 
these  last  are  usually  sixteen  hands  high  ;  and 
all  of  them  shaped,  as  they  express  it,  with 
the  elegance  of  an  antelope. 

Next  to  the  Barb,  travellers  generally  rank 
the  Spanish  genette.  These  horses,  like  the 
former,  are  little,  but  extremely  swift  and  beau- 
tiful. The  head  is  something  of  the  largest ; 
the  mane  thick ;  the  ears  long,  but  well  point- 
ed; the  eyes  filled  with  fire;  the  shoulder 
thickish,  and  the  breast  full  and  large.  The 
croup  round  and  large ;  the  legs  beautiful,  and 
without  hair;  the  pastern  a  little  of  the  long- 
est, as  in  the  Barb,  and  the  hoof  rather  too 
high.  Nevertheless,  they  move  with  great 
ease,  and  carry  themselves  extremely  well. 
Their  most  usual  colour  is  black,  or  a  dark 
bay.  They  seldom  or  never  have  white  legs, 
or  white  snip.  The  Spaniards,  who  have  a 
groundless  aversion  to  these  marks,  never 
breed  from  such  as  have  them.  They  are  all 
branded  on  the  buttock  with  the  owner's 
name ;  and  those  of  the  province  of  Andalusia 
pass  for  the  best.  These  are  said  to  possess 
courage,  obedience,  grace,  and  spirit,  in  a 
greater  degree  than  even  the  Barb;  and  for 
this  reason  they  have  been  preferred  as  war- 
horses  to  those  of  any  other  country. 

The  Italian  horses  were  once  more  beauti- 
ful than  they  are  at  present,  for  they  have 
greatly  neglected  the  breed.  Nevertheless, 
there  are  still  found  some  beautiful  horses 
among  them,  particularly  among  the  Neapo- 
litans, who  chiefly  use  them  for  the  draught. 
In  general,  they  have  large  heads  and  thick 
necks.  They  are  also  restive,  and  conse- 
quently unmanageable.  These  faults,  how- 
ever, are  recompensed  by  the  largeness  of 
their  size,  by  their  spirit,  and  the  beauty  of 
their  motion.  They  are  excellent  for  show, 
and  have  a  peculiar  aptitude  (o  prance. 

The  Danish  horses  arc  of  such  an  excel- 
lent size,  and  so  strong  a  make,  that  they  are 
preferred  to  all  others  for  the  draught.  There 
are  some  of  them  perfectly  well  shaped  :  but 
this  is  but  seldom  sren,  for  in  general  they  are 
found  to  have  a  thick  neck,  heavy  shoulders, 
long  and  hollow  back,  and  a  narrow  croup: 
however,  they  all  move  well,  and  are  found 
excellent  both  for  parade  and  war.  They  are 


THE  HORSE. 


219 


of  all  colours,  and  often  of  whimsical  ones, 
some  being  streaked  like  the  tiger,  or  mottled 
like  the  leopard. 

The  German  horses  are  originally  from 
Arabinn  ami  Barbary  stocks :  nevertheless, 
they  appear  to  be  small  and  ill-shaped :  it  is 
said  also,  that  they  are  weak  and  washy,  with 
tender  hoofs.  The  Hungarian  horses,  on  the 
other  hand,  are  excellent  for  the  draught,  as 
well  as  the  saddle.  The  Hussars,  who  use 
them  in  war,  usually  slit  their  nostrils ;  which 
is  done,  as  it  is  said,  to  prevent  their  neighing, 
but,  perhaps,  without  any  real  foundation. 

The  Dutch  breed  is  good  for  the  draught, 
and  is  generally  used  for  that  purpose  over 
Europe  :  the  best  come  from  the  province  of 
Friezlnnd.  The  Flanders'  horses  are  much 
inferior  to  the  former ;  the  have  most  com- 
monly large  heads,  flat  feet,  and  swollen  logs; 
which  are  an  essential  blemish  in  horses  of  this 
kind. 

The  French  horses  are  of  various  kinds; 
but  they  have  few  that  are  good.  The  best 
horses  of  that  country  come  from  Limosin  ; 
they  have  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  Barb, 
and,  like  them,  they  are  excellent  for  the  chase ; 
but  they  are  slow  in  coming  to  perfection : 
they  are  to  be  carefully  treated  while  young, 
and  !)iust  not  be  backed  till  they  are  eight  years 
old.  Normandy  furnishes  the  next  best;  which, 
though  not  so  good  for  the  chase,  are  yet  better 
for  war.  In  general,  the  French  horses  have 
thi>  fault  of  being  heavy  shouldered,  which  is 
opposite  fa  the  fault  of  the  Barb,  which  is  too 
thin  in  the  shoulder,  and  is,  consequently,  apt 
to  be  shoulder -slipt. 

Having  mentioned  the  horses  most  usually 
knmni  in  Europe,  we  pass  on  to  those  of  more 
distant  countries,  of  whose  horses  we  can  only 
judge  by  report.  We  mentioned  the  wild 
horses  of  America.  Such  as  are  tame,  if  we 
may  credit  the  latest  reports,"  are  admirable. 
Great  numbers  of  these  are  bred  up  to  the  chase, 
and  arc  chiefly  kept  for  this  purpose,  particu- 
larly at  Qiiito.  The  hunters,  as  Ulloa  informs 
us,  are  divided  into  two  classes  ;  one  part  on 
foot,  the  other  on  horseback :  the  business  of 
the  footmen  is  to  rouse  the  deer ;  and  that  of 
the  horsemen,  to  hunt  it  down.  They  all,  at 
break  of  day,  repair  to  the  place  appointed, 
which  is  generally  on  the  summit  of  a  hill,  with 

•  Ulloa's  Voyage,  vol.  i.  p.  464. 


every  man  his  greyhound.  The  horsemen  place 
themselves  on  the  highest  peaks  ;  whilst  those 
on  foot  range  the  precipices,  making  an  hideous 
noise,  in  order  to  start  the  deer.  Thus  the 
company  extend  themselves  three  or  four 
leagues,  or  more,  according  to  their  numbers. 
On  starting  any  game,  the  horse  which  first 
perceives  it,  sets  off,  and  the  rider,  being  unable 
to  guide  or  stop  him,  pursues  the  chase,  some- 
times down  such  a  steep  slope,  that  a  man  on 
foot,  with  the  greatest  care,  could  hardly  keep 
his  legs  ;  from  thence  he  flies  up  a  dangerous 
ascent,  or  along  the  side  of  a  mountain ;  so  that 
a  person  not  used  to  this  exercise  would  think 
it  much  safer  to  throw  himself  out  of  the  saddle, 
than  commit  his  life  to  the  precipitate  ardour 
of  his  horse.  The  other  horses,  which  join  in 
the  chase,  do  not  wait  for  the  riders  to  animate 
them ;  they  set  forward  immediately  upon  see- 
ing another  at  full  speed ;  and  it  becomes  pru- 
dence in  the  rider  to  give  them  their  way,  and 
at  the  same  time  to  let  them  feel  the  spur,  to 
carry  him  over  the  precipices.  These  horses 
are  backed  and  exercised  to  this  method  of 
hunting ;  and  their  usual  pace  is  trotting. 

There  are  said  to  be  very  good  horses  in  the 
islands  of  the  Archipelago.     Those  of  Crete 
were  in  great  reputation  among  the  ancients 
for  their  swiftness  and  force ;    however,  at 
present  they  are  but  little  used,  even  in  the 
country  itself,  because  of  the  unevenness  of  the 
ground,  which  is  there  very  rocky  and  moun- 
tainous.    The  original  horses  of  Morocco  are 
much  smaller  than  the  Arabian  breed ;  how- 
ever, they  are  very  swift  and  vigorous.     In 
Turkey  there  are  to  be  found  horses  of  almost 
all  races:  Arabians,  Tartars,  Hungarians, and 
those  natural  to  the  place.    The  latter  are  very 
beautiful  and  elegant ;  they  have  a  great  deal 
of  fire,  swiftness,  and  management ;  but  they 
are  not  able  to  support  fatigue :  they  eat  little; 
they  are  easily  heated  ;  and  they  have  skins  so 
sensible,  that  they  can  scarcely  bear  the  rub- 
bing of  the  stirrup.     The  Persian  horses  are, 
in  general,  the  most  beautiful  and  most  valuable 
of  all  the  East.     The  pastures  in  the  plains  of 
Media,  Persepolis,  Ardebil,  and  Derbent,  are 
excellent  for  the  purpose  of  rearing  them ;  and 
there  were  bred  in  those  places  vast  nu tubers, 
by  order  of  the  government  of  Persia,  while 
thatcountry  was  under  any  government.  Pietro 
della  Valle  prefers  the  horses  of  Persia  to  those 
of  Italy;  and  informs  us,  that  they  are  in  gene- 

2P 


220 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ral  of  a  middle  size;  and  although  some  are 
found  even  of  the  smallest  stature,  yet  that  does 
not  impair  their  beauty  or  their  strength  ;  yet, 
in  some  places,  they  are  found  of  a  very  good 
size,  and  as  large  as  the  English  saddle-horses 
are  generally  found  to  be :  they  have  all  a  thin 
head,  a  fine  crest,  a  narrow  breast,  small  ears 
well  placed,  the  legs  fine,  the  hoof  hard,  and 
the  croup  beautiful ;  they  are  docile,  spirited, 
nimble,  hardy,  courageous,  and  capable  of  sup- 
porting very  great  fatigue ;  they  run  very  swiftly, 
without  being  easily  fatigued  ;  they  are  strong, 
and  easily  nourished,  being  only  supplied  with 
barley  and  chopped  straw ;  they  are  put  to 
grass  only  for  six  weeks  in  the  spring ;  they 
have  always  the  tail  at  full  length,  and  there  is 
no  such  thing  as  geldings  among  the  number  ; 
they  are  defended  from  the  air,  as  in  England, 
by  body-cloths ;  they  attend  them  with  the 
most  punctual  exactness;  and  they  are  rid 
generally  in  a  snaffle,  without  spurs.  Great 
numbers  of  these  are  every  year  transported 
into  Turkey,  but  chiefly  into  the  East  Indies  : 
however,  after  all,  travellers  agree  that  they 
are  not  to  be  compared  to  the  Arabian  horses, 
either  for  courage,  force,  or  beauty  ;  and  that 
the  latter  are  eagerly  sought,  even  in  Persia. 

The  horses  of  India  are  of  a  very  indifferent 
kind,  being  weak  and  washy.  Those  which 
are  used  by  the  grandees  of  the  country  come 
from  Persia  and  Arabia ;  they  are  fed  with  a 
small  quantity  of  hay  during  the  day ;  and  at 
night  they  have  boiled  peas,  mixed  with  sugar 
and  butter,  instead  of  oats  or  barley :  this 
nourishment  supports  them,  and  gives  them 
strength  ;  otherwise  they  would  soon  sink  and 
degenerate.  Those  naturally  belonging  to  the 
country,  are  very  small  and  vicious.  Some 
are  so  very  little,  that  Taverner  reports,  that 
the  young  Mogul  prince,  at  the  age  of  seven  or 
eight,  rode  one  of  those  little  horses,  that  was 
not  much  larger  than  a  greyhound  :  and  it  is 
not  long  since  one  of  these  was  brought  over 
into  this  country  as  a  present  to  our  Queen, 
that  measures  no  more  than  nine  hands  high  : 
and  is  not  much  larger  than  a  common  mastiff. 
It  would  seem,  that  climates  excessively  hot 
are  unfavourable  to  this  animal.  In  this  man- 
ner, the  horses  of  the  Gold-coast,  and  of 
Guinea,  are  extremely  little,  but  very  manage- 
able. It  is  a  common  exercise  with  the  gran- 
dees of  that  country,  who  are  excellent  horse- 
men, to  dart  out  their  lances  before  them  upon 


full  gallop,  and  to  catch  them  again  before 
they  come  to  the  ground.  They  have  a  sport 
also  on  horseback,  that  requires  great  dexterity 
in  the  rider,  and  a  great  share  of  activity  in 
the  horse :  they  strike  off  a  ball,  with  a  battle- 
dore, while  they  are  upon  a  full  gallop,  and 
pursuing  it,  strike  it  again  before  it  comes  to 
the  ground  ;  and  this  they  continue  for  a  mile 
together,  striking  sometimes  to  the  right,  and 
sometimes  to  the  left,  with  amazing  speed  and 
agility. 

The  horses  of  China  are  as  indifferent  as 
those  of  India:  they  are  weak,  little,  ill-shaped, 
and  cowardly.  Those  of  Corea  are  not  above 
three  feet  high  ;  almost  all  the  breed  there  are 
made  geldings,  and  are  so  timorous,  that  they 
can  be  rendered  no  way  serviceable  in  war ; 
so  that  it  may  be  said,  that  the  Tartar  horses 
were  properly  the  conquerors  of  China.  These, 
indeed,  are  very  serviceable  in  war,  and  al- 
though but  of  a  middle  size,  yet  they  are  sur- 
prisingly patient,  vigorous,  swift,  and  bold  ; 
their  hoofs  are  extremely  hard,  though  rather 
too  narrow ;  their  heads  are  fine,  but  rather 
too  little ;  the  neck  is  long  and  stiff;  the  legs 
of  the  longest;  and  yet,  with  all  these  faults, 
they  are  found  to  be  an  excellent  breed.  The 
Tartars  live  with  their  horses  pretty  much  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  Arabians  do ;  they 
begin  to  back  them  at  the  age  of  seven  or  eight 
months,  placing  their  children  upon  them,  who 
manage  them  even  at  that  early  age.  By  these 
means  they  break  them  by  little  and  little,  till 
at  last,  about  the  age  of  six  or  seven  years,  they 
are  capable  of  enduring  amazing  hardships. 
Thus  they  have  been  known  to  march  two  or 
three  days  without  once  stopping  ;  to  continue 
five  or  six,  without  eating  any  thing  except  a 
handful  of  grass  at  every  eight  hours ;  and, 
besides,  to  remain  without  drinking  for  four 
and  twenty  hours.  These  horses,  which  are 
so  vigorous  in  their  own  country,  lose  all  their 
strength  when  they  are  brought  into  China  or 
the  Indies  ;  but  they  thrive  pretty  well  in  Per- 
sia and  Turkey.  The  race  of  little  Tartars 
towards  the  north  have  also  a  breed  of  little 
horses,  which  th^y  set  such  a  value  upon,  that 
it  is  forbidden  to  sell  them  to  strangers  :  these 
horses  have  the  very  same  qualities  w  irh  those 
of  the  larger  kind  ;  which  they  probably  derive 
from  a  similar  treatment.  There  are  also 
very  fine  horses  in  Circassia  and  MingrtTia. 
There  are  some  greatly  esteemed  in  the 


THE  HORSE. 


221 


Ukraine,  in  Walachia,  Poland,  and  Sweden ; 
but  we  have  no  particular  accounts  of  their 
excellencies  or  defects. 

,  If  we  consult  the  ancients  on  the  nature  and 
qualities  of  the  horses  of  different  countries, 
we  learn  that  the  Grecian  horses,  and  parti- 
cularly those  of  Thessaly,  had  the  reputation 
of  being  excellent  for  war;  that  those  of  Ac- 
haia  were  the  largest  that  were  known  ;  that 
the  most  beautiful  came  from  Egypt,  which 
bred  great  numbers ;  that  the  horses  of  Ethio- 
pia were  not  in  esteem,  from  the  heat  of  the 
country;  that  Arabiaand  Africa  furnished  very 
beautiful  horses,  and  very  n't  for  the  course ; 
that  those  of  Italy,  and  particularly  of  Apulia, 
were  very  good ;  that  in  Sicily,  Capadocia, 
Syria,  Armenia,  Media, and  Persia,  there  were 
excellent  horses,  equally  esteemed  for  their 
speed  and  vigour;  that  those  of  Sardinia  and 
Corsica,  though  small,  were  spirited  and  cou- 
rageous ;  that  those  of  Spain  resembled  the 
Parthian  horses,  in  being  very  well  adapted 
for  war ;  that  in  Walachia  and  Transylvania, 
there  were  horses  with  bushy  tails,  and  manes 
hanging  down  to  the  ground,  which,  neverthe- 
less, were  extremely  swift  and  active ;  that 
the  Danish  horses  were  good  leapers ;  those 
ofScandinavia,  though  little,  were  well  shaped, 
and  possessed  of  great  agility;  that  the 
Flanders'  breed  was  strong ;  that  the  Gaul- 
ish horses  were  good  for  carrying  burdens; 
that  the  German  breeds  were  so  bad,  so  di- 
minutive, and  ill-shaped,  that  no  use  could  be 
made  of  them;  that  the  Swiss  and  Hun- 
garian horses  were  good;  and,  lastly,  that 
those  of  India  were  very  diminutive  and 
feeble. 

Such  are  the  different  accounts  we  have  of 
the  various  races  of  horses  in  different  parts 
of  the  world.  I  have  hitherto  omitted  making 
mention  of  one  particular  breed,  more  excel- 
lent than  any  that  either  the  ancients  or  mo- 
derns have  produced;  and  that  is  our  own. 
It  is  not  without  great  assiduity,and  unceasing 
application,  that  the  English  horses  are  now 
become  superior  to  those  of  any  other  part 
of  the  world,  for  size,  strength,  swiftness,  and 
beauty.  It  was  not  without  great  attention, 
and  repeated  trials  of  all  the  best  horses  in 
different  parts  of  the  world,  that  we  have 
been  thus  successful  in  improving  the  breed 
of  this  animal ;  so  that  the  English  horses  are 


now  capable  of  performing  what  no  others 
ever  could  attain  to.  By  a  judicious  mixture 
of  the  several  kinds,  by  the  happy  difference 
of  our  soils,  and  by  our  superior  skill  in  ma- 
nagement, we  have  brought  this  animal  to  its 
highest  perfection.  An  English  horse,  there- 
fore, is  now  known  to  excel  the  Arabian  in 
size  and  swiftness,  to  be  more  durable  than 
the  Barb,  and  more  hardy  than  the  Persian. 
An  ordinary  racer  is  known  to  go  at  the  rate 
of  a  mile  in  two  minutes :  and  we  had  one 
instance,  in  the  admirable  Childers,  of  still 
greater  rapidity.  He  has  been  frequently 
known  to  move  above  eighty-two  feet  and  a 
half  in  a  second,  or  almost  a  mile  in  a  minute : 
he  has  also  run  round  the  course  of  New- 
market, which  is  very  little  less  than  four  miles, 
in  six  minutes  and  forty  seconds.  But  what 
is  surprising,  few  horses  have  been  since 
found  that  ever  could  equal  him:  and 
those  of  his  breed  have  been  remarkably 
deficient. 

However  this  be,  no  horses  can  any  way 
equal  our  own,  either  in  point  of  swiftness  or 
strength ;  and  these  are  the  qualifications  our 
horsemen  seem  chiefly  to  value.  For  this  rea- 
son, when  the  French,  or  other  foreigners,  de- 
scribe our  breed,  they  all  mention,  as  a  fault, 
the  awkward  and  ungainly  motion  of  our 
horses ;  they  allow  them  to  be  very  good  in- 
deed, but  they  will  not  grant  them  an  easy  or 
an  elegant  carriage."  But  these  writers  do 
not  consider  that  this  seeming  want  of  grace 
is  entirely  the  result  of  our  manner  of  break- 
ing them.  We  consult  only  speed  and  des- 
patch in  this  animal's  motions ;  the  French 
and  other  nations  are  more  anxious  for  parade 
and  spirit.  For  this  reason,  we  always  throw 
our  horses  forward,  while  they  put  them  upon 
their  haunches:  we  give  them  an  easy  swift 
gait  of  going,  that  covers  a  great  deal of ground; 
they,  on  the  contrary,  throw  them  back,  giv- 
ing them  a  more  showy  appearance  indeed, 
but  one  infinitely  less  useful.  The  fault  of 
our  manner  of  breaking  is,  that  the  horse  is 
sometimes  apt  to  fall  forward :  the  French 
managed-horse  never  falls  before,  but  more 
usually  on  one  side  :  and  for  this  reason  the 
rider  wears  stiffboots,  to  guard  his  legsagainst 
such  accidents.  However,  it  would  be  a  very 

•  See  Buffon's  account  of  our  horses. 
2  P* 


222 


A  HISTORY  OF 


easy  matter  to  give  our  horses  all  that  grace 
whichforeignersaresofondof;  butit  would  cer- 
tainly take  from  their  swiftness  and  dura- 
bility. 

But  in  what  degree  of  contempt  soever  fo- 
reigners might  formerly  have  held  our  horses, 
they  have  for  some  time  perceived  their  error, 
and  our  English  hunters  are  considered  as  the 
noblest  and  the  most  useful  horses  in  the  world. 
Our  geldings  are,  therefore,  sent  over  to  the 
continent  in  great  numbers,  and  sell  at  very 
great  prices;  as  for  our  mares  and  stallions, 
there  is  a  law  prohibiting  their  exportation; 
and  one  similar  to  this  is  said  to  have  obtained 
even  as  early  as  the  times  of  Athelstan,  who 
prohibited  their  exportation,  except  where 
designed  us  presents. 

Roger  de  Belegme,  created  Earl  of  Shreu  s- 
bury  by  William  the  Conqueror,"  is  the  first 
who  is  recorded  to  have  made  attempts  to- 
wards the  mending  our  native  breed.  He 
introduced  Spanish  stallions  into  his  estate  at 
Powisland  in  Wales,  from  which  that  part  of 
the  country  was  for  many  ages  after  famous 
for  a  swift  and  generous  race  of  horses :  how- 
ever, at  that  time  strength  and  swiftness  were 
more  regarded  than  beauty ;  the  horses'  shapes, 
in  time  of  action,  being  entirely  hid  by  a  coat 
of  armour,  which  the  knights  then  usually  put 
upon  them,  either  by  way  of  ornament  or 
defence. 

The  number  of  our  horses  in  London  alone,  ' 
in  the  time  of  King  Stephen,  is  said  to  have 
amounted  to  twenty  thousand.  However,  long 
after,  in  the  times  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  the 
whole  kingdom  could  not  supply  two  thousand 
horses  to  form  our  cavalry.  At  present,  the 
former  numbers  seem  revived;  so  that,  in  the 
late  war,  we  furnished  out  above  thirteen  thou- 
sand horsemen;  and  could,  if  hard  pushed, 
supply  above  four  times  that  number.  How 
far  this  great  increase  of  horses  among  us  may 
be  beneficial,  or  otherwise,  is  not  the  proper 
business  of  the  present  page  to  discuss ;  but 
certain  it  is,  that  where  horses  increase  in  too 
great  a  degree,  men  must  diminish  propor- 
tionably ;  as  that  food  which  goes  to  supply 


•  British  Zoology,  vol.  i.  p.  4.  To  this  work  I  am  in- 
debted tor  several  particular!  with  regard  to  the  native 
animals  of  this  island. 


the  one,  might  very  easily  be  converted  into 
nourishment  to  serve  the  other.  Bm,  perhaps, 
it  may  be  speculating  too  remotely,  to  argue 
for  the  diminution  of  their  numbers  upon  this 
principle,  since  every  manufacture  we  export 
into  other  countries,  takes  up  room,  and  may 
have  occupied  that  place,  which,  in  a  state  of 
greater  simplicity,  might  have  given  birth  and 
subsistence  to  mankind,  and  have  added  to 
population. 

Be  this  as  it  will,  as  we  have  been  at  such 
expense  and  trouble  to  procure  an  excellent 
breed  of  horses,  it  is  not  now  to  be  expected 
that  we  should  decline  the  advantages  arising 
from  it,  just  when  in  our  possession.  It  may 
be,  therefore,  the  most  prudent  measure  in  our 
legislature,  to  encourage  the  breed  as  an  useful 
branch  of  commerce,  and  a  natural  defence  to 
the  country.  liul  how  far  this  MM!  is  answered 
by  the  breeding  np  of  racers,  is  what  most 
persons,  versed  in  this  subject,  are  very  apt  to 
question.  They  assert,  thai  the  running-horse, 
as  the  breed  has  been  lor  a  long  time  refined, 
is  unfit  for  any  other  service  than  that  of  the 
course,  being  too  slight  cither  for  i  he  road,  the 
chase,  or  the  combat ;  and  his  joints  so  deli- 
cately united,  as  to  render  him  subject  to  the 
smallest  accidents.  They,  therefore',  conclude, 
that  less  encouragement  given  to  racing,  would 
be  a  means  of  turning  us  from  breeding  rather 
for  swiftness  than  strength;  and  that  we 
should  thus  be  again  famous  for  our  strong 
hunters,  which,  they  say,  are  wearing  out  from 
among  us. 

How  far  this  may  be  fact,  I  will  not 
take  upon  me  to  determine,  being  but  little 
versed  in  a  subject  that  does  not  properly  come 
within  the  compass  of  natural  history.  Instead, 
therefore,  of  farther  expatiating  on  this  well- 
known  animal's  qualifications,  upon  which 
many  volumes  might  easily  be  written,  F  will 
content  myself  with  just  mentioning  the  de- 
scription of  Camerarius,  in  which  he  professes 
to  unite  all  the  perfections  which  a  horse  ought 
to  be  possessed  of.  "  It  must,"  says  he,  "  have 
three  parts  like  those  of  a  woman  ;  the  breast 
must  be  broad,  the  hips  round,  and  the  mane 
long :  it  must  in  three  things  resemble  a  lion  ; 
its  countenance  must  be  fierce,  its  courage 
must  be  great,  and  its  fury  irresistible  :  it  must 
have  three  things  belonging  to  the  sheep  ;  the 
nose,  gentleness,  and  patience :  it  must  have 


THE  ASS. 


223 


three  of  a  doer ;  head,  leg,  and  skin  :  it  must 
have  three  of  a  wolf;  throat,  neck,  and  hear- 
ing :  it  must  have  three  of  a  fox ;  car,  tail,  and 


trot :  three  of  a  serpent ;  memory,  sight,  and 
flexibility:  and,  lastly,  three  of  a  hare;  run- 
ning, walking,  and  perseverance."1 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

OF  THE  ASS." 


ALTHOUGH  this  animal  is  very  easily 
distinguished  from  the  horse  at  first  sight,  yet, 
upon  a  closer  inspection,  the  similitude  between 
them  is  very  striking.  They  have  both  a 
similar  outline  in  the  external  parts ;  the  same 
conformation  within.  One  would  be  led,  from 
the  great  resemblance  there  is  between  them, 
to  suppose  them  of  the  same  species  ;  and  that 
the  ass  was  only  a  horse  degenerated:  however, 
they  are  perfectly  distinct,  and  there  is  an  in- 
separable line  drawn  between  them,  for  the 
mule  they  produce  is  barren.  This  seems  to 
be  the  barrier  between  every  species  of  animals; 
this  keeps  them  asunder,  and  preserves  the 
unities  of  their  form.  If  the  mule,  or  the  mon- 
ster, bred  between  two  animals,  whose  form 
nearly  approaches,  is  no  longer  fertile,  we  may 
then  conclude,  that  these  animals,  however  re- 
sembling, are  of  different  kinds.  Nature  has 
providently  stopped  the  fruitfulness  of  these  ill- 
formed  productions,  in  order  to  preserve  the 
form  of  every  animal  uncontaminated  :  were 
it  not  for  this,  the  races  would  quickly  be  mix- 
ed with  each  other ;  no  one  kind  would  pre- 
serve its  original  perfection ;  every  creature 
would  quickly  degenerate ;  and  the  world 
would  be  stocked  with  imperfection  and  de- 
formity. 

The  horse  and  the  ass,  therefore,  though  so 
nearly  approaching  in  form,  are  of  two  distinct 
kinds,  different  in  their  natures ;  and  were 
there  but  one  of  each  kind,  both  races  would 

•  It  is  a  curious  natural  fact,  that  the  horse  has  the  sin- 
gular property  of  breathing  through  the  nostril  only,  and 
not  through  the  mouth  ;  for,  in  the  severest  exercise,  the 
mouth  is  never  seen  open,  unless  the  lower  jaw  be  brought 
down  violently  by  the  force  of  the  bit.  This  may  account 
for  the  great  dilatation  of  the  nostrils  after  hard  running. 

In  those  vast  desert  regions,  in  the  most  southern  parts 
•f  Siberia,  is  found  a  horse  differing  in  several  particu- 
lars from  the  common  horse,  already  described.  It  is 
said  to  live  in  small  herds  of  about  twenty  each,  having 


then  be  extinguished.  Their  shapes  and  their 
habits  may,  indeed,  be  very  nearly  alike ;  but 
(here  is  something  in  every  animal,  besides  its 
conformation  or  way  of  life,  that  determines  its 
specific  nature.  Thus  there  is  much  greater 
resemblance  between  the  horse  and  the  ass, 
than  between  the  sheep  and  the  goat ;  and  yet 
the  latter  produce  an  animal  that  is  by  no 
means  barren,  but  which  quickly  reproduces 
an  offspring  resembling  the  sheep;  while  the 
mule  of  the  former  is  marked  with  certain  ste- 
rility. The  goat  and  the  sheep  may  be  there- 
fore said  to  be  of  one  kind,  although  so  much 
unlike  in  figure  ;  while  the  horse  and  the  ass 
are  perfectly  distinct,  though  so  closely  resem- 
bling. It  has,  indeed,  been  said  by  Aristotle, 
that  their  male  is  sometimes  prolific;  this,  how- 
ever, has  not  been  confirmed  by  any  other  tes- 
timony, although  there  has  elapsed  a  period  of 
near  two  thousand  years  to  collect  the  evidence. 
But  what  tends  to  put  the  subject  out  of  dis- 
pute, is,  that  the  two  animals  are  found  in  a 
state  of  nature  entirely  different.  The  onager, 
or  wild  ass,  is  seen  in  still  greater  abundance 
than  the  wild  horse ;  and  the  peculiarities  of  its 
kind  are  more  distinctly  marked  than  in  those 
of  the  tame  one.  Had  it  been  a  horse  degene- 
rated, the  likeness  would  be  stronger  between 
them,  the  higher  we  went  to  the  original  stock 
from  whence  both  have  been  supposed  to  be 
sprung.  The  wild  animals  of  both  kinds 
would,  in  such  a  case,  resemble  each  other, 

the  manners  of  the  common  wild  horse,  but  far  exceeding 
it  in  swiftness.  Its  head  is  large,  and  forehead  flat ;  and 
its  teeth  are  only  thirty-eight  in  number.  But  the  most 
singular  mark  of  difference  is,  that  the  tail  is  slender,  like 
that  of  the  cow,  and  destitute  of  hair  for  half  its  length; 
the  lower  part  only  being  covered  with  a  long  ash-coloured 
hair. 

b  Many  parts  of  this  account  are  extracted  from  Dau- 
benton  and  Buffon  ;  which  I  mention  here,  to  avoid  trou- 
bling the  reader  with  a  multiplicity  of  quotations. 


221 


A  HISTORY  OF 


much  more  than  those  of  the  tame  kind,  upon  j 
whom  art  has,  for  a  succession  of  ages,  been  ' 
exercising  all  its  force,  and  producing  strange   j 
habits  and  new  alterations.     The  contrary,  j 
however,  obtains,  and  the  wild  ass  is  even 
more  assinine,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  than  that 
bred  in  a  state  of  domestic  servitude;  and 
has  even  a  natural  aversion  to  the  horse,  as 
the  reader  will  shortly  learn. 

The  wild  ass  has,  by  some  writers,  been 
confounded  with  the  zebra,  but  very  impro- 
perly, for  they  are  of  a  very  different  species. 
The  wild  ass  is  not  streaked  like  the  zebra, 
nor  is  his  shape  so  beautiful;  his  figure  is  pret- 
ty much  the  same  as  that  of  the  common  ass, 
except  that  he  is  of  a  brighter  colour,  and  has 
a  white  list  running  from  his  head  to  his  tail. 
This  animal  is  found  wild  in  many  islands  of 
the  Archipelago,  particularly  in  that  of  Ce- 
rigo.  There  are  many  wild  asses  in  the  de- 
serts of  Lybia  and  Numidia,  that  run  with 
such  amazing  swiftness,  that  scarcely  even  the 
coursers  of  the  country  can  overtake  them. 
When  they  see  a  man,  they  set  up  a  horrid 
braying,  and  stop  short  all  together,  till  he 
approaches  near  them ;  they  then,  as  if  by 
common  consent,  fly  off  with  great  speed ;  and 
it  is  upon  such  occasions  that  they  generally 
fall  into  the  traps  which  are  previously  pre- 
pared to  catch  them.  The  natives  take  them 
chiefly  upon  account  of  their  flesh,  which  they 
esteem  as  delicious  eating;  and  for  their  skins, 
of  which  that  kind  of  leather  is  made  which 
is  called  shagreen. 

Olearius  relates,  that  the  monarch  of  Persia 
invited  him  on  a  certain  day  to  be  present  at 
an  entertainment  of  a  very  peculiar  nature, 
which  was  exhibited  in  a  small  building,  near 
the  palace,  resembling  a  theatre.  After  a  col- 
lation of  fruits  and  sweetmeats,  more  than  thir- 
ty of  these  wild  asses  were  driven  into  the 
area,  among  which  the  monarch  discharged 
several  shot,  and  some  arrows,  and  in  which 
he  was  imitated  by  some  of  the  rest  of  his  at- 
tendants. The  asses,  finding  themselves 
wounded,  and  no  way  of  escaping,  instantly 
began  to  attack  each  other,  biting  with  great 
fierceness,  and  braying  terribly.  In  this  man- 
ner they  continued  their  mutual  animosity, 
while  the  arrows  were  poured  in  from  above, 
until  they  were  all  killed  :  upon  which  they 
were  ordered  to  be  taken,  and  sent  to  the 


king's  kitchen  at  Ispahan.  The  Persians  es- 
teem the  flesh  of  this  animal  so  highly,  that 
its  delicacy  is  even  become  a  proverb  among 
them.  What  may  be  the  taste  of  wild  ass's 
flesh,  we  are  unable  to  say ;  but  certain  it  is, 
that  the  flesh  of  the  tame  ass  is  the  worst  that 
can  be  obtained,  being  drier,  more  tough,  and 
more  disagreeable,  than  horse-flesh.  Galen 
even  says  that  it  is  very  unwholesome.  Yet 
we  should  not  judge  hastily  upon  the  different 
tastes  of  different  people,  in  the  preference 
they  give  to  certain  meats.  The  climate  pro- 
duces very  great  changes  in  the  tenderness 
and  the  savour  of  several  viands:  that  beef, 
for  instance,  which  is  so  juicy  and  good  in 
England,  is  extremely  tough  and  dry  when 
killed  under  the  line ;  on  the  contrary,  that 
pork,  which  is  with  us  so  unpalatable  in  sum- 
mer, in  the  warmer  latitudes,  where  it  is  al- 
ways hotter  than  here,  is  the  finest  eating  they 
have,  and  much  preferable  to  any  hog's  flesh 
in  Europe. 

The  ass,  like  the  horse,  was  originally  im- 
ported into  America  by  the  Spaniards,  and 
afterwards  by  other  nations.  That  country 
seems  to  have  been  peculiarly  favourable  to 
this  race  of  animals ;  and,  where  they  have 
run  wild,  they  have  multiplied  in  such  num- 
bers, that  in  some  places  they  are  become  a 
nuisance.  In  the  kingdom  of  Quito,  the  own- 
ers of  the  grounds  where  they  are  bred,  suf- 
fer all  persons  to  take  away  as  many  as  they 
can,  on  paying  a  small  acknowledgment,  in 
proportion  to  the  number  of  days  their  sport 
lasts.  They  catch  them  in  the  following  man- 
ner. A  number  of  persons  go  on  horseback, 
and  are  attended  by  Indians  on  foot :  when 
arrived  at  the  proper  places,  they  form  a  cir- 
cle, in  order  to  drive  them  into  some  valley; 
where,  at  full  speed,  they  throw  the  noose, 
and  endeavour  to  halter  them.  Those  crea- 
tures, finding  themselves  enclosed,  make  very 
furious  efforts  to  escape ;  and.  if  only  one  for- 
ces his  way  through,  they  all  follow  with  an 
irresistible  impetuosity.  However,  when 
noosed,  the  hunters  throw  them  down,  and 
secure  them  with  fetters,  and  thus  leave  them 
till  the  chase  is  over.  Then,  in  order  to  bring 
them  away  with  greater  facility,  they  pair 
them  with  tame  beasts  of  the  same  kind ;  but 
this  is  not  easily  performed,  for  they  are  so 
remarkably  fierce  that  they  often  hurt  the 


THE  ASS. 


225 


persons  who  undertake  to  manage  them. 
They  have  all  the  swiftness  of  horses,  and 
neither  declivities  nor  precipices  can  retard 
their  career.  When  attacked,  they  defend 
themselves  with  their  heels  and  mouth  with 
such  activity,  that,  without  slackening  their 
pace,  they  often  maim  their  pursuers.  But 
the  most  remarkable  property  in  these  crea- 
tures is,  that,  after  carrying  their  first  load, 
their  celerity  leaves  them,  their  dangerous  fe- 
rocity is  lost,  and  they  soon  contract  the  stu- 
pid look  and  dulness  peculiar  to  the  assinine 
species.  It  is  also  observable,  that  these  crea- 
tures will  not  permit  a  horse  to  live  among 
them.  They  always  feed  together;  and  if  a 
horse  happens  to  stray  into  the  place  where 
they  graze,  they  all  fall  upon  him  ;  and,  with- 
out giving  him  the  liberty  of  flying,  they  bite 
and  kick  him  till  they  leave  him  for  dead  upon 
the  spot.1 

Such  is  this  animal  in  its  natural  state,  swift, 
fierce,  and  formidable :  but,  in  the  state  of 
tameness,the  ass  presents  a  very  different  pic- 
ture ;  the  moment  his  native  liberty  is  repres- 
sed, he  seems  entirely  to  give  up  all  claims 
to  freedom ;  and  he  assumes  a  patience  and 
submission  even  humbler  than  his  situation. 
He  is,  in  a  state  of  tameness,  the  most  gentle 
and  quiet  of  all  animals.  He  suffers  with  con- 
stancy, and,  perhaps,  with  courage,  all  the  ill- 
treatment  that  cruelty  and  caprice  are  pleased 
to  inflict.  He  is  temperate  with  regard  to  the 
quantity  and  the  quality  of  his  provision.  He 
is  contented  with  the  most  neglected  weeds ; 
and  makes  his  humble  repast  upon  what  the 
horse  and  other  animals  leave  behind.  If  he 
gives  the  preference  to  any  vegetable,  it  is  to 
the  plantain;  for  which  he  is  often  seen  to  neg- 
lect every  other  herb  in  the  pasture :  but  he 
is  chiefly  delicate  with  respect  to  his  water; 
he  drinks  only  at  the  clearest  brooks,  and 
chiefly  those  to  which  he  has  been  accustomed. 
He  drinks  as  soberly  as  he  eats ;  and  never, 
like  the  horse,  dips  his  nose  into  the  stream. 
As  he  is  seldom  saddled,  he  frequently  rolls 
himself  upon  the  grass ;  and  lies  down,  for 
this  purpose,  as  often  as  he  has  an  opportu- 
nity, without  minding  what  becomes  of  his 
burden.  He  never  rolls,  like  the  horse,  in 
the  mud ;  he  even  fears  to  wet  his  feet ;  and 

•  UJloa,  vol.  i.  p.  316. 


turns  out  of  his  way  to  avoid  the  dirty  parts 
of  a  road. 

When  very  young,  the  ass  is  sprightly,  and 
even  tolerably  handsome ;  but  he  soon  loses 
these  qualifications,  either  by  age  or  bad 
treatment,  and  he  becomes  slow,  stupid,  and 
headstrong.  He  seems  to  show  no  ardour, 
except  for  the  female,  having  been  often 
known  to  die  after  the  covering.  The  she- 
ass  is  not  less  fond  of  her  young  than  the  male 
is  of  her;  and  we  are  assured  that  she  will 
cross  fire  and  water  to  protect  or  rejoin  it. 
This  animal  is  sometimes  not  less  attached 
to  his  owner;  by  whom  he  is  too  often  abu- 
sed. He  scents  him  at  a  distance,  and  dis- 
tinguishes him  from  others  in  a  crowd ;  he 
knows  the  ways  he  has  passed,  and  the  pla- 
ces where  he  inhabits. 

When  overloaded,  the  ass  shows  the  injus- 
tice of  his  master,  by  hanging  down  his  head 
and  lowering  his  ears ;  when  he  is  too  hard 
pressed,  he  opens  his  mouth  and  draws  back 
his  lips,  in  a  very  disagreeable  manner.  If 
his  eyes  are  covered  he  will  not  stir  a  step ; 
and,  if  he  is  laid  down  in  such  a  manner,  that 
one  eye  is  covered  with  the  grass  while  the 
other  is  hidden  with  a  stone,  or  whatever  is 
next  at  hand,  he  will  continue  fixed  in  the 
same  situation,  and  he  will  not  so  much  as 
attempt  to  rise  to  free  himself  from  those  slight 
impediments.  He  walks,  trots,  and  gallops, 
like  a  horse ;  but,  although  he  sets  out  very 
freely  at  first,  yet  he  is  soon  tired  ;  and  then 
no  beating  will  make  him  mend  his  pace. 
It  is  in  vain  that  his  unmerciful  rider  exerts 
his  whip  or  his  cudgel;  the  poor  little  animal 
bears  it  all  with  patience, and  without  a  groan; 
and,  conscious  of  his  own  imbecility,  does  not 
offer  even  to  move. 

Notwithstanding  the  stupid  heaviness  of  his 
air,  he  may  be  educated  with  as  much  ease 
as  any  other  animal ;  and  several  have  been 
brought  up  to  perform,  and  exhibit  as  a  show. 
In  general,  however,  the  poor  animal  is  entirely 
neglected.  Man  despises  this  humble  useful 
creature,  whose  efforts  are  exerted  to  please 
him,  and  whose  services  are  too  cheaply  pur- 
chased. The  horse  is  the  only  favourite,  and 
upon  him  alone  all  expense  and  labour  are 
bestowed.  He  is  fed,  attended,  and  stab  ed, 
while  the  ass  is  abandoned  to  the  cruelty  of 
the  lowest  rustics,  or  even  to  the  sport  of  chil- 


226 


A  HISTORY  OF 


dren ;  and,  instead  of  gaining  by  the  lessons 
he  receives,  is  always  a  loser.  He  is  conduct- 
ed along  by  blows ;  he  is  insulted  by  unneces- 
sary stripes;  he  is  overloaded  by  the  lazy; 
and,  being  generally  the  property  of  the  poor, 
he  shares  with  them  in  their  wants  and  their 
distresses.  Thus  this  faithful  animal,  which, 
were  there  no  horses,  weuld  be  the  first  of 
the  quadruped  kind  in  our  esteem,  is  now 
considered  as  nothing:  his  properties  and 
qualifications  being  found  in  a  higher  degree 
elsewhere,  he  is  entirely  disregarded;  and, 
from  being  the  second,  he  i&  degraded  into  one 
of  the  most  useless  of  the  domestic  quadru- 
peds. 

For  this  reason,  very  little  care  has  been 
taken  to  improve  the  breed ;  it  is  suffered  to 
degenerate;  and  it  is  probable,  that  of  all 
other  animals  this  alone  is  rendered  feebler 
and  more  diminutive,  by  being  in  a  state  of 
domestic  servitude.  The  horse,  the  cow,  and 
thesheep,are  rendered  larger  by  the  assiduity 
of  man;  the  ass  is  suffered  to  dwindle  every 
generation,  and  particularly  in  England, 
where  it  is  probable  that,  but  for  the  medi- 
cinal qualities  of  its  milk,  the  whole  species 
would  have  ere  now  been  extinguished.  Never- 
theless, we  have  good  reasons  to  believe,  that, 
were  the  same  care  bestowed  on  the  ass  that 
is  spent  upon  the  horse,  were  the  same  indus- 
try used  in  crossing  the  breed  and  improving  it, 
we  should  see  the  ass  become,  from  his  pre- 
sent mean  state,  a  very  portly  and  serviceable 
animal ;  we  should  find  him  rival  the  horse  in 
some  of  his  perfections,  and  exceed  him  in 
others.  The  ass,  bulk  for  bulk,  is  stronger 
than  the  horse ;  is  more  sure-footed ;  and 
though  more  slow  in  his  motions,  he  is  much 
less  apt  to  start  out  of  the  way. 

The  Spaniards,  of  all  people  in  Europe, 
seem  alone  to  be  acquainted  with  the  value 
of  the  ass.  They  take  all  proper  precautions 
to  improve  the  breed ;  and  I  have  seen  a 
jack-ass,  from  that  country,  above  fifteen 
hands  high.  This  animal,  however,  seems 
originally  a  native  of  Arabia.  A  warm  climate 
is  known  to  produce  the  largest  and  the  best ; 
their  size  and  spirit  decline  in  proportion  as 
they  advance  into  colder  regions. 

Though  now  so  common  in  all  parts  of 
England,  the  ass  was  entirely  lost  among  us 
during  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth.  Ho- 


lingshead  informs  us  that  our  land  did  yield 
no  asses.*  However,  there  are  accounts  of 
their  being  common  in  England  before  that 
time.  In  Sweden,  they  are  at  present  a  sort 
of  rarity;  nor  does  it  appear  by  the  last  his- 
tory of  Norway,  that  they  have  yet  reached 
that  country.  It  is  in  the  hotter  climates  alone 
that  we  are  to  look  for  the  original  of  this 
serviceable  creature.  In  Guinea,  they  are  lar- 
ger and  more  beautiful  than  even  the  horses 
of  the  same  country.  In  Persia,  they  have 
two  kinds;  one  of  which  is  used  for  burdens, 
being  slow  and  heavy ;  the  other,  which  is 
kept  for  the  saddle,  being  smooth,  stately,  and 
nimble.  They  are  managed  as  horses,  only 
that  the  rider  sits  nearer  the  crupper,  and 
they  are  taught  to  amble  like  them.  They 
generally  cleave  their  nostrils  to  give  them 
more  room  for  breathing,  and  many  of  these 
are  sold  for  forty  or  fifty  pounds. 

The  ass  is  a  much  more  hardy  animal  than 
the  horse,  and  liable  to  fewer  diseases.  Of 
all  animals  covered  with  hair,  he  is  the  least 
subject  to  vermin,  for  he  has  no  lice,  probably 
owing  to  the  dry  ness  and  the  hardness  of  his 
skin.  Like  the  horse,  he  is  three  or  four 
years  in  coining  to  perfection ;  he  lives  till 
twenty  or  twenty-five ;  sleeps  much  less  than 
the  horse ;  and  never  lies  down  for  that  pur- 
pose, unless  very  much  tired.  The  she-ass 
goes  above  eleven  months  with  young,  and 
never  brings  forth  more  than  one  at  a  time. 
The  mule  may  be  engendered  either  between 
a  horse  and  a  she-ass,  or  between  a  jack-ass 
and  a  mare.  The  latter  breed  is  every  way 
preferable,  being  larger,  stronger,  and  better 
shaped.  It  is  not  yet  well  known  whether 
the  animal  called  the  Gimerro  be  one  of  these 
kinds ;  or,  as  is  asserted,  bred  between  the 
ass  and  the  bull.  While  naturalists  affirm  the 
impossibility  of  this  mixture,  the  natives  of  the 
alpine  countries,  where  this  c^iimal  is  bred,  as 
strongly  insist  upon  its  reality.  The  common 
mule  is  very  healthy,  and  will  live  above 
thirty  years,  being  found  very  serviceable  in 
carrying  burdens,  particularly  in  mountainous 
and  stony  places,  where  horses  are  not  so 
sure-footed.  The  siz<>  and  strength  of  our 
asses  is  at  present  greatly  improved  by  the 
importation  of  Spanish  jack-asses  ;  and  it  is 

_^___ _— . ,i  m- 

•  British  Zoology,  vol.  i.  p.  11. 


THE  ZEBRA. 


227 


probable  we  may  come  in  time  to  equal  the 
Spaniards  in  breeding  them,  where  it  is  not 
uncommon  to  give  fifty  or  sixty  guineas  for  a 
mule;  and,  indeed, in  some  mountainous  coun- 
tries, the  inhabitants  cannot  well  do  without 
them.  Their  manner  of  going  down  the 
precipices  of  the  Alps,  or  the  Andes,  is  very 
extraordinary ;  and  with  it  we  will  conclude 
their  history.  In  these  passages,  on  one  side, 
are  steep  eminences,  and,  on  the  other,  fright- 
ful abysses ;  and,  as  they  generally  follow  the 
direction  of  the  mountain,  the  road,  instead 
of  lying  in  a  level,  forms  at  every  little  dis- 
tance steep  declivities,  of  several  hundred 
yards  downward.  These  can  only  be  de- 
scended by  mules;  and  the  animal  itself  seems 
sensible  of  the  danger,  and  the  caution  that 
is  to  be  used  in  such  descents.  When  they 
come  to  the  edge  of  one  of  these  descents, 
they  stop,  without  being  checked  by  the  rider; 
and,  if  he  inadvertently  attempts  to  spur  them 
on,  they  continue  immoveable.  They  seem 
all  this  time  ruminating  on  the  danger  that  lies 
before  them,  and  preparing  themselves  for 
the  encounter.  They  not  only  attentively 
view  the  road,  but  tremble  and  snort  at  the 
danger.  Having  prepared  for  the  descent, 


they  place  their  fore-feet  in  a  posture  as  if 
they  were  stopping  themselves ;  they  then 
also  put  their  hinder-feet  together,  but  a  little 
forward,  as  if  they  were  going  to  lie  down. 
In  this  attitude,  having  taken  as  it  were  a 
survey  of  the  road,  they  slide  down  with  the 
swiftness  of  a  meteor.  In  the  mean  time,  all 
the  rider  has  to  do  is  to  keep  himself  fast  on 
the  saddle,  without  checking  the  rein,  for  the 
least  motion  is  sufficient  to  disorder  the 
equilibrium  of  the  mule ;  in  which  case  they 
both  unavoidably  perish.  But  their  address, 
in  this  rapid  descent,  is  truly  wonderful ;  for, 
in  their  swiftest  motion,  when  they  seem  to 
have  lost  all  government  of  themselves,  they 
follow  exactly  the  different  windings  of  the 
road,  as  if  they  had  previously  settled  in  their 
minds  the  route  they  were  to  follow,  and  taken 
every  precaution  for  their  safety.  In  this 
journey,  the  natives,  who  are  placed  along  the 
sides  of  the  mountains,  and  hold  by  the  roots 
of  the  trees,  animate  the  beast  with  shouts, 
and  encourage  him  to  perseverance.  Some 
mules,after  being  long  used  to  these  journeys, 
acquire  a  kind  of  reputation  for  their  safety 
and  skill ;  and  their  value  rises  in  proportion 
to  their  fame.* 


CHAPTER  XL. 

OF  THE  ZEBRA. 


THERE  are  but  three  animals  of  the  horse 
kind.  The  horse,  which  is  the  most  stately 
and  courageous  :  the  ass,  which  is  the  most 
patient  and  humble ;  and  the  zebra,  which  is 
the  most  beautiful,  but  at  the  same  time  the 
wildest  animal  in  nature.  Nothing  can  exceed 
the  delicate  regularity  of  this  creature's  colour, 
or  the  lustrous  smoothness  of  its  skin;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  nothing  can  be  more  timid  or 
more  untameable. 

It  is  chiefly  a  native  of  the  southern  parts 
of  Africa;  and  there  are  whole  herds  of  them 
often  seen  feeding  in  those  extensive  plains 
that  lie  towards  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
However,  their  watchfulness  is  such,  that  they 
will  suffer  nothing  to  come  near  them,  and 


their  swiftness  so  great,  that  they  readily 
leave  every  pursuer  far  behind.  The  zebra, 
in  shape,  rather  resembles  the  mule  than  the 
horse  or  the  ass.  It  is  rather  less  than  the 
former,  and  yet  larger  than  the  latter.  Its  ears 
are  not  so  long  as  those  of  the  ass,  and  yet 
not  so  small  as  in  the  horse  kind  Like  the 
ass,  its  head  is  large,  its  back  straight,  its  legs 
finely  placed,  and  its  tail  tufted  at  the  end; 
like  the  horse,  its  skin  is  smooth  and  close, 
and  its  hind  quarters  round  and  fleshy.  But 
its  greatest  beauty  lies  in  the  amazing  regu- 
larity and  elegance  of  its  colours.  In  the 
male,  they  are  white  and  brown ;  in  the 


•  Ulloa,  vol.  i. 


2Q 


228 


A  HISTORY  OF 


female,  white  and  black.  These  colours  are 
disposed  in  alternate  stripes  over  the  whole 
body,  and  with  such  exactness  and  symmetry, 
that  one  would  think  Nature  had  employed 
the  rule  and  compass  to  paint  them.  These 
stripes,  which,  like  so  many  ribbands,  are 
laid  all  over  its  body,  are  narrow,  parallel, 
and  exactly  separated  from  each  other.  It  is 
not  here  as  in  other  party-coloured  animals, 
where  the  tints  are  blended  into  each  other; 
every  stripe  here  is  perfectly  distinct,  and  pre- 
serves its  colour  round  the  body,  or  the  limb, 
without  any  diminution.  In  this  manner  are 
the  head,  the  body,  the  thighs,  the  legs,  and 
even  the  tail  and  the  ears,  beautifully  streak- 
ed, so  that  at  a  little  distance  owe  would  be 
apt  t>  suppose  that  the  animal  was  dressed 
out  by  art,  and  not  thus  admirably  adorned 
by  nature. 

In  the  male  zebra,  the  head  is  striped  with 
fine  bands  of  black  and  white,  which  in  a  man- 
ner centre  in  the  forehead.  The  ears  are  va- 
riegated with  a  white  and  dusky  brown.  The 
neck  has  broad  stripes  of  the  same  dark  brown 
running  round  it,  leaving  narrow  white  stripes 
between.  The  body  is  striped  also  across  the 
back  with  broad  bands,  leaving  narrower 
spaces  of  white  between  them,  and  ending  in 
points  at  the  sides  of  the  belly,  which  is  w  hite, 
except  a  black  line  pectinated  on  each  side, 
reaching  from  between  the  fore-legs,  along  the 
middle  of  the  belly,  two-thirds  of  its  length. 
There  is  a  line  of  separation  between  the 
trunk  of  the  body  and  the  hinder  quarters, 
on  each  side ;  behind  which,  on  the  rump, 
is  a  plat  of  narrow  stripes,  joined  together  by 
a  stripe  down  the  middle,  to  the  end  of  the 
tail.  The  colours  are  different  in  the  female ; 
and  in  none  the  stripes  seem  entirely  to  agree 
in  form,  but  in  all  they  are  equally  distinct; 
the  hair  equally  smooth  and  fine ;  the  white 
shining  and  unmixed;  and  the  black,or  brown, 
thick  and  lustrous. 

Such  is  the  beauty  of  this  creature,  that  it 
seems  by  nature  fitted  to  satisfy  the  pride  and 
the  pleasure  of  man ;  and  formed  to  be  taken 
into  his  service.  Hitherto,  however,  it  ap- 
pears to  have  disdained  servitude,  and  neither 
force  nor  kindness  have  been  able  to  wean  it 
from  its  native  independence  and  ferocity. 
But  this  wildness  might,  perhaps,  in  time  be 
surmounted :  and  it  is  probable,  the  horse  and 


|  the  ass,  when  first  taken  from  the  forest,  were 
equally  obstinate,  fierce,  and  unmanageable. 
Mr.  BufFon  informs  us  that  the  zebra,  from 
which  he  took  his  description,  could  never  be 
entirely  mastered,  notwithstanding  all  the  ef- 
forts which  were  tried  to  tame  it.  They  con- 
tinued, indeed,  to  mount  it,  but  then  with  such 
precautions  as  evidently  showed  its  fierceness; 
for  two  men  were  obliged  to  hold  the  reins, 
while  the  third  ventured  upon  its  back ;  and 
even  then  it  attempted  to  kick  whenever  it 
perceived  any  person  approaching.  That 
which  is  now  in  the  Queen's  menagerie,  at 
Buckingham-Gate,  is  even  more  vicious  than 
the  former;  and  the  keeper  who  shows  it, 
takes  care  to  inform  the  spectators  of  its  un- 
governable nature.  Upon  my  attempting  to 
approach  it,  it  seemed  quite  terrified,  and  was 
preparing  to  kick,  appearing  as  wild  as  if  just 
caught,  although  taken  extremely  young,  and 
used  with  the  utmost  indulgence.  Yet  still  it 
is  most  probable  that  this  animal,  by  time  and 
assiduity,  could  be  brought  under  subjection. 
As  it  resembles  the  horse  in  form,  without  all 
doubt  it  has  a  similitude  of  nature,  and  only 
requires  the  efforts  of  an  industrious  and  skil- 
ful nation,  to  be  added  to  the  number  of  our 
domestics.  It  is  not  now  known  what  were 
the  pains  and  dangers  which  were  first  under- 
gone to  reclaim  the  breed  of  horses  from  sa- 
vage ferocity ;  these,  no  doubt,  made  an  equal 
opposition;  but,  by  being  opposed  by  an  in- 
dustrious and  enterprising  race  of  mankind, 
their  spirit  was  at  last  subdued,  and  their  free- 
dom restrained.  It  is  otherwise  with  regard 
to  the  zebra ;  it  is  the  native  of  countries 
where  the  human  inhabitants  are  but  little 
raised  above  the  quadruped.  The  natives  of 
Angola,  or  Caffraria,  have  no  other  idea  of 
advantage  from  horses  but  as  they  are  good 
for  food ;  neither  the  fine  stature  of  the  Ara- 
bian courser,  nor  the  delicate  colourings  of 
the  zebra,  have  any  allurements  to  a  race  of 
people,  who  only  consider  the  quantity  of 
flesh,  and  not  its  conformation.  The  delicacy 
of  the  zebra's  shape,  or  the  painted  elegance 
of  its  form,  are  no  more  regarded  by  such, 
than  by  the  lion  that  makes  it  his  prey.  For 
this  reason,  therefore,  the  zebra  may  hi- 
therto have  continued  wild,  because  it  is  the 
native  of  a  country  where  there  have  been  no 
successive  efforts  made  to  reclaim  it.  All 


THE  ZEBRA. 


229 


pursuits  that  have  been  hitherto  instituted 
against  it,  were  rather  aguinst  its  life  than  its 
liberty  :  the  animal  has  thus  been  long  taught 
to  consider  man  as  its  most  mortal  enemy ;  and 
it  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  it  refuses  to  yield 
obedience  where  it  has  so  seldom  experienced 
mercy.  There  is  a  kind  of  knowledge  in  all 
animals,  that  I  have  often  considered  with 
amazement;  which  is,  that  they  seem  perfectly 
to  know  their  enemies,  and  to  avoid  them.  In- 
stinct, indeed,  may  teach  the  deer  to  fly  from  the 
jion ;  or  the  mouse  to  avoid  the  cat ;  but  what 
is  the  principle  that  teaches  the  dog  to  attack  the 
dog-butcher  wherever  he  sees  him  ?  In  China, 
where  the  killing  and  dressing  dogs  is  a  trade, 
whenever  one  of  these  people  moves  out,  all 
"the  dogs  of  the  village,  or  the  street,  are  sure 
to  be  after  him.  This  I  should  hardly  have 
believed,  but  that  I  have  seen  more  than  one 
instance  of  it  among  ourselves.  I  have  seen  a 
poor  fellow,  who  made  a  practice  of  stealing 
and  killing  dogs  for  their  skins,  pursued  in  full 
cry  for  three  or  four  streets  together,  by  all  the 
bolder  breed  of  dogs,  while  the  weaker  flew 
from  his  presence  with  affright.  How  these 
animuls  could  thus  find  out  their  enemy,  and 
pursue  him,  appears,  I  own,  unaccountable ;  but 
such  is  the  fact;  and  it  not  only  obtains  in 
dogs,  but  in  several  other  animals,  though  per- 
haps to  a  less  degree.  This,  very  probably, 
may  have  been,  in  some  measure,  a  cause  that 
has  hitherto  kept  the  zebra  in  its  state  of  na- 
tural wildness ;  and  in  which  it  may  continue, 
till  kinder  treatment  shall  have  reconciled  it 
to  its  pursuers. 

It  is  very  likely,  therefore,  as  a  more  civilized 
people  are  now  placed  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  which  is  the  chief  place  where  this  ani- 
mal is  found,  that  we  may  have  them  tamed 
and  rendered  serviceable.  Nor  is  its  extraor- 
dinary beauty  the  only  motive  we  have  for 
wishing  this  animal  among  the  number  of  our 
dependents:  its  swiftness  is  said  to  surpass  that 
of  all  others ;  so  that  the  speed  of  a  zebra  is 
become  a  proverb  among  the  Spaniards  and 
Portuguese.  It  stands  better  upon  its  legs  also 
than  a  horse  ;  and  is,  consequently,  stronger  in 
proportion.  Thus,  if  by  proper  care  we  im- 
proved the  breed,  as  we  have  in  other  instances, 
we  should  probably  in  time  to  come  have  a 
race  as  large  as  the  horse,  as  fleet,  as  strong, 
and  much  more  beautiful. 

The  zebra,  as  was  said,  is  chiefly  a  native 


of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  It  is  also  found 
in  the  kingdom  of  Angola ;  and,  as  we  are 
assured  by  Lopez,  in  several  provinces  also  of 
Barbary.  In  those  boundless  forests  it  has 
nothing  to  restrain  its  liberty ;  it  is  too  shy  to 
be  caught  in  traps,  and,  therefore,  seldom  taken 
alive.  It  would  seem,  therefore,  that  none  of 
them  have  ever  been  brought  into  Europe, 
that  were  caught  sufficiently  young,  so  as  to 
be  untinctured  by  their  original  state  of  wild- 
ness.  The  Portuguese,  indeed,  pretend  that 
they  have  been  able  to  tame  them,  and  that 
they  have  sent  four  from  Africa  to  Lisbon, 
which  were  so  far  brought  under,  as  to  draw 
the  King's  coach  :a  they  add,  that  the  person 
who  sent  them  over,  had  the  office  of  notary 
conferred  upon  him  for  his  reward,  which  was 
to  remain  to  him  and  his  posterity  for  ever : 
but  I  do  not  find  this  confirmed  by  any  per- 
son who  says  he  saw  them.  Of  those  which 
were  sent  to  Brazil,  not  one  could  be  tamed  ; 
they  would  permit  one  man  only  to  approach 
them ;  they  were  tied  up  very  short ;  and  one 
of  them,  which  had  by  some  means  got  loose, 
actually  killed  his  groom,  having  bitten  him 
to  death.1"  Notwithstanding  this,  I  believe, 
were  the  zebra  taken  up  very  young,  and  pro- 
perly treated,  it  might  be  rendered  as  tame  as 
another  animal ;  and  Merolla,  who  saw  many 
of  them,  asserts,  that,  when  tamed,  which  he 
speaks  of  as  being  common  enough,  they  are 
not  less  estimable  for  their  swiftness  than  their 
beauty. 

This  animal,  which  is  neither  to  be  found 
in  Europe,  Asia,  or  America,  is  nevertheless 
very  easily  fed.  That  which  came  over  into 
England  some  years  ago,  would  eat  almost 
any  thing,  such  as  bread,  meat,  and  tobacco ; 
that  which  is  now  among  us,  subsists  entirely 
upon  hay.  As  it  so  nearly  resembles  the  horse 
and  the  ass  in  structure,  so  it  probably  brings 
forth  annually  as  they  do.  The  noise  they 
make  is  neither  like  that  of  a  horse  or  an  ass, 
but  more  resembling  the  confused  barking  of  a 
mastiff  dog.  In  the  two  which  I  saw,  there 
was  a  circumstance  that  seems  to  have  escaped 
naturalists ;  which  is,  that  the  skin  hangs  loose 
below  the  jaw  upon  the  neck,  in  a  kind  of 
dewlap,  which  takes  away  much  from  the  ge- 
neral beauty.  But  whether  this  be  a  natural 


Dapper.      b  Pyrard.  torn.  ii.  p.  376. 
2Q» 


230 


A  HISTORY  OF 


or  accidental  blemish,  I  will  not  take  upon  me 
to  determine. 

These  animals  are  often  sent  as  presents  to 
the  princes  of  the  East.  We  are  told,  that  one 
of  the  governors  of  Batavia  gave  a  zebra, 
which  had  been  sent  to  him  from  Africa,  to 
the  Emperor  of  Japan,  for  which  he  received, 


a  Navendorf. 

b  In  addition  to  these  species  may  be  mentioned  the 
Quagga.  This  animal,  which  used  to  be  confounded 
with  the  zebra,  is  now  acknowledged  to  be  quite  distinct. 
It  inhabits  the  same  parts  of  Africa  as  the  zebra,  but  is 
always  found  in  separate  herds,  never  associating  with  it. 
It  is  about  the  same  size  as  the  zebra,  but  less  elegant  in 
its  shape  and  marks  ;  and  is  of  a  much  more  docile  na- 


ns an  equivalent  for  the  company,  a  present, 
to  the  value  of  sixty  thousand  crowns."  Teller 
also  relates,  that  the  Great  Mogul  gave  two  thou- 
sand ducats  for  one  of  them.  And  it  is  frequent 
with  the  African  ambassadors  to  the  court  of 
Constantinople,  to  bring  some  of  these  animals 
with  them,  as  presents  for  the  Grand  Signior.b 

ture ;  the  Dutch  colonists  at  the  Cape  having  been  said 
to  tame  them,  and  use  them  for  the  draught  and  saddle. 
Its  general  colour  is  of  a  ferruginous  tinge,  with  brown 
stripes.  These  stripes,  however,  are  fewer  in  number 
than  those  of  the  zebra,  and  much  less  elegantly  disposed, 
there  being  seldom  any  on  the  haunches,  shoulders,  and 
legs;  and,  on  the  hinder  parts,  they  gradually  diminish 
into  spots. 


RUMINATING  ANIMALS. 


231 


OF 


ANIMA1S. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

INTRODUCTION. 


OF  all  animals,  those  that  chew  the  cud 
are  the  most  harmless,  and  the  most  easily 
tamed.  As  they  live  entirely  upon  vegetables, 
it  is  neither  their  interest  nor  their  pleasure 
to  make  war  upon  the  rest  of  the  brute  crea- 
tion ;  content  with  the  pastures  where  they 
are  placed,  they  seldom  desire  to  change, 
while  they  are  furnished  with  a  proper  sup- 
ply ;  and,  fearing  nothing  from  each  other, 
they  generally  go  in  herds  for  their  mutual 
security.  All  the  fiercest  of  the  carnivorous 
kinds  seek  their  food  in  gloomy  solitude ; 
these,  on  the  contrary,  range  together ;  the 
very  meanest  of  them  are  found  to  unite  in 
each  other's  defence ;  and  the  hare  itself  is 
a  gregarious  animal,  in  these  countries  where 
it  has  no  other  enemies  but  the  beasts  of  the 
forests  to  guard  against. 

As  the  food  of  ruminant  animals  is  entirely 
of  the  vegetable  kind,  and  as  this  is  very 
easily  procured,  so  these  animals  seem  natu- 
rally more  indolent  and  less  artful  than  those 
of  the  carnivorous  kinds ;  and  as  their  appe- 
tites are  more  simple,  their  instincts  seem  to 
be  less  capable  of  variation.  The  fox  or  the 
welfare  for  ever  prowling ;  their  long  habits 
of  want  give  them  a  degree  of  sharpness  and 
cunning ;  their  life  is  a  continued  scene  of 
stratagem  and  escape :  but  the  patient  ox,  or 
the  deer,  enjoy  the  repast  that  nature  has 
abundantly  provided;  certain  of  subsistence, 
and  content  with  security. 

AB  nature  has  furnished  these  animals  with 

•  All  quadrupeds  that  chew  the  cud  have  suet  instead  of 
the  soft  fat  of  other,  animals.;  ,and  they  have.  the.  awkward 
hahhef  rising,  *hen  in  a  recumbent  ^posture,  upon  .their 
biud  legs:first.  A.cow,  whetKshe  rises  from  .the.grouudj 


an  appetite  for  such  coarse  and  simple  nutri- 
ment, so  she  has  enlarged  the  capacity  of  the 
intestines,  to  take  in  a  greater  supply.  In  the 
carnivorous  kinds,  as  their  food  is  nourishing 
and  juicy,  their  stomachs  are  but  small,  and 
their  intestines  short;  but  in  these,  whose 
pasture  is  coarse,  and  where  much  must  be 
accumulated  before  any  quantity  of  nourish- 
ment can  be  obtained,  their  stomachs  are 
large  and  numerous,  and  their  intestines  long 
and  muscular.  The  bowels  of  a  ruminating 
animal  may  be  considered  as  an  elaboratory, 
with  vessels  in  it,  fitted  for  various  transmu- 
tations. It  requires  a  long  and  tedious  pro- 
cess before  grass  can  be  transmuted  into  flesh; 
and  for  this  purpose,  nature,  in  general,  has 
furnished  such  animals  as  feed  upon  grass 
with  four  stomachs,  through  which  the  food 
successively  passes  and  undergoes  the  proper 
separations.* 

Of  the  four  stomachs  with  which  ruminant 
animals  are  furnished,  the  first  is  called  the 
paunch,  which  receives  the  food  after  it  has 
been  slightly  chewed ;  the  second  is  called 
the  honeycomb,  and  is  properly  notlu'ng  more 
than  a  continuation  of  the  former :  these  two, 
which  are  very  capacious,  the  animal  fills  as 
fast  as  it  can,  and  then  lies  down  to  ruminate; 
which  may  be  properly  considered  as  a  kind 
of  vomiting  without  effort  or  pain.  The  two 
stomachs  above  mentioned  being  filled  with 
as  much  as  they  can  contain,  and  the  grass, 
which  was  slightly  chewed,  beginning  to  swell 

'places  herself  on  the  fore-knees,  and  then  lifts  up  the  whole 
hinder  parts.  A  horse  springs  up  first  OB  ,his  .fore-legs, 
and  then  rises  up  his  hinder  parts.  This  may  Li  w.'»i:g 
/to  the  different  conformation  of  jhe  stomach. 


232 


ANIMALS  OF 


with  the  heat  of  the  situation,  it  dilates  the 
stomachs,  and  these  again  contract  upon  their 
contents.  The  aliment,  thus  squeezed,  has 
but  two  passages  to  escape  at ;  one  into  the 
third  stomach,  which  is  very  narrow ;  and  the 
other  back,  by  the  gullet,  into  the  r»outh, 
which  is  wider.  The  greatest  quantity,  there- 
fore, is  driven  back,  through  the  largest  aper- 
ture, into  the  mouth,  to  be  chewed  a  second 
time ;  while  a  small  part,  and  that  only  the 
most  liquid,  is  driven  into  the  third  stomach, 
through  the  orifice  which  is  so  small.  The 
food  whick  is  driven  to  the  mouth,  and  chew- 
ed a  second  time,  is  thus  rendered  more  soft 
and  moist,  and  becomes  at  last  liquid  enough 
to  pass  into  the  conduit  that  goes  to  the  third 
stomach,  where  it  undergoes  a  still  farther 
comminution.  In  this  stomach,  which  is  call- 
ed the  manifold,  from  the  number  of  its  leaves, 
all  which  tend  to  promote  digestion,  the  grass 
has  the  appearance  of  boiled  spinage,  but  not 
yet  sufficiently  reduced,  so  as  to  make  a  part 
of  the  animal's  nourishment ;  it  requires  the 
operation  of  the  fourth  stomach  for  this  pur- 
pose, where  it  undergoes  a  complete  macera- 
tion, and  is  separated  to  be  turned  into  chyle. 

But  nature  has  not  been  less  careful  in 
another  respect,  in  fitting  the  intestines  of 
these  animals  for  their  food.  In  the  carnivo- 
rous kinds  they  are  thin  and  lean ;  but  in  ru- 
minating animals  they  are  strong,  fleshy,  and 
well  covered  with  fat.  Every  precaution 
seems  taken  that  can  help  their  digestion : 
their  stomach  is  strong  and  muscular,  the  more 
readily  to  act  upon  its  contents  ;  their  intes- 
tines are  lined  with  fat,  the  better  to  preserre 
their  warmth;  and  they  are  extended  to  a 
much  greater  length,  so  as  to  extract  every 
part  of  that  nourishment  which  their  vegetable 
food  so  scantily  supplies. 

In  this  manner  are  all  quadrupeds  of  the 
cow,  the  sheep,  or  the  deer  kind,  seen  to  ru- 
minate ;  being  thus  furnished  with  four  sto- 
machs, for  the  macerating  of  their  food. 
These,  therefore,  may  most  properly  be  call- 
ed the  ruminant  kinds;  although  there  are 
many  others  that  have  this  quality  in  a  less 
observable  degree.  The  rhinoceros,  the 
camel,  the  horse,  the  rabbit,  the  marmotte, 
and  the  squirrel,  all  chew  the  cud  by  inter- 
vals, although  they  are  not  furnished  with 
stomachs  like  the  former.  But  not  these 


alone,  there  are  numberless  other  animals 
that  appear  to  ruminate ;  not  only  birds,  but 
fishes  and  insects.  Among  birds  are  the 
pelican,  the  stork,  the  heron,  the  pigeon,  and 
the  turtle ;  these  have  a  power  of  disgorging 
their  food  to  feed  their  young.  Among  fishes 
are  lobsters,  crabs,  and  that  fish  called  the 
dorado.  The  salmon  also  is  said  to  be  of  this 
number :  and,  if  we  may  believe  Ovid,  the 
scarus  likewise ;  of  which  he  says," 

Of  all  the  fish  that  graze  beneath  the  flood, 
He  only  ruminates  his  former  food. 

Of  insects,  the  ruminating  tribe  is  still  lar- 
ger; the  mole,  the  cricket,  the  wasp,  the 
drone,  the  bee,  the  grasshopper,  and  the  beetle. 
All  these  animals  either  actually  chew  the  cud, 
or  seem  at  least  to  ruminate.  They  have  the 
stomach  composed  of  muscular  fibres,  by 
means  whereof  the  food  is  ground  up  and 
down,  in  the  same  manner  as  in  those  which 
are  particularly  distinguished  by  the  appella- 
tion of  ruminants. 

But  not  these  alone  ;  men  themselves  have 
been  often  known  to  ruminate,  and  some  even 
with  pleasure.  The  accounts  of  these  calami- 
ties, for  such  I  must  consider  them,  incident 
to  our  fellow-creatures,  are  not  very  pleasant 
to  read :  yet  I  must  transcribe  a  short  one,  as 
given  us  by  Slare,  in  the  Philosophical  Trans- 
actions, as  it  may,  in  some  measure,  show  the 
satisfaction  which  the  lower  tribes  of  animals 
enjoy  while  they  ruminate.  The  man  in  ques- 
tion was  a  citizen  of  Bristol,  of  about  twenty 
years  of  age,  and,  what  seemed  more  extra- 
ordinary still,  of  a  ruminating  family,  for  his 
father  was  frequently  subject  to  the  same  in- 
firmity, or  amusement,  as  he  himself  perhaps 
would  call  it.  This  young  man  usually  began 
to  chew  his  meat  over  again  within  about  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  after  eating.  His  ruminat- 
ing after  a  full  meal  generally  lasted  about  an 
hour  and  a  half;  nor  could  he  sleep  until  this 
task  was  performed.  The  victuals,  upon  the 
return,  tasted  even  more  pleasantly  than  at 
first ;  and  returned  as  if  they  had  been  beaten 
up  in  a  mortar.  If  he  ate  a  variety  of  things, 
that  which  he  ate  first  came  up  again  first; 
and  if  this  return  was  interrupted  for  any  time, 

a  At  contra  herbosa  pisces  laxantur  arena, 
Ut  scarus  epastus  solus  qui  ruminant  escas. 


THE  COW  KIND, 


233 


it  produced  sickness  and  disorder,  and  he  \\  ;is 
never  well  till  it  returned.  Instances  of  this 
kind,  however,  are  rare  and  accidental;  and 
it  is  happy  for  mankind  that  they  are  so.  Of 
-all  other  animals,  we  spend  the  least  time  in 


eating;  this  is  one  of  the  great  distinctions 
between  us  and  the  brute  creation;  and  eat- 
ing is  a  pleasure  of  so  low  a  kind,  that  none 
but  such  as  are  nearly  allied  to  the  quadru- 
ped, desire  its  prolongation. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

OF  QUADRUPEDS  OF  THE  COW  KIND." 


OF  all  ruminant  animals,  those  of  the  cow 
kind  deserve  the  first  rank,  both  for  their  size, 
their  beauty,  and  their  services.  The  horse 
is  more  properly  an  animal  belonging  to  the 
rich ;  the  sheep  chiefly  thrives  in  a  flock,  and 
requires  attendance ;  but  the  cow  is  more  es- 
pecially the  poor  man's  pride,  his  riches,  and 
nis  support.  There  are  many  of  our  peasan- 
try that  have  no  other  possession  but  a  cow ; 
and  even  of  the  advantages  resulting  from  this 
most  useful  creature,  the  poor  are  but  the  no- 
minal possessors.  Its  flesh  they  cannot  pre- 
tend to  taste,  since  then  their  whole  riches  are 
at  once  destroyed ;  its  calf  they  are  obliged 
to  fatten  for  sale,  since  veal  is  a  delicacy 
they  could  not  make  any  pretensions  to;  its 
very  milk  is  wrought  into  butter  and  cheese 
for  the  tables  of  their  masters;  while  they  have 
no  share,  even  in  their  own  possession,  but 
the  choice  of  their  market.  I  cannot  bear  to 
hear  the  rich  crying  out  for  liberty  while  they 
thus  starve  their  fellow-creatures,  and  feed 
them  up  with  an  imaginary  good,  while  they 
^taonopolize  the  real  benefits  of  nature. 

In  those  countries  where  the  men  are  un- 
der better  subordination,  this  excellent  ani- 
mal is  of  more  general  advantage.  In  Ger- 
many, Poland,  and  Switzerland,  every  pea- 
sant keeps  two  or  three  cows,  not  for  the 
benefit  of  his  master,  but  for  himself.  The 
meanest  of  the  peasants  there  kills  one  cow 
at  least  for  his  own  table,  which  he  salts  and 
hangs  up,  and  thus  preserves  as  a  delicacy 
all  the  year  round.  There  is  scarcely  a  cot- 
tage in  those  countries  that  is  not  hung  round 

"  The  animals  of  this  kind  have  the  horns  hollow, 
onootli,  turned  outwards  and  forwards,  in  a  semicircular 


with  these  marks  of  hospitality ;  and  whicn 
often  make  the  owner  better  contented  with 
hunger,  since  he  has  it  in  his  power  to  be 
luxurious  when  he  thinks  proper.  A  piece 
of  beef  hung  up  there  is  consid-ered  as  an  ele- 
gant piece  of  furniture,  which,  though  seldom 
touched,  at  least  argues  the  possessor's  opu- 
lence and  ease.  But  it  is  very  different,  for 
some  years  past,  in  this  country,  where  our 
lower  rustics  at  least  are  utterly  unable  to  pur- 
chase meat  any  part  of  the  year,  and  by  them 
even  butter  is  considered  as  an  article  of  ex- 
travagance. 

The  climate  and  pasture  of  Great  Britain, 
however,  are  excellently  adapted  to  this  ani- 
mal's moderate  nature;  and  the  verdure  and 
the  fertility  of  our  plains  are  perfectly  suited 
to  the  manner  of  its  feeding ;  for  wanting  the 
upper  fore-teeth,  it  loves  to  graze  on  a  high 
rich  pasture.  This  animal  seems  but  little 
regardful  of  the  quality  of  its  food,  provided 
it  be  supplied  in  sufficient  abundance ;  it  makes 
no  particular  distinction  in  the  choice  of  its 
herbage,  but  indiscriminately  and  hastily  de- 
vours the  proper  quantity.  For  this  reason, 
in  our  pastures,  where  the  grass  is  rather  high 
than  succulent,  more  flourishing  than  nutri- 
tious, the  cow  thrives  admirably ;  and  there 
is  no  part  of  Europe  where  the  tame  animal 
grows  larger,  yields  more  milk,  or  more  rea- 
dily fattens,  than  with  us. 

Our  pastures  supply  them  with  abundance, 
and  they  in  return  enrich  the  pasture ;  for, 
of  all  animals,  the  cow  seems  to  give  back 
more  than  it  takes  from  the  soil.  The  horse 


form ;  in  the  lower  jaw  there  are  eight  front  teeth,  but 
none  in  the  upper  :  and  there  are  no  tusks  in  either. 


234 


ANIMALS  OF 


and  the  sheep  are  known,  in  a  course  of  years, 
to  impoverish  the  ground.  The  land  where 
they  have  fed  becomes  weedy,  and  the  vege- 
tables coarse  and  unpalatable ;  on  the  con- 
trary, the  pasture  where  the  cow  has  been 
bred,  acquires  a  finer,  softer  surface,  and  be- 
comes every  year  more  beautiful  and  even. 
The  reason  is,  that  the  horse  being  furnished 
with  fore-teeth  in  the  upper  jaw,  nips  the 
grass  closely,  and  therefore  only  chooses  that 
which  is  the  most  delicate  and  tender;  the 
sheep  also,  though  with  respect  to  its  teeth 
formed  like  the  cow,  only  bites  the  most  suc- 
culent parts  of  the  herbage :  these  animals, 
therefore,  leave  all  the  high  weeds  standing; 
and  while  they  cut  the  finer  grass  too  closely, 
suffer  the  ranker  herbage  to  vegetate  and  over- 
run the  pasture.  But  it  is  otherwise  with  the 
cow :  as  its  teeth  cannot  come  so  close  to  the 
ground  as  those  of  the  horse,  nor  so  readily 
as  those  of  the  sheep,  which  are  less,  it  is 
obliged  to  feed  upon  the  tallest  vegetables 
that  offer;  thus  it  eats  them  all  down,  and  in 
time,  levels  the  surface  of  the  pasture. 

The  age  of  the  cow  is  known  by  the  teeth 
and  horns.  This  animal  is  furnished  with 
eight  cutting  teeth  in  the  lower  jaw;  at  the 
age  often  months  the  two  middlemost  of  these 
fall  out,  and  are  replaced  by  others  that  are 
not  so  white,  but  broader;  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen months  the  two  next  milk-white  teeth 
fall  out  likewise,  and  others  come  up  in  their 
room ;  thus,  at  the  end  of  every  six  months, 
the  creature  loses  and  gains,  till  at  the  age  of 
three  years  all  the  cutting-teeth  are  renewed, 
and  then  they  are  long,  pretty  white,  and  equal; 
but  in  proportion  as  the  animal  advances  in 
years,  they  become  irregular  and  black,  their 
inequalities  become  smoother,  and  the  animal 
less  capable  of  chewing  its  food.  Thus  the 
cow  often  declines  from  this  single  cause; 
for  as  it  is  obliged  to  eat  a  great  deal  to  sup- 
port life,  and  as  the  smoothness  of  the  teeth 
makes  the  difficulty  of  chewing  great,  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  food  cannot  be  supplied  to 
the  stomach.  Thus  the  poor  animal  sinks  in 
the  midst  of  plenty,  and  every  year  grows  lean- 
er and  leaner  till  it  dies. 

The  horns  are  another  and. a  surer  method 
of  determining  this  animal's  age.  At  three 
years  old,  it  sheds  its  horns,  and  new  ones 
arise  in  their  place,  which  continue  as  long  as 


it  lives ;  at  four  years  of  age,  the  cow  has 
small  pointed,  neat  smooth  horns,  thickest 
near  the  head;  at  five,  the  horns  become 
larger,  and  are  marked  round  with  the  former 
year's  growth.  Thus,  while  the  animal  con- 
tinues to  live,  the  horns  continue  to  lengthen ; 
and  every  year  a  new  ring  is  added  at  the 
root;  so  that  allowing  three  years  before  their 
appearance,  and  then  reckoning  the  number 
of  rings,  we  have,  in  both  together,  the  ani- 
mal's age  exactly. 

As  we  have  indisputably  the  best  breed  of 
horned  cattle  of  any  in  Europe,  so  it  was  not 
without  the  same  assiduity  that  we  came  to 
excel  in  these,  ac.  in  our  horses.  The  breed 
of  cows  has  been  entirely  improved  by  a  fo- 
reign mixture,  properly  adapted  to  supply  the 
imperfections  of  our  own.  Such  as  are  pure- 
ly British  are  far  inferior  in  size  to  those  on 
many  parts  of  the  continent ;  but  those  which 
we  have  thus  improved  by  far  excel  all  others. 
Our  Lincolnshire  kind  derive  their  size  from 
the  Holstein  breed :  and  the  large  hornless 
cattle  that  are  bred  in  some  parts  of  England, 
came  originally  from  Poland.  We  were  once 
famous  for  a  wild  breed  of  these  animals,  but 
these  have  long  since  been  worn  out ;  and 
perhaps  no  kingdom  in  Europe  can  furnish  so 
few  wild  animals  of  all  kinds  as  our  own. 
Cultivation  and  agriculture  are  sure  to  banish 
these  wherever  they  are  found ;  and  every 
addition  a  country  receives  from  art  drives 
away  those  animals  that  are  only  fitted  for  a 
state  of  nature. 

Of  all  quadrupeds,  the  cow  seems  most  lia- 
ble to  alteration  from  its  pasture.  In  the  dif- 
ferent parts  of  our  own  country  we  easily  per- 
ceive the  great  varieties  produced  among 
these  animals,  by  the  richness  or  poverty  of 
the  soil.  In  some  they  grow  to  a  great  bulk ; 
and  I  have  seen  an  ox  sixteen  hands  high, 
which  is  taller  than  the  general  run  of  our 
horses.  In  others,  they  appear  as  diminutive ; 
being  not  so  large  as  an  ass.  The  breed  of 
the  Isle  of  Man,  and  most  parts  of  Scotland, 
is  much  less  in  general  than  in  England  or 
Ireland :  they  are  differently  shaped  also, 
the  dewlap  being  much  smaller,  and,  as  the  ex- 
pression is,  the  beast  has  more  of  the  ewe 
neck.  This,  till  some  years  ago,  was  consi- 
dered in  cattle  as  .1  deformity ;  and  the  cow 
was  chosen,  according  to  Virgil's  direction, 


THE  COW  KIND. 


235 


with  a  large  dewlap  :  however,  at  present,  it 
is  the  universal  opinion,  that -the  cow  wants 
in  udder  what  it  has  in  neck  ;  and  the  larger 
the  dewlap,  the  smaller  is  the  quantity  of  its 
milk.  Our  graziers  now,  therefore,  endea- 
vour to  mix  the  two  breeds ;  the  large  Hoi- 
stein  with  the  small  northern  ;  and  from  both 
results  that  tine  milch  breed,  which  excels 
the  cattle  of  any  other  part  of  the  world. 

This  difference,  arising  from  pasture,  is 
more  observable  in  other  countries  than  in 
our  own.  The  cow  kind  is  to  be  found  in  al- 
most every  part  of  the  world,  large  in  propor- 
tion to  the  richness  of  the  pasture;  and  small 
as  the  animal  is  stinted  in  its  food.  Thus 
Africa  is  remarkable  for  the  largest  and  the 
smallest  cattle  of  this  kind ;  as  is  also  India, 
Poland,  Switzerland,  and  several  other  parts 
of  Europe.  Among  the  Eluth  Tartars,  where 
the  pastures  are  remarkably  rich  and  nou- 
rishing, the  cow  becomes  so  large  that  he 
must  be  a  tall  man  who  can  reach  the  tip  of 
its  shoulder.  On  the  contrary,  in  France, 
where  the  animal  is  stinted  in  its  food,  and 
driven  from  the  most  flourishing  pastures,  it 
greatly  degenerates. 

But  the  differences  in  the  size  of  this  ani- 
mal are  not  so  remarkable  as  those  which  are 
found  in  its  form,  its  hair,  and  its  horns.  The 
difference  is  so  very  extraordinary  in  many 
of  them,  that  they  have  been  even  considered 
as  a  different  kind  of  creature,  and  names 
have  been  given  them  as  a  distinct  species, 
when  in  reality  they  are  all  the  same.3  In 
this  manner  the  urus  and  the  bison  have  been 
considered,  from  the  variety  in  their  make,  to 
be  distinct  in  their  production ;  but  they  are 
all,  in  fact,  the  descendants  of  one  common 
stock,  as  they  have  that  certain  mark  of  u:iity, 
they  breed  and  propagate  among  each  other. 
Naturalists  have,  therefore,  laboured  under 
an  obvious  error,  when,  because  of  the  ex- 
treme bulk  of  the  urus.  or  because  of  the  lump 
upon  the  back  of  tho  bison, they  assigned  them 
different  places  in  the  creation,  and  separated 
a  class  of  animals  which  was  really  united. 
It  is  true,  the  horse  and  the  ass  do  not  differ 
so  much  in  form,  as  the  cow  and  the  bison; 
nevertheless,  the  former  are  distinct  animals, 
as  their  breed  is  marked  with  sterility ;  the 

•  Buffon,  vol.  xxiii.  n.  78. 
NO.  5!i  &  22. 


latter  are  animals  of  the  same  kind,  as  their 
breed  is  fruitful,  and  a  race  of  animals  is  pro- 
duced, in  which  the  hump  belonging  to  the 
bison  is  soon  worn  away.  The  differences, 
therefore,  between  the  cow,  the  urus,  and  the 
bison,  are  merely  accidental.  The  same  ca- 
price in  nature  that  has  given  horns  to  some 
cows,  and  denied  them  to  others,  may  also 
have  given  the  bison  a  hump,  or  increased 
the  bulk  of  the  urus ;  it  may  have  given  the 
one  a  mane,  or  denied  a  sufficiency  of  hair  to 
the  other. 

But  before  we  proceed  farther,  it  may  be 
proper  to  describe  these  varieties, which  have 
been  thus  taken  for  distinct  kinds.1"  The  urus, 
or  wild  bull,  is  chiefly  to  be  met  with  in  the 
province  of  Lithuania;  and  grows  to  a  size 
that  scarcely  any  other  animal,  except  the 
elephant,  is  ifound  to  equal.  It  is  quite  black, 
except  a  stripe  mixed  with  white,  that  runs 
from  the  neck  to  the  tail,  along  the  top  of  the 
back ;  the  horns  are  short,  thick,  and  strong; 
the  eyes  are  fierce  and  fiery  ;  the  forehead  is 
adorned  with  a  kind  of  garland  of  black  curl- 
ed hair,  and  some  of  them  are  found  to  have 
beards  of  the  same;  the  neck  is  short  and 
strong;  and  the  skin  has  an  odour  of  musk. 
The  female,  though  not  so  big  as  the  male, 
exceeds  the  largest  of  our  bulls  in  size;  never- 
theless, her  udder  and  teats  are  so  small,  that 
they  can  scarcely  be  perceived.  Upon  the 
whole,  however,  this  animal  resembles  the 
tame  one  very  exactly,  except  in  some  trifling 
varieties,  which  his  state  of  wildness,  or  the 
richness  of  the  pastures  where  he  is  found, 
may  easily  have  produced. 

The  bison,  which  is  another  variety  of  the 
cow  kind,  differs  from  the  rest,  in  having  a 
lump  between  its  shoulders.  These  animals 
are  of  various  kind  ;  some  very  large,  others 
as  diminutively  little.  In  general,  to  regard 
this  animal's  fore-parts,  he  nas  somewhat  the 
look  of  a  lion,  with  a  long  shaggy  mane,  and 
a  beard  under  his  chin ;  his  head  is  little,  his 
eyes  red  and  fiery,  with  a  furious  look;  the 
forehead  is  large,  and  the  horns  so  big,  and 
so  far  asunder,  that  three  men  might  often  sit 
between  them.  On  the  middle  of  the  back 
there  grows  a  bunch  almost  as  high  as  that  of 
a  camel,  covered  with  hair,  and  which  is  con- 

b  This  description  is  chiefly  taken  from  Klein. 
2R 


236 


ANIMALS  OF 


sidered  as  a  great  delicacy  by  those  that  hunt 
him.  There  is  no  pursuing  him  with  safety, 
except  in  forests  where  there  are  trees  large 
enough  to  hide  the  hunters.  He  is  generally 
taken  by  pit-falls:  the  inhabitants  of  those 
countries  where  heis  found  wild,  digging  holes 
in  the  ground,  and  covering  them  over  with 
boughs  of  trees  and  grass;  then  provoking  the 
bison  to  pursue  them,  they  get  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  pit-fall,  while  the  furious  ani- 
mal, running  head  foremost,  falls  into  the  pit 
prepared  for  him,  and  is  there  quickly  over- 
come and  slain. 

Besides  these  real  distinctions  in  the  cow 
kind,  there  have  been  many  others  made,  that 
appear  to  be  in  name  only.  Thus  the  bona- 
BUS,  of  which  naturalists  have  given  us  long 
descriptions,  is  supposed  by  Klein  and  BufTon 
to  be  no  more  than  another  name  for  the  bison, 
as  the  descriptions  given  of  them  by  the  an- 
cients coincide.  The  bubalus  also  of  the  an- 
cients, which  some  have  supposed  to  belong 
to  the  cow  kind,  Buffon  places  among  the 
lower  class  of  ruminant  quadrupeds,  as  it  most 
resembles  them  in  size,  shape,  and  the  figure 
of  its  horns.  Of  all  the  varieties,  therefore, 
of  the  cow  kind,  there  are  but  two  that  are 
really  distinct ;  namely,  the  cow  and  the  buf- 
falo: these  two  are  separated  by  nature;  they 
seem  to  bear  an  antipathy  to  each  other;  they 
avoid  each  other,  and  may  be  considered  as 
much  removed  as  the  horse  is  from  the  ass  or 
the  zebra.  When,  therefore,  we  have  de- 
scribed the  varieties  of  the  cow  kind,  we  shall 
pass  on  to  the  buffalo,  which,  being  a  differ- 
ent animal,  requires  a  separate  history. 

There  is  scarcely  a  part  of  the  world,  as 
was  said  before,  in  which  the  cow  is  not  found 
in  some  one  of  its  varieties ;  either  large,  like 
the  urus,  or  humped,  as  the  bison ;  with 
straighthorns,  or  bending,inverted  backwards, 
or  turning  sideways  to  the  cheek,  like  those 
of  the  ram;  and,  in  many  countries,  they  are 
found  without  any  horns  whatsoever.  But,  to 
be  more  particular,  beginning  at  the  north, 
the  few  kine  which  subsist  in  Iceland,  are  with- 
out horns,  although  of  the  same  race  originally 
with  ours.  The  size  of  these  is  rather  rela- 
tive to  the  gooduesa  of  the  pasture,  than  the 
warmth  or  coldness  of  the  climate.  The 
Dutch  frequently  bring  great  quantities  of 
lean  cattle  from  Denmark,  which  they  fatten 


on  their  own  rich  grounds.  These  are  in 
j  general  of  a  larger  size  than  their  own  natural 
breed ;  and  they  fatten  very  easily.  The 
cattle  of  the  Ukraine,  where  the  pasture  is 
excellent,  become  very  fat,  and  are  consider- 
ed as  one  of  the  largest  breeds  of  Europe. 
In  Switzerland,  where  the  mountains  are 
covered  with  rich  nourishing  herbage,  which 
is  entirely  reserved  for  their  kine,  these  ani- 
|  mals  grow  to  a  very  large  size.  On  the  con- 
trary, in  France,  where  they  get  no  other 
grass  but  what  is  thought  unfit  for  horses,  they 
dwindle  and  grow  lean.  In  some  parts  of 
Spain  the  cow  grows  to  a  good  size :  those 
wild  bulls,  however,  which  they  pride  them- 
selves so  much  in  combating,  are  a  very  mean 
despicable  little  animal,  and  somewhat  shaped 
like  one  of  our  cows,  with  nothing  of  that  pe- 
culiar sternness  of  aspect  for  which  our  bulls 
are  remarkable.  In  Barbary,  and  the  pro- 
vinces of  Africa,  where  the  ground  is  dry,  and 
the  pasturage  short,  the  cows  are  of  a  very 
small  breed,  and  give  milk  in  proportion. 
On  the  contrary,  in  Ethiopia,  they  are  of  a 
prodigious  bigness.  The  same  holds  in  Per- 
sia and  Tartary  ;  where,  in  some  places,  they 
are  very  small,  and,  in  others,  of  an  amazing 
stature.  It  is  thus,  in  almost  every  part  of 
the  world,  this  animal  is  found  to  correspond 
in  size  to  the  quantity  of  its  provision. 

If  we  examine  the  form  of  these  animals, 
as  they  are  found  tame,  in  different  regions, 
we  shall  find,  that  the  breed  of  the  urus,  or 
those  without  a  hump,  chiefly  occupies  the 
cold  and  the  temperate  zones,  and  is  not  so 
much  dispersed  towards  the  south.  On  the 
contrary,  the  breed  of  the  bison,  or  the  ani- 
mal with  a  hump,  is  found  in  all  the  southern 
parts  of  the  world ;  throughout  the  vast  con- 
tinent of  India;  throughout  Africa,  from  mount 
Atlas  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  In  all 
these  countries,  the  bison  seems  chiefly  to  pre- 
vail ;  where  they  are  found  to  have  a  smooth 
soft  hair,  are  very  nimble  of  foot,  and  in  some 
measure  supply  the  want  of  horses.  The  bi- 
son breed  is  also  more  expert  and  docile  than 
ours ;  many  of  them,  when  they  carry  burdens, 
bend  their  knees  to  take  them  up,  or  set  them 
down  :  they  are  treated,  therefore,  by  the  na- 
tives of  those  countries,  with  a  degree  of  ten- 
derness and  care  equal  to  their  utility;  and 
the  respect  for  tnem  in  India  has  degenerated 


THE  COW  KIND. 


237 


even  into  blind  adoration.  But  it  is  among  j 
the  Hottentots  where  these  animals  are  chiefly  j 
esteemed,  as  being  more  than  commonly  ser- 
viceable. They  are  their  fellow  domestics,  the 
companions  of  their  pleasures  and  fatigues ; 
the  cow  is  at  once  the  Hottentot's  protector 
and  servant,  assists  him  in  attending  his  flocks, 
and  guarding  them  against  every  invader : 
while  the  sheep  are  grazing,  the  faithful  backely, 
as  this  kind  of  cow  is  called,  stands  or  grazes 
beside  them ;  still,  however,  attentive  to  the 
looks  of  its  master,  the  backely  flies  round  the 
field,  herds  in  the  sheep  that  are  straying, 
obliges  them  to  keep  within  proper  limits,  and 
shows  no  mercy  to  robbers,  or  even  strangers, 
who  attempt  to  plunder.  But  it  is  not  the 
plunderers  of  the  flock  alone,  but  even  the 
enemies  of  the  nation,  that  these  backelies  arc 
taught  to  combat.  Every  army  of  Hottentots 
is  furnished  with  a  proper  herd  of  these,  which 
are  let  loose  against  the  enemy,  when  the  oc- 
casion is  most  convenient.  Being  thus  sent 
forward,  they  overturn  all  before  them  ;  they 
strike  every  opposer  down  with  their  horns, 
and  trample  upon  them  with  their  feet ;  and 
thus  often  procure  their  masters  an  easy  vic- 
tory, even  before  they  have  attempted  to  strike 
a  blow.  An  animal  so  serviceable,  it  may  be 
supposed,  is  not  without  its  reward.  The 
backely  lives  in  the  same  cottage  with  its 
master,  and,  by  long  habit,  gains  an  affection 
for  him  ;  and  in  proportion  as  the  man  ap- 
proaches to  the  brute,  so  the  brute  seems  to 
attain  even  to  some  share  of  human  sagacity. 
The  Hottentot  and  his  backely  thus  mutually 
assist  each  other;  and  when  the  latter  happens 
to  die,  a  new  one  is  chosen  to  succeed  him,  by 
a  counsel  of  the  old  men  of  the  village.  The 
new  hackely  is  then  joined  with  one  of  the 
veterans  of  his  own  kind,  from  whom  he  learns 
his  art,  becomes  social  and  diligent,  and  is 
taken  for  life  into  human  friendship  and  pro- 
tection. 

The  bisons,  or  cows  with  a  hump,  are  found 
to  differ  very  much  from  each  other  in  the 
several  parts  of  the  world  where  they  are  found. 
The  wild  ones  of  this  kind,  as  with  us,  are 
much  larger  than  the  tame.  Some  have  horns, 
and  some  are  without  any  ;  some  have  them 
depressed,  and  some  raised  in  such  a  manner 
that  they  are  used  as  weapons  of  annoyance  or 
defence  ;  some  are  extremely  large,  and  others 
among  them,  such  as  the  zebu,  or  Barbary  cow, 


are  very  small.  They  are  all,  however,  equally 
docile  and  gentle  when  tamed;  and,  in  general, 
furnished  with  a  fine  lustrous  soft  hair,  more 
beautiful  than  that  of  our  own  breed ;  their 
hump  is  also  of  different  sizes,  in  some  weigh- 
ing from  forty  to  fit'ty  pounds,  in  others  less  : 
it  is  not,  however,  to  be  considered  as  a  part 
necessarily  belonging  to  the  animal;  and  pro- 
bably it  might  be  cut  away  without  much  in- 
jury :  it  resembles  a  gristly  fat;  and,  as  I  am 
assured,  cuts  and  tastes  somewhat  like  a  dress- 
ed udder.  The  bisons  of  Malabar,  Abyssinia, 
and  Madagascar,  are  of  the  great  kind,  as  the 
pastures  there  are  plentiful.  Those  of  Arabia 
Petraea,  and  most  parts  of  Africa,  are  small, 
and  of  the  zebu  or  little  kind.  In  America, 
especially  towards  the  north,  the  bison  is  well 
known.  The  American  bison,  how  ever,  is  found 
to  be  rather  less  than  that  of  the  ancient  con- 
tinent ;  its  hair  is  longer  and  thicker,  its  beard 
more  remarkable,  and  its  hide  more  lustrous 
and  soft.  There  are  many  of  them  brought  up 
tame  in  Carolina  ;  however,  their  wild  dispo- 
sitions still  seem  to  continue,  for  they  break 
through  all  fences  to  get  into  the  corn-fin  Ids, 
and  lead  the  whole  tame  herd  after  them, 
wherever  they  penetrate.  They  breed  also 
with  the  tame  kinds  originally  brought  over 
from  Europe;  and  thus  produce  a  race  peculiar 
to  that  country. 

From  all  this  it  appears,"  that  naturalists 
have  given  various  names  to  animals  in  reality 
the  same,  and  only  differing  in  some  few  acci- 
dental circumstances.  The  wild  cow  and  the 
tame,  the  animal  belonging  to  Europe,  and 
that  of  Asia,  Africa,  and  America,  the  bonasus 
and  the  urus,  the  bison  and  the  zebu,  are  all 
one  and  the  same,  propagate  among  each  other, 
and,  in  the  course  of  a  few  generations,  the 
hump  wears  away,  and  scarcely  any  vestiges 
of  savage  fierceness  are  found  to  remain.  Of 
all  animals,  therefore,  except  man  alone,  the 
cow  seems  most  extensively  propagated,  its 
nature  seems  equally  capable  of  the  rigours  of 
heat  and  cold.  It  is  an  inhabitant  as  well  of 
the  frozen  fields  of  Iceland,  as  the  burning 
deserts  of  Lybia.  It  seems  an  ancient  inmate 
in  every  climate,  domestic  and  tame  in  those 
countries  which  have  been  civilized,  savage 
and  wild  in  the  countries  which  are  less  peopled, 
but  capable  of  being  made  useful  in  all ;  able 

•  Buffon,  vol.  xxiii.  p.  130. 
2  R* 


238 


ANIMALS  OF 


to  defend  itself  in  a  state  of  nature  against  the 
most  powerful  enemy  of  the  forest ;  and  only 
subordinate  to  man,  whose  force  it  has  ex- 
perienced, and  whose  aid  it  at  last  seems  to  re- 
quire. However  wild  the  calves  are,  which 
are  taken  from  the  dam  in  a  savage  state,  either 
in  Africa  or  Asia,  they  soon  become  humble, 
patient,  and  familiar ;  and  man  may  be  con- 
sidered in  those  countries,  as  almost  helpless 
without  their  assistance.  Other  animals  pre- 
serve their  nature  or  their  form  with  inflexible 
perseverance ;  but  these,  in  every  respect,  suit 
themselves  to  the  appetites  and  conveniences 
of  mankind  ;  and  as  their  shapes  are  found  to 
alter,  so  also  does  their  nature  ;  in  no  animal 
is  there  seen  a  greater  variety  of  kinds,  and  in 
none  a  more  humble  and  pliant  disposition. 


THE  BUFFALO. 

IF  we  should  compare  the  shape  of  our  com- 
mon cow  with  that  of  the  bison,  the  difference 
will  appear  very  great.  The  shaggy  mane  of 
the  latter,  the  beard,  the  curled  forehead,  the 
inverted  horns,  the  broad  breast,  and  the  nar- 
row hinder  parts,  give  it  the  appearance  rather 
of  a  lion  than  a  cow ;  and  fit  it  more  for  a  state 
of  war  with  mankind,  than  a  state  of  servitude. 
Yet,  notwithstanding  these  appearances,  both 
animals  are  found  to  be  the  same  ;  or  at  least 
so  nearly  allied,  that  they  breed  among  each 
other,  and  propagate  a  race  that  continues  the 
kind. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  we  compare  the  buf- 
falo with  our  common  cow,  no  two  animals 
can  be  more  nearly  alike,  either  in  their  form 
or  their  nature ;  both  equally  submissive  to  the 
yoke,  both  often  living  under  the  same  roof, 
and  employed  in  the  same  domestic  services  ; 
the  make  and  the  turn  of  their  bodies  so  much 
alike,  that  it  requires  a  close  attention  to  dis- 
tinguish them  :  and  yet,  after  all  this,  no  two 
animals  can  be  more  distinct,  or  seem  to  have 
stronger  antipathies  to  each  other."  Were 
there  but  one  of  each  kind  remaining,  it  is  pro- 
bable the  race  of  both  would  shortly  be  extinct. 
However,  such  is  the  fixed  aversion  formed 
between  these  creatures,  that  the  cow  refuses 
to  breed  with  the  buffalo,  which  it  nearly  re- 
sembles ;  while  it  is  known  to  propagate  with 

»  Buffon. 


the  bison,  to  which  it  has,  in  point  of  form,  but 
a  very  distant  similitude. 

The  buffalo  is,  upon  the  whole,  by  no  means 
so  beautiful  a  creature  as  the  cow  ;  his  figure  is 
more  clumsy  and  awkward;  his  air  is  wilder; 
and  he  carries  his  head  lower,  and  nearer  the 
ground  ;  his  limbs  are  less  fleshy,  and  his  tail 
more  naked  of  hair ;  his  body  is  shorter  and 
thicker  than  that  of  the  cow  kind  ;  his  legs  are 
higher ;  his  head  smaller ;  his  horns  not  so 
round,  black,  and  compressed,  with  a  bunch 
of  curled  hair  hanging  down  between  them ; 
his  skin  is  also  harder  and  thicker,  more  black 
and  less  furnished  with  hair  ;  his  flesh,  w hich 
is  hard  and  blackish,  is  not  only  disagreeable 
to  the  taste,  but  likewise  to  tin  smell.  The 
milk  of  the  female  is  by  no  means  so  good  as 
that  of  the  cow  ;  it  is  however  produced  in 
great  abundance.  In  the  warm  countries,  al- 
most all  their  cheese  is  made  of  the  milk  of  the 
buffalo;  and  they  supply  butter  also  in  large 
quantities.  The  veal  of  the  young  buffalo 'is 
not  better  eating  than  the  beef  of  the  okL 
The  hide  of  this  animal  seems  to  be  the- most 
valuable  thing  he  furnishes.  The  leather 
made  of  it  is  well  known  for  its  thickness,  soft- 
ness, and  impenetrability.  As  these  animals 
are,  in  general,  larger  and  stronger  than  the 
cow,  they  are  usefully  employed  in  agriculture. 
They  are  used  in  drawing  burdens,  and  some- 
times in  carrying  them  ;  being  guided  by  a 
ring,  which  is  thrust  through  their  nose.  Two 
buffaloes  yoked  in  a  waggon,  are  said  to  draw 
more  than  four  strong  horses ;  as  their  heads 
and  necks  are  naturally  bent  downward,  they 
are  thus  better  fitted  for  the  draught,  and  the 
whole  weight  of  their  bodies  is  applied  to  the 
carriage  that  is  to  be  drawn  forward. 

From  the  size  and  bulk  of  the  buffalo,  we 
may  be  easily  led  to  conclude  that  he  is  a  native 
of  the  warmer  climates.  The  largest  quadru- 
peds are  generally  found  in  the  torrid  zone ; 
and  the  buffalo  is  inferior,  in  point  of  size,  only 
to  the  elephant,  the  rhinoceros,  or  the  hippo- 
potamus. The  camelopard  or  the  camel  may 
indeed  be  taller,  but  they  are  neither  so  long, 
nor  near  so  corpulent.  Accordingly,  we  find 
this  animal  wild  in  many  parts  of  India ;  and 
tamed  also,  wherever  the  natives  have  occasion 
for  his  services.  The  wild  buffaloes  are  very 
dangerous  animals,  and  are  often  found  to  gore 
travellers  to  death,  and  then  trample  them 
with  their  feet,  until  they  have  entirely  mangled 


THE  COW  KIND. 


239 


the  whole  body :  however,  in  the  woods  they 
are  not  so  much  to  be  feared  as  in  the  plains, 
because  in  the  violence  of  their  pursuit  their 
large  horus  are  apt  to  be  entangled  in  the 
brtnch.es  of  the  trees,  which  gives  those  who 
have  been  surprised  by  them  time  to  escape 
the  danger.  There  is  scarcely  any  other  me- 
thod of  avoiding  their  pursuit;  they  run  with 
great  swiftness;  they  overturn  a  tree  of  mo- 
derate growth;  and  are  such  swimmers,  as  to 
cross  the  largest  rivers  without  any  difficulty. 
In  this  manner,  like  all  other  large  animals  of 
the  torrid  zone,  they  are  very  fond  of  the  wa- 
ter; and,  in  the  midst  of  their  pursuit,  often 
plunge  in,  in  order  to  cool  themselves.  The 
negroes  of  Guinea,  and  the  Indians  of  Mala- 
bar, where  buffaloes  are  in  great  abundance, 
take  great  delight  in  hunting  and  destroying 
them :  however,  they  never  attempt  to  face 
the  buffalo  openly ;  but,  generally  climbing 
up  the  tree,  shoot  at  him  from  thence,  and  do 
not  come  down  till  they  find  they  have  effec- 
tually despatched  him.  When  they  are  tamed, 
no  animal  can  be  more  patient  or  humble; 
and  though  by  no  means  so  docile  as  the  cow 
kind,  yet  they  go  through  domestic  drudgeries 
with  more  strength  and  perseverance. 

Although  these  animals  be  chiefly  found  in 
the  torrid  zone,  yet  they  are  bred  in  several 
parts  of  Europe,  particularly  in  Italy,  where 
they  make  the  food  and  the  riches  of  the  poor. 
The  female  produces  but  one  at  a  time,  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  cow ;  but  they  are 
very  different  in  the  times  of  gestation;  for 
the  cow,  as  we  know,  goes  but  nine  months; 
whereas  the  buffalo  continues  pregnant  for 
twelve.  They  are  all  afraid  of  fire ;  and,  per- 
haps, in  consequence  of  this,  have  an  aver- 
sion to  red  colours,  that  resemble  the  colour 
of  flame:  it  is  said,  that  in  those  countries 
where  they  are  found  in  plenty,  no  person 
dares  to  dress  in  scarlet.  In  general  they  are 
inoffensive  animals,  if  undisturbed ;  as  indeed 
all  those  which  feed  upon  grass  are  found  to 
be ;  but  when  they  are  wounded,  or  when 
even  but  fired  at,  nothing  then  can  stop  their 
fury;  they  then  turn  up  the  ground  with  their 
fore-feet,  bellow  much  louder  and  more  ter- 
ribly than  the  bull,  and  make  at  the  object  of 
their  resentment  with  ungovernable  rage. 
It  is  happy,  in  such  circumstances,  if  the  per- 
son they  pursue  has  a  wall  to  escape  over,  or 


some  such  obstacle ;  otherwise  they  soon 
overtake,  and  instantly  destroy  him.  It  is 
remarkable,  however,  that  although  their 
horns  are  so  very  formidable,  they  in  general 
rrtnke  more  use  of  their  feet  in  combat,  and 
nther  tread  their  enemies  to  death  than  gore 
them. 

Having  thus  gone  through  the  history  of 
these  animals,  it  may  be  proper  to  observe, 
that  no  names  have  been  more  indiscriminate- 
ly used  than  those  of  the  bull,  the  urus,  the 
bison,  and  the  buffalo.  It  therefore  becomes 
such  as  would  have  distinct  ideas  of  each,  to 
be  careful  in  separating  the  kinds,  the  one 
from  the  other,  allowing  the  cow  for  the  stan- 
dard of  all.  The  urus,  whether  of  the  large 
enormous  kind  of  Lithuania,  or  the  smaller 
race  of  Spain,  whether  with  long  or  short  horns, 
whether  with  or  without  long  hair  in  the  fore- 
head, is  every  way  the  same  with  what  our 
common  breed  was  before  they  were  taken 
from  the  forest,  and  reduced  to  a  state  of  ser- 
vitude. The  bison,  and  all  its  varieties,  which 
are  known  by  a  hump  between  the  shoulders, 
is  also  to  be  ranked  in  the  same  class.  This 
animal,  whether  with  crooked  or  with  straight 
horns,  whether  they  be  turned  towards  the 
cheek,  or  totally  wanting,  whether  it  be  large 
or  diminutive,  whatever  be  its  colour,  or  what- 
ever the  length  of  its  hair,  whether  called  the 
bonasus  by  some,  or  the  bubalus  by  others, 
is  but  a  variety  of  the  cow  kind,  with  whom 
it  breeds,  and  with  whom  of  consequence  it 
has  the  closest  connexion.  Lastly,  the  buf- 
falo, though  shaped  much  more  like  the  cow, 
is  a  distinct  kind  by  itself,  that  never  mixes 
with  any  of  the  former;  that  goes  twelve 
months  with  young,  whereas  the  cow  goes 
but  nine  ;  that  testifies  an  aversion  to  the  lat- 
ter; and,  though  bred  under  the  same  roof, 
or  feeding  in  the  same  pasture,  has  always 
kept  separate;  and  makes  a  distinct  race  in 
all  parts  of  the  world.  These  two  kinds  are 
supposed, to  be  the  only  real  varieties  in  the 
cow  kind,  of  which  naturalists  have  given  so 
many  varieties.  With  respect  to  some  cir- 
cumstances mentioned  by  travellers,  such  as 
that  of  many  kinds  defending  themselves  by 
voiding  their  dung  against  their  pursuers; 
this  is  a  practice  which  they  have  in  common 
with  other  timid  creatures  when  pursued,  and 
arises  rather  from  fear  than  a  desire  of  defence. 


210 


ANIMALS  OF  THE 


The  musky  smell  also  by  which  some  have 
been  distinguished,  is  found  common  to  many 
of  these  kinds,  in  a  state  of  nature;  and  does 
not  properly  make  the  characteristic  marks 
of  any.  The  particular  kind  of  noise  also, 
which  some  of  them  are  known  to  make, 
which  rather  resembles  grunting  than  bel- 
lowing or  lowing,  is  but  a  savage  variety, 
which  many  wild  animals  have,  and  yef  lose 
when  brought  into  a  state  of  tameness.  For 
these  reasons,  Mr.  Buflfon,  whom  I  have  fol- 
lowed in  this  description,  is  of  opinion,  that 
the  zebu,  or  little  African  cow,  and  the  grunt- 
ing, or  Siberian  cow,  are  but  different  races 
of  the -bison ;  as  the  shape  of  the  horns,  or  the 
length  of  the  hair,  are  never  properly  charac- 
teristic marks  of  any  animal,  but  are  found 
to  vary  with  climate,  food,  and  cultivation. 

In  this  manner  the  number  of  animals  of  the 
cow  kind,  which  naturalists  have  extended  to 
eight  or  ten  sorts,  are  reduced  to  two ;  and  as 
the  utmost  deference  is  paid  to  the  opinion 
of  Mr.  Buffon  in  this  particular,  I  have  taken 
him  for  my  guide.  Nevertheless,  there  is 
an  animal  of  the  cow  kind,  which  neither  he, 
nor  any  other  naturalist  that  I  know  of,  has 
hitherto  described,  yet  which  makes  a  very 
distinct  class,  and  may  be  added  as  a  third 
species. 

This  animal  was  shown  some  years  ago  in 
London,  and  seemed  to  unite  many  of  the  cha- 
racteristics of  the  cow  and  the  hog ;  having 
the  head,  the  horns,  and  the  tail,  of  the  former; 
with  the  bristles,  the  colour,  and  the  grunting, 
of  the  latter.  It  was  about  the  size  of  an  ass, 
but  broader  and  thicker;  the  colour  resem- 


bling that  of  a  hog,  and  the  hair  bristly,  as  in 
that  animal.  The  hair  upon  the  body  was 
thin,  as  in  the  hog;  and  a  row  of  bristles  ran 
along  the  spine,  rather  shorter  and  softer  than 
in  the  hog  kind.  The  head  was  rather  larger 
than  that  of  a  cow ;  the  teeth  were  entirely 
resembling  those  of  that  animal,  and  the  tongue 
was  rough  in  like  manner.  It  fed  upon  hay  ; 
and  consequently  its  internal  conformation 
must  have  resembled  that  of  the  cow  kind 
more  than  the  hog,  whose  food  is  always  cho- 
sen of  a  kind  more  succulent.  The  eyes  were 
placed  in  the  head  as  with  the  cow,  and  were 
pretty  nearly  of  the  same  colour;  the  horns 
were  black  and  flattish,  but  bent  rather  back- 
wards to  the  neck,  as  in  the  goat  kind;  the 
neck  was  short  and  thick,  and  the  back  ra- 
ther rising  in  the  middle ;  it  was  cloven-foot- 
ed, like  the  cow,  without  those  hinder  claws 
that  are  found  in  the  hog  kinds.  But  the  great- 
est variety  of  all  in  this  extraordinary  crea- 
ture, which  was  a  female,  was,  that  it  had  but 
two  teats,  and  consequently,  in  that  respect, 
resembled  neither  of  the  kinds  to  w  hich,  in 
other  circumstances,  it  bore  so  strong  a  si- 
militude. Whether  this  animal  was  a  distinct 
kind,  or  a  monster,  I  will  not  prelend  to  say . 
it  was  shown  under  the  name  of  the  bonasus; 
and  it  was  said,  by  the  person  who  showed  it. 
to  have  come  from  India :  but  no  credit  is  to 
be  given  to  interested  ignorance ;  the  person 
only  wanted  to  make  the  animal  appear  as 
extraordinary  as  possible;  and  I  believe 
would  scarcely  scruple  a  lie  or  two  to  increase 
that  wonder  in  us,  by  which  he  found  the 
means  of  living. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

OF  ANIMALS  OF  THE  SHEEP  AND  GOAT  KIND.8 


AS  no  two  animals  are  found  entirely  the 
same,  so  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  any  two 
races  of  animals  should  exactly  correspond  in 

*  In  the  sheep  kind  the  horns  are  hollow,  wrinkled,  pe- 
rennial, bent  backwards  and  outwards,  into  a  circular  or 
spiral  form,  and  generally  placed  at  the  sides  of  the  head  ; 
in  the  lower  jaw  there  are  eight  front  teeth,  but  none  in 
the  upper ;  there  are  no  canine  teeth  in  either.  In  the 


every  particular.  The  goat  and  the  sheep  a: 
apparently  different  in  the  form  of  thei  r  hndie 
in  their  covering,  and  in  their  horns.  The 


goat  the  horns  are  hollow,  rough,  compressed,  and  rise 
somewhat  erect,  from  the  top  of  the  hea.l,  «•>  !  bend  back- 
wards ;  there  are  eight  front  fpeth  in  tlu-  •  me 
in  the  upper,  and  no  canine  teeth  in  either ;  the  chin  i 
bearded. 


lA'orfolk  Breed  .       '.Hertfordshire  Breed. 


SHEEP  AND  GOAT  KIND 


211 


may,  from  hence,  be  considered  as  two  different 
kin  Is  uir  i  i-'-gard  to  all  common  and  domes- 
tic purposes.  But  if  we  co  ne  to  examine 
them  closer,  and  observe  their  internal  con- 
formation, no  two  animals  can  be  more  alike; 
their  feet,  tlvir  four  stomachs,  their  suet,  their 
app;'tit  -,  all  are  entirely  the  same,  and  show 
the  similitude  between  them;  but  what  makes 
a  much  stronger  connexion  is,  that  they  pro- 
pa-jate  with  each  other.  The  buck-goat  is 
found  to  produce  with  the  ewe  an  ani.nal  that, 
in  two  or  tiiree  generations,  returns  to  the 
sheep,  and  seems  to  retain  no  marks  of  its 
ancient  progenitor."  The  sheep  and  the  goat, 
therefore,  may  be  considered  as  belonging  to 
one  family ;  and  were  the  whole  races  reduced 
to  one  of  each,  they  would  quickly  replenish 
the  earth  with  their  kind. 

If  we  we  examine  the  sheep  and  goat  inter- 
nally, we  shall  find,  as  was  said,  that  their  con- 
formation is  entirely  the  same ;  nor  is  their 
structurevery  remote  from  that  of  the  cow  kind, 
which  they  resemble  in  their  hoofs,  and  in 
their  chewing  the  cud.  Indeed,  all  ruminant 
animals  are  internally  very  much  alike.  The 
goat,  the  sheep,  or  the  deer,  exhibit  to  the  eye 
of  the  anatomist  the  same  parts  in  miniature 
which  the  cow  or  the  bison  exhibited  in  the 
great.  But  the  differences  between  those 
animals  are,  nevertheless,  sufficiently  apparent. 
Nature  has  obviously  marked  the  distinctions 
between  the  cow  and  the  sheep  kind,  by  their 
form  and  size  ;  and  they  are  also  distinguished 
from  those  of  the  deer  kind,  by  never  shedding 
the  horns.  Indeed,  the  form  and  figure  of 
these  animals,  if  there  were  nothing  else,  would 
seldom  fail  of  guiding  us  to  the  kind ;  and  we 
might  almost  upon  sight  tell  which  belongs  to 
the  deer  kind,  and  which  are  to  be  degraded 
into  that  of  the  goat.  However,  the  annually 
shedding  the  horns  in  the  deer,  and  the  per- 
manence in  the  sheep,  draws  a  pretty  exact 
line  between  the  kinds  ;  so  that  we  may  hold 
to  this  distinction  only,  and  define  the  sheep 
and  goat  kind  as  ruminant  animals  of  a  smaller 
size,  tnat  never  shed  their  horns. 

If  we  consider  these  harmless  and  useful 
animals  in  one  point  of  view,  we  shall  find  that 
both  hive  b^en  long  reclaimed,  and  brought 
into  a  state  of  domestic  servitude.  Both  seem 
to  require  protection  from  man ;  and  are,  in 

11  Buffon,  passim. 


some  measure,  pleased  with  his  society.  The 
sheep,  indeed,  is  the  more  serviceable  creature 
of  the  two  ;  but  the  goat  has  more  sensibility 
and  attachment.  The  attending  upon  both 
was  once  the  employment  of  the  wisest  and  the 
best  of  men  ;  and  those  have  been  ever  sup- 
posed the  happiest  ti  »ies  in  which  these  harm- 
less creatures  were  considered  as  the  chief  ob- 
jects of  human  attention.  In  the  earliest  a^es, 
the  goat  seemed  rather  the  greater  favourite; 
and,  indeed,  it  continues  such,  in  some  coun- 
tries, to  this  day  among  the  poor.  However, 
the  sheep  has  long  since  become  the  principal 
object  of  human  care  ;  while  the  goat  is  disre- 
garded by  the  generality  of  it  aidund,  or 
become  the  possession  only  of  the  lowest  of 
the  people.  The  sheep,  therefore,  and  its  va- 
rieties, may  be  considered  first ;  and  the  ^oat, 
with  all  those  of  its  kind,  will  then  properly 
follow 


THE  SHEEP. 

THOSE  animals  that  take  refuge  under  the 
protection  of  man,  in  a  few  generations  become 
indolent  and  helpless.  Having  lost  the  habit 
of  self-defence,  they  seem  to  lose  also  the  in- 
stincts of  nature.  The  sheep,  in  its  present 
domestic  state,  is,  of  all  animals,  the  most  de- 
fenceless and  inoffensive.  With  its  liberty,  it 
seems  to  have  been  deprived  of  its  swiftness 
and  cunning;  and  what  in  the  ass  tni^lit  rather 
be  called  patience,  in  the  sheep  appears  to  be 
stupidity.  With  no  one  quality  to  fit  it  for 
self-preservation,  it  makes  vain  efforts  at  all. 
Without,  swiftness,  it  endeavours  to  fly ;  and 
without  strength,  sometimes  offers  to  oppose. 
But  these  feeble  attempts  rather  incite  than 
repress  the  insults  of  every  enemy ;  and  the 
dog  follows  the  flock  with  greater  delight  upon 
seeing  them  fly,  and  attacks  them  with  more 
fierceness  upon  their  unsupported  attempts  at 
resistance.  Indeed,  they  run  together  in  flocks 
rather  with  the  hopes  of  losing  their  single 
danger  in  the  crowd,  than  of  uniting  to  repress 
the  attack  by  numbers.  The  sheep,  therefore, 
were  it  exposed  it  its  present  state  to  struggle 
with  its  natural  enemies  of  the  forest,  would 
soon  be  extirpated.  Loaded  with  a  heavy 
fleece,  deprived  of  the  defence  of  its  horns,  and 
rendered  heavy,  slow,  and  feeble,  it  can  have 
no  other  safety  than  what  it  finds  from  man. 


242 


ANIMALS  OF  THE 


This  animal  is  now,  therefore,  obliged  to  rely 
solely  upon  that  art  for  protection,  to  which  it 
originally  owes  its  degradation. 

But  we  are  not  to  impute  to  nature  the  for- 
mation of  an  animal  so  utterly  unprovided 
against  its  enemies,  and  so  unfit  for  defence. 
The  moufflon,  which  is  the  sheep  in  a  savage 
state,  is  a  bold,  fleet  creature,  able  to  escape 
from  the  greater  animals  by  its  swiftness,  or 
to  oppose  the  smaller  kinds  with  the  arms  it 
has  received  from  nature.  It  is  by  human  art 
alone  that  the  sheep  has  become  the  tardy  de- 
fenceless creature  we  find  it.  Every  race  of 
quadrupeds  might  easily  be  corrupted  by  the 
same  allurements  by  which  the  sheep  has  been 
thus  debilitated  and  depressed.  While  undis- 
turbed, and  properly  supplied,  none  are  found 
to  set  any  bounds  to  their  appetite.  They  all 
pursue  their  food  while  able,  and  continue  to 
graze,  till  they  often  die  of  disorders  occasion- 
ed by  too  much  fatness.  But  it  is  very  differ- 
ent with  them  in  a  state  of  nature  :  they  are  in 
the  forest  surrounded  by  dangers,  and  alarmed 
with  unceasing  hostilities ;  they  are  pursued 
every  hour  from  one  tract  of  country  to  an- 
other; and  spend  a  great  part  of  their  time  in 
attempts  to  avoid  their  enemies.  Thus  con- 
stantly exercised,  and  continually  practising 
all  the  arts  of  defence  and  escape,  the  animal 
at  once  preserves  its  life  and  native  independ- 
ence, together  with  its  swiftness,  and  the  slen- 
der agility  of  its  form. 

The  sheep,  in  its  servile  state,  seems  to  be 
divested  of  all  inclinations  of  its  own  ;  and  of 
all  animals  it  appears  the  most  stupid.  Every 
quadruped  has  a  peculiar  turn  of  countenance, 
a  physiognomy,  if  we  may  so  call  it,  that  gene- 
rally marks  its  nature.  The  sheep  seems  to 
have  none  of  those  traits  that  betoken  either 
courage  or  cunning ;  its  large  eyes,  separated 
from  each  other,  its  ears  sticking  out  on  each 
side,  and  its  narrow  nostrils,  all  testify  the  ex- 
treme simplicity  of  this  creature  ;  and  the  po- 
sition of  its  horns  also,  show  that  nature  de- 
signed the  sheep  rather  for  flight  than  combat. 
It  appears  a  large  mass  of  flesh,  supported 
upon  four  small  straight  legs,  ill  fitted  for  car- 
rying such  a  burden  ;  its  motions  are  awk- 
ward, it  is  easily  fatigued,  and  often  sinks  un- 
der the  weight  of  its  own  corpulency.  In 
proportion  as  these  marks  of  human  transfor- 
mation are  more  numerous,  the  animal  becomes 
more  helpless  'and  stupid.  Those  which  live 


upon  a  more  fertile  pasture,  and  grow  fat, 
become  entirely  feeble  ;  those  that  want  horns 
are  found  more  dull  and  heavy  than  the  rest ;" 
those  whose  fleeces  are  longest  and  finest  are 
most  subject  to  a  variety  of  disorders ;  and,  in 
short,  whatever  changes  have  been  wrought 
in  this  animal  by  the  industry  of  man  are  entire- 
ly calculated  for  human  advantage,  and  not  for 
that  of  the  creature  itself.  It  might  require  a 
succession  of  ages  before  the  sheep  could  be 
restored  to  its  primitive  state  of  activity,  so  as 
to  become  a  mafch  for  its  pursuers  of  the 
forest. 

The  goat,  which  it  resembles  in  so  many 
other  respects,  is  much  its  superior.  The  one 
has  its  particular  attachment,  sees  danger,  and 
generally  contrives  to  escape  it ;  but  the  other 
is  timid  without  a  cause,  and  secure  when  real 
danger  approaches.  Nor  is  the  sheep,  when 
bred  up  tame  in  the  house,  and  familiarized 
with  its  keepers,  less  obstinately  absurd :  from 
being  dull  and  timid,  it  then  acquires  a  degree 
of  port  familiarity:  buts  with  its  head,  becomes 
mischievous,  and  shows  itself  every  way  un- 
worthy of  being  singled  out  from  the  rest  of 
the  flock.  Thus  it  seems  rather  formed  for 
slavery  than  friendship  ;  and  framed  more  for 
the  necessities  than  the  amusements  of  man* 
kind.  There  is  but  one  instance  in  which  the 
sheep  shows  any  attachment  to  its  keeper  ; 
and  fhat  is  seen  rather  on  the  continent  than 
among  us  in  Great  Britain.  What  I  allude  to 
is,  their  following  the  sound  of  the  shepherd's 
pipe.  Before  I  had  seen  them  trained  in  this 
manner  I  had  no  conception  of  those  descrip- 
tions 4n  the  old  pastoral  poets,  of  the  shepherd 
leading  his  flock  from  one  country  to  another. 
As  I  had  been  used  only  to  see  these  harmless 
creatures  driven  before  their  keepers,  I  sup- 
posed that  all  the  rest  was  but  invention  ;  but 
in  many  parts  of  the  Alps,  and  even  some  pro- 
vinces of  France,  the  shepherd  and  his  pipe  are 
still  continued  with  true  antique  simplicity. 
The  flork  is  regularly  penned  every  evening, 
to  preserve  them  from  the  wolf;  and  the  shep- 
herd returns  homeward  at  sun-set  with  his 
sheep  following  him,  and  seemingly  plrased 
with  the  souiid  of  the  pipe,  which  is  blown 
with  a  reed,  and  resembles  the  chanter  of  a 
bagpipe.  In  this  manner,  in  those  countries 
that  still  continue  poor,  the  Arcadian  life  is 


«  Daubenton  upon  the  Sheep 


SHEEP  AND  GOAT  KIND. 


243 


preserved  in  all  its  former  purity  ;  but  in  coun- 
tries where  a  greater  inequality  of  condition 
prevails,  the  shepherd  is  generally  some  poor 
wretch,  wiio  attends  a  flock  from  which  he  is 
to  derive  no  benefits,  and  only  guards  those 
luxuries  which  he  is  not  fated  to  share. 

It  does  not  appear,  from  early  writers,  that 
the  sheep  was  bred  in  Britain  ;  and  it  was  not 
till  several  ages  after  this  animal  was  cultivated, 
that  the  woollen  manufacture  was  carried  on 
among  us.a  That  valuable  branch  of  business 
lay  for  a  considerable  time  in  foreign  hands  ; 
and  we  were  obliged  to  import  the  cloth  manu- 
factured from  our  own  materials.  There  were, 
notwithstanding,  many  unavailing  efforts 
among  our  kings  to  introduce  and  preserve 
the  manufacture  at  home.  Henry  the  Second, 
by  a  patent  granted  to  the  weavers  in  London, 
directed,  that  if  any  cloth  was  found  made  of 
a  mixture  of  Spanish  wool,  it  should  be  burn- 
ed by  the  mayor.  Such  edicts,  at  length,  al- 
though but  slowly,  operated  towards  the  estab- 
lishing this  trade  among  us.  The  Flemings, 
who  at  the  revival  of  arts  possessed  the  art  of 
cloth-working  in  a  superior  degree,  were  in- 
vited to  settle  here  ;  and  soon  after  foreign 
cloth  was  prohibited  from  being  worn  in  Eng- 
land. In  the  times  of  Queen  Elizabeth  this 
manufacture  received  every  encouragement ; 
and  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Netherlands 
being  then  forced,  by  the  tyranny  of  Spain,  to 
take  refuge  in  this  country,  they  improved  us 
in  those  arts,  in  which  we  at  present  excel  the 
rest  of  the  world.  Every  art,  however,  has  its 
rise,  its  meridian,  and  its  decline ;  and  it  is 
supposed  by  many,  that  the  woollen  manufac- 
ture has,  for  some  time,  been  decaying  amongst 
us.  The  cloth  now  made  is  thought  to  be 
much  worse  than  that  of  some  years  past ; 
being  neither  so  firm  nor  fine ;  neither  so  much 
courted  abroad,  nor  so  serviceable  at  home. 

No  country,  however,  produces  such  sheep 
as  England ;  either  with  larger  fleeces,  or  bet- 
ter adapted  for  the  business  of  clothing.  Those 
of  Spain,  indeed,  are  finer,  and  we  generally 
require  some  of  their  wool  to  work  up  with 
our  own  :  but  the  weight  of  a  Spanish  fleece 
is  no  way  comparable  to  one  of  Lincoln  or 
Warwickshire  ;  and,  in  those  counties  it  is  no 
uncommon  thing  to  give  fifty  guineas  for  a  ram. 

a  British  Zoology,  vol.  i.  p.  23. 
*  Lisle's  Husbandry,  vol.  ii.  p.  155. 


The  sheep  without  horns  are  counted  the 
best  sort,  because  a  great  part  of  the  animal's 
nourishment  is  supposed  to  go  up  into  the 
horns.1'  Sheep,  like  other  ruminant  animals, 
want  the  upper  fore-teeth ;  but  have  eight  in 
the  lower  jaw  :  two  of  these  drop,  and  are  re- 
placed at  two  years  old ;  four  of  them  are 
replaced  at  three  years  old  ;  and  all  at  four. 
The  new  teeth  are  easily  known  from  the  rest, 
by  their  freshness  and  whiteness.  There  are 
some  breeds,  however,  in  England,  that  never 
change  their  teeth  at  all ;  these  the  shepherds 
call  the  leather- mouthed  cattle;  and,  as  their 
teeth  are  thus  long  wearing,  they  are  generally 
supposed  to  grow  old  a  year  or  two  before  the 
rest.c  The  sheep  brings  forth  one  or  two  at  a 
time ;  and  sometimes  three  or  four.  The  first 
lamb  of  an  ewe  is  generally  pot-bellied,  short 
and  thick,  and  of  less  value  than  those  of  a  se- 
cond or  third  production  ;  the  third  being  sup- 
posed the  best  of  all.  They  bear  their  young  five 
months ;  and,  by  being  housed,  they  bring 
forth  at  any  time  of  the  year. 

But  this  animal,  in  its  domestic  state,  is  too 
well  known  to  require  a  detail  of  its  peculiar 
habits,  or  of  the  arts  which  have  been  used  to  im- 
prove  the  breed.  Indeed,  in  the  eye  of  an  obser- 
ver of  nature,  every  art  which  tends  to  render 
the  creature  more  helpless  and  useless  to  itself, 
may  be  considered  rather  as  an  injury  than  an 
improvement ;  and  if  we  are  to  look  for  this 
animal  in  its  noblest  state,  we  must  seek  for  it 
in  the  African  desert,  or  the  extensive  plains 
of  Siberia.  Among  the  degenerate  descendants 
of  the  wild  sheep,  there  have  been  so  many 
changes  wrought,  as  entirely  to  disguisfc  the 
kind,  and  often  to  mislead  the  observer.  The 
variety  is  so  great,  that  scarcely  any  two  coun- 
tries have  their  sheep  of  the  same  kind  ;  but 
there  is  found  a  manifest  difference  in  all,  either 
in  the  size,  the  covering,  the  shape,  or  the  horns. 

The  woolly  sheep,d  as  it  is  seen  among  us, 
is  found  only  in  Europe,  and  some  of  the  tem- 
perate provinces  of  Asia.  When  transported 
into  warmer  countries,  either  into  Florida  or 
Guinea,  it  loses  its  wool,  and  assumes  a  cover- 
ing fitted  to  the  climate,  becoming  hairy  and 
rough ;  it  there  also  loses  its  fertility,  and  its 
flesh  no  longer  has  the  same  flavour.  In  the 
same  manner,  in  the  very  cold  countries,  it 

c  Lisle's  Husbandry,  vol.  ii.  p.  155. 
''  Button,  vol.  xxiii.  p.  168. 
2S 


244 


ANIMALS  OF  THE 


seems  equally  helpless  and  a  stranger;  it  still 
requires  the  unceasing  attention  of  mankind 
for  its  preservation ;  and  although  it  is  found 
to  subsist,  as  well  in  Greenland  as  in  Guinea," 
yet  it  seems  a  natural  inhabitant  of  neither. 

Of  the  domestic  kinds  to  be  found  in  the 
different  parts  of  the  world,  besides  our  own, 
which  is  common  in  Europe,  the  first  variety 
is  to  be  seen  in  Iceland,  Muscovy,  and  the 
coldest  climates  of  the  north.  This,  which 
may  be  called  the  Iceland  sheep,  resembles 
our  breed  in  the  form  of  the  body  and  the 
tail ;  but  differs  in  a  very  extraordinary  man- 
ner in  the  number  of  the  horns;  being  gene- 
rally found  to  have  four,  and  sometimes  even 
eight,  growing  from  different  parts  of  the  fore- 
head. These  are  large  and  formidable;  and 
the  animal  seems  thus  fitted  by  nature  for  a 
state  of  war :  however,  it  is  of  the  nature  of 
the  rest  of  its  kind,  being  mild,  gentle,  and 
timid.  Its  wool  is  very  different  also  from 
that  of  the  common  sheep,  being  long,  smooth, 
and  hairy.  Its  colour  is  of  a  dark  brown;  and 
under  its  outward  coat  of  hair  it  has  an  inter- 
nal covering,  that  rather  resembles  fur  than 
wool,  being  fine,  short,  and  soft, 
i  The  second  variety  to  be  found  in  this 
animal,  is  that  of  the  broad-tailed  sheep,  so 
common  in  Tartary,  Arabia,  Persia,  Barbary, 
Syria,  and  Egypt.  This  sheep  is  only  re- 
markable for  its  large  and  heavy  tail,  which 
is  often  found  to  weigh  from  twenty  to  thirty 
pounds.  It  sometimes  grows  a  foot  broad,  and 
is  obliged  to  be  supported  by  a  small  kind  of 
board,  that  goes  upon  wheels.  This  tail  is 
not  covered  underneath  with  wool,  like  the 
upper  part,  but  is  bare ;  and  the  natives,  who 
consider  it  as  a  very  great  delicacy,  are  very 
careful  in  attending  and  preserving  it  from  in- 
jury. Mr.  Buffon  supposes  that  the  fat  which 
falls  into  the  caul  in  our  sheep,  goes  in  these 
to  furnish  the  tail;  and  that  the  rest  of  the 
body  is  from  thence  deprived  of  fat  in  propor- 
tion. With  regard  to  their  fleeces,  in  the 
temperate  climates,  they  are,  as  in  our  own 
breed,  soft  and  woolly ;  but  in  the  warmer 
latitudes,  they  are  hairy :  yet  in  both  they 
preserve  the  enormous  size  of  their  tails. 

The  third  observable  variety  is  that  of  the 
sheep  called  strepaicheros.     This  animal  is  a 

«  Krantz. 


native  of  the  islands  of  the  Archipelago,  and 
only  differs  from  our  sheep,  in  having  straight 
horns,  surrounded  with  a  spiral  furrow. 

The  last  variety  is  that  of  the  Guinea  sheep, 
which  is  generally  found  in  all  the  tropical 
climates,  both  of  Africa  and  the  East  Indies. 
They  are  of  a  large  size,  with  a  rough  hairy 
skin,  short  horns,  and  ears  hanging  down, 
with  a  kind  of  dewlap  under  the  chin.  They 
differ  greatly  in  form  from  the  rest,  and  might 
be  considered  as animalsof  another  kind,  were 
they  not  known  to  breed  with  our  sheep. 
These,  of  all  the  domestic  kinds,  seem  to 
approach  the  nearest  to  the  state  of  nature. 
They  are  larger,  stronger,  and  swifter,  than 
the  common  race ;  and,  consequently,  better 
fitted  for  a  precarious  forest  life.  However, 
they  seem  to  rely,  like  the  rest,  on  man  for 
support ;  being  entirely  of  a  domestic  nature, 
and  subsisting  only  in  the  warmer  climates. 

Such  are  the  varieties  of  this  animal,  which 
have  been  reduced  into  a  state  of  domestic 
servitude.  These  are  all  capable  of  produ- 
cing among  each  other;  all  the  peculiarities 
of  their  form  have  been  made  by  climate  and 
human  cultivation ;  and  none  of  them  seem 
sufficiently  independent  to  live  in  a  state  of 
savage  nature.  They  are,  therefore,  to  be 
considered  as  a  degenerate  race,  formed  by 
the  hand  of  man,  and  propagated  merely  for 
his  benefit.  At  the  same  time,  while  man  thus 
cultivates  the  domestic  kinds,  he  drives  away 
and  destroys  the  savage  race,  which  are  less 
beneficial,  and  more  headstrong.  These, 
therefore,  are  to  be  found  in  but  a  very  small 
number,  in  the  most  uncultivated  countries, 
where  they  have  been  able  to  subsist  by  their 
native  swiftness  and  strength.  It  is  in  the 
more  uncultivated  parts  of  Greece,  Sardinia, 
Corsica,  and  particularly  in.  the  deserts  of 
Tartary,  that  the  moufflon  is  to  be  found,  that 
bears  all  the  marks  of  being,  the  primitive 
race;  and  that  has  been  actually  known  to 
breed  with  the  domestic  animal. 

The  moufflon,  or  musmon,  though  covered 
with  hair,  bears  a  stronger  similitude  to  the 
ram,  than  to  any  other  animal:  like  the  ram, 
it  has  the  eyes  placed  near  the  horns;  arid  its 
ears  are  shorter  than  those  of  the  goat;  it  also 
resembles  the  ram  in  its  horns,  and  in  all  t'he 
particular  contours  of  its  form.  The  horns 
also  are  alike ;  they  are  of  a  yellow  colour ; 


SHEEP  AND  GOAT  KIND. 


245 


they  have  three  sides,  as  in  the  ram,  and  bend 
backwards  in  the  same  manner  behind  the 
cars ;  the  muzzle  and  the  inside  of  the  ears, 
are  of  a  whitish  colour,  tinctured  with  yellow; 
the  other  parts  of  the  face  are  of  a  brownish 
gray.  The  general  colour  of  the  hair  over 
the  body  is  of  a  brown,  approaching  to  that 
of  the  red  deer.  The  inside  of  the  thighs  and 
the  belly  are  of  a  white,  tinctured  with  yellow. 
The  form,  upon  the  whole,  seems  more  made 
for  agility  and  strength  than  that  of  the  com- 
mon sheep ;  and  the  moufflon  is  actually 
found  to  live  in  a  savage  state,  and  maintain 
itself,  either  by  force  or  swiftness,  against  all 
the  animals  that  live  by  rapine.  Such  is  its 
extreme  speed,  that  many  have  been  inclined 
rather  to  rank  it  among  the  deer  kind,  than 
the  sheep.  But  in  this  they  are  deceived,  as 
the  musmon  has  a  mark  that  entirely  distin- 
guishes it  from  that  species,  being  known 
never  to  shed  its  horns.  In  some  these  are 
seen  to  grow  to  a  surprising  size;  many  of 
them  measuring,  in  their  convolutions,  above 
two  ells  long.  They  are  of  a  yellow  colour, 
as  was  said  ;  but  the  older  the  animal  grows, 
the  darker  the  horns  become  :  wilh  these  they 
often  maintain  very  furious  battles  between 
each  other;  and  sometimes  they  are  found 
broken  off  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  small 
animals  of  the  forest  creep  into  the  cavity  for 
shelter."  When  the  musmon  is  seen  standing 
on  the  plain,  his  fore-legs  are  always  straight, 
while  his  hinder  legs  seem  bent  under  him; 
but  in  cases  of  more  active  necessity,  this 
seeming  deformity  is  removed,  and  he  moves 
with  great  swiftness  and  agility.  The  female 
very  much  resembles  the  male  of  this  species, 
but  that  she  is  less,  and  her  horns  also  are 
never  seen  to  grow  to  that  prodigious  size  they 
are  of  in  the  wild  ram.  Such  is  the  sheep  in 
its  savage  state  ;  a  bold,  noble,  arid  beautiful 
animal :  but  it  is  not  the  most  beautiful  crea- 
tures that  are  always  found  most  useful  to  man. 
Human  industry  has  therefore  destroyed  its 
grace,  to  improve  its  utility. 

THE  GOAT, 

AND  ITS  NUMEROUS  VARIETIES. 

THERE  are  some  domestic  animals  that  seem 
as  auxiliaries  to  the  more  useful  sorts ;  and 

a  Gmelin.  as  quoted  by  Buffon. 


that,  by  ceasing  to  be  the  first,  are  considered 
as  nothing.  We  have  seen  the  services  of  the 
ass  slighted,  because  inferior  to  those  of  the 
horse;  and,  in  the  same  manner,  those  of  the 
goat  are  held  cheap,  because  the  sheep  so 
far  exceeds  it.  Were  the  horse  or  the  sheep 
removed  from  nature,  the  inferior  kinds  would 
then  be  invaluable ;  and  the  same  arts  would 
probably  be  bestowed  in  perfecting  their 
kinds,  that  the  higher  order  of  animals  have 
experienced.  But  in  their  present  neglected 
state,  they  vary  but  little  from  the  wild  ani- 
mals of  the  same  kind :  man  has  left  them 
their  primitive  habits  and  forms;  and  the 
less  they  owe  to  his  assiduity,  the  more  they 
receive  from  nature. 

The  goat  seems,  in  every  respect,  more 
fitted  for  a  life  of  savage  liberty  than  the  sheep.1" 
It  is  naturally  more  lively,  and  more  possess- 
ed with  animal  instinct.  It  easily  attaches  it-, 
self  to  man,  and  seems  sensible  of  his  caress- 
es. It  is  also  stronger  and  swifter,  more  cou- 
rageous, and  more  playful,  lively,  capricious, 
and  vagrant :  it  is  not  easily  confined  to  its 
flock,  but  chooses  its  own  pastures,  and  loves 
to  stray  remote  from  the  rest.  It  chiefly  de- 
lights in  climbing  precipices,  in  going  to  the 
very  edge  of  danger ;  it  is  often  seen  suspend- 
ed upon  an  eminence  hanging  over  the  sea, 
upon  a  very  little  base,  and  even  sleeps  there 
in  security.  Nature  has,  in  some  measure, 
fitted  it  for  traversing  these  declivities  with 
ease ;  the  hoof  is  hollow  underneath,  with 
sharp  edges,  so  that  it  walks  as  securely  on 
the  ridge  of  a  house,  as  on  the  level  ground. 
It  is  a  hardy  animal, and  very  easily  sustained; 
for  which  reason  it  is  chiefly  the  property  of 
the  poor,  who  have  no  pastures  with  which  to 
supply  it.  Happily,  however,  it  seems  better 
pleased  with  the  neglected  wild,  than  the  cul- 
tivated fields  of  art;  it  chooses  the  healthy 
mountain,  or  the  shrubby  rock ;  its  favourite 
food  is  the  tops  of  boughs,  or  the  tender  bark 
of  young  trees;  it  seems  less  afraid  of  immo- 
derate heat,  and  bears  the  warm  climates  bet- 
ter than  the  sheep ;  it  sleeps  exposed  to  the 
sun,  and  seems  to  enjoy  its  warmest  fervors ; 
neither  is  it  terrified  at  the  storm,  or  incom- 
moded by  the  rain;  immoderate  cold  alone 
seems  to  affect  it,  and  is  said  to  produce  a 


Buffon. 


2S* 


246 


ANIMALS  OF  THE 


vertigo,  with  which  this  animal  is  sometimes 
incommoded.  The  inconstancy  of  its  nature 
is  perceivable  in  the  irregularity  of  its  gait ; 
it  goes  forward,  stops,  runs,  approaches,  flies, 
merely  from  caprice,  and  with  no  other  seem- 
ing reason  than  the  extreme  vivacity  of  its 
disposition. 

There  arc  proofs  of  this  animal's  being  na- 
turally the  friend  of  man;  and  that  the  goat 
seldom  resumes  its  primeval  wildness,  when 
once  reduced  into  a  state  of  servitude.  In 
the  year  1698,  an  English  vessel  happening 
to  touch  at  the  island  of  Bonavista,  two  ne- 
groes came,  and  offered  the  sailors  as  many 
goats  as  they  chose  to  take  away.  Upon  the 
captain's  expressing  his  astonishment  at  this 
offer,  the  negroes  assured  him  that  there  were 
but  twelve  persons  in  the  island,  and  that  the 
goats  were  multiplied  in  such  a  manner  as 
even  to  become  a  nuisance :  they  added,  that 
instead  of  giving  any  trouble  to  catch  them, 
they  followed  the  few  inhabitants  that  were 
left  with  a  sort  of  obstinacy,  and  rather  be- 
came importunate  with  their  lameness. 

The  goat  produces  but  two  at  a  time,  and 
three  at  the  most.  But  in  the  warmer  climates, 
although  the  animal  degenerates,  and  grows 
less,  yet  it  becomes  more  fruitful,  being  gene- 
rally found  to  bring  forth  three,  (bur,  and  live, 
at  a  single  delivery.  The  buck  is  capable  of 
propagating  at  the  age  of  one  year,  and  the 
female  at  seven  months ;  however,  the  fruits 
of  this  premature  generation  are  weak  and  de- 
fective; and  their  best  breeding-time  is  ge- 
nerally delayed  till  the  age  of  two  years,  or 
eighteen  months  at  least.  One  buck  is  suf- 
ficient for  a  hundred  and  fifty  goats;  his  ap- 
petites arc  excessive:  but  this  ardour  brings 
on  a  speedy  decay,  so  that  he  is  enervated  in 
four  years  at  most,  and  even  becomes  old  be- 
fore he  reaches  his  seventh  year.  The  goat, 
like  the  sheep,  continues  five  months  with 
young;  and,  in  some  places,  bears  twice  a 
year. 

The  milk  of  the  goat  is  sweet,  nourishing, 
and  medicinal ;  not  so  apt  to  curdle  upon  the 
stomach  as  that  of  the  cow :  and,  therefore, 
preferable  to  those  whose  digestion  is  but 
weak.  The  peculiarity  of  this  animal's  food 
gives  the  milk  a  ilavour  different  from  that 
either  of  the  cow  or  the  sheep;  for  as  it  ge- 
nerally feeds  upon  shrubby  pastures,  and 


healthy  mountains,  there  is  an  agreeable  mild- 
ness in  the  taste,  very  pleasing  to  such  as  are 
fond  of  that  aliment.  In  several  parts  of  Ire- 
land, and  the  highlands  of  Scotland,  the  goat 
makes  the  chief  possession  of  the  inhabitants. 
On  those  mountains,  where  no  other  useful 
animal  could  find  subsistence,  the  goat  con- 
tinues to  glean  a  sufficient  living,  and  supplies 
the  hardy  natives  with  what  they  consider  as 
varied  luxury.  They  lie  upon  beds  made  of 
their  skins,  which  are  soft,  clean,  and  whole- 
some ;  they  live  upon  their  milk,  with  oat- 
bread;  they  convert  a  part  of  it  into  butter, 
and  some  into  cheese :  the  flesh,  indeed,  they 
seldom  taste  of,  as  it  is  a  delicacy  which  they 
find  too  expensive;  however,  the  kid  is  con- 
sidered, even  by  the  city  epicure,  as  a  great 
rarity  ;  and  the  flesh  of  the  goal,  when  pro- 
perly prepared,  is  ranked  by  some  as  no  way 
inferior  to  venison.  In  this  manner,  even  in 
the  wildest  solitudes,  the  poor  find  comforts 
of  which  the  rich  do  not  think  it  worth  their 
while  to  dispossess  them  :  in  these  mountain- 
ous retreats,  where  the  landscape  presents 
only  a  scene  of  rocks,  heaths,  and  shrubs,  that 
speak  the  wretchedness  of  the  soil,  these  sim- 
ple people  have  their  leasts  and  their  plea- 
sures ;  their  faithful  flock  of  goats  attends  them 
to  these  awful  solitudes,  and  furnishes  them 
with  all  the  necessaries  of  life;  while  their 
remote  situation  happily  keeps  them  ignorant 
of  greater  luxury. 

As  ihese  animals  are  apt  to  stray  from  the 
flock,  no  man  can  attend  above  fifty  of  them 
at  a  time.  They  are  fattened  in  the  same 
manner  as  sheep;  but,  taking  every  precau- 
tion, their  flesh  is  never  so  good  or  so  sweet, 
in  our  climate,  a*  that  of  mutton.  It  is  other- 
wise between  the  tropics.  The  mutton  there 
becomes  flabby  and  lean,  while  the  flesh  of 
the  goat  rather  seems  to  improve;  and  in 
some  places  the  latter  is  cultivated  in  prefer- 
ence to  the  former.  We,  therefore,  find  this 
animal  in  almost  every  part  of  the  world,  as 
it  seems  fitted  for  the  necessities  of  man  in 
both  extremes.  Towards  the  north,  where 
the  pasture  is  coarse  and  barren,  the  goat  is 
fitted  to  find  a  scanty  subsistence;  between 
the  tropics,  \\  here  the  heat  is  excessive,  the 
goat  is  fitted  to  hear  the  climate,  and  its  flesh 
is  found  to  improve. 

One  of  the  moat  remarkable  varieties  we 


SHEEP  AND  GOAT  KIND. 


247 


find  in  the  goat  is  in  that  of  Natolia.  The 
Natolian  goat,  or,  as  Mr.  Button  calls  it,  the 
goat  of  Jlngora,  has  the  ears  longer  than  ours, 
and  broader  in  proportion.  The  male  has 
horns  of  about  the  same  length  with  the  goat 
of  Europe,  but  black,  and  turned  very  diffe- 
rently, going  out  horizontally  on  each  side  of 
the  head,  and  twisted  round  in  the  manner  of 
a  cork-screw.  The  horns  of  the  female  are 
shorter,  and  encircle  the  ear  somewhat  like 
those  of  the  ram.  They  are  of  a  dazzling 
white  colour,  and  in  all  the  hair  is  very  long, 
thick,  fine,  and  glossy ;  which,  indeed,  is  the 
case  with  almost  all  the  animals  of  Syria. 
There  are  a  great  number  of  these  animals 
about  Angora,  where  the  inhabitants  drive  a 
trade  with  their  hair,  which  is  sold  either  raw, 
or  manufactured,  into  all  parts  of  Europe. 
Nothing  can  exceed  the  beauty  of  the  stuffs 
which  are  made  from  the  hair  of  almost  all 
the  animals  of  that  country.  These  are  well 
known  among  us  by  the  name  of  camlet. 

A  second  variety  is  the  Assyrian  goat,  of 
Gesner,  which  is  somewhat  larger  than  ours, 
with  ears  almost  hanging  down  to  the  ground, 
and  broad  in  proportion.8  The  horns,  on  the 
contrary,  are  not  above  two  inches  and  a 
half  long,  black,  and  bending  a  little  back- 
wards. The  hair  is  of  a  fox  colour,  and  un- 
der the  throat  there  are  two  excrescences, 
like  the  gills  of  a  cock.  These  animals  are 
chiefly  kept  round  Aleppo  for  the  sake  of  their 
milk.  They  are  driven  through  the  streets, 
and  their  milk  is  sold  to  the  inhabitants  as 
they  pass  along. 

In  the  third  variety  may  be  reckoned  the 
little  goat  of  Africa,  which  is  of  the  size  of  a 
kid,  but  the  hair  is  as  long  as  that  of  the  or- 
dinary breed.  The  horns,  which  do  not  ex- 
ceed the  length  of  a  man's  finger,  are  thick, 
and  bend  downwards  so  close  to  the  head 
that  they  almost  enter  the  skin. 

There  is  an  animal  of  this  kind  at  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  called  the  blue  goat,  which  may 
be  ranked  as  the  fourth  variety.  It  is  in 
shape  like  the  domestic,  but  much  larger, 
being  nearly  of  the  size  of  a  stag.  Its  hair  is 
very  short,  and  of  a  delightful  blue ;  but  it 

a  M.  Sonini  assures  us,  that  though  the  ears  of  this  va- 
riety are  much  longer  than  those  of  the  common  goat, 
they  never  reach  so  low  as  the  ground,  nor,  as  has  been  re- 
ported, are  they  ever  cropped. 


loses  a  great  deal  of  its  beauty  when  the  ani- 
mal is  dead.  It  has  a  very  long  beard ;  but 
the  horns  are  not  so  long  in  proportion  as  in 
other  goats,  being  turned  spirally,  in  the  man- 
ner of  a  cork-screw.  It  has  very  long  legs, 
but  well  proportioned ;  and  the  flesh  is  very 
well  tasted,  but  lean.  For  this  reason,  in  that 
plentiful  country,  it  is  chiefly  killed  upon  ac- 
count of  its  skin.  It  is  a  very  shy  animal,  and 
seldom  comes  near  the  Dutch  settlements; 
but  they  are  found  in  great  abundance  in  the 
more  uncultivated  parts  of  the  country.  Be- 
sides these,  they  are  found  in  this  extensive 
region  of  various  colours,  and  many  of  them 
are  spotted  beautifully,  with  red,  white,  and 
brown. 

In  fine,  the  Juda  goat  resembles  ours  in 
most  parts,  except  in  size,  it  being  much  small- 
er. This  animal  is  common  in  Guinea,  An- 
gola, and  all  along  the  coast  of  Africa ;  it  is 
not  much  larger  than  the  hare,  but  it  is  ex- 
tremely fat,  and  its  flesh  admirably  tasted. 
It  is  in  that  country  universally  preferred  to 
mutton. 

These  animals  seem  all  of  one  kind,  with 
very  trifling  distinctions  between  them.  It 
is  true  that  they  differ  in  some  respects ;  such 
as  having  neither  the  same  colour,  hair,  ears, 
or  horns.  But  it  ought  to  be  considered  as  a 
rule  in  natural  history,  that  neither  the  horns, 
the  colour,  the  fineness  or  the  length  of  the 
hair,  nor  the  position  of  the  ears,  are  to  be 
considered  as  making  an  actual  distinction  in 
the  kinds.  These  are  accidental  varieties, 
produced  by  climate  and  food,  which  are 
known  to  change  even  in  the  same  animal,  and 
give  it  a  seeming  difference  of  form.  When 
we  see  the  shapes,  the  inclinations,  and  the 
internal  conformation  of  seemingly  different 
creatures  nearly  the  same;  and,  above  all, 
when  we  see  them  producing  among  each 
other,  we  then  have  no  hesitation  in  pro- 
nouncing the  species,  and  asserting  that  these 
are  of  the  goat  kind,  with  which  they  are  so 
materially  connected. 

But,  although  these  are  evidently  known  to 
belong  to  the  goat  kind,  there  are  others  near- 
ly resembling  the  goat,  of  whose  kindred  we 
cannot  be  equally  certain.  These  are  such 
as  being  found  in  a  state  of  nature,  have  not 
as  yet  been  sufficiently  subjected  to  human 
observation.  Hence  it  is  impossible  to  deter- 


248 


ANIMALS  OF  THE 


mine  with  precision  to  which  class  they  be- 
long ;  whether  they  be  animals  of  a  particular 
kind,  or  merely  the  goat  in  its  state  of  savage 
freedom.  Were  there  but  one  of  these  wild 
animals,  the  inquiry  would  soon  be  ended; 
and  we  might  readily  allow  it  for  the  parent 
stock ;  but,  in  the  present  case,  there  are  two 
kinds  that  have  almost  equal  pretensions  to 
this  honour;  and  the  claims  of  which  it  has 
been  found  difficult  to  determine.  The  ani- 
mals in  question  are  the  shammoy  and  the 
ibex.  These  both  bear  very  near  approach- 
es to  the  goat  in  figure ;  have  horns  that  never 
shed ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  are  more  diffe- 
rent from  each  other  than  from  the  animal  in 
question.  From  which  of  these  two  sources 
our  domestic  goat  is  derived,  is  not  easy  to 
settle.  Instead,  therefore,  of  entering  into 
the  discussion,  I  will  content  myself  with  the 
result  of  Mr.  Button's  inquiries.  He  is  of 
opinion  that  the  ibex  is  the  principal  source ; 
that  our  domestic  goat  is  the  immediate  de- 
scendant ;  and  that  the  shammoy  is  but  a  va- 
riety from  that  stock,  a  sort  of  collateral 
branch  of  the  same  family.  His  principal  rea- 
son for  giving  the  preference  to  the  ibex,  is 
its  having  a  more  masculine  figure,  large 
horns,  and  a  large  beard ;  whereas  the  sham- 
moy wants  these  marks  of  primitive  strength 
and  wildness.  He  supposes,  therefore,  in  their 
original  savage  state,  that  our  goat  has  taken 
after  the  male  of  the  parent  stock,  and  the 
shammoy  after  the  female ;  and  that  this  has 
produced  a  variety  in  these  animals,  even  be- 
fore they  underwent  human  cultivation. 

However  this  be,  the  two  animals  in  ques- 
tion seem  both  well  fitted  for  their  precarious 
life,  being  extremely  swift,  and  capable  of 
running  with  ease  along  the  ledges  of  preci- 
pices, where  even  the  wolf  or  the  fox,  though 
instigated  by  hunger,  dare  not  pursue  them. 
They  are  both  natives  of  the  Alps,  the  Pyre- 
nees, and  the  mountains  of  Greece;  there 
they  propagate  in  vast  numbers,  and  continue 
to  exist  in  spite  of  the  hunter  and  every  beast 
of  prey  that  is  found  incessantly  to  pursue 
them. 

The  ibex  resembles  the  goat  in  the  shape 
of  its  body;  but  differs  in  the  horns,  which 
are  much  larger.  They  are  bent  backward, 
full  of  knots ;  and  it  is  generally  asserted  that 
there  is  a  knot  added  every  year.  There 


are  some  of  these  found,  if  we  believe  Bello- 
nius,  at  least  two  yards  long.  The  ibex  has 
a  large  black  beard,  is  of  a  brown  colour, 
with  a  thick  warm  coat  of  hair.  There  is  a 
streak  of  black  runs  along  the  top  of  the  back ; 
and  the  belly  and  back  of  the  thighs  are  of  a 
fawn  colour. 

The  shammoy ,a  though  a  wild  animal,  is  very 
easily  tamed,  and  docile;  and  to  be  found 
only  in  rocky  and  mountainous  places.  It  Is 
about  the  size  of  a  domestic  goat,  and  resem- 
bles one  in  many  respects.  It  is  most  agree- 
ably lively,  and  active  beyond  expression. 
The  shammoy's  hair  is  short,  like  that  of  the 
doe;  in  spring  it  is  of  an  ash  colour, in  autumn 
a  dun  colour,  inclining  to  black,  and  in  winter 
of  a  blackish  brown.  This  animal  is  found  in 
great  plenty  in  the  mountains  of  Dauphiny, 
of  Piedmont,  Savoy,  Switzerland,  and  Ger- 
many. They  are  peaceful,  gentle  creatures, 
and  live  in  society  with  each  other.  They 
are  found  in  flocks  of  from  four  to  fourscore, 
and  even  a  hundred,  dispersed  upon  the  crags 
of  the  mountains.  The  large  males  are  seen 
feeding  detached  from  the  rest,  except  in 
rutting  time,  when  they  approach  the  females, 
and  drive  away  the  young.  The  time  of  their 
coupling  is  from  the  beginning  of  September 
to  the  end  of  October ;  and  they  bring  forth 
in  April  and  March.  The  young  keeps  with 
the  dam  for  about  five  months,  and  sometimes 
longer,  if  the  hunters  and  the  wolves  do  not 
separate  them.  It  is  asserted  that  they  live 
between  twenty  and  thirty  years  Their  flesh 
is  good  to  eat ;  and  they  are  found  to  have 
ten  or  twelve  pounds  of  suet,  which  far  sur- 
passes that  of  the  goat  in  hardness  and  good- 
ness. The  shammoy  has  scarce  any  cry,  as 
most  animals  are  known  to  have ;  if  it  has 
any,  it  is  a  kind  of  feeble  bleat,  by  which  the 
parent  calls  its  young.  But  in  cases  of  dan- 
ger, and  when  it  is  to  warn  the  rest  of  the 
flock,  it  uses  a  hissing  noise,  which  is  heard 
at  a  great  distance.  For  it  is  to  be  observed, 
that  this  creature  is  extemely  vigilant,  and 
has  an  eye  the  quickest  and  most  piercing  in 
nature.  Its  smell  also  is  not  less  distinguish- 
ing. When  it  sees  its  enemy  distinctly,  it 
stops  for  a  moment;  and  then,  if  the  person 
be  near,  in  an  instant  after  it  flies  off!  In  the 

•  Mr.  Peroud's  account,  as  quoted  by  Buflbn 


SHEEP  AND  GOAT  KIND 


249 


same  manner,  by  its  smell,  it  can  discover  a 
man  at  half  a  league  distance,  and  gives  the 
earliest  notice.     Upon  any  alarm,  therefore, 
or  any  apprehensions  of  danger,  the  shaminoy 
begins  his  hissing  note  with  such  force,  that 
the  rocks  and  the  forests  re-echo  to  the  sound. 
The  first  hiss  continues  as  long  as  the  time  of 
one  inspiration.     In  the  beginning  it  is  very 
sharp,  and  deeper  towards  the  close.     The 
animal  having,  after  this  first  alarm,   reposed 
a  moment,  again  looks  round,  and,  perceiving 
the  reality  of  its  fears,  continues  to  hiss  by 
intervals,  until  it  has  spread  the  alarm  to  a 
very  great  distance.  During  this  time,  it  seems 
in  the  most  violent  agitation ;  it   strikes  the 
ground  with  its  fore-foot,  and  sometimes  with 
both  :  it  bounds  from  rock  to  rock ;  it  turns 
and  looks  round ;  it  runs  to  the  edge  of  the 
precipice;  and,  still  perceiving  the  enemy, 
flies  with  all  its  speed.     The  hissing  of  the 
male  is  much  louder  and  sharper  than  that  of 
the  female ;  it  is  performed  through  the  nose  ; 
and  is  properly  no  more  than  a  very  strong 
breath  driven  violently  through  a  small  aper- 
ture.    The  shamrnoy  feeds    upon   the    best 
herbage,  and  chooses  the  most  delicate  parts 
of  the  plants,  the  flower  and  the  tender  buds. 
It  is  not  less  delicate  with  regard   to  several 
aromatic  herbs  which  grow  upon  the  sides  of 
the  mountains.     It  drinks  but  very  little  while 
it  feeds  upon  the  succulent  herbage,  and  chews 
the  cud  in  the  intervals  of  feeding.     This  ani- 
mal is  greatly  admired  for  the  beauty  of  its 
eyes,  which  are  round  and  sparkling,  and 
which  mark  the  warmth  of  its  constitution. 
Its  head  is  furnished   with  two  small  horns, 
of  about  half  a  foot  long,  of  a  beautiful  black, 
aiul  rising  from  the  forehead,  almost  betwixt 
the  eyes.     These,  contrary  to  what  they  are 
found  in  other  animals,  instead  of  going  back- 
wards or  sideways,  jet  out  forward,  and  bend 
a  little,  at  their  extremities,  backward,  in  a 
small  circle,  and  end  in  a  very  sharp  point. 
The  ears  are  placed,  in  a  very  elegant  man- 
ner, near  the  horns  ;  and  there  are  two  stripes 
of  black  on  each  side  of  the  face,  the  rest 
beingof  a  whitish  yellow,  which  never  changes. 
The  horn  of  this  animal  is  often  used  as  the 
head  of  a  cane.     Those  of  the  female  are  less, 
and  not  so  much  bent ;  and  some  farriers  are 
seen  to  bleed  cattle   with  them.     These  ani- 
mals are  so  much  incommoded  by  heat,  that 


they  are  never  found  in  summer,  except  in  the 
caverns  of  rocks,  amidst  fragments  of  unmelt- 
ed  ice,  under  the  shade  of  high  and  spreading 
trees,  or  of  rough  and  hanging  precipices,  that 
face  the  north,  and  which  keep  ofTentirely  the 
rays  of  the  sun.  They  go  to  pasture  both 
morning  and  evening,  and  seldom  during  the 
heat  of  the  day.  They  run  along  the  rocks 
with  great  ease  and  seeming  indifference,  and 
leap  from  one  to  another,  so  that  no  dogs  are 
able  to  pursue  them.  There  is  nothing  more 
extraordinary  than  to  see  them  climbing,  and 
descending  precipices,  that  to  all  other  quad- 
rupeds are  inaccessible.  They  always  mount 
or  descend  in  an  oblique  direction;  and  throw 
themselves  down  a  rock  of  thirty  feet,  and 
light  with  great  security  upon  some  excres- 
cence or  fragment,  on  the  side  of  the  preci- 
pice, which  is  just  large  enough  to  place  their 
teet  upon;  they  strike  the  rock,  however,  in 
their  descent,  with  their  feet,  three  or  four 
times,  to  stop  the  velocity  of  their  motion; 
and,  when  they  have  got  upon  their  base  be- 
low, they  at  once  seem  fixed  and  secure.  In 
fact,  to  see  them  jump  in  this  manner,  they 
seem  rather  to  have  wings  than  legs :  some, 
indeed,  pretend  to  say,  that  they  use  their 
horns  for  climbing,  but  this  wants  confirma- 
tion. Certain  it  is  that  their  legs  alone  are 
formed  for  this  arduous  employment,  the  hind- 
er being  rather  longer  than  the  former,  and 
bending  in  such  a  manner,  that  when  they 
descend  upon  them,  they  break  the  force  of 
the  fall.  It  is  also  asserted,  that  when  they 
feed,  one  of  them  always  stands  as  centinel; 
but  how  far  this  may  be  true  is  questionable. 
For  certain,  while  they  feed,  there  are  some 
of  them  that  keep  continually  grazing  round 
the  rest ;  but  this  is  practised  among  all  grega- 
rious animals ;  so  that  when  they  see  any  dan- 
ger, they  warn  the  rest  of  the  herd  of  its  ap- 
proach. During  the  rigours  of  winter,  the 
shammoy  sleeps  in  the  thicker  forests,  and 
i  feeds  upon  the  shrubs  and  the  buds  of  the 
!  pine-tree.  It  sometimes  turns  up  the  snow 
!  with  its  foot,  to  look  for  herbage,  and,  where 
it  is  green,  makes  a  delicious  repast.  The 
more  craggy  and  uneven  the  forest,  the  more 
this  animal  is  pleased  with  the  abode,  which 
thus  adds  to  its  security.  The  hunting  the 
shaminoy  is  very  laborious,  and  extremely 
dillicult.  The  most  usual  way  is  to  hide  be- 


250 


ANIMALS  OF  THE 


hind  the  clefts  of  the  rocks  arid  shoot  them. 
This,  however,  must  be  done  with  great  pre- 
caution ;  the  sportsman  must  creep  for  a  vast 
way  upon  his  belly,  in  silence,  and  take  also 
the  advantage  of  the  wind,  which  if  it  blow 
from  him  they  would  instantly  perceive. 
When  arrived  at  a  proper  distance,  he  then 
advances  his  piece,  which  is  to  be  rifle-bar- 
relled, and  to  carry  one  ball,  and  tries  his 
fortune  among  them.  Some  also  pursue  this 
animal,  as  they  do  the  stag,  by  placing  proper 
persons  at  all  the  passages  of  a  glade  orvalley, 
and  then  sending  in  others  to  rouze  the  game. 
Dogs  are  quite  useless  in  this  chase,  as  they 
rather  alarm  than  overtake.  Nor  is  it  with- 
out danger  even  to  the  men ;  for  it  often  hap- 
pens that  when  the  animal  finds  itself  over- 
pressed,  it  drives  at  the  hunter  with  its  head, 
and  often  tumbles  him  down  to  the  neigh- 
bouring precipice.  This  animal  cannot  go 
upon  ice  when  smooth;  but  if  there  be  the  least 
inequalities  on  its  surface,  it  then  bounds  along 
in  security,  and  quickly  evades  all  pursuit. 

The  skin  of  the  shammoy  was  once  famous, 
when  tanned,  for  its  softness  and  warmth;  at 
present,  however,  since  the  art  of  tanning  has 
been  brought  to  greater  perfection,  the  leather 
called  shammoy  is  made  also  from  those  of  the 
tame  goat,  the  sheep,  and  the  deer.  Many 
medicinal  virtues  also  were  said  to  reside  in 
the  blood,  fat,  gall,  and  the  concretion  some- 
times found  in  the  stomach  of  this  animal, 
called  the  German  bezoar.  The  fat,  mixed 
with  milk,  was  said  to  be  good  in  ulcers  of 
the  lungs.  The  gall  was  said  to  be  useful  in 
strengthening  the  sight ;  the  stone,  which  is 
generally  about  the  size  of  a  walnut,  and 
blackisli,  was  formerly  in  great  request  for 
having  the  same  virtues  with  oriental  bezoar. 
However,  in  the  present  enlightened  state  of 
physic,  all  these  medicines  are  quite  out  of 
repute ;  and  although  we  have  the  names  of 
several  medicines  procurable  from  quadru- 

Feds,  yet,  except  the  musk  or  hartshorn  alone, 
know  of  none  in  any  degree  of  reputation. 
It  is  true,  the  fat,  the  urine,  the  beak,  and 
even  the  dung  of  various  animals,  may  be 
found  efficacious,  where  better  remedies  are 
not  to  be  had ;  but  they  are  far  surpassed  by 
many  at  present  in  use,  whose  operations  we 
know,  and  whose  virtues  are  confirmed  by 
repeated  experience. 


Such  are  the  quadrupeds  that  more  pecu- 
liarly belong  to  the  goat  kind.  Each  of 'these, 
in  all  probability,  can  engender  and  breed 
with  the  other;  and  were  the  whole  race  ex- 
tinguished, except  any  two,  these  would  be 
sufficient  to  replenish  the  world,  and  continue 
the  kind.  Nature,  however,  proceeds  in  her 
variations  by  slow  and  insensible  degrees, 
and  scarce  draws  a  firm,  distinguished  line 
between  any  two  neighbouring  races  of  ani- 
mals whatsoever.  Thus  it  is  hard  to  discover 
where  the  sheep  ends,  and  the  goat  begins ; 
and  we  shall  find  it  still  harder  to  fix  precise- 
ly the  boundaries  between  the  goat  kind  and 
the  deer.  In  all  transactions  from  one  kind 
to  the  other,  there  are  found  to  be  a  middle 
race  of  animals,  that  seem  to  partake  of  the 
nature  of  both,  and  that  can  precisely  be  re- 
ferred to  neither.  That  race  of  quadrupeds, 
called  the  gazelles,  are  of  this  kind ;  they  are 
properly  neither  goat  nor  deer,  arid  yet  they 
have  many  of  the  marks  of  both ;  they  make 
the  shade  between  these  two  kinds,  and  fill 
up  the  chasm  in  nature. 


THE  GAZELLES, 

THE  Gazelles,  of  which  there  are  several 
kinds,  can,  with  propriety,  be  referred  neither 
to  the  goat  nor  the  deer;  and  yet  they  par- 
take of  both  natures.  Like  the  goat,  they 
have  hollow  horns  that  never  fall,  which  is 
otherwise  in  the  deer.  They  have  a  gall- 
bladder, which  is  found  in  the  goat  and  not 
in  the  deer;  and,  like  that  animal,  they  feed 
rather  upon  shrubs  than  grassy  pasture.  On 
the  other  hand,  they  resemble  the  roebuck 
in  size  and  delicacy  of  form;  they  have  deep 
pits  under  the  eyes  like  that  animal;  they 
resemble  the  roebuck  in  the  colour  and 
nature  of  their  hair;  they  resemble  him  in 
the  bunches  upon  their  logs,  which  only  difFer 
in  being  upon  the  fore-legs  in  these,  and  on 
the  hind-legs  in  the  other.  They  seem  there- 
fore, to  be  of  a  middle  nature  between  these 
two  kinds ;  or,  to  speak  with  greater  truth 
and  precision,  they  form  a  distinct  kind  by 
themselves. 

The  distinguishing  marks  of  this  tribe  of 
animals,  by  which  they  differ  both  from  the 
goat  and  the  deer,  are  these:  their  horns  are 


SHEEP  AND  GOAT  KIND. 


made  differently,  being  annulated  or  ring- 
ed round,  at  the  same  time  that  there  are 
longitudinated  depressions  running  from  the 
bottom  to  the  point.  They  have  bunches  of 
hair  upon  their  fore-legs ;  they  have  a  streak 
of  black,  red,  or  brown,  running  along  the 
lower  p;jrt  of  their  sides,  and  three  streaks 
of  whitish  hair  in  the  internal  side  of  the  ear. 
These  are  characters  that  none  of  them  are 
without;  besides  these,there  are  others  which, 
in  general,  they  are  found  to  have,  and  which 
are  more  obvious  to  the  beholder.  Of  all  ani- 
mals in  the  world,  the  gazelle  has  the  most 
beautiful  eye,  extremely  brilliant,  and  yet  so 
meek,  that  all  the  eastern  poets  compare  the 
eyes  of  their  mistresses  to  those  of  this  ani- 
mal. A  gazelle-eyed  beauty  is  considered 
as  the  highest  compliment  that  a  lover  can 
pay;  and,  indeed,  the  Greeks  themselves 
thought  it  no  inelegant  piece  of  flattery  to  re- 
semble the  eyes  of  a  beautiful  woman  to  those 
of  a  cow.  The  gazelle,  for  the  most  part,  is 
more  delicately  and  finely  limbed  than  even 
the  roebuck ;  its  hair  is  as  short,  but  finer, 
and  more  glossy.  Its  hinder  legs  are  longer 
than  those  before,  as  in  the  hare,  which  gives 
it  greater  security  in  ascending  or  descend- 
ing steep  places.  Their  swiftness  is  equal,  if 
not  superior,  to  that  of  the  roe ;  but  as  the 
latter  bounds  forward,  so  these  run  along  in 
an  even  uninterrupted  course.  Most  of  them 
are  brown  upon  the  back,  white  under  the 
belly,  with  a  black  stripe  separating  those 
colours  between.  Their  tail  is  of  various 
lengths,  but  in  all  covered  with  pretty  long 
hair;  and  their  earsare  beautiful,  well-placed, 
and  terminating  in  a  point.  They  all  have  a 
cloven  hoof,  like  the  sheep ;  they  all  have 
permanent  horns ;  and  the  female  has  them 
smaller  than  the  male. 

Of  these  animals,  Mr.  Buffbn  makes  twelve 
varieties;  which,  however,  is  much  fewer 
than  what  other  naturalists  have  made  them. 
The  first  is  the  gaze/la,  properly  so  called, 
which  is  of  the  size  of  the  roebuck,  and  very 
much  resembling  it  in  all  the  proportions  of 
its  body,  but  entirely  differing,  as  was  said, 
in  the  nature  and  fashion  of  the  horns,  which 
are  black  and  hollow,  like  those  of  the  ram 
or  the  goat,  and  never  fall.  The  second  he 
calls  the  kevel,  which  is  rather  less  than  the 
former;  its  eyes  also  seem  larger;  and  its 


horns,  instead  of  being  round,  are  flatted  on 
the  sides,  as  well  in  the  male  as  the  female. 
The  third  he  calls  i\iecorin,  which  very  much 
resembles  the  two  former,  but  that  it  is  still 
less  than  either.  Its  horns  also  are  smaller 
in  proportion,  smoother  than  those  of  the 
other  two,  and  the  annular  prominences  be- 
longing to  the  kind  are  scarce  discernible, 
and  may  be  rather  called  wrinkles  than  pro- 
minences. Some  of  these  animals  are  often 
seen  streaked  like  the  tiger.  These  three  arc 
supposed  to  be  of  the  same  species.  The 
fourth  he  calls  the  zeiran,  the  horns  only  of 
which  he  has  seen ;  which,  from  their  size, 
and  the  description  of  travellers,  he  supposes 
to  belong  to  a  larger  kind  of  the  gazelle, 
found  in  India  and  Persia,  under  that  de- 
nomination. 

The  fifth  he  calls  the  koba,  and  the  sixth 
the  kob;  these  two  differ  from  each  other 
only  in  size,  the  former  being  much  larger 
than  the  latter.  The  muzzle  of  these  animals 
is  much  longer  than  those  of  the  ordinary 
gazelle ;  the  head  is  differently  shaped,  and 
they  have  no  depressions  under  the  eyes. 
The  seventh  he  calls  after  its  Egyptian  name, 
the  algazel;  which  is  shaped  pretty  much  like 
the  ordinary  gazelle,  except  that  the  horns 
are  much  longer,  being  generally  three  feet 
from  th 3  point  to  the  insertion;  whereas,  in 
the  common  gazelle,  they  are  not  above  a 
foot;  they  are  smaller  also,  and  straighter, 
till  near  the  extremities,  when  they  turn  short, 
with  a  very  sharp  flexure :  they  are  black 
and  smooth,  and  the  annular  prominences  are 
scarcely  observable.  The  eighth  is  called 
the  pazan ;  or,  by  some,  the  bezoar  goat,  which 
greatly  resembles  the  former,  except  a  small 
variety  in  their  horns;  and  also  with  this  dif- 
ference, that  as  the  algazel  feeds  upon  the 
plains,  this  is  only  found  in  the  mountains. 
They  are  both  inhabitants  of  the  same  coun- 
tries and  climates;  being  found  in  Egypt, 
Arabia,  and  Persia.  This  last  is  the  animal 
famous  for  that  concretion  in  the  intestines  or 
stomach,  called  the  oriental  be: oar,  which  was 
once  in  such  repute  all  over  the  world  for  its 
medicinal  virtues.  The  word  bezoar  is  sup- 
posed to  take  its  name  either  from  the  pazan 
or  pazar,  which  is  the  animal  that  produces  it; 
or'from  a  word  in  the  Arabic  language,  which 
signifies  antidote  or  counter-poison.  It  is  a  stone 
2T 


252 


ANIMALS  OF  THE 


of  a  glazed  blackish  colour,  found  in  the  sto- 
mach, or  the  intestines  of  some  animal,  and 
brought  over  to  us  from  the  East- Indies. 
Like  all  other  animal  concretions,  it  is  found 
to  have  a  kind  of  nucleus,  or  hard  substance 
Avithin,  upon  which  the  external  coatings  were 
formed ;  for,  upon  being  sawed  through,  it  is 
seen  to  have  layer  over  layer,  as  in  an  onion. 
This  nucleus  is  of  various  kinds;  sometimes 
the  buds  of  a  shrub,  sometimes  a  piece  of 
stone,  and  sometimes  a  marcasite.  This  stone 
is  from  the  size  of  an  acorn  to  that  of  a  pigeon's 
egg;  the  larger  the  stone,  the  more  valuable 
it  is  held;  its  price  increasing,  like  that  of  a 
diamond.  There  was  a  time  when  a  stone  of 
four  ounces  sold  in  Europe  for  above  two 
hundred  pounds  ;  but,  at  present,  the  price  is 
greatly  fallen,  and  they  are  in  very  little  es- 
teem. The  bezoar  is  of  various  colours; 
sometimes  of  a  blood  colour,  sometimes  of  a 
pale  yellow,  and  of  all  the  shades  between 
these  two.  It  is  generally  glossy,  smooth,  and 
has  a  fragrant  ^raiel!,  like  that  of  ambergris, 
probably  arising  from  the  aromatic  vegetables 
upon  which  the  animal  that  produces  it  feeds. 
It  has  been  given  in  vertigoes,epilepsies,  palpi- 
tations of  the  heart,  cholic,  jaundice ;  and  in 
those  places,  Avhere  the  dearness  and  not  the 
value  of  medicines  is  consulted,  in  almost 
every  disorder  incident  to  man.  In  all,  per- 
haps, it  is  equally  efficacious,  acting  only  as 
an  absorbent  powder,  and  possessing  rirtues 
equal  to  common  chalk,  or  crabs'  claws.  Ju- 
dicious physicians  have  therefore  discarded 
it;  and  this  celebrated  medicine  is  now  chief- 
ly consumed  in  countries  where  the  knowledge 
of  Nature  has  been  but  little  advanced.  When 
this  medicine  was  in  its  highest  reputation, 
many  arts  were  used  to  adulterate  it;  and 
many  countries  endeavoured  to  find  out  a 
bezoar  of  their  own.  Thus  we  had  Occiden- 
tal bezoar,  brought  from  America ;  German 
bezoar,  which  has  been  mentioned  before; 
cow  bezoar,  and  monkey  bezoar.  In  fact, 
there  is  scarce  an  animal,  except  of  the  car- 
nivorous kinds,  that  does  not  produce  some 
of  these  concretions  in  the  stomach,  intestines, 
kidneys,  bladder,  and  even  in  the  heart.  To 
these  ignorance  may  impute  virtues  that  they 
do  not  possess ;  experience  has  found  but 
few  cures  wrought  by  their  efficacy  :  but  it  is 
well  known,  that  they  often  prove  fatal  to  the 


animal  that  bears  them.  These  concretions 
are  generally  found  in  cows,  by  their  practice 
of  licking  off  their  hair,  winch  gathers  in  the 
stomach  into  the  shape  of  a  ball,  acquires  a 
surprising  degree  of  hardness,  and  sometimes 
a  polish  like  leather.  They  are  often  as  large 
as  a  goose-egg :  and  when  become  too  large 
to  pass,  block  up  the  passage  of  the  food, 
and  the  animal  dies.  The  substance  of  these 
balls,  however,  is  different  from  the  bezoar 
mentioned  above ;  being  rather  a  concretion 
of  hair  than  oi'stone.  There  is  a  bezoar  found 
in  the  gall-bladder  of  a  boar,  and  thence  cal- 
led hog  bezoar.  in  very  great  esteem  ;  but  per- 
haps with  as  little  justice  as  any  of  the  former. 
In  short,  as  we  have  already  observed,  there 
is  scarce  an  animal,  or  scarce  a  part  of  their 
bodies,  in  which  concretions  are  not  formed; 
and  it  is  more  than  probable,  as  Mr.  Buffbn 
justly  remarks,  that  the  bezoar  so  much  in 
use  formerly,  was  not  the  production  of  the 
pazar,  or  any  one  animal  only,  but  that  of  the 
whole  gazelle  kind;  who  feeding  upon  odo- 
riferous herbs  and  plants,  gave  this  admira- 
ble fragrance  to  the  accidental  concretions 
which  they  were  found  to  produce.  As  this 
medicine,  however,  is  but  little  used  at  pre- 
sent, our  curiosity  is  much  abated  as  to  the 
cause  of  its  formation.  To  return,  therefore, 
to  the  varieties  in  the  gazelle  tribe,  the  ninth 
is  called  the  ranguer,  and  is  a  native  of  Sene- 
gal. This  differs  somewhat  in  shape  and  co- 
lour f.  om  the  rest ;  but  particularly  in  the 
shape  of  its  horns,  which  are  straight  near  to 
the  points,  where  they  crook  forward,  pretty 
much  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  shammoy 
they  crook  backward.  The  tenth  variety  of 
the  gazelle  is  the  antelope,  so  well  known  to 
the  English,  who  have  given  it  the  name. 
This  animal  is  of  the  size  of  a  roe-buck,  arid 
resembles  the  gazelle  in  many  particulars, 
but  differs  in  others :  it  has  deeper  eye-pits 
than  the  former;  the  horns  are  formed  diffe- 
rently also,  being  about  sixteen  inches  long, 
almost  touching  each  other  at  the  bottom,  and 
spreading  as  they  rise,  so  as  at  their  tips  to 
be  sixteen  inches  asunder.  They  have  the 
annual  prominences  of  their  kind,  but  not  so 
distinguishable  as  in  the  gazelle :  however, 
they  have  a  double  flexure,  which  is  very 
remarkable,  and  serves  to  distinguish  them 
from  all  others  of  their  kind.  At  the  root 


SHEEP  AND  GOAT  KIND. 


253 


they  have  a  tuft  of  hair,  which  is  longer  than 
that  of  any  part  of  the  body.  Like  others  of 
the  same  kind,  the  antelope  is  brown  on  the 
back,  and  white  under  the  belly  ;  but  these 
colours  are  not  separated  by  the  black  streak 
which  is  to  be  found  in  all  the  rest  of  the  ga- 
zelle kinds.  There  are  different  sorts  of  this 
animal,  some  with  larger  horns  than  others,  and 
others  with  less.  The  one  which  makes  the 
eleventh  varietyin  the  gazelle  kind,  Mr.  Buffon 
calls  the  lidme,  which  has  very  long  horns ; 
and  the  other,  which  is  the  twelfth  and  last, 
he  calls  the  Indian  antelope,  the  horns  of  which 
are  very  small. 

To  these  may  be  added  three  or  four  varie- 
ties more,  which  is  not  easy  to  tell  whether  to 
refer  to  the  goat  or  the  gazelle,  as  they  equally 
resemble  both.  The  first  of  these  is  theoH&a- 
/ws,an  animal  that  seems  to  partake  of  the  mix- 
ed natures  of  the  cow,  the  goat,  and  the  deer. 
It  resembles  the  stag  in  the  size  and  the  figure 
of  its  body,  and  particularly  in  the  shape  of  its 
legs.  But  it  has  permanent  horns,  like  the 
goat ;  and  made  entirely  like  those  of  the  ga- 
zelle kind.  It  also  resembles  that  animal  in 
its  way  of  living :  however,  it  differs  in  the 
make  of  its  head,  being  exactly  like  the  cow  in 
the  length  of  its  muzzle,  and  in  the  disposition 
of  the  bones  of  its  skull ;  from  which  similitude 
it  has  taken  its  name.  This  animal  has  a  nar- 
row long  head ;  the  eyes  are  placed  very  high ; 
the  forehead  short  and  narrow ;  the  horns  per- 
manent, about  a  foot  long,  black,  thick,  annu- 
Iated,and  the  rings  of  the  gazelle  kind,remark- 
bly  large  ;  its  shoulders  are  very  high,  and  it 
has  a  kind  of  bunch  on  them,  that  terminates 
at  the  neck ;  the  tail  is  about  a  foot  long,  and 
tufted  with  hair  at  the  extremity.  The  hair 
of  this  animal  is  remarkable  in  being  thicker 
at  the  middle  than  at  the  root :  in  all  other 
quadrupeds,  except  the  elk  and  this,  the  hair 
tapers  off  from  the  bottom  to  the  point ;  but 
in  these,  each  hair  seems  to  swell  in  the  middle, 
like  a  nine-pin.  The  bubalus  also  resembles 
the  elk  in  size,  and  the  colour  of  its  skin  ;  but 
these  are  the  only  similitudes  between  them :  us 
the  one  has  a  very  large  branching  head  of  solid 
horns  that  are  naturally  deciduous,  the  other  has 
black  unbranching  hollow  horns  that  never  fall. 
The  bubalus  is  common  enough  in  Barbary, 
and  has  often  been  called  by  the  name  of  the 
barbary  cow,  from  which  animal  it  differs  so 
widely.  It  partakes  pretty  much  of  the  nature 


of  the  antelope;  like  that  having  the  hair  short, 
the  hide  black,  the  ears  pointed,  and  the  flesh 
good  for  food. 

The  second  anomalous  animal  of  the  goat- 
kind,  Mr.  Buffon  calls  the  condoma.  It  is  sup- 
posed to  be  equal  in  size  to  the  largest  stag, 
but  with  hollow  horns,  like  those  of  the  goat 
kind,  and  with  varied  flexures,  like  those  of  the 
antelope.  They  are  above  three  feet  long  ; 
and  at  their  extremities  about  two  feet  asunder. 
All  along  the  back  there  runs  a  white  list, 
which  ends  at  the  insertion  of  the  tail ;  another 
of  the  same  colour  crosses  this,  at  the  bottom 
of  the  neck,  which  it  entirely  surrounds  :  there 
are  two  more  of  the  same  kind  running  round 
the  body,  one  behind  the  fore-legs,  and  the 
other  running  parallel  to  it  before  the  hinder. 
The  colour  of  the  rest  of  the  body  is  grayish, 
except  the  belly,  which  is  white  :  it  has  also  a 
long  gray  beard ;  and  its  legs,  though  long, 
are  well  proportioned. 

The  third  that  may  be  mentioned,  he  calls 
the  guiba.  It  resembles  the  gazelles  in  every 
particular,  except  in  the  colour  of  the  belly, 
which,  as  we  have  seen,  is  white  in  them,  but 
in  this  is  of  a  deep  brown.  Its  horns  also  are 
not  marked  with  annual  prominences,  but  are 
smooth  and  polished.  It  is  also  remarkable 
for  white  lists,  on  a  brown  ground,  that  are 
disposed  along  the  animal's  body,  as  if  it  were 
covered  with  harness.  Like  the  former  it  is  a 
native  of  Africa. 

The  African  wild  goat  of  Grimmius  is  the 
fourth.  It  is  of  a  dark  ash-colour ;  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  head  is  a  hairy  tuft,  standing 
upright ;  on  both  sides,  between  the  eyes  and 
the  nose,  there  are  very  deep  cavities,  greater 
than  those  of  the  other  kinds,  which  contain  a 
yellow  oily  liquor,  which  coagulates  into  a 
black  substance,  that  has  a  smell  betweeen 
musk  and  civet.  This  being  taken  away,  the 
liquor  again  runs  out,  and  coagulates,  as  be- 
fore. These  cavities  have  no  communication 
with  the  eyes,  and,  consequently,  this  oozing 
substance  can  have  nothing  of  the  nature  of 
tears. 

To  this  we  may  add  the  chevrotin,  or  little 
guinea  deer,  which  is  the  least  of  all  cloven 
footed  quadrupeds,  and  perhaps  the  most  beau- 
tiful ;  its  legs,  at  the  smallest  part,  are  not 
much  thicker  than  the  shank  of  a  tobacco- 
pipe  ;  it  is  about  seven  inches  high,  and  about 
twelve  from  the  point  of  the  nose  to  the  inser- 
2T* 


'254 


A  HISTORY  OF 


tion  of  the  tail.  It  is  the  most  delicately  shaped 
animal  in  the  world,  being  completely  formed 
like  a  stag  in  miniature ;  except  that  its  horns, 
when  it  has  any,  are  more  of  the  gazelle  kind, 
being  hollow  and  annulated  in  the  same  man- 
ner. It  has  two  canine  teeth  in  the  upper 
jaw;  in  which  respect  it  differs  from  all  other 
animals  of  the  goat  or  deer  kind,  and  thus 
makes  a  species  entirely  distinct  by  itself. 
This  wonderful  animal's  colour  is  not  less 
pleasing;  the  hair,  which  is  short  and  glossy,  be- 
ing in  some  of  a  beautiful  yellow,  except  on  the 
neck  and  belly,  which  is  white.  They  are 
natives  of  India,  Guinea,  and  the  warm  cli- 
mates between  the  tropics ;  and  are  found  in 
great  plenty.  But  though  they  are  amazingly 
swift  for  their  size,  yet  the  Negroes  often  over- 
take them  in  the  pursuit,  and  knock  them 
down  with  their  sticks.  They  may  be  easily 
tamed,  and  then  they  become  familiar  and 
pleasing;  but  they  are  of  such  delicate  con- 
stitutions, that  they  can  bear  no  climate  but 
the  hottest ;  and  they  always  perish  with  the 
rigours  of  ours,  when  they  are  brought  over. 
The  male  in  Guinea  has  horns :  the  female  is 
without  any ;  as  are  all  the  kinds  of  this  ani- 
mal, to  be  found  either  in  Java  or  Ceylon, 
where  they  chiefly  abound. 

Such  is  the  list  of  the  gazelles;  all  which 
pretty  nearly  resemble  the  deer  in  form  and 
delicacy  of  shape;  but  have  the  horns  hollow, 
single,  and  permanent,  like  those  of  the  goat. 
They  properly  fill  up,  as  has  been  already 
observed,  the  interval  between  these  two 
kinds  of  animals;  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  tell 
where  the  goat  ends,  and  the  deer  may  be 
said  to  begin.  If  we  compare  the  gazelles 
with  each  other,  we  shall  find  but  very  slight 
distinctions  between  them.  The  turn  or  the 
magnitude  of  the  horns,  the  different  spots 
on  the  skin,  or  a  difference  of  size  in  each, 
are  chiefly  the  marks  by  which  their  varieties 
are  to  be  known;  but  their  way  of  living, 
their  nature,  and  their  peculiar  swiftness,  all 
come  under  one  description. 

The  gazelles  are,  in  general,  inhabitants  of 
the  warmer  climates ;  and  contribute,  among 
other  embellishments,  to  add  beauty  to  those 
forests  that  are  for  ever  green.  They  are  often 
seen  feeding  in  herds,  on  the  sides  of  the 
mountain,  or  in  the  shade  of  the  woods;  and 
fly  all  together,  upon  the  smallest  approaches 


of  danger.  They  bound  with  such  swiftness, 
and  are  so  very  shy,  that  dogs  or  men  vainly 
attempt  to  pursue  them.  They  traverse  those 
precipices  with  ease  and  safety,  which  to  every 
quadruped  else  are  quite  impracticable  ;  nor 
can  any  animals  but  of  the  winged  kind  over- 
take them.  Accordingly,  in  all  those  countries 
where  they  arechiefly  found, they  are  pursued 
by  falcons;  and  this  admirable  manner  of 
hunting  makes  one  of  the  principal  amuse- 
ments of  the  upper  ranks  of  people  all  over 
the  East.  The  Arabians,  Persians,  and  Turks, 
breed  up  for  this  purpose,  that  kind  of  hawk 
called  the  falcon  gentle,  with  which,  when  pro- 
perly trained,  they  go  forth  on  horseback 
among  the  forests  and  the  mountains,  the  fal- 
con perching  upon  the  hand  of  the  hunter. 
Their  expedition  is  conducted  with  profound 
silence ;  their  dogs  are  taught  to  hang  behind ; 
while  the  men,  on  the  fleetest  coursers,  look 
round  for  the  game.  Whenever  they  spy  a 
gazelle  at  the  proper  distance,  they  point  the 
falcon  to  its  object,  and  encourage  it  to  pur- 
sue. The  falcon,  with  the  swiftness  of  an  ar- 
row, flies  to  the  animal,  that,  knowing  its  dan- 
ger, endeavours,  but  too  late,  to  escape.  The 
falcon  soon  coming  up  with  its  prey,  fixes  its 
talons,  one  into  the  animal's  cheek,  the  other 
into  its  throat,  and  deeply  wounds  it.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  gazelle  attempts  to  escape, 
but  is  generally  wounded  too  deep  to  run  far. 
The  falcon  clings  with  the  utmost  persever- 
ance, nor  ever  leaves  its  prey  till  it  falls ;  up- 
on which  the  hunters  from  behind  approach- 
ing, take  up  both,  and  reward  the  falcon  with 
the  blood  of  the  spoil.  They  also  teach  the 
young  ones  by  applying  them  to  the  dead  ani- 
mal\j  throat,  and  accustoming  them  betimes 
to  fix  upon  that  particular  part ;  for  if  it  should 
happen  that  the  falcon  fixed  upon  any  other 
part  of  the  gazelle,  either  its  back  or  its 
haunches,  the  animal  would  easily  escape 
among  the  mountains,  and  the  hunter  would 
also  lose  his  falcon.  They  sometimes  also 
hunt  these  animals  with  the  ounce.  This  car- 
nivorous and  fierce  creature  being  made  tame 
and  domestic,  generally  sits  on  horseback  be- 
hind the  hunter,  and  remains  there  wilh  the 
utmost  composure,  until  the  gazelle  is  shown ; 
it  is  then  that  it  exerts  all  its  arts  and  fierce- 
ness ;  it  does  not  at  once  fly  at  its  prey,  but 
approaches  slyly,  turning  and  winding  about 


THE  MUSK  ANIMAL. 


2.55 


until  it  comes  within  the  proper  distance,  when 
all  at  once  it  bounds  upon  the  heedless  ani- 
mul,  and  instantly  kills  it,  and  sucks  its  blood. 
If,  on  tlie  other  hand,  it  misses  its  aim,  it  rests 
in  its  place,  without  attempting  to  pursue 
any  farther,  but  seems  ashamed  of  its  own 
inability. 

There  is  still  another  way  of  taking  the  ga- 
zelle, which  seems  not  so  certain,  nor  so  amus- 
ing as  either  of  the  former.  A  tame  gazelle 
is  bred  up  for  this  purpose,  who  is  taught  to 
join  those  of  its  k'md,  wherever  it  perceives 
them.  When  the  hunter,  therefore,  perceives 
a  herd  of  these  together,  he  fixes  a  noose  round 
the  horns  of  the  tame  gazelle  in  such  a  man- 
ner, that  if  the  rest  but  touch  it,  they  are  en- 


tangled ;  and  thus  prepared,  he  sends  his  ga- 
zelle among  the  rest.  The  tame  animal  no 
sooner  approaches,  but  the  males  of  the  herd 
instantly  sally  forth  to  oppose  him ;  and,  in 
butting  with  their  horns,  are  caught  in  the 
noose.  In  this,  both  struggling  for  some  time, 
fall  together  to  the  ground ;  and,  at  last,  the 
hunter  coining  up,  disengages  the  one,  and  kills 
the  other.  Upon  the  whole,  however,  these 
animals,  whatever  be  the  arts  used  to  pursue 
them,  are  very  difficult  to  be  taken.  As  they 
are  continually  subject  to  alarms  from  car- 
nivorous beasts,  or  from  man,  they  keep  chiefly 
in  the  most  solitary  and  inaccessible  places, 
and  find  their  only  protection  from  situations 
of  the  greatest  danger. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

OF  THE  MUSK  ANIMAL. 


THE  more  we  search  into  nature,  the  more 
we  shall  find  how  little  she  is  known  ;  and 
we  shall  more  than  once  have  occasion  to  find, 
that  protracted  inquiry  is  more  apt  to  teach  us 
modesty,  than  to  produce  information.  Al- 
though the  number  and  nature  of  quadrupeds 
at  first  glance  seems  very  little  known  ;  yet, 
when  we  come  to  examine  closer,  we  find 
so  ne  with  which  we  are  very  pjtrtially  ac- 
qijatrue-d^aacl  others  thnrt  are  utterly  unknown. 
There  is  scarce  a  cabinet  of  the  curious  but 
what  has  the  spoils  of  animals,  or  the  horns  or 
th«  hoofs  qf  quadrupeds,  which  do  not  come 
within  former  descriptions.  There  is  scarce  a 
person  whose  trade  is  to  dress  or  improve  furs, 
but  knows  several  creatures  by  their  skins, 
which  n  >  naturalist  has  hitherto  had  notice  of. 
But  of  all  quadrupeds,  there  is  none  so  justly  the 
reproach  of  natural  historians,  as  that  which 
bears  the  musk.  This  perfume,  so  well  known 
to  the  elegant,  and  so  very  useful  in  the  hands 
of  the  physician;  a  medicine  that  has  for  more 
than  a  century  been  imported  from  the  East 
in  great  quantities,  and  during  all  that  time 
has  been  improving  in  its  reputation,  is,  never- 
theless, so  very  little  understood,  that  it  re- 
nviins  a  doubt  whether  the  ani-nal  that  pro- 
duces it  be  a  hog,  an  ox,  a  goat,  or  a  deer. 


When  an  animal  with  which  we  are  so  nearly 
connected,  is  so  utterly  unknown,  how  little 
must  we  know  of  many  that  are  more  remote 
and  unserviceable  !  Yet  naturalists  proceed  in 
the  same  train,  enlarging  their  catalogues  and 
their  names,  without  endeavouring  to  find  out 
the  nature,  and  fix  the  precise  history  of  those 
with  which  we  are  very  partially  acquainted. 
It  is  the  spirit  of  the  scholars  of  the  present 
age  to  be  fonder  of  increasing  the  bulk  of  our 
knowledge,  than  its  utility ;  of  extending  their 
conquests,  than  of  improving  their  empire. 

The  musk  which  comes  to  Europe,  is 
brought  over  in  small  bags,  about  the  size  of 
a  pigeon's  egg,  which,  when  cut  open,  appear 
to  contain  a  kind  of  dusky,  reddish  substance, 
like  coagulated  blood,  and  which,  in  large 
quantities,  has  a  very  strong  smell ;  but,  when 
mixed  and  diffused,  becomes  a  very  agreeable 
perfume.  Indeed,  no  substance  now  known 
in  the  world  has  a  stronger  or  a  more  perma- 
nent smell.  A  grain  of  musk  perfumes  a 
whole  room  ;  and  its  odour  continues  for  some 
days  without  diminution.  But  in  a  larger 
quantity  it  continues  for  years  together  ;  and 
seems  scarce  wasted  in  its  weight,  although  it 
has  filled  the  atmosphere  to  a  great  distance 
with  its  parts.  It  is  particularly  used  in  mcdi- 


256 


ANIMALS  OF 


cine,  in  nervous  and  hysteric  disorders  ;  and 
is  found  in  such  cases  to  be  the  most  powerful 
remedy  now  in  use  :  however,  the  animal  that 
furnishes  this  admirable  medicine,  has  been 
very  variously  described,  and  is  known  but 
very  imperfectly. 

The  description  given  of  this  animal  by 
Grew,  is  as  follows :  "  The  musk  animal  is 
properly  neither  of  the  goat  nor  deer  kind,  for 
it  has  no  horns,  and  it  is  uncertain  whether  it 
ruminates  or  not ;  howrever,  it  wants  the  fore- 
teeth in  the  upper  jaw,  in  the  same  manner  as 
in  ruminating  animals ;  but,  at  the  same  time, 
it  has  tusks  like  those  of  a  hog.  It  is  three  feet 
six  inches  in  length,  from  the  head  to  the  tail; 
and  the  head  is  above  half  a  foot  long.  The 
fore-part  of  the  head  is  like  that  of  a  gray- 
hound  ;  and  the  ears  are  three  inches  long, 
and  erect,  like  those  of  a  rabbit ;  but  the  tail 
is  not  above  two  inches.  It  is  cloven-footed, 
like  beasts  of  the  goat  kind ;  the  hair  on  the 
head  and  legs  is  half  an  inch  long,  on  the  belly 
an  inch  and  a  half,  and  on  the  back  and  but- 
tocks three  inches,  and  proportionably  thicker 
than  in  any  other  animal.  It  is  brown  and 
white  alternately,  from  the  root  to  the  point ; 
on  the  head  and  thighs  it  is  brown,  but  under 
the  belly  and  tail  white,  and  a  little  curled, 
especially  on  the  back  and  belly.  On  each 
side  of  the  lower  jaw,  under  the  corners  of  the 
mouth,  there  is  a  tuft  of  thick  hair,  which  is 
short  and  hard,  and  about  three  quarters  of 
an  inch  long.  The  hair,  in  general,  of  this 
animal,  is  remarkable  for  its  softness  and  fine 
texture ;  but  what  distinguishes  it  particu- 
larly are  the  tusks,  which  are  an  inch  and 
a  half  long,  and  turn  back  in  the  form  of 
a  hook  ;  and  more  particularly  the  bag  which 
contains  the  musk,  which  is  three  inches 
long,  two  broad,  and  stands  out  from  the 
belly  an  inch  and  a  half.  It  is  a  very  fear- 
ful animal,  and,  therefore,  it  has  long  ears ; 
and  the  sense  of  hearing  is  so  quick,  that 
it  can  discover  an  enemy  at  a  great  dis- 
tance." 

After  so  long  and  circumstantial  a  descrip- 
tion of  this  animal,  its  nature  is  but  very  little 
known  ;  nor  has  any  anatomist  as  yet  ex- 
amined its  internal  structure  ;  or  been  able  to 
inform  us  whether  it  be  a  ruminant  animal,  or 
one  of  the  hog  kind ;  how  the  musk  is  formed, 


or  whether  those  bags  in  which  it  comes  to  us 
be  really  belonging  to  the  animal,  or  are  only 
the  sophistications  of  the  venders.  Iiuif-ed, 
when  we  consider  the  immense  quantities  of 
this  substance  which  are  consumed  in  Europe 
alone,  not  to  mention  the  East,  where  it  is  in 
still  greater  repute  than  here,  we  can  hardly 
suppose  that  any  one  animal  can  furnish  the 
supply  ;  and  particularly  when  it  must  be  kill- 
ed before  the  bag  can  be  obtained.  We  are 
told,  it  is  true,  that  the  musk  is  often  deposited 
by  the  animal  upon  trees  and  stones,  against 
which  it  rubs  itself  when  the  quantity  becomes 
uneasy  ;  but  it  is  not  in  that  form  which  we 
receive  it,  but  always  in  what  seems  to  be  its 
own  natural  bladder.  Of  these,  Taverner 
brought  home  near  two  thousand  in  one  year; 
and,  as  the  animal  is  wild,  so  many  must, 
during  that  space,  have  been  hunted  and  taken. 
But  as  the  creature  is  represented  very  shy, 
and  as  it  is  found  but  in  some  particular  pro- 
vinces of  the  East,  the  wonder  is,  how  its  bag 
should  be  so  cheap,  and  furnished  in  such 
great  plenty.  The  bag  in  common  does  not 
cost  (if  I  do  not  forget)  above  a  crown  by  re- 
tail, and  yet  this  is  supposed  the  only  one  be- 
longing to  the  animal ;  and  for  the  obtaining 
of  which,  it  must  have  been  hunted  and  killed. 
The  only  way  of  solving  this  difficulty,  is  to 
suppose  that  these  bags  are,  in  a  great  mea- 
sure, counterfeit,  taken  from  some  other  ani- 
mal, or  from  some  part  of  the  same,  filled  with 
its  blood,  and  a  very  little  of  the  perfume,  but 
enough  to  impregnate  the  rest  with  a  strong 
and  permanent  odour.  It  comes  to  us  from 
different  parts  of  the  East ;  from  China,  Ton- 
quin,  Bengal,  and  often  from  Muscovy  :  that 
of  Thibet  is  reckoned  the  best,  and  sells  for 
fourteen  shillings  an  ounce  ;  that  of  Muscovy 
the  worst,  and  sells  but  for  three  ;  the  odour 
of  this,  though  very  strong  at  first,  being  quick- 
ly found  to  evaporate.  Musk  was  some  years 
ago  in  the  highest  request  as  a  perfume,  and 
but  little  regarded  as  a  medicine  ;  but  at  pre- 
sent its  reputation  is  totally  changed;  and 
having  been  found  of  great  benefit  in  physic, 
it  is  but  little  regarded  for  the  purposes  of 
elegance.  It  is  thus  that  things  which  become 
necessary,  cease  to  continue  pleasing ;  and 
the  consciousness  of  their  use,  destroys  their 
power  of  administering  delight. 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


257 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  DEER  KIND. 


IF  we  compare  the  stag  and  the  bull,  as  to 
shape  and  form,  no  two  animals  can  be  more 
unlike  ;  and  yet,  if  we  examine  their  internal 
structure,  we  shall  find  a  striking  similitude 
between  them.  Indeed,  their  differences,  ex- 
cept to  a  nice  observer,  \\  ill  scarcely  be  per- 
ceivable. All  of  the  de.T  kind  want  the  gall- 
bl.idder  ;  their  kidneys  are  formed  differently  ; 
their  spleen  is  also  proportionably  larger;  their 
tail  is  shorter ;  and  their  horns,  which  are 
soli  I,  are  renewed  every  year.  Such  are  the 
slight  internal  discriminations  between  two 
animals,  one  of  which  is  among  the  swiftest, 
and  the  other  the  heaviest  of  the  brute  creation. 

The  stag  is  one  of  those  innocent  and  peace- 
able animals  that  seems  made  to  embellish  the 
forest,  and  animate  the  solitudes  of  nature. 
The  easy  elegance  of  his  form,  the  lightness  of 
his  motions,  those  large  brandies  that  seem 
made  rather  for  the  ornament  of  his  head  than 
its  defence,  the  size,  the  strength,  and  the  swift- 
ness of  tiiis  beautiful  creature,  all  sufficiently 
rank  him  among  the  first  of  quadrupeds, 
among  the  most  noted  objects  of  human  curi- 
osity. 

The  stag,  or  hart,  whose  female  is  called  a 
hind,  and  the  young  a  calf,  differs  in  the  size 
and  in  horns  from  a  fallow-deer.  He  is  much 
larger,  and  his  horns  are  round ;  whereas  in 
the  fallow-kind  they  are  broad  and  palmated. 
By  these  the  animal's  age  is  known.  The  first 
year  the  stag  has  no  horns,  but  a  horny  ex- 
crescence, which  is  short,  rough,  and  covered 
with  a  thin,  hairy  skin.  The  next  year  the 
horns  are  single  and  straight ;  the  third  year 
they  have  two  antlers,  three  the  fourth,  four 
the  fifth,  and  five  the  sixth  ;  this  number  is  not 
always  certain,  for  sometimes  there  are  more, 
and  often  less.  When  arrived  at  the  sixth 
year,  the  antlers  do  not  always  increase  :  and 
although  the  number  may  amount  to  six  or 
seven  on  each  side,  yet  the  animal's  age  is 
then  estimated  rather  from  the  size  of  the  ant- 
lers, and  the  thickness  of  the  branch  which 
sustains  them,  than  from  their  variety.  These 
horns, large  as  they  seem,  are,  notwithstanding, 
shed  every  year,  and  new  ones  come  in  their 


place.  The  old  horns  are  of  a  firm,  solid  tex- 
ture, and  usually  employed  in  making  handles 
for  knives,  and  other  domestic  utensils.  But 
while  young,  nothing  can  be  more  soft  or  ten- 
der ;  and  the  animal,  as  if  conscious  of  his  own 
imbecility  at  those  times,  instantly  upon  shed- 
ding his  former  horns,  retires  from  the  rest  of 
his  fellows,  and  hides  himself  in  solitudes  and 
thickets,  never  venturing  out  to  pasture,  except 
by  night.  During  this  time,  which  most  usu- 
ally happens  in  the  spring,  the  new  horns  are 
very  painful,  and  have,  a  quick  sensibility  of 
any  external  impression.  The  flies,  also,  are 
extremely  troublesome  to  him.  When  the  old 
horn  is  fallen  off,  the  new  does  not  begin  im- 
mediately to  appear ;  but  the  bones  of  the  skull 
are  seen  covered  only  with  a  transparent  perios- 
teum or  skin,  which,  as  anatomists  teach  us, 
covers  the  bones  of  all  animals.  After  a  short 
time,  however,  this  skin  begins  to  swell,  and  to 
form  a  soft  tumour,  which  contains  a  great  deal 
of  blood,  and  which  begins  to  be  covered  with 
a  downy  substance  that  has  the  feel  of  velvet, 
and  appears  nearly  of  the  same  colour  with  the 
rest  of  the  animal's  hair.  This  tumour  every 
day  buds  forward  from  the  point  like  the  graft 
of  a  tree  ;  and,  rising  by  degrees  from  the  head, 
shoots  out  the  antlers  on  either  side,  so  that  in 
a  few  days,  in  proportion  as  the  animal  is  in 
condition,  the  whole  head  is  completed.  How- 
ever, as  was  said  above,  in  the  beginning,  its 
consistence  is  very  soft,  and  has  a  sort  of  bark, 
which  is  no  more  than  a  continuation  of  the 
integument  of  the  skull.  It  is  velveted  and 
downy,  and  every  where  furnished  with  blood- 
vessels, that  supply  the  growing  horns  with 
nourish; nent.  As  they  creep  along  the  sides 
of  the  branches,  the  print  is  marked  over  the 
whole  surface ;  and  the  larger  the  blood-vessels, 
the  deeper  these  marks  are  found  to  be :  from 
hence  arises  the  inequality  of  the  surface  of  the 
deer's  horns  ;  which,  as  we  see,  are  furrowed 
all  along  the  sides,  the  impressions  diminishing 
towards  the  point,  where  the  substance  is  as 
smooth  and  as  solid  as  ivory.  But  it  ought  to 
be  observed,  that  this  substance,  of  which  the 
horns  are  comoosed,  begins  to  harden  at  the 


2.r)8 


ANIMALS  OF 


bottom  while  the  upper  part  remains  soft, 
and  still  continues  growing ;  from  whence  it 
appears  that  the  horns  grow  differently  in  deer 
from  those  of  sheep  or  cows ;  in  which  they 
are  always  seen  to  increase  from  the  bottom. 
However,  when  the  whole  head  has  received 
its  full  growth,  the  extremities  then  begin  to 
acquire  their  solidity;  the  velvet  covering, 
or  bark,  with  its  blood-vessels,  dry  up,  and 
then  begin  to  fall ;  and  this  the  animal  has- 
tens, by  rubbing  its  antlers  against  every  tree 
it  meets.  In  this  manner,  the  whole  exter- 
nal surface  being  stripped  off  by  degrees,  at 
length  the  whole  head  acquires  its  complete 
hardness,  expansion,  and  beauty. 

It  would  be  a  vain  task  to  inquire  into  the 
cause  of  the  animal  production  of  these  horns; 
it  is  sufficient  to  observe,  that  if  a  stag  be  cas- 
trated when  its  horns  are  fallen  off,  they  will 
never  grow  again ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  if 
the  same  operation  is  performed  when  they 
are  on,  they  will  never  fall  off  If  only  one 
of  his  testicles  are  taken  out,  he  will  want  the 
horn  on  that  side ;  if  one  of  the  testicles  only 
be  tied  up,  he  will  want  the  horn  of  the  op- 
posite side.  The  increase  of  their  provision 
also  tends  to  facilitate  the  growth  and  the  ex- 
"pansion  of  the  horns ;  and  Mr.  Buffbn  thinks 
it  possible  to  retard  their  growth  entirely  by 
greatly  retrenching  their  food.a  As  a  proof 
of  this,  nothing  can  be  more  obvious  than  the 
difference  between  a  stag  bred  in  fertile  pas- 
tures and  undisturbed  by  the  hunter,  and  one 
often  pursued  and  ill-nourished.  The  for- 
mer has  his  head  expanded,  his  antlers  nu- 
merous, and  the  branches  thick ;  the  latter 
has  but  few  antlers,  the  traces  of  the  blood- 
vessels upon  them  are  but  slight,  and  the  ex- 
pansion but  little.  The  beauty  and  size  of 
their  horns,  therefore,  mark  their  strength  and 
their  vigour ;  such  of  them  as  are  sickly,  or 
have  been  wounded,  never  shooting  out  that 
magnificent  profusion  so  much  admired  in  this 
animal.  Thus  the  horns  may,  in  every  re- 
spect, be  resembled  to  a  vegetable  substance, 
grafted  upon  the  head  of  an  animal.  Like  a 
vegetable  they  grow  from  the  extremities; 
like  a  vegetable  they  are  for  a  while  covered 
with  a  bark  that  nourishes  them ;  like  a  ve- 

a  Buffon,  vol.  xi.  p.  113. 

b  Mr.  Buflbn  has  supposed  something  like  this.    Vide 
passim. 


getable  they  have  their  annual  production 
and  decay ;  and  a  strong  imagination  might 
suppose  that  the  leafy  productions  on  which 
the  animal  feeds,  go  once  more  to  vegetate  in 
his  horns.b 

The  stag  is  usually  a  twelvemonth  old  be- 
fore the  horns  begin  to  appear,  and  then  a  sin- 
gle branch  is  all  that  is  seen  for  the  year  en- 
suing.    About  the  beginning  of  spring,  all  of 
this  kind  are  seen  to  shed  thoir  horns,  which  fall 
off  of  themselves  ;  though  sometimes  the  ani- 
mal assists  the  efforts  of  nature,  by  rubbing 
them  against  a  tree.     It  seldom  happens  that 
the  branches  on  both  sides  fall  off  at  the  same 
time,  there  often  being  two  or  three  days  be- 
tween the  dropping  of  the  one  and  the  other. 
The  old  stags  usually  shed  their  horns  first ; 
which  generally  happens  towards  the  latter 
end  of  February,  or  the  beginning  of  March. 
Those  of  the  second  head,  (namely,  sucli  as 
are  between  five  and  six  years  old,)  shed  their 
horns  about  the  middle  or  latter  end  of  March ; 
those  still  younger,  in  the  month  of  April ;  and 
the  youngest  of  all,  not  till  the  middle,  or  the 
latter  end  of  May  ;  they  generally  shed  them 
in  pools  of  water,  whither  they  retire  from  the 
heat ;  and  this  has  given  rise  to  the  opinion  of 
their  always  hiding  their  horns.     These  rules, 
though  true  in  general,  are  yet  subject  to  many 
variations ;  and  universally  it  is  known  that  a 
severe  winter  retards  the  shedding  of  the  horns. 
The  horns  of  the  stag  generally  increase  in 
thickness  and  in  height  from  the  second  year 
of  its  age  to  the  eighth.    In  this  state  of  perfec- 
tion they  continue  during  the  vigour  of  life  ; 
but  as  the  animal  grows  old  the  horns  feel  the 
impressions  of  age,  and  shrink  like  the  rest  of 
the  body.     No  branch  bears  more  than  twenty 
or  twenty-two  antlers  even  in  the  highest  state 
of  vigour;  and  the  number  is  subject  to  great 
variety ;  for  it  happens  that  the  stag  at  one 
year  has  either  less  or  more  than  the  year  pre- 
ceding, in  proportion  to  the  goodness  of  his 
pasture,  or  the  continuance  of  his  security,  as 
these  animals  seldom  thrive  when  often  roused 
by  the  hunters.     The  horns  are  also  found  to 
partake  of  the  nature  of  the  soil ;  in  the  more 
fertile  pastures  they  are  large  and  tender  ;  on 
the  contrary,  in  the  barren  soil,  they  are  hard, 
stunted,  and  brittle.      As  soon  as  the  stags 
have  shed  their  horns,  they  separate  from  each 
other,  and  seek  the  plainer  parts  of  the  country, 
remote  from  every  other  animal,  which  they 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


259 


are  utterly  unable   to   oppose.      They   then 
walk  with  their  heads  stooping  down,  to  keep 
their  horns  from  striking  against  the  brandies 
of  the  trees  above.     In  this  state  of  imbecility 
they  continue  near  three  months  before  their 
heads  have  acquired  their  full  growth  and  soli- 
dity ;  and  then,  by  rubbing  them  against  the 
branches  of  every  thicket,  they  at  length  clear 
them  of  the  skin  which  had  contributed  to  their 
growth  and  nourishment.      It  is  said  by  some, 
that  the  horn  takes  the  colour  of  the  sap  of  the 
tree  against  which  it  is  rubbed  ;  and  that  some 
thus  become  red,   when  rubbed  against  the 
he  uii ;  and  others  brown,  by  rubbing  against 
the  onk ;  this,  however,  is  a  mistake,  since 
stilus  kept  in  parks  where  there  are  no  trees, 
have  a  variety  in  the  colour  of  their  horns,  which 
can  be  ascribed  to  nothing  but  nature.     A  short 
time  after  they  have  furnished  their  horns,  they 
begin  to  feel  the  impressions  of  the  rut,  or  the 
desire  of  copulation.     The  old   ones  are  the 
most  forward  ;  and  about  the  end  of  August, 
or  the  beginning  of  September,  they  quit  their 
thickets,  and  return  to  t  le  mountain  in  order 
to  seek  the  hind,  to  whom  they  call  with  a  loud 
tremendous  note.     At  this  time  their  neck  is 
swol'.i;  they  appear  bold  and  furious  :  fly  from 
country  to  country  ;  strike  with  their  horns 
against  the  trees  and  other  obstacles,  and  con- 
tinue restless  and  fierce  until  they  have  found 
the  female ;  who  at  (irst  flies  from  them,  but 
is  at  last  compelled  and  overtaken.    When  two 
stags  contend  for  the  same  female,  how  timor- 
ous soever  they  may  appear  at  other  times,  they 
then  seem  agitated  with  an  uncommon  degree 
of  ardour.     They  paw  up  the  earth,  menace 
each  other  with  their  horns,  b<  How   with  all 
their  force,  and  striking  in  a  desperate   man- 
ner against  each  other,  seem  determined  upon 
death  or  victory.     This  combat  continues  till 
one  of  them  is  defeated  or  flies  ;  and  it  often 
happ-ns  that   the  victor  is  obliged  to  fight  se- 
veral of  those  battles  before  it  remains  undis- 
puted master  of  the  field.     The  old  ones  are 
generally  the  conquerors  upon  these  occasions, 
as  they  have  more  strength  and  greater  cou- 
rage ;  and  these  also  are  preferred  by  the  hind 
to  the  young  ones,  as  the  latter  are  more  feeble, 
and  less  ardent.    However,  they  are  all  equal- 
ly inconstant,  keeping  to  the  female  but  a  few 
days,  and  then  seeking  out  for  another,  not  to 
be  enjoyed,  perhaps,  without  a  repetition  of 
their  former  danger. 

NO.  23  &  24. 


In  this  manner  the  stag  continues  to  range 
from  one  to  the  other  for  about  three  weeks, 
the  time  the  rut  continues;  during  which  he 
scarce  eats,  sleeps,  or  rests,  but  continues  to 
pursue,  to  combat,  and  to  enjoy.  At  the  end 
of  this  period  of  madness,  for  such  in  this  ani- 
mal it  seems  to  be,  the  creature  that  was  be- 
fore so  fat,  sleek,  and  glossy,  becomes  lean, 
feeble,  and  tirnid.  He  then  retires  from  the 
herd  to  seek  plenty  and  repose ;  he  frequents 
the  side  of  the  forest,  and  chooses  the  most 
nourishing  pastures,  remaining  there  till  hie 
strength  is  renewed.  Thus  is  his  whole  life 
passed  in  the  alternations  of  plenty  and  want, 
of  corpulence  and  inanition,  of  health  and 
sickness,  without  having  his  constitution  much 
affected  by  the  violence  of  the  change.  As 
he  is  above  five  years  coining  to  perfection, 
he  lives  about  forty  years ;  and  it  is  a  gene- 
ral rule,  that  every  animal  lives  about  seven 
or  eight  times  the  number  of  years  which  it 
continues  to  grow.  What,  therefore,  is  re- 
ported concerning  the  life  of  this  animal,  has 
arisen  from  the  credulity  of  ignorance :  some 
say,  that  a  stag  having  been  taken  in  France, 
with  a  collar,  on  which  were  written  these 
words,  "Caesar  hoc  me  donavit;"  this  was 
interpreted  of  Julius  Ca3sar ;  but  it  is  not  con- 
sidered thatCaesar  is  a  general  name  for  kings, 
and  that  one  of  the  Emperors  of  Germany, 
who  are  always  styled  Caesars,  might  have  or- 
dered the  inscription. 

This  animal  may  differ  in  the  term  of  his 
life  according  to  the  goodness  of  his  pasture, 
or  the  undisturbed  repose  he  happens  to  en- 
joy. These  are  advantages  that  influence 
not  only  his  age,  but  his  size  and  his  vigour. 
The  stags  of  the  plains,  the  valleys,  and  the 
little  hills,  which  abound  in  corn  and  pasture, 
are  much  more  corpulent  and  much  taller 
than  such  as  are  bred  on  the  rocky  waste,  or 
the  heathy  mountain.  The  latter  are  low, 
small,  and  meagre,  incapable  of  going  so  swift 
as  the  former,  although  they  are  found  to  hold 
out  much  longer.  They  are  also  more  art- 
ful in  evading  the  hunters;  their  horns  are 
generally  black  and  short,  while  those  of  the 
lowland  stags  are  reddish  and  flourishing; 
so  that  the  animal  seems  to  increase  in  beau- 
ty and  stature  in  proportion  to  the  goodness 
of  the  pasture,  which  he  enjoys  in  security. 
The  usual  colour  of  the  stag  in  England 
2U 


260 


ANIMALS  OF 


was  red  ;  nevertheless,  the  greater  number  in 
other  countries  are  brown.  There  are  some 
few  that  are  white;  but  these  seem  to  have 
obtained  this  colour  in  a  former  state  of  do- 
mestic tameness.  Of  all  the  animals  that  are 
natives  of  this  climate,  there  are  none  that 
have  such  a  beautiful  eye  as  the  stag;  it  is 
sparkling,  soft,  and  sensible.  His  senses  of 
smelling  and  hearing  are  in  no  less  perfec- 
tion. When  he  is  in  the  least  alarmed,  he 
lifts  the  head  and  erects  the  ears,  standing  for 
a  few  minutes  as  if  in  a  listening  posture. 
Whenever  he  ventures  upon  some  unknown 
ground,  or  quits  his  native  covering,  he  first 
stops  at  the  skirt  of  the  plain  to  examine  all 
around  ;  he  next  turns  against  the  wind  to  ex- 
amine by  the  smell  if  there  be  any  enemy  ap- 
proaching. If  a  person  should  happen  to 
whistle  or  call  out,  at  a  distance,  the  stag  is 
seen  to  stop  short  in  his  slow  measured  pace, 
and  gazes  upon  the  stranger  with  a  kind  of 
awkward  admiration:  if  the  cunning  animal 
perceives  neither  dogs  nor  fire-arms  preparing 
against  him,  he  goes  forward,  quite  uncon- 
cerned, arid  slowly  proceeds  without  offering 
to  fly.  Man  is  not  the  enemy  he  is  most  afraid 
of;  on  the  contrary,  he  seems  to  be  delighted 
with  the  sound  of  the  shepherd's  pipe;  and 
the  hunters  sometimes  make  use  of  that  in- 
strument to  allure  the  poor  animal  to  his  de- 
struction. 

The  stag  eats  slowly,  and  is  very  delicate 
in  the  choice  of  his  pasture.  When  he  has 
eaten  a  sufficiency,  he  then  retires  to  the  co- 
vert of  some  thicket  to  chew  the  cud  in  secu- 
rity. His  rumination,  however,  seems  per- 
formed with  much  greater  difficulty  than  with 
the  cow  or  sheep ;  for  the  grass  is  not  re- 
turned from  the  first  stomach  without  much 
straining,  and  a  kind  of  hiccup,  which  is  easi- 
ly perceived  during  the  whole  time  it  con- 
tinues. This  may  proceed  from  the  greater 
length  of  his  neck  and  the  narrowness  of  the 
passage,  all  those  of  the  cow  and  the  sheep 
kind  having  it  much  wider. 

This  animal's  voice  is  much  stronger,  loud- 
er, and  more  tremulous,  in  proportion  as  he 
advances  in  age  ;  in  the  time  of  rut  it  is  even 
terrible.  At  that  season  he  seems  so  trans- 
ported with  passion,  that  nothing  obstructs  his 
fury ;  and,  when  at  bay,  he  keeps  the  dogs 
off*  with  great  intrepidity.  Some  years  ago, 


William  Duke  of  Cumberland  caused  a  tiger 
and  a  stag  to  be  inclosed  in  the  same  area ; 
and  the  stag  made  so  bold  a  defence,  that 
the  tiger  was  at  last  obliged  to  fly.  The  stag 
seldom  drinks  in  the  winter,  and  still  less  in 
the  spring,  while  the  plants  are  tender  and  co- 
vered over  with  dew.  It  is  in  the  heat  of  sum- 
mer, and  during  the  time  of  rut,  that  he  is  seen 
constantly  frequenting  the  sides  of  rivers  and 
lakes,  as  well  to  slake  his  thirst  as  to  cool  his 
ardour.  Heswims  with  great  ease  and  strength, 
and  best  at  those  times  when  he  is  fattest,  his 
fat  keeping  him  buoyant,  like  oil  upon  the 
surface  of  the  water.  During  the  time  of  rut 
he  even  ventures  out  to  sea,  and  swims  from 
one  island  to  another,  although  there  may  be 
some  leagues  distance  between  them. 

The  cry  of  the  hind,  or  female,  is  not  so 
loud  as  that  of  the  male,  and  is  never  excited 
but  by  apprehension  for  herself  or  her  young. 
It  need  scarce  be  mentioned  that  she  has  no 
horns,  or  that  she  is  m<?re  feeble  and  unfit  for 
hunting  than  the  male.  When  once  they  have 
conceived,  they  separate  from  the  males,  and 
then  they  both  herd  apart.  The  time  of  ges- 
tation continues  between  eight  and  nine 
months,  and  they  generally  produce  but  one 
at  a  time.  Their  usual  season  for  bringing 
forth  is  about  the  month  of  May,  or  the  begin- 
ning of  June,  during  which  they  take  great 
care  to  hide  their  young  in  the  most  obscure 
thickets.  Nor  is  this  precaution  without  rea- 
son, since  almost  every  creature  is  then  a  for- 
midable enemy.  The  eagle,  the  falcon  the 
osprey,  the  wolf,  the  dog,  and  all  the  rapaci- 
ous family  of  the  cat  kind,  are  in  continual  em- 
ployment to  find  out  her  retreat.  But,  what 
is  more  unnatural  still,  the  stag  himself  is  a 
professed  enemy,  and  she  is  obliged  to  use  all 
her  arts  to  conceal  her  young  from  him,  as 
from  the  most  dangerous  of  her  pursuers.  At 
this  season,  therefore,  the  courage  of  the  male 
seems  transferred  to  the  female ;  she  defends 
her  young  against  her  less  formidable  oppo- 
nents by  force:  and  when  pursued  by  the  hun- 
ter, she  ever  offers  herself  to  mislead  him  from 
the  principal  objects  of  her  concern.  She 
flies  before  the  hounds  for  half  the  day,  and 
then  returns  to  her  young,  whose  lifr  she  has 
thus  preserved  at  the  hazard  of  her  own. 
The  calf,  for  so  the  young  of  this  animal  is  cal 
led,  never  quits  the  dam  during  the  whole 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


261 


summer;  and  in  winter,  the  hind,  and  all  the 
mnl°s  uudi-r  a  year  old,  keep  together,  and 
assemble  in  herds,  which  are  more  numerous 
in  proportion  as  the  season  is  more  severe. 
In  the  spring  they  separate;  the  hinds  to 
bring  forth,  while  none  but  the  year  olds  re- 
main together ;  these  animals  are,  however, 
in  general,  fond  of  herding  and  grazing  in 
company  ;  it  is  danger  or  necessity  alone  that 
separates  them. 

The  dangers  they  have  to  fear  from  other 
animals,  are  nothing  when  compared  to  those 
from  man.  The  men  of  every  age  and  nation 
have  made  the  chase  of  the  stag  one  of  their 
most  favourite  pursuits;  and  those  who  first 
hunted  from  necessity,  have  continued  it  for 
amusement.  In  our  own  country,  in  particu- 
lar, hunting  was  ever  esteemed  as  one  of  the 
principal  diversions  of  the  great."  At  first, 
indeed,  the  beasts  of  chase  had  the  whole 
island  for  their  range,  and  knew  no  other 
limits  than  those  of  the  ocean. 

The  Roman  jurisprudence,  which  Avas  form- 
.ed  on  the  manners  of  the  first  ages.  est.Uished 
it  as  a  law,  that,  as  the  natural  right  of  things 
which  have  no  master,  belongs  to  the  first 
possessor,  wild  beasts,  birds,  and  fishes,  are 
the  property  of  whosoever  could  first  take 
them.  But  the  northern  barbarians,  who 
overran  the  Roman  empire,  bringing  with 
them  the  strongest  relish  for  this  amusement, 
and,  being  now  possessed  of  more  easy  means 
of  subsistence  from  the  lands  they  had  con- 
quered, their  chiefs  and  leaders  began  to  ap- 
propriate the  right  of  hunting,  and,  instead  of 
a  natural  right,  to  make  it  a  royal  one.  When 
the  Saxon  kings,  therefore,  had  established 
themselves  in  a  heptarchy,  the  chases  were 
reserved  by  each  sovereign  for  his  own  par- 
ticular amusement.  Hunting  and  war,  in 
those  uncivilized  ages,  were  the  only  employ- 
ment of  the  great.  Their  active,  but  uncul- 
tivated minds,  were  susceptible  of  no  plea- 
sures but  those  of  a  violent  kind,  such  as 
gave  exercise  to  their  bodies,  and  prevented 
the  uneasiness  of  thinking.  But  as  the  Saxon 
kings  only  appropriated  those  lands  to  the 
business  of  the  chase  which  were  unoccupied 
before,  so  no  individuals  received  any  injury. 
But  it  was  otherwise  when  the  Norman  kings 

a  British  Zoology. 


were  settled  upon  the  throne.  The  passion 
for  hunting  was  then  carried  to  an  excess, 
and  every  civil  right  was  involved  in  general 
ruin.  This  ardour  for  hunting  was  stronger 
than  the  consideration  of  religion  even  in  a 
superstitious  age.  The  village  communities, 
nay,  even  the  most  sacred  edifices,  were 
thrown  down,  and  all  turned  into  one  vast 
waste,  to  make  room  for  animals,  the  objects 
of  a  lawless  tyrant's  pleasure.  Sanguinary 
laws  were  enacted  to  preserve  the  game  ; 
and, in  the  reigns  of  William  Rufus  and  Henry 
I.  it  was  less  criminal  to  destroy  one  of  the 
human  species  than  a  beast  of  chase.  Thus 
it  continued  while  the  Norman  line  filled  the 
throne ;  but  when  the  Saxon  line  was  restor- 
ed, under  Henry  II.  the  rigour  of  the  forest- 
laws  were  softened.  The  barons  also  for  a 
long  time  imitated  the  encroachments,  as  well 
as  the  amusements,  of  the  monarchs ;  but 
when  property  became  more  equally  divided, 
by  the  introduction  of  arts  and  industry,  these 
extensive  hunting  grounds  became  more  li- 
mited; and  as  tillage  and  husbandry  increased, 
the  beasts  of  chase  were  obliged  to  give  way 
to  others  more  useful  to  the  community. 
Those  vast  tracts  of  land,  before  dedicated 
to  hunting,  were  then  contracted ;  and,  in 
proportion  as  the  useful  arts  gained  ground, 
they  protected  and  encouraged  the  labours 
of  the  industrious,  and  repressed  the  licen- 
tiousness of  the  sportsman.  It  is^  therefore, 
among  the  subjects  of  despotic  government 
only,  that  these  laws  remain  in  full  force;  where 
large  wastes  lie  uncultivated  for  the  purpose 
of  hunting;  where  the  husbandman  can  find 
no  protection  from  the  invasions  of  his  lord,  or 
the  continual  depredations  of  those  animals 
which  he  makes  the  objects  of  his  pleasure. 
In  the  present  cultivated  state  of  this  coun- 
try, therefore,  the  stag  is  unknown  in  its  wild 
natural  state ;  and  such  of  them  as  remain 
among  us  are  kept,  under  the  name  of  red  deer, 
in  parks  among  the  fallow-deer.  But  they 
are  become  less  common  than  formerly ;  its 
excessive  viciousness,  during  the  rutting  sea- 
son,and  the  badness  of  its  flesh, inducing  most 
people  to  part  with  the  species.  The  few 
that  still  remain  wild,  are  to  be  found  on  the 
moors  that  border  on  Cornwall  and  Devon- 
shire ;  and  in  Ireland,  on  most  of  the  large 
mountains  of  that  country. 
2U» 


262 


ANIMALS  OF 


In  England,  the  hunting  the  stag  and  the 
buck  are  performed  in  the  same  manner;  the 
animal  is  driven  from  some  gentleman's  park, 
and  then  hunted  through  the  open  country. 
But  those  who  pursue  the  wild  animal,  have 
a  much  higher  object,  as  well  as  a  greater 
variety  in  the  chase.  To  let  loose  a  creature 
that  was  already  in  our  possession,  in  order 
to  catch  it  again,  is,  in  my  opinion,  but  a  poor 
pursuit,  as  the  reward,  when  obtained,  is  only 
what  we  before  had  given  away.  But  to 
pursue  an  animal  that  owns  no  proprietor, 
and  which  he  that  first  seizes  may  be  said  to 
possess,  has  something  in  it  that  seems  at  least 
more  rational ;  this  rewards  the  hunter  for 
his  toil,  and  seems  to  repay  his  industry. 
Besides,  the  superior  strength  and  swiftness 
of  the  wild  animal  prolongs  the  amusement ; 
it  is  possessed  of  more  various  arts  to  escape 
the  hunter,  and  leads  him  to  precipices  where 
the  danger  ennobles  the  chase.  In  pursuing 
the  animal  let  loose  from  a  park,  as  it  is 
unused  to  danger,  it  is  but  little  versed  in  the 
stratagems  of  escape ;  the  hunter  follows  as 
sure  of  overcoming,  and  feels  none  of  those 
alterations  of  hope  and  fear  which  arise  from 
the  uncertainty  of  success.  But  it  is  other- 
wise with  the  mountain  stag:  having  spent 
his  whole  life  in  a  state  of  continual  appre- 
hension; having  frequently  been  followed, 
and  as  frequently  escaped,  he  knows  every 
trick  to  mislead,  to  confound,  or  intimidate 
his  pursuers;  to  stimulate  their  ardour,  and 
enhance  their  success. 

Those  who  hunt  this  animal  have  their  pe- 
culiar terms  for  the  different  objects  of  their 
pursuit.  The  professors  in  every  art  take  a 
pleasure  in  thus  employing  a  language  known 
only  to  themselves,  and  thus  accumulate 
words  which,  to  the  ignorant,  have  the  ap- 
pearance of  knowledge.  In  this  manner,  the 
stag  is  called  the  first  year,  a  calf,  or  hind  calf '; 
the  second  year,  a  knobber;  the  third,  a  brock ; 
the  fourth,  a  stag-guard;  the  fifth,  a  stag;  the 
sixth,  a  hart.  The  female  is  called  a  hind; 
the  first  year  she  is  a  calf;  the  second,  a 
hearse;  the  third,  a  hind.  This  animal  is  said 
to  harbour  in  the  place  whpre  he  resides. 
When  he  cries,  he  is  said  to  bell;  the  print  of 
his  hoof  is  called  the  slot;  his  tail  is  called 
the  single;  his  excrement  the  fewmct;  his 
horns  are  called  his  head:  when  simple,  the 


first  year,  they  are  called  broches ;  the  third 
year,  spears;  the  fourth  year,  that  part  which 
bears  the  antlers  is  called  the  beam,  and  the 
littleimpressions  upon  its  surface,  glitters;  those 
which  rise  from  the  crust  of  the  beam  are 
called  pearls.  The  antlers  also  have  distinct 
names ;  the  first  that  branches  off  is  called 
the  antler;  the  second,  the  sur-antler;  all  the 
rest  which  grow  afterwards,  till  you  come  to 
the  top,  which  is  called  the  crown,  are  called 
royal  antlers;  the  little  buds  about  the  tops  are 
called  croches.  The  impression  on  the  place 
where  the  stag  has  lain,  is  called  the  layer 
If  it  be  in  covert  or  a  thicket,  it  is  called  his 
harbour.  When  a  deer  has  passed  into  a 
thicket,  leaving  marks  whereby  his  bulk  may 
be  guessed,  it  is  called  an  entry.  When  they 
cast  their  heads,  they  are  said  to  mew.  When 
they  rub  their  heads  against  trees,  to  bring  off 
the  peel  of  their  horns,  they  are  said  to  fray. 
When  a  stag  hard  hunted  takes  to  swimming 
in  the  water,  he  is  said  to  go  sail;  when  he  turns 
his  head  against  the  hounds,  he  is  said  to  bay; 
and  when  the  hounds  pursue  upon  the  scent, 
until  they  have  unharboured  the  stag,  they 
are  said  to  draw  on  the  slot. 

Such  are  but  a  few  of  the  many  terms  used 
by  hunters  in  pursuing  of  the  stag,  most  of 
which  are  now  laid  aside,  or  in  use  only 
among  the  gamekeepers.  The  chase,  how- 
ever, is  continued  in  many  parts  of  the  coun- 
try where  the  red  deer  are  preserved,  and  still 
makes' tlie  amusement  of  such  as  have  not 
found  out  more  liberal  entertainments.  In 
those  few  places  where  the  animal  is  perfectly 
wild,  the  amusement,  as  was  said  above,  is 
superior.  The  first  great  care  of  the  hunter, 
when  he  leads  out  his  hounds  to  the  mountain 
side,  where  the  deer  are  generally  known  to 
harbour,  is  to  make  choice  of  a  proper  stag 
to  pursue.  His  ambition  is  to  unharbour  the 
largest  and  the  boldest  of  the  whole  herd ; 
and  for  this  purpose  he  examines  the  track, 
iftherebe  any,whichifhe  finds  long  and  large, 
he  concludes,  that  it  must  have  belonged  to  a 
stag,  and  not  a  hind,  the  print  of  whose  foot 
is  rounder.  Those  marks  also  which  he 
leaves  on  trees,  by  the  rubbir.g  of  his  horns, 
show  hi*  size,  and  point  him  out  as  the  pro- 
per object  of  pursuit.  Now  to  serk  out  a 
stag  in  his  haunt,  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  he 
changes  his  manner  of  feeiling  every  month. 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


263 


From  the  conclusion  of  rutting-time,  which  is 
November,  he  feeds  in  heaths  and  broomy  pla- 
ces.    In  December  they  herd   together,  and 
withdraw   into  the  strength  of  the  forests,  to 
shelter  themselves  from  the  severe  weather, 
feeding  on   holm,  elder-trees,  and   brambles. 
The  three  following  months  they  leave  herd- 
ing, but  keep  four  or  five  in  a  company,  and 
venture  out  to  the  corners  of  the  forest,  where 
they  feed  on  winter  pasture,  sometimes  ma- 
king their  incursions  into  the  neighbouring 
corn-fields,  to  feed  upon  the  tender  shoots, 
just  as  they  peep  above  ground.    In  April  and 
May  they  rest  in  thickets  and  shady  places, 
and  seldom  venture  forth  unless  roused  by  ap- 
proaching danger.     In  September  and  Octo- 
ber their  annual  ardour  returns;  and   then 
they  leave  the  thickets,  boldly  facing  every 
danger,  without  any  certain  place  for  food  or 
harbour.    When,  by  a  knowledge  of  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  hunter  has  found  out  the  re- 
sidence, and  the  quality  of  his  game,  his  next 
care  is  to  uncouple  and  cast  oflf  his  hounds 
in  the  pursuit :  these  no  sooner  perceive  the 
timorous  animal  that  flies  before   them,  but 
they  altogether  open  in  full  cry,  pursuing  ra- 
ther by  the  scent  than  the  view,  encouraging 
each  other  to  continue  the  chase,  and  tracing 
the  tlying  animal  with  the  most  amazing  saga- 
city.    The  hunters  also  are  not  less  ardent  in 
their  speed  on  horseback,  cheering  up  the 
dogs,  and  directing  them  where  to  pursue. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  stag,  when  unharbour- 
ed,  flies  at  first  with  the  swiftness  of  the  wind, 
leaving  his  pursuers  several  miles  in  the  rear; 
and  at  length  having  gained  his  former  coverts, 
and  no  longer  hearing  the  cries  of  the  dogs 
and  men  that  he  had  just  left  behind,  he  stops, 
gazes  round  him,  and  seems  to  recover  his 
natural  tranquillity.   But  this  calm  is  of  short 
duration,  for  his  inveterate  pursuers  slowly 
and  securely  trace  him  along,  and  he  once 
more  hears  the  approaching  destruction  from 
behind.     He  again,  therefore,  renews  his  ef- 
forts to  escape,  and  again  leaves  his  pursuers 
at  almost  the  former  distance  ;  but  this  second 
effort  makes  him  more  feeble  than  before,  and 
when  they  come  up  a  second  time,  he  is  un- 
able to  outstrip  them   with  equal   velocity. 
The  poor  animal  now,  therefore,  is  obliged  to 
have  recourse  to  all  his  little  arts  of  escape, 
which  sometimes,  though  but  seldom,  avai 


him.  In  proportion  as  his  strength  fails  him, 
the  ardour  of  his  pursuers  is  inflamed ;  he 
tracks  more  heavily  on  the  ground,  and  this 
increasing  the  strength  of  the  scent,  redoubles 
the  cries  of  the  hounds,  and  enforces  their 
speed.  It  is  then  that  the  stag  seeks  for  re- 
fuge among  the  herd,  and  tries  every  artifice 
to  put  oflTsome  other  head  for  his  own.  Some- 
times he  will  send  forth  some  little  deer  in 
his  stead,  in  the  mean  time  lying  close  him- 
self, that  the  hounds  may  overshoot  him.  He 
will  break  into  one  thicket  after  another,  to 
find  deer,  rousing  them,  gathering  them  toge- 
ther, and  endeavouring  to  put  them  upon  the 
tracks  he  has  made.  His  old  companions, 
however,  with  a  true  spirit  of  ingratitude,  now 
all  forsake  and  shun  him  with  the  most  watch- 
ful industry,  leaving  the  unhappy  creature  to 
take  his  fate  by  himself.  Thus  abandoned  of 
his  fellows,  he  again  tries  other  arts,  by  dou- 
bling and  crossing  in  some  hard  beaten  high- 
way, where  the  scent  is  least  perceivable. 
He  now  also  runs  against  the  wind,  not  only 
to  cool  himself,  but  the  better  to  hear  the 
voice,  and  judge  of  the  distance,  of  his  impla- 
cable pursuers.  It  is  now  easily  perceivable 
how  sorely  he  is  pressed,  by  his  manner  of 
running,  which,  from  the  bounding,  easy  pace 
with  which  he  began,  is  converted  into  a  stiff 
and  short  manner  of  going;  his  mouth  also  is 
black  and  dry,  without  form  on  it;  his  tongue 
hangs  out ;  and  the  tears,  as  some  say,  are 
seen  starting  from  his  eyes.  His  last  refuge, 
when  every  other  method  of  safety  has  failed 
him,  is  to  take  the  water,  and  to  attempt  an 
escape  by  crossing  whatever  lake  or  river  he 
happens  to  approach.  While  swimming,  he 
takes  all  possible  care  to  keep  in  the  middle 
of  the  stream,  least,  by  touching  the  bough  ol 
a  tree,  or  the  herbage  on  the  banks,  he  may 
give  scent  to  the  hounds.  He  is  also  ever 
found  to  swim  against  the  stream;  whence 
the  huntsmen  have  made  into  a  kind  of  proverb, 
That  he  that  would  his  chase  find,  must  up  with  the 
river  and  down  with  the  wind.  On  this  occasion 
too  he  will  often  cover  himself  under  wuter, 
so  as  to  show  nothing  but  the  tip  of  his  nose. 
Every  resource,  and  every  art  being  at  length 
exhausted,  the  poor  creature  tries  the  last 
remains  of  his  strength,  by  boldly  opposing 
those  enemies  he  cannot  escape;  he  there- 
fore faces  the  dogs  and  men,  threatens  with 


264 


ANIMALS  OF 


his  horns,  guards  himself  on  every  side,  and 
for  some  time  stands  at  bay.  In  this  manner, 
quite  desperate,  he  furiously  aims  at  the  first 
dog  or  man  that  approaches;  and  it  often  hap- 
pens that  he  does  not  die  unrevenged.  At 
that  time,  the  more  prudent,  both  of  the  dogs 
and  men,  seem  willing  to  avoid  him;  but  the 
whole  pack  quickly  coming  up,  he  is  soon 
surrounded  and  brought  down,  and  the  hunts- 
man winds  a  treble  mort,  as  it  is  called,  with 
his  horn. 

Such  is  the  manner  of  pursuing  this  animal 
in  England ;  but  every  country  has  a  pecu- 
liar method  of  its  own,  adapted  either  to  the 
nature  of  the  climate,  or  the  face  of  the  soil. 
The  ancient  manner  was  very  different  from 
that  practised  at  present;  they  used  their 
dogs  only  to  find  out  the  game,  but  not  to 
rouse  it.  Hence  they  were  not  curious  as 
to  the  music  of  their  hounds,  or  the  composi- 
tion of  their  pack  ;  the  dog  that  opened  be- 
fore he  had  discovered  his  game,  was  held  in 
no  estimation.  It  was  their  usual  manner  si- 
lently to  find  out  the  animal's  retreat,  and  sur- 
round it  with  nets  and  engines,  then  to  drive 
him  up  with  all  their  cries,  and  thus  force  him 
into  the  toils  which  they  have  previously  pre- 
pared. In  succeeding  times  the  fashion  seem- 
ed to  alter;  and  particularly  in  Sicily,the  man- 
ner of  hunting  was  as  follows.*  The  nobles 
and  gentry  being  informed  which  way  a  herd 
of  deer  passed,  gave  notice  to  one  another, 
and  appointed  a  day  of  hunting.  For  this 
purpose,  every  one  was  to  bring  a  cross-bow, 
or  a  long-bow,  and  a  bundle  of  staves,  shod 
with  iron,  the  heads  bored,  with  a  cord  pass- 
ing through  them  all.  Thus  provided,  they 
came  to  where  the  herd  continued  grazing, 
and  casting  themselves  about  in  a  large  ring, 
surrounded  the  deer  on  every  side.  Then 
each  taking  his  stand,  unbound  his  faggot, 
set  up  his  stake,  and  tied  the  end  of  the  cord 
to  that  of  his  next  neighbour,  at  the  distance 
of  about  ten  feet  one  from  the  other.  Between 
each  of  these  stakes  was  hung  a  bunch  of  crim- 
son feathers,  and  so  disposed,  that  with  the 
least  breath  of  wind  they  would  whirl  round, 
and  preserve  a  sort  of  fluttering  motion.  This 
done,  the  persons  who  set  up  the  staves  with- 
drew, and  hid  themselves  in  the  neighbour- 

»  Pier  Hieroglyph,  lib.  vii.  cap.  vi. 


ing  coverts :  then  the  chief  huntsman,  enter- 
ing with  his  hounds  within  the  lines,  roused 
the  game  with  a  full  cry.  The  deer,  frighted, 
and  flying  on  all  sides,  upon  approaching  the 
lines,  were  scared  away  by  the  fluttering  of 
the  feathers,  and  wandered  about  within  this 
artificial  paling,  still  awed  by  the  shining  and 
fluttering  plumage  that  encircled  their  retreat ; 
the  huntsman,  however,  still  pursuing,  and 
calling  every  person  by  name,  as  he  passed 
by  their  stand,  commanded  him  to  shoot  the 
first,  third,  or  sixth,  as  he  pleased ;  and  if  any 
of  them  missed,  or  singled  out  another  than 
that  assigned  him,  it  was  considered  as  a 
most  shameful  mischance.  In  this  manner, 
however,  the  whole  herd  was  at  last  destroy- 
ed ;  and  the  day  concluded  with  mirth  and 
feasting. 

The  stags  of  China  are  of  a  particular  kind, 
for  they  are  no  taller  than  a  common  house- 
dog; and  hunting  them  is  one  of  the  princi- 
pal diversions  of  the  great.  Their  flesh, 
while  young,  is  exceedingly  good :  but  when 
they  arrive  at  maturity,  it  begins  to  grow  hard 
and  tough  :  however,  the  tongue,  the  muzzle, 
and  the  ears,  are  in  particular  esteem  among 
that  luxurious  people.  Their  manner  of  tak- 
ing them  is  singular  enough  :  they  carry  with 
them  the  heads  of  some  of  the  females  stuffed, 
and  learn  exactly  to  imitate  their  cry ;  upon 
this  the  male  does  not  fail  to  appear,  and  look- 
ing on  all  sides,  perceives  the  head,  which  is 
all  that  the  hunter,  who  is  himself  concealed, 
discovers.  Upon  their  nearer  approach  the 
whole  company  rise,  surround,  and  often  take 
him  alive. 

There  are  very  few  varieties  in  the  red  deer 
of  this  country  ;  and  they  are  mostly  found  of 
the  same  size  and  colour.  But  it  is  otherwise 
in  different  parts  of  the  world,  where  they 
are  seen  to  differ  in  form,  in  size,  in  horns, 
and  in  colour. 

The  stag  of  Corsica  is  a  very  small  animal, 
being  not  above  half  the  size  of  those  com- 
mon among  us.  His  body  is  short  and  thick, 
his  legs  short,  and  his  hair  of  a  dark  brown. 

There  is  in  the  forests  of  Germany,  a  kind 
of  stag,  named  by  the  ancients  the  Tragela- 
phns,  and  which  the  natives  call  the  bran  deer, 
or  the  brown  deer.  This  is  of  a  darker  colour 
than  the  common  stag,  of  n  lighter  shade 
upon  the  belly,  long  hair  upon  the  neck  and 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


265 


throat,  by  which  it  appears  bearded,  like  the 
goat. 

There  is  also  a  very  beautiful  stag,  which 
by  some  is  said  to  be  a  native  of  Sardinia ; 
but  others  (among  whom  is  Mr.  Buffbn)  are 
of  opinion  that  it  comes  from  Africa  or  the 
East-Indies.  He  calls  it  the  axis,  after  Pliny; 
and  considers  it  as  making  the  shade  between 
the  stag  and  the  fallow-deer.  The  horns  of 
the  axis  are  round,  like  those  of  the  stag;  but 
the  form  of  its  body  entirely  resembles  that 
of  the  buck,  and  the  size  also  is  exactly  the 
same.  The  hair  is  of  four  colours;  namely, 
fallow,  white,  black,  and  gray.  The  white 
js  predominant  under  the  belly,  on  the  inside 
of  the  thighs  and  the  legs.  Along  the  back 
there  are  two  rows  of  spots  in  a  right  line ; 
but  those  on  other  parts  of  the  body  are  very 
irregular.  A  white  line  runs  along  each  side 
of  this  animal,  while  the  head  and  neck  are 
gray.  The  tail  is  black  above,  and  white  be- 
neath ;  and  the  hair  upon  it  is  six  inches  long. 

Although  there  are  but  few  individuals  of 
the  deer  kind,  yet  the  race  seems  diffused 
over  all  parts  of  the  earth.  The  new  conti- 
nent of  America,  in  which  neither  the  sheep, 
the  goat,  nor  the  gazelle,  have  been  originally 
bred,  nevertheless  produces  stags,  and  other 
animals  of  the  deer  kind,  in  sufficient  plenty. 
The  Mexicans  have  a  breed  of  white  stags  in 
their  parks,  which  they  call  stags  royal."  The 
stags  of  Canada  differ  from  ours  in  nothing 
except  the  size  of  the  horns,  which  in  them 
is  greater;  and  the  direction  of  the  antlers, 
which  rather  turn  back,  than  project  forward, 
as  in  those  of  Europe.  The  same  difference 
of  size  that  obtains  among  our  stags,  is  also 
to  be  seen  in  that  country ;  and,  as  we  are 
informed  by  Ruysch,  the  Americans  have 
brought  them  into  the  same  state  of  domestic 
tameness  that  we  have  our  sheep,  goats,  or 
black  cattle.  They  send  them  forth  in  the 
day-time  to  feed  in  the  forests;  and  at  night 
they  return  home  with  the  herdsman  who 
guards  them.  The  inhabitants  have  no  other 
milk  but  what  the  hind  produces  ;  and  use  no 
other  cheese  but  what  is  made  from  thence. 
In  this  manner  we  find,  that  an  animal  which 
seems  made  only  for  man's  amusement,  may 
be  easily  brought  to  supply  his  necessities. 

a  Buffon,  vol.  xii.  p.  35. 


Nature  has  many  stores  of  happiness  and 
plenty  in  reserve,  which  only  want  the  call  of 
industry  to  be  produced,  and  now  remain  as 
candidates  for  human  approbation. 


THE  FALLOW-DEER. 

No  two  animals  can  be  more  nearly  allied 
than  the  stag  and  the  fallow-deer.1'  Alike  in 
form,  alike  in  disposition,  in  the  superb  fur- 
niture of  their  heads,  in  their  swiftness  and 
timidity;  and  yet  no  two  animals  keep  more 
distinct,  or  avoid  each  other  with  more 
fixed  animosity.  They  are  never  seen  to 
herd  in  the  same  place,  they  never  engender 
together,  or  form  a  mixed  breed  ;  and  even 
in  those  countries  where  the  stag  is  common, 
the  buck  seems  to  be  entirely  a  stranger;  in 
short,  they  both  form  distinct  families;  which, 
though  so  seemingly  near,  are  still  remote : 
and  although  with  the  same  habitudes,  yet 
retain  an  unalterable  aversion.  The  fallow- 
deer,  as  they  are  much  smaller,  so  they  seem 
of  a  nature  less  robust,  and  less  savage  than 
those  of  the  stag  kind.  They  are  found  but 
rarely  wild  in  the  forests  ;  they  are,  in  gene- 
ral, bred  up  in  parks,  and  kept  for  the  pur- 
poses of  hunting,  or  of  luxury,  their  flesh  be- 
ing preferred  to  that  of  any  other  animal.  It 
need  scarce  be  mentioned,  that  the  horns  of 
the  buck  make  its  principal  distinction,  being 
broad  and  palmated;  whereas  those  of  the 
stag  are  in  every  part  round.  In  the  one, 
they  are  flatted  and  spread  like  the  palm  of 
the  hand ;  in  the  other  they  grow  like  a  tree, 
every  branch  being  of  the  shape  of  the  stem 
that  bears  it.  The  fallow-deer  also  has  the 
tail  longer,  and  the  hair  lighter  than  the  stag; 
in  other  respects,  they  pretty  near  resemble 
one  another. 

The  head  of  the  buck,  as  of  all  other  ani- 
mals of  this  kind,  is  shed  every  year,and  takes 
the  usual  time  for  repairing.  The  only  differ- 
ence between  it  and  the  stag  is,  that  this 
change  happens  later  in  the  buck ;  and  its 
rutting-time,  consequently,  falls  more  into  the 
winter.  It  is  not  found  so  furious  at  this 
season  as  the  former;  nor  does  it  so  much 
exhaust  itself  by  the  violence  of  its  ardour. 


b  Buffon,  vol.  xii.  p.  36. 


266 


ANIMALS  OF 


It  does  not  quit  its  natural  pastures  in  quest 
of  the  female,  nor  does  it  attack  other  animals 
with  indiscriminate  ferocity :  however,  the 
males  combat  for  Ihe  female  among  each 
other ;  and  it  is  not  without  many  contests, 
that  one  buck  is  seen  to  become  master  of  the 
whole  herd.  It  often  happens  also,  that  an 
herd  of  fallow-deer  is  seen  to  divide  into  two 
parties,  and  engage  each  other  with  great 
ardour  and  obstinacy."  -They  both  seem  de- 
sirous of  gaining  some  favourite  spot  of  the 
park  for  pasture,  and  of  driving  the  vanquish- 
ed party  into  the  coarser  and  more  disagree- 
able parts.  Each  of  these  factions  has  its 
particular  chief;  namely,  the  two  oldest  and 
strongest  of  the  herd.  These  lead  on  to  the 
engagement ;  and  the  rest  follow  under  their 
direction.  Thesecombats are  singular  enough, 
from  the  disposition  and  conduct  which  seems 
to  regulate  their  mutual  efforts.  They  attack 
with  order,  and  support  the  assault  with  cou- 
rage ;  they  come  to  each  other's  assistance, 
they  retire,  they  rally,  and  never  give  up  the 
victory  upon  a  single  defeat.  The  combat  is 
renewed  for  several  days  together;  until  at 
length  the  most  feeble  side  is  obliged  to  give 
way,  and  is  content  to  escape  to  the  most 
disagreeable  part  of  the  park,  where  only 
they  can  find  safety  and  protection. 

The  fallow-deer  is  easily  tamed,  and  feeds 
upon  many  things  which  the  stag  refuses. 
By  this  means  it  preserves  its  venison  better; 
and  even  after  rutting,  it  does  not  appear 
entirely  exhausted,  ft  continues  almost  in 
the  same  state  through  the  whole  year,  al- 
though there  are  particular  seasons  when  its 
flesh  is  chiefly  in  esteem.  This  animal  also 
browzes  closer  than  the  stag ;  for  which 
reason  it  is  more  prejudicial  among  young 
trees,  which  it  often  strips  too  close  for  re- 
covery. The  young  deer  eat  much  faster  and 
more  greedily  than  the  old  ;  they  seek  the 
female  at  their  second  year ;  and,  like  the 
stag,  are  fond  of  variety.  The  doe  goes  with 
young  above  eight  months, like  the  hind;  and  ; 
commonly  brings  forth  one  at  a  time:  but 
they  differ  in  this,  that  the  buck  comes  to  per- 
fection at  three,  and  lives  till  sixteen  ;  where- 
as the  stag  does  not  come  to  perfection  till 
seven,  and  lives  till  forty. 

»  Buffon,  vol.  xii.  p.  36. 


As  this  animal  is  a  beast  of  chase,  like  the 
stag,  so  the  hunters  have  invented  a  number 
of  names  relative  to  him.  The  buck  is,  the 
first  year,  called  afatvn;  the  second,  a  pricket; 
the  third,  a  sorel;  the  fourth,  a  sore;  the  fifth, 
a  buck  of  the  first  head;  and  the  sixth,  a  great 
buck:  the  female  is  called  a  doe;  the  first 
year,  a  fawn;  and  the  second,  a  tegg.  The 
manner  of  hunting  the  buck  is  pretty  much 
the  same  as  that  of  stag-hunting,  except  that 
less  skill  is  required  in  the  latter.  The  buck 
is  more  easily  roused ;  it  is  sufficient  to  judge 
by  the  view,  and  mark  what  grove  or  covert 
it  enters,  as  it  is  not  known  to  wander  far 
from  thence ;  nor,  like  the  stag,  to  change  its 
layer,  or  place  of  repose.  When  hard  hunted, 
it  takes  to  some  strong  hold,  or  covert,  with 
which  it  is  acquainted,  in  the  more  gloomy 
parts  of  the  wood,  or  the  steeps  of  the  moun- 
tain; not  like  the  stag,  flying  before  the 
hounds,  nor  crossing  nor  doubling,  nor  using 
any  of  the  subtleties  which  the  stag  is  accus- 
tomed to.  It  will  take  the  water  when  sorely 
pressed,  but  seldom  a  great  river;  nor  can  it 
swim  so  long,  nor  so  swiftly,  as  the  former. 
In  general,  the  strength,  the  cunning,  and  the 
courage  of  this  animal,  are  inferior  to  those 
of  the  stag ;  and,  consequently,  it  affords 
neither  so  long,  so  various,  nor  so  obstinate  a 
chase  :  besides,  being  lighter,  and  not  tracing 
so  deeply,  it  leaves  a  less  powerful  and  last- 
ing scent,  and  the  dogs  in  the  pursuit  are 
more  frequently  at  a  fault. 

As  the  buck  is  a  more  delicate  animal  than 
the  stag,  so  also  it  is  subject  to  greater  varie- 
ties.1" We  have  in  England  two  varieties  of 
the  fallow-deer,  which  are  said  to  be  of 
foreign  origin.  The  beautiful  spotted  kind, 
which  is  supposed  to  have  been  brought 
from  Bengal ;  and  the  very  deep  brown  sort, 
that  are  now  so  common  in  several  parts  of 
this  kingdom.  These  were  introduced  by 
King  James  the  First  from  Norway :  for  hav- 
ing observed  their  hardiness,  and  that  they 
could  endure  the  winter,  even  in  that  severe 
climate,  without  fodder,  he  brought  over 
some  of  them  into  Scotland,  and  disposed  of 
them  among  his  chases.  Since  that  time, 
they  have  multiplied  in  many  parts  of  the 
British  empire;  and  England  is  now  become 

b  British  Zoology. 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


267 


more  famous  for  its  venison,  than  any  other 
country   i.i  the  world.     Whatever  pains  the 
French  have  take.i  to  rival  us  in  this  particu- 
lar, the  flesh  of  their  thllow-deer,of  which  they 
keep  but  a  few,  has  neither  the  fatness  nor 
the  flavour  of  that  fed  upon  English  pasture. 
However,  there  is  scarce  a  country  in  Ku- 
rope,  except  far  to  the  northward,  in  which 
this  animal  is  a  stranger.     The  Spanish  fallow- 
deer  are  as  large  as  stags,  but  of  a  darker  co- 
lour, and  a  more  slender  neck :  their  tails  are 
longer  than  those  of  ours,  they  are  black  above, 
and  white  below.     The   Virginian  deer  are 
larger  and    stronger  than  ours,    with    great 
necks,  and  their  colour   inclinable  to  gray. 
Other  kinds  have  the  hoofs  of  their  hind  legs 
marked  outwardly  with  a   white  spot-  and 
their  ears  and  tail  much  longer  than  the  com- 
mon.    One  of  these  has  been  seen  full  of  white 
spots,  with  a  black  list  down  the  middle  of 
his  back.    In  Guiana,  a  country  of  South  Ame- 
rica, according  to  Labat,  there  are  deer  with- 
out horns,  which  are  much  less  than  those  of 
Europe,  but  resembling  them  in  every  other 
particular.     They  are  very  lively,   light   of 
course,  and  excessively  fearful;  their  hair  is 
of  a  reddish  fallow,  their  heads  are  small  and 
lean,  their  ears  little,  their  necks  long  and  arch- 
ed,   the  tail   short,    and  the  sight    piercing. 
When  pursued,  they  fly  into  places  where  no 
other  animal  can  follow  them.     The  Negroes, 
who  pursue  them,  stand  to  watch  for  them  in 
narrow  paths,  which  lead  to  the  brook,  or  the 
meadow  where  they  feed ;  there  waiting  in 
the  utmost  silence,  for  the  slightest  sound  will 
drive  them  away,  the  Negro,  when  he  per- 
ceives the  animal  within  reach,  shoots,  and 
is  happy  if  he  can  bring  down    his  game. 
Their  flesh,  though  seldom  fat,  is  considered 
as  a  great  delicacy,  and  the  hunter  is  well  re- 
warded for  his  trouble. 


THE  ROE-BUCK. 

THE  roe-buck  is  the  smallest  of  the  deer 
kind  known  in  our  climate,  and  is  now  almost 
extinct  among  us,  except  in  some  parts  of  the 
Highlands  of  Scotland.  It  is  generally  about 
three  feet  long,  and  about  two  feet  high.  The 
horns  are  from  eight  to  nine  inches  long,  up- 
right, round,  and  divided  into  only  three  bran- 
No.  23  &  24. 


dies.     The  body  is  covered  with  very  long 
hair,  well  adapted  to  the  rigour  of  its  moun- 
tainous abode.     The  lower  part  of  each  hair 
is  ash  colour  ;  near  the  ends  is  a  narrow  bar 
of  black,  and  the  points  are  yellow.   The  hairs 
on  the  face  are  black,  tipped  with  ash  colour. 
The  ears  are  long,  their  insides  of  a  pale  yel- 
low, and  covered  with  long  hair.     The  spaces 
bordering  on  the  eyes  and  mouth,  are  black. 
The  chest,  belly,  and  legs,  and  the  inside  of 
the  thighs,  are  of  a  yellowish  white  ;  the  rump 
is  of  a  pure  white,  and  the  tail  very  short. 
The  make  of  this  little  animal  is  very  elegant; 
and  its  swiftness  equals  its  beauty.     It  differs 
from  the  fallow-deer,  in  having  round  horns, 
and  not  flatted  like  theirs.     It  differs  from  the 
stag,  in  its  smaller  size,  and  the  proportion- 
able paucity  of  its  antlers  :  and  it  differs  from 
all  of  the  goat  kind,  as  it  annually  sheds  its 
head,  and  obtains  a  new  one,  which  none  of 
that  kind  are  ever  seen  to  do. 

As  the  stag  frequents  the  thickest  forests, 
and  the  sides  of  the  highest  mountains,  the 
roe-buck,  with  humbler  ambition,  courts  the 
shady  thicket,  and  the  rising  slope.     Although 
less  in  size,  and  far  inferior  in  strength,  to  the 
stag,  it  is  yet  more  beautiful,  more  active,  and 
even  more  courageous.     Its  hair  is  always 
smooth,  clean,  and  glossy  ;  and  it  frequents 
only  the  driest  places,  and  of  the  purest  air. 
Though  but  a  very  little  animal,  as  we  have 
already  observed,  yet  when  its  young  is  at- 
tacked, it  faces  even  the  stag  himself,  arid  of- 
ten comes  off*  victorious.*     All  its  motions  are 
elegant  and  easy;  it  bounds  without  effort, 
and  continues  the  course  with  but  little  fa- 
tigue.    It  is  also  possessed  of  more  cunning 
in  avoiding  the  hunter,  is  more  difficult  to  pur- 
sue, and,  although  its  scent  is  much  stronger 
than  that  of  the  stag,  it  is  more  frequently 
found  to  make  a  good  retreat.     It  is  not  with 
the  roe-buck  as  with  the  stag,  who  never  of- 
fers to  use  art  until  his  strength  is  beginning 
to  decline;   this  more  cunning  animal,  when 
it  finds  that  its  first  efforts  to  escape  are  with- 
out success,  returns  upon  its  former  track, 
again  goes  forward,  and  again  returns,  until, 
by  its  various  windings,  it  has  entirely  con- 
founded the  scent,  and  joined  the  last  ema- 
nations to  those  of  its  former  course.     It  then, 


BuiTon,  vol.  xii.  p.  75 


3X 


268 


ANIMALS  OF 


by  a  bound,  goes  to  one  side,  lies  flat  upon 
its  belly,  and  permits  the  pack  to  pass  by  very 
near,  without  offering  to  stir. 

But  the  roe-buck  differs  not  only  from  the 
stag  in  superior  cunning,  but  also  in  its  natu- 
ral appetites,  its  inclinations,  and  its  whole 
habits  of  living.  Instead  of  herding  together, 
these  animals  live  in  separate  families ;  the 
sire,  the  dam,  and  the  young  ones,  associate 
together,  and  never  admit  a  stranger  into 
their  little  community.  AH  others  of  the  deer 
kind  are  inconstant  in  their  affection  ;  but  the 
roe-buck  never  leaves  its  mate ;  and,  as  they 
have  been  generally  bred  up  together  from 
their  first  fawning,  they  conceive  so  strong  an 
attachment,  the  male  for  the  female,  that  they 
never  after  separate.  Their  rutting-season 
continues  but  fifteen  days ;  from  the  latter  end 
of  October  to  about  the  middle  of  November. 
They  are  not  at  that  time,  like  the  stag,  over- 
loaded with  fat;  they  have  not  that  strong 
odour,which  is  perceived  in  all  others  of  the 
deer  kind ;  they  have  none  of  those  furious 
excesses ;  nothing,  in  short,  that  alters  their 
state  :  they  only  drive  away  their  fawns  upon 
these  occasions;  the  buck  forcing  them  to 
retire,  in  order  to  make  room  for  a  succeed- 
ing progeny;  however,  when  the  copulating 
season  is  over,  the  fawns  return  to  their  does, 
and  remain  with  them  some  time  longer:  after 
which,  they  quit  them  entirely,  in  order  to 
begin  an  independent  family  of  their  own. 
The  female  goes  with  young  but  five  months 
and  a  half,  which  alone  serves  to  distinguish 
this  animal  from  all  others  of  the  deer  kind, 
that  continue  pregnant  more  than  eight.  In 
this  respect,  she  rather  approaches  more 
nearly  to  the  goat  kind ;  from  which,  how- 
ever, this  race  is  separated  by  the  male's 
annually  casting  its  horns. 

When  the  female  is  ready  to  bring  forth, 
she  seeks  a  retreat  in  the  thickest  part  of  the 
woods,  being  not  less  apprehensive  of  the 
buck,  from  whom  she  then  separates,  than  of 
the  wolf,  the  wild-cat,  and  almost  every  rave- 
nous animal  of  the  forest;  she  generally  pro- 
duces two  at  a  time,  and  three  hut  very  rare- 
ly. In  about  ten  or  twelve  days  these  are 
able  to  follow  the  dam,  except  in  cases  of 
warm  pursuit,  when  their  strength  is  not  equal 
to  the  fatigue.  Upon  such  occasions,  the  ten- 
derness of  the  dam  is  very  extraordinary;  leav- 


ing them  in  the  deepest  thickets,  she  offers 
herself  to  the  danger,  flies  before  the  hounds, 
and  does  all  in  her  power  to  lead  them  from 
the  retreat  where  she  has  lodged  her  little 
ones.  Such  animals  as  are  nearly  upon  her 
own  level  she  boldly  encounters ;  attacks  the 
stag,  the  wild-cat,  and  even  the  wolf;  and 
while  she  has  life,  continues  her  efforts  to  pro- 
tect her  young.  Yet  all  her  endeavours  are 
often  vain ;  about  the  month  of  May,  which  is 
her  fawning  time,  there  is  a  greater  destruc- 
tion among  those  animals  than  at  any  other 
season  of  the  year.  Numbers  of  the  fawns  are 
taken  alive  by  the  peasants;  numbers  are 
found  out,  and  worried  by  the  dogs ;  and  still 
more  by  the  wolf,  which  has  always  been  their 
most  inveterate  enemy.  By  these  continual 
depredations  upon  this  beautiful  creature,  the 
roe-buck  is  every  day  becoming  scarcer;  and 
the  whole  race  in  many  countries  is  wholly 
worn  out.  They  were  once  common  in  Eng- 
land; the  huntsmen,  who  characterized  only 
such  beasts  as  they  knew,  have  given  names 
to  the  different  kinds  and  ages  as  to  the  stag: 
thus  they  called  it  the  first  year  a  hind;  the 
second,  a  gyrle  ;  and  the  third,  a -hemuse;  but 
these  names  at  present  are  utterly  useless, 
since  the  animal  no  longer  exists  among  us. 
Even  in  France,  where  it  was  once  extreme- 
ly common,  it  is  now  confined  to  a  few  pro- 
vinces ;  and  it  is  probable  that  in  an  age  or 
two  the  whole  breed  will  be  utterly  extirpated. 
Mr.  Buffbn.  indeed,  observes,  that  in  those 
districts  where  it  is  mostly  found,  it  seems  to 
maintain  its  usual  plenty,  and  that  the  balance 
between  its  destruction  and  increase  is  held 
pretty  even ;  however,  the  number  in  general 
is  known  to  decrease;  for  wherever  cultiva- 
tion takes  place,  the  beasts  of  nature  are 
known  to  retire.  Many  animals  that  once 
flourished  in  the  world  may  now  be  extinct; 
and  the  descriptions  of  Aristotle  and  Pliny, 
though  taken  from  life,  may  be  considered  as 
fabulous,  as  their  archetypes  are  no  longer 
existing. 

The  fawns  continue  to  follow  the  deer  eight 
or  nine  months  in  all ;  and,  upon  separating, 
their  horns  begin  to  appear  simple,  and  with- 
out antlers,  the  first  year,  as  in  those  of  the 
stag  kind."  These  they  shed  at  the  latter 

a  Buffon,  vol.  xii.  p.  88. 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


269 


end  of  autumn,  and  renew  during  the  winter ; 
differing  in  this  from  the  stag,  who  sheds  them 
in  spring,  and  renews  them  in  summer.  When 
the  roe-buck's  head  is  completely  furnished,  it 
rubs  the  horns  against  the  trees  in  the  manner 
of  the  stag,  and  thus  strips  them  of  the  rough 
skin  and  the  blood-vessels,  which  no  longer 
contribute  to  their  nourishment  and  growth. 
When  these  fall,  and  new  ones  begin  to  appear, 
the  roe-buck  does  not  retire  as  the  stag  to  the 
covert  of  the  wood,  but  continues  its  usual 
haunts,  only  keeping  down  its  head  to  avoid 
striking  its  horns  against  the  branches  of  trees, 
the  pain  of  which  it  seems  to  feel  with  exqui- 
site sensibility.  The  stag,  who  sheds  his  horns 
in  summer,  is  obliged  to  seek  a  retreat  from 
the  flies,  that  at  that  time  greatly  incommode 
him ;  but  the  roe-buek,  who  sheds  them  in 
winter,  is  under  no  such  necessity  ;  and,  con- 
sequently, does  not  separate  from  its  little 
family,  but  keeps  with  the  female  all  the  year 
round.* 

As  the  growth  of  the  roe-buck,  and  its  arri- 
val at  maturity,  is  much  speedier  than  that  of 
the  stag,  so  its  life  is  proportionably  shorter. 
It  seldom  is  found  to  extend  above  twelve  or 
fifteen  years ;  and,  if  kept  tame,  it  does  not 
live  above  six  or  seven.  It  is  an  animal  of  a 
very  delicate  constitution,  requiring  variety  of 
food,  air,  and  exercise.  It  must  be  paired 
with  a  female,  and  kept  in  a  park  of  at  least  a 
hundred  acres.  They  may  easily  be  subdued, 
but  never  thoroughly  tamed.  No  arts  can  teach 
them  to  be  familiar  with  the  feeder,  much  less 
attached  to  him.  They  still  preserve  a  part 
of  their  natural  wildness,  and  are  subject  to 
terrors  without  a  cause.  They  sometimes,  in 
attempting  to  escape,  strike  themselves  with 
such  force  against  the  walls  of  their  enclosure, 
that  they  break  their  limbs,  and  become  utterly 
disabled.  Whatever  care  is  taken  to  tame 
them,  they  are  never  entirely  to  be  relied  on, 
as  they  have  capricious  fits  of  fierceness,  and 
sometimes  strike  at  those  they  dislike  with  a 
degree  of  force  that  is  very  dangerous. 

The  cry  of  the  roe-buck  is  neither  so  loud 
nor  so  frequent  as  that  of  the  stag.  The  young 
ones  have  a  particular  manner  of  calling  to 
the  dam,  which  the  hunters  easily  imitate,  and 
often  thus  allure  the  female  to  her  destruction. 
Upon  some  occasions  also  they  become  in  a 

»  Button,  vol.  xii.  p.  88. 


manner  intoxicated  with  their  food,  which, 
during  the  spring,  is  said  to  ferment  in  their 
stomachs,  and  they  are  then  very  easily  taken. 
In  summer  they  keep  close  under  covert  of  the 
forest,  and  seldom  venture  out,  except  in 
violent  heats,  to  drink  at  some  river  or  foun- 
tain. In  general,  however,  they  are  contented 
to  slake  their  thirst  with  the  dew  that  falls  on 
the  grass  and  the  leaves  of  trees,  and  seldom 
risk  their  safety  to  satisfy  their  appetite.  They 
delight  chiefly  in  hilly  grounds,  preferring  the 
tender  branches  and  buds  of  trees  to  corn,  or 
other  vegetables  ;  and  it  is  universally  allowed 
that  the  flesh  of  those  between  one  and  two 
years  old  is  the  greatest  delicacy  that  is  known. 
Perhaps,  also,  the  scarceness  of  it  enhances  its 
flavour. 

In  America  this  animal  is  much  more  com- 
mon than  in  Europe.  With  us  there  are  but 
two  known  varieties ;  the  red,  which  is  the 
largest  sort ;  and  the  brown,  with  a  spot  be- 
hind, which  is  less.  But  in  the  new  continent 
the  breed  is  extremely  numerous,  and  the 
varieties  in  equal  proportion.  In  Louisiana, 
where  they  are  extremely  common,  they  are 
much  larger  than  in  Europe,  and  the  inhabi- 
tants live  in  a  great  measure  upon  its  flesh, 
which  tastes  like  mutton  when  well  fatted. 
They  are  found  also  in  Brasil,  where  they 
have  the  name  of  cugacu  apara,  only  differing 
from  ours  in  some  slight  deviations  in  the 
horns.  This  animal  is  also  said  to  be  common 
in  China ;  although  such  as  have  described  it 
seem  to  confound  it  with  the  musk  goat,  which 
is  of  a  quite  different  nature. 


THE  ELK. 

WE  have  hitherto  been  describing  minute 
animals  in  comparison  of  the  elk ;  the  size  of 
which,  from  concurrent  testimony,  appears  to 
be  equal  to  that  of  the  elephant  itself.  It  is  an 
animal  rather  of  the  buck  than  the  stag  kind, 
as  its  horns  are  flatted  towards  the  top ;  but  it 
is  fur  beyond  both  in  stature,  some  of  them  be- 
ing known  to  be  above  ten  feet  high.  It  is  a 
native  both  of  the  old  and  new  continent,  being 
known  in  Europe  under  the  name  of  the  elk, 
and  in  America  by  that  of  the  moose-deer.  It 
is  sometimes  taken  in  the  German  and  Russian 
forests,  although  seldom  appearing  ;  but  it  is 
extremely  common  in  North  America,  where 

2X» 


270 


ANIMALS  OF 


the  natives  pursue,  and  track  it  in  the  snow. 
The  accounts  of  this  animal  are  extremely 
various  ;  some  describing  it  as  being  no  higher 
than  a  horse,  and  others  above  twelve  feet 
high. 

As  the  stature  of  this  creature  makes  its  chief 
peculiarity,  so  it  were  to  be  wished  that  we 
could  come  to  some  precision  upon  that  head. 
If  we  were  to  judge  of  its  size  by  the  horns, 
which  are  sometimes  fortuitously  dug  up  in 
many  parts  of  Ireland,  we  should  not  be  much 
amiss  in  ascribing  them  to  an  animal  at  least 
ten  feet  high.  One  of  these  I  have  seen,  which 
was  ten  feet  nine  inches  from  one  tip  to  the 
other.  From  such  dimensions  it  is  easy  to  per- 
ceive that  it  required  an  animal  far  beyond  the 
size  of  a  horse  to  support  them.  To  bear  a 
head  with  such  extensive  and  heavy  antlers, 
required  no  small  degree  of  strength  ;  and 
without  all  doubt  the  bulk  of  the  body  must 
have  been  proportionable  to  the  size  of  the 
horns.  I  remember  some  years  ago,  to  have 
seen  a  small  moose-deer,  which  was  brought 
from  America,  by  a  gentleman  of  Ireland  :  it 
was  about  the  size  of  a  horse,  and  the  horns 
were  very  little  larger  than  those  of  a  common 
stag :  this,  therefore,  serves  to  prove  that  the 
horns  bear  an  exact  proportion  to  the  animal's 
size ;  the  small  elk  has  but  small  horns ; 
whereas  those  enormous  ones,  which  we  have 
described  above,  must  have  belonged  to  a  pro- 
portionable creature.  In  all  the  more  noble 
animals,  nature  observes  a  perfect  symmetry  ; 
and  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  she  fails  in  this 
single  instance.  We  have  no  reason,  therefore, 
to  doubt  the  accounts  of  Jocelyn  and  Dudley, 
who  affirm  that  they  have  been  found  fourteen 
spans ;  which  at  nine  inches  to  a  span,  makes 
the  animal  almost  eleven  feet  high.  Others 
have  extended  their  accounts  to  twelve  and 
fourteen  feet,  which  makes  this  creature  one 
of  the  most  formidable  of  the  forest. 

There  is  but  very  little  difference  between 
the  European  elk  and  the  American  moose- 
deer,  as  they  are  but  varieties  of  the  same  ani- 
mal. It  may  be  rather  larger  in  America 
than  with  us ;  as  in  the  forests  of  that  un- 
peopled country,  it  receives  less  disturbance 
than  in  our  own.  In  all  places,  however  it  is 
timorous  and  gentle  ;  content  with  its  pasture, 
and  never  willing  to  disturb  any  other  animal, 
when  supplied  itself.  The  European  elk 
grows  to  above  seven  or  eight  feet  high.  In 


the  year  1742,  there  was  a  female  of  this  ani- 
mal shown  at  Paris,  which  was  caught  in  a 
forest  of  Red  Russia,  belonging  to  the  Cham 
of  Tartary  ;*  it  was  then  but  young,  and  its 
height  was  even  at  that  time  six  feet  seven 
inches ;  but  the  describer  observes,  that  it  has 
since  become  much  taller  and  thicker,  so  that 
we  may  suppose  this  female  at  least  seven  feet 
high.  There  have  been  no  late  opportunities 
of  seeing  the  male  ;  but,  by  the  rule  of  propor- 
tion, we  may  estimate  his  size  at  eight  or  nine 
feet  at  the  least,  which  is  about  twice  as  high 
as  an  ordinary  horse.  The  height,  however, 
of  the  female,  which  was  measured,  was  but 
six  feet  seven  inches,  Paris  measure;  or  almost 
seven  English  feet  high.  It  was  ten  feet  from 
the  tip  of  the  nose  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail ; 
and  eight  feet  round  the  body.  The  hair  waa 
very  long  and  coarse,  like  that  of  a  wild  boar. 
The  ears  resembled  those  of  a  mule,  and  were 
a  foot  and  a  half  long.  The  upper  jaw  was 
longer  by  six  inches  than  the  lower  ;  and,  like 
other  ruminating  animals,  it  had  no  teeth,  (cut- 
ting-teeth, I  suppose  the  describer  means.)  It 
had  a  large  beard  under  the  throat,  like  a 
goat ;  and  in  the  middle  of  the  forehead,  be- 
tween the  horns,  there  was  a  bone  as  large  as 
an  egg.  The  nostrils  were  four  inches  long  on 
each  side  of  the  mouth.  It  made  use  of  its 
fore-feet,  as  a  defence  against  its  enemies. 
Those  who  showed  it,  asserted  that  it  ran  with 
astonishing  swiftness ;  and  that  it  swam  also 
with  equal  expedition,  and  was  very  fond  of 
the  water.  They  gave  it  thirty  pounds  of 
bread  every  day,  besides  hay,  and  it  drank 
eight  buckets  of  water.  It  was  tame  and 
familiar,  and  submissive  enough  to  its  keeper. 
This  description  differs  in  many  circumstan- 
ces from  that  which  we  have  of  the  moose,  or 
American  elk,  which  the  French  call  the  ori- 
ginal. Of  these  there  are  two  kinds,  the  com- 
mon light  gray  moose,  which  is  not  very  large; 
and  the  black  moose,  which  grows  to  an  enor- 
mous height.  Mr.  Dudley  observe.;,  that  a 
doe  or  hind  of  the  black  moose  kind,  of  the 
fourth  year,  wanted  but  an  inch  of  seven  feet 
high.  All,  however,  of  both  kinds,  have  flat, 
palmed  horns,  not  unlike  the  fallow  dt-er,  only 
that  the  palrn  is  much  larger,  having  a  short 
trunk  at  the  head,  and  then  immediately 
spreading  above  a  foot  broad,  with  a  kind  of 

a  Dictioiinaire  Raisonee  des  Animaux,  Au  Nom,  Elan. 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


271 


small  antlers,  like  teeth  on  one  of  the  edges. 
In  this  particular,  all  of  the  elk  kind  agree ;  as 
well  the  European  elk,  as  the  gray  and  the 
black  moose-deer. 

The  gray  moose  deer  is  about  the  size  of  a 
horse ;  and,  although  it  has  large  buttocks,  its 
tail  is  not  above  an  inch  long.  As,  in  all  of 
this  kind,  the  upper  lip  is  much  longer  than  the 
under,  it  is  said  that  they  continue  to  go  back- 
ward as  they  feed.  Their  nostrils  are  so  large 
that  a  man  may  thrust  his  hand  in  a  consider- 
able way  ;  and  their  horns  are  as  long  as  those 
of  a  stag,  but,  as  was  observed,  much  broader. 

The  black  moose  is  the  enormous  animal 
mentioned  above,  from  eight  to  twelve  feet 
high.  Jocelyn,  who  is  the  first  English  wri- 
ter that  mentions  it,  says,  that  it  is  a  goodly 
creature,  twelve  feet  high,  with  exceeding  fair 
horns,  that  have  broad  palms,  two  fathoms 
from  the  top  of  one  horn  to  another.  He  as- 
sures us  that  it  is  a  creature,  or  rather  a  mon- 
ster of  superfluity,  and  many  times  bigger  than 
an  English  ox.  This  account  is  confirmed  by 
Dudley  ;  but  he  does  not  give  so  great  an  ex- 
pansion to  the  horns,  measuring  them  only 
thirty-one  inches  between  one  tip  and  the  other ; 
however,  that  such  an  extraordinary  animal  as 
Jocelyn  describes,  has  actually  existed,  we  can 
make  no  manner  of  doubt  of,  since  there  are 
horns  common  enough  to  be  seen  among  us, 
twelve  feet  from  one  tip  to  the  other. 

These  animals  delight  in  cold  countries,  feed- 
ing upon  grass  in  summer,  and  the  bark  of  trees 
in  winter.  When  the  whole  country  is  deep- 
ly covered  with  snow,  the  moose-deer  herd  to- 
gether under  the  tall  pine-trees,  strip  off  the 
bark,  and  remain  in  that  part  of  the  forest  while 
it  yields  them  subsistence.  It  is  at  that  time 
that  the  natives  prepare  to  hunt  them :  and  par- 
ticularly when  the  sun  begins  to  melt  the  snow 
by  day,  which  is  frozen  again  at  night ;  for 
then  the  icy  crust  which  covers  the  surface  of 
the  snow,  is  too  weak  to  support  so  great  a 
bulk,  and  only  retards  the  animal's  motion. 
When  the  Indians,  therefore,  perceive  a  herd 
of  these  at  a  distance,  they  immediately  pre- 
pare for  their  pursuit,  which  is  not,  as  with  us, 
the  sport  of  an  hour,  but  is  attended  with  toil, 
difficulty,  and  danger."  The  timorous  animal 
no  sooner  observes  its  enemies  approach,  than 
it  immediately  endeavours  to  escape,  but  sinks 

•  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  ii.  p.  436. 


at  every  step  it  takes.  Still,  however,  it  pur- 
sues its  way  through  a  thousand  obstacles :  the 
snow,  which  is  usually  four  feet  deep,  yields 
to  its  weight,  and  embarrasses  its  speed  ;  the 
sharp  ice  wounds  its  feet ;  and  its  lof'y  horns 
are  entangled  in  the  branches  of  the  forest,  as 
it  passes  along.  The  trees,  however,  are  bro- 
ken down  with  ease ;  and  wherever  the  moose- 
deer  runs,  it  is  perceived  by  the  snapping  off 
the  branches  of  the  trees,  as  thick  as  a  man's 
thigh,  with  its  horns.  The  chase  lasts  in  this 
manner  for  the  whole  day  ;  and  sometimes  he 
has  been  known  to  continue  for  two,  nay  three 
days  together;  for  the  pursuers  are  often  not 
less  excited  by  famine,  than  the  pursued  by  fear. 
Their  perseverance,  however,  generally  suc- 
ceeds ;  and  the  Indian  who  first  comes  near 
enough,  darts  his  lance,  with  unerring  aim, 
which  sticks  in  the  poor  animal,  and  at  first 
increases  its  efforts  to  escape.  In  this  manner 
the  moose  trots  heavily  on,  (for  that  is  its 
usual  pace,)  till  its  pursuers  once  more  come  up, 
and  repeat  their  blow:  upon  this,  it  again  sum- 
mons up  sufficient  vigour  to  get  a-head  ;  but, 
at  last,  quite  tired,  and  spent  with  loss  of  blood, 
it  sinks,  as  the  describer  expresses  it,  like  a  ruin- 
ed building,  and  makes  the  earth  shake  be- 
neath its  fall. 

This  animal,  when  killed,  is  a  very  valuable 
acquisition  to  the  hunters.  The  flesh  is  very 
well  tasted,  and  said  to  be  very  nourishing. 
The  hide  is  strong,  and  so  thick  that  it  has  been 
often  known  to  turn  a  musket-ball ;  however, 
it  is  soft  and  pliable,  and,  when  tanned,  the  leath- 
er is  extremely  light,  yet  very  lasting.  The 
fur  is  a  light  gray  in  some,  and  blackish  in 
others ;  and  when  viewed  through  a  microscope, 
appears  spongy  like  a  bulrush,  and  is  smaller 
at  the  roots  and  points  than  in  the  middle  ;  for 
this  reason,  it  lies  very  flat  and  smooth,  and 
though  beaten  or  abused  never  so  much,  it  al- 
ways returns  to  its  former  state.  The  horns 
also  are  not  less  useful,  being  applied  to  all  the 
purposes  for  which  hartshorn  is  beneficial : 
these  are  different  in  different  animals ;  in  some 
they  resemble  entirely  those  of  the  European 
elk,  which  spread  into  a  broad  palm,  with  small 
antlers  on  one  of  the  edges ;  in  others  they 
have  a  branched  brow-antler  between  the  bur 
and  the  palm,  which  the  German  elk  has  not: 
and  in  this  they  entirely  agree  with  those 
who-e  horns  are  frequently  dug  up  in  Ireland. 
This  animal  is  said  to  be  troubled  with  the  epi- 


272 


ANIMALS  OF 


lepsy,  as  it  is  often  found  to  fall  down  when 
pursued,  and  thus  becomes  an  easier  prey  ;  for 
tliH  reason,  an  imaginary  virtue  has  been  as- 
cribed to  the  hinder  hoof,  which  some  have 
supposed  to  be  a  specific  against  all  epileptic 
disorders.  This,  however,  may  be  considered 
as  a  vulgar  error  ;  as  well  as  that  of  its  curing 
itself  of  this  disorder  by  applying  the  hinder 
hoof  behind  the  ear.  After  all,  this  animal  is 
but  very  indifferently  and  confusedly  described 
by  travellers ;  each  mixing  his  account  with 
something  false  or  trivial;  often  mistaking  some 
other  quadruped  for  the  elk,  and  confounding 
its  history.  Thus  some  have  mistaken  it  for 
the  rein-deer,  which,  in  every  thing  but  size, 
it  greatly  resembles  ;  some  have  supposed  it  to 
be  the  same  with  the  tapurette,"  from  which 
it  entirely  differs ;  some  have  described  it  as 
the  common  red  American  stag,  which  scarce- 
ly differs  from  our  own ;  and,  lastly,  some 
have  confounded  it  with  the  bubalus,  which  is 
more  properly  a  gazelle  of  Africa.b 


THE  REIN-DEER. 

OF  all  animals  of  the  deer  kind,  the  rein- 
deer is  the  most  extraordinary  and  the  most 
useful.  It  is  a  native  of  the  icy  regions  of  tin- 
north  ;  and  though  many  attempts  have  been 
made  to  accustom  it  to  a  more  southern  climate, 
it  shortly  feels  the  influence  of  the  change,  and 
in  a  few  months  declines  and  dies.  Nature 
seems  to  have  fitted  it  entirely  to  answer  the 
necessities  of  that  hardy  race  of  mankind  that 
live  near  the  pole.  As  these  would  find  it  im- 
possible to  subsist  among  their  barren  snowy 
mountains  without  its  aid,  so  this  animal  can 
live  only  there,  when  its  assistance  is  most  ab- 
solutely necessary.  From  it  alone  the  natives 
of  Lapland  and  Greenland  supply  most  of 
their  wants ;  it  answers  the  purposes  of  a 
horse,  to  convey  them  and  their  scanty  furni- 
ture from  one  mountain  to  another;  it  answers 
the  purposes  of  a  cow,  in  giving  milk ;  and  it 
answers  the  purposes  of  the  sheep,  in  furnish- 
ing them  with  a  warm,  though  an  homely 
kind  of  clothing.  From  this  quadruped  alone, 
therefore,  they  receive  as  many  advantages  as 

a  Condamine.  b  Dapper,  Description  de  1'Afri- 

que,  p.  17. 

c  For  the  greatest  part  of  this  description  of  the  rein- 


we  derive  from  three  of  our  most  useful  crea- 
tures ;  so  that  Providence  does  not  leave  these 
poor  outcasts  entirely  destitute,  but  gives  them 
a  faithful  domestic,  more  patient  and  service- 
able than  any  other  in  nature. 

The  rein-deer  resembles  the  American  elk 
in  the  fashion  of  its  horns.  It  is  not  easy  in 
words  to  describe  these  minute  differences; 
nor  will  the  reader,  perhaps,  have  a  distinct 
idea  of  the  similitude,  when  told  that  both  have 
brow-antlers,  very  large,  and  hanging  over 
their  eyes,  palmated  towards  the  top,  and  bend- 
ing forward  like  a  bow.  But  here  the  simili- 
tude between  these  two  animals  ends  ;  for,  as 
the  elk  is  much  larger  than  the  stag,  so  the 
rein-deer  is  much  smaller.  It  is  lower  and 
stronger  built  than  the  stag ;  its  legs  are  shorter 
and  thicker,  and  its  hoofs  much  broader  than 
in  that  animal ;  its  hair  is  much  thicker  and 
warmer;  its  horns  much  larger  in  proportion, 
and  branching  forward  over  its  eyes;  its 
ears  are  much  larger ;  its  pace  is  rather  a 
trot  than  a  bounding,  and  this  it  can  continue 
for  a  whole  day  ;  its  hoofs  are  cloven  and 
moveable,  so  that  it  spreads  them  abroad  as  it 
goes,  to  prevent  its  sinking  in  the  snow. 
When  it  proceeds  on  a  journey,  it  lays  its  great 
horns  on  its  back,  while  there  are  two  branches 
which  always  hang  over  its  forehead,  and  al- 
most covers  its  face.  One  thing  seems  peculiar 
to  this  animal  and  the  elk ;  which  is,  that  as 
they  move  along,  their  hoofs  are  heard  to  crack 
with  a  pretty  loud  noise.  This  arises  from 
their  manner  of  treading ;  for  as  they  rest  upon 
their  cloven  hoof,  it  spreads  on  the  ground, 
and  the  two  divisions  separate  from  each  other, 
but  when  they  lift  it,  the  divisions  close  again, 
and  strike  against  each  other  with  a  crack. 
The  female  also  of  the  rein-deer  has  horns  as 
well  as  the  male,  by  which  the  species  is  dis- 
tinguished from  all  other  animals  of  the  deer 
kind  whatsoever. 

When  the  rein-deer  first  shed  their  coat  of 
hair,  they  are  brown  ;  but  in  proportion  as 
summer  approaches,  their  hair  begins  to  grow 
whitish ;  until,  at  last,  they  are  nearly  gray.' 
They  are,  however,  always  black  about  the 
eyes.  The  neck  has  long  hair,  hanging  down, 
and  coarser  than  upon  any  other  part  of  the 

deer,  I  am  obliged  to  Mr.  Hoffberg ;  upon  whose  authori- 
ty, being  a  native  of  Sweden,  and  an  experienced  natu- 
ralist, we  may  confidently  rely. 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


273 


body.  The  feet,  just  at  the  insertion  of  the 
hoof,  are  surrounded  with  a  ring  of  white. 
The  hair  in  general  stands  so  thick  over  the 
whole  body,  that  if  one  should  attempt  to  se- 
parate it,  the  skin  will  no  where  appear  un- 
covered :  whenever  it  falls  also,  it  is  not  seen 
to  drop  from  the  root,  as  in  other  quadrupeds, 
but  seems  broken  short  near  the  bottom  ;  so 
that  the  lower  part  of  the  hair  is  seen  growing, 
while  the  upper  falls  away.  The  horns  of  the 
female  are  made  like  those  of  the  male,  except 
that  they  are  smaller  and  less  branching.  As 
in  the  rest  of  the  deer  kind,  they  sprout  from 
the  points;  and  also  in  the  beginning  are  fur- 
nished with  an  hairy  crust,  which  supports 
the  blood-vessels  of  most  exquisite  sensibility. 
The  rein-deer  shed  their  horns,  after  rutting 
time,  at  the  latter  end  of  November ;  and  they 
are  not  completely  furnished  again  till  towards 
autumn.  The  female  always  retains  hers  till 
she  brings  forth,  and  then  sheds  them  about 
the  beginning  of  November.  If  she  be  bar- 
ren, however,  which  is  not  unfrequently  the 
case,  she  does  not  shed  them  till  winter.  The 
castration  of  the  rein-deer  does  not  prevent 
the  shedding  of  their  horns :  those  which  are 
the  strongest  cast  them  early  in  winter;  those 
which  are  more  weakly  not  so  soon.  Thus, 
from  all  these  circumstances,  we  see  how  great- 
ly this  animal  differs  from  the  common  stag. 
The  female  of  the  rein-deer  has  horns,  which 
the  hind  is  never  seen  to  have ;  the  rein-deer, 
when  castrated,  renews  its  horns,  which  we 
are  assured  the  stag  never  does :  it  differs  not 
less  in  its  habits  and  manner  of  living,  being 
tame,  submissive,  and  patient ;  while  the  stag 
is  wild,  capricious,  and  unmanageable. 

The  rein-deer,  as  was  said,  is  naturally  an 
inhabitant  of  the  countries  bordering  on  the 
arctic  circle.  It  is  not  unknown  to  the  natives 
of  Siberia.  The  North  Americans  also  hunt 
it  under  the  name  of  the  caribou.  But  in  Lap- 
land, this  animal  is  converted  to  the  utmost 
advantage ;  and  some  herdsmen  of  that  coun- 
try are  known  to  possess  above  a  thousand  in 
a  single  herd. 

Lapland  is  divided  into  two  districts,  the 
mountainous  and  the  woody.  The  mountain- 
ous part  of  the  country  is  at  best  barren  and 
bleak.excessively  cold,  and  uninhabitable  du- 
ring the  winter;  still,  however,  it  is  the  most 
desirable  part  of  this  frightful  region,  and  is 


most  thickly  peopled  during  the  summer. 
The  natives  generally  reside  on  the  declivity 
of  the  mountains,  three  or  four  cottages  toge- 
ther, and  lead  a  cheerful  and  social  life. 
Upon  the  approach  of  winter,  they  are  oblig- 
ed to  migrate  into  the  plains  below,  each 
bringing  down  his  whole  herd,  which  often 
amounts  to  more  than  a  thousand,  and  leading 
them  where  the  pasture  is  in  greatest  plenty. 
The  woody  part  of  the  country  is  much  more 
desolate  and  hideous.  The  whole  face  of 
nature  there  presents  a  frightful  scene  of  trees 
without  fruit,  and  plains  without  verdure.  As 
far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  nothing  is  to  be  seen, 
even  in  the  midst  of  summer,  but  barren  fields, 
covered  only  with  a  moss,  almost  as  white  as 
snow ;  no  grass,  no  flowery  landscapes,  only 
here  and  there  a  pine-tree,  which  may  have 
escaped  the  frequent  conflagrations  by  which 
the  natives  burn  down  their  forests.  But  what 
is  very  extraordinary,  as  the  whole  surface  of 
the  country  is  clothed  in  white,  so,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  forests  seem  to  the  last  degree  dark 
and  gloomy.  While  one  kind  of  moss  makes 
the  fields  look  as  if  they  were  covered  with 
snow,  another  kind  blackens  over  all  their 
trees,  and  even  hides  their  verdure.  This 
moss,  however,  which  deforms  the  country, 
serves  for  its  only  support,  as  upon  it  alone 
the  rein-deer  can  subsist.  The  inhabitants, 
who,  during  the  summer,  lived  among  the 
mountains,  drive  down  their  herds  in  winter, 
and  people  the  plains  and  woods  below. 
Such  of  the  Laplanders  as  inhabit  the  woods 
and  the  plains  all  the  year  round,  live  remote 
from  each  other,  and  having  been  used  to  so- 
litude, are  melancholy,  ignorant,  and  helpless. 
They  are  much  poorer  also  than  the  moun- 
taineers ;  for,  while  one  of  those  is  found  to 
possess  a  thousand  rein-deer  at  a  time,  none 
of  these  are  ever  known  to  rear  the  tenth  part 
of  that  number.  The  rein-deer  makes  the 
riches  of  this  people ;  arid  the  cold  mountain- 
ous parts  of  the  country  agree  best  with  its 
constitution.  It  is  for  this  reason,  therefore, 
that  the  mountains  of  Lapland  are  preferred 
to  the  woods ;  and  that  many  claim  an  exclu- 
sive right  to  tho  tops  of  hills,  covered  in  al- 
most eternal  snow.  As  soon  as  the  summer 
begins  to  appear,  the  Laplander,  who  had  fed 
his  rein-deer  upon  the  lower  grounds  during 
;  the  winter,  then  drives  them  up  to  the  moun- 


274 


ANIMALS  OF 


tains,  and  leaves  the  woody  country,  and  the 
low  pasture,  which  at  that  season  are  truly 
deplorable.  The  gnats  breed  by  the  sun's 
heat  in  the  marshy  bottoms  and  the  weedy 
lakes,  with  which  the  country  abounds  more 
than  any  other  part  of  the  world,  are  all  upon 
the  wing,  and  fill  the  whole  air  like  clouds  of 
dust  in  a  dry  windy  day.  The  inhabitants, 
at  that  time,  are  obliged  to  daub  their  faces 
with  pitch,  mixed  with  milk,  to  shield  their 
skins  from  their  depredations:  All  places  are 
then  so  greatly  infested,  that  the  poor  natives 
can  scarce  open  their  mouths  without  fear  of 
suffocation ;  the  insects  enter,  from  their  num- 
bers and  minuteness,  into  the  nostrils  and  the 
eyes,  and  do  not  leave  the  sufferer  a  moment 
at  his  ease.  But  they  are  chiefly  enemies  to 
the  rein-deer :  the  horns  of  that  animal  being 
then  in  their  tender  state,  and  possessed  of 
extremesensibility,  a  famished  cloud  of  insects 
instantly  settle  upon  them,  and  drive  the  poor 
animal  almost  to  distraction.  In  this  extre- 
mity, there  are  but  two  remedies  to  which  the 
quadruped,  as  well  as  its  master,  are  obliged 
to  have  recourse.  The  one  is,  for  both  to 
take  shelter  near  their  cottage,  where  a  large 
fire  of  tree-moss  is  prepared,  which  tilling  the 
whole  place  with  smoke,  keeps  off  the  gnat, 
and  thus  by  one  inconvenience, expels  a  great- 
er; the  other  is,  to  ascend  to  the  highest  sum- 
mit of  the  mountains,  where  the  air  is  too  thin, 
and  the  weather  too  cold,  for  the  gnats  to 
come.  There  the  rein-deer  are  seen  to  con- 
tinue the  whole  day,  although  without  food, 
rather  than  to  venturedown  to  the  lower  parts, 
where  they  can  have  no  defence  against  their 
unceasing  persecutors.  Besides  the  gnat, 
there  is  also  a  gadfly,  that,  during  the  summer 
season,  is  no  less  formidable  to  them.  This 
insect  is  bred  under  their  skins,  where  the  egg 
has  been  deposited  the  preceding  summer; 
and  it  is  no  sooner  produced  as  a  fly,  than  it 
again  endeavours  to  deposite  its  eggs  in  some 
place  similar  to  that  from  whence  it  came. 
Whenever,  therefore,  it  appears  flying  over 
a  herd  of  rein-deer,  it  puts  the  whole  body, 
how  numerous  soever,  into  motion;  they  know 
their  enemy,  and  do  all  they  can,  by  tossing 
their  horns,  and  running  among  each  other, 
to  terrify  or  avoid  it.  All  their  endeavours, 
however,  are  too  generally  without  effect;  the 
gadfly  is  seen  to  deposite  its  eggs,  which  bur- 


rowing under  the  skin,  wound  it  in  several  pla- 
ces, and  often  bring  on  an  incurable  disorder. 
In  the  morning,  therefore,  as  soon  as  the  Lap- 
land herdsman  drives  his  deer  to  pasture,  his 
greatest  care  is  to  keep  them  from  scaling  the 
summits  of  the  mountains  where  there  is  no 
food,  but  where  they  go  merely  to  be  at  ease 
from  the  gnats  and  gadflies  that  are  ever  an- 
noying them.  At  this  time  there  is  a  strong 
contest  between  the  dogs  and  the  deer ;  the 
one  endeavouring  to  climb  up  against  the  side 
of  the  hill,  and  to  gain  those  summits  that  are 
covered  in  eternal  snows ;  the  other  ibrcing 
them  down,  by  barking  and  threatening,  and, 
in  a  manner,  compelling  them  into  the  places 
where  their  food  is  in  the  greatest  plenty. 
There  the  men  and  dogs  confine  them ;  guard- 
ing them  with  the  utmost  precaution  the  whole 
day,  and  driving  them  home  at  the  proper  sea- 
sons for  milking. 

The  female  brings  forth  in  the  middle  of  May, 
and  gives  milk  till  about  the  middle  of  Octo- 
ber. Every  morning  and  evening,  during  the 
summer,  the  herdsman  returns  to  the  cottage 
with  his  deer  to  be  milked,  where  the  women 
previously  have  kindled  up  asmoky  fire,  which 
effectually  drives  off  the  gnats,  and  keeps  the 
rein-deer  quiet  while  milking.  The  female 
furnishes  about  a  pint,  which,  though  thinner 
than  that  of  the  cow,  is,  nevertheless,  sweeter, 
and  more  nourishing.  This  done,  the  herds- 
man drives  them  back  to  pasture  ;  as  he  nei- 
ther folds  nor  houses  them,  neither  provides 
for  their  subsistence  during  the  winter,  nor 
improves  their  pasture  by  cultivation. 

Upon  the  return  of  the  winter,  when  the 
gnats  and  flies  are  no  longer  to  be  feared,  the 
Laplander  descends  into  the  lower  grounds; 
and  as  there  are  but  few  to  dispute  the  pos- 
session of  that  desolate  country,  he  has  an 
extensive  range  to  feed  them  in.  Their  chief, 
and  almost  their  only  food  at  that  time,  is  the 
white  moss  already  mentioned  ;  which,  from 
its  being  fed  upon  by  this  animal,  obtains  the 
name  of  the  lichen  rangiferimus.  This  is  of  two 
kinds ;  the  woody  lichen,  which  covers  almost 
all  the  desert  parts  of  the  country  like  snow; 
the  other  is  black,  and  covers  the  branches 
of  the  trees  in  very  grent  quantities.  How- 
ever unpleasing  these  may  be  to  the  specta- 
tor, the  native  esteems  them  as  one  of  his 
choicest  benefits,  and  the  most  indulgent  gift 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


275 


of  nature.  While  his  fields  are  clothed  with 
moss,  he  envies  neither  the  fertility  nor  the 
verdureof  the  more  southern  landscape;  dress- 
ed up  warmly  in  his  deer-skin  clothes,  with 
shoes  and  gloves  of  the  same  materials,  he 
drives  his  herds  along  the  desert,  fearless  and 
at  ease,  ignorant  of  any  higher  luxury  than 
what  their  milk  and  smoke-dried  flesh  affords 
him.  Hardened  to  the  climate,  he  sleeps  in 
the  midst  of  ice ;  or  awaking,  dozes  away  his 
time  with  tobacco;  while  his  faithful  dogs  sup- 
ply his  place,  and  keep  the  herd  from  wander- 
ing. The  deer,  in  the  meantime,  with  instincts 
adapted  to  the  soil,  pursue  their  food,  though 
covered  in  the  deepest  snow.  They  turn  it 
up  with  their  noses,  like  swine;  and,  even 
though  its  surface  be  frozen  and  stiff,  yet  the 
hide  is  so  hardened  in  that  part,  that  they  easi- 
ly overcome  the  difficulty.  It  sometimes,  how- 
ever, happens,  though  but  rarely,  that  the  win- 
ter commences  with  rain,  and  a  frost  ensuing, 
covers  the  whole  country  with  a  glazed  crust 
of  ice.  Then,  indeed,  both  the  rein-deer  and 
the  Laplander  are  undone ;  they  have  no  pro- 
visions laid  up  in  case  of  accident,  and  the 
only  resource  is  to  cut  down  the  large  pine- 
trees  that  are  covered  with  moss,  which  fur- 
nishes but  a  scanty  supply  ;  so  that  the  great- 
est part  of  the  herd  is  then  seen  to  perish 
without  a  possibility  of  assistance.  It  some- 
times also  happens,  that  even  this  supply  is 
wanting;  for  the  Laplander  often  burns  down 
his  woods,  in  order  to  improve  and  fertilize 
the  soil  which  produces  the  moss,  upon  which 
he  feeds  his  cattle. 

In  this  manner,  the  pastoral  life  is  still  con- 
tinued near  the  pole ;  neither  the  coldness  of 
the  winter,  nor  the  length  of  the  nights ;  nei- 
ther the  wildness  of  the  forests,nor  the  vagrant 
disposition  of  the  herd,  interrupt  the  even  te- 
nour  of  the  Laplander's  life.  By  night  and 
day  he  is  seen  attending  his  favourite  cattle, 
and  remains  unaffected,  in  a  season  which 
would  be  speedy  death  to  those  bred  up  in 
a  milder  climate.  He  gives  himself  no  un- 
easiness to  house  his  herds,  or  to  provide  a 
winter  subsistence  for  them ;  he  is  at  the  trou- 
ble neither  of  manuring  his  grounds,  nor  bring- 
ing in  his  harvest ;  he  is  not  the  hireling  of 
another's  luxury;  all  his  labours  are  to  obviate 
the  necessities  of  his  own  situation ;  and  these 
he  undergoes  with  cheerfulness,  as  he  is  sure 

NO.  23  &  24. 


to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  own  industry.  If, 
therefore,  we  compare  the  Laplander  with 
the  peasant  of  more  southern  climates,  we 
shall  have  little  reason  to  pity  his  situation ; 
the  climate  in  which  he  lives  is  rather  terri- 
ble to  us  than  to  him ;  and  as  for  the  rest,  he 
is  blessed  with  liberty,  plenty,  and  ease.  The 
rein-deer  alonesupplies  him  with  all  the  wants 
of  life,  and  some  of  the  conveniences ;  ser- 
ving to  show  how  many  advantages  nature  is 
capable  of  supplying,  when  necessity  gives 
the  call.  Thus  the  poor,  little  helpless  native, 
who  was  originally,  perhaps,  driven  by  fear  or 
famine  into  those  inhospitable  climates,  would 
seem,  at  first  view,  to  be  the  most  wretched 
of  mankind  :  but  it  is  far  otherwise  ;  he  looks 
round  among  the  few  wild  animals  that  his 
barren  country  can  maintain,  and  singles  out 
one  from  among  them,and  that  of  a  kind  which 
the  rest  of  mankind  have  not  thought  worth 
taking  from  a  state  of  nature  ;  this  he  culti- 
vates, propagates,  and  multiplies ;  and  from 
this  alone  derives  every  comfort  that  can  sof- 
ten the  severity  of  his  situation. 

The  rein-deer  of  this  country  are  of  two 
kinds,  the  wild  and  the  tame.  The  wild  are 
larger  and  stronger,  but  more  mischievous 
than  the  others.  Their  breed,  however,  is 
preferred  to  that  of  the  tame;  and  the  female 
of  the  latter  is  often  sent  into  the  woods,  from 
whence  she  returns  home  impregnated  by  one 
of  the  wild  kind.  These  are  fitter  for  draw- 
ing the  sledge,  to  which  the  Laplander  accus- 
toms them  betimes,  and  yokes  them  to  it  by 
a  strap,  which  goes  round  the  neck,  arid 
comes  down  between  their  legs.  The  sledge 
is  extremely  light,  and  shod  at  the  bottom 
with  the  skin  of  a  young  deer,  the  hair  turned 
to  slide  on  the  frozen  snow.  The  person  who 
sits  on  this,  guides  the  animal  with  a  cord, 
fastened  round  the  horns,  and  encourages  it 
to  proceed  with  his  voice,  and  drives  it  with 
a  goad.  Some  of  the  wild  breed,  though  by 
far  the  strongest,  are  yet  found  refractory,  and 
often  turn  upon  their  drivers  ;  who  have  then 
no  other  resource  but  to  cover  themselves 
with  their  sledge,  and  let  the  animal  vent  its 
fury  upon  that.  But  it  is  otherwise  with  those 
that  are  tame ;  no  creature  can  be  more  ac- 
tive, patient,  and  willing :  when  hard  pushed 
they  will  trot  nine  or  ten  Swedish  miles,  or 
between  fifty  and  sixty  English  miles,  at  one 
2  Y 


276 


ANIMALS  OF 


stretch.  But,  in  such  a  case,  the  poor  obedi- 
ent creature  fatigues  itself  to  death,  and,  if 
riot  prevented  by  the  Laplander,  who  kills  it 
immediately,  it  will  die  a  day  or  two  after. 
In  general,  they  can  go  about  thirty  miles 
without  halting,  and  this  without  any  great  or 
dangerous  efforts.  This,  which  is  the  only 
manner  of  travelling  in  that  country,  can  be 
performed  only  in  winter,  when  the  snow 
is  glazed  over  with  ice;  and  although  it 
be  a  very  speedy  method  of  conveyance, 
yet  it  is  inconvenient,  dangerous,  and  trouble- 
some. 

In  order  to  make  these  animals  more  obedi- 
ent, and  more  generally  serviceable,  they 
castrate  them:  this  operation  the  Laplanders 
perform  with  their  teeth  ;  these  become  soon- 
er fat  when  taken  from  labour;  and  they  are 
found  to  be  stronger  in  drawing  the  sledge. 
There  is  usually  one  male  left  entire  for  every 
six  females;  these  are  in  rut  from  the  Feast 
of  St.  Matthew  to  about  Michaelmas.  At  this 
time,  their  horns  are  thoroughly  burnished, 
and  their  battles  among  each  other  are  fierce 
and  obstinate.  The  females  do  not  begin  to 
breed  till  they  are  two  years  old ;  and  then 
they  continue  regularly  breeding  every  year 
till  they  are  superannuated.  They  go  with 
young  above  eight  months,  and  generally 
bring  forth  two  at  a  time.  The  fondness  of 
the  dam  for  her  young  is  very  remarkable ;  it 
often  happens  that  when  they  are  separated 
from  her,  she  will  return  from  pasture,  keep 
calling  round  the  cottage  for  them,  and  will 
not  desist  until,  dead  or  alive,  they  are 
brought  and  laid  at  her  feet.  They  are  at 
first  of  a  light  brown  ;  but  they  become  dark- 
er with  age;  and  at  last  the  old  ones  are  of  a 
brown, almost  approaching  to  blackness.  The 
young  follow  the  dam  for  two  or  three  years; 
but  they  do  not  acquire  their  full  growth  until 
four.  They  are  then  broke  in,  and  managed 
for  drawing  the  sledge ;  and  they  continue 
serviceable  for  four  or  five  years  longer. 
They  never  live  above  fifteen  or  sixteen 
years ;  and  when  they  arrive  at  the  proper 
age,  the  Laplander  generally  kills  them  for 
the  sake  of  their  skins  and  their  flesh.  This 
he  performs  by  striking  them  on  the  back  of 
the  neck  with  his  knife  into  the  spinal  mar- 
row ;  upon  which  they  instantly  fall,  and  he 
then  cuts  the  arteries  that  lead  to  the  heart. 


and  lets  the  blood  discharge  itself  into  the 
cavity  of  the  breast. 

There  is  scarce  any  part  of  this  animal  that 
is  not  converted  to  its  peculiar  uses.  As 
soon  as  it  begins  to  grow  old,  and  some  time 
before  the  rut,  it  is  killed,  and  the  flesh  dried 
in  the  air.  It  is  also  sometimes  hardened 
with  smoke,  and  laid  up  for  travelling  provi- 
sion, when  the  natives  migrate  from  one  part 
of  the  country  to  another.  During  the  winter, 
the  rein-deer  are  slaughtered  as  sheep  with 
us;  and  every  four  persons  in  the  family  are 
allowed  one  rein-deer  for  their  week's  subsist- 
ence. In  spring,  they  spare  the  herd  as 
much  as  they  can,  and  live  upon  fresh  fish. 
In  summer,  the  milk  and  curd  of  the  rein-deer 
makes  their  chief  provision;  and,  in  autumn, 
they  live  wholly  upon  fowls,  which  they  kill 
with  a  cross-bow,  or  catch  in  springes.  Nor 
is  this  so  scanty  an  allowance ;  since,  at  that 
time,  the  sea-fowls  come  in  such  abundance 
that  their  ponds  and  springs  are  covered  over. 
These  are  not  so  shy  as  with  us,  but  yield 
themselves  an  easy  prey.  They  are  chiefly 
allured  to  those  places  by  the  swarms  of  gnats 
which  infest  the  country  during  the  summer, 
arid  now  repay  the  former  inconveniences,  by 
inviting  sucn  numbers  of  birds  as  supply  the 
natives  with  food  a  fourth  part  of  the  year,  in 
great  abundance. 

The  milk,  when  newly  taken,  is  warmed  in 
a  caldron,  and  thickened  with  rennet;  and 
then  the  curd  is  pressed  into  cheeses,  which 
are  little  and  well  tasted.  These  are  never 
found  to  breed  mites  as  the  cheese  of  other 
countries;  probably  because  the  mite-fly  is 
not  to  be  found  in  Lapland.  The  whey  which 
remains  is  warmed  up  again,  and  becomes  of 
a  consistence  as  if  thickened  with  the  white 
of  eggs.  Upon  this  the  Laplanders  feed  du- 
ring the  summer;  it  is  pleasant  and  well 
tasted,  but  not  very  nourishing.  As  to  butter, 
they  very  seldom  make  any,  because  the  milk 
affords  but  a  very  small  quantity,  and  this, 
both  in  taste  and  consistence,  is  more  nearly 
resembling  to  suet.  They  never  keep  their 
milk  till  it  turns  sour;  and  do  not  dress  it  into 
the  variety  of  dishes  which  the  more  southern 
countries  are  known  to  do.  The  only  deli- 
cacy they  make  from  it  is  with  wood-sorrel, 
which  being  boiled  up  with  it,  and  coagina- 
ting,  the  whole  is  put  into  casks,  or  deer 


THE  DEER  KIND. 


277 


skins,  and  kept  under  ground  to  be  eaten  in 
winter. 

The  skin  is  even  a  more  valuable  part  of 
this  animal  than  either  of  the  former.  From 
that  part  of  it  which  covered  the  head  and 
feet,  they  make  their  strong  snow-shoes  with 
the  hair  on  the  outside.  Of  the  other  parts 
they  compose  their  garments,  which  are  ex- 
tremely warm,  and  which  cover  them  all  over. 
The  hair  of  these  also  is  on  the  outside;  and 
they  sometimes  line  them  with  the  fur  of  the 
glutton,  or  some  other  warm-furred  animal  of 
that  climate.  These  skins  also  serve  them 
for  beds.  They  spread  them  on  each  side  of 
the  fire,  upon  some  leaves  of  the  dwarf  birch- 
tree,  and  in  this  manner  lie  both  soft  and 
warm.  Many  garments  made  of  the  skin  of 
the  rein-deer  are  sold  every  year  to  the  in- 
habitants of  the  more  southern  parts  of  Eu- 
rope ;  and  they  are  found  so  serviceable  in 
keeping  out  the  cold,  that  even  people  of  the 
first  rank  are  known  to  wear  them. 

In  short,  no  part  of  this  animal  is  thrown 
away  as  useless.  The  blood  is  preserved  in 
small  casks,  to  make  sauce  with  the  marrow 
in  spring.  The  horns  are  sold  to  be  convert- 
ed into  glue.  The  sinews  are  dried,  and 
divided  so  as  to  make  the  strongest  kind  of 
sewing  thread, not  unlikecatgut.  Thetongu.es, 
which  are  considered  as  a  great  delicacy, 
are  dried,  and  sold  into  the  more  southern 
provinces.  The  intestines  themselves  are 
washed  like  our  tripe,  and  in  high  esteem 
among  the  natives.  Thus  the  Laplander 
finds  all  his  necessities  amply  supplied  from 
this  single  animal,  and  he  who  has  a  large 
herd  of  these  animals  has  no  idea  of  higher 
luxury. 

But  although  the  rein-deer  be  a  very  hardy 
and  vigorous  animal,  it  is  not  without  its  dis- 
eases. I  have  already  mentioned  the  pain  it 
feels  from  the  gnat,  and  the  apprehensions  it 
is  under  from  the  gadfly.  Its  hide  is  often 
found  pierced  in  a  hundred  places,  like  a 
sieve,  from  this  insect,  and  not  a  few  die  in 
their  third  year  from  this  very  cause.  Their 
teats  also  are  subject  to  cracking,  so  that 
blood  comes  instead  of  milk.  They  some- 
times take  a  loathing  for  their  food  ;  and,  in- 
stead of  eating,  stand  still  and  chew  the  cud. 
They  are  also  troubled  with  a  vertigo,  like 
the  elk,  and  turn  round  often  till  they  die. 


The  Laplander  judges  of  their  state  by  the 
manner  of  their  turning.  If  they  turn  to  the 
right,  he  judges  their  disorder  but  slight;  if 
they  turn  to  the  left,  he  deems  it  incurable. 
The  rein-deer  are  also  subject  to  ulcers  near 
the  hoof,  which  unqualifies  them  for  travel- 
ling, or  keeping  with  the  herd.  But  the  most 
fatal  disorder  of  all  is  that  which  the  natives 
call  the  suddataka,  which  attacks  this  animal 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  The  instant  it  is 
seized  with  this  disease,  it  begins  to  breathe 
with  great  difficulty;  its  eyes  begin  to  stare, 
and  its  nostrils  to  expand.  It  acquires  also 
an  unusual  degree  of  ferocity,  and  attacks  all 
it  meets  indiscriminately.  Still,  however,  it 
continues  to  feed  as  if  in  health,  but  is  not 
seen  to  chew  the  cud,  and  it  lies  down  more 
frequently  than  before.  In  this  manner  it 
continues,  every  day  consuming  and  growing 
more  lean,  till  at  last  it  dies  from  mere  inani- 
tion :  and  not  one  of  these  that  are  attacked 
with  this  disorder  are  ever  found  to  recover. 
Notwithstanding  it  is  but  very  lately  known 
in  that  part  of  the  world;  although,  during 
the  last  ten  or  fifteen  years,  it  has  spoiled 
whole  provinces  of  this  necessary  creature. 
It  is  contagious ;  and  the  moment  the  Laplan- 
der perceives  any  of  his  herd  infected,  he 
hastens  to  kill  them  immediately  before  it 
spreads  any  farther.  When  examined  inter- 
nally, there  is  a  frothy  substance  found  in  the 
brain,  and  round  the  lungs ;  the  intestines 
are  lax  and  flabby,  and  the  spleen  is  dimin- 
ished almost  to  nothing.  The  Laplander's 
only  cure  in  all  these  disorders,  is  to  anoint 
the  animal's  back  with  tar ;  if  this  docs  not 
succeed,  he  considers  the  disease  as  beyond 
the  power  of  art ;  and,  with  his  natural 
phlegm,  submits  to  the  severities  of  fortune. 
Besides  the  internal  maladies  of  this  animal, 
there  are  some  external  enemies  which  it  has 
to  fear.  The  bears  now  and  then  make  de- 
predations upon  the  herd  ;  but  of  all  their 
persecutors,  the  cretuare  called  the  glutton  is 
the  most  dangerous  and  the  most  successful. 
The  war  between  these  is  carried  on  not  less 
in  Lapland  than  in  North  America,  where 
the  rein-deer  is  called  the  carribou,  and  the 
glutton  the  carcajou.  This  animal,  which  is 
not  above  the  size  of  a  badger,  waits  whole 
weeks  together  for  its  prey,  hid  in  the 
branches  of  some  spreading  tree ;  and  when 
2  Y* 


278 


ANIMALS  OF 


the  wild  rein-deer  passes  underneath,  it  in- 
stantly drops  down  upon  it,  fixing  its  teeth 
and  claws  into  the  neck,  just  behind  the  horns. 
It  is  in  vain  that  the  wounded  animal  then  flies 
for  protection,  that  it  rustles  among  the 
branches  of  the  forest,  the  glutton  still  holds 
its  former  position,  and,  although  it  often  loses 
a  part  of  its  skin  and  flesh,  which  are  rubbed 


off  against  the  trees,  yet  it  still  keeps  fast, 
until  its  prey  drops  with  fatigue  and  loss  of 
blood.  The  deer  has  but  one  only  method 
of  escape,  which  is  by  jumping  into  the  water; 
that  element  its  enemy  cannot  endure;  for, 
as  we  are  told,  it  quits  its  hold  immediately, 
and  then  thinks  only  of  providing  for  its  own 
proper  security. 


THE  HOG  KIND. 


279 


QUADRUPEDS  OF  THE  HOG  KIND. 


CHAPTER  XL VI. 

INTRODUCTION. 


ANIMALS  of  the  hog  kind  seem  to  unite 
in  themselves  all  those  distinctions  by  which 
others  are  separated.  They  resemble  those 
of  the  horse  kind  in  the  number  of  their  teeth, 
which  in  all  amount  to  forty-four,  in  the 
length  of  their  head,  and  in  having  but  a 
single  stomach.  They  resemble  the  cow 
kind  in  their  cloven  hoofs  and  the  position  of 
their  intestines ;  and  they  resemble  those  of 
the  claw-footed  kind  in  their  appetite  for 
flesh,  in  their  not  chewing  the  cud,  and  in 
their  numerous  progeny.  Thus  this  species 
serves  to  fill  up  that  chasm  which  is  found  be- 
tween the  carnivorous  kinds  and  those  that 
live  upon  grass;  being  possessed  of  the  raven- 
ous appetites  of  the  one,  and  the  inoffensive 
nature  of  the  other.  We  may  consider  them, 
therefore,  as  of  a  middle  nature,  which  we 
can  refer  neither  to  the  rapacious  nor  the 
peaceful  kinds,  and  yet  partaking  somewhat 
of  the  nature  of  both.  Like  the  rapacious 
kinds,  they  are  found  to  have  short  intestines; 
their  hoofs  also,  though  cloven  to  the  sight, 
will,  upon  anatomical  inspection,  appear  to 
be  supplied  with  oones  like  beast  of  prey; 
and  the  number  of  their  teats  also  increase 
the  similitude ;  on  the  other  hand,  in  a  natu- 
ral state  they  live  upon  vegetables,  and  sel- 
dom seek  after  animal  food,  except  when 
urged  by  necessity.  They  offend  no  other  ani- 
mal of  the  forest,  at  the  same  time  that  they 
are  furnished  with  arms  to  terrify  the  bravest. 


THE  WILD  BOAR, 

WHICH  is  the  original  of  all  the  varieties 
we  find  in  this  creature,  is  by  no  means  so 


stupid  nor  so  filthy  an  animal  as  that  we  have 
reduced  to  tameness ;  he  is  much  smaller 
than  the  tame  hog,  and  does  not  vary  in  his 
colour  as  those  of  the  domestic  kind  do,  but 
is  always  found  of  an  iron  gray,  inclining  to 
black ;  his  snout  is  much  longer  than  that  of 
the  tame  hog,  and  the  ears  are  shorter,  round 
er,  and  black ;  of  which  colour  are  also  tht 
feet  and  the  tail.  He  roots  the  ground  in  a 
different  manner  from  the  common  hog  ;  for 
as  this  turns  up  the  earth  in  little  spots  here 
and  there,  so  the  wild  boar  ploughs  it  up  like 
a  furrow,  and  does  irreparable  damage  in  the 
cultivated  lands  of  the  farmer.  The  tusks 
also  of  this  animal  are  larger  than  in  the  tame 
breed,  some  of  them  being  seen  almost  a  foot 
long."  These,  as  is  well  known,  grow  from 
both  the  under  and  upper  jaw,  bend  upwards 
circularly,  and  are  exceedingly  sharp  at  the 
points.  They  differ  from  the  tusks  of  the 
elephant  in  this,  that  they  never  fall ;  and  it 
is  remarkable  of  all  the  hog  kind,  that  they 
never  shed  their  teeth  as  other  animals  are 
seen  to  do.  The  tusks  of  the  lower  jaw  are 
always  the  most  to  be  dreaded,  and  are  found 
to  give  very  terrible  wounds. 

The  wild  boar  can  properly  be  called 
neither  a  solitary  nor  a  gregarious  animal. 
The  three  first  years  the  whole  litter  follows 
the  sow,  and  the  family  lives  in  a  herd  toge- 
ther. They  are  then  called  beasts  of  com- 
pany, and  unite  their  common  forces  against 
the  invasions  of  the  wolf,  or  the  more  formi- 
dable beasts  of  prey.  Upon  this  their  prin- 
cipal safety  while  young  depends,  for  when 
attacked  they  give  each  other  mutual  assist- 

a  Buffon,  vol.  ix.  p.  147. 


280 


ANIMALS  OF 


ance,  calling  to  each  other  with  a  very  loud 
and  fierce  note ;  the  strongest  face  the  dan- 
ger; they  form  a  ring,  and  the  weakest  fall 
into  the  centre.  In  this  position  few  raven- 
ous beasts  dare  venture  to  attack  them,  but 
pursue  the  chase  where  there  is  less  resist- 
ance and  danger.  However,  when  the  wild 
boar  is  come  to  a  state  of  maturity,  and  when 
conscious  of  his  own  superior  strength,  he 
then  walks  the  forest  alone  and  fearless.  At 
that  time  he  dreads  no  single  creature,  nor 
does  he  turn  out  of  his  way  even  for  man  him- 
self. He  does  not  seek  danger,  and  he  does 
riot  much  seem  to  avoid  it. 

This  animal  is  therefore  seldom  attacked, 
but  at  a  disadvantage,  either  by  numbers,  or 
when  found  sleeping  by  moon-light.  The 
hunting  the  wild  boar  is  one  of  the  principal 
amusements  of  the  nobility  in  those  countries 
where  it  is  to  be  found.  The  dogs  provided 
for  this  sport  are  of  the  slow  heavy  kind. 
Those  used  for  hunting  the  stag,  or  the  roe- 
buck, would  be  very  improper,  as  they  would 
too  soon  come  up  with  their  prey ;  and,  in- 
stead of  a  chase,  would  only  furnish  out  an 
engagement.  A  small  mastiff  is  therefore  cho- 
sen ;  nor  are  the  hunters  much  mindful  of  the 
goodness  of  their  nose,  as  the  wild  boar  leaves 
so  strong  a  scent,  that  it  is  impossible  for 
them  to  mistake  its  course.  They  never  hunt 
any  but  the  largest  and  the  oldest,  which  are 
known  by  their  tracks.  When  the  boar  is 
reared,  as  is  the  expression  for  driving  him 
from  his  covert,  he  goes  slowly  and  uniformly 
forward,  not  much  afraid,  nor  very  far  before 
his  pursuers.  At  the  end  of  every  half  mile, 
or  thereabouts,  he  turns  round,  stops  till  the 
hounds  come  up,  and  offers  to  attack  them. 
These,  on  the  other  hand,  knowing  their  dan- 
ger, keep  off,  and  bay  him  at  a  distance.  Af- 
ter they  have  for  a  while  gazed  upon  each 
other  with  mutual  animosity,  the  boar  again 
slowly  goes  on  his  course,  and  the  dogs  re- 
new their  pursuit.  In  this  manner  the  charge 
is  sustained,  and  the  chase  continues  till  tlie 
boar  is  quite  tired,  and  refuses  to  go  any  far- 
ther. The  dogs  then  attempt  to  close  in  upon 
him  from  behind;  those  which  are  young, 
fierce,  and  unaccustomed  to  the  chase,  are 
generally  the  foremost,  and  often  lose  their 
lives  by  their  ardour.  Those  which  are  older 
and  better  trained  are  content  to  wait  until 


the  hunters  come  up,  who  strike  at  him  with 
their  spears,  and, after  several  blows, despatch 
or  disable  him.  The  instant  the  animal  is 
killed,  they  cut  off  the  testicles,  which  would 
otherwise  give  a  taint  to  the  flesh;  and  the 
huntsmen  celebrate  the  victory  with  their 
horns. 


THE  HOG, 

IN  a  natural  state,  is  found  to  feed  chiefly 
upon  roots  and  vegetables;  it  seldom  attacks 
any  other  animal,being  content  with  such  pro- 
visions as  it  procures  without  danger.     What- 
ever animal  happens  to  die  in  the  forest,  or 
is  so  wounded  that  it  can  make  no  resistance, 
becomes  a  prey  to  the  hog,  who  seldom  re- 
fuses animal  food,  how  putrid  soever,although 
it  is  never  at  the  pains  of  taking  or  procuring 
it  alive.     For  this  reason,  it  seems  a  glutton 
rather  by  accident  than  choice,  content  with 
vegetable  food,  and  only  devouring  flesh  when 
pressed  by  necessity,  and  when  it  happens  to 
offer.     Indeed,  if  we  behold  the  hog  in  its  do- 
mestic state,  it  is  the  most  sordid  and  brutal 
animal  in  nature."     The  awkwardness  of  its 
form  seems  to  influence  its  appetites :  and  all 
its  sensations  are  as  gross  as  its  shapes  are 
unsightly.     It  seems  possessed  only  of  an  in- 
satiable desire  of  eating;    and  it   seems  to 
make  choice  only  of  what  other  animals  find 
the  most  offensive.     But  we  ought  to  consider 
that  the  hog  with  us  is  in  an  unnatural  state, 
and  that  it  is  in  a  manner  compelled  to  feed 
in  this  filthy  manner  from  wanting  that  pro- 
per nourishment  which  it  finds  in  the  forest. 
When  in  a  state  of  wildness,  it  is  of  all  other 
quadrupeds  the  most  delicate   in  the  choice 
of  what  vegetable  it  shall  feed  on,  and  rejects 
a  greater  number  than  any  of  the  rest.     The 
cow,  for  instance,  as  we  are  assured  by  Lin- 
naeus, eats  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  plants, 
and  rejects  two  hundred  and  eighteen;  the 
goat  eats  four  hundred  and  forty-nine,  and  re- 
jects a  hundred  and  twenty-six;  the  sheep 
eats  three  hundred  and  eighty-seven,  and  re- 
jects a    hundred  and  forty-one;    the  horse 
eats  two  hundred  and  sixty-two,  and   rejects 
two  hundred  and  twelve ;  but  the  hog,  more 

a  Buffon,  vol.  ix.  p.  14. 


THE  HOG  KIND. 


281 


nice  in  its  provision  than  any  of  the  former, 
eat*  but  seventy-two  plants,  and  rejects  a 
hundred  and  seventy-one.  The  indelicacy  of 
tins  animal  is,  therefore,  rather  in  our  appre- 
hensions than  in  its  nature;  since  we  find  it 
makes  a  very  distinguishing  choice  in  the 
quality  of  its  food  ;  and  if  it  does  not  reject 
animal  putrefaction,  it  may  be  because  it  is 
abridged  in  that  food  which  is  most  whole- 
some and  agreeable  to  it  in  a  state  of  nature. 
This  is  certain,  that  its  palate  is  not  insen- 
sible to  the  difference  of  eatables ;  for,  where 
it  finds  variety,  it  will  reject  the  worst,  with 
as  distinguishing  a  taste  as  any  other  quad- 
ruped whatsoever."  In  the  orchards  of  peach- 
trees  in  North  America,  where  the  hog  has 
plenty  of  delicious  food,  it  is  observed,  that 
it  will  reject  the  fruit  that  has  lain  but  a  few 
hours  on  the  ground,  and  continue  on  the 
watch  whole  hours  together  for  a  fresh  wind- 
fall. 

However,  the  hog  is  naturally  formed  in  a 
more  imperfect  manner  than  the  other  animals 
that  we  have  rendered  domestic  around  us, 
less  active  in  its  motions,  less  furnished  with 
instinct  in  knowing  what  to  pursue  or  avoid. 
Without  attachment,  and  incapable  of  instruc- 
tion, it  continues,  while  it  lives,  an  useless,  or 
rather  a  rapacious  dependent.  The  coarse- 
ness of  its  hair,  and  the  thickness  of  its  hide, 
together  with  the  thick  coat  of  fat  that  lies 
immediately  under  the  skin,  render  it  insen- 
sible to  blows,  or  rough  usage.  Mice  have 
been  known  to  burrow  in  the  back  of  these 
animals  while  fattening  in  the  sty,b  witliout 
their  seeming  to  perceive  it.  Their  other 
senses  seem  to  be  in  tolerable  perfection ; 
they  scent  the  hounds  at  a  distance;  and,  as 
we  have  seen,  they  are  not  insensible  in  the 
choice  of  their  provisions. 

The  hog  is,  by  nature,  stupid,  inactive,  and 
drowsy;  if  undisturbed,  it  would  sleep  half 
its  time;  but  it  is  frequently  awaked  by  the 
calls  of  appetite,  which  when  it  has  satisfied, 
it  goes  to  rest  again.  Its  whole  life  is  thus  a 
round  of  sleep  and  gluttony;  and  if  supplied 
with  sufficient  food,  it  soon  grows  unfit  even 
for  its  own  existence;  its  flesh  becomes  a  grea- 
ter load  than  its  legs  are  able  to  support,  and 
it  continues  to  feed  lying  down,  or  kneeling, 

»  British  Zoology,  vol.  i.  p.  42.         b  Buflbn. 


an  helpless  instance  of  indulged  sensuality. 
The  only  time  it  seems  to  have  passions  of  a 
more  active  nature,  are,  when  it  is  incited  by 
venery,  or  when  the  wind  blows  with  any  ve- 
hemence. Upon  this  occasion,  it  is  so  agita- 
ted as  to  run  violently  towards  its  sty,  scream- 
ing horribly  at  the  same  time,  which  seems 
to  argue  that  it  is  naturally  fond  of  a  warm 
climate.  It  appears  also  to  foresee  the  ap- 
proach of  bad  weather,  bringing  straw  to  its 
sty  in  its  mouth,  preparing  a  bed,  and  hiding 
itself  from  the  impending  storm.  Nor  is  it 
less  agitated  when  it  hears  any  of  its  kind  in 
distress :  when  a  hog  is  caught  in  a  gate,  as 
is  often  the  case,  or  when  it  suffers  any  of  the 
usual  domestic  operations  of  ringing  or  spay- 
ing, all  the  rest  are  then  seen  to  gather  round 
it,  to  lend  their  fruitless  assistance,  and  to  sym- 
pathize with  its  sufferings.  They  have  often 
also  been  known  to  gather  round  a  dog  that 
had  teazed  them,  and  kill  him  upon  the  spot. 

Most  of  the  diseases  of  this  animal  arise 
from  intemperance;  measles,  imposthumes, 
and  scrofulous  swellings,  are  reckoned  among 
the  number.  It  is  thought  by  some  that  they 
wallow  in  the  mire  to  destroy  a  sort  of  louse, 
or  insect,  that  is  often  found  to  infest  them ; 
however,  they  are  generally  known  to  live, 
when  so  permitted,  to  eighteen  or  twenty  years; 
and  the  females  produce  till  the  age  of  fifteen. 
As  they  produce  from  ten  to  twenty  young  at 
a  litter,  and  that  twice  a  year,  we  may  easily 
compute  how  numerous  they  would  shortly 
become,  if  not  diminished  by  human  industry. 
In  the  wild  state  they  are  less  prolific;  and 
the  sow  of  the  woods  brings  forth  but  once  a 
year,  probably  because  exhausted  by  rearing 
up  her  former  numerous  progeny. 

It  would  be  superfluoustodwell  longer  upon 
the  nature  and  qualities  of  an  animal  too  well 
known  to  need  a  description:  there  are  few, 
even  in  cities,  who  are  unacquainted  with  its 
uses,  its  appetites,  and  way  of  living.  The 
arts  of  fattening,  rearing,  guarding,  and  ma- 
naging hogs,  fall  more  properly  under  the  cog- 
nizance of  the  farmer  than  the  naturalist;  they 
make  a  branch  of  domestic  economy,  which% 
properly  treated,  may  be  extended  to  a  great 
length ;  but  the  history  of  nature  ought  al- 
ways to  end  where  that  of  art  begins.  It  will 
be  sufficient,  therefore,  to  observe,  that  the 
wild  boar  was  formerly  a  native  of  our  coun>- 


282 


ANIMALS  OF 


try,  as  appears  from  the  laws  of  Hoeldda,'  the 
famous  Welch  legislator,  who  permitted  his 
grand  huntsman  to  chase  that  animal  from  the 
middle  of  November  to  the  beginning  of  De- 
cember. William  the  Conqueror  also  punish- 
ed such  as  were  convicted  of  killing  the  wild 
boar  in  his  forests,  with  the  loss  of  their  eyes. 
At  present,  the  whole  wild  breed  is  extinct; 
but  no  country  makes  greater  use  of  the  tame 
kinds,  as  their  flesh,  which  bears  salt  better 
than  that  of  any  other  animal,  makes  a  prin- 
cipal part  of  the  provisions  of  the  British  navy. 

As  this  animal  is  a  native  of  almost  every 
country,  there  are  some  varieties  found  in  the 
species.  That  which  we  call  the  East  India 
breed,  is  lower,  less  furnished  with  hair,  is 
usually  black,  and  has  the  belly  almost  touch- 
ing the  ground ;  it  is  now  common  in  England ; 
it  fattens  more  easily  than  the  ordinary  kinds, 
and  makes  better  bacon. 

There  is  a  remarkable  variety  of  this  ani- 
mal about  Upsal,b  which  is  single-hoofed, 
like  the  horse ;  but  in  no  other  respect  dif- 
fering from  the  common  kinds.  The  autho- 
rity of  Aristotle,  who  first  made  mention  of 
this  kind,  has  been  often  called  into  question ; 
some  have  asserted,  that  such  a  quadruped 
never  existed,  because  it  happened  not  to 
fall  within  the  sphere  of  their  own  confined 
observation ;  however,  at  present,  the  animal 
is  too  well  known  to  admit  of  any  doubt  con- 
cerning it.  The  hog  common  in  Guinea  dif- 
fers also  in  some  things  from  our  own ;  though 


sh  a  ped  exactly  as  ours,  it  is  of  a  reddish  colour, 
wiih  long  ears,  which  end  in  a  sharp  point, 
and  a  tail  which  hangs  down  to  the  pastern; 
the  whole  body  is  covered  with  short  red 
shining  hair,  without  any  bristles,  but  pretty 
long  near  the  tail.  Their  flesh  is  said  to  be 
excellent,  and  they  are  very  tame. 

All  these,  from  their  near  resemblance  to 
the  hog,  may  be  considered  as  of  the  same 
species;  the  East  Indian  hog,  we  well  know, 
breeds  with  the  common  kind;  whether  the 
same  obtains  between  it,  and  those  of  Upsal 
and  Guinea,  we  cannot  directly  affirm;  but 
where  the  external  similitude  is  so  strong,  we 
may  be  induced  to  believe  that  the  appetites 
and  habits  are  the  same.  It  is  true,  we  are 
told,  that  the  Guinea  breed  will  not  mix  with 
ours,  but  keep  separate,  and  herd  only  toge- 
ther :  however,  this  is  no  proof  of  their  diver- 
sity, since  every  animal  will  prefer  its  own 
likeness  in  its  mate ;  arid  they  will  then  only 
mix  with  another  sort,  when  deprived  of  the 
society  of  their  own.  These,  therefore,  we 
may  consider  as  all  of  the  hog  kind ;  but 
there  are  other  quadrupeds,  that,  in  general, 
resemble  this  species,  which,  nevertheless, 
are  very  distinct  from  them.  Travellers,  in- 
deed, from  their  general  form,  or  from  their 
habits  and  way  of  living,  have  been  content 
to  call  these  creatures  hogs  also ;  but  upon 
a  closer  inspection,  their  differences  are  found 
to  be  such  as  entirely  to  separate  the  kinds, 
and  make  each  a  distinct  animal  by  itself. 


CHAPTER  XLVI1. 

THE  PECCARY,  OR  TAJACU. 


THAT  animal  which  of  all  others  most  re- 
sembles the  hog,  and  yet  is  of  a  formation  very 
distinct  from  it,  is  called  the  peccary,  or  tajacu. 
It  is  a  native  of  America,  and  found  there,  in 
such  numbers,  that  they  are  seen  in  herds  of 
several  hundreds  together,  grazing  among  the 
woods,  and  inoffensive,  except  when  offended. 

The  peccary,  at  first  view,  resembles  a 
small  hog ;  the  form  of  its  body,  the  shape  of 

»  British  Zoology,  vol.  i.  p.  44. 


its  head,  the  length  of  its  snout,  and  the  form 
of  its  legs,  are  entirely  alike :  however,  when 
we  come  to  examine  it  nearer,  the  differences 
begin  to  appear.  The  body  is  not  so  bulky; 
its  legs  not  so  long;  its  bristles  much  thicker 
and  stronger  than  those  of  the  hog,  resem- 
bling rather  the  quills  of  a  porcupine,  than 
hair ;  instead  of  a  tail,  it  has  only  a  little  fleshy 
protuberance,  which  does  not  even  cover  its 

b  Amsenit.  Acad.  vol.  v.  p.  465. 


THE  HOG  KIND. 


283 


posteriors ;  but  that  which  is  still  more  extra- 
ordinary, and  in  which  it  differs  from  all  other 
quadrupeds  whatsoever,is,that  it  has  got  upon 
its  back  a  lump,  resembling  the  navel  in  other 
animals,  which  is  found  to  separate  a  liquor 
of  a  very  strong  smell.     The  peccary  is  the 
only  creature  that  has  those  kinds  of  glands 
which  discharge  the  musky  substance  on  that 
part  of  its  body.     Some  have  them  under  the 
belly,  and  otheVs  under  the  tail ;  but  this  crea- 
ture, by  a  conformation  peculiar  to  itself,  has 
them  on  its  back.     This  lump,  or  navel,  is 
situated  on  that  part  of  the  back  which  is  over 
the  hinder  legs ;  it  is,  in  general,  so  covered 
with  long  bristles,  that  it  cannot  be  seen,  ex- 
cept they  be  drawn  aside.     A  small  space 
then  appears,  that  is  almost  bare,  and  only  be- 
set with  a  few  short  fine  hairs.     In  the  mid- 
dle it  rises  like  a  lump ;  and  in  this  there  is 
an  orifice,  into  which  one  may  thrust  a  com- 
mon goose  quill.     This  hole  or  bag  is  not 
above  an  inch  in  depth ;  and  round  it,  under 
the  skin,  are  situated  a  number  of  small  glands, 
which  distil  a  whitish  liquor,  in  colour  and 
substance  resembling  that  obtained  from  the 
civet  animal.     Perhaps  it  was  this  analogy, 
that  led  Dr.  Tyson  to  say,  that  it  smelt  agree- 
ably also,  like  that  perfume.    But  this  Mr.  Buf- 
fon  absolutely  denies;  affirming,  that  the  smell 
is  at  every  time,  and  in  every  proportion,strong 
and  offensive,  and  to  this  I  can  add  my  own 
testimony,  if  that  able  naturalist  should  want 
a  voucher. 

But,  to  be  more  particular  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  other  parts  of  this  quadruped ;  the 
colour  of  the  body  is  grizly,  and  beset  with 
bristles,  thicker  and  stronger  than  those  of  a 
common  hog;  though  not  near  so  thick  as  those 
of  a  porcupine,  they  resemble,  in  this  respect, 
that  they  are  variegated  with  black  and  white 
rings.  The  belly  is  almost  bare;  and  the  short 
bristles  on  the  sides,  gradually  increase  in 
length,  as  they  approach  the  ridge  of  the  back, 
where  some  are  five  inches  long.    On  the  head 
also  between  the  ears,  there  is  a  large  tuft  of 
bristles  that  are  chiefly  black.     The  ears  are 
about  two  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  stand 
upright;  and  the  eyes  resemble  those  of  a  com- 
mon hog.  only  they  are  smaller.     From  the 
lower  corner  of  the  eye  to  the  snout,  is  usu- 
ally six^nches ;  and  the  snout  itself  is  like  that 
'of  a  hog's,  though  it  is  but  small.    One  side 

NO.  25  &  26. 


of  the  lower  lip  is  generally  smooth,  by  the 
rubbing  of  the  tusk  of  the  upper  jaw.  The 
feet  and  hoofs  are  perfectly  like  those  of  a 
common  hog;  but,  as  was  already  observed, 
it  has  no  tail.  There  are  some  anatomical 
differences  in  its  internal  structure  from  that 
of  the  common  hog.  Dr.  Tyson  was  led  to 
suppose,  that  it  had  three  stomachs ;  where- 
as the  hog  has  but  one  :  however,  in  this  he 
was  deceived,  as  Mr.  Daubenton  has  plainly 
shown,  that  the  stomach  is  only  divided  by 
two  closings,  which  gives  it  the  appearance 
as  if  divided  into  three ;  and  there  is  no  con- 
formation that  prevents  the  food  in  any  part 
of  it,  from  going  or  returning  to  any  other. 

The  peccary  may  be  tamed  like  the  hog, 
and  has  pretty  nearly  the  same  habits  and  na- 
tural inclinations.  It  feeds  upon  the  same 
aliments ;  its  flesh,  though  drier  and  leaner 
than  that  of  the  hog,  is  pretty  good  eating ; 
it  is  improved  by  castration ;  and,  when  kill- 
ed, not  only  the  parts  of  generation  must  be 
taken  instantly  away,  but  also  the  navel  on 
the  back,  with  all  the  glands  that  contribute 
to  its  supply.  If  this  operation  be  deferred 
for  only  half  an  hour,  tne  flesh  becomes  ut- 
terly unfit  to  be  eaten. 

The  peccary  is  extremely  numerous  in  all 
the  parts  of  Southern  America.     They  go  in 
herds  of  two  or  three  hundred  together;  and 
unite,    like  hogs,    in  each   other's   defence. 
They  are  particularly  fierce  when  their  young 
are  attempted  to  be  taken  from  them.     They 
surround  the  plunderer,  attack  him  without 
fear,  and  frequently  make  his  life  pay  the  for- 
feit of  his  rashness.     When  any  of  the  natives 
are  pursued  by  a  herd  in  this  manner,  they 
frequently  climb  a  tree  to  avoid  them  t  while 
the  peccaries  gather  round  the  root,  threat- 
en with  their  tusks,  and  their  rough  bristles 
standing  erect,  as  in  the  hog  kind,  they  as- 
sume a  very  terrible  appearance.  In  this  man- 
ner they  remain  at  the  foot  of  the  tree  for 
hours  together;  while  the  hurrter  is  obliged 
to  wait  patiently,  and  not  without  apprehen- 
sions, until  they  think  fit  to  retire. 

The  peccary  is  rather  fond  of  the  moun- 
tainous parts  of  the  country,  than  the  low- 
lands; itseemsto  delight  neither  in  the  marsh- 
es nor  the  mud,  like  our  hogs;  it  keeps  among 
the  woods,  where  it  subsists  upon  wild  fruits, 
roots,  and  vegetables ;  it  is  also  an  unceasing 

224 


284 


ANIMALS  OF 


enemy  to  the  lizard,  the  toad,  and  all  the  ser- 
pent kinds,  with  which  these  uncultivated  fo- 
rests abound.  As  soon  as  it  perceives  a  ser- 
pent, or  a  viper,  it  at  once  seizes  it  with  its 
fore  hoofs  and  teeth,  skins  it  in  an  instant, 
and  devours  the  flesh.  This  is  often  seen,  and 
may,  therefore,  be  readily  credited  :  but  as  to 
its  applying  to  a  proper  vegetable  immediate- 
ly after,  as  an  antidote  to  the  poison  of  the  ani- 
mal it  had  devoured,  this  part  of  the  relation 
we  may  very  well  suspect.  The  flesh,  nei- 
ther of  the  toad  nor  viper,  as  every  one  knows, 
are  poisonous;  and,  therefore,  there  is  no 
need  of  a  remedy  against  their  venom.  Ray 
gives  no  credit  to  either  part  of  the  actount : 
however,  we  can  have  no  reason  to  disbelieve 
that  it  feeds  upon  toads  and  serpents ;  it  is 
only  the  in  iking  use  of  a  vegetable  antidote 
that  appears  improbable,  and  which  perhaps 
had  its  rise  in  the  ignorance  and  credulity  of 
the  natives. 

The  peccary,  like  the  hog,  is  very  prolific; 
the  young  ones  follow  the  dam,  and  do  not 
separate  till  they  have  come  to  perfection. 
If  taken  at  first,  they  are  very  easily  tamed, 
and  soon  lose  all  their  natural  ferocity ;  how- 
ever, they  never  show  any  remarkable  signs 
of  docility,  but  continue  stupid  and  rude, 
without  attachment,  or  even  seeming  to  know 
the  hand  that  feeds  them.  They  only  continue 
to  do  no  mischief;  and  they  may  be  permitted 
to  run  tame  without  apprehending  any  dan- 


gerous consequences.  They  seldom  stray 
far  from  home ;  they  return  of  themselves  to 
the  sty ;  and  do  not  quarrel  among  each  other, 
except  when  they  happen  to  be  fed  in  com- 
mon. At  such  times,  they  have  an  angry  kind 
of  growl,  much  stronger  and  harsher  than  that 
of  a  hog ;  but  they  are  seldom  heard  to  scream 
as  the  former;  only  now  and  then,  when  fright- 
ed, or  irritated,  they  have  an  abrupt  angrj 
manner  of  blowing  like  the  boar. 

The  peccary,  though  like  the  hog  in  so 
many  various  respects,  is,  nevertheless,  a  very 
distinct  race,  and  will  not  mrx,  nor  produce 
an  intermediate  breed.  The  European  hog 
has  been  transplanted  into  America,  arid  sui- 
fered  to  run  wild  among  the  woods ;  it  is  often 
seen  to  herd  among  a  drove  of  peccaries,  but 
never  to  breed  from  them.  They  may,  there- 
fore, be  considered  as  two  distinct  creatures; 
the  hog  is  the  larger  and  the  more  useful  ani- 
mal ;  the  peccary,  more  feeble  and  local ;  the 
hog  subsists  in  most  parts  of  the  world,  and  in 
almost  every  climate ;  the  peccary  is  a  native 
of  the  warmer  regions,  and  cannot  subsist  in 
ours,  without  shelter  and  assistance.  It  is 
more  than  probable,  however,  that  we  could 
readily  propagate  the  breed  of  thisquadruped; 
and  that,  in  two  or  three  generations,  it  might 
be  familiarized  to  our  climate:  but  as  it  is 
inferior  to  the  hog  in  every  respect,  so  it 
would  be  needless  to  admit  a  new  domestic, 
whose  services  are  better  supplied  in  the  old. 


CHAPTER  XLVHI. 

THE  CAPIBARA,  OR  CABIAI. 


THERE  are  some  quadrupeds  so  entirely 
different  from  any  that  we  are  acquainted  with, 
that  it  is  hard  to  find  a  well  known  animal  to 
which  to  resemble  them.  In  this  case,  we 
must  be  content  to  place  them  near  such  as 
they  most  approach  in  form  and  habits,  so 
that  the  reader  may  at  once  have  some  idea 
of  the  creature's  shape  or  disposition,  although, 
perhaps,  an  inadequate  and  a  very  confused 
one. 

Upon  that  confused  idea,  however,  it  will 


be  our  business  to  work ;  to  bring  it,  by  de- 
grees, to  greater  precision ;  to  mark  out  the 
differences  of  form,  and  thus  give  the  clear- 
est notions  that  words  can  easily  convey. 
The  known  animal  is  a  kind  of  rude  sketch  of 
the  figure  we  want  to  exhibit ;  from  which, 
by  degrees,  we  fashion  out  the  shape  of  the 
creature  we  desire  should  be  known;  as  a 
statuary  seldom  begins  his  work,  till  the  rude 
outline  of  the  figure  is  given  by  some  other 
hand.  In  this  manner,  I  have  placed  the  ca  . 


THE  HOG  KIND. 


285 


pibara  among  the  hog  kind,  merely  because 
it  is  more  like  a  hog  than  any  other  animal 
commonly  known,  arid  yet,  more  closely  ex- 
amined, it  will  be  found  to  differ  in  some  of 
the  most  obvious  particulars. 

The  capibara  resembles  a  hog  of  about  two 
years  old,  in  the  shape  of  its  body,  and  the 
coarseness  and  colour  of  its  hair.  Like  the 
hog,  it  has  a  thick  short  neck,  and  a  rounded 
bristly  back ;  like  the  hog,  it  is  fond  of  the 
water  and  marshy  places,  brings  forth  many 
at  a  time,  and,  like  it,  feeds  upon  animal  and 
vegetable  food.  But,  when  examined  more 
nearly,  the  differences  are  many  and  obvious. 
The  head  is  longer,  the  eyes  are  larger,  and 
the  snout,  instead  of  being  rounded,  as  in  the 
hog,  is  split  like  that  of  a  rabbit  or  a  hare, 
and  furnished  with  thick  strong  whiskers;  the 
mouth  is  not  so  wide,  the  number  and  the 
form  of  the  teeth  are  different,  for  it  is  without 
tusks:  like  the  peccary  it  wants  a  tail;  and, 
unlike  to  all  others  of  this  kind,  instead  of  a 
cloven  hoof,  it  is  in  a  manner  web-footed,  and 
thus  entirely  fitted  for  swimming,  and  living 
in  the  water.  The  hoofs  before  are  divided 
into  four  parts;  and  those  behind  into  three; 
between  the  divisions,  there  is  a  prolongation 
of  the  skin,  so  that  the  foot,  when  spread  in 
swimming,  can  beat  a  greater  surface  of  water. 

As  its  feet  are  thus  made  for  the  water,  so 
it  is  seen  to  delight  entirely  in  that  element ; 


and  some  naturalists  have  called  it  the  water- 
hag  for  that  reason.  It  is  a  native  of  South 
America,  and  is  chiefly  seen  frequenting  the 
borders  of  lakes  and  rivers,  like  the  otter. 
It  seizes  the  fish  upon  which  it  preys,  with 
its  hoofs  and  teeth,  and  carries  them  to  the 
edge  of  the  lake,  to  devour  them  at  its  ease. 
It  lives  also  upon  fruits,  corn,  and  sugar-canes. 
As  its  feet  are  long  and  broad,  it  is  often  seen 
sitting  up  like  a  dog  that  is  taught  to  beg. 
Its  cry  more  nearly  resembles  the  braying  of 
an  ass,  than  the  grunting  of  a  hog.  It  seldom 
goes  out,  except  at  night,  and  that  always  in 
company.  It  never  ventures  far  from  thesides 
of  the  river  or  the  lake  in  which  it  preys ;  for 
as  it  runs  ill,  because  of  the  length  of  its  feet, 
and  the  shortness  of  its  legs,  so  its  only  place 
of  safety  is  the  water,  into  which  it  immediate- 
ly plunges  when  pursued,  and  keeps  so  long 
at  the  bottom,  that  the  hunter  can  have  no 
hopes  of  taking  it  there.  The  Capibara,  even 
in  a  state  of  wildness,  is  of  a  gentle  nature, 
and,  when  taken  young,  is  easily  tamed.  It 
comes  and  goes  at  command,  and  even  shows 
an  attachment  to  its  keeper.  Its  flesh  is  said 
to  be  fat  and  tender,  but,  from  the  nature  of 
its  food,  it  has  a  fishy  taste,  like  that  of  all 
those  which  are  bred  in  the  water.  Its  head, 
however,  is  said  to  be  excellent;  and  in  this 
it  resembles  the  beaver,  whose  fore-parts  taste 
like  flesh,  and  the  hinder  like  the  fish  it  feeds  on. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

THE  BABYROUESSA,  OR  INDIAN  HOG. 


THE  Babyrouessa  is  still  more  remote 
from  the  hog  kind  than  the  capibara;  and  yet 
most  travellers  who  have  described  this  ani- 
mal, do  not  scruple  to  call  it  the  hog  of  Bor- 
neo, which  is  an  island  in  the  East  Indies, 
where  it  is  principally  to  be  found.  Proba- 
bly this  animal's  figure  upon  the  whole  most 
resembles  that  of  the  hog  kind,  and  may  have 
induced  them  to  rank  it  among  the  number : 
however,  when  they  come  to  its  description, 
they  represent  it  as  having  neither  the  hair, 
the  bristles,  the  head,  the  stature,  nor  the 


tail  of  a  hog.  Its  legs,  we  are  told,  are  lon- 
ger, its  snout  shorter,  its  body  more  slender, 
and  somewhat  resembling  that  of  a  stag ;  its 
hair  is  finer,  of  a  gray  colour,  rather  resem- 
bling wool  than  bristles,  and  its  tail  also  tuft- 
ed with  the  same.  From  these  varieties,  there- 
fore, it  can  scarcely  be  called  a  hog;  and, 
yet,  in  this  class  we  must  be  content  to  rank 
it,  until  its  form  and  nature  come  to  be  better 
known.  What  we  at  present  principally  dis- 
tinguish it  by,  are  four  enormous  tusks,  that 
grow  out  of  each  jaw ;  the  two  largest  from 
2Z» 


286 


ANIMALS  OF 


the  upper,  and  the  two  smallest  from  the  un- 
der. The  jaw-bones  of  this  extraordinary  ani- 
mal are  found  to  be  very  thick  and  strong ; 
from  whence  these  monstrous  tusks  are  seen 
to  proceed,  that  distinguish  it  from  all  other 
quadrupeds  whatsoever.  The  two  that  go 
from  the  lower  jaw  are  not  above  a  foot  long, 
but  those  of  the  upper  are  above  half  a  yard : 
as  in  the  boar,  they  bend  circularly,  and  the 
two  lower  stand  in  the  jaw  as  they  are  seen 
to  do  in  that  animal ;  but  the  two  upper  rise 
from  the  upper  jaw,  rather  li  ke  horns  than  teeth; 
and,  bending  upwards  and  backwards,  some- 
times have  their  points  directed  to  the  ani- 
mal's eyes,  and  are  often  fatal  by  growing  into 
them.  Were  it  not  that  the  baby rouessa  has 
two  such  large  teeth  underneath,  we  might 
easily  suppose  the  two  upper  to  be  horns;  and, 
in  fact,  their  sockets  are  directed  upwards ; 
for  which  reason,  Dr.  Grew  was  of  that  opi- 
nion. But  as  the  teeth  of  both  jaws  are  of 
fhe  same  consistence,  and  as  they  both  grow 
out  of  sockets  in  the  same  manner,  the  ana- 
logy between  both  is  too  strong  not  to  sup- 
pose them  of  the  same  nature.  The  upper 
teeth,  when  they  leave  the  socket,  immediate- 
ly pierce  the  upper  lips  of  the  animal,  and 
grow  as  if  they  immediately  went  from  its 
cheek.  The  tusks  in  both  jaws  are  of  a  very 
fine  ivory,  smoother  and  whiter  than  that  of 
the  elephant,  but  not  so  hard  or  serviceable. 
These  enormous  tusks  give  this  animal  a 
very  formidable  appearance;  and  yet  it  is 
thought  to  be  much  less  dangerous  than  the 
wild  boar."  Like  animals  of  the  hog  kind, 
they  go  together  in  a  body,  and  are  often  seen 
in  company  with  the  wild  boar,  with  which, 
however,  they  are  never  known  to  engender. 
They  have  a  very  strong  scent,  which  disco- 
vers them  to  the  hounds ;  and,  when  pursued, 
they  growl  dreadfully,  often  turning  back  upon 
the  dogs,  and  wounding  them  with  the  tusks 
of  the  lower  jaw,  for  those  of  the  upper  are 
rather  an  obstruction  than  a  defence.  They 
run  much  swifter  than  the  boar,  and  have  a 
more  exquisite  scent,  winding  the  men  and  the 
dogs  at  a  great  distance.  When  hunted  close- 
ly, they  generally  plunge  themselves  into  the 
sea,  where  they  swim  with  great  swiftness  and 
facility,  diving,  and  rising  again  at  pleasure ; 

•  Buffon,  vol.  xxv.  p.  179. 


and  in  this  manner  they  most  frequently  es- 
cape their  pursuers.  Although  tierce  and 
terrible  when  offended, yet  they  are  peaceable 
and  harmless  when  unmolested.  They  are 
easily  tamed,  and  their  flesh  is  good  to  be 
eaten  ;  but  it  is  said  to  putrefy  in  a  very  short 
time.  They  have  a  way  of  reposing  them- 
selves different  from  most  other  animals  of  the 
larger  kind ;  which  is  by  hitching  one  of  their 
upper  tusks  on  the  branch  of  a  tree,  and  then 
suffering  their  whole  body  to  swing  down  at 
ease.  Thus  suspended  from  a  tooth,  they 
continue  the  whole  night  quite  secure,  and 
out  of  the  reach  of  such  animals  as  hunt  them 
for  prey. 

The  babyrouessa,  though  by  its  teeth  and 
tusks  it  seems  fitted  for  a  state  of  hostility, 
and  probably  is  carnivorous,  yet,  neverthe- 
less, seems  chiefly  to  live  upon  vegetables  and 
the  leaves  of  trees.  It  seldom  seeks  to  break 
into  gardens,  like  the  boar,  in  order  to  pillage 
the  more  succulent  productions  of  human  in- 
dustry, but  lives  remote  from  mankind,  con- 
tent with  coarser  fare  and  security.  It  has 
been  said,  that  it  was  only  to  be  found  in  the 
island  of  Borneo,  but  this  is  a  mistake,  as  it 
is  well  known  in  many  other  parts  both  of  Asia 
and  Africa,  as  at  the  Celebes,  Estrila,  Sene- 
gal, and  Madagascar.1" 

Such  are  the  animals  of  the  hog  kind,  which 
are  not  distinctly  known ;  and  even  all  these, 
as  we  see,  have  been  but  imperfectly  examined 
or  described.  There  are  some  others  of 
which  we  have  still  more  imperfect  notices ; 
such  as  the  waree,  a  hog  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Darien,  described  by  Wafer,  with  large  tusks, 
small  ears,  and  bristles  like  a  coarse  fur  over 
all  the  body.  This,  however,  may  be  the  Eu- 
ropean hog,  which  has  run  wild  in  that  part 
of  the  new  world,  as  no  other  traveller  has 
taken  notice  of  the  same.  The  Canary  boar 
seems  different  from  other  animals  of  this  kind, 
by  the  largeness  of  its  tusks;  and,  as  is  judg- 
ed from  the  skeleton,  by  the  aperture  of  its 
nostrils,  and  the  number  of  its  grinders.  I 
cannot  conclude  this  account  of  those  animals 
that  are  thus  furnished  with  enormous  tusks, 
without  observing  that  there  is  a  strong  con- 
sent between  these  and  the  parts  of  genera- 
tion. When  castrated,  it  is  well  known  that 

b  Anderson's  Natural  History  of  Greenland. 


THE  HOG  KIND. 


287 


the  tusks  grow  much  smaller,  and  are  scarce 
seen  to  appear  without  the  lips  ;  but  what  is 
still  more  remarkable,  is,  that  in  a  boar,  if  the 
tusks  by  any  accident  or  design  be  broke  away, 
the  animal  abates  of  its  fierceness  and  vencry, 


and  it  produces  nearly  the  same  effect  upon  its 
constitution,  as  if  castration  had  actually  taken 
place.' 

»  Lisle's  Husbandry,  vol.  ii.  p.  329- 


288 


ANIMALS  OF 


I 


CARNIVOROUS  AlfflMAXS. 

CHAPTER    L. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  CAT  KIND. 


WE  have  hitherto  been  describing  a  class  of 
peaceful  and  harmless  animals,  that  serve  as 
the  instruments  of  man's  happiness,  or,  at  least, 
that  does  not  openly  oppose  him.  We  come 
now  to  a  bloody  and  unrelenting  tribe,  that 
disdain  to  own  his  power,  and  carry  on  unceas- 
ing hostilities  against  him.  All  the  class  of  the 
cat  kind  are  chiefly  distinguished  by  their  sharp 
and  formidable  claws,  which  they  can  hide  and 
extend  at  pleasure.  They  lead  a  solitary,  ra- 
venous life,  neither  uniting  for  their  mutual 
defence,  like  vegetable  feeders,  nor  for  their 
mutual  support,  like  those  of  the  dog  kind. 
The  whole  of  this  cruel  and  ferocious  tribe  seek 
their  food  alone;  and,  except  at  certain  sea- 
sons, are  even  enemies  to  each  other.  The 
dog,  the  wolf,  and  the  bear,  are  sometimes 
known  to  live  upon  vegetables  or  farinaceous 
food  ;  but  all  of  the  cat  kind,  such  as  the  lion, 
the  tiger,  the  leopard,  and  the  ounce,  devour 
nothing  but  flesh,  and  starve  upon  any  other 
provision. 

They  are,  in  general,  fierce,  rapacious,  sub- 
tle, and  cruel,  unfit  for  society  among  each 
other,  and  incapable  of  adding  to  human  hap- 
piness. However,  it  is  probable  that  even  the 
fiercest  could  be  rendered  domestic,  if  man 
thought  the  conquest  worth  tne  trouble.  Lions 
have  been  yoked  to  the  chariots  of  conquerors, 
and  tigers  have  been  taught  to  tend  those  herds 
which  they  are  known  at  present  to  destroy  ; 
but  these  services  are  not  sufficient  to  recom- 
pense for  the  trouble  of  their  keeping ;  so  that 
ceasing  to  be  useful,  they  continue  to  be  nox- 
ious, and  become  rebellious  subjects  because 
not  taken  under  equal  protection  with  the  rest 
of  the  brute  creation. 

Other  tribes  of  animals  are  classed  with  dif- 
ficulty ;  having  often  but  few  points  of  resem- 
blance ;  and,  though  alike  in  form,  have  dif- 
ferent dispositions,  and  different  appetites.  But 


all  those  of  the  cat  kind,  although  differing  in 
size,  or  in  colour,  are  yet  nearly  allied  to  each 
other ;  being  equally  fierce,  rapacious,  and 
artful ;  and  he  that  has  seen  one  has  seen  all. 
In  other  creatures  there  are  many  changes 
wrought  by  human  assiduity ;  the  dog,  the  hog, 
or  the  sheep,  are  altered  in  their  natures  and 
forms,  just  as  the  necessities  or  the  caprice  of 
mankind  have  found  fitting ;  but  all  of  this  kind 
are  inflexible  in  their  forms,  and  wear  the 
print  of  their  natural  wildness  strong  upon 
them.  The  dogs  or  cows  vary  in  different 
countries,  but  lions  or  tigers  are  still  found  the 
same ;  the  very  colour  is  nearly  alike  in  all ; 
and  the  slightest  alterations  are  sufficient  to 
make  a  difference  in  the  kinds,  and  to  give  the 
animal  a  different  denomination. 

The  cat  kind  are  not  less  remarkable  for  the 
sharpness  and  strength  of  their  claws,  which 
thrust  forth  from  their  sheath  when  they  seize 
their  prey,  than  for  the  shortness  of  their  snout, 
the  roundness  of  their  head,  and  the  large  whis- 
kers which  grow  on  the  upper  lip.  Their 
teeth  also,  which  amount  to  the  numberof  thir- 
ty, are  very  formidable,  but  rather  calculated 
for  tearing  their  prey  than  for  chewing  if  for 
this  reason  they  feed  but  slowly :  and  while 
they  eat,  generally  continue  growling,  to  deter 
others  from  taking  a  share.  In  the  dog  kind, 
the  chief  power  lies  in  the  under  jaw,  which  is 
long,  and  furnished  with  muscles  of  amazing 
strength ;  but  in  these  the  greatest  force  lies  in 
the  claws,  which  are  extended  w  ith  great  ease, 
and  their  gripe  is  so  tenacious  that  nothing  can 
open  it.  The  hinder  parts  in  all  these  animals 
are  much  weaker  than  those  before  ;  and  they 
seem  less  made  for  strength  than  agility.  Nor 
are  they  endued  with  the  swiftness  of  most 
other  animals ;  but  generally  owe  their  subsis- 
tence rather  to  catching  their  prey  by  surprise 
than  by  hunting  it  fairly  down.  They  all  seize 


THE  CAT  KIND. 


289 


it  with  a  bound,  at  the  same  time  expressing 
th-ir  fierce  pleasure  with  a  roar  ;  and  the  first 
grasp  generally  disables  the  captive  from  all 
further  resist  mce.  With  all  these  qualifica- 
tions for  slaughter,  they  nevertheless  seem 
timid  and  cowardly,  arid  seldom  make  an  at- 
tack, like  those  of  the  dog  kind,  at  a  disadvan- 
tage :  on  the  contrary,  they  fly  when  the  force 
against  them  is  superior,  or  even  equal  to  their 
own  ;  and  the  lion  himself  will  not  venture  to 
make  a  second  attempt,  where  he  has  been 
once  repulsed  with  success.  For  this  reason, 
in  countries  that  are  tolerably  inhabited,  the 
lion  is  so  co  vardly,  that  he  is  often  scared  away 
by  the  cries  of  women  and  children. 

The  cat,  which  is  the  smallest  animal  of  this 
kind,  is  the  only  one  that  has  been  taken  under 
human  protection,  and  may  be  considered  as 
a  faithless  friend,  brought  to  oppose  a  still  more 
insidious  enemy.a  It  is,  in  fact,  the  only  ani- 
mal of  this  tribe  whose  services  can  more  than 
recompense  the  trouble  of  their  education,  and 
whose  strength  is  not  sufficient  to  make  its  an- 
ger formidable.  The  lion,  or  the  tiger,  may 
easily  be  tamed,  and  rendered  subservient  to 
human  command  ;  but  even  in  their  humblest, 
and  most  familiar  moments,  they  are  still  dan- 
gerous ;  since  their  strength  is  such  that  the 
smallest  fit  of  anger  or  caprice  may  have  dread- 
ful consequences.  But  the  cat,  though  easily 
offended,  and  often  capricious  in  her  resent- 
ments, is  not  endowed  with  powers  sufficient 
to  do  any  great  mischief.  Of  all  animals, 
when  young,  there  is  none  more  prettily  play- 
ful than  the  kitten ;  but  it  seems  to  lose  this 
disposition  as  it  grows  old,  and  the  innate 
treachery  of  its  kind  is  then  seen  to  prevail. 
From  being  naturally  ravenous,  education 
teaches  it  to  disguise  its  appetites,  and  to  watch 
the  favourable  moment  of  plunder  ;  supple,  in- 
sinuating, and  artful,  it  has  learned  the  arts  of 
concealing  its  intentions  till  it  can  put  them 
into  execution  ;  when  the  opportunity  offers, 
it  at  once  seizes  upon  whatever  it  finds,  flies 
off  with  it,,  and  continues  at  a  distance  till  it 
supposes  its  offence  forgotten.  The  cat  has 
only  the  appearance  of ,  attachment ;  and  it 
may  easily  be  perceived,  by  its  timid  approach- 
es, :md  side-long  looks,  that  it  either  dreads  its 
master,  or  distrusts  his  kindness ;  differed 

a  This  description  is  nearly  translated  from  Mr.  Buffon: 
wh:it  I  have  added  is  marked  with  inverted  commas. 


from  the  dog,  whose  caresses  are  sincere,  the 
cat  is  assiduous  ruther  for  its  own  pleasure, 
than  to  please ;  and  often  gains  confidence,  on- 
ly to  abuse  it.  The  form  of  its  body,  and  its 
temperament,  correspond  with  its  disposition  ; 
active,  cleanly,  delicate,  and  voluptuous,  it 
loves  its  ease,  and  seeks  the  softest  cushions  to 
lie  on.  "  Many  of  its  habits,  however,  are  ra- 
ther the  consequences  of  its  formation,  than 
the  result  of  any  perverseness  in  its  disposition ; 
it  is  timid  and  mistrustful,  because  its  body  is 
weak,  and  its  skin  tender ;  a  blow  hurts  it  in- 
finitely more  than  it  does  a  dog,  whose  hide  is 
thick,  and  body  muscular;  the  long  fur  in 
which  the  cat  is  clothed,  entirely  disguises  its 
shape,  which,  if  seen  naked,  is  long,  feeble, 
and  slender ;  it  is  not  to  be  wondered,  there- 
fore, that  it  appears  much  more  fearful  of  chas- 
tisement than  the  dog,  and  often  flies,  even 
when  no  correction  is  intended.  Being  also 
the  native  of  the  warmer  climates,  as  will  be 
shown  hereafter,  it  chooses  the  softest  bed  to 
lie  on,  which  is  always  the  warmest." 

The  cat  goes  with  young  fifty-six  days,  and 
seldom  brings  forth  above  five  or  six  at  a  time. 
The  female  usually  hides  the  place  of  her  re- 
treat from  the  male,  who  is  often  found  to  de- 
vour her  kittens.  She  feeds  them  for  some 
weeks  with  her  milk,  and  whatever  small  ani- 
mal she  can  take  by  surprise,  accustoming 
them  betimes  to  rapine.  Before  they  are  a 
year  old,  they  are  fit  to  engender ;  the  female 
seeks  the  male  with  cries ;  nor  is  their  copula- 
tion performed  without  great  pain,  from  the 
narrowness  of  the  passage  in  the  female.  They 
live  to  about  the  age  of  ten  years ;  and,  during 
that  period,  they  are  extremely  vivacious,  suf- 
fering to  be  worried  a  longtime  before  they  die. 

The  young  kittens  are  very  playful  and 
amusing;  but  their  sport  soon  turns  into  ma- 
lice, and  they,  from  the  beginning,  show  a  dis- 
position to  cruelty  ;  they  often  look  wistfully 
towards  the  cage,  sit  centinels  at  the  mouth  of 
a  mouse-hole,  and,  ina  short  time,  become  more 
expert  hunters,  than  if  they  had  received  the 
instruction  of  art.  Indeed,  their  disposition  is 
so  incapable  of  constraint,  that  all  instruction 
would  be  but  thrown  away.  It  is  true,  that 
we  are  told  of  the  Greek  monks  of  the  isle  of 
Cyprus,  teaching  cats  to  hunt  the  serpents 
with  which  the  island  is  infested  ;  but  this  may 
be  natural  to  the  animal  itself,  and  they  might 
have  fallen  upon  such  a  pursuit  without  any 


290 


ANIMALS  OF 


instruction.  Whatever  animal  is  much  weak- 
er than  themselves,  is  to  them  an  indiscrimi- 
nate object  of  destruction.  Birds,  young  rab- 
bits, hares,  rats,  and  mice,  bats,  moles,  toads, 
and  frogs,  are  all  equally  pursued ;  though 
not,  perhaps,  equally  acceptable.  The  mouse 
seems  to  be  their  favourite  game ;  and,  al- 
though the  cat  has  the  sense  of  smelling  in 
but  a  mean  degree,  it,  nevertheless,  knows 
those  holes  in  which  its  prey  resides.  I  have 
seen  one  of  them  patiently  watch  a  whole  day 
until  the  mouse  appeared,  and  continue  quite 
motionless  until  it  came  within  reach,  and  then 
seized  it  with  a  jump.  Of  all  the  marks  by 
which  the  cat  discovers  its  natural  malignity, 
that  of  playing  and  sporting  with  its  little  cap- 
tive, before  killing  it  outright,  is  the  most 
flagrant. 

The  fixed  inclination  which  they  discover 
for  this  peculiar  manner  of  pursuit,  arises  from 
the  conformation  of  their  eyes.  The  pupil 
in  man,  and  in  most  other  animals,  is  capable 
but  of  a  small  degree  of  contraction  and  dila- 
tation; it  enlarges  a  little  in  the  dark,  and  con- 
tracts when  the  light  pours  in  upon  it  in  too 
great  quantities.  In  the  eyes  of  cats,  how- 
ever, this  contraction  and  dilatation  of  the 
pupil,  is  so  considerable,  that  the  pupil,  which 
by  day-light  appears  narrow  and  small  like 
the  black  of  one's  nail,  by  night  expands  over 
the  whole  surface  of  the  eye- ball,  and,  as  every 
one  must  have  seen,  their  eyes  seem  on  iire. 
By  this  peculiar  conformation,  their  eyes  see 
better  in  darkness  than  light;  and  the  animal 
is  thus  better  adapted  for  spying  out  and  sur- 
prising its  prey. 

Although  the  cat  is  an  inhabitant  of  our 
houses,  yet  it  cannot  properly  be  called  a  de- 
pendent; although  perfectly  tame,  yet  it  ac- 
knowledges no  obedience ;  on  the  contrary, 
it  does  only  just  what  it  thinks  fit,  and  no  art 
can  control  any  of  its  inclinations.  In  gene- 
ral, it  is  but  half  tamed ;  and  has  its  attach- 
ments rather  to  the  place  in  which  it  resides, 
than  to  the  inhabitant.  If  the  inhabitant  quits 
the  house,  the  cat  still  remains ;  and  if  car- 
ried elsewhere,  seems  for  a  while  bewildered 
with  its  new  situation.  It  must  take  time  to 
become  acquainted  with  the  holes  and  retreats 
in  which  its  prey  resides,  with  all  the  little 
labyrinths  through  which  they  often  make 
good  an  escape. 


The  cat  is  particularly  fearful  of  water,  of 
cold,  and  of  ill  smells.  It  loves  to  keep  in  the 
sun,  to  get  near  the  fire,  and  to  rub  itself 
against  those  who  carry  perfumes.  It  is  ex- 
cessively fond  of  some  plants,suchas  valerian, 
marum,  and  cat-mint :  against  these  it  rubs, 
smells  them  at  a  distance,  and,  at  last,  if  they 
be  planted  in  a  garden,  wears  them  out. 

This  animal  eats  slowly,  and  with  difficul- 
ty, as  its  teeth  are  rather  made  for  tearing, 
than  chewing  its  aliments.  For  this  reason, 
it  loves  the  most  tender  food,  particularly  fish, 
which  it  eats  as  well  boiled  as  raw.  Its  sleep- 
ing is  very  light ;  and  it  often  seems  to  sleep, 
the  better  to  deceive  its  prey.  When  the 
cat  walks,  it  treads  very  softly,  and  without 
the  least  noise ;  and  as  to  the  necessities  of 
nature,  it  is  cleanly  to  the  last  degree.  Its 
fur  also  is  usually  sleek  and  glossy;  and,  for 
this  reason,  the  hair  is  easily  electrified,  send- 
ing forth  shining  sparks,  if  rubbed  in  the  dark. 

"  The  wild  cat  breeds  with  the  tame;"  and, 
therefore,  the  latter  may  be  considered  only 
as  a  variety  of  the  former :  however,  they  dif- 
fer in  some  particulars ;  the  cat,  in  its  savage 
state,  is  somewhat  larger  than  the  house-cat ; 
and  its  fur  being  longer,  gives  it  a  greater  ap- 
pearance than  it  really  has;  its  head  is  bigger, 
and  face  flatter;  the  teeth  and  claws  much 
more  formidable ;  its  muscles  very  strong,  as 
being  formed  for  rapine ;  the  tail  is  of  a  mo- 
derate length,  but  very  thick  and  flat,  mark- 
ed with  alternate  bars  of  black  and  white, 
the  end  always  black;  the  hips,  and  hind  part 
of  the  lower  joints  of  the  leg,  are  always  black; 
the  fur  is  very  soft  and  fine :  the  general  co- 
lour of  these  animals,  in  England,  is  a  yellow- 
ish white,  mixed  with  a  deep  gray.  These 
colours,  though  they  appear  at  first  sight  con- 
fusedly blended  together,  yet  on  a  close  in- 
spection, will  be  found  to  be  disposed  like  the 
streaks  on  the  skin  of  the  tiger,  pointing  from 
the  back  downwards,  rising  from  a  black  list, 
that  runs  from  the  head,  along  the  middle  of 
the  back,  to  the  tail.  This  animal  is  found 
in  our  larger  woods ,-  and  is  the  most  destruc- 
tive of  the  carnivorous  kinds  in  this  kingdom. 
It  inhabits  the  most  mountainous  and  woody 
parts  of  these  islands,  living  mostly  in  trees, 
and  feeding  only  by  night.  It  often  happens, 

•  British  Zoology. 


THE  CAT  KIND. 


29) 


that  the  females  of  the  tame  kind  go  into  the 
woods  to  seek  mates  among  the  wild  ones. 
It  should  seem,  that  these,  however,  are  not 
original  inhabitants  of  this  kingdom,  but  were 
introduced  first  in  a  domestic  state,  and  af- 
terwards became  wild  in  the  woods,  by  ill 
usage  or  neglect.  Certain  it  is,  the  cat  was 
an  animal  much  higher  in  esteem  among  our 
ancestors  than  it  is  at  present.  By  the  laws 
of  Howel,  the  price  of  a  kitten,  before  it  could 
see,  was  to  be  a  penny ;  till  it  caught  a  mouse, 
two-pence ;  and  when  it  commenced  mouser, 
four-pence :  it  was  required,  besides,  that  it 
should  be  perfect  in  its  senses  of  hearing  and 
seeing,  be  a  good  mouser,  have  the  claws 
whole,  and  be  a  good  nurse.  If  it  failed  in 
any  of  these  qualities,  the  seller  was  to  for- 
feit to  the  buyer  the  third  part  of  its  value. 
If  any  one  stole  or  killed  the  cat  that  guard- 
ed the  prince's  granary,  he  was  to  forfeit  a 
milch  ewe,  its  fleece  and  lamb,  or  as  much 
wheat  as  when  poured  on  the  cat,  suspended 
by  the  tail,  (the  head  touching  the  floor,)  would 
form  a  heap  high  enough  to  cover  the  tip  of 
the  former.  From  hence  we  discover,  besides 
a  picture  of  the  simplicity  of  the  times,  a  strong 
argument  that  cats  were  not  naturally  bred 
in  our  forests.  An  animal  that  could  have 
been  so  easily  taken,  could  never  have  been 
rated  so  highly ;  and  the  precautions  laid 
down  to  improve  the  breed,  would  have  been 
superfluous,  in  a  creature  that  multiplies  to 
such  an  amazing  degree. 

"In  our  climate,  we  know  but  of  one  varie- 
ty of  the  wild  cat :  and,  from  the  accounts  of 
travellers,  we  learn,  that  there  are  but  very 
few  differences  in  this  quadruped  in  all  parts 
of  the  world.  The  greatest  difference,indeed, 
between  the  wild  and  the  tame  cat,  is  rather 
to  be  found  internally  than  in  their  outward 
form.  Of  all  other  quadrupeds,  the  wild  cat 
is,  perhaps,  that  whose  intestines  are  pro- 
portionably  the  smallest  and  the  shortest. 
The  intestines  of  the  sheep,  for  instance,  un- 
ravelled out,  and  measured  according  to  their 
length,  will  be  found  to  be  above  thirty  times 
the  length  of  its  body;  whereas,  the  wild  cat's 
intestines  being  measured  out,  will  not  be 
found  above  three  times  the  length  of  its  body. 
This  is  a  surprising  difference;  but  we  may 
account  for  it,  from  the  nature  of  the  food  in 
the  two  animals ;  the  one  living  upon  vegeta- 

No.  25  &  26. 


bles,  which  require  a  longer,  and  a  more  te- 
dious preparation,  before  they  can  become  a 
part  of  its  body ;  the  other,  living  upon  flesh, 
which  requires  very  little  alteration,  in  order 
to  be  assimilated  into  the  substance  of  the 
creature  that  feeds  upon  it.  The  one,  there- 
fore, wanted  a  long  canal  for  properly  digest- 
ing and  straining  its  food ;  the  other,  but  a 
short  one,  as  the  food  is  already  prepared  to 
pass  the  usual  secretions :  however,  a  diffi- 
culty still  remains  behind ;  the  intestines  of 
the  wild  cat  are,  by  one-third,  shorter  than 
those  of  the  tame.  How  can  we  account  for 
this?  If  we  say  that  the  domestic  cat,  living 
upon  more  nourishing  and  more  plentiful  pro- 
vision, has  its  intestines  enlarged  to  the  quan- 
tity with  which  it  is  supplied,  we  shall  find 
this  observation  contradicted  in  the  wild  boar 
and  the  wolf,  whose  intestines  are  as  long  as 
those  of  the  hog  or  the  dog,  though  they  lead 
a  savage  life,  and,  like  the  wild  cat,  are  fed 
by  precarious  subsistence.  The  shortness, 
therefore,  of  the  wild  cat's  intestines,  is  still 
unaccounted  for ;  and  most  naturalists  con- 
sider the  difficulty  as  inextricable.  We  must 
leave  it,  therefore,  as  one  of  those  difficulties 
which  future  observation  or  accident  are  most 
likely  to  discover. 

This  animal  is  one  of  those  few  which  are 
common  to  the  new  continent,  as  well  as  the 
old.  When  Christopher  Columbus  first  dis- 
covered that  country,  a  hunter  brought  him 
one,  which  he  had  discovered  in  the  woods, 
which  was  of  the  ordinary  size,  the  tail  very 
long  and  thick.  They  were  common  also  in 
Peru,  although  they  were  not  rendered  do- 
mestic. They  are  well  known  also  in  several 
parts  of  Africa,  and  many  parts  of  Asia.  In 
some  of  these  countries  they  are  of  a  peculiar 
colour,  and  inclining  to  blue.  In  Persia,  Pie- 
tro  dello  Valle  informs  us,  that  there  is  a  kind 
of  cat,  particularly  in  the  province  of  Chora- 
zan,  of  the  figure  and  form  of  the  ordinary  one, 
but  infinitely  more  beautiful  in  the  lustre  and 
colour  of  its  skin.  It  is  of  a  gray  blue,  with- 
out mixture,  and  is  soft  and  shining  as  silk. 
The  tail  is  very  long,  and  covered  with  hair 
six  inches  long,  which  the  animal  throws  upon 
its  back,  like  the  squirrel.  These  cats  are  well 
known  in  France;  and  have  been  brought  over 
into  England,  under  the  name  of  the  blue  cat, 
which,  however,  is  not  their  colour. 
3A 


292 


4NIMALS  OF 


Another  variety  of  this  animal  is  called  by  us 
the  lion  cat ;  or,  as  others  more  properly  term 
it,  the  cut  of  Angora.  These  are  larger  than 
the  common  cat,  and  even  than  the  wild  one. 
Their  hair  is  much  longer,  and  hangs  about 
their  head  and  neck,  giving  this  creature  the 
appearance  of  a  lion.  Some  of  these  are  white, 
and  others  of  a  dun  colour.  These  come  from 
Syria  and  Persia,  two  countries  which  are 
noted  for  giving  a  long  soft  hair  to  tin-  animals 
which  are  bred  in  them.  The  sheep,  the  goats, 
the  dogs,  and  the  rabbits  of  Syria,  are  all  re- 
markable for  the  fine  glossy  length  and  softness 
of  their  hair  ;  but  particularly  the  cat,  whose 
nature  seems  to  be  so  inflexible,  conforms  to 
the  nature  of  the  climate  and  soil,  loses  its 
savage  colour,  which  it  preserves  almost  in 
every  other  part  of  the  world,  and  assumes  the 
most  beautiful  appearance.  There  are  some 
other  varieties  in  this  animal,  but  rather  in  co- 
lour than  in  form  ;  and,  in  general,  it  may  be 
remarked,  that  the  cat,  when  carried  into  other 
countries,  alters  but  very  little,  still  preserving 
its  natural  manners,  habits,  and  conformation." 


THE    LION. 

THE  influence  of  climate  upon  mankind  is 
very  small  ;a  he  is  found  to  subsist  in  all  parts 
of  the  earth,  as  well  under  the  frozen  poles,  as 
beneath  the  torrid  zone  :  but  in  animals,  the 
climate  may  be  considered  as  congenial,  and 
a  kind  of  second  nature.  They  almost  all 
have  their  particular  latitudes,  beyond  which 
they  are  unable  to  subsist ;  either  perishing 
with  a  moderate  cold,  or  dying  for  want  of  a 
frozen  air,  even  in  a  temperate  climate.  The 
rein-deer  is  never  seen  to  depart  from  the  icy 
fields  of  the  north  ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  the 
lion  degenerates,  when  taken  from  beneath 
the  line.  The  whole  earth  is  the  native  coun- 
try of  man  ;  but  all  inferior  animals  have  each 
their  own  peculiar  districts. 

Most  terrestrial  animals  are  found  larger, 
fiercer,  and  stronger,  in  the  warm,  than  in  the 
cold  or  temperate  climates.  They  are  also 
more  courageous  and  enterprising ;  all  their 
dispositions  seeming  to  partake  of  the  ardour 

a  This  description  is  principally  taken  from  Mr.  Buffon  : 
.such  parts  as  are  added  from  others,  1  have  marked  with 
inverted  commas. 


of  their  native  soil.  The  lion,  produced  under 
the  burning  sun  of  Africa,  is,  of  all  others,  the 
most  terrible,  the  most  undaunted.  The  wolf 
or  the  dog,  instead  of  attempting  to  rival  him, 
scarce  deserve  to  attend  his  motions,  or  become 
his  providers.  Such,  however,  of  these  ani- 
mals, as  are  bred  in  a  more  temperate  climate, 
or  towards  the  tops  of  cold  and  lofty  moun- 
tains, are  far  more  gentle,  or,  to  speak  more 
properly,  far  less  dangerous  than  those  bred  in 
the  torrid  valleys  beneath.  The  lions  of  Mount 
Atlas,  the  tops  of  which  are  covered  in  eternal 
snows,  have  neither  the  strength  nor  the  feroci- 
ty of  the  lions  of  Bildulgerid  or  Zaara,  where 
the  plains  are  covered  with  burning  sands.  It 
is  particularly  in  these  frightful  deserts,  that 
those  enormous  and  terrible  beasts  are  found, 
that  seem  to  be  the  scourge  and  the  terror  of  the 
neighbouring  kingdoms.  Happily,  indeed,  the 
species  is  not  very  numerous ;  and  it  seems 
to  be  diminishing  daily  :  for  those  who  have 
travelled  through  these  countries,  assure  us, 
that  there  are  by  no  means  so  many  there  at 
present,  as  were  known  formerly' ;  and  Mr. 
Shaw  observes,  that  the  Romans  carried  fifty 
times  as  many  lions  from  Lybia,  in  one  year, 
to  combat  in  their  amphitheatres,  as  are  to  be 
found  in  the  whole  country  at  this  time.  The 
same  remark  is  made  with  regard  to  Turkey, 
to  Persia,  and  the  Indies ;  where  the  lions  are 
found  to  diminish  in  their  numbers  every  day. 
Nor  is  it  difficult  to  assign  the  cause  of  this 
diminution:  it  is  obvious  that  it  cannot  be 
owing  to  the  increase  of  the  force  of  other 
quadrupeds,  since  they  are  all  inferior  to  the 
lion,  and,  consequently,  instead  of  lessening 
the  number,  only  tend  to  increase  the  supplies 
on  which  they  subsist ;  it  must,  therefore,  be 
occasioned  by  the  increase  of  mankind,  who 
is  the  only  animal  in  nature  capable  of  making 
head  against  these  tyrants  of  the  forest,  and 
preventing  their  increase.  The  arms  even  of 
a  Hottentot  or  a  Negro  make  them  more  than 
a  match  for  this  powerful  creature  ;  and  tiny 
seldom  make  the  attack,  without  coming  off 
victorious.  Their  usual  manner  is  to  find  out 
his  retreat,  and  with  spears  headed  with  iron, 
ro  provoke  him  to  the  combat:  four  men  are 
considered  as  sufficient  for  this  encounter; 
and  he  against  whom  the  lion  flies,  receives 
him  upon  his  spear,  while  the  others  attack  him 
behind;  the  lion,  finding  himself  wounded  in 
the  rear,  turns  that  way,  and  thus  gives  the 


>>  ,  i,  i  O- 


To  r-v  <' 


THE  CAT  KIND. 


293 


man  he  first  attacked  an  opportunity  to  reco- 
In  this  manner  they  attack  him  on  all 


ver. 


sides  ;  until,  at  last,  they  entirely  disable,  and 
then  despatch  him.  This  superiority  in  the 
numbers,  and  the  arts  of  man,  that  are  suffi- 
cient to  conquer  the  lion,  serve  also  to  ener- 
vate and  discourage  him;  for  he  is  brave  only 
in  proportion  to  the  success  of  his  former  en- 
counters. In  the  vast  deserts  of  Zaara,  in  the 
burning  sands  that  lie  between  Mauritania, 
and  Negroland,  in  the  uninhabited  countries 
that  lie  to  the  north  of  CaiFraria,  and,  in  ge 
neral,  in  all  the  deserts  of  Africa,  where  man 
has  not  fixed  his  habitation,  the  lionsare  found 
in  great  numbers,  and  preserve  their  natural 
courage  and  force.  Accustomed  to  measure 
their  strength  with  every  animal  they  meet, 
the  huliit  of  conquering  renders  them  intrepid 
and  terrible.  Having  never  experienced  the 
dangerous  arts  and  combinations  of  man,  they 
have  tio  apprehensions  from  his  power.  They 
boldly  face  him,  and  seem  to  brave  the  force 
of  his  arms.  Wounds  rather  serve  to  provoke 
their  rage  than  repress  their  ardour.  They 
are  not  daunted  even  with  the  opposition  of 
numbers ;  a  single  lion  of  the  desert  often  at- 
tacks an  entire  caravan;  and,  after  an  obsti- 
nate combat,  when  he  finds  himself  overpower- 
ed, instead  of  flying,  he  continues  to  combat, 
retreating,  and  still  facing  the  enemy  till  he 
dies.  On  the  contrary,  the  lions  which  inha- 
bit the  peopled  countries  of  Morocco  or  India, 
having  become  acquainted  with  human  power, 
and  experienced  man's  superiority,  have  lost 
all  their  courage,  so  as  to  be  scared  away 
with  a  shout ;  and  seldom  attack  any  but  the 
unresisting  flocks  or  herds,  which  even  wo- 
men and  children  are  sufficient  to  protect. 

This  alteration  in  the  lion's  disposition  suf- 
ficiently shows  that  he  might  easily  be  tamed, 
and  admit  of  a  certain  degree  of  education. 
"  In  fact,  nothing  is  more  common  than  for 
the  keepers  of  the  wild  beasts  to  play  with 
this  animal,  to  pull  out  his  tongue,  ai\4  even 
to  chastise  him  without  a  cause.  He  seems 
to  bear  it  all  with  the  utmost  composure ;  and 
we  very  rarely  have  instances  of  his  revenging 
these  unprovoked  sallies  of  impertinent  cruel- 
ty. However,  when  his  anger  is  at  last  ex- 
cited, the  consequences  are  terrible.  Labat 
tells  us  of  a  gentleman  who  kept  a  lion  in  his 
chamber,  and  employed  a  servant  to  attend 


it;  who,  as  is  usual,  mixed  his  blows  with  ca- 
resses. This  ill-judged  association  continued 
for  some  time ;  till  one  morning  the  gentleman 
was  awakened  by  a  noise  in  his  room,  which, 
at  first,  he  could  not  tell  the  cause  of;  but, 
drawing  the  curtains,  he  'perceived  a  horrid 
spectacle;  the  lion  growling  over  the  man's 
head,  which  he  had  separated  from  the  body, 
and  tossing  it  round  the  lloor.  He  immediate- 
ly, therefore,  flew  into  the  next  room,  called 
to  the  people  without,  and  had  the  animal  se- 
cured from  doing  further  mischief."  How- 
ever, this  single  account  is  not  sufficient  to 
weigh  against  the  many  instances  we  every 
day  see  of  this  creature's  gentleness  and  sub- 
mission. He  is  often  bred  up  with  other  do- 
mestic animals,  and  is  seen  to  play  innocent- 
ly and  familiarly  among  them;  and,  if  ever  it 
happens  that  his  natural  ferocity  returns,  it 
is  seldom  exerted  against  his  benefactors. 
As  his  passions  are  strong,  and  his  appetites 
vehement,  one  ought  not  to  presume  that  the 
impressions  of  education  will  always  prevail; 
so  that  it  would  be  dangerous  in  such  circum- 
stances to  suffer  him  to  remain  too  long  with- 
out food,  or  to  persist  in  irritating  and  abusing 
him  :  however,  numberless  accounts  assure  us 
that  his  anger  is  noble,  his  courage  magnani- 
mous, and  his  disposition  grateful.  He  has 
been  often  seen  to  despise  contemptible  ene- 
mies, and  pardon  their  insults,  when  it  was 
in  his  power  to  punish  them.  He  has  been 
seen  to  spare  the  lives  of  such  as  were  thrown 
to  be  devoured  by  him,  to  live  peaceably  with 
them,  to  afford  them  a  part  of  his  subsistence, 
and  sometimes  to  want  food  himself  rather 
than  deprive  them  of  that  life  which  his  ge- 
nerosity had  spared. 

It  may  also  be  said  that  the  lion  is  not  cruel, 
since  he  is  so  only  from  necessity,  and  never 
kills  more  than  he  consumes.  When  satiated, 
he  is  perfectly  gentle;  while  the  tiger,  the 
wolf,  and  all  the  inferior  kinds,  such  as  the 
fox,  the  pole-cat,  and  the  ferret,  kill  without 
remorse,  are  fierce  without  cause,  and,  by 
their  indiscriminate  slaughter,  seem  rather  to 
satisfy  their  malignity  than  their  hunger. 

The  outward  form  of  the  lion  seems  to  sneak 
his  internal  generosity.  His  figure  is  striking, 
his  look  confident  and  bold,  his  gait  proud, 
and  his  voice  terrible.  His  stature  is  not  over- 
grown, like  that  of  the  elephant,  or  rhinoceros  : 
3  A» 


1294 


ANIMALS  OF 


nor  is  his  shape  clumsy,  like  that  of  the  hip- 
popotamus, or  the  ox.  It  is  compact,  well 
proportioned,  and  sizeable ;  a  perfect  model 
of  strength  joined  with  agility.  !t  is  muscular 
and  bold,  neither  charged  with  fat  nor  un- 
necessary flesh.  It  is  sufficient  but  to  see  him 
in  order  to  be  assured  of  his  superior  force. 
His  large  head  surrounded  with  a  dreadful 
mane ;  all  those  muscles  that  appear  under 
the  skin  swelling  with  the  slightest  exertions; 
and  the  great  breadth  of  his  paws,  with  the 
thickness  of  his  limbs,  plainly  evince  that  no 
other  animal  in  the  forest  is  capable  of  oppo- 
sing him.  He  has  a  very  broad  face  that,  as 
some  have  imagined,  resembles  the  human. 
It  is  surrounded  with  very  long  hair,  which 
gives  it  a  very  majestic  air.  The  top  of  the 
head,  the  temples,  the  cheeks,  the  under-jaw, 
the  neck,  the  breast,  the  shoulder,  the  hinder 
part  of  the  legs,  and  the  belly,  are  furnished 
with  it,  while  all  the  rest  of  the  body  is  cover- 
ed with  a  very  short  hair,  of  a  tawny  colour. 
"  The  length  of  the  hair  in  many  parts,  and 
the  shortness  of  it  in  others,  serves  a  good 
deal  to  disguise  this  animal's  real  figure.  The 
breast,  for  instance,  appears  very  broad,  but 
in  reality  it  is  as  narrow  and  contracted  in 
proportion  as  that  of  the  generality  of  dogs 
and  horses.  For  the  same  reason,  the  tail 
seems  to  be  of  an  equal  thickness  from  one 
end  to  the  other,  on  account  of  the  inequali- 
ty of  the  hair  with  which  it  is  encompassed ; 
it  being  shorter  near  the  insertion  where  the 
flesh  and  bones  are  large,  and  growing  longer 
in  proportion  ae  its  real  thickness  lessens  to- 
wards the  point,  where  it  ends  in  a  tuft.  The 
hair  about  the  neck  and  the  breast  is  not 
different  from  that  on  the  rest  of  the  body, 
except  in  the  length  of  it;  nor  is  each  hair 
pointed  as  in  most  other  animals,  but  of  an 
equal  thickness  from  one  end  to  the  other. 
The  neck  is  very  strong,  but  not  composed 
of  one  solid  bone,  as  Aristotle  has  imagined; 
on  the  contrary,  though  very  short  and  mus- 
cular, it  has  as  many  bones  as  the  camel  or 
the  horse ;  for  it  is  universal  to  all  quadrupeds 
to  have  seven  joints  in  the  neck ;  and  not  one 
of  them  have  either  more  or  less.  However, 
the  muscles  in  the  neck  of  the  lion,  that  tie 
the  bones  together,  are  extremely  strong,  and 
have  somewhat  the  appearance  of  bones ;  so 
that  ancient  authors,  who  have  treated  of  this 


animal,  have  mistaken  the  whole  for  a  single 
bone.  The  tongue  is  rough,  and  beset  with 
prickles  as  hard  as  the  cat's  claws;  these 
have  the  grain  turned  backwards ;  so  that  it 
is  probable  a  lion,  if  it  should  attempt  to  lick 
a  man's  hand,  as  we  are  told  it  sometimes  does, 
would  tear  off  the  skin.  The  eyes  are  always 
bright  and  fiery ;  nor  even  in  death  does  this 
terrible  look  forsake  them.  In  short,  the 
structure  of  the  paws,  teeth,  eyes,  and  tongue, 
are  the  same  as  in  a  cat;  and  also  in  the  in- 
ward parts  these  two  animals  so  nearly  re- 
semble each  other,  that  the  anatomist's  chief 
distinction  arises  merely  from  the  size." 

The  lion  has,  as  was  observed  before,  a 
large  mane,  which  grows  every  year  longer  as 
the  animal  grows  older:  the  lioness  is  with- 
out this  ornament  at  every  age.  This  mane 
is  not  coarse  or  rough  as  in  a  horse,  but  com- 
posed of  the  same  hair  with  the  rest  of  the 
body,  lengthened  and  shining.  The  mane,  as 
well  as  the  rest  of  the  body,  is  of  a  yellow  co- 
lour; nor  is  there  ever  any  difference  to  be 
found  in  the  colour  of  one  lion  from  that  of 
another.  What  the  ancients  might  have  said 
concerning  black  lions,  or  white,  or  streaked 
like  the  tiger,  is  not  confirmed  by  modern  ex- 
perience ;  so  that  these  varieties  have  never 
been  seen,  or  exist  no  longer. 

It  is  usually  supposed  that  the  lion  is  not 
possessed  of  the  sense  of  smelling  in  such  per- 
fection as  most  other  animals.  It  is  also  ob- 
served, that  too  strong  a  light  greatly  incom- 
modes him.  This  is  more  than  probable  from 
the  formation  of  his  eyes,  which,  like  those  of 
the  cat,  seem  fitted  for  seeing  best  in  the  dark. 
For  this  reason,  he  seldom  appears  in  open 
day,  but  ravages  chiefly  by  night;  and  not 
only  the  lion,  but  all  other  animals  of  the  cat 
kind,  are  kept  off  by  the  fires  which  the  inha- 
bitants light  to  preservetheir  herdsand  flocks; 
the  brightness  of  the  flame  dazzles  their  eyes, 
which  are  only  fitted  for  seeing  in  the  dark ; 
and  they  are  afraid  to  venture  blindly  into 
those  places  which  they  know  to  be  filled 
with  their  enemies.  "  It  is  equally  true  of  all 
this  kind,  that  they  hunt  rather  by  the  sight 
thanthesmell;  and  it  sometimes  happens  that 
the  lion  pursues  either  the  jackall  or  the  wild 
dog,  while  they  are  hunting  upon  the  scent; 
and,  when  they  have  run  the  beast  down, 
he  comes  in  and  monopolizes  the  spoil.  From 


THE  CAT  KIND. 


29.1) 


hence,  probably,  may  have  arisen  the  story  of 
the  lion's  provider:  these  little  industrious  ani- 
mals may  often,  it  is  true,  provide  a  feast  for 
the  lion;  but  they  have  hunted  merely  for 
themselves,  and  he  is  an  unwelcome  intruder 
upon  the  fruits  of  their  toil." 

The  lion,  when  hungry,  boldly  attacks  all 
animals  that  come  in  his  way ;  but,  as  he  is 
very  formidable,  and  as  they  all  seek  to  avoid 
him,  he  is  often  obliged  to  hide,  in  order  to 
take  them  by  surprise.  For  this  purpose  he 
crouches  on  his  belly,  in  some  thicket,  or 
among  the  long  grass,  which  is  found  in  many 
parts  of  the  forest;  in  this  retreat  he  continues, 
with  patient  expectation,  until  his  prey  comes 
within  a  proper  distance,  and  he  then  springs 
after  it,  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  from  him,  and 
often  seizes  it  at  the  first  bound.  If  he  misses 
theeffbrt,and  in  twoor  three  reiterated  springs 
cannot  seize  his  prey,  he  continues  motionless 
for  a  time,  seems  to  be  very  sensible  of  his 
disappointment,  and  waits  for  a  more  success- 
ful opportunity.  In  the  deserts  and  forests, 
his  most  usual  prey  are  the  gazelles  and  the 
monkeys,  with  which  the  torrid  regions  abound. 
The  latter  he  takes  when  they  happen  to  be 
upon  the  ground,  for  he  cannot  climb  trees 
like  the  cat  or  the  tiger.  He  devours  a  great 
deal  at  a  time,  and  generally  fills  himself  for 
two  or  three  days  to  come.  His  teeth  are 
so  strong  that  he  very  easily  breaks  the  bones, 
and  swallows  them  with  the  rest  of  the  body. 
It  is  reported  that  he  sustains  hunger  a  very 
long  time,  but  thirst  he  cannot  support  in  an 
equal  degree,his  temperament  being  extreme- 
ly hot ;  some  have  even  asserted  that  he  is  in 
a  continual  fever.  He  drinks  as  often  as  he 
meets  with  water,  lapping  it  like  a  cat ;  which, 
as  we  know,  drinks  but  slowly.  He  general- 
ly requires  about  fifteen  pounds  of  raw  flesh 
in  a  day :  he  prefers  that  of  live  animals,  and 
particularly  those  which  he  has  just  killed. 
He  seldom  devours  the  bodies  of  animals  when 
they  begin  to  putrefy  ;  and  he  chooses  rather 
to  hunt  for  a  fresh  spoil,  than  to  return  to  that 
which  he  had  half  devoured  before.  How- 
ever, though  he  usually  feeds  upon  fresh  pro- 
vision, his  breath  is  very  offensive,  and  his 
uri-ie  insupportable. 

The  roaring  of  the  lion  is  so  loud,  that 
when  it  is  heard  in  the  night,  and  re-echoed 
by  the  mountains,  it  resembles  distant  thun- 


der. This  roar  is  his  natural  note ;  for  when 
enraged  he  has  a  different  growl,  which  is 
short,  broken,  and  reiterated.  The  roar  is  a 
deep  hollow  growl,  which  he  sends  forth  five 
or  six  times  a  day,  particularly  before  rains. 
The  cry  of  anger  is  much  louder  and  more 
formidable.  This  is  always  excited  by  op- 
position ;  and  upon  these  occasions,  w  hen  the 
lion  summons  up  all  his  terrors  for  the  combat, 
nothing  can  be  more  terrible.  He  then  lashes 
his  sides  with  his  long  tail,  which  alone  is 
strong  enough  to  lay  a  man  level.  He  moves 
his  mane  in  every  direction ;  it  seems  to  rise 
and  stand  like  bristles  round  his  head ;  the 
skin  and  muscles  of  his  face  are  all  in  agita- 
tion ;  his  huge  eye-brows  half  cover  his  gla- 
ring eye-balls ;  he  discovers  his  teeth,  which 
are  formed  rather  for  destruction  than  chew- 
ing his  food ;  he  shows  his  tongue  covered 
with  points,  and  extends  his  claws,  which  ap- 
pear almost  as  long  as  a  man's  fingers.  Pre- 
pared in  this  mariner  for  war,  there  are  few 
animals  that  will  venture  to  engage  him;  and 
even  the  boldest  of  the  human  kind  are  daunt- 
ed at  his  approach.  The  elephant,  the  rhi- 
noceros, the  tiger,  and  the  hippopotamus,  are 
the  only  animals  that  are  not  afraid  singly  to 
make  opposition. 

"  Nevertheless,  neither  the  leopard  nor  the 
wild  boar,  if  provoked,  will  shun  the  combat : 
they  do  not  seek  the  lion  to  attack,  but  will 
not  fly  at  his  approach ;  they  wait  his  onset, 
which  he  seldom  makes  unless  compelled  by 
hunger;  they  then  exert  all  their  strength, 
and  are  sometimes  successful.  We  are  told 
of  the  combat  of  a  lion  and  a  wild  boar,  in  a 
meadow  near  Algiers,  which  continued  for  a 
long  time  with  incredible  obstinacy.  At  last, 
both  were  seen  to  fall  by  the  wounds  they 
had  given  each  other;  and  the  ground  all 
about  them  was  covered  with  their  blood. 
These  instances,  however,  are  very  rare,  for 
the  lion  is  in  general  the  undisputed  master 
of  the  forest.  Man  is  the  only  creature  that 
attacks  him  with  almost  certain  success :  with 
the  assistance  of  dogs  and  horses,  which  are 
trained  to  the  pursuit.  These  animals  that, 
in  a  state  of  nature,  would  have  fled  from  the 
presence  of  the  lion,  in  an  agony  of  conster- 
nation, when  conscious  of  the  assistance  of 
man,  become  pursuers  in  their  turn,  and  bold- 
ly hunt  their  natural  tyrant.  The  dogs  are 


296 


ANIMALS  OF 


always  of  the  large  breed ;  and  the  horses 
themselves,  as  Gesner  assures  us,  must  be  of 
that  sort  called  charosst,  or  lion-eyed,  all  others 
of  this  kind  flying  at  the  sight  of  the  lion,  and 
endeavouring  to  throw  their  riders.  When 
the  lion  is  roused,  he  recedes  with  a  slow, 
proud  motion;  he  never  goes  off  directly  for- 
ward, nor  measures  his  paces  equally,  but 
takes  an  oblique  course,  going  from  one  side 
to  the  other,  and  bounding  rather  than  run- 
ning. When  the  hunters  approach  him,  they 
either  shoot  or  throw  their  javelins;  and  in 
this  manner  disable  him  before  he  is  attack- 
ed by  the  dogs,  many  of  whom  he  would  other- 
wise destroy.  He  is  very  vivacious,  and  is 
never  killed  at  once,  but  continues  to  fight 
desperately  even  after  he  has  received  his 
mortal  blow.  He  is  also  taken  by  pit-falls ; 
the  natives  digging  a  deep  hole  in  the  ground, 
and  covering  it  slightly  over  with  sticks  and 
earth ;  which,  however,  give  way  beneath  his 
weight,  and  he  sinks  to  the  bottom,  from 
whence  he  has  no  means  of  escape.  But  the 
most  usual  manner  of  taking  this  animal  is 
while  a  cub,  and  incapable  of  resistance.  The 
place  near  the  den  of  the  lioness  is  generally 
well  known  by  the  greatness  of  her  depreda- 
tions on  that  occasion ;  the  natives,  therefore, 
watch  the  time  of  her  absence,  and,  aided  by 
a  swift  horse,  carry  off  her  cubs;  which  they 
sell  to  strangers,  or  to  the  great  men  of  their 
country." 

The  lion,  while  young  and  active,  lives  by 
hunting  in  the  forest  at  the  greatest  distance 
from  any  human  habitation;  and  seldom  quits 
this  retreat  while  able  to  subsist  by  his  natu- 
ral industry;  but  when  he  becomes  old  and 
unfit  for  the  purposes  of  surprise,  he  boldly 
comes  down  into  places  more  frequented, 
attacks  the  flocks  and  herds  that  take  shelter 
near  the  habitation  of  the  shepherd  or  the 
husbandman,  and  depends  rather  upon  his 
courage  than  his  address  for  support.  It  is 
remarkable,  however,  that  when  he  makes  one 
of  these  desperate  sallies,  if  he  finds  men  and 
quadrupeds  in  the  same  field,  he  only  attacks 
the  latter,  and  never  meddles  with  men,  un- 
less they  provoke  him  to  engage.  It  is  observ- 
ed that  he  prefers  the  flesh  of  camels  to  any 
other  food ;  he  is  likewise  said  to  be  fond  of 
that  of  young  elephants ;  these  he  often  at- 
tacks before  their  trunk  is  yet  grown;  and, 


unless  the  old  elephant  comes  to  their  assist- 
ance, he  makes  them  an  easy  prey. 

The  lion  is  terrible  upon  all  occasions,  but 
particularly  at  those  seasons  when  he  is  in- 
cited by  desire,   or  when    the    female    has 
brought  forth.     It  is  then  that  the  lioness  is 
seen  followed  by  eight  or  ten  males,  who  fight 
most  bloody  battles  among  each  other,  till  one 
of  them  become  victorious  over  all  the  rest. 
She  is  said  to  bring  forth  in  spring,  and  to 
produce  but  once  a  year.     "  With  respect  to 
the  time  of  gestation,  naturalists  have  been 
divided,  some  asserting  that  the  lioness  went 
with  young  six  months,  and  others  but  two. 
The  time  also  of  their  growth  and   their  age 
have  hitherto  been  left  in  obscurity ;  some  as- 
serting that  they  acquired  their  full  growth  in 
three  years,  and  others  that  they  required  a 
longer  period  to  come  to  perfection;  some 
saying  (and  among  this  number  is  Mr.  Buffon) 
that  they  lived  to  but  twenty,  or  twenty-two 
years  at  most ;  others  making  their  lives  even 
of  shorter  duration.     All  these  doubts  are  now 
reduced  to  certainty;  for  we  have  had  seve- 
ral of  these  animals  bred  in  the  Tower;  so 
that  the  manner  of  their  copulation,  the  time 
of  their  gestation,  the  number  they  bring  forth, 
and  the  time  they  take  to  come  to  perfection, 
are  all  pretty  well  known.     Although  the  lion 
emits  his  urine  backwards,  yet  he  couples  in 
the  ordinary  manner ;  and,  as  was  said  before, 
his  internal  structure  in  almost  every  respect 
resembles  that  of  a  cat.     The  lioness,  how- 
ever, is  upon  these  occasions    particularly 
tierce,  and  often  wounds  the  lion  in  a  terri- 
ble manner.     She  goes  with  young,  as  I  am 
assured  by  her  keeper,   no  more  than  five 
months;  the  young  ones,  which  are  never  more 
than  two  in  number  when  brought  forth,  are 
about  the  size  of  a  large  pug-dog,  harmless, 
pretty,  and   playful;  they  continue  the  teat 
for  twelve  months,  and  the  animal  is  more 
than  five  years  in  coming  to  perfection.     As 
to  its  age,  from  its  imprisoned  state,  we  can 
have  no  certainty;  since  it  is  very  probable, 
that,  being  deprived  of  its  natural  climate, 
food,  and  exercise,  its  life  must  be  very  much 
abridged.    However,  naturalists  have  hitherto 
been  greatly  mistaken  as  to  the  length  of  its 
existence.     The  great  he-lion,  called  Pompcy, 
which  died  in  the  year  1760,  was  known  to 
have  been  in  the  Tower  for  above  seventy 


THE  CAT  KIND. 


297 


years;  and  one  lately  died  there,  which  was 
brought  from  the  river  Gambia,  that  died  above 
sixty-three.  The  lion,  therefore,  is  a  very 
long-lived  animal;  and,  very  probably,  in  his 
native  forests,  his  age  exceeds  even  that  of 
man  himself." 

In  this  animal,  all  the  passions,  even  of  the 
most  gentle  kind,  are  in  excess,  but  particu- 
larly the  attachment  of  the  female  to  her 
young.  The  lioness,  though  naturally  less 
strong,  less  courageous,  and  less  mischievous 
than  the  lion,  becomes  terrible  when  she  has 
got  young  ones  to  provide  for.  She  then 
makes  her  incursions  with  even  more  intrepi- 
dity than  the  lion  himself;  she  throws  herself 
indiscriminately  among  men  and  other  animals ; 
destroys  without  distinction;  loads  herself 
with  the  spoil,  and  brings  it  home  reeking  to 
her  cubs,  whom  she  accustoms  betimes  to 
cruelty  and  slaughter.  She  usually  brings 
forth  in  the  most  retired  and  inaccessible 
places ;  and  when-  she  fears  to  have  her  re- 
treat discovered,  often  hides  her  tracks,  by 
running  back  her  ground,  or  by  brushing  them 
out  with  her  tail.  She  sometimes  also,  when 
her  apprehensions  are  great,  transports  them 
from  one  place  to  another;  and,  if  obstructed, 
defends  them  with  determined  courage,  and 
fights  to  the  last. 

The  lion  is  chiefly  an  inhabitant  of  the  tor- 
rid zone ;  and,  as  was  said,  is  always  most 
formidable  there :  nevertheless,  he  can  sub- 
sist in  more  temperate  climates ;  and  there 
was  a  time  when  even  the  southern  parts  of 
Europe  were  infested  by  him.  At  present, 
he  is  only  found  in  Africa  and  the  East  Indies; 
in  some  of  which  countries  he  grows  to  an 
enormous  height.  The  lion  of  Bildulgerid  is 
said  to  be  nearly  five  feet  high,  and  between 
nine  and  ten  feet  from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to 
the  insertion  of  the  tail.  We  have  in  the  Tower, 
at  present,  one  of  above  four  feet  high,  that 
was  brought  from  Morocco,  which  is  the 
largest  that  for  some  time  past  has  been  seen 
in  Europe.  The  ordinary  size  is  between 
three  and  four  feet ;  the  female  bein»  in  all 
her  dimensions  about  one-third  less  than  the 
male.  There  are  no  lions  in  America;  the 
Puma,  which  has  received  the  name  of  the 
American  lion,  is,  when  compared,  a  very  con- 
temptible animal,  having  neither  the  shape, 
the  size,  nor  the  mane  of  the  lion;  being  known 


to  be  extremely  cowardly,  to  climb  trees  for 
its  prey,  to  subsist  rather  by  its  cunning  than 
its  courage,  and  to  be  inferior  even  to  the  ani- 
mal that  goes  by  the  name  of  the  American 
tiger.  We  ought  not,  therefore,  to  confound 
this  little  treacherous  creature  with  the  lion, 
which  all  the  ancients  have  concurred  in  de- 
nominating the  king  of  beasts,  and  which  they 
have  described  as  brave  and  merciful.  "  In- 
deed, the  numerous  accounts  which  they  have 
given  us  of  this  animal's  generosity  and  ten- 
derness, show  that  there  must  be  some  foun- 
dation for  the  general  belief  of  its  good  qua- 
lities ;  for  mankind  seldom  err  when  they  are 
all  found  to  unite  in  the  same  story.  How- 
ever, perhaps,  the  caution  of  Aristophanes, 
the  comic  poet,  is  better  followed  in  practice, 
who  advises  us  to  have  nothing  to  do  with 
this  creature,  but  to  let  the  lioness  suckle  her 
own  whelps." 


THE  TIGER. 

"  THE  ancients  had  a  saying,  That  as  the  pea- 
cock is  the  most  beautiful  among  birds,  so  is  the 
tiger  among  quadrupeds*  In  fact,  no  quadru- 
ped can  be  more  beautiful  than  this  animal ; 
the  glossy  smoothness  of  his  hair,  which  lies 
much  smoother,  and  shines  with  greater 
brightness  than  even  that  of  the  leopard ;  the 
extreme  blackness  of  the  streaks  with  which 
he  is  marked,  and  the  bright  yellow  colour  of 
the  ground  which  they  diversify,  at  once  strike 
the  beholder.  To  this  beauty  of  colouring 
is  added  an  extremely  elegant  form,  much 
larger,  indeed,  than  that  of  the  leopard,  but 
more  slender,  more  delicate,  and  bespeaking 
the  most  extreme  swiftness  and  agility.  Un- 
happily, however,  this  animal's  disposition  is 
as  mischievous  as  its  form  is  admirable,  as  if 
Providence  was  willing  to  show  the  small  va- 
lue of  beauty,  by  bestowing  it  on  the  most 
noxious  of  quadrupeds.  We  have  at  present 
one  of  these  animals  in  the  Tower,  which  to 
the  view  appears  the  most  good-natured  and 
harmless  creature  in  the  world ;  its  physiog- 
nomy is  far  from  fierce  or  angry ;  it  has  not 

»  Tantem  autem  prsestat  piilchritudine  tigris  inter  alias 
faeras  quantum  inter  volucre;  pavo 


298 


ANIMALS  OF 


the  commanding,  stern  countenance  of  the 
lion,  but  a  gentle,  placid  air;  yet,  for  all  this, 
it  is  fierce  and  savage  beyond  measure;  nei- 
ther correction  can  terrify  it,  nor  indulgence 
can  tame. 

The  chief  and  most  observable  distinction 
in  the  tiger,  and  in  which  it  differs  from  all 
others  of  the  mottled  kind,  is  in  the  shape  of 
its  colours,  which  run  in  streaks  or  bands  in 
the  same  direction  as  his  ribs,  from  the  back 
down  to  the  belly.  The  leopard,  the  panther, 
and  the  ounce,  are  all  partly  covered  like  this 
animal,  but  with  this  difference,  that  their  co- 
lours are  broken  in  spots  all  over  the  body ; 
whereas,  in  the  tiger  they  stretch  lengthwise, 
and  there  is  scarce  a  round  spot  to  be  found 
on  his  skin.  Besides  this,  there  are  other 
observable  distinctions :  the  tiger  is  much 
larger,  and  often  found  bigger  than  even  the 
lion  himself;  it  is  much  slenderer  also  in  pro- 
portion to  its  size ;  its  legs  shorter,  and  its 
neck  and  body  longer.  In  short,  of  all  other 
animals,  it  most  resembles  the  cat  in  shape; 
and,  if  we  conceive  the  latter  magnified  to  a 
very  great  degree,  we  shall  have  a  tolerable 
idea  of  the  former. 

In  classing  carnivorous  animals,  we  may 
place  the  lion  foremost;1  and  immediately 
after  him  follows  the  tiger,  which  seems  to  par- 
take of  all  the  noxious  qualities  of  the  lion, 
without  sharing  any  of  his  good  ones.  To 
pride,  courage,  and  strength,  the  lion  joins 
greatness,  clemency,  and  generosity :  but  the 
tiger  is  fierce  without  provocation,  and  cruel 
without  necessity.  The  lion  seldom  ravages 
except  when  excited  by  hunger ;  the  tiger,  on 
the  contrary,  though  glutted  with  slaughter, 
is  not  satisfied,  still  continues  the  carnage, 
and  seems  to  have  its  courage  only  inflamed 
by  not  finding  resistance.  In  falling  in  among 
a  flock  or  a  herd,  it  gives  no  quarter,  but  le- 
vels all  with  indiscriminate  cruelty,  and  scarce 
finds  time  to  appease  its  appetite  while  intent 
upon  satisfying  the  malignity  of  its  nature. 
It  thus  becomes  the  scourge  of  the  country 
where  it  is  found ;  it  fears  neither  the  threats 
nor  the  opposition  of  mankind ;  the  beasts, 
both  wild  and  tame,  fall  equally  a  sacrifice  to 
its  insatiable  fury ;  the  young  elephant  and 


*  The  remainder  of  this  description  is  taken  from  Mr. 
Buffori,  except  where  marked  with  commas. 


the  rhinoceros  become  equally  its  prey,  and 
it  not  unfrequently  ventures  to  attack  even  the 
lion  himself. 

Happily  for  the  rest  of  nature,  that  this  ani- 
mal is  not  common,  and  that  the  species  is 
chiefly  confined  to  the  warmest  provinces  of 
the  east.  The  tiger  is  found  in  Malabar,  in 
Siam,  in  Bengal,  and  in  all  the  countries  which 
are  inhabited  by  the  elephant  or  the  rhinoce- 
ros. Some  even  pretend  that  it  has  a  friend- 
ship for,  and  often  accompanies  the  latter,  in 
order  to  devour  its  excrements,  which  serve 
it  as  a  purge.  Be  this  as  it  will,  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  they  are  often  seen  together  at 
the  sides  of  lakes  and  rivers ;  where  they  are 
probably  both  compelled  to  go  by  the  thirst 
which,  in  that  torrid  climate,  they  must  very 
often  endure.  It  is  likely  enough  also  that 
they  seldom  make  war  upon  each  other,  the 
rhinoceros  being  a  peaceable  animal,  and  the 
tiger  knowing  its  strength  too  well  to  venture 
the  engagement.  It  is  still  more  likely  that 
the  tiger  finds  this  a  very  convenient  situation, 
since  it  can  there  surprise  a  greater  number  of 
animals  which  are  compelled  thither  from  the 
same  motives.  In  fact,  it  is  generally  known 
to  lurk  near  such  places  where  it  has  an  op- 
portunity of  choosing  its  prey,  or  rather  of 
multiplying  its  massacres.  When  it  has  kil- 
led one,  it  often  goes  to  destroy  others,  swal- 
lowing their  blood  down  at  large  draughts, 
and  seeming  rather  glutted  than  satiated  with 
its  abundance. 

However,  when  it  has  killed  a  large  animal, 
such  as  a  horse  or  a  buffalo,  it  immediately 
begins  to  devour  it  on  the  spot,  fearing  to  be 
disturbed.  In  order  to  feast  at  his  ease,  it 
carries  off  its  prey  to  the  forest,  dragging  it 
along  with  such  ease,  that  the  swiftness  of  its 
motion  seems  scarce  retarded  by  the  enor- 
mous load  it  sustains.  From  this  alone,  we 
may  judge  of  its  strength ;  but  to  have  a  more 
just  idea  of  this  particular,  let  us  stop  a  mo- 
ment to  consider  the  dimensions  of  this  most 
formidable  creature.  Some  travellers  have 
compared  it  for  size  to  a  horse,  and  others  to 
a  buffalo,  while  others  have  contented  them- 
selves with  saying,  that  it  is  much  larger  than 
a  lion.  We  have  recent  accounts  of  this  ani- 
mal's magnitude  that  deserve  the  utmost  con- 
fidence. Mr.  Buffbn  has  been  assured  by  one 
of  his  friends,  that  he  saw  a  tiger  in  the  East 


THE  CAT  KIND. 


299 


Indies  fifteen  feet  long.  "  Supposing  that  he 
means  including  the  tail,  this  animal,  allowing 
four  feet  for  that,  must  have  been  eleven  feet 
from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to  the  insertion  of  the 
tail.  Indeed,  that  which  is  now  in  the  Tower 
is  not  so  large,  being,  as  well  as  I  could  mea- 
sure, six  feet  from  the  tip  to  the  insertion,  and 
the  tail  was  three  feet  more.  Like  all  the 
rest  of  its  kind,  its  motions  are  irregular  and 
desultory;  it  bounds  rather  than  runs;  and, 
like  them,  rather  chooses  to  take  its  prey  by 
surprise,  than  to  be  at  the  trouble  of  hunting 
it  down."  How  large  a  leap  it  can  take  at 
once  we  may  easily  judge,  by  comparing  what 
it  might  do,  to  what  we  see  so  small  an  ani- 
mal as  the  cat  actually  perform.  The  cat  can 
leap  several  feet  at  a  bound ;  and  the  tiger, 
who  is  ten  times  as  long,  can  no  doubt  spring 
proportionably. 

"The  tiger  is  the  only  animal  whose  spirit 
seems  untameable.  Neither  -force  nor  con- 
straint, neither  violence  nor  flattery,  can  pre- 
vail in  the  least  on  its  stubborn  nature.  The 
caresses  of  the  keeper  have  no  influence  on 
their  heart  of  iron;  and  time,  instead  of  mol- 
lifying its  disposition,  only  serves  to  increase 
its  fierceness  and  malignity.  The  tiger  snaps 
at  the  hand  that  feeds  it,  as  well  as  that  by 
which  it  is  chastised  ,  every  object  seems  con- 
sidered only  as  its  proper  prey,  which  it  de- 
vours with  a  look;  and,  although  confined  by 
bars  and  chains,  still  makes  fruitless  efforts, 
as  if  to  show  its  malignity,  when  incapable  of 
exerting  its  force." 

To  give  a  still  more  complete  idea  of  the 
strength  of  this  terrible  creature,  we  shall 
quote  a  passage  from  Father  Tachard,  who 
was  an  eye  witness  of  a  combat  between  a 
tiger  and  three  elephants  at  Siam.  For  this 
purpose,  the  king  ordered  a  lofty  pallisade  to 
be  built  of  bamboo  cane,  about  a  hundred  feet 
square ;  and  in  the  midst  of  this  were  three 
elephants  appointed  for  combating  the  tiger. 
Their  heads,  and  a  part  of  their  trunk  were 
covered  with  a  kind  of  armour,  like  a  mask, 
which  defended  that  part  from  the  assaults 
of  the  fierce  animal  with  which  they  were  to 
engage.  As  soon,  says  this  author,  as  we 
were  arrived  at  the  place,  a  tiger  was  brought 
forth  from  its  den,  of  a  size  much  larger  than 
we  had  ever  seen  before.  It  was  not  at  first 
let  loose,  but  held  with  cords,  so  that  one  of 

NO.  25  &  26. 


the  elephants  approaching,  gave  it  three  or 
four  terrible  blows  with  its  trunk  on  the  back, 
with  such  force,  that  the  tiger  was  for  some 
time  stunned,  and  lay  without  motion,  as  if  it 
had  been  dead.  However,  as  soon  as  it  was 
let  loose,  and  at  full  liberty,  although  the 
first  blows  had  greatly  abated  its  fury,  it  made 
at  the  elephant  with  a  loud  shriek,  and  aimed 
at  seizing  his  trunk.  But  the  elephant,  wrink- 
ling it  up  with  great  dexterity,  received  the 
tiger  on  his  great  teeth,  and  tossed  it  up  into 
the  air.  This  so  discouraged  the  furious  ani- 
mal, that  it  no  more  ventured  to  approach  the 
elephant,  but  made  several  circuits  round  the 
pallisade,  often  attempting  to  fly  at  the  spec- 
tators. Shortly  after,  three  elephants  were 
sent  against  it,  and  they  continued  to  strike 
it  so  terribly  with  their  trunks,  that  it  once 
more  lay  for  dead ;  and  they  would  certain- 
ly Slave  killed  it,  had  not  there  been  a  stop 
put  to  the  combat. 

From  this  account,  we  may  readily  judge 
of  the  strength  of  this  animal,  which,  although 
reduced  to  captivity,  arid  held  by  cords; 
though  first  disabled,  and  set  alone  against 
three,  yet  ventured  to  continue  the  engage- 
ment, and  even  that  against  animals  covered 
and  protected  from  its  fury. 

"  Captain  Hamilton  informs  us,  that  in  the 
Sundah  Raijah's  dominions  there  are  three 
sorts  of  tigers  in  the  woods,  and  that  the  smal- 
lest are  the  fiercest.  This  is  not  above  two 
;  feet  high,  appears  to  be  extremely  cunning, 
and  delights  in  human  flesh.  The  second 
kind  is  about  three  feet  high,  and  hunts  deer 
and  wild  hogs,  besides  the  little  animal  which 
has  been  already  described  under  the  name 
of  the  chevrotain,  or  Guinea  deer.  The  tiger  of 
the  largest  sort  is  above  three  feet  and  a  "half 
high:  but,  although  endowed  with  greater 
powers,  is,  by  no  means,  so  rapacious  as  either 
of  the  former.  This  formidable  animal,  which 
is  called  the  royal  tiger,  (one  of  which  we  have 
at  present  in  the  Tower,)  does  not  seem  so 
ravenous  nor  so  dangerous,  and  is  even  more 
cowardly.  A  peasant  in  that  country,  as  this 
traveller  informs  us,  had  a  buffalo  fallen  into 
a  quagmire,  and  while  he  went  for  assistance, 
there  came  a  large  tiger,  that  with  its  single 
strength  drew  forth  the  animal,  which  the 
united  force  of  many  men  could  not  effect. 
When  the  people  returned  to  the  place,  the 
3  B 


son 


ANIMALS  OF 


first  object  they  beheld  was  the  tiger,  who 
had  thrown  the  buffalo  over  its  shoulder,  as 
a  fox  does  a  goose,  and  was  carrying  it  away, 
with  the  feet  upwards,  towards  its  den;  how- 
ever, as  soon  as  it  saw  the  men,  it  let  fall  its 
prey,  and  instantly  fled  to  the  woods :  but 
it  had  previously  killed  the  buffalo,  and  suck- 
ed its  blood ;  and,  no  doubt,  the  people  were 
very  well  satisfied  with  its  retreat.  It  may  be 
observed,  that  some  East  Indian  buffaloes 
weigh  above  a  thousand  pounds,  which  is 
twice  as  heavy  as  the  ordinary  run  of  our 
black  cattle ;  so  that  from  hence  we  may  form 
a  conception  of  the  enormous  strength  of  this 
rapacious  animal,  that  could  thus  run  off  with 
a  weight  at  least  twice  as  great  as  that  of  it- 
self. 

"  Were  this  animal  as  common  as  the  pan- 
ther, or  even  as  the  lion  himself,  thus  furnish- 
ed as  it  is  with  the  power  to  destroy,  and  the 
appetite  for  slaughter,  the  country  would  be 
uninhabitable  where  it  resides.  But  luckily 
the  species  is  extremely  scarce ;  and  has  been 
so  since  the  earliest  accounts  we  have  had  of 
the  tiger.  About  the  times  of  Augustus,  we 
are  assured  by  Pliny,  that  when  panthers 
were  brought  to  Rome  by  hundreds,  a  single 
tiger  wasconsidered  as  an  extraordinary  sight ; 
and  he  tells  us,  that  the  emperor  Claudius 
was  able  to  procure  four  only ;  which  shows 
how  difficultly  they  were  procured.  The  in- 
credible fierceness  of  this  animal  may  be,  in 
some  measure,  the  cause  of  the  scarcity  which 
was  then  at  Rome,  since  it  was  the  opinion  of 
Varro,  that  the  tiger  was  never  taken  alive:* 
tut  its  being  a  native  only  of  the  East  Indies, 
and  that  particularly  of  (he  warmer  regions, 
it  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  the  species  should 
be  so  few." 

We  may,  therefore,  consider  the  species  of 
the  true  streaked  tiger,  as  one  of  the  scarcest 
of  animals,  and  much  less  diffused  than  that 
of  the  lion.  As  to  the  number  of  its  young, 
we  have  no  certain  accounts;  however,  it  is 
said,  that  it  brings  forth  four  or  five  at  a  time. 
Although  furious  at  all  times,  the  female,  upon 
this  occasion,  exceeds  her  usual  rapacity;  and, 
if  her  young  are  taken  from  her,  she  pursues 
the  spoiler  with  incredible  rage;  he,  to  save 
a  part,  is  contented  to  lose  a  part,  and  drops 

»  Tigiisvivuscapiadhucnonpotuit.  Var  de  ling.  Lat. 


one  of  her  cubs,  with  which  she  immediately 
returns  to  her  den,  and  again  pursues  him ; 
he  then  drops  another,  and  by  the  time  she 
has  returned  with  that,  he  generally  escapes 
with  the  remainder.  If  she  loses  her  young 
entirely,  she  then  becomes  desperate,  boldly 
approaches  even  the  towns  themselves,  and 
commits  incredible  slaughter.  The  tiger  ex- 
presses its  resentment  in  the  same  manner 
with  the  lion ;  it  moves  the  muscles  and  skin 
of  its  face,  shows  its  teeth,  and  shrieks  in  the 
most  frightful  manner.  Its  note  is  very  diffe- 
rent from  that  of  the  lion ;  being  rather  a 
scream  than  a  roar  :  and  the  ancients  expres- 
sed it  very  well,  when  they  said  that,  tigridos 
indomitce  rancant  rugiuntque  leo?ies. 

The  skin  of  these  animals  is  much  esteem- 
ed all  over  the  east,  particularly  in  China ; 
the  Mandarines  cover  their  seats  of  justice 
in  the  public  places  with  it,  and  convert  it 
into  coverings  for  cushions  in  winter.  In  Eu- 
rope, these  skins,  though  but  seldom  to  be 
met  with,  are  of  no  great  value;  those  of  the 
panther  and  the  leopard  being  held  in  much 
greater  estimation.  This  is  all  the  little  be- 
nefit we  derive  from  this  dreadful  animal,  of 
which  so  many  falsehoods  have  been  report- 
ed ;  as,  that  its  sweat  was  poisonous,  and  the 
hair  of  its  whiskers  more  dangerous  than  an 
envenomed  arrow.  But  the  real  mischiefs 
which  the  tiger  occasions  while  living  are 
sufficient,  without  giving  imaginary  ones  to  the 
parts  of  its  body  when  dead.  In  fact,  the  In- 
dians sometimes  eat  its  flesh,  and  find  it  nei- 
ther disagreeable  nor  unwholesome. 

There  is  an  animal  of  America,  which  is 
usually  called  the  red  tiger,  but  Mr.  Buffbn 
calls  it  the  cougar,  which,  no  doubt,  is  very 
different  from  the  tiger  of  the  east.  Some, 
however,  have  thought  proper  to  rank  both 
together,  and  I  will  take  leave  to  follow  their 
example,  merely  because  the  cougar  is  more 
like  a  tiger  in  every  thing,  except  the  colour, 
than  any  other  animal  I  know,  having  the  head, 
the  body,  and  the  neck,  shaped  very  much  in 
the  same  manner.  Of  these  slight  differences, 
words  would  give  but  a  very  faint  idea;  it 
will  be,  therefore,  sufficient  to  observe,  that 
they  are  both  equally  slender,  and  are  smaller 
where  the  neck  joins  the  head,  than  others  of 
the  panther  kind.  There  is'  one  at  present 
in  the  Tower;  and  it  seemed  to  me,  as  well 


THE  CAT  KIND. 


301 


as  I  could  see  it  through  the  bars,  that  were 
it  properly  streaked  and  coloured,  it  would 
in  all  things  resemble  a  small  tiger.  It  is, 
however,  of  a  very  different  colour,  being  of 
a  deep  brown,  and  the  tail  very  long  and  point- 
ed. It  is  rather  darker  on  the  back;  under 
the  chin  it  is  a  little  whitish,  as  also  on  the 
lower  part  of  the  belly. 

Of  all  the  American  animals,  this  is  the 
most  formidable  and  mischievous ;  even  their 
pretended  lion  not  rxcepted  :  it  is  said  there 
are  several  sorts  of  them ;  and,  as  well  as  I 
can  remember,  I  have  seen  one  or  two  here 
in  England,  both  differing  from  the  present, 
in  size  and  conformation.  It  is,  indeed,  a  vain 
endeavour  to  attempt  to  describe  all  the  less 
obvious  varieties  in  the  cat  kind.  If  we  ex- 
amine them  minutely,  we  shall  find  the  diffe- 
rences multiply  upon  us  so  much,  that  instead 
of  a  history,  we  shall  only  be  paid  with  a  ca- 
talogue of  distinctions.  From  such  of  them 
as  I  have  seen,  within  these  last  six  years,  I 
think  I  could  add  two  animals  of  this  species, 
that  have  not  been  hitherto  described,  and 
with  the  names  of  which  he  that  showed  them 
was  utterly  unacquainted  But  it  is  a  poor 
ambition,  that  of  being  eager  to  find  out  new 
distinctions,  or  adding  one  noxious  animal 
more,  to  a  list  that  is  already  sufficiently  nu- 
merous. Were  the  knowing  a  new  variety 
to  open  an  unknown  history,  or  in  the  least 
to  extend  our  knowledge,  the  inquiry  would 
be  then  worth  pursuing;  but  what  signifies 
mentioning  some  trifling  difference,  and  from 
thence  becoming  authors  of  a  new  name,  when 
the  difference  might  have  originally  proceed- 
ed either  from  climate,  soil,  or  indiscriminate 
copulation? 

The  cougars  are  extremely  common  in  South 
America;  and,  where  the  towns  border  upon 
the  forest,  these  make  frequent  incursions  by 
night  into  the  midst  of  the  streets,  carrying 
off  fowls,  dogs,  and  other  domestic  creatures. 
They  are,  howr-ver,  but  weak  and  contemp- 
tible, compared  to  the'great  tiger,  being  found 
unable  to  cope  with  a  single  man.  The  Ne- 
groes and  Indians  are  very  dexterous  in  en- 
countering them ;  and  some,  even  for  the  sake 
of  their  skins,  seek  them  in  their  retreats. 
The  arms  in  this  combat,  seemingly  so  dan- 
gerous, are  only  a  lance  of  two  or  three  yards 
long,  made  of  heavy  wood,  with  the  point  har- 


dened in  the  fire ;  and  a  kind  of  scymitar,  of 
about  three  quarters  of  a  yard  in  length.  Thus 
armed,  they  wait  till  the  tiger  makes  an  as- 
sault against  the  left  hand,  which  holds  the 
lance,  and  is  wrapped  up  in  a  short  cloak  of 
baize.  Sometimes  the  animal,  aware  of  the 
danger,  seems  to  decline  the  combat;  but 
then  its  antagonist  provokes  it  with  a  slight 
touch  of  the  lance,  in  order,  while  he  is  de- 
fending himself,  to  strike  a  sure  blow.  As 
soon,  therefore,  as  the  creature  feels  the  lance, 
it  grasps  it  with  one  of  its  paws,  and  with  the 
other  strikes  at  the  arm  which  holds  it.  Then 
it  is  that  the  person  nimbly  aims  a  blow  with 
his  scymitar,  which  he  kept  concealed,  with 
the  other  hand,  and  hamstrings  the  creature, 
which  immediately  draws  back  enraged,  but 
instantly  returns  to  the  charge.  But  then, 
receiving  another  stroke,  it  is  totally  deprived 
of  the  power  of  motion:  and  the  combatant, 
killing  it  at  his  leisure,  strips  the  skin,  cuts 
off  the  head,  and  returns  to  his  companions, 
displaying  these  as  the  trophies  of  his  victory. 

This  animal,  as  we  are  assured,  is  often 
more  successful  against  the  crocodile;  and  it 
istheonlyquadniped  in  that  part  of  the  world, 
that  is  not  afraid  of  the  engagement.  It  must 
be  no  unpleasant  sight  to  observe,  from  a  place 
of  safety,  this  extraordinary  combat,  between 
animals  so  terrible  and  obnoxious  to  man. 
Such  as  have  seen  it,  describe  it  in  the  follow- 
ing mariner.  When  the  tiger,  impelled  by 
thirst,  that  seems  continually  to  consume  it, 
comes  down  to  the  river  side  to  drink,  the 
crocodile,  which  makes  no  distinction  in  its 
prey,  lifts  its  head  above  water  to  seize  it ; 
the  tiger,  not  less  rapacious  than  the  other, 
and  unacquainted  with  the  force  of  the  enemy, 
boldly  ventures  to  seize  it,  and  plunges  its 
claws  into  the  eyes  of  the  crocodile,  which  is 
the  only  vulnerable  parts  of  its  body :  upon 
this  the  crocodile  instantly  dives  under  water, 
and  the  tiger  goes  down  with  him,  for  he  will 
sooner  die  than  let  go  its  hold.  In  this  man- 
ner the  combat  continues  for  some  time,  un- 
til the  tiger  is  drowned,  or  escapes,  as  is  some- 
times the  case,  from  its  disabled  enemy. 

These  animals  are  common  in  Guiana." 
They  were  formerly  seen  swimming  over,  in 
great  numbers,  into  the  island  of  Cayenne,  to 

»  Buff  on,  vol.  xix.  p.  22. 

3B* 


302 


ANIMALS  OF 


attack  and  ravage  the  flocks  and  herds  of  the 
inhabitants.  In  the  beginning,  they  were  a 
terrible  scourge  to  the  infant  colony  ;  but,  by 
degrees,  they  were  repulsed  and  destroyed, 
and  are  now  seen  no  longer  at  that  piace. 
They  are  found  in  Brazil,  in  Paraguay,  in  the 
country  of  the  Amazons,  and  in  several  other 
parts  of  South  America.  They  often  climb 
trees  in  quest  of  prey,  or  to  avoid  their  pur- 
suers. They  are  deterred  by  tire,  like  all 
other  animals  of  the  cat  kind ;  or  more  pro- 
perly speaking,  they  seldom  venture  near 
those  places  where  they  see  it  kindled,  as  they 
are  always  sure  of  their  enemies  being  near, 
and  their  nocturnal  eyes  are  dazzled  by  the 
brightness  of  the  blaze.  From  the  descrip- 
tion of  this  animal,  one  would  be  hardly  led 
to  suppose,  that  its  flesh  was  good  lor  food  ; 
and  yet  we  have  several  accounts  which  al- 
lege the  fact,  some  asserting  it  to  be  superior 
even  to  mutton:  however,  what  Monsieur  Des 
Marchais  observes,  is  most  likely  to  be  true; 
namely,  That  the  most  valuable  part  of  this 
animal  is  its  skin,  and  that  its  flesh  is  but  in- 
different eating,  being  generally  lean,  and  usu- 
ally having  a  strong  fumet. 


THE  PANTHER  AND  THE  LEOPARD. 

WE  have  hitherto  found  no  great  difficulty 
in  distinguishing  one  animal  from  another, 
each  carrying  its  own  peculiar  marks,  which, 
in  some  measure,  serve  to  separate  it  from  all 
the  rest.  But  it  is  otherwise,  when  we  come 
to  these  of  the  cat  kind,  that  fill  up  the  chasm 
between  the  tiger  and  the  cat.  The  spots 
with  which  their  skins  are  diversified,  are  so 
various,  and  their  size  so  equivocal,  that  it  is 
no  easy  matter  to  distinguish  the  species,  par- 
ticularly as  we  have  little  else  but  the  spots 
and  the  size  to  guide  us  in  making  the  distinc- 
tion. If  we  regard  the  figure  and  diversity 
of  the  spots,  we  shall  find  many  varieties  not 
taken  notice  of  by  any  naturalist:  if  we  are 
led  by  the  size,  we  shall  find  an  impercepti- 
ble gradation  from  the  cat  to  the  tiger.  It 
would  be  vain,  therefore,  to  make  as  many 
varieties  in  these  animals  as  we  seedifferences 
in  spots  or  stature  ;  it  will  be  sufficient  to  seize 
the  most  general  distinctions,  and  leave  the 


rest  to  such  as  are  fond  of  more  minute  dis- 
quisitions. 

Of  all  this  tribe,  whose  skins  are  so  beauti- 
I  fully  spotted,  and  whose  natures  are  so  mis- 
j  chievous,  the  panther  may  be  considered  as 
the  foremost.  This  animal  has  been  by  many 
naturalists  mistaken  for  the  tiger,  and  in  fact, 
it  approaches  next  to  it  in  size,  fierceness,  and 
beauty.  It  is  distinguished,  however,  by  one 
obvious  and  leading  character;  that  of  being 
spotted,  not  streaked ;  for,  in  this  particular, 
the  tiger  differs  from  the  panther,  the  leopard, 
and  almost  all  the  inferior  ranks  of  this  mis- 
chievous family. 

This  animal,  which  Mr.  BufTon  calls  simply 
the  panther,  Linnasus  the  pard,  Gesner  the  par- 
dalis,  and  the  modern  Latins  the  Icopardus;  this 
animal,  I  say,  which  goes  by  too  many  names, 
and  which  the  English  have  indiscriminately 
called  by  the  name  of  the  panther  or  the  leo- 
pard, may  be  considered  as  the  largest  of  the 
kind,  and  is  spotted  in  a  manner  somewhat 
different  from thosethat  aresmaller.  Asthose 
spots,  however,  make  the  principal  difference 
between  it  and  the  lesser  animals,  which  it 
otherwise  resembles  inshape,size,disposition, 
and  beauty,  I  will  first  show  these  slight  dis- 
tinctions, and  mention  the  names  each  animal 
has  received  in  consequence  thereof;  and  then 
proceed  to  give  their  history  together,  still 
marking  any  peculiarity  observable  in  one 
of  the  species,  which  is  not  found  in  the 
rest. 

Next  to  the  great  panther,  already  mention- 
ed, is  the  animal  which  Mr  Puffbn  calls  the 
LEOPARD,  a  name  which  he  acknowledges  to 
be  given  arbitrarily,  for  the  sake  of  distinc- 
tion. Other  naturalists  have  not  much  at- 
tended to  the  slight  differences  between  this 
and  the  great  panther,  nor  have  they  consider- 
ed its  discriminations  as  sufficient  to  entitle 
it  to  another  name.  It  has  hitherto,  therefore, 
gone  under  the  name  of  the  LEOPARD,  or  PAN- 
THER of  Senegal,  where  it  is  chiefly  found. 
The  differences  between  this  animal  and  the 
former  are  these :  the  large  panther  is  often 
found  to  be  six  feet  long,  from  the  tip  of  the 
nose  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail;  the  panther 
of  Senegal  is  not  above  four.  The  large  pan- 
ther is  marked  with  spots  in  the  manner  of  a 
rose,  that  is.  five  or  six  make  a  kind  of  circle, 
and  there  is  generally  a  large  one  in  the  mid- 


THE  CAT  KIND. 


303 


die.  The  leopard  of  Senegal  has  a  much 
more  beautiful  coat,  the  yellow  is  more  bril- 
liant, and  the  spots  are  smaller,  and  not  dis- 
posed in  rings  but  in  clusters.  As  to  the  rest, 
they  are  both  whitish  under  the  belly;  the 
tail  in  both  is  pretty  long,  but  rather  longer 
in  proportion  in  the  latter,  than  in  the  former. 
To  these  two  animals,  whose  differences  seem 
to  be  so  very  minute,  we  may  add  a  third ; 
namely,  the  JAGUAR,  or  PANTHER  of  America. 
This,  in  every  respect,  resembles  the  two  for- 
mer, except  in  the  disposition  of  its  spots,  and 
that  its  neck  and  head  are  rather  streaked 
than  spotted.  The  jaguar  is  also  said  to  be 
lower  upon  its  legs,  and  less  than  the  leopard 
of  Senegal.  These  three  quadrupeds,  as  we 
see,  have  but  very  slight  differences,  and  the 
principal  distinction  used  by  Mr.  Buffbn,  is 
taken  from  the  size ;  the  first,  as  he  says,  is 
usually  six  feet  long ;  the  second,  four  feet; 
and  the  last,  about  three:  however,  it  appears 
from  the  particular  subjects  of  his  descrip- 
tion, that  the  panther  in  his  possession  was 
not  above  three  feet  seven  inches  long;  that 
the  leopard's  skin  which  he  describes,  was 
about  four;  and  that  the  jaguar,  at  two  years 
old,  was  between  two  and  three  feet  long, 
which,  when  come  to  its  full  growth,  would, 
no  doubt,  be  four  feet  long,  as  well  as  the  two 
former.  From  hence,  therefore,  we  may  con- 
clude, that  the  size  in  these  animals  is  not  suf- 
ficient to  make  a  distinction  among  them;  and 
that  those  who  called  them  all  three  by  the 
indiscriminate  names  of  the  leopard  and  the 
panther,  if  not  right,  were  at  least  excusable. 
Of  those  which  are  now  to  be  seen  in  the 
Tower,  the  jaguar,  or  the  American  panther, 
is  rather  the  largest  of  the  three ;  and  is  by 
no  means  the  contemptible  animal  which  Mr. 
Butfbn  describes  it  to  be;  the  leopard  is  the 
least  of  them,  and  has,  by  some  travellers, 
been  supposed  to  bean  animal  produced  be- 
tween the  panther  and  the  ounce,  an  animal 
which  resembles,  but  is  less  than  any  of  the 
former.  These  three  animals  we  may,  there- 
fore, rank  together,  as  they  agree  pretty  near- 
ly in  their  robe,  their  size,  their  dispositions, 
and  their  ferocity. 

We  come  next  to  an  animal  confessedly 
different  from  any  of  the  former,  being  much 
smaller,  and  its  colour  more  inclining  to  white. 
Its  name,  however,  in  our  language,  has  caus- 


ed no  small  confusion.  It  has  been  general- 
ly called  by  foreigners,  the  ONZA,  or  the  OUNCE, 
and  this  name  some  of  our  own  writers  have 
thought  proper  to  give  it ;  but  others  of  them, 
and  these  the  most  celebrated,  such  as  Wil- 
loughby,  have  given  this  name  to  a  different 
animal,  with  a  short  tail,  and  known  to  (he 
ancients  and  moderns  by  the  name  of  the  lynx. 
I  confess  myself  at  a  loss,  in  this  case,  whom 
to  follow;  the  alteration  of  names  should  be 
always  made  with  great  caution,  and  never 
but  in  cases  of  necessity.  If  we  follow  Wil- 
loughby,  there  will  be  an  animal  of  the  pan- 
ther kind,  very  distinguishable  from  all  the 
rest,  left  without  a  name;  and  if  we  recede 
from  him,  it  will  serve  to  produce  some  con- 
fusion among  all  the  numerous  class  of  readers 
and  writers  who  have  taken  him  for  their 
guide:  however,  as  he  seems  himself  to  have 
been  an  innovator,  the  name  of  the  lynx  having 
been  long  adopted  into  our  language  before, 
it  was  unnecessary  to  give  the  animal  that 
bore  it  another  name,  and  to  call  that  creature 
an  ounce,  which  our  old  writers  had  been  ac- 
customed to  know  by  the  Latin  appellation  ; 
for  this  reason,  therefore,  we  may  safely  ven- 
ture to  take  a  name  that  has  been  long  mis- 
applied, from  the  lynx,  and  restore  it  to  the 
animal  in  question.  We  will,  therefore,  call 
that  animal  of  the  panther  kind,  which  is  less 
than  the  panther,  and  with  a  longer  tail,  the 
ounce  ;  and  the  lynx  may  remain  in  possession 
of  that  name  by  which  it  was  known  among 
all  our  old  English  writers,  as  well  as  by  all 
antiquity. 

The  OUNCE,  or  the  ONZA  of  Linnaeus,  is  much 
less  than  the  panther,  being  not,  at  most,  a  bove 
three  feet  and  a  half  long:  however,  its  hair 
is  much  longer  than  that  of  the  panther,  and 
its  tail  still  more  so.  The  panther  of  tour  or 
five  feet  long,  has  a  tail  but  of  two  feet,  or  two 
feet  and  a  half.  The  ounce,  which  is  but 
about  three  feet,  has  a  tail  often  longer  than 
the  rest  of  its  body.  The  colour  of  the  ounce 
is  also  apparently  different,  being  rather  more 
inclining  to  a  cream-colour,  which  is  deeper 
on  the  back,  and  whiter  towards  the  belly. 
The  hair  on  the  back  is  an  inch  and  a  half 
long ;  and  that  on  the  belly  two  inches  and  a 
half,  which  is  much  longer  than  that  of  the 
panther.  Its  spots  are  disposed  pretty  much 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  large  panther,  ex- 


304 


ANIMALS  OF 


cept  that  on  the  haunches  it  is  rather  marked 
with  stripes  than  with  spots. 

Descending  to  animals  of  this  kind  that  are 
still  smaller,  we  find  the  CATAMOUNTAIN,  which 
is  the  ocelot  of  Mr.  Buffbn,  or  the  tiger-cat  of 
most  of  those  who  exhibit  as  a  show.  It  is 
less  than  the  ounce,  but  its  robe  more  beauti- 
fully variegated.  It  is  an  American  animal, 
and  is  about  two  feet  and  a  half  in  length,  from 
the  nose  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail.  It  is  ex- 
tremely like  a  cat,  except  that  it  is  larger  and 
slenderer,  that  its  colours  are  more  beautiful, 
and  its  tail  rather  shorter.  The  fur  is  of  a 
reddish  colour,  the  whole  beautified  with  black 
spots,  and  streaks  of  different  figures.  They 
are  long  on  the  back,  and  round  on  the  belly 
and  paws.  On  the  ears  are  black  stripes, 
which  run  across  ;  but,  in  other  respects,  they 
entirely  resemble  those  of  a  cat.  These  colours, 
however,  which  naturalists  have  taken  great 
pains  minutely  to  describe,  are  by  no  means  per- 
manent, being  differently  disposed  in  different 
animals  of  the  same  species.  I  remember  to 
have  seen  an  animal  of  this  size,  but  whether 
of  this  species  I  will  not  pretend  to  say,  some 
years  ago,  that  was  entirely  brown,  and  was 
said  also  to  have  come  from  America. 

From  this  tribe  of  the  cat  kind,  with  spotted 
skins  and  a  long  tail,  we  come  to  another, 
with  skins  diversified  in  like  manner,  but  with 
a  shorter  tail.  The  principal  of  these  is  the 
LYNX,  the  name  by  which  the  animal  was 
known  to  ^Elian,  among  the  ancients ;  and  to 
all  our  old  English  writers  among  those  of  a 
more  modern  date.  This  name  has  been  cor- 
rupted by  the  Portuguese  into  the  word  ouze ; 
and  this  corruption  has  been  adopted  by  Ray, 
who  has  improperly  called  this  animal  the 
ounce,  after  some  of  the  foreign  travellers. 
The  first  striking  distinction  between  the  lynx, 
and  all  those  of  the  panther  kind,  is  in  its  tail, 
which  is  at  least  half  as  short  in  proportion, 
and  black  at  the  extremity.  Its  fur  is  much 
longer,  the  spots  on  the  skin  less  vivid,  and  but 
confusedly  mingled  with  the  rest.  Its  ears  are 
much  longer,  and  tipped  at  the  point  with  a 
black  tuft  of  hair.  The  colour  round  the  eyes 
is  white,  and  the  physiognomy  more  placid 
and  gentle.  Each  hair  of  this  animal  is  of 
three  different  colours :  (he  root  is  of  a  grayish 
brown  ;  the  middle  red,  or  of  an  ash  colour  ; 
and  the  ends  white.  This  whiteness  at  the 
ends  takes  up  so  small  a  part  of  the  particular 


hair,  that  it  does  not  prevent  us  from  seeing 
the  principal  colour,  which  is  that  in  the  mid- 
dle part ;  so  that  it  only  makes  the  surface  of 
the  body  appear  as  if  it  were  silvered  over : 
however,  the  hair  of  which  the  spots  consist 
has  no  white  at  the  ends,  and  at  the  roots  it  is 
not  quite  so  black  as  the  other  part.  This  ani- 
mal is  not  above  the  size  of  the  ounce,  but  is 
rather  stronger  built,  and  it  has  but  twenty- 
eight  teeth ;  whereas  all  the  rest  of  the  cat 
kind  already  mentioned  have  thirty. 

Another  animal  of  this  kind  is  called  the 
SIAGUSH,  or,  as  Mr.  Buffbn  names  it,  the  CARA- 
CAL. It  is  a  native  of  the  East  Indies,  and 
resembles  the  lynx  in  size,  in  form,  and  even 
in  the  singularity  of  being  tufted  at  the  tips  of 
the  ears.  However,  the  siagush  differs  in  not 
being  mottled  as  the  lynx  is ;  its Jiir,  or  rather 
hair,  is  rougher  and  shorter  ;  its  tail  is  rather 
longer,  its  muzzle  more  lengthened  ;  its  phy- 
siognomy more  fierce,  and  its  nature  more 
savage. 

The  third  and  last  animal  that  need  to  be- 
mentioned  of  this  kind,  is  that  which  Mr. 
Buffon  calls  the  SERVAL,  and  which  he  has 
first  described.  It  is  a  native  of  Malabar,  re- 
sembling the  panther  in  its  spots,  but  the  lynx 
in  the  shortness  of  its  tail,  in  its  size,  and  in  its 
strong  built  form. 

These  seem  to  be  all  the  principal  distinc- 
tions among  animals  of  the  panther  kind,  from 
the  largest  of  this  tribe  down  to  the  domestic 
cat,  which  is  the  smallest  of  all  these  fierce 
and  mischievous  varieties.  In  all,  their  nature 
seems  pretty  much  the  same ;  being  equally 
fierce,  subtle,  cruel,  and  cowardly.  The  pan- 
ther, including  the  leopard  and  the  jaguar,  or 
American  panther,  as  they  are  the  larg'-st,  so 
also  are  they  the  most  dangerous  of  this  kind ; 
for  the  whole  race  of  cats  are  noxious  in  pro- 
portion to  their  power  to  do  mischief.  They 
inhabit  the  most  torrid  latitudes  of  India,  Afri- 
ca, arid  America,  and  have  never  been  nlileto 
multiply  beyond  the  torrid  zone.  They  are 
generally  found  in  the  thickest  and  the  most 
entangled  forests,  and  often  near  remote  habi- 
tations, where  they  watch  to  surprise  all  kinds 
of  domestic  animals.  They  very  seldom  at- 
tack man,  even  though  provoked  by  him ; 
they  rather  seem  desirous  of  finding  safety  by 
flight,  or  by  climbing  trees,  at  which  they  are 
very  expert.  In  this  manner,  also,  they  often 
pursue  their  prey,  and,  being  expert  at  seizing 


THE  CAT  KIND. 


305 


it,  as  well  above  as  below,  they  cause  a  vast 
destruction.  Of  all  other  animals,  these  are 
the  most  sullen,  and,  even  to  a  proverb,  un- 
tameable.  They  still  preserve  their  fierce  and 
treacherous  spirit ;  and  at  those  places  where 
they  are  exposed  to  be  seen  among  others,  we 
often  observe  that  while  their  keeper  is  fa- 
miliar with  the  lion  or  the  bear,  yet  he  is  ap- 
prehensive of  the  large  panther,  and  keeps  it 
bound  with  the  shortest  chain. 

As  the  ounce  differs  from  these  in  figure  and 
size,  so  also  it  seems  to  differ  in  disposition, 
being  more  mild,  tractable,  and  tame.  These 
we  often  see  as  harmless  and  innocent  as  cats; 
and  there  is  one  at  present  in  the  Tower  with 
which  the  keeper  plays  without  the  smallest 
apprehension.  I  own  I  was  not  a  little  uneasy, 
at  first,  for  the  man,  when  he  put  his  hand 
through  the  bars,  and  called  the  animal  by  its 
name ;  but  I  was  a  good  deal  surprised  to  see 
the  creature,  which  one  might  suppose  irritated 
by  long  confinement,  come  gently  up  to  him, 
stroke  his  hand  with  its  face,  in  the  manner  of 
a  cat,  and  testify  the  utmost  gentleness  of  dis- 
position. The  ounce,  therefore,  is  remarkable 
for  being  easily  tamed  ;  and,  in  fact,  it  is  em- 
ployed all  over  the  East  for  the  purposes  of 
hunting.  Not,  indeed,  but  the  panthers  them- 
selves are  sometimes  used  for  this  purpose,  but 
they  are  never  thoroughly  subdued  like  the 
former,  being  usually  brought  to  the  field  in  a 
carriage,  and  kept  chained  and  caged  until 
they  are  shown  the  gazelle,  or  the  leveret, 
which  is  their  prey.  This  they  pursue  rather 
by  three  or  four  great  springs  than  by  running. 
If  they  seize  it  by  this  sudden  effort,  it  finds  no 
mercy;  but  if  it  escapes  from  this  first  effort, 
they  never  attempt  to  pursue,  and  appear 
quite  disappointed  and  confounded  at  their 
mischance.  It  sometimes  happens  that  they 
are  so  much  enraged  at  it,  that  they  attack 
even  their  employer,  and  his  only  resource  to 
avoid  their  fury  is  to  throw  them  some  small 
pieces  of  meat,  which  he  has  brought  with  him 
for  that  purpose. 

The  ounce,  however,  is  not  so  dangerous  ; 
and  is  treated  with  more  confidence  and 
familiarity.  It  is  usually  brought  to  the  field 
hood-winked  behind  one  of  the  horsemen. 
When  the  game  appears,  the  ounce  is  instantly 
uncovered,  and  shown  where  it  lies ;  upon 
which  the  fierce  creature  darts  like  an  arrow 
to  the  place,  and  seizes  it  at  once,  or,  missing 


it,  remains  motionless  on  the  place.  It  would 
be  vain  to  attempt  retrieving  its  disgrace,  by 
continuing  the  pursuit ;  for,  although  it  bounds 
with  greater  agility  than  most  other  animals, 
yet  it  is  slow  and  awkward  in  running,  and 
has  no  means  of  finding  the  animal  it  pursues 
by  the  smell,  as  is  common  among  these  of 
the  dog  kind.  From  hence,  therefore,  it 
appears  how  much  superior  the  European 
method  of  hunting  is  to  that  of  the  Asiatic  ; 
since  whatever  amusement  this  exercise  affords 
must  arise  from  the  continuance  of  the  chase, 
and  from  the  fluctuation  of  doubt  and  expecta- 
tion, which  raise  and  depress  the  pursuers  by 
turns.  All  this  an  Asiatic  hunter  is  deprived 
of;  and  his  greatest  pleasure  can  scarcely  be 
more  than  what  among  us  is  called  coursing,  in 
which  the  dog  pursues  the  animal,  and  keeps 
it  constantly  in  view. 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  it  is  from 
choice  the  Asiatics  use  this  method  of  chase  ; 
for,  no  doubt,  were  dogs  serviceable  among 
them  as  they  are  in  Europe,  they  would  be 
employed  for  the  same  purposes.  But  the  fact 
is,  that  the  extreme  heat  of  the  tropical  cli- 
mates produces  such  universal  putrefaction, 
and  sends  up  such  various  and  powerful  scents, 
that  dogs  are  at  first  bewildered  in  the  chase, 
and  at  last  come  to  lose  the  delicacy  of  their 
scent  entirely.  They  are,  therefore,  but  little 
used  in  those  warm  countries  ;  and  what  could 
they  avail  in  places  where  almost  every  other 
animal  of  the  forest  is  stronger  and  more  rapa- 
cious ?  The  lion,  the  tiger,  the  panther,  and 
the  ounce,  are  all  natural  enemies  to  the  dog, 
and  attack  him  wherever  he  appears  with  un- 
governable fury.  The  breed,  therefore,  in 
those  places,  would  quickly  be  destroyed  ;  so 
that  they  are  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  those 
animals  which  are  more  fitted  to  serve  them  ; 
and  thus  convert  the  ounce  to  those  purposes 
for  which  dogs  are  employed  in  Europe. 

The  CATAMOUNTAIN,  or  OCELOT,  is  one  of  the 
fiercest,  and,  for  its  size,  one  of  the  most  de- 
structive animals  in  the  world.  It  is,  as  was 
before  observed,  a  native  of  South  America, 
and  by  no  means  capable  of  the  same  educa- 
tion as  the  ounce,  which  it  more  approaches 
in  size  than  in  disposition.  Two  of  these, 
from  whom  Mr.  Buffon  has  taken  his  descrip- 
tion, were  brought  over  from  Carthagena,  and 
having  been  taken  from  the  d*un  when  very 
young,  were  afterwards  suckied  by  a  bitch. 


306 


ANIMALS  OF 


But,  before  they  were  three  months  old,  they 
had  strength  and  ingratitude  enough  to  kill 
and  devour  their  nurse.  Their  succeeding 
fierceness  and  malignity  seemed  to  correspond 
with  their  first  efforts ;  for  no  arts  could  tame 
or  soften  their  natures ;  and  while  they  con- 
tinued in  their  cages,  they  still  testified  an  un- 
ceasing disposition  for  slaughter.  When  their 
food  was  given  them,  the  male  always  served 
himself  before  the  female  ventured  to  touch 
a  bit ;  and  it  was  not  till  he  was  satisfied  that 
the  other  began.  In  their  savage  state,  these 
animals  are  still  more  destructive ;  having 
great  strength  and  agility,  they  very  easily 
find  and  overtake  their  prey,  which  they  pur- 
sue among  the  tops  of  the  trees,  as  well  as  on 
the  ground ;  but  what  renders  them  still  more 
mischievous  is,  their  unceasing  appetite  rather 
for  the  blood  than  the  flesh  of  their  prey. 
They  suck  this  with  the  greatest  avidity,  but 
frequently  leave  the  carcase  otherwise  un- 
touched, in  order  to  pursue  other  animals  for 
the  blood  in  like  manner.  They  generally 
continue  on  the  tops  of  trees,  like  our  wild 
cats,  where  they  make  their  nest,  and  often 
bring  forth  their  young.  When  they  spy  any 
animal  they  can  master,  and  there  are  but 
few  in  the  forest  but  what  are  inferior,  they 
dart  down  upon  it  with  inevitable  exactness. 
The  whole  tribe  of  animals  of  the  panther 
kind,  with  long  tails,  are  chiefly  inhabitants, 
as  was  said,  of  the  torrid  zone ;  but  those  of 
the  short-tailed  kind,  and  particularly  the 
lynx,  is  principally  found  in  the  cold  countries 
that  are  bordering  on  the  pole.  The  lynx  is 
chiefly  to  be  met  with  in  the  north  of  Germa- 
ny, Lithuania,  Muscovy,  Siberia,  and  North 
America.  Those  of  the  new  continent,  how- 
ever, are  rather  smaller  than  in  Europe,  as  is 
the  case  with  almost  all  their  quadrupeds; 
they  are  somewhat  whiter  also,  but  in  other 
respects  there  is  scarce  any  difference  to  be 
found  among  them."  This  animal  has  been 
called  by  some  lupus  cervarius,  or  a  creature 
compounded  between  a  wolf  and  a  stag;  but 
for  what  reason  is  hard  to  guess ;  it  no  way 
resembles  either  in  shape  or  in  disposition. 
In  its  nature,  it  exactly  resembles  the  cat, 
except  that  being  bigger,  and  nearly  two  feet 
long,  it  is  bolder  and  fiercer.  Like  the  cat, 


"  Buflbn. 


it  climbs  trees,  and  seeks  its  prey  by  surprise; 
like  the  cat  it  is  delicate  and  cleanly,  cover- 
ing its  urine  with  its  paws;  and  it  resembles 
the  wolf  in  nothing  except  its  cry,  which  often 
deceive  the  hunters,  and  induces  them  to  think 
they  hear  a  wolf  and  not  a  lynx.  This  ani- 
mal also  is  rather  more  delicate  than  the  cat; 
and  after  having  once  feasted  upon  its  prey, 
will  never  return  to  it  again,  but  hunts  the 
woods  for  another.  From  hence  may  have 
arisen  the  common  report  of  the  lynx  having, 
of  all  other  quadrupeds,  the  shortest  memory. 
This,  however,  is  not  the  only  idle  story  that 
has  been  propagated  of  it :  as  of  its  seeing 
with  such  perspicuity,  as  to  perceive  objects 
through  walls  and  mountains ;  as  of  having 
its  urine  of  such  a  quality,  as  to  harden,  and 
becomea  precious  stone;  with  several  others, 
propagated  by  ignorance  or  imposture. 

The  SIAGUSH  and  the  SERVAL  are  both  so 
like  all  the  rest  of  the  cat  kind  in  disposition, 
that  it  is  but  repeating  the  same  account  once 
more  to  give  their  distinct  history.  As  the 
lynx  is  found  only  in  cold  countries,  so  the 
siagush  is  to  be  met  with  only  in  the  warm 
tropical  climates.  It  is  used,  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  ounce,  for  hunting;  but  it  seems 
to  have  a  property  which  the  other  has  not ; 
namely,  that  of  being  able  to  overtake  its  prey 
by  pursuing  it.  Wnether  this  is  performed 
by  having  a  finer  scent  than  the  former,  or 
greater  swiftness,  we  are  not  informed ;  being 
only  told  that  when  it  overtakes  either  the 
gazelle  or  the  antelope,  it  leaps  upon  their 
backs,  and,  getting  forward  to  their  shoulders, 
scratches  their  eyes  out,  by  which  means  they 
become  an  easy  prey  to  the  hunters.  Some 
have  called  this  animal  the  lion's  provider ; 
and  it  is  said  that  when  it  calls  him  to  pursue 
his  prey,  its  voice  very  much  resembles  that 
of  one  man  calling  another.11  From  hence  we 
may  conjecture  that  this  animal  pursues  its 
prey  in  full  cry,  and  that  the  lion  only  follows 
to  partake  or  seize  the  spoil.  The  same  ac- 
count is  given  also  of  the  jackal ;  and  very 
probably  it  may  be  true,  not  only  of  these  ani- 
mals, but  of  some  others,  since  it  is  natural 
enough  to  suppose  that  the  lion  will  pursue 
whenever  he  is  taught  to  discover  his  prey. 

We  had  one  of  those  animals  a  few  years 

*>  Thevenot,  vol.  ii.  p.  114. 


(    J  tl'/f/tt'f/  />,/  J 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


307. 


ago  sent  over  from  the  East  Indies,  but  it  was 
not  able  to  endure  the  change  of  climate,  and 
it  died  in  a  very  short  time  after  it  was  brought 
to  the  Tower.  Whether  consumed  by  disease 
or  not  I  cannot  tell,  but  it  seemed  to  be  much 
slenderer  than  the  cat  or  the  lynx,  and  its  ears 
were  much  longer;  however,  it  is  a  very  strong 
creature  for  its  size,  and  has  been  known  to 
kill  a  large  dog  in  single  combat  :a  neverthe- 
less, it  is,  like  all  of  the  cat  kind,  except  the 
lion,  rem  irkable  for  its  cowardice,  and  will 
never,  except  in  cases  of  necessity,  attack  an 
animal  that  is  its  equal  in  strength  or  activity. 
For  this  reason,  when  brought  into  the  field, 
and  put  upon  a  service  of  danger,  it  obstinately 
refuses,  and  is  alert  only  in  the  pursuit  of  ani- 
mals that  are  too  feeble  for  resistance,  or  too 
timid  to  exert  their  strength. 

From  what  has  been  said  of  this  capacious 
tribe,  we  perceive  a  similitude  in  the  manners 
and  dispositions  of  them  all,  from  the  lion  to 
the  cat.  The  similitude  of  their  internal  con- 
form ition  is  still  more  exact ;  the  shortness  of 
their  intestines,  the  number  of  their  teeth,  and 
the  structure  of  their  paws.  The  first  of  this 
class  is  the  lion,  distinguishable  from  all  the 
rest  by  his  strength,  his  magnitude,  and  his 
mane.  The  second  is  the  tiger,  rather  longer 
than  the  lion,  but  not  so  tall,  and  known  by 
the  streaks  and  the  vivid  beauty  of  its  robe ; 
including  also  the  American  tiger  or  cougar  ; 
distinguishable  by  its  size,  next  (hat  of  the  tiger, 
its  tawny  colour,  and  its  spots.  The  third  is 
the  panther  and  the  leopard.  The  fourth  is 
the  ounce,  not  so  large  as  any  of  the  former, 
spotted  like  them,  but  distinguishable  by  the 


cream-coloured  ground  of  its  hair,  and  the 
great  length  of  its  tail,  being  above  the  length 
of  its  body.  The  fifth  is  the  catamountain  or 
tiger  cat,  less  than  the  ounce,  but  differing 
particularly  in  having  a  shorter  tail,  and  being 
streaked  down  the  back  like  a  tiger.  The 
sixth  is  the  short-tailed  kind ;  namely,  the 
lynx,  of  the  size  of  the  former,  but  with  a  short 
tail  streaked,  and  the  tips  of  its  ears  tufted 
with  black.  The  seventh  is  the  siagush, 
differing  from  the  lynx  in  not  being  mottled 
like  it,  in  not  being  so  large,  and  in  having  the 
ears  longer,  though  tipped  with  black,  as  be- 
fore. Ihe  eighth  is  the  serval,  resembling  the 
lynx  in  its  form,  and  the  shortness  of  its  tail  ; 
streaked  also  like  it,  but  not  having  the  tips  of 
his  ears  tufted.  Lastly,  the  cat,  wild  and 
tame,  with  all  its  varieties ;  all  less  than  any 
of  the  former,  but,  like  them,  equally  insidious, 
rapacious,  and  cruel. 

This  whole  race  may  be  considered  as  the 
most  formidable  enemy  of  mankind;  there  arc 
others  indeed  stronger,  but  they  are  gentle,  and 
never  offering  injury  till  injured :  there  are 
others  more  numerous,  but  they  are  more 
feeble,  and  rather  look  for  safety  by  hiding 
from  man,  than  opposing  him.  These  are 
the  only  quadrupeds  that  make  good  their 
ground  against  him ;  and  which  may  be  said 
to  keep  some  kingdoms  of  the  earth  in  their 
own  possession.  How  many  extensive  coun- 
tries are  there  in  Africa,  where  the  wild  beasts 
are  so  numerous,  that  man  is  deterred  from  liv- 
ing amongst  them ;  reluctantly  giving  up  to  the 
lion  and  the  leopard  extensive  tracts,  that  seem 
formed  only  for  his  delight  and  convenience  ! 


CHAPTER  LI. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  DOG  KIND. 


THE  second  class  of  carnivorous  quadru- 
peds may  be  denominated  those  of  the  dog 
Kind.  This  class  is  neither  so  numerous  nor 
so  powerful  as  the  former,  and  yet  neither  so 
treacherous,  rapacious,  or  cowardly.  This 
class  may  be  principally  distinguished  by  their 

*  Buffon. 
No.  27  &  28. 


claws,  which  have  no  sheath,  like  those  of  the 
cat  kind,  but  still  continue  at  the  point  of  each 
toe,  without  a  capability  of  being  stretclied 
forward  or  drawn  back.  The  nose  also,  as 
well  as  the  jaw,  of  all  the  dog  kind,  is  longer 
than  in  the  cat;  the  body  is,  in  proportion, 
more  strongly  made,  and  covered  with  hair 
instead  of  fur.  There  are  many  internal  dis- 
3  C 


308 


ANIMALS  OF 


tinctions  also  ;  as  in  the  intestines,  which  are 
much  longer  in  the  dog  kind,  than  in  those  of 
the  cat ;  the  eye  is  not  formed  for  night  vision ; 
and  the  olfactory  nerves  are  diffused,  in  the 
dog  kinds,  upon  a  very  extensive  membrane 
within  the  skull. 

If  we  compare  the  natural  habitudes  of  this 
class  with  the  former,  we  shall  find  that  the 
dog  kinds  are  not  so  solitary  as  those  of  the  cat, 
but  love  to  hunt  in  company,  and  encourage 
each  other  with  their  mutual  cries.  In  this 
manner  the  dog  and  the  jackal  pursue  their 
prey;  and  the  wolf  and  fox,  which  are  of  this 
kind,  though  more  solitary  and  silent  among 
us,  yet,  in  countries  where  less  persecuted,  and 
where  they  can  more  fearlessly  display  th-jir 
natural  inclinations,  they  are  found  to  keep 
together  in  packs,  and  pursue  their  game  with 
alternate  howlings. 

Animals  of  the  dog  kind  want  some  of  the 
advantages  of  the  cat  kind,  and  yet  are  possess- 
ed of  others  in  which  the  latter  are  deficient. 
Upon  observing  their  claws,  is  will  easily  be 
perceived  that  they  cannot,  like  cats,  pursue 
their  prey  up  the  sides  of  a  tree,  and  continue 
the  chase  among  the  branches ;  their  unma- 
nageable claws  cannot  stick  in  the  bark,  and 
thus  support  the  body  up  along  the  trunk,  as 
we  see  the  cat  very  easily  perform  :  whenever, 
therefore,  their  prey  flies  up  a  tree  from  them, 
they  can  only  follow  it  with  their  eyes,  or 
watch  its  motions  till  hunger  again  brings  it 
to  the  ground.  For  this  reason,  the  proper 
prey  of  the  dog  kind,  are  only  those  animals, 
that,  like  themselves,  are  unfitted  for  climbing; 
the  hare,  the  rabbit,  the  gazelle,  or  the  roe- 
buck. 

As  they  are,  in  this  respect,  inferior  to  the 
cat,  so  they  exceed  it  in  the  sense  of  smelling; 
by  which  alone  they  pursue  their  prey  with 
certainty  of  success,  wind  it  through  all  its 
mazes,  and  tire  it  down  by  perseverance.  It 
often  happens,  however,  in  the  savage  state, 
that  their  prey  is  either  too  much  diaiinished, 
or  two  wary  to  serve  for  a  sufficient  supply. 
In  this  case,  when  driven  to  an  extremity,  all 
the  dog  kinds  can  live  for  some  time  upon 
fruits  and  vegetables,  which,  if  they  do  not 
please  the  appetite,  at  least  serve  to  appease 
their  hunger. 

Of  all  this  tribe,  the  dog  has  every  reason  to 
claim  the  preference,  being  the  most  intelligent 
«f  all  known  quadrupeds,  and  the  acknow- 


ledged friend  of  mankind.     The  dog,"  inde- 
pendent of  the  beauty  of  his  form,  his  vivacity, 
force,  and  swiftness,  is  possessed  of  all  those 
internal  qualifications  that  can  conciliate  the 
affections  of  man,  and  make  the  tyrant  a  pro- 
tector.    A  natural  share  of  courage,  an  angry 
and  ferocious  disposition,  renders  the  dog,  in 
its  savage  state,  a  formidable  enemy  to  all 
other  animals  :  but  these  readily  give  way  to 
very  different  qualities  in  the  domestic  dog, 
whose  only  ambition  seems  the  desire  to  please; 
he  is  seen  to  come  crouching  along,  to  lay  his 
force,  his  courage,  and  all  his  useful  talents,  at. 
the  feet  of  his  master  ;  he  waits  his  orders,  to 
which  he  pays  implicit  obedience  ;  he  consults 
his  looks,  and  a  single  glance  is  sufficient  to 
put  him  in  motion  ;  he  is  more  faithful  even 
than  the  most  boasted  among  men  ;  he  is  con- 
stant in  his  affections,  friendly  without  interest, 
and  grateful  for  the  slightest  favours ;  much 
more  mindful  of  benefits  received,  than  injuries 
offered,  he  is  not  driven  off  by  unkindness ;  he 
still  continues   humble,  submissive,  and  im- 
ploring ;  his  only  hope  to  be  serviceable,  his 
only  terror  to  displease;    he  licks  the  hand 
that  has  been  just  lifted  to  strike  him,  and  at 
last  disarms  resentment,  by  submissive  per- 
severance. 

More  docile  than  man,  more  obedient  than 
any  other  animal,  he  is  not  only  instructed  in 
a  short  time,  but  he  also  conforms  to  the  dis- 
positions and  the  manners  of  those  who  com- 
mand him.  He  takes  his  tone  from  the  house 
he  inhabits  ;  like  the  rest  of  the  domestics,  he 
is  disdainful  among  the  great,  and  churlish 
among  clowns.  Always  assiduous  in  serving 
his  master,  and  only  a  friend  to  his  friends,  he 
is  indifferent  to  all  the  rest,  and  declares  him- 
self openly  against  such  as  seem  to  be  depend- 
ent like  himself.  He  knows  a  beggar  by  his 
clothes,  by  his  voice,  or  his  gestures,  and  for- 
bids his  approach.  When  at  night  the  guard 
of  the  house  is  committed  to  his  care,  he  seems 
proud  of  the  charge ;  he  continues  a  watchful 
sentinel,  he  goes  his  rounds,  scents  strangers 
at  a  distance,  and  gives  them  warning  of  his 
being  upon  duty.  If  they  attempt  to  break  in 
upon  his  territories,  he  becomes  more  fierce, 
flies  at  them,  threatens,  fights,  and  either  con- 
quers alone,  or  alarms  those  who  have  most 

a  The  rest  of  this  description  of  the  dog  is  taken  from 
Mr.  Buffoii ;  what  I  have  added,  is  marked  as  before. 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


3Q9 


interest  in  coming  to  his  assistance;  however, 
when  he  has  conquered,  he  quietly  reposes 
upon  the  spoil,  and  abstains  from  what  he  has 
deterred  others  from  abusing ;  giving  thus  at 
once  a  'lesson  of  courage,  temperance,  and 
fidelity. 

From  hence  we  see  of  what  importance 
this  animal  is  to  us  in  a  state  of  nature.  Sup- 
posing, for  a  moment,  that  the  species  had 
not  existed,  how  could  man,  without  the  as- 
sistance of  the  dog,  have  been  able  to  con- 
quer, tame,  and  reduce  to  servitude,  every 
other  animal?  How  could  he  discover,  chase, 
and  destroy,  those  that  were  noxious  to  him? 
In  order  to  be  secure,  and  to  become  master 
of  all  Animated  Nature,  it  was  necessary  for 
him  to  begin  by  making  a  friend  of  a  part  of 
them ;  to  attach  such  of  them  to  •  himself,  by 
kindness  and  caresses,  as  seem  fittest  for  obe- 
dience and  active  pursuit.  Thus  the  first  art 
employed  by  man,  was  in  conciliating  the  fa- 
vour of  the  dog;  and  the  fruits  of  this  art 
were,  the  conquest  and  peaceable  possession 
of  the  earth. 

The  generality  of  animals  have  greater 
agility,  greater  swiftness,  and  more  formidable 
arms,  from  nature,  than  man ;  their  senses, 
and  particularly  that  of  smelling,  are  far  more 
perfect :  they  having  gained,  therefore,  a  new 
assistant,  particularly  one  whose  scent  is  so 
exquisite  as  that  of  the  dog,  was  the  gaining  a 
new  sense,  a  new  faculty,  which  before  was 
wanting.  The  machines  and  instruments 
which  we  have  imagined  for  perfecting  the 
rest  of  the  senses,  do  not  approach  to  that 
already  prepared  by  nature,  by  which  we  are 
enabled  to  find  out  every  animal,  though  un- 
seen, and  thus  destroy  the  noxious,  and  use 
the  serviceable. 

The  dog,  thus  useful  in  himself,  taken  into 
a  participation  of  empire,  exerts  a  degree  of 
superiority  over  all  animals  that  require  human 
protection.  The  flock  and  the  herd  obey  his 
voice  more  readily  even  than  that  of  the  shep- 
herd or  the  herdsman;  he  conducts  them, 
guards  them,  keeps  them  from  capriciously 
seeking  danger,  and  their  enemies  he  considers 
as  his  own.  Nor  is  he  less  useful  in  the  pur- 
suit ;  when  the  sound  of  the  horn,  or  the  voice 
of  the  huntsman  calls  him  to  the  field,  he  tes- 
tifies his  pleasure  by  every  little  art,  and  pur- 
sues with  perseverance  those  animals,  which, 


when  taken,  he  must  not  expect  to  divide. 
The  desire  of  hunting  is  indeed  natural  to  him, 
as  well  as  to  his  master,  since  war  and  the 
chase  are  the  only  employment  of  savages. 
All  animals  that  live  upon  flesh  hunt  by  na- 
ture ;  the  lion  and  the  tiger,  whose  force  is  so 
great  that  they  are  sure  to  conquer,  hunt 
alone  and  without  art ;  the  wolf,  the  fox,  and 
the  wild-dog,  hunt  in  packs,  assists  each 
other,  and  partake  the  spoil.  But  when  edu- 
cation has  perfected  this  talent  in  the  domes- 
tic dog;  when  he  has  been  taught  by  man 
to  repress  his  ardour,  to  measure  his  motions, 
and  not  to  exhaust  his  force  by  too  sudden 
an  exertion  of  it,  he  then  hunts  with  method, 
and  always  with  success. 

"Although  the  wild  dog,  such  as  he  was 
before  he  came  under  the  protection  of  man- 
kind, is  at  present  utterly  unknown,  no  such 
animal  being  now  to  be  found  in  any  part  of 
the  world ;  yet  there  are  many  that,  from  a 
domestic  state,  have  turned  savage,  and  en- 
tirely pursue  the  dictates  of  nature."  In  those 
deserted  and  uncultivated  countries  where  the 
dog  is  found  wild,  they  seem  entirely  to  par- 
take of  the  disposition  of  the  wolf;  they  unite 
in  large  bodies,  and  attack  the  most  formidable 
animals  of  the  forest,  the  cougar,  the  panther, 
and  the  bison.  In  America,  where  they  were 
originally  brought  by  the  Europeans,  and  aban- 
doned by  their  masters,  they  have  multiplied 
to  such  a  degree,  that  they  spread  in  packs 
over  the  whole  country,  attack  all  other  ani- 
mals, and  even  man  himself  does  not  pass  with- 
out insult.  They  are  there  treated  in  the 
same  manner  as  all  other  carnivorous  animals, 
and  killed  wherever  they  happen  to  come : 
however,  they  are  easily  tamed :  when  taken 
home,  and  treated  with  kindness  and  lenity, 
they  quickly  become  submissive  and  familiar, 
and  continue  faithfully  attached  to  their  mas- 
ters. Different  in  this  from  the  wolf  or  the 
fox,  who,  though  taken  never  soyoung,  are  gen- 
tle only  while  cubs,  and,  as  they  grow  older, 
give  themselves  up  to  their  natural  appetites 
of  rapine  and  cruelty.  In  short,  it  may  be  as- 
serted, that  the  dog  is  the  only  animal  whose 
fidelity  is  unshaken ;  the  only  one  who  knows 
his  master,  and  the  friends  of  the  family ;  the 
only  one  who  instantly  distinguishes  a  stranger; 
the  only  one  who  knows  his  name,  and  answers 
to  the  domestic  call ;  the  only  one  who  seems 
3C* 


310 


ANIMALS  OF 


to  understand  the  nature  of  subordination,  and 
seeks  assistance ;  the  only  one  who,  when  he 
misses  his  master,  testifies  his  loss  by  his  com- 
plaints ;  the  only  one  who,  carried  to  a  distant 
place,  can  find  the  way  home ;  the  only  one 
whose  natural  talents  are  evident,  and  whose 
education  is  always  successful. 

In  the  same  manner,  as  the  dog  is  of  the 
most  complying  disposition,  so  also  is  it  the 
most  susceptible  of  change  in  its  form;  the 
varieties  of  this  animal  being  too  many  for 
even  the  most  careful  describer  to  mention. 
The  climate,  the  food,  and  the  education,  all 
make  strong  impressions  upon  the  animal,  and 
produce  alterations  in  its  shape,  its  colour, 
its  hair,  its  size,  and  in  every  thing  but  its 
nature.  The  same  dog,  taken  from  one  cli- 
mate and  brought  to  another,  seems  to  become 
another  animal;  but  different  breeds  are  as 
much  separated,  to  all  appearance,  as  any 
two  animals  the  most  distinct  in  nature.  No- 
thing appears  to  continue  constant  with  them, 
but  their  internal  conformation ;  different  in 
the  figureof  the  body,  inthe  length  of  the  nose, 
in  the  shape  of  the  head,  in  the  length  and 
the  direction  of  the  ears  and  tail,  in  the  co- 
lour, the  quality,  and  the  quantity  of  the  hair  ; 
in  short,  different  in  every  thing  but  that  make 
of  the  parts  which  serve  to  continue  the  spe- 
cies, and  keep  the  animal  distinct  from  all 
others.  It  is  this  peculiar  conformation,  this 
power  of  producing  an  animal  that  can  repro- 
duce, that  marks  the  kind,  and  approximates 
forms  that  at  first  sight  seem  never  made  for 
conjunction. 

From  this  single  consideration,  therefore, 
we  may  at  once  pronounce  all  dogs  to  be  of 
one  kind ;  but  which  of  them  is  the  original 
of  all  the  rest,  which  of  them  is  the  savage 
dog  from  whencesucha  variety  of  descendants 
have  come  down,  is  no  easy  matter  to  deter- 
mine. We  may  easily,  indeed,  observe,  that 
all  those  animals  which  are  under  the  influence 
of  man,  are  subject  to  great  variations.  Such 
as  have  been  sufficiently  independent,  so  as 
to  choose  their  own  climate,  their  own  nou- 
rishment, and  to  pursue  their  own  habitudes, 
preserve  the  original  marks  of  nature,  without 
much  deviation ;  and  it  is  probable,  that  the 
first  of  these  is  even  at  this  day  very  well  re- 
presented in  their  descendants.  But  such  as 
man  has  subdued,  transported  from  one  cli- 


mate to  another,  controlled  in  their  manner 
of  living,  and  their  food,  have  most  probably 
been  changed  also  in  their  forms ;  particular- 
ly the  dog  has  felt  these  alterations  more 
strongly  than  any  other  of  the  domestic  kinds; 
for  living  more  like  man,  he  may  be  thus  said 
to  live  more  irregularly  also,  and,  consequent- 
ly, must  have  felt  all  those  changes  that  such 
variety  would  naturally  produce.  Some  other 
causes  also  may  be  assigned  for  this  variety 
in  the  species  of  the  dog:  as  he  is  perpetual- 
ly under  the  eye  of  his  master,  when  accident 
has  produced  any  singularity  in  its  producti- 
ons, man  uses  all  his  art  to  continue  this  pe- 
culiarity unchanged ;  either  by  breeding  from 
such  as  had  those  singularities,  or  by  destroy- 
ing such  as  happened  to  want  them;  besides, 
as  the  dog  produces  much  more  frequently 
than  some  other  animals,  and  lives  a  shorter 
time,  so  the  chance  for  its  varieties  will  be 
offered  in  greater  proportion. 

But  which  is  the  original  animal,  and  which 
the  artificial  or  accidental  variety,  isaquestion 
which,  as  was  said,  is  not  easily  resolved.  If 
the  internal  structure  of  dogs  of  different  sorts 
be  compared  with  each  other,  it  will  be  found, 
except  in  point  of  size,  that  in  this  respect 
they  are  exactly  the  same.  This,  therefore, 
affords  no  criterion.  If  other  animals  be  com- 
pared with  the  dog  internally,  the  wolf  and 
the  fox  will  be  found  to  have  the  most  perfect 
resemblance ;  it  is  probable,  therefore,  that 
the  dog,  Avhich  most  nearly  resembles  the 
wolf  or  the  fox  externally,  is  the  original  ani- 
mal of  its  kind:  for  it  is  natural  to  suppose, 
that  as  the  dog  most  nearly  resembles  them 
internally,  so  he  may  be  near  them  in  exter- 
nal resemblance  also,  except  where  art  or 
accident  has  altered  his  form.  This  being 
supposed,  if  we  look  among  the  number  of 
varieties  to  be  found  in  the  dog,  we  shall  not 
find  one  so  like  the  wolf  or  the  fox,  as  that 
which  is  called  the  shepherd's  dog.  This  is 
that  dog  with  long  coarse  hair  on  all  parts 
except  the  nose,  pricked  ears,  and  a  long  nose, 
which  is  common  enough  among  us,  and  re- 
ceives his  name  from  being  principally  used 
in  guarding  and  attending  on  sheep.  This 
seems  to  be  the  primitive  animal  of  his  kind; 
and  we  shall  be  the  more  coi  firmed  in  this 
opinion,  if  we  attend  to  the  different  charac- 
ters which  climate  produces  in  the  animal. 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


311 


and  the  different  races  of  dogs  which  are  pro- 
pagated in  every  country :  and,  in  the  first 
place,  if  we  examine  those  countries  which  are 
still  savage,  or  but  half  civilized,  where  it  is 
most  probable  the  dog,  like  his  master,  has  re- 
ceived but  few  impressions  from  art,  we  shall 
find  the  shepherd's  dog,  or  one  very  lik-1  him, 
still  prevailing  amongst  them.  The  dogs  that 
have  run  wild  in  America,  and  in  Congo,  ap- 
proach this  form.  The  dog  of  Siberia,  Lap- 
land, and  Iceland,  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
of  Madagascar,  Madura,  Calicut,  and  Malabar, 
have  all  a  long  nose,  pricked  ears,  and  resem- 
ble the  shepherd's  dog  very  nearly.  In  Guinea, 
the  dog  very  speedily  takes  this  form  ;  for,  at 
the  second  or  third  generation,  the  animal  for- 
gets to  bark,  his  ears  and  his  tail  become  point- 
ed, and  his  hair  drops  off,  while  a  coarser, 
thinner  kind  comes  in  the  place.  This  sort  of 
dog  is  also  to  be  found  in  the  temperate  cli- 
mates in  great  abundance,  particularly  among 
those  who,  preferring  usefulness  to  beauty,  \ 
employ  an  animal  that  requires  very  little  in- 
struction to  be  serviceable.  Notwithstanding 
this  creature's  deformity,  his  melancholy  and 
savage  air,  he  is  superior  to  all  the  rest  of  his 
kind  in  instinct;  and  without  any  teaching, 
naturally  takes  to  tending  flocks,  with  an 
assiduity  and  vigilance  that  at  once  astonishes, 
and  yet  relieves  his  master. 

In  more  polished  and  civilized  places,  the 
dog  seems  to  partake  of  the  universal  refine- 
ment ;  and,  like  the  men,  becomes  more  beau- 
tiful, more  majestic,  and  more  capable  of 
assuming  an  education  foreign  to  his  nature. 
The  dogs  of  Albany,  of  Greece,  of  Denmark, 
and  of  Ireland,  are  larger  and  stronger  than 
those  of  any  other  kind.  In  France,  Germany, 
Spain,  and  Italy,  the  dogs  are  of  various  kinds, 
like  the  men ;  and  this  variety  seems  formed 
by  crossing  the  breed  of  such  as  are  imported 
from  various  climes. 

The  shepherd's  dog  may,  therefore,  be  con- 
sidered as  the  primitive  stock  from  whence 
these  varieties  are  all  derived.  He  makes  the 
stem  of  that  genealogical  tree  which  has  been 
branched  out  into  every  part  of  the  world. 
This  animal  still  continues  pretty  nearly  in  its 
original  state  among  the  poor  in  temperate  cli- 
mates ;  being  transported  into  the  colder 
regions,  he  grows  less  and  more  ugly  among 
the  Laplanders  ;  but  becomes  more  perfect  in 
Iceland,  Russia,  and  Siberia,  where  the  climate 


is  less  rigorous,  and  the  people  more  civilized. 
Whatever  differences  there  may  be  among  the 
dogs  of  these  countries,  they  are  not  very  con- 
siderable, as  they  have  all  straight  ears,  long 
and  thick  hair,  a  savage  aspect,  and  do  not 
bark  either  so  often  or  so  loud  as  dogs  of  the 
more  cultivated  kind. 

The  shepherd's  dog,  transported  into  the 
temperate  climates,  and  among  people  entirely 
civilized,  such  as  England,  France,  and  Ger- 
many, will  be  divested  of  his  savage  air,  his 
pricked  ears,  his  rough,  long,  and  thick  hair ; 
and,  from  the  single  influence  of  climate  and 
food  alone,  will  become  either  a  matin,  a  mas- 
tiff, or  a  hound.  These  three  seem  the  imme- 
diate descendants  of  the  former ;  and  from 
them  the  other  varieties  are  produced. 

The  HOUND,  the  HARRIER,  and  the  BEAGLE, 
seem  all  of  the  same  kind ;  for  although  the 
bitch  is  covered  but  by  one  of  them,  yet  in  her 
litters  are  found  puppies  resembling  all  the 
three.  This  animal,  transported  into  Spain  or 
Barbary,  where  the  hair  of  all  quadrupeds  be- 
come soft  and  long,  will  be  there  converted 
into  the  land-spaniel,  and  the  water-spaniel, 
and  these  of  different  sizes. 

The  GRAY  MATIN  HOUND,  which  is  in  the 
second  branch,  transported  to  the  north,  be- 
comes the  great  Danish  dog  ;  and  this,  sent 
into  the  south,  becomes  the  gray-hound,  of 
different  sizes.  The  same,  transported  into 
Ireland,  the  Ukraine,  Tartary,  Epirus,  and 
Albania,  becomes  the  great  wolf-dog,  known 
by  the  name  of  the  Irish  wolf-dog. 

The  MASTIFF,  which  is  the  third  branch,  and 
chiefly  a  native  of  England,  when  transported 
into  Denmark,  becomes  the  little  Danish  dog; 
and  this  little  Danish  dog,  sent  into  the  tropical 
and  warm  climates,  becomes  the  animal  called 
the  TURKISH  DOG,  without  hair.  All  these 
races,  with  their  varieties,  are  produced  by  the 
influence  of  climate,  joined  to  the  different 
food,  education,  and  shelter,  which  they  have 
received  among  mankind.  All  other  kinds 
may  be  considered  as  mongrel  races,  produced 
by  the  concurrence  of  these,  and  found  rather 
by  crossing  the  breed  than  by  attending  to  the 
individual.  "  As  these  are  extremely  numer- 
ous, and  very  different  in  different  countries, 
it  would  be  almost  endless  to  mention  the 
whole  ;  besides,  nothing  but  experience  can 
ascertain  the  reality  of  these  conjectures, 
although  they  have  so  much  the  appearance  of 


312 


ANIMALS  OF 


probability  ;  and  until  that  gives  more  certain 
information,  we  must  be  excused  from  enter- 
ing more  minutely  into  the  subject. 

"  With  regard  to  the  dogs  of  our  country  in 
particular,  the  varieties  are  very  great,  and  the 
number  every  day  increasing.  And  this  must 
happen  in  a  country  so  open  by  commerce  to 
all  others,  and  where  wealth  is  apt  to  produce 
capricious  predilection.  Here  the  ugliest  and 
the  most  useless  of  their  kinds  will  be  enter- 
tained merely  for  their  singularity ;  and,  being 
imported  only  to  be  looked  at,  they  will  lose 
even  that  small  degree  of  sagacity  which  they 
possessed  in  their  natural  climates.  From  this 
importation  of  foreign  useless  dogs,  our  own 
native  breed  is,  I  am  informed,  greatly  de- 
generated, and  the  varieties  now  to  be  found 
in  England  much  more  numerous  than  they 
were  in  the  times  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  when 
Doctor  Caius  attempted  their  natural  history. 
Some  of  these  he  mentions  are  no  longer  to  be 
found  among  us,  although  many  have  since 
been  introduced,  by  no  means  so  serviceable 
as  those  which  have  been  suffered  to  decay. 

"  He  divides  the  whole  race  into  three  kinds. 
The  first  is,  the  generous  kind,  which  consists 
of  the  terrier,  the  harrier,  and  the  blood-hound ; 
the  gaze-hound,  the  gray-hound,  the  leymmer, 
and  the  tumbler ;  all  these  are  used  for  hunt- 
ing. Then  the  spaniel,  the  setter,  and  the 
water-spaniel,  or  finder,  were  used  for  fowling  ; 
and  the  spaniel  gentle,  or  lap-dog,  for  amuse- 
ment. The  second  is  the  farm  kind  ;  consist- 
ing of  the  shepherd's  dog  and  the  mastiff.  And 
the  third  is  the  mongrel  kind ;  consisting  of 
the  wappe,  the  turnspit,  and  the  dancer.  To 
these  varieties  we  may  add  at  present,  the  bull- 
dog, the  Dutch  mastiff,  the  harlequin,  the  poin- 
ter, and  the  Dane,  with  a  variety  of  lap-dogs, 
which,  as  they  are  perfectly  useless,  may  be 
considered  as  unworthy  of  a  name. 

"  The  Terrier  is  a  small  kind  of  hound," 
with  rough  hair,  made  use  of  to  force  the  fox 
or  the  badger  out  of  their  holes ;  or  rather  to 
give  notice,  by  their  barking,  in  what  part  of 
their  kennel  the  fox  or  badger  resides,  when 
the  sportsmen  intend  to  dig  them  out. 

"  The  Harrier,  as  well  as  the  beagle  and  the 
fox-hound,  are  used  for  hunting ;  of  all  other 
animals,  they  have  the  quickest  and  most  dis- 
tinguishing sense  of  smelling.  The  properly 

»  British  Zoology. 


breeding,  matching,  and  training  these,  make 
up  the  business  of  many  men's  lives. 

"  The  Blood  -hound  was  a  dog  of  great  use, 
and  in  high  esteem  among  our  ancestors.  Its 
employ  was  to  recover  any  game  that  had  es- 
caped from  the  hunter,  or  had  been  killed,  and 
stolen  out  of  the  forest.  But  it  was  still  more 
employed  in  hunting  thieves  and  robbers  by 
their  footsteps.  At  that  time,  when  the  coun- 
try was  less  peopled  than  at  present,  and  when, 
consequently,  the  footsteps  of  one  man  were 
less  crossed  and  obliterated  by  those  of  others, 
this  animal  was  very  serviceable  in  such  pur- 
suits ;  but  at  present,  when  the  country  is  every 
where  peopled,  this  variety  is  quite  worn  out ; 
probably  because  it  was  found  of  less  service 
than  formerly. 

"  The  Gaze-hound  hunted,  like  our  gray- 
hounds,  by  the  eye  and  not  by  the  scent.  It 
chased  indifferently  the  fox,  hare,  or  buck.  It 
would  select  from  the  herd  the  fattest  and  fair- 
est deer,  pursue  it  by  the  eye,  and  if  lost  reco- 
ver it  again  with  amazing  sagacity.  This  spe- 
cies is  now  lost  or  unknown  among  us. 

"  The  Gray-hound  is  very  well  known  at 
present,  and  was  formerly  held  in  such  estima- 
tion, that  it  was  the  peculiar  companion  of  a 
gentleman  ;  who,  in  the  times  of  semi-barba- 
rism, was  known  by  his  horse,  his  hawk,  and 
his  gray-hound.  Persons  under  a  certain  rank 
of  life  are  forbidden,  by  some  late  game-laws, 
from  keeping  this  animal ;  wherefore,  to  dis- 
guise it  the  better,  they  cut  off  its  tail. 

"  The  Leymmer  is  a  species  now  unknown 
to  us.  It  hunted  both  by  scent  and  sight,  and 
was  led  in  a  leyme  or  thong,  from  whence  it 
received  its  name. 

"The  Tumbler  was  less  than  the  hound, 
more  scraggy,  and  had  pricked  cars ;  so  that 
by  the  description  it  seems  to  answer  to  the 
modern  lurcher.  This  took  its  prey  by  mere 
cunning,  depending  neither  on  the  goodness 
of  its  nose  nor  its  swiftness.  If  it  caruc  into  a 
warren,  it  neither  barked  nor  ran  on  the  rab- 
bits ;  but  seemingly  inattentive,  approached 
sufficiently  near  till  it  came  within  reach,  and 
then  seized  them  by  a  sudden  spring. 

"  The  Land  Spaniel,  which  probably  had 
its  name  from  Spain,  where  it  might  have  ac- 
quired the  softness  of  its  hair,  is  well  known 
at  present.  There  are  two  varieties  of  this 
kind ;  namely,  the  Slater,  used  in  hawking  to 
spring  the  game  ;  and  the  Setter,  that  crouches 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


313 


down  when  it  scents  the  birds,  till  ihe  net  be 
drawn  over  them.  I  have  read  somewhere 
that  the  famous  poet,  Lord  Surry,  was  the 
first  who  taught  dogs  toset;  it  being  an  amuse- 
ment to  this  day  only  known  in  England. 

"  The  Water-Spaniel  was  another  species 
used  in  fowling.  This  seems  to  be  the  most 
docile  of  all  the  dog  kind ;  and  this  docility 
is  particularly  owing  to  his  natural  attach- 
ment to  man.  Many  other  kinds  will  not  bear 
correction ;  but  this  patient  creature,  though 
very  fierce  to  strangers,  seems  unalterable  in 
his  affections ;  and  blows  and  ill  usage  seem 
only  to  increase  his  regard. 

"  The  Lap-dog,  at  the  time  of  Doctor  Caius, 
was  of  Maltese  breed ;  at  present  it  comes 
from  different  countries ;  in  general,  the  more 
awkward  or  extraordinary  these  are, the  more 
they  are  prized. 

"  The  Shepherd's  dog  has  been  already 
mentioned,  and  as  for  the  Mastiff  he  is  too 
common  to  require  a  description.  Doctor 
Caius  tells  us,  that  three  of  these  were  reckon- 
ed a  match  for  a  bear,  and  four  for  a  lion. 
However,  we  are  told  that  three  of  them  over- 
came a  lion  in  the  time  of  King  James  the 
first ;  two  of  them  being  disabled  in  the  com- 
'bat,  the  third  obliged  the  lion  to  seek  for  safe- 
ty by  flight. 

"As  to  the  last  division,  namely,  of  the 
Wappe,  the  Turnspit,  and  the  Dancer,  these 
were  mongrels,  of  no  certain  shape,  and  made 
use  of  only  to  alarm  the  family,  or,  being  taught 
a  variety  of  tricks,  were  carried  about  as  a 
show. 

"  With  regard  to  those  of  later  importation, 
the  Bull-dog,  as  Mr.  Buffon  supposes,  is  a 
breed  between  the  small  Dane  and  the  Eng- 
lish mastiff.  The  large  Dane  is  the  tallest 
dog  that  is  generally  bred  in  England.  It  is 
somewhat  between  a  mastiffand  a  gray-hound 
in  shape,  being  more  slender  than  the  one 
and  much  stronger  than  the  other.  They 
are  chiefly  used  rather  for  show  than  service, 
being  neither  good  in  the  yard  nor  the  field. 
The  highest  are  most  esteemed;  and  they 
generally  cut  off  their  ears  to  improve  their 
figure,  as  some  absurdly  suppose.  The  har- 
lequin is  not  much  unlike  the  small  Dane, 
being  an  useless  animal,  somewhat  between 
an  Italian  gray-hound  and  a  Dutch  mastiff 
To  these  several  others  might  be  added,  such 


as  the  pug-dog,  the  black  breed,  and  the  poin- 
ter; but,  in  fact,  the  varieties  are  so  nume- 
rous as  to  fatigue  even  the  most  ardent  cu- 
riosity." 

Of  these  of  the  foreign  kinds,  I  shall  mention 
only  three,  which  are  more  remarkable  than 
any  of  the  rest.  The  Lion-Dog  greatly  resem- 
bles that  animal,  in  miniature,  from  whence 
it  takes  the  name.  The  hair  of  the  fore-part 
of  its  body  is  extremely  long,  while  that  of 
the  hinder-part  is  as  short.  The  nose  is  short, 
the  tail  long,  and  tufted  at  the  point,  so  that 
in  all  these  particulars  it  is  entirely  like  the 
lion.  However,  it  differs  very  much  from 
that  fierce  animal  in  nature  and  disposition, 
being  one  of  the  smallest  animals  of  its  kind, 
extremely  feeble,  timid,  and  inactive.  It 
comes  originally  from  Malta,  where  it  is  found 
BO  small  that  women  carry  it  about  in  their 
sleeves. 

That  animal  falsely  called  the  Turkish-dog, 
differs  greatly  from  the  rest  of  the  kind,  in 
being  entirely  without  hair.  The  skin,  which 
is  perfectly  bare,  is  of  a  flesh  colour,  with 
brown  spots;  and  their  figure,  at  first  view, 
is  rather  disgusting.  These  seem  to  be  of 
the  small  Danish  breed,  brought  into  a  warm 
climate,  and  there,  by  a  succession  of  gene- 
rations, divested  of  their  hair.  For  this  rea- 
son, they  are  extremely  chilly,  and  unable  to 
endure  the  cold  of  our  climate;  and  even  in 
the  midst  of  summer,  they  continue  to  shiver 
as  we  see  men  in  a  frosty  day.  Their  spots 
are  brown,  as  was  said,  well  marked,  and  ea- 
sily distinguishable  in  summer,  but  in  the  cold 
of  winter  they  entirely  disappear.  They  are 
called  the  Turkish  breed,  although  brought 
from  a  much  warmer  climate ;  for  some  of 
them  have  been  known  to  come  from  the  warm- 
est parts  of  Africa  and  the  East  Indies. 

"  The  last  variety,  and  the  most  wonderful 
of  all  that  I  shall  mention,  is  the  Great  Irish 
Wolf-dog,  that  may  be  considered  as  the  first 
of  the  canine  species.  This  animal,  which  is 
very  rare,  even  in  the  only  country  in  the 
world  where  it  is  to  be  found,  is  rather  kept 
for  show  than  use,  there  being  neither  wolves 
nor  any  other  formidable  beasts  of  prey  in 
Ireland,  that  seem  to  require  so  powerful  an 
antagonist.  The  wolf-dog  is  therefore  bred 
up  in  the  houses  of  the  great,  or  such  gentle- 
men as  choose  to  keep  him  as  a  curiosity,  being 


314 


ANIMALS  OF 


neither  good  for  hunting  the  hare,  the  fox,  nor 
the  stag,  and  equally  unserviceable  as  a  house 
dog.  Nevertheless  he  is  extremely  beautiful 
and  majestic  to  appearance,  being  the  great- 
est of  the  dog  kind  to  be  seen  in  the  world. 
The  largest  of  those  I  have  seen,  and  I  have 
seen  above  a  dozen,  was  about  four  feet  high, 
or  as  tall  as  a  calf  of  a  year  old.  He  was 
made  extremely  like  a  gray-hound,  but  rather 
more  robust,  and  inclining  to  the  figure  of  the 
French  matin,  or  the  great  Dane.  His  eye 
was  mild,  his  colour  white,  and  his  nature 
seemed  heavy  and  phlegmatic.  This  I  as- 
cribed to  his  having  been  bred  up  to  a  size 
beyond  his  nature ;  for  we  see  in  man,  and  all 
other  animals,  that  such  as  are  overgrown  are 
neither  so  vigorous  nor  alert  as  those  of  a 
more  moderate  stature.  The  greatest  pains 
have  been  taken  with  these  to  enlarge  the 
breed,  both  by  food  and  matching.  This  end 
was  effectually  obtained,  indeed,  for  the  size 
was  enormous ;  but,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  at 
the  expense  of  the  animal's  fierceness,  •  vigi- 
lance, and  sagacity.  However,  I  was  inform- 
ed otherwise ;  the  gentlemen  who  bred  them 
assuring  me  that  a  mastiff  would  be  nothing 
when  opposed  to  one  of  them,  who  general- 
ly seized  their  antagonist  by  the  back:  he  add- 
ed, that  they  would  worry  the  strongest  bull- 
dogs, in  a  few  minutes,  to  death.  But  this 
strength  did  not  appear  either  in  their  figure  or 
their  inclinations ;  they  seemed  rather  more 
timid  than  the  ordinary  race  of  dogs;  and 
their  skin  was  much  thinner,  and  consequent- 
ly less  fitted  for  combat.  Whether,  with  these 
disadvantages  they  were  capable,  as  I  was 
told,  of  singly  coping  with  bears,  others  may 
determine;  however,  they  have  but  few  op- 
portunities, in  their  own  country,  of  exerting 
their  strength,  as  all  wild  carnivorous  animals 
there  are  only  of  the  vermin  kind.  Mr.  Buf- 
fon  seems  to  be  of  opinion  that  these  are  the 
true  Molossian  dogs  of  the  ancients  ;  he  gives 
no  reason  for  this  opinion ;  and  I  am  apt  to 
think  it  ill-grounded.  Not  to  trouble  the  rea- 
der with  a  tedious  critical  disquisition,  which 
I  have  all  along  avoided,  it  will  be  sufficient 
to  oberve,  that  Nemesianus,  in  giving  direc- 
tions for  the  choice  of  a  bitch,  advises  to  have 
one  of  Spartan  or  Molossian  breed;  and, 
among  several  other  perfections,  he  says  that 
the  ears  should  be  dependent,  and  fluctuate 


as  she  runs."  This,  however,  is  by  no  means 
the  case  with  the  Irish  wolf-dog,  whose  ears 
resemble  those  of  the  gray-hound,  and  are 
far  from  fluctuating  with  the  animal's  motions. 
But  of  whatever  kinds  these  dogs  may  be, 
whether  known  among  the  ancients,  or  whe- 
ther produced  by  a  later  mixture,  they  are 
now  almost  quite  worn  away,  and  are  very 
rarely  to  be  met  with  even  in  Ireland.  If  car- 
ried to  other  countries,  they  soon  degenerate ; 
and  even  at  home,  unless  great  care  be  taken, 
they  quickly  alter.  They  were  once  employ- 
ed in  clearing  the  island  of  wolves,  which  in- 
fested it  in  great  plenty ;  but  these  being  de- 
stroyed, the  dogs  also  are  wearing  away,  as 
if  nature  meant  to  blot  out  the  species,  when 
they  had  no  longer  any  services  to  perform. 

"  In  this  manner  several  kinds  of  animals 
fade  from  the  face  of  nature,  that  were  once 
well  known,  but  are  now  seen  no  longer.  The 
enormous  elk  of  the  same  kingdom,  that,  by 
its  horns,  could  not  have  been  less  than  ele- 
ven feet  high,  the  wolf,  and  even  the  wolf-dog, 
are  extinct,  or  only  continued  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  prove  their  former  plenty  and  exist- 
ence. From  hence  it  is  probable,  that  many 
of  the  nobler  kinds  of  dogs,  of  which  the  an- 
cients have  given  us  such  beautiful  descripti- 
ons, are  now  utterly  unknown ;  since  among 
the  whole  breed  we  have  not  one  that  will 
venture  to  engage  the  lion  or  the  tiger  in  sin- 
gle combat.  The  English  bull-dog  is  perhaps 
the  bravest  of  the  kind ;  but  what  art;  his 
most  boasted  exploits  to  those  mentioned  of 
the  Epirotic  dogs  by  Pliny,  or  the  Indian  dogs 
by  .(Elian.  The  latter  gives  us  a  description 
of  a  combat  between  a  dog  and  a  lion,  which 
I  will  take  leave  to  translate. 

"When  Alexander  was  pursuing  his  con- 
quests in  India,  one  of  the  principal  men  of 
that  country  was  desirous  of  showing  him  the 
value  of  the  dogs,  which  his  country  produ- 
ced. Bringing  his  dog  into  the  king's  pre- 
sence, he  ordered  a  stag  to  be  let  loose  be- 
fore him,  which  the  dog  despised  as  an  un- 
worthy enemy,  remained  quite  regardless  of 
the  animal,  and  never  once  stirred  from  his 

a  Elige  tune  cursu  facilem,  facilemque  recursu, 
In  Lacedremonio  natam  seu  rure  Molosso — 
Renibus  ampla  satis  validis,  diductaque  coxas 
Cuique  nimis  molles  fluitent  in  cursibus  aures. 

NKMESIAN. 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


315 


place.  His  master  then  ordered  a  wild  boar 
to  be  set  out ;  but  the  dog  thought  even  this  a 
despicable  foe,  and  remained  calm  and  re- 
gardless as  before.  He  was  next  tried  with 
a  bear ;  but  still  despising  his  enemy,  he  only 
waited  for  an  object  more  worthy  of  his  cou- 
rage and  his  force.  At  last  they  brought  forth 
a  tremendous  lion,  and  then  the  dog  acknow- 
ledged his  antagonist,  and  prepared  for  com- 
bat. He  instantly  discovered  a  degree  of  un- 
governable ardour;  and,  flying  at  the  lion  with 
fury,  seized  him  by  the  throat,  and  totally  dis- 
abled him  from  resistance.  Upon  this,  the 
Indian,  who  was  desirous  of  surprising  the 
king,  and  knowing  the  constancy  and  bravery 
of  his  dog,  ordered  his  tail  to  be  cut  off; 
which  was  easily  performed  as  the  bold  ani- 
mal was  employed  in  holding  the  lion.  He 
next  ordered  one  of  his  legs  to  be  broken ; 
which,  however,  did  not  in  the  least  abate 
the  dog's  ardour,  but  he  still  kept  his  hold  as 
before.  Another  leg  was  then  broken ;  but 
the  dog,  as  if  he  had  suffered  no  pain,  only 
pressed  the  lion  still  the  more.  In  this  cruel 
manner,  all  his  legs  wore  cut  off,  without  aba- 
ting his  courage ;  and  at  last,  when  even  his 
head  was  separated  from  his  body,  the  jaws 
seemed  to  keep  their  former  hold.  A  sight 
so  cruel  did  not  fail  to  affect  the  king  with 
very  strong  emotions,  at  once  pitying  the 
dog's  fate,  and  admiring  his  fortitude.  Upon 
which  the  Indian,  seeing  him  thus  moved,  pre- 
sented him  with  four  dogs  of  the  same  kind, 
which,  in  some  measure,  alleviated  his  un- 
easiness for  the  loss  of  the  former. 

"  The  breed  of  dogs,  however,  in  that  coun- 
try, is  at  present  very  much  inferior  to  what 
this  story  seems  to  imply;  since,  in  many  pla- 
ces, instead  of  dogs,  they  have  animals  of  the 
cat  kind  for  hunting.  In  other  places,  also, 
this  admirable  and  faithful  animal,  instead  of 
being  applied  to  his  natural  uses,  is  only  kept 
to  be  eaten.  All  over  China,  there  are  dog- 
butchers,  and  shambles  appointed  for  selling 
their  flesh.  In  Canton,  particularly,  there  is 
astreet  appointed  for  that  purpose;  and,  what 
is  very  extraordinary,  wherever  a  dog-butcher 
appears,  all  the  dogs  of  the  place  are  sure  to 
be  in  full  cry  after  him ;  they  know  their  ene- 
my, and  persecute  him  as  far  as  they  nre  able." 
Along  the  coasts  of  Guinea,  their  flesh  is  es- 
teemed a  delicacy  by  the  Negroes ;  and  they 

NO.  27  &  28. 


will  give  one  of  their  cows  for  a  dog.  But, 
among  this  barbarous  and  brutal  people, 
scarce  any  thing  that  has  life  comes  amiss ; 
and  they  may  well  take  up  with  a  dog,  since 
they  consider  toads,  lizards,  and  even  the  flesh 
of  the  tiger  itself,  as  a  dainty.  It  may,  per- 
haps, happen  that  the  flesh  of  this  animal, 
which  is  so  indifferent  in  the  temperate  cli- 
mates, may  assume  a  better  quality  in  those 
which  are  more  warm ;  but  it  is  more  than 
probable  that  the  diversity  is  rather  in  man 
than  in  the  flesh  of  the  dog;  since  in  the  cold 
countries  the  flesh  is  eaten  with  equal  appe- 
tite by  the  savages;  and  they  have  their  dog- 
feasts  in  the  same  manner  as  we  have  ours 
for  venison. 

In  our  climate,  the  wild  animals  that  most 
approach  the  dog  are  the  wolf  and  the  fox; 
these,  in  their  internal  conformation,  greatly 
resemble  each  other,  and  yet  in  their  natures 
are  very  distinct.  The  ancients  asserted  that 
they  bred  together;  and  I  am  assured,  by  cre- 
dible persons,  that  there  are  many  animals  in 
this  country  bred  between  a  dog  and  a  fox. 
However,  all  the  endeavours  of  Mr.  Buffon.to 
make  them  engender,  as  he  assures  us,  were 
ineffectual.  For  this  purpose,  he  bred  up  a 
young  wolf,  taken  in  the  woods,  at  two  months 
old,  with  a  matin  dog  of  the'same  age.  They 
were  shut  up  together,  without  any  other,  in 
a  large  yard,  where  they  had  a  shelter  for  re- 
tiring. They  neither  of  them  knew  any  other 
individual  of  their  kind,  nor  even  any  other 
man,  but  he  who  had  the  charge  of  feeding 
them.  In  this  manner  they  were  kept  for  three 
years ;  still  with  the  same  attention,  and  with- 
out constraining  or  tying  them  up.  During 
the  first  year  the  young  animals  played  with 
each  other  continually,  and  seemed  to  love 
each  other  very  much.  In  the  second  year,1 
they  began  to  dispute  about  their  victuals, 
although  they  were  given  more  than  they 
could  use.  The  quarrel  always  began  on  the 
wolfs  side.  They  were  brought  their  food, 
which  consisted  of  flesh  and  bones,  upon  a 
large  wooden  platter,  which  was  laid  on  the 
ground.  Just  as  it  was  put  down,  the  wolf, 
instead  of  falling  to  the  meat,  began  by  driving 
off  the  dog;  and  took  the  platter  in  its  teeth 
so  expertly,  that  it  let  nothing  of  what  it  con- 
tained fall  upon  the  ground,  and  in  this  man- 
ner carried  it  off;  but  a^  the  wolf  could  not 
3D 


316 


ANIMALS  OF 


entirely  escape,  it  was  frequently  seen  to  run 
with  the  platter  round  the  yard  five  or  six 
times,  still  carrying  it  in  a  position  that  none 
of  its  contents  could  fall.  In  this  manner  it 
would  continue  running,  only  now  and  then 
stopping  to  take  breath,  until  the  dog  coming 
up,  the  wolf  would  leave  the  victuals  to  attack 
him.  The  dog,  however,  was  the  stronger  of 
the  two,  but  as  it  was  more  gentle,  in  order 
to  secure  him  from  the  wolfs  attack,  he  had 
a  collar  put  round  his  neck.  In  the  third  year, 
the  quarrels  of  these  ill-paired  associates 
were  more  vehement,  and  their  combats  more 
frequent ;  the  wolf,  therefore,  had  a  collar  put 
about  its  neck,  as  well  as  the  dog,  who  began 
to  be  more  fierce  and  unmerciful.  During 
the  two  first  years,  neither  seemed  to  testify 
the  least  tendency  towards  engendering;  and 
it  was  not  till  the  end  of  the  third,  that  the 
wolf,  which  was  the  female,  showed  the  na- 
tural desire,  but  without  abating  either  in  its 
fierceness  or  obstinacy.  This  appetite  rather 
increased  than  repressed  their  mutual  ani- 
mosity; they  became  every  day  more  untract- 
able  and  ferocious,  and  nothing  was  heard 
between  them  but  the  sounds  of  rage  and  re- 
sentment. They  both,inlessthanthreeweeks, 
became  remarkably  lean,  without  ever  ap- 
proaching each  other,  but  to  combat.  At 
length,  their  quarrels  became  so  desperate, 
that  the  dog  killed  the  wolf,  who  was  become 
more  weak  and  feeble ;  and  he  was  soon  af- 
ter himself  obliged  to  be  killed,  for,  upon  being 
set  at  liberty,  he  instantly  flew  upon  every  ani- 
mal he  met,  fowls,  dogs,  and  even  men  them- 
selves not  escaping  his  savage  fury. 

The  same  experiment  was  tried  upon  foxes, 
taken  young,  but  with  no  better  success ;  they 
were  never  found  to  engender  with  dogs ;  and 
our  learned  naturalist  seems  to  be  of  opinion 
that  their  natures  are  too  opposite  ever  to  pro- 
voke mutual  desire.  One  thing,  however, 
must  be  remarked,  that  the  animals  on  which 
he  tried  his  experiments,  were  rather  too  old 
when  taken,  and  had  partly  acquired  their 
natural  savage  appetites,  before  they  came 
into  his  possession.  The  wolf,  as  he  acknow- 
ledges, \vas  two  or  three  months  old  before  it 
was  caught,  and  the  foxes  were  taken  in  traps. 
It  may,  therefore,  be  easily  supposed,  that  no- 
thing could  ever  after  thoroughly  tame  those 
creatures  that  had  been  suckled  in  the  wild 


state,  and  had  caught  all  the  habitudes  of  the 
dam.  I  have  seen  these  animals,  when  taken 
earlier  in  the  woods,  become  very  tame;  and, 
indeed,  they  rather  were  displeasing  by  being 
too  familiar  than  too  shy.  It  were  to  be  wish- 
ed that  the  experiment  were  tried  upon  such 
as  these;  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that 
it  would  produce  the  desired  success.  Never- 
theless, these  experiments  are  sufficient  to 
prove  that  neither  the  wolf  nor  the  fox  are  of 
the  same  nature  with  the  dog,  but  each  of  a 
species  perfectly  distinct,  and  their  joint  pro- 
duce most  probably  unfruitful. 

The  dog,  when  first  whelped,  is  not  a  com- 
pletely finished  animal.  In  this  kind,  as  in 
all  the  rest  which  bring  forth  many  at  a  time, 
the  young  are  not  so  perfect  as  in  those  which 
bring  forth  one  or  two.  They  are  always  pro- 
duced with  the  eyes  closed,  the  lidsbeing  held 
together,  not  by  sticking,  but  by  a  kind  of  thin 
membrane,  which  is  torn  as  soon  as  the  upper 
eye-lid  becomes  strong  enough  to  raise  it  from 
the  under.  In  general,  their  eyes  are  not 
opened  till  ten  or  twelve  days  old.  During 
that  time,  the  bones  of  the  skull  are  not  com- 
pleted, the  body  is  puffed  up,  the  nose  is  short, 
and  the  whole  form  but  ill-sketched  out.  In 
less  than  a  month  the  puppy  begins  to  use  all 
its  senses ;  and  from  thence  makes  hasty  ad- 
vances to  its  perfection.  At  the  fourth  month, 
the  dog  loses  some  of  his  teeth,  as  in  other 
animals,  and  these  are  renewed  by  such  as 
never  fall.  The  number  of  these  amount  to 
forty-two,  Avhich  is  twelve  more  than  is  found 
in  any  of  the  cat  kind,  which  are  known  never 
to  have  above  thirty.  The  teeth  of  the  dog 
being  his  great  and  only  weapon,  are  formed 
in  a  manner  much  more  serviceable  than  those 
of  the  former ;  and  there  is  scarce  any  quad- 
ruped that  has  a  greater  facility  in  rending, 
cutting,  or  chewing  its  food.  He  cuts  with 
his  incisors,  or  fore-teeth,  he  holds  with  his 
four  great  canine  teeth,  and  he  chews  his  meat 
with  his  grinders ;  these  are  fourteen  in  num- 
ber, and  so  placed,  that,  when  the  jaws  are 
shut,  there  remains  a  distance  between  them, 
so  that  the  dog,  by  opening  his  mouth  ever 
so  wide,  does  not  lose  the  power  of  his  jaws. 
But  it  is  otherwise  in  the  cat  kind,  whose  in- 
cisors, or  cutting-teeth,  are  very  small,  and 
whose  grinding-teeth  when  brought  together, 
touch  more  closely  than  tLose  of  the  dog,  and, 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


317 


consequently,  have  less  power.  Thus,  for 
instance,  I  can  squeeze  any  thing  more  forci- 
bly between  my  thumb  and  fore-finger,  where 
the  distance  is  greater,  than  between  any  other 
two  fingers,  whose  distance  from  each  other  is 
less. 

This  animal  is  capable  of  reproducing  at  the 
age  of  twelve  months,"  and  goes  nine  weeks 
with  young,  and  lives  to  about  the  age  of 
twelve.  Few  quadrupeds  are  less  delicate  in 
their  food ;  and  yet  there  are  many  kinds  of 
birds  which  the  dog  will  not  venture  to  touch. 
He  is  even  known,  although  in  a  savage  state, 
to  abstain  from  injuring  some,  which  one 
might  suppose  he  had  every  reason  to  oppose. 
The  dogs  and  the  vultures  which  live  wild 
about  Grand  Cairo  in  Egypt,  (for  the  Maho- 
metan law  has  expelled  this  useful  animal  from 
human  society,)  continue  together  in  a  very 
sociable  and  friendly  manner."  As  they  are 
both  useful  in  devouring  such  carcasses  as 
might  otherwise  putrefy,  and  thus  infect  the 
air,  the  inhabitants  supply  them  with  provi- 
sions every  day,  in  order  to  keep  them  near 
the  city.  Upon  these  occasions,  the  quadru- 
peds and  birds  are  often  seen  together,  tearing 
the  same  piece  of  flesh,  without  the  least  en- 
mity ;  on  ihe  contrary,  they  are  known  to  live 
together  with  a  kind  of  affection,  and  bring  up 
their  young  in  the  same  nest. 

Although  the  dog  is  a  voracious  animal,  yet 
he  can  bear  hunger  for  a  very  long  time.  We 
have  an  instance,  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Aca- 
demy of  Sciences,  of  this  kind,  in  which  a 
bitch  that  had  been  forgotten  in  a  country- 
house,  lived  forty  days,  without  any  other 
nourishment  than  the  wool  of  a  quilt  which 
she  had  torn  in  pieces.  It  should  seem  that 
water  is  more  necessary  to  the  dog  than  food ; 
he  drinks  often,  though  not  abundantly ;  and 
it  is  commonly  believed,  that  when  abridged  in 
water,  he  runs  mad.  This  dreadful  malady, 
thp  consequences  of  which  are  so  well  known, 
is  the  greatest  inconvenience  that  results  from 
the  keeping  this  faithful  domestic.  But  it  is  a 

a  To  this  description  I  will  beg  leave  to  add  a  few  parti- 
culars from  Linnicus,  as  I  find  them  in  the  original.  "  Vo- 
initua  graitiiua  purgatur  ;  cacat  supra  lapidem.  Album 
grtecum  antisepticum  summum.  Mingit  ad  latus  (this, 
however,  not  till  the  animal  is  nine  months  old)  cum 
hospite  sacpe  centies.  Odorat  anum  alterius.  Procis 
rixautibus  orudelis.  Menstruans  coit  cum  variis.  Mordet 
ilia  illos.  Coliaret  copula  junctus." 

'>  Hasselquist  Her.  Paltestin.  p.  232 


disorder  by  no  means  so  frequent  as  the  terrors 
of  the  timorous  would  suppose ;  the  dog  has 
been  often  accused  of  madness,  without  a  fair 
trial ;  and  some  persons  have  been  supposed  to 
receive  their  deaths  from  his  bite,  when  either 
their  own  ill-grounded  fears,  or  their  natural 
disorders,  were  the  true  cause. 


THE  WOLF. 

THE  dog  and  the  wolf  are  so  very  much 
alike  internally,  that  the  most  expert  anato- 
mists can  scarce  perceive  the  difference  ;  and 
it  may  be  asserted  also,  that,  externally,  some 
dogs  more  nearly  resemble  the  wolf  than  they 
do  each  other.  It  was  this  strong  similitude 
that  first  led  some  naturalists  to  consider  them 
as  the  same  animal,  and  to  look  upon  the  wolf 
as  the  dog  in  its  state  of  savage  freedom  :  how- 
ever, this  opinion  is  entertained  no  longer;  the 
natural  antipathy  those  two  animals  bear  to 
each  other  ;  the  longer  time  which  the  wolf 
goes  with  young  than  the  dog,  the  one  going 
over  a  hundred  days,  and  the  other  not  quite 
sixty  ;  the  longer  period  of  life  in  the  former 
than  the  latter,  the  wolf  living  twenty  years, 
the  dog  not  fifteen ;  all  sufficiently  point  out  a 
distinction,  and  draw  a  line  that  must  for  ever 
keep  them  asunder. 

The  wolf,  from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to  the  in- 
sertion of  the  tail,  is  about  three  feet  seven 
inches  long,  and  about  two  feet  five  inches 
high  ;  which  shows  him  to  be  larger  than  our 
great  breed  of  mastiffs,  which  are  seldom  found 
to  be  above  three  feet  by  two.  His  colour  is  a 
mixture  of  black,  brown,  and  gray,  extremely 
rough  and  hard,  but  mixed  towards  the  roots 
with  a  kind  of  ash-coloured  fur.  In  comparing 
him  to  any  of  our  well-known  breed  of  dogs, 
the  great  Dane  or  mongrel  grayhound,  for  in- 
stance, he  will  appear  to  have  the  legs  shorter, 
the  head  larger,  the  muzzle  thicker,  the  eyes 
smaller,  and  more  separated  from  each  other, 
and  the  ears  shorter  and  straighter.  He  ap- 
pears in  every  respect  stronger  than  the  dog ; 
and  the  length  of  his  hair  contributes  still  more 
to  his  robust  appearance.  The  feature  which 
principally  distinguishes  the  visage  of  the  wolf 
from  that  of  the  dog  is  the  eye,  which  opens 
slantingly  upwards  in  the  same  direction  with 
the  nose  ;  whereas,  in  the  dog,  it  opens  ;more 
at  right  angles  with  the  nose,  as  in  man.  The 

3D» 


318 


ANIMALS  OF 


tail,  also,  in  this  animal,  is  long  and  bushy;  and 
he  carries  it  rather  more  between  his  hind  legs 
than  the  clog  is  seen  to  do.  The  colour  of  the 
eye-balls  in  the  wolf  are  of  a  fiery  green,  and 
give  his  visage  a  fierce  and  formidable  air, 
which  his  natural  disposition  does  by  no 
means  contradict.* 

The  wolf  is  one  of  those  animals  whose  ap- 
petite for  animal  food  is  the  most  vehement ; 
and  whose  means  of  satisfying  this  appetite 
are  the  most  various.     Nature  has  furnished 
him  with  strength,  cunning,  agility,  and  all 
those  requisites  which  fit  an  animal  for  pursu- 
ing, overtaking,  and  conquering  its  prey  ;  and 
yet,  with  all  these,  the  wolf  most  frequently 
dies  of  hunger,  for  he  is  the  declared  enemy  of 
man.     Being  long  proscribed,  and  a  reward 
offered  for  his  head,  he  is  obliged  to  fly  from 
human  habitations,  and  to  live  in  the  forest, 
where  the  few  wild  animals  to  be  found  there 
escape  him  either  by  their  swiftness  or  their 
art ;  or  are  supplied  in  too  small  a  proportion 
to  satisfy  his  rapacity.     He  is  naturally  dull 
and  cowardly  ;   but  frequently  disappointed, 
and,  as  often  reduced  to  the  verge  of  famine,  he 
becomes  ingenious  from  want,  and  courageous 
from  necessity.     When  pressed  with  hunger, 
he  braves  danger,  and  comes  to  attack  those 
animals  which  are  under  the   protection  of 
man,  particularly  such  as  he  can  readily  carry 
away,  lambs,  sheep,  or  even  dogs  themselves, 
for  all  animal  food  becomes  then  equally  agree- 
able.    When  this  excursion  has  succeeded,  he 
often  returns  to  the  charge,  until  having  been 
wounded,  or  hard  pressed  by  the  dogs  or  the 
shepherds,   he   hides  himself  by  day  in  the 
thickest   coverts,   and  only  ventures  out  at 
night ;  he  then  sallies  forth  over  the  country, 
keeps  peering  round  the  villages,  carries  off 
such  animals  as  are  not  under  protection,  at- 
tacks the  sheepfolds,  scratches  up  and  under- 
mines  the   thresholds  of   doors   where   they 
are  housed,  enters  furiously,  and  destroys  all 
before  he  begins  to  fix  upon  and  carry  off  his 
prey.     When  these  sallies  do  not  succeed,  he 
then  returns  to  the  thickest  part  of  the  forest, 
content  to  pursue  those  smaller  animals,  which, 
even  when  taken,  afford   him  but  a  scanty 
supply.     He   there  goes  regularly   to  work, 


a  The  rest  of  this  history  of  the  wolf  is  taken  from  Mr. 
Buffon  ;  and  I  look  upon  it  as  a  complete  model  for  na- 
tural history.  If  I  add  or  differ,  I  mark  it  as  usual. 


follows  by  the  scent,  opens  to  the  view,  still 
keeps  following,  hopeless  himself  of  overtaking 
the  prey,  but  expecting  that  some  other  wolf 
will  corne  in  to  his  assistance,  and  then  con- 
tent to  share  the  spoil.  At  last,  when  his  ne- 
cessities are  very  urgent,  he  boldly  faces  cer- 
tain destruction  ;  he  attacks  women  and  chil- 
dren, and  sometimes  ventures  even  to  fall  upon 
men,  becomes  furious  by  his  continual  agita- 
tions, and  ends  his  life  in  madness. 

The  wolf,  as  well  externally  as  internally, 
so  nearly  resembles  the  dog,   that  he  seems 
modelled  upon  the  same  plan ;  and  yet  he  only 
offers  the  reverse  of  the  model.    If  his  form  be 
like,  his  nature  is  so  different,  that  he  only  pre- 
serves the  ill  qualities  of  the  dog,  without  any 
of  his  good  ones.    Indeed,  they  are  so  different 
in  their  dispositions,  that  no  two  animals  can 
have  a  more  perfect  antipathy  to  each  other. 
A  young  dog  shudders  at  the  sight  of  a  wolf; 
he  even  shuns  his  scent,  which,  though  un- 
known, is  so  repugnant  to  his  nature,  that  he 
comes  trembling  to  take  protection   near  his 
master.     A   dog  who  is  stronger,   and  who 
knows  his  strength,  bristles  up  at  the  sight, 
testifies  his  animosity,  attacks  him  with  cou- 
rage, endeavours  to  put  him  to  flight,  and  does 
all  in  his  power  to  rid  himself  of  a  presence 
that  is  hateful  to  him.      They  never   meet 
without  either  flying  or  fighting  ;  fighting  for 
life  and  death,  and  without  mercy  on  either 
side.     If  the  wolf  is  the  stronger,  he  tears  and 
and  devours  his  prey  :  the  dog,  on  the  contra- 
ry, is   more  generous,  and  contents   himself 
with  his  victory  ;  he  does  not  seem  to  think 
that  the  body  of  a  dead  enemy  smells  ivell ;  he 
leaves  him  where  he  falls,  to  serve  as  food  for 
birds  of  prey,  or  for  other  wolves,  since  they 
devour  each  other ;  and  when  one  wolf  hap- 
pens to  be  desperately  wounded,  the  rest  track 
him  by  his  blood,  and  are  sure  to  show  him 
no  mercy. 

The  dog,  even  in  his  savage  state,  is  not 
cruel ;  he  is  easily  tamed,  and  continues  firmly 
attached  to  his  master.  The  wolf,  when  taken 
young,  becomes  tame,  but  never  has  an  at- 
tachment:  Nature  is  stronger  in  him  than 
education  ;  he  resumes  with  age  his  natural 
dispositions,  and  returns  as  soon  as  he  can  to 
the  woods  from  whence  he  was  taken.  Dogs, 
even  of  the  dullest  kinds,  seek  the  company  of 
other  animals ;  they  are  naturally  disposed  to 
follow  and  accompany  other  creatures  besides 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


319 


themselves ;  and  even  by  instinct,  without  any 
education,  take  to  the  care  of  flocks  and  herds. 
Tht"  wolf,  on  the  contrary,  is  the  enemy  of  all 
society ;  he  does  not  even  keep  much  compa- 
ny with  those  of  his  kind.  When  they  are 
seen  in  packs  together,  it  is  not  to  be  consider- 
ed as  a  peaceful  society,  but  a  combination  for 
war ;  they  testify  their  hostile  intentions  by 
their  loud  howlings,  and,  by  their  fierceness, 
discover  a  project  for  attacking  some  great  ani- 
mal, such  as  a  stag  or  a  bull,  or  to  destroy 
some  more  redoubtable  watch-dog.  The  in- 
stant their  military  expedition  is  completed, 
their  society  is  at  an  end ;  they  then  part,  and 
each  returns  in  silence  to  his  solitary  retreat. 
There  is  not  even  any  strong  attachments  be- 
tween the  male  and  female ;  they  seek  each 
other  only  once  a  year,  and  remain  but  a  few 
days  together :  they  always  couple  in  winter ; 
at  which  time  several  males  are  seen  following 
one  female,  and  this  association  is  still  more 
bloody  than  the  former :  they  dispute  most 
cruelly,  growl,  bark,  fight,  and  tear  each  other; 
and  it  sometimes  happens  that  the  majori- 
ty kill  the  wolf,  which  has  been  chiefly  prefer- 
red by  the  female.  It  is  usual  for  the  she  wolf 
to  fly  from  them  all  with  him  she  has  chosen  ; 
and  watches  this  opportunity  when  the  rest 
are  asleep. 

The  season  for  coupling  does  not  continue 
above  twelve  or  fifteen  days;  and  usually  com- 
mences among  the   oldest,  those   which  are 
young  being  late.r  in  their  desires.     The  males 
have  no  fixed  time  for  engendering,  they  pass 
from  one  female  to  the  other,  beginning  at  the 
end  of  December,  and  ending  at  the  latter  end 
of  February.     The  time  of  pregnancy  is  about 
three   months   and  a    half;    and    the   young 
wolves  are  found  from  the  latter  end  of  April  to 
the  beginning  of  July.     The  long  continuance 
of  the  wolf's  pregnancy  is  sufficient  to  make  a 
distinction  between  it  and  the  dog,  did  not  al- 
so the  fiery  fierceness  of  the  eyes,  the  howl  in- 
stead of  barking,  and  the  greater  duration  of 
its  life,  leave  no  doubt  of  its  being  an  animal  of 
its  own  particular  species.     In  other  respects, 
however,   they  are  entirely   alike;   the  wolf 
couples  exactly  like  the  dog,  the  parts  are  form- 
ed in  the  same  manner,  and  their  separation 
hindered  by  the  same  cause.     When   the  she 
wolves  are  near  their  time  of  bringing  forth, 
they  seek  some  very  tufted  spot,  in  the  thickest 
part  of  the  forests  ;  in  the  middle  of  this  they 


make  a  small  opening,  cutting  away  the  thorns 
and  briars  with  their  teeth,  and  afterwards  car- 
ry thither  a  great  quantity  of  moss,  which  they 
form  into  a  bed  for  their  young  ones.     They 
generally  bring   forth  five  or   six,  and  some- 
times even  to  nine  at  a  litter.     The  cubs  are 
brought  forth,  like  those  of  the  bitch,  with  the 
eyes  closed;  the  dam  suckles  them  for  some 
weeks,  and  teaches  them  betimes  to  eat  flesh, 
which  she  prepares  for  them,   by  chewing  it 
first  herself.     Some  time  after  she  brings  them 
stronger  food,  hares,  partridges,  and  birds  yet 
alive.     The   young  wolves   begin  by  playing 
with  them,  and  end  by  killing  them.    The  dam 
then  strips  them  of  their  feathers,  tears  them  in 
pieces,  and  gives  to  each   of  them   a  share. 
They  do  not  leave  the  den  where  they  have 
been  littered,   till  they  are  six  weeks,  or  two 
months  old.     They  then  follow  the   old  one, 
who  leads  them  to  drink  to  the  trunk  of  some 
old  tree,  where  the  water  has  settled,  or  at 
some  pool  in  the  neighbourhood.     If  she  ap- 
prehends any  danger,   she  instantly  conceals 
them  in  the  first  convenient  place,  or  brings 
them  back  to  their  former  retreat.     In  this 
manner  they  follow  her  for  some  months ;  when 
they  are  attacked,  she  defends  them  with  all 
her  strength,  and  more  than  usual  ferocity. 
Although,  at  other  times,  more  timorous  than 
the  male,  at  that  season  she  becomes  bold  and 
fearless  ;  willing  perhaps  to  teach  the  young 
ones  future  courage  by  her  own  example.     It 
is  not  till  they  are  about  ten  or  twelve  months 
old,  and  until  they  have  shed  their  first  teeth, 
and  completed  the  new,  that  she  thinks  them 
in  a  capacity  to  shift  for  themselves.     Then 
when  they  have  acquired  arms  from  nature, 
and  have  learned  industry  and  courage  from 
her  example,   she  declines  all  future  care  of 
them,  being  again  engaged  in  bringing   up  a 
new  progeny. 

The  males  and  females  are  in  a  capacity  to 
engender  when  two  years  old.  It  is  probable 
that  the  females  of  this  species,  as  well  as  of 
most  others,  are  sooner  completed  than  the 
males  ;  but  this  is  certain,  that  they  never  de- 
sire to  copulate  until  their  second  winter ;  from 
whence  we  may  suppose  that  they  live  fifteen 
or  twenty  years ;  for  allowing  three  years  for 
their  complete  growth,  this  multiplied  by  se- 
ven, gives  them  a  life  of  twenty-one  ;  most  ani- 
mals, as  has  been  observed,  living  about  seven 
times  the  number  of  years  which  they  take 


320 


ANIMALS  OF 


to  come  to  perfection.  Of  this,  however, 
there  is  as  yet  no  certainty,  no  more  than  of 
what  huntsmen  assert,  that  in  all  the  litters 
there  are  more  males  than  females.  From 
them  also  we  learn,  that  there  are  some  of 
the  males  who  attach  themselves  to  the  fe- 
male, who  accompany  her  during  her  gesta- 
tion, until  the  time  of  bringing  forth,  when  she 
hides  the  place  of  her  retreat  from  the  male, 
lest  he  should  devour  her  cubs.  But  after 
this,  when  they  are  brought  forth,  that  he  then 
takes  the  same  care  of  them  as  the  female, 
carries  them  provisions,  and,  if  the  dam  should 
happen  to  be  killed,  rears  them  up  in  her  stead. 

The  wolf  grows  gray  as  he  grows  old,  and 
his  teeth  wear,  like  those  of  most  other  ani- 
mals, by  using.  He  sleeps  when  his  belly  is 
full,  or  when  he  is  fatigued,  rather  by  day  than 
night;  and  always,  like  the  dog,  is  very  ea- 
sily waked.  He  drinks  frequently;  and  in 
times  of  drought,  when  there  is  no  water  to 
be  found  in  the  trunks  of  old  trees,  or  in  the 
pools  about  the  forest,  he  comes  often,  in  the 
day,  down  to  the  brooks,  or  the  lakes  in  the 
plain.  Although  very  voracious,  he  supports 
hunger  for  a  long  time,  and  often  lives  four  or 
five  days  without  food,  provided  he  be  supplied 
with  water. 

The  wolf  has  great  strength,  particularly  in 
his  fore  parts,  in  the  muscles  of  his  neck  and 
jaws.  He  carries  off  a  sheep  in  his  mouth 
without  letting  it  touch  the  ground,  and  runs 
with  it  much  swifter  than  the  shepherds  who 
pursue  him;  so  that  nothing  but  the  dogs  can 
overtake,  and  oblige  him  to  quit  his  prey. 
He  bites  cruelly,  and  always  with  greater  ve- 
hemence in  proportion  as  he  is  least  resisted; 
for  he  uses  precautions  with  such  animals  as 
attempt  to  stand  upon  the  defensive.  He  is 
ever  cowardly,  and  never  fights  but  when  un- 
der a  necessity  of  satisfying  hunger,  or  making 
good  his  retreat.  When  he  is  wounded  by  a 
bullet,  he  is  heard  to  cry  out ;  and  yet,  when 
surrounded  by  the  peasants,  and  attacked 
with  clubs,  he  never  howls  as  the  dog  under 
correction,  but  defends  himself  in  silence,  and 
dies  as  hard  as  he  lived. 

His  nature  is,  in  fact,  more  savage  than  that 
of  the  dog ;  he  has  less  sensibility  and  greater 
strength.  He  travels,  runs,  and  keeps  plun- 
dering for  whole  days  and  nights  together. 
He  is  in  a  manner  indefatigable;  and  perhaps 


of  all  animals  he  is  the  most  difficult  to  be' 
hunted  down.  The  dog  is  good  natured  and 
courageous ;  the  wolf,  though  savage,  is  ever 
fearful.  If  he  happens  to  be  caught  in  a  pit-' 
fall,  he  is  for  some  time  so  frightened  and  as- 
tonished, that  he  may  be  killed  without  offer- 
ing to  resist,  or  taken  alive  without  much  dan- 
ger. At  that  instant,  one  may  clap  a  collar 
round  his  neck,  muzzle  him,  and  drag  him1 
along,  without  his  ever  giving  the  least  signs 
of  anger  or  resentment.  At  all  other  times 
he  has  his  senses  in  great  perfection ;  his  eye, 
his  ear,  and  particularly  his  sense  of  smelling, 
which  is  even  superior  to  the  two  former.  He 
smells  a  carcass  at  more  than  a  league's  dis- 
tance; he  also  perceives  living  animals  a  great 
way  off,  and  follows  them  a  long  time  upon 
the  scent.  Whenever  he  leaves  the  wood, 
he  always  takes  care  to  go  out  against  the 
wind.  When  just  come  to  its  extremity,  he 
stops  to  examine,  by  his  smell,  on  all  sides, 
the  emanations  that  may  come  either  from  his 
enemy  or  his  prey,  which  he  very  nicely  dis- 
tinguishes. He  prefers  those  animals  which 
he  kills  himself  to  those  he  finds  dead  ;  and 
yet  he  does  not  disdain  these  when  no  better 
is  to  be  had.  He  is  particularly  fond  of  hu- 
man flesh ;  and  perhaps,  if  he  was  sufficiently 
powerful,  he  would  eat  no  other.  Wolves 
have  been  seen  following  armies,  and  arriving 
in  numbers  upon  the  field  of  battle,  where 
they  devoured  such  dead  bodies  as  were  left 
upon  the  field,  or  but  negligently  interred. 
These,  when  once  accustomed  to  human  flesh, 
ever  afterseek  particularly  toattack  mankind, 
and  choose  to  fall  upon  the  shepherd  rather 
than  his  flock.  We  have  had  a  late  instance 
of  two  or  three  of  these  keeping  a  whole  pro- 
vince, for  more  than  a  month,  in  a  continual 
alarm. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  a  whole  country 
is  called  out  to  extirpate  these  most  danger- 
ous invaders.  The  hunting  the  wolf  is  a  fa- 
vourite diversion  among  the  great  of  some 
countries ;  and  it  must  be  confessed  it  seems 
to  be  the  most  useful  of  any.  These  animals 
are  distinguished  by  the  huntsmen  into  the 
young  wolf,  the  old  wolf,  and  the  great  wolf. 
They  are  known  by  the  prints  of  their  feet ; 
the  older  the  wolf,  the  larger  the  track  he 
leaves.  That  of  the  female  is  narrower  and 
longer  than  those  of  the  male.  It  is  necessary 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


321 


to  have  a  very  good  starter  to  put  up  the 
wolf;  and  it  is  even  convenient  to  use  every 
art  to  encourage  him  in  his  pursuit;  for  all 
dogs  have  a  natural  repugnance  against  this 
animal,  and  are  but  cold  in  their  endeavours. 
When  the  wolf  is  once  put  up,  it  is  then  prp- 
'per  to  have  grayhounds  to  let  fly  at  him,  in 
leashes,  one  after  the  other.  The  first  leash 
is  sent  after  him  in  the  beginning,  seconded 
by  a  man  on  horseback ;  the  second  are  let 
loose  about  half  a  mile  farther,  and  the  third 
wh  n  the  rest  of  the  dogs  come  up  with,  and  j 
begin  to  bait  him.  He  for  a  long  time  keeps 
them  off,  stands  his  ground,  threatens  them 
on  all  sides,  and  often  gets  away ;  but  usually 
the  hunters  arriving,  come  in  aid  of  the  dogs, 
and  help  to  despatch  him  with  their  cutlass- 
es. When  the  animal  is  killed,  the  dogs  tes- 
tify no  appetite  to  enjoy  their  victory,  but 
leave  him  where  he  falls,  a  frightful  specta- 
cle, and  even  in  death  hideous. 

The  wolf  is  sometimes  also  hunted  with 
harriers ;  but  as  he  always  goes  straight  for- 
ward, and  often  holds  his  speed  for  a. whole 
day  together,  this  kind  of  chase  is  tedious 
and  disagreeable,  at  least  if  the  harriers  are 
not  assisted  by  grayhounds,  who  may  harass 
him  at  every  view.  Several  other  arts  have 
been  also  used  to  take  and  destroy  this  nox- 
ious animal.  He  is  surrounded  and  wounded 
by  men  and  large  house-dogs;  he  is  secured 
in  traps ;  he  is  poisoned  by  carcasses,  pre- 
pared and  placed  for  that  purpose,  arid  is 
caught  in  pit-falls.  "  Gesner  tell  us  of  a  friar, 
a  woman,  and  a  wolf,  being  taken  in  one  of 
these,  all  in  the  same  night.  The  woman  lost 
her  senses  with  the  fright,  the  friar  his  repu- 
tation, and  the  wolf  his  life."  All  these  dis- 
asters, however,  do  not  prevent  this  animal's 
multiplying  in  great  numbers,  particularly 
in  countries  where  the  woods  are  plenty. 
France,  Spain,  and  Italy,  are  greatly  infested 
with  them  ;  but  England,  Ireland,  and  Scot- 
land, are  happily  set  free. 

King  Edgar  is  said  to  be  the  first  who  at- 
tempted to  rid  this  kingdom  of  such  disa- 
greeable inmates,  by  commuting  the  punish- 
ment of  certain  crimes  into  the  acceptance 
of  a  number  of  wolves'  tongues  for  each  cri- 
minal.8 However,  some  centuries  after,  these 

*  British  Zoology,  p.  62. 


animals  were  again  increased  to  such  a  de- 
gree, as  to  become  the  object  of  royal  atten- 
tion ;  accordingly  Edward  the  First  issued 
out  his  mandate  to  one  Peter  Corbet  to  su- 
perintend and  assist  in  the  destruction  of 
them.  They  are  said  to  have  infested  Ire- 
land long  after  they  were  extirpated  in  Eng- 
land ;  however,  the  oldest  men  in  that  coun- 
try remember  nothing  of  these  animals  ;  and 
it  is  probable  that  there  have  been  none 
there  for  more  than  a  century  past.  Scot- 
land also  is  totally  free. 

The  colour  of  this  animal  differs  according 
to  the  different  climates  where  it  is  bred,  and 
often  changes  even  in  the  same  country.  Be- 
side the  common  wolves,  which  are  found  in 
France  and  Germany,  there  are  others  with 
thicker  hair,  inclining  to  yellow.  These  are 
more  savage  and  less  noxious  than  the  for- 
mer, neither  approaching  the  flocks  nor  ha- 
bitations, and  living  rather  by  the  chase  than 
rapine.  In  the  northern  climates  there  are 
found  some  quite  black,  and  some  white  all 
over.  The  former  are  larger  and  stronger 
than  those  of  any  other  kinds. 

The  species  is  very  much  diffused  in  every 
part  of  the  world,  being  found  in  Asia,  Africa, 
and  in  America,  as  well  as  Europe.  The 
wolves  of  Senegal  resemble  those  of  France, 
except  that  they  are  larger  and  much  fiercer 
than  those  of  Europe.  Those  of  Egypt  are 
smaller  than  those  of  Greece.  In  the  east, 
the  wolf  is  trained  up  for  a  show,  being 
taught  to  dance  and  play  tricks ;  and  one  of 
these  thus  educated  often  sells  for  four  or 
five  hundred  crowns.  "  It  is  said  that  in  Lap- 
land the  wolf  will  never  attack  a  rein-deer 
that  is  seen  haltered ;  for  this  wary  animal, 
being  well  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  a 
trap,  suspects  one  whenever  it  perceives  a 
rope.  However,  when  he  sees  the  deer  en- 
tirely at  liberty,  he  seldom  fails  to  destroy  it. 
"  The  wolf  of  North  America  is  blacker 
and  much  less  than  those  in  other  parts  of 
the  world,  and  approaches  nearer  in  form  to 
the  dog  than  those  of  the  ordinary  kind.b  In 
fact,  they  were  made  use  of  as  such  by  the 
savages  till  the  Europeans  introduced  others; 
and  even  now,  on  the  remoter  shores,  or  the 
more  inland  parts  of  the  country,  the  sa- 
fe Brooke's  Natural  History,  vol.  i.  p.  198. 


322 


ANIMALS  OF 


vages'still  make  use  of  these  animals  in  hunt- 
ing. They  are  very  tame  and  gentle  ;  and 
those  of  this  kind  that  are  wild,  are  neither  so 
large  nor  so  fierce  as  an  European  wolf,  nor 
do  they  ever  attack  mankind.  They  go  to- 
gether in  large  packs  by  night  to  hunt  the 
deer,  which  they  do  as  well  as  any  dogs  in 
England ;  and  it  is  confidently  asserted  that 
one  of  them  is  sufficient  to  run  down  a  deer.* 
Whenever  they  are  seen  along  the  banks  of 
those  rivers  near  which  the  wandering  na- 
tives pitch  their  huts,  it  is  taken  for  granted 
that  the  bison  or  the  deer  are  not  far  off:  and 
the  savages  affirm  that  the  wolves  come  with 
the  tidings,  in  order  to  have  the  garbage, 
after  the  animal  has  been  killed  by  the  hun- 
ters. Catesby  adds  a  circumstance  relative 
to  these  animals,  which,  if  true,  invalidates 
many  of  Mr.  Button's  observations  in  the  fore- 
going history.  He  asserts,  that  these  being 
the  only  dogs  used  by  the  Americans,  before 
the  arrival  of  .he  Europeans  among  them, 
they  have  since  engendered  together,  and 
that  their  breed  has  become  prolific ;  which 
proves  the  dog  and  the  wolf  to  be  of  the  same 
species.  It  were  to  be  wished  that  this  fact 
were  better  ascertained  ;  we  should  then 
know  to  a  certainty  in  what  degree  the  dog 
and  wolf  resemble  each  other,  as  Avell  in  na- 
ture as  in  conformation ;  we  might  then,  per- 
haps, be  enabled  to  improve  the  breed  of  our 
dogs,  by  bringing  them  back  to  their  native 
forms  and  instincts ;  we  might,  by  crossing 
the  strain,  restore  that  race  of  those  bold 
animals,  which  the  ancients  assure  us  were 
more  than  a  match  for  the  lion." 

However  this  animal  may  be  useful  in 
North  America,  the  wolf  of  Europe  is  a  very 
noxious  animal,  and  scarce  any  thing  belong- 
ing to  him  is  good,  except  his  skin.  Of  this 
the  furriers  make  a  covering  that  is  warm  and 
durable,  though  coarse  and  unsightly.  His 
flesh  is  very  indifferent,  and  seems  to  be  dis- 
liked by  all  other  animals,  no  other  creature 
being  known  to  eat  wolf's  flesh  except  the 
wolf  himself.  He  breathes  a  most  fetid  va- 
pour from  his  jaws,  as  his  food  is  indiscrimi- 
nate, often  putrid,  and  seldom  cleanly.  In 
short,  every  way  offensive,  a  savage  aspect, 
a  frightful  howl,  an  unsupportable  odour,  a 

»  Dictionaire  Raisonee.     Loup. 


perverse  disposition,  fierce  habits,  he  is  hate« 
ful  when  living,  and  useless  when  dead. 


THE  FOX. 

THE  Fox  very  exactly  resembles  the  wolf 
and  the  dog  internally ;  and  although  he  dif- 
fers greatly  from  both  in  size  and  carriage, 
yet  when  we  come  to  examine  his  shapes  mi- 
nutely, there  will  appear  to  be  very  little  dif- 
ference in  the  description.  Were,  for  in- 
stance, a  painter  to  draw  from  a  natural  his- 
torian's exactest  description  the  figure  of  a 
dog,  a  wolf,  and  a  fox,  without  having  ever 
seen  either,  he  would  be  very  apt  to  con- 
found all  these  animals  together;  or  rather 
he  would  be  unable  to  catch  those  peculiar 
outlines  that  no  description  can  supply. 
Words  will  never  give  any  "person  an  exact 
idea  of  forms  any  way  irregular ;  for  although 
they  be  extremely  just  and  precise,  yet  the 
numberless  discriminations  to  be  attended  to 
will  cqnfound  each  other,  and  we  shall  no 
more  conceive  the  precise  form,  than  we 
should  be  able  to  tell  when  one  pebble  more 
was  added  or  taken  away  from  a  thousand. 
To  conceive,  therefore,  how  the  fox  differs 
in  form  from  the  wolf  or  the  dog,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  see  all  three,  or  at  least  to  supply  the 
defects  of  description  by  examining  the  dif- 
ference in  a  print. 

The  fox  is  of  a  slenderer  make  than  the 
wolf,  and  not  near  so  large ;  for  as  the  former 
is  above  three  feet  and  a  half  long,  so  the 
other  i?  not  above  two  feet  three  inches. 
The  tail  of  the  fox  also  is  longer  in  propor- 
tion and  more  bushy ;  its  nose  is  smaller  and 
approaching  more  nearly  to  that  of  the  gray- 
hound,  and  its  hair  softer.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  differs  from  the  dog  in  having  its  eyes 
obliquely  situated,  like  those  of  the  wolf;  its 
ears  are  directed  also  in  the  same  manner  as 
those  of  the  wolf,  and  its  head  is  equally  large 
in  proportion  to  its  size.  It  differs  still  more 
from  the  dog  in  its  strong  offensive  smell, 
which  is  peculiar  to  the  species,  and  often 
the  cause  of  their  death.  However,  some  are 
ignorantly  of  opinion  that  it  will  keep  off'  in- 
fectious diseases,  and  they  preserve  this  ani- 
mal near  their  habitations  for  that  very  pur- 
pose. 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


323 


The  fox  has  since  the  beginning  been  fa- 
mous for  his  cunning  and  his  arts,  and  he  part- 
ly merits  his  reputation."  Without  attempt- 
ing to  oppose  either  the  dogs  or  the  shep- 
herds, without  attacking  the  Hock,  or  alarm- 
ing the  village,  he  finds  an  easier  way  to  sub- 
sist, and  gains  by  his  address  what  is  denied 
to  his  strength  or  courage.  Patient  and  pru- 
dent, he  waits  the  opportunity  of  depredation, 
and  varies  his  conduct  with  every  occasion. 
His  whole  study  is  his  preservation ;  although 
nearly  as  indefatigable,  and  actually  more 
swift  than  the  wolf,  he  does  not  entirely  trust 
to  either,  but  makes  himself  an  asylum,  to 
which  he  retires  in  case  of  necessity;  where 
he  shelters  himself  from  danger,  and  brings 
up  his  young. 

As  among  men,  those  who  lead  a  domestic 
life  are  more  civilized  and  more  endued  with 
wisdom  than  those  who  wander  from  place  to 
place ;  so,  in  the  inferior  ranks  of  animated 
nature,  the  taking  possession  of  a  home  sup- 
poses a  degree  of  instinct  which  others  are 
without.11  The  choice  of  the  situation  for  this 
domic.il,  the  art  of  making  it  convenient,  of 
hiding  its  entrance,  and  securing  it  against 
more  powerful  animals,  are  all  so  many  marks 
of  superior  skill  and  industry.  The  fox  is  fur- 
nished with  both,  and  turns  them  to  his  ad- 
vantage. He  generally  keeps  his  kennel  at 
the  edge  of  (he  wood,  and  yet  within  an  easy 
journey  of  soine  neighbouring  cottage.  From 
thence  he  listens  to  the  crowing  of  the  cock, 
and  the  cackling  of  the  domestic  fowls.  He 
scents  them  at  a  distance ;  he  seizes  his  op- 
portunity, conceals  his  approaches,  creeps 
slily  along,  makes  the  attack,  and  seldom  re- 
turns without  his  booty.  If  he  be  able  to  get 
into  the  yard,  he  begins  by  levelling  all  the 
poultry  without  remorse,  and  carrying  off  a 
part  of  the  spoil,  hides  it  at  some  convenient 
distance,  and  again  returns  to  the  charge. 
Taking  off  another  fowl  in  the  same  manner, 
he  hides  that  also,  but  not  in  the  same  place ; 
and  this  he  practises  for  several  times  together, 
until  the  approach  of  day,  or  the  noise  of  the 
domestics,  give  him  warning  to  retire.  The 
same  arts  are  practised  when  he  finds  birds 
entangled  in  springes  laid  for  them  by  the 
fowler;  the  fox  takes  care  to  be  beforehand, 


•  Buflbn,  Renard. 
NO.  27&2S. 


Ibid. 


very  expertly  takes  the  bird  out  of  the  snare, 
hides  it  for  three  or  four  days,  and  knows  very 
exactly  when  and  where  to  return  to  avail 
himself  of  the  hidden  treasure.  He  is  equal- 
ly alert  in  seizing  the  young  hares  and  rab- 
bits before  they  have  strength  enough  to  es- 
cape him,  and  when  the  old  ones  are  wound- 
ed and  fatigued,  he  is  sure  to  come  upon  them 
in  their  moments  of  distress,  and  to  show  them 
no  mercy.  In  the  same  manner  he  finds  out 
birds'  nests,  seizes  the  partridge  and  the  quail 
while  sitting,  and  destroys  a  large  quantity  of 
game.  The  wolf  is  most  hurtful  to  the  pea- 
sant, but  the  fox  to  the  gentleman.  In  short, 
nothing  that  can  be  eaten  seems  to  come 
amiss;  rats,  mice,  serpents,  toads,  and  lizards. 
He  will,  when  urged  by  hunger,  eat  vegeta- 
bles and  insects ;  and  those  that  live  near  the 
sea-coasts  will,  for  want  of  other  food,  eat 
crabs,  shrimps,  and  shell-fish.  The  hedge- 
hog in  vain  rolls  itself  up  into  a  ball  to  op- 
pose him,  this  determined  glutton  teases  it 
until  it  is  obliged  to  appear  uncovered,  and 
then  he  devours  it  The  wasp  and  the  wild 
bee  are  attacked  with  equal  -success.  Al- 
though at  first  they  fly  out  upon  the  invader, 
and  actually  oblige  him  to  retire,  this  is  but 
for  a  few  minutes,  until  he  has  rolled  himself 
upon  the  ground,  and  thus  crushed  such  as 
stick  to  his  skin;  he  then  returns  lo  the  charge, 
and  at  last,  by  perseverance,  obliges  them  to 
abandon  their  combs;  which  he  greedily  de- 
vours, both  wax  and  honey. 

The  chase  or  the  fox  requires  less  prepa- 
ration than  that  of  the  wolf,  and  it  is  also 
more  pleasant  and  amusing.  As  dogs  have 
a  natuial  repugnance  to  pursue  the  wolf,  so 
they  are  equally  alert  in  following  the  fox; 
which  they  prefer  even  to  the  chase  of  the 
hare  or  the  buck.  The  huntsmen,  as  upon 
other  occasions,  have  their  cant  terms  for 
every  part  of  this  chase.  The  fox  the  first 
year  is  called  a  cub;  the  second,  a  fox  ;  and 
the  third  an  old  fox;  his  tail  is  called  the 
brush  or  drag,  and  his  excrement  the  billiting. 
He  is  usually  pursued  by  a  large  kind  of  har- 
rier or  hound,  assisted  by  terriers,  or  a  smal- 
ler breed,  that  follow  him  into  his  kennel,  and 
attack  him  there.  The  instant  he  perceives 
himself  pursued,  he  makes  to  his  kennel,  and 
takes  refuge  at  the  bottom  of  it,  where  for  a 
while  he  loses  the  cry  of  his  enemies ;  but 

3E 


324 


ANIMALS  OF 


the  whole  pack  coming  to  the  mouth,  redou- 
ble their  vehemence  and  rage,  and  the  little 
terrier  boldly  ventures  in.  It  often  happens 
that  the  kennel  is  made  under  a  rock,  or 
among  the  roots  of  old  trees :  and  in  such  ca- 
ses the  fox  cannot  be  dug  out,  nor  is  the  ter- 
rier able  to  contend  with  him  at  the  bottom 
of  his  hole.  By  this  contrivance  he  continues 
secure;  but  when  he  can  be  dug  out,  the  usu- 
al way  is  to  carry  him  in  a  bag  to  some  open 
country,  and  there  set  him  loose  before  the 
hounds.  The  hounds  and  the  men  follow, 
barking  and  shouting  wherever  he  runs ;  and 
the  body  being  strongly  employed,  the  mind 
has  not  time  to  make  any  reflection  on  the  fu- 
tility of  the  pursuit.  What  adds  to  this  enter- 
tainment is  the  strong  scent  wh'ich  the  fox 
leaves,  that  always  keeps  up  a  full  cry ;  al- 
though as  his  scent  is  stronger  than  that  of 
the  hare,  it  is  much  sooner  evaporated.  His 
shifts  to  escape  when  all  retreat  is  cut  off  to 
his  kennel,  are  various  and  surprising.  He 
always  chooses  the  most  woody  country,  and 
takes  those  paths  that  are  most  embarrassed 
with  thorns  and  briars.  He  does  not  double, 
nor  use  the  unavailing  shifts  of  the  hare  ;  but 
flies  in  a  direct  line  before  the  hounds,  though 
at  no  very  great  distance;  manages  his 
strength;  takes  to  the  low  and  plashy  grounds, 
where  the  scent  will  be  less  apt  to  lie ;  and 
at  last,  when  overtaken,  he  defends  himself 
with  desperate  obstinacy,  and  tights  in  silence 
to  the  very  last  gasp. 

The  fox,  though  resembling  the  dog  in  many 
respects,  is  nevertheless  very  distinct  in  his 
nature,  refusing  to  engender  with  it;  and 
though  not  testifying  the  antipathy  of  the  wolf, 
yet  discovering  nothing  more  than  indiffer- 
ence. This  animal  also  brings  forth  fewer 
at  a  time  than  the  dog,  and  that  but  once  a 
year.  Its  litter  is  generally  from  four  to  six, 
and  seldom  less  than  three.  The  female  goes 
with  young  about  six  weeks,  and  seldom  stirs 
out  while  pregnant,  but  makes  a  bed  for  her 
young,  arid  takes  every  precaution  to  prepare 
for  their  production.  When  she  finds  the 
place  of  their  retreat  discovered,  and  that  her 
young  have  been  disturbed  during  her  ab- 
sence, she  removes  them  one  after  the  other 
in  her  mouth,  and  endeavours  to  find  them 
out  a  place  of  better  security.  A  remarka- 
ble instance  of  this  animal's  parental  affection 


happened  while  I  was  writing  this  history  in 
the  county  of  Essex.  A  she-fox  that  had,  as 
it  should  seem,  but  one  cub,  was  unkennelled 
by  a  gentleman's  hounds  near  Chelmsfbrd,  and 
hotly  pursued.  In  such  a  case,  when  her  own 
life  was  in  imminent  peril,  one  would  think 
it  was  not  a  time  to  consult  the  safety  of  her 
young;  however,  the  poor  animal,  braving 
every  danger,  rather  than  leave  her  cub  be- 
hind to  be  worried  by  the  dogs,  took  it  up  in 
her  mouth,  and  ran  with  it  in  this  manner  for 
some  miles.  At  last,  taking  her  way  through 
a  farmer's  yard,  she  was  assaulted  by  a  mas- 
tiff, and  at  last  obliged  to  drop  her  cub,  which 
was  taken  up  by  the  fanner.  I  was  not  dis- 
pleased to  hear  that  this  faithful  creature  es- 
caped the  pursuit,  and  at  last  got  off  in  safe- 
ty. The  cubs  of  the  fox  are  born  blind,  like 
those  of  the  dog;  they  are  eighteen  months  or 
two  years  in  coming  to  perfection,  and  live 
about  twelve  or  fourteen  years. 

As  the  fox  makes  war  upon  all  animals,  so 
all  others  seem  to  make  war  upon  him.  The 
dog  hunts  him  with  peculiar  acrimony ;  the 
wolf  is  still  a  greater  and  more  necessitous 
enemy,  who  pursues  him  to  his  very  retreat. 
Some  pretend  to  say,  that,  to  keep  the  wolf 
away,  the  fox  lays  at  the  mouth  of  its  kennel 
a  certain  herb,  to  which  the  wolf  has  a  par- 
ticular aversion.  This,  which  no  doubt  is  a 
fable,  at  least  shows  that  tliese  two  animals 
are  as  much  enemies  to  each  other  as  to  all 
the  rest  of  Animated  Nature.  But  the  fox  is 
not  hunted  by  quadrupedsalone;  for  the  birds, 
who  know  him  for  their  mortal  enemy,  attend 
him  in  his  excursions,  and  give  each  other 
warning  of  their  approaching  danger.  The 
daw,  the  magpie,  and  the  blackbird  conduct 
him  along,  perching  on  the  hedges  as  he  creeps 
below,  and,  with  their  cries  and  notes  of  hos- 
tility, apprize  all  other  animals  to  beware ; 
a  caution  which  they  perfectly  understand, 
and  put  into  practice.  The  hunters  themselves 
are  often  informed  by  the  birds  of  the  place 
of  his  retreat,  and  set  the  dogs  into  those  thick- 
ets where  they  see  them  particularly  noisy  and 
querulous.  So  that  it  is  the  fate  of  this  pret- 
ty plunderer  to  be  detested  by  every  rank  ot 
animals ;  all  the  weaker  classes  shun,  and  all 
the  stronger  pursue  him. 

The  fox,  of  all  wild  animals,  is  most  subject 
to  the  influence  of  climate;  and  there  are  found 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


325 


as  many  varieties  in  this  kind  almost  as  in  any 
of  the  domestic  animals/  The  generality  of 
foxes,  as  is  well  known,  are  red  ;  but  there  are 
some,  though  not  in  England,  of  a  grayish 
cast ;  and  Mr.  Buffon  asserts,  that  the  tip  of 
the  tail  in  all  foxes  is  white ;  which,  however, 
is  not  so  in  those  of  this  country.  There  are 
only  three  varieties  of  this  animal  in  Great 
Britain,  and  these  are  rather  established  upon 
a  difference  of  size  than  of  colour  or  form. 
The  grayhound  fox  is  the  largest,  tallest,  and 
boldest ;  and  will  attack  a  grown  sheep  The 
mastiff  fox  is  less,  but  more  strongly  built.  The 
cur  fox  is  the  least  and  most  common ;  he 
lurks  about  hedges  and  out-houses,  and  is  the 
most  pernicious  of  the  three  to  the  peasant  and 
the  farmer. 

In  the  colder  countries  round  the  pole,  the 
foxes  are  of  all  colours ;  black,  blue,  gray,  iron 
gray,  silver  gray,  white,  white  with  red  legs, 
white  with  black  heads,  white  with  the  tip  of 
the  tail  black,  red  with  the  throat  and  belly 
entirely  white,  and  lastly,  with  a  stripe  of  black 
running  along  the  back,  and  another  crossing 
it  at  the  shoulders.b  The  common  kind,  how- 
ever, is  more  universally  diffused  than  any  of 
the  former,  being  found  in  Europe,  in  the  tem- 
perate climates  of  Asia,  and  also  in  America  ; 
they  are  very  rare  in  Africa,  and  in  the  coun- 
tries lying  under  the  torrid  zone.  Those  tra- 
vellers who  talk  of  having  seen  them  at  Cali- 
cut, and  other  parts  of  southern  India,  have 
mistaken  the  jackal  for  the  fox.  The  fur  of 
the  white  fox  is  held  in  no  great  estimation, 
because  the  hair  falls  off.  The  blue  fox  skins 
are  bought  up  with  great  avidity,  from  their 
scarceness ;  but  the  black  fox  skin  is  of  all 
others  the  most  esteemed,  a  single  skin  often 
selling  for  forty  or  fifty  crowns.  The  hair  of 
these  is  so  disposed,  that  it  is  impossible  to  tell 
which  way  the  grain  lies  ;  for  if  we  hold  the 
skin  by  the  head,  the  hair  hangs  to  the  tail ; 
and  if  we  hold  it  by  the  tail,  it  hangs  do\vn 
equally  smooth  and  even  to  the  head.  These 
are  often  made  into  men's  muffs,  and  are  at 
once  very  beautiful  and  warm.  In  our  tem- 
perate climate,  however,  furs  are  of  very  little 
service,  there  being  scarce  any  weather  so  se- 
vere in  England  from  which  our  ordinary 
clothes  may  not  very  well  defend  us. 


»  Buffon.  Renard. 
b  Ibid. 


THE  JACKAL. 

THE  jackal  is  one  of  the  most  common  wild 
animals  in  the  East ;  and  yet  there  is  scarce' 
any  less  known  in  Europe,  or  more  confused- 
ly described  by  natural  historians.  In  gene- 
ral, we  are  assured  that  it  resembles  the  ibx  in 
figure  and  disposition,  but  we  are  still  ignorant 
of  those  nice  distinctions  by  which  it  is  known 
to  be  of  a  different  species.  It  is  said  to  be  of 
the  size  of  a  middling  dog,  resembling  the  fox 
in  the  hinder  parts,  particularly  the  tail  ;  and 
the  wolf  in  the  foreparts,  especially  the  nose. 
Its  legs  are  shorter  than  those  of  the  fox,  and 
its  colour  is  of  a  bright  yellow,  or  sorrel,  as  we 
express  it  in  horses.  This  is  the  reason  it  has 
been  called  in  Latin  the  golden  wolf;  a  name, 
however,  which  is  entirely  unknown  in  the 
countries  where  they  are  most  common. 

The  species  of  the  jackal  is  diffused  all  over 
Asia,  and  is  found  also  in  most  parts  of  Africa, 
seeming  to  take  up  the  place  of  the  wolf,  which 
in  those  countries  is  not  so  common.  There 
seem  to  be  many  varieties  among  them  ;  those 
of  the  Warmest  climates  appear  to  be  the 
largest,  and  their  colour  is  rather  of  a  reddish 
brown,  than  of  that  beautiful  yellow  by  which 
the  smallerjackals  are  chiefly  distinguished. 

Although  the  species  of  the  wolf  approaches 
very  near  to  that  of  the  dog,  yet  the  jackal 
seems  to  be  placed  between  them  ;  to  the  sa- 
vage fierceness  of  the  wolf,  it  adds  the  impu- 
dent familiarity  of  the  dog.c  Its  cry  is  a  howl, 
mixed  with  barking,  and  a  lamentation  resem- 
bling that  of  human  distress.  It  is  more  noisy 
in  its  pursuits  even  than  the  dog,  and  more 
voracious  than  the  wolf.  The  jackal  never 
goes  alone,  but  always  in  a  pack  of  forty  or 
fifty  together.  These  unite  regularly  every  day 
to  form  a  combination  against  the  rest  of  the 
forest.  Nothing  then  can  escape  them  ;  they 
are  content  to  take  up  with  the  smallest  ani- 
mals ;  and  yet,  when  thus  united,  they  have, 
courage  to  face  the  largest.  They  seem  very 
little  afraid  of  mankind,  but  pursue  their  game 
to  the  very  doors,  without  testifying  either  at- 
tachment or  apprehension.  They  enter  inso- 
lently into  the  sheep  folds,  the  yards,  and  the 
stables,  and,  when  they  can  find  nothing  else, 
devour  the  leather  harness,  boots,  and  shoes, 


c  Buffon,  vol.  xxvii.  p.  52. 


3  E* 


326 


ANIMALS  OF 


and  run  off  with  what  they  had  not  time  to 
swallow. 

They  not  only  attack  the  living  but  the  dead. 
They  scratch  up  with  their  feet  the  new-made 
graves,  and  devour  the  corpse  how  putrid  soe- 
ver. In  those  countries,  therefore,  where  they 
abound,  they  are  obliged  to  beat  the  earth  over 
the  grave,  and  mix  it  with  thorns,  to  prevent 
the  jackals  from  scraping  it  away.  They  al- 
ways assist  each  other,  as  well  in  this  employ- 
ment of  exumation,  as  in  that  of  the  chase. 
While  they  are  at  this  dreary  work,  they  ex- 
hort each  other  by  a  most  mournful  cry,  re- 
sembling that  of  children  under  chastisement ; 
and  when  they  have  thus  dug  up  the  body, 
they  share  it  amicably  between  them.  These, 
like  all  other  savage  animals,  when  they  have 
once  tasted  of  human  flesh,  can  never  after  re- 
frain from  pursuing  mankind.  They  watch 
the  burying-grounds,  follow  armies,  and  keep 
in  the  rear  of  caravans.  They  may  be  consi- 
dered as  the  vulture  of  the  quadruped  kind  ; 
every  thing  that  once  had  animal  life,  seems 
equally  agreeable  to  them ;  the  most  putrid 
substances  are  greedily  devoured ;  dried  lea- 
ther, and  any  thing  that  has  been  rubbed  with 
grease,  how  insipid  soever  in  itself,  is  sufficient 
to  make  the  whole  go  down. 

They  hide  themselves  in  holes  by  day,  and 
seldom  appear  abroad  till  night-fall,  when  the 
jackal  that  has  first  hit  upon  the  scent  of  some 
large  beast  gives  notice  to  the  rest  by  a  howl, 
which  it  repeats  as  it  runs ;  while  all  the  rest 
that  are  within  hearing,  pack  in  to  its  assist- 
ance. The  gazelle,  or  whatever  other  beast 
it  may  be,  finding  itself  pursued,  makes  off 
towards  the  houses  and  the  towns  ;  hoping,  by 
that  means,  to  deter  its  pursuers  from  follow- 
ing :  but  hunger  gives  the  jackal  the  same  de- 
gree of  boldness  that  fear  gives  the  gazelle, 
and  it  pursues  even  to  the  verge  of  the  city, 
and  often  along  the  streets.  The  gazelle,  how- 
ever, by  this  means,  most  frequently  escapes ; 
for  the  inhabitants  sallying  out,  often  disturb 
the  jackal  in  the  chase  ;  and  as  it  hunts  by  the 
scent,  when  once  driven  off,  it  never  recovers 
it  again.  In  this  manner  we  see  how  expe- 
rience prompts  the  gazelle,  which  is  naturally 
a  very  timid  animal,  and  particularly  fearful 
of  man,  to  take  refuge  near  him,  considering 
him  as  the  least  dangerous  enemy,  and  often 
escaping  by  his  assistance. 

But  man  is  not  the  only  intruder  upon  the 


jackal's  industry  and  pursuits.     The  lion,  the 
tiger,  and  the  panther,  whose  appetites  are  su- 
perior to  their  swiftness,  attend  to  its  call,  and 
follow  in  silence  at  some   distance  behind/ 
The  jackal  pursues  the  whole  night  with  un- 
ceasing assiduity,  keeping  up  the  cry,  and  with 
great  perseverance  at  last  tires  down  its  prey  ; 
but  just  at  the  moment  it  supposes  itself  going 
to  share  the  fruits  of  its  labour,  the  lion  or  the 
leopard  comes  in,  satiates  himself  upon  the 
spoil,  and  his  poor  provider  must  be  content 
with  the  bare  carcass  he  leaves  behind.     It  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at,  therefore,  if  the  jackal 
be  voracious,  since  it  so  seldom  has  a  sufficien- 
cy ;  nor  that  it  feeds  on  putrid   substances, 
since  it  is  not  permitted  to  feast  on  what  it  has 
newly  killed.    Besides  these  enemies,  the  jack- 
al has  another  to  cope  with,  for  betw  een  him 
and  the  dog  there  is  an  irreconcileable  antipa- 
thy ;  and  they  never  part  without  an  engage- 
ment.    The  Indian  peasants  often  chase  them 
as  we  do  foxes ;  and  have  learned,  by  expe- 
rience, when  they  have  got  a  lion  or  a  tiger  in 
their  rear.     Upon  such  occasions  they  keep 
their  dogs  close,  as  they  would  be  no  match 
for  such  formidable  animals,  and  endeavour  to 
put  them  to  flight  with  their  cries.    When  the 
lion  is  dismissed,  they  more  easily  cope  with  the 
jackal,  who  is  as  stupid  as  it  is  impudent,  and 
seems  much  better  fitted  for  pursuing  than  re- 
treating.    It  sometimes  happens  that  one  of 
them  steals  silently  into  an  out-house  to  seize 
the  poultry,  or  devour  the  furniture,  but  hear- 
ing others  in  full  cry  at  a  distance,  without 
thought,  it  instantly  answers  the  call,  and  thus 
betrays  its  own  depredations.     The  peasants 
sally  out  upon  it,  and  the  foolish  animal  finds, 
too  late,  that  its  instinct  was  too  powerful  for 
its  safety. 


THE  ISATIS. 

As  the  jackal  is  a  sort  of  intermediate  spe- 
cies between  the  dog  and  the  wolf,b  so  the  isa- 
tis  may  be  considered  as  placed  between  the 
dog  and  the  fox.  This  animal  has  hitherto 
been  supposed  to  be  only  a  variety  of  the  lat- 
ter ;  but  from  the  latest  observations,  there  is 
no  doubt  of  their  being  perfectly  distinct.  The 

»  Linnsei  Systema,  p.  60. 

t>  In  this  description  I  have  followed  Mr.  Buffoo. 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


327 


isatis  is  very  common  in  all  the  northern  coun- 
tries bordering  upon  the  Icy  Sea ;  and  is  sel- 
dom found,  except  in  the  coldest  countries.  It 
extremely  resembles  the  fox,  in  the  form  of  its 
body,  and  the  length  of  its  tail ;  and  a  dog,  in 
the  make  of  its  head,  and  the  position  of  its 
eyes.  The  hair  of  these  animals  is  softer  than 
that  of  a  common  fox;  some  are  blue,  some 
are  white  at  one  season,  and  at  another  of  a 
russet  brown.  Although  the  whole  of  its  hair 
be  two  inches  long,  thick,  tufted,  and  glossy, 
yet  the  under  jaw  is  entirely  without  any,  and 
the  skin  appears  bare  in  that  part. 

This  animal  can  bear  only  the  coldest  cli- 
mates, and  is  chiefly  seen  along  the  coasts  of 
the  Icy  Sea,  and  upon  the  banks  of  the  great 
rivers  that  discharge  themselves  therein.  It  is 
chiefly  fond  of  living  in  the  open  country,  and 
seldom  seen  in  the  forest,  being  mostly  found 
in  the  mountainous  and  naked  regions  of  Nor- 
way, Siberia,  and  Lapland.  It  burrows  like 
the  fox  ;  and,  when  with  young,  the  female 
retires  to  her  kennel,  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  fox  is  seen  to  do.  These  holes,  which  are 
very  narrow,  and  extremely  deep,  have  many 
outlets.  They  are  kept  very  clean,  and  are 
bedded  at  the  bottom  with  moss,  for  the  ani- 
mal to  be  more  at  its  ease.  Its  manner  of  coup- 
ling, time  of  gestation,  and  number  of  young, 
are  all  similar  to  what  is  found  in  the  fox;  and 
it  usually  brings  forth  at  the  end  of  May  or  the 
beginning  of  June. 

Such  are  the  particulars  in  which  this  ani- 
mal differs  from  those  of  the  dog  kind,  and  in 
which  it  resembles  them  :  but  its  most  striking 
peculiarity  remains  still  to  be  mentioned ; 
namely,  its  changing  its  colour,  and  being  seen 
at  one  time  brown,  and  at  another  perfectly 
white.  As  was  already  said,  some  are  natu- 
rally blue,  and  their  colour  never  changes ; 
but  such  as  are  to  be  white,  are,  when  brought 
forth,  of  a  yellow  hue,  which,  in  the  beginning 
of  September,  is  changed  to  white,  all  except 
along  the  top  of  the  back,  along  which  runs  a 
stripe  of  brown,  and  another  crossing  it  down 
the  shoulders,  at  which  time,  the  animal  is 
called  the  crossed  fox ;  however,  this  brown 
cross  totally  disappears  before  winter,  and  then 
the  creature  is  all  over  white,  and  its  fur  is  two 
inches  long  :  this,  about  the  beginning  of  May 
begins  to  fall ;  and  the  moulting  is  completed 
about  the  middle  of  July,  when  the  isatis  be- 
comes brown  once  more.  The  fur  of  this 


animal  is  of  no  value,  unless  it  be  killed  in 
winter. 


THE  HYAENA. 

THE  hyaena  is  the  last  animal  I  shall  men- 
tion among  those  of  the  dog  kind,  which  it,  in 
many  respects,  rrsembles,  although  too  strong- 
ly marked  to  be  strictly  reduced  to  any  type. 
The  hyaena  is  nearly  of  the  size  of  a  wolf;  and 
has  some  similitude  to  that  animal  in  the  shape 
of  its  head  and  body.  The  head,  at  first  sight, 
does  not  appear  to  differ,  except  that  the  ears 
of  the  hyaena  are  longer,  and  more  without 
hair ;  but,  upon  observing  more  closely,  we 
shall  find  the  head  broader,  the  nose  flatter, 
and  not  so  pointed.  The  eyes  are  not  placed 
obliquely,  but  more  like  those  of  a  dog.  The 
legs,  particularly  the  hinder,  are  longer  than 
those  either  of  the  dog  or  the  wolf,  and  diffe- 
rent from  all  other  quadrupeds,  in  having  but 
four  toes,  as  well  on  the  fore-feet  as  on  the 
hinder.  Its  hair  is  of  a  dirty  grayish,  marked 
with  black,  disposed  in  waves  down  its  body. 
Its  tail  is  short,  with  pretty  long  hair;  and  im- 
mediately under  it,  above  the  anus,  there  is  an 
opening  into  a  kind  of  glandular  pouch,  which 
separates  a  substance  of  the  consistence,  but 
not  of  the  odour,  of  civet.  This  opening 
might  have  given  rise  to  the  error  of  the  an- 
cients, who  asserted,  that  this  animal  was  eve- 
ry year  alternately  male  and  female.  Such 
are  the  more  striking  distinctions  of  the  hyaena, 
as  given  us  by  naturalists ;  which,  neverthe- 
less, convey  but  a  very  confused  idea  of  the 
peculiarity  of  its  form.  Its  manner  of  holding 
the  head  seems  remarkable  ;  somewhat  like  a 
dog  pursuing  the  scent,  with  the  nose  near  the 
ground.  The  head  being  held  thus  low,  the 
back  appears  elevated,  like  that  of  the  hog, 
which,  with  a  long  bristly  band  of  hair  that 
runs  all  along,  gives  it  a  good  deal  the  air  ol 
that  animal ;  and,  it  is  probable,  that  from  this 
similitude  it  first  took  its  name  ;  the  word 
huoina  being  Greek,  and  derived  from  hits, 
which  signifies  a  soiv. 

But  no  words  can  give  an  adequate  idea  of 
this  animal's  figure,  deformity,  and  fierceness ; 
more  savage  and  untameable  than  any  other 
quadruped,  it  seems  to  be  for  ever  in  a  state  of 
rage  or  rapacity,  for  ever  growling  except 
when  receiving  its  food.  Its  eyes  then  glisten. 


328 


ANIMALS  OF 


the  bristles  of  its  back  all  stand  upright,  its 
head  hangs  low,  and  yet  its  teeth  appear ;  all 
which  give  it  a  most  frightful  aspect,  which 
a  dreadful  howl  tends  to  heighten.  This, 
which  I  have  often  heard,  is  very  peculiar :  its 
beginning  resembles  the  voice  of  a  man  moan- 
ing, and  its  latter  part  as  if  he  were  making  a 
violent  effort  to  vomit.  As  it  is  loud  and  fre- 
quent, it  might,  perhaps,  have  been  sometimes 
mistaken  for  that  of  a  human  voice  in  distress, 
and  have  given  rise  to  the  accounts  of  the  an- 
cients, who  tell  us,  that  the  hyaena  makes  its 
moan  to  attract  unwary  travellers,  and  then  to 
destroy  them :  however  this  be,  it  seems  the 
most  untractable,  and,  for  its  size,  the  most 
terrible  of  all  other  quadrupeds ;  nor  docs  its 
courage  fall  short  of  its  ferocity  ;  it  defends  it- 
self against  the  lion,  is  a  match  for  the  panther, 
attacks  the  ounce,  and  seldom  fails  to  conquer. 
It  is  an  obscene  and  solitary  animal,  to  be 
found  chiefly  in  the  most  desolate  and  unculti- 
vated parts  of  the  torrid  zone,  of  which  it  is  a 
native."  It  resides  in  the  caverns  of  mountains, 
in  the  clefts  of  rocks,  or  in  dens  that  it  has 
formed  for  itself  under  the  earth.  Though  ta- 
ken never  so  young,  it  cannot  be  tamed;  it 
lives  by  depredation,  like  the  wolf,  but  is  much 
stronger,  and  more  courageous.  It  sometimes 
attacks  man,  carries  off  cattle,  follows  the  flock, 
breaks  open  the  sheep-cots  by  night,  and  rava- 
ges with  insatiable  voracity.  Its  eyes  shine  by 
night ;  and  it  is  asserted,  not  without  great 


appearance  of  truth,  that  it  sees  better  by  night 
than  by  day.  When  destitute  of  other  provi- 
sion, it  scrapes  up  the  graves,  and  devours  the 
dend  bodies,  how  putrid  soever.  To  these 
dispositions,  which  are  sufficiently  noxious  and 
formidable,  the  ancients  have  added  number- 
less others,  which  are  long  since  known  to 
be  fables  :  as,  for  instance,  that  the  hycena  was 
male  and  female  alternately ;  that  having 
brought  forth  and  suckled  its  young,  it  then 
changed  sexes  for  a  year,  and  became  a  male. 
This,  as  was  mentioned  above,  could  only  pro- 
ceed from  the  opening  under  the  tail,  which 
all  animals  of  this  species  are  found  to  have ; 
and  which  is  found  in  the  same  manner  in  no 
other  quadruped,  except  the  badger.  There 
is,  in  the  weasel  kind  indeed,  an  opening,  but 
it  is  lower  down,  and  not  placed  above  the 
anus,  as  in  the  badger  and  the  hyaena.  Some 
have  said  that  this  animal  changes  the  colour 
of  its  hair  at  will ;  others,  that  a  stone  was 
found  in  its  eye,  which,  put  under  a  man's 
tongue,  gave  him  the  gift  of  prophecy  ;  some 
have  said  that  it  had  no  joints  in  the  neck, 
which,  however,  all  quadrupeds  are  known  to 
have ;  and  some,  that  the  shadow  of  the  hyaena 
kept  dogs  from  barking.  These,  among  ma- 
ny other  absurdities,  have  been  asserted  of  this 
quadruped  ;  and  which  I  mention  to  show  the 
natural  disposition  of  mankind,  to  load  those 
that  are  already  but  too  guilty  with  accumu- 
lated reproach. 


CHAPTER  L1L 

OF  ANIMALS  OF  THE  WEASEL  KIND. 


HAVING  described  the  bolder  ranks  of  car- 
nivorous animals,  we  now  come  to  a  minuter 
and  more  feeble  class,  less  formidable  indeed 
than  any  of  the  former,  but  far  more  numer- 
ous, and  in  proportion  to  their  size,  more  ac- 
tive and  enterprising.  The  weasel  kind  may 
be  particularly  distinguished  from  other  carni- 
vorous animals,  by  the  length  and  slenderness 
of  their  bodies,  which  are  so  fitted  as  to  wind, 
like  worms,  into  very  small  openings,  after 


Buffbn. 


their  prey  ;  and  hence  also  they  have  received 
the  name  of  vermin,  from  their  similitude  to 
the  worm  in  this  particular.  These  animals 
differ  from  all  the  cat  kind,  in  the  formation 
and  disposition  of  their  claws,  which,  as  in  the 
dog  kinds,  they  can  neither  draw  nor  extend  at 
pleasure,  as  cats  are  known  to  do.  They  dif- 
fer from  the  dog  kind,  in  being  clothed  rather 
with  fur  than  hair ;  and  although  some  vnrie- 
es  of  the  fox  may  resemble  them  in  this  par- 
cular,  yet  the  coat  of  the  latter  is  longer, 
stronger,  and  always  more  resemblinsr  hair. 


THE  DOG  KIND. 


329 


Beside  these  distinctions,  all  animals  of  the 
weasel  kind  have  glands  placed  near  the  anus, 
that  either  open  into  or  beneath  it,  furnishing 
a  substance  that,  in  some,  has  the  most  oflen- 
sive  smell  in  nature,  in  others,  the  most  pleas- 
ing perfume.  All  of  this  kind  are  still  more 
marked  by  their  habitudes  and  dispositions, 
than  their  external  form;  cruel,  voracious, 
and  cowardly,  they  subsist  only  by  theft,  and 
find  their  chief  protection  in  their  minuteness. 
They  are  all,  from  the  shortness  of  their  legs, 
slow  in  pursuit ;  and,  therefore,  owe  their  sup- 
port to  their  patience,  assiduity,  and  cunning. 
As  their  prey  is  precarious,  they  live  a  long 
time  without  food;  and  if  they  happen  to  fall 
in  where  it  is  in  plenty,  they  instantly  de- 
stroy all  about  them  before  they  begin  to 
satisfy  their  appetite,  and  suck  the  blood  of 
every  animal  before  they  begin  to  touch  its 
flesh. 

These  are  the  marks  common  to  this  kind, 
all  the  species  of  which  have  a  most  striking 
resemblance  to  each  other;  and  he  that  has 
seen  one,  in  some  measure,  may  he  said  to 
have  seen  all.  The  chief  distinction  in  this 
numerous  class  of  animals,  is  to  be  taken  from 
the  size ;  for  no  words  can  give  the  minute 
irregularities  of  that  outline  by  which  one 
species  is  to  be  distinguished  from  that  which 
is  next  it.  I  will  begin,  therefore,  with  the 
least  and  the  best  known  of  this  kind,  and 
still  marking  the  size,  will  proceed  gradually 
to  larger  and  larger,  until  we  come  from  the 
weasel  to  the  glutton,  which  I  take  to  be  the 
largest  of  all.  The  weasel  will  serre  as  a 
model  for  all  the  rest ;  and,  indeed,  the  points 
in  which  they  differ  from  this  little  animal,  are 
but  very  inconsiderable. 

The  WEASEL,"  as  was  said,  is  the  smallest 
of  this  numerous  tribe ;  its  length  not  exceed- 
ing seven  inches,  from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to 
the  insertion  of  the  tail.  This  length,  hov- 
ever,  seems  to  be  very  great,  if  we  compare 
it  with  the  height  of  the  animal,  which  is  not 
above  an  inch  and  a  half.  In  measuring  the 
wolf,  we  find  him  to  be  not  above  once  and  a 
half  as  long  as  he  is  high ;  in  observing  the 
weasel,  we  find  it  near  five  times  as  long  as 
it  is  high,  which  shows  an  amazing  dispropor- 
tion. The  tail  also,  which  is  bushy,  is  two 

»  British  Zoology,  vol.  i.  p.  83. 


inches  and  a  half  long,  and  adds  to  the  appa- 
rent length  of  this  little  animal's  body.  The 
colour  of  the  weasel  is  of  a  bright  red  on  the 
back  and  sides,  but  white  under  the  throat 
and  the  belly.  It  has  whiskers  like  a  cat; 
and  thirty-two  teeth,  which  is  two  more  than 
any  of  the  cat  kind  ;  and  these  also  seem  bet- 
ter adapted  for  tearing  and  chewing,  than 
those  of  the  cat  kind  are.  The  eyes  are  lit- 
tle and  black.  The  ears  short,  broad,  and 
roundish ;  and  have  a  fold  at  the  lower  part, 
which  makes  them  look  as  if  they  were  dou- 
ble. Beneath  the  corners  of  the  mouth,  on 
each  jaw,  is  a  spot  of  brown. 

This  animal,  though  very  diminutive  to  ap- 
pearance, is,  nevertheless,  a  very  formidable 
enemy  to  quadrupeds  an  hundred  times  its 
own  size.  It  is  very  common  and  well  known 
in  most  parts  of  this  country;  but  seems  held 
in  very  different  estimation  in  different  parts 
of  it.  In  those  places  where  sheep  or  lambs 
are  bred,  the  weasel  is  a  most  noxious  inmate, 
and  every  art  is  used  to  destroy  it;  on  the 
contrary,  in  places  where  agriculture  is  chief- 
ly followed,  the  weasel  is  considered  as  a 
friend  that  thins  the  number  of  such  vermin 
as  chiefly  live  upon  corn:  however,  in  all 
places,  it  is  one  of  the  most  untameable  and 
untractable  animals  in  the  world .b  When 
kept  in  a  cage,  either  for  the  purposes  of 
amusement  or  inspection,  it  will  not  touch  any 
part  of  its  victuals  while  any  body  looks  on. 
It  keeps  in  a  continual  agitation,  and  seems 
frighted  so  much  at  the  sight  of  mankind,  that 
it  will  die,  if  not.  permitted  to  hide  itself  from 
their  presence.  For  this  purpose,  it  must  be 
provided,  in  its  cage,  with  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity of  wool  or  hay,  in  which  it  may  conceal 
itself,  and  where  it  may  carry  whatever  it  has 
got  to  eat ;  which,  however,  it  w  ill  not  touch 
until  it  begins  to  putrefy.  In  this  state  it  is 
seen  to  pass  three  parts  of  the  day  in  sleeping ; 
and  reserves  the  night  for  its  limes  of  exer- 
cise and  eating. 

In  its  wild  state,  the  night  is  likewise  the 
time  during  which  it  may  be  properly  said  to 
live.  At  the  approach  of  evening,  it  is  seen 
stealing  from  its  hole,  and  creeping  about  the 
farmer's  yard  for  its  prey.  If  it  enters  the 
place  where  poultry  are  kept,  it  never  attacks 

b  Buffbn,  vol.  xv.  p.  37 


330 


ANIMALS  OF 


the  cocks  or  the  old  hens,  but  immediately 
aims  at  the  young  ones.  It  does  not  eat  its 
prey  on  the  place,  but,  after  killing  it  by  a 
single  bite  near  the  head,  and  with  a  wound 
so  small  that  the  place  can  scarcely  be  per- 
ceived, it  carries  it  off  to  its  young,  or  its  re- 
treat. It  also  breaks  and  sucks  the  eggs,  and 
sometimes  kills  the  hen,  that  attempts  to  de- 
fend them.  It  is  remarkably  active;  and,  in 
a  confined  place,  scarce  any  animal  can  es- 
cape it.  It  will  run  up  the  sides  of  walls  with 
such  facility,  that  no  place  is  secure  from  it ; 
and  its  body  is  so  small,  that  there  is  scarce 
any  hole  but  what  it  can  wind  through.  Du- 
ring the  summer,  its  excursions  are  more  ex- 
tensive; but  in  winter,  it  chiefly  confines  it- 
self in  barns  and  farm-yards,  where  it  remains 
till  spring,  and  where  it  brings  forth  its  young. 
All  this  season  it  makes  war  upon  the  rats  and 
mice,  with  still  greater  success  than  the  cat ; 
for  being  more  active  and  slender,  it  pursues 
them  into  their  holes,  and,  after  a  short  resist- 
ance, destroys  them.  It  creeps  also  into  pi- 
geon-holes, destroys  the  young,  catches  spar- 
rows, and  all  kinds  of  small  birds;  and,  if  it 
has  brought  forth  its  young,  hunts  with  still 
greater  boldness  and  avidity.  In  summer,  it 
ventures  farther  from  the  house;  and  parti- 
cularly goes  into  those  places  where  the  rat, 
its  chiefest  prey,  goes  before  it.  Accordingly, 
it  is  found  in  the  lower  grounds,  by  the  side 
of  waters,  near  mills,  and  often  is  seen  to  hide 
its  young  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree. 

The  female  takes  every  precaution  to  make 
an  easy  bed  for  her  little  ones :  she  lines  the 
bottom  of  her  hole  with  grass,  hay,  leaves, 
and  moss,  and  generally  brings  forth  from 
three  to  five  at  a  time.  All  animals  of  this, 
as  well  as  those  of  the  dog  kind,  bring  forth 
their  young  with  closed  eyes :  but  they  very 
soon  acquire  strength  sufficient  to  follow  the 
dam  in  her  excursions,  and  assist  in  her  pro- 
jects of  petty  rapine.  The  weasel,  like  all 
others  of  its  kind,  does  not  run  on  equably, 
but  moves  by  bounding;  and  when  it  climbs 
a  tree,  by  a  single  spring  it  gets  a  good  way 
from  the  ground.  It  jumps  in  the  same  man- 
ner upon  its  prey;  and,  having  an  extremely 
limber  body,  evades  the  attempts  of  much 
stronger  animals  to  seize  it. 

This  animal,  like  all  of  its  kind,  has  a  very 
strong  smell;  and  that  of  the  weasel  is  pecu- 


liarly foetid.  This  scent  is  very  distinguish- 
able in  those  creatures,  when  they  void  their 
excrement;  for  the  glands  which  furnished 
this  fetid  substance,  which  is  of  the  consist- 
ence of  suet,  open  directly  into  the  orifice  of 
the  anus,  and  taint  the  excrement  with  the 
strong  effluvia.  The  weasel  smells  more 
strongly  in  summer  than  in  winter;  and  more 
abo/ninably  when  irritated  or  pursued,  than 
when  at  its  ease.  It  always  preys  in  silence, 
and  never  has  a  cry  except  when  struck,  and 
then  it  has  a  rough  kind  of  squeaking,  which 
at  once  expresses  resentment  and  pain.  Its 
appetite  for  animal  food  never  forsakes  it; 
and  it  seems  even  to  take  a  pleasure  in  the 
vicinity  of  putrefaction.  Mr.  Buffbn  tells  us 
of  one  of  them  being  found,  with  three  young 
ones,  in  the  carcass  of  a  wolf  that  was  grown 
putrid,  and  that  had  been  hung  up,  by  the 
hind  legs,  as  a  terror  to  others.  Into  this  hor- 
rid retreat  the  weasel  thought  proper  to  re- 
tire to  bring  forth  her  young;  she  had  furnish- 
ed the  cavity  with  hay, grass,  and  leaves;  and 
the  young  were  just  brought  forth  when  they 
were  discovered  by  a  peasant  passing  that 
way. 


THE  ERMINE,  OR  STOAT 

NEXT  to  the  weasel  in  size,  and  perfectly 
alike  in  figure,  is  the  ermine.  The  difference 
between  this  and  the  former  animal  is  so  very 
small,  that  many,  and  among  the  rest  Linnaeus, 
who  gives  but  one  description  of  both,  have 
confounded  the  two  kinds  together.  How- 
ever, their  differences  are  sufficient  to  induce 
later  naturalists  [o  suppose  the  two  kinds  dis- 
tinct ;  and  as  their  lights  seem  preferable,  we 
choose  to  follow  their  descriptions." 

The  stoat,  or  ermine,  differs  from  the  wea- 
sel in  size,  being  usually  nine  inches  long; 
whereas  the  former  is  not  much  above  six. 
The  tail  of  the  ermine  is  always  tipped  with 
black,  and  is  longer  in  proportion  to  the  body, 
and  furnished  with  hair.  The  edges  of  the 
ears  and  the  ends  of  the  toes  in  this  animal 
are  of  a  yellowish  white;  and  although  it  is 
of  the  same  colour  with  the  weasel,  being  of 
a  lightish  brown,  and  though  both  this  animal, 

a  Button.     British  Zoology. 


THE  WEASEL  KIND. 


331 


as  well  as  the  weasel,  in  the  most  northern 
parts  of  Europe,  changes  its  colour  in  winter, 
and  becomes  white,  yet  even  then  the  weasel 
may  be  easily  distinguished  from  the  ermine 
by  the  tip  of  the  tail,  which  in  the  latter  is 
always  black. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  fur  of  the  ermine 
is  the  most  valuable  of  any  hitherto  known  ; 
and  it  is  in  winter  only  that  this  little  animal 
has  it  of  the  proper  colour  and  consistence.  In 
summer,  the  ermine,  as  was  said  before,  is 
brown,  and  it  may  at  that  time  more  properly 
be  called  the  stoat.  There  are  few  so  unac- 
quainted with  quadrupeds  as  not  to  perceive 
this  change  of  colour  in  the  hair,  which  in 
some  degree  obtains  in  them  all.  The  horse, 
the  cow,  and  the  goat,  all  manifestly  change 
colour  in  the  beginning  of  summer,  the  old 
long  hair  falling  off,  and  a  shorter  coat  of  hair 
appearing  in  its  room,  generally  of  a  darker 
colour,  and  yet  more  glossy.  What  obtains  in 
our  temperate  climate,  is  seen  to  prevail  still 
more  strongly  in  those  regions  where  the  win- 
ters are  long  and  severe,  and  the  summers 
short  and  yet  generally  hot  in  an  extreme  de- 
gree. The  animal  has  strength  enough  during 
that  season  to  throw  off  a  warm  coat  of  fur, 
which  would  but  incommode  it,  and,  conti- 
nues for  two  or  three  months  in  a  state  some- 
what resembling  the  ordinary  quadrupeds  of 
the  milder  climates.  At  the  approach  of  v\  inter, 
however,  the  cold  increasing,  the  coat  of  hair 
seems  to  thicken  in  proportion  ;  from  being 
coarse  and  short,  it  lengthens  and  grows  finer, 
while  multitudes  of  smaller  hairs  grow  up  be- 
tween the  longer,  thicken  the  coat,  and  give 
it  all  that  warmth  and  softness  which  are  so 
much  valued  in  the  furs  of  the  northern  ani- 
mals. 

It  is  no  easy  matter  to  account  for  this  re- 
markable warmth  of  the  furs  of  northern 
quadrupeds,  or  how  they  corne  to  be  furnished 
with  such  an  abundant  covering.  It  is  easy 
enough  indeed,  to  say  that  nature  fits  them 
thus  for  the  climate  ;  and  like  an  indulgent 
mother,  when  she  exposes  them  to  the  rigour 
of  an  intemperate  winter,  supplies  them  with 
a  covering  against  its  inclemency.  But  this  is 
only  flourishing  :  it  is  not  easy,  I  say,  to  tell 
how  nature  comes  to  furnish  them  in  this  man- 
ner. A  few  particulars  on  this  subject  are 
all  that  we  yet  know.  It  is  observable  among 
quadrupeds,  as  well  as  even  among  the  human 

wo.  29  &  30. 


species  itself,  that  a  thin  sparing  diet  is  apt  to 
produce  hair  ;  children  that  have  been  ill  fed, 
i'amished  dogs  and  horses,  are  more  hairy  than 
others  whose  food  has  been  more  plentiful. 
This  may,  therefore,  be  one  cause  that  the 
animals  of  the  north,  in  winter,  are  more  hairy 
than  those  of  the  milder  climates.  At  that 
season,  the  whole  country  is  covered  with 
deep  snow,  and  the  provisions  which  these 
creatures  are  able  to  procure  can  be  but  pre- 
carious and  scanty.  Its  becoming  finer  may 
also  proceed  from  the  severity  of  the  cold,  that 
contracts  the  pores  of  the  skin,  and  the  hair 
consequently  takes  the  shape  of  the  aperture 
through  which  it  grows,  as  wires  are  made 
smaller  by  being  drawn  through  a  smaller 
orifice.  However  this  may  be,  all  the  animals 
of  the  arctic  climates  may  be  said  to  have  their 
winter  and  summer  garments,  except  very  far' 
to  the  north,  as  in  Greenland,  where  the  cold 
is  so  continually  intense  and  the  food  so 
scarce,  that  neither  the  bears  nor  foxes  change 
colour.* 

The  ermine,  as  was  said,  is  remarkable 
among  these  for  the  softness,  the  closeness,  and 
the  warmth  of  its  fur.  It  is  brown  in  summer, 
like  the  weasel,  and  changes  colour  before  the 
winter  is  b^gun,  becoming  a  beautifdl  cream 
colour,  all  except  the  tip  of  the  tail,  as  was 
said  before,  which  still  continues  black.  Mr. 
Daubenton  had  one  of  these  brought  him  with 
its  white  winter  fur,  which  he  put  into  a  cage 
and  kept,  in  order  to  observe  the  manner  of 
moulting  its  hair.  He  received  it  in  the  be- 
ginning of  March ;  in  a  very  short  time  it 
began  to  shed  its  coat,  and  a  mixture  of  brown 
was  seen  to  prevail  among  ^he  white,  so  that 
at  the  ninth  of  the  same  month  its  head  was 
nearly  become  of  a  reddish  brown.  Day  after 
day  this  colour  appeared  to  extend,  at  first 
along  the  neck  and  down  the  back,  in  the 
manner  of  a  stripe  of  about  half  an  inch  broad. 
The  fore-part  of  the  legs  then  assumed  the 
same  colour  ;  a  part  of  the  head,  the  thighs, 
and  the  tail,  were  the  last  that  changed  ;  but 
at  the  end  of  the  month  there  was  no  white 
remaining,  except  on  those  parts  which  are 
always  white  in  this  species,  particularly  the 
throat  and  the  belly.  However,  he  had  not 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  this  animal  resume  its 
former  whiteness,  although  he  kept  it  for 

a  Krantz's  History  of  Greenland,  vol.  i.  p.  72. 
3F 


332 


ANIMALS  OF 


above  two  years ;  which,  without  doubt,  was 
owing  to  its  imprisoned  state ;  this  colour  bring 
partly  owing  to  its  stinted  food,  and  partly  to 
the  rigour  of  the  season.  During  its  state  of 
confinement,  this  little  animal  always  continu- 
ed very  wild  and  untractahlc ;  forever  in  a  state 
of  violent  agitation,  except  when  asleep,  which 
it  often  continued  for  three  parts  of  the  day. 
Except  for  its  most  disagreeable  scent,  it  was 
an  extremely  pretty  creature,  its  eyes  spright- 
ly, its  physiognomy  pleasant,  and  its  motions 
so  swift  that  the  eye  could  scarce  attend  them. 
It  was  fed  with  eggs  and  flesh,  but  it  always 
let  them  putrefy  before  it  touched  cither.  As 
some  of  this  kind  are  known  to  be  fond  of 
honey,  it  was  tried  to  feed  this  animal  with 
such  food  for  a  while  ;  after  having  for  three 
or  four  days  deprived  it  of  other  food,  it  ate  of 
this,  and  died  shortly  after  ;  a  strong  proof  of 
its  being  a  distinct  species  from  the  pole-cat 
or  the  martin,  who  feed  upon  honey,  but 
otherwise  pretty  much  resemble  the  ermine  in 
their  figure  and  dispositions. 

In  the  north  of  Europe  and  Siberia  their 
skins  make  a  valuable  article  of  commerce, 
and  they  are  found  there  much  more  frequent- 
ly than  among  us.  In  Siberia  they  burrow  in 
the  fields,  and  are  taken  in  traps  baited  with 
flesh.  In  Norway  they  are  either  shot  with 
blunt  arrows,  or  taken  in  traps  made  of  two 
flat  stones,  one  being  propped  with  a  stick,  to 
which  is  fastened  a  baited  string,  and  when 
the  animals  attempt  to  pull  this  way,  the  stone 
drops  and  crushes  them  to  death.  This  ani- 
mal is  sometimes  found  white  in  Great  Britain, 
and  is  then  called  a  white  weasel.  Its  furs, 
however,  among  us  are  of  no  value,  having 
neither  the  thickness,  the  closeness,  nor  the 
whiteness  of  those  which  come  from  Siberia. 
The  fur  of  the  ermine,  in  every  country, 
changes  by  time  ;  for,  as  much  of  its  beautiful 
whiteness  is  given  it  by  certain  arts  known  to 
the  furriers,  so  its  natural  colour  returns,  and  its 
former  whiteness  can  never  be  restored  again. 


THE  FERRET. 

THE  animal  next  in  size  to  the  ermine,  is 
the  ferret ;  which  is  a  kind  of  domestic  in  Eu- 
rope, though  said  to  be  originally  brought  from 
Africa  into  Spain,  which  being  a  country 
abounding  in  rabbits,  required  an  animal  of 


this  kind  more  than  nny  other  :  however  this 
be,  it  is  not  to  be  found  at  present  among  us, 
except  in  its  domestic  state  ;  and  it  is  chiefly 
kept  tame,  for  the  purposes  of  the  warren. 

The  ferret  is  about  one  foot  long,  being 
nearly  four  inches  longer  than  the  weasel.  It 
resembles  that  animal  in  the  slenderness  of  its 
body,  and  the  shortness  of  its  legs ;  but  its  uose 
is  sharper,  and  its  body  more  slender,  in  pro- 
portion to  its  length.  The  ferret  is  commonly 
of  a  cream  colour;  but  they  are  also  found  of 
all  the  colours  of  the  weasel  kind  ;  white, 
blackish,  brown,  and  party-coloured.  Those 
that  are  of  the  whitish  kind,  have  their  eyes 
red,  as  is  almost  general  with  all  animals  en- 
tirely of  that  colour.  But  its  principal  distinc- 
tion from  the  weasel,  is  the  length  of  the  hair 
on  its  tail,  which  is  much  longer  in  the  ferret 
than  the  weasel.  Words  will  not  well  express  the 
other  distinctions  ;  and  what  might  take  up  a 
page  in  dull  discrimination,  a  single  glance  of 
the  eye,  when  the  animals  themselves  are  pre- 
sented, can  discover. 

As  this  animal  is  a  native  of  the  torrid  zone,* 
so  it  cannot  bear  the  rigours  of  our  climate 
without  care  and  ^shelter ;  and  it  generally 
repays  the  trouble  of  its  keeping,  by  its  great 
agility  in  the  warren.  It  is  naturally  such  au 
enemy  of  the  rabbit  kind,  that  if  a  dead  rabbit 
be  presented  to  a  young  ferret,  although  it  has 
never  seen  one  before,  it  instantly  attacks  and 
bites  it  with  an  appearance  of  rapacity.  If  the 
rabbit  be  living,  the  ferret  is  still  more  eager, 
seizes  it  by  the  neck,  winds  itself  round  it,  and 
continues  to  suck  its  blood,  till  it  be  satiated. 

Their  chief  use  in  warrens  is  to  enter  the 
holes,  and  drive  the  rabbits  into  the  nets  that 
are  prepared  for  them  at  the  mouth.  For  this 
purpose,  the  ferret  is  muzzled  ;  otherwise,  in- 
stead of  driving  out  the  rabbit,  it  would  con- 
tent itself  with  killing  and  sucking  its  blood  at 
the  bottom  of  the  hole ;  but,  by  this  contri 
vance,  being  rendered  unable  to  seize  its  prey, 
the  rabbit  escapes  from  its  claws,  and  instantly 
makes  to  the  mouth  of  the  hole  with  such  pre- 
cipitation, that  it  is  inextricably  entangled  in 
the  net,  placed  there  for  its  reception.  It  oftea 
happens,  however,  that  the  ferret-  disengages 
itself  of  its  muzzle,  and  ihen  it  is  most  com 
monly  lost,  unless  it  be  dug  out ;  for,  finding 
all  its  wants  satisfied  in  the  warren,  it  never 

a  Burton. 


THE  WEASEL  KIND. 


333 


thinks  of  returning  to  the  owner,  but  continues 
to  lead  a  rapacious  solitary  life  while  the 
summer  continues,  and  dies  with  the  cold  of 
the  winter.  In  order  to  bring  the  ferret  from 
his  hole,  the  owners  often  burn  straw  and 
other  substances  at  the  mouth ;  they  also  beat 
above  to  terrify  it ;  but  this  does  not  always 
•ucceed ;  for  as  there  are  often  several  issues 
to  each  hole,  the  ferret  is  affected  neither  by 
the  noise  nor  the  smoke,  but  continues  secure 
at  the  bottom,  sleeping  the  greatest  part  of 
the  time,  and  waking  only  to  satisfy  the  calls 
of  hunger. 

The  female  of  this  species,"  is  sensibly  less 
than  the  male,  whom  she  seeks  with  great  ar- 
dour, and,  it  is  said,  often  dk»s  without  being 
admitted.  They  are  usually  kept  in  boxes, 
with  wool,  of  which  they  make  themselves  a 
warm  bed,  that  serves  to  defend  them  from 
the  rigour  of  the  climate.  They  sleep  almost 
continually;  and  the  instant  they  awake,  they 
seem  eager  for  food.  They  are  usually  fed 
with  bread  and  milk.  They  breed  twice  a 
year.  Some  of  them  devour  their  young  as 
soon  as  brought  forth,  and  then  become  fit 
for  the  male  again.  Their  number  is  usually 
from  five  to  six  at  a  litter;  and  this  is  said  to 
consist  of  more  females  than  males.  Upon 
the  whole,  this  is  an  useful,  but  a  disagreeable 
and  offensive  animal ;  its  scent  is  ftetid,  its 
nature  voracious,  it  is  tame  without  any  at- 
tachment, and  such  is  its  appetite  for  blood, 
that  it  has  been  known  to  attack  and  kill  chil- 
dren in  the  cradle.  It  is  very  easy  to  be  irri- 
tated ;  and,  although  at  all  times  its  smell  is 
very  offensive,  it  then  is  much  more  so ;  and 
its  bite  is  very  difficult  of  cure. 

To  the  ferret  kind  we  may  add  an  animal 
which  Mr.  Buffbn  calls  the  vanstre,  the  skin  of 
which  was  sent  him  stuffed  from  Madagascar. 
It  was  thirteen  inches  long,  a  good  deal  resem- 
bling the  ferret  in  figure,  but  differing  in  the 
number  of  its  grinding  teeth,  which  amounted 
to  twelve ;  whereas  in  the  ferret  there  are 
but  eight :  it  differed  also  in  colour,  being  of 
a  dark  brown,  and  exactly  the  same  on  all 
parts  of  its  body.  Of  this  animal,  so  nearly 
resembling  the  ferret,  we  have  no  other  his- 
tory but  the  mere  description  of  its  figure ; 
and  in  a  quadruped  whose  kind  is  so  strong- 

•  Buflbn, 


ly  marked,  perhaps  this  is  sufficient  to  satisfy 
curiosity. 

THE  POLECAT. 

THE  Polecat  is  larger  than  the  weasel,  the 
ermine,  or  the  ferret,  being  one  foot  five  in- 
ches long;  whereas  the  weasel  is  but  six  in- 
ches, the  ermine  nine,  and  the  ferret  eleven 
inches.  It  so  much  resembles  the  ferret  in 
form,  that  some  have  been  of  opinion  they 
were  one  and  the  same  animal ;  nevertheless, 
there  are  a  sufficient  number  of  distinctions 
between  them :  it  is,  in  the  first  place,  larger 
than  the  ferret;  it  is  not  quite  so  slender,  and 
has  a  blunter  nose;  it  differs  also  internally, 
having  but  fourteen  ribs,  whereas  the  ferret 
has  fifteen ;  and  wants  one  of  the  breast  bones, 
which  is  found  in  the  ferret :  however,  war- 
reners  assert,  that  the  polecat  will  mix  with 
the  ferret;  and  they  are  sometimes  obliged 
to  procure  an  intercourse  between  these  two 
animals,  to  improve  the  breed  of  the  latter, 
which,  by  long  confinement,  is  sometimes  seen 
to  abate  of  its  rapacious  disposition.  Mr.  Buf- 
fon  denies  that  the  ferret  will  admit  the  pole- 
cat; yet  gives  a  variety,  under  the  name  of 
both  animals,  which  may  very  probably  be  a 
spurious  race  between  the  two. 

However  this  be,  the  polecat  seems  by 
much  the  more  pleasing  animal  of  the  two; 
for  although  the  long  slender  shape  of  all  these 
vermin  tribes  gives  them  a  very  disagreeable 
appearance,  yet  the  softness  and  colour  of  the 
hair  in  some  of  them  atones  for  the  defect, 
and  renders  them,  if  not  pretty,  at  least  not 
frightful.  The  polecat,  for  the  most  part,  is 
of  a  deep  chocolate  colour;  it  is  white  about 
the  mouth ;  the  ears  are  short,  rounded,  and 
tipped  with  white ;  a  little  beyond  the  cor- 
ners of  the  mouth  a  stripe  begins,  which  runs 
backward,  partly  white  and  partly  yellow : 
its  hair,  like  that  of  all  this  class,  is  of  two 
sorts,  the  long  and  the  furry;  but  in  this  ani- 
mal the  two  kinds  are  of  different  colours; 
the  longest  is  black,  and  the  shorter  yellow- 
ish :b  the  throat,  feet,  and  tail,  are  blacker 
than  any  other  parts  of  the  body ;  the  claws 
are  white  underneath,  and  brown  above ;  and 
its  tail  is  about  two  inches  and  a  half. 

b  Ray's  Synopsis. 


334 


ANIMALS  OF 


•  It  is  very  destructive  to  young  game  of  all 
kinds  ;*  but  the  rabbit  seems  to  be  its  favou- 
rite prey  :  a  single  polecat  is  often  sufficient 
to  destroy  a  whole  warren;  for,  with  that 
insatiable  thirst  for  blood  which  is  natural  to 
all  the  weasel  kind,  it  kills  much  more  than 
it  can  devour;  and  I  have  seen  twenty  rab- 
bits at  a  time  taken  out  dead,  which  they  had 
destroyed,  and  that  by  a  wound  which  was 
hardly  perceptible.  Their  size,  however, 
which  is  so  much  larger  than  the  weasel,  ren- 
ders their  retreats  near  houses  much  more  pre- 
carious ;  although  I  have  seen  them  burrow 
near  a  village,  so  as  scarcely  to  be  extirpated. 
But,  in  general,  they  reside  in  woods  or  thick 
brakes,  making  holes  under  ground  of  about 
two  yards  deep,  commonly  ending  among  the 
roots  of  large  trees,  for  greater  security.  In 
winter  they  frequent  houses,  and  make  a  com- 
mon practice  of  robbing  the  hen-roost  and  the 
dairy. 

The  polecat  is  particularly  destructive 
among  pigeons,"  when  it  gets  intoa  dove-house; 
without  making  so  much  noise  as  the  weasel, 
it  does  a  great  deal  more  mischief;  it  des- 
patches each  with  a  single  wound  in  the  head; 
and,  after  killing  a  great  number,  and  satia- 
ting itself  with  their  blood,  it  then  begins  to 
think  of  carrying  them  home.  This  it  care- 
fully performs,  going  and  returning,  and  bring- 
ing them  one  by  one  to  its  hole;  but  if  it 
should  happen  that  the  opening  by  which  it 
got  into  the  dove-house  be  not  large  enough 
for  the  body  of  the  pigeon  to  get  through,  this 
mischievous  creature  contents  itself  with  car- 
rying away  the  heads,  and  makes  a  most  de- 
licious feast  upon  the  brains. 

It  is  not  less  fond  of  honey;  attacking  the 
hives  in  winter,  and  forcing  the  bees  away. 
It  does  not  remove  far  from  houses  in  winter, 
as  its  prey  is  not  so  easily  found  in  the  woods 
during  that  season.  The  female  brings  forth 
her  young  in  summer,  to  the  number  of  five  or 
six  at  a  time ;  these  she  soon  trains  to  her  own 
rapacious  habits,  supplying  the  want  of  milk, 
which  no  carnivorous  quadruped  has  in  plen- 
ty, with  the  blood  of  such  animals  as  she  hap- 
pens to  seize.  The  fur  of  this  animal  is  con- 
sidered as  soft  and  warm;  yet  it  is  in  less  es- 
timation than  some  of  a  much  inferior  kind, 

»  British  Zoology,  vol.  i.  p.  78.         *>  Buflbn. 


from  its  offensive  smell,  which  can  never  be 
wholly  removed,  or  suppressed.  The  polecat 
seems  to  be  an  inhabitant  of  the  temperate 
climates,0  scarce  any  being  found  towards  the 
north,  and  but  very  few  in  the  warmer  latitudes. 
The  species  appear  to  be  confined  in  Europe, 
from  Poland  to  Italy.  It  is  certain,  that  these 
animals  are  afraid  of  the  cold,  as  they  are 
often  seen  to  come  into  houses  in  winter,  and 
as  their  tracks  are  never  found  in  the  snow, 
near  their  retreats.  It  is  probable,  also,  that 
they  are  afraid  of  heat,  as  they  are  but  thin- 
ly scattered  in  the  southern  climates. 


THE  MARTIN. 


THE  Martin  is  a  larger  animal  than  any  of 
the  former,  being  generally  eighteen  inches 
long,  and  the  tail  ten  more.  It  differs  from 
the  polec  it,  in  being  about  four  or  five  inches 
longer;  its  tail  also  is  longer  in  proportion, 
and  more  bushy  at  the  end  ;  its  nose  is  flatter; 
its  cry  is  sharper  and  more  piercing;  ils  co- 
lours are  more  elegant;  and,  what  still  adds 
to  their  beauty,  its  scent  is  very  unlike  the 
former,  instead  of  being  offensive,  is  consider- 
ed as  a  most  pleasing  perfume.  The  martin, 
in  short,  is  the  most  beautiful  of  all  British 
beasts  of  prey :  its  head  is  small,  and  elegant- 
ly formed  :  its  eyes  lively ;  its  ears  are  broad, 
rounded,  and  open ;  its  back,  its  sides,  and 
tail,  are  covered  with  a  fine  thick  downy  fur, 
with  longer  hair  intermixed ;  the  roots  are  ash 
colour,  the  middle  of  a  bright  chesnut.  the 
points  black ;  the  head  is  brown,  with  a  slight 
cast  of  red ;  the  legs,  and  upper  sides  of  the 
feet,  are  of  a  chocolate  colour;  the  palms,  or 
under  sides,  are  covered  with  a  thick  down, 
like  that  of  the  body ;  the  feet  are  broad,  the 
claws  white,  large,  and  sharp,  well  adapted 
for  the  purposes  of  climbing,  but,  as  in  others 
of  the  weasel  kind,  incapable  of  being  sheath- 
ed or  unsheathed  at  pleasure ;  the  throyt  and 
breast  are  white;  the  belly  of  the  s;ime  co- 
lour with  the  back,  but  rather  paler;  the  hair 
on  the  tail  is  very  long,  especially  at  the  end, 
where  it  appears  much  thicker  than  near  the 
insertion. 

c  Buflbn. 


THE  WEASEL  KIND. 


335 


There  is  also  a  variety  of  this  animal,  cal- 
led the  yellow-breasted  martin,  which  in  no  re- 
spect diners  from  the  former,  except  that  this 
has  a  yellow  breast,  whereas  the  other  has  a 
white  one:  the  colour  of  the  body  also  is  dark- 
er ;  and,  as  it  lives  more  among  trees  than  the 
other  martin,  its  fur  is  more  valuable,  beau- 
tiful, and  glossy.  The  former  of  these  Mr. 
Buffon  calls  ihefouine;  the  latter,  simply  the 
martin  ;  and  he  supposes  them  to  be  a  distinct 
species:  but  as  they  differ  only  in  colour,  it 
is  unnecessary  to  embarrass  history  by  a  new 
distinction,  where  there  is  only  so  minute  a 
difference. 

Of  all  animals  of  the  weasel  kind,  the  mar- 
tin is  the  most  pleasing;  all  its  motions  show 
great  grace,  as  well  as  agility ;  and  there  is 
scarce  an  animal  in  our  woods  that  will  ven- 
ture to  oppose  it.  Quadrupeds  five  times  as 
big  are  easily  vanquished ;  the  hare,  the  sheep, 
and  even  the  wild  cat  itself,  though  much 
stronger,  is  not  a  match  for  the  martin  :  and 
although  carnivorous  animals  are  not  fond  of 
engaging  each  other,  yet  the  wild  cat  and  the 
martin  seldom  meet  without  a  combat.  Ges- 
ner  tells  us  of  one  of  this  kind  that  he  kept 
tame,  which  was  extremely  playful  and  pretty; 
it  went  among  the  houses  of  the  neighbour- 
hood, and  always  returned  home  when  hun- 
fry  :  it  was  extremely  fond  of  a  dog  that  had 
een  bred  up  with  it,  and  used  to  play  with 
it  as  cats  are  seen  to  play,  lying  on  its  back, 
and  biting  without  anger  or  injury.  That 
which  was  kept  tame  by  Mr.  Buflfbn,  was  not 
quite  so  social :  it  was  divested  of  its  ferocity, 
but  continued  without  attachment;  and  vras 
still  so  wild  as  to  be  obliged  to  be  heldNby  a 
chain.  Whenever  a  cat  appeared,  it  prepar- 
ed for  war:  and  if  any  of  the  poultry  came 
within  its  reach,  it  flew  upon  them  with  avi- 
dity. Though  it  was  tied  by  the  middle  of 
the  body,  it  frequently  escaped :  at  first  it  re- 
turned after  some  hours,  but  without  seem- 
ing pleased,  as  if  it  only  came  to  be  fed;  the 
next  time  it  continued  abroad  longer;  and, 
at  last,  went  away  without  ever  returning. 
It  was  a  female,  and  was,  when  it  went  off,  a 
year  and  a  half  old  ;  and  Mr.  Buffon  supposes 
it  to  have  gone  in  quest  of  the  male.  It  ate 
every  thing  that  was  given  it.  except  salad  or 
herbs;  and  it  was  remarkably  fond  of  honey. 
It  was  remarked,  that  it  drank  often,  and  of- 


ten slept  for  two  days  together;  and  that,  in 
like  manner,  it  was  often  two  or  three  days 
without  sleeping.  Before  it  went  to  sleep,  it 
drew  itself  up  into  a  round,  hid  its  head,  and 
covered  it  with  its  tail.  When  awake  it  was 
in  continual  agitation,  and  was  obliged  to  be 
tied  up,  not  less  to  prevent  its  attacking  the 
poultry,  than  to  hinder  it  from  breaking  what- 
ever it  came  near,  by  the  capricious  wildness 
of  its  motions. 

The  yellow-breasted  martin  is  much  more 
common  in  France  than  in  England  ;  arid  yet 
even  there  this  variety  is  much  scarcer  than 
that  with  the  white  breast.  The  latter  keeps 
nearer  houses  and  villages  to  make  its  petty 
ravages  among  the  sheep  and  the  poultry; 
the  other  keeps  in  the  woods,  and  leads  in 
every  respect  a  savage  life,  building  its  nest 
on  the  tops  of  trees,  and  living  upon  such  ani- 
mals as  are  entirely  wild  like  itself.  About 
night-fall  it  usually  quits  its  solitude  to  seek 
its  prey,  hunts  after  squirrels,  rats,  and  rab- 
bits; destroys  great  numbers  of  birds  and 
their  young,  takes  the  eggs  from  the  nest,  and 
often  removes  them  to  its  own  without  break- 
ing.* The  instant  the  martin  finds  itself  pur- 
sued by  dogs,  for  which  purpose  there  is  a 
peculiar  breed,  that  seem  fit  for  this  chase  only, 
it  immediately  makes  to  its  retreat,  which  is 
generally  in  the  hollow  of  some  tree,  towards 
the  top,  and  which  it  is  impossible  to  come  at 
without  cutting  it  down.  Their  nest  is  gene- 
rally the  original  tenement  of  the  squirrel, 
which  that  little  animal  bestowed  great  pains 
in  completing;  but  the  martin  having  killed 
and  dispossessed  the  little  architect,  takes 
possession  of  it  for  its  own  use,  enlarges  its 
dimensions,  improves  the  softness  of  the  bed, 
and  in  that  retreat  brings  forth  its  young.  Its 
litter  is  never  above  three  or  four  at  a  time ; 
they  are  brought  forth  with  the  eyes  closed, 
as  in  all  the  rest  of  this  kind,  and  very  soon 
come  to  a  state  of  perfection.  The  dam  com- 
pensates for  her  own  deficiency  of  milk,  by 
bringing  them  eggs  and  live  birds,  accustom- 
ing them  from  the  beginning  to  a  life  of  car- 
nage and  rapine.  When  she  leads  them  from 
the  nest  into  the  woods,  the  birds  at  once  dis- 
tinguish their  enemies,  and  attend  them,  as 
we  before  observed  of  the  fox,  with  all  the 

a  Brooke's  Natural  History. 


336 


ANIMALS  OF 


marks  of  alarm  and  animosity.  Wherever 
the  martin  conducts  her  young,  a  flock  of 
email  birds  are  seen  threatening  and  insulting 
her,  alarming  every  thicket,  and  often  direct- 
ing the  hunter  in  his  pursuit.  The  martin  is 
more  common  in  North  America  than  in  any 
part  of  Europe.  These  animals  are  found  in 
all  the  northern  parts  of  the  world,  from  Si- 
beria to  China  and  Canada.  In  every  coun- 
try they  are  hunted  for  their  furs,  which  are 
very  valuable,  and  chiefly  so  when  taken  in 
the  beginning  of  winter.  The  most  esteem- 
ed parts  of  the  martin's  skin  is  that  part  of  it 
which  is  browner  than  the  rest,  and  stretches 
along  the  back-bone.  Above  twelve  thousand 
of  these  skins  are  annually  imported  into  Eng- 
land from  Hudson's  Bay,  and  above  thirty 
thousand  from  Canada. 


THE  SABLE. 

MOST  of  the  classes  of  the  weasel  kind 
would  have  continued  utterly  unknown  and 
disregarded,  were  it  not  for  their  furs,  which 
are  finer,  more  glossy,  and  soft,  than  those  of 
any  other  quadruped.  Their  dispositions  are 
fierce  and  untameable ;  their  scent  generally 
offensive;  and  their  figure  disproportioned 
and  unpleasing.  The  knowledge  of  one  or 
two  of  them  would,  therefore,  have  sufficed 
curiosity ;  and  the  rest  would  probably  have 
been  confounded  together  under  one  common 
name,  as  things  useless  and  uninteresting,  had 
not  their  skins  been  coveted  by  the  vain,  and 
considered  as  capable  of  adding  to  human 
magnificence  or  beauty. 

Of  all  these,  however,  the  skin  of  the  sable 
is  the  most  coveted,  and  held  in  the  highest 
esteem.  It  is  of  a  brownish  black ;  and  the 
darker  it  is  it  becomes  the  more  valuable. 
A  single  skin,  though  not  above  four  inches 
broad,  is  often  valued  at  ten  or  fifteen  pounds;" 
the  fur  differing  from  others  in  this,  that  it  has 
no  grain ;  so  that  rub  it  which  way  you  will, 
it  is  equally  smooth  and  unresisting.  Never- 
theless, though  this  little  animal's  robe  was 
so  much  coveted  by  the  great,  its  history  till 
of  late  was  but  very  little  known ;  and  we  are 
obliged  to  Mr.  Jonelin  for  the  first  accurate 

»  Regnard. 


description  of  its  form  and  nature.*  From 
him  we  learn  that  the  sable  resembles  the  mar- 
tin in  form  and  size,  and  the  weasel  in  the 
number  of  its  teeth;  for  it  is  to  be  observed, 
that  whereas  the  martin  has  thirty-eight  teeth, 
the  weasel  has  but  thirty-four ;  in  this  respect, 
therefore,  the  sable  seems  to  make  the  shade 
between  these  two  animals;  being  shaped 
like  the  one,  and  furnished  with  teeth  like  the 
other.  It  is  also  furnished  with  very  large 
whiskers  about  the  mouth ;  its  feet  are  broad, 
and,  as  in  the  rest  of  its  kind,  furnished  with 
five  claws  on  each  foot.  These  are  its  con- 
stant marks ;  but  its  fur,  for  which  it  is  so 
much  valued,  is  not  always  the  same.  Some 
of  these  species  are  of  a  dark  brown  over  all 
the  body,  except  the  ears  and  the  throat, 
where  the  hair  is  rather  yellow ;  others  are 
more  of  a  yellowish  tincture,  their  cars  and 
throat  being  alsomuch  paler.  These,in  both, 
are  the  colours  they  have  in  winter,  and  which 
they  are  seen  to  change  in  the  beginning  of 
the  spring;  the  former  becoming  of  a  yellow 
brown,  and  the  latter  of  a  pale  yellow.  In 
other  respects  they  resemble  their  kind,  in 
vivacity,  agility,  and  inquietude;  in  sleeping 
by  day,  and  seeking  their  prey  by  night;  in 
living  upon  smaller  animals,  and  the  disagree- 
able odour  that  chiefly  characterizes  their 
race. 

They  generally  inhabit  along  the  banks  of 
rivers,  in  shady  places,  and  in  the  thickest 
woods.  They  leap  with  great  ease  from  tree 
to  tree,  and  are  said  to  be  afraid  of  the  sun, 
which  tarnishes  the  lustre  of  their  robes. 
They  are  chiefly  hunted  in  winter  for  their 
skins,  during  which  part  of  the  year  they  are 
only  in  season.  They  are  mostly  found  in 
Siberia,  and  but  very  few  in  any  other  coun- 
try of  the  world  ;  and  this  scarcity  it  is  which 
enhances  their  value.  The  hunting  of  the  sa- 
ble chiefly  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  condemned 
criminals,  who  are  sent  from  Russia  into  these 
wild  and  extensive  forests,  that,  for  the  great- 
est part  of  the  year,  are  covered  with  snow; 
and,  in  this  instance,  as  in  many  others,  the 
luxuries  and  ornamentsof  the  vain,are  wrought 
out  of  the  dangers  and  the  miseries  of  the 
wretched.  These  are  obliged  to  furnish  a 
certain  number  of  skins  every  year,  and  arc 

•  — •"• •• ~^"^^« 

t>  Buffon>  vol.  xxvii.  p.  113* 


THE  WEASEL  KIND. 


337 


punished  if  the  proper  quantity  be  not  pro- 
vided. 

The  sable  is  also  killed  by  the  Russian  sol- 
diers, who  are  sent  into  those  parts  to  that 
end.  They  are  taxed  a  certain  number  of 
skins  yearly,  like  the  former,  and  are  obliged 
to  shoot  with  only  a  single  ball,  to  avoid  spoil- 
ing the  skin,  or  else  with  a  cross-bow,  and 
blunt  arrows.  As  an  encouragement  to  the 
hunters,  they  are  allowed  to  share  among 
themselves  the  surplus  of  those  skins  which 
they  thus  procure ;  and  this,  in  the  process  of 
six  or  seven  years,  amounts  to  a  very  consi- 
derable sum.  A  colonel,  during  his  seven 
years  stay,  gains  about  four  thousand  crowns 
for  his  share,  and  the  common  men  six  or  se- 
ven hundred  each  for  theirs. 


THE   ICHNEUMON 

THE  Ichneumon,  which  some  have  injudici- 
ously denominated  the  cat  of  Pharaoh,  is  one 
of  the  boldest  and  most  useful  animals  of  all 
the  weasel  kind.  In  the  kingdom  of  Egypt, 
where  it  is  chiefly  bred,  it  is  used  for  the  same 
purposes  that  cats  are  in  Europe,  and  is  even 
more  serviceable,  as  being  more  expert  in 
catching  mice  than  they.  This  animal  is  usu- 
ally of  the  size  of  the  martin,  and  greatly  re- 
sembles it  in  appearance,  except  that  the  hair, 
which  is  of  a  grisly  black,  is  much  rougher, 
and  less  downy.  The  tail,  also,  is  not  so  bushy 
at  the  end ;  and  each  hair  in  particular  has 
three  or  four  colours,  which  are  seen  in  dif- 
ferent dispositions  of  its  body.  Under  its 
rougher  hairs,  there  is  a  softer  fur  of  a  brown- 
ish colour,  the  rough  hair  being  about  two 
inches  long,  but  that  of  the  muzzle  extremely 
short,  as  likewise  that  on  the  legs  and  paws. 
However,  being  long  since  brought  into  a 
domestic  state,  there  are  many  varieties  in 
this  animal;  some  being  much  larger  than 
the  martin,  others  much  less;  some  being  of 
a  lighter  mixture  of  colours,  and  some  being 
streaked  in  the  manner  of  a  cat. 

The  ichneumon,  with  all  the  strength  of  a 
cat,  has  more  instinct  and  agility ;  a  more  uni- 
versal appetite  for  carnage,  and  a  greater  va- 
riety of  powers  to  procure  it."  Rats,  mice, 

»  The  rest  of  this  description  is  extracted  from  Mr.  Buf- 
fon,  except  where  marked  with  commas. 


birds,  serpents,  lizards,  and  insects,  are  all 
equally  pursued ;  it  attacks  every  living  tiling 
which  it  is  able  to  overcome,  and  indiscrimi- 
nately preys  on  flesh  of  all  kinds.  Its  cou- 
rage is  equal  to  the  vehemence  of  its  appetites. 
It  fears  neither  the  force  of  the  dog,  nor  the 
insidious  malice  of  the  cat ;  neither  the  clawt 
of  the  vulture,  nor  the  poison  of  the  viper. 
It  makes  war  upon  all  kinds  of  serpents  with 
great  avidity,  seizes  and  kills  them,  how  ve- 
nomous soever  they  be ;  and,  we  are  told, 
that  when  it  begins  to  perceive  the  effects  of 
their  rage,  it  has  recourse  to  a  certain  root, 
which  the  Indians  call  after  its  name,  and  as- 
sert to  be  an  antidote  for  the  bite  of  the  asp 
or  the  viper. 

But  what  this  animal  is  particularly  service- 
able to  the  Egyptians  for,  is,  that  it  discovers 
and  destroys  the  eggs  of  the  crocodile.  It  also 
kills  the  young  ones  that  have  not  as  yet  been 
able  to  reach  the  water;  and,  as  fable  usually 
goes  hand  in  hand  with  truth,  it  is  said  that 
the  ichneumon  sometimes  enters  the  mouth 
of  the  crocodile,  when  it  is  found  sleeping  on 
the  shore,  boldly  attacks  the  enemy  in  the  in- 
side, and  at  length,  when  it  has  effectually 
destroyed  it,  it  eats  its  way  out  again. 

The  ichneumon,  when  wild,  generally  re- 
sides along  the  banks  of  rivers ;  and  in  times 
of  inundation  makes  to  the  higher  ground,  of- 
ten approaching  inhabited  places  in  quest  of 
prey.  It  goes  forward  silently  and  cautious- 
ly, changing  its  manner  of  moving  according 
to  its  necessities.  Sometimes  it  carries  the 
head  high,  shortens  its  body,  and  raises  itself 
upon  its  legs;  sometimes  it  lengthens  itself, 
and  seems  to  creep  along  the  ground ;  it  is 
often  observed  to  sit  upon  its  hind  legs,  like 
a  dog  when  taught  to  beg ;  but  more  common- 
ly it  is  seen  to  dart  like  an  arrow  upon  its 
Krey,  and  seize  it  with  inevitable  certainty. 
;s  eyes  are  sprightly  and  full  of  fire,  its  phy- 
siognomy sensible,  its  body  nimble,  its  tail 
long,  and  its  hair  rough  and  various.  Like 
all  of  its  kind,  it  has  glands  that  open  behind 
and  furnish  an  odorous  substance.  Its  nose 
is  too  sharp  and  its  mouth  too  small  to  per- 
mit its  seizing  things  that  are  large ;  however, 
it  makes  up  by  its  courage  and  activity  its 
want  of  arms ;  it  easily  strangles  a  cat  though 
stronger  and  larger  than  itself;  and  often 
fights  with  dogs,  which,  though  never  so  bold, 


338 


ANIMALS  OF 


learn  to  dread  the  ichneumon  as  a  formida- 
ble enemy.  It  also  takes  the  water  like  the 
otter,  and,  as  we  are  told,  will  continue  under 
it  much  longer. 

This  animal  grows  fast  and  dies  soon.  It 
is  found  in  great  numbers  in  all  the  southern 
parts  of  Asia,  from  Egypt  to  Java ;  and  it  is 
also  found  in  Africa,  particularly  at  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope.  It  is  domestic,  as  was  said, 
in  Egypt,  but  in  our  colder  climate,  it  is  not 
easy  to  breed  or  maintain  them,  as  they  are 
not  able  to  support  the  rigour  of  our  winters. 
Nevertheless  they  take  every  precaution  that 
instinct  can  dictate  to  keep  themselves  warm; 
they  wrap  themselves  up  into  a  ball,  hiding 
the  head  between  the  legs,  and  in  this  man- 
ner continue  to  sleep  all  day  long.  "  Seba 
had  one  sent  him  from  the  island  of  Ceylon, 
which  he  permitted  to  run  for  some  months 
about  the  house.  It  was  heavy  and  slothful 
by  day,  and  often  could  not  be  awakened  even 
with  a  blow;  but  it  made  up  this  indolence 
by  its  nocturnal  activity,  smelling  about  with- 
out either  being  wholly  tame  or  wholly  mis- 
chievous. It  climbed  up  the  walls  and  the 
trees  with  very  great  ease,  and  appeared  ex- 
tremely fond  of  spiders  and  worms,  which  it 
preferred,  probably  from  their  resemblance 
to  serpents,  its  most  natural  food.  It  was  also 
particularly  eager  to  scratch  up  holes  in  the 
ground;  and  this,  added  to  its  wild  ness  and 
uncleanliness,  obliged  our  naturalist  to  smo- 
ther it  in  spirits  in  order  to  preserve,  and  ad- 
ded it  to  the  rest  of  his  collection." 

This  animal  was  one  of  those  formerly  wor- 
shipped by  the  Egyptians,  who  considered 
every  thing  that  was  serviceable  to  them  as 
an  emanation  of  the  Deity,  and  worshipped 
such  as  the  best  representatives  of  God  below. 
Indeed,  if  we  consider  the  number  of  eggs 
which  the  crocodile  lays  in  the  sand  at  a  time, 
which  often  amounts  to  three  or  four  hundred, 
we  have  reason  to  admire  this  little  animal's 
usefulness  as  well  as  industry  in  destroying 
them,  since  otherwise  the  crocodile  might  be 
produced  in  sufficient  numbers  to  overrun 
the  whole  earth. 

THE    STINKARDS. 

THIS  is  a  name  which  our  sailors  give  to 
one  or  two  animals  of  the  weasel  kind,  which 


are  chiefly  found  in  America.  All  the  weasel 
kind,  as  was  already  observed,  have  a  very 
strong  smell ;  some  of  them  indeed  approach- 
ing to  a  perfume,  but  the  greatest  number 
most  insupportably  foetid.  But  the  smell  of 
our  weasels,  and  ermines,  and  polecats,  is 
fragrance  itself  when  compared  to  that  of  the 
squash  and  the  skink,  which  have  been  called 
the  polecats  of  America.  These  two  are  found 
in  different  parts  of  America,  both  differing  in 
colour  and  fur,  but  both  obviously  of  the  wea- 
sel kind,  as  appears  not  only  from  their  figure 
and  odour,  but  also  from  their  disposition. 
The  squash  is  about  the  size  of  a  polecat,  its 
hair  of  a  deep  brown,  but  principally  differing 
from  all  of  this  kind  in  having  only  four  toes 
on  the  feet  before,  whereas  all  other  weasels 
have  five.  The  skink,  which  I  take  to  be 
Catesby's  Virginia  polecat,  resembles  a  pole- 
cat in  shape  and  size,  but  particularly  differs 
in  the  length  of  its  hair  and  colour.  The  hair 
is  above  three  inches  and  a  half  long,  and 
that  at  the  end  of  the  tail  above  four  inches. 
The  colour  is  partly  black  and  partly  white, 
variously  disposed  over  the  body,  very  glossy, 
long,  and  beautiful.  There  seem  to  be  two 
varieties  more  of  this  animal,  which  Mr.  Buf- 
fon  calls  the  conepate  and  the  zorille.  He  sup- 
poses each  to  be  a  distinct  species :  but  as 
they  are  both  said  to  resemble  the  polecat 
in  form,  and  both  to  be  clothed  with  long  fur 
of  a  black  and  white  colour,  it  seems  needless 
to  make  a  distinction.  The  conepate  resem- 
bles the  skink  in  all  things  except  in  size, 
being  smaller,  and  in  the  disposition  of  its  co- 
lours, which  are  more  exact,  having  five  white 
stripes  upon  a  black  ground,  running  longitu- 
dinally from  the  head  to  the  tail.  The  zorille 
resembles  the  skink,  but  is  rather  smaller  and 
more  beautifully  coloured,  its  streaks  of  black 
and  white  being  more  distinct,  and  the  colours 
of  its  tail  being  black  at  its  insertion  «nd  while 
at  the  extremity:  whereas  in  the  skink  they 
are  all  of  one  gray  colour. 

But  whatever  differences  there  may  be  in 
the  figure  or  colour  of  these  little  animals, 
they  all  agree  in  one  common  affection,  that 
of  being  intolerably  foetid  and  loathsome.  I 
have  already  observed  that  all  the  weasel  kind 
have  glands  furnishing  an  odorous  matter, 
near  the  anus,  the  conduits  of  which  gpnei  al- 
ly have  their  aperture  just  at  its  opening. 


THE  WEASEL  KIND. 


339 


That  substance  which  is  stored  up  in  these 
receptacles,  is  in  some  of  this  kind,  such  as 
in  the  martin,  already  mentioned,  and  also  in 
the  genet  and  the  civet,  to  be  described  here- 
after, a  most  grateful  perfume;  but  in  the  wea- 
sel, the  ermine,  the  ferret,  and  the  polecat,  it 
is  extremely  foetid  and  offensive.  Theae  glands 
in  the  animals  now  under  consideration  are 
much  larger,  and  furnish  a  matter  sublimed 
to  a  degree  of  putrescence,  that  is  truly  ama- 
zing. As  to  the  perfumes  of  musk  and  civet, 
we  know  that  a  single  grain  will  diffuse  itself 
over  a  whole  house,  and  continue  for  months 
to  spread  an  agreeable  odour,  without  dimi- 
nution. However,  the  perfume  of  the  musk 
or  the  civet  is  nothing,  either  for  strength  or 
duration,  to  the  insupportable  odour  of  these. 
It  is  usually  voided  with  their  excrement;  and 
if  but  a  single  drop  happens  to  touch  any 
part  of  a  man's  garment,  it  is  more  than  pro- 
bable that  he  can  never  wear  any  part  of  it 
more. 

In  describing  the  effects  produced  by  the 
excrement  of  these  animals,  we  often  hear  of 
its  raising  this  diabolical  smell  by  its  urine. 
However,  of  this  I  am  apt  to  doubt;  and  it 
should  seem  to  me,  that,  as  all  the  weasel 
kind  have  their  excrements  so  extremely  foe- 
tid from  the  cause  above  mentioned,  we  may 
consider  these  also  as  being  foetid  from  the 
same  causes.  Besides,  they  are  not  furnish- 
ed with  glands  to  give  their  urine  such  a  smell; 
and  the  analogy  between  them  and  the  wea- 
sel kind  being  so  strong  in  other  respects,  we 
miy  suppose  they  resemble  each  other  in  this. 
It  has  also  been  said  that  they  take  this  me- 
thod of  ejecting  their  excrement  to  defend 
themselves  against  their  pursuers;  but  it  is 
much  more  probable  that  this  ejection  is  the 
convulsive  effect  of  terror,  and  that  it  serves 
as  their  defence  without  their  own  concur- 
rence. Certain  it  is  that  they  never  smell 
thus  horridly  except  when  enraged  or  af- 
frighted, for  they  are  often  kept  tame  about 
the  houses  of  the  planters  of  America  with- 
out being  very  offensive. 

The  habitudes  of  all  these  animals  are  the 
same,  living  like  all  the  rest  of  the  weasel 
kind,  as  they  prey  upon  smaller  animals  and 
birds'  eggs.  The  squash,  for  instance,  bur- 
rows like  the  polecat  in  the  clefts  of  rocks, 
where  it  brings  forth  its  young.  It  often  steals 

no.  29  &  30. 


into  farm-yards,  and  kills  the  poultry,  eating 
only  their  brains.  Nor  is  it  safe  to  pursue  or 
offend  it,  for  then  it  calls  up  all  its  scents, 
which  are  its  most  powerful  protection.  At 
that  time  neither  men  nor  dogs  will  offer  to 
approach  it ;  the  scent  is  so  strong  that  it 
reaches  for  half  a  mile  round,  and  more  near 
at  hand  is  almost  stifling.  If  the  dogs  con- 
tinue to  pursue,  it  does  all  in  its  power  to  es- 
cape, by  getting  up  a  tree,  or  by  some  such 
means;  but  if  driven  to  an  extremity,  it  then 
lets  fly  upon  the  hunters;  and  if  it  should 
happen  that  a  drop  of  this  foetid  discharge 
falls  in  the  eye,  the  person  runs  the  risk  of 
being  blinded  lor  ever.* 

The  dogs  themselves  instantly  abate  of  their 
ardour  when  they  find  this  extraordinary  bat- 
tery played  off  against  them ;  they  instantly 
turn  tail,  and  leave  the  animal  undisputed  mas- 
ter of  the  field ;  and  no  exhortations  can  ever 
bring  them  to  rally.  "  In  the  year  1749,"  says 
Kalm,  "  one  of  these  animals  came  near  the 
farm  where  I  lived.  It  was  in  winter  time, 
during  the  night;  and  the  dogs  that  were 
upon  the  watch,  pursued  it  for  some  time, 
until  it  discharged  against  them.  Although 
I  was  in  my  bed  a  good  way  off,  I  thought  I 
should  have  been  suffocated ;  and  the  cows 
and  oxen,  by  their  lowings,  showed  how  much 
they  were  affected  by  the  stench.  About  the 
end  of  the  same  year,  another  of  these  animals 
crept  into  our  cellar,  but  did  not  exhale  the 
smallest  scent,  because  it  was  not  disturbed. 
A  foolish  woman,  however,  who  perceived  it 
at  night,  by  the  shining  of  its  eyes,  killed  it, 
and  at  that  moment  its  stench  began  to  spread. 
The  whole  cellar  was  filled  with  it  to  such  a 
degree,  that  the  woman  kept  her  bed  for  se- 
veral days  after;  and  all  the  bread,  meat,  and 
other  provisions,  that  were  kept  there,  were 
so  infected,  that  they  were  obliged  to  be 
thrown  out  of  doors."  Nevertheless,  many  of 
the  planters  and  native  Americans  keep  this 
animal  tame  about  their  houses:  and  seldom 
perceive  any  disagreeable  scents,  except  it  is 
injured  or  frighted.  They  are  also  known 
to  eat  its  flesh,  which  some  assert  to  be  tole- 
rable food ;  however,  they  take  care  to  de- 
prive it  of  those  glands  which  are  so  horridly 
offensive. 


Voy  age  deKahn,  as  quoted  by  Buffou,vol.icxvii.p.9S, 
3G 


340 


ANIMALS  OF 


THE  GENET. 

FROM  the  squash,  which  is  the  most  offen- 
sive animal  in  nature,  we  come  to  the  Genet, 
which  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  pleas- 
ing. Instead  of  the  horrid  stench  with  which 
the  former  affects  us,  this  has  a  most  grateful 
odour;  more  faint  than  civet,  but  to  some, 
for  that  reason,  more  agreeable.  This  ani- 
mal is  rather  less  than  the  martin;  though 
there  are  genets  of  different  sizes,  and  I  have 
seen  one  rather  larger.  It  also  differs  some- 
what in  the  form  of  its  bod y.  It  is  not  easy 
in  words  to  give  an  idea  of  the  distinction. 
It  resembles  all  those  of  the  weasel  kind,  in 
its  length,  compared  to  its  height ;  it  resem- 
bles them  in  having  a  soft,  beautiful  fur,  in 
having  its  feet  armed  with  claws  that  cannot 
be  sheathed,  and  in  its  appetite  for  petty  car- 
nage. But  then  it  differs  from  them  in  having 
the  nose  much  smaller  and  longer,  rather  re- 
sembling that  of  a  fox  than  a  weasel.  The 
tail,  also,  instead  of  being  bushy,  tapers  to  a 
point,  and  is  much  longer ;  its  ears  are  larger, 
and  its  paws  smaller.  As  to  its  colours,  and 
figure  in  general,  the  genet  is  spotted  with 
black,  upon  a  ground  mixed  with  red  and  gray. 
It  has  two  sorts  of  hair,  the  one  shorter  and 
softer,  the  other  longer  and  stronger,  but  not 
above  half  an  inch  long  on  any  part  of  its  body 
except  the  tail.  Its  spots  are  distinct  and  se- 
parate upon  the  sides,  but  unite  towards  the 
back,  and  form  black  stripes,  which  run  lon- 
gitudinally from  the  neck  backwards.  It  lias 
also  along  the  back  a  kind  of  mane  or  longish 
hair,  which  forms  a  black  streak  from  the  head 
to  the  tail,  which  last  is  marked  with  rings, 
alternately  black  and  white,  its  whole  length. 

The  genet,  like  all  the  rest  of  the  weasel 
kinds,  has  glands,  that  separate  a  kind  of  per- 
fume, resembling  civet,  but  which  soon  flies 
off!  These  glands  open  differently  from  those 
of  other  animals  of  this  kind ;  for,  as  the  lat- 
ter have  their  apertures  just  at  the  opening 
of  the  anus,  these  have  their  aperture  imme- 
diately under  it;  so  that  the  male  seems,  for 
this  reason,  to  the  superficial  observer,  to  be 
of  two  sexes. 

It  resembles  the  martin  very  much  in  its 
habits  and  disposition ;"  except,  that  it  seems 

»  Buffon,  vol.  xix.  p.  187. 


tamed  much  more  easily.  Belonius  assures 
us,  that  he  has  seen  them  in  the  houses  at 
Constantinople  as  tame  as  cats;  and  that  they 
were  permitted  to  run  every  where  about, 
without  doing  the  least  mischief.  For  this 
reason  they  have  been  called  the  cats  of  Con- 
stantinople; although  they  have  little  else  in 
common  with  that  animal,  except  their  skill 
in  spying  out  and  destroying  vermin.  Natu- 
ralists pretend  that  it  inhabits  only  the  moist- 
er  grounds,  and  chiefly  resides  along  the  banks 
of  rivers,  having  never  been  found  in  moun- 
tains, nor  dry  places.  The  species  is  not 
much  diffused ;  it  is  not  to  be  found  in  any 
part  of  Europe,  except  Spain  and  Turkey; 
it  requires  a  warm  climate  to  subsist  and  mul- 
tiply in ;  and  yet  it  is  not  to  be  found  in  the 
warmer  regions  either  of  India  or  Africa. 
From  such  as  have  seen  its  uses  at  Constan- 
tinople, I  learn,  that  it  is  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful, cleanly,  and  industrious  animals  in  the 
world ;  that  it  keeps  whatever  house  it  is  in 
perfectly  free  from  mice  and  rats,  which  can- 
not endure  its  smell.  Add  to  this,  its  nature 
is  mild  and  gentle,  its  colours  various  and 
glossy,  its  fur  valuable;  and,  upon  the  whole, 
it  seems  to  be  one  of  those  animals  that,  with 
proper  care,  might  be  propagated  amongst 
us,  and  might  become  one  of  the  most  service- 
able of  our  domestics. 


THE  CIVET. 

PROCEEDING  from  the  smaller  to  the  greater 
of  this  kind,  we  come,  in  the  last  place,  to 
the  Civet,  which  is  much  larger  than  any  of 
the  former;  for  as  the  martin  is  not  above 
sixteen  inches  long,  the  civet  is  found  to  be 
above  thirty.  Mr.  Buffon  distinguishes  this 
species  into  two  kinds ;  one  of  which  he  calls 
the  civet,  and  the  other  the  zibet.  The  latter 
principally  differs  from  the  former  in  having 
the  body  longer  and  more  slender,  the  nose 
smaller,  the  ears  longer  and  broader:  no 
mane  or  long  hair  running  down  the  back  in 
the  latter;  and  the  tail  is  longer  and  better 
marked  with  rings  of  different  colours,  from 
one  end  to  the  other.  These  are  the  diffe- 
rences which  have  induced  this  great  natu- 
ralist to  suppose  them  animals  of  distinct  spe- 
cies; and  to  allot  each  a  separate  descrip- 


THE  WEASEL  KIND. 


341 


tion.  How  tar  future  experience  may  con- 
firm this  conjecture, time  must  discover;  but 
certain  it  is,  that  if  such  small  varieties  make 
a  separate  class,  there  may  be  many  other 
animals  equally  entitled  to  peculiar  distinc- 
tion that  are  now  classed  together.  We  shall, 
therefore,  content  ourselves,  at  present,  with 
considering,  as  former  naturalists  have  done, 
these  two  merely  as  varieties  of  the  same  ani- 
mal, and  only  altered  in  figure,  by  climate, 
food,  or  education. 

The  civet  resembles  animals  of  the  weasel 
kind  in  the  long  slenderness  of  its  body,  the 
shortness  of  its  legs,  the  odorous  matter  that 
exudes  from  the  glands  behind,  the  softness 
of  its  fur,  the  number  of  its  claws,  and  their 
incapacity  of  being  sheathed.  It  differs  from 
them  in  being  much  larger  than  any  hitherto 
described ;  in  having  the  nose  lengthened,  so 
as  to  resemble  that  of  the  fox ;  the  tail  long, 
and  tapering  to  a  point ;  and  its  ears  straight, 
like  those  of  a  cat.  The  colour  of  the  civet 
varies;  it  is  commonly  ash,  spotted  with  black; 
though  it  is  whiter  in  the  female,  tending  to 
yellow ;  and  the  spots  are  much  larger,  like 
those  of  a  panther.  The  colour  on  the  belly, 
and  under  the  throat,  is  black ;  whereas  the 
other  parts  of  the  body  are  black  or  streaked 
with  gray.  This  animal  varies  in  its  colour, 
being  sometimes  streaked,  as  in  our  kind  of 
cats  called  tabbies.  It  has  whiskers,  like  the 
rest  of  its  kind ;  and  its  eye  is  black  and  beau- 
tiful. 

The  opening  of  the  pouch  or  bag,  which  is 
the  receptacle  of  the  civet,  differs  from  that 
of  the  rest  of  the  weasel  kind,  not  opening  into 
but  under  the  anus.  Besides  this  opening, 
which  is  large,  there  is  still  another  lower 
down ;  but  for  what  purposes  designed,  is  not 
known.  The  pouch  itself  is  about  two  inches 
and  a  half  broad,  and  two  long;  its  opening 
makes  a  chink,  from  the  top  downwards,  that 
is  about  two  inches  and  a  half  long;  and  it 
is  covered  on  the  edges  and  within,  with  short 
hair:  when  the  two  sides  are  drawn  asunder, 
the  inward  cavity  may  be  seen,  large  enough 
to  hold  a  small  pullet's  egg;  all  around  this 
are  small  glands,  opening  and  furnishing  that 
strong  perfume  which  is  so  well  known,  and 
is  found  in  this  pouch,  of  the  colour  and  con- 
sistence of  pomatum.  Those  who  make  it 
their  business  to  breed  these  animals  for  their 


perfume,  usually  take  it  from  them  twice  or 
thrice  a  week,  and  sometimes  oftener.  The 
animal  is  kept  in  a  long  sort  of  a  box,  in  which 
it  cannot  turn  round.  The  person,  therefore, 
opens  this  box  behind,  drags  the  animal  back- 
wards by  the  tail,  keeps  it  in  this  position  by 
a  bar  before,  and,  with  a  wooden  spoon,  takes 
the  civet  from  the  pouch,  as  carefully  as  he 
can ;  then  lets  the  tail  go,  and  shuts  the  box 
again.  The  perfume,  thus  procured,  is  put 
into  a  vessel,  which  he  takes  care  to  keep  shut; 
and  when  a  sufficient  quantity  is  procured,  it 
is  sold  to  very  great  advantage. 

The  civet,3  although  a  native  of  the  warm- 
est climates,  is  found  yet  to  live  in  temperate, 
and  even  cold  countries,  provided  it  be  defend- 
ed carefully  from  the  injuries  of  the  air. 
Wherefore,  it  is  not  only  bred  among  the  Turks, 
the  Indians,  and  Africans,  but  great  numbers 
of  these  animals  are  also  bred  in  Holland, 
where  this  scraping  people  make  no  small 
gain  of  its  perfume.  The  perfume  of  Amster- 
dam is  reckoned  the  purest  of  any;  the  peo- 
ple of  other  countries  adulterating  it  with 
gums,  and  other  matters,  which  diminish  its 
value,  but  increase  its  weight.  The  quantity 
which  a  single  animal  affords,  generally 
depends  upon  its  health  and  nourishment. 
It  gives  more  in  proportion  as  it  is  more  deli- 
cately and  abundantly  fed.  Raw  flesh,  hash- 
ed small,  eggs,  rice,  birds,  young  fowls,  and 
particularly  fish,  are  the  kinds  of  food  the  ci- 
vet most  delights  in.  These  are  to  be  chang- 
ed and  altered,  to  suit  and  entice  its  appe- 
tite, and  continue  its  health.  It  gets  but  very 
little  water;  and  although  it  drinks  but  rare- 
ly, yet  it  makes  urine  very  frequently ;  and, 
upon  such  occasions,  we  cannot,  as  in  other 
animals,  distinguish  the  male  from  the  female. 

The  perfume  of  the  civet  is  so  strong  that 
it  communicates  itself  to  all  parts  of  the  ani- 
mal's body;  the  fur  is  impregnated  thereby, 
and  the  skin  penetrated  to  such  a  degree  that 
it  continues  to  preserve  the  odour  for  a  long 
time  after  it  is  stript  off.  If  a  person  be  shut 
up  with  one  of  them  in  a  close  room,  he  can- 
not support  the  perfume,  which  is  so  copious- 
ly diffused.  When  the  animal  is  irritated,  as 
in  all  the  weasel  kind,  its  scent  is  much  more 
violent  than  ordinary;  and  if  it  be  tormented 


a  Buflbn,  vol.  xix. 


3G» 


342 


ANIMALS  OF 


so  as  to  make  it  sweat,  this  also  is  a  strong 
perfume,  and  serves  to  adulterate  or  increase 
what  is  otherwise  obtained  from  it.  In  ge- 
neral, it  is  sold  in  Holland  for  about  fifty  shil- 
lings an  ounce  :  although,  like  all  other  com- 
modities, its  value  alters  in  proportion  to  the 
demand.  Civet  must  be  chosen  new,  of  a 
good  consistence,  a  whitish  colour,  and  a 
strong,  disagreeable  smell.  There  is  still  a 
very  considerable  traffic  carried  on  from  Bus- 
sorah,  Calicut,  and  other  places  in  India, 
where  the  animal  that  produces  it  is  bred ; 
from  the  Levant  also,  from  Guinea,  and  es- 
pecially from  Brasil,  in  South  America,  al- 
though Mr.  Buffbn  is  of  opinion  that  the  ani- 
mal is  a  native  only  of  the  Old  Continent,  and 
not  to  be  found  wild  in  the  New.  The  best 
civet,  however,  is  furnished,  as  was  observed, 
by  the  Dutch,  though  not  in  such  quantities 
at  present  as  some  years  past,  when  this  per- 
fume was  more  in  fashion.  Civet  is  a  much 
more  grateful  perfume  than  musk,  to  which  it 
has  some  resemblance;  and  was  some  years 
ago  used  for  the  same  purposes  in  medicine. 
But,  at  present,  it  is  quite  discontinued  in  pre- 
scription; and  persons  of  taste  or  elegance 
seem  to  proscribe  it  even  from  the  toilet.  Per- 
fumes, like  dress,  have  their  vicissitudes;  musk 
was  in  peculiar  repute,  until  displaced  by  ci- 
vet; both  gave  ground,  upon  discovering  the 
manner  of  preparing  ambergris;  and  even 
this  is  now  disused  for  the  less  powerful  ve- 
getable kinds  of  fragrance,  spirits  of  lavender, 
or  otter  of  roses. 

As  to  the  rest,  the  civet  is  said  to  be  a  wild 
fierce  animal;  and,  although  sometimes  tamed, 
is  never  thoroughly  familiar.  Its  teeth  are 
strong  and  cutting,  although  its  claws  be  fee- 
ble and  inflexible.  It  is  light  and  active,  and 
lives  by  prey,  as  the  rest  of  its  kind,  pursuing 
birds,  and  other  small  animals  that  it  is  able 
to  overcome.  They  are  sometimes  seen  steal- 
ing into  the  yards  and  outhouses,  to  seize  upon 
the  poultry  :  their  eyes  shine  in  the  night,  and 
it  is  very  probable  that  they  see  better  in  the 
dark  than  by  day.  When  they  fail  of  animal 
food,  they  are  found  to  subsist  upon  roots  and 
fruits, and  very  seldom  drink;  for  which  rea- 
son they  are  never  found  near  great  waters. 
They  breed  very  fast  in  their  native  climates, 
where  the  heat  seems  to  conduce  to  their  pro- 
pagation ;  but  in  our  temperate  latitudes,  al- 


though they  furnish  their  perfume  in  great 
quantities,  yet  they  are  not  found  to  multiply. 
A  proof  that  their  perfume  has  no  analogy 
with  their  appetite  lor  generation. 


THE  GLUTTON. 

I  WILL  add  but  one  animal  more  to  this  nu- 
merous class  of  the  weasel  kind ;  namely,  the 
glutton;  which,  for  several  reasons,  seems  to 
belong  to  this  tribe,  and  this  only.  We  have 
hitherto  had  no  precise  description  of  this 
quadruped;  some  resembling  it  to  a  badger, 
some  to  a  fox,  and  some  to  a  hyrena.  Lin- 
naeus places  it  among  the  weasels,  from  the 
similitude  of  its  teeth;  it  should  seem  to  me 
to  resemble  this  animal  still  more,  from  the 
great  length  of  its  body,  and  the  shortness  of 
its  legs,  from  the  softness  of  its  fur,  its  dis- 
agreeable scent,  and  its  insatiable  appetite 
for  animal  food.  Mr.  Klein,  who  saw  one  of 
them,  which  was  brought  alive  from  Siberia, 
assures  us,  that  it  was  about  three  feet  long,* 
and  about  a  foot  and  a  half  high.  If  we  com- 
pare these  dimensions  with  those  of  other  ani- 
mals, we  shall  find  that  they  approach  more 
nearly  to  the  class  we  are  at  present  describ- 
ing than  any  other;  arid  that  the  glutton  may 
very  justly  be  conceived  under  the  form  of  a 
great,  overgrown  weasel.  Its  nose,  its  ears, 
its  teeth,  and  its  long  bushy  tail,  are  entirely 
similar;  and  as  to  what  is  said  of  its  being 
rather  corpulent  than  slender,  it  is  most  pro- 
bable that  those  who  described  it  thus,  saw 
it  after  eating,  at  which  time  its  belly,  we  are 
assured,  is  most  monstrously  distended  :  how- 
ever, suspending  all  certainty  upon  this  sub- 
ject, I  will  take  leave  rather  to  follow  Liu- 
ria3us  than  Buffbn,  in  describing  this  animal ; 
and  leave  future  experience  to  judge  between 
them. 

The  glutton,  which  is  so  called  from  its  vo- 
racious appetite,  is  an  animal  found  as  well 
in  the  north  of  Europe  and  Siberia,  as  in  the 
northern  pnrts  of  America,  where  it  has  the 
name  of  the  carcajou.  Amidst  the  variety  of 
descriptions  which  have  been  given  of  it,  no 

a  He  says,  it  was  an  ell,  eight  inches  long :  I  have, 
therefore,  given  its  length,  as  supposing  it  to  bea  Flemish 
ell,  which  is  twenty-seven  inches. 


TFIE  WEASEL  KIND 


343 


very  just  idea  can  be  formed  of  its  figure ; 
and,  indeed,  some  naturalists,  among  whom 
was  Ray,  entirely  doubted  of  its  existence. 
From  the  best  accounts,  however,  we  have  of 
it,  the  body  is  thick  and  long,  the  legs  short ; 
it  is  black  along  the  back,  and  of  a  reddish 
brown  on  the  sides ;  its  fur  is  held  in  the  high- 
est estimation,  for  its  softness  and  beautiful 
gloss;  the  tail  is  bushy,  like  that  of  the  wea- 
sel, but  rather  shorter;  and  its  legs  and  claws 
are  better  h'tted  for  climbing  trees,  than  for 
running  along  the  ground.  Thus  far  it  en- 
tirely resembles  the  weasel;  and  its  manner 
of  taking  its  prey  is  also  by  surprise,  and  not 
by  pursuit. 

Scarce  any  of  the  animals  with  short  legs 
and  long  bodies  pursue  their  prey;  but, 
knowing  their  own  incapacity  to  overtake  it 
by  swiftness,  either  creep  upon  it  in  its  re- 
treats, or  wait  in  ambush  and  seize  it  with  a 
bound.  The  glutton,  from  the  make  of  its 
legs,  and  the  length  of  its  body,  must  be  par- 
ticularly slow:  and,  consequently,  its  only  re- 
source is  in  taking  its  prey  by  surprise.  All 
the  rest  of  the  weasel  kind,  from  the  small- 
ness  of  their  size,  are  better  fitted  for  a  life 
of  insidious  rapine  than  this ;  they  can  pur- 
sue their  prey  into  its  retreats,  they  can  lurk 
unseen  among  the  branches  of  trees,  and  hide 
themselves  with  ease  under  the  leaves:  but 
the  glutton  is  too  large  to  follow  small  prey 
into  their  retreats;  nor  would  such,  even  if 
obtained,  be  sufficient  to  sustain  it.  For 
these  reasons,  therefore,  this  animal  seems 
naturally  compelled  to  the  life  for  which  it 
has  long  been  remarkable.  Its  only  resource 
is  to  climb  a  tree,  which  it  does  with  great 
ease,  and  there  it  waits  with  patience  until 
some  large  animal  passes  underneath,  upon 
which  it  darts  down  with  unerring  certainty, 
and  destroys  it. 

It  is  chiefly  in  North  America  that  this  vo- 
racious creature  is  seen  lurking  among  the 
thick  branches  of  trees,  in  order  to  surprise 
the  deer,  with  which  the  extensive  forests  of 
that  part  of  the  world  abound.  Endued  with 
a  degree  of  patience  equal  to  its  rapacity, 
the  glutton  singles  out  such  trees  as  it  observes 
marked  by  the  teeth  or  the  antlers  of  the 
deer;  and  is  known  to  remain  there  watch- 
ing for  several  days  together.  If  it  has  fixed 
upon  a  wrong  tree,  and  finds  that  the  deer 


have  either  left  that  part  of  the  country,  or 
cautiously  shun  the  place,  it  reluctantly  de- 
scends, pursues  the  beaver  to  its  retreat,  or 
even  ventures  into  the  water,  in  pursuit  of 
fishes.     But  if  it  happens  that,  by  long  atten- 
tion, and  keeping  close,  at  last  the  elk  or  the 
rein-deer  happens  to  pass  that  way,  it  at  once 
darts  down  upon  them,  sticks  its  claws  be- 
tween their  shoulders,  and  remains  there  un- 
alterably firm.     It  is  in  vain  that  the  large 
frighted  animal  increases  its  speed,  or  threat- 
ens with  its  branching  horns;  the  glutton  ha- 
ving taken  possession  of  its  post,  nothing  can 
drive  it  off;  its  enormous  prey  drives  rapidly 
along  amongst  the  thickest  wood,  rubs  itself 
against  the  largest  trees,  and  tears  down  the 
branches  with  its  expanded  horns;  but  still 
its  insatiable  foe  sticks Jbehind,  eating  its  neck, 
and  digging  its  passage  to  the  great  blood- 
vessels that  lie  in  that  part.     Travellers  who 
wander  through  those  deserts,  often  see  pieces 
of  the  glutton's   skin   sticking  to  the  trees, 
against    which  it    was  rubbed  by  the  deer. 
But  the  animal's  voracity  is  greater  than  its 
feelings,  and  it  never  seizes  without  bringing 
down  its  prey.     When,  therefore,  the  deer, 
wounded  and  feeble  with  the  loss  of  blood, 
falls,  the  glutton  is  seen  to  make  up  for  its 
former  abstinence  by  its    present    voracity. 
As  it  is  not  possessed  of  a  feast  of  this  kind 
every  day,  it  resolves  to  lay  in  a  store  to  serve 
it  for  a  good  while  to  come.     It  is,  indeed, 
amazing  how  much  one  of  these  animals  can 
eat  at  a  time!  That  which  was  seen  by  Mr. 
Klein,  although  without  exercise  or  air,  al- 
though taken  from  its  native  climate,  and  en- 
joying but  an  indifferent  state  of  health,  was 
yet  seen  to  eat  thirteen  pounds  of  flesh  every 
day,  and  yet  remain  unsatisfied.     We  may, 
therefore,  easily  conceive  how  much  more  it 
must  devour  at  once,  after  a  long  fast,  of  a 
food  of  its  own  procuring,  and  in  the  climate 
most  natural  to  its  constitution.     We  are  told, 
accordingly,  that  from  being  a  lank,  thin  ani- 
mal, which  it  naturally  is,  it  then  gorges  in 
such  quantities,  that  its  belly  is  distended,  and 
its  whole  figure. seems  to  alter.     Thus  vora- 
ciously it  continues  eating  till,  incapable  of 
any  other  animal  function,  it  lies  totally  tor- 
pid by  the  animal  it  has  killed ;  and  in  this 
situation  continues  for  two  or  three  days.     In 
this  loathsome  and  helpless  state,  it  finds  its 


344 


ANIMALS  OF 


chief  protection  from  its  horrid  smell,  which 
few  animals  care  to  come  near;"  so  that  it 
continues  eating  and  sleeping  till  its  prey  be 
devoured,  bones  and  all,  and  then  it  mounts  a 
tree,  in  quest  of  another  adventure. 

The  glutton,  like  many  others  of  the  weasel 
kind,  seems  to  prefer  the  most  putrid  flesh  to 
that  newly  killed ;  and  such  is  the  voracious- 
ness of  this  hateful  creature,  that,  if  its  swift- 
ness and  strength  were  equal  to  its  rapacity, 
it  would  Boon  thin  the  forest  of  every  other 
living  creature.  But,  fortunately,  it  is  so  slow, 
that  there  is  scarce  a  quadruped  that  cannot 
escape  it,  except  the  beaver.  This,  therefore, 
it  very  frequently  pursues  upon  land ;  but  the 
beaver  generally  makes  good  its  retreat  by 
taking  to  the  water,  where  the  glutton  has  no 
chance  to  succeed.  This  pursuit  only  hap- 
pens in  summer;  for  in  winter  all  that  remains 
is  to  attack  the  beaver's  house,  as  at  that 
time  it  never  stirs  from  home.  This  attack, 
however,  seldom  succeeds  ?  for  the  beaver 
has  a  covert  way  bored  under  the  ice,  and 
the  glutton  has  only  the  trouble  and  disap- 
pointment of  sacking  an  empty  town. 

A  life  of  necessity  generally  produces  a 
good  fertile  invention.  The  glutton,  conti- 
nually pressed  by  the  call  of  appetite,  and 
having  neither  swiftness  nor  activity  to  satis- 
fy it,  is  obliged  to  make  up  by  stratagem  the 
defects  of  nature.  It  is  often  seen  to  examine 
the  traps  and  the  snares  laid  for  other  ani- 
mals, in  order  to  anticipate  the  fowlers.  It  is 
said  to  practise  a  thousand  arts  to  procure 
its  prey,  to  steal  upon  the  retreats  of  the  rein- 
deer, the  flesh  of  which  animal  it  loves  in  pre- 
ference to  all  others ;  to  lie  in  wait  for  such 
animals  as  have  been  maimed  by  the  hunters; 
to  pursue  the  isatis  while  it  is  hunting  for  it- 
self; and  when  that  animal  has  run  down  its 
prey,  to  come  in  and  seize  upon  the  whole, 
and  sometimes  to  devour  even  its  poor  pro- 
yider;  when  these  pursuits  fail,  even  to  dig 

»  Linncei  Systems,  p.  67- 


up  the  graves,  and  fall  upon  the  bodies  inter- 
red there,  devouring  them,  bones  and  all. 
For  these  reasons,  the  natives  of  the  countries 
where  the  glutton  inhabits,  hold  it  in  utter 
detestation,  and  usually  term  it  the  vulture 
of  quadrupeds.  And  yet,  it  is  extraordinary 
enough,  that,  being  so  very  obnoxious  to  man, 
it  does  not  seem  to  fear  him.b  We  are  told 
by  Gemelin  of  one  of  these  coming  up  boldly 
and  calmly  where  there  were  several  persons 
at  work,  without  testifying  the  smallest  ap- 
prehension, or  attempting  to  run  until  it  had 
received  several  blows,  that  at  last  totally 
disabled  it.  In  all  probability  it  came  among 
them  seeking  its  prey;  and,  having  been  used 
to  attack  animals  of  inferior  strength,  it  had 
no  idea  of  a  force  superior  to  its  own.  The 
glutton,  like  all  the  rest  of  its  kind,  is  a  soli- 
tary animal ;  and  is  never  seen  in  company 
except  with  its  female,  with  which  it  couples 
in  the  midst  of  winter.  The  latter  goes  with 
young  about  four  months,  and  brings  forth  two 
or  three  at  a  time.  They  burrow  in  holes 
as  the  weasel  ;  and  the  male  and  female  are 
generally  found  together,  both  equally  reso- 
lute in  defence  of  their  young.  Upon  this 
occasion  the  boldest  dogs  are  afraid  to  ap- 
proach them;  they  fight  obstinately, and  bite 
most  cruelly.  However,  as  they  are  unable 
to  escape  by  flight,  the  hunters  come  to  the 
assistance  of  the  dogs,  and  easily  overpower 
them.  Their  flesh,  it  may  readily  be  supposed, 
is  not  fit  to  be  eaten ;  but  the  skins  amply  re- 
compense the  hunters  for  their  toil  and  dan- 
ger. The  fur  has  the  most  beautiful  lustre 
that  can  be  imagined,  and  is  preferred  betbre 
all  others,  except  that  of  the  Siberian  fox,  or 
the  sable.  Among  other  peculiarities  of  this 
animal,  Linnaeus  informs  us,  that  it  is  very 
difficult  to  be  skinned  :  but  from  what  cause, 
whether  its  abominable  stench,  or  the  skin's 
tenacity  to  the  flesh,  he  has  not  thought  fit 
to  inform  us. 

b  Buffon.        c  Linnzei  System,  p.  67 


THE  HARE  KIND. 


345 


AXIXtt AX.S  OF  THE  HAKE  SZND. 


INTRODUCTION. 


HAVING  described  in  the  last  chapter  a 
tribe  of  minute,  fierce,  rapacious  animals,  I 
come  now  to  a  race  of  minute  animals  of  a 
more  harmless  and  gentle  kind,  that,  without 
being  enemies  to  any,  are  preyed  upon  by  all. 
As  nature  has  fitted  the  former  for  hostility, 
so  it  has  entirely  formed  the  latter  for  evasion; 
and  as  the  one  kind  subsist  by  their  courage 
and  activity,  so  the  other  find  safety  from  their 
swiftness  and  their  fears.  The  hare  is  the 
swiftest  animal  in  the  world  for  the  time  it 
continues ;  and  few  quadrupeds  can  overtake 
even  the  rabbit  when  it  has  but  a  short  way 
to  run.  To  this  class  also  we  may  add  the 
squirrel,  somewhat  resembling  the  hare  and 
rabbit  in  its  form  and  nature,  and  equally  pret- 
ty, inoffensive,  and  pleasing. 

If  we  were  methodically  to  distinguish  ani- 
mals of  the  hare  kind  from  all  others,  we  might 
say  that  they  have  but  two  cutting  teeth  above 
and  two  below,  that  they  are  covered  with  a 
soft  downy  fur,  and  that  they  have  a  bushy 
tail.  The  combination  of  these  marks  might 
perhaps  distinguish  them  tolerably  well; 
whether  from  the  rat,  the  beaver,  the  otter, 
or  any  other  most  nearly  approaching  in  form. 
But,  as  I  have  declined  all  method  that  rather 
tend  to  embarrass  history  than  enlighten  it,  I 
am  contented  to  class  these  animals  together 
for  no  very  precise  reason,  but  because  I  find 
a  general  resemblance  between  them  in  their 
natural  habits,  and  in  the  shape  of  their  heads 
and  body.  I  call  a  squirrel  an  animal  of  the 
hare  kind,  because  it  is  something  like  a  hare. 
I  call  the  paca  of  the  same  kind,  merely  be- 
cause it  is  more  like  a  rabbit  than  any  other 
animal  I  know  of.  In  short,  it  is  fit  to  erect 
some  particular  standard  in  the  imagination 
of  the  reader,  to  refer  him  to  some  animal  that 
te  knows,  in  order  to  direct  him  in  conceiv- 


ing the  figure  of  such  as  he  does  not  know. 
Still,  however,  he  should  be  apprized  that  his 
knowledge  will  be  defective  without  an  ex- 
amination of  each  particular  species;  and  that 
saying  an  animal  is  of  this  or  that  particular 
kind,  is  but  a  very  trifling  part  of  its  history. 

Animals  of  the  hare  kind,  like  all  others 
that  feed  entirely  upon  vegetables,  are  inof- 
fensive and  timorous.  As  nature  furnishes 
them  with  a  most  abundant  supply,  they  have 
not  that  rapacity  after  food,  remarkable  in 
such  as  are  often  stinted  in  their  provision. 
They  are  extremely  active  and  amazingly 
swift,  to  which  they  chiefly  owe  their  protec- 
tion; for  being  the  prey  of  every  voracious 
animal,  they  are  incessantly  pursued.  The 
hare,  the  rabbit,  and  the  squirrel,  are  placed 
by  Pyerius,  in  his  Treatise  of  Ruminating  Ani- 
mals, among  the  number  of  those  that  chew 
the  cud ;  but  how  far  this  may  be  true,  I  will 
not  pretend  to  determine.  Certain  it  is,  that 
their  lips  continually  move,  whether  sleeping 
or  waking.  Nevertheless,  they  chew  their 
meat  very  much  before  they  swallow  it,  and 
for  that  reason  I  should  suppose  that  it  does 
not  want  a  second  mastication.  All  these 
animals  use  their  fore-paws  like  hands ;  they 
are  remarkably  salacious,  and  are  furnished 
by  nature  with  more  ample  powers  than  most 
others  for  the  business  of  propagation.  They 
are  so  very  prolific,  that  were  they  not  thin- 
ned by  the  constant  depredations  made  upon 
them  by  most  other  animals,  they  would  quick- 
ly over-run  the  earth 

THE  HARE. 

OF  all  these  the  hare  is  the  largest,  the 
most  persecuted,  and  the  most  timorous ;  all 


346 


ANIMALS  OF 


its  muscles  are  formed  for  swiftness ;  and  all 
its  senses  seem  only  given  to  direct  its  flight. 
It  has  very  large  prominent  eyes,  placed  back- 
wards in  its  head,  so  that  it  can  almost  see 
behind  it  as  it  runs.  These  are  never  wholly 
closed  ;  but  as  the  animal  is  continually  upon 
the  watch,  it  sleeps  with  them  open.  The 
ears  are  still  more  remarkable  for  their  size; 
they  are  moveable,  and  capable  of  being  di- 
rected to  every  quarter;  so  that  the  smallest 
sounds  are  readily  received,  and  the  animal's 
motions  directed  accordingly.  The  muscles 
of  the  body  are  very  strong,  and  without  fat, 
so  that  it  may  be  said  to  carry  no  superfluous 
burden  of  flesh  about  it ;  the  hinder  feet  are 
longer  than  the  fore,  which  still  adds  to  the 
rapidity  of  its  motions;  and  almost  all  animals 
that  are  remarkable  for  their  speed,  except 
the  horse,  are  formed  in  the  same  manner. 

An  animal  so  well  formed  for  a  life  of  es- 
cape might  be  supposed  to  enjoy  a  state  of 
tolerable  security;  but  as  every  rapacious 
creature  is  its  enemy,  it  but  very  seldom  lives 
out  its  natural  term.  Dogs  of  all  kinds  pur- 
sue it  by  instinct,  and  follow  the  hare  more 
eagerly  than  any  other  animal.  The  cat  and 
the  weasel  kinds  are  continually  lying  in 
ambush,  and  practising  all  their  little  arts  to 
seize  it ;  birds  of  prey  are  still  more  danger- 
ous enemies,  as  against  them  no  swiftness  can 
avail,  nor  retreat  secure ;  but  man,  an  enemy 
far  more  powerful  than  all,  prefers  its  flesh  to 
that  of  other  animals,  and  destroys  greater 
numbers  than  all  the  rest.  Thus  pursued 
and  persecuted  on  every  side,  the  race  would 
long  since  have  been  totally  extirpated,  did 
it  not  find  a  resource  in  its  amazing  fertility. 

The  hare  multiplies  exceedingly;  it  is  in 
a  state  of  engendering  at  a  few  months  old ; 
the  female  goes  with  young  but  thirty  days, 
and  generally  brings  forth  three  or  four  at  a 
time.*  As  soon  as  they  have  produced  their 
young  they  are  again  ready  for  conception, 
and  thus  do  not  lose  any  time  in  continuing 
the  breed.  But  they  are  in  another  respect 
fitted  in  an  extraordinary  mauner  for  multi- 
plying their  kind ;  for  the  female,  from  the 
conformation  of  her  womb,  is  often  seen  to 
bring  forth,  and  yet  to  continue  pregnant  at 
the  same  time ;  or,  in  other  words,  to  have 

»  BufTon,  vol.  xiii.  p.  12. 


young  ones  of  different  ages  in  her  womb  to- 
gether. Other  animals  never  receive  the 
male  when  pregnant,  but  bring  forth  their 
young  at  once.  But  it  is  frequently  different 
with  the  hare;  the  female  often,  though  al- 
ready impregnated,  admitting  the  male,  and 
thus  receiving  a  second  impregnation.  The 
reason  of  this  extraordinary  circumstance  is, 
that  the  womb  in  these  animals  is  divided  in 
such  a  manner  that  it  may  be  considered  as 
a  double  organ,  one  side  of  which  may  be 
filled  while  the  other  remains  empty.  Thus 
these  animals  may  be  seen  to  couple  at  every 
period  of  their  pregnancy,  and  even,  while 
they  are  bringing  forth  young,  laying  the  foun- 
dation of  another  brood. 

The  young  of  these  animals  are  brought 
forth  with  their  eyes  open,  and  the  dam 
suckles  them  lor  twenty  days,  after  which 
they  leave  her,  and  seek  out  for  themselves.* 
From  this  we  observe,  that  the  education 
these  animals  receive  is  but  trifling,  and  the 
family  connexion  but  of  a  short  duration.  In 
the  rapacious  kinds  the  dam  leads  .her  young 
forth  for  months  together;  teaches  them  the 
arN  of  rapine;  and,  although  she  wants  milk 
to  supply  them,  yet  keeps  them  under  her 
care  until  they  are  able  to  hunt  for  themselves. 
But  a  long  connexion  of  this  kind  would  be 
very  unnecessary  as  well  as  dangerous  to  the 
timid  animals  we  are  describing;  their  food 
is  easily  procured ;  and  their  associations, 
instead  of  protection,  would  only  expose  them 
to  their  pursuers.  They  seldom,  however, 
separate  far  from  each  other,  or  from  the 
place  where  they  were  produced;  but  in  ike 
each  a  form  at  some  distance,  having  a  pre- 
dilection rather  for  the  place  than  each  other'* 
society.  They  feed  during  the  night  rather 
than  by  day,  choosing  the  more  tender  bladei 
of  grass,  and  quenching  their  thirst  with  the 
dew.  They  live  also  upon  roots,  leaves,  fruits, 
and  corn,  and  prefer  such  plants  as  are  fur- 
nished with  a  milky  juice.  They  also  strip 
the  bark  of  trees  during  the  winter,  there 
being  scarce  any  that  they  will  not  feed  on, 
except  the  lime  or  the  alder.  They  are  par- 
tictiliirly  fond  of  birch,  pinks,  and  parsley. 
When  they  are  kept  tame,  they  are  fed  with 
lettuce  and  other  garden  herbs ;  but  the  flesh 

fe  Button,  vol.  xiii.  p.  12. 


THE  HARE  KIND. 


347 


of  such  as  are  thus  brought  up  is  always  indif- 
ferent. 

They  sleep  or  repose  in  their  forms  by  day, 
and  may  be  said  to  live  only  by  night."  It  is 
then  that  they  go  forth  to  feed  and  couple. 
They  do  not  pair,  however,  but  in  the  rutting- 
season,  which  begins  in  February  ;  the  male 
pursues  and  discovers  the  female  by  the  saga- 
city of  its  nose.  They  are  then  seen,  by  moon- 
light, playing,  skipping,  and  pursuing  each 
other ;  but  the  least  motion,  the  slightest  breeze, 
the  falling  of  a  leaf  is  sufficient  to  disturb  their 
revels ;  they  instantly  fly  off,  and  each  takes  a 
separate  way. 

As  their  limbs  are  made  for  running,  they 
easily  outstrip  all  other  animals  in  the  begin- 
ning ;  and  could  they  preserve  their  speed,  it 
would  be  impossible  to  overtake  them  ;  but  as 
they  exhaust  their  strength  at  their  first  ef- 
forts, and  double  back  to  the  place  they  were 
started  from,  they  are  more  easily  taken  than 
the  fox,  which  is  a  much  slower  animal  than 
they.  As  fheir  hind  legs  are  longer  than  the 
fore,  they  always  choose  to  turn  up  hill,  by 
which  the  speed  of  their  pursuers  is  diminished, 
while  theirs  remain  the  same.  Their  motions 
are  also  without  any  noise,  as  they  have  the 
sole  of  the  foot  furnished  with  hair;  and  they 
seem  the  only  animals  that  have  hair  on  the  in- 
side of  their  mouths. 

They  seldom  live  above  seven  or  eight  years 
at  the  utmost ;  they  come  to  their  full  perfec- 
tion in  a  year ;  and  this  multiplied  by  seven, 
as  in  other  animals,  gives  the  extent  of  their' 
li\res.b  It  is  said,  however,  that  the  females 
live  longer  than  the  males:  of  this  Mr.  Buffbn 
makes  a  doubt ;  but  I  am  assured  that  it  is  so. 
They  pass  their  lives,  in  our  climate,  in  solitude 
and  silence ;  and  they  seldom  are  heard  to  cry. 
except  when  they  are  seized  or  wounded. 
Their  voice  is  not  so  sharp  as  the  note  of  some 
other  animals,  but  more  nearly  approaching 
that  of  the  squalling  of  a  child.  They  are  not 
so  wild  as  their  dispositions  and  their  habits 
seem  to  indicate ;  but  are  of  a  complying  na- 
ture, and  easily  susceptible  of  a  kind  of  edu- 
cation. They  are  easily  tamed.  They  even 
become  fond  and  caressing,  but  they  are  inca- 
pable of  attachment  to  any  particular  person, 
and  never  can  be  depended  upon  ;  for,  though 
taken  never  so  young,  they  regain  their  native 


a  Buffbn,  vol.  xiii.  p.  12. 
No.  29  &  30. 


Ibid. 


freedom  at  the  first  opportunity.  As  they  have 
a  remarkable  good  ear,  and  sit  upon  their  hind 
legs,  and  use  their  fore-paws  as  hands,  they 
have  been  taught  to  beat  the  drum,  to  dunce 
to  music,  and  go  through  the  manual  exercise. 
But  their  natural  instincts  for  their  preser- 
vation are  much  more  extraordinary  than  those 
artificial  tricks  that  are  taught  them.  They 
make  themselves  a  form,  particularly  in  those 
places  where  the  colour  of  the  grass  most  re- 
sembles that  of  their  skin ;  it  is  open  to  the 
south  in  winter,  and  to  the  north  in  summer. 
The  hare,  when  it  hears  the  hounds  at  a  dis- 
tance, flies  for  some  time  through  a  natural  im- 
pulse, without  managing  its  strength,  or  con- 
sulting any  other  means  but  speed  for  its  safe- 
ty. Having  attained  some  hill  or  rising  ground, 
and  left  the  dogs  so  far  behind  that  it  no  lon- 
ger hears  their  cries,  it  stops,  rears  on  its  hin- 
der legs,  and  at  length  looks  back  to  see  if  it 
has  not  lost  its  pursuers.  But  these,  having 
once  fallen  upon  the  scent,  pursue  slowly  and 
with  united  skill,  and  the  poor  animal  soon 
again  hears  the  fatal  tidings  of  their  approach. 
Sometimes  when  sore  hunted  it  will  start  a 
fresh  hare,  and  squat  in  the  same  form  ;  some- 
times it  will  creep  under  the  door  of  a  sheep- 
cot,  and  hide  among  the  sheep ;  sometimes  it 
will  run  among  them,  and  no  vigilance  can 
drive  it  from  the  flock  ;  some  will  enter  holes 
like  the  rabbit,  which  the  hunters  call  going  to 
vault ;  some  will  go  up  one  side  of  the  hedge 
and  come  down  the  other ;  and  it  has  been 
known  that  a  hare  sorely  hunted  has  got  upon 
the  top  of  a  quick-set  hedge,  and  run  a  good 
way  thereon,  by  which  it  has  effectually  evad- 
ed the  hounds.  It  is  no  unusual  thing  also 
for  them  to  betake  themselves  to  furze  bushes, 
and  to  leap  from  one  to  another,  by  which  the 
dogs  are  frequently  misled.  However,  the 
first  doubling  a  hare  makes  is  generally  a  key 
to  all  its  future  attempts  of  that  kind,  the  lat- 
ter being  exactly  like  the  former.  The  young 
hares  tread  heavier,  and  leave  a  stronger  scent 
than  the  old,  because  their  limbs  are  weaker  ; 
and  the  more  this  forlorn  creature  tires,  the 
heavier  it  treads,  and  the  stronger  is  the  scent 
it  leaves.  A  buck,  or  male  hare,  is  known  by 
its  choosing  to  run  upon  hard  high-ways,  feed- 
ing farther  from  the  wood-sides,  and  making 
its  doubling  of  a  greater  compass  than  the  fe- 
male. The  male  having  made  a  turn  or  two 
about  its  form,  frequently  leads  the  hounds  five 
SH 


348 


ANIMALS  OF 


or  six  miles  on  a  stretch  ;  but  the  female  keeps 
close  by  some  covert  side,  turns,  crosses,  and 
winds  among  the  bushes  like  a  rabbit,  and  sel- 
dom runs  directly  forward.  In  general,  how- 
ever, both  male  and  female  regulate  their  con- 
duct according  to  the  weather.  In  a  moist 
day  they  hold  by  the  highways  more  than  at 
any  other  time,  because  the  scent  is  then  strong- 
est upon  the  grass.  If  they  come  to  the  side 
of  a  grove  or  spring,  they  forbear  to  enter ;  but 
squat  down  by  the  side  thereof  until  the  hounds 
have  overshot  them  ;  and  then,  turning  along 
their  former  path,  make  to  thoir  old  form,  from 
which  they  vainly  hope  for  protection. 

Hares  are   divided,    by  the    hunters,    into 
mountain  and  measled  hares.     The  former  are 
more  swift,  vigorous,  and  have  the  flesh  bet- 
ter   tasted ;   the    latter    chiefly    frequent    the 
marshes,    when    hunted    keep    among    low 
grounds,  and  their  flesh  is  moist,  white,  and 
flabby.     When  the  male  and  female  keep  one 
particular  spot,  they  will  not  suffer  any  strange 
hare  to  make  its  form  in  the  same  quarter,  so 
that  it  is  usually  said,  that  the  more  you  hunt, 
the  more  hares  you  shall  have  ;  for,  having 
killed  one  hare,  others  come  and  take  posses- 
sion of  its  form.     Many  of  these  animals  are 
found  to  live  in  woods  and  thickets,  but  they 
are  naturally  fonder  of  the  open  country,  and 
are  constrained  only  by  fear  to  take  shelter  in 
places  that  afford  them  neither  a  warm  sun 
nor  an  agreeable  pasture.  They  are,  therefore, 
usually  seen  stealing  out  of  the  edges  of  the 
wood  to  taste  the  grass  that  grows  shorter  and 
sweeter  in  the  open  fields  than  under  the  shade 
of  the  trees;  however,  they  seldom  miss  of  being 
pursued  ;  and  every  excursion  is  a  new  adven- 
ture.    They  are  shot  at  by  poachers  ;  traced 
by  their  footsteps  in  the  snow ;  caught  in  sprin- 
ges ;  dogs,  birds,  and  cats,  are  all  combined 
against  them;  ants,  snakes,  and  adders,  drive 
them  from  their  forms,  especially  in  summer ; 
even  fleas,  from  which  most  other  animals  are 
free,  persecute  this  poor  creature ;  and,  so  va- 
rious are  its  enemies,  that  it  is  seldom  permit- 
ted to  reach  even  that  short  term  to  which  it 
is  limited  by  nature. 

The  soil  and  climate  have  their  influence 
upon  this  animal  as  well  as  on  most  others. 
In  the  countries  bordering  on  the  north  pole, 
they  become  white  in  winter,  and  are  often  seen 
in  great  troops  of  four  or  five  hundred,  run- 
along  the  banks  of  the  river  Irtish,  or  the 


mug 


Jenisca,  and  are  white  as  the  snow  they  tread 
on.  They  are  caught  in  traps  for  the  sake  of 
their  skins,  which,  on  the  spot,  are  sold  for 
less  than  seven  shillings  a  hundred.  Their 
fur  is  well  known  to  form  a  considerable  ar- 
ticle in  the  hat  manufacture ;  and  we  accord- 
ingly import  vast  quantities  of  it  from  those 
countries  where  the  hare  abounds  in  such  plen- 
ty. They  are  found  also  entirely  black,  but 
these  in  much  less  quantities  than  the  former ;' 
and  even  some  have  been  seen  with  horns, 
though  these  but  rarely.b 

The  hares  of  the  hot  countries,  particularly 
in  Italy,  Spain,  and  Barbary,  are  smaller  than 
ours :  those  bred  in  the  Milanese  country  are 
said  to  be  the  best  in  Europe.0     There  is  scarce 
a  country  where  this  animal  is  not  to  be  found, 
from  the  torrid  zone  to  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  polar  circle.    The  natives  of  Guinea  knock 
them  on  the  head  as  they  come  down  to  the 
sides  of  the  rivers  to  drink.     They  also  sur- 
round the  place  where  they  are  seen  in  num- 
bers, and  clattering  a  short  stick,  which  every 
man  carries,  against  that  which  the    person 
next  him  carries,    they  diminish  their   circle 
gradually,  till  the  hares  are  cooped  up  in  the 
midst.  They  then  altogether  throw  their  sticks 
in  among  them,  and  with  such  deadly  force, 
that  they  seldom  fail  of  killing  great  numbers 
at  a  time." 

The  flesh  of  this  animal  has  been  esteemed 
as  a  delicacy  among  some  nations,  and  is  held 
in  detestation  by  others.  The  Jews,  the  an- 
cient Britons,  and  the  Mahometans,  all  con- 
sidered it  as  an  unclean  animal,  and  religious- 
ly abstained  from  it.  On  the  contrary,  there 
are  scarce  any  other  people,  however  barba- 
rous at  present,  that  do  not  consider  it  as  the 
most  agreeable  food.  Fashion  seems  to  pre- 
side and  govern  all  the  senses ;  what  mankind 
at  one  time  consider  as  beautiful,  fragrant,  or 
savoury,  may  at  another  time,  or  among  other 
nations,  be  regarded  as  deformed,  disgustful, 
or  ill-tasted.  That  flesh  which  the  ancient 
Romans  so  much  admired  as  to  call  it  the  food 
of  the  wise,  was,  among  the  Jews  and  the 
Druids,  thought  unfit  to  be  eaten  ;  and  even 
the  moderns,  who,  like  the  Romans,  consider 
the  flesh  of  this  animal  as  a  delicacy,  have 

a  Klein.  Disp.  Quadrup.  p.  52.  b  Johnston  de 

Quadrup.  L.  ii.  C.  2.  c  Dictionaire  Raisonee  Liever. 

d  Hist.  Gen.  des  Voyages,  torn.  iv.  p.  171. 


THE  HARE  KIND. 


349 


very  different  ideas  as  to  dressing  it.  With  us 
it  is  simply  served  up  without  much  seasoning; 
but  Apicius  shows  us  the  manner  of  dressing 
a  hare  in  true  Roman  taste,  with  p  rslcy,  rice, 
vinegar,  cummin  seed,  and  coriander." 


THE  RABBIT. 

THE  hare  and  the  rabbit,  though  so  very 
nearly  resembling  each  other  in  form  and  dis- 
position, are  yet  distinct  kinds,  as  they  refuse 
to  mix  with  each  other.  Mr.  Buffbn  bred  up 
several  of  both  kinds  in  the  same  place;  but 
from  being  at  first  indifferent,  they  soon  be- 
came enemies;  and  their  combats  were  ge- 
nerally continued  until  one  of  them  was  dis- 
abled or  destroyed.  However,  though  these 
experiments  were  not  attended  with  success, 
I  am  assured  that  nothing  is  more  frequent 
than  an  animal  bred  between  these  two,  but 
which,  like  the  mule,  is  marked  with  sterility. 
Nay,  it  has  been  actually  known  that  the  rab- 
bit couples  with  animals  of  a  much  more  dis- 
tant nature ;  and  there  is  at  present  in  the 
Museum  at  Brussels,  a  creature  covered  with 
feathers  and  hair,  and  said  to  be  bred  be- 
tween a  rabbit  and  a  hen.  The  fecundity  of 
the  rabbit  is  still  greater  than  that  of  the  hare; 
and  if  we  should  calculate  the  produce  from 
a  single  pair  in  one  year,  the  number  would 
be  amazing.  They  breed  seven  times  in  a 
year,  and  bring  eight  young  ones  each  time. 
On  a  supposition,  therefore,  that  this  happens 
regularly,  at  the  end  of  four  years,  a  couple 
of  rabbits  shall  see  a  progeny  of  almost  a 
million  and  a  half.  From  hence  we  must 
justly  apprehend  being  overstocked  by  their 
increase;  but,  happily  for  mankind,  their  ene- 
mies are  numerous,  and  their  nature  inoffen- 
sive; so  that  their  destruction  bears  a  near 
proportion  to  their  fertility. 

But  although  their  numbers  be  diminished 
by  every  beast  and  bird  of  prey,  and  still 
more  by  man  himself,  yet  there  is  no  danger 
of  their  extirpation.  The  hare  is  a  poor,  de- 
fenceless animal,  that  has  nothing  but  its 
swiftness  to  depend  on  for  safety ;  its  num- 
bers are,  therefore,  every  day  decreasing; 
and  in  countries  that  are  well  peopled,  the 

*  Yid.  Apicii,  &c. 


species  are  so  much  kept  under,  that  laws  are 
made  for  their  preservation.  Still,  however, 
it  is  most  likely  that  they  will  be  at  last  total- 
ly destroyed ;  and,  like  the  wolf  or  the  elk  in 
some  countries,  be  only  kept  in  remembrance. 
But  it  is  otherwise  with  the  rabbit,  its  fecun- 
dity being  greater,  and  its  means  of  safety 
more  certain.  The  hare  seems  to  have  more 
various  arts  and  instincts  to  escape  its  pur- 
suers, by  doubling,  squatting,  and  winding; 
the  rabbit  has  but  one  art  of  defence  alone, 
but  in  that  one  finds  safety;  by  making  it- 
self a  hole,  where  it  continues  a  great  part  of 
the  day,  and  breeds  up  its  young;  there  it 
continues  secure  from  the  fox,  the  hound,  the 
kite,  and  every  other  enemy. 

Nevertheless,  though  this  retreat  be  safe 
and  convenient,  the  rabbit  does  not  seem  to 
be  naturally  fond  of  keeping  there.  It  loves 
the  sunny  field  and  the  open  pasture;  it  seems 
to  be  a  chilly  animal,  and  dislikes  the  cold- 
ness of  its  underground  habitation.  It  is, 
therefore,  continually  out,  when  it  does  not 
fear  disturbance ;  and  the  female  often  brings 
forth  her  young  at  a  distance  from  the  war- 
ren, in  a  hole,  not  above  a  foot  deep  at  the 
most.  There  she  suckles  them  for  about  a 
month,  covering  them  over  with  moss  and 
grass,  whenever  she  goes  to  pasture,  and 
scratching  them  up  at  her  return.  It  has  been 
said,  indeed,  that  this  shallow  hole  without 
the  warren,  is  made  lest  the  male  should  at- 
tack and  destroy  her  young;  but  I  have  seen 
the  male  himself  attend  the  young  there, 
lead  them  out  to  feed,  and  conduct  them 
back  upon  the  return  of  the  dam.  This  ex- 
ternal retreat  seems  a  kind  of  country  house, 
at  a  distance  from  the  general  habitation;  it 
is  usually  made  near  some  spot  of  excellent 
pasture,  or  in  the  midst  of  a  field  of  sprouting 
corn.  To  this  both  male  and  female  often  re- 
tire from  the  warren;  lead  their  young  by 
night  to  the  food  which  lies  so  convenient, 
and,  if  not  disturbed,  continue  there  till  they 
are  grown  up.  There  they  find  a  greater 
variety  of  pasture  than  near  the  warren, 
which  is  generally  eaten  bare ;  and  enjoy  a 
warmer  sun,  by  covering  themselves  up  in  a 
shallower  hole.  Whenever  they  are  disturb- 
ed, they  then  forsake  their  retreat  of  pleasure 
for  one  of  safety ;  they  fly  to  the  warren  with 
their  utmost  speed ;  and  if  the  way  be  short, 

3H» 


350 


ANIMALS  OF 


there  is  scarce  any  dog,  how  swift  soever, 
that  can  overtake  them. 

But  it  does  not  always  happen  that  these 
animals  are  possessed  of  one  of  these  external 
apartments ;  they  most  usually  bring  forth 
their  young  in  the  warren,  but  always  in  a  hole 
separate  from  the  male.  On  these  occasions, 
the  female  digs  herself  a  hole,a  different  from 
the  ordinary  one,  by  being  more  intricate  ;  at 
the  bottom  of  which  she  makes  a  more  ample 
apartment.  This  done,  she  pulls  off  from  her 
belly  a  good  quantity  of  her  hair,  with  which 
she  makes  a  kind  of  bed  for  her  young.  Dur- 
ing the  two  first  days  she  never  leaves  them  ; 
and  does  not  stir  out  but  to  procure  nourish- 
ment, which  she  takes  with  the  utmost  des- 
patch ;  in  this  manner  suckling  her  young  for 
near  six  weeks,  until  they  are  strong,  and  able 
to  go  abroad  themselves.  During  all  this  time, 
the  male  seldom  visits  their  separate  apart- 
ment ;  but  when  they  are  grown  up,  so  as  to 
come  to  the  mouth  of  the  hole,  he  then  seems 
to  acknowledge  them  as  his  offspring,  takes 
them  between  his  paws,  smooths  their  skin, 
and  licks  their  eyes  ;  all  of  them,  one  after  the 
other,  have  an  equal  share  in  his  caresses. 

In  this  manner  the  rabbit,  when  wild,  con- 
sults its  pleasuie  and  its  safety  :  but  those  that 
are  bred  up  tame,  do  not  take  the  trouble  of 
digging  a  hole,  conscious  of  being  already 
protected.  It  has  also  been  observed,15  that 
when  people,  to  make  a  warren,  stock  it  with 
tame  rabbits,  these  animals,  having  been  unac- 
customed to  the  art  of  scraping  a  hole,  continue 
exposed  to  the  weather,  and  every  other  acci- 
dent, without  ever  burrowing.  Their  immediate 
offspring  also  are  equally  regardless  of  their 
safety :  and  it  is  not  till  after  two  or  three 
generations,  that  these  animals  begin  to  find 
the  necessity  and  convenience  of  an  asylum, 
and  practise  an  art  which  they  could  only 
learn  from  nature. 

Rabbits  of  the  domestic  breed,  like  all  other 
animals  that  are  under  the  protection  of  man, 
are  of  various  colours  ;  white,  brown,  black, 
and  mouse-colour.  The  black  are  the  most 
scarce  ;  the  brown,  white,  and  mouse-colour, 
are  in  greater  plenty.  Most  of  the  wHd  rab- 
bits are  of  a  brown,  and  it  is  the  colour  which 
prevails  among  the  species  ;  for  in  every  nest 
of  rabbits,  whether  the  parents  be  black  or 


»  Buflbn. 


Ibid. 


white,  there  are  some  brown  ones  found  of  the 
number.  But,  in  England,  there  are  many 
warrens  stocked  with  the  mouse-colour  kinds, 
which,  some  say,  came  originally  from  an 
island  in  the  river  H  umber,  and  which  still 
continue  their  original  colour,  after  a  great 
number  of  successive  generations.  A  gentlc- 
man,c  who  bred  up  tame  rabbits  for  his  amuse- 
ment, gives  the  following  account  of  their  pro- 
duction :  "  I  began,"  says  he,  "  by  having  but 
one  male  and  female  only  ;  the  male  was  en- 
tirely white,  and  the  female  brown  ;  but,  in 
their  posterity,  the  number  of  the  brown  by  far 
exceeded  those  of  any  other  colour  :  (here 
were  some  white,  some  party-coloured,  and 
some  black.  It  is  surprising  how  much  the 
descendants  were  obedient  and  submissive  to 
their  common  parent  ;  he  was  easily  distin- 
guished from  the  rest  by  his  superior  \\  hitc- 
ness  ;  and,  however  numerous  (he  other  males 
were,  this  kept  them  all  in  subjection.  W  hen- 
ever  they  quarrelled  among  each  other,  either 
for  their  females  or  provisions,  as  soon  as  he 
heard  the  noise  he  ran  up  to  them  with  all 
despatch,  and,  upon  his  appearance,  all  was 
instantly  reduced  to  peace  and  order.  If  he 
caught  any  of  them  in  the  fact,  he  instantly 
punished  them,  as  an  example  to  the  rest. 
Another  instance  of  his  superiority  was,  that 
having  accustomed  them  to  come  to  me  with 
the  call  of  a  whistle,  the  instant  this  signal  was 
given,  I  saw  him  marshalling  them  up,  leading 
them  the  foremost,  and  then  suffering  them  all 
to  file  off  before  him." 

The  rabbit,*1  though  less  than  the  hare, 
generally  lives  longer.  As  these  animals  pass 
the  greater  part  of  their  lives  in  their  burrow, 
where  they  continue  at  ease  and  unmolested, 
they  have  nothing  to  prevent  the  regularity  of 
their  health,  or  the  due  course  of  their  nourish- 
ment. They  are,  therefore,  generally  found 
fatter  than  the  hare  ;  but  their  flesh  is,  notwith- 
standing, much  less  delicate.  That  of  the  old 
ones,  in  particular,  is  hard,  tough,  and  dry;  but 
it  is  said,  that  in  warmer  countries,  they  are  bet- 
ter tasted.  This  may  very  well  be,  as  the 
rabbit,  though  so  very  plentiful  in  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  is,  nevertheless,  a  native 
of  the  warmer  climates:  and  has  been  origin- 
ally imported  into  these  kingdoms  from  Spain. 
In  that  country,  and  in  some  of  the  islands  in 


Mr.  Moutier,  as  quoted  by  Mr.  Buffbn. 


Ibid. 


THE  HARE  KIND. 


351 


the  Mediterranean,  we  are  told  that  they  once 
m  i!  ijilied  in  such  numbers  as  to  prove  the 
greatest  nuisance  to  the  natives.  They  at  first 
demanded  military  aid  to  destroy  them  ;  but 
soon  after  they  called  in  the  assistance  of  fer- 
rets, which  originally  came  from  Africa,  and 
these,  with  much  more  ease  and  expedition, 
contrived  to  lessen  the  calamity.  In  fact, 
rabbits  are  found  to  love  a  warm  climate,  and 
to  be  incapable  of  bearing  the  cold  of  the 
north  ;  so  that  in  Sweden  they  are  obliged  to 
be  littered  in  the  houses.  It  is  otherwise  in  all 
the  tropical  climates,  where  they  are  extremely 
common,  and  where  they  seldom  burrow,  as 
with  us.  The  English  counties  that  are  most 
noted  for  these  animals,  are  Lincolnshire,  Nor- 
folk, and  Cambridgeshire.  They  delight  in 
grounds  of  a  sandy  soil,  which  are  warmer  than 
those  of  clay  ;  and  which  also  furnish  a  softer 
and  finer  pasture. 

The  tame  rabbits  are  larger  than  the  wild 
ones,  from  their  taking  more  nourishment,  and 
using  less  exercise ;  but  their  flesh  is  not  so 
good,  being  more  insipid  and  softer.  In  order 
to  improve  it,  they  are  chiefly  fed  upon  bran, 
and  are  stinted  in  their  water  ;  for  if  indulged 
in  too  great  plenty  of  moist  food,  they  are  apt, 
as  the  feeders  express  it,  to  grow  rotten.  The 
hair  or  fur  is  a  very  useful  commodity,  and  is 
employed  in  England  for  several  purposes,  as 
well  when  the  skin  is  dressed  with  it  on,  as 
when  it  is  pulled  off.  The  skins,  especially 
the  white,  are  used  for  lining  clothes,  and  are 
considered  as  a  cheap  imitation  of  ermine. 
The  skin  of  the  male  is  usually  preferred,  as 
being  the  most  lasting,  but  it  is  coarser  ;  that 
on  the  belly  in  either  sex,  is  the  best  and  finest. 
But  the  chief  use  made  of  rabbit's  fur,  is  in  the 
manufacture  of  hats ;  it  is  always  mixed,  in 
certain  proportions,  with  the  fur  of  the  beaver ; 
and  it  is  said  to  give  the  latter  more  strength 
and  consistence. 

The  Syrian  rabbit,  like  all  other  animals 
bred  in  that  country,  is  remarkable  for  the 
length  of  its  hair ;  it  falls  along  the  sides  in 
wavy  wreaths,  and  is,  in  some  places,  curled 
at  the  end,  like  wool ;  it  is  shed  once  a  year 
in  large  masses  ;  and  it  often  happens  that  the 
rabbit,  dragging  a  part  of  its  robe  on  the 
ground,  appears  as  if  it  had  got  another  leg,  or 
a  longer  tail.  There  are  no  rabbits  naturally 
in  America ;  however,  those  that  have  been 
carried  from  Europe,  are  found  to  multiply  in 


the  West  India  islands  in  great  abundance. 
In  other  parts  of  that  continent,  they  have  ani- 
mals that  in  some  measure  resemble  the  rab- 
bits of  Europe ;  and  which  most  European 
travellers  have  often  called  hares  or  rabbit*,  as 
they  happened  to  be  large  or  small.  Their 
giving  them  even  the  name  will  be  a  sufficient 
excuse  for  my  placing  them  among  animals  of 
the  hare  kind ;  although  they  may  differ  in  many 
of  the  most  essential  particulars.  But  before 
we  go  to  the  new  continent,  we  will  first  ex- 
amine such  as  bear  even  a  distant  resemblance 
to  the  hare  kind  at  home. 


THE  SQUIRREL. 

THERE  are  few  readers  that  are  not  so  well 
acquainted  with  the  figure  of  a  Squirrel  as 
that  of  the  rabbit ;  but  supposing  it  unknown 
to  any,  we  might  give  them  some  idea  of  its 
form,  by  comparing  it  to  a  rabbit,  with  shorter 
ears,  and  a  longer  tail.  The  tail,  indeed,  is 
alone  sufficient  to  distinguish  it  from  all  others, 
as  it  is  extremely  long,  beautiful,  and  bushy, 
spreading  like  a  fan,  and  which,  when  thrown 
up  behind,  covers  the  whole  body.  This 
serves  the  little  animal  for  a  double  purpose ; 
when  erected,  it  serves,  like  an  umbrella,  as  a 
secure  protection  from  the  injuries  of  the  heat 
and  cold ;  and  when  extended,  it  is  very  in- 
strumental in  promoting  these  vast  leaps  that 
the  squirrel  takes  from  tree  to  tree ;  nay,  some 
assert  that  it  answers  still  a  third  purpose,  and 
when  the  squirrel  takes  to  the  water,  which  it 
sometimes  does  upon  a  piece  of  bark,  that  its 
tail  serves  it  instead  of  a  sail." 

There  are  few  wild  animals  in  which  there 
are  so  many  varieties  as  in  the  squirrel.  The 
common  squirrel  is  of  the  size  of  a  small  rabbit, 
and  is  rather  of  a  more  reddish  brown. 

The  belly  and  breast  are  white ;  and  the 
ears  beautifully  ornamented  with  long  tufts  of 
hair,  of  a  deeper  colour  than  that  on  the  body. 
The  eyes  are  large,  black,  and  lively  ;  the  legs 
are  short  and  muscular,  like  those  of  the  rab- 
bit ;  but  the  toes  longer,  and  the  claws  sharp- 
er, so  as  to  fit  it  for  climbing.  When  it  eats, 
or  dresses  itself,  it  sits  erect,  like  the  hare  or 
rabbit,  making  use  of  its  fore  legs  as  hands  ; 
and  chiefly  resides  in  trees.  The  gray  Vir- 

»  Klein.    Linnaeus. 


352 


ANIMALS  OF 


squirrel,  which  Mr.  BufFon  calls  the  petit 
gris,  is  larger  than  a  rabbit,  and  of  a  grayish 
colour.  Its  body  and  limbs  are  thicker  than 
those  of  the  common  squirrel ;  and  its  ears 
are  shorter,  and  without  tufts  at  the  point. 
The  upper  part  of  the  body,  and  external 
part  of  the  legs,  are  of  a  fine  whitish  gray, 
with  abeautiful  red  streak  oneach  side  length- 
ways. The  tail  is  covered  with  very  long 
gray  hair,  variegated  with  black  and  white 
towards  the  extremity.  This  variety  seems 
to  be  common  to  both  continents;  and  in  Swe- 
den is  seen  to  change  colour  in  winter.  The 
Barbary  squirrel,  of  which  Mr.  BufFon  makes 
three  varieties,  is  of  a  mixed  colour,  between 
red  and  black.  Along  the  sides  there  are 
white  and  brown  lines,  which  render  this  ani- 
mal very  beautiful;  but  what  still  adds  to  its 
elegance  is,  that  the  belly  is  of  a  sky  blue, 
surrounded  with  white.  Some  of  these  hold 
up  the  tail  erect ;  and  others  throw  it  forward 
over  their  body.  The  Siberian  white  squirrel 
is  of  the  size  of  a  common  squirrel.  The 
Carolina  black  squirrel  is  much  bigger  than  the 
former,  and  sometimes  tipped  with  white  at 
all  the  extremities.  The  Brasilian  squirrel, 
which  Mr.  Buffbn  calls  the  coquallin,  is  a  beau- 
tiful animal  of  this  kind,  and  very  remarkable 
for  the  variety  of  its  colours.  Its  belty  is  of 
a  bright  yellow ;  its  head  and  body  variegated 
with  white,  black,  brown,  and  orange  colour. 
It  wants  the  tufts  at  the  extremity  of  its  ears ; 
and  does  not  climb  trees,  as  most  of  the  kind 
are  seen  to  do.  To  this  list  may  be  added 
the  little  ground  squirrel  of  Carolina,  of  a  red- 
dish colour,  and  blackish  stripes  on  each  side; 
and  like  the  former,  not  delighting  in  trees. 
Lastly,  the  squirrel  of  New  Spain,  which  is  of 
a  deep  iron-gray  colour,  with  seven  longitu- 
dinal whitish  streaks  along  the  sides  of  the 
male,  and  five  along  those  of  the  female.  As 
for  the  flying  squirrels,  they  are  of  a  distinct 
kind,  and  shall  be  treated  of  by  themselves. 
These,  which  I  suppose  to  be  but  a  few  of  the 
numerous  varieties  of  the  squirrel,  sufficiently 
serve  to  show  how  extensively  this  animal  is 
diffused  over  all  parts  of  the  world.  It  is  not 
to  be  supposed,  however,  that  every  variety 
is  capable  of  sustaining  every  climate;  for 
few  animals  are  so  tender,  or  so  little  able  to 
endure  a  change  of  abode,  as  this.  Those 
bred  in  the  tropical  climates,  will  only  live 


near  a  warm  sun;  while,  on  the  contrary, 
the  squirrel  of  Siberia  will  scarce'endure  the 
temperature  of  ours.  These  varieties  do  not 
only  differ  in  their  constitutions  and  colour, 
but  in  their  dispositions  also;  for  while  some 
live  on  the  tops  of  trees,  others  feed,  like  rab- 
bits, on  vegetables  below.  Whether  any  of 
these,  so  variously  coloured,  and  so  different- 
ly disposed,  would  breed  among  each  other, 
we  cannot  tell :  and  since,  therefore,  we  are 
left  in  uncertainty  upon  this  point,  we  are 
at  liberty  either  to  consider  each  as  distinct 
species  by  itself;  or  only  a  variety,  that  ac- 
cident might  have  originally  produced,  and 
that  the  climate  or  soil  might  have  continued. 
For  my  own  part,  as  the  original  character 
of  the  squirrel  is  so  strongly  marked  upon 
them  all,  I  cannot  help  considering  them  in 
the  latter  point  of  view ;  rather  as  the  com- 
mon descendants  of  one  parent,  than  original- 
ly formed  with  such  distinct  similitudes. 

The  squirrel  is  a  beautiful  little  animal,' 
which  is  but  half  savage ;  and  which,  from 
the  gentleness  and  innocence  of  its  manners, 
deserves  our  protection.  It  is  neither  car- 
nivorous nor  hurtful :  its  usual  food  is  fruits, 
nuts,  and  acorns ;  it  is  cleanly,  nimble,  active, 
and  industrious;  its  eyes  are  sparkling,  and 
its  physiognomy  marked  with  meaning.  It 
generally,  like  the  hare  and  rabbit,  sits  up  on 
its  hinder  legs;  and  uses  the  fore  paws  as 
hands ;  these  have  five  .claws  or  toes,  as  they 
are  called,  and  one  of  them  is  separated  from 
the  rest  like  a  thumb.  This  animal  seems 
to  approach  the  nature  of  birds,  from  its  light- 
ness, and  surprising  agility  on  the  tops  of  trees. 
It  seldom  descends  to  the  ground,  except  in 
case  of  storm,  but  jumps  from  one  branch  to 
another ;  feeds,  in  spring,  on  the  buds  and 
young  shoots ;  in  summer,  on  the  ripening 
fruits ;  and  particularly  the  young  cones  of 
the  pine-tree.  In  autumn  it  has  an  extensive 
variety  to  feast  upon ;  the  acorn,  the  filbert, 
I  the  chesnut,  and  the  wilding.  This  season  of 
plenty,  however,  is  not  spent  in  idle  enjoy- 
ment; the  provident  little  animal  gathers  at 
that  time  its  provisions  for  the  winter;  and 
cautiously  foresees  the  season  when  the  forest 
shall  be  stripped  of  its  leaves  and  fruitage. 
Its  nest  is  generally  formed  among  the  large 

a  Button. 


THE  HARE  KIND. 


353 


branches  of  a  great  tree,  where  they  begin  to 
fork  off  in  small  ones.  After  choosing  the 
place  where  the  timber  begins  to  decay,  and 
an  hollow  may  the  more  easily  be  formed, 
the  squirrel  begins  by  making  a  kind  of  a 
level  between  the  forks ;  and  then  bringing 
moss,  twigs,  and  dry  leaves,  it  binds  them  to- 
gether with  great  art,  so  as  to  resist  the  most 
violent  storm.  This  is  covered  up  on  all 
sides;  and  has  but  a  single  opening  at  top, 
which  is  just  large  enough  to  admit  the  little 
animal ;  and  this  opening  is  itself  defended 
from  the  weather  by  a  kind  of  canopy,  made 
in  the  fashion  of  a  cone,  so  that  it  throws  off 
the  rain,  though  never  so  heavy.  The  nest 
thus  formed,  with  a  very  little  opening  above, 
is,  nevertheless,  very  commodious  and  roomy 
below ;  soft,  well  knit  together,  and  every  way 
convenient  and  warm.  In  this  retreat  the 
little  animal  brings  forth  its  young,  shelters 
itself  from  the  scorching  heat  of  the  sun, 
which  it  seems  to  fear,  and  from  the  storms 
and  inclemency  of  winter,  which  it  is  still  less 
capable  of  supporting.  Its  provision  of  nuts 
and  acorns  is  seldom  in  its  nest,  but  in  the 
hollows  of  the  tree,  laid  up  carefully  together, 
and  never  touched  but  in  cases  of  necessity. 
Thus  one  single  tree  serves  for  a  retreat  and 
a  store-house;  and  without  leaving  it  during 
the  winter,  the  squirrel  possesses  all  those  en- 
joyments that  its  nature  is  capable  of  receiv- 
ing. But  it  sometimes  happens  that  its  little 
mansion  is  attacked  by  a  deadly  and  power- 
ful foe.  The  martin  goes  often  in  quest  of  a 
retreat  for  its  young,  which  it  is  incapable  of 
making  for  itself;  for  this  reason  it  fixes  upon 
the  nest  of  a  squirrel,  and,  with  double  injus- 
tice, destroys  the  tenant,  and  then  takes  pos- 
session of  the  mansion. 

However,  this  is  a  calamity  that  but  seldom 
happens:  and,  of  all  other  animals,  the  squir- 
rel leads  the  most  frolicsome,  playful  life, 
being  surrounded  with  abundance, and  having 
few  enemies  to  fear.  They  are  in  heat  ear- 
ly in  the  spring ;  when,  as  a  modern  natural- 
ist says,"  it  is  very  diverting  to  see  the  female 
feigning  an  escape  from  the  pursuit  of  two  or 
three  males,  and  to  observe  the  various  proofs 
which  they  give  of  their  agility,  which  is  then 
exerted  in  full  force.  Nature  seems  to  have 

•  British  Zoology. 


been  particular  in  her  formation  of  these  ani- 
mals for  propagation:  however,  they  seldom 
bring  forth  above  four  or  five  young  at  a  time; 
and  that  but  once  a  year.  The  time  of  their 
gestation  seems  to  be  about  six  weeks;  they 
are  pregnant  in  the  beginning  of  April,  and 
bring  forth  about  the  middle  of  May. 

The  squirrel  is  never  found  in  the  open 
fields,  nor  yet  in  copses  or  underwoods ;  it 
always  keeps  in  the  midst  of  the  tallest  trees, 
and,  as  much  as  possible,  shuns  the  habita- 
tions of  men.  It  is  extremely  watchful ;  if  the 
tree  in  which  it  resides  be  but  touched  at  the 
bottom,  the  squirrel  instantly  takes  the  alarm, 
quits  its  nest,  at  once  flies  off  to  another  tree, 
and  thus  travels,  with  great  ease,  along  the 
tops  of  the  forest,  until  it  finds  itself  perfect- 
ly out  of  danger.  In  this  manner  it  continues 
for  some  hours  at  a  distance  from  home,  un- 
til the  alarm  be  past  away ;  and  then  it  re- 
turns, by  paths,  that  to  all  quadrupeds  but 
itself,  are  utterly  impassable.  Its  usual  way 
of  moving  is  by  bounds;  these  it  takes  from 
one  tree  to  another,  at  forty  feet  distance; 
and  if  at  any  time  it  is  obliged  to  descend,  it 
runs  up  the  side  of  the  next  tree  with  ama- 
zing facility.  It  has  an  extremely  sharp  pier- 
cing note,  which  most  usually  expresses  pain; 
it  has  another,  more  like  the  purring  of  a  cat, 
which  it  employs  when  pleased ;  at  least  it 
appeared  so  in  that  from  whence  I  have  ta- 
ken a  part  of  this  description. 

In  Lapland,  and  the  extensive  forests  to  the 
north,  the  squirrels  are  observed  to  change 
their  habitation,  and  to  remove  in  vast  num- 
bers from  one  country  to  another.  In  these 
migrations  they  are  generally  seen  by  thou- 
sands, travelling  directly  forward  ;  while  nei- 
ther rocks,  forests,  nor  even  the  broadest  wa- 
ters can  stop  their  progress.  What  I  am 
going  to  relate,  appears  so  extraordinary,  that 
were  it  not  attested  by  numbers  of  the  most 
credible  historians,  among  whom  are  Klein 
and  Linnaeus,  it  might  be  rejected,  with  that 
Bcorn  with  which  we  treat  imposture  or  credu- 
lity :  however,  nothing  can  be  more  true  than, 
that  when  these  animals,  in  their  progress, 
meet  with  broad  rivers,  or  extensive  lakes, 
which  abound  in  Lapland,  they  take  a  very 
extraordinary  method  of  crossing  them.  Up- 
on approaching  the  banks,  and  perceiving  the 
breadth  of  the  water,  they  return,  as  if  by  com- 


354 


ANIMALS  OF 


raon  consent,  into  the  neighbouring  forest, 
each  in  quest  of  a  piece  of  bark,  which  answers 
all  the  purposes  of  boats  for  wafting  them  over. 
When  the  whole  company  are  fitted  in  this 
manner,  they  boldly  commit  their  little  fleet  to 
the  waves  ;  every  squirrel  sitting  on  its  own 
piece  of  bark,  and  fanning  the  air  with  its  tail, 
to  drive  the  vessel  to  its  desired  port.  In  this 
orderly  manner  they  set  forward,  and  often 
cross  lakes  several  miles  broad.  But  it  too 
often  happens  that  the  poor  mariners  are  not 
aware  of  the  dangers  of  their  navigation  ;  for 
although  at  the  edge  of  the  water  it  is  generally 
calm,  in  the  midst  it  is  always  more  turbulent. 
There  the  slightest  additional  gust  of  wind 
oversets  the  little  sailor  and  his  vessel  together. 
The  whole  navy,  that  but  a  few  minutes  before 
rode  proudly  and  securely  along,  is  now  over- 
turned, and  a  shipwreck  of  two  or  three 
thousand  sail  ensues.  This,  which  is  so  un- 
fortunate for  the  little  animal,  is  generally  the 
most  lucky  accident  in  the  world  for  the  Lap- 
lander on  the  shore  ;  who  gathers  up  the  dead 
bodies  as  they  are  thrown  in  by  the  waves, 
eats  the  flesh,  and  sells  the  skins  for  about  a 
shilling  the  dozen.' 

The  squirrel  is  easily  tamed,  and  it  is  then 
a  very  familiar  animal.  It  loves  to  lie  warm, 
and  will  often  creep  into  a  man's  pocket  or  his 
bosom.  It  is  usually  kept  in  a  box,  and  fed 
with  hazel  nuts.  Some  find  amusement  in 
observing  with  what  ease  it  bites  the  nut  open 
and  eats  the  kernel.  In  short,  it  is  a  pleasing 
pretty  little  domestic  ;  and  its  tricks  and  habi- 
tudes may  serve  to  entertain  a  mind  unequal 
to  stronger  operations. 


THE  FLYING  SQUIRREL. 

Mr.  RAY  was  justly  of  opinion  that  the  Fly- 
ing Squirrel  might  more  properly  be  said  to 
be  of  the  rat  kind,  because  its  fur  is  shorter 
than  in  other  squirrels,  and  its  colours  also 
more  nearly  approach  the  former.  However, 
as  mankind  have  been  content  to  class  it 
among  the  squirrels,  it  is  scarcely  worth  mak- 
ing a  new  distinction  in  its  favour.  This 
little  animal,  which  is  frequently  brought  over 
to  England,  is  less  than  a  common  squirrel  and 
bigger  than  a  field  mouse.  Its  skin  is  very 

»  Oeuvres  de  Regnard. 


soft,  and  elegantly  adorned  with  a  dnrk  fur  in 
some  places,  and  li^ht  gray  in  others.  It  has 
large  prominent  black  and  very  sparkling  eyes, 
small  ears,  and  very  sharp  teeth,  with  which 
it  gnaws  any  thing  quickly.  When  it  does 
not  leap,  its  tail,  which  is  pretty  enough,  lies 
close  to  its  back  ;  but  when  it  takes  its  spring, 
the  tail  is  moved  backwards  and  forwards 
from  side  to  side.  It  is  said  to  partake  some- 
what of  the  nature  of  the  squirrel,  of  the  rat, 
and  of  the  dormouse  ;  but  that  in  which  it  is 
distinguished  from  all  other  animals,  is  its  pe- 
culiar conformation  for  taking  those  leaps  that 
almost  look  like  flying.  It  is,  indeed,  amazing 
to  see  it  at  one  bound  dart  above  a  hundred 
yards  from  one  tree  to  another.  They  are 
assisted  in  this  spring  by  a  very  peculiar  forma- 
tion of  the  skin  that  extends  from  the  fore-feet 
to  the  hinder  ;  so  that  when  the  animal 
stretches  its  fore-legs  forward  and  its  hind-legs 
backward,  this  skin  is  spread  out  between 
them,  somewhat  like  that  between  the  legs  of 
a  bat.  The  surface  of  the  body  being  thus  in- 
creased, the  little  animal  keeps  buoyant  in  the 
air  until  the  force  of  its  first  impulsion  is  ex- 
pired, and  then  it  descends.  This  skin,  when 
the  creature  is  at  rest,  or  walking,  continues 
wrinkled  upon  its  sides ;  but  when  its  limbs 
are  extended,  it  forms  a  kind  of  web  between 
them  of  above  an  inch  broad  on  either  side, 
and  gives  the  whole  body  the  appearance  of 
a  skin  floating  in  the  air.  In  this  manner  the 
flying  squirrel  changes  place,  not  like  a  bird, 
by  repeated  strokes  of  its  wings,  but  rather 
like  a  paper  kite,  supported  by  the  expansion 
of  the  surface  of  its  body  ;  but  with  this  differ- 
ence, however,  that,  being  naturally  heavier 
than  the  air,  instead  of  mounting  it  descends  ; 
and  that  jump,  which  upon  the  ground  would 
not  be  above  forty  yards,  when  from  a  higher 
tree  to  a  lower  may  be  above  a  hundred. 

This  little  animal  is  more  common  in 
America  than  in  Europe,  but  not  very  com- 
monly to  be  seen  in  either.  It  is  usually  found, 
like  the  squirrel,  on  the,  tops  of  trees;  but, 
though  better  fitted  for  leaping,  it  is  of  a  more 
torpid  disposition,  and  is  seldom  seen  to  exert 
its  powers ;  so  that  it  is  often  seized  by  the 
polecat  and  the  martin.  It  is  easily  tamed, 
but  apt  to  break  away  whenever  it  finds  an 
opportunity.  It  does  not  seem  fond  of  nuts  or 
almonds,  like  other  squirrels,  hut  is  chiefly 
pleased  with  the  sprouts  of  the  birch,  and  the 


THE  HARE  KIND. 


355 


cones  of  the  pine.  It  is  fed  in  its  tame  state 
with  bread  and  fruits ;  it  generally  sleeps  by 
day,  and  is  always  most  active  by  night. 
Some  naturalists  gravely  caution  us  not  to  let 
it  get  among  our  corn  fields,  where,  they  tell 
us,  it  will  do  a  great  deal  of  damage,  by  crop- 
ping the  corn  as  soon  as  it  begins  to  ear  !a 


THE  MARMOUT. 

FROM  the  description  of  the  squirrel  and  its 
varieties,  we  proceed  to  a  diffi-rent  tribe  of 
animals,  no  way  indeed  resembling  the  squirrel, 
but  still  something  like  the  rabbit  and  the  hare. 
We  are  to  keep  these  two  animals  still  in  view 
as  the  centre  of  our  comparison  ;  as  objects  to 
which  many  others  may  bear  some  similitude, 
though  they  but  little  approach  each  other. 
Among  the  hare  kind  is  the  Marmout,  which 
naturalists  have  placed  either  among  the  hare 
kind  or  the  rat  kind,  as  it  suited  their  respec- 
tive systems.  In  fact,  it  bears  no  great  re- 
semblance to  either ;  but  of  the  two  it  ap- 
proaches much  nearer  the  hare,  as  well  in  the 
make  of  its  head  as  in  its  size,  in  its  bushy  tail, 
and  particularly  in  its  chewing  the  cud,  which 
alone  is  sufficient  to  determine  our  choice  in 
giving  it  its  present  situation.  How  it  ever 
came  to  be  degraded  into  the  rat  or  mouse  I 
cannot  conceive,  for  it  no  way  resembles  them 
in  size,  being  near  as  big  as  a  hare  ;  or  in  its 
disposition,  since  no  animal  is  more  tractable 
nor  more  easily  tamed. 

The  marmout  is,  as  was  said,  almost  as  big 
as  a  hare,  but  it  is  more  corpulent  than  a  cat, 
and  has  shorter  legs.  Its  head  pretty  nearly 
resembles  that  of  a  hare,  except  that  its  ears 
are  much  shorter.  It  is  clothed  all  over  with 
very  long  hair,  and  a  shorter  fur  below. 
These  are  of  different  colours,  black  and  gray. 
The  length  of  the  hair  gives  the  body  the  ap- 
pearance of  greater  corpulence  than  it  really 
has,  and  at  the  same  time  shortens  the  feet,  so 
that  its  belly  seems  touching  the  ground.  Its 
tail  is  tufted  and  well  furnished  with  hair,  and 
it  is  carried  in  a  straight  direction  with  its  body. 
It  has  five  claws  behind,  and  only  four  before. 
These  it  uses,  as  the  squirrel  does,  to  carry  its 
food  to  its  mouth  ;  and  it  usually  sits  upon  its 

a  He  may  easily  be  made  tame;  but  he  is  apt  to  do  a 
greatdeal  of  damage  in  the  corn  fields,  because  he  will  crop 
the  corn  as  soon  as  it  begins  to  ear.  BROOKE'S  NAT.  HIST. 

NO.  31  &  32. 


hinder  parts  to  feed,  in  manner  of  that  little 
animal. 

The  marmout  is  chiefly  a  native  of  the  Alps  ; 
and  when  taken  young  is  tamed  more  easily 
than  any  other  wild  animal,  and  almost  as 
perfectly  as  any  of  those  that  arc  domestic.1' 
It  is  readily  taught  to  dance,  to  wield  a  cud- 
gel, and  to  obey  the  voice  of  its  master.  Like 
the  cat,  it  has  an  antipathy  to  the  dog ;  and 
when  it  becomes  familiar  to  the  family,  and  is 
sure  of  being  supported  by  its  master,  it  attacks 
and  bites  e.ven  the  largest  mastiff.  From  its 
squat,  muscular  make,  it  has  great  strength 
joined  to  great  agility.  It  has  four  large  cut- 
ting teeth,  like  all  those  of  the  hare  kind,  but 
it  uses  them  to  much  more  advantage,  since  in 
this  animal  they  are  very  formidable  weapons 
of  defence.  However,  it  is  in  general  a  very 
inoffensive  animal ;  and,  except  its  enmity  to 
dogs,  seems  to  live  in  friendship  with  every 
creature,  unless  when  provoked.  If  not  pre- 
vented, it  is  very  apt  to  gnaw  the  furniture  of 
a  house,  and  even  to  make  holes  through 
•vooden  partitions ;  from  whence,  perhaps,  it 
has  been  compared  to  the  rat.  As  its  legs  are 
very  short,  and  made  somewhat  like  those  of 
a  bear,  it  is  often  seen  sitting  up,  and  even 
walking  on  its  hind  legs  in  like  manner ;  but 
with  the  fore-paws,  as  was  said,  it  uses  to  feed 
itself  in  the  manner  of  a  squirrel.  Like  all  of 
the  hare  kind,  it  runs  much  swifter  up  hill  than 
down  ;  it  climbs  trees  with  great  ease,  and 
runs  up  the  clifts  of  rocks  or  the  contiguous 
walls  of  houses  with  great  facility.  It  is  ludi- 
crously said  that  the  Savoyards,  who  are  the 
only  chimney-sweepers  of  Paris,  have  learned 
this  art  from  the  marmout,  which  is  bred  in 
i;  the  same  country. 

These  animals  eat  indiscriminately  of  what- 
ever is  presented  to  them  ;  flesh,  bread,  fruits, 
herbs,  roots,  pulse,  and  insects.  But  they  are 
particularly  fond  of  milk  and  butter.  Although 
less  inclined  to  petty  thefts  than  the  cat,  yet 
they  always  try  t»  steal  into  the  dairy,  where 
they  lap  up  the  milk  like  a  cat,  purring  all  the 
while  like  that  animal,  as  an  expression  of 
their  being  pleased.  As  to  the  rest,  milk  is 
the  only  liquor  they  like.  They  seldom  drink 
water,  and  refuse  wine.  When  pleased  or 
caressed,  they  often  yelp  like  puppies ;  but 

b  Buffon,  from  whence  the  remainder  of  this  descrip- 
tion is  taken.  N.  B.  He  takes  it  from  Gesner,  vol 
xvii. 

SI 


336 


ANIMALS  OF 


when  irritated  or  frighted,  they  have  a  pierc- 
ing note  that  hurts  the  hear.  They  are  very 
cleanly  animals,  and  like  the  cat  retire  upon 
necessary  occa  *ions;  but  their  bodies  have 
a  disagreeable  scent,  particularly  in  the  heat 
of  summer.  This  tinctures  their  flesh,  which, 
being  very  fat  and  firm,  would  be  very  good, 
were  not  this  flavour  always  found  to  predomi- 
nate. 

We  have  hitherto  been  describing  affec- 
tions in  this  animal  which  it  has  in  common 
with  many  others;  but  we  now  come  to  one 
which  particularly  distinguishes  it  from  all 
others  of  this  kind,  and,  indeed,  from  every 
other  quadruped,  except  the  bat  and  the  dor- 
mouse: this  is  its  sleeping  during  the  winter. 
The  marmout,  though  a  native  of  the  highest 
mountains,  and  where  the  snow  is  never 
wholly  melted,  nevertheless  seems  to  feel 
the  influence  of  the  cold  more  than  any  other, 
and  in  a  manner  has  all  its  faculties  chilled 
up  in  winter.  This  extraordinary  suspension 
of  life  and  motion  for  more  than  half  the  year, 
deserves  our  wonder,  and  excites  our  atten- 
tion to  consider  the  manner  of  such  a  tempo- 
rary death,  and  the  subsequent  revival.  But 
firstlo  describe,  before  we  attempt  to  discuss. 

The  marmout,  usually  at  the  end  of  Sep- 
tember, or  the  beginning  of  October,  prepares 
to  fit  up  its  habitation  for  the  winter,  from 
which  it  is  never  seen  to  issue  till  about  the 
beginning  or  the  middle  of  April.  This  ani- 
mal's little  retreat  is  made  with  great  precau- 
tion, and  fitted  up  with  art.  It  is  a  hole  on 
the  side  of  a  mountain,  extremely  deep,  with 
a  spacious  apartment  at  the  bottom,  which  is 
rather  longer  than  it  is  broad.  In  this  seve- 
ral marmouts  can  reside  at  the  same  time, 
without  crowding  each  other,  or  injuring  the 
air  they  breathe.  The  feet  and  claws  of  this 
animal  seem  made  for  digging ;  and,  in  fact, 
they  burrow  into  the  ground  with  amazing 
facility,  scraping  up  the  ear^h  like  a  rabbit, 
and  throwing  back  what  they  have  thus  loose- 
ned behind  them.  But  the  form  of  their  hole 
is  still  more  wonderful ;  it  resembles  the  let- 
ter Y ;  the  two  branches  being  two  openings, 
which  conduct  into  one  channel  and  termi- 
nates in  their  general  apartment  that  lies  at 
the  bottom.  As  the  whole  is  made  on  the 
declivity  of  a  mountain,  there  is  no  part  of  it 
on  a  level  but  the  apartment  at  the  end.  One 


of  the  branches  or  openings  issues  out,  sloping 
downwards;  and  this  serves  as  a  kind  of  sink 
or  drain  to  the  whole  family,  where  they  make 
their  excrements,  and  where  the  moisture  of 
the  place  is  drawn  away.  The  other  branch, 
on  the  contrary,  slopes  upwards,  and  this 
serves  as  their  door  upon  which  to  go  out 
and  in.  The  apartment  at  the  end  is  very 
warmly  stuccoed  round  with  moss  and  hay, 
of  both  which  they  make  an  ample  provision 
during  the  summer.  As  this  is  a  work  of 
great  labour,  so  it  is  undertaken  in  common; 
some  cut  the  finest  grass,  others  gather  it, 
and  others  take  their  turns  to  drag  it  into 
their  hole.  Upon  this  occasion,  as  we  are 
told,  one  of  them  lies  on  its  back,  permits  the 
hay  to  be  heaped  upon  its  belly,  keeps  its 
paws  upright  to  make  greater  room;  and  in 
this  manner,  laying  still  upon  its  back,  it  is 
dragged  by  the  tail,  hay  and  all,  to  their  com- 
mon retreat.  This  also  some  give  as  a  rea- 
son for  the  hair  being  generally  worn  away 
on  their  backs,  as  is  usually  the  case;  how- 
ever, a  better  reason  for  this  may  be  assign- 
ed, for  their  continually  rooting  up  holes,  and 
passing  through  narrow  openings.  But,  be 
this  as  it  will,  certain  it  is  that  they  all  live 
together,  and  work  in  common  to  make  their 
habitation  as  snug  and  convenient  as  possible. 
In  it  they  pass  three  parts  of  their  lives;  into 
it  they  retire  when  the  storm  is  high;  in  it 
they  continue  while  it  rains;  there  they  re- 
main when  apprehensive  of  danger,  and  nevei 
stir  out  except  in  fine  weather,  never  going 
far  from  home  even  then.  Whenever  they 
venture  abroad,  one  is  placed  as  a  sentinel, 
sitting  upon  a  lofty  rock,  while  the  rest  amuse 
themselves  in  playing  along  the  green  fields, 
are  employed  in  cutting  grass  and  making 
hay  for  their  winter's  convenience.  Their 
trusty  sentinel,  when  an  enemy,  a  man,  a  dog> 
or  a  bird  of  prey  approaches,  apprizes  its 
companions  with  a  whistle,  upon  which  they 
all  make  home,  the  sentinel  himself  bringing 
up  the  rear. 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  this  hay 
is  designed  for  provision;  on  the  contrary,  it 
is  always  found  in  as  great  plenty  in  their 
holes  at  the  end  as  at  the  beginning  of  win- 
ter; it  is  only  sought  for  the  convenience  of 
their  lodging,  and  the  advantages  of  their 
young.  As  to  provision,  they  seem  kindly 


THE  HARE  KIND. 


357 


apprized  by  nature  that  during  the  winter 
they  shall  not  want  any,  so  that  they  make 
no  preparations  for  food,  though  so  diligent- 
ly employed  in  fitting  up  their  abode.  As 
soon  as  they  perceive  the  first  approaches  of 
the  winter,  during  which  their  vital  motions 
are  to  continue  in  some  measure  suspended, 
they  labour  very  diligently  to  close  up  the 
two  entrances  of  their  habitation,  which  they 
effect  with  such  solidity,  that  it  is  easier  to 
dig  up  the  earth  any  where  else  than  where 
they  have  closed  it.  At  that  time  they  are 
very  fat,  and  some  of  them  are  found  to  weigh 
above  twenty  pounds ;  they  continue  so  for 
even  three  months  more ;  but  by  degrees 
their  flesh  begins  to  waste,  and  they  are  usu- 
ally very  lean  by  the  end  of  winter.  When 
their  retreat  is  opened,  the  whole  family  is 
then  discovered,  each  rolled  into  a  ball,  and 
covered  up  under  the  hay.  In  this  state  they 
seem  entirely  lifeless;  they  may  be  taken 
away,  and  even  killed  without  their  testifying 
any  great  pain;  and  those  who  find  them  in 
this  manner,  carry  them  home  in  order  to 
breed  up  the  young  and  eat  the  old  ones. 
A  gradual  and  gentle  warmth  revives  them; 
but  they  would  die  if  too  suddenly  brought 
near  the  fire,  or  if  their  juices  were  too  quick- 
ly liquefied. 

Strictly  speaking,  says  Mr.  Buffbn,  these 
animals  cannot  be  said  to  sleep  during  the 
winter;  it  may  be  called  rather  a  torpor,  a 
stagnation  of  all  the  faculties."  This  torpor 
is  produced  by  the  congelation  of  their  blood, 
which  is  naturally  much  colder  than  that  of 
all  other  quadrupeds.  The  usual  heat  of 
man  andotlaer  animals  is  about  thirty  degrees 
above  congelation ;  the  heat  of  these  is  not 
above  ten  degrees.  Their  internal  heat  is 
seldom  greater  than  that  of  the  temperature 
of  the  air.  This  has  been  often  tried  by  plung- 
ing the  ball  of  the  thermometer  into  the  body 
of  a  living  dormouse,  and  it  never  rose  beyond 
its  usual  pitch  in  air,  and  sometimes  it  sunk 
above  a  degree.  It  is  not  surprising,  there- 
fore, that  these  animals,  whose  blood  is  so 
cold  naturally,  should  become  torpid,  when 
the  external  cold  is  too  powerful  for  the  small 
quantity  of  heat  in  their  bodies,  yet  remain- 
ing ;  and  this  always  happens  when  the  ther- 

»  Button,  vol.  xvi.  Loirs. 


mometer  is  not  more  than  ten  degrees  above 
congelation.  This  coldness  Mr.  Buffbn  has 
experienced  in  the  blood  of  the  bat,  the  dor- 
mouse, and  the  hedgehog,  and  with  great 
justice  he  extends  the  analogy  to  the  marmout. 
which,  like  the  rest,  is  seen  to  sleep  all  the 
winter.  This  torpid  state  continues  as  long 
as  the  cause  which  produces  it  continues; 
and  it  is  very  probable  that  it  might  be  length- 
ened out  beyond  its  usual  term,  by  artificially 
prolonging  the  cold ;  if,  for  instance,  the  ani- 
mal were  rolled  up  in  wool,  and  placed  in  a 
cold  cellar,  nearly  approaching  to,  but  not 
quite  so  cold  as  an  ice-house,  for  that  would 
kill  them  outright,  it  would  remain  perhaps 
a  whole  year  in  its  state  of  insensibility. 
However  this  be,  if  the  heat  of  the  air  be 
above  ten  degrees,  these  animals  are  seen  to 
revive;  and,  if  it  be  continued  in  that  degree 
of  temperature,  they  do  not  become  torpid, 
but  eat  and  sleep  at  proper  intervals  like  all 
other  quadrupeds  whatever. 

From  the  above  account  we  may  form  some 
conception  of  the  state  in  which  these  animals 
continue  during  the  winter.  As  in  some  dis- 
orders where  the  circulation  is  extremely  lan- 
guid, the  appetite  is  diminished  in  proportion, 
so  in  these  the  blood  scarcely  moving,  or  only 
moving  in  the  greater  vessels,  they  want  no 
nourishment  to  repair  what  is  worn  away  by 
its  motions.  They  are  seen,  indeed,  by  slow 
degrees  to  become  leaner  in  proportion  to 
the  slow  attrition  of  their  fluids;  but  this  is 
not  perceptible,  except  at  the  end  of  some 
months.  Man  is  often  known  to  gather  nou- 
rishment from  the  ambient  air;  and  these  also 
may  in  some  measure  be  supplied  in  the  same 
manner;  arid,  having  sufficient  motion  in  their 
fluids  to  keep  them  from  putrefaction,  and 
just  sufficient  nourishment  to  supply  the  waste 
of  their  languid  circulation,  they  continue  ra 
ther  feebly  alive  than  sleeping. 

These  animals  produce  but  once  a  year, 
and  usually  bring  forth  but  three  or  four  at 
a  time.  They  grow  very  fast,  and  the  extent 
of  their  lives  is  not  above  nine  or  ten  years; 
so  that  the  species  is  neither  numerous  nor 
very  much  diffused.  They  are  chiefly  found 
in  the  Alps,  where  they  seem  to  prefer  the 
brow  of  the  highest  mountains  to  the  lowest 
ranges,  and  the  sunny  side  to  that  in  the  shade. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  country  where  they 


358 


ANIMALS  OF 


chiefly  reside,  when  they  observe  the  hole, 
generally  stay  till  winter  before  they  think 
proper  to  open  it ;  for  if  they  begin  too  soon, 
the  animal  wakes,  and  as  it  has  a  surprising 
faculty  of  digging,  makes  its  hole  deeper  in 
proportion  as  they  follow.  Such  as  kill  it  for 
food,  use  every  art  to  improve  the  flesh,  which 
is  said  to  have  a  wild  taste,  and  to  cause 
vomitings."  They,  therefore,  take  away  the 
fat,  which  is  in  great  abundance,  and  salt  the 
remainder,  drying  it  somewhat  in  the  manner 
of  bacon.  Still,  however,  it  is  said  to  be  very 
indifferent  eating.  This  animal  is  found  in 
Poland  under  the  denomination  of  the  boback, 
entirely  resembling  that  of  the  Alps,  except 
that  the  latter  has  a  toe  more  upon  its  fore- 
foot than  the  former.  It  is  found  also  in  Siberia 
under  the  name  of  the  jevraska,  being  rather 
smaller  than  either  of  the  other  two.  Lastly, 
it  is  found  in  Canada  by  the  appellation  of  the 
monax,  differing  only  from  the  rest  in  having 
a  bluish  snout  and  a  longer  tail. 


THE  AGOUTI. 

FROM  the  marmout,  which  differs  from  the 
hare  so  much  in  the  length  of  its  fur,  we  go  to 
the  Agouti,  another  species  equally  differing  in 
the  shortness  of  its  hair.  These  bear  some  rude 
resemblance  to  the  hare  and  the  rabbit  in  their 
form  and  manner  of  living,  but  sufficiently 
differing  to  require  a  particular  description. 
The  first  of  these,  and  that  the  largest,  as  was 
hinted  above,  is  called  the  agouti.  This  ani- 
mal is  found  in  great  abundance  in  the  sou- 
thern parts  of  America,  and  has  by  some  been 
called  the  rabbit  of  that  continent.  But,  though 
in  many  respects  it  resembles  the  rabbit,  yet 
still  in  many  more  it  differs,  and  is,  without 
all  doubt,  an  animal  peculiar  to  the  new  world 
only.  The  agouti  is  about  the  size  of  a  rabbit, 
and  has  a  head  very  much  resembling  it,  ex- 
cept that  the  ears  are  very  short  in  comparison. 
It  resembles  the  rabbit  also  in  the  arched  form 
of  its  back,  in  the  hind  legs  being  longer  than 
the  fore,  and  in  having  four  great  cutting  teeth, 
two  above  and  two  below ;  but  then  it  differs 
in  the  nature  of  its  hair,  which  is  not  soft  and 
downy  as  in  the  rabbit,  but  hard  and  bristly 
like  that  of  a  sucking  pig,  and  of  a  reddish 

»  Dictionaire  Raisonee,  voL  iii.  p.  29. 


brown  colour.  It  differs  also  in  the  tail,  which 
is  even  shorter  than  in  the  rabbit,  and  entirely 
destitute  of  hair.  Lastly,  it  differs  in  the 
number  of  its  toes,  having  but  three  on  the 
hinder  feet,  whereas  the  rabbit  has  five.  AH 
these  distinctions,  however,  do  not  countervail 
against  its  general  form,  which  resembles  that 
of  a  rabbit,  and  most  travellers  have  called  it 
by  that  name. 

As  this  animal  differs  in  form,  it  differs  still 
more  in  habitudes  and  disposition.  As  it  has 
the  hair  of  a  hog,  so  also  it  has  its  voracious- 
ness.1' It  eats  indiscriminately  of  all  things  ; 
and,  when  satiated,  hides  the  remainder,  like 
the  dog  or  the  fox,  for  a  future  occasion.  It 
takes  a  pleasure  in  gnawing  and  spoiling  every 
thing  it  comes  near.  When  irritated,  its  hair 
stands  erect  along  the  back,  and,  like  the  rab- 
bit, it  strikes  the  ground  violently  with  its  hind 
feet.  It  does  not  dig  a  hole  in  the  ground, 
but  burrows  in  the  hollows  of  trees.  Its 
ordinary  food  consists  of  the  roots  of  the  coun- 
try, potatoes  and  yams,  and  such  fruits  as  fall 
from  the  trees  in  autumn.  It  uses  its  fore- 
paws,  like  the  squirrel,  to  carry  its  food  to  its 
mouth :  and  as  its  hind  feet  are  longer  than 
the  fore,  it  runs  very  swiftly  upon  plain  ground 
or  up  a  hill,  but  upon  a  descent  it  is  in  danger 
of  falling.  Its  sight  is  excellent,  and  its  hear- 
ing equals  that  of  any  other  animal ;  whenever 
it  is  whistled  to,  it  stops  to  hearken.  The 
flesh  of  such  as  are  fat  and  well  fed  is  tolerable 
food,  although  it  has  a  peculiar  taste,  and  is  a 
little  tough.  The  French  dress  it  like  a  suck- 
ing pig,  as  we  learn  from  Mr.  Buffon's  account ; 
but  the  English  dress  it  with  a  pudding  in  its 
belly,  like  a  hare.  It  is  hunted  by  dogs ;  and 
whenever  it  has  got  into  a  sugar-ground, 
where  the  canes  cover  the  place,  it  is  easily 
overtaken,  for  it  is  embarrassed  every  step  it 
takes,  so  that  a  man  may  easily  come  up  with 
it  without  any  other  assistance.  When  in  the 
open  country,  it  usually  runs  with  great  swift- 
ness before  the  dogs  until  it  gains  its  retreat, 
within  which  it  continues  to  hide,  and  nothing 
but  filling  the  hole  with  smoke  can  force  it  out. 
For  this  purpose,  the  hunter  burns  faggots  or 
straw  at  the  entrance,  and  conducts  the  smoke 
in  such  a  manner  that  it  fills  the  whole  cavity. 
While  this  is  doing,  the  poor  little  animal  seems 
sensible  of  its  danger,  and  begs  for  quarter 

t>  Buffon. ' 


THE  HARE  KIND. 


359 


with  a  most  plaintive  cry,  seldom  quitting  its 
hole  till  the  utmost  extremity.  At  last,  when 
half  suffocated,  it  issues  out,  and  trusts  once 
more  to  its  speed  for  protection.  When  still 
forced  by  the  dogs,  and  incapable  of  making 
good  a  retreat,  it  turns  upon  the  hunters,  and 
with  its  hair  bristling  like  a  hog,  and  standing 
upon  its  hind  feet,  it  defends  itself  very  obsti- 
nately. Sometimes  it  bites  the  legs  of  those 
that  attempt  to  take  it,  and  will  take  out  the 
piece  wherever  it  fixes  its  teeth." 

Its  cry  when  disturbed  or  provoked  resem- 
bles that  of  a  sucking  pig.  If  taken  young,  it 
is  easily  tamed,  continues  to  play  harmlessly 
about  the  house,  and  goes  out  and  returns  of 
its  own  accord.  In  a  savage  state  it  usually 
continues  in  the  woods,  and  the  female  gene- 
rally chooses  the  most  obscure  parts  to  bring 
forth  her  young.  She  there  prepares  a  bed  of 
leaves  and  dry  grass,  and  generally  brings 
forth  two  at  a  time.  She  breeds  twice  or 
thrice  a  year,  and  carries  her  young  from  one 
place  to  another,  as  convenience  requires,  in 
the  manner  of  a  cat.  She  generally  lodges 
them,  when  three  days  old,  in  the  hollow  of  a 
tree,  suckling  them  but  a  very  short  time,  for 
they  soon  come  to  perfection,  and  it  should 
consequently  follow  that  they  soon  grow  old. 

THE  PACA. 

THE  Paca  is  an   animal   also    of   South 
America,  very  much  resembling  the  former, 
and  like  it  has  received  the  name  of  the  Ameri- 
can rabbit,  but  with  as  little  propriety.     It  is 
about  the  size  of  a  hare,  or  rather  larger,  and 
in  figure  somewhat  like  a  sucking  pig,  which 
it  also  resembles  in  its  grunting  and  its  manner 
of  eating.     It  is,  however,  most  like  the  agouti, 
although    it    differs    in    several    particulars. 
Like  the  agouti,  it  is  covered  rather  with  coarse 
hair  than  a  downy  fur.     But  then  it  is  beauti- 
fully marked  along  the  sides  with  small  ash- 
coloured    spots,    upon    an    amber    coloured 
ground  ;  whereas  the  agouti  is  pretty  much  of 
one  reddish  colour.     The  paca  is  rather  more 
thick  and  corpulent  than  the  agouti ;  its  nose 
is  shorter,  and  its  hind  feet  have  five  toes ; 
whereas  the  agouti  has  but  three.     As  to  the 
rest,  this  animal  bears  some  distant  resem- 


Ray's  Synop. 


blance  to  a  rabbit,  the  ears  are  naked  of  hair, 
and  somewhat  sharp,  the  lower  jaw  is  some- 
what longer  than  the  upper,  the  teeth,  the 
shape  of  the  head,  and  the  size  of  it,  are  like 
to  those  of  a  rabbit.  It  has  a  short  tail  like- 
wise, though  not  tufted  ;  and  its  hinder  legs 
are  longer  than  the  fore.  It  also  burrows  in 
the  ground  like  that  animal,  and  from  this 
similitude  alone  travellers  might  have  given  it 
the  name. 

The  paca  does  not  make  use  of  its  fore- 
paws,  like  the  squirrel  or  the  agouti,  to  carry 
its  food  to  the  mouth,  but  hunts  for  it  on  the 
ground,  and  roots  like  a  hog.  It  is  generally 
seen  along  the  banks  of  rivers,  and  is  only  to 
be  found  in  the  moist  and  warm  countries  of 
South  America.  It  is  a  very  fat  animal,  and 
in  this  respect  much  preferable  to  the  agouti, 
that  is  most  commonly  found  lean.  It  is  eaten 
skin  and  all,  like  a  young  pig,  and  is  consider- 
ed as  a  great  delicacy.  Like  the  former  little 
animal,  it  defends  itself  to  the  last  extremity, 
and  is  very  seldom  taken  alive.  It  is  perse- 
cuted not  only  by  man,  but  by  every  beast  and 
bird  of  prey,  who  all  watch  its  motions,  and, 
if  it  ventures  at  any  distance  from  its  hole,  are 
sure  to  seize  it.  But  although  the  race  of  these 
little  animals  is  thus  continually  destroyed,  it 
finds  some  refuge  in  its  hole,  from  the  general 
combination ;  and  breeds  in  such  numbers, 
that  the  diminution  is  not  perceptible. 

To  these  animals  may  be  added  others,  very 
similar,  both  in  form  and  disposition ;  each 
known  by  its  particular  name  in  its  native 
country,  but  which  travellers  have  been  con- 
tented to  call  rabbits  or  hares ;  of  which  we 
have  but  indistinct  notice.     The  TAPETI,  or  the 
BRASILIAN  RABBIT,  is  in  shape  like  our  English 
ones,  but  is  much  less,  being  said  to  be  not 
above  twice  the  size  of  a  dormouse.     It  is 
reddish  on  the  forehead,  and  a  little  whitish 
under  the  throat.     It  is  remarkable  for  having 
no  tail ;  but  it  has  long  ears  and  whiskers,  like 
our  rabbits,  and  black  eyes.     It  does  not  bur- 
row, like  ours  ;  but  lives  at  large  like  the  hare. 
The  APEREA  is  also  called  by  some  the  BRA- 
SILIAN RABBIT,  being  an  animal  that  seems  to 
partake  of  the  nature  of  a  rabbit  and  a  rat. 
The  ears  are  like  those  of  a  rat,  being  short 
and  round  ;  but  the  other  parts  are  like  those 
of  a  rabbit,  except  that  it  has  but  three  toes  on 
the  hinder  legs  like  the  agouti. 

To  these  imperfect  sketches  of  animals  little 


360 


ANIMALS  OF 


known,  others  less  known  might  be  added ; 
ibr  as  nature  becomes  more  diminutive,  her 
operations  are  less  attentively  regarded.  I 
shall  only,  therefore,  add  one  animal  more  to 
this  class,  and  that  very  well  known ;  I  mean 
the  Guinea-pig;  which  Brisson  places  among 
those  of  the  rabbit  kind ;  and  as  I  do  not 
know  any  other  set  of  animals  with  which  it 
can  be  so  well  compared,  I  will  take  leave 
to  follow  his  example. 


THE  GUINEA-PIG. 

THE  Guinea-pig  is  a  native  of  the  warmer 
climates;  but  has  been  so  long  rendered  do- 
mestic, and  so  widely  diffused,  that  it  has  now 
become  common  in  every  part  of  the  world. 
There  are  few  unacquainted  with  the  figure 
of  this  little  animal ;  in  some  places  it  is  con- 
sidered as  the  principal  favourite;  and  is 
often  found  even  to  displace  the  lap-dog.  It 
is  less  than  a  rabbit,  and  its  legs  are  shorter; 
they  are  scarce  seen,  except  when  it  moves ; 
and  the  neck  also  is  so  short,  that  the  head 
seems  stuck  upon  the  shoulders.  The  ears 
are  short,  thin,  and  transparent;  the  hair  is 
like  that  of  a  sucking-pig,  from  whence  it  has 
taken  the  name ;  and  it  wants  even  the  ves- 
tiges of  a  tail.  In  other  respects,  it  has  some 
similitude  to  the  rabbit.  When  it  moves,  its 
body  lengthens  like  that  animal;  and  when 
it  is  at  rest,  it  gathers  np  in  the  same  man- 
ner. Its  nose  is  formed  with  the  rabbit  lip, 
except  that  its  nostrils  are  much  farther  asun- 
der. Like  all  other  animals  in  a  domestic 
state,  its  colours  are  different;  some  are  white, 
some  are  red,  and  others  both  red  and  white. 
It  differs  from  the  rabbit  in  the  number  of  its 
toes,  having  four  toes  on  the  feet  before,  and 
but  three  on  those  behind.  It  strokes  its 
-head  with  the  fore  feet,  like  the  rabbit;  and, 
like  it,  sits  upon  the  hind  feet;  for  which  pur- 
pose there  is  a  naked  callous  skin  on  the  back 
part  of  the  legs  and  feet. 

These  animals  are,  of  all  others,  the  most 
helpless  and  inoffensive."  They  are  scarce 
possessed  of  courage  sufficient  to  defend  them- 
?elves  against  the  meanest  of  all  quadrupeds, 

•  This  history  is  partly  taken  from  the  Amaenitates 
Academieir,  vol.  iv.  p.  202. 


a  mouse.  Their  only  animosity  is  exerted 
against  each  other;  for  they  will  cften  fight 
very  obstinately ;  and  the  stronger  is  often 
known  to  destroy  the  weaker.  But  against 
all  other  aggressors,  their  only  remedy  is  pa- 
tience and  non-resistance.  How,  therefore, 
these  animals  in  a  savage  state  could  con- 
trive to  protect  themselves,  I  have  not  been 
able  to  learn;  as  they  want  strength,  swiftness, 
and  even  the  natural  instinct  so  common  to 
almost  every  other  creature. 

As  to  their  manner  of  living  among  us,  they 
owe  their  lives  entirely  to  our  unceasing  pro- 
tection. They  must  be  constantly  attended, 
shielded  from  the  excessive  colds  of  the  win- 
ter, and  secured  against  all  other  domestic 
animals,  which  are  apt  to  attack  them,  from 
every  motive,  either  of  appetite,  jealousy,  or 
experience  of  their  pusillanimous  nature. 
Such,  indeed,  is  their  stupidity,  that  they  suf- 
fer themselves  to  be  devoured  by  the  cats 
without  resistance;  and,  differing  from  all 
other  creatures,  the  female  sees  her  young 
destroyed  without  once  attempting  to  protect 
them.  Their  usual  food  is  bran,  parsley,  or 
cabbage  leaves ;  but  there  is  scarce  a  vege- 
table cultivated  in  our  gardens  that  they  will 
not  gladly  devour.  The  carrot  top  is  a  pe- 
culiar dainty ;  as  also  salad ;  and  those  who 
would  preserve  their  healths,  would  do  right 
to  vary  their  food ;  for  if  they  be  continued 
on  a  kind  too  succulent  or  too  dry,  the  effects 
are  quickly  perceived  upon  their  constitu- 
tions. When  fed  upon  recent  vegetables, 
they  seldom  drink.  But  it  often  happens  that, 
conducted  by  nature,  they  seek  drier  food, 
when  the  former  disagrees  with  them.  They 
then  gnaw  clothes,  paper,  or  whatever  of  this 
kind  they  meet  with;  and  on  these  occasions 
they  are  seen  to  drink  like  most  other  ani- 
mals, which  they  do  by  lapping.  They  are 
chiefly  fond  of  new  milk;  but  in  case  of  ne- 
cessity, are  content  with  water. 

They  move  pretty  much  in  the  manner  of 
rabbits,  though  not  near  so  swiftly;  and  when 
confined  in  a  room,  seldom  cross  the  floor, 
but  generally  keep  along  the  wall.  The  male 
usually  drives  the  female  on  before  him,  for 
they  never  move  a-breast  together,  but  con- 
stantly the  one  seems  to  tread  in  the  foot- 
steps of  the  preceding.  They  chiefly  seek 
for  the  darkest  recesses,  and  the  most  intri- 


THE  HARE  KIND 


361 


cate  retreats ;  where,  if  hay  be  spread  as  a 
bed  for  them,  they  continue  to  sleep  together, 
and  seldom  venture  out  but  when  they  sup- 
pose all  interruption  removed.  On  these  oc- 
casions they  act  as  rabbits ;  they  swiftly  move 
forward  from  their  bed,  stop  at  the  entrance, 
listen,  look  round,  and  if  they  perceive  the 
slightest  approach  of  danger,  they  run  back 
with  precipitation.  In  very  cold  weather, 
however,  they  are  more  active,  and  run  about 
in  order  to  keep  themselves  warm. 

They  are  a  very  cleanly  animal,  and  very 
different  from  those  whose  name  they  go  by. 
[f  the  young  ones  happen  to  fall  into  the  dirt, 
or  be  any  other  way  discomposed,  the  female 
takes  such  an  aversion  to  them,  that  she  never 
permits  them  to  visit  her  more.  Indeed,  her 
whole  employment,  as  well  as  that  of  the  male,, 
seems  to  consist  in  smoothing  their  skins,  in 
disposing  their  hair,  and  improving  its  gloss. 
The  male  and  female  takes  this  office  by  turns; 
and  when  they  have  thus  brushed  up  each 
other,  they  then  bestow  all  their  concern  upon 
their  young,  taking  particular  care  to  make 
their  hair  lie  smooth,  and  biting  them  if  they 
appear  refractory.  As  they  are  so  solicitous 
for  elegance  themselves,  the  place  where  they 
are  kept  must  be  regularly  cleaned,  and  a 
new  bed  of  hay  provided  for  them  at  least 
every  week.  Being  natives  of  a  warm  climate, 
they  are  naturally  chilly  in  ours ;  cleanliness, 
therefore,  assists  warmth,  and  expels  moisture. 
They  may  be  thus  reared,  without  the  aid  of 
any  artificial  heat ;  but,  in  general,  there  is 
no  keeping  them  from  the  Tire  in  winter,  if 
they  be  once  permitted  to  approach  it. 

When  they  go  to  sleep,  they  lie  flat  on 
their  bellies,  pretty  much  in  their  usual  pos- 
ture ;  except  that  they  love  to  have  their  fore 
feet  higher  than  their  hinder.  For  this  pur- 
pose they  turn  themselves  several  times  round 
before  they  lie  down,  to  find  the  most  con- 
venient situation.  They  sleep  like  the  hare, 
with  their  eyes  half  open;  and  continue  ex- 
tremely watchful,  if  they  suspect  danger. 
The  male  and  female  are  never  seen  both 
asleep  at  the  same  time;  but  while  he  enjoys 
his  repose,  she  remains  upon  the  watch,  si- 
lently continuing  to  guard  him,  and  her  head 
turned  towards  the  place  where  he  lies. 
When  she  supposes  that  he  has  had  his  turn, 
she  then  awakes  him  with  a  kind  of  murmur- 


ing noise,  goes  to  him,  forces  him  from  his 
bed,  and  lies  down  in  his  place.  He  then 
performs  the  same  good  turn  for  her;  and 
continues  watchful  till  she  also  has  done 
sleeping. 

These  animals  are  exceedingly  salacious, 
and  generally  are  capable  of  coupling  at  six 
weeks  old.  The  female  never  goes  with 
young  above  five  weeks;  and  usually  brings 
forth  from  three  to  five  at  a  time;  and  this 
not  without  pain.  But  what  is  very  extraor- 
dinary, the  female  admits  the  male  the  very 
day  she  has  brought  forth,  and  becomes  again 
pregnant;  so  that  their  multiplication  is  as- 
tonishing. She  suckles  her  young  but  about 
twelve  or  fifteen  days;  and  during  that  time 
does  not  seem  to  know  her  own ;  for  if  the 
young  of  any  other  be  brought,  though  much 
older,  she  never  drives  them  away,  but  suf- 
fers them  even  to  drain  her,  to  the  disadvan- 
tage of  her  own  immediate  offspring.  They 
are  produced  with  the  eyes  open,  like  all 
others  of  the  hare  kind ;  and  in  about  twelve 
hours,  equal  even  to  the  dam  in  agility.  Al- 
though the  dam  has  but  two  teats,  yet  she 
abundantly  supplies  them  with  milk;  and 
they  are  also  capable  of  feeding  upon  vege- 
tables, almost  from  the  very  beginning.  If 
the  young  ones  are  permitted  to  continue  to- 
gether, the  stronger,  as  in  all  other  societies, 
soon  begins  to  govern  the  weak.  Their  con- 
tentions are  often  long  and  obstinate;  and 
their  jealousies  very  apparent.  Their  dis- 
putes are  usually  for  the  warmest  place,  or 
the  most  agreeable  food.  If  one  of  them  hap- 
pens to  be  more  fortunate  in  this  respect  than 
the  rest,  the  strongest  generally  comes  to 
dispossess  it  of  its  advantageous  situation. 
Their  manner  of  fighting,  though  terrible 
to  them,  is  ridiculous  enough  to  a  spectator. 
One  of  them  seizes  the  hair  on  the  nape  of 
the  other's  neck  with  its  fore  teeth,  and  at- 
tempts to  tear  it  away;  the  other,  to  retaliate, 
turns  its  hinder  parts  to  the  enemy,  and  kicks 
up  behind  like  a  horse,  and  with  its  hinder 
claws  scratches  the  sides  of  its  adversary ; 
so  that  sometimes  they  cover  each  other  with 
blood.  When  they  contend  in  this  manner, 
they  gnash  their  teeth  pretty  loudly,  and  this 
is  often  a  denunciation  of  mutual  resentment. 

These,  though  so  formidable  to  each  otherT 
yet  are  the  most  timorous  creatures  upon  earth, 


362 


ANIMALS  OF 


with  respect  to  the  rest  of  Animated  Nature : 
a  falling  leaf  disturbs  them,  and  every  animal 
overcomes  them.  From  hence  they  are  diffi- 
cultly tamed  ;  and  will  suffer  none  to  approach 
them,  except  the  person  by  whom  they  are  fed. 
Their  manner  of  eating  is  something  like  that 
of  the  rabbit;  and,  like  it,  they  appear  also  to 
chew  the  cud.  Although  they  seldom  drink, 
they  make  water  every  minute.  They  grunt 
somewhat  like  a  young  pig  ;  and  have  a  more 
piercing  note  to  express  pain.  In  a  word, 
they  do  no  injury  ;  but  then,  except  the  plea- 


sure they  afford  the  spectator,  they  are  of  very 
little  benefit  to  mankind.  Some,  indeed,  dress 
and  eat  them;  but  their  flesh  is  indifferent 
food,  and  by  no  means  a  reward  for  the  trouble 
of  rearing  them.  This,  perhaps,  might  be 
improved,  by  keeping  them  in  a  proper  warren, 
and  not  suffering  them  to  become  domestic : 
however,  the  advantages  that  would  result 
from  this,  would  be  few,  and  the  trouble  great; 
so  that  it  is  likely  they  would  continue  an  use- 
less, inoffensive  dependent,  rather  propagated 
to  satisfy  caprice  than  to  supply  necessity. 


THE  RAT  KIND. 


363 


ANIMALS  OF  THE  RAT  AND  HEDGEHOG  KINDS. 


CHAPTER  LIU. 

THE  RAT  KIND. 


WERE  it  necessary  to  distinguish  animals 
of  the  rat  kind  from  all  others,  we  might  de- 
scribe them  as  having  two  large  cutting  teeth, 
like  the  hare  kind,  in  each  jaw ;  as  covered 
with  hair;  and  as  not  ruminating.  These 
distinctions  might  serve  to  guide  us,  had  we 
not  too  near  an  acquaintance  with  this  nox- 
ious race  to  be  mistaken  in  their  kind.  Their 
numbers,  their  minuteness,  their  vicinity,  their 
Fast  multiplication,  all  sufficiently  contribute 
to  press  them  upon  our  observation,  and  remind 
us  of  their  existence.  Indeed,  if  we  look 
through  the  different  ranks  of  animals,  from 
the  largest  to  the  smallest,  from  the  great 
elephant  to  the  diminutive  mouse,  we  shall 
find  that  we  suffer  greater  injuries  from  the 
contemptible  meanness  of  the  one,  than  the 
formidable  invasions  of  the  other.  Against 
the  elephant,  the  rhinoceros,  or  the  lion,  we 
can  oppose  united  strength  ;  and  by  art  make 
up  the  deficiencies  of  natural  power:  these 
we  have  driven  Into  their  native  solitudes, 
and  obliged  to  continue  at  a  distance,  in  the 
most  inconvenient  regions  and  unhealthful 
climates.  But  it  is  otherwise  with  the  little 
teasing  race  I  am  now  describing ;  no  force 
can  be  exerted  against  their  unresisting 
timidity :  no  arts  can  diminish  their  amazing 
propagation;  millions  may  beat  once  destroy- 
ed, and  yet  the  breach  be  repaired  in  the 
space  of  a  very  few  weeks ;  and,  in  propor- 
tion as  nature  has  denied  them  force,  it  has 
supplied  the  defect  by  their  fecundity. 


THE  GREAT  RAT. 

THE  animal  best  known  at  present,  and  in 
every  respect  the  most  mischievous,  is  the 

NO.  31  &  32. 


GREAT  RAT  ;  which,  though  but  a  new  comer 
into  this  country,  has  taken  too  secure  a  pos- 
session to  be  ever  removed.  This  hateful 
and  rapacious  creature,  though  sometimes 
called  the  rat  of  Norway,  is  utterly  unknown 
in  all  the  northern  countries,  and,  by  the  best 
accounts  I  can  learn,  comes  originally  from 
the  Levant.  Its  first  arrival,  as  I  am  assured, 
was  upon  the  coasts  of  Ireland,  in  those  ships 
that  traded  in  provisions  to  Gibraltar;  and 
perhaps  we  owe  to  a  single  pair  of  these  ani- 
mals, the  numerous  progeny  that  now  infests 
the  whole  extent  of  the  British  Empire. 

This  animal,  which  is  called  by  Mr.  Buffbn 
the  surmalot,  is  in  length  about  nine  inches ; 
its  eyes  are  large  and  black ;  the  colour  of 
the  head,  and  the  whole  upper  part  of  the 
body,  is  of  a  light  brown,  mixed  with  a  tawny 
and  ash  colour.  The  end  of  the  nose,  the 
throat,  and  belly,  are  of  a  dirty  white,  inclin- 
ing to  gray ;  the  feet  and  legs  are  almost 
bare,  and  of  a  dirty  pale  flesh  colour;  the  tail 
is  as  long  as  the  body,  covered  with  minute 
dusky  scales  mixed  with  a  few  hairs,  and  adds 
to  the  general  deformity  of  its  detestable 
figure.  It  is  chiefly  in  the  colour  that  this 
animal  differs  from  the  black  rat,  or  the  com- 
mon rat,  as  it  was  once  called  :  but  now  com- 
mon no  longer.  This  new  invader,  in  a  very 
few  years  after  its  arrival,  found  means  to  de- 
stroy almost  the  whole  species,  and  to  possess 
itself  of  their  retreats. 

But  it  was  not  against  the  black  rat  alone 
that  its  rapacity  was  directed  ;  all  other  ani- 
mals of  inferior  strength  shared  the  same  mis- 
fortunes. The  contest  with  the  black  rat  was 
of  short  continuance.  As  it  Was  unable  to 
contend,  and  had  no  holes  to  fly  to  for  retreat, 
but  where  its  voracious  enemy  could  pursue, 

3K 


ANIMALS  OP 


the  whole  race  was  soon  extinguished.  The 
frog  also  was  an  animal  equally  incapable  of 
combat  or  defence.  It  had  been  designedly 
introduced  into  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  some 
years  before  the  Norway  rat ;  and  it  was  seen 
to  multiply  amazingly.  The  inhabitants 
were  pleased  with  the  propagation  of  a  harm- 
less animal,  that  served  to  rid  their  fields  of 
insects;  and  even  the  prejudices  of  the 
people  were  in  its  favour,  as  they  supposed 
that  the  frog  contributed  to  render  their 
waters  more  wholesome.  But  the  Norway 
rat  soon  put  a  stop  to  their  increase ;  as  these 
animals  were  of  an  amphibious  nature,  they 
pursued  the  frog  to  its  lakes,  and  took  it  even 
in  its  own  natural  element.  I  am,  therefore, 
assured,  that  the  frog  is  once  more  almost  ex- 
tinct in  that  kingdom ;  and  that  the  Norway 
rat,  having  no  more  enemies  left  there  to  de- 
stroy, is  grown  less  numerous  also. 

We  are  not  likely,  therefore,  to  gain  by  the 
destruction  of  our  old  domestics,  since  they 
are  replaced  by  such  mischievous  successors. 
The  Norway  rat  has  the  same  disposition  to 
to  injure  us,  with  much  greater  power  of  mis- 
chief. It  burrows  in  the  banks  of  rivers, 
ponds,  and  ditches ;  and  is  every  year  known 
to  do  incredible  damage  to  those  mounds 
that  are  raised  to  conduct  streams,  or  to  pre- 
vent rivers  from  overflowing.  In  these  holes, 
which  it  forms  pretty  near  the  edge  of  the 
water,  it  chiefly  resides  during  the  summer, 
where  it  lives  upon  smaH  animals,  fish,  and 
corn.  At  the  approach  of  winter,  it  comes 
nearer  the  farm  houses ;  burrows  in  their 
corn,  eats  much,  and  damages  still  more  than 
it  consumes.  But  nothing  that  can  be  eaten 
seems  to  escape  its  voracity.  It  destroys 
rabbits,  poultry,  and  all  kinds  of  game ;  and, 
like  the  pole-cat,  kills  much  more  than  it  can 
carry  away.  It  swims  with  great  ease,  dives 
with  great  celerity,  and  easily  thins  the  fish- 
pond. In  short,  scarce  any  of  the  feebler 
animals  escape  its  rapacity,  except  the  mouse, 
which  shelters  itself  in  its  little  hole,  where 
the  Norway  rat  is  too  big  to  follow. 

These  animals  frequently  produce  from 
fifteen  to  thirty  at  a  time  ;a  and  usually  bring 
forth  three  times  a  year.  This  great  increase 
would  quickly  be  found  to  over-run  the  whole 

a  Billion,  vol.  xvii.  p.  2. 


country,  and  render  our  assiduity  to  destroy 
them  fruitless,  were  it  not,  happily  for  us,  that 
they  eat  and  destroy  each  other.  The  same 
insatiable  appetite  that  impels  them  to  indis- 
criminate carnage,  also  incites  the  strongest 
to  devour  the  weakest,  even  of  their  own  kind. 
The  large  male  rat  generally  keeps  in  a  hole 
by  itself,  and  is  dreaded  by  its  own  species, 
as  the  most  formidable  enemy.  In  this  man- 
ner the  number  of  these  vermin  is  kept  within 
due  bounds;  and  when  their  increase  be- 
comes injurious  to  us,  it  is  repressed  by  their 
own  rapacity. 

But  beside  their  own  enmities  among  each 
other,  all  the  stronger  carnivorous  quadru- 
peds have  natural  antipathies  against  them. 
The  dog,  though  he  detests  their  flesh,  yet 
openly  declares  his  alacritv  to  pursue  them ; 
and  attacks  them  with  great  animosity.  Such 
as  are  trained  up  to  killing  these  vermin,  de- 
spatch them  often  with  a  single  squeeze : 
but  those  dogs  that  show  any  hesitation,  are 
sure  to  come  off* but  indifferently  ;  for  the  rat 
always  takes  the  advantage  of  a  moment's  de- 
lay, and  instead  of  waiting  for  the  attack,  be- 
comes the  aggressor,  seizing  its  pursuer  by 
the  lip,  and  inflicting  a  very  painful  and  dan- 
gerous wound.  From  the  inflammation,  and 
other  angry  symptoms  that  attend  this  ani- 
mal's bite,  some  have  been  led  to  think  that 
it  was  in  some  measure  venomous  ;  but  it  is 
likely  that  the  difficulty  of  the  wound's  heal- 
ing, arises  merely  from  its  being  deep  and 
lacerated  by  the  teeth,  and  is  rather  a  con- 
sequence of  the  figure  of  the  instruments  that 
inflict  it,  than  any  venom  they  may  be  sup- 
posed to  possess. 

The  cat  is  another  formidable  enemy  of 
this  kind ;  and  yet  the  generality  of  our  cats 
neither  care  to  attack  it,  nor  to  feed  upon  it 
when  killed.  The  cat  is  a  more  prudent 
hunter  than  the  dog,  and  will  not  be  at  the 
pains  to  take  or  combat  with  an  enemy  that 
is  not  likely  to  repay  her  time  and  danger. 
Some  cats,  however,  will  pursue  and  take  the 
rat ;  though  often  not  without  an  obstinate 
resistance.  If  hungry,  the  cat  will  sometimes 
eat  the  head;  but,  in  general,  she  is  merely 
content  with  her  victory. 

A  foe  much  more  dangerous  to  these  ver- 
min is  the  weasel.  This  animal  pursues  them 
with  avidity,  and  being  pretty  nearly. of  their 


THE  RAT  KIND. 


365 


own  size,  follows  them  into  their  holes,  where 
a  desperate  combat  ensues.  The  strength  of 
each  is  pretty  near  equal ;  but  the  arms  are 
very  different.  The  rat,  furnished  with  four 
long  tusks  at  the  extremity  of  its  jaw,  rather 
snaps  than  bites;  but  the  weasel,  where  it 
once  fastens,  holds,  and  continuing  also  to 
suck  the  blood  at  the  same  time,  weakens  its 
antagonist,  and  always  obtains  the  victory. 
Mankind  have  contrived  several  other  me- 
thods of  destroying  these  noxious  intruders; 
ferrets,  traps,  and  particularly  poison ;  but 
of  all  other  poisons,  I  am  told'  that  the  nox 
vomica,  ground  and  mixed  with  meal,  is 
the  most  certain,  as  it  is  the  least  danger- 
ous. 

To  this  species  I  will  subjoin,  as  a  variety, 
the  BLACK  RAT.  mentioned  above,  greatly  re- 
sembling the  former  in  figure,  but  very  dis- 
tinct in  nature,  as  appears  from  their  mutual 
antipathy.  This  animal  was  formerly  as  mis- 
chievous as  it  was  common ;  but  at  present 
it  is  almost  utterly  extirpated  by  the  great 
rat,  one  malady  often  expelling  another.  It 
is  become  so  scarce,  that  I  do  not  remember 
ever  to  have  seen  one.  It  is  said  to  be  pos- 
sessed of  all  the  voracious  and  unnatural  ap- 
petites of  the  former:  though,  as  it  is  less, 
they  may  probably  be  less  noxious.  Its 
length  is  about  seven  inches;  and  the  tail 
is  near  eight  inches  long.  The  colour  of  the 
body  is  of  a  deep  iron  gray,  bordering  upon 
black,  except  the  belly,  which  is  of  a  dirt}' 
cinereous  hue.  They  have  propagated  in 
America  in  great  numbers,  being  originally 
introduced  from  Europe;  and  as  they  seem 
to  keep  their  ground  wherever  they  get  foot- 
ing, they  are  now  become  the  most  noxious 
animals  in  that  part  of  the  world. 

To  this  also  we  may  subjoin  the  Black  Wa- 
ter Rat,  about  the  same  size  with  the  latter, 
with  a  larger  head,  a  blunter  nose,  less  eyes, 
and  shorter  ears,  and  the  tip  of  its  tail  a  lit- 
tle white.  It  was  supposed  by  Ray  to  be 
web-footed ;  but  this  has  been  found  to  be  a 
mistake,  its  toes  pretty  much  resembling 
those  of  its  kind.  It  never  frequents  houses; 
but  is  usually  found  on  the  banks  of  rivers, 
ditches,  and  ponds,  where  it  burrows  and 
breeds.  It  feeds  on  fish,  frogs,  and  insects; 
and  in  some  countries  it  is  eat  on  fasting 
days. 


THE  MOUSE. 

AN  animal  equally  mischievous,  and  equal- 
ly well  known  with  the  former,  is  the  Mouse. 
Timid,  cautious,  and  active,  all  its  disposi- 
tions are  similar  to  those  of  the  rat,  except 
with  fewer  powers  of  doing  mischief."  Fear- 
ful by  nature,  but  familiar  from  necessity,  it 
attends  upon  mankind,  and  comes  an  unbid- 
den guest  to  his  most  delicate  entertainments. 
Fear  and  necessity  seem  to  regulate  all  its 
motions;  it  never  leaves  its  hole  but  to  seek 
provision,  and  seldom  ventures  above  a  few 
paces  from  home.  Different  from  the  rat, 
it  does  not  go  from  one  house  to  another,  un- 
less it  be  forced  ;  and  as  it  is  more  easily  sa- 
tisfied, it  does  much  less  mischief. 

Almost  all  animals  are  tamed  more  difficult- 
ly in  proportion  to  the  coward  ice  of  their  na- 
tures. The  truly  bold  and  courageous  easily 
become  familiar,  but  those  that  are  always 
fearful  are  ever  suspicious.  The  mouse  being 
the  most  feeble,  and  consequently  the  most 
timid  of  all  quadrupeds,  except  the  Guinea- 
pig,  is  never  rendered  thoroughly  familiar; 
and,  even  though  fed  in  a  cage,  retains  its 
natural  apprehensions.  In  fact,  it  is  to  these 
alone  that  it  owes  its  security.1"  No  animal 
has  more  enemies,  and  few  so  incapable  of 
resistance.  The  owl,  the  cat,  the  snake,  the 
hawk,  the  weasel,  the  rat  itself,  destroy  this 
species  by  millions,  and  it  only  subsists  by 
its  amazing  fecundity. 

The  mouse  brings  forth  at  all  seasons,  and 
several  times  in  a  year.  Its  usual  number 
is  from  six  to  ten.  These,  in  less  than  a  fort- 
night are  strong  enough  to  run  about  and 
shift  for  themselves.  They  are  chiefly  found 
in  farmers'  yards,  and  among  their  corn,  but 
are  seldom  in  those  ricks  that  are  much  in- 
fested with  rats.  They  generally  choose  the 
south-west  side  of  the  rick,  from  w  hence  most 
rain  is  expected  ;  and  from  thence  they  often, 
of  an  evening,  venture  forth  to  drink  the  lit- 
tle drops  either  of  rain  or  dew  that  hangs  at 
the  extremities  of  thestraw.c  Aristotle  gives 
us  an  idea  of  their  prodigious  fecundity,  by 
assuring  us,  that  having  put  a  mouse  with 


a  Buflbn,  vol.  xv.  p.  145.  b  E  volucribus  hirundines 
sunt  indociles,  e  terrestibus  mures. — PLIN.  c  Buflbn, 
vol.  xv.  p.  147. 

8K* 


3U6 


ANIMALS  OP 


young  into  a  vessel  of  corn,  in  some  time  af- 
ter he  found  a  hundred  and  twenty  mice,  all 
sprung  from  one  original.  The  early  growth 
of  this  animal  implies  also  the  short  duration 
of  its  life,  which  seldom  lasts  above  two  or 
three  years.  This  species  is  very  much  dif- 
fused, being  found  in  almost  all  parts  of  the 
ancient  continent,  and  having  been  exported 
to  the  new.1  They  are  animals  that,  while 
they  fear  human  society,  closely  attend  it; 
and,  although  enemies  to  man,  are  never  found 
but  near  those  places  where  he  has  fixed  his 
habitation.  Numberless  ways  have  been 
found  for  destroying  them ;  and  Gesner  has 
minutely  described  the  variety  of  traps  by 
which  they  are  taken.  Our  Society  for  the 
Encouragement  of  Arts  and  Manufactures 
proposed  a  reward  for  the  most  ingenious 
contrivance  lor  that  purpose :  and  I  observ- 
ed almost  every  candidate  passing  off  de- 
scriptions as  inventions  of  his  own.  I  thought 
it  was  cruel  to  detect  the  plagiarism,  or  frus- 
trate the  humble  ambition  of  those  who  would 
be  thought  the  inventors  of  a  mouse-trap. 

To  this  species,  merely  to  avoid  teazing  the 
reader  with  a  minute  description  of  animals 
very  inconsiderable  and  very  nearly  alike, 
I  will  add  that  of  the  LONG-TAILED  FIELD  MOUSE, 
which  is  larger  than  the  former,  of  a  colour 
very  nearly  resembling  the  Norway  rat,  and 
ehiefly  found  in  fields  and  gardens.  They 
are  extremely  voracious,  and  hurtful  in  gar- 
dens and  young  nurseries,  where  they  are 
killed  in  great  numbers.  However,  their  fe- 
cundity quickly  repairs  the  destruction. 

Nearly  resembling  the  former,  but  larger, 
(for  it  is  six  inches  long,)  is  the  SHORT-TAILED 
KIK.I-I)  MOUSE ;  which,  as  its  name  implies,  has 
the  tail  much  shorter  than  the  former,  it  being 
not  above  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  and  ending 
in  a  small  tuft.  Its  colour  is  more  inclining 
to  that  of  the  domestic  mouse,  the  upper  part 
being  blackish,  and  the  under  of  an  ash- 
colour.  This,  as  well  as  the  former,  are  re- 
markable for  laying  up  provision  against  win- 
ter; and  Mr.  Button  assures  us  they  some- 
times have  a  store  of  above  a  bushel  at  a 
time. 

We  may  add  also  the  SHREW  MOUSE  to  this 
species  of  minute  animals,  being  about  the 

*  Lisle's  Husbandry,  voL  ii,  p.  391. 


size  of  the  domestic  mouse,  but  differing  great- 
ly from  it  in  t!;e  form  ot  its  nose,  which  is  very 
long  and  slender.  The  teeth  also  are  of  a 
very  singular  form,  and  twenty-eight  in  num- 
ber; whereas  the  common  number  in  the  rat 
kind  is  usually  not  above  sixteen.  The  two 
upper  fore  teeth  are  very  sharp,  and  on  each 
side  of  them  there  is  a  kind  of  wing  or  beard, 
like  that  of  an  arrow,  scares  visible  but  on  a 
close  inspection.  The  other  teeth  are  placed 
close  together,  being  very  small,  and  seeming 
scarce  separated;  so  that  Avith  respect  to 
this  part  of  its  formation,  the  animal  has  some 
resemblance  to  the  viper.  However,  it  is  a 
very  harmless  little  creature,  doing  scarce 
any  injury.  On  the  contrary,  as  it  lives  chief- 
ly in  the  fields,  and  feeds  more  upon  insects 
than  corn,  it  may  be  considered  rather  as  a 
friend  than  an  enemy.  It  has  a  strong,  dis- 
agreeable smell,  so  that  the  cat,  when  it  is 
killed,  will  refuse  to  eat  it.  It  is  said  to  bring 
four  or  five  young  at  a  time. 


THE  DORMOUSE. 

THESE  animals  may  be  distinguished  into 
three  kinds;  the  GREATER  DORMOUSE,  which 
Mr.  Button  calls  the  LOIR;  the  MIDDLE,  which 
he  calls  the  LEROT;  the  LESS,  which  he  deno- 
minates the  MUSCARDIN.  They  differ  from 
each  other  in  size,  the  largest  being  equal  to 
a  rat,  the  least  being  no  bigger  than  a  mouse. 
They  all  differ  from  the  rat  in  having  the 
tail  tufted  with  hair,  in  the  manner  of  a  squir- 
rel, except  that  the  squirrel's  tail  is  flat,  re- 
sembling a  fan ;  and  theirs  round,  resembling 
a  brush.  The  lerot  differs  from  the  loir  by 
having  two  black  spots  near  the  eyes;  the 
muscardin  differs  from  both  in  the  whitish 
colour  of  its  hair  on  the  back.  They  all  three 
agree  in  having  black  sparkling  eyes,  and  the 
whiskers  partly  white  and  partly  black. 
They  agree  in  their  being  stupefied,  like  the 
marmout,  during  the  winter,  and  in  their 
hoarding  up  provisions  to  serve  them  in  case 
of  a  temporary  revival. 

They  inhabit  the  woods  or  very  thick 
hedges,  forming  their  nests  in  the  hollow  of 
some  tree,  or  near  the  bottom  of  a  close  shrub, 
humbly  content  with  continuing  at  the  bot- 
tom, and  never  aspiring  to  sport,  among  the 


l.Trichechus  Rosmarus  ArcticWalrus  orMorse.2.T.Manatus  (vartorealis  :  Mauatus  .  3.PliocaUisina.lirsiii«  Seal 
4.P.Giwnla]uJica  Harp  Seal.^.P.^tuliiia  Common  Seal  or  Sea  Calf.     G.P.Maculata.  Spotted 


THE  RAT  KIND. 


367 


branches.  Towards  the  approach  of  the  cold 
season,  they  form  a  little  magazine  of  nuts, 
beans,  or  acorns ;  and  having  laid  in  their 
hoard,  shut  themselves  up  with  it  for  the  winter. 
As  soon  as  they  feel  the  first  advances  of  the 
cold,  they  prepare  to  lessen  its  effect,  by  rolling 
themselves  up  in  a  ball,  and  thus  exposing  the 
smallest  surface  to  the  weather.  But  it  often 
happens  that  the  warmth  of  a  sunny  day,  or 
an  accidental  change  from  cold  to  heat,  thaws 
their  nearly  stagnant  fluids,  and  they  revive. 
On  such  occasions  they  have  their  provisions 
laid  in,  and  they  have  not  far  to  seek  for  their 
support.  In  this  manner  they  continue  usually 
asleep,  but  sometimes  waking,  for  about  five 
months  in  the  year,  seldom  venturing  from 
their  retreats,  and,  consequently,  but  rarely 
seen.  Their  nests  are  lined  with  moss,  grass, 
and  dead  leaves;  they  usually  bring  forth  three 
or  four  young  at  a  time,  and  that  but  once  a 
year,  in  the  spring. 


THE  MUSK  RAT. 

OF  these  animals  of  the  rat  kind,  but  with 
a  musky  smell,  there  are  also  three  distinctions, 
as  of  the  former  ;  the  ONDATRA,  the  DESMAN, 
and  the  PILORI.  The  ondatra  is  a  native  of 
Canada,  the  desman  of  Lapland,  and  the  pilori 
of  the  West  India  Islands.  The  ondatra 
differs  from  all  others  of  its  kind,  in  having  the 
tail  flatted  and  carried  edge-v/ays.  The  des- 
man has  a  long  extended  snout,  like  the  shrew- 
mouse  ;  and  the  pilori  a  short  tail,  as  thick  at 
one  end  as  the  other.  They  all  resemble  each 
other  in  being  fond  of  the  water,  but  particu- 
larly in  that  musky  odour  from  whence  they 
have  taken  their  name. 

Of  these,  the  ONDATRA  is  the  most  remark- 
able, and  has  been  the  most  minutely  describ- 
ed.1 This  animal  is  about  the  size  of  a  small 
rabbit,  but  has  the  hair,  the  colour,  and  the 
tail  of  a  rat,  except  that  it  is  flatted  on  the 
sides,  as  mentioned  above.  But  \t  is  still  more 
extraordinary  upon  other  accounts,  and  differ- 
ent from  all  other  animals  whatever.  It  is  so 
formed  that  it  can  contract  and  enlarge  its 
body  at  pleasure.  It  has  a  muscle  like  that  of 
horses,  by  which  they  move  their  hides,  lying 
immediately  under  the  skin,  and  that  furnish- 

»  Bufibn,  vol.  xx.  p.  4. 


ed  wkh  such  a  power  of  contraction,  together 
with  such  an  elasticity  in  the  false  ribs,  that 
this  animal  can  creep  into  a  hole  where  others, 
seemingly  much  less,  cannot  follow.  The  fe- 
male is  remarkable  also  for  two  distinct  aper- 
tures, one  for  urine,  the  other  for  propagation. 
The  male  is  equally  observable  for  a  peculi- 
arity of  conformation ;  the  musky  smell  is 
much  stronger  at  one  particular  season  of  the 
year  than  any  other ;  and  the  marks  of  the  sex 
seem  to  appear  and  disappear  in  the  same 
manner. 

The  ondatra  in  some  measure  resembles  the 
beaver  in  its  nature  and  disposition.  They 
both  live  in  society  during  winter ;  they  both 
form  houses  of  two  feet  and  a  half  wide,  in 
which  they  reside  several  families  together. 
In  these  they  do  not  assemble  to  sleep  as  the 
marmout,  but  purely  to  shelter  themselves  from 
the  rigour  of  the  season.  However,  they  do  not 
lay  up  magazines  of  provision  like  the  beaver; 
they  only  form  a  kind  of  covert-way  to  and 
round  their  dwelling,  from  \vhence  thev  issue 
to  procure  water  and  roots,  upon  which  they 
subsist.  During  winter  their  houses  are  cover- 
ed under  a  depth  of  eight  or  ten  feet  of  snow ; 
so  that  they  must  lead  but  a  cold,  gloomy,  and 
necessitous  life,  during  its  continance.  During 
summer  they  separate  two  by  two,  and  feed 
upon  the  variety  of  roots  and  vegetables  that 
the  season  offers.  They  then  become  ex- 
tremely fat,  and  are  much  sought  after,  as  well 
for  their  flesh  as  their  skins,  which  are  very 
valuable.  They  then  also  acquire  a  very 
strong  scent  of  musk,  so  pleasing  to  an  Euro- 
pean, but  which  the  savages  of  Canada  can- 
not abide.  What  we  admire  as  a  perfume, 
they  consider  as  a  most  abominable  stench, 
and  call  one  of  their  rivers,  on  the  banks  of 
which  this  animal  is  seen  to  burrow  in  num- 
bers, by  the  name  of  the  stinking  river,  as  well 
as  the  rat  itself,  which  is  denominated  by  them 
the  stinkard.  This  is  a  strange  diversity 
among  mankind;  and,  perhaps,  may  be  ascrib- 
ed to  the  different  kinds  of  food  among  differ- 
ent nations.  Such  as  chiefly  feed  upon  rancid 
oils,  and  putrid  flesh,  will  often  mistake  the 
nature  of  scents  ;  and,  having  been  long  used 
to  ill  smells,  will,  by  habit,  consider  them  as 
perfumes.  Be  this  as  it  will,  although  these 
nations  of  northern  savages  consider  the  musk 
rat  as  intolerably  foetid,  they  nevertheless  re- 
gard it  as  very  good  eating,  and,  indeed,  in 


368 


ANIMALS  OF 


this  they  imitate  the  epicures  of  Europe  very 
exactly,  whose  taste  seldom  relishes  a  dish  till 
the  nose  gives  the  strongest  marks  of  disappro- 
bation, ^s  to  the  rest,  this  animal  a  good 
deal  resembles  the  beaver  in  its  habits  and  dis- 
position ;  but,  as  its  instincts  are  less  powerful, 
and  its  economy  less  exact,  I  will  reserve  for 
the  description  of  that  animal  a  part  of  what 
may  be  applicable  to  this. 


THE  CRICETUS. 

THE  Cricetus,  or  German  Rat,  which  Mr. 
Buffon  calls  the  hamster,  greatly  resembles  the 
water  rat  in  its  size,  small  eyes,  and  the  short- 
ness of  its  tail.  It  differs  in  colour,  being 
rather  browner,  like  the  Norway  rat,  with  the 
belly  and  legs  of  a  dirty  yellow.  But  the 
marks  by  which  it  may  be  distinguished  from 
all  others  are  two  pouches,  like  those  of  a 
baboon,  on  each  side  of  its  jaw,  under  the  skin, 
into  which  it  can  cram  a  large  quantity  of 
provision.  These  bags  are  oblong,  and  of 
the  size,  when  filled,  of  a  large  walnut.  They 
open  into  the  mouth,  and  fall  back  along  the 
neck  to  the  shoulder.  Into  these  the  animal 
can  thrust  the  surplus  of  those  fruits  or  grains 
it  gathers  in  the  fields,  such  as  wheat,  peas,  or 
acorns.  When  the  immediate  calls  of  hunger 
are  satisfied,  it  then  falls  to  filling  these  ;  and 
thus  loaded  with  two  great  bunches  on  each 
side  of  the  jaw,  it  returns  home  to  its  hole  to 
deposite  the  spoil  as  a  store  for  the  winter. 
The  size,  the  fecundity,  and  the  voraciousness 
of  this  animal,  render  it  one  of  the  greatest 
pests  in  the  countries  where  it  is  found,  and 
every  method  is  made  use  of  to  destroy  it. 

But  although  this  animal  is  very  noxious 
with  respect  to  man,  yet,  considered  with  re- 
gard to  those  instincts  which  conduce  to  its 

'  own  support  and  convenience,  it  deserves  our 
admiration.3  Its  hole  offers  a  very  curious 
object  for  contemplation,  and  shows  a  degree 
of  skill  superior  to  the  rest  of  the  rat  kind.  It 
consists  of  a  variety  of  apartments,  fitted  up 
for  the  different  occasions  of  the  little  inhabit- 

,  ant.  It  is  generally  made  on  an  inclining 
ground,  and  always  has  two  entrances,  one 
perpendicular,  and  the  other  oblique  ;  though, 
if  there  be  more  than  one  in  a  family,  there 

•  Buffon,  vol.  xxvi.  p.  159. 


are  as  many  perpendicular  holes  as  there  are 
individuals  below.  The  perpendicular  hole  is 
usually  that  through  which  they  go  in  and  out: 
the  oblique  serves  to  give  a  thorough  air  to  keep 
the  retreat  clean,  and,  in  case  one  hole  is 
stopped,  to  give  an  exit  at  this.  Within  about 
a  foot  of  the  perpendicular  hole,  the  animal 
makes  two  more,  where  are  deposited  the 
family's  provisions.  These  are  much  more 
spacious  than  the  former,  and  are  large  in  pro- 
portion to  the  quantity  of  the  store.  Beside 
these,  there  is  still  another  apartment,  warmly 
lined  with  grass  and  straw,  where  the  female 
brings  forth  her  young ;  all  these  communicate 
with  each  other,  and  all  together  take  up  a 
space  of  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  diameter.  These 
animals  furnish  their  store-houses  with  dry 
corn,  well  cleaned ;  they  also  lay  in  corn  in 
the  ear,  and  beans  and  peas  in  the  pod. 
These,  when  occasion  requires,  they  afterwards 
separate,  carrying  out  the  pods  and  empty  ears 
by  their  oblique  passage.  They  usually  begin 
to  lay  in  at  the  latter  end  of  August;  and,  as 
each  magazine  is  filled,  they  carefully  cover 
up  the  mouth  with  earth,  and  that  so  neatly, 
that  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  discover  where  the 
earth  has  been  removed.  The  only  means  of 
finding  out  their  retreats  are,  therefore,  to  ob- 
serve the  oblique  entrance,  which  generally 
has  a  small  quantity  of  earth  before  it ;  and 
this,  though  often  several  yards  from  their  per- 
pendicular retreat,  leads  those  that  are  skilled 
in  the  search  to  make  the  discovery.  Many 
German  peasants  are  known  to  make  a  liveli- 
hood by  finding  out  and  bringing  off  their 
hoards,  which,  in  a  fruitful  season,  often 
furnish  two  bushels  of  good  grain  in  each 
apartment. 

Like  most  others  of  the  rat  kind,  they  pro- 
duce twice  or  thrice  a  year,  and  bring  five  or 
six  at  a  time.  Some  years  they  appear  in 
alarming  numbers,  at  other  times  they  are  not 
so  plentiful.  The  moist  seasbns  assist  their 
propagation ;  and  it  often  happens  on  such 
years  that  their  devastations  produce  a  famine 
all  over  the  country.  Happily,  however,  for 
mankind,  these,  like  the  rest  of  their  kind,  de- 
stroy each  other;  and  of  two  that  Mr.  Buffon 
kept  in  a  cage,  male  and  female,  the  latter  kill- 
ed and  devoured  the  former.  As  to  the  rest, 
their  fur  is  considered  as  very  valuable ;  the 
natives  are  invited  by  rewards  to  destroy 
them  ;  and  the  weasel  kind  seconds  the  wishes 


THE  RAT  KIND. 


369 


of  government  with  great  success.  Although 
they  are  usually  found  brown  on  the  back 
and  white  on  the  belly,  yet  many  of  them  are 
observed  to  be  gray,  which  may  probably 
arise  from  the  difference  of  age. 


THE  LEMING. 

HAVING  considered  various  kinds  of  these 
noxious  little  animals  that  elude  the  indigna- 
tion of  mankind,  and  subsist  by  their  number, 
not  their  strength,  we  come  to  a  species  more 
bold,  more  dangerous,  and  more  numerous 
than  any  of  the  former.  The  leming,  which 
is  a  native  of  Scandinavia,  is  often  seen  to 
pour  down  in  myriads  from  the  northern 
mountains,  and,  like  a  pestilence,  destroys  all 
the  productions  of  the  earth.  It  is  described 
as  being  larger  than  a  dormouse,  with  a  bushy 
tail,  though  shorter.  It  is  covered  with  thin 
hair  of  various  colours.  The  extremity  of  the 
upper  part  of  the  head  is  black,  as  are  like- 
wise the  neck  and  shoulders,  but  the  rest  of 
the  body  is  reddish,  intermixed  with  small 
black  spots  of  various  figures,  as  far  as  the 
tail,  which  is  not  above  half  an  inch  long. 
The  eyes  are  little  and  black,  the  ears  round 
and  inclining  towards  the  back,  the  legs 
before  are  short,  and  those  behind  longer, 
which  gives  it  a  great  degree  of  swiftness. 
But  what  it  is  much  more  remarkable  for 
than  its  figure  are,  its  amazing  fecundity  and 
extraordinary  migrations. 

In  wet  seasons,  all  of  the  rat  kind  are 
known  to  propagate  more  than  in  dry ;  but 
this  species  in  particular  is  so  assisted  in 
multiplying  by  the  moisture  of  the  weather, 
that  the  inhabitants  of  Lapland  sincerely  be- 
lieve that  they  drop  from  the  clouds,  and  that 
the  same  magazines  that  furnish  hail  and 
snow  pour  the  leming  also  upon  them.  In 
fact,  after  long  rain,  these  animals  set  forward 
from  their  native  mountains,  and  several 
millions  in  a  troop  deluge  the  whole  plain 
with  their  numbers."  They  move,  for  the 
most  part,  in  a  square,  marching  forward  by 
night,  and  lying  still  by  day.  Thus,  like  an 
animated  torrent,  they  are  often  «een  more 
than  a  mile  broad  covering  *v  6round,  and 

•  Phil.  Trans,  vol  ii.  p.  872. 


that  so  thick  that  the  hindmost  touches  its 
leader.  It  is  in  vain  that  the  poor  inhabitant 
resists  or  attempts  to  stop  their  progress,  they 
still  keep  moving  forward,  and  though  thou- 
sands are  destroyed,  myriads  are  seen  to  suc- 
ceed and  make  their  destruction  impracti- 
cable. They  generally  move  in  lines,  which 
are  about  three  feet  from  each  other,  and  ex- 
actly parallel.  Their  march  is  always  direct- 
ed from  the  north-west  to  the  south-east,  and 
regularly  conducted  from  the  beginning. 
Wherever  their  motions  are  turned,  nothing 
can  stop  them;  they  go  directly  forward, 
impelled  by  some  strange  power ;  and,  from 
the  time  they  first  set  out,  they  never  once 
think  of  retreating.  If  a  lake  or  a  river  hap- 
pens to  interrupt  their  progress,  they  all  to- 
gether take  the  water  and  swim  over  it;  a  fire, 
a  deep  well,  or  a  torrent,  does  not  turn  them 
out  of  their  straight-lined  direction;  they 
boldly  plunge  into  the  flames,  or  leap  down 
the  well,  and  are  sometimes  seen  climbing  up 
on  the  other  side.  If  they  are  interrupted  by 
a  boat  across  a  river  while  they  are  swimming, 
they  never  attempt  to  swim  round  it,  but 
mount  directly  up  its  sides ;  and  the  boatmen, 
who  know  how  vain  resistance  in  such  a  case 
would  be,  calmly  suffer  the  living  torrent  to 
pass  over,  which  it  does  without  further  dam- 
age. If  they  meet  with  a  stack  of  hay  or  corn 
that  interrupts  their  passage,  instead  of  going 
over  it,  they  gnaw  their  way  through  ;  if  they 
are  stopped  by  a  house  in  their  course,  if 
they  cannot  go  through  it,  they  continue  there 
till  they  die.  It  is  happy,  however,  for  man- 
kind that  they  eat  nothing  that  is  prepared  for 
human  subsistence;  they  never  enter  a  house 
to  destroy  the  provisions,  but  are  contented 
with  eating  every  root  and  vegetable  that 
they  meet.  If  they  happen  to  pass  through  a 
meadow,  they  destroy  it  in  a  very  short  time, 
and  give  it  an  appearance  of  being  burnt  up 
and  strewed  with  ashes.  If  they  are  inter- 
rupted in  their  course,  and  a  man  should  im- 
prudently venture  to  attack  one  of  them,  the 
little  animal  is  no  way  intimidated  by  the 
disparity  of  strength,  but  furiously  flies  up  at 
its  opponent,  and,  barking  somewhat  like  a 
puppy,  wherever  it  fastens  does  not  easily 
quit  the  hold.  If  at  last  the  leader  be  forced 
out  of  its  line,  which  it  defends  as  long  as  it 
can,  and  be  separated  from  the  rest  of  its 


370 


ANIMALS  OP 


kind,  it  sets  up  a  plaintive  cry,  different  from 
that  of  anger,  and,  as  some  pretend  to  say, 
gives  itself  a  voluntary  death,  by  hanging  it- 
self on  the  fork  of  a  tree. 

An  enemy  so  numerous  and  destructive 
would  quickly  render  the  countries  where 
they  appear  utterly  uninhabitable,  did  it  not 
fortunately  happen  that  the  same  rapacity 
that  animates  them  to  destroy  the  labours  of 
mankind,  at  last  impels  them  to  destroy  and 
devour  each  other.a  After  committing  incre- 
dible devastations,  they  are  at  last  seen  to 
separate  into  two  armies,  opposed  with  dead- 
ly hatred,  along  the  coast  of  the  larger  lakes 
and  rivers.  The  Laplanders,  who  observe 
them  thus  drawn  up  to  fight,  instead  of  con- 
sidering their  mutual  animosities  as  a  hap- 
py riddance  of  the  most  dreadful  pest,  form 
ominous  prognostics  from  the  manner  of  their 
arrangement.  They  consider  their  combats 
as  a  presage  of  war,  and  expect  an  invasion 
from  the  Russians  or  the  Swedes,  as  the  sides 
next  those  kingdoms  happen  to  conquer.  The 
two  divisions,  however,  continue  their  en- 
gagements and  animosity  until  one  party  over- 
comes the  other.  From  that  time  they  ut- 
terly disappear,  nor  is  it  well  known  what 
becomes  01  either  the  conquerors  or  the  con- 
quered. Some  suppose  that  they  rush  head- 
long into  the  sea,  others  that  they  kill  them- 
selves, as  some  are  found  hanging  on  the 
forked  branches  of  a  tree,  and  others  still 
that  they  are  destroyed  by  the  young  spring 
herbage.  But  the  most  probable  opinion  is, 
that,  having  devoured  the  vegetable  produc- 
tions of  the  country,  and  having  nothing  more 
to  subsist  on,  they  then  fall  to  devouring  each 
other;  and,  having  habituated  themselves  to 
that  kind  of  food,  continue  it.  However  this 
be,  they  are  often  found  dead  by  thousands, 
and  their  carcasses  have  been  known  to  in- 
fect the  air  for  several  miles  round,  so  as  to 
produce  very  malignant  disorders.  They 
seem  also  to  infect  the  plants  they  have  gnaw- 
ed, for  the  cattle  often  die  that  afterwards 
feed  in  the  places  where  they  passed. 

As  to  the  rest,  the  male  is  larger  and  more 
beautifully  spotted  than  the  female.  They 
are  extremely  prolific ;  and,  what  is  extraor- 
dinary, their  breeding  does  not  hinder  their 

*  Dictionalre  I'aUonee,  vol.  ii.  p.  GlO. 


march ;  for  some  of  them  haTe  been  observ- 
ed to  carry  one  young  one  in  their  mouth 
and  another  on  their  back.  They  are  great- 
ly preyed  upon  by  the  ermine,  and,  as  we 
are  told,  even  by  the  rein-deer.  The  Swedes 
and  Norwegians,  who  live  by  husbandry, 
consider  an  invasion  from  these  vermin  as  a 
terrible  visitation ;  but  it  is  very  different 
with  respect  to  the  Laplanders,  who  lead  a 
vagrant  life,  and  who,  like  the  lemings  them- 
selves, if  their  provisions  be  destroyed  in  one 
part  of  the  country,  can  easily  retire  to  ano- 
ther. These  are  never  so  happy  as  when  an 
army  of  lemings  come  down  amongst  them ; 
for  then  they  least  upon  their  flesh ;  which, 
though  horrid  food,  and  which,  though  even 
dogs  and  cats  are  known  to  detest,  these 
little  savages  esteem  very  good  eating,  and 
devour  greedily.  They  are  glad  of  their  ar- 
rival also  upon  another  account,  for  they  al- 
ways expect  a  great  plenty  of  game  the  year 
following,  among  those  fields  which  the  le- 
mings have  destroyed. 


THE  MOLE. 

To  these  minute  animals  of  the  rat  kind, 
a  great  part  of  whose  lives  is  past  in  holes 
under  ground,  I  will  subjoin  one  little  ani- 
mal more,  no  way  resembling  the  rat,  except 
that  its  whole  life  is  spent  there.  As  we  have 
seen  some  quadrupeds  formed  to  crop  the 
surface  of  the  fields,  and  others  to  live  upon 
the  tops  of  trees,  so  the  mole  is  formed  to  live 
wholly  under  the  earth,  as  if  nature  meant 
that  no  place  should  be  left  wholly  untenant- 
ed.  Were  we  from  our  own  sensations  to 
pronounce  upon  the  life  of  a  quadruped  that 
was  never  to  appear  above  ground,  but  was 
always  condemned  to  hunt  for  its  prey  under- 
neath, obliged,  whenever  it  removed  from  one 
place  to  another,  to  bore  its  way  through  a 
resisting  body,  we  should  be  apt  to  assert 
that  such  an  existence  must  be  the  most 
frightful  and  solitary  in  nature.  However, 
in  the  present  animal,  though  we  find  it  con- 
demned to  all  those  seeming  inconveniences, 
we  shall  discover  no  signs  of  wretchedness  or 
distress.  No  quadruped  is  fatter,  none  has 
a  more  sleek  or  glossy  skin ;  and,  though  de- 
nied many  advantages  that  most  animals  en- 


THE  RAT  KIND. 


371 


joy,  it  is  most  liberally  possessed  of  others, 
which  they  have  in  a  more  scanty  proportion. 
This  animal,  so  well  known  in  England,  is, 
however,  utterly  a  stranger  in  other  places, 
and  particularly  in  Ireland.     For  such,  there- 
fore, as  have  never  seen  it,  a  short  descrip- 
tion will    be    necessary.     And,    in    the  first 
place,  though  somewhat  of  a  size  between 
the  rat  and  the  mouse,  it  no  way  resembles 
either,  being  an  animal  entirely  of  a  singular 
'cind,  and  perfectly  unlike  any  other  quadru- 
ped whatever.     It  is  bigger  than  a  mouse, 
with  a  coat  of  fine,  short,  glossy,  black  hair. 
Its  nose  is  long  and  pointed,  resembling  that 
of  a  hog,  but  much  longer.     Its  eyes  are  so 
small,   that  it  is  scarce  possible  to  discern 
them.     Instead  of  ears,  it  has  only  holes,  in 
the  place.     Its  neck  is  so  short,  that  the  head 
seems  stuck  upon  the  shoulders.     The  body 
is  thick  and  round,  terminating  by  a    very 
small  short  tail,  and  its  legs  also  are  so  very 
short,  that  the  animal  seems  to  lie  flat  on  its 
belly.     From  under  its  belly,  as  it  rests  in 
this  position,  the  four  feet  appear  just  as  if 
they    immediately    grew    out    of  the    body. 
Thus  the  animal  appears  to  us  at  first  view 
as  a  mass  of  flesh  covered  with  a  fine,  shining, 
black  skin,    with  a    little  head,    and  scarce 
any  legs,  eyes,  or  tail.     On   a  close  inspec- 
tion, however,  two  little  black  points  may  be 
discerned,  that  are  its  eyes.     The  ancients, 
and  some  of  the  moderns,  were  of  opinion 
that  the  animal   was  utterly  blind ;  but  Der- 
ham,  by  the  help  of  a  microscope,  plainly  dis- 
covered all  the  parts   of  the  eye  that    are 
known  iu  other  animals,  such  as  the  pupil, 
the  vitreous  and  crystalline  humours.     The 
fore  legs  appear  very  short  and  strong,  and 
furnished  with  five  claws  to  each.      These 
are  turned  outwards  and   backwards,  as  the 
hands  of  a  man  when  swimming.     The  hind 
legs  are  longer  and    weaker  than  the  fore, 
being  only  used  to  assist  its  motions ;  where- 
as the  others  are    continually  employed  in 
digging.     The  teeth  are  like  those  of  a  shrew- 
mouse,  and  there  are  five  on  both  sides  of 
the  upper  jaw,  which  stand  out;  but  those 
behind  are  divided  into  points.     The  tongue 
is  as  large  as  the  mouth  will  hold. 

Such  is  the  extraordinary  figure  and  for- 
mation of  this  animal;  which,  if  we  compare 
with  its  manner  of  living,  we  shall  find  a  ma- 
No.  31  &32. 


nifest  attention  in  nature  to  adapt  the  one  to 
the  other."     As  it  is  allotted  a  subterraneous 
abode,  the  seeming  defects  of  its  formation 
vanish,  or  rather  are  turned  to  its  advantage. 
The  breadth,  strength,  and  shortness  of  the 
fore  feet,  which  are   inclined  outwards,  an- 
swer the  purposes  of  digging,  serving  to  throw 
back  the  earth  with  greater  case,  and  to  pur- 
sue the  worms  and  insects  which  arc  its  prey: 
had  they  been  longer,  the  falling  in  of  the 
earth  would  have  prevented  the  quick  repe- 
tition of  its  strokes  in  vorking;  or  have  oblig- 
ed it  to  make  a  large  hole  in  order  to  give 
room  for  their  exertion.     The  form  of   the 
body  is  not  less  admirably  contrived  for  its 
way  of  life.     The  fore  part  is  thick,  and  very 
muscular,  giving  great  strength  to  the  action 
of  the  fore  feet,  enabling  it  to  dig  its    way 
with  amazing  force  and  rapidity  either  to  pur- 
sue its  prey,  or  elude  the  search  of  the  most 
active  enemy.     By  its  power  of  boring  the 
earth,  it  quickly  gets  below  the  surface ;  and 
I  have  seen  it,  when  let  loose  in  the  midst  of 
a  field,  like  the  ghost  on  a  theatre,  instantly 
sink  into  the  earth;  and  the  most  active  la- 
bourer, with  a  spade,  in  vain  attempted  to 
pursue. 

The  smallness  of  its  eyes,  which  induced 
the  ancients  to  think  it  was  blind,  is,  to  this 
animal,  a  peculiar  advantage.  A  small  de- 
geee  of  vision  is  sufficient  for  a  creature  that 
is  ever  destined  to  live  in  darkness.  A  more 
extensive  sight  would  only  have  served  to 
show  the  horrors  of  its  prison,  while  nature 
had  denied  it  the  means  of  an  escape.  Had 
this  organ  been  larger,  it  would  have  been 
perpetually  liable  to  injuries,  by  the  falling 
of  the  earth  into  it;  but  nature,  to  prevent 
that  inconvenience,  has  not  only  made  them 
very  small,  but  very  closely  covered  them 
with  hair.  Anatomists  mention,  beside  these 
advantages,  another  that  contributes  to  their 
security ;  namely,  a  certain  muscle,  by  which 
the  animal  can  draw  back  the  eye  whenever 
it  is  necessary  or  in  danger. 

As  the  eye  is  thus  perfectly  fitted  to  the 
animal's  situation,  so  also  are  the  senses  ot 
hearing  and  smelling.  The  first  gives  it  no- 
tice of  the  n;ost  distant  appearance  of  dan- 
ger ;  the  other  directs  it,  in  the  midst  of  dark- 


British  Zoology. 


3L 


S72 


ANIMALS  OF 


ness,  to  its  food.  The  wants  of  a  subterrane- 
ous animal  can  be  but  few  :  and  these  are  suf- 
ficient to  supply  them  :  to  eat,  and  to  produce 
its  kind,  are  the  \vholeemployment  of  such  a 
life  ;  and  for  both  these  purposes  it  is  wonder- 
fully adapted  by  nature/ 

Thus  admirably  is  this  animal  fitted  for  a 
life  of  darkness  and  solitude ;  with  no  appe- 
tites but  what  it  can  easily  indulge,  with  no 
enemies  but  what  it  can  easily  evade  or  con- 
quer. As  soon  as  it  has  once  buried  itself  in 
the  earth,  it  seldom  stirs  out,  unless  forced  by 
violent  rains  in  summer,  or  when  in  pursuit  of 
its  prey,  it  happens  to  come  too  near  the  sur- 
face, and  thus  gets  into  the  open  air,  which 
may  be  considered  as  its  unnatural  element. 
In  general,  it  chooses  the  looser,  softer  grounds, 
beneath  which  it  can  travel  with  greater  ease ; 
in  such  also,  it  generally  finds  the  greatest 
.number  of  worms  and  insects,  upon  which  it 
chiefly  preys.  It  is  observed  to  be  most  active, 
and  to  cast  up  most  earth,  immediately  before 
rain  ;  and,  in  winter,  before  a  thaw  :  at  those 
times  the  worms  and  insects  begin  to  be  in  mo- 
tion :  and  approach  the  surface,  whither  this 
industrious  animal  pursues  them.  On  the  con- 
trary, in  very  dry  weather,  the  mole  seldom  or 
never  forms  any  hillocks ;  for  then  it  is  oblig- 
ed to  penetrate  deeper  after  its  prey,  which  at 
such  seasons  retire  far  into  the  ground. 

As  the  moles  very  seldom  come  above 
ground,1"  they  have  few  enemies ;  and  very 
readily  evade  the  pursuit  of  animals  stronger 
and  swifter  than  themselves.  Their  greatest 
calamity  is  an  inundation ;  which,  wherever 
it  happens,  they  are  seen  in  numbers  attempt- 
ing to  save  themselves  by  swimming,  and 
using  every  effort  to  reach  the  higher  grounds. 
The  greatest  part,  however,  perish,  as  well  as 
their  young,  which  remain  in  the  holes  behind. 
Were  it  not  for  such  accidents,  from  their  great 
fecundity,  they  would  become  extremely  trou- 
blesome ;  and,  as  it  is,  in  some  places,  they 
are  considered  by  the  farmer  as  his  greatest 
pest.  They  couple  towards  the  approach  of 
spring ;  and  their  young  are  found  about  the 
beginning  of  May.  They  generally  have  four 

a  Testes  habet  maximos,  parastatas  amplissimas,  novum 
corpus  seminale  ab  his  diversum  ac  separatum.  Penem 
•ptiam  facile  omnium,  in  fallor,  animalium  longissimum,  ex 
quibus  colligere  est  maximam  prae  reliquis  omnibus  animali- 
bus  voluptatem  in  coitu,  hoc  abjectum  et  vile  animalculum 
•pereipere  ut  habeant  quod  ipsi  invideant  qui  in  hoc  supremaa 


or  five  at  a  time ;  and  it  is  easy  to  distinguish 
among  other  mole-hills,  that  in  which  the  fe- 
male has  brought  forth  her  young.     These  are 
made  with  much  greater  art  than  the   rest ; 
and  are  usually  larger.     The  female,  in  order 
to  form  this  retreat,  begins  by  erecting   the 
earth   into   a   tolerable    spacious   apartment, 
which  is  supported    within    by  partitions,  at 
proper  distances,  that  prevent  the  roof  from 
Jailing.     All  round  this  she  works,  and  heats 
the  earth  very  firm,  so  as  to  make  it  capable 
of  keeping  out  the  rain,  let  it  be  never  so  vio- 
lent.    As  the  hillock,  in  which  this  apartment 
is  thus  formed,  if  raised  above  ground,  the 
apartment  itself  is  consequently  above  the  level 
of  the  plain,  and,  therefore,  less  subject  to  ac- 
cidental slight  inundations.     The  place  being 
thus  fitted,  she  then  procures  grass  and  dry 
leaves  as  a  bed  for  her  young.     There  they 
lie  secure  from  wet,  and  she  continues  to  make 
their  retreat  equally  so  from   danger;  for  all 
round  this  hill  of  her  own  raising,  are  holes 
running  into  the  earth,  that  part  from  the  mid- 
dle apartment,  like  rays  from  a  centre,  and 
extend  about  fifteen  feet  in  every  direction  : 
these  resemble  so  many  walks  or  chases,  into 
which   the  animal  makes  her  subterraneous 
excursions,  and  supplies  her  young  with  such 
roots  or  insects  as  she  can  provide:  but  they 
contribute  still  more  to  the  general  safety ;  for 
as  the  mole  is  very  quick  of  hearing,  the  in- 
stant she  perceives  her  little  habitation  attacked, 
she  takes  to  her  burrow,  and  unless  the  earth 
be  dug  away  by  several  men  at  once,  she  and 
her  young  always  make  a  good  retreat. 

The  mole  is  scarcely  found,  except  in  culti- 
vated countries :  the  varieties  are  but  few. 
That  which  is  found  in  Virginia,  resembles  the 
common  mole,  except  in  colour,  which  is  black, 
mixed  with  a  deep  purple.  There  are  some- 
times white  moles,  seen  particularly  in  Poland, 
rather  larger  than  the  former.  As  their  skin  is 
so  very  soft  and  beautiful,  it  is  odd  that  it  has 
not  been  turned  to  any  advantage.  Agricola 
tells  us,  that  he  saw  hats  made  from  it,  the 
finest  and  the  most  beautiful  that  could  be 
imagined. 

_-^r —  -  -  -  -          j  — 

vitae  sase  delicias  collorant:  Rnii  Synops.  Quadnip.  p.  239- 
Huic  opinion!  assentitur  D.  Bnffon,  attamer  non  raihi  ap- 
paiet    magnitudinem    partium    talem    vi<liiptatcm   augere 
Maiihus  enim  salacissiuiis  conUiuluui  obtintt. 
b  Bufl'on. 


THE  HEDGEHOG  KIND. 


373 


CHAPTER  LIV. 

THE  HEDGEHOG,  OR  PRICKLY  KIND. 


ANIMALS  of  the  Hedgehog  kind  require 
but  very  little  accuracy  to  distinguish  them 
from  all  others.  That  hair  which  serves 
the  generality  of  quadrupeds  for  warmth  and 
ornament,  is  partly  wanting  in  these ;  while 
its  place  is  supplied  by  sharp  spines  or  prickles, 
that'  serve  for  their  defence.  This  general 
characteristic,  therefore,  makes  a  much  more 
obvious  distinction  than  any  that  can  be  taken 
from  their  teeth  or  their  claws.  Nature,  by 
this  extraordinary  peculiarity,  seems  to  have 
separated  them  in  a  very  distinguished  man- 
ner;  so  that,  instead  of  classing  the  hedgehog 
among  the  moles,  or  the  porcupine  with  the 
hare,  as  some  have  done,  it  is  much  more  na- 
tural and  obvious  to  place  them,  and  others 
approaching  them,  in  this  strange  peculiarity, 
in  a  class  by  themselves  ;  nor  let  it  be  suppos- 
ed, that  while  I  thus  alter  their  arrangement, 
and  separate  them  from  animals  with  which 
they  have  been  formerly  combined,  that  I  am 
destroying  any  secret  affinities  that  exist  in 
nature.  It  is  natural,  indeed,  for  readers  to 
suppose,  when  they  see  two  such  opposite  ani- 
mals as  the  hare  and  the  porcupine  assembled 
together  in  the  same  group,  that  there  must  be 
some  material  reason,  some  secret  connexion, 
for  thus  joining  animals  so  little  resembling 
each  other  in  appearance.  But  the  reasons 
for  this  union  were  very  slight,  and  merely 
arose  from  a  similitude  in  the  fore  teeth  ;  no 
likeness  in  the  internal  conformation, no  simili- 
tude in  nature,  in  habitudes,  or  disposition  ; 
in  short,  nothing  to  fasten  the  link  that  com- 
bines them,  but  the  similitude  in  the  teeth  : 
this,  therefore,  may  be  easily  dispensed  with  ; 
and,  as  was  said,  it  will  be  most  proper  to  class 
them  according  to  their  most  striking  simili- 
tudes. 

The  hedgehog,  with  an  appearance  the  most 
formidable,  is  yet  one  of  the  most  harmless  ani- 
mals in  the  world  :  unable  or  unwilling  to 
offend,  all  its  precautions  are  only  directed  to 
its  own  security ;  and  it  is  armed  with  a 
thousand  points,  to  keep  off  the  enemy,  but 


not  to  invade  him.  While  other  creatures 
trust  to  their  force,  their  cunning,  or  their 
swiftness,  this  animal,  destitute  of  all,  has  but 
one  expedient  for  safety ;  and  from  this  alone 
it  often  finds  protection.  As  soon  as  it  per- 
ceives itself  attacked,  it  withdraws  all  its  vul- 
nerable parts,  rolls  itself  into  a  ball,  and  pre- 
sents nothing  but  its  defensive  thorns  to  the 
enemy  ;  thus,  while  it  attempts  to  injure  no 
other  quadruped,  they  are  equally  incapable  of 
injuring  it :  like  those  knights,  we  have  some- 
where read  of,  who  were  armed  in  such  a 
manner,  that  they  could  neither  conquer  others, 
nor  be  themselves  overcome. 

This  animal  is  of  two  kinds ;  one  with  a 
nose  like  the  snout  of  a  hog;  the  other  more 
short  and  blunt,  like  that  of  a  dog.  That  with 
the  muzzle  of  a  dog  is  the  most  common,  be- 
ing about  six  inches  in  length,  from  the  tip  of 
the  nose  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail.  The  tail 
is  little  more  than  an  inch  long ;  and  so  con- 
cealed by  the  spines,  as  to  be  scarce  visible : 
the  head,  back,  and  sides,  are  covered  with 
prickles;  the  nose,  breast,  and  belly,  are  cover- 
ed with  fine  soft  hair  ;a  the  legs  are  short,  of  a 
dusky  colour,  and  almost  bare;  the  toes  on 
each  foot  are  five  in  number,  long  and  sepa- 
rated ;  the  prickles  are  about  an  inch  in  length, 
and  very  sharp  pointed  ;  their  lower  part  is 
white,  the  middle  black,  and  the  points  white: 
the  eyes  are  small,  and  placed  high  in  the  head : 
the  ears  are  round,  pretty  large,  and  naked  ; 
the  mouth  is  small,  but  well  furnished  with 
teeth  ;  these,  however,  it  only  uses  in  chewing 
its  food,  but  neither  in  attacking  or  defending 
itself  against  other  animals.  Its  only  reliance 
in  cases  of  danger,  is  on  its  spines  ;  the  instant 
it  percr ives  an  enemy,  it  puts  itself  into  a  pos- 
ture of  defence,  and  keeps  upon  its  guard  until 
it  supposes  the  danger  over.  On  such  occa- 
sions, it  immediately  alters  its  whole  appear- 
from  its  usual  form,  somewhat  resem- 


ance 


a  Praputium  propendens.     Linnaei  Syst.  75.     And  of 
the  female  he  might  have  said,  resupina  copulatur. 
3L* 


374 


ANIMALS  OF 


bling  a  small  animal,  with  a  bunch  on  its  back, 
the  animal  begins  to  bend  its  back,  to  lay  its 
head  upon  its  breast,  to  shut  its  eyes,  to  roll 
down  the  skin  of  its  sides  towards  the  legs,  to 
draw  these  up,  and  lastly,  to  tuck  them  in 
ev«ry  side,  by  drawing  the  skin  still  closer.  In 
this  form,  which  the  hedgehog  always  puts  on 
when  disturbed,  it  no  way  resembles  an  ani- 
mal, but  rather  a  roundish  mass  of  prickles, 
impervious  on  every  side.  The  shape  of  the 
animal  thus  rolled  up,  somewhat  resembles  a 
chesnut  in  the  husk  ;  there  being,  on  one  side, 
a  kind  of  flat  space,  which  is  that  on  which  the 
head  and  legs  have  been  tucked  in. 

Such  is  the  usual  appearance  of  the  hedge- 
hog, upon  the  approach  of  any  danger.  Thus 
rolled  up  in  a  lump,  it  patiently  waits  till  its 
enemy  passes  by,  or  is  fatigued  with  fruitless 
attempts  to  annoy  it.  The  cat,  the  weasel,  the 
ferret,  and  the  martin,  quickly  decline  the 
combat ;  and  the  dog  himself  generally  spends 
his  time  in  empty  menaces,  rather  than  in 
effectual  efforts.  Every  increase  of  danger 
only  increases  the  animal's  precautions  to  keep 
on  its  guard ;  its  assailant  vainly  attempts  to 
bite,  since  he  thus  more  frequently  feels  than 
inflicts  a  wound  ;  he  stands  enraged  and  bark- 
ing, and  rolls  it  along  with  the  paws ;  still, 
however,  the  hedgehog  patiently  submits  to 
every  indignity,  but  continues  secure;  and 
still  more  to  disgust  its  enemy  with  the  contest, 
sheds  its  urine,  the  smell  of  which  is  alone 
sufficient  to  send  him  away.  In  this  manner 
the  dog,  after  barking  for  some  time,  leaves 
the  hedgehog  where  he  found  him,  who,  per- 
ceiving the  danger  past,  at  length  peeps  out 
from  its  ball,  and,  if  not  interrupted,  creeps 
slowly  to  its  retreat. 

The  hedgehog,  like  most  other  wild  animals, 
sleeps  by  day,  and  ventures  out  by  night.  It 
generally  resides  in  small  thickets,  in  hedges, 
or  in  ditches  covered  with  bushes ;  there  it 
makes  a  hole  of  about  six  or  eight  inches  deep, 
and  lies  well  wrapped  up,  in  moss,  grass,  or 
leaves.  Its  food  is  roots,  fruits,  worms,  and 
insects.  It  is  also  said  to  suck  cattle,  and  hurt 
their  udders ;  but  the  smailness  of  its  mouth 
will  serve  to  clear  it  from  this  reproach.  It  is 
said  also  to  be  very  hurtful  in  gardens  and 
orchards,  where  it  will  roll  itself  in  a  heap  of 
fruit,  and  so  carry  a  large  quantity  away  upon 
its  prickles ;  but  this  imputation  is  as  ill 
grounded  as  the  former,  since  the  spines  are 


so  disposed,  that  no  fruit  will  stick  upon 
them,  even  if  we  should  try  to  fix  them  on. 
It  rather  appears  to  be  a  very  serviceable  ani- 
mal, in  ridding  our  fields  of  insects  and  worms, 
whk'h  are  so  prejudicial  to  vegetation. 

Mr.  Buffon,  who  kept  these  animals  tame 
about  his  house,  acquits  them  of  the  reproach 
of  being  mischievous  in  the  garden,  but  then  he 
accuses  them  of  tricks,  of  which,  from  the  form 
and  habits  of  this  animal,  one  would  be  never 
led  to  suspect  them.  "  I  have  often,"  says  he, 
"  had  the  female  ard  her  young  brought  me 
about  the  beginning  of  June  :  they  are  gene- 
rally from  three  to  five  in  number :  they  are 
white  in  the  beginning,  and  only  the  marks  of 
their  spines  appear :  I  was  willing  to  rear 
some  of  them,  and  accordingly  put  the  dam 
and  her  young  into  a  tub,  with  abundant  pro- 
vision beside  them ;  but  the  old  animal,  instead 
of  suckling  her  young,  devoured  them  all,  one 
after  another.  On  another  occasion,  an  hedge- 
hog that  had  made  its  way  into  the  kitchen, 
discovered  a  little  pot,  in  which  there  was 
meat  prepared  for  boiling ;  the  mischievous 
animal  drew  out  the  meat,  and  left  its  excre- 
ments in  the  stead.  I  kept  males  and  females 
in  the  same  apartment,  where  they  lived 
together,  but  never  coupled.  I  permitted 
several  of  them  to  go  about  my  garden,  they 
did  very  little  damage;  and  it  was  scarcely 
perceivable  that  they  were  there :  they  lived 
upon  the  fruits  that  fell  from  the  trees;  they 
dug  the  earth  into  shallow  holes;  they  eat 
caterpillars,  beetles,  and  worms ;  they  were 
also  very  fond  of  flesh,  which  they  devoured 
boiled  or  raw." 

They  couple  in  spring,  and  bring  forth  about 
the  beginning  of  summer.  They  sleep  during 
the  winter,  and  what  is  said  of  their  laying  up 
provisions  for  that  season,  is  consequently  false. 
They  at  no  time  eat  much,  and  can  remain 
very  long  without  any  food  whatsoever.  Their 
blood  is  cold,  like  all  other  animals  that  sleep 
during  the  winter.  Their  flesh  is  not  good  for 
food  ;  and  their  skins  are  converted  to  scarce 
any  use,  except  to  muzzle  calves,  to  keep  them 
from  sucking. 


THE  TANREC  AND  TENDRAC. 

THE  Tanrec  and  Tendrac,  are  two  little 
animals  described    by    Mr.    JBuffon,   of  the 


IHjstrix  Cristata.,  Common  or  Crested  Forornpine.  2.H.Pre1ieMsais,    BrasiHan  Porcupine.  3.  H.Porsata,  Canadiau  Porcupine       (White  »ar' 

4,Cavia  Ma^ellaiiica .  Fata^onian  C'aij        5. Fiber,  Beaver. 


THE  HEDGEHOG  KIND, 


376 


hedgehog  kind ;  but  yet  sufficiently  different 
from  it,  to  constitute  a  different  species. 
Like  the  hedgehog  they  are  covered  with 
prickles,  though  mixed  in  a  greater  propor- 
tion with  hair;  but  unlike  that  animal,  they 
do  not  defend  themselves  by  rolling  up  in  a 
ball.  Their  wanting  this  last  property  is 
alone  sufficient  to  distinguish  them  from  an 
animal  in  which  it  makes  the  most  striking 
peculiarity:  as  also,  that  in  the  East  Indies, 
where  only  they  are  found,  the  hedgehog  ex- 
ists separately  also:  a  manifest  proof  that  this 
animal  is  not  a  variety  caused  by  the  climate. 
The  tanrec  is  much  less  than  the  hedge- 
hog," being  about  the  si/e  of  a  mole,  and  co- 
vered with  prickles,  like  that  animal,  except 
that  they  are  shorter  and  smaller.  The  len- 
drac  is  still  less  than  the  former,  and  is  de- 
fended only  with  prickles  upon  the  head,  the 
neck,  and  the  shoulders;  the  rest  being  co- 
vered with  a  coarse  hair,  resembling  a  hog's 
bristles.  These  little  animals,  whose  legs 
are  very  short,  move  but  slowly.  They  grunt 
like  a  hog;  and  wallow,  like  it,  in  the  mire. 
They  love  to  be  near  water,  and  spend  more 
of  their  time  there,  than  upon  laud.  They 
are  chiefly  in  creeks  and  harbours  of  salt  wa- 
ter. They  multiply  in  great  numbers,  make 
themselves  holes  in  the  ground,  and  sleep 
for  several  months.  During  this  torpid  state, 
their  hairs  (and  I  should  also  suppose  their 
prickles)  fall;  and  they  are  renewed  upon 
their  revival.  They  are  usually  very  fat; 
and  although  their  flesh  be  insipid,  soft,  and 
stringy,  yet  the  Indians  find  it  to  their  taste, 
and  consider  it  as  a  very  great  delicacy. 


THE  PORCUPINE 

THOSE  arms  which  the  hedgehog  possesses 
in  miniature,  the  Porcupine  has  in  a  more 
enlarged  degree.  The  short  prickles  of  the 
hedgehog,  are,  in  this  animal,  converted  into 
shafts.  In  the  one,  the  spines  are  about  an 
inch  long;  in  the  other,  a  foot.  The  porcu- 
pine is  about  two  feet  long,  and  fifteen  inches 
high.  Like  the  hedgehog,  it  appears  a  mass 
of  misshapen  flesh,  covered  with  quills,  from 
ten  to  fourteen  inches  long,  resembling  the 

»  Buffon  vol.  xxv.  p.  254. 


barrel  of  a  goose-quill  in  thickness,  but  ta- 
pering and  sharp  at  both  ends.  These,  whe- 
ther considered  separately  or  together,  afford 
sufficient  subject  to  detain  curiosity.  Each 
quill  is  thickest  in  the  middle;  and  inserted 
into  the  animal's  skin,  in  the  same  manner  as 
feathers  are  found  to  grow  upon  birds.  It  is 
within-side  spongy,  like  the  top  of  a  goose- 
quill;  and  of  different  colours, 'being  white 
and  black  alternately,  from  one  end  to  the 
other.  The  biggest  are  often  found  fifteen 
inches  long,  and  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  dia- 
meter; extremely  sharp,  and  capable  of  in- 
flicting a  mortal  wound.  They  seem  harder 
than  common  quills,  being  difficult  to  be  cut, 
and  solid  at  that  end  which  is  not  fixed  in 
the  skin.  If  we  examine  them  in  common, 
as  they  grow  upon  the  animal,  they  appear 
of  two  kinds;  the  one  such  as  I  have  already 
described  ;  the  other,  long,  flexible,  and  slen- 
der,  growing  here  and  there  among  the  for- 
mer. There  is  still  another  sort  of  quills, 
that  grow  near  the  tail,  white  and  transparent, 
like  the  writing  quills,  and  that  seem  to  be 
cut  short  at  the  end.  AH  these  quills,  of 
whatever  kind,  incline  backwards,  like  the 
bristles  of  a  hog;  but  when  the  animal  is  ir- 
ritated, they  rise,  and  stand  upright,  as  bris- 
tles are  seen  to  do. 

Such  is  the  formation  of  this  quadruped, 
in  those  parts  in  which  it  differs  from  most 
others;  as  to  the  rest  of  its  figure,  the  muz- 
zle bears  some  resemblance  to  that  of  a  hare, 
but  black ;  the  legs  are  very  short,  and  the 
feet  have  five  toes,  both  before  and  behind; 
and  these,  as  well  as  the  belly,  the  head,  and 
all  other  parts  of  the  body,  are  covered  with 
a  sort  of  short  hair,  lihe  prickles,  there  being 
no  part,  except  the  ears  and  the  sole  of  the 
foot,  that  is  free  from  them :  the  ears  are  thinly 
covered  with  very  fine  hair;  and  are  in  shape 
like  those  of  mankind :  the  eyes  are  small, 
like  those  of  a  hog,  being  only  one-third  of 
an  inch  from  one  corner  to  the  other.  After 
the  skin  is  taken  off,  there  appears  a  kind  of 
paps  on  those  parts  of  the  body  from  whence 
the  large  quills  proceed;  these  are  about  the 
size  of  a  small  pea,  each  answering  to  as  many 
holes  which  appear  on  the  outward  surface 
of  the  skin,  and  which  are  about  half  an  inch 
deep,  like  as  many  hollow  pipes,  wherein  the 
quills  are  fixed,  as  in  so  many  sheaths. 


376 


ANIMALS  OF,  &c. 


This  animal  seems  to  partake  very  much  of 
the  nature  of  the  hedgehog ;  having  this  for- 
midable apparatus  of  arms  rather  to  defend 
itself,  than  annoy  the  enemy.  There  have 
been,  indeed,  many  naturalists  who  supposed 
that  it  was  capable  of  discharging  them  at  its 
foes,  and  killing  at  a  great  distance  off.  But 
this  opinion  has  been  entirely  discredited  of 
late;  and  it  is  now  universally  believed  that  its 
quills  remain  firmly  fixed  in  the  skin,  and  are 
then  only  shed  when  the  animal  moults  them, 
as  birds  do  their  faathers.  It  is  true,  we  are 
told  by  Ellis,  that  a  wolf  at  Hudson's  Bay  was 
found  dead,  with  the  quills  of  a  porcupine 
fixed  within  its  mouth  ;  which  might  have 
very  Well  happened,  from  the  voraciousness  of 
the  former,  and  not  the  resentment  of  the  lat- 
ter. That  rapacious  creature,  in  the  rage  of 
appetite,  might  have  attempted  to  devour  the 
porcupine,  quills  and  all,  and  very  probably 
paid  the  forfeit  by  its  life.  However  this  be, 
of  all  the  porcupines  that  have  been  brought 
into  Europe,  not  one  was  ever  seen  to  launch 
their  quills ;  and  yet  the  irritations  they  receiv- 
ed were  sufficient  to  have  provoked  their  ut- 
most indignation.  Of  all  the  porcupines  that 
Dr.  Shaw  observed  in  Africa,  and  h'e  saw  num- 
bers, not  one  ever  attempted  to  dart  its  quills ; 
their  usual  manner  of  defence  bein»,  to  lie  on 


one  side,  and  when  the  enemy  approaches 
very  near,  by  suddenly  rising,  to  wound  him 
with  the  points  on  the  other. 

It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  the  porcupine 
is  seldom  the  aggressor ;  and  when  attacked 
by  the  bolder  animals,  it  only  directs  its  quills 
so  as  to  keep  always  pointing  towards  the 
enemy.  These  are  an  ample  protection  ;  and, 
as  we  are  assured  by  Kolben,  at  such  times, 
even  the  lion  himself  will  not  venture  to  make 
an  attack.  From  such,  therefore,  the  porcu- 
pine can  defend  itself;  and  chiefly  hunts  for 
serpents,  and  all  other  reptiles,  for  subsistence. 
Travellers  universally  assure  us,  that  between 
the  serpent  and  the  porcupine  there  exists  an 
irreconcilable  enmity,  and  that  they  never  meet 
without  a  mortal  engagement/  The  porcu- 
pine, on  these  occasions,  is  said  to  roll  itself 
upon  the  serpent,  and  thus  destroy  and  devour 
it.  This  may  be  true ;  while,  what  we  are 
informed  by  Monsieur  Sarrasin,  of  the  porcu- 
pine of  Canada  chiefly  subsisting  on  vegeta- 

•  Bosnian.  Smith.  L.  P.   Vincent  Marie,  &c. 


bles,  may  be  equally  so.  Those  which  are 
brought  to  this  country  to  be  shown,  are  usually 
fed  on  bread,  milk,  and  fruits ;  but  they  will 
not  refuse  meat  when  it  is  offered  them  ;  and 
it  is  probable,  they  prefer  it  in  a  wild  state, 
when  it  is  to  be  had.b  The  porcupine  is  also 
known  to  be  extremely  hurtful  to  gardens ; 
and,  where  it  enters,  does  incredible  damage. 

The  Americans,  who  hunt  this  animal,  as- 
sure us,  that  the  porcupine  lives  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  years.  During  the  time  of  coupling, 
which  is  in  the  month  of  September,  the  males 
become  very  fierce  and  vlangerous,  and  often 
are  seen  to  destroy  each  other  with  their  teeth. 
The  female  goes  with  young  seven  months, 
and  brings  forth  but  one  at  a  time ;  this  she 
suckles  but  about  a  month,  and  accustoms  it 
betimes  to  live, like  herself,  upon  vegetablesand 
the  bark  of  trees  ;  she  is  very  fierce  in  its  de- 
fence ;  but,  at  other  seasons,  she  is  fearful, 
timid,  and  harmless.  The  porcupine  never 
attempts  to  bite,  nor  any  way  to  injure  its  pur- 
suers ;  if  hunted  by  a  dog  or  a  wolf,  it  instantly 
climbs  up  a  tree,  and  continues  there  until  it 
has  wearied  out  the  patience  of  its  adversary  ; 
the  wolf  knows  by  experience,  how  fruitless  it 
would  be  to  wait ;  he  therefore  leaves  the  por- 
cupine above,  and  seeks  out  for  a  new  adven- 
ture. 

The  porcupine  does  not  escape  so  well  from 
the  Indian  hunter,  who  eagerly  pursues  it,  in 
order  to  make  embroidery  of  its  quills,  and  to 
eat  its  flesh.  This,  as  we  are  commonly  told, 
is  very  tolerable  eating :  however,  we  may 
expect  wretched  provisions  when  the  savages 
are  to  be  our  caterers,  for  they  eat  every  thing 
that  has  life.  But  they  arc  very  ingenious  with 
regard  to  their  embroidery:  if  I  understand 
the  accounts  rightly,  they  die  the  quills  of  va- 
rious colours,  and  then  splitting  them  into  slips, 
as  we  see  in  the  making  of  a  cane-chair,  they 
embroider  with  these  their  belts,  baskets,  and 
several  other  necessary  pieces  of  furniture. 

As  to  the  rest,  there  are  many  things  related 
concerning  this  animal  that  are  fabulous  ;  but 
there  are  still  many  circumstances  more,  that 
yet  remain  to  be  known.  It  were  curious  to 
inquire  whether  this  animal  moults  its  quills 
when  wild,  for  it  is  never  seen  to  shed  them  in 
a  domestic  state  ;  whether  it  sleeps  all  the  win- 
ter, as  we  are  told  by  some  naturalists,  which 

i>  Buftbn. 


QUADRUPEDS  COVERED  WITH  SCALES  OR  SHELLS. 


377 


we  arc  sure  it  does  not  when  brought  into  our 
country  ;  and,  lastly,  whether  its  quills  can  he 
sent  oif  with  a  shake  ;  for  no  less  a  naturalist 
than  Reaumur  was  of  that  opinion. 

All  that  we  can  learn  of  an  animal  exposed 
as  a  show,  or  even  by  its  dissection,  is  but 
merely  its  conformation ;  and  that  makes  one 
of  the  least  interesting  parts  of  its  history. 
We  are  naturally  led,  when  presented  with  an 
extraordinary  creature,  to  expect  something 
extraordinary  in  its  way  of  living,  something 
uncommon,  and  corresponding  with  its  figure; 
but  of  this  animal  we  know  little  with  any 
precision,  except  what  it  offers  in  a  state  of 
captivity.  In  such  a  situation,  that  which  I 
saw  appeared  to  very  little  advantage  :  it  was 
extremely  dull  and  torpid,  though  very  wake- 
ful ;  and  extremely  voracious,  though  very 
capable  of  sustaining  hunger ;  as  averse  to  any 
attachment,  as  to  being  tamed  :  it  was  kept  in 
an  iron  cage,  and  the  touching  one  of  the  bars 
was  sufficient  to  excite  its  resentment,  for  its 
quills  were  instantly  erected;  and  the  poet  was 
right  in  his  epithet  of  fretful;  for  it  appeared 
to  me  the  most  irascible  creature  upon  earth. 

The  porcupines  of  America  differ  very  much 
from  that  of  the  ancient  continent,  which  we 
have  been  describing ;  and  strictly  speaking, 
may  be  considered  as  animals  of  a  different 
species :  however,  from  their  being  covered 
with  quills,  we  will  only  add  them  as  varieties 
of  the  former,  since  we  know  very  little  con- 
cerning them,  except  their  difference  of  figure. 
They  are  of  two  kinds ;  the  one  called  the 
couando;  and  the  other,  first  named  by  Mr. 


Buffon,  the  urson:  the  one  a  native  of  the 
northern  parts  of  America,  the  other  of  the 
south  ;  and  both  differing  from  the  former,  in 
having  long  tails,  whereas  that  has  a  very  short 
one. 

The  COUANDO  is  much  less  than  the  porcu- 
pine ;  its  quills  are  four  times  shorter,  its  snout 
more  unlike  that  of  a  hare  ;  its  tail  is  long 
enough  to  catch  by  the  branches  of  trees,  and 
hold  by  them.  It  may  be  easily  tamed,  and 
it  is  to  be  found  chiefly  in  the  southern  parts 
of  America ;  yet  is  not  wanting  also  in  the 
northern. 

The  URSON,  which  Mr.  Buffon  calls  after 
our  countryman  Hudson,  is  a  native  of  Hud- 
son's Bay.  The  make  of  the  body  of  this  ani- 
mal is  not  so  round  as  that  of  the  two  former, 
but  somewhat  resembling  the  shape  of  a  pig. 
It  is  covered  with  long  bristly  hair,  with  a 
shorter  hair  underneath;  and  under  this  the 
quills  lie  concealed  very  thick ;  they  are  white, 
with  a  brown  point,  and  bearded,  and  the  long- 
est do  not  exceed  four  inches ;  they  stick  to 
the  hand  when  the  animal  is  stroked  on  the 
back ;  and  likewise,  when  the  hand  is  taken 
away,  they  stick  so  fast  as  to  follow  it.  They 
make  their  nest  under  the  roots  of  great  trees, 
sleep  very  much,  and  chiefly  feed  upon  the 
bark  of  the  juniper.  In  winter  the  snow 
serves  them  for  drink ;  and  in  summer  they 
lap  water,  like  a  dog.  They  are  very  common 
in  the  country  lying  to  the  east  of  Hudson's 
Bay ;  and  several  of  the  trading  Americans 
depend  on  them  for  food,  at  some  seasons  of 
the  year. 


CHAPTER  LV. 

OF  QUADRUPEDS  COVERED  WITH  SCALES  OR  SHELLS  INSTEAD  OF  HAIR.' 


WHEN  we  talk  of  a  quadruped,  the  name 
seems  to  imply  an  animal  covered  with  hair; 
when  we  mention  a  bird,  it  is  natural  to  con- 
ceive a  creature  covered  with  feathers;  when 
we  hear  of  a  fish,  its  scales  are  generally  the 

•  This  chapter  is  chiefly  extracted  from  Mr.  Buffon, 
which  1  mention  at  once,  to  save  the  trouble  of  repeated 
quotation. 


first  part  that  strikes  our  imagination.  Nature, 
however,  owns  none  of  our  distinctions; 
various  in  all  her  operations,  she  mixes  her 
plans,  groups  her  pictures,  and  excites  our 
wonder,  as  well  by  her  general  laws  as  by 
her  deviations.  Quadrupeds,  which  we  have 
considered  as  making  the  first  general  class 
in  Animated  Nature,  and  next  to  man  the 
most  dignified  tenants  of  the  earth,  are  yet, 


378 


QUADRUPEDS  COVERED 


in  many  respects,  related  to  the  classes  be-  ! 
neath  them,  and  do  not  in  every  respect,  pre- 
serve their  usual  distinctions.  Their  first 
character,  which  consists  in  having  lour  feet, 
is  common  to  the  lizard  kind  as  well  as  to 
them.  The  second  prerogative,  which  is  that 
of  bringing  forth  living  young,  is  found  in  the 
cetaceous  tribe  of  fishes,  and  also  in  insects 
without  number.  Their  third  and  last  attri- 
bute, which  seems  more  general  and  constant 
than  the  former,  that  of  being  covered  with 
hair,  is  yet  found  in  various  other  animals, 
and  is  deficient  in  quarupeds  themselves. 
Thus  we  must  be  cautious  of  judging  of  the 
nature  of  animals  from  one  single  character, 
which  is  always  found  incomplete;  for  it  often 
happens  that  three  or  four  of  the  most  gene- 
ral characters  will  not  suffice.  It  must  be  by 
a  general  enumeration  of  the  parts  that  we 
can  determine  precisely  of  the  works  of  the 
creation;  and  instead  of  definitions,  learn  to 
describe.  Had  this  method  been  followed, 
much  of  the  disgust  and  the  intricacy  of  his- 
tory might  have  been  avoided,  and  that  time, 
which  is  now  employed  in  combating  error, 
laid  out  in  the  promoting  of  science. 

Were  we  to  judge  of  nature  from  definitions 
only,  we  should  never  be  induced  to  suppose 
that  there  existed  races  of  viviparous  quad- 
rupeds destitute  of  hair,  and  furnished  with 
scales  and  shells  in  their  stead.  However, 
nature,  every  way  various,  supplies  us  with 
many  instances  of  these  extraordinary  crea- 
tures; the  old  world  has  itsquadrupeds  cover- 
ed with  scales,  and  the  new  with  a  shell.  In 
both,  they  resemble  each  other,  as  well  in  the 
strangeness  of  their  appetites,  as  in  their  awk- 
ward conformation.  Like  animals  but  par- 
tially made  up,  and  partaking  of  different 
natures,  they  want  those  instincts  which  ani- 
mals formed  but  for  one  element  alone  are 
found  to  possess.  They  seem  to  be  a  kind 
of  strangers  in  nature  ;  creatures  taken  from 
some  other  element,  and  capriciously  thrown 
to  find  a  precarious  subsistence  upon  land. 


THE  PANGOLIN. 

THE  pangolin,  which  has  been  usually  call- 
ed the  scaly  lizard,  Mr.  Buffbn  verv  judiciously 
restores  to  that  denomination  by  which  it  is 


known  in  the  countnes  wnere  it  is  found. 
The  calling  it  a  lizard,  he  justly  observes, 
might  be  apt  to  produce  error,  and  occasion 
its  being  confounded  with  an  animal  which  it 
resembles  only  in  its  general  form,  and  in  its 
being  covered  with  scales.  The  lizard  may 
be  considered  as  a  reptile,  produced  from  an 
egg;  the  pangolin  is  a  quadruped,  and 
brought  forth  alive,  and  perfectly  formed. 
The  lizard  is  all  covered  with  the  marks  of 
scales  ;  the  pangolin  has  scales  neither  on  the 
throat,  the  breast,  nor  the  belly.  The  scales 
of  the  lizard  seem  stuck  upon  the  body  even 
closer  than  those  of  fishes ;  the  scales  of  the 
pangolin  are  only  fixed  atone  and, and  capa- 
ble of  being  erected,  like  those  of  the  porcu- 
pine, at  the  will  of  the  animal.  The  lizard 
is  a  defenceless  creature;  the  pangolin  can 
roll  itself  into  a  ball,  like  the  hedgehog,  and 
presents  the  points  of  its  scales  to  the  enemy, 
which  effectually  defend  it. 

The  pangolin,  which  is  a  native  of  the 
torrid  climates  of  the  ancient  continent,  is,  of 
all  other  animals,  the  best  protected  from  ex- 
ternal injury  by  nature.  It  is  about  three  or 
four  feet  long;  or,  taking  in  the  tail,  from  six 
to  eight.  Like  the  lizard,  it  has  a  small  head, 
a  very  long  nose,  a  short  thick  neck,  a  long 
body,  legs  very  short,  and  a  tail  extremely 
long,  thick  at  the  insertion,  and  terminating 
in  a  point.  It  has  no  teeth,  but  is  armed 
with  five  toes  ou  each  foot,  with  long  white 
claws.  But  what  it  is  chiefly  distinguished 
by,  is  its  scaly  covering,  which,  in  some  mea- 
sure, hides  all  the  proportions  of  its  body. 
These  scales  defend  the  animal  on  all  parts, 
except  the  under  part  of  the  head  and  neck, 
under  the  shoulders,  the  breast,  the  belly, 
and  the  inner  side  of  the  legs;  all  which 
parts  are  covered  with  a  smooth,  soft  skin, 
without  hair.  Between  the  shells  of  this  ani- 
mal, at  all  the  interstices,  are  seen  hairs  like 
bristles,  brown  at  the  extremity,  and  yellow 
towards  the  root.  The  scales  of  this  extra- 
ordinary creature  are  of  different  sizes  and 
different  forms,  and  stuck  upon  the  body 
somewhat  like  the  leaves  of  an  artichoke. 
The  largest  are  found  near  the  tail,  which  is 
covered  with  them  like  the  rest  of  the  body. 
These  are  above  three  inches  broad,  and 
about  two  inches  long,  thick  in  the  middle 
and  share  at  the  edges,  and  terminated  in  a 


WITH  SCALES  OR  SHELLS. 


379 


roundish  point.  They  are  extremely  hard, 
and  their  substance  resembles  that  of  horn. 
They  are  convexed  on  the  outside,  and  a  little 
concave  on  the  inner;  one  edge  sticks  in  the 
skin,  while  the  other  laps  over  that  immedi- 
ately behind  it.  Those  that  cover  the  tail, 
conform  to  the  shape  of  that  part,  being  of  a 
dusky  brown  colour,  and  so  hard,  when  the 
animal  has  acquired  its  full  growth,  as  to 
turn  a  musket-ball. 

Thus  armed,  this  animal  fears  nothing  from 
the  efforts  of  all  other  creatures,  except  man. 
The  instant  it  perceives  the  approach  of  an 
enemy,  it  rolls  itself  up  like  the  hedgehog, 
and  presents  no  part  but  the  cutting  edges  of 
its  scales  to  the  assailant.  Its  long  tail,  which, 
at  first  view,  might  be  thought  easily  separ- 
able, serves  still  moreto  increase  the  animal's 
security.  This  is  lapped  round  the  rest  of 
the  body,  and,  being  defended  with  shells 
even  more  cutting  than  any  other  part,  the 
creature  continues  in  perfect  security.  Its 
shells  are  so  large,  so  thick,  and  so  pointed, 
that  they  repel  every  animal  of  prey;  they 
make  a  coat  of  armour  that  wounds  while  it 
resists,  and  at  once  protects  and  threatens. 
The  most  cruel,  the  most  famished  quadru- 
ped of  the  forest,  the  tiger,  the  panther,  and 
the  hyaena,  make  vain  attempts  to  force  it. 
They  tread  upon,  they  roll  it  about,  but  all  to 
no  purpose;  the  pangolin  remains  safe  within, 
while  its  invader  almost  always  feels  the  re- 
ward of  its  rashness.  The  fox  often  destroys 
the  hedgehog  by  pressing  it  with  his  weight, 
and  thus  obliges  it  to  put  forth  its  nose,  which 
he  instantly  seizes,  and  soon  after  the  whole 
body  ;  but  the  scales  of  the  pangolin  effec- 
tually support  it  under  any  such  weight,  while 
nothing  that  the  strongest  animals  are  capa- 
ble of  doing  can  compel  it  to  surrender. 
Man  alone  seems  furnished  with  arms  to  con- 
quer its  obstinacy.  The  negroes  of  Africa, 
when  they  find  it,  beat  it  to  death  with  clubs, 
and  consider  its  flesh  as  a  very  great  deli- 
cacy. 

But,  although  this  animal  be  so  formidable 
in  its  appearance,  there  cannot  be  a  more 
harmless,  inoffensive  creature  when  unmo- 
lested. It  is  even  unqualified  by  nature  to 
injure  larger  animals,  if  it  had  the  disposition, 
for  it  has  no  teeth.  It  should  seem  that  the 
bony  matter,  which  goes  in  other  animals  to 

No.  33  &  34. 


supply  the  teeth,  is  exhausted  in  this  in  sup- 
plying the  scales  that  go  to  the  covering  of 
its  body.  However  this  be,  its  lite  seems 
correspondent  to  its  peculiar  conformation. 
Incapable  of  being  carnivorous,  since  it  has 
no  teeth,  nor  of  subsisting  on  vegetable?, 
which  require  much  chewing,  it  lives  entirely 
upon  insects,  for  which  nature  has  fittted  it 
in  a  very  extraordinary  manner.  As  it  has  a 
long  nose,  so  it  may  naturally  be  supposed 
to  have  a  long  tongue ;  but,  to  increase  its 
length  still  more,  it  is  doubled  in  the  mouth. 
so  that  when  extended,  it  is  shot  out  to  above 
a  quarter  of  a  yard  beyond  the  tip  of  the  nose. 
This  tongue  is  round,  extremely  red,  and 
covered  with  an  unctuous  and  slimy  liquor, 
which  gives  it  a  shining  hue.  When  the  pan- 
golin, therefore,  approaches  an  ant-hill,  for 
these  are  the  insects  on  which  it  chiefly  feeds, 
it  lies  down  near  it,  concealing  as  much  as 
possible  the  place  of  its  retreat,  and  stretch- 
ing out  its  long  tongue  among  the  ants,  keeps 
it  for  some  time  quite  immoveable.  These 
little  animals,  allured  by  its  appearance,  and 
the  unctuous  substance  with  which  it  is 
smeared,  instantly  gather  upon  it  in  great 
numbers;  and  when  the  pangolin  supposes  a 
sufficiency,  it  quickly  withdraws  the  tongue 
and  swallows  them  at  once.  This  peculiar 
manner  of  hunting  for  its  prey  is  repeated, 
either  till  it  be  satisfied,  or  till  the  ants, 
grown  more  cautious,  will  be  allured  to  their 
destruction  no  longer.  It  is  against  these 
noxious  insects,  therefore,  that  its  only  force 
or  cunning  is  exerted  ;  and  were  the  Negroes 
but  sufficiently  sensible  of  its  utility  in  de- 
stroying one  of  the  greatest  pests  to  their 
country,  they  would  riot  be  so  eager  to  kill  it. 
But  it  is  the  nature  of  savage  men  to  pursue 
the  immediate  good,  without  being  solicitous 
about  the  more  distant  benefit  they  remove. 
They,  therefore,  hunt  this  animal  with  the 
utmost  avidity  for  its  flesh ;  and  as  it  is  slow 
and  unable  to  escape  in  an  open  place,  they 
seldom  fail  of  destroying  it.  However,  it 
chiefly  keeps  in  the  most  obscure  parts  of  the 
forest,  and  digs  itself  a  retreat  in  the  clefts  of 
rocks,  where  it  brings  forth  its  young,  so  that 
it  is  but  rarely  met  with,  and  continues  a  soli- 
tary species,  and  an  extraordinary  instance 
of  the  varying  of  nature. 

Of  this  animal,  there  is  a  variety  which  is 

3M 


380 


QUADRUPEDS  COVERED 


called  the  PHATAGIN,  much  less  than  the 
former,  being  not  above  a  foot  long  from  the 
head  to  the  tail,  with  shells  differently  formed, 
with  its  belly,  breast,  and  throat  covered  with 
hair,  instead  of  a  smooth  skin,  as  in  the 
former;  but  that  by  which  it  is  peculiarly 
distinguished  is  the  extent  of  its  tail,  which  is 
above  twice  the  length  of  its  body.  Both  are 
found  in  the  warm  latitudes  of  the  east,  as 
well  as  in  Africa;  and,  as  their  numbers  are 
but  few,  it  is  to  be  supposed  their  fecundity 
is  not  great. 


THE  ARMADILLO,  OR  TATOU. 

HAVING  mentioned  quadrupeds  of  the  an- 
cient continent  covered  with  scales,  we  come 
next  to  quadrupeds  of  the  new  continent,  | 
covered  with  shells.  It  would  seem  that  na- 
ture had  reserved  all  the  wonders  of  her 
power  for  these  remote  and  thinly  inhabited 
countries,  where  the  men  are  savage,  and  the 
quadrupeds  various.  It  would  seem  that  she 
becomes  more  extraordinary  in  proportion  as 
she  retires  from  human  inspection.  But  the 
real  fact  is,  that  wherever  mankind  are 
polished,  or  thickly  planted,  they  soon  rid 
the  earth  of  these  odd  and  half-formed  pro- 
ductions, that  in  some  measure  encumber  the 
soil.  They  soon  disappear  in  a  cultivated 
country,  and  continue  to  exist  only  in  those 
remote  deserts  where  they  have  no  enemies 
but  such  as  they  are  enabled  to  oppose. 

The  Armadillo  is  chiefly  an  inhabitant  of 
South  America;  a  peaceful,  harmless  crea- 
ture, incapable  of  offending  any  other  quad- 
ruped, and  furnished  with  a  peculiar  covering 
for  its  own  defence.  The  pangolin,  describ- 
ed above,  seems  an  inactive,  helpless  being, 
indebted  for  safety  more  to  its  patience  than 
its  power;  but  the  armadillo  is  still  more  ex- 
posed and  helpless.  The  pangolin  is  furnish- 
ed with  an  armour  that  wounds  while  it  resists, 
and  that  is  never  attacked  with  impunity; 
but  the  armadillo  is  obliged  to  submit  to 
every  insult,  without  any  power  of  repelling 
its  enemy  ;  it  is  attacked  without  danger,  and 
is  consequently  liable  to  more  various  perse- 
cutions. 

This  animal  being  covered,  like  a  tortoise, 
with  3, shell,  or  rather  a  number  of  shells,  its 


other  proportions  are  not  easily  discerned. 
It  appears,  at  first  view,  a  round  misshapen 
mass,  with  a  long  head,  and  a  very  large  tail 
sticking  out  at  either  end,  as  if  not  of  a  piece 
with  the  rest  of  the  body.     It  is  of  different 
sizes,  from  a  foot  to  three  feet  long,  and  cover- 
ed with  a  shell  divided  into  several  pieces, 
that  lap  over  each  other  like  the  plaits  in  a 
coat  of  armour,  or  in   the  tail  of  a  lobster. 
The  difference  in  the  size  of  this  animal,  and 
also  the  different  disposition  and  number  of 
its  plaits,have  been  considered  as  constituting 
so  many  species,  each  marked  with  its  own 
particular  name.     In  all,  however,  the  animal 
is  partially  covered  with  this  natural  coat  of 
mail ;  the  conformation  of  which  affords  one 
of  the  most  striking  curiosities  in  natural  his- 
tory.    This  shell,  which  in  every  respect  re- 
sembles a  bony  substance,  covers  the  head, 
the  neck,  the  back,  the  sides,  the  rump,  and 
the  tail  to  the  very  point.     The  only  parts  to 
which  it  does  not  extend  are,  the  throat,  the 
breast,  and  the  belly,  which  are  covered  with 
a  white  soft  skin,  somewhat  resembling  that 
of  a  fowl  stripped  of  its  feathers.     If  these 
naked  parts  be  observed  with  attention,  they 
will  be  found  covered  with  the  rudiments  of 
shells,  of  the  same  substance  with  those  which 
cover  the  back.     The  skin,  even  in  the  parts 
that  are  softest,  seems  to  have  a  tendency  to 
ossify;  but  a  complete  ossification  takes  place 
only  on  those  parts,  which  have  the  least  fric- 
tion, and  are  the  most  exposed  to  the  weather. 
The  shell,  which  covers  the  upper  part  of  the 
body,  differs  from  that  of  the  tortoise,  in  being 
composed  of  more  pieces  than  one,  which  lie 
in  bands  over  the  body,  and,  as  in  the  tail  of 
the  lobster,  slide  over  each  other,  and  are 
connected  by  a  yellow  membrane  in  the  same 
manner.     By  this  means  the  animal  has  a 
motion  in  its  back,  and  the  armour  gives  way 
to  its  necessary  inflections.     These  bands  are 
of  various  numbers  and  sizes,  and  from  them 
these  animals  have  been  distinguished  into 
various  kinds.     In  general,  however,  there 
are  two  large  pieces  that  cover,  one  the  shoul- 
ders and  the  other  the  rump.     In  the  back, 
between  these,  the  bands  are  placed  in  differ- 
ent numbers,  that  lap  over  each  other,  and 
give  play  to  the  whole.     Besides  their  open- 
ing cross-ways,  they  also  open  down  along 
the  back,  so  that  the  animal  can  move  in 


WITH  SCALES  OR  SHELLS. 


381 


every  direction.  In  some  there  are  but  three 
of  these  bands  between  the  large  pieces;  in 
others  there  are  six;  in  a  third  kind  there 
are  eight ;  in  a  fourth  kind,  nine;  in  a  fifth 
kind,  twelve ;  and,  lastly,  in  the  sixth  kind 
there  is  but  one  large  piece,  which  covers 
the  shoulders,  and  the  rest  of  the  body  is  co- 
vered with  bands  all  down  to  the  tail.  These 
shells  are  differently  coloured  in  different 
kinds,  but  most  usually  they  are  of  a  dirty 
gray.  This  colour,  in  all,  arises  from  ano- 
ther peculiar  circumstance  in  their  confor- 
mation, for  the  shell  itself  is  covered  with  a 
softish  skin,  which  is  smooth  and  transparent. 

But,  although  these  shells  might  easily  de- 
fend this  animal  from  a  feeble  enemy,  yet 
they  could  make  but  a  slight  resistance  against 
a  more  powerful  antagonist;  nature,  there- 
fore, has  given  the  armadillo  the  same  method 
of  protecting  itself  with  the  hedgehog  or  the 
pangolin.  The  instant  it  perceives  itself  at- 
tacked, it  withdraws  the  head  under  its  shells, 
and  lets  nothing  be  seen  but  the  tip  of  the 
nose;  if  the  danger  increase,  the  animal's  pre- 
cautions increase  in  proportion;  it  then  tucks 
up  its  feet  under  its  belly,  unites  its  two  ex- 
tremities together,  while  the  tail  seems  as  a 
band  to  strengthen  the  connexion ;  and  it 
thus  becomes  like  a  ball,  a  little  flattish  on 
each  side.  In  this  position  it  continues  ob- 
stinately fixed,  while  the  danger  is  near,  and 
often  long  after  it  is  ov"er.  In  this  situation 
it  is  tossed  about  at  the  pleasure  of  every 
other  quadruped,  and  very  little  resembling 
a  creature  endowed  with  life  and  motion. 
Whenever  the  Indians  take  it,  which  is  in 
this  form,  by  laying  it  close  to  the  fire,  they 
soon  oblige  the  poor  animal  to  unfold  itself, 
and  to  face  a  milder  death  to  escape  a  more 
severe. 

This  animal  is  a  native  only  of  America,  for 
they  were  utterly  unknown  before  the  disco- 
very of  that  continent.  It  is  an  inoffensive, 
harmless  creature,  unless  it  finds  the  way  into 
a  garden,  where  it  does  a  great  deal  of  mis- 
chief, by  eating  the  melons,  the  potatoes,  and 
other  vegetables.  Although  a  native  of  the 
warmest  parts  of  America,  yet  it  bears  the 
cold  of  our  climate  without  any  inconvenience. 
We  have  often  seen  them  shown  among  other 
wild  beasts,  which  is  a  proof  they  are  not 
difficult  to  be  brought  over.  Their  motion 


seems  to  be  a  swift  walk,  but  they  can  nei- 
ther run,  leap,  nor  climb  trees;  so  that,  if 
found  in  an  open  place,  they  have  no  method 
of  escaping  from  their  pursuers.  Their  only 
resource  in  such  an  extremity  is  to  make  to- 
wards their  hole  as  fast  as  they  can;  or,  if 
this  be  impracticable,  to  make  a  new  hole 
before  the  enemy  arrives.  For  this  they  re- 
quire but  a  very  few  moments  advantage; 
the  mole  itself  does  not  burrow  swifter  than 
they  can.  For  this  purpose,  they  are  furnish- 
ed with  claws  extremely  large,  strong,  and 
crooked,  and  usually  four  upon  each  foot. 
They  are  sometimes  caught  by  the  tail  as  they 
are  making  their  way  into  the  earth;  but  such 
is  their  resistance,  and  so  difficult  is  it  to 
draw  them  backward,  that  they  leave  their 
tail  in  the  hand  of  their  pursuer,  and  are  very 
well  contented  to  save  their  lives  with  its  loss. 
The  pursuers,  sensible  of  this,  never  drag  the 
tail  with  all  their  force,  but  hold  it  while  ano- 
ther digs  the  ground  about  them,  and  thus 
these  animals  are  taken  alive.  The  instant 
the  armadillo  perceives  itself  in  the  power 
of  its  enemies,  it  has  but  one  last  resource,  to 
roll  itself  up,  and  thus  patiently  wait  what- 
ever tortures  they  think  proper  to  inflict. 
The  flesh  of  the  smaller  kinds  is  said  to  be 
delicate  eating;  so  that  we  may  suppose  they 
receive  no  mercy.  For  this  reason  they  are 
pursued  with  unceasing  industry ;  and,  al- 
though they  burrow  very  deep  in  the  earth, 
there  have  been  many  expedients  used  to 
force  them  out.  The  hunters  sometimes  con- 
trive to  fill  the  hole  with  smoke,  which  is 
often  successful ;  they  at  other  times  force  it 
by  pouring  in  water.  They  also  bring  up  a 
small  kind  of  dogs  to  the  chase  that  quickly 
overtake  them,  if  at  any  distance  from  their 
burrow,  and  oblige  them  to  roll  themselves 
up  in  a  ball,  in  which  figure  the  hunters  car- 
ry them  home.  If,  however,  the  armadillo  be 
near  a  precipice,  it  often  escapes  by  rolling 
itself  up,  and  then  tumbling  down  from  rock 
to  rock,  without  the  least  danger  or  inconve- 
nience. They  are  sometimes  taken  in  snares 
laid  for  them  by  the  sides  of  rivers  and  low 
moist  places,  which  they  particularly  fre- 
quent; and  this  methed.  in  general,  succeeds 
better  than  any  of  the  former,  as  their  bur- 
rows are  very  deep,  and  they  seldom  stir  out 
except  in  the  night.  At  no  time  are  they 
3  M* 


382 


ANIMALS  OF 


found  at  any  great  distancefrom  their  retreats, 
so  that  it  requires  some  patience  and  skill  to 
intercept  their  retreat. 

There  are  scarce  any  of  these  that  do  not 
root  the  ground,  like  a  hog,  in  searcli  of  such 
roots  as  make  a  principal  part  of  their  food. 
They  live  also  upon  melons  and  other  succu- 
lent vegetables,  and  all  will  eat  flesh  when 
they  can  get  it.  They  frequent  water  and 
watery  places,  where  they  feed  upon  worms, 
small  fish,  and  water  insects.  It  is  pretended 
that  there  is  a  kind  of  friendship  between 
them  and  the  rattle-snake,  that  they  live 
peaceably  and  commodiously  together,  and 
are  frequently  found  in  the  same  hole.  This, 
however,  may  be  a  friendship  of  necessity  to 
the  armadillo;  the  rattle-snake  takes  posses- 
sion of  its  retreats,  which  neither  are  willing 
to  quit,  while  each  is  incapable  of  injuring 
the  other. 

As  to  the  rest,  these  animals,  though  they 
all  resemble  each  other  in  the  general  cha- 
racter of  being  clothed  with  a  shell,  yet  differ 
a  good  deal  in  their  size,  and  in  the  parts  into 
which  their  shell  is  divided.  The  first  of  this 
kind,  which  has  but  three  bands  between  the 
two  large  pieces  that  cover  the  back,  is  call- 
ed the  TATU  APARA.  I  will  not  enter  into  an 
exact  description  of  its  figure,  which,  how 
well  written  soever,  no  imagination  could  ex- 
actly conceive ;  and  the  reader  would  be 
more  fatigued  to  understand  than  I  to  write  it. 
The  tail  is  shorter  in  this  than  any  other  kind, 
being  not  more  than  two  inches  long,  while 
the  shell,  taking  all  the  pieces  together,  is  a 
foot  long  and  eight  inches  broad.  The 
second  is  the  TATOU  of  Ray,  or  the  ENCOU- 


BERT  of  Buffbn;  this  is  distinguished  from 
the  rest  by  six  bands  across  the  back;  it  is 
about  the  size  of  a  pig  of  a  month  old,  with 
a  small  long  head  and  a  very  long  tail.  The 
third  is  the  TATUETTE,  furnished  with  eight 
bands,  and  not  by  a  great  deal  so  big  as  the 
former.  Its  tail  is  loi.ger  also,  and  its  legs 
shorter  in  proportion.  Its  body,  from  the  nose 
to  the  insertion  of  the  tail,  is  about  ten  inches 
long,  and  the  tail  seven.  The  fourth  is  the 
PIG-HEADED  ARMADILLO,  with  nine  bands.  This 
is  much  larger  than  the  former,  being  about 
two  feet  long  from  the  nose  to  the  tail.  The 
fifth  is  the  KABASSOU,  or  CATAPHRACTUS,  with 
twelve  bands,  and  still  bigger  than  the  former, 
or  any  other  of  its  kind.  This  is  often  found 
above  three  feet  long ;  but  is  never  eaten  as 
the  rest  are.  The  sixth  is  the  WEASEL-HEADED 
ARMADILLO,  with  eighteen  bands,  with  a  large 
piece  before,  and  nothing  but  bands  back- 
ward. This  is  above  a  foot  long,  and  the  tail 
five  inches.  Of  all  these,  the  kabassou  and 
the  encoubert  are  the  largest;  the  rest  are 
of  a  much  smaller  kind.  In  the  larger  kinds, 
the  shell  is  much  more  solid  than  in  the 
others,  and  the  flesh  is  much  harder  and  un- 
fit for  the  table.  These  are  generally  seen 
to  reside  in  dry  upland  grounds,  while  the 
small  species  are  always  fbundinmoist  places, 
and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  brooks  and  rivers. 
They  all  roll  themselves  into  a  ball;  but  those 
whose  bands  are  fewest  in  number  are  least 
capable  of  covering  themselves  incompletely. 
The  tatu  apara,  for  instance,  when  rolled  up, 
presents  two  great  interstices  between  its 
bands,  by  which  it  is  very  easily  vulnerable, 
even  by  the  feeblest  of  quadrupeds. 


CHAPTER  LVI. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  BAT  KIND 


HAVING  in  the  last  chapter  described  a 
race  of  animals  that  unite  the  boundaries  be- 
tween quadrupeds  and  insects,  I  come  in  this 
to  a  very  different  class,  that  serve  to  fill  up 
the  chasm  between  quadrupeds  and  birds. 
Some  naturalists,  indeed,  have  found  animals 


of  the  bat  kind  so  much  partaking  of  the  na- 
ture of  both,  that  they  have  been  at  a  loss  in 
which  rank  to  place  them,  and  have  doubted, 
in  giving  the  history  of  the  bat,  whether  it 
was  a  beast  or  a  bird  they  were  describing. 
These  doubts,  however,  no  longer  exist;  they 


THE  BAT  KIND. 


383 


are  now  universally  made  to  take  their  place 
among  quadrupeds,  to  which  their  bringing 
forth  their  young  alive,  their  hair,  their  teeth, 
as  well  as  the  rest  of  their  habitudes  and  confor- 
mation, evidently  entitle  them.  Pliny,  Gesner, 
and  Aldrovandus,  who  placed  them  among 
birds,  did  not  consider  that  they  wanted  every 
character  of  that  order  of  animals,  except  the 
power  of  flying.  Indeed,  when  this  animal  is 
seen  with  an  awkward  and  struggling  motion, 
supporting  itself  in  the  air  at  the  dusk  of  the 
evening,  it  presents  in  some  measure  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  bird ;  but  naturalists,  whose 
business  it  is  to  examine  it  more  closely,  to 
watcli  its  habitudes,  and  inspect  into  its  for- 
mation, are  inexcusable  for  concurring  in  the 
mi  take. 

The  bat  in  scarce  any  particular  resembles 
the  bird,  except  in  its  power  of  sustaining 
itself  in  the  air.  It  brings  forth  its  young  alive ; 
it  suckles  them  ;  its  rnouth  is  furnished  with 
teeth  ;  its  lungs  are  formed  like  those  of  quad- 
rupeds ;  its  intestines,  and  its  skeleton,  have  a 
complete  resemblance,  and  even  are,  in  some 
measure,  seen  to  resemble  those  of  mankind.* 

The  bat  most  common  in  England,  is  about 
the  size  of  a  mouse  ;  or  nearly  two  inches  and 
a  half  long.  The  membranes  that  are  usually 
called  wings,  are,  properly  speaking,  an  ex- 
tension of  the  skin  all  round  the  body,  except 
the  head,  which,  when  the  animal  flies,  is  kept 
stretched  on  every  side,  by  the  four  interior 
toes  of  the  fore  feet,  which  are  enormously 
long,  and  serve  like  masts  that  keep  the  can- 
vas of  a  sail  spread,  and  regulate  its  motions.1" 
The  first  toe  is  quite  loose,  and  serves  as  a 
heel  when  the  bat  walks,  or  as  a  hook,  when 
it  would  adhere  to  any  thing.  The  hind  feet 
are  disengaged  from  the  surrounding  skin,  and 
divided  into  five  toes,  somewhat  resembling 
those  of  a  mouse.  The  skin  by  which  it  flies 
is  of  a  dusky  colour.  The  body  is  covered 
with  a  short  fur,  of  a  mouse  colour,  tinged 
with  red.  The  eyes  are  very  small ;  the  ears 
like  those  of  a  mouse. 

This  species  of  the  bat  is  very  common  in 
England.  It  makes  its  first  appearance  early 
in  summer,  and  begins  its  flight  in  the  dusk  of 
the  evening.  It  principally  frequents  the  sides 
of  woods,  glades,  and  shady  walks ;  and  is 
frequently  observed  to  skim  along  the  surface 

•  Penis  propendens. 


of  pieces  of  water.  It  pursues  gnats,  moths, 
and  nocturnal  insects  of  every  kind.  It  feeds 
upon  these ;  but  will  not  refuse  meat,  whenever 
it  can  find  it.  Its  flight  is  a  laborious,  irregu- 
lar movement ;  and  if  it  happens  to  be  inter- 
rupted in  its  course,  it  cannot  readily  prepare 
for  a  second  elevation  ;  so  that  if  it  strikes 
against  any  object,  and  falls  to  the  ground,  it 
is  usually  taken.  It  appears  only  in  the  most 
pleasant  evenings,  when  its  prey  is  generally 
abroad,  and  flies  in  pursuit  with  its  mouth 
open.  At  other  times  it  continues  in  its  retreat ; 
the  chink  of  a  ruined  building,  or  the  hollow  of 
a  tree.  Thus  this  little  animal,  even  in  sum- 
mer, sleeps  the  greatest  part  of  its  time,  never 
venturing  out  by  day-light,  nor  in  rainy 
weather ;  never  hunting  in  quest  of  prey,  but 
for  a  small  part  of  the  night,  and  then  return- 
ing to  its  hole.  But  its  short  life  is  still  more 
abridged  by  continuing  in  a  torpid  state  during 
the  winter.  At  the  approach  of  the  cold  sea- 
son, the  bat  prepares  for  its  state  of  lifeless 
inactivity,  and  seems  rather  to  choose  a  place 
where  it  may  continue  safe  from  interruption, 
than  where  it  may  be  warmly  or  conveniently 
lodged.  For  this  reason  it  is  usually  seen 
hanging  by  its  hooked  claws  to  the  roofs  of 
caves,  regardless  of  the  eternal  damps  that  sur- 
round it.  The  bat  seems  the  only  animal  that 
will  venture  to  remain  in  these  frightful  sub- 
terranean abodes,  where  it  continues  in  a  tor- 
pid state,  unaffected  by  every  change  of  the 
weather.  Such  of  this  kind  as  are  not  provi- 
dent enough  to  procure  themselves  a  deep  re- 
treat, where  the  cold  and  heat  seldom  vary, 
are  sometimes  exposed  to  great  inconveniences, 
for  the  weather  often  becomes  so  mild  in  the 
midst  of  winter  as  to  warm  them  prematurely 
into  life,  and  to  allure  them  from  their  holes  in 
quest  of  food,  when  nature  has  not  provided  a 
supply.  These,  therefore,  have  seldom  strength 
to  return ;  but,  having  exhausted  themselves 
in  a  vain  pursuit  after  insects  which  are  not  to 
be  found,  are  destroyed  by  the  owl,  or  any 
other  animal  that  follows  such  petty  prey. 

The  bat  couples  and  brings  forth  in  sum- 
mer, generally  from  two  to  five  at  a  time:  of 
this  I  am  certain,  that  I  have  found  five  young 
ones  in  a  hole  together ;  but  whether  they 
were  the  issue  of  one  parent,  I  cannot  tell. 
The  female  has  but  two  nipples,  and  those 

b  British  Zoology. 


384 


ANIMALS  OF 


forward  on  the  breast,  as  in  the  human  kind. 
This  was  a  sufficient  motive  for  Linnaeus  to 
give  it  the  title  of  aprimas,  to  rank  it  in  the 
same  order  with  mankind ;  and  to  push  this 
contemptible  animal  among  the  chiefs  of  the 
creation.  Such  arbitrary  associations  produce 
rather  ridicule  than  instruction,  and  render 
even  method  contemptible ;  however,  we  are 
to  forgive  too  strong  an  attachment  to  sys- 
tem in  this  able  naturalist,  since  his  applica- 
tion to  the  particular  history  of  the  animal 
counterbalances  the  defect.* 

From  Linnaeus  we  learn,  that  the  female 
makes  no  nest  for  her  young,  as  most  birds 
and  quadrupeds  are  known  to  do.  She  is 
barely  content  with  the  first  hole  she  meets, 
where  sticking  herself  by  her  hooks  against 
the  sides  of  her  apartments  she  permits  her 
young  to  hang  at  the  nipple,  and  in  this  man- 
ner to  continue  for  the  first  or  second  day. 
When,  after  some  time,  the  dam  begins  to 
grow  hungry,  and  find  a  necessity  of  stirring 
abroad,  she  takes  her  little  ones  and  sticks 
them  to  the  wall,  in  the  manner  she  before 
hung  herself;  there  they  immoveably  cling, 
and  patiently  wait  till  her  return. 

Thus  far  this  animal  seems  closely  allied 
to  the  quadruped  race.  Its  similitude  to 
that  of  birds  is  less  striking.  As  nature  has 
furnished  birds  with  extremely  strong  pecto- 
ral muscles,  to  move  the  wings,  and  direct 
their  flight,  so  has  it  also  furnished  this  ani- 
mal. As  birds  also  have  their  legs  weak,  and 
unfit  for  the  purposes  of  motion,  the  bat  has 
its  legs  fashioned  in  the  same  manner,  and  is 
never  seen  to  walk,  or,  more  properly  speak- 
ing, to  push  itself  forward  with  its  hind  legs, 
but  in  cases  of  extreme  necessity.  The  toes 
of  the  fore  legs,  or,  if  we  may  use  the  expres- 
sion, its  extremely  long  fingers,  extend  the 
web  like  a  membrane  that  lies  between  them; 
and  this,  which  is  extremely  thin,  serves  to 
lift  the  little  body  into  the  air:  in  this  man- 
ner, by  an  unceasing  percussion,  much  swifter 
than  that  of  birds,  the  animal  continues,  and 
directs  its  flight;  however,  the  great  labour 
required  in  flying,  soon  fatigues  it;  for,  un- 
like birds,  which  continue  for  days  together 
upon  the  wing,  the  bat  is  tired  in  less  than  an 
hour,  and  then  returns  to  its  hole,  satisfied 

*  Fauna  Suecia,  p.  8. 


with  its  supply,  to  enjoy  the  darkness  of  its 
retreat. 

If  we  consider  the  bat  as  it  is  seen  in  our 
own  country,  we  shall  find  it  a  harmless,  in- 
offensive creature.  It  is  true  that  it  now  and 
then  steals  into  a  larder,  and,  like  a  mouse, 
commits  its  petty  thefts  upon  the  fattest  parts 
of  the  bacon.  But  this  happens  seldom ;  the 
general  tenor  of  its  industry  is  employed  in 
pursuing  insects  that  are  much  more  noxious 
to  us  than  itself  can  possibly  be;  while  its 
evening  flight,  and  its  unsteady  wabbling  mo- 
tion, amuse  the  imagination,  and  add  one 
figure  more  to  the  pleasing  group  of  Anima- 
ted Nature. 

The  varieties  of  this  animal,  especially  in 
our  country,  are  but  few;  and  the  differences 
scarce  worth  enumeration.  Naturalists  men- 
tion the  Long-eared  Bat,  much  less  than  that 
generally  seen,  and  with  much  longer  ears; 
the  Horse-shoe  Bat,  with  an  odd  protuberance 
round  its  upper  lip,  somewhat  in  the  form  of 
a  horse-shoe;  the  Rhinoceros  Bat,  with  a 
horn  growing  from  the  nose,  somewhat  simi- 
lar to  that  animal  from  whence  it  has  the 
name.  These,  with  several  others,  whose 
varieties  are  too  numerous,  and  differences 
too  minute  for  a  detail,  are  all  inoffensive, 
minute,  and  contemptible;  incapable,  from 
their  size,  of  injuring  mankind,  and  not  suf- 
ficiently numerous  much  to  incommode  him. 
But  there  is  a  larger  race  of  bats,  found  in 
the  East  and  West  Indies,  that  are  truly  for- 
midable ;  each  of  these  is  singly  a  dangerous 
enemy,  but  when  they  unite  in  flocks,  they 
then  become  dreadful.  Were  the  inhabitants 
of  the  African  coasts,b  says  Des  Marchais,  to 
eat  animals  of  the  Bat  kind,  as  they  do  in  the 
East  Indies,  they  would  never  want  a  sup- 
ply of  provisions.  They  are  there  in  such 
numbers,  that  when  they  fly,  they  obscure  the 
setting  sun.  In  the  morning,  at  peep  of  day, 
they  are  seen  sticking  upon  the  tops  of  the 
trees,  and  clinging  to  each  other,  like  bees 
when  they  swarm,  or  like  large  clusters  of 
cocoa.  The  Europeans  often  amuse  them- 
selves with  shooting  among  this  huge  msiss 
of  living  creatures,  and  observing  their  em- 
barrassment when  wounded.  They  some- 
times enter  the  houses,  and  the  Negroes  are 

b  Des  Marchais,  vol.  ii.  p.  208. 


THE  BAT  KIND. 


385 


expert  at  killing  them ;  but  although  these 
people  seem  for  ever  hungry,  yet  they  regard 
the  bat  with  horror,  and  will  not  eat  it,  though 
ready  to  starve. 

Of  foreign  bats,  the  largest  we  have  any 
certain  accounts  of,  is  the  Rousette,  or  the 
Great  Bat  of  Madagascar.  This  formidable 
creature  is  near  four  feet  broad,  when  the 
wings  are  extended  ;  and  a  foot  long,  from  the 
tip  of  the  nose  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail.  It 
resembles  our  bat  in  the  form  of  its  wings,  in 
its  manner  of  flying,  and  in  its  internal  con- 
formation. It  differs  from  it  in  its  enormous 
size  ;  in  its  colour,  which  is  red,  like  that  of  a 
fox  ;  in  its  head  and  nose  also,  which  resemble 
those  of  that  animal,  and  which  have  induced 
some  to  call  it  the  flying  fox :  it  differs  also  in 
the  number  of  its  teeth  ;  and  in  having  a  claw 
on  the  fore  foot,  which  is  wanting  in  ours. 
This  formidable  creature  is  found  only  in  the 
ancient  continent;  particularly  in  Madagascar, 
along  the  coasts  of  Africa  and  Malabar,  where 
it  is  usually  seen  about  the  size  of  a  large  hen. 
When  they  repose,  they  stick  themselves  to  the 
tops  of  the  tallest  trees,  and  hang  with  their 
heads  downward.  But  when  they  are  in 
motion,  nothing  can  be  more  formidable : 
they  are  seen  in  clouds,  darkening  the  air,  as 
well  by  day  as  by  night,  destroying  the  ripe 
fruits  of  the  country,  and  sometimes  settling 
upon  animals,  and  man  himself:  they  devour, 
indiscriminately,  fruits,  flesh,  and  insects,  and 
drink  the  juice  of  the  palm-tree :  they  are 
heard  at  night  in  the  forests  at  more  than  two 
miles  distance,  with  a  horrible  din,  but  at  the 
approach  of  day,  they  usually  begin  to  retire ; 
nothing  is  safe  from  their  depredations ;  they 
destroy  fowls  and  domestic  animals,  unless 
preserved  wiih  the  utmost  care,  and  often  fasten 
upon  the  inhabitants  themselves,  attack  them 
in  the  face,  and  inflict  very  terrible  wounds. 
In  short,  as  some  have  already  observed,  the 
ancients  seem  to  have  taken  their  ideas  of 
harpies  from  these  fierce  and  voracious  crea- 
tures, as  they  both  concur  in  many  parts  of  the 
description,  being  equally  deformed,  greedy, 
uncleanly,  and  cruel. 

An  animal  not  so  formidable,  but  still  more 
mischievous  than  these,  is  the  American  Vam- 
pyre.  This  is  still  less  than  the  former ;  but 
more  deformed,  and  still  more  numerous.  It 
is  furnished  with  a  horn  like  the  rhinoceros 
bat ;  and  its  ears  are  extremely  long.  The 


other  kinds  generally  resort  to  the  forest,  and 
the  most  deserted  places ;  but  these  come  into 
towns  and  cities,  and,  after  sun-set,  when 
they  begin  to  fly,  cover  the  streets  like  a 
canopy.1  They  are  the  common  pest  both  of 
men  and  animals  ;  they  effectually  destroy  the 
one,  and  often  distress  the  other.  "  They 
are,"  says  Ulloa,  "the  most  expert  blood-let- 
ters in  the  world.  The  inhabitants  of  those 
warm  latitudes  being  obliged,  by  the  excessive 
heats,  to  leave  open  the  doors  and  windows  of 
the  chambers  where  they  sleep,  the  vampyres 
enter,  and  if  they  find  any  part  of  the  body 
exposed,  they  never  fail  to  fasten  upon  it. 
There  they  continue  to  suck  the  blood  ;  and  it 
often  happens  that  the  person  dies  under  the 
operation.  They  insinuate  their  tooth  into  a 
vein,  with  all  the  art  of  the  most  experienced 
surgeon,  continuing  to  exhaust  the  body  until 
they  arc  satiated.  I  have  been  assured,"  con- 
tinues he,  "  by  persons  of  the  strictest  veracity, 
that  such  an  accident  has  happened  to  them ; 
and  that,  had  they  not  providentially  awaked, 
their  sleep  would  have  been  their  passage  into 
eternity ;  having  lost  so  large  a  quantity  of 
blood  as  hardly  to  find  strength  to  bind  up  the 
orifice.  The  reason  why  the  puncture  is  not 
felt  is,  besides  the  great  precaution  with  which 
it  is  made,  the  gentle  refreshing  agitation  of 
the  bat's  wings,  which  contribute  to  increase 
sleep,  and  soften  the  pain." 

The  purport  of  this  account  has  been  con- 
firmed by  various  other  travellers ;  who  all 
agree  that  this  bat  is  possessed  of  a  faculty  ol 
drawing  the  blood  from  persons  sleeping  ;  and 
thus  often  destroying  them  before  they  awake. 
But  still  a  very  strong  difficulty  remains  to  be 
accounted  for ;  the  manner  in  which  they  in- 
flict the  wound.  Ulloa,  as  has  been  seen, 
supposes  that  it  is  done  by  a  single  tooth  ;  but 
this  we  know  to  be  impossible,  since  the  ani- 
mal cannot  infix  one  tooth  without  all  the  rest 
accompanying  its  motions ;  the  teeth  of  the 
bat  kind  being  pretty  even,  and  the  mouth  but 
small.  Mr.  Buffon  therefore  supposes  the 
wound  to  be  inflicted  by  the  tongue ;  which, 
however,  appears  to  me  too  large  to  inflict 
an  unpainful  wound ;  and  even  less  qualified 
for  that  purpose  than  the  teeth.  Nor  can  the 
tongue,  as  Mr.  Buffon  seems  to  suppose,  serve 
for  the  purposes  of  suction,  since  for  this  it 

a  Ulloa,  vol.  i.  p.  58. 


386 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


must  be  hollow,  like  a  syringe,  which  it  is  not 
found  to  be.  I  should  therefore  suppose, 
that  the  animal  is  endowed  with  a  strong 
power  of  suction;  and  that,  without  inflicting 
any  wound  whatsoever,  by  continuing  to  draw, 
it  enlarges  the  pores  of  the  skin  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  blood  at  length  passes,  and 
that  more  freely  the  longer  the  operation  is 
continued ;  so  that,  at  last,  when  the  bat  goes 
off,  the  blood  continues  to  flow.  In  confir- 
mation of  this  opinion  we  are  told,  that  where 


beasts  have  a  thick  skin,  this  animal  cannot 
injure  them;  whereas,  in  horses,  mules,  and 
asses,  they  are  very  liable  to  be  thus  destroy- 
ed. As  to  the  rest,  these  animals  are  con- 
sidered as  one  of  the  great  pests  of  South 
America;  and  often  prevent  the  peopling 
of  many  parts  of  that  continent :  having 
destroyed  at  Barja,  and  several  other  pla- 
ces, such  cattle  as  were  brought  there  by 
the  missionaries,  in  order  to  form  a  settle- 
ment. 


CHAPTER  LVII. 

OF  AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


THE  gradations  of  nature  from  one  class 
of  beings  to  another  are  made  by  impercep- 
tible deviations.  As  we  saw  in  the  foregoing 
chapters  quadrupeds  almost  degraded  into 
the  insect  tribe,  or  mounted  among  the  in- 
habitants of  the  air,  we  are  at  present  to  ob- 
serve their  approach  to  fishes,  to  trace  the 
degrees  by  which  they  become  more  unlike 
terrestrial  animals,  till  the  similitude  of  the 
fish  prevails  over  that  of  the  quadruped. 

As  in  opposite  armies  the  two  bodies  are 
distinct  and  separated  from  each  other,  while 
yet  between  them  are  various  troops  that 
plunder  on  both  sides  and  are  friends  to 
neither;  so  between  terrestrial  and  aquatic 
animals  there  are  tribes  that  can  scarce  be 
referred  to  any  rank,  but  lead  an  amphibious 
life  between  them.  Sometimes  in  water, 
sometimes  on  land,  they  seem  fitted  for  each 
element,  and  yet  completely  adapted  to 
neither.  Wanting  the  agility  of  quadrupeds 
upon  land,  and  the  perseverance  of  fishes  in 
the  deep,  the  variety  of  their  powers  only 
seems  to  diminish  their  force ;  and,  though 
possessed  of  two  different  methods  of  living, 
they  are  more  inconveniently  provided  than 
such  as  have  but  one. 

All  quadrupeds  of  this  kind,  though  cover- 
ed with  hair  in  the  usual  manner,  are  furnish- 
ed with  membranes  between  the  toes,  which 
assist  their  motion  in  the  water.  Their  paws 
are  broad  and  their  legs  short,  by  which  they 


are  more  completely  fitted  for  swimming ;  for, 
taking  short  strokes  at  a  time,  they  make 
them  oftener  and  with  greater  rapidity.  Some, 
however,  of  these  animals  are  more  adapted 
to  live  in  the  water  than  others  ;  but,  as  (heir 
power  increases  to  live  in  the  deep,  their  un- 
fitness  for  living  upon  land  increases  in  the 
same  proportion.  Some,  like  the  otter,  re- 
semble quadrupeds  in  every  thing  except  in 
being  in  some  measure  web-footed;  others 
depart  still  farther,  in  being,  like  the  beaver, 
not  only  web-footed,  but  having  the  tail  cover- 
ed with  scales,  like  those  of  a  fish.  Others 
depart  yet  farther,  as  the  seal  and  the  morse, 
by  having  the  hind  feet  stuck  to  the  body 
like  fins ;  and  others,  as  the  lamentin,  almost 
entirely  resemble  fishes,  by  having  no  hind 
feet  whatsoever.  Such  are  the  gradations  of 
the  amphibious  tribe.  They  all,  however, 
get  their  living  in  the  water,  either  by  habit 
or  conformation;  they  all  continue  a  long 
time  under  water ;  they  all  consider  that  ele- 
ment as  their  proper  abode;  whenever  press- 
ed by  danger  they  fly  to  the  water  for  secu- 
rity ;  and,  when  upon  land,  appear  watchful, 
timorous,  and  unwieldy. 


THE  OTTER. 

IN  the  first  step  of  the  progression  from  land 
to  amphibious  animals,  we  find  the  Otter,  re- 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


387 


sembling  those  of  the  terrestrial  kind  in  shape, 
hair,  and  internal  conformation ;  resembling 
the  aquatic  tribes  in  its  manner  of  living,  and 
in  having  membranes  between  the  toes  to  as- 
sist it  in  swimming.     From  this  peculiar  make 
of  its  feet,  which  are  very  short,  it  swims  even 
faster  than  it  runs,  and  can  overtake  fishes  in 
their  own  element.     The  colour  of  this  ani- 
mal is  brown  ;  and  it  is  somewhat  of  the  shape 
of  an  overgrown  weasel,  being  long,  slender, 
and  soft-skinned.     However,  if  we  examine 
its  figure  in  detail,  we  shall  find  it  unlike  any 
other  animal  hitherto  described,  and  of  such  a 
shape  as  words  can  but  weakly  convey.     Its 
usual  length  is  about  two  feet  long,  from  the 
tip  of  the  nose  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail ;  the 
head  and  nose  are  broad  and  flat ;  the  mouth 
bears  some  similitude  to  that  of  a  fish;  the 
neck  is  short,  and  equal  in  thickness  to  the 
head ;  the  body  long ;  the  tail  broad  at  the 
insertion,  but  tapering  off  to  a  point  at  the  end ; 
the  eyes  are  very  small,  and  placed  nearer  the 
nose  than  usual  in  quadrupeds.     The  legs  are 
very  short,  but  remarkably  strong,  broad,  and 
muscular.     The  joints  are  articulated  so  loose- 
ly, that  the  animal  is  capable  of  turning  them 
quite  back,    and  bringing  them  on  line   with 
the  body,  so  as  to  perform  the  office  of  fins. 
Each  foot  is  furnished  with  five  toes,  connect- 
ed by  strong  broad  webs  like  those  of  water- 
fowl.    Thus  nature,  in  every  part,  has  had 
attention  to  the  life  of  an  animal  whose  food 
is  fish,  and  whose  haunts  must  necessarily  be 
about  water. 

This  voracious  animal  is  never  found  but  at 
the  sides  of  lakes  and  rivers,  but  particularly 
the  former,  for  it  is  seldom  fond  of  fishing  in 
a  running  stream,  for  the  current  of  the  water 
having  more  power  upon  it  than  the  fishes  it 
pursues,  if  it  hunts  against  the  stream,  it  swims 
too  slow  ;  and  if  with  the  stream,  it  overshoots 
its  prey.  However,  when  in  rivers,  it  is  al- 
ways observed  to  swim  against  the  stream, 
and  to  meet  the  fishes  it  preys  upon  rather 
than  to  pursue  them.  In  lakes  it  destroys 
much  more  than  it  devours,  and  is  often  seen 
to  spoil  a  pond  in  the  space  of  a  few  nights. 
But  the  damage  they  do  by  destroying  fish  is 
not  so  great  as  their  tearing  in  pieces  the  nets 
of  the  fishers,  which  they  infalliby  do  when- 
ever they  happen  to  be  entangled.  The 
instant  they  find  themselves  caught,  they  go 
to  work  with  their  teeth,  and  in  a  few  mi- 
ne. 23  &  34 


nutes    destroy    nets    of  a    very  considerable 
value. 

The  otter  has  two  different  methods  of  fish- 
ing ;  the  one,  by  catching  its  prey  from  the 
bottom  upward,  the  other,  by  pursuing  it  into 
some  little  creek,  and  seizing  it  there.  In  the 
former  case,  as  this  animal  has  longer  lungs 
than  most  other  quadrupeds,  upon  taking  in 
a  quantity  of  air,  it  can  remain  for  some  mi- 
nutes at  the  bottom  ;  and  whatever  fish  passes 
over  at  that  time  is  certainly  taken ;  for  as 
the  eyes  of  fish  are  placed  so  as  not  to  see  under 
them,  the  otter  attacks  them  off  their  guard 
from  below  ;  and,  seizing  them  at  once  by  the 
belly,  drags  them  on  shore,  where  it  often 
leaves  them  untouched,  to  continue  the  pur- 
suit for  hours  together.  The  other  method  is 
chiefly  practised  in  lakes  and  ponds,  where 
there  is  no  current ;  the  fish  thus  taken  are 
rather  of  the  smaller  kind,  for  the  great  ones 
will  never  be  driven  out  of  deep  water. 

In  this  manner,  the  otter  usually  lives  du- 
ring the  summer,  being  furnished  with  a  sup- 
ply much  greater  than  its  consumption  ;  kil- 
ling for  its  amusement,  and  infecting  the  edges 
of  the  lake  with  quantities  of  dead  fish,  which 
it  leaves  there  as  trophies  rather  of  its  victory 
than  its  necessities.  But  in  winter,  when  the 
lakes  are  frozen  over,  and  the  rivers  pour  with 
a  rapid  torrent,  the  otter  is  often  greatly  dis- 
tressed for  provisions ;  and  is  then  obliged  to 
live  upon  grass,  weeds,  and  even  the  bark  of 
trees.  It  then  comes  upon  land,  and,  grown 
courageous  from  necessity,  feeds  upon  terres- 
trial animals,  rats,  insects,  and  even  sheep  them- 
selves. Nature,  however,  has  given  it  the  pow- 
er of  continuing  a  long  time  without  food ;  and 
although,  during  that  season,  it  is  not  render- 
ed quite  torpid,  like  the  marmout  or  the  dor- 
mouse, yet  it  keeps  much  more  within  its  re- 
treat, which  is  usually  the  hollow  of  a  bank, 
worn  under  by  the  water.  There  it  often 
forms  a  kind  of  gallery,  running  for  several 
yards  along  the  edge  of  the  water ;  so  that 
when  attacked  at  one  end,  it  flies  to  the  other, 
and  often  evades  the  fowler  by  plunging  into 
the  water  at  forty  or  fifty  paces  distant,  while 
he  expects  to  find  it  just  before  him. 

We  learn  from  Mr.  Buffon,  that  this  animal, 
in  France,  couples  in  winter,  and  brings  forth 
in  the  beginning  of  spring.  But  it  is  certain- 
ly different  with  us,  for  its  young  are  never 
found  till  the  latter  end  of  summer ;  and  1 

3N 


388 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


have  frequently,  when  a  boy,  discovered  their 
retreats,  and  pursued  them  at  that  season. 
I  am,  therefore,  more  inclined  to  follow  the 
account  given  us  of  this  animal  by  Mr.  Lots, 
of  the  Academy  of  Stockholm,  who  assures 
us  that  it  couples  ahout  the  middle  of  summer, 
and  brings  forth  at  the  end  of  nine  weeks,  ge- 
nerally three  or  four  at  a  time.  This,  as  well 
as  the  generality  of  his  other  remarks  on  this 
subject,  agrees  so  exactly  with  what  I  remem- 
ber concerning  it,  that  I  will  beg  leave  to 
take  him  for  my  guide,  assuring  the  reader 
that,  however  extraordinary  the  account  may 
seem,  1  know  it  to  be  certainly  true. 

In  the  rivers  and  the  lakes  frequented  by 
the  otter,  the  bottom  is  generally  stony  and 
uneven,  with  many  trunks  of  trees,  and  long 
roots  stretching  underneath  the  water."  The 
shore  also  is  hollow  and  scooped  inward  by 
the  waves.  These  are  the  places  the  otter 
chiefly  chooses  for  its  retreat ;  and  there  is 
scarce  a  stone  which  does  not  bear  the  mark 
of  its  residence,  as  upon  them  its  excrements 
are  always  made.  It  is  chiefly  by  this  mark 
that  its  lurking  places  are  known,  as  well  as 
by  the  quantity  of  dead  fish  that  are  found 
lying  here  and  there  upon  the  banks  of  the 
water.  To  take  the  old  ones  alive  is  no  easy 
task,  as  they  are  extremely  strong,  and  there 
are  few  dogs  that  will  dare  to  encounter  them. 
They  bite  with  great  fierceness,  and  never 
let  go  their  hold  when  they  have  once  fasten- 
ed. The  best  way,  therefore,  is  to  shoot 
them  at  once,  as  they  never  will  be  thorough- 
ly tamed ;  and,  if  kept  for  the  purposes  of 
fishing,  are  always  apt  to  take  the  first  op- 
portunity of  escaping.  But  the  young  ones 
may  be  more  easily  taken,  arid  converted  to 
very  useful  purposes.  The  otter  brings  forth 
its  young  generally  under  the  hollow  banks, 
upon  a  bed  of  rushes,  flags,  or  such  weeds 
as  the  place  affords  it  in  the  greatest  quan- 
tities. I  see  in  the  British  Zoology  a  de- 
scription of  its  habitation,  where  that  natu- 
ralist observes.  "  that  it  burrows  under  ground, 
on  the  banks  of  some  river  or  lake,  and  al- 
ways makes  the  entrance  of  its  hole  under 
water,  then  works  up  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
and  there  makes  a  minute  orifice  for  the  ad- 
mission of  air,  and  this  little  air-hole  is  often 

»  Journal  Etranger,  Juiii.  1755.  p.  14. 


found  in  the  middle  of  some  thicket."  In 
some  places  this  may  be  true,  but  I  have  never 
observed  any  such  contrivance;  the  retreat, 
indeed,  was  always  at  the  edge  of  the  water, 
but  it  was  only  sheltered  by  the  impending 
bank;  and  the  otter  itself  seemed  to  have 
but  a  small  share  in  its  formation.  But  be 
this  as  it  may,  the  young  ones  are  always 
found  at  the  edge  of  the  water;  and,  if  under 
the  protection  of  her  dam,  she  teaches  them 
instantly  to  plunge,  like  herself,  into  the  deep, 
and  escape  among  the  rushes  or  weeds  that 
fringe  the  stream.  At  such  times,  therefore, 
it  is  very  difficult  to  take  them;  for,  though 
never  so  young,  they  swim  with  great  rapi- 
dity, and  in  such  a  manner  that  no  part  of 
them  is  seen  above  water,  except  the  tip  of 
the  nose.  It  is  only  when  the  dam  is  absent 
that  they  can  be  taken;  and,  in  some  places, 
there  are  dogs  purposely  trained  for  disco- 
vering their  retreats.  Whenever  the  dog 
conies  to  the  place,  he  soon,  by  his  barking, 
shows  that  the  otter  is  there ;  which,  if  there 
be  an  old  one,  instantly  plunges  into  the  wa- 
ter, and  the  young  all  follow.  But,  if  the 
old  one  be  absent,  they  continue  terrified, 
and  will  not  venture  forth  but  under  her 
guidance  and  protection.  In  this  manner 
they  are  secured,  and  taken  home  alive, 
where  they  are  carefully  fed  with  small  fish 
and  water.  In  proportion,  however,  as  they 
gather  strength,  they  have  milk  mixed  among 
their  food,  the  quantity  of  their  fish  provision 
is  retrenched,  and  that  of  vegetables  is  in- 
creased, until  at  length,  they  are  fed  wholly 
upon  bread,  which  perfectly  agrees  with  their 
constitution.  The  manner  of  training  them 
up  to  hunt  for  fish  requires  not  only  assiduity 
but  patience ;  however,  their  activity  and 
use,  when  taught,  greatly  repays  the  trouble 
of  teaching;  and,  perhaps,  no  other  animal 
is  more  beneficial  to  his  master.  The  usual 
way,  is,  first  to  learn  them  to  fetch,  as  dogs 
are  instructed ;  but,  as  they  have  not  the 
same  docility,  so  it  requires  more  art  and  ex- 
perience to  teach  them.  It  is  usually  per- 
formed by  accustoming  them  to  take  a  truss 
stuffed  with  wool,  of  the  shape  gf  a  fish,  and 
made  of  leather,  in  their  mouths,  and  to  drop 
it  at  the  word  of  command ;  to  run  after  it 
when  thrown  forward,  and  to  bring  it  to  their 
master.  From  this  they  proceed  to  real  fish, 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


30i) 


which  are  thrown  dead  into  the  water,  and 
which  they  are  taught  to  fetch  from  thence. 
From  the  dead  they  proceed  to  the  live,  until 
at  last  the  animal  is  perfectly  instructed  in 
the  whole  art  of  fishing.  An  otter  thus  taught 
is  a  very  valuable  animal,  and  will  catch  fish 
enough  to  sustain  not  only  itself  but  a  whole 
family.  I  have  seen  one  of  these  go  to  a 
gentleman's  pond  at  the  word  of  command, 
drive  up  the  fish  into  a  corner,  and  seizing 
upon  the  largest  of  the  whole,  bring  it  off,  in 
its  mouth,  to  its  master. 

Otters  are  to  be  met  with  in  most  parts  of 
the  world,  and  rather  differ  in  size  and  colour 
from  each  other,  than  in  habitudes  or  confor- 
mation." In  North  America,  and  Carolina, 
they  are  usually  found  white,  inclining  to 
yellow.  The  Brasilian  otter  is  much  larger 
than  ours,  with  a  roundish  head,  almost  like 
a  cat.  The  tail  is  shorter,  being  but  five 
inches  long ;  and  the  hair  is  soft,  short,  and 
black,  except  on  the  head,  where  it  is  of  a 
dark  brown,  with  a  yellowish  spot  under  the 
throat. 

THE  BEAVER. 

IN  all  countries,  as  man  is  civilized  and 
improved,  the  lower  ranks  are  repressed  and 
degraded.13  Either  reduced  to  servitude,  or 
treated  as  rebels,  all  their  societies  are  dis- 
solved, and  all  their  united  talents  rendered 
ineffectual.  Their  feeble  arts  quickly  disap- 
pear, and  nothing  remains  but  their  solitary 
instincts,  or  those  foreign  habitudes  which 
they  receive  from  human  education.  For 
this  reason  there  remain  no  traces  of  their 
ancient  talents  and  industry,  except  in  those 
countries  where  man  himself  is  a  stranger; 
where,  unvisited  by  his  controlling  power,  for 
a  long  succession  of  ages,  their  little  talents 
have  had  time  to  come  to  their  limited  per- 
fection, and  their  common  designs  have  been 
capable  of  being  united. 

The  beaver  seems  to  be  now  the  only  re- 
maining monument  of  brutal  society.  From 
the  result  of  its  labours,  which  are  still  to  be 
seen  in  the  remote  parts  of  America,  we  learn 
how  far  instinct  can  be  aided  by  imitation. 
We  from  thence  perceive  to  what  a  degree 


Ray. 


t>  Buffon. 


animals  without  language  or  reason,  can  con- 
cur for  their  mutual  advantage,  and  attain 
by  numbers  those  advantages  which  each  in 
a  state  of  solitude  seems  unfitted  to  possess. 

If  we  examine  the  beaver  merely  as  an 
individual,  and  unconnected  with  others  of 
its  kind,  we  shall  find  many  other  quadrupeds 
to  exceed  it  in  cunning,  and  almost  all  in  the 
powers  of  annoyance  and  defence.  The 
beaver,  when  taken  from  its  fellows,  and  kept 
in  a  state  of  solitude  or  domestic  tameness, 
appears  to  be  a  mild,  gentle  creature,  fami- 
liar enough,  but  somewhat  dull,  and  even 
melancholy  ;  without  any  violent  passions  or 
vehement  appetites,  moving  but  seldom,  mak- 
ing no  efforts  to  attain  any  good,  except  in 
gnawing  the  wall  of  its  prison,  in  order  to  re- 
gain its  freedom;  yet  this,  however,  without 
anger  or  precipation,  but  calm  and  indifferent 
to  all  about,  without  attachment  or  antipa- 
thies, neither  seeking  to  offend,  nor  desiring 
to  please.  It  appears  inferior  to  the  dog  in 
those  qualities  which  render  animals  of  ser- 
vice to  man ;  it  seems  made  neither  to  serve, 
to  command,  nor  to  have  connections  with 
any  other  set  of  beings,  and  is  only  adapted 
for  living  among  its  kind.  Its  talents  are 
entirely  repressed  in  solitude,  and  are  only 
brought  out  by  society.  When  alone,  it  has 
but  little  industry,  few  tricks,  and  without 
cunning  sufficient  to  guard  it  against  the  most 
obvious  and  bungling  snares  laid  for  it  by  the 
hunter.  Far  from  attacking  any  other  ani- 
mal, it  is  scarce  possessed  of  the  arts  of  de- 
fence. Preferring  flight  to  combat,  like  all 
wild  animals,  it  only  resists  when  driven  to 
an  extremity,  and  fights  only  when  its  speed 
can  no  longer  avail. 

But  this  animal  is  rather  more  remarkable 
for  the  singularity  of  its  conformation,  than 
any  intellectual  superiorities  it  may  be  sup- 
posed, in  a  state  of  solitude,  to  possess.  The 
beaver  is  the  only  creature  among  quadru- 
peds that  has  a  flat  broad  tail,  covered  with 
scales,  which  serves  as  a  rudder  to  direct  its 
motions  in  the  water.  It  is  the  sole  quadru- 
ped that  has  membranes  between  the  toes  on 
the  hind  feet  only,  and  none  on  the  fore  feet, 
which  supply  the  place  of  hands,  as  in  the 
squirrel.  In  short,  it  is  the  only  animal  that 
in  its  fore  parts  entirely  resembles  a  quad- 
ruped, and  in  its  hinder  parts  seems  to  ap- 
3N* 


390 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


proach  the  nature  of  fishes,  by  having  a  scaly 
tail.  In  other  respects,  it  is  about  two  feet 
long  and  near  one  foot  high ;  it  is  somewhat 
shaped  like  a  rat,  except  the  tail,  which,  as 
has  been  observed,  is  flat  and  scaly,  some- 
what resembling  a  neat's  tongue  at  the  point. 
Its  colour  is  of  a  light  brown,  the  hair  of  two 
sorts ;  the  one  longer  and  coarser ;  the  other 
soft,  fine,  short,  and  silky.  The  teeth  are 
like  those  of  a  rat  or  a  squirrel,  but  longer  and 
stronger,  and  admirably  adapted  to  cutting 
timber  or  stripping  bark,  to  which  purposes 
they  are  constantly  applied.  One  singularity 
more  may  be  mentioned  in  its  conformation ; 
which  is,  that  like  birds,  it  has  but  one  and 
the  same  vent  for  the  emission  of  its  excre- 
ments and  its  urine;  a  strange  peculiarity, 
but  which  anatomists  leave  us  no  room  to 
doubt  of. 

The  beavers  begin  to  assemble  about  the 
months  of  June  and  July,  to  form  a  society 
that  is  to  continue  for  the  greatest  part  of  the 
year.  They  arrive  in  numbers  from  every 
side,  and  generally  form  a  company  of  above 
two  hundred.  The  place  of  meeting  is  com- 
monly the  place  where  they  fix  their  abode, 
and  this  is  always  by  the  side  of  some  lake  or 
river.  If  it  be  a  lake  in  which  the  waters  are 
always  upon  a  level,  they  dispense  with  build- 
ing a  dam ;  but  if  it  be  a  running  stream, 
which  is  subject  to  floods  and  falls,  they  then 
set  about  building  a  dam,  or  pier,  that  crosses 
the  river,  so  that  it  forms  a  dead  water  in 
that  part  which  lies  above  and  below.  This 
dam,  or  pier,  is  often  fourscore  or  a  hundred 
feet  long,  and  ten  or  twelve  feet  thick  at  the 
base.  If  we  compare  the  greatness  of  the 
work  with  the  powers  of  the  architect,  it  will 
appear  enormous;  but  the  solidity  with  which 
it  is  built  is  still  more  astonishing  than  its  size. 
The  part  of  the  river  over  which  this  dam  is 
usually  built,  is  where  it  is  most  shallow,  and 
where  some  great  tree  is  found  growing  by 
the  side  of  the  stream.  This  they  pitch  upon 
as  proper  for  making  the  principal  part  in 
their  building;  and, although  it  is  often  thicker 
than  a  man's  body,  they  instantly  set  about 
cutting  it  down.  For  this  operation  they 
have  no  other  instrument  but  their  teeth, 
which  soon  lay  it  level,  and  that  also  on  the 
side  they  wish  it  to  fall,  which  is  always  across 
the  stream  They  then  fall  about  cutting 


off  the  top  branches,  to  make  it  lie  close  and 
even,  and  serve  as  the  principal  beam  of  their 
fabric." 

This  dike,  or  causey,  is  sometimes  ten,  and 
sometimes  twelve  feet  thick  at  the  foundation. 
It  descends  in  a  declivity,  or  slope,  on  that 
side  next  the  water,  which  gravitates  upon 
the  work  in  proportion  to  the  height,  and 
presses  it  with  a  prodigious  force  towards 
the  earth.  The  opposite  side  is  erected  per- 
pendicular, like  our  walls;  and  that  declivity, 
which,  at  the  bottom,  or  basis,  is  about  twelve 
feet  broad,  diminishes  towards  the  top,  where 
it  is  no  more  than  two  feet  broad,  or  there- 
abouts. The  materials  whereof  this  mole 
consists,  are  wood  and  clay.  The  beavers 
cut,  with  surprising  ease,  large  pieces  of 
wood,  some  as  thick  as  one's,  arm  or  thigh, 
and  about  four,  five,  or  six  feet  in  length,  or 
sometimes  more,  according  as  the  slope 
ascends.  They  drive  one  end  of  these  stakes 
into  the  ground,  at  a  small  distance  one  from 
the  other,  intermingling  a  few  with  them  that 
are  smaller  and  more  pliant.  As  the  water, 
however,  would  find  a  passage  through  the 
intervals  or  spaces  between  them,  and  leave 
the  reservoir  dry,  they  have  recourse  to  a 
clay,  which  they  know  where  to  find,  and 
with  which  they  stop  up  all  the  cavities  both 
within  and  without,  so  that  the  water  is  duly 
confined.  They  continue  to  raise  the  dike 
in  proportion  to  the  elevation  of  the  water 
and  the  plenty  which  they  have  of  it.  They 
are  conscious,  likewise,  that  the  conveyance 
of  their  materials  by  land  would  not  be  so 
easily  accomplished  as  by  water ;  and  there- 
fore they  take  the  advantage  of  its  increase, 
and  swim  with  their  mortar  on  their  tails, 
and  their,  stakes  between  their  teeth,  to  the 
places  where  there  is  most  occasion  for  them. 
If  their  works  are,  either  by  the  force  of  the 
water  or  the  feet  of  the  huntsmen,  who  run 
over  them,  in  the  least  damnified,  the  breach 
is  instantly  made  up ;  every  nook  and  corner 
of  the  habitation  is  reviewed,  and,  with  the 
utmost  diligence  and  application,  perfectly 
repaired.  But  when  they  find  the  huntsmen 
visit  them  too  often,  they  work  only  in  the 
night  time,  or  else  abandon  their  works  en- 
tirely, and  seek  out  for  some  safer  situation. 

a  Spectacle  de  la  Nature. 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


391 


The  dike,  or  mole,  being  thus  completed, 
their  next  care  is  to  erect  their  several  apart- 
ments, which  are  either  round  or  oval,  and 
divided  into  three  stories,  one  raised  above  the 
other :  the  first  belo»v  the  level  of  the  causey, 
which  is  for  the  most  part  full  of  water ;  the 
other  two  above  it.     This  little  fabric  is  built 
in  a  very  firm  and  substantial  manner,  on  the 
edge  of  their  reservoir,  and  always  in  such 
divisions  or  apartments  as  above  mentioned  ; 
that,  in  case  of  the  water's  increase,  they  may 
move  up  a  story  higher,  and  be  no  ways  in- 
commoded.    If  they  find  any  little  island  con- 
tiguous to  their  reservoir,  they  fix  their  man- 
sion there,  which  is  then  more  solid,  and  not 
so  frequently  exposed  to  the  overflowing  of  the 
water,  in  which  they  are  not  able  to  continue 
for  any  length  of  time.     In  case  they  cannot 
pitch  upon  so  commodious  a  situation,  they 
drive  piles  into  the  earth,  in  order  to  fence  and 
fortify  their  habitation  against  the  wind  as  well 
as  the  water.     They  make  two  apertures,  at 
the  bottom,  to  the  stream  ;  one  is  a  passage  to 
their  bagnio,  which  they  always  keep  neat 
and  clean  ;  the  other  leads  to  that  part  of  the 
building  where  every  thing  is  conveyed,  that 
will  either  soil  or  damage  their  upper  apart- 
ments.    They  have  a  third  opening,  or  door- 
way, much  higher,  contrived  for  the  preven- 
tion of  their  being  shut  up  and  confined,  when 
the  frost  and  snow  has  closed  the  apertures  of 
the  lower  floors.     Sometimes  they  build  their 
houses  altogether  upon  dry  land ;    but  then 
they  sink  trenches  five  or  six  feet  deep,  in  order 
to  descend  into  the  water  when  they  see  con- 
venient.    They  make  use  of  the  same  mate- 
rials ;  and  are  equally  industrious  in  the  erec- 
tion of  their  lodges,  as  their  dikes.    Their  walls 
are  perpendicular,  and  about  two  feet  thick. 
As  their  teeth  are  more  serviceable  than  saws, 
they  cut  off  all  the  wood  that  projects  beyond 
the  wall.     After  this,  when  they  have  mixed 
up  some  clay  and  dry  grass  together,  they 
work  it  into  a  kind  of  mortar,  with  which,  by 
the  help  of  their  tails,  they  plaster  all  their 
works,  both  within  and  without. 

The  inside  is  vaulted,  and  is  large  enough 
for  the  reception  of  eight  or  ten  beavers.  In 
case  it  rises  in  an  oval  figure,  it  is  for  the 
generality  abovf  twelve  feet  long,  and  eight  or 
ten  feet  broad.  If  the  number  of  inhabitants 
increase  to  fifteen,  twenty,  or  thirty,  the  edifice 
is  enlarged  in  proportion.  I  have  been  credibly 


informed,  that  four  hundred  beavers  have  been 
discovered  to  reside  in  one  large  mansion- 
house,  divided  into  a  vast  number  of  apart- 
ments, that  had  a  free  communication  one  with 
another. 

All  these  works,  more  especially  in  the 
northern  parts,  are  finished  in  August,  or  Sep- 
tember at  farthest ;  at  which  time  they  begin 
to  lay  in  their  stores.  During  the  summer 
they  are  perfect  epicures;  and  regale  them- 
selves every  day  on  the  choicest  fruits  and 
plants  the  country  affords.  Their  provisions, 
indeed,  in  the  winter  season,  principally  consist 
of  the  wood  of  the  birch,  the  plane,  and  some 
few  other  trees,  which  they  steep  in  water, 
from  time  to  lime,  in  such  quantities  as  are 
proportioned  to  the  number  of  inhabitants. 
They  cut  down  branches  from  three  to  ten 
feet  in  length.  Those  of  the  largest  dimensions 
are  conveyed  to  their  magazines  by  a  whole 
body  of  beavers ;  but  the  smallest  by  one  only : 
each  of  them,  however,  takes  a  different  way, 
mid  has  his  proper  walk  assigned  him,  in  order 
that  no  one  labourer  should  interrupt  another 
in  the  prosecution  of  his  work.  Their  wood- 
yards  are  larger  or  smaller,  in  proportion  to 
the  number  in  the  family :  and,  according  to 
the  observation  of  some  curious  naturalists, 
the  usual  stock  of  timber,  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  ten  beavers,  consists  of  about  thirty  feet 
in  a  square  surface,  and  ten  in  depth.  These 
logs  are  not  thrown  up  in  one  continued  pile, 
but  laid  one  across  the  other,  with  intervals, 
or  small  spaces  between  them,  in  order  to 
take  out,  with  the  greater  facility,  but  just  such 
a  quantity  as  they  shall  want  for  their  imme- 
diate consumption,  and  those  parcels  only, 
which  lie  at  the  bottom  in  the  water,  and  have 
been  duly  steeped.  This  timber  is  cut  again 
into  small  particles,  and  conveyed  to  one  of 
their  largest  lodges,  where  the  whole  family 
meet,  to  consume  their  respective  dividends, 
which  are  made  impartially,  in  even  and  equal 
portions.  Sometimes  they  traverse  the  woods, 
and  regale  their  young  with  a  more  novel  and 
elegant  entertainment. 

Such  as  are  used  to  hunt  these  animals, 
know  perfectly  well  that  green  wood  is  much 
more  acceptable  to  them  than  that  which  is 
old  and  dry  ;  for  which  reason  they  plant  a 
considerable  quantity  of  it  round  their  lodge- 
ments ;  and  as  they  come  out  to  partake  of  it, 
they  either  catch  them  in  snares,  or  take  them 


392 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


by  surprise.  In  the  winter,  when  the  frosts 
are  very  severe,  they  sometimes  break  a  large 
hole  in  the  ice ;  and  when  the  beavers  resort 
thither  for  the  benefit  of  a  little  fresh  air, 
they  either  kill  them  with  their  hatchets,  or 
cover  them  with  a  large  substantial  net.  Af- 
ter this,  they  undermine  and  subvert  the 
whole  fabric;  whereupon  the  beavers,  in 
hopes  to  make  their  escape  in  the  usual  way, 
fly  with  the  utmost  precipitation  to  the  water; 
and  plunging  into  the  aperture,  fall  directly 
into  the  net,  and  are  inevitably  taken. 


THE  SEAL. 

EVERY  step  we  proceed  in  the  description 
of  amphibious  quadrupeds,  we  make  nearer 
advances  to  the  tribe  of  fishes.  We  first  ob- 
served the  otter  with  its  feet  webbed,  and 
formed  for  an  aquatic  life  ;  we  next  saw  the 
beaver  with  the  hinder  parts  covered  with 
scales,  resembling  those  of  fishes;  and  we 
now  come  to  a  class  of  animals  in  which  the 
shape  and  habitude  of  fishes  still  more  ap- 
parently prevail,  and  whose  internal  confor- 
mation attaches  them  very  closely  to  the  wa- 
ter. The  seal,  in  general,  resembles  a  quad- 
ruped in  some  respects,  and  a  fish  in  others. 
The  head  is  round,  like  that  of  a  man ;  the 
nose  broad,  like  that  of  the  otter;  the  teeth 
like  those  of  a  dog ;  the  eyes  large  and  spark- 
ling; no  external  ears,  but  holes  that  serve 
for  that  purpose;  the  neck  is  well  propor- 
tioned, and  of  a  moderate  length ;  but  the 
body  thickest  where  the  neck  is  joined  to  it. 
From  thence  the  animal  tapers  down  to  the 
tail,  growing  all  the  way  smaller  like  a  fish. 
.The  whole  body  is  covered  with  a  thick, 
bristly  shining  hair,  which  looks  as  if  it  were 
entirely  rubbed  over  with  oil ;  and  thus  far 
the  quadruped  prevails  over  the  aquatic. 
But  it  is  in  the  feet  that  this  animal  greatly 
differs  from  all  the  rest  of  the  quadruped 
kind;  for  though  furnished  with  the  same 
number  of  bones  with  other  quadrupeds,  yet 
they  are  so  stuck  on  the  body,  and  so  cover- 
ed with  a  membrane,  that  they  more  resem- 
ble fins  than  feet ;  and  might  be  taken  for 
such,  did  not  the  claws  with  which  they  are 
pointed  show  their  proper  analogy.  In  the 
fore  feet,  or  rather  hands,  all  the  arm  and 


the  cubit  are  hid  under  the  skin,  and  nothing 
appears  but  the  hand  from  the  wrist  down- 
wards; so  that  if  we  imagine  a  child  with  its 
arms  swathed  down,  and  nothing  appearing 
but  its  hands  at  each  side  of  the  body,  to- 
wards the  breast,  we  may  have  some  idea  of 
the  formation  of  this  animal  in  that  part. 
These  hands  are  covered  in  a  thick  skin, 
which  serves  like  a  fin  for  swimming;  and 
are  distinguished  by  five  claws,  which  are 
long,  black,  and  piercing.  As  to  Ihe  hind 
feet,  they  are.  stretched  out  on  each  side  of 
the  short  tail,  covered  with  a  hairy  skin  like 
the  former,  and  both  together  almost  joining 
at  the  tail ;  the  whole  looks  like  the  broad, 
flat  tail  of  a  fish;  and,  were  it  not  for  five 
claws  which  appear,  might  be  considered  as 
such.  The  dimensions  of  this  animal  are 
various,  being  found  from  four  feet  long  to 
nine.  They  differ  also  in  their  colours  ; 
some  being  black,  others  spotted,  some  white, 
and  many  more  yellow.  It  would,  therefore, 
be  almost  endless  to  mention  the  varieties  of 
this  animal.  Buffbn  describes  three;  and 
Krantz  mentions  five,  all  different  from  those 
described  by  the  other.  I  might,  were  I  fond 
of  such  honours,  claim  the  merit  of  being  a 
first  describer  myself ;  but,  in  fact,  the  varie- 
ties in  this  animal  are  so  many,  that  were 
they  all  described,  the  catalogue  would  be 
as  extensive  as  it  would  be  useless  and  un- 
entertaining.  It  is  sufficient  to  observe,  that 
they  agree  in  the  general  external  characters 
already  mentioned,  and  internally  in  two  or 
three  more,  which  are  so  remarkable  as  to 
deserve  peculiar  attention. 

It  has  been  often  remarked,  that  all  ani- 
mals are  sagacious  in  proportion  to  the  size 
of  their  brain.  It  has,  in  support  of  this 
opinion,  been  alleged,  that  man,  with  respect 
to  his  bulk,  has,  of  all  others,  the  largest.  In 
pursuance  of  this  assumption,  some  erroneous 
speculations  have  been  formed.  But,  were 
the  size  of  the  brain  to  determine  the  quantity 
of  the  understanding,  the  seal  would,  of  all 
other  animals,  be  the  most  sagacious;  for  it 
has,  in  proportion,  the  largest  brain  of  any, 
even  man  himself  not  excepted.  However, 
this  animal  is  possessed  of  but  very  few  ad- 
vantages over  other  quadrupeds;  and  the  size 
of  its  brain  furnishes  it  with  few  powers  that 
contribute  to  its  wisdom  or  its  preservation 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


393 


This  animal  differs  also  in  the  formation  of 
its  tongue  from  all  other  quadrupeds.  It  is 
forked  or  slit  at  the  end,  like  that  of  serpents  ; 
but  for  what  purpose  it  is  thus  singularly  con- 
trived we  are  at  a  loss  to  know.  We  are 
much  better  informed  with  respect  to  a  third 
singularity  in  its  conformation,  which  is,  that 
the  foramen  ovale  in  the  heart  is  open.  Those 
who  are  in  the  least  acquainted  with  anatomy, 
know,  that  the  veins  uniting  bring  their  blood 
to  the  heart,  which  sends  it  into  the  lungs,  and 
from  thence  it  returns  to  the  heart  again  to  be 
distributed  through  the  whole  body.  Ani- 
mals, however,  before  they  are  born,  make  no 
use  of  their  lungs  ;  and  therefore  their  blood, 
without  entering  their  lungs,  takes  a  shorter 
passage  through  the  very  partition  of  the  heart, 
from  one  of  its  chambers  to  the  other,  thus 
passing  from  the  veins  directly  into  those 
vessels  that  drive  it  through  the  whole  frame. 
But  the  moment  the  animal  is  brought  forth, 
the  passage  through  the  partition,  which  pass- 
age is  called  the.  foramen  ovale,  closes  up,  and 
continues  closed  for  ever ;  for  the  blood  then 
takes  its  longest  course  through  the  lungs  to 
return  to  the  other  chamber  of  the  heart  again. 
Now  the  seal's  heart  resembles  that  of  an  infant 
in  the  womb,  for  the  foramen  ovale  never 
closes  ;a  and  although  the  blood  of  this  ani- 
mal commonly  circulates  through  the  lungs, 
yet  it  can  circulate  without  their  assistance,  as 
was  observed  above,  by  a  shorter  way.  From 
hence,  therefore,  we  see  the  manner  in  which 
this  animal  is  adapted  for  continuing  under 
water;  for,  being  under  no  immediate  neces- 
sity of  breathing,  the  vital  motions  are  still 
carried  on  while  it  continues  at  the  bottom  ; 
so  that  it  can  pursue  its  prey  in  that  element, 
and  yet  enjoy  all  the  delights  and  advantages 
of  ours. 

The  water  is  the  seal's  usual  habitation,  and 
whatever  fish  it  can  catch  is  its  food.  Though 
not  equal  in  instinct  and  cunning  to  some  ter- 
restrial animals,  it  is  greatly  superior  to  the 
mute  tenants  of  that  element  in  which  it  chiefly 
resides.  Although  it  can  continue  for  several 
minutes  under  water,  yet  it  is  not  able,  like 
fishes,  to  remain  there  for  any  length  of 
time ;  and  a  seal  may  be  drowned,  like  any 


*  I  have  followed  the  usual  observations  of  naturalists 
with  respect  to  the  foramen  ovalf  in  this  animal :  I  have 
many  reasons,  however,  to  incline  me  to  think  that  the 


other  terrestrial  animal.  Thus  it  seems  supe- 
rior, in  some  respects,  to  the  inhabitants  of 
both  elements,  and  inferior  in  many  more. 
Although  furnished  with  legs,  it  is  in  some 
measure  deprived  of  all  the  advantages  of 
them.b  They  are  shut  up  within  its  body, 
while  nothing  appears  but  the  extremities  of 
them,  and  these  furnished  with  very  little  mo- 
tion, but  to  serve  them  as  fins  in  the  water. 
The  hind  feet,  indeed,  being  turned  backwards, 
are  entirely  useless  upon  land  ;  so  that  w  hen 
the  animal  is  obliged  to  move,  it  drags  itself 
forward  like  a  reptile,  and  with  an  effort  more 
painful.  For  this  purpose  it  is  obliged  to  use 
its  fore  feet,  which,  though  very  short,  serve 
to  give  it  such  a  degree  of  swiftness  that  a  man 
cannot  readily  overtake  it ;  and  it  runs  towards 
the  sea.  As  it  is  thus  awkwardly  formed  for 
going  upon  land,  it  is  seldom  found  at  any 
distance  from  the  sea  shore,  but  continues  to 
bask  upon  the  rocks ;  and,  when  disturbed, 
always  plunges  down  at  once  to  the  bottom. 

The  seal  is  a  social  animal,  and  w  herever  it 
frequents  numbers  are  generally  seen  together. 
They  are  found  in  every  climate,  but  in  the 
north  and  icy  seas  they  are  particularly 
numerous.  It  is  on  those  shores,  which  are 
less  inhabited  than  ours,  and  where  the  fish 
resort  in  greater  abundance,  that  they  are  seen 
by  thousands,  like  flocks  of  sheep,  basking  on 
the  rocks,  and  suckling  their  young.  There 
they  keep  watch  like  other  gregarious  animals ; 
and,  if  an  enemy  appear,  instantly  plunge 
altogether  into  the  water.  In  fine  weather 
they  more  usually  employ  their  time  in  fish- 
ing ;  and  generally  come  on  shore  in  tempests 
and  storms.  The  seal  seems  the  only  animal 
that  takes  delight  in  these  tremendous  con- 
flicts of  nature.  In  the  midst  of  thunders  and 
torrents,  when  every  other  creature  takes 
refuge  from  the  fury  of  the  elements,  the  seals 
are  seen  by  thousands  sporting  along  the  shore, 
and  delighted  with  the  universal  disorder ! 
This,  however,  may  arise  from  the  sea  being 
at  that  time  too  turbulent  for  them  to  reside 
in ;  and  they  may  then  particularly  come  upon 
land  when  unable  to  resist  the  shock  of  their 
more  usual  element. 

As  seals  are  gregarious,  so  they  are  also  ani- 


foramen  is  not  entirely  open.     But  this  is  not  the  place  for 
a  critical  inquiry  of  this  kind. 
b  Buffon. 


394 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


mals  of  passage,  and  perhaps  the  only  quad- 
rupeds that  migrate  from  one  part  of  the  world 
to  another.  The  generality  of  quadrupeds  are 
contented  with  their  native  plains  and  forests, 
and  seldom  stray,  except  when  necessity  or 
fear  impels  them.  But  seals  change  their  habi- 
tation ;  and  are  seen  in  vast  multitudes  direct- 
ing their  course  from  one  continent  to  another." 
On  the  northern  coasts  of  Greenland  they  are 
seen  to  retire  in  July,  and  to  return  again  in 
September.  This  time  it  is  supposed  they  go 
in  pursuit  of  food.  But  they  make  a  second 
departure  in  March  to  cast  their  young,  and 
return  in  the  beginning  of  June,  young  and 
all,  in  a  great  body  together,  observing  in  their 
route  a  certain  fixed  time  and  track,  like  birds 
of  passage.  When  they  go  upon  this  expedi- 
tion, they  are  seen  in  great  droves,  for  many- 
days  together,  making  towards  the  north, 
taking  that  part  of  the  sea  most  free  from  ice, 
and  going  still  forward  into  those  seas  where 
man  cannot  follow.  In  what  manner  they  re- 
turn, or  by  what  passage,  is  utterly  unknown  ; 
it  is  only  observed,  that  when  they  leave  the 
coasts  to  go  upon  this  expedition,  they  are  all 
extremely  fat,  but  on  their  return,  they  come 
home  excessively  lean. 

The  females,  in  our  climate,  bring  forth  in 
winter,  and  rear  their  young  upon  some  sand- 
bank, rock,  or  desolate  island,  at  some  distance 
from  the  continent.  When  they  suckle  their 
young  they  sit  up  on  the  hinder  legs,  while 
these,  which  are  at  first  white,  with  woolly 
hair,  cling  to  the  teats,  of  which  there  are  four 
in  number,  near  the  navel."  In  this  manner 
the  young  continue  in  the  place  where  they 
are  brought  forth,  for  twelve  or  fifteen  days ; 
after  which  the  dam  brings  them  down  to  the 
water,  and  accustoms  them  to  swim  and  get 
their  food  by  their  own  industry.  As  each 
litter  never  exceeds  above  three  or  four,  so  the 
animal's  cares  are  not  much  divided,  and  the 
education  of  her  little  ones  is  soon  completed. 
In  fact,  the  young  are  particularly  docile ; 
they  understand  the  mother's  voice  among  the 
numerous  bleatings  of  the  rest  of  the  old  ones  ; 
they  mutually  assist  each  other  in  danger,  and 
are  perfectly  obedient  to  her  call.  Thus  early 
accustomed  to  subjection,  they  continue  to  live 
in  society,  hunt  and  breed  together,  and  have 

•  Krar.tz,  vol.  i.  p.  129. 

b  Coeunt  in  littore  resupinata  femina.     LIN.  SVST. 


a  variety  of  tones  by  which  they  encourage  to 
pursue  or  warn  e^ch  other  of  danger.  Some 
compare  their  voices  to  the  bleating  of  a  flock 
of  sheep,  interrupted  now  and  then  by  the 
barking  of  angry  dogs,  and  sometimes  the 
shriller  notes  of  a  cat/  All  along  the  shore, 
each  has  its  own  peculiar  roek,  of  which  it 
takes  possession,  and  where  it  sleeps  when 
fatigued  with  fishing,  uninterrupted  by  any  of 
the  rest.  The  only  season  when  their  social 
spirit  seems  to  forsake  them,  is  that  when  they 
feel  the  influences  of  natural  desire.  They 
then  fight  most  desperately;  and  the  male  that 
is  victorious  keeps  all  the  females  to  himself. 
Their  combats,  on  these  occasions,  are  managed 
with  great  obstinacy,  and  yet  great  justice", 
two  are  never  seen  to  fall  upon  one  together ; 
but  each  has  its  antagonist,  and  all  fight  an 
equal  battle,  till  one  alone  becomes  victo- 
rious. 

We  are  not  certainly  informed  how  long  the 
females  continue  pregnant ;  but  if  we  may 
judge  from  the  time  which  intervenes  between 
their  departure  from  the  Greenland  coasts  and 
their  return,  they  cannot  go  above  seven  or 
eight  months  at  the  farthest.  How  long  this 
animal  lives  is  also  unknown:  a  gentleman, 
whom  I  knew  in  Ireland,  kept  two  of  th<  m, 
which  he  had  taken  very  young,  in  his  house 
for  ten  years  ;  and  they  appeared  to  have  the 
marks  of  age  at  the  time  I  saw  them,  for  they 
were  grown  gray  about  the  muzzle ;  and  it  is 
very  probable  they  did  not  live  many  years 
longer.  In  their  natural  state  the  old  ones  are 
seen  very  fat  and  torpid,  separated  from  the 
rest,  and,  as  it  should  seem,  incapable  of  pro- 
creation. 

As  their  chief  food  is  fish,  so  they  are  very 
expert  at  pursuing  and  catching  it.  In  those 
places  where  the  herrings  are  seen  in  shoals, 
the  seals  frequent  and  destroy  them  by  thou- 
sands. When  the  herring  retires,  the  seal  is 
then  obliged  to  hunt  after  fish  that  are  stronger 
and  more  capable  of  evading  the  pursuit  :d 
however,  they  are  very  swift  in  deep  waters, 
dive  with  great  rapidity,  and,  while  the  spec- 
tator eyes  the  spot  at  which  they  disappear, 
they  are  seen  to  emerge  at  above  a  hundred 
yards  distance.  The  weaker  fishes,  therefore, 
have  no  other  means  to  escape  their  tyranny, 

c  Linna>i  Syst. 

d  British  Zoology,  vol.  i.  p.  75. 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


395 


but  by  darting  into  the  shallows.  The  seal 
has  been  seen  to  pursue  a  mullet,  which  is  a 
swift  swimmer,  and  to  turn  it  to  and  fro,  in 
deep  water,  as  a  hound  does  a  hare  on  land. 
The  mullet  has  been  seen  trying  every  art 
of  evasion;  and  at  last  swimming  into  shal- 
low water,  in  hopes  of  escaping.  There,  how- 
ever, the  seal  followed  ;  so  that  the  little  ani- 
mal had  no  other  way  left  to  escape,  but  to 
throw  itself  on  one  side,  by  which  means  it 
darted  into  shoaler  water  than  it  could  have 
swam  in  with  the  belly  undermost;  and  thus 
at  last  it  got  free. 

As  they  are  thus  the  tyrants  of  the  element 
in  which  they  chiefly  reside,  so  they  are  not 
very  fearful  even  upon  land,  except  on  those 
shores  which  are  thickly  inhabited,  and  from 
whence  they   have  been  frequently  pursued. 
Along  the  desert  coasts,  where  they  are  sel- 
dom interrupted  by  man,    they  seem  to  be 
very  bold  and  courageous ;  if  attacked   with 
stones,  like  dogs,  tfu  y  bite  such  as  are  thrown 
against  them;  if  encountered  more  closely, 
they  make  a  desperate  resistance,  and,  while 
they  have  any  life,  attempt  to  annoy  their 
enemy.     Some  have  been  known,  even  while 
they  were  skinning,  to  turn  round  and   seize 
their  butchers;  but  they  are  generally  des- 
patched by  a  stunning   blow    on  the    nose. 
They   usually  sleep  soundly  when  not    fre- 
quently disturbed;  and  that  is  the  time  when 
the  hunters  surprise  them.     The  Europeans 
who  go  into  the  Greenland  seas  upon  the 
whale-fishery,  surround  them  with  nets,  and 
knock  them  on    the    head ;  but  the  Green- 
landers,  who  are  unprovided  with  so  expen- 
sive an  apparatus,  destroy  them  in  a  different 
manner.     One  of  these   little    men    paddles 
away  in  his  boat,  and  when  he  sees  a  seal 
asleep  on  the  side  of  a  rock,  darts  his  lance, 
and  that  with  such  unerring  aim,  that  it  never 
fails  to  bury  its    point   in  the  animal's  side. 
The  seal,  feeling  itself  wounded,    instantly 
plunges  from  the  top  of  the  rock,  lance  and 
all,  into  the  sea,  and  dives  to  the  bottom ;  but 
the  lance  has  a  bladder   tied  to  one  end, 
which  keeps  buoyant,  and  resists  the  animal's 
descent;  so  that  every  time  the  seal  rises  to 
the  top  of  the  water  the  Greenlander  strikes 
it  with  his  oar,  until  he  at  last  despatches  it. 
But  in  our  climate,  the  seals  are  much  more 
wary,  and  seldom  suffer  the  hunters  to  come 

NO.  33  &  34. 


near  them.  They  are  often  seen  upon  the 
rocks  of  the  Cornish  coast,  basking  in  the 
sun,  or  upon  the  inaccessible  cliffs,  left  dry 
by  the  tide.  There  they  continue,  extremely 
watchful,  and  nev  ersleep  long  without  moving; 
seldom  longer  than  a  minute ;  for  then  they 
raise  their  heads,  and  if  they  see  no  danger, 
they  lie  down  again,  raising  and  reclining 
their  heads  alternately,  at  intervals  of  about 
a  minute  each.  The  only  method,  therefore, 
that  can  be  taken,  is  to  shoot  them :  if  they 
chance  to  escape,  they  hasten  towards  the 
deep,  flinging  stones  and  dirt  behind  them  as 
they  scramble  along,  and  at  the  same  time 
expressing  their  pain,  or  their  fears,  by 
the  most  distressful  cry;  if  they  happen  to 
be  overtaken,  they  make  a  vigorous  resist- 
ance w  ith  their  feet  and  teeth,  till  they  are 
killed. 

The  seal  is  taken  for  the  sake  of  its  skin, 
and  for  the  oil  its  fat  yields.  The  former 
sells  for  about  four  shillings  ;  and,  when  dres- 
sed, is  very  useful  in  covering  trunks,  making 
waistcoats,  shot-pouches,  and  several  other 
conveniences.  The  flesh  of  this  animal  for- 
merly found  place  at  the  tables  of  the  great. 
At  a  feast  provided  by  Archbishop  Neville, 
for  Edward  the  Fourth,  there  were  twelve 
seals  and  porpoises  provided,  among  other 
extraordinary  rarities. 

As  a  variety  of  this  animal,  we  may  men- 
tion the  SEA-LION,  described  in  Anson's  Voy- 
ages. This  is  much  larger  than  any  of  the 
former ;  being  from  eleven  to  eighteen  feet 
long.  It  is  so  fat  that,  when  the  skin  is  taken 
oft0,  the  blubber  lies  a  foot  thick  all  round  the 
body.  It  seems  to  differ  from  the  ordinary 
seal,  not  only  in  its  size,  but  also  in  its  food ; 
for  it  is  often  seen  to  graze  along  the  shore, 
and  to  feed  upon  the  long  grass  that  grows 
up  along  the  edges  of  brooks.  Its  cry  is 
very  various,  sometimes  resembling  the  neigh- 
ing of  a  horse,  and  sometimes  the  grunting  of 
a  hog.  It  may  be  regarded  as  the  largest 
of  the  seal  family. 


THE  MORSE 

THE  Morse  is  an  animal  of  the  seal  kind; 
but  differing  from  the  rest,  in  a  very  particular 
formation  of  the  teeth,  having  two  large  tusks 
30 


390 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


growing  from  the  upper  jaw,  shaped  like  those 
of  mi  elephant,  but  clireeted  downwards; 
whereas,  in  the  elephant,  they  grow  upright, 
like  horns ;  it  also  wants  the  cutting  teeth, 
both  above  and  below :  as  to  the  rest,  it  pretty 
much  resembles  a  seal,  except  that  it  is  much 
larger,  being  from  twelve  to  sixteen  feet  long. 
The  morses  are  also  generally  seen  to  frequent 
the  same  places  that  seals  are  known  to  reside 
in  ;  they  have  the  same  habitudes,  the  same 
advantages, and thesameimperfections.  There 
are,  however,  fewer  varieties  of  tiie  morse 
than  the  seal ;  and  they  are  rarely  found,  ex- 
cept in  the  frozen  regions  near  the  pole.  They 
were  formerly  more  numerous  than  at  present; 
and  the  savage  natives  of  the  coasts  of  Green- 
land destroyed  them  in  much  greater  quantities 
before  those  seas  were  visited  by  European 
ships  upon  the  whale  fishery,  than  now. 
Whether  these  animals  have  been  since  actually 
thinned  by  the  fishers,  or  have  removed  to 
some  more  distant  and  unfrequented  shores,  is 
not  known  ;  but  certain  it  is,  that  the  Green- 
landers,  who  once  had  plenty,  are  now  obliged 
to  toil  more  assiduously  for  subsistence ;  and 
as  the  quantity  of  their  provisions  decrease,  for 
they  live  mostly  upon  seals,  the  numbers  of 
that  poor  people  are  every  day  diminishing. 
As  to  the  teeth,  they  are  generally  from  two  to 
three  feet  long ;  and  the  ivory  is  much  more 
esteemed  than  that  of  the  elephant,  being 
whiter  and  harder.  The  fishers  have  been 
known  formerly  to  kill  three  or  four  hundred 
at  once ;  and  along  those  shores  where  they 
chiefly  frequented,  their  bones  are  still  seen 
lying  in  prodigious  quantities.  In  this  man- 
ner a  supply  of  provisions,  which  would  have 
supported  the  Greenland  nation  for  ages,  has 
been,  in  a  few  years,  sacrificed  to  those  who 
did  not.  use  them,  but  who  sought  them  for 
the  purposes  of  avarice  and  luxury  ! 


THE  MANATI. 

WE  come,  in  the  last  place,  to  an  animal 
that  terminates  the  boundary  between  quad- 
rupeds and  fishes.  Instead  of  a  creature  prey- 
ing amon.';  the  deeps,  and  retiring  upon  land 
for  repose  or  refreshment,  we  have  here  an 
animal  that  never  leaves  the  water,  and  is  en- 
abled to  live  only  there.  It  cannot  be  called  a 
quadruped,  as  it  has  but  two  legs  only  ;  nor 


can  it  be  called  a  fish,  as  it  is  covered  with 
hair.  In  short,  it  forms  the  link  that  unites 
those  two  great  tribes  to  each  other;  and  may- 
be indiscriminately  called  the  last  of  beasts,  or 
the  first  of  fishes. 

We  ha\  e  seen  the  seal  approaching  nearly 
to  the  aquatic  tribes,  by  having  its  hind  legs 
throsvn  back  on  each  side  of  the  tail,  and  firm- 
ing something  that  resembled  the  tail  of  a  fish  : 
but  upon  examining  the  skeleton  of  that  ani- 
mal, its  title  to  the  rank  of  a  quadruped  was 
observed  plainly  to  appear,  having  all  the  bones 
of  the  hinder  legs  and  feet  as  complete  as  any 
other  animal  whatsoever. 

But  we  are  now  come  to  a  creature  that  not 
only  wants  the  external  appearance  of  hinder 
legs,  but,  when  examined  internally,  will  be 
found  to  want  'them  altogether.  The  manati 
is  somewhat  shaped  in  the  head  and  the  body 
like  a  seal ;  it  has  also  the  fore  legs  or  hands  pretty 
much  in  the  same  manner,  short  and  webbed, 
but  with  four  claws  only ;  these  also  are  shorter 
in  proportion  than  in  the  former  animal,  and 
placed  nearer  the  head ;  so  that  they  can 
scarcely  assist  its  motions  upon  hind.  But  it 
is  in  the  hinder  parts  that  it  chiefly  differs  from 
all  others  of  the  seal  kind  ;  for  the  tail  is  per- 
fectly that  of  a  fish,  being  spread  out  broad 
like  a  fan,  and  wanting  even  the  vestiges  of 
those  bones  which  make  the  legs  and  feet  in 
others  of  its  kind.  The  largest  of  these  are 
about  twenty-six  feet  in  length  ;  the  skin  is 
blackish,  very  tough  and  hard  ;  when  cut,  as 
black  as  ebony  ;  and  there  arc  a  few  hairs 
scattered,  like  bristles,  of  about  an  inch  long. 
The  eyes  are  very  small,  in  proportion  to  the 
animal's  head  ;  and  the  ear-lioles,  for  it  has  no 
external  ears,  are  so  narrow  as  scarcely  toadmit 
a  pin's  head.  The  tongue  is  so  short,  that 
some  have  pretended  it  has  none  at  all ;  and 
the  teeth  are  composed  only  of  two  solid  white 
bones,  running  the  whole  length  of  both  jaws, 
and  formed  merely  for  chewing,  and  not  tear- 
ing its  vegetable  food.  The  female  has  breasts 
placed  forward,  like  those  of  a  woman ;  and 
she  brings  forth  but  one  at  a  time :  this  she 
holds  with  her  paws  to  her  bosom  ;  there  it 
sticks,  and  accompanies  hrr  wherever  she  goes. 

This  animal  can  scarcely  be  called  amphibi- 
ous, as  it  never  entirely  leaves  the  water,  only 
advancing  the  head  out  of  the  stream  to  reach 
the  grass  on  the  river  sides.  Its  food  is  entirely 
upon  vegetables;  and,  therefore,  it  is  never 


AMPHIBIOUS  QUADRUPEDS. 


397 


found  far  in  the  open  sea,  but  chiefly  in  the 
large  rivers  of  South  America ;  and  often 
above  two  thousand  miles  from  the  ocean. 
It  is  also  found  in  the  seas  near  Kamtschatka, 
and  feeds  upon  the  weeds  that  grow  near  the 
shore.  There  are  likewise  level  greens  at  the 
bottom  of  some  of  the  Indian  bays,  and  there  the 
manaties  are  harmlessly  seen  grazing  among 
turtles  and  other  crustaccous  fishes,  neither 
giving  nor  fearing  any  disturbance.  These 
animals,  when  unmolested,  keep  together  in 
large  companies,  and  surround  their  young 
ones.1  They  bring  forth  most  commonly  in 
autumn;  and  it  is  supposed  they  go  with  young 
eighteen  months,  for  the  time  of  generation  is 
in  spring. 

The  rnanati  has  no  voice  nor  cry,  for  the 
only  noise  it  makes,  is  by  fetching  its  breath. 
Its  internal  parts  somewhat  resemble  those  of 
a  horse  ;  its  intestines  being  longer,  in  propor- 
tion, than  those  of  any  other  creature,  the 
horse  only  excepted. 

The  fat  of  the  manati,  which  lies  under  the 
skin,  when  exposed  to  the  sun,  has  a  fine  smell 

»  Acta  Petropolitana. 

[To  these  amphibious  quadrupeds  may  be  added  that 
most  extraordinary  animal,  the  DUCK-BILLED  PLATYPUS, 
described  by  Dr.  Shaw  in  his  Naturalist's  Miscellany.  The 
body  is  depressed,  and  has  some  resemblance  to  that  of 
an  otter  in  ininature;  and  is  covered  with  a  soft  beaver- 
like  fur :  but  its  most  striking  peculiarity  is  the  strange 


and  taste,  and  far  exceeds  the  fat  of  any  sea 
animal ;  it  has  this  peculiar  property,  that  the 
heat  of  the  sun  will  not  spoil  it,  nor  make  it 
grow  rancid  ;  its  taste  is  like  the  oil  of  sweet 
almonds ;  and  it  will  serve  very  well,  in  all 
cases,  instead  of  butter:  any  quanlity  may  be 
taken  inwardly  with  safety,  for  it  has  no  other 
effect  than  keeping  the  body  open.  The  fat 
of  the  tail  is  of  a  harder  consistence  ;  and, 
when  boiled,  is  more  delicate  than  the  former. 
The  lean  is  like  beef,  but  more  red ;  and  may 
be  kept  a  long  while,  in  the  hottest  days,  with- 
out tainting.  It  takes  up  a  long  time  in  boil- 
ing ;  and,  when  done,  eats  like  beef.  The  fat 
of  the  young  ones  is  like  pork  ;  the  lean  is  like 
veal ;  and,  upon  the  whole,  it  is  very  probable 
that  this  animal's  flesh  somewhat  resembles 
that  of  turtle  ;  since  they  are  fed  in  the  same 
element,  and  upon  the  very  same  food.  The 
turtle  is  a  delicacy  well  known  among  us : 
our  luxuries  are  not  as  yet  sufficiently  height- 
ened to  introduce  the  manati ;  which,  if  it 
could  be  brought  over,  might  singly  suffice  for 
a  whole  corporation ! 

situation  of  its  mouth  or  snout,  exhibiting  the  perfect  re- 
semblance of  the  beak  of  a  duck  engrafted  on  the  head 
of  a  quadruped  ;  and  so  accurate  is  the  similitude,  that 
at  first  view  it  naturally  excites  the  idea  of  some  deceptive 
preparation  by  -artificial  means.  It  is  a  native  of  New 
Holland.! 


3O* 


398 


ANIMALS  OF 


OF  THE  MONKEY  KIND,  THE  ELEPHANT,  RHINOCEROS, 

&c.  &c. 


CHAPTER  LV1II. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  MONKEY  KIND. 


QUADRUPEDS  may  be  considered  as  a 
numerous  group,  terminated  on  every  side  by 
some  that  but  in  part  deserve  the  name.  On 
one  quarter  we  see  a  tribe  covered  with  quills, 
or  furnished  with  wings,  that  lift  them  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  air ;  on  another,  we  be- 
hold a  diversity  clothed  with  scales  and  shells, 
to  rank  with  insects ;  and  still,  on  a  third,  we 
see  them  descending  into  the  waters,  to  live 
among  the  mute  tenants  of  that  element.  We 
now  come  to  a  numerous  tribe  that,  leaving 
the  brute  creation,  seem  to  make  approaches 
even  to  humanity ;  that  bear  an  awkward  re- 
semblance of  the  human  form,  and  discover 
some  faint  efforts  at  intellectual  sagacity. 

Animals  of  the  monkey  class  are  furnished 
with  hands  instead  of  paws ;  their  ears,  eyes, 
eyelids,  lips,  and  breasts,  are  like  those  of 
mankind ;  their  internal  conformation  also 
bears  some  distant  likeness ;  and  the.  whole 
offers  a  picture  that  may  well  mortify  the  pride 
of  such  as  make  their  persons  alone  the  princi- 
pal object  of  their  admiration.  These  ap- 
proaches, however,  are  gradual ;  and  some 
bear  the  marks  of  this  our  boasted  form  more 
strongly  than  others. 

In  the  Apea  kind  we  see  the  whole  external 
machine  strongly  impressed  with  the  human 

a  Caubasson  relates  a  laughable  story  of  an  ape,  which 
became  so  attached  to  him,  as  to  be  desirous  of  accom- 
panying him  wherever  he  went.  Once  the  animal  secretly 
followed  the  father  to  church,  where  silently  mounting  on 
the  top  of  the  sounding-board  above  the  pulpit,  he  lay  per- 
fectly still  till  the  sermon  began.  He  then  crept  to  the 
edge,  and  overlooking  the  preacher,  imitated  all  his  ges- 
tures in  so  grotesque  a  manner,  that  the  whole  congrega- 
tion were  unavoidably  excited  to  laugh.  The  father,  sur- 
prised at  this  ill-timid  levity,  reproved  his  audience.  The 


likeness,  and  capable  of  the  same  exertions : 
these  walk  upright,  want  a  tail,  have  fleshy 
posteriors,  have  calves  to  their  legs,  and  feet 
nearly  like  ours. 

In  the  Baboon  kind  we  perceive  a  more  dis- 
tant approach  to  the  human  form  ;  the  quad- 
ruped mixing  in  every  part  of  the  animal's 
figure  :  these  generally  go  upon  all-fours  ;  but 
some,  when  upright,  are  as  tall  as  a  man ; 
they  have  short  tails,  long  snouts,  and  are  pos- 
sessed of  brutal  fierceness. 

The  Monkey  kind  are  removed  a  step  fur- 
ther: these  are  much  less  than  the  former, 
with  tails  as  long,  or  longer,  than  their  bodies, 
and  flatfish  faces. 

Lastly,  the  Maki  and  Opossum  kind,  seem 
to  lose  all  resemblance  of  the  human  figure, 
except  in  having  hands;  their  noses  are  length- 
ened out,  like  those  of  quadrupeds,  and  every 
part  of  their  bodies  totally  different  from  the 
human  ;  however,  as  they  grasp  their  food,  or 
other  objects,  with  one  hand,  which  quadru- 
peds cannot  do,  this  single  similitude  gives 
them  an  air  of  sagacity,  to  which  they  have 
scarcely  any  other  pretensions. 

From  tin's  slight  survey,  it  may  be  easily 
seen  that  one  general  description  will  not  serve 
for  animals  so  very  different  from  each  other : 

reproof  failed  in  its  effect,  for  the  congregation  still  laugh- 
ed, and  the  preacher  in  the  warmth  of  his  zeal  redoubled 
his  actions  and  his  vociferations.  These  the  ape  so  ex- 
actly imitated,  that  all  respect  for  their  pastor  was  swal- 
lowed up  in  the  scene  before  them,  and  they  burst  out 
into  a  loud  and  continued  roar  of  laughter.  A  friend  of 
the  preacher  at  length  pointing  out  to  him  the  cause  of 
this  improper  conduct,  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  he 
could  c.mimand  a  serious  countenance,  while  he  ordered 
the  servants  of  the  church  to  take  the  ape  away. 


THE  MONKEY  KIND 


399 


nevertheless,  it  would  be  fatiguing  to  the  last 
degree,  as  their  varieties  are  so  numerous,  and 
their  differences  so  small,  to  go  through  a  par- 
ticular description  of  each.  In  this  case  it  will 
be  best  to  give  a  history  of  the  foremost  in 
each  class  ;  at  the  same  time  marking  the  dis- 
tinctions in  every  species.  By  this  we  shall 
avoid  a  tedious  repetition  of  similar  characters, 
and  consider  the  manners  and  the  oddities  of 
.his  fantastic  tribe  in  general  points  of  view ; 
where  we  shall  perceive  how  nearly  they  ap- 
proach to  the  human  figure,  and  how  little 
they  benefit  by  the  approximation.  The  fore- 
most of  the  Ape  kind  is 


THE    OURAN   OUTANG, 

OR  WILD  MAN  OF  THE  WOODS. 

THIS  name  seems  to  have  been  given  to 
various  animals,  agreeing  in  one  common 
character  of  walking  upright,  but  coming  from 
different  countries,  and  of  very  different  pro- 
portions and  powers.  The  TROGLODYTE  of 
Bontius,  the  DRILL  of  Purchas,  and  the  PIGMY 
of  Tyson,  have  all  received  this  general  name ; 
and  have  been  ranked,  by  some  naturalists, 
under  one  general  description.  If  we  read 
the  accounts  of  many  remote  travellers,  under 
this  name  we  are  presented  with  a  formidable 
animal,  from  six  to  eight  feet  high ;  if  we  examine 
the  books  of  such  as  have  described  it  nearer 
home,  we  find  it  a  pigmy  not  above  three.  In 
this  diversity  we  must  be  content  to  blend 
their  various  descriptions  into  one  general  ac- 
count ;  observing,  at  the  same  time,  that  we 
have  no  reason  to  doubt  any  of  their  relations, 
although  we  are  puzzled  which  to  follow. 

The  Ouran  Outang,  which  of  all  other  ani- 
mals most  nearly  approaches  to  the  human 
race,  is  seen  of  different  sizes,  from  three  to 
seven  feet  high.  In  general,  however,  its 
stature  is  less  than  that  of  a  man ;  but  its 
strength  and  agility  much  greater.  Travellers, 
who  have  seen  various  kinds  of  these  animals 
in  their  native  solitudes,  give  us  surprising  re- 
lations of  their  force,  their  swiftness,  their  ad- 
dress, and  their  ferocity.  Naturalists,  who 
have  observed  their  form  and  manners  at 
home,  have  been  as  much  struck  with  their 
patient,  pliant,  imitative  dispositions ;  with 
thf'ir  appearance  and  conformation,  so  nearly 
human.  Of  the  smallest  sort  of  these  animals 


we  have  had  several,  at  different  times,  brought 
into  this  country,  all  nearly  alike ;  but  that 
observed  by  Dr.  Tyson,  is  the  best  known, 
having  been  described  with  the  greatest  exact- 
ness. 

The  animal  which  was  described  by  that 
learned  physician,  was  brought  from  Angola 
in  Africa,  where  it  had  been  taken  in  the  in- 
ternal parts  of  the  country,  in  company  with  a 
female  of  the  same  kind,  that  died  by  the  w  ay. 
The  body  was  covered  with  hair,  which  was 
of  a  coal-black  colour,  more  resembling  human 
hair  than  that  of  brutes.  It  bore  a  still  stronger 
similitude  in  its  different  lengths  ;  for  in  those 
places  where  it  is  longest  on  the  human  species, 
it  was  also  longest  in  this ;  as  on  the  head,  the 
upper  lip,  the  chin,  and  the  pubes.  The  face 
was  like  that  of  a  man,  the  forehead  larger, 
and  the  head  round.  The  upper  and  lower 
jaw  were  not  so  prominent  as  in  monkeys ; 
but  flat,  like  those  of  a  man.  The  ears  were 
like  those  of  a  man,  in  most  respects  ;  and  the 
teeth  had  more  resemblance  to  the  human  than 
those  of  any  other  creature.  The  bending  of 
the  arms  and  legs  were  just  the  same  as  in  a 
man  ;  and,  in  short,  the  animal,  at  first  view, 
presented  a  figure  entirely  human. 

In  order  to  discover  its  differences,  it  was 
necessary  to  take  a  closer  survey  ;  and  then 
the  imperfections  of  its  form  began  to  appear. 
The  first  obvious  difference  was  in  the  flatness 
of  the  nose ;  the  next  in  the  lowness  of  the 
forehead,  and  the  wanting  the  prominence  of 
the  chin.  The  ears  were  proportion  ably  too 
large ;  the  eyes  too  close  to  each  other ;  and 
the  interval  between  the  nose  and  mouth  too 
great.  The  body  and  limbs  differed,  in  the 
thighs  being  too  short,  and  the  arms  too  long ; 
in  the  thumb  being  too  little,  and  the  palm  of 
the  hand  too  narrow.  The  feet  also  were 
rather  more  like  hands  than  feet ;  and  the  ani- 
mal, if  we  may  judge  from  the  figure,  bent  too 
much  upon  its  haunches. 

When  this  creature  was  examined  anatomi- 
cally, a  surprising  similitude  was  seen  to  pre- 
vail in  its  internal  conformation.  It  differed 
from  man  in  the  number  of  its  ribs,  having 
thirteen ;  whereas,  in  man,  there  are  but 
twelve.  The  vertebrae  of  the  neck  also  were 
shorter,  the  bones  of  the  pelvis  narrower,  the 
orbits  of  the  eyes  were  deeper,  the  kidneys 
were  rounder,  the  urinary  and  gall  bladders 
were  longer  and  smaller,  and  the  ureters  of  a 


400 


ANIMALS  OF 


different  figure.  Such  were  the  principal  dis- 
tinctions between  the  internal  parts  of  this 
animal  and  those  of  man ;  in  ahnost  every 
thing  else  they  were  entirely  and  exactly  the 
same,  and  discovered  an  astonishing  congrui- 
ty.  Indeed,  many  parts  were  so  much  alike 
in  conformation,  that  it  might  have  excited 
wonder  how  they  were  productive  of  such 
few  advantages.  The  tongue,  and  all  the 
organs  of  the  voice,  were  the  same,  and  yet. 
the  animal  was  dumb;  the  brain  was  formed 
in  the  same  manner  with  that  of  man,  and 
yet  the  creature  wanted  reason:  an  evident 
proof  (as  Mr.  Buffbn  finely  observes)  that 
no  dispositions  of  matter  will  give  mind;  and 
that  the  body,  how  nicely  soever  formed,  is 
formed  in  vain,  when  there  is  not  infused  a 
soul  to  direct  its  operations. 

Having  thus  taken  a  comparative  view  of 
this  creature  with  man,  what  follows  may  be 
necessary  to  complete  the  general  description. 
This  animal  was  very  hairy  all  behind,  from 
the  head  downwards;  and  the  hair  so  tbirk, 
that  it  covered  the  skin  almost  from  being 
seen:  but  in  all  parts  before,  the  hair  was 
much  thinner,  the  skin  every  where  appear- 
ed, and  in  some  places  it  was  almost  bare. 
When  it  went  on  all-fours,  as  it  was  some- 
times seen  to  do,  it  appeared  all  hairy;  when 
it  went  erect,  it  appeared  before  less  hairy, 
and  more  like  a  man.  Its  hair,  which  in  this 
particular  animal  was  black,  much  more  re- 
sembled that  of  men  than  the  fur  of  brutes : 
for,  in  the  latter,  besides  their  long  hair,  there 
is  usually  a  finer  and  a  shorter  intermixed ; 
but  in  the  ouran  outang  it  was  all  of  a  kind ; 
only  about  the  pubes  the  hair  was  grayish, 
seemed  longer,  and  somewhat  different;  as 
also  on  the  upper  lip  and  chin,  where  it  was 
grayish,  like  the  hair  of  a  beard.  The  face, 
hands,  and  soles  of  the  feet,  were  without 
hair;  and  so  was  most  part  of  the  forehead : 
but  down  the  sides  of  the  face  the  hair  .was 
thick,  it  being  there  about  an  inch  and  a  half 
long,  which  exceeded  that  on  any  other  part 
of  the  body.  In  the  palms  of  its  hands  were 
remarkable  those  lines  which  are  usually 
taken  notice  of  in  palmistry;  and,  at  the  tips 
of  the  fingers,  (hose  spiral  lines  observed  in 
man.  The  palms  of  the  hands  were  as  long 
as  the  soles  of  the  feet;  and  the  toes  upon 
these  were  as  long  as  the  fingers ;  the  middle 


toe  was  the  longest  of  all,  and  the  whole  foot 
differed  from  the  human.  The  hinder  feet 
being  thus  formed  as  hands,  the  animal  often 
used  them  as  such ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  now 
and  then  made  use  of  its  hands  instead  of 
feet.  The  breasts  appeared  small  and  shri- 
velled, but  exactly  like  those  of  a  man :  the 
navel  also  appeared  very  fair,  and  in  exact 
dispositions,  being  neither  harder  nor  more 
prominent  than  what  is  usually  seen  in  chil- 
dren. Such  is  the  description  of  this  extra- 
ordinary creature;  to  which  little  has  been 
added  by  succeeding  observers,  except  that 
the  colour  of  the  hair  is  often  found  to  vary : 
in  that  described  by  Edwards  it  was  of  a 
reddish  brown. 

From  a  picture  so  like  that  of  the  human 
species,  we  are  naturally  led  to  expect  a  cor- 
responding mind  ;  and  it  is  certain,  that  such 
of  these  animals  as  have  been  shown  in  Eu- 
rope, have  discovered  a  degree  of  imitation 
beyond  what  any  quadruped  can  arrive  at. 

That  of  Tyson  was  a  gentle,  fond,  harm- 
less creature.  In  its  passage  to  England, 
those  that  it  knew  on  ship-board,  it  would 
embrace  with  the  greatest  tenderness,  open- 
ing their  bosoms,  and  clasping  its  hands  about 
them.  Monkeys  of  a  lower  species  it  held  in 
utter  aversion ;  it  would  always  avoid  the 
place  where  they  were  kept  in  the  same  ves- 
sel; and  seemed  to  consider  itself  as  a  crea- 
ture of  higher  extraction.  After  it  was  taken, 
and  a  little  used  to  wear  clothes,  it  grew  very 
fond  of  them;  a  part  it  would  put  on  without 
any  help,  and  the  rest  it  would  carry  in  its 
hands  to  some  of  the  company,  for  their  as- 
sistance. It  would  lie  in  a  bed,  place  its 
head  on  the  pillow,  and  pull  the  clothes  up- 
wards, as  a  man  would  do. 

That  which -was  seen  by  Edwards,  and  de- 
scribed by  Buffbn,  showed  even  a  superior 
degree  of  sagacity.  It  walked,  like  all  of 
its  kind,  upon  two  legs,  even  though  it  car- 
ried burdens.  Its  air  was  melancholy,  and 
its  deportment  grave.  Unlike  the  baboon  or 
monkey,  whose  motions  are  violent  and  ap- 
petites capricious,  who  are  fond  of  mischief, 
and  obedient  only  from  fear,  this  animal  was 
slow  in  its  motions,  and  a  look  was  sufficient 
to  keep  it  in  awe.  I  have  seen  it,  says  Mr. 
Buffon,  give  its  hand  to  show  the  company  to 
the  door:  I  have  seen  it  sit  at  table,  unfold 


THE  MONKEY  KIND. 


401 


its  napkin,  wipe  its  lips,  make  use  of  the  spoon 
and  the  fork  to  carry  the  victuals  to  its  mouth, 
pour  out  its  drink  into  a  glass,  touch  glasses 
when  invited,  take  a  cup  and  saucer  and  lay 
them  on  the  table,  put  in  sugar,  pour  out  its 
tea,  leave  it  to  cool  before  drinking,  and  all 
this  without  any  other  instigation  than  the 
signs  or  the  command  of  its  master,  and  often 
of  its  own  accord.  It  was  gentle  and  inoffen- 
sive ;  it  even  approached  strangers  with  re- 
spect, and  came  rather  to  receive  caresses 
than  to  offer  injuries.  It  was  particularly  fond 
of  sugared  comfits,  which  every  body  was 
ready  to  give  it ;  and,  as  it  had  a  defluxion 
upon  the  breast,  so  much  sugar  contributed  to 
increase  the  disorder,  and  shorten  its  life.  It 
continued  at  Paris  but  one  summer,  and  died 
in  London.  It  ate  indiscriminately  of  all 
things,  but  it  preferred  dry  and  ripe  fruits  to 
all  other  aliments.  It  would  drink  wine,  but 
in  small  quantities,  and  gladly  left  it  for  milk, 
tea,  or  any  other  sweet  liquor. 

Such  these  animals  appeared  when  brought 
into  Europe.  However,  many  of  their  ex- 
traordinary habits  were  probably  the  result  of 
education,  and  we  are  not  told  how  long  the  in- 
structions they  received  for  this  purpose  were 
continued.  But  we  learn  from  another  ac- 
count, that  they  take  but  a  very  short  time  to 
come  to  a  great  degree  of  imitative  perfection. 
Mr.  L.  Brosse  bought  two  young  ones,  that 
were  but  a  year  old,  from  a  negro ;  and  these 
at  that  early  age  discovered  an  astonishing 
power  of  imitation.8  They  even  then  sat  at 
the  table  like  men,  ate  of  every  thing  without 
distinction,  made  use  of  their  knife,  spoon,  and 
fork,  both  to  eat  their  meat  and  help  them- 
selves. They  drank  wine  and  other  liquors. 
When  carried  on  ship-board  they  had  signs  for 
the  cabin  boys  expressive  of  their  wants  ;  and 
whenever  these  neglected  attending  upon  them 
as  they  desired,  they  instantly  flew  into  a 
passion,  seized  them  by  the  arm,  bit  them,  and 
kept  them  down.  The  male  was  sea-sick,  and 
required  attendance  like  a  human  creature  ; 
he  was  even  twice  bled  in  the  arm,  and  every 
time  afterwards,  when  he  found  himself  out  of 
order,  he  showed  his  arm,  as  desirous  of  being 
relieved  by  bleeding. 

Pyrard  relates,  that  in  the  province  of  Sierra 
Leona,  in  Africa,  there  are  a  kind  of  apes, 

»  As  quoted  by  Buflbn,  vol.  xxviii.  p.  T7- 


called  Baris,  which  are  strong  and  muscular, 
and  which,  if  properly  instructed  when  young, 
serve  as  very  useful  domestics.  They  usually 
walk  upright;  they  pound  at  a  mortar;  they 
go  to  the  river  to  fetch  water,  thfis  they  carry 
back  in  a  little  pitcher  on  their  heads ;  but  if 
care  be  not  taken  to  receive  the  pitcher  at  their 
return,  they  let  it  fall  to  the  ground,  and  then, 
seeing  it  broken,  they  begin  to  lament  and  cry 
for  their  loss.  Le  Compte's  account  is  much 
to  the  same  purpose  of  an  ape,  which  he  saw 
in  the  Straits  of  Molucca.  "  It  walked  upon 
its  two  hind  feet,  which  it  bent  a  little,  like  a 
dog  that  had  been  taught  to  dance.  It  made 
use  of  its  hands  and  arms  as  we  do.  Its  visage 
was  not  much  more  disagreeable  than  that  of 
a  Hottentot ;  but  the  body  was  all  over  cover- 
ed with  a  woolly  hair  of  different  colours.  As 
to  the  rest,  it  cried  like  a  child ;  all  its  outward 
actions  \\ere  so  like  the  human,  and  the  pas- 
sions so  lively  and  significant,  that  dumb  men 
could  scarcely  better  express  their  conceptions 
and  desires.  It  had  also  that  expression  of 
passion  or  joy  which  we  often  see  in  children, 
stamping  with  its  feet,  and  striking  them 
against  the  ground,  to  show  its  spite,  or  when 
refused  any  thing  it  passionately  longed  for. 
Although  these  animals  (continues  he)  are 
very  big,  for  that  I  saw  was  four  feet  high, 
their  nimbleness  is  incredible.  It  is  a  pleasure 
beyond  expression  to  see  them  run  up  the 
tackling  of  a  ship,  where  they  sometimes  play 
as  if  they  had  a  knack  of  vaulting  peculiar  to 
themselves,  or  as  if  they  had  been  paid,  like 
our  rope-dancers,  to  divert  the  company. 
Sometimes,  suspended  by  one  arm,  they  poise 
themselves,  and  then  turn  all  of  a  sudden 
round  about  a  rope,  with  as  much  quickness 
as  a  wheel,  or  a  sling  put  into  motion.  Some- 
times holding  the  rope  successively  with  their 
long  fingers,  and,  letting  their  whole  body  fall 
into  the  air,  they  run  full  speed  from  one  end 
to  the  other,  and  come  back  again  with  the 
same  swiftness.  There  is  no  posture  but  they 
imitate,  nor  motion  but  they  perform,  bending 
themselves  like  a  bow,  rolling  like  a  bowl, 
hanging  by  the  hands,  feet,  and  teeth,  accord- 
ing to  the  different  fancies  with  which  their 
capricious  imagination  supplies  them.  But 
what  is  still  more  amazing  than  all,  is  their 
agility  to  fling  themselves  from  one  rope  to 
another,  though  at  thirty,  forty,  and  fifty  feet 
distance." 


402 


ANIMALS  OF 


Such  are  the  habitudes  and  the  powers  of 
the  smaller  class  of  these  extraordinary  crea- 
tures ;  but  we  are  presented  with  a  very 
different  picture  in  those  of  a  larger  stature 
and  more  muscular  form.  The  little  animals 
we  have  been  describing,  which  are  seldom 
found  above  four  feet  high,  seem  to  partake  of 
the  nature  of  dwarfs  among  the  human  species, 
being  gentle,  assiduous,  and  playful,  rather  fit- 
ted to  amuse  than  terrify.  But  the  gigantic  races 
of  the  ouran  outang,  seen  and  described  by 
travellers,  are  truly  formidable  ;  and  in  the 
gloomy  forests,  where  they  are  only  found, 
seem  to  hold  undisputed  dominion.  Many  of 
these  are  as  tall  or  taller  than  a  man  ;  active, 
strong,  and  intrepid ;  cunning,  lascivious,  and 
cruel.  This  redoubtable  rival  of  mankind  is 
found  in  many  parts  of  Africa,  in  the  East 
Indies,  in  Madagascar,  and  in  Borneo.3  In 
the  last  of  these  places,  the  people  of  quality 
course  him  as  we  do  the  stag ;  and  this  sort  of 
hunting  is  one  of  the  favourite  amusements  of 
the  king  himself.  This  creature  is  extremely 
swift  of  foot,  endowed  with  extraordinary 
strength,  and  runs  with  prodigious  celerity. 
His  skin  is  all  hairy,  his  eyes  sunk  in  his  head, 
his  countenance  stern,  his  face  tanned,  and 
all  his  lineaments,  though  exactly  human, 
harsh  and  blackened  by  the  sun.  In  Africa 
this  creature  is  even  still  more  formidable. 
Battel  calls  him  the  pongo,  and  assures  us  that 
in  all  his  proportions  he  resembles  a  man,  ex- 
cept that  he  is  much  larger,  even  to  a  gigantic, 
state.  His  face  resembles  that  of  a  man,  the 
eyes  deep  sunk  in  the  head,  the  hair  on  each 
side  extremely  long,  the  visage  naked  and 
without  hair,  as  also  the  ears  and  the  hands. 
The  body  is  lightly  covered,  and  scarcely  dif- 
ferring  from  that  of  a  man,  except  that  there 
are  no  calves  to  the  legs.  Still,  however,  the 
animal  is  seen  to  walk  upon  his  hinder  legs, 
and  in  an  erect  posture.  He  sleeps  under 
trees,  and  builds  himself  a  hut,  which  serves 
to  protect  him  against  the  sun  and  the  rains  of 
the  tropical  climates,  of  which  he  is  a  native. 
He  lives  only  upon  fruits,  and  is  no  way  car- 
nivorous. He  cannot  speak,  although  fur- 
nished with  greater  instinct  than  any  other 
animal  of  the  brute  creation.  When  the  negroes 
make  a  fire  in  the  woods,  this  animal  comes 
near  and  warms  himself  by  the  blaze.  Ho\v- 

»  Le  Compte's  History  of  China. 


ever,  he  has  not  skill  enough  to  keep  the  flame 
alive  by  feeding  it  with  fuel.  They  go  to- 
gether in  companies,  and  if  they  happen  to 
meet  one  of  the  human  species  remote  from 
succour,  they  show  him  no  mercy.  They  even 
attack  the  elephant,  which  they  beat  with  their 
clubs,  and  oblige  to  leave  that  part  of  the  fo- 
rest which  they  claim  as  their  own.  It  is  im- 
possible to  take  any  of  these  dreadful  creatures 
alive,  for  they  are  so  strong  that  ten  men 
would  not  be  a  match  for  but  one  of  them. 
None  of  this  kind,  therefore,  are  taken  except 
when  very  young,  and  these  but  rarely,  when 
the  female  happens  to  leave  them  behind  ;  for 
in  general  they  keep  clung  to  the  breast,  and 
adhere  both  with  legs  and  arms.  From  the 
same  traveller  we  learn,  that  when  one  of 
these  animals  dies,  the  rest  cover  the  body 
with  a  quantity  of  leaves  and  branches.  They 
sometimes  also  show  mercy  to  the  human 
kind.  A  negro  boy,  that  was  taken  by  one 
of  these,  and  carried  into  the  woods,  continu- 
ed there  a  whole  year,  without  receiving  any 
injury.1"  From  another  traveller  we  learn, 
that  these  animals  often  attempt  to  surprise  the 
female  negroes  as  they  go  into  the  woods,  and 
frequently  keep  them  against  their  wills  for 
the  pleasure  of  their  company,  feeding  them 
very  plentifully  all  the  time.  He  assures  us, 
that  he  knew  a  woman  of  Loango  that  had 
lived  among  these  animals  for  three  years. 
They  grow  from  six  to  seven  feet  high,  and 
are  of  unequalled  strength.  They  build  sheds, 
and  make  use  of  clubs  for  their  defence. 
Their  faces  are  broad,  their  noses  flat,  their 
ears  without  a  tip,  their  skins  are  more  bright 
than  that  of  a  mulatto,  and  they  are  covered 
on  many  parts  of  (he  body  with  long  and  taw- 
ny coloured  hair.  Their  belly  is  large,  their 
heels  flat,  and  yet  rising  behind.  They  some- 
times walk  upright,  and  sometimes  upon  all- 
fours,  when  they  are  fantastically  disposed. 

From  this  description  of  the  ouran  outang, 
we  perceive  at  what  a  distance  the  first  ani- 
mal of  the  brute  creation  is  placed  from  the 
very  lowest  of  the  human  species.  Even  in 
countries  peopled  with  savages,  this  creature 
is  considered  as  a  beast ;  and  in  those  very 
places  where  we  might  suppose  the  smallest 
difference  between  them  and  mankind,  the  in- 
habitants hold  it  in  the  greatest  contempt  and 

b  Le  Brosse,  as  quoted  by  Buffon,  vol.  xxviii.  p.  70. 


THE  MONKEY  KIND. 


403 


detestation.  In  Borneo,  where  this  animal 
has  been  said  to  come  to  its  greatest  perfec- 
tion, the  natives  hunt  it  in  the  same  manner 
as  they  pursue  the  elephant  or  the  lion,  while 
its  resemblance  to  the  human  form  procures  it 
neither  pity  nor  protection.  The  gradations 
of  nature  in  the  other  parts  of  nature  are  minute 
and  insensible ;  in  the  passage  from  quadru- 
peds to  fishes  we  can  scarcely  tell  where  the 
quadruped  ends  and  the  fish  begins ;  in  the 
descent  from  beasts  to  insects  we  can  hardly 
distinguish  the  steps  of  the  progression  ;  but 
,in  the  ascent  from  brutes  to  man,  the  line  is 
strongly  drawn,  well  marked,  and  unpassable. 
It  is  in  vain  that  the  ouran  outang  resembles 
man  in  form,  or  imitates  many  of  his  actions  ; 
he  still  continues  a  wretched,  helpless  creature, 
pent  up  in  the  most  gloomy  part  of  the  forest, 
and,  with  regard  to  the  provision  for  his  own 
happiness,  inferior  even  to  the  elephant  or  the 
beaver  in  sagacity.  To  us,  indeed,  this  ani- 
mal seems  much  wiser  than  it  really  is.  As 
we  have  long  been  used  to  measure  the  sagacity 
of  all  actions  by  their  similitude  to  our  own, 
and  not  their  fitness  to  the  animal's  way  of 
living,  we  are  pleased  with  the  imitations  of 
the  ape,  even  though  we  know  they  are  far 
from  contributing  to  the  convenience  of  its 
situation.  An  ape,  or  a  quadruped,  when 
under  the  trammels  of  human  education,  may 
be  an  admirable  object  for  human  curiosity, 
but  is  very  little  advanced  by  all  its  learning 
in  the  road  to  its  own  felicity.  On  the  con- 
trary, I  have  never  seen  any  of  these  long- 
instructed  animals  that  did  not,  by  their  melan- 
choly air,  appear  sensible  of  the  wretchedness 
of  their  situation.  Its  marks  of  seeming  saga- 
city were  merely  relative  to  us,  and  not  to  the 
animal;  and  all  its  boasted  wisdom  was  merely 
of  our  own  making. 

There  is,  in  fact,  another  circumstance  re- 
lative to  this  animal,  which  ought  not  to  be 
concealed.  I  have  many  reasons  to  believe 
that  the  most  perfect  of  the  kind  are  prone, 
like  the  rest  of  the  quadruped  creation,  and 
only  owe  their  erect  attitude  to  human  educa- 
tion. Almost  all  the  travellers  who  speak  of 
them,  mention  their  going  sometimes  upon  all- 
fours,  and  sometimes  erect.  As  their  chief 
residence  is  among  trees,  they  are  without 
doubt  usually  seen  erect  while  they  are  climb- 
ing ;  but  it  is  more  than  probable  that  their 
efforts  to  escape  upon  the  ground  are  by  run- 
No.  35  &  36. 


ning  upon  the  hands  and  feet  together.  Schou- 
ten,  who  mentions  their  education,  tells  us  that 
they  are  taken  in  traps,  and  taught  in  the 
beginning  to  walk  upon  their  hind  legs  ;  which 
certainly  implies  that  in  a  state  of  nature  they 
run  upon  all-fours.  Add  to  this,  that,  when 
we  examine  the  palms  of  their  hands  and  the 
soles  of  their  feet,  we  find  both  equally  callous 
and  beaten ;  a  certain  proof  that  both  have 
been  equally  used.  In  those  hot  countries, 
where  the  apes  are  known  to  reside,  the  soles 
of  the  negroes'  feet,  who  go  barefoot,  arc 
covered  with  a  skin  above  an  inch  thick  ; 
while  their  hands  are  as  soft  as  those  of  an 
European.  Did  the  apes  walk  in  the  same 
I  manner,  the  same  exercise  would  have  furnish- 
ed them  with  similar  advantages,  which  is  not 
the  case.  Besides  all  this,  I  have  been  assur- 
ed by  a  very  credible  traveller,  that  these  ani- 
mals naturally  run  in  the  woods  upon  all-fours; 
and  when  they  are  taken,  their  hands  are  tied 
behind  them,  to  teach  them  to  walk  upright. 
This  attitude  they  learn  after  some  time  ;  and, 
thus  instructed,  they  are  sent  into  Europe  to 
astonish  the  speculative  with  their  near  ap- 
proaches to  humanity,  while  it  is  never  con- 
sidered how  much  is  natural,  and  how  much 
has  been  acquired  in  the  savage  schools  of 
Benin  and  Angola. 

The  animal  next  to  these,  and  to  be  placed 
in  the  same  class,  is  the  APE,  properly  so  call- 
ed, or  the  PITHEKOS  of  the  ancients.  This  is 
much  less  than  the  former,  being  not  above  a 
foot  and  a  half  high,  but  walks  erect,  is  with- 
out a  tail,  and  is  easily  tamed. 

Of  this  kind  also  is  the  GIBBON,  so  called  by 
Buffon,  or  the  LONG-ARMED  APE,  which  is  a 
very  extraordinary  and  remarkable  creature. 
It  is  of  different  sizes,  being  from  fout  feet  to 
two  feet  high.  It  walks  erect,  is  without  a 
tail,  has  a  face  resembling  that  of  a  man,  with 
a  circle  of  bushy  hair  all  round  the  visage  ; 
its  eyes  are  large,  and  sunk  in  its  head  ;  its 
face  tanned,  and  its  ears  exactly  proportioned. 
But  that  in  which  it  chiefly  differs  from  all 
others  of  the  monkey  tribe,  is  the  extraordi- 
nary length  of  its  arms,  which  when  the  ani- 
mal stands  erect  are  long  enough  to  reach  the 
ground;  so  that  it  can  walk  upon  all-fours, 
and  yet  keep  its  erect  posture  at  the  same 
time.  This  animal,  next  to  the  ouran  outang 
and  the  ape,  most  nearly  resembles  mankind, 
not  only  in  form,  but  in  gentle  manners  and 

3P 


404 


ANIMALS  OF 


tractable  disposition.  It  is  a  native  of  the 
East  Indies,  and  particularly  found  along  the 
coasts  of  Coromandel. 

The  last  of  the  ape  kind  is  the  CYNOCEPHA- 
LUS,  or  the  MAGOT  of  Buffon.  This  animal 
wants  a  tail,  like  the  former,  although  there 
is  a  small  protuberance  at  that  part,  which 
yet  is  rather  formed  by  the  skin  than  the  bone. 
It  differs  also  in  having  a  large  callous  red 
rump.  The  face  is  prominent,  and  approaches 
more  to  that  of  quadrupeds  than  of  man.  The 
body  is  covered  with  a  brownish  hair,  and 
yellow  on  the  belly.  It  is  about  three  feet 
and  a  half,  or  four  feet  high,  and  is  a  native 
of  most  parts  of  Africa  and  the  East.  As  it 
recedes  from  man  in  its  form,  so  also  it  ap- 
pears different  in  its  dispositions,  being  sul- 
len, vicious,  and  untractable." 


THE  BABOON. 

DESCENDING  from  the  more  perfect  of  the 
monkey  kinds,  we  come  to  the  Baboon  and 
its  varieties,  a  large,  fierce,  and  formidable 
race,  that,  mixing  the  figure  of  the  man  and 
the  quadruped  in  their  conformation,  seem 
to  possess  only  the  defects  of  both ;  the  pe- 
tulance of  the  one,  and  the  ferocity  of  the 
other.  These  animals  have  a  short  tail ;  a 
prominent  face;  with  canine  teeth,  larger 
than  thoseofmen;  and  callosities  on  the  rump.1" 
In  man  the  physiognomy  may  deceive,  and 
the  figure  of  the  body  does  not  always  lead  to 
the  qualities  of  the  mind ;  but  in  animals  we 
may  always  judge  of  their  dispositions  by 
their  looks,  and  form  a  just  conjecture  of 
their  internal  habits  from  their  external  form. 
If  we  compare  the  nature  of  the  ape  and  the 
baboon  by  this  easy  rule,  we  shall  at  once  be 
led  to  pronounce  that  they  greatly  differ  in 
their  dispositions,  and  that  the  latter  are  in- 
finitely more  fierce,  savage,  and  malicious, 
than  the  former.  The  ouran  outang,  that  so 
nearly  resembles  man  in  its  figure,  approaches 
also  nearest  in  the  gentleness  of  its  manners 
and  the  pliancy  of  its  temper.  The  cyno- 

a  Omnes  femellae  hujusce  et  precedentium,  ut  et  fere 
sequentium  specierum,  menstrual!  patiunter  fluxu  sicut  in 
ferninis. 

b  Buffon,  vol.  xxxviii.  p.  1 83. 


cephalus,  that  of  all  other  apes  is  most  unlike 
man  in  form,  and  approaches  nearer  the  dog 
in  face,  resembles  also  the  brute  in  nature, 
being  wild,  restless,  and  impelled  by  a  fretful 
impetuosity.  But  the  baboon,  who  is  still 
more  remote,  and  resembles  man  only  in  ha- 
ving hands,  who,  from  having  a  tail,  a  promi- 
nent face,  and  sharp  claws,  approaches  more 
nearly  to  the  savage  tribe,  is  every  way  fierce, 
malicious,  ignorant,  and  untractable. 

The  BABOON,  properly  so  called,  is  from 
three  to  four  feet  high,  very  strong  built,  with 
a  thick  body  and  limbs,  and  canine  teeth, 
much  longer  than  those  of  men.  It  has  large 
callosities  behind,  which  are  quite  naked  and 
red.  Its  tail  is  crooked  and  thick,  and  about 
seven  or  eight  inches  long.  Its  snout,  for  it 
can  hardly  be  called  a  face,  is  long  and  thick, 
and  on  each  side  of  its  cheeks  it  has  a  pouch, 
into  which,  when  satiated  with  eating,  it  puts 
the  remainder  of  its  provisions.  It  is  cover- 
ed with  long  thick  hair,  of  a  reddish  brown 
colour,  and  pretty  uniform  over  the  whole 
body.  It  walks  more  commonly  upon  all- 
fours  than  upright,  and  its  hands  as  well  as 
its  feet  are  armed  with  long  sharp  claws,  in- 
stead of  the  broad  round  nails  of  the  ape  kind. 

An  animal  thus  made  for  strength,  and  fur- 
nished with  dangerous  weapons,  is  found,  in 
fact,  to  be  one  of  the  most  formidable  of  the 
savage  race  in  those  countries  where  it  is 
bred.  It  appears,  in  its  native  woods,  to  be 
impelled  by  two  opposite  passions ;  a  hatred 
for  the  males  of  the  human  species,  and  a  de- 
sire for  women.  Were  we  assured  of  these 
strange  oppositions  in  its  dispositions  from 
one  testimony  alone,  the  account  might  ap- 
pear doubtful ;  but,  as  it  comes  from  a  va- 
riety of  the  most  credible  witnesses,  we  can- 
not refuse  our  assent.  From  them,  therefore, 
we  learn,  that  these  animals  will  often  assail 
women  in  a  body,  and  force  them  into  the 
woods,  where  they  keep  them  against  their 
will,  and  kill  them  when  refractory.  From 
the  Chevalier  Forbin  we  learn,  that  in  Siam 
whole  troops  of  these  will  often  sally  forth 
from  their  forests,  and  attack  a  village,  w  hen 
they  know  the  men  are  engaged  in  their  rice 
harvest.  They  are  on  such  occasions  actu- 
ated as  well  by  desire  as  by  hunger;  and  not 
only  plunder  the  houses  of  whatever  provi- 
sions they  can  find,  but  endeavour  to  force 


THE  MONKEY  KIND. 


405 


the  women.  These,  however,  as  the  Cheva- 
lier humorously  relates,  not  at  all  liking  either 
the  manners  or  the  figure  of  the  paltry  gal- 
lants, boldly  stand  on  their  defence,  and  with 
clubs,  or  whatever  other  arms  they  can  pro- 
vide, instead  of  answering  their  caresses, 
oblige  their  ugly  suitors  to  retreat ;  not,  how- 
ever, before  they  have  damaged  or  plunder- 
ed every  thing  eatable  they  can  lay  their 
hands  on. 

At  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  they  are  less 
formidable,  but,  to  the  best  of  their  power, 
equally  mischievous.  They  are  there  under 
a  sort  of  natural  discipline,  and  go  about 
whatever  they  undertake  with  surprising  skill 
and  regularity.  When  they  set  about  robbing 
an  orchard  or  a  vineyard,  for  they  are  extreme- 
ly fond  of  grapes,  apples,  and  ripe  fruit,  they 
do  not  go  singly  to  work,  but  in  large  com- 
panies, and  with  preconcerted  deliberation. 
On  these  occasions,  a  part  of  them  enter  the 
enclosure,  while  one  is  set  to  watch.  The 
rest  stand  without  the  fence,  and  form  a  line 
reaching  all  the  way  from  their  fellows  with- 
in, to  their  rendezvous  without,  which  is  ge- 
nerally in  some  craggy  mountain.  Every 
thing  being  thus  disposed,  the  plunderers 
within  the  orchard  throw  the  fruit  to  those 
that  are  without  as  fast  as  they  can  gather  it; 
or,  if  the  wall  or  hedge  be  high,  to  those  that 
sit  on  the  top;  and  these  hand  the  plunder 
to  those  next  them  on  the  other  side.  Thus 
the  fruit  is  pitched  from  one  to  another  all 
along  the  line,  till  it  is  safely  deposited  at 
their  head-quarters.  They  catch  it  as  readi- 
ly as  the  most  skilful  tennis-player  can  a 
ball ;  and  while  the  business  is  going  forward, 
which  they  conduct  with  great  expedition,  a 
most  profound  silence  is  observed  among 
them.  Their  sentinel,  during  this  whole  time, 
continues  upon  the  watch,  extremely  anxious 
and  attentive;  but,  if  he  perceives  any  one 
coming,  he  instantly  sets  up  a  loud  cry,  and 
at  this  signal  the  whole  company  scamper 
off!  Nor  yet  are  they  at  any  time  willing  to 
leave  the  place  empty-handed ;  for  if  they  be 
plundering  a  bed  of  melons,  for  instance,  they 
go  off  with  one  in  their  mouths,  one  in  their 
hands,  and  one  under  their  arm.  If  the  pur- 
suit be  hot,  they  drop  first  that  from  under 
their  arm,  then  that  from  their  hand  ;  and,  if 
it  be  continued,  they  at  last  let  fall  that 


which  they  had  hitherto  kept  in  their  mouths. 
The  natives  of  the  Cape  often  take  the 
young  of  these  animals,  and,  feeding  them 
with  sheep  and  goat's  milk,  accustom  them 
to  guard  their  houses ;  which  duty  they  per- 
form with  great  punctuality.  Those,  how- 
ever, that  have  been  brought  into  Europe, 
are  headstrong,  rude,  and  untractable.  Dogs 
and  cats,  when  they  have  done  any  thing 
wrong,  will  run  off;  but  these  seem  careless 
and  insensible  of  the  mischief  they  do;  and  I 
have  seen  one  of  them  break  a  whole  table 
of  china,  as  it  should  seem  by  design,  with- 
out appearing  in  the  least  conscious  of  having 
done  amiss.  It  was  not,  however,  in  any  re- 
spect so  formidable  as  that  described  by  Mr. 
Buffon,  of  which  he  gives  the  following  de- 
scription: "  It  was  not,"  says  he,  "  extreme- 
ly ugly,  and  yet  it  excited  horror.  It  conti- 
nually appeared  in  a  state  of  savage  ferocity, 
gnashing  its  teeth,  flying  at  the  spectators, 
and  furiously  restless.  It  was  obliged  to  be 
confined  in  an  iron  cage,  the  bars  of  which 
it  so  forcibly  attempted  to  break,  that  the 
spectators  were  struck  with  apprehension. 
It  was  a  sturdy  bold  animal,  whose  short  limbs 
and  powerful  exertions  showed  vast  strength 
and  agility.  The  long  hair  with  which  it 
was  covered  seemed  to  add  to  its  apparent 
abilities ;  which,  however,  were  in  reality  so 
great,  that  it  could  easily  overcome  a  single 
man,  unless  armed.  As  to  the  rest,  it  for  ever 
appeared  excited  by  that  passion  which  ren- 
ders the  mildest  animals  at  intervals  furious. 
Its  lasciviousness  was  constant,  and  its  satis- 
factions particular.  Some  others  also  of  the 
monkey  kind  showed  the  same  degree  of  im- 
pudence, and  particularly  in  the  presence  of 
women ;  but,  as  they  were  less  in  size,  their 
petulance  was  less  obvious,  and  their  inso- 
lence more  easily  corrected." 

But  however  violent  the  desires  of  these 
animals  may  be,  they  are  not  found  to  breed 
in  our  climate.  The  female  brings  forth  usu- 
ally but  one  at  a  time,  which  she  carries  in 
her  arms,  and  in  a  peculiar  manner  clinging 
to  her  breast.  As  to  the  rest,  these  animals 
are  not  at  all  carnivorous ;  they  principally 
feed  upon  fruits,  roots,  and  corn,  and  gene- 
rally keep  together  in  companies.  The  in- 
ternal parts  are  more  unlike  those  of  man 
than  of  quadrupeds,  particularly  the  liver, 


406 


ANIMALS  OF 


which  is,  like  that  of  a  dog,  divided  into  six 
lobes.  The  lungs  are  more  divided,  the  guts 
in  general  are  shorter,  and  the  kidneys  round- 
er and  flatter. 

The  largest  of  the  baboon  kind  is  the 
MANDRIL;  an  ugly,  disgusting  animal,  with  a 
tail  shorter  than  the  former,  though  of  a  much 
larger  stature,  being  from  four  to  five  feet 
high.  The  muzzle  is  still  longer  than  that  of 
the  preceding,  it  is  of  a  bluish  colour,  and 
strongly  marked  with  wrinkles,  which  give  it 
a  frightful  appearance.  But  what  renders  it 
truly  loathsome  is,  that  from  the  nose  there 
is  always  seen  issuing  a  snot,  which  the  ani- 
mal takes  care  at  intervals  to  lick  off  with  its 
tongue,  and  swallow.  It  is  a  native  of  the 
Gold  Coast ;  it  is  said  to  walk  more  frequent- 
ly erect  than  upon  all-fours;  and,  when  dis- 
pleased, to  weep  like  a  child.  There  was 
one  of  them  shown  in  England  some  years 
ago.  It  seemed  tame,  but  stupid,  and  had  a 
method  of  opening  its  mouth  and  blowing  at 
such  as  came  too  near. 

The  WANDEROW  is  a  baboon  rather  less 
than  the  former,  with  the  body  less  compact 
and  muscular,  and  the  hinder  parts  seemingly 
more  feeble.  The  tail  is  from  seven  to  eight 
inches  long;  the  muzzle  is  prominent,  as  in 
the  rest  of  this  kind ;  but  what  particularly 
distinguishes  it,  is  a  large  long  white  head  of 
hair,  together  with  a  monstrous  white  beard, 
coarse,  rough,  and  descending;  the  colour  of 
the  rest  of  the  body  being  brown  or  black. 
As  to  the  rest,  in  its  savage  state,  it  is  equally 
fierce  with  the  others;  but,  with  a  proper 
education,  it  seems  more  tractable  than  most 
of  its  kind,  and  is  chiefly  seen  in  the  woods 
of  Ceylon  and  Malabar. 

The  MAIMON  of  Buffbn,  which  Edwards  calls 
the  PIG-TAIL,  is  the  last  of  the  baboons,  and  in 
size  rather  approaches  the  monkey,  being  no 
larger  than  a  cat.  Its  chief  distinction,  be- 
sides its  prominent  muzzle,  like  a  baboon,  is 
in  the  tail,  which  is  about  five  or  six  inches 
long,  and  curled  up  like  that  of  a  hog;  from 
which  circumstance,  peculiar  to  this  animal, 
our  English  naturalist  gave  it  the  name.  It 
is  a  native  of  Sumatra,  and  does  not  well  en- 
dure the  rigours  of  our  climate.  Edwards, 
however,  kept  one  of  them  a  year  in  London; 
and  another  of  them  happening  at  the  same 
time  to  be  exposed  in  a  show  of  beasts,  he 


brought  the  two  exiles  together,  to  se  if  they 
would  claim  or  acknowledge  their  kindred. 
The  moment  ihey  came  into  each  other's 
presence,  they  testified  their  mutual  satisfac- 
tion, and  seemed  quite  transported  at  the  in- 
terview. 


THE  MONKEY. 

THE  varieties  in  the  larger  tribes  of  the 
monkey  kind  are  but  few  ;  in  the  ape  we  have 
seen  but  four,  and  in  the  baboon  about  as 
many.  But  when  we  come  to  the  smaller 
class,  the  differences  among  them  seem  too 
tedious  for  enumeration.  These,  as  was  ob- 
served in  the  beginning,  are  all  small  in  sta- 
ture, and  with  long  tails,  by  which  they  are 
distinguished  from  the  preceding,  that  entirely 
want  the  tail,  or  are  large,  and  have  but  a 
short  one.  The  varieties  in  the  form  and 
colour  of  dogs,  or  squirrels,  is  nothing  to  what 
are  found  among  monkeys  of  the  smaller  kind. 
Bosnian  mentions  above  fifty  sorts  on  the 
Gold  Coast  alone,  and  Smith  confirms  the 
account.  Condamine  asserts  that  it  would 
take  up  a  volume  to  describe  the  differences 
of  these  to  be  found  along  the  river  Amazon  ; 
and  \\e  are  sure  that  every  one  of  these  is 
very  different  from  those  on  the  African  coast. 
Naturalists,  however,  have  undertaken  to 
make  a  catalogue  of  their  numbers;  and  they 
either  transmit  their  descriptions  from  one  to 
another,  or  only  enumerate  those  few  that 
have  found  their  way  to  Europe,  and  have 
fallen  within  the  narrow  circle  of  their  own 
observation.  But,  though  it  may  be  proper 
enough  to  describe  such  as  fall  under  notice, 
it  is  certainly  wrong  to  offer  a  scanty  cata- 
logue as  complete,  and  to  induce  the  reader 
to  suppose  he  sees  a  picture  of  the  whole 
group  of  these  animals,  when  he  is  only  pre- 
sented with  a  small  part  of  the  number. 
Such,  therefore,  as  are  fond  of  the  reputation 
of  adding  new  descriptions  to  the  stock  of 
natural  history,  have  here  a  wide,  though 
surely  a  barren,  field  to  enlarge  in  ;  and  they 
will  find  it  no  difficult  matter,  by  observing 
the  various  animals  of  this  kind  that  are  from 
time  to  time  brought  fromtheir  native  coaststo 
this  country,  to  indulge  in  description,  and  to 
ring  the  changes  upon  all  the  technical  terms 


THE  MONKEY  KIND. 


407 


with  which  this  most  pleasing  science  is  ob- 
scured and  rendered  disgusting.  For  my  own 
part,  I  will  spare  the  reader  and  myself  the 
trouble  of  entering  into  an  elaborate  descrip- 
tion ofeach;  content  with  observing  once  more, 
that  their  numbers  are  very  great,  and  their 
differences  very  trifling.  There  is  scarcely 
a  country  in  the  tropical  climates  that  does 
not  swarm  with  them,  and  scarcely  a  forest 
that  is  not  inhabited  by  a  race  of  monkeys 
distinct  from  all  others.  Every  different 
wood  along  the  coasts  of  Africa  may  be  con- 
sidered as  a  separate  colony  of  monkeys,  dif- 
fering from  those  of  the  next  district  in  colour, 
in  size,  and  malicious  mischief.  It  is  indeed 
remarkable,  that  the  monkeys  of  two  cantons 
are  never  found  to  mix  with  each  other,  but 
rigorously  to  observe  a  separation :  each  fo- 
rest produces  only  its  own ;  and  these  guard 
their  limits  from  the  intrusion  of  all  strangers 
of  a  different  race  from  themselves.  In  this 
they  somewhat  resemble  the  human  inhabi- 
tants of  the  savage  nations  among  whom  they 
are  found,  where  the  petty  kingdoms  are 
numerous,and  their  manners  opposite.  There, 
in  the  extent  of  a  few  miles,  the  traveller  is 
presented  with  men  speaking  different  lan- 
guages, professing  different  religions,  govern- 
ed by  different  laws,  and  only  resembling 
each  other  in  their  mutual  animosity. 

In  general,  monkeys  of  all  kinds,  being  less 
than  the  baboon,  are  endued  with  less  powers 
of  doing  mischief.  Indeed,  the  ferocity  of 
their  nature  seems  to  diminish  with  their 
size ;  and  when  taken  wild  in  the  woods, 
they  are  sooner  tamed,  and  more  easily 
taught  to  imitate  man,  than  the  former.  More 
gentle  than  the  baboon,  and  less  grave  and 
sullen  than  the  ape,  they  soon  begin  to  exert 
all  their  sportive  mimicries,  and  are  easily 
restrai ned  by  correction.  But  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, that  they  will  do  nothing  they  are  de- 
sired without  beating;  for,  if  their  fears  be 
entirely  removed,  they  are  the  most  insolent 
and  headstrong  animals  in  nature. 

In  their  native  woods  they  are  not  less  the 
pests  of  man  than  of  other  animals.  The 
monkeys,  says  a  traveller,"  are  in  possession 
of  every  forest  where  they  reside,  and  may  be 
considered  as  the  masters  of  the  place. 

a  Description  Historique  de  Macacar,  p.  51. 


Neither  the  tiger,  nor  the  lion  itself,  will  ven- 
ture to  dispute  the  dominion,  since  these, 
from  the  tops  of  trees,  continually  carry  on 
offensive  war,  and  by  their  agility  escape  all 
possibility  of  pursuit.  Nor  have  the  birds 
less  to  fear  from  their  continual  depredations; 
for,  as  these  harmless  inhabitants  of  the  wood 
usually  build  upon  trees,  the  monkeys  are  for 
ever  on  the  watch  to  find  out  and  rob  their 
nests;  and  such  is  their  petulant  delight  in 
mischief,  that  they  will  fling  their  eggs  against 
the  ground,  when  they  want  appetite  or  in- 
clination to  devour  them. 

There  is  but  one  animal  in  all  the  forest 
that  ventures  to  oppose  the  monkey,  and  that 
is  the  serpent.  The  larger  snakes  are  often 
seen  winding  up  the  trees  where  the  monkeys 
reside;  and,  when  they  happen  to  surprise 
them  sleeping,  swallow  them  whole,  before 
the  little  animals  have  time  to  make  a  de- 
fence. In  this  manner,  the  two  most  mischiev- 
ous kinds  in  all  nature  keep  the  whole  forest 
between  them ;  both  equally  formidable  to 
each  other,  and  for  ever  employed  in  mutual 
hostilities.  The  monkeys,  in  general,  inhabit 
the  tops  of  the  trees,  and  the  serpents  cling 
to  the  branches  nearer  the  bottom,  and  in 
this  manner  they  are  for  ever  seen  near  each 
other,  like  enemies  in  the  same  field  of  battle. 
Some  travellers,  indeed,  have  supposed  that 
their  vicinity  rather  argued  their  mutual 
friendship,  and  that  they  united  in  this  man- 
ner to  form  an  offensive  league  against  all  the 
rest  of  animated  nature.b  "  I  have  seen  these 
monkeys,"  says  Labat,  "  playing  their  gam- 
bols upon  those  very  branches  on  which  the 
snakes  were  reposing,  and  jumping  over  them 
without  receiving  any  injury,  although  the 
serpents  of  that  country  were  naturally  vin- 
dictive, and  always  ready  to  bite  whatever 
disturbed  them."  These  gambols,  however, 
were  probably  nothing  more  than  the  insults 
of  an  enemy  that  was  conscious  of  its  own 
safety;  and  the  monkeys  might  have  provoked 
the  snake  in  the  same  manner  as  we  often 
see  sparrows  twitter  at  a  cat.  However 
this  be,  the  forest  is  generally  divided  be- 
tween them;  and  these  woods,  which  nature 
seems  to  have  embellished  with  her  richest 
magnificence,  rather  inspire  terror  than  de- 

b  Labat,  Relat.  de  1'Afriq.  Occident,  p.  317. 


408 


ANIMALS  OF 


light,  and  chiefly  serve  as  retreats  for  mischief 
and  malignity. 

The  enmity  of  these  animals  to  mankind, 
is  partly  ridiculous,  and  partly  formidable. 
They  seem,  says  Le  Comte  and  others,  to 
have  a  peculiar  instinct  in  discovering  their 
foes,  and  are  perfectly  skilled,  when  attacked, 
in  mutually  defending  and  assisting  each 
other.  When  a  traveller  enters  among  these 
woods,  they  consider  him  as  an  invader 
uporr  their  dominions,  and  all  join  to  repel 
the  intrusion.  At  first  they  .survey  him  with 
a  kind  of  insolent  curiosity.  They  jump  from 
branch  to  branch,  pursue  him  as  he  goes 
along,  and  make  a  loud  chattering,  to  call 
the  rest  of  their  companions  together.  They 
then  begin  their  hostilities,  by  grinning, 
threatening,  and  flinging  down  the  withered 
branches  at  him,  which  they  break  from  the 
trees ;  they  even  take  their  excrements  in 
their  hands,  and  throw  them  at  his  head. 
Thus  they  attend  him  wherever  he  goes; 
jumping  from  tree  to  tree  with  such  amazing 
swiftness,  that  the  eye  can  scarcely  attend 
their  motions.  Although  they  take  the  most 
desperate  leaps,  yet  they  are  seldom  seen  to 
come  to  the  ground,  for  they  easily  fasten 
upon  the  branches  that  break  their  fall,  and 
stick,  either  by  their  hands,  feet,  or  tail, 
wherever  they  touch.  If  one  of  them  happens 
to  be  wounded,  the  rest  assemble  round,  and 
clap  their  fingers  into  the  wound,  as  if  they 
were  desirous  of  sounding  its  depth.  If  the 
blood  flows  in  any  quantity,  some  of  them 
keep  it  shut  up,  while  others  get  leaves, 
which  they  chew,  and  thrust  into  the  open- 
ing :  however  extraordinary  this  may  appear, 
it  is  asserted  to  be  often  seen,  and  to  be  strict- 
ly true.  In  this  manner  they  wage  a  petulant, 
unequal  war;  and  are  often  killed  in  num- 
bers before  they  think  proper  to  make  a  re- 
treat. This  they  effect  with  the  same  preci- 
pitation with  which  they  at  first  came  together. 
In  this  retreat  the  young  are  seen  clinging  to 
the  back  of  the  female,  with  which  she  jumps 
away ,seemingly  unembarrassed  by  the  burden. 

The  curiosity  of  the  Europeans  has,  in 
some  measure,  induced  the  natives  of  the 
places  where  these  animals  reside,  to  catch  or 
take  them  alive  by  every  art  they  are  able. 
The  \is\i'\l  way  in  such  case,  is  to  shoot  the  fe- 
male as  she  carries  her  voun<r,and  then  both,of 


course,  tumble  to  the  ground.  But  even  this 
is  not  easily  performed;  for  if  the  animal  be 
not  killed  outright,  it  will  not  fall;  but  cling- 
ing to  some  branch,  continues,  even  when 
dead,  its  former  grasp,  and  remains  on  the 
tree  where  it  was  shot,  until  it  drops  oflT  by 
putrefaction  :  in  this  manner  it  is  totally  lost 
to  the  pursuer ;  for  to  attempt  climbing  the 
tree,  to  bring  either  it  or  the  young  one  down, 
would  probably  be  fatal,  from  the  number  of 
serpents  that  are  hid  among  the  branches. 
For  this  reason  the  sportsman  always  takes 
care  to  aim  at  the  head ;  which,  if  he  hits, 
the  monkey  falls  directly  to  the  ground  ;  and 
the  young  one  comes  down  at  the  same  time, 
clinging  to  its  dead  parent. 

The  Europeans  along  the  coasts  of  Guinea 
often  go  into  the  woods  to  shoot  monkeys ; 
and  nothing  pleases  the  negroes  more  than 
to  see  these  animals  drop,  against  which  they 
have  the  greatest  animosity.  They  consider 
them,  and  not  without  reason,  as  the  most 
mischievous  and  tormenting  creatures  in  the 
world ;  and  are  happy  to  see  their  numbers 
destroyed,  upon  a  double  account ;  as  well 
because  they  dread  their  devastations,  as  be- 
cause they  love  their  flesh.  The  monkey, 
which  is  always  skinned  before  it  is  eaten, 
when  served  up  at  a  negro  feast,  looks  so 
like  a  child,  that  an  European  is  shocked  at 
the  very  sight.  The  natives,  however,  who 
are  not  so  nice,  devour  it  as  one  of  the  highest 
delicacies;  and  assiduously  attend  our  sports- 
men, to  profit  by  the  spoil.  But  what  they 
are  chiefly  astonished  at,  is  to  see  our  travel- 
lers carefully  taking  the  young  ones  alive, 
while  they  leave  them  the  old  ones,  that  are 
certainly  the  most  fit  to  be  eaten.  They  can- 
not comprehend  what  advantage  can  arise  to 
us  from  educating  or  keeping  a  little  animal, 
that,  by  experience,  they  know  to  be  equally 
fraught  with  tricks  and  mischief:  some  of 
them  have  even  been  led  to  suppose,  that, 
with  a  kind  of  perverse  affection,  we  love 
only  creatures  of  the  most  mischievous  kinds: 
and  having  seen  us  often  buy  young  and  tame 
monkeys,  they  have  taken  equal  care  to  bring 
rats  to  our  factors,  offering  them  for  sale,  and 
greatly  disappointed  at  finding  no  purchaser 
for  so  hopeful  a  commodity." 

»  Labat,  Relat.  de  1'Afriq.  Occident,  p.  317- 


THE  MONKEY  KIND. 


409 


The  negroes  consider  these  animals  as 
their  greatest  plague ;  and,  indeed,  they  do 
incredible  damage,  when  they  come  in  com- 
panies to  lay  waste  a  field  of  Indian  corn  or 
rice,  or  a  plantation  of  sugar-canes.  They 
carry  off  as  much  as  they  are  able;  and  they 
destroy  ten  times  more  than  they  bear  away. 
Their  manner  of  plundering  is  pretty  much 
like  that  of  the  baboons,  already  mentioned, 
in  a  garden.  One  of  them  stands  sentinel 
upon  a  tree,  while  the  rest  are  plundering, 
carefully  and  cautiously  turning  on  every  side, 
but  particularly  to  that  on  which  there  is  the 
greatest  danger:  in  the  mean  lime,  the  rest 
of  the  spoilers  pursue  their  work  with  great 
silence  and  assiduity ;  they  are  not  content- 
ed with  the  first  blade  of  corn,  or  the  first 
cane  that  they  happen  to  lay  their  hands  on; 
they  first  pull  up  such  as  appear  most  alluring 
to  the  eye ;  they  turn  it  round,  examine,  com- 
pare it  with  others,  and,  if  they  find  it  to  their 
mind,  stick  it  under  one  of  their  shoulders. 
When  in  this  manner  they  have  got  their  load, 
they  begin  to  think  of  retreating :  but  if  it 
should  happen  that  the  owners  of  the  field 
appear  to  interrupt  their  depredations,  their 
faithful  sentinel  instantly  gives  notice,  by  cry- 
ing out,  IIoiip.  hoitp,  hmip!  which  the  rest  per- 
fectly understand,  and  all  at  once  throwing 
down  the  corn  they  hold  in  their  left  hands, 
scamper  off  upon  three  legs,  carrying  the  re- 
mainder in  the  right.  If  they  are  still  hotly 
pursued,  they  then  are  content  to  throw  down 
their  whole  burden,  and  to  take  refuge  among 
their  woods,  on  the  tops  of  which  they  remain 
in  perfect  security.  , 

Were  we  to  give  faith  to  what  some  travel- 
lers assure  us,  of  the  government,  policies, 
and  subordination  of  these  animals,  we  might 
perhaps  be  taxed  with  credulity;  but  we 
have  no  reason  to  doubt  that  they  are  under 
a  kind  of  discipline,  which  they  exercise 
among  each  other.  They  are  generally  seen 
to  keep  together  in  companies,  to  march  in 
exact  order,  and  to  obey  the  voice  of  some 
particular  chieftain,  remarkable  for  his  size 
and  gravity.  One  species  of  these,  which 
Mr.  BuflTon  calls  the  OUARINE,  and  which  are 
remarkable  for  the  loudness  and  the  distinct- 
ness of  their  voice,  are  still  more  so  for  the 
use  to  which  they  convert  it.  "  1  have  fre- 
quently been  a  witness,"  says  Margrave,  "of 


their  assemblies  and  deliberations.  Every 
day,  both  morning  and  evening,  the  ouarines 
assemble  in  the  woods  to  receive  instruction?. 
When  all  come  together,  one  among  the  num- 
ber takes  the  highest  place  on  a  tree,  and 
makes  a  signal  with  his  hand  to  the  rest  to 
sit  round,  in  order  to  hearken.  As  soon  as 
he  sees  them  placed,  he  begins  his  discourse, 
with  so  loud  a  voice,  and  yet  in  a  manner  so 
precipitate,  that,  to  hear  him  at  a  distance, 
one  would  think  the  whole  company  were 
crying  out  at  the  same  time:  however,  du- 
ring that  time,  one  only  is  speaking;  and  all 
the  rest  observe  the  most  profound  silence. 
When  this  has  done,  he  makes  a  sign  with 
the  hand  for  the  rest  to  reply ;  and  at  that 
instant  they  raise  their  voices  together,  until 
by  another  signal  of  the  hand  they  are  en- 
joined silence.  This  they  as  readily  obey ; 
till,  at  last,  the  whple  assembly  breaks  up, 
after  hearing  a  repetition  of  the  same  preach- 
ment." 

The  chief  food  of  the  monkey  tribe  is  fruits, 
the  buds  of  trees,  or  succulent  roots  and 
plants.  They  all,  like  man,  seem  fond  of 
sweets;  and  particularly  the  pleasant  juice 
of  the  palrn-tree  and  the  sugar-cane.  With 
these  the  fertile  regions  in  which  they  are 
bred  seldom  fail  to  supply  them ;  but  when 
it  happens  that  these  fail,  or  that  more  nou- 
rishing food  becomes  more  agreeable,  they 
eat  insects  and  worms ;  and,  sometimes,  if 
near  the  coasts,  descend  to  the  sea-shore, 
where  they  eat  oysters,,,  crabs,  and  shell-fish. 
Their  manner  of  managing  an  oyster  is  ex- 
traordinary enough;  but  it  is  too  well  attest- 
ed to  fail  of  our  assent.  As  the  oysters  in 
the  tropical  climates  are  generally  larger 
than  with  us,  the  monkeys,  when  they  go  to 
the  sea-side,  pick  up  a  stone,  and  clap  it  be- 
tween the  opening  shells ;  this  prevents  them 
from  closing;  and  the  monkey  then  eats  the 
fish  at  his  ease.  They  often  also  draw  crabs 
from  the  water,  by  putting  their  tail  to  the 
hole  where  that  animal  takes  refuge,  arid  the 
crab  fastening  upon  it.  they  withdraw  it  with 
a  jerk,  and  thus  pull  their  prey  upon  shore. 
This  habit  of  laying  traps  for  other  animals, 
makes  them  very  cautious  of  being  entrapped 
themselves ;  and  I  am  assured,  by  many  per- 
sons of  credit,  that  no  snare,  how  nicely  bait- 
ed soever,  will  take  the  monkey  of  the  West 


410 


ANIMALS  OF 


India  islands;  for  having  been  accustomed 
to  the  cunning  of  man,  it  opposes  its  natural 
distrust  to  human  artifice. 

The  monkey  generally  brings  forth  one  at 
a  time,  and  sometimes  two.  They  are  rarely 
found  to  breed  when  brought  over  into  Eu- 
rope; but  of  those  that  do,  they  exhibit  a 
very  striking  picture  of  parental  affection. 
The  male  and  female  are  never  tired  of  fond- 
ling their  young  one.  They  instruct  it  with 
no  little  assiduity;  and  often  severely  correct 
it,  if  stubborn,  or  disinclined  to  profit  by  their 
example:  they  hand  it  from  one  to  the  other; 
and  when  the  male  has  done  showing  his  re- 
gard, the  female  takes  her  turn.  When  wild 
in  the  woods,  the  female,  if  she  happens  to 
have  two,  carries  one  on  her  back,  and  the 
other  in  her  arms:  that  on  her  back  clings 
very  closely,  clasping  its  hands  round  her 
neck,  and  its  feet  about  her  middle:  when 
she  wants  to  suckle  it,  she  then  alters  their 
position ;  and  that  which  has  been  fed  gives 
place  to  the  other,  which  she  takes  in  her 
arms.  It  often  happens  that  she  is  unable  to 
leap  from  one  tree  to  another,  when  thus 
loaden;  and  upon  such  occasions  their  dex- 
terity is  very  surprising.  The  whole  family 
form  a  kind  of  chain,  locking  tail  in  tail,  or 
hand  in  hand,  and  one  of  them  holding  the 
branch  above,  the  rest  swing  down,  balancing 
to  and  fro,  like  a  pendulum,  until  the  under- 
most is  enabled  to  catch  hold  of  the  lower 
branches  of  some  neighbouring  tree.  When 
the  hold  is  fixed  below,  the  monkey  lets  go 
that  which  was  above,  and  thus  conies  under- 
most in  turn;  but,  creeping  up  along  the 
chain,  attains  the  next  branches,  like  the  rest; 
and  thus  they  all  take  possession  of  the  tree, 
without  ever  coming  to  the  ground. 

When  in  a  state  of  domestic  tameness, 
those  animals  are  very  amusing,  and  often 
fill  up  a  vacant  hour,  when  other  entertain- 
ment is  wanting.  There  are  few  that  are  not 
acquainted  with  their  various  mimicries,  and 
their  capricious  feats  of  activity.  But  it  is 
generally  in  company  with  other  animals  of 
a  more  simple  disposition  that  their  tricks 
and  superior  instincts  are  shown ;  they  seem 
to  take  a  delight  in  tormenting  them ;  and  I 
have  seen  one  of  them  amusing  itself  for  hours 
together,  in  imposing  upon  the  gravity  of  a 
cat.  Erasmus  tells  us  of  a  large  monkey, 


kept  by  Sir  Thomas  More,  that,  one  day  di- 
verting itself  in  his  garden,  where  some  tame 
rabbits  were  kept,  played  several  of  its  usual 
pranks  among  them,  while  the  rabbits  scarce- 
ly well  knew  what  to  make  of  their  new  ac- 
quaintance: in  the  mean  time,  a  weasel,  that 
came  for  very  different  purposes  than  those 
of  entertainment,  was  seen  peering  about  the 
place  in  which  the  rabbits  were  fed,  and  en- 
deavouring to  make  its  way,  by  removing  a 
board  that  closed  their  hutch.     While  the 
monkey  saw  no  danger,  it  continued  a  calm 
spectator  of  the    enemy's  efforts;  but  just 
when,  by  long  labour,  the  weasel  had  effect- 
ed its  purpose,  and  had  removed  the  board, 
the  monkey  stept  in,  and,  with  the  utmost 
dexterity,  fastened  it  again  in  its  place ;  and 
the  disappointed  weasel  was  too  much  fati- 
gued to  renew  its  operations.     To  this  I  will 
only  add  what  Father  Carli,  in  his  history  of 
Angola,  assures  us  to  be  true.     In  that  hor- 
rid country,  where  he  went  to  convert  the  sa- 
vage natives  to  Christianity,  and  met  with 
nothing    but    distress    and    disappointment; 
while  his  health  was  totally  impaired  by  the 
raging  heats  of  the  climate,  his  patience  ex- 
hausted by  the  obstinacy  of  the  stupid  natives, 
and  his  little  provisions  daily  plundered,  with- 
out redress,    in  such  an  exigency  he  found 
more  faithful  services  from  the  monkeys  than 
the  men;  these  he  had  taught  to  attend  him, 
to  guard  him  whilst  sleeping  against  thieves 
and  rats,  to  comb  his  head,  to  fetch  his  water; 
and,  he  asserts,  that  they  were  even  more 
tractable  than  the  human  inhabitants  of  the 
place.     It  is  indeed  remarkable,  that  in  those 
countries  where  the  men  are  most  barbarous 
and  stupid,  the  brutes  are  most  active  and 
sagacious.     It  is  in  the  torrid  tracts,  inhabit- 
ed by  barbarians,  that  such  various  animals 
are  found  with  instinct  so  nearly  approach- 
ing reason.     The  savages,  both  of  Africa  and 
America,  accordingly  suppose  monkeys  to  be 
men;  idle,  slothful,  rational  beings;  capable 
of  speech  and  conversation;  but  obstinately 
dumb,  for  fear  of  being  compelled  to  labour. 
As  of  all  savages,  those  of  Africa  are  the 
most  brutal,  so,  of  all  countries,  the  monkeys 
of  Africa  are  the  most  expert  and  entertain- 
ing.    The  monkeys  of  America  are,  in  gene- 
ral, neither  so  sagacious  nor  so  tractable,  nor 
is  their  form  so  nearly  approaching  that  of 


THE  MONKEY  KIND. 


411 


man.  The  monkeys  of  the  new  continent 
may  be  very  easily  distinguished  from  those 
of  the  old,  by  three  marks.  Those  of  the 
ancient  continent  are  universally  found  to 
have  a  naked  callous  substance  behind,  upon 
which  they  sit ;  which  those  of  America  are 
entirely  without :  those  also  of  the  ancient 
continent  have  the  nostrils  differently  formed, 
more  resembling  those  of  men,  the  holes 
opening  downward  ;  whereas  the  American 
monkeys  have  them  opening  on  each  side : 
those  of  the  ancient  world  have  pouches  on 
each  side  the  jaw,  into  which  they  put  their 
provisions  ;  which  those  of  America  are  with- 
out: lastly,  none  of  the  monkeys  of  the  an- 
cient continent  hang  by  the  tail,  which  many 
of  the  American  sorts  are  known  to  do.  By 
these  marks  the  monkeys  of  either  continent 
may  be  readily  distinguished  from  each  other, 
and  prized  accordingly.  The  African  mon- 
key, as  I  am  assured,  requires  a  longer  educa- 
tion, and  more  correction,  than  that  of  Ameri- 
ca; but  it  is  at  last  found  capable  of  more 
various  powers  of  imitation,  and  shows  a 
greater  degree  of  cunning  and  activity. 

Mr.  Buffon,  who  has  examined  the  race  of 
imitative  beings  with  greater  accuracy  than 
any  other  naturalist  before  him,  makes  but 
nine  species  of  monkeys  belonging  to  the 
ancient  continent;  and  eleven  belonging  to 
the  new.  To  all  these  he  gives  the  names 
which  they  go  by  in  their  respective  countries; 
which,  undoubtedly,  is  the  method  least  liable 
to  error,  and  the  most  proper  for  imitation. 

Of  the  monkeys  of  the  ancient  continent, 
the  first  he  describes  is  the  MOCAGUO  ;  some- 
what resembling  a  baboon  in  size,  strength 
of  body,  arid  a  hideous  wrinkled  visage  :  it 
differs,  however,  in  having  a  very  long  tail, 
which  is  covered  with  tufted  hair.  It  is  a 
native  of  Congo. 

The  second  is  the  PATAS,  which  is  about 
the  same  size  with  the  former ;  but  differs  in 
having  a  longer  body,  and  a  face  less  hide- 
ous :    it  is  particularly   remarkable   for  the 
colour  of  its  hair,  which  is  of  a  red,  so  brilli- 
ant, that  the  animal  looks  as  if  it  were  actual- 
ly painted.     It  is  usually  brought  from  Sene- 
fal ;  and  by  some  called  the  red  African  mon- 
ey. 

The  third  of  the  ancient  continent  is  the 
MALBROUK  ;  of  which  he  supposes  the  monkey 

No.  35  &  36. 


which  he  calls  the  BONET  CHINOIS  to  be  a 
variety.  The  one  is  remarkable  for  a  long 
tail,  and  long  beard ;  the  other,  for  a  cap  of 
hair  that  covers  the  crown  of  the  head,  from 
whence  it  takes  the  name.  Both  are  natives 
of  the  East  Indies  ;  and  the  Bramins,  who  ex- 
tend their  charity  to  all  the  brute  creation, 
have  hospitals  for  such  of  them  as  happen  to 
be  sick,  or  otherwise  disabled. 

The  fourth  of  this  kind,  is  the  MANGABEY  ; 
it  may  be  distinguished  from  all  others  by  its 
eyelids,  which  are  naked,  and  of  a  striking 
whiteness.  It  is  a  native  of  Madagascar. 

The  fifth  is  the  MONA,  or  the  CEPHUS  of  the 
ancients :  it  is  distinguished  by  its  colour, 
which  is  variegated  with  black  and  red ;  and 
its  tail  is  of  an  ash  colour,  with  spots  on  each 
side  at  its  insertion.  It  is  a  native  of  the 
northern  parts  of  Africa. 

The  sixth  is  the  CALLITRIX,  or  GREEN  MON- 
KEY of  St.  lago;  distinguished  by  its  beautiful 
green  colour  on  the  back,  its  white  breast  and 
belly,  and  its  black  face. 

The  seventh  is  the  MOUSTOC, or  WHITE  NOSE; 
distinguished  by  the  whiteness  of  its  lips, 
from  whence  it  has  received  its  name,  the 
rest  of  the  face  being  of  a  deep  blue.  It  is  a 
native  of  the  Gold  Coast,  and  a  very  beauti- 
ful little  animal. 

The  eighth  is  the  TALAPOIN  ;  and  may  be 
distinguished  as  well  by  its  beautiful  variety 
of  green,  white,  and  yellow  hair,  as  by  that 
under  the  eyes  being  of  a  greater  length  than 
the  rest.  It  is  supposed  to  be  a  native  of 
Africa  and  the  East. 

The  ninth  and  last  of  the  monkeys  of  the 
ancient  continent,  is  the  DOUC,  so  called  in 
Cochin  China,  of  which  country  it  is  a  native. 
The  douc  seems  to  unite  the  characters  of 
all  the  former  together :  with  a  long  tail,  like 
the  monkey  ;  of  a  size  as  large  as  the  baboon; 
and  with  a  flat  face  like  the  ape ;  it  even  re- 
sembles the  American  monkeys,  in  having  no 
callosity  on  its  posteriors.  Thus  it  seems  to 
form  the  shade  by  which  the  monkeys  of 
one  continent  are  linked  with  those  of  the 
other. 

Next  come  the  monkeys  of  the  new  conti- 
nent; which,  as  has  been  said,  differ  from 
those  of  the  old,  in  the  make  of  their  nostrils, 
in  their  having  no  callosity  on  their  posteri- 
ors, and  in  their  having  no  pouches  on  each 
3Q 


412 


ANIMALS  OF 


side  of  the  jaw.  They  differ  also  from  each 
other,  a  part  of  them  making  no  use  of  their 
tails  to  hang  by;  while  others  of  them  have 
the  tail  very  strong  and  muscular,  and  serving 
by  way  of  a  fifth  hand  to  hold  by.  Those 
with  muscular  holding  tails,  are  called  SAPA- 
jous;  those  with  feeble  useless  tails,  are  call- 
ed SAGOIXS.  Of  the  sapajous  there  are  five 
sorts:  of  the  sagoins  there  are  six. 

The  first  of  the  sapajous  is  the  WARING,  or 
the  BRAZILIAN  GUARIBA.  This  monkey  is  as 
large  as  a  fox,  with  black  long  hair,  and  re- 
markable for  the  loud  ness  of  its  voice.  It  is 
the  largest  of  the  monkey  kind  to  be  found  in 
America. 

The  second  is  the  COAITI;  which  may  be 
distinguished  from  the  rest  by  having  no 
thumb,  and  consequently  but  four  fingers  on 
the  two  fore  paws.  The  tail,  however,  sup- 
plies the  defects  of  the  hand;  and  with  this 
the  animal  slings  itself  from  one  tree  to  ano- 
ther, with  surprising  rapidity. 

The  third  is  the  SAJOU  ;  distinguished  from 
the  rest  of  the  sapajous  by  its  yellowish,  flesh- 
coloured  face. 

The  fourth  is  the  SAI.  It  is  somewhat 
larger  than  the  sajou,and  has  a  broader  muz- 
zle. It  is  called  also  the  BEVVAILER,  from  its 
peculiar  manner  of  lamenting  when  either 
threatened  or  beaten. 

The  fifth  and  last  of  the  sapajou  kind,  or 
monkeys  that  hold  by  the  tail,  is  the  SAMARI, 
or  AURORA  ;  which  is  the  smallest  and  most 
beautiful  of  all.  It  is  of  a  fine  orange  colour, 
with  two  circles  of  flesh  round  the  eyes.  It 
is  a  very  tender,  delicate  animal,  and  held  in 
high  price. 

Of  the  sagoiris  with  feeble  tails  there  are 
six  kinds.  The  first  and  the  largest,  is  the 
SAKI,  or  CAGUI;  so  remarkable  for  the  length 
of  the  hair  on  its  tail,  that  it  has  been  often 
termed  the  FOX-TAILED  MONKEY.  It  is  of  dif- 
ferent sizes;  some  being  twice  as  large  as 
others. 

The  second  of  this  kind  is  the  TAMAIN; 
which  is  usually  black,  with  the  feet  yellow. 
Some,  however,  are  found  all  over  brown, 
spotted  with  yellow. 

The  third  is  the  WISTITI;  remarkable  for 
the  large  tufts  of  hair  upon  its  face,  and  its 
annuUited  tail. 

The  fourth  is  the  JIARIKINA;  with  a  mane 


round  the  neck,  and  a  bunch  of  hair  at  the 
end  of  the  tail,  like  a  lion. 

The  fifth  is  called  the  IMNCH;  with  the  face 
of  a  beautiful  black,  and  \vhitc  hair  that  de- 
scends on  each  side  of  the  face,  like  that  of 
man. 

The  last,  least,  and  most  beautiful  of  all  is, 
the  MICO,  an  animal  too  curiously  adorned  not 
to  demand  a  particular  description;  which  is 
thus  given  of  it  by  Mr.  Condamine:  "That," 
says  he,  "  which  the  Governor  of  Para  made 
me  a  present  of,  was  the  only  one  of  its  kind 
that  was  seen  in  the  country.  The  hair  ou 
its  body  was  of  a  beautiful  silver  colour, 
brighter  than  that  of  the  most  venerable  hu- 
man hair ;  while  the  tail  was  of  a  deep  brown, 
inclining  to  blackness.  It  had  another  sin- 
gularity more  remarkable  than  the  former; 
its  ears,  its  cheeks,  and  lips,  were  tinctured 
with  so  bright  a  vermilion,  that  one  could 
scarcely  be  led  to  suppose  that  it  was  natu- 
ral. 1  kept  it  a  year;  and  it  was  still  alive 
when  1  made  this  description  of  it,  almost 
within  sight  of  the  coasts  of  France:  all  I 
could  then  do  was  to  preserve  it  in  spirits  of 
wine,  which  might  serve  to  keep  it  in  such  a 
state  as  to  show  that  I  did  not  in  the  least 
exaggerate  in  my  description." 


OF  THE  MAKI. 

THE  last  of  the  monkey  kind  are  the  Ma- 
kies ;  which  have  no  other  pretensions  to  be 
placed  in  this  class,  except  that  of  haying 
hands  like  the  former,  and  making  use  of 
them  to  climb  trees,  or  to  pluck  their  food. 
Animals  of  the  hare  kind,  indeed,  are  often 
seen  to  feed  themselves  with  their  fore  paws, 
hut  they  can  hold  nothing  in  one  of  them 
singly,  and  are  obliged  to  take  up  whatever 
they  eat  in  both  at  once:  but  it  is  otherwise 
with  the  maki;  as  well  as  the  monkey  kinds, 
they  seize  their  food  with  one  hand,  pretty 
much  like  a  man,  and  grasp  it  with  great  ease 
and  firmness.  The  maki,  therefore,  from 
this  conformation  in  its  hands  both  before 
and  behind,  approaches  nearly  to  the  mon- 
key kind ;  but  in  other  respects,  such  as  the 
make  of  the  snout,  the  form  of  the  ears,  and 
the  parts  that  distinguish  the  sexes,  it  entire- 
ly differs  from  them.  There  are  many  dif 


Engraved,  iff   »-'««"« 


JV<£.  Edwards  f{t 

"LJD.Virgimaiia  Alrginian   O. 2  D.Petaums  Petaurine  0 3  D.  Murina    Murine  O 4  t).Gigantea   Great  K.  a-Mas.  b.Fem. 


THE  MONKEY  KIND. 


413 


ferent  kinds  of  these  animals;  all  varying 
from  each  other  in  colour  or  size,  but  agree- 
ing in  the  human-like  figure  of  their  hands 
and  feet,  and  in  their  long  nose,  which  some- 
what resembles  that  of  a  dog.  As  most  of 
these  are  bred  in  the  depths  of  the  forest,  we 
know  little  more  concerning  them  than  their 
figure.  Their  way  of  living,  their  power  of 
pursuit  and  escape,  can  only  be  supposed, 
from  the  analogy  of  their  conformation,  some- 
what to  resemble  those  of  the  monkey. 

The  first  of  this  kind  is  the  MOCOCO  ;  a  beau- 
tiful animal,  about  the  size  of  a  common  cat, 
but  the  body  and  limbs  slenderer,  and  of  a 
longer  make.  It  has  a  very  long  tail,  at  least 
double  the  length  of  its  body ;  it  is  covered 
with  fur,  and  marked  alternately  with  broad 
rings  of  black  and  white.  But  what  it  is 
chiefly  remarkable  for,  besides  the  form  of  its 
hands  and  feet,  is  the  largeness  of  its  eyes, 
which  are  surrounded  with  a  broad  blark 
space ;  and  the  length  of  the  hinder  legs, 
which  by  far  exceed  those  before.  When  it 
sleeps,  it  brings  its  nose  to  its  belly,  and  ifs 
tail  over  its  head.  When  it  plays,  it  uses  a 
sort  of  galloping,  with  its  tail  raised  over  its 
back,  which  keeps  continually  in  motion. 
The  head  is  covered  with  dark  ash-coloured 
hair;  the  back  and  sides  with  a  red  ash-colour, 
and  not  so  dark  as  on  the  head  ;  and  the 
whole  glossy,  soft,  and  drlicate,  smooth  to  the 
touch,  and  standing  almost  upright  like  the 
pile  of  velvet.  It  is  a  native  of  Madagascar ; 
appears  to  be  a  harmless  gentle  animal ;  and 
though  it  resembles  the  monkey  in  many  re- 
spects, yet  it  has  neither  its  malice  nor  its  mis- 
chief: nevertheless,  like  the  monkey,  it  seems 
to  be  always  in  motion  ;  and  moves,  like  all 
four-handed  animals,  in  an  oblique  direction. 

A  second  of  this  kind,  which  is  also  a  na- 
tive of  Madagascar,  is  the  MONGOZ  ;  which  is 
less  than  the  former  ;  with  a  soft  glossy  robe, 
but  a  little  curled.  The  nose  also  is  thicker 
than  that  of  tho  mococo ;  the  eyes  are  black, 
with  orange-coloured  circles  round  the  pupil ; 
and  the  tail  is  of  one  uniform  colour.  As  to 
the  rest,  it  is  found  of  various  colours ;  some 
being  black,  others  brown ;  and  its  actions 
somewhat  resemble  those  of  a  monkey. 

The  VARI  is  much  larger  than  either  of  the 
former ;  its  hair  is  much  longer,  and  it  has  a 
kind  of  ruff  round  the  neck,  consisting  of  very 
long  hair,  by  which  it  may  be  easily  distin- 


guished from  the  rest.  It  differs  also  in  its 
disposition,  which  is  fierce  and  savage  ;  as  also 
in  the  loudness  of  its  voice,  which  somewhat 
resembles  the  roaring  of  the  lion.  This  also 
is  a  native  of  Madagascar. 

To  this  tribe  we  may  refer  a  little  four-hand- 
ed animal,  of  the  island  of  Ceylon,  which  Mr. 
Buffon  calls  the  LORI  ;  very  remarkable  for 
the  singularity  of  its  figure.  This  is,  of  all 
other  animals,  the  longest  in  proportion  to  its 
size ;  having  nine  vertebrae  in  the  loins  ; 
whereas  other  quadrupeds  have  only  seven.* 
The  body  appears  still  the  longer  by  having 
no  tail.  In  other  respects,  it  resembles  those 
of  the  maki  kind  ;  as  well  in  its  hands  and 
feet,  as  in  its  snout,  and  in  the  glossy  qualities 
of  its  hair.  It  is  about  the  size  of  a  squirrel ; 
and  appears  to  be  a  tame,  harmless  little  ani- 
mal. 

OF  THE  OPPOSSUM,  AND  ITS  KINDS. 

To  these  four-handed  animals  of  the  ancient 
continent,  we  may  add  the  four-handed  ani- 
mals of  the  new,  that  use  their  hands  like  the 
former,  as  well  as  their  tails,  and  that  fill  up 
the  chasm  between  the  monkey  tribe  and  the 
lower  orders  of  the  forest.  As  the  maki  kind 
in  some  measure  seem  to  unite  the  fox  and  the 
monkey  in  their  figure  and  size,  so  these  seem 
to  unite  the  monkey  and  the  rat.  They  are 
all  less  than  the  former ;  they  have  long  tails, 
almost  bare  of  hair  ;  and  their  fur,  as  well  as 
their  shape,  seems  to  place  them  near  the  rat 
kind.  Some  have  accordingly  ranked  them 
in  that  class;  but  their  being  four  handed  is 
a  sufficient  reason  for  placing  them  in  the  rear 
of  the  monkeys. 

The  first,  and  the  most  remarkable  of  this 
tribe,  is  the  OPPOSSUM,  an  animal  found  both 
in  North  and  South  America,  of  the  size  of  a 
small  cat.  The  head  resembles  that  of  a  fox  ; 
it  has  fifty  treth  in  all,  but  two  great  ones  in 
the  midst  like  those  of  a  rat.  The  eyes  are 
little,  round,  clear,  lively,  and  placed  upright, 
the  ears  are  longj  broad,  and  transparent,  like 
those  of  the  rat  kind  ;  its  tail  also  increases 
the  similitude,  being  round,  long,  a  little  hairy 
in  the  beginning,  but  quite  naked  Kwards  the 
end.  The  fore  legs  are  short,  being  about 
three  inches  long ;  while  those  behind  are 

a  Biiflbn,  vol.  xxvi.  p.  274. 

3Q« 


414 


ANIMALS  OF 


about  four.  The  feet  are  like  hands,  each 
having  five  toes  or  fingers  with  white  crooked 
nails,  and  rather  longer  behind  than  before. 
But  it  is  particular  in  this  animal,  that  the 
thumb  on  the  hinder  legs  wants  a  nail ;  where- 
as the  fingers  arc  furnished  with  clawed  nails 
as  usual. 

But  that  which  distinguishes  this  animal  from 
all  others,  and  what  has  excited  the  wonder  of 
mankind  for  more  than  two  centuries,  is  the 
extraordinary  conformation  of  its  belly,  as  it 
is  found  to  have  a  false  womb,  into  which  the 
young,  when  brought  forth  in  the  usual  man- 
ner, creep,  and  continue  for  some  days  longer, 
to  lodge  and  suckle  securely.  This  bag,  if  we 
may  so  call  it,  being  one  of  the  most  extraor- 
dinary things  in  natural  history,  requires  a 
more  minute  description.  Under  the  belly  of 
the  feaiale  is  a  kind  of  slit  or  opening,  of  about 
three  inches  long  ;  this  opening  is  composed 
of  a  skin,  which  makes  a  bag  internally,  that 
is  covered  on  the  inside  with  hair,  and  in  this 
bag  are  the  teats  of  the  female  ;  and  into  it  the 
young,  when  brought  forth,  retire,  either  to 
suckle  or  to  escape  from  danger.  This  bag 
has  a  power  of  opening  and  shutting,  at  the 
will  of  the  animal ;  and  this  is  performed  by 
means  of  several  muscles,  and  two  bones,  that 
are  fitted  for  this  purpose,  and  that  are  peculiar 
to  this  animal  only.  These  two  bones  are 
placed  before  the  os  pubis,  to  which  they  are 
joined  at  the  base ;  they  are  about  two  inches 
long,  and  grow  smaller  and  smaller  to  their 
extremities.  These  support  the  muscles  that 
serve  to  open  the  bag,  and  give  them  a  fixture. 
To  these  muscles  there  are  antagonists,  that 
serve  in  the  same  manner  to  shut  the  bag ; 
and  this  they  perform  so  exactly,  that  in  the 
living  animal  the  opening  can  scarcely  be  dis- 
cerned, except  when  the  sides  are  forcibly 
drawn  asunder.  The  inside  of  this  bag  is 
furnished  with  glands,  that  exude  a  musky 
substance,  which  communicates  to  the  flesh 
of  the  animal,  and  renders  it  unfit  to  be  eaten. 
It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  this  is  the  place 
where  the  young  are  conceived,  as  some  have 
been  led  to  imagine ;  for  the  oppossu'ii  has 
another  womb,  like  that  of  the  generality  of 
animals,  in  which  generation  is  performed  in 
the  ordinary  manner.  The  bag  we  have  been 
describing  may  rather  be  considered  as  a  sup- 
plemental womb.  In  the  real  womb,  the  lit- 
tle animal  is  partly  brought  to  perfection  ;  in 


the  ordinary  one,  it  receives  a  kind  of  addi- 
tional incubation ;  and  acquires,  at  last,  strength 
enough  to  follow  the  dam  wherever  she  goes. 
We  have  many  reasons  to  suppose  that  the 
young  of  this  animal  are  all  brought  forth 
prematurely,  or  before  they  have  acquired 
that  degree  of  perfection  which  is  common  in 
other  quadrupeds.  The  little  ones,  when  first 
produced,  are  in  a  manner  but  half  completed  ; 
and  some  travellers  assert,  that  they  are  at 
that  time  not  much  larger  than  flies.  We  are 
assured  also,  that  immediately  on  quitting  the 
real  womb,  they  creep  into  the  false  one; 
where  they  continue  fixed  to  the  teat,  until 
they  have  strength  sufficient  to  venture  once 
once  more  into  the  open  air,  and  share  the 
fatigues  of  the  parent.  Ulloa  assures  us,  that 
he  has  found  five  of  these  little  creatures  hid- 
den in  the  belly  of  the  dam  three  days  after 
she  was  dead,  still  alive,  and  all  clinging  to  the 
teat  with  great  avidity.  It  is  probable,  there- 
fore, that  upon  their  first  entering  the  false 
womb,  they  seldom  stir  out  from  thence  ;  but 
when  more  advanced,  they  venture  forth 
several  times  in  the  day,  and,  at  last,  seldom 
make  use  of  their  retreat,  except  in  cases  of 
necessity  or  danger.  Travellers  are  not 
agreed  in  their  accounts  of  the  time  which 
these  animals  take  to  continue  in  the  false 
womb  ;  some  assure  us  they  remain  there  for 
several  weeks ;  and  others,  more  precisely, 
mention  a  month.  During  this  period  of 
strange  gestation,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  open- 
ing the  bag  in  which  they  are  concealed  ; 
they  may  be  reckoned,  examined,  and  hand- 
led, without  much  inconvenience  ;  for  they 
keep  fixed  to  the  teat,  and  cling  there  as  firm 
as  if  they  made  a  part  of  the  body  of  the  ani- 
mal that  bears  them.  When  they  are  grown 
stronger,  they  drop  from  the  teat  into  the  bag 
in  which  they  are  contained  ;  and,  at  last,  find 
their  way  out,  in  search  of  more  copious  sub- 
sistence. Still,  however,  the  false  belly  serves 
them  for  a  retreat,  either  when  they  want  to 
slei'p  or  to  suckle,  or  when  they  are  pursued 
by  an  enemy.  The  dam,  on  such  occasions, 
opens  her  bag  to  receive  them,  which  they 
enter, 


-Pars  formidinp  turpi 


Scanduut  rursus  equum  et  nota  conduntur  in  alvo. 

The  oppossum,  when  on  the  ground,  is  a 
slow,  helpless  animal ;    the  formation  of  its 


THE  MONKEY  KIND. 


415 


hands  are  alone  sufficient  to  show  its  incapacity 
of  running  with  any  degree  of  swiftness  ;  but, 
to  counterbalance  this  inconvenience,  it  climbs 
trees  with  great  ease  and  expedition.*  It 
chiefly  subsists  upon  birds  ;  and  hides  among 
the  leaves  of  the  trees,  to  seize  them  by  sur- 
prise. It  often  also  hangs  by  the  tail,  which 
is  long  and  muscular;  and,  in  this  situation, 
for  hours  together,  with  the  head  downwards, 
it  keeps  watching  for  its  prey.  If  any  lesser 
animal,  which  it  is  able  to  overcome,  passes 
underneath,  it  drops  upon  it  with  deadly  aim, 
and  quickly  devours  it.  By  means  of  its  tail, 
the  oppossum  also  slings  from  one  tree  to 
another,  hunts  insects,  escapes  its  pursuers, 
and  provides  for  its  safety.  It  seems  to  be  a 
creature  that  lives  upon  vegetables,  as  well  as 
animal  substances,  roots,  sugar-canes,  the  bark, 
and  even  the  leaves,  of  trees.  It  is  easily 
tamed,  but  it  is  a  disagreeable  domestic,  as 
well  from  its  stupidity  and  figure,  as  its  scent, 
which,  however  fragrant  in  small  quantities, 
fails  not  to  be  ungrateful  when  copiously  sup- 
plied. 

An  animal  greatly  resembling  the  former,b  is 
the  MARMOSE,  which  is  found  in  the  same  con- 
tinent. It  seems  only  to  differ  in  size,  be- 
ing less ;  and,  instead  of  a  bag  to  receive  its 
young,  has  only  two  longitudinal  folds  near 
the  thighs,  within  which  the  young,  which  are 
prematurely  brought  forth,  as  in  the  last  in- 
stance, continue  to  suckle.  The  young  of 
these,  when  first  produced,  are  not  above  the 
size  of  a  bean ;  but  continue  sticking  to  the 
teat,  until  they  have  arrived  at  greater  maturity. 

The  CAYOPOLIN  is  somewhat  larger  than  the 
former,  and  a  good  deal  resembling  it  in  habits 
and  figure,  except  that  its  snout  is  more  point- 
ed, its  tail  longer  in  proportion,  and  its  colour 
different,  being  of  an  ash,  somewhat  inclining 
to  yellow  ;  however,  I  should  suppose  it  to 
be  only  a  variety  of  the  former. 

To  this  number  we  may  add  the  PHALAX- 
GER,  so  called  by  Mr.  Buffon  ;  a  good  deal  re- 
sembling the  former,  but  distinguished  by  the 
fashion  of  its  hinder  hands ;  the  thumb  and 
fore-finger  being  joined  together,  except  at  the 
extremities.  This  animal  is  about  the  size  of 
a  rat,  and  has,  accordingly,  by  some,  been 
called  the  RAT  OF  SURINAM. 

The  last  animal  of  this  class  is  called,  by 

»  Buffon,  vol.  xxi.  p.  1~4. 


Mr.  Buffon,  the  TARSIER.  This  extraordinary 
little  animal  resembles  the  former,  in  having 
four  hands,  and  a  long  tail  ;  but  it  differs  very 
much  in  the  extreme  length  of  its  -hinder  legs, 
which  are  longer  than  the  rest  of  its  whole 
body.  The  bones  of  that  part  of  the  foot  call- 
ed the  tarsus,  are  likewise  so  very  long,  that 
from  thence  the  animal  has  received  its  name: 
the  tail  is  naked  in  the  middle,  and  hairy  only 
at  both  extremities  :  its  hair  is  woolly,  soft,  and 
of  a  deep  ash  colour.  As  to  the  rest,  it  is  un- 
known from  what  country  this  animal  was 
brought  ;  but  the  naturalist  from  whom  we 
have  this  description,  supposes  it  to  be  a  native 
of  America. 

From  this  general  description  of  four-handed 
animals,  we  perceive  what  few  advantages 
the  brute  creation  derive  from  those  organs, 
that,  in  man,  are  employed  to  so  many  great 
and  useful  purposes.  They  being  able  to  pluck 
their  food  from  the  trees,  the  capacity  of  cling- 
ing among  the  branches,  and  at  most  of  con- 
verting one  of  those  branches  into  a  weapon 
of  offence,  are  the  highest  stretches  of  their 
sagacity,  and  the  only  use  their  hands  have 
hitherto  been  employed  in  ;  and  yet  some  su- 
perficial men  have  asserted,  that  the  hands 
alone  are  sufficient  to  vindicate  the  dominion 
of  mankind  over  other  animals  ;  and  that 
much  of  his  boasted  reason,  is  nothing  more 
than  the  result  of  his  happier  conformation  : 
however,  were  this  so,  an  ape  or  a  monkey 
would  in  some  instances  be  more  rational  than 
we  ;  their  fingers  are  smaller,  and,  in  some  of 
them,  more  finely  formed  than  ours.  To  what 
a  variety  of  purposes  might  they  not  be  em- 
ployed, if  their  powers  were  properly  exerted! 
Those  works  which  we,  from  the  largeness  of 
our  fingers,  are  obliged  to  go  clumsily  about, 
one  of  these  could  very  easily  perform  with 
the  utmost  exactness  ;  and  if  the  fineness  of 
the  hand  assisted  reason,  an  ape  would  be  one 
of  the  most  reasonable  beings  in  the  creation. 
But,  these  admirably  formed  machines,  are 
almost  useless  both  to  mankind  and  themselves; 
and  contribute  little  more  to  the  happiness  of 
animal  life,  than  the  paws  of  the  lowest  quad- 
ruped. They  are  supplied,  indeed,  with  the 
organs  ;  but  they  want  the  mind,  to  put  them 
into  action  ;  it  is  that  reasoning  principle 
,  with  which  man  has  been  endowed, 


Buffon,  vol.  xxi.  p.  212. 


416 


THE  ELEPHANT. 


that  can  adapt  seemingly  opposite  causes  to 
concur  in  the  same  general  design  ;  and  even 
where  the  organs  are  deficient,  that  can  sup- 
ply their  place,  by  the  intervention  of  assisting 
instruments.  Where  reason  prevails,  we  find 
that  it  scarcely  matters  what  the  organs  are 
that  give  it  the  direction  ;  the  being  furnished 
with  that  principle  still  goes  forward,  steadily, 
and  uniformly  successful;  breaks  through  every 
obstacle,  and  becomes  master  of  every  enter- 
prise. I  have  seen  a  man,  without  hands  or 

[Nearly  allied  to  the  last  kind,  in  having  a  pouch  for  the 
security  of  its  young,  but  differing  in  many  other  particu- 
lars, is  the  KANGUROO,  a  native  of  New  Holland,  first  dis- 
covered by  Captain  Cook  in  the  year  1770.  Its  size  is  at 
least  that  of  a  full-grown  sheep  ;  but  there  is  a  remarkable 
disproportion  in  its  shape,  the  head  and  neck  being  veiy 
small,  while  the  lower  parts  gradually,  dilate  to  a  very 
great  size  :  the  fore  legs  are  hardly  19  inches  long,  while 
the  hinder  ones  measure  3  feet  9  inches  :  accordingly, 
this  animal's  pace  consists  of  vast  springs  or  bounds,  said 


legs,  convert,  by  practice,  his  very  stumps  to 
the  most  convenient  purposes ;  and  with  these 
clumsy  instruments  perform  the  most  aston- 
ishing feats  of  dexterity.  We  may,  therefore 
conclude,  that  it  is  the  mind  alone  that  gives  a 
master  to  the  creation  ;  and  that,  if  a  bear  or 
a  horse  were  endowed  with  the  same  intellects 
that  have  been  given  to  man,  the  hardness  of  a 
hoof,  or  the  awkwardness  of  a  paw,  would  be 
no  obstacle  to  their  advancement  in  the  arts  of 
dominion,  or  of  social  felicity. 


to  exceed  9  feet  in  height  and  20  in  length.  The  tail 
is  of  such  great  strength  as  to  be  able  to  break  a  man's 
leg  at  a  single  blow.  The  young  ones  (of  which  the  fe- 
male is  said  to  have  only  one  at  a  time)  at  first  hardly  ex- 
ceed an  inch  in  length,  and  in  the  early  periods  of  their 
growth  reside  entirely  within  the  pouch  of  the  dam.  They 
feed  on  vegetables,  drink  by  lapping,  and  burrow  under 
ground.  The  Rat  Kanguroo  differs  from  the  above,  be- 
ing only  about  the  size  of  a  rabbit,  and  is  far  less  elegant 
and  pleasing.] 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

OF  THE  ELEPHANT. 


HAVING  gone  through  the  description  of 
those  quadrupeds  that,  by  resembling  each 
other  in  some  striking  particular,  admit  of  be- 
ing grouped  together,  and  considered  under 
one  point  of  view,  we  now  come  to  those  insu- 
lated sorts  that  bear  no  similitude  with  the  rest, 
and  that  to  be  distinctly  described  must  be 
separately  considered. 

The  foremost  of  these,  and  in  every  respect 
the  noblest  quadruped  in  nature,  is  the  ele- 
phant, not  less  remarkable  for  its  size  than  its 
docility  and  understanding.  All  historians 
concur  in  giving  it  the  character  of  the  most 
sagacious  animal  next  to  man  ;  and  yet,  were 
we  to  take  our  idea  of  its  capacity  from  its 
outward  appearance,  we  should  be  led  to  con- 
ceive very  meanly  of  its  abilities.  The  ele- 
phant, at  first  view,  presents  the  spectator  with 
an  enormous  mass  of  flesh  that  seems  scarcely 
animated.  Its  huge  body,  covered  with  a  cal- 
lous hide,  without  hair ;  its  large  mis-shapen 
legs,  that  seem  scarcely  formed  for  motion  ;  its 
little  eyes,  large  ears,  and  long  trunk  ;  all  give 


it  an  air  of  extreme  stupidity.  But  our  pre- 
judices will  soon  subside  when  we  come  to 
examine  its  history  ;  they  will  even  serve  to 
increase  our  surprise,  when  we  consider  the 
various  advantages  it  derives  from  so  clumsy 
a  conformation. 

The  elephant  is  seen  from  seven  to  no  less 
than  fifteen  feet  high.  Whatever  care  we  take 
to  imagine  a  large  animal  beforehand,  yet  the 
first  sight  of  this  huge  creature  never  fails  to 
strike  us  with  astonishment,  and  in  somf1  mea- 
sure to  exceed  our  idea.  Having  been  used 
to  smaller  animals,  we  have  scarcely  any  con- 
ception of  its  magnitude ;  for  a  moving  column 
of  flesh,  fourteen  feet  high,  is  an  object  so  ut- 
terly different  from  those  we  are  constantly 
presented  with,  that  to  be  conceived  it  must 
be  actually  seen.  Such,  I  own,  were  the  sug- 
gestions that  naturally  arose  to  me  when  I  first 
saw  this  animal,  and  yet  for  the  sight  of  which 
I  had  taken  care  to  prrpare  my  imagination. 
I  found  my  ideas  fall  as  short  of  its  real  size, 
as  they  did  of  its  real  figure ;  neither  the  pic- 


THE  ELEPHANT. 


41V 


tures  I  had  seen,  nor  the  descriptions  I  had 
read,  giving  me  adequate  conceptions  of 
either. 

It  would,  therefore,  be  impossible  to  give  an 
idea  of  this  animal's  figure  by  a  description  ; 
which,  even  assisted  by  the  art  of  the  engraver, 
will  but  confusedly  represent  the  original.  In 
general  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  forehead 
is  very  high  ard  rising,  the  ears  very  large  and 
dependent,  the  eyes  extremely  small,  the  pro- 
boscis or  trunk  long,  the  body  round  and  full, 
the  back  rising  in  an  arch,  and  the  whole  ani- 
mal short  in  proportion  to  its  height.  The  feet 
are  round  at  the  bottom  ;  on  each  foot  there 
are  five  flat  horny  risings,  which  seem  to  be 
the  extremities  of  the  toes,  but  do  not  appear 
outwardly.  The  hide  is  without  hair,  full  of 
scratches  and  scars,  which  it  receives  in  its 
passage  through  thick  woods  and  thorny  pla- 
ces. At  the  end  of  the  tail  there  is  a  tuft  of 
hair,  a  foot  and  a  half  long.  The  female  is 
less  than  the  male,  and  the  udder  is  between 
the  fore  legs.  But  a  more  accurate,  as  well 
as  a  more  entertaining  description  of  the  parts, 
will  naturally  occur  in  the  history  of  their 
uses. 

Of  all  quadrupeds,  the  elephant  is  the  strong- 
est, as  well  as  the  largest ;  and  yet,  in  a  state 
of  nature,  it  is  neither  fierce  nor  formidable/ 
Mild,  peaceful,  and  brave,  it  never  abuses  its 
power  or  its  strength,  and  only  uses  its  force 
for  its  own  protection,  or  that  of  its  communi- 
ty. In  its  native  deserts,  the  elephant  is  sel- 
dom seen  alone,  but  appears  to  be  a  social, 
friendly  creature.  The  oldest  of  the  company 
conducts  the  band  ;  that  which  is  next  in  se- 
niority brings  up  the  rear.  The  young,  the 
weak,  and  the  sickly,  fall  into  the  centre ; 
•vhile  the  females  carry  their  young,  and  keep 
them  from  falling  by  means  of  their  trunks. 
They  maintain  this  order  only  in  dangerous 
marches,  or  when  they  desire  to  feed  in  cul- 
tivated grounds ;  they  move  with  less  precau- 
tion in  the  forests  and  solitudes  ;  but  without 
ever  separating,  or  removing  so  far  asunder  as 
to  be  incapable  of  lending  each  other  any  re- 
quisite assistance.  Nothing  can  be  more  for- 
midable than  a  drove  of  elephants,  as  they  ap- 
pear at  a  distance  in  an  African  landscape  ; 

»  I  have  extracted  the  greatest  part  of  this  description 
from  Mr.  Buffon.  Where  I  add,  I  mark  with  commas, 
"  thus." 


wherever  they  march,  the  forests  seem  to  fall 
before  them  ;  in  their  passage,  they  bear  down 
the  branches  upon  which  they  feed ;  and  if 
they  enter  into  an  enclosure,  they  destroy  all 
the  labours  of  the  husbandman  in  a  very  short 
time.  Their  invasions  are  the  more  disagree- 
able, as  there  is  no  means  of  repelling  them  ; 
since  it  would  require  a  small  army  to  attack 
the  whole  drove  when  united.  It  now  and 
then  happens  that  one  or  two  is  found  linger- 
ing behind  the  rest,  and  it  is  against  these  that 
the  art  and  force  of  the  hunters  are  united  ; 
but  an  attempt  to  molest  the  whole  body 
would  certainly  be  fatal.  They  go  forward 
directly  against  him  who  offers  the  insult, 
strike  him  with  their  tusks,  seize  him  with 
their  trunks,  fling  him  into  the  air,  and  then 
trample  him  to  pieces  under  their  feet.  But 
they  are  thus  dreadful  only  when  offended,' 
and  do  no  manner  of  personal  injury  when 
suffered  to  feed  without  interruption.  It  is 
even  said  that  they  are  mindful  of  injuries  re- 
ceived; and,  when  once  molested  by  man, 
seek  all  occasions  for  the  future  to  be  revenged  ; 
they  smell  him  with  their  long  trunks  at  a  dis- 
tance ;  follow  him  with  all  their  speed  upon 
the  scent ;  and,  though  slow  to  appearance, 
they  are  soon  able  to  cotne  up  with  and  de- 
stroy him. 

In  their  natural  state,  they  delight  to  live 
along  the  sides  of  rivers,  to  keep  in  the  deep- 
est vales,  to  refresh  themselves  in  the  most  sha- 
dy forests  and  watery  places.  They  cannot 
live  far  from  the  water ;  and  they  always  dis- 
turb it  before  they  drink.  They  often  fill 
their  trunk  with  it,  either  to  cool  that  organ, 
or  to  divert  themselves  by  spurting  it  out  like 
a  fountain.  They  are  equally  distressed  by 
the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold  ;  and,  to  avoid 
the  former,  they  frequently  take  shelter  in  the 
most  obscure  recesses  of  the  forest,  or  often 
plunge  into  the  water,  and  even  swim  from 
the  continent  into  islands  some  leagues  distant 
from  the  shore. 

Their  chief  food  is  of  the  vegetable  kind, 
for  they  loathe  all  kind  of  animal  diet.  When 
one  among  their  number  happens  to  light  upon 
a  spot  of  good  pasture,  he  calls  the  rest,  and 
invites  them  to  share  in  the  entertainment ; 
but  it  must  be  a  very  copious  pasture  indeed 
that  can  supply  the  necessities  of  the  whole 
band.  As  with  their  broad  and  heavy  feet 
they  sink  deep  wherever  they  go,  they  destroy 


418 


THE  ELEPHANT. 


much  more  than  they  devour ;  so  that  they 
are  frequently  obliged  to  change  their  quar- 
ters, and  to  migrate  from  one  country  to  ano- 
ther. The  Indians  and  negroes,  who  are 
often  incommoded  by  such  visitants,  do  all 
they  can  to  keep  them  away,  making  loud 
noises,  and  large  fires  round  their  cultivated 
grounds :  but  these  precautions  do  not  always 
succeed  ;  the  elephants  often  break  through 
their  fences,  destroy  their  whole  harvest,  and 
overturn  their  little  habitations.  When  they 
have  satisfied  themselves,  and  trod  down  or 
devoured  whatever  lay  in  their  way,  they  then 
retreat  into  the  woods  in  the  same  orderly  man- 
ner in  which  they  made  their  irruption. 

Such  are  the  habits  of  this  animal,  consider- 
ed in  a  social  light ;  and,  if  we  regard  it  as  an 
individual,  we  shall  find  its  powers  still  more 
extraordinary.  With  a  very  awkward  appear- 
ance, it  possesses  all  the  senses  in  great  per- 
fection, and  is  capable  of  applying  them  to 
more  useful  purposes  than  any  other  quadru- 
ped. The  elephant,  as  we  observed,  has  very 
small  eyes,  when  compared  to  the  enormous 
bulk  of  its  body.  But  though  their  minuteness 
may  at  first  sight  appear  deformed,  yet,  when 
we  come  to  examine  them,  they  are  seen  to 
exhibit  a  variety  of  expression,  and  to  discover 
the  various  sensations  with  which  it  is  moved. 
It  turns  them  with  attention  and  friendship  to 
its  master  ;  it  seems  to  reflect  and  deliberate  ; 
and  as  its  passions  slowly  succeed  each 
other,  their  various  workings  are  distinctly 
seen. 

The  elephant  is  not  less  remarkable  for  the 
excellence  of  its  hearing.  Its  ears  are  extremely 
large,  and  greater  in  proportion  than  even  those 
of  an  ass.  They  are  usually  dependent ;  but 
it  can  readily  raise  and  move  them.  They 
serve  also  to  wipe  its  eyes,  and  to  protect  them 
against  the  dust  and  flies  that  might  otherwise 
incommode  them.  It  appears  delighted  with 
music,  and  very  readily  learns  to  beat  time,  to 
move  in  measure,  and  even  to  join  its  voice 
to  the  sound  of  the  drum  and  the  trumpet. 

This  animal's  sense  of  smelling  is  not  only 
exquisite,  but  it  is  in  a  great  measure  pleased 
with  the  same  odours  that  delight  mankind. 
The  elephant  gathers  flowers  with  great  plea- 
sure and  attention  ;  it  picks  them  up  one  by 
one,  unites  them  into  a  nosegay,  and  seems 
charmed  with  the  perfume.  The  orange-flower 
seams  to  be  particularly  grateful,  both  to  its 


sense  of  taste  and  smelling ;  it  strips  the  tree 
of  all  its  verdure,  and  eats  every  part  of  it,  even 
to  the  branches  themselves.  It  seeks  in  the 
meadows  the  most  odoriferous  plants  to  feed 
upon  ;  and  in  the  woods  it  prefers  the  cocoa, 
the  banana,  the  palm,  and  the  sago-tree,  to  all 
others.  As  the  shoots  of  these  are  tender,  and 
filled  with  pith,  it  eats  not  only  the  leaves  and 
the  fruits,  but  even  the  branches,  the  trunk, 
and  the  whole  plant  to  the  very  roots. 

But  it  is  in  the  sense  of  touching  that  this 
animal  excels  all  others  of  the  brute  creation, 
and  perhaps  even  man  himself.  The  organ  of 
this  sense  lies  wholly  in  the  trunk,  which  is  an 
instrument  peculiar  to  this  animal,  anil  that 
serves  it  for  all  the  purposes  of  a  hand.  The 
trunk  is,  properly  speaking,  only  the  snout 
lengthened  out  to  a  great  extent,  hollow  like  a 
pipe,  and  ending  in  two  openings,  or  nostrils, 
like  those  of  a  hog.  An  elephant  of  fourteen 
feet  high  has  the  trunk  about  eight  feet  long, 
and  five  feet  and  a  half  in  circumference  at  the 
mouth,  where  it  is  thickest.  It  is  hollow  all 
along,  but  with  a  partition  running  from  one 
end  of  it  to  the  other ;  so  that  though  outward- 
ly it  appears  like  a  single  pipe,  it  is  inwardly 
divided  into  two.  This  fleshy  tube  is  com- 
posed of  nerves  and  muscles,  covered  with  a 
proper  skin  of  a  blackish  colour,  like  that  of 
the  rest  of  the  body.  It  is  capable  of  bring 
moved  in  every  direction,  of  being  lengthened 
and  shortened,  of  being  bent  or  straightened  ; 
so  pliant  as  to  embrace  any  body  it  is  applied 
to,  and  yet  so  strong  that  nothing  can  be  torn 
from  the  gripe.  To  aid  the  force  of  this  grasp, 
there  are  several  little  eminences,  like  a  cater- 
pillar'sfeet,  on  theunderside  of  this  instrument, 
which  without  doubt  contribute  to  the  sensi- 
bility of  the  touch,  as  well  as  to  the  firmness 
of  the  hold.  Through  this  trunk  the  animal 
breathes,  drinks,  and  smells,  as  through  a  tube; 
and  at  the  very  point  of  it,  just  above  the  nos- 
trils, there  is  an  extension  of  the  skin,  about 
five  inches  long,  in  the  form  of  a  finger,  and 
which,  in  fact,  answers  all  the  purposes  of  one ; 
for,  with  the  rest  of  the  extremity  of  the  trunk, 
it  is  capable  of  assuming  different  forms  at 
will,  and  consequently  of  being  adapted  to  the 
minutest  objects.  By  means  of  this,  the  elephant 
can  take  a  pin  from  the  ground,  untie  the  knots 
of  a  rope,  unlock  a  door,  and  even  write  with 
a  pen.  "  I  have  myself  seen,"  says  .ZElian, 
"  an  elephant  writing  Latin  characters  on  a 


THE  EJ.-EPHANT. 


419 


board,  in  a  very  orderly  manner,  his  keeper 
only  showing  h'un  the  figure  of  each  letter. 
Wiiile  thus  employed,  the  eyes  might  be  ob- 
served studiously  cast  down  upon  the  writing, 
and  exhibiting  an  appearance  of  great  skill 
and  erudition."  It  sometimes  happens  that 
the  object  is  too  large  for  the  trunk  to  grasp  ; 
in  such  a  case  the  elephant  makes  use  of 
another  expedient,  as  admirable  as  any  of  the 
former.  It  applies  the  extremity  of  the  trunk 
to  the  surface  of  the  object,  and,  sucking  up 
its  breath,  lifts  and  sustains  such  a  weight  as 
the  air  in  that  case  is  capable  of  keeping  sus- 
pended. In  this  manner  this  instrument  is 
useful  in  most  of  the  purposes  of  life  ;  it  is  an 
organ  of  smelling,  of  touching,  and  of  suction ; 
it  not  only  provides  for  the  animal's  necessities 
and  comforts,  but  it  also  serves  for  its  orna- 
ment and  defence. 

But,  though  the  elephant  be  thus  admirably 
supplied  by  its  trunk,  yet,  with  resprct  to  the 
rest  of  its  conformation,  it  is  unwieldly  and 
helpless.  The  neck  is  so  short  that  it  can 
scarcely  turn  the  head,  and  must  wheel  round 
in  order  to  discover  an  enemy  from  behind. 
The  hunters  that  attack  it  upon  that  quarter, 
generally  thus  escape  the  effects  of  its  indigna- 
tion ;  and  find  time  to  renew  their  assaults 
waile  the  elephant  is  turning  to  face  them. 
The  legs  are,  indeed,  not  so  inflexible  as  the 
neck,  yet  they  are  very  stiff,  and  bend  not 
without  difficulty.  Those  before  seem  to  be 
longer  than  the  hinder  ;  but,  upon  being  mea- 
sured, are  found  to  be  something  shorter. 
The  joints,  by  which  they  bend,  are  nearly  in 
the  middle,  like  the  knee  of  a  man;  and  the 
great  bulk  which  they  are  to  support  makes 
their  flexure  ungainly.  While  the  elephant  is 
young,  it  bends  the  legs  to  lie  down  or  to  rise; 
but  when  it  grows  old,  or  sickly,  this  is  not 
performed  without  human  assistance,  and  it 
becomes,  consequently,  so  inconvenient,  that 
the  animal  chooses  to  sleep  standing.  The 
feet,  upon  which  these  massy  columns  are  sup- 
ported, form  a  base  scarcely  broader  than  the 
legs  they  sustain.  They  are  divided  into  five 
toes,  which  are  covered  beneath  the  skin,  and 
none  of  which  appear  to  the  eye  ;  a  kind  of 
protuberance  like  claws  are  only  observed, 
which  vary  in  number  from  three  to  five. 
The  apparent  claws  vary ;  the  internal  toes 
are  constantly  the  same.  The  sole  of  the  foot 
is  furnished  with  a  skin  as  thick  and  hard  as 

NO.  35  &  36. 


horn,  and  which  completely  covers  the  whole 
under-part  of  the  foot. 

To  the  rest  of  the  elephant's  incumbrances 
may  be  added  its  enormous  tusks,  which  are 
unserviceable  for  chewing,  and  are  only  wea- 
pons of  defence.  These,  as  the  animal  grows 
old,  become  so  heavy,  that  it  is  sometimes 
obliged  to  make  holes  in  the  walls  of  its  stall 
to  rest  them  in,  and  ease  itself  of  the  fatigue  of 
their  support.  It  is  well  known  to  what  an 
amazing  size  these  tusks  grow  ;  they  are  two 
in  number,  proceeding  from  the  upper  jaw, 
and  are  sometimes  found  above  six  feet  long. 
Some  have  supposed  them  to  be  rather  the  horns 
than  the  teeth  of  this  animal ;  but,  besides  their 
greater  similitude  to  bone  than  to  horn,  they 
have  been  indisputably  found  to  grow  from  the 
upper  jaw,  and  not  from  the  frontal  bones,  as 
some  have  thought  proper  to  assert."  Some 
also  have  asserted,  that  these  tusks  are  shed 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  stag  sheds  its  horns ; 
but  it  is  very  probable,  from  their  solid  con- 
sistence, and  from  their  accidental  defects, 
which  often  appears  to  be  the  effect  of  a  slow 
decay,  that  they  areasfixed  asthe  teeth  of  other 
animals  are  generally  found  (o  be.  Certain  it  is 
that  the  elephant  never  sheds  them  in  a  do- 
mestic state,  but  keeps  them  till  they  be- 
come inconvenient  and  encumbersome  to  the 
last  degree.  An  account  of  the  uses  to  which 
these  teeth  are  applied,  and  the  manner  of 
choosing  the  best  ivory,  belongs  rather  to  a 
history  of  the  arts  than  of  nature. 

This  animal  is  equally  singular  in  other  parts 
of  its  conformation ;  the  lips  and  the  tongue 
in  other  creatures  serve  to  suck  up  and  direct 
their  drink  or  their  food  ;  but  in  the  elephant 
they  are  totally  inconvenient  for  such  pur- 
poses ;  and  it  not  only  gathers  its  food  with  its 
trunk,  but  supplies  itself  with  water  by  the 
same  means.  When  it  eats  hay,  as  I  have 
seen  it  frequently,  it  takes  up  a  small  wisp  of 
it  with  the  trunk,  turns  and  shapes  it  with  that 
instrument  for  some  time,  and  then  directs  it 
into  the  mouth,  where  it  is  chewed  by  the  great 
grinding  teeth,  that  are  large  in  proportion  to 
the  bulk  of  the  animal.  This  pacquet,  when 
chewed,  is  swallowed,  and  never  ruminated 
again,  as  in  cows  or  sheep,  the  stomach  and 
intestines  of  this  creature  more  resembling 


a  See  Mr.  Daubenton's  description  of  the  skeleton  of 
this  animal. 

3R 


420 


THE  ELEPHANT. 


those  of  a  horse.  Its  manner  of  drinking  is 
equally  extraordinary.  For  this  purpose,  the 
elephant  dips  the  end  of  its  trunk  into  the 
water,  and  sucks  up  just  as  much  as  fills  that 
great  fleshy  tube  completely.  It  then  lifts  up 
its  head  with  the  trunk  full,  and  turning  the 
point  into  its  mouth,  as  if  it  intended  to  swal- 
low trunk  and  all,  it  drives  the  point  below 
the  opening  of  the  wind-pipe.  The  trunk 
being  in  this  position,  and  still  full  of  water, 
the  elephant  then  blows  strongly  into  it  at 
the  other  end,  which  forces  the  water  it  con- 
tains into  the  throat;  down  which  it  is  heard 
to  pour  with  a  loud  gurgling  noise,  which 
continues  till  the  whole  is  blown  down. 
From  this  manner  of  drinking,  some  have 
been  led  into  an  opinion  that  the  young  ele- 
phant sucks  with  its  trunk,  and  not  with  its 
mouth ;  this,  however,  is  a  fact  which  no  tra- 
veller has  hitherto  had  an  opportunity  of  see- 
ing, and  it  must  be  referred  to  some  future 
accident  to  determine.* 

The  hide  of  the  elephant  is  as  remarkable 
as  any  other  part.  It  is  not  covered  over 
with  hair,  as  in  the  generality  of  quadrupeds, 
but  is  nearly  bare.  Here  and  there  indeed 
a  few  bristles  are  seen  growing  in  the  scars 
and  wrinkles  of  the  body,  but  very  thinly 
scattered  over  the  rest  of  the  skin ;  but  in 
general  the  head  is  dry,  rough,  and  wrinkled, 
and  resembling  more  the  bark  of  an  old  tree 
than  the  skin  of  an  animal.  This  grows  thicker 
every  year;  and  by  a  constant  addition  of 
substance,  it  at  length  contracts  that  disorder 
well  known  by  the  name  of  the  elephantiasis, 
or  Arabian  leprosy;  a  disease  to  which  man, 
as  well  as  the  elephant,  is  often  subject.  In 
order  to  prevent  this,  the  Indians  rub  the  ele- 
phant with  oil,  and  frequently  bathe  it,  to 
preserve  its  pliancy.  To  the  inconveniences 
of  this  disorder  is  added  another,  arising  from 
the  great  sensibility  of  those  parts  that  are 
not  callous.  Upon  these  the  flies  settle  in 
great  abundance,  and  torment  this  animal  un- 
ceasingly; to  remedy  which,  the  elephant 
tries  all  its  arts;  using  not  only  its  tail  and 
trunk  in  the  natural  manner  to  keep  them 


0  The  young  elephant,  it  i»  now  known,  dues  not  suck 
by  the  trunk,  but  by  the  mouth  only,  as  in  all  other  quad- 
rupeds;  during  which  the  trunk  of  the  young  is  thrown 
back  over  the  head.  It  is,  however,  highly  remarkable, 


off,  but  even  takes  the  branch  of  a  tree,  or  a 
bundle  of  hay,  to  strike  them  off  with.  When 
this  fails,  it  often  gathers  up  the  dust  with  its 
trunk,  and  thus  covers  all  the  sensible  places 
In  this  manner  it  has  been  seen  to  dust  itseli 
several  times  a  day,  and  particularly  upon 
leaving  the  bath. 

Water  is  as  necessary  to  this  animal  as  foou 
itself.  When  in  a  state  of  nature,  the  ele- 
phant rarely  quits  the  banks  of  the  river,  and 
often  stands  in  water  up  to  the  belly.  In  a 
state  of  servitude,  the  Indians  take  equal  care 
to  provide  a  proper  supply;  they  wash  it 
with  great  address;  they  give  it  all  the  con- 
veniences for  lending  assistance  to  itself; 
they  smooth  the  skin  with  a  pumice-stone, 
and  then  rub  it  over  with  oils,  essences,  and 
odours. 

Itisnotto  be  wondered  at  that  an  animal  fur- 
nished with  so  many  various  advantages,  both 
of  strength,  sagacity,  and  obedience,  should 
he  taken  into  the  service  of  man.  WTe  ac- 
cordingly find  that  the  elephant,  from  time 
immemorial,  has  been  employed  either  for 
the  purposes  of  labour,  of  war,  or  of  ostenta- 
tion; to  increase  the  grandeur  of  eastern 
princes,  or  to  extend  their  dominions.  We 
have  hitherto  been  describing  this  animal  in 
its  natural  state;  we  now  come  to  consider 
it  in  a  different  view,  as  taken  from  the  forest, 
and  reduced  to  human  obedience.  We  are 
now  to  behold  this  brave  harmless  creature 
as  learning  a  lesson  from  mankind,  and  in- 
structed by  him  in  all  the  arts  of  war,  mas- 
sacre, and  devastation.  We  are  now  to  be- 
hold this  half-reasoning  animal  led  into  the 
field  of  battle,  and  wondering  at  those  tumults 
and  that  madness  which  he  is  compelled  to 
increase.  The  elephant  is  a  native  of  Africa 
and  Asia,  being  found  neither  in  Europe  nor 
America.  In  Africa  he  still  retains  his  natu- 
ral liberty.  The  savage  inhabitants  of  that 
part  of  the  world,  instead  of  attempting  to 
subdue  this  powerful  creature  to  their  neces- 
sities, are  happy  in  being  able  to  protect  them- 
selves from  his  fury.  Formerly,  indeed,  du- 
ring the  splendour  of  the  Carthaginian  empire, 


if  what  is  related  be  true,  that  they  do  not  attach  them- 
selves to  their  dams  in  par'icuh11,  but  suck  indiscriminate- 
ly the  females  of  the  whole  herd. 


THE  ELEPHANT. 


421 


elephants  were  used  in  their  wars ;  but  this 
was  only  a  transitory  gleam  of  human  power 
in  thai  p.irt  of  the  globe:  the  natives  of 
AfVi  '  i  h.we  long  since  degenerated,  and  the 
elephant  is  oaly  known  among  them  from  his 
devastations.  However,  there  are  no  ele- 
phants in  the  northern  parts  of  Africa  at  pre- 
sent, there  being  none  found  on  this  side  of 
Mount  Atlas.  It  is  beyond  the  river  Senegal 
that  they  are  to  be  met  with  in  great  numbers, 
and  so  down  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  as 
well  as  in  the  heart  of  the  country.  In  this 
extensive  region  they  appear  to  be  more  nu- 
merous than  in  any  other  part  of  the  world. 
They  are  there  less  fearful  of  man:  less  re- 
tired into  the  heart  of  the  forests,  they  seem 
to  be  sensible  of  his  impotence  and  ignorance; 
and  often  come  down  to  ravage  his  little  la- 
bours. They  treat  him  with  the  same  haugh- 
ty disdain  which  they  show  to  other  animals, 
and  consider  him  as  a  mischievous  little  being, 
that  fears  to  oppose  them  openly. 

But  although  these  animals  are  most  plen- 
tiful in  Africa,  it  is  only  in  Asia  that  the  great- 
est elephants  are  found,  and  rendered  sub- 
servient to  human  command.  In  Africa,  the 
largest  do  not  exceed  ten  feet  high ;  in  Asia 
they  are  found  from  ten  to  fifteen.  Their 
price  increases  in  proportion  to  their  size; 
and  when  they  exceed  a  certain  bulk,  like 
jewels,  their  value  then  rises  as  the  fancy  is 
pleased  to  estimate. 

The  largest  are  entirely  kept  for  the  ser- 
vice of  princes ;  and  are  maintained  with  the 
utmost  magnificence,  and  at  the  greatest  ex- 
pense. The  usual  colour  of  the  elephant, 
is  a  dusky  black,  but  some  are  said  to  be 
white;  and  the  price  of  one  of  these  is  ines- 
timable. Such  a  one  is  peculiarly  appro- 
priated for  the  monarch's  own  riding;  he  is 
kept  in  a  palace,  attended  by  the  nobles,  and 
almost  adored  by  the  people."  Some  have 
said  that  these  white  elephants  are  larger 
f  than  the  rest  ;b  others  assert  that  they  are 
less;  and  still  others  entirely  doubt  their  ex- 
istence. 

As  the  art  of  war  is  but  very  little  improv- 
ed in  Asia,  there  are  few  princes  of  the  East 
who  do  not  procure  and  maintain  as  many 

a  P.  Vincent  Marie.  •>  P.  Tachard. 

c  Multis  persuasinn  est  elephantem  non  brutorum  sed 
liorninum  more  coire.  Quod  retro  mingit  non  dubitatur. 


elephants  as  they  are  able,  and  place  great 
confidence  on  their  assistance  in  an  engage- 
ment. For  this  purpose  they  are  obliged  to 
take  them  wild  in  their  native  forests,  and 
tame  them;  for  the  elephant  never  breeds 
in  a  state  of  servitude.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
striking  peculiarities  in  this  extraordinary 
creature,  that  his  generative  powers  totally 
fail  when  he  comes  under  the  dominion  of 
man;  as  if  he  seemed  unwilling  to  propagate 
a  race  of  slaves,  to  increase  the  pride  of  his 
conqueror.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  other  quad- 
ruped that  will  not  breed  in  its  own  native 
climate,  if  indulged  with  a  moderate  share  of 
freedom;  and  we  know  that  many  of  them 
will  copulate  in  every  climate.  The  elephant 
alone  has  never  been  seen  to  breed ;  and 
though  he  has  been  reduced  under  the  obe- 
dience of  man  for  ages,  the  duration  of  preg- 
nancy in  the  female0  still  remains  a  secret. 
Aristotle,  indeed,  asserts,  that  she  goes  two 
years  with  young;  that  she  continues  to 
suckle  her  young  for  three  years,  and  that 
she  brings  forth  but  one  at  a  time:  but  he 
does  not  inform  us  of  the  manner  in  which  it 
was  possible  for  him  to  have  his  information. 
From  authorities  equally  doubtful,  we  learn, 
that  the  little  one  is  about  as  large  as  a  wild 
boar  the  instant  it  is  brought  forth ;  that  its 
tusks  do  not  yet  appear;  but  that  all  the  rest 
of  its  teeth  are  apparent ;  that  at  the  age  of 
six  months,  it  is  as  large  as  an  ox,  and  its 
tusks  pretty  well  grown  ;  and  that  it  conti- 
nues, in  this  manner,  for  near  ihirty  years,  ad- 
vancing to  maturity.  All  this  is  doubtful; 
but  it  is  certain  that,  in  order  to  recruit  the 
numbers  which  are  consumed  in  war,  the 
princes  of  the  East  are  every  year  obliged  to 
send  into  the  forests,  and  to  use  various  me- 
thods to  procure  a  fresh  supply.  Of  all  these 
numerous  bands,  there  is  not  one  that  has 
not  been  originally  wild ;  nor  one  that  has 
not  been  forced  into  a  state  of  subjection. 
Men  themselves  are  often  content  to  propa- 
gate a  race  of  slaves,  that  pass  down  in  this 
wretched  state  through  successive  genera- 
tions: but  the  elephant,  under  subjection,  is 
unalterably  barren ;  perhaps  from  some  phy- 
sical causes,  which  are  as  yet  unknown. 

Sed  ipse  vidi  marein  hujusce  speciei,in  nostri  regis  stabulis, 
super  fa'tnellam  itidem  inclusam  quadruqednm  more  sili- 
entem,  pene  pauiulum  incurvato  sed  sufficienter  recto 
3R* 


422 


THE  ELEPHANT. 


The  Indian  princes  having  vainly  endea- 
voured to  multiply  the  breed  of  elephants, 
like  that  of  other  animals,  have  been  at  last 
content  to  separate  the  males  from  the  fe- 
males, to  prevent  those  accesses  of  desire, 
which  debilitated  without  multiplying  the 
species.  In  order  to  take  them  wild  in  the 
woods,  a  spot  of  ground  is  fixed  upon,  which 
is  surrounded  with  a  strong  palisade.  This 
is  made  of  the  thickest  and  the  strongest 
trees;  and  strengthened  by  cross  bars  which 
give  firmness  to  the  whole.  The  posts  are 
fixed  at  such  distances  from  each  other,  that 
a  man  can  easily  pass  between  them;  there 
being  only  one  great  passage  left  open, 
through  which  an  elephant  can  easily  come; 
and  which  is  so  contrived  as  to  shut  behind,  as 
soon  as  the  beast  is  entered.  To  draw  him 
into  this  enclosure,  it  is  necessary  first  to  find 
him  out  in  the  woods;  and  a  female  elephant 
is  conducted  along  into  the  heart  of  the  forest, 
where  it  is  obliged  by  its  keeper  to  cry  out 
for  the  male.  The  male  very  readily  answers 
the  cry,  and  hastens  to  join  her ;  which  the' 
keeper  perceiving,  obliges  her  to  retreat, 
still  repeating  the  same  cry,  until  she  leads 
the  animal  into  the  enclosure  already  describ- 
ed, which  shuts  the  moment  he  is  entered. 
Still,  however,  the  female  proceeds  calling 
and  inviting,  while  the  male  proceeds  forward 
in  the  enclosure,  which  grows  narrower  all 
the  way,  and  until  the  poor  animal  finds  him- 
self completely  shut  up,  without  the  power 
of  either  advancing  or  retreating;  the  female 
in  the  mean  time  being  let  out  by  a  private 
way,  which  she  has  been  previously  accus- 
tomed to.  The  wild  elephant,  upon  seeing 
himself  entrapped  in  this  manner,  instantly 
attempts  to  use  violence ;  and,  upon  seeing 
the  hunters,  all  his  former  desires  only  turn 
to  fury.  In  the  mean  time,  the  hunters,  hav- 
ing fixed  him  with  cords,  attempt  to  soften  his 
indignation,  by  throwing  buckets  of  water 
upon  him  in  great  quantities,  rubbing  the 
body  with  leaves,  and  pouring  oil  down  his 
ears.  Soon  after,  two  tame  elephants  are 
brought,  a  male  and  a  female,  that  caress  the 
indignant  animal  with  their  trunks;  while 
they  still  continue  pouring  water  to  refresh  it. 
At  last  a  tame  elephant  is  brought  forward, 
of  that  number  which  is  employed  in  instruct- 
ing the  new-comers,  and  an  officer  riding 


upon  it,  in  order  to  show  the  late  captive  that 
it  has  nothing  to  lear.  The  hunters  then 
open  the  enclosure ;  and  while  this  creature 
leads  the  captive  along,  two  more  are  joined 
on  either  side  of  it,  and  these  compel  it  to 
submit.  It  is  then  tied  by  cords  to  a  massy 
pillar,  provided  for  that  purpose,  and  suffer- 
ed to  remain  in  that  position  for  about  a  day 
and  a  night,  until  its  indignation  be  wholly 
subsided.  The  next  day  it  begins  to  be  some- 
what submissive;  and  in  a  fortnight  is  com- 
pletely tamed  like  the  rest.  The  females  are 
taken  when  accompanying  the  males ;  they 
often  come  into  these  enclosures,  and  they 
shortly  after  serve  as  decoys  to  the  rest. 
But  the  method  of  taking  the  elephant  differs, 
according  to  the  abilities  of  the  hunter:  the 
negroes  of  Africa,  who  hunt  this  animal  mere- 
ly for  its  flesh,  are  content  to  take  it  i:i  pit- 
falls; and  often  to  pursue  it  in  the  defiles  of 
a  mountain,  where  it  cannot  easily  turn,  and 
so  wound  it  from  behind  till  it  falls. 

The  elephant,  when  once  tamed,  becomes 
the  most  gentle  and  obedient  of  all  animals. 
It  soon  conceives  an  attachment  lor  the  person 
that  attends  it,  caresses  him,  obeys  him,  and 
seems  to  anticipate  his  desires.  In  a  short 
time  it  begins  to  comprehend  several  of  the 
signs  made  to  it,  and  even  the  different  sounds 
of  the  voice;  it  perfectly  distinguishes  the 
tone  of  command  from  that  of  anger  or  ap- 
probation, and  acts  accordingly.  It  is  seldom 
deceived  in  its  master's  voice ;  it  receives  his 
orders  with  attention,  and  executes  them 
with  prudence,  eagerly,  yet  without  precipi- 
tation. All  its  motions  are  regulated,  and  its 
actions  seem  to  partake  of  its  magnitude; 
being  grave,majestic,and  secure.  It  is  quickly 
taught  to  kneel  down,  to  receive  its  rider;  it 
caresses  those  it  knows  with  its  trunk;  with 
this.salutes  such  as  it  is  ordered  to  distinguish, 
and  with  this,  as  with  a  hand,  helps  to  take 
up  a  part  of  its  load.  It  suffers  itself  to  be 
arrayed  in  harness,  and  seems  to  take  a  plea- 
sure in  the  finery  of  its  trappings.  It  draws 
either  chariots,  cannon,  or  shipping,  with 
surprising  strength  and  perseverance;  and 
this  with  a  seeming  satisfaction,  provided  that 
it  be  not  beaten  without  a  cause,  and  that  its 
master  appears  pleased  with  its  exertions. 

The  elephant's  conductor  is  usually  mount- 
ed upon  its  neck,  and  makes  use  of  a  rod  of 


THE  ELEPHANT. 


423 


iron  to  guide  it,  wkich  is  sometimes  pointed, 
and  at  others  bent  into  a  hook.  With  this 
the  animal  is  spurred  forward,  when  dull  or 
disobedient ;  but,  in  general,  a  word  is  suffi- 
cient to  put  the  gentle  creature  into  motion, 
especially  when  it  is  acquainted  with  its  con- 
ductor. This  acquaintance  is  often  perfectly 
necessary ;  for  the  elephant  frequently  takes 
such  an  affection  to  its  keeper,  that  it  will 
obey  no  other:  and  it  has  been  known  to  die 
for  grief,  when,  in  some  sudden  fit  of  madness, 
it  has  killed  its  conductor.  We  are  told,  that 
one  of  these,  that  was  used  by  the  French 
forces  in  India  for  the  drawing  their  cannon, 
was  promised,  by  the  conductor,  a  reward 
for  having  performed  some  painful  service; 
but  being  disappointed  of  its  expectations,  it 
slew  him  in  a  fury.  The  conductor's  wife, 
who  was  a  spectator  of  this  shocking  scene, 
could  not  restrain  her  madness  and  despair; 
but  running  with  her  two  children  in  her 
arms,  threw  them  at  the  elephant's  feet,  cry- 
ing out,  that  since  it  had  killed  her  husband, 
it  might  kill  her  and  her  children  also.  The 
elephant,  seeing  the  children  at  its  feet,  in- 
stantly stopped,  arid  moderating  its  fury,  took 
up  the  eldest  w  ith  its  trunk,  and  placing  him 
upon  its  neck,  adopted  him  for  its  conductor, 
and  obeyed  him  ever  after  with  great  punc- 
tuality. 

But  it  is  not  for  drawing  burdens  alone, 
that  the  elephants  are  serviceable  in  war ; 
they  are  often  brought  into  the  ranks,  and 
compelled  to  fight  in  the  most  dangerous  parts 
of  the  field  of  battle.  There  was  a  time,  in- 
deed, in  India,  when  they  were  much  more 
used  in  war  than  at  present.  A  century  or 
two  ago,  a  great  part  of  the  dependence  of 
the  general  was  upon  the  number  and  the 
expertness  of  his  elephants;  but  of  late,  since 
war  has  been  contented  to  adopt  fatal  instead 
of  formidable  arts,  the  elephant  is  little  used, 
except  for  drawing  cannon,  or  transporting 
provisions.  The  princes  of  the  country  are 
pleased  to  keep  a  few  for  ornament,  or  for 
thr>  purposes  of  removing  their  seraglios : 
but  they  are  seldom  led  into  a  field  of  battle, 
where  they  are  unable  to  withstand  the  dis- 
charge of  fire-arms,  and  have  often  been 
found  to  turn  upon  their  employers.  Still, 
however,  they  are  used  in  war,  in  the  more 
remote  parts  of  the  East;  in  Siam,  in  Cochin 


China,  in  Tonquin,  and  Pegu.  In  all  these 
places,  they  not  only  serve  to  swell  the  pomp 
of  state,  being  adorned  with  all  the  barbarian 
splendour  that  those  countries  can  bestow, 
but  they  are  actually  led  into  the  field  of  bat- 
tle, armed  before  with  coats  of  mail,  and 
loaded  on  the  back  each  with  a  square  tower, 
containing  from  five  combatants  to  seven. 
Upon  its  neck  sits  the  conductor,  who  goads 
the  animal  into  the  thickest  ranks,  and  en- 
courages it  to  increase  the  devastation; 
wherever  it  goes,  nothing  can  withstand  its 
fury;  it  levels  the  ranks  with  its  immense 
bulk,  flings  such  as  oppose  it  into  the  air,  or 
crushes  them  to  death  under  its  feet.  In  the 
mean  time,  those  who  are  placed  upon  its 
back,  combat  as  from  an  eminence,  and  fling 
down  their  weapons  with  double  force,  their 
weight  being  added  to  their  velocity.  No- 
thing, therefore,  can  be  more  dreadful,  or  more 
irresistible,  than  such  a  moving  machine,  to 
men  unacquainted  with  the  modern  arts  of 
war;  the  elephant  thus  armed  and  conduct- 
ed, raging  in  the  midst  of  the  field  of  battle, 
inspires  more  terror  than  even  those  machines 
that  destroy  at  a  distance,  and  are  often  most 
fatal  when  most  unseen.  But  this  method  of 
combating,is  rather  formidable  that  effectual; 
polished  nations  have  ever  been  victorious 
over  those  semi-barbarous  troops  that  have 
called  in  the  elephant  to  their  assistance,  or 
attempted  to  gain  a  victory  by  merely  aston- 
ishing their  opposers.  The  Romans  quickly 
learned  the  art  of  opening  their  ranks  to  ad- 
mit the  elephant,  and  thus  separating  it  from 
assistance,  quickly  compelled  its  conductors 
to  calm  the  animal's  fury,  and  to  submit.  It 
sometimes  also  happened  that  the  elephant 
became  impatient  of  control;  and,  instead  of 
obeying  its  conductor,  turned  upon  those  for- 
ces it  was  employed  to  assist.  In  either  case, 
there  was  a  great  deal  of  preparation  to  very 
little  effect,  for  a  single  elephant  is  known  to 
consume  as  much  as  forty  men  in  a  day. 

At  present,  therefore,  they  are  chiefly  em- 
ployed in  carrying,  or  drawing  burdens, 
throughout  the  whole  Peninsula  of  India; 
and  no  animal  can  be  more  fitted  by  nature 
for  this  employment.  The  strength  of  an  ele- 
phant is  equal  to  its  bulk,  for  it  can,  with 
great  ease,  draw  a  load  that  six  horses  could 
not  remove ;  it  can  readily  carry  upon  its 


421 


THE  ELEPHANT 


back  three  or  four  thousand  weight ;  upon  its 
tusks  alone  it  can  support  near  a  thousand : 
its  force  may  also  be  estimated  from  the  velo- 
city of  its  motion,  compared  to  the  mass  of  its 
body.  It  can  go,  in  its  ordinary  pace,  as  fast 
as  a  horse  at  an  easy  trot ;  and,  when  pushed, 
it  can  move  as  swiftly  as  a  horse  at  full  gallop. 
It  can  travel  with  ease  fifty  or  sixty  miles  a 
day  ;  and,  when  hard  pressed,  almost  double 
that  distance.  It  may  be  heard  trotting  on  at 
a  great  distance  ;  it  is  easy  also  to  follow  it  by 
the  track,  which  is  deeply  impressed  on  the 
ground,  and  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches  in 
diameter. 

In  India  they  are  also  put  to  other  very  dis- 
agreeable offices ;  for  in  some  courts  of  the 
more  barbarous  princes,  they  are  used  as  exe- 
cutioners :  and  this  horrid  task  they  perform 
with  great  dexterity :  with  their  trunks  they 
are  seen  to  break  every  limb  of  the  criminal 
at  the  word  of  command ;  they  sometimes 
trample  him  to  death,  and  sometimes  impale 
him  on  their  enormous  tusks,  as  directed.  In 
this  the  elephant  is  rather  the  servant  of  a  cruel 
master  than  a  voluntary  tyrant,  since  no  other 
animal  of  the  forest  is  so  naturally  benevolent 
and  gentle ;  equally  mindful  of  benefits  as 
sensible  of  neglect,  he  contracts  a  friendship 
for  his  keeper,  and  obeys  him  even  beyond  his 
capacity. 

In  India,  where  they  were  at  one  time  em- 
ployed in  launching  ships,  a  particular  elephant 
was  directed  to  force  a  very  large  vessel  into 
the  water :  the  work  proved  superior  to  its 
strength,  but  not  to  its  endeavours ;  which, 
however,  the  keeper  affected  to  despise. 
"  Take  away,"  says  he,  "  that  lazy  beast,  arid 
bring  another  better  fitted  for  service."  The 
poor  animal  instantly  upon  this  redoubled  its 
efforts,  fractured  its  skull,  and  died  upon  the 
spot. 

In  Delhi,  an  elephant,  passing  along  the 
streets,  put  his  trunk  into  a  tailor's  shop,  where 
several  people  were  at  work.  One  of  the  per- 
sons of  the  shop,  desirous  of  some  amusement, 
pricked  the  animal's  trunk  with  his  needle, 
and  seemed  highly  delighted  with  this  slight 
punishment.  The  elephant,  however,  passed 
on  without  any  immediate  signs  of  resentment; 
but  corning  to  a  puddle  filled  with  dirty  water, 
he  filled  his  trunk,  returned  to  the  shop,  and 
spurted  the  contents  over  all  the  finery  upon 
which  the  tailors  were  then  employed. 


An  elephant  in  Adsmeer,  which  often  pnssed 
through  the  bazar  or  market,  as  he  went  by  a 
certain  herb- woman,  always  received  from  her 
a  mouthful  of  greens.  Being  one  day  seized 
with  a  periodical  fit  of  madness,  he  broke  his 
fetters,  and  running  through  the  niarkt  t,  put 
the  crowd  to  flight,  and  among  others,  this 
woman,  w  ho  in  her  haste  forgot  a  little  child 
at  her  stall.  The  elephant  recollecting  the 
spot  where  its  benefactress  was  accustomed 
to  sit,  took  up  the  infant  gently  in  its  trunk, 
and  conveyed  it  to  a  place  of  safety. 

At  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  it  is  customary 
to  hunt  those  animals  for  the  sake  of  their 
teeth.  Three  horsemen,  well  mounted,  and 
armed  with  lances,  attack  the  elephant  alter- 
nately, each  relieving  the  other,  as  they  see 
their  companion  pressed,  till  the  boast  is  sub- 
dued. Three  Dutchmen,  brothers,  who  had 
made  large  fortunes  by  this  business,  deter- 
mined to  retire  to  Europe,  and  enjoy  the  fruits 
of  their  labours ;  but  they  resolved,  one  day 
before  they  went,  to  have  a  last  chase,  by  way 
of  amusement :  they  met  with  tlu-ir  game,  and 
began  their  attack  in  the  usual  manner :  but, 
unfortunately,  one  of  their  horses  falling,  hap- 
pened to  fling  his  rider ;  the  enraged  elephant 
instantly  seized  the  unhappy  huntsman  with 
his  trunk,  flung  him  up  to  a  vast  height  in  the 
air,  and  received  him  upon  one  of  his  tusks, 
as  he  fell ;  and  then  turning  towards  the  other 
two  brothers,  as  if  it  were  with  an  aspect  of 
revenge  and  insult,  held  out  to  them  the  im- 
paled wretch,  writhing  in  the  agonies  of 
death. 

The  teeth  of  the  elephant  are  what  produce 
the  great  enmity  between  him  and  mankind  ; 
but  whether  they  arc  shed  like  the  horns  of 
the  deer,  or  whether  the  animal  be  killed  to 
obtain  them,  is  not  yet  perfectly  known.  All 
we  have  as  yet  certain  is,  that  the  natives  of 
Africa,  from  whence  almost  all  our  ivory 
comes,  assure  us,  that  thry  find  the  greatest 
part  of  it  in  their  forests  ;  nor  would,  say  they, 
the  teeth  of  an  elephant  recompense  them  for 
their  trouble  and  danger  in  killing  it :  not- 
withstanding, the  elephants  which  are  tamed 
by  man,  are  never  known  to  shed  their  tusks; 
and  from  the  hardness  of  their  substance,  they 
seem  no  way  analogous  to  deers'  horns. 

The  teeth  of  the  elephant  are  very  often 
found  in  a  fossil  state.  Some  years  ago,  two 
great  grinding  teeth,  and  part  of  the  tusk  of 


THE  RHINOCEROS. 


425 


an  elephant,  were  discovered  at  the  depth 
of  forty-two  yards  in  a  lead-mine  in  Flint- 
shire." 

The  tusks  of  the  Mammoth,  so  often  found 
fossil  in  Siberia,  and  which  are  converted  to 
the  purposes  of  ivory,  are  generally  supposed 
to  belong  to  the  elephant :  however,  the  ani- 
mal must  have  been  much  larger  in  that  coun- 
try than  it  is  found  at  present,  as  those  tusks 
are  often  known  to  weigh  four  hundred  pounds; 
while  those  that  come  from  Africa  seldom  ex- 
ceed two  hundred  and  fifty.  These  enormous 
tusks  are  found  lodged  in  the  sandy  banks  of 
the  Siberian  rivers ;  and  the  natives  pretend 
that  they  belong  to  an  animal  which  is  four 
times  as  large  as  the  elephant. 

There  have  lately  been  discovered  several 
enormous  skeletons,  five  or  six  feet  beneath  the 
surface,  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  not  remote 
from  the  river  Miume,  in  America,  seven  hun- 
dred miles  from  the-sea  coast.  Some  of  the 
tusks  are  near  seven  feet  long ;  one  foot  nine 
inches  in  circumference  at  the  base,  and  one 
foot  near  the  point ;  the  cavity  at  the  root  or 
base,  nineteen  inches  deep.  Besides  their 
size,  there  are  yet  other  differences  :  the  tusks 
of  the  true  elephant  have  sometimes  a  very 


slight  lateral  bend  ;  these  have  a  larger  twist, 
or  spiral  curve,  towards  the  smaller  end  :  but 
the  great  and  specific  difference  consists  in  the 
shape  of  the  grinding  teeth ;  which,  in  these 
newly  found,  are  fashioned  like  the  teeth  of  a 
carnivorous  animal ;  not  flat  and  ribbed  trans- 
versely on  their  surface,  like  those  of  the 
modern  elephant,  but  furnished  with  a  double 
row  of  high  and  conic  processes,  as  if  intended 
to  masticate,  not  to  grind  their  food.  A  third 
difference  is  in  the  thigh-bone,  which  is  of  a 
great  disproportionable  thickness  to  that  of 
the  elephant ;  and  has  also  some  other  anato- 
mical variations.  These  fossil  bones  have 
been  also  found  in  Peru  and  the  Brazils  ;  and, 
when  cut  and  polished  by  the  workers  in  ivory, 
appear,  in  every  respect,  similar.  It  is  the 
opinion  of  Dr.  Hunter,  that  they  must  have 
belonged  to  a  larger  animal  than  the  elephant ; 
and  differing  from  it,  in  being  carnivorous. 
But  as  yet  this  formidable  creature  has  evaded 
our  search ;  and,  if  indeed,  such  an  animal 
exists,  it  is  happy  for  man  that  it  keeps  at  a  dis- 
tance; since  what  ravage  might  not  be  expect- 
ed from  a  creature,  endued  with  more  than  the 
strength  of  the  elephant,  and  all  the  rapacity 
of  the  tiger ! 


CHAPTER  LX. 

OF  THE  RHINOCEROS. 


NEXT  to  the  elephant,  the  Rhinoceros  is 
the  most  powerful  of  animals.  It  is  usually 
found  twelve  feet  long,  from  the  tip  of  the  nose 
to  the  insertion  of  the  tail ;  from  six  to  seven 
feet  high ;  and  the  circumference  of  its  body 
is  nearly  equal  to  its  length.  It  is,  therefore, 
equal  to  the  elephant  in  bulk :  and  if  it  ap- 
pears much  smaller  to  the  eye,  the  reason  is, 
that  its  legs  are  much  shorter.  Words  can 
convey  but  a  very  confused  idea  of  this  ani- 
mal's slmpe  ;  and  yet  there  are  few  so  re- 
markably formed  :  its  head  is  furnished  with 
a  horn,  growing  from  the  snout,  sometimes 
three  feet  and  a  half  long ;  and  but  for  this, 
that  part  would  have  the  appearance  of  the 

»  Pennant's  Synopsis,  p.  90. 


head  of  a  hog ;  the  upper  lip,  however,  is 
much  longer  in  proportion,  ends  in  a  point,  is 
very  pliable,  serves  to  collect  its  food,  and  de- 
liver it  into  the  mouth :  the  ears  are  large, 
erect,  and  pointed ;  the  eyes  are  small  and 
piercing  ;  the  skin  is  naked,  rough,  knotty, 
and  lying  upon  the  body  in  folds,  after  a  very 
peculiar  fashion  :  there  are  two  folds  very  re- 
markable ;  one  above  the  shoulders,  and 
another  over  the  rump :  the  skin,  which  is  of 
a  dirty  brown  colour,  is  so  thick  as  to  turn  the 
edge  of  a  scimitar,  and  to  resist  a  musket-ball; 
the  belly  hangs  low ;  the  legs  are  short,  strong, 
and  thirk,  and  the  hoofs  divided  into  three 
parts,  each  pointing  forward. 

Such  is   the  general  outline  of  an  animal 
that  t.ppears  chiefly  formidable  from  the  horn 


426 


THE  RHINOCEROS. 


trowing  from  its  snout ;  and  formed  rather 
jr  war,  than  with  a  propensity  to  engage. 
This  horn  is  sometimes  found  from  three  to 
three  feet  and  a  half  long,  growing  from  the 
solid  bone,  and  so  disposed  as  to  be  managed 
to  the  greatest  advantage.  It  is  composed  of 
the  most  solid  substance ;  and  pointed  so  as  to 
inflict  the  most  fatal  wounds.  The  elephant, 
the  boar,  or  the  buffalo,  are  obliged  to  strike 
transversely  with  their  weapons  ;  but  the  rhi- 
noceros employs  all  his  force  with  every  blow  ; 
so  that  the  tiger  will  more  willingly  attack  any 
other  animal  of  the  forest,  than  one  whose 
strength  is  so  justly  employed.  Indeed,  there 
is  no  force  which  this  terrible  animal  has  to 
apprehend :  defended,  on  every  side,  by  a 
thick  horny  hide,  which  the  claws  of  the  lion 
or  the  tiger  are  unable  to  pierce,  and  armed 
before  with  a  weapon  that  even  the  elephant 
does  not  choose  to  oppose.  The  missionaries 
assure  us,  that  the  elephant  is  often  found  dead 
in  the  forests,  pierced  with  the  horn  of  a  rhi- 
noceros ;  and  though  it  looks  like  wisdom  to 
doubt  whatever  they  tell  us,  yet  I  cannot  help 
giving  credit  to  what  they  relate  on  this  occa- 
sion, particularly  when  confirmed  by  Pliny. 
The  combat  between  these  two,  the  most  for- 
midable animals  of  the  forest,  must  be  very 
dreadful.  Emanuel,  king  of  Portugal,  willing 
to  try  their  strength,  actually  opposed  them  to 
each  other ;  and  the  elephant  was  defeated. 

But  though  the  rhinoceros  is  thus  formidable 
by  nature,  yet  imagination  has  not  failed  to 
exert  itself,  in  adding  to  its  terrors.  The  scent 
is  said  to  be  most  exquisite ;  and  it  is  af- 
firmed that  it  consorts  with  the  tiger.  It  is 
reported  also,  that  when  it  has  overturned  a 
man,  or  any  other  animal,  it  continues  to  lick 
the  flesh  quite  from  the  bone  with  its  tongue, 
which  is  said  to  be  extremely  rough.  All  this, 
however,  is  fabulous :  the  scent,  if  we  may 
judge  from  the  expansion  of  the  olfactory 
nerves,  is  not  greater  than  that  of  a  hog,  which 
we  know  to  be  indifferent ;  it  keeps  company 
with  the  tiger,  only  because  they  both  frequent 
watery  places  in  the  burning  climates  where 
they  are  bred  ;  and  as  to  its  rough  tongue, 
that  is  so  far  from  the  truth,  that  no  animal  of 
near  its  size  has  so  soft  a  one.  "  I  have  often 
felt  it  myself,"  says  Ladvocat,  in  his  descrip- 
tion of  this  animal ;  "  it  is  smooth,  soft,  and 
small,  like  that  of  a  dog ;  and  to  the  feel  it 
appears  as  if  one  passed  the  hand  over  velvet ; 


I  have  often  seen  it  lick  a  young  man's  face 
who  kept  it,  and  both  seemed  pleased  with 
the  action." 

The  rhinoceros  which  was  shown  at  Lon- 
don in  1739,  and  described  by  Dr.  Parsons, 
had  been  sent  from  Bengal.  Though  it  was 
very  young,  not  being  above  two  years  old, 
yet  the  charge  of  his  carriage  and  food  from 
India  cost  near  a  thousand  pounds.  It  was 
fed  with  rice,  sugar,  and  hay  :  it  was  daily 
supplied  with  seven  pounds  of  rice,  mixed  with 
three  of  sugar,  divided  into  three  portions ;  it 
was  given  great  quantities  of  hay  and  grass, 
which  it  chiefly  preferred;  its  drink  was  water, 
which  it  took  in  great  quantities.  It  was  of  a 
gentle  disposition,  and  permitted  itself  to  be 
touched  and  handled  by  all  visiters,  never  at- 
tempting mischief,  except  when  abused,  or 
when  hungry  ;  in  such  a  case,  there  was  no 
method  of  appeasing  its  fury,  but  by  giving  it 
something  to  eat.  When  angry,  it  would 
jump  up  against  the  walls  of  its  room  with 
greav  violence,  and  made  many  efforts  to  es- 
cape, but  seldom  attempted  to  attack  its  keep- 
er, and  was  always  submissive  to  his  threats. 
It  had  a  peculiar  cry,  somewhat  a  mixture  be- 
tween the  grunting  of  a  hog  and  the  bellowing 
of  a  calf. 

The  age  of  these  animals  is  not  well  known ; 
it  is  said  by  some,  that  they  bring  forth  at  three 
years  old,  and  if  we  may  reason  from  analogy, 
it  is  probable  they  seldom  live  till  above 
twenty.  That  which  was  shown  in  London, 
was  said  by  its  keeper  to  be  eighteen  years 
old,  and  even  at  that  age  he  pretended  to  con- 
sider it  as  a  young  one ;  however,  it  died 
shortly  after,  and  that  probably  in  the  course 
of  nature. 

The  rhinoceros  is  a  native  of  the  deserts  of 
Asia  and  Africa,  and  is  usually  found  in  those 
extensive  forests  that  are  frequented  by  the 
elephant  and  the  lion.  As  it  subsists  entirely 
upon  vegetable  food,  it  is  peaceful  and  harm- 
less among  its  fellows  of  the  brute  creation  ; 
but,  though  it  never  provokes  to  combat,  it 
equally  disdains  to  fly.  It  is  every  way  fitted 
for  war,  but  rests  content  in  the  conciousness 
of  its  security.  It  is  particularly  fond  of  the 
prickly  branches  of  trees,  and  is  seen  to  feed 
upon  such  thorny  shrubs  as  would  be  danger- 
ous to  other  animals,  either  to  gather  or  to 
swallow.  The  prickly  points  of  these,  how- 
ever, may  only  serve  to  give  a  poignant  relish 


I .  Hi|ij»o|Muamus  .\Mi|)lnl>m- .  lli|.|>.'|,i.i  .mm-     .!  l,i|«ii  Americana.  Taj»ir 


THE  HIPPOPOTAMUS. 


427 


this  animal's  palate,  and  may  answer  the  same 
grateful  ends  in  seasoning  its  banquet  that 
spices  do  in  heightening  ours. 

In  some  parts  of  the  kingdom  of  Asia,  where 
the  natives  are  more  desirous  of  appearing 
warlike  than  showing  themselves  brave,  these 
animals  are  tamed,  and  led  into  the  field  to 
strike  terror  into  the  enemy;  but  they  are 
always  an  unmanageable  and  restive  animal, 
and  probably  more  dangerous  to  the  employ- 
ers than  those  whom  they  are  brought  to  op- 
pose. 

The  method  of  taking  them,  is  chiefly  watch- 
ing them,  till  they  are  found  either  in  some 
moist  or  marshy  place,  where,  like  hogs,  they 
are  fond  of  sleeping  and  wallowing.  They 
then  destroy  the  old  one  with  fire  arms;  for 
no  weapons  that  are  thrown  by  the  force  of 
man  are  capable  of  entering  this  animal's 
hide.  If,  when  the  old  one  is  destroyed,  there 
happens  to  be  a  cub,  they  seize  and  tame  it: 


these  animals  are  sometimes  taken  in  pit-falls, 
covered  with  green  branches,  laid  in  those 
paths  which  the  rhinoceros  makes  in  going 
from  the  forest  to  the  river  side. 

There  are  some  varieties  in  this  animal,  as 
in  most  others;  some  of  them  are  Ibund  in 
Africa  with  a  double  horn,  one  growing  above 
the  other.  This  weapon,  if  considered  in  it- 
self, is  one  of  the  strongest  and  most  danger- 
ous that  nature  furnishes  to  any  p;;rt  of  the 
animal  creation.  The  horn  is  entirely  solid, 
formed  of  the  hardest  bony  substance,  grow- 
ing from  the  upper  maxillary  bone,  by  so 
strong  an  apophyse,  as  seemingly  to  make  but 
one  part  with  it.  Many  are  the  medicinal 
virtues  that  are  ascribed  to  this  horn,  when 
taken  in  powder;  but  these  qualities  have 
been  attributed  to  it  without  any  real  founda- 
tion, and  make  only  a  small  part  of  the  many 
fables  which  this  extraordinary  animal  has 
given  rise  to. 


CHAPTER  LXI. 

THE  HIPPOPOTAMUS. 


THE  hippopotamus  is  an  animal  as  large, 
and  not  less  formidable,  than  the  rhinoceros ; 
its  legs  are  shorter,  and  its  head  rather  more 
bulky  than  that  of  the  animal  last  described. 
We  have  had  but  few  opportunities  in  Europe 
of  examining  this  formidable  creature  minute- 
ly ;  its  dimensions,  however,  have  been  pretty 
well  ascertained,  by  a  description  given  us 
by  Zerenghi.  an  Italian  surgeon,  who  procur- 
ed one  of  them  to  be  killed  on  the  banks  of 
the  river  Nile.  By  his  account  it  appears, 
that  this  terrible  animal, which  chiefly  resides 
in  the  wp^ters  of  that  river,  is  above  seventeen 
feet  long,  from  the  extremity  of  the  snout  to 
the  insertion  of  the  tail ;  above  sixteen  feet 
in  circumference  round  the  body,  and  above 
seven  feet  high :  the  head  is  near  four  feet 
long,  and  above  nine  feet  in  circumference. 
The  jaws  open  about  two  feet  wide,  and  the 
cutting-teeth,  of  which  it  hath  four  in  each 
jaw,  are  above  a  foot  long. 

Its  feet  in  some  measure  resemble  those  of 
the  elephant,  and  are  divided  into  four  parts. 
The  tail  is  short,  flat,  and  pointed ;  the  hide 

"  No.  37  &  38. 


is  amazingly  thick,  and  though  not  capable 
of  turning  a  musket  ball,  is  impenetrable  to 
the  blow  of  a  sabre;  the  body  is  covered 
over  with  a  few  scattered  hairs  of  a  whitish 
colour.  The  whole  figure  of  the  animal  is 
something  between  that  of  an  ox  and  a  ho**, 
and  its  cry  is  something  between  the  bellow- 
ing of  the  one  and  the  grunting  of  the 
other. 

This  animal,  however,  though  so  terribly 
furnished  for  war,  seems  no  way  disposed  to 
make  use  of  its  prodigious  strength  against 
an  equal  enemy ;  it  chiefly  resides  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  great  rivers  and  lakes  of  Africa, 
the  Nile,  the  Niger,  and  the  Zara;  there  it 
leads  an  indolent  kind  of  life,  and  seems  sel- 
dom disposed  for  action,  except  when  excited 
by  the  calls  of  hunger.  Upon  such  occasions, 
three  or  four  of  them  are  often  seen  at  the 
bottom  of  a  river,  near  some  cataract,  form- 
ing a  kind  of  line,  and  seizing  upon  such  fish 
as  are  forced  down  by  the  violence  of  the 
stream.  In  that  element  they  pursue  their 
prey  with  great  swiftness  and  perseverance ; 
35 


428 


THE  HIPPOPOTAMUS. 


they  swim  with  much  force,  and  remain  at 
the  bottom  for  thirty  or  forty  minutes,  with- 
out rising  to  take  breath.  Tiiey  traverse  the 
bottom  of  the  stream,  as  if  walking  upon  laud, 
and  make  a  terrible  devastation  where  they 
find  plenty  of  prey.  But  it  often  happens, 
that  this  animal's  fishy  Ibod  is  not  supplied  in 
sufficient  abundance;  it  is  then  forced  to 
come  upon  land,  where  it  is  an  awkward  and 
unwieldy  stranger ;  it  moves  but  slowly,  and 
as  it  seldom  forsakes  the  margin  of  the  river, 
it  sinks  at  every  step  it  takes ;  sometimes, 
however,  it  is  forced  by  famine  up  into  the 
higher  grounds,  where  it  commits  dreadful 
havoc  among  the  plantations  of  the  helpless 
natives,  who  see  their  possessions  destroyed, 
without  daring  to  resist  their  invader.  Their 
chief  method  is  by  lighting  fires,  striking 
drums,  and  raising  a  cry  to  frighten  it  back 
to  its  favourite  element;  and  as  it  is  extreme- 
ly timorous  upon  land,  they  generally  succeed 
in  their  endeavours.  But  if  they  happen  to 
wound,  or  otherwise  irritate  it  too  closely,  it 
then  becomes  formidable  to  all  that  oppose 
it:  it  overturns  whatever  it  meets,  and  brings 
forth  all  its  strength,  which  it  seemed  not  to 
have  discovered  before  that  dangerous  occa- 
sion. It  possesses  the  same  inoffensive  dis- 
position in  its  favourite  element,  that  it  is 
Found  to  have  upon  land  ;  it  is  never  found  to 
attack  the  mariners  in  their  boats  as  they  go 
up  or  down  the  stream ;  but  should  they 
inadvertently  strike  against  it,  or  otherwise 
disturb  its  repose,  there  is  much  danger  of 
its  sending  them  at  once  to  the  bottom.  "  I 
have  seen,"  says  a  mariner,  as  we  find  it  in 
Dampier,  "  one  of  these  animals  open  its  jaw, 
and  seizing  a  boat  between  its  teeth,  at  once 
bite  and  sink  it  to  the  bottom.  I  have  seen 
it,  upon  another  occasion,  place  itself  under 
one  of  our  boats,  and,  rising  under  it,  overset 
it,  with  six  men  who  were  in  it;  who,  how- 
ever, happily  received  no  other  injury." 
Such  is  the  great  strength  of  this  animal ;  and 
from  hence,  probably,  the  imagination  has 
been  willing  to  match  it  in  combat  against 
others  more  fierce,  and  equally  formidable. 
The  crocodile  and  shark  have  been  said  to 
engage  with  it,  and  yield  an  easy  victory; 
but  as  the  shark  is  only  found  at  sea,  and  the 
hippopotamus  never  ventures  beyond  the 
mouth  of  fresh-water  rivers,  it  is  most  proba- 


ble that  these  engagements  never  occurred  ; 
it  sometimes  happens,  indeed,  that  Ihe  prin- 
ces of  Africa  amuse  themselves  with  combats, 
on  their  frpsh-water  lakes,  between  this  and 
other  formidable  animals;  but  whether  the 
rhinoceros  or  the  crocodile  are  of  this  num- 
ber, we  have  not  been  particularly  informed. 
If  this  animal  be  attacked  on  land,  and  find- 
ing itself  incapable  of  vengeance  from  the 
swiftness  of  its  enemy,  it  immediately  returns 
to  the  river,  where  it  plunges  in  head  fore- 
most, and  after  a  short  time  rises  to  the  sur- 
face, loudly  bellowing,  either  to  invite  or  in- 
timidate the  enemy;  but  though  the  negroes 
will  venture  to  attack  the  shark  or  the  croco- 
dile in  their  natural  element,  and  there  de- 
stroy them,  they  are  too  well  apprised  of  the 
force  of  the  hippopotamus  to  engage  it;  this 
animal,  therefore,  continues  the  uncontrolled 
master  of  the  river,  and  all  others  lly  from  its 
approach,  or  become  an  easy  prey. 

As  the  hippopotamus  lives  upon  fish  and 
vegetables,  so  it  is  probable  the  flesh  of  ter- 
restrial animals  may  be  equally  grateful :  the 
natives  of  Africa  assert,  that  it  has  often  been 
found  to  devour  children  and  other  creatures 
that  it  was  able  to  surprise  upon  land ;  yet 
as  it  moves  but  slowly,  almost  every  creature, 
endued  with  a  common  share  of  swiftness,  is 
able  to  escape  it;  and  this  animal,  therefore, 
seldom  ventures  from  the  river  side,  but  when 
pressed  by  the  necessities  of  hunger,  or  of 
bringing  forth  its  young. 

Thefemalealvvays  comesupon land  to  bring 
forth,  and  it  is  supposed  that  she  seldom  pro- 
duces above  one  at  a  time.  Upon  this  occa- 
sion, these  animals  are  particularly  timorous, 
and  dread  the  approach  of  a  terrestrial  enemy; 
the  instant  the  parent  hears  the  slightest 
noise,  it  dashes  into  the  stream,  and  the  young 
one  is  seen  to  follow  it  with  equal  alacrity. 

The  young  ones  are  said  to  be  excellent 
eating;  but  the  negroes,  to  whom  nothing 
that  has  life  comes  amiss,  find  an  equal 
delicacy  in  the  old.  Dr.  Pococke  has  seen 
their  flesh  sold  in  the  shambles,  like  beef; 
and  it  is  said,  that  their  breast,  in  particular, 
is  as  delicate  eating  as  veal.  As  for  the  rest, 
these  animals  are  found  in  great  numbers, 
and  as  they  produce  very  fast, -their  flesh 
might  supply  the  countries  where  they  are 
found,  could  those  barbarous  regions  produce 


II,.,  r,   2.1' 


s  Si;,.;-ll;,rt  ,,rl,V,1  I  >.•••!•      :i.C.  Axis  S(x)ttpdAjbs  _  4,C«i,.,-l,.|.,,r,l.llis 
.V.-.i  );•!•<•  l-uhli.'l,r,l  /-!•  r.Xamtmin 


THE  CAMELOPARD. 


429 


more  expert  huntsmen.  It  may  be  remarked, 
however,  that  this  creature,  which  was  once 
in  such  plenty  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nile,  is 


now  wholly  unknown  in  Lower  Egypt,  and  is 
no  where  to  be  found  in  that  river,  except 
above  the  cataracts. 


CHAPTER  LXII. 

THE  CAMELOPARD. 


WERE  we  to  be  told  of  an  animal  so  tall, 
that  a  man  on  horseback  could,  with  ease, 
ride  under  its  belly,  without  stooping,  we 
should  hardly  give  credit  to  the  relation; 
yet  of  this  extraordinary  size  is  the  camelo- 
pard,  an  animal  that  inhabits  the  deserts  of 
Africa,  and  the  accounts  of  which  are  so  well 
ascertained,  that  we  cannot  deny  our  assent 
to  their  authority.  It  is  no  easy  matter  to 
form  an  adequate  idea  of  this  creature's  size, 
and  the  oddity  of  its  formation.  It  exhibits 
somewhat  the  slender  shape  of  the  deer,  or 
the  camel,  but  destitute  of  their  symmetry,  or 
their  easy  power  of  motion.  The  head  some- 
what resembles  that  of  the  deer,  with  two 
round  horns,  near  a  foot  long,  and  which,  it  is 
probable,  it  sheds  as  deer  are  found  to  do  ; 
its  neck  resembles  that  of  a  horse ;  its  legs 
arid  feet  those  of  the  deer,  but  with  this  ex- 
traordinary difference,  that  the  fore  legs  are 
near  twice  as  long  as  the  hinder.  As  these 
creatures  have  been  found  eighteen  feet  high, 
and  ten  from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the 
shoulder,  so  allowing  three  feet  for  the  depth 
of  the  body,  seven  feet  remains,  which  is  high 
enough  to  admit  a  man  mounted  on  a  middle- 
sized  horse.  The  hinder  part,  however,  is 
much  lower,  so  that  when  the  animal  appears 
standing,  and  at  rest,  it  has  somewhat  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  dog  sitting:  and  this  formation 
of  its  legs  gives  it  an  awkward  and  a  labori- 
ous motion,  which,  though  swift,  must  yet  be 
tiresome.  For  this  reason,  the  camelopanl 
is  an  animal  very  rarely  found,  and  only  finds 
refuge  in  the  most  internal  desert  regions  of 
Africa.  The  dimensions  of  a  young  one,  as 

»  Later  naturalists  say,  that  this  is  a  mistake,  and  assert, 
that  as  the  neck  is  !:•;> ..  •.r,'l  ek-sjaru  and  exceeds  the  legs 
by  at  least  four  inches,  besides  the  length  of  the  head,  it  is 


they  were  accurately  taken  by  a  person  who 
examined  its  skin,  that  was  brought  from  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  were  found  to  be  as  fol- 
low: the  length  of  the  head  was  one  foot  eight 
inches ;  the  height  of  the  fore  leg,  from  the 

t  round  to  the  top  of  the  shoulder,  was  ten 
;et ;  from  the  shoulder  to  the  top  of  the  head 
was  seven ;  the  height  of  the  hind  leg  was 
eigMt  feet  five  inches ;  and  from  the  top  of  the 
shoulder  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail  was  just 
seven  feet  long. 

No  animal,  either  from  its  disposition,  or  its 
formation,  seems  less  fitted  for  a  state  of  na- 
tural hostility ;  its  horns  are  blunt,  and  even 
knobbed  at  the  ends ;  its  teeth  are  made  en- 
tirely for  vegetable  pasture  ;  its  skin  is  beau- 
tifully speckled  with  brown  spots,  upon  a 
whitish  ground;  it  is  timorous  and  harmless, 
and,  notwithstanding  it?  great  size,  rather 
flies  from,  than  resists,  the  slightest  enemy ; 
it  partakes  very  much  of  the  nature  of  the 
camel,  which  it  so  nearly  resembles  ;  it  lives 
entirely  upon  vegetables,  and  when  grazing 
is  obliged  to  spread  its  fore  legs  very  wide 
in  order  to  reach  its  pasture  ;a  its  motion  is  a 
kind  of  pace,  two  legs  on  each  side  moving 
at  the  same  time,  whereas  in  other  animals 
they  move  transversely.  It  often  lies  down 
with  its  belly  to  the  earth,  and,  like  the  camel, 
has  a  callous  substance  upon  its  breast,  which, 
when  reposed,  defends  it  from  injury.  This 
animal  was  known  to  the  ancients,  but  has 
been  very  rarely  seen  in  Europe.  One  of 
them  was  sent  from  the  east  to  the  Emperor 
of  Germany,  in  the  year  1559;  but  they  have 
often  been  seen  tame  at  Grand  Cairo  in 


evident  that  it  can  graze  without  difficulty,  and  is  not 
obliged  to  kneel  down,  (as  has  been  supposed)  or  spread 
asunder  its  legs,  for  that  purpose. 
3S* 


430 


THE  CAMEL  AND  DROMEDARY. 


Egypt ;  and,  I  am  told,  there  are  two  there 
at  present.  When  ancient  Rome  was  in  its 
splendour,  Pompey  exhibited  at  one  time  no 
less  than  ten  upon  the  theatre.  It  was  the 
barbarous  pleasure  of  the  people,  at  that 
time,  to  see  the  most  terrible,  and  the  most 


extraordinary  animals,  produced  in  com- 
bat against  each  other.  The  lion,  the 
lynx,  the  tiger,  the  elephant,  the  hippopota- 
mus, were  all  let  loose  promiscuously,  and 
were  seen  to  inflict  indiscriminate  destruc- 
tion. 


CHAPTER  LXIII. 

THE  CAMEL  AND  THE  DROMEDARY/ 


THESE  names  do  not  make  two  distinct 
kinds,  but  are  only  given  to  a  variety  of  the 
same  animal,  which  has,  however,  subsisled 
time  immemorial.  The  principal,  and  per- 
haps the  only  sensible  difference,  by  which 
those  two  races  are  distinguished,  consists  in 
this,  that  the  camel  has  two  bunches  upon 
his  back,  whereas  the  dromedary  has  but 
one ;  the  latter,  also,  is  neither  so  large,  nor 
so  strong,  as  the  camel.  These  two  races, 
however,  produce  with  each  other,  and  the 
mixed  breed  formed  between  them  is  con- 
sidered the  best,  the  most  patient,  and  the 
most  indefatigable  of  all  the  kind. 

Of  the  two  varieties,  the  dromedary  is  by 
far  the  most  numerous,  the  camel  being 
scarcely  found,  except  in  Turkey,  and  the 
countries  of  the  Levant;  while  the  other  is 
found  spread  over  all  the  deserts  of  Arabia, 
the  southern  parts  of  Africa,  Persia,  Tartary, 
and  a  great  part  of  the  eastern  Indies.  Thus, 
the  one  inhabits  an  immense  tract  of  country, 
the  other,  in  comparison,  is  confined  to  a 
province ;  the  one  inhabits  the  sultry  coun- 
tries of  the  Torrid  Zone,  the  other  delights 
in  a  warm,  but  not  a  burning  climate;  neither, 
however,  can  subsist,  or  propagate,  in  the 
variable  climates  towards  the  north;  they 
seem  formed  for  those  countries,  where  shrubs 
are  plenty,  and  water  scarce ;  where  they 
can  travel  along  the  sandy  desert,  without 
being  impeded  by  rivers,  and  find  food  at 
expected  distances;  such  a  country  is  Arabia, 


"These  quadrupeds  have  six  front  teeth  in  the  lower 
jaw,  which  are  rather  thin  and  broad  :  the  canine  teeth 
are  a  little  remote  from  the  rest;  in  the  upper  jaw  there 


and  this,  of  all  others,  seems  the  most  adapt- 
ed to  the  support  and  production  of  this  ani- 
mal. 

The  camel  is  the  most  temperate  of  all 
animals,  and  it  can  continue  to  travel  several 
days  without  drinking.  In  those  vast  deserts, 
where  the  earth  is  every  where  dry  and 
sandy,  where  there  are  neither  birds  nor 
beasts,  neither  insects  nor  vegetables,  where 
nothing  is  to  be  seen  but  hills  of  sand  and 
heaps  of  stone,  there  the  camel  travels,  post- 
ing forward,  without  requiring  either  drink 
or  pasture,  and  is  often  found  six  or  seven 
days  without  any  sustenance  whatsoever. 
Its  feet  are  formed  for  travelling  upon  sand, 
and  utterly  unfit  for  moist  or  marshy  places  ; 
the  inhabitants,  therefore,  find  a  most  useful 
assistant  in  this  animal,  where  no  other  could 
subsist,  and  by  its  means  cross  those  deserts 
with  safety,  which  would  be  unpassable  by 
any  other  method  of  conveyance. 

An  animal,  thus  formed  for  a  sandy  and 
desert  region,  cannot  be  propagated  in  one 
of  a  different  nature.  Many  vain  efforts  have 
been  tried  to  propagate  the  camel  in  Spain ; 
they  have  been  transported  into  America, 
but  have  multiplied  in  neither.  It  is  true, 
indeed,  that  they  may  be  brought  into  these 
countries,  and  may,  perhaps,  be  found  to  pro- 
duce there  ;  but  the  care  of  keeping  them  is 
so  great,  and  the  accidents  to  which  they  are 
exposed,  from  the  changeableness  of  the 
climate,  are  so  many,  that  they  cannot  answer 

are  three,  in  the  lower  two  :  the  upper  lip  divided;  and 
there  are  no  horns. 


l.CnmelusDromedarms,  Arabian  Camel,  orDromedaiy.       2 .  Caiuelus  Bactrianus^acttiaii  Camel . 


THE  CAMEL  AND  DROMEDARY. 


431 


the  care  of  keeping.  In  a  few  years  also  they 
are  seen  to  <1  ..generate;  thc-ir  strength  and 
their  patience  tbrsake  them;  and  instead  of 
m, iking  the  riches,  they  become  the  burden 
of  their  keepers. 

But  it  is  very  different  in  Arabia,  and  those 
countries    where    the    camel    is    turned    to 
useful  purposes.     It  is  there  considered  as  a 
Bacred  animal,  without  whose  help  the  na- 
tives could  neither  subsist,  traffic,  or  travel ; 
its  milk  makes  a  part  of  their  nourishment; 
they  feed  upon  its  flesh,  particularly  when 
young;  they  clothe  themselves  with  its  hair, 
which  it  is  seen   to  moult  regularly  once  a 
year;  and  if  they  fear  an  invading  enemy, 
their  camels  serve  them  in  flight,  and  in  a 
single  day  they  are  known  to  travel  above  a 
hundred  miles.     Thus,  by  means  of  the  ca- 
mel, an  Arabian  finds  safety  in  his  deserts; 
all  the  armies  upon  earth  might  be  lost  in  the 
pursuit  of  a  flying  squadron  of  this  country, 
mounted  upon  their  camels,  and  taking  re- 
fuge in  solitudes,  where  nothing  interposes 
to  stop  their  flight,  or  to  force  them  to  wait 
the  invader.     Nothing  can  be  more  dreary 
than  the  aspect  of  these  sandy  plains,  that  seem 
entirely  forsaken  of  life  and  vegetation  :  wher- 
ever the  eye  turns,  nothing  is  presented  but 
a  steril  and  dusty  soil,  sometimes  torn  up  by 
the  winds,  and  moving  in  great  waves  along, 
which,  when  viewed  from  an  eminence,  re- 
sembles less  the  earth  than  the  ocean ;  here 
and  there  a  few  shrubs  appear,    that    only 
teach  us  to  wish  for  the  grove — that  remind 
us  of  the  shade  in  these  sultry  climates,  with- 
out affording  its  refreshment:  the  return  of 
morning,  which,  in  other  places,  carries  an 
idea    of  cheerfulness,   here   serves  only  to 
enlighten  the  endless  and  dreary  waste,  and 
to  present  the  traveller  wit1    an  unfinished 
prospect  of  his  forlorn  situation:   yet  in  this 
chasm  of  nature,  by  the  help  of  the  camel, 
the  Arabian    finds    safety    and    subsistence. 
There  are  here  and  there  found  spots  of  ver- 
dure, which,  though  remote  from  each  other, 
are,  in  a  manner,  approximated  by  the  labour 
and  industry  of  the  camel.     Thus  these  de- 
serts, which  present  the  stranger  with  nothing 
but  objects  of  danger  and  sterility,  afford  the 
inhabitant  protection,  food,  and  liberty.     The 
Arabian  lives  independent  and  tranquil  in  the 
midst  of  his  solitudes;  and,  instead  of  con- 


sidering the  vast  solitudes  spread  round  him 
as  a  restraint  upon  his  happiness,  he  is,  by 
experience,  taught  to  regard  them  as  the 
ramparts  of  his  freedom. 

The  camel  is  easily  instructed   in  the  me- 
thods of  taking  up  and  supporting  his  burden; 
their  legs,  a  few  days  after  they  are  produced, 
are  bent  under  their   belly;  they  are   in  this 
manner  loaded,    and    (aught    to    rise;  their 
burden   is  every  day  thus  increased,  by  in- 
sensible degrees,  till  the  animal  is  capable  of 
supporting  a  weight  adequate  to  its  force; 
the  same  care  is  taken  in  making  them  pa- 
tient of  hunger  and   thirst:  while  other  ani- 
mals receive  their  food  at  stated  times,  the 
camel  is  restrained  for   days  together,   and 
these  intervals  of  famine  are  increased  in  pro- 
portion as  the  animal  seems  capable  of  sus- 
taining them.     By  this  method  of  education, 
they  live  five  or  six  days  without  food  or  wa- 
ter; and  their  stomach  is  formed  most  admi- 
rably by  nature  to  fit  them  for  long  abstinence: 
besides  the  four  stomachs,  which  all  animals 
have  that  chew  the  cud,  (and  the  camel  is  of 
the  number,)  it  has  a  fifth  stomach,  which 
serves  as  a  reservoir,  to  hold  a  greater  quan- 
tity of  water  than  the  animal  has  an  imme- 
diate occasion  for.     It  is  of  a  sufficient  ca- 
pacity to  contain  a  large  quantity  of  water, 
where  the  fluid  remains  without  corrupting, 
or  without  being  adulterated   by  the  other 
aliments;  when  the  camel  finds  itself  pressed 
with  thirst,  it  has  here  an  easy  resource  for 
quenching  it;  it  throws  up  a  quantity  of  this 
water,  by  a  simple  contraction  of  the  muscles, 
into  the  other  stomachs,  and  this  serves  to 
mascerate  its  dry  and  simple  food ;  in  this 
manner,  as  it  drinks  but  seldom,  it  takes  in  a 
large  quantity  at  a  time,  and  travellers,  when 
straitened  for  water,  have  been  often  known 
to  kill  their  camels  for  that  which  they  ex- 
pected to  find  within  them. 

In  Turkey,  Persia,  Arabia,  Barbary,  and 
Egypt,  their  whole  commerce  is  carried  on 
by  means  of  camels ;  and  no  carriage  is  more 
speedy,  and  none  less  expensive,  in  these 
countries.  Merchants  and  travellers  unite 
themselves  into  a  body,  furnished  with  camels, 
to  secure  themselves  from  the  insults  of  the 
robbers  that  infest  the  countries  in  which 
they  live.  This  assemblage  is  called  a  cara- 
van, in  which  the  numbers  are  sometimes 


132 


THE  CAMEL  AND  DROMEDARY. 


known  to  amount  to  above  ten  thousand,  and 
the  number  of  camels  is  often  greater  than 
those  of  the  men:  each  of  these  animals  is 
loaded  according  to  his  strength,  and  he  is 
so  sensible  of  it  himself,  that  when  his  bur- 
den is  too  great,  he  remains  still  upon  his 
belly,  the  posture  in  which  he  was  laden,  re- 
fusing to  rise,  till  his  burden  be  lessened  or 
taken  away.  In  general,  the  large  camels  are 
capable  of  carrying  a  thousand  weight,  and 
sometimes  twelve  hundred ;  the  dromedary, 
from  six  to  seven.  In  these  trading  journeys 
they  travel  but  slowly,  their  stages  are  ge- 
nerally regulated,  and  they  seldom  go  above 
thirty,  or  at  most  about  five  and  thirty  miles 
a  day.  Every  evening,  when  they  arrive  at 
a  stage,  which  is  usually  some  spot  of  verdure, 
where  water  and  shrubs  are  in  plenty,  they 
are  permitted  to  feed  at  liberty;  they  are 
then  seen  to  eat  as  much  in  an  hour,  as  will 
supply  them  for  twenty-four;  they  seem  to 
prefer  the  coarsest  weeds  to  the  softest  pas- 
ture :  the  thistle,  the  nettle,  the  cassia,  and 
other  prickly  vegetables,  are  their  favourite 
food;  but  their  drivers  take  care  to  supply 
them  with  a  kind  of  paste  composition, 
which  serves  as  a  more  permanent  nourish- 
ment. 

As  these  animals  have  often  gone  the  same 
track,  they  are  said  to  know  their  way  pre- 
cisely, and  to  pursue  their  passage  when  their 
guides  are  utterly  astray;  when  they  come 
within  a  few  miles  of  their  baiting-place,  in 
the  evening,  they  sagaciously  scent  it  at  a 
distance,  and  increasing  their  speed,  are  often 
seen  to  trot  with  vivacity  to  their  stage. 

The  patience  of  this  animal  is  most  extra- 
ordinary; and  it  is  probable,  that  its  suffer- 
ings are  great;  for  when  it  is  loaded,  it  sends 
forth  most  lamentable  cries,  but  never  offers 
to  resist  the  tyrant  that  oppresses  it.  At  the 
slightest  sign,  it  bends  its  knees  and  lies  upon 
its  belly,  suffering  itself  to  be  loaded  in  this 
position ;  by  this  practice  the  burden  is  more 
easily  laid  upon  it,  than  if  lifted  up  while 
standing;  at  another  sign  it  rises  with  its 
load,  and  the  driver  getting  upon  its  back, 

a  Mr.  Sonnini  says,  he  has  sometimes  seen  them  weary 
of  the  impatience  of  their  riders,  stop  short,  turn  round 
their  long  necks  to  bite  them,  and  utter  cries  of  rage.  In 
these  circumstances  the  man  must  be  careful  not  to  alight, 


between  the  two  panniers,  which,  like  ham- 
pers, arc  placed  upon  each  side,  he  encou- 
rages the  camel  to  proceed  with  his  voice 
and  with  a  song.  In  this  manner  the  crea- 
ture proceeds  contentedly  forward,  with  a 
slow  uneasy  walk,  of  about  four  miles  an  hour, 
and  when  it  comes  to  its  stage,  lies  down  to 
be  unloaded  as  before.* 

Mr.  Buffon  seems  to  consider  the  camel  to 
be  the  most  domesticated  of  all  other  crea- 
tures, and  to  have  more  marks  of  the  tyran- 
ny of  man  imprinted  on  its  form.  He  is  of 
opinion,  that  this  animal  is  not  now  to  be 
found  in  a  state  of  nature;  that  the  humps  on 
its  back,  the  callosities  upon  its  breast  and 
its  legs,  and  even  the  great  reservoir  for  wa- 
ter, are  all  marks  of  long  servitude  and  do- 
mestic constraint.  The  deformities  he  sup- 
poses to  be  perpetuated  by  generation ;  and 
what  at  first  was  accident,  at  last  becomes 
nature.  However  this  be,  the  humps  upon 
the  back  grow  large  in  proportion  as  the  ani- 
mal is  well  fed,  and  if  examined,  they  will 
be  found  composed  of  a  substance  not  unlike 
the  udder  of  a  cow. 

The  inhabitants  generally  leave  but  one 
male  to  wait  on  ten  females,  the  rest  they 
castrate;  and  though  they  thus  become  weak- 
er, they  are  more  manageable  and  patient. 
The  female  receives  the  male  in  the  same 
position  as  when  these  animals  are  loaded ; 
she  goes  with  young  for  about  a  year,  and, 
like  all  other  great  animals,  produces  but  one 
at  a  time.  The  camel's  milk  is  abundant  and 
nourishing,  and  mixed  with  water  makes  a 
principal  part  of  the  beverage  of  the  Arabians. 
These  animals  begin  to  engender  at  three 
years  of  age,  and  they  ordinarily  live  from 
forty  to  fifty  years.  The  genital  part  of  the 
male  resembles  that  of  the  bull,  but  is  placed 
pointing  backwards,  so  that  its  urine  seems 
to  be  ejected  in  the  manner  of  the  female. 
This,  as  well  as  the  dung,  and  almost  every 
part  of  this  animal,  is  converted  to  some  use- 
ful purpose  by  the  keepers.  Of  the  urine, 
sal  ammoniac  is  made ;  of  the  dung,  litter  for 
the  horses,  and  fire  for  the  purpose  of  dres- 


as  he  would  infallibly  be  torn  to  pieces  ;  he  must  also 
refrain  from  striking  his  beast,  as  that  would  but  increase 
his  fury. 


THE  LAMA. 


433 


sing  their  victuals.  Thus,  this  animal  alone 
seems  to  comprise  within  itself  a  variety  of 
qualities,  any  one  of  which  serves  to  render 
other  quadrupeds  absolutely  necessary  for 
the  welfare  of  man :  like  the  elephant,  it  is 
manageable  and  tame ;  like  the  horse,  it 
gives  the  rider  security;  it  carries  greater 


burdens  than  the  ox  or  the  mule,  and  its  milk 
is  furnished  in  as  great  abundance  as  that  of 
the  cow;  the  flesh  of  the  young  ones  is  sup- 
posed to  be  as  delicate  as  veal;  their  hair  is 
more  beautiful,  and  more  in  request,  than 
wool;  while  even  of  its  very  excrements  no 
part  is  useless. 


CHAPTER  LXIV. 

THE  LAMA. 


AS  almost  all  the  quadrupeds  of  America 
are  smaller  than  the  resembling  ones  of  the 
ancient  continent,  so  the  Lama,  which  may 
be  cotisidered  as  the  camel  of  the  new  world, 
is  every  way  less  than  that  of  the  old.  This 
animal,  like  that  described  in  the  former 
chapter,  stands  high  upon  its  legs,  has  a  long 
neck,  a  small  head,  and  resembles  the  camel, 
not  only  in  its  natural  mildness,  but  its  apti- 
tude for  servitude,  its  moderation,  and  its 
patience.  The  Americans  early  found  out 
its  useful  qualities,  and  availed  themselves  of 
its  labours:  like  the  camel,  it  serves  to  carry 
goods  over  places  inaccessible  to  other  beasts 
of  burden  ;  like  that,  it  is  obedient  to  its  dri- 
ver ;  and  often  dies  under,  but  never  resists, 
his  cruelty. 

Of  these  animals,  some  are  white,  others 
black,  but  they  are  mostly  brown ;  its  face 
resembles  that  of  the  camel,  and  its  height  is 
about  equal  to  that  of  an  ass.  They  are  not 
found  in  the  ancient  continent,  but  entirely 
belong  to  the  new ;  nor  are  they  found  spread 
over  all  America,  but  are  found  chiefly  upon 
those  mountains  that  stretch  from  New  Spain 
to  the  Straits  of  Magellan.  They  inhabit  the 
highest  regions  of  the  globe,  and  seem  to  re- 
quire purer  air  than  animals  of  a  lower  situa- 
tion are  found  to  enjoy.  Peru  seems  to  be 
the  place  where  they  are  found  in  greatest 
plenty.  In  Mexico  they  are  introduced 
rather  as  curiosities  than  beasts  of  burden  ; 
but  in  Potosi,  and  other  provinces  of  Peru, 
they  make  the  chief  riches  of  the  Indians  and 
Spaniards  who  rear  them:  their  flesh  is  ex- 
cellent food  ;  their  hair,  or  rather  wool,  may 


be  spun  into  beautiful  clothing;  and  they  are 
capable,  in  the  most  rugged  and  dangerous 
ways,  of  carrying  burdens,  not  exceeding  a 
hundred  weight,  with  the  greatest  safety.  It 
is  true,  indeed,  that  they  go  but  slowly,  and 
seldom  above  fifteen  miles  a  day;  their  tread 
is  heavy,  but  sure;  they  descend  precipices, 
and  find  footing  among  the  most  craggy  rocks, 
where  even  men  can  scarcely  accompany 
them:  they  are,  however,  but  feeble  animals, 
and  after  four  or  five  days'  labour  they  are 
obliged  to  repose  for  a  day  or  two.  They 
are  chiefly  used  in  carrying  the  riches  of  the 
mines  of  Potosi ;  and  we  are  told  that  there 
are  above  three  hundred  thousand  of  these 
animals  in  actual  employ. 

This  animal,  as  was  said  before,  is  above 
three  feet  high,  and  the  neck  is  three  feet 
long,  the  head  is  small  and  well  proportioned, 
the  eyes  large,  the  nose  long,  the  lips  thick, 
the  upper  divided,  and  the  lower  a  little  de- 
pending ;  like  all  those  animals  that  feed 
upon  grass,  it  wants  the  upper  cutting  teeth; 
the  ears  are  four  inches  long,  and  move  with 
great  agility ;  the  tail  is  but  five  inches  long, 
it  is  small,  straight,  and  a  little  turned  up  at 
the  end  ;  it  is  cloven-footed  like  the  ox,  but 
it  has  a  kind  of  spear-like  appendage  behind, 
which  assists  it  in  moving  over  precipices  and 
rugged  ways ;  the  wool  on  the  back  is  short, 
but  long  on  the  sides  and  the  belly;  it  resem- 
bles the  camel  in  the  formation  of  the  genital 
parts  in  the  male,  so  that  it  makes  urine 
backwards  ;  it  couples  also  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and  though  it  finds  much  difficulty  in  the 
aciion,it  is  said  to  be  much  inclined  to  venery. 


434 


THE  LAMA. 


A  whole  day  is  often  passed  before  this  neces- 
sary business  can  be  completed,  which  is  spent 
in  growling,  quarrelling,  and  spitting  at  each 
other ;  they  seldom  produce  above  one  at  a 
time,  and  their  age  never  extends  above  ten  or 
twelve  years  at  farthest. 

Though  the  lama  is  no  way  comparable  to 
the  camel,  either  for  size,  strength,  or  perse- 
verance, yet  the  Americans  find  a  substitute  in 
it,  with  which  they  seem  perfectly  contented. 
It  appears  formed  for  that  indolent  race  of 
masters  which  it  is  obliged  to  serve ;  it  requires 
no  care,  nor  no  expense  in  the  attending  or 
providing  for  its  sustenance ;  it  is  supplied 
with  a  warm  covering,  and  therefore  does  not 
require  to  be  housed  ;  satisfied  with  vegetables 
and  grass,  it  wants  neither  corn  nor  hay  to 
subsist  it ;  it  is  not  less  moderate  in  what  it 
drinks,  and  exceeds  even  the  camel  in  temper- 
ance. Indeed,  of  all  other  creatures,  it  seems 
to  require  water  least,  as  it  is  supplied  by  na- 
ture with  saliva  in  such  large  quantities,  that 
it  spits  it  out  on  every  occasion :  this  saliva 
seems  to  be  the  only  offensive  weapon  that  the 
harmless  creature  has  to  testify  its  resentment. 
When  overloaded  or  fatigued,  and  driven  on 
by  all  the  torturing  acts  of  its  keeper,  it  falls 
on  its  belly,  and  pours  out  against  him  a  quan- 
tity of  this  fluid  ;  which,  though  probably  no 
way  hurtful,  the  Indians  are  much  afraid  of. 
They  say,  that  wherever  it  falls,  it  is  of  such 
an  acrimonious  nature,  that  it  will  either  burn 
the  skin,  or  cause  very  dangerous  eruptions. 

Such  are  these  animals  in  their  domestic 
state  ;  but  as  they  are  found  wild  in  very  great 
numbers,  they  exhibit  marks  of  great  force  and 
agility  in  their  state  of  nature.  The  stag  is 
scarcely  more  swift,  or  the  goat  or  the  shamoy 
a  better  climber.  All  its  skapes  are  more  deli- 
cate and  strong ;  its  colour  is  tawny,  and  its 


wool  is  but  short ;  in  their  native  forests,  they 
are  gregarious  animals,  and  are  often  seen  in 
flocks  of  two  or  three  hundred  at  a  time. 
When  they  perceive  a  stranger,  they  regnrd 
him  at  first  with  astonishment,  without  mark- 
ing any  fear  or  surprise  ;  but  shortly,  as  if  by 
common  consent,  they  snuff  up  the  air,  some- 
what like  horses,  and  at  once,  by  a  common 
flight,  take  refuge  on  the  tops  of  the  moun- 
tains ;  they  are  fonder  of  the  northern  than 
the  southern  side  of  the  Andes;  they  often  climb 
above  the  snowy  tracts  of  the  mountain,  and 
seem  vigorous  in  proportion  to  the  coldness 
of  their  situation.  The  natives  hunt  the  wild 
lama  for  the  sake  of  its  fleece.  If  the  dogs 
surprise  one  upon  the  plain,  they  are  generally 
successful  ;  but  if  once  the  lama  obtains  the 
rocky  precipice  of  the  mountain,  the  hunters 
are  obliged  to  desist  in  their  pursuit. 

The  lama  seems  to  be  the  largest  of  the  camel 
kind  in  America ;  there  are  others,  which  are 
called  GUANACOES  and  PACOES,  that  are  smaller 
and  weaker,  but  endued  with  the  same  nature, 
and  formed  pretty  much  in  the  same  manner. 
They  seem  to  bear  the  same  proportions  to 
each  other,  that  the  horse  does  to  the  ass,  and 
are  employed  with  the  same  degree  of  subor- 
dination. The  wool,  however,  of  the  paco, 
seems  to  be  the  most  valuable,  and  it  is  formed 
into  stuffs  not  inferior  to  silk,  either  in  price  or 
beauty.  The  natural  colour  of  the  paco,  is 
that  of  a  dried  rose  leaf;  the  manufacturers 
seldom  give  its  wool  any  other  dye,  but  form 
it  into  quilts  and  carpets,  which  exceed  those 
from  the  Levant.  This  manufacture  forms  a 
very  considerable  branch  of  commerce  in 
South  America,  and  probably,  too,  might  be 
extended  to  Europe,  were  the  beauty  and  the 
durability  of  what  is  thus  wrought  up  sufficient- 
ly known. 


THE  NYL-GHAU. 


435 


CHAPTER  LXV. 

THE  NYL-GHAU.' 


THIS  animal,  the  name  of  which  is  pro- 
nounced nylgaw,  is  a  native  of  India,  and  has 
but  lately  been  imported  into  Europe ;  it 
seems  to  be  of  a  middle  nature,  between  the 
cow  and  the  deer,  and  carries  the  appearance 
of  both  in  its  form.  In  its  size,  it  is  as  much 
smaller  than  the  one,  as  it  is  larger  than  the 
other;  its  body,  horns,  and  tail,  are  not  unlike 
those  of  a  bull ;  and  the  head,  neck,  and  legs, 
are  very  like  those  of  a  deer.  The  colour,  in 

feneral,  is  ash  or  gray,  from  a  mixture  of 
lack  hairs  and  white ;  all  along  the  ridge  or 
edge  of  the  neck,  the  hair  is  blacker,  larger, 
and  more  erect,  making  a  short,  thin,  and  up- 
right mane.  Its  horns  are  seven  inches  long; 
they  are  six  inches  round  at  the  root ;  grow- 
ing smaller  by  degrees,  they  terminate  in  a 
blunt  point.  The  bluntness  of  these,  together 
with  the  form  of  its  head  and  neck,  might 
incline  us  to  suppose  it  was  of  the  deer  kind ; 
but,  as  it  never  sheds  its  horns,  it  has  a 
greater  affinity  to  the  cow. 

From  the  disposition  of  that  brought  over 
to  this  country,  which  has  been  very  accu- 
rately and  minutely  described  by  Dr.  Hun- 
ter, their  manners  are  harmless  and  gentle. 
Although  in  its  native  wildness  it  is  said  to 
be  fierce  and  vicious,  this  seemed  pleased 
with  every  kind  of  familiarity,  and  always 
licked  the  hand  that  stroked  or  gave  it  bread, 
and  never  once  attempted  to  use  its  horns 
offensively ;  it  seemed  to  have  much  depen- 
dence on  its  organs  of  smell,  and  snuffed 
keenly,  and  with  noise,  whenever  any  person 
came  within  sight;  it  did  so  likewise  when 
any  food  or  drink  was  brought  to  it;  and  was 
so  easily  offended  with  smells,  or  so  cautious, 

*  This  quadruped  is  a  species  of  antelope  :  the  horns 
are  inclining  to  a  triangular  form ;  and  the  feet  are  barred 
with  black  and  white. 

no.  37  Sc  38 


that  it  would  not  taste  the  bread  which  was 
offered,  when  the  hand  happened  to  srnell 
strong  of  turpentine.  Its  manner  of  fighting 
is  very  particular.  It  was  observed  at  Lord 
Clive's,  where  two  males  were  put  into  a 
little  enclosure,  that,  while  they  were  at  a 
considerable  distance  from  each  other,  they 
prepared  for  the  attack,  by  falling  upon  their 
fore  knees,  then  they  shuffled  towards  each 
other,  with  a  quick  pace,  keeping  still  upon 
their  fore  knees  ;  and  when  they  were  come 
within  some  yards,  they  made  a  spring,  and 
darted  against  each  other.  The  intrepidity 
and  force  with  which  they  dart  against  any 
object,  appeared  by  the  strength  with  whicli 
one  of  them  attempted  to  overturn  a  poor 
labourer,  who  unthinkingly  stood  on  the  out- 
side of  the  pales  of  its  enclosure.  The  nyl- 
ghau, with  the  quickness  of  lightning,  darted 
against  the  wood-work  with  such  violence, 
that  he  broke  it  to  pieces,  and  broke  off  one 
of  his  horns  close  to  the  root,  which  occa- 
sioned the  animal's  death.  At  all  the  places 
in  India,  where  we  have  settlements,  they  are 
considered  as  rarities,  and  brought  from  the 
distant  interior  parts  of  the  country.  The 
Emperor,  sometimes,  kills  them  in  such  num- 
bers, as  to  distribute  quarters  of  them  to  all 
his  omrahs ;  which  shows  that  they  are  inter- 
nally wild  and  in  plenty,  and  esteemed  good 
and  delicious  food.  The  nyl-ghaus  which 
have  been  brought  to  England,  have  been 
most,  if  not  all  of  them,  received  from  Surat 
or  Bombay ;  and  they  seem  to  be  less  uncom- 
mon in  that  part  of  India,  than  in  Bengal ; 
which  gives  room  for  a  conjecture,  that  they 
may  be  indigenous  perhaps  in  the  province 
of  Guzarat,  one  of  the  most  western  and  most 
considerable  of  the  Hindosten  empire,  lying 
to  the  northward  of  Surat,  and  stretching 
away  to  the  Indian  ocean. 
3T 


436 


THE  BEAR. 


CHAPTER  LXVI. 

THE  BEAR.' 


OF  the  Bear  there  aYe  three  different  kinds, 
the  Brown  Bear  of  the  Alps,  the  Black  Bear 
of  North  America,  which  is  smaller,  and  the 
great  Greenland  or  White  Bear.  These, 
though  different  in  their  forms,  are  no  doubt 
of  the  same  original,  and  owe  their  chief  va- 
riations to  food  and  climate.  They  have  all 
the  same  habitudes,  being  equally  carnivorous, 
treacherous,  and  cruel.  It  has  been  said,  in- 
deed, that  the  black  bear  of  America  rejects 
animal  food ;  but  of  the  contrary  I  am  cer- 
tain, as  I  have  often  seen  the  young  ones, 
which  are  brought  over  to  London,  prefer 
flesh  to  every  kind  of  vegetable  aliment. 

The  BROWN  BEAR  is  properly  an  inhabitant 
of  the  temperate  climates ;  the  black  finds  sub- 
sistence in  the  northern  regions  of  Europe  and 
America ;  while  the  great  white  bear  takes  re- 
fuge in  the  most  icy  climates,  and  lives  where 
scarcely  any  other  animal  can  find  subsistence. 

The  brown  bearb  is  not  only  savage,  but  so- 
litary ;  he  takes  refuge  in  the  most  unfrequent- 
ed parts,  and  the  most  dangerous  precipices  of 
uninhabited  mountains.  It  chooses  its  den  in 
the  most  gloomy  parts  of  the  forest,  in  some 
cavern  that  has  been  hollowed  by  time,  or  in 
the  hollow  of  some  old  enormous  tree.  There 
it  retires  alone,  and  passes  some  months  of  the 
winter  without  provisions,  or  without  ever  stir- 
ring abroad.  However,  this  animal  is  not  en- 
tirely deprived  of  sensatiwn,  like  the  bat  or  the 
dormouse,  but  seems  rather  to  subsist  upon  the 
exuberance  of  its  former  flesh,  and  only  feels 
the  calls  of  appetite,  when  the  fat  it  had  ac- 
quired in  summer  begins  to  be  entirely  wasted 
away.  In  this  manner,  when  the  bear  retires 
to  its  den,  to  hide  for  the  winter,  it  is  extreme- 
ly fat ;  but  at  the  end  of  forty  or  fifty  days, 

•  The  animals  of  this  kind,  including  the  Racoon,  Wol- 
verene, Glutton,  and  Badger,  have  six  front  teeth  in  each 
jaw  ;  the  two  lateral  ones  of  the  lower  jaw  are  longer  than 
the  rest,  and  lobed,  and  are  likewise  furnished  with  smal- 
ler or  secondary  teeth  at  their  internal  bases  :  the  canine 
teeth  are  single  ;  there  are  five  or  six  grinders  on  each 
»ide ;  the  first  "of  which  is  placed  close  to  the  canine  teeth : 


when  it  comes  forth  to  seek  for  fresh  nourish- 
ment, it  seems  to  have  slept  all  its  flesh  a\\  ay. 
It  is  a  common  report,  that  during  this  time 
they  live  by  sucking  their  paws,  which  is  a 
vulgar  error  that  scarcely  requires  confutation. 
These  solitary  animals  couple  in  autumn,  but 
the  time  of  gestation  with  the  female  is  still 
unknown:  the  female  takes  great  care  to  pro- 
vide a  proper  retreat  for  her  young ;  she  se- 
cures them  in  the  hollow  of  a  rock,  and  pro- 
vides a  bed  of  hay  in  the  warmest  psnt  of  her 
den  ;  she  brings  forth  in  winter,  and  the  young 
ones  begin  to  follow  her  in  spring.  The  male 
and  female  by  no  means  inhabit  the  same  den  ; 
they  have  each  their  separate  retreat,  and  sel- 
dom are  seen  together  but  upon  the  accesses  of 
genial  desire. 

The  voice  of  the  bear  is  a  kind  of  growl, 
interrupted  with  rage,  which  is  often  caprici- 
ously exerted  ;  and  though  this  animal  seems 
gentle  and  placid  to  its  master,  when  tamed, 
yet  it  is  still  to  be  distrusted  and  managed  with 
caution,  as  it  is  often  treacherous  and  resent- 
ful without  a  cause. 

This  animal  is  capable  of  some  degree  of  in- 
struction. There  are  few  but  have  seen  it 
dance  in  awkward  measures  upon  its  hind  feet, 
to  the  voice  or  the  instrument  of  its  leader; 
and  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  dancer  is 
often  found  to  be  the  best  performer  of  the 
two.  I  am  told,  that  it  is  first  taught  to  per- 
form in  this  manner,  by  setting  it  upon  hot 
plates  of  iron,  smd  then  playing  to  it,  while  in 
this  uneasy  situation. 

The  bear,  when  come  to  maturity,  can  ne- 
ver be  tamed  ;  it  then  continues  in  its  native 
fierceness,  and,  though  caged,  still  formidably 
impotent,  at  the  approach  of  its  keeper  flies  to 

the  tongue  is  smooth  ;  the  snout  projecting ;  and  the 
eyes 'furnished  with  a  nictitant  or  winking  membrane. 
The  soles  of  the  feet  are  long,  and  extend  to  the  heel ; 
some  use  their  fore  paws  as  hands,  and  they  are  all  able 
to  climb  trees  in  search  of  prey,  or  to  avoid  an  enemy, 
b  Button. 


THE  BEAR. 


437 


meet  him.  But  notwithstanding  the  fierce- 
ness of  this  animal,  the  natives  of  those  coun- 
tries where  it  is  found  hunt  it  with  great  per- 
severance and  alacrity.  The  least  dangerous 
method  of  taking  it  is  by  intoxicating  it,  by 
throwing  brandy  upon  honey,  which  it  seems 
to  be  chiefly  fond  of,  and  seeks  for  in  the  hol- 
low of  trees.  In  Canada,  where  the  BLACK 
BEARS  are  very  common,  and  where  their  dens 
are  made  in  trees  that  are  hollow  towards  the 
top,  they  are  taken  by  setting  fire  to  their  re- 
treats, which  are  often  above  thirty  feet  from 
the  ground.  The  old  one  is  generally  seen 
first  to  issue  from  her  den,  and  is  shot  by  the 
hunters.  The  young  ones  as  they  descend  are 
caught  in  a  noose,  and  are  either  kept,  or  kill- 
ed for  provision.  Their  paws  are  said  to  be 
a  great  delicacy,  and  their  hams  are  well 
enough  known  at  the  tables  of  the  luxurious 
here.  Their  fat  also,  which  still  preserves  a 
certain  degree  of  fluidity,  is  supposed  to  be  an 
efficacious  remedy  in  white  or  indolent  tu- 
mors, though  probably  very  little  superior  to 
hog's  lard. 

The  WHITE  GREENLAND  BEAR  differs  greatly, 
both  in  figure  and  dimensions,  from  those  al- 
ready described ;  and  though  it  preserves  in 
general  the  external  form  of  its  more  southern 
kindred,  yet  it  grows  to  above  three  times  the 
size.  The  brown  bear  is  seldom  above  six 
feet  long ;  the  white  bear  is  often  known  from 
twelve  to  thirteen.  The  brown  bear  is  made 
rather  strong  and  sturdy,  like  the  mastiff;  the 
Greenland  bear,  though  covered  with  very 
long  hair,  and  apparently  bulky,  is  neverthe- 
less more  slender,  both  as  to  the  head,  neck, 
and  body,  and  more  inclining  to  the  shape  of 
the  grayhound.  In  short,  all  the  variations  of 
its  figure  and  its  colour,  seem  to  proceed  from 
the  coldness  of  the  climate  where  it  resides, 
and  the  nature  of  the  food  it  is  supplied  with. 

The  white  bear  seems  the  only  animal  that, 
by  being  placed  in  the  coldest  climate,  grows 
larger  than  those  that  live  in  the  temperate 
zones.  All  other  species  of  animated  nature 
diminish  as  they  approach  the  poles,  and  ss'em 
contracted  in  their  size  by  the  rigours  of  the 
ambient  atmosphere  ;  but  the  bear,  being  un- 
molested in  these  desolate  climates,  and  meet- 
ing no  animal  but  what  he  can  easily  conquer, 
finding  also  a  sufficient  supply  of  fishy  provi- 
sions, grows  to  an  enormous  size  ;  and  as  the 


lion  is  the  tyrant  of  an  African  forest,  so  the 
bear  remains  undisputed  master  of  the  icy 
mountains  in  Spitzbergen  and  Greenland. 
When  our  mariners  land  upon  those  shores,  in 
such  parts  as  have  not  been  frequented  before, 
the  white  bears  corne  down  to  view  them  with 
an  awkward  curiosity  ;  they  approach  slowly, 
seeming  undetermined  whether  to  advance  or 
retreat,  and  being  naturally  a  timorous  ani- 
mal, they  are  only  urged  on  by  the  conscious 
experience  of  their  former  victories  ;  however, 
when  they  are  shot  at,  or  wounded,  they  en- 
deavour to  fly,  or,  finding  that  impracticable, 
they  make  a  fierce  and  desperate  resistance 
till  they  die.  As  they  live  upon  fish  and  seals, 
their  flesh  is  too  strong  for  food,  and  the  cap- 
tors have  nothing  but  the  skin  to  reward 
them  for  the  dangers  incurred  in  the  engage- 
ment. 

The  number  of  these  animals  that  are  found 
about  the  north  pole,  if  we  consider  the 
scarcity  there  of  all  other  terrestrial  crea- 
tures, is  very  amazing.  They  are  not  only 
seen  at  land,  but  often  on  ice-floats,  several 
leagues  at  sea.  They  are  often  transported  in 
this  manner  to  the  very  shores  of  Iceland, 
where  they  no  sooner  land,  but  all  the  natives 
are  in  arms  to  receive  them.  It  often  happens, 
that  when  a  Greenlander  and  his  wife  are  pad- 
dling out  at  sea,  by  coming  too  near  an  ice- 
float,  a  white  bear  unexpectedly  jumps  into 
their  boat,  and  if  he  does  not  overset  it,  sits 
calmly  where  he  first  came  down,  and,  like  a 
passenger,  suffers  himself  to  be  rowed  along. 
It  is  probable  the  poor  little  Greenlander  is 
not  very  fond  of  his  new  guest ;  however,  he 
makes  a  virtue  of  necessity,  and  hospitably 
rows  him  to  shore. 

As  this  animal  lives  chiefly  upon  fish,  seals, 
and  dead  whales,  it  seldom  removes  far  from 
the  shore.  When  forced  by  hunger,  it  often 
ventures  into  the  deep,  swims  after  seals,  and 
devours  whatever  it  can  seize  ;  it  is,  however, 
but  a  bad  swimmer,  and  is  often  hunted  in 
this  manner  by  boats  till  it  is  fatigued,  and  at 
last  destroyed.  It  often  happens  that  a  bat- 
tle ensues  between  a  bear  and  a  morse  or  a 
whale ;  but  as  the  latter  are  more  expert  in 
their  own  element,  they  generally  prove  vic- 
torious. However,  when  the  bear  can  find  a 
young  whale,  it  repays  him  for  the  danger  he 
incurs  of  meeting  with  the  parent. 
3T* 


438 


THE  BADGER. 


CHAPTER  LXVII. 

THE  BADGER. 


THE  Badger's  legs  are  so  short,  that  its 
belly  seems  to  touch  the  ground  ;  this,  how- 
ever, is  but  a  deceitful  appearance,  as  it  is 
caused  by  the  length  of  the  hair,  which  is  very 
long  all  over  the  body,  and  makes  it  seem 
much  more  bulky  than  it  really  is.  It  is  a 
solitary  stupid  animal,  that  finds  refuge  re- 
mote from  man,  and  digs  itself  a  deep  hole 
with  great  assiduity.  It  seems  to  avoid  the 
light,  and  seldom  quits  its  retreat  by  day, 
only  stealing  out  at  night  to  find  subsistence. 
It  burrows  in  the  ground  very  easily,  its  legs 
being  short  and  strong,  and  its  claws  stiff"  and 
horny.  As  it  continues  to  bury  itself,  it  throws 
the  earth  behind  it  to  a  great  distance,  and 
thus  forms  to  itself  a  winding  hole,  at  the  bot- 
tom of  which  it  remains  in  safety.  As  the 
fox  is  not  so  expert  at  digging  into  the  earth, 
it  often  takes  possession  of  that  which  has 
been  quitted  by  the  badger ;  and,  some  say, 
forces  it  from  its  retreat,  by  laying  its  excre- 
ment at  the  mouth  of  the  badger's  hole. 

This  animal,  however,  is  not  long  in  mak- 
ing itself  a  new  habitation,  from  which  it  sel- 
dom ventures  far,  as  it  flies  but  slowly,  and 
can  find  safety  only  in  the  strength  of  its  re- 
treat. When  it  is  surprised  by  the  dogs  at 
some  distance  from  its  hole,  it  then  combats 
with  desperate  resolution ;  it  falls  upon  its  back, 
defends  itself  on  every  side,  and  seldom 


dies  unrevenged  in  the  midst  of  its  enemies. 

The  badger,  like  the  fox,  is  a  carnivorous 
animal,  and  nothing  that  has  life  can  come 
amiss  to  it.  It  sleeps  the  greatest  part  of  its 
time,  and  thus,  without  being  a  voracious 
feeder,  it  still  keeps  fat,  particularly  in  win- 
ter. They  always  keep  their  hole  very  clean; 
and  when  (he  female  brings  forth,  she  makes 
a  comfortable  warm  bed  of  hay,  at  the  bot- 
tom of  her  hole,  for  the  reception  of  her  young. 
She  brings  forth  in  summer,  generally  to  the 
number  of  three  or  four,  which  she  feeds  at 
fiist  with  her  milk,  and  afterwards  with  such 
petty  prey  as  she  can  surprise.  She  seizes 
the  young  rabbits  in  their  warren,  robs  birds' 
nests,  finds  out  where  the  wild  bees  have 
laid  up  their  honey,  and  brings  all  to  her  ex- 
pecting brood. 

The  young  ones  when  taken  are  easily 
tamed,  but  the  old  still  continue  savage  and 
incorrigible;  the  former,  after  a  short  time, 
play  with  the  dogs,  follow  their  master  about 
the  house,  but  seem  of  all  other  animals  the 
most  fond  of  the  fire.  They  often  approach 
it  so  closely,  that  they  burn  themselves  in  a 
dangerous  manner.  They  are  sometimes  also 
subject  to  the  mange ;  and  have  a  gland  un- 
dertheirtail whichscentsprettystrongly.  The 
poor  of  some  countries  eat  their  flesh ;  which 
though  fat,  is  at  best  but  rank  and  ill  tasted. 


THE  TAPIR— THE  RACOON. 


439 


CHAPTER  LXVm. 

THE  TAPIR.* 


THERE  seems  to  be  a  rude,  but  an  infe- 
rior resemblance,  between  many  animals  of 
the  old  and  the  new  world.  The  cougar  of 
America  resembles  the  tiger  in  natural  fero- 
city, though  far  inferior  in  its  dimensions. 
The  lama  bears  some  affinity  to  the  camel, 
but  is  far  behind  it  in  strength  and  utility. 
The  tapir  may  be  considered  as  the  hippopo- 
tamus of  the  new  continent,  but  degraded 
both  as  to  its  size  and  ferocity. 

This  animal  bears  some  distant  resemblance 
in  its  form  to  a  mule.  It  has  a  long  snout, 
which  it  lengthens  or  contracts  at  pleasure. 
Its  ears  are  small,  long,  and  pendent.  Its 
neck  and  tail  are  short,  and  its  claws  strong 
and  firm,  of  which  it  has  four  upon  each  foot. 


Its  skin  is  thick,  and  covered  with  brown  hair; 
and  the  natives  make  shields  of  it,  which  can- 
not be  pierced  by  an  arrow. 

This  animal  may,  in  some  measure,  be 
termed  amphibious,  as  it  chiefly  resides  in 
the  water.  It  differs,  however,  from  all 
others  of  this  kind,  in  feeding  entirely  upon 
vegetables,  and  not  making  this  element 
the  place  of  its  depredations.  It  feeds 
upon  the  pastures  by  the  river-side,  and 
as  it  is  very  timorous,  the  instant  it  hears 
the  least  noise,  it  plunges  into  the  stream. 
They  are  greatly  sought  after  by  the  na- 
tives, as  their  flesh  is  considered  as  a  de- 
licacy, and  thought  by  some  not  inferior 
to  beef. 


CHAPTER  LXIX. 

THE  RACOON. 


THE  Racoon,  which  some  authors  have 
called  the  Jamaica  rat,  is  about  the  size  of 
a  small  badger;  its  body  is  short  and  bulky; 
its  fur  is  fine,  long,  and  thick,  blackish  at  the 
surface,  and  gray  towards  the  bottom ;  the 
nose  is  rather  shorter,  and  more  pointed,  than 
that  of  the  fox ;  the  eyes  large  and  yellow ; 
the  teeth  resembling  those  of  a  dog;  the  tail 
thick,  but  tapering  towards  a  point,  regular- 
ly marked  with  rings  of  black,  and  at  least  as 
long  as  the  body;  the  fore  feet  are  much 
shorter  than  the  hinder,  both  armed  with  five 

*  The  Tapir  has  ten  front  teeth  in  both  jaws:  the  canine 
teeth  are  single  in  each  jaw,  and  are  bent  inwards  :  there 
are  five  very  broad  grinders  on  each  side  in  both  jaws  : 
the  feet  have  three  hoofs  ;  but  on  the  fore  feet  is  an  ad- 
ditional false  or  supplementary  hoof.  Its  general  attitude, 
when  .it  rest,  is  sitting  on  its  rump.  It  sleeps  much  by 
.day,  and  when  attacked  by  dogs  makes  a  vigorous  resist- 


sharp  claws,  with  which,  and  his  teeth,  the 
animal  makes  a  vigorous  resistance.  Like 
the  squirrel,  it  makes  use  of  its  paws  to  hold 
its  food  while  eating,  but  it  differs  from  the 
monkey  kind,  which  use  but  one  hand  on 
those  occasions,  whereas  the  racoon  and  the 
squirrel  use  both;  as,  wanting  the  thumb, 
their  paws  singly  are  unfit  for  grasping  or 
holding.  Though  this  animal  be  short  and 
bulky,  it  is  however  very  active;  its  pointed 
claws  enable  it  to  climb  trees  with  great  fa- 
cility; it  runs  on  the  trunk  with  the  same 

ance.  Its  voice  is  a  kind  of  whistle,  so  easily  imitated, 
that  in  this  manner  it  is  frequently  trepanned.  It  pro- 
duces but  one  young  at  a  birth, of  which  it  is  very  careful, 
leading  it  early  to  the  water,  to  instruct  it  in  swimming. 
It  is  gregarious,  feeds  by  night  on  vegetables,  and  doe* 
not  ruminate,  as  Mr.  Bajon  affirms. 


440 


THE  COATIMONDI. 


swiftness  that  it  moves  upon  the  plain,  and 
sports  among  the  most  extreme  brandies 
with  great  agility,  security,  and  ease;  it 
moves  forward  chiefly  by  bounding,  and 
though  it  proceeds  in  an  oblique  direction, 
it  has  speed  enough  most  frequently  to  es- 
cape its  pursuers. 

This  animal  is  a  native  of  the  southern 
parts  of  America,  nor  have  any  travellers 
mentioned  its  being  found  in  the  ancient  con- 
tinent. But  in  the  climates  of  which  it  is  a 
native,  it  is  found  in  noxious  abundance,  par- 
ticularly in  Jamaica,  where  it  keeps  in  the 
mountains,  and  where  it  often  descends  to 
feed  upon  the  plantations  of  sugar-cane. 
The  planters  of  these  climates  consider  these 
animals  as  one  of  their  greatest  miseries ;  they 
have  contrived  various  methods  of  destroying 
them,  yet  still  they  propagate  in  such  numbers 
that  neither  traps  nor  fire-arms  can  set  them 
free ;  so  that  a  swarm  of  these  famished  crea- 
tures are  found  to  do  more  injury  in  a  single 


night,  than  the  labours  of  a  month  can  repair. 
But  though,  when  wild,  they  are  thus  trou- 
blesome, in  a  state  of  tameness  no  animal  is 
more  harmless  or  amusing ;  they  are  capable 
of  being  instructed  in  various  little  amusing 
tricks.  The  racoon  is  playful  and  cleanly, 
and  is  very  easily  supported  ;  it  eats  of  every 
thing  that  is  given  it,  and,  if  left  to  itself,  no 
cat  can  be  a  better  provider;  it  examines  every 
corner,  eats  of  all  flesh,  either  boiled  or  raw, 
eggs,  fruits,  or  corn;  insects  themselves  can- 
not escape  it,  and,  if  left  at  liberty  in  a  gar- 
den, it  will  feed  upon  snails,  worms,  and  bee- 
tles; but  it  has  a  particular  fondness  for 
sweets  of  every  kind,  and  to  be  possessed 
of  these,  in  its  wild  state,  it  incurs  every  dan- 
ger. Though  it  will  eat  its  provisions  dry, 
it  will  for  choice  dip  them  in  water,  if  it  hap- 
pens to  be  in  the  way.  It  has  one  pecu- 
liarity which  few  other  animals  have  been 
found  to  possess — it  drinks  as  well  by  lap- 
ping like  the  dog,  as  by  sucking  like  the  horse^ 


CHAPTER  LXX. 


THE  COATIMONDI. 


THE  first  peculiarity  with  which  this  ani- 
mal strikes  the  spectator,  is  the  extreme 
length  of  its  snout,  which,  in  some  measure, 
resembles  that  of  the  hog,  but  elongated  to 
a  surprising  degree,  it  bears  some  distant  re- 
semblance to  the  animal  last  described,  ex- 
cept that  the  neck  and  the  body  are  longer, 
the  fur  shorter,  and  the  eyes  smaller;  but  its 
principal  distinction,  as  was  said  before,  con- 
sists in  the  shape  of  its  nose;  the  upper 
jaw  being  an  inch  longer  than  the  lower, 
and  the  snout,  which  is  moveable  in  every 
division,  turning  up  at  the  end.  Like  the 
racoon,  it  sits  up  on  the  hinder  legs  with  great 
ease,  and,  in  this  position,  with  both  paws  car- 
ries the  food  to  its  mouth. 

This  animal  is  very  subject  to  eat  its  own 
tail,  which  is  rather  longer  than  its  body : 
but  this  strange  appetite  is  not  peculiar 


to  the  coati  alone ;  the  mococo,  and  some 
of  the  monkey  kinds,  do  the  same,  and  seem 
to  feel  no  pain  in  wounding  a  part  of  the 
body  so  remote  from  the  centre  of  circula- 
tion. 

It  seems  possessed  of  the  same  playful 
qualities,  and  indiscriminate  appetites,  with 
the  animal  described  in  the  last  chapter  ;  if 
left  at  liberty  in  a  state  of  tameness,  it  will 
pursue  the  poultry,  and  destroy  every  living 
thing  that  it  has  strength  to  conquer;  though 
it  is  playful  with  its  keeper,  yet  it  seems  ob- 
stinately bent  against  receiving  any  instruc- 
tion, and  neither  threats  nor  caresses  can 
induce  it  to  practise  any  arts  to  which  it  is 
not  naturally  inclined.  When  it  sleeps,  it 
rolls  itself  up  in  a  lump,  and  in  that  position 
often  continues  for  fourteen  or  fifteen  hours 
together. 


THE  ANT-BEAR. 


441 


CHAPTER  LXXI. 

THE  ANT-BEAR. 


THERE  are  many  animals  that  live  upon 
ants  in  Africa  and  America ;  the  pangolin  or 
scaly  lizard  of  Guinea  may  be  considered 
among  this  number;  but  there  are  a  greater 
variety  in  America,  which  make  those  minute 
insects  their  only  subsistence.  Though  they 
are  of  different  figures  and  sizes,  yet,  in 
general,  they  go  under  one  common  name  of 
the  ant-bear ;  the  peculiar  length  and  sleri- 
derness  of  their  snout,  their  singular  appe- 
tites, and  their  mariner  of  taking  their  prey, 
striking  us  too  strongly  to  attend  to  the  mi- 
nute differences  of  their  size  or  form. 

They  have  been  classed  by  Mr.  Buffbn  into 

the  LARGER  TAMANDUA,  the  SMALLER  TAMANDl'A, 

and  the  ANT-EATER.  The  longest  of  this  kind 
is  four  feet  long,  from  the  tip  of  the  snout  to 
the  insertion  of  the  tail;  their  legs  are  short, 
and  armed  with  four  strong  claws;  their  tail 
is  long  and  tufted,  and  the  animal  often  throws 
it  on  its  back  like  the  squirrel.  The  second 
of  this  kind  is  not  above  eighteen  inches 
long,  the  tail  is  without  hair,  and  it  sweeps  the 
ground  as  the  animal  moves.  The  ANT-EATER, 
which  is  the  third  variety,  is  still  smaller  than 
either  of  the  former,  as  it  is  not  above  seven 
inches  from  the  tip  of  the  snout  to  the  inser- 
tion of  the  tail.  The  two  former  are  of  a 
brown  dusky  colour,  but  this  of  a  beautiful 
reddish,  mixed  with  yellow.  Though  they 
differ  in  figure,  they  all  resemble  each  other 
in  one  peculiarity,  which  is  the  extreme 
slenderness  of  their  snout,  and  the  amazing 
length  of  their  tongue. 

The  snout  is  produced  in  so  disproportion- 
ate a  manner,  that  the  length  of  it  makes  near 
a  fourth  part  of  the  whole  figure.  A  horse 
has  one  of  the  longest  heads  of  any  animal 
we  know,  and  yet  the  ant-bear  has  one  above 
twice  as  long,  in  proportion  to  its  body.  The 
snout  of  this  animal  is  almost  round  and 
cylindrical :  it  is  extremely  slender,  arid  is 
scarcely  tlw  ker  near  the  eyes  than  at  its  ex- 
tremity. The  mouth  is  very  small,  the  nos- 


trils are  very  close  to  each  other,  the  eyes 
are  little  in  proportion  to  the  length  of  the 
nose,  the  neck  is  short,  the  tongue  is  ex- 
tremely long,  slender,  and  flatted  on  both 
sides;  this  it  keeps  generally  doubled  up  in 
the  mouth,  and  is  the  only  instrument  by 
which  it  finds  subsistence;  for  the  whole  of 
this  tribe  are  entirely  without  teeth,  and  find 
safety  only  in  the  remoteness  and  security  of 
their  retreat. 

If  we  examine  through  the  various  regions 
of  the  earth,  we  shall  find  that  all  the  most 
active,  sprightly,  and  useful  quadrupeds,  have 
been  gathered  round  man,  and  either  served 
his  pleasures,  or  still  maintained  their  inde- 
pendence by  their  vigilance,  their  cunning, 
or  their  industry.  It  is  in  the  remote  soli- 
tudes that  we  are  to  look  for  the  helpless,  the 
deformed,  and  the  monstrous  births  of  nature. 
These  wretched  animals  being  incapable  of 
defending  themselves,  either  by  their  agility 
or  their  natural  arms,  fall  a  prey  to  every 
creature  that  attacks  them ;  they,  therefore, 
retire  for  safety  into  the  darkest  forests,  or 
the  most  desert  mountains,  where  none  of  the 
bolder  or  swifter  animals  choose  to  reside. 

It  may  well  be  supposed  that  an  animal  so 
helpless  as  the  ant-bear  is.  with  legs  too  short 
to  fit  it  for  flight,  and  unprovided  with  teeth 
to  give  it  a  power  of  resistance,  is  neither 
numerous,  nor  often  seen ;  its  retreats  are  in 
the  most  barren  and  uncultivated  parts  of 
South  America.  It  is  a  native  only  of  the  new 
continent,  and  entirely  unknown  to  the  old. 
It  lives  chiefly  in  the  woods,  and  hides  itself 
under  the  falien  leaves.  It  seldom  ventures 
from  its  retreat,  and  the  industry  of  an  hour 
supplies  it  with  sufficient  food  for  several 
days  together.  Its  manner  of  procuring  its 
prey  is  one  of  the  most  singular  in  all  natural 
history:  as  its  name  implies,  it  lives  entirely 
upon  ants  and  insects  ;  these,  in  the  countries 
where  it  is  bred,  are  found  in  the  greatest 
abundance,  and  often  build  themselves  hills 


442 


THE  SLOTH 


five  or  six  feet  high,  where  they  live  in  com- 
munity. When  this  animal  approaches  an 
ant-hill,  it  creeps  slowly  forward  on  ils  belly, 
taking  every  precaution  to  keep  itself  con- 
cealed, till  it  comes  within  a  proper  distance 
of  the  place  where  it  intends  to  make  its  ban- 
quet; there  lying  closely  along  at  its  length, 
it  thrusts  forth  its  round  red  tongue,  which  is 
often  two  feet  long,  across  the  path  of  these 
busy  insects,  and  there  lets  it  lie  motionless 
for  several  minutes  together.  The  ants  of 
that  country,  some  of  which  are  half  an  inch 
long,  considering  it  as  a  piece  of  flesh  acci- 
dentally thrown  before  them,  come  forth  and 
swarm  upon  it  in  great  numbers:  but  wher- 
ever they  touch  they  stick;  for  this  instru- 
ment is  covered  with  a  slimy  fluid,  which, 
like  bird-lime,  entangles  every  creature  that 
lights  upon  it.  When,  therefore,  the  ant-bear 
has  found  a  sufficient  number  for  one  morsel, 
it  instantly  draws  in  the  tongue,  and  devours 
them  all  in  a  moment ;  after  which  it  still 
continues  in  its  position,  practising  the 


[Besides  the  animal  here  described,  are  others  of  the 
same  kind  ;  the  most  remarkable  of  which  are,  the  little 
Ant-eater,  or  Fourmiller,  and  the  prickly  Ant-eater  of 
New  Holland. 

The  former  is  singular  for  its  having  only  two  toes  on 
the  fore  feet,  armed  with  strong  claws  ;  and  a  tail  which 
it  is  able  to  coil  round  the  branches  of  trees,  and  hold  fast 
by.  The  claws  on  the  fore  feet  are  extremely  dispro- 
portionate ;  the  outer  one  being  very  large,  and  the  inner 
one  much  smaller.  The  whole  animal  is  clothed  in  a 
beautiful,  soft,  curled,  pale  yellow  fur.  It  is  a  native  of 
Guiana. 


same  arts  until  its  hunger  is  entirely  appeas- 
ed; it  then  retires  to  its  hiding-place  once 
more,  where  it  continues  in  indolent  exis- 
tence, till  again  excited  by  the  calls  of  hun- 
ger. 

Such  is  the  luxurious  life  of  a  creature,  that 
seems  of  all  others  the  most  helpless  and  de- 
formed. It  finds  safety  in  its  hiding-places 
from  its  enemies,  and  an  ample  supply  in  some 
neighbouring  ant-hill  for  all  its  appetites.  As 
it  only  .tries  to  avoid  its  pursuers,  it  is  seldom 
discovered  by  them ;  yet  helpless  as  this  ani- 
mal is,  when  driven  to  an  extremity,  though 
without  teeth,  it  will  fight  with  its  claws  with 
great  obstinacy.  With  these  arms  alone,  it 
has  often  been  found  to  oppose  the  dog,  and 
even  the  jaguar.  It  throws  itself  upon  its 
back,  fastens  upon  its  enemy  with  all  its 
claws,  sticks  with  great  strength  and  per- 
severance, and  even  after  killing  his  invader, 
wThich  is  sometimes  the  case,  does  not  quit  its 
hold,  but  remains  fastened  upon  it  with  vin- 
dictive desperation. 

The  prickly  Ant-eater  is  a  short,  roundish  animal,  with 
a  long  tubular  mouth,  and  entirely  covered  over  on  the 
upper  parts  with  strong  sharp  spines,  resembling  those  of 
the  Porcupine.  Its  tail  is  very  short,  and  entirely  con- 
cealed in  the  spines.  The  head,  legs,  and  under  parts  of 
the  body,  are  thickly  covered  with  a  dark-brown  harsh 
hair.  On  its  fore  feet  are  five  strong  claws,  and  four  on 
the  hinder.  In  its  mode  of  life  it  resembles  the  rest  of  its 
tribe,  being  generally  found  in  the  midst  of  some  large 
ant-hill.  When  disturbed,  it  burrows  with  great  strength 
and  despatch  under  ground, during  which  exertion  its  body 
is  lengthened  out  in  a  surprising  manner.] 


CHAPTER  LXXII. 

THE  SLOTH. 


OF  the  Sloth  there  are  two  different  kinds, 
distinguished  from  each  other  by  their  claws ; 
the  one,  which  in  its  native  country  is  called 
the  M»a»,  having  only  two  claws  upon  the  fore 
feet,  and  being  without  a  tail;  the  other, 
which  is  called  the  at,  having  a  tail,  and  three 
claws  upon  each  foot.  The  unan  has  the 
snout  longer,  the  ears  more  apparent,  and  the 
fur  very  different  from  the  other.  It  differs 


also  in  the  number  of  its  ribs,  this  having 
forty-six,  while  the  ai  has  but  twenty-eight. 
These  differences,  however,  which  though 
very  apparent,  have  been  but  little  regarded 
in  the  description  of  two  animals  which  so 
strongly  resemble  each  other  in  the  general 
outlines  of  their  figure,  in  their  appetites, 
and  their  helpless  formation. 

They  are  both,  therefore,  described  under 


THE  SLOTH. 


443 


the  common  appellation  of  the  Sloth,  and  their 
habitudes    well    deserve    our    wonder   and 
curiosity.     Nature  seems  cramped  and  con- 
strained in  their  formation ;    other  animals 
are   often   indolent   from   choice,   these  are 
slow  from  necessity.     The  ai,  from  which  I 
shall  take  my  description,  and   from  which 
the  other  differs  only  in  the  slight  particulars 
above  mentioned,  and  in  being  rather  more 
active,  is  of  about  the  size  of  a  badger.     Its 
fur  is  coarse  and  staring,  somewhat  resem- 
bling  dried  grass  ;  the  tail  very   short,  and 
scarcely  appearing;  the  mouth  extended  from 
ear  to  ear;  the  eye  dull  and  heavy;  the  feet 
armed  with  three  claws  each,  and  made  so 
short,  and  set  on  so  awkwardly,  that  a  few  paces 
is  often  the  journey  of  a  week;  but  though 
the  feet  are  short,  they  are  still  longer  than 
its  legs,  and  these  proceed  from  the  body  in 
such  an  oblique  direction,  that  the  sole  of  the 
foot  seldom  touches  the  ground.     When  the 
animal,  therefore,  is   compelled  to  make  a 
step  forward,  it  scrapes  on  the  back  of  the 
nails  along  the  surface,  and  wheeling  the  limbs 
circularly  about,  yet  still  touching  the  ground, 
it  at  length  places  its  foot  in  a  progressive 
position;  the  other  three  limbs  are  all  brought 
about  with  the  same  difficulty ;  and  thus  it  is 
seen  to  move,  not  above  three  feet  in  an  hour. 
In  fact,  this  poor  creature  seldom  changes 
place  but  by  constraint,  and  when  impelled 
by  the  severest  stings  of  hunger. 

The  sloth  seems  to  be  the  meanest  and 
most  ill-formed  of  all  those  animals  that  chew 
the  cud ;  it  lives  entirely  upon  vegetable 
food,  on  the  leaves,  the  fruit,  and  the  flowers, 
of  trees,  and  often  even  on  the  very  bark, 
when  nothing  else  is  left  on  the  tree  for  its 
subsistence.  Like  all  other  ruminant  ani- 
mals, it  has  four  stomachs ;  and  these  requir- 
ing a  large  share  of  provision  to  supply  them, 
it  generally  strips  a  tree  of  all  its  verdure  in 
less  than  a  fortnight.  Still,  however,  it  keeps 
aloft,  unwilling  to  descend,  while  any  thing 
remains  that  can  serve  it  for  food  ;  it  there- 
fore falls  to  devouring  the  bark,  and  thus  in 
a  snort  time  kills  the  tree  upon  which  it  found 
itssupport.  Thusdestituteof  provisions  above, 
and  crawling  slowly  from  branch  to  branch 
in  hopes  of  finding  something  still  left,  it  is  at 
last  obliged  to  encounter  all  the  dangers  that 
attend  it  below.  Though  it  is  formed  by  na- 

1     wo.  3f  &  38. 


[  hire  for  climbing  a  tree  with  great  pain  and 
difficulty,  yet  it  is  utterly  unable  to  descend  ; 
it  therefore  is  obliged  to  drop  from  the  branch- 
es to  the  ground,  and  as  it  is  incapable  of  ex- 
erting itself  to  break  the  violence  of  its  de- 
scent, it  drops  like  a  shapeless  heavy  mass, 
and  feels  no  small  shock  in  the  fall.     There, 
after  remaining  some  time  torpid,  it  prepares 
for  a  journey  to  some  neighbouring  tree  ;  but 
this  of  all  migrations  is  the  most   tedious, 
dangerous,  and  painful;  it  often  takes  a  week 
in  crawling  to  a  tree  not  fifty  yards  distant; 
it  moves  with  imperceptible  slowness,  and 
often  baits  by  the  way.     All  motions  seem  to 
torture  it,  every  step  it  takes  it  sets  forth  a 
most  plaintive  melancholy  cry,  which,  from 
some  distant  similitude  to  the  human   voice, 
excites  a  kind  of  disgust,  mixed   with  pity. 
This  plaintive'sound  seems  its  chief  defence; 
few  quadrupeds  appear  willing  to  interrupt 
its  progress,  either  that  the  flesh  is  offensive, 
or  that  they  are  terrified  at  its  cries.     When 
at  length  they  reach  their  destined  tree,  they 
mount  it  with  much  greater  ease  than  when 
they    moved    upon    the    plain.      They    fall 
to   with  famished    appetite,  and,  as  before, 
destroy    the    very    source     that     supplies 
them. 

How  far  these  may  be  considered  as  the 
unfinished  productions  of  nature,  I  will  not 
take  upon  me  to  determine ;  if  we  measure 
their  happiness  by  our  sensations,  nothing,  it 
is  certain,  can  be  more  miserable;  but  it  is 
probable,  considered  with  regard  to  them- 
selves, they  may  have  some  stores  of  comfort 
unknown  to  us,  which  may  set  them  upon  a 
level  with  some  other  inferior  ranks  of  the 
creation;  if  a  part  of  their  life  be  exposed  to 
pain  and  labour,  it  is  compensated  by  a  larger 
portion  of  plenty,  indolence  and  safety.  In 
fact,  they  are  formed  very  differently  from  all 
other  quadrupeds,  and,  it  is  probable,  they 
have  different  enjoyments.  Like  birds,  they 
have  but  one  common  vent  for  the  purposes 
of  propagation,  excrement,  and  urine.  Like 
the  tortoise,  which  they  resemble  in  the  slow- 
ness of  their  motion,  they  continue  to  live 
some  time  after  their  nobler  parts  are  wound- 
ed, or  even  taken  away.  They  bear  the 
marks  of  all  those  homely-formed  animals, 
that,  like  rude  machines,  are  not  easily  dis- 
composed. 

3U 


444 


THE  JERBOA. 


Its  note,"  according  to  Kircher,  is  an  as- 
cending and  descending  hexachord,  which  it 
utters  only  by  night;  its  look  is  so  piteous,  as 
to  move  compassion  ;  it  is  also  accompanied 
with  tears,  that  dissuade  every  body  from  in- 
juring so  wretched  a  being.  Its  abstinence 
from  food  is  remarkably  powerful ;  one  that 
had  fastened  itself  by  its  feet  to  a  pole,  and 
was  so  suspended  across  two  beams,  remain- 
ed forty  days,  without  meat,  drink,  or  sleep  ; 
the  strength  of  its  feet  is  so  great,  that  what- 
soever it  seizes  on  cannot  possibly  be  freed 
from  its  claws.  A  dog  was  let  loose  at  the 
above  mentioned  animal, taken  from  the  pole; 
after  some  time  the  sloth  laid  hold  of  the  dog 
with  its  feet,  and  held  him  four  days,  till  he 
perished  with  hunger. 

[In  addition  to  the  two  here  mentioned, 


another,  and  by  far  the  largest  of  its  kind,  has 
lately  been  introduced  to  the  notice  of  natu- 
ralists from  India.  This  animal  approaches 
in  size  and  shape  to  that  of  the  common  bear, 
being  clothed  with  a  very  long  black  shaggy 
hair.  Its  snout  is  a  little  elongated,  and  ap- 
pears as  if  cut  off  at  the  end.  The  feet  are 
all  armed  with  five  crooked  pointed  claws; 
and  the  tail  is  short,  and  hardly  visible.  In 
its  motions,  it  was  not,  as  in  the  others,  slow 
and  languid;  but  it  appeared  moderately 
lively,  and  made  a  kind  of  short  abrupt  roar 
when  disturbed  or  irritated.  It  fed  princi- 
pally upon  vegetables  and  milk,  and  was 
much  delighted  with  honey  and  sweet  things. 
It  was  said  to  burrow,  and  to  have  been  dug 
out  of  its  subterraneous  retreat  when  first 
discovered.] 


CHAPTER  LXX1H. 

THE  JERBOA." 


THIS  animal  as  little  resembles  a  quadru- 
ped, as  that  which  has  been  described  in  a 
former  chapter.  If  we  should  suppose  a  bird, 
divested  of  its  feathers,  and  walking  upon  its 
legs,  it  might  give  us  some  idea  of  its  figure. 
It  has  four  feet  indeed,  but  in  running,  or  rest- 
ing, it  never  makes  use  of  any  but  the  hinder. 
The  number  of  legs,  however,  do  not  much 
contribute  to  any  animal's  speed ;  and  the 
jerboa,  though,  properly  speaking,  furnished 
but  with  two,  is  one  of  the  swiftest  creatures 
in  the  world. 

a  Pennant's  Synopsis. 

b  These  curious  animals  have  two  front  teeth  in  each 
jaw;  the  fore  legs  are  very  short,  and  the  hind  legs  very 
long;  they  have  perfect  collarbones.  M.  Sonnini,  while 
he  was  in  Egypt,  fed  for  some  time  six  of  these  animals  in 
a  large  cage  of  iron  wire.  The  very  first  night,  they  en- 
tirely gnawed  asunder  the  upright  and  cross  sticks  of  their 
prison  ;  and  he  was  under  the  necessity  of  having  the  in- 
side of  the  cage  lined  with  tin.  They  were  fond  of  bask- 
ing in  the  sun,  and  as  soon  as  they  were  placed  in  the 
shade,  they  clung  close  to  each  other,  and  seemed  to  suffer 
from  the  privation  of  warmth.  They  did  not  usually 
sleep  during  the  day.  Though  they  had  much  agility  in 
their  movements,  gentleness  and  tranquillity  seemed  to 
form  their  character.  They  suffered  themselves  to  be 


The  jerboa  is  not  above  the  size  of  a  large 
rat,  and  its  head  is  sloped  somewhat  in  the 
manner  of  a  rabbit ;  the  teeth  also  are  form- 
ed like  those  of  the  rat  kind,  there  being  two 
cutting  teeth  in  each  jaw;  it  has  a  very  long 
tail,  tufted  at  the  end ;  the  head,  the  back, 
and  sides,  are  covered  with  long  ash-colour- 
ed soft  hair;  the  breast  and  belly  is  whitish; 
but  what  most  deserves  our  attention  in  the 
formation  of  this  little  animal,  is  the  legs ;  the 
fore  legs  are  not  an  inch  long,  with  four  claws 
and  a  thumb  upon  each,  while  the  hinder 

stroked  with  great  composure,  and  never  made  a  noise  or 
quarrelled  among  themselves,  even  when  food  was  scatter- 
ed among  them.  No  distinguishing  symptoms  of  joy, 
fear,  or  gratitude,  were  discoverable;  and  even  their 
gentleness  was  by  no  means  either  amiable  or  interesting; 
it  appeared  the  effect  of  a  cold  and  comple'e  indifference, 
approaching  to  stupidity.  Three  of  these  died  before  he 
left  Alexandria;  two  died  on  a  rou<*h  passage  to  the  isle 
of  Rhodes ;  and  the  last  was  lost,  and,  as  he  supposes,  de- 
voured by  cats  while  he  was  on  the  island. 

He  observes,  that  they  do  not  ruminate,  and  that  it  is 
difficult  to  transport  them,  on  account  of  the  quickness 
and  facility  with  which  they  gnaw  through  the  thickest 
and  strongest  boards. 


THE  JERBOA. 


445 


legs  are  two  inches  and  a  quarter,  and  exact- 
ly resemble  those  of  a  bird,  there  being  but 
three  toes,  the  middlemost  of  which  is  longest. 

The  jerboa  is  found  in  Egypt,  Barbary,  Pa- 
lestine, and  the  deserts  between  Bussorah  and 
Aleppo ;  its  hind  legs,  as  was  said  before,  are 
only  used  in  running,  while  the  fore  paws, 
like  those  of  a  squirrel,  grasp  its  food,  and  in 
some  measure  perform  the  office  of  hands. 
It  is  often  seen  by  travellers  as  they  pass 
along  the  deserts,  crossing  thei  r  way,  and  j  u  rap- 
ing six  or  eight  feet  at  every  bound,  and 
going  so  swiftly,  that  scarcely  any  other  quad- 
ruped is  able  to  overtake  them.  They  are 
a  lively  harmless  race  of  animals,  living  en- 
tirely upon  vegetables,  and  burrowing  like 
rabbits  in  the  ground.  Mr.  Pennant  tells  us 
of  two  that  were  lately  brought  to  London, 
that  burrowed  almost  through  the  brick  wall 
of  the  room  where  they  were  kept ;  they  came 
out  of  their  hole  at  night  for  food,  and,  when 
caught,  were  much  fatter  and  sleeker  than 
when  confined  to  their  burrows.  A  variety 
of  this  animal  is  found  also  in  Siberia  and 
Circassia,  and  is,  most  probably,  common 
enough  over  all  Asia.  They  are  more  expert 
diggers  than  even  the  rabbit  itself;  and  when 
pursued  for  a  long  time,  if  they  cannot  escape 
by  their  swiftnesa,  they  try  to  make  a  hole 
instantly  in  the  ground,  in  which  they  often 
bury  themselves  deep  enough  to  find  security 
before  their  pursuers  come  up.  Their  bur- 
rows, in  some  places,  are  so  thick,  as  to  be 
dangerous  to  travellers,  the  horses  perpe- 
tually falling  in  them.  It  is  a  provident  little 
animal,  and  lays  up  for  the  winter.  It  cuts 
grass  in  heaps  of  a  foot  square,  which,  when 
dried,  it  carries  into  its  burrow,  therewith 
to  serve  it  for  food,  or  to  keep  its  young  warm 
during  the  rigours  of  the  winter. 

But  of  all  animals  of  this  kind,  that  which 
was  first  discovered  and  described  by  Mr. 
Banks,  is  the  most  extraordinary.  He  calls 
it  the  kanguroo ;  and  though  from  its  general 
outline,  and  the  most  striking  peculiarities  of 
its  figure,  it  greatly  resembles  the  jerboa,  yet 
it  entirely  differs,  if  we  consider  its  size,  or 
those  minute  distinctions  which  direct  the 
makers  of  systems  in  assorting  the  general 
ranks  of  nature." 

The  largest  of  the  jerboa  kind  which  are 
to  be  found  in  the  ancient  continent,  do  not 


exceed  the  size  of  a  rabbit.  The  kanguroo 
of  New  Holland,  where  it  is  only  to  be  found, 
is  often  known  to  weigh  above  sixty  pounds, 
and  must  consequently  be  as  large  as  a 
sheep.  Although  the  skin  of  that  which  was 
stuffed  and  brought  home  by  Mr.  Banks,  was 
not  much  above  the  size  of  a  hare,  yet  it  was 
greatly  superior  to  any  of  the  jerboa  kind  that 
have  been  hitherto  known,  and  very  different 
in  many  particulars.  The  snout  of  the  jer- 
boa, as  has  been  said,  is  short  and  round, 
that  of  the  discovered  animal  long  and  slen- 
der; the  teeth  also  entirely  differ;  for  as  the 
jerboa  has  but  two  cutting  teeth  in  each  jaw, 
making  four  in  all,  this  animal,  besides  its 
cutting  teeth,  has  four  canine  teeth  also ;  but 
what  makes  a  more  striking  peculiarity,  is 
the  formation  of  its  lower  jaw,  which,  as  the 
ingenious  discoverer  supposes,  is  divided  into 
two  parts,  which  open  and  shut  like  a  pair 
of  scissors,  and  cut  grass,  probably  this  ani- 
mal's principal  food.  The  head,  neck,  and 
shoulders,  are  very  small  in  proportion  to 
the  other  parts  of  the  body ;  the  tail  is  near- 
ly as  long  as  the  body ;  thick  near  the  rump, 
and  tapering  towards  the  head  and  ears, 
which  bear  a  slight  resemblance  to  those  of 
the  hare.  We  are  not  told,  however,  from 
the  formation  of  its  stomach,  to  what  class 
of  quadrupeds  it  belongs:  from  its  eating 
grass,  which  it  has  been  seen  to  do,  one 
would  be  apt  to  rank  it  among  the  ruminating 
animals ;  but  from  the  canine  teeth  which  it 
is  found  to  have,  we  may  on  the  other  hand 
suppose  it  to  bear  some  relation  to  the  car- 
nivorous. Upon  the  whole,  however,  it  can 
be  classed  with  none  more  properly,  than 
with  animals  of  the  jerboa  kind,  as  its  hind 
legs  are  so  much  longer  than  the  fore;  it 
moves  also  precisely  in  the  same  manner, 
taking  great  bounds  of  ten  or  twelve  feet  at 
a  time,  and  thus  sometimes  escaping  even 
the  fleetest  grayhound,  with  which  Mr.  Banks 
pursued  it.  One  of  them  that  was  killed 
proved  to  be  good  food ;  but  a  second,  which 
weighed  eighty-four  pounds,  and  was  not 


»  In  order  to  supply  some  deficiencies  in  our  author's 
description  of  this  animal,  the  reader  is  referred  to  p.  413, 
under  the  head  of  the  "Oppossum  and  its  kinds,"  to 
which  class  naturalists  now  consider  this  creature  to  be 
liearly  allied. 

SU» 


446 


A  HISTORY  OF 


yet  come  to  its  full  growth,  was  found  to  be 
much  inferior. 

With  this  last  described  and  last  discover- 
ed animal,  I  shall  conclude  the  history  of 
quadrupeds,  which  of  all  parts  of  natural 
knowledge  seems  to  have  been  described  the 
most  accurately.  As  these,  from  their  figure, 
as  well  as  their  sagacity,  bear  the  nearest  re- 
semblance to  man,  and  from  their  uses  or 
enmities  are  the  most  respectable  parts  of 
the  inferior  creation;  so  it  was  his  interest, 
and  his  pleasure,  to  make  himself  acquainted 
with  their  history.  It  is  probable  therefore 
that  time,  which  enlarges  the  sphere  of  our 
knowledge  in  other  parts  of  learning,  can  add 
but  very  little  to  this.  The  addition  of  a  new 
quadruped  to  the  catalogue  already  known, 
is  of  no  small  consequence,  and  happens  but 
seldom;  for  the  number  of  all  is  so  few,  that 
wherever  a  new  one  is  found,  it  becomes  an 
object  worthy  our  best  attention.  It  may 
take  refuge  in  its  native  deserts  from  our  pur- 
suits, but  not  from  our  curiosity. 

But  it  is  very  different  with  the  inferior 
ranks  of  the  creation  ;  the  classes  of  birds,  of 
fishes,  and  of  insects,  are  all  much  more  nu- 
merous, and  more  incompletely  known.  The 
quadruped  is  possessed  of  no  arts  of  escaping, 
which  we  are  not  able  to  overcome ;  but  the 
bird  removes  itself  by  its  swiftness,  the  fishes 
find  protection  in  their  native  element,  and 
insects  are  secured  in  their  minuteness,  num- 
bers, and  variety.  Of  all  these,  therefore,  we 
have  but  a  very  inadequate  catalogue ;  and 
though  the  list  be  already  very  large,  yet 
every  hour  is  adding  to  its  extent. 

In  fact,  all  knowledge  is  pleasant  only  as 
the  object  of  it  contributes  to  render  man 
happy ;  and  the  services  of  quadrupeds  be- 
ing so  very  necessary  to  him  in  every  situa- 
tion, he  is  particularly  interested  in  their 
history  :  without  their  aid,  what  a  wretched 
and  forlorn  creature  would  he  have  been ! 
the  principal  part  of  his  food,  his  clothing, 
and  his  amusements,  are  derived  wholly  from 
them;  and  he  may  be  considered  as  a  great 
lord,  sometimes  cherishing  his  humble  de- 
pendents, and  sometimes  terrifying  the  refrac- 
tory, to  contribute  to  his  delight  and  conve- 
niences. 

The  horse  and  the  ass,  the  elephant,  the 
camel,  the  lama,  and  rein-deer,  contribute  to 


ease  his  fatigues,  and  to  give  him  that  swift- 
ness which  he  wants  from  nature  By  their 
assistance,  he  changes  place  without  hbour; 
he  attains  health  without  weariness;  his  pride 
is  enlarged  by  the  elegance  of  equipage,  and 
other  animals  are  pursued  with  a  certainty  of 
success.  It  were  happy  indeed  for  man,  if, 
while  converting  these  quadrupeds  to  his  own 
benefit,  he  had  not  turned  them  to  the  de- 
struction of  his  fellow  creatures;  he  has  em- 
ployed some  of  them  for  the  purposes  of  war, 
and  they  have  conformed  to  his  noxious  am- 
bition with  but  too  fatal  an  obedience. 

The  cow,  the  sheep,  the  deer,  and  all  their 
varieties,  are  necessary  to  him,  though  in  a 
different  manner.  Their  flesh  makes  the 
principal  luxuries  of  his  table,  and  their  wool 
or  skins  the  chief  ornament  of  his  person. 
Even  those  nations  that  are  forbid  to  touch 
any  thing  that  has  life,  cannot  wholly  dispense 
with  their  assistance.  The  milk  of  these  ani- 
mals makes  a  principal  part  of  the  food  of 
every  country,  and  often  repairs  those  con- 
stitutions that  have  been  broken  by  disease 
or  intemperance. 

The  dog,  the  cat,  and  the  ferret,  may  be 
considered  as  having  deserted  from  their 
fellow  quadrupeds,  to  list  themselves  under 
the  conduct  and  protection  of  man.  At  his 
command  they  exert  all  their  services  against 
such  animals  as  they  are  capable  of  destroy- 
ing, and  follow  them  into  places  where  he 
himself  wants  abilities  to  pursue. 

As  there  is  thus  a  numerous  tribe,  that  he 
has  taken  into  protection,  and  that  supplies 
his  necessities  and  amusements,  so  there  is 
also  a  still  more  numerous  one,  that  wages  an 
equal  combat  against  him,  and  thus  calls  forth 
his  courage  and  his  industry.  Were  it  not 
for  the  lion,  the  tiger,  the  panther,  the  rhi- 
noceros, and  the  bear,  he  would  scarcely  know 
his  own  powers,  and  the  superiority  of  human 
art  over  brutal  fierceness.  These  serve  to 
excite,  and  put  his  nobler  passions  into 
motion.  He  attacks  them  in  their  retreat, 
faces  them  with  resolution,  and  seldom  fails 
of  coming  off  with  a  victory.  He  thus  be- 
comes hardier  and  better  in  the  struggle,  and 
learns toknow  and  to  value  hisownsuperiority. 

As  the  last  mentioned  animals  are  called 
forth  by  his  boldest  efforts,  so  the  numerous 
tribe  of  the  smaller  vermin  kind  excite  his 


QUADRUPEDS. 


447 


continual  vigilance  and  caution  ;  his  various 
arts  and  powers  have  been  no  where  more 
manifest,  th:in  in  the  extirpation  of  those  that 
multiply  with  such  prodigious  fecundity. 
Neither  thoir  agility  nor  their  minuteness 
can  secure  them  from  his  pursuits;  and  though 
they  may  infest,  they  are  seldom  found  mate- 
rially to  injure  him. 

In  this  manner  we  see,  that  not  only  human 
want  is  supplied,  but  that  human  wit  is  sharp- 
ened, by  the  humbler  partners  of  man  in  the 
creation.  By  this  we  see,  that  not  only  their 
benefits,  but  their  depredations,  are  useful, 
and  that  it  has  wisely  pleased  providence  to  | 


place  us  like  victors  in  a  subdued  country, 
where  we  have  all  the  benefit  of  conquest, 
without  being  so  secure  as  to  run  into  the 
sloth  and  excesses  of  a  certain  and  undis- 
turbed possession.  It  appears,  therefore, 
that  those  writers  who  are  continually  finding 
immediate  benefit  in  every  production,  see 
but  half  way  into  the  general  system  of  na- 
ture. Experience  must  every  hour  'inform 
us,  that  all  animals  are  not  formed  for  our  use; 
but  we  may  be  equally  well  assured,  that 
those  conveniences  which  we  want  from  their 
friendship,  are  well  repaid  by  that  vigilance 
which  we  procure  from  their  enmity. 


418 


A  HISTORY  OF 


OF  BIRDS  INT  GENERAL. 


CHAPTER  LXXIV. 

INTRODUCTION. 


WE  are  now  come  to  a  beautiful  and  lo- 
quacious race  of  animals,  that  embellish  our 
forests,  amuse  our  walks,  and  exclude  solitude 
from  our  most  shady  retirements.  From 
these  man  has  nothing  to  fear;  their  pleasures, 
their  desires,  and  even  their  animosities,  only 
serve  to  enliven  the  general  picture  of  na- 
ture, and  give  harmony  to  meditation. 

No  part  of  nature  appears  destitute  of  in- 
habitants. The  woods,  the  waters,  the  depths 
of  the  earth,  have  their  respective  tenants; 
while  the  yielding  air,  and  those  tracts  of 
seeming  space  where  man  never  can  ascend, 
are  also  passed  through  by  multitudes  of  the 
most  beautiful  beings  of  the  creation. 

Every  order  and  rank  of  animals  seems  fit- 
ted for  its  situation  in  life ;  but  none  more 
apparently  than  birds:  they  share,  in  com- 
mon with  the  stronger  race  of  quadrupeds, 
the  vegetable  spoils  of  the  earth;  are  sup- 
plied with  swiftness,  to  compensate  for  their 
want  of  force ;  and  have  a  faculty  of  ascend- 
ing into  the  air,  to  avoid  that  power  which 
they  cannot  oppose. 

The  bird  seems  formed  entirely  for  a  life 
of  escape ;  and  every  part  of  the  anatomy 
of  the  animal  seems  calculated  for  swiftness. 
As  it  is  designed  to  rise  upon  air,  all  its  parts 
are  proportionably  light,  and  expand  a  large 
surface  without  solidity. 

In  a  comparative  view  with  man,  their  for- 
mation seems  much  ruder  and  more  imper- 
fect ;  and  they  are  in  general  found  incapa- 
ble of  the  docility  even  of  quadrupeds.  In- 
deed, what  great  degree  of  sagacity  can  be 
expected  in  animals  whose  eyes  are  almost  as 


large  as  their  brain  ?  However,  though  they 
fall  below  quadrupeds  in  the  scale  of  nature, 
and  are  less  imitative  of  human  endowments ; 
yet  they  hold  the  next  rank,  and  far  surpass 
fishes  and  insects,  both  in  the  structure  of 
their  bodies  and  in  their  sagacity. 

As  in  mechanics  the  most  curious  instru- 
ments are  generally  the  most  complicated, 
so  it  is  in  anatomy.  The  body  of  man  pre- 
sents the  greatest  variety  upon  dissection; 
quadrupeds,  less  perfectly  formed,  discover 
their  defects  in  the  simplicity  of  their  con- 
formation ;  the  mechanism  of  birds  is  still 
less  complex  ;  fishes  are  furnished  with  few- 
er organs  still ;  whilst  insects,  more  imper- 
fect than  all,  seem  to  fill  up  the  chasm  that 
separates  animal  from  vegetable  nature.  Of 
man,  the  most  perfect  animal,  there  are  but 
three  or  four  species;  of  quadrupeds,  the 
kinds  are  more  numerous;  birds  are  more 
various  still ;  fishes  yet  more ;  but  insects  af- 
ford so  very  great  a  variety,  that  they  elude 
the  search  of  the  most  inquisitive  pursuer. 

Quadrupeds,  as  was  said,  have  some  dis- 
tant resemblance  in  their  internal  structure 
with  man ;  but  that  of  birds  is  entirely  dissi- 
milar. As  they  seem  chiefly  formed  to  inha- 
bit the  empty  regions  of  air,  all  their  parts 
are  adapted  to  iheir  destined  situation.  It 
will  be  proper,  therefore,  before  I  give  a  ge- 
neral history  of  birds,  to  enter  into  a  slight 
detail  of  their  anatomy  and  conformation. 

As  to  their  external  parts,  they  seem  sur- 
prisingly adapted  for  swiftness  of  motion. 
The  shape  of  their  body  is  sharp  before,  to 
pierce  andfnake  way  through  the  air;  it  then 


BIRDS  IN  GENERAL. 


449 


rises  by  a  gentle  swelling  to  its  bulk,  and 
falls  off  in  an  expansive  tail,  that  helps  to 
keep  it  buoyant,  while  the  fore  parts  are 
cleaving  the  air  by  their  sharpness.  From 
this  conformation,  they  have  often  been  com- 
pared to  a  ship  making  its  way  through  wa- 
ter; the  trunk  of  the  body  answers  to  the 
hold,  the  head  to  the  prow,  the  tail  to  the 
rudder,  and  the  wings  to  the  oars;  from 
whence  the  poets  have  adopted  the  meta- 
phor of  remigium  alarum,  when  they  describe 
the  wavy  motion  of  a  bird  in  flight. 

What  we  are  called  upon  next  to  admire 
in  the  external  formation  of  birds  is,  the  neat 
position  of  the  feathers,  lying  all  one  way, 
answering  at  otice  the  purposes  of  warmth, 
speed,  and  security.  They  mostly  tend  back- 
ward, and  are  laid  over  one  another  in  an 
exact  and  regular  order,  armed  with  warm 
and  soft  down  next  the  body,  and  more  strong- 
ly fortified,  and  curiously  closed  externally, 
to  fence  off  the  injuries  of  the  weather.  But, 
lest  the  feathers  should  spoil  by  their  violent 
attrition  against  the  air,  or  imbibe  the  mois- 
ture of  the  atmosphere,  the  animal  is  furnish- 
ed with  a  gland  behind,  containing  a  proper 
quantity  of  oil,  which  can  be  pressed  out  by 
the  bird's  bill,  and  laid  smoothly  over  every 
feather  that  wants  to  be  dressed  for  the  oc- 
casion. This  gland  is  situated  on  the  rump, 
and  furnished  with  an  opening  or  excretory 
duct ;  about  which  grows  a  small  tuft  of  fea- 
thers somewhat  like  a  painter's  pencil.  When, 
therefore,  the  feathers  are  shattered  or  rum- 
pled, the  bird,  turning  its  head  backwards, 
with  the  bill  catches  hold  of  the  gland,  and, 
pressing  it,  forces  out  the  oily  substance,  with 
which  it  anoints  the  disjoined  parts  of  the 
feathers;  and  drawing  them  out  with  great 
assiduity,  recomposes  and  places  them  in  due 
order;  by  which  they  unite  more  closely  to- 
ge'.her.  Such  poultry,  however,  as  live  for 
the  most  part  under  cover,  are  not  furnished 
with  so  large  a  stock  of  this  fluid,  as  those 
birds  that  reside  in  the  open  air.  The  fea- 
thers of  a  hen,  for  instance,  are  pervious  to 
every  shower;  on  the  contrary, swans,  geese, 
ducks,  and  all  siich  as  nature  has  directed  to 
live  upon  the  water,  have  their  feathers  dress- 
ed with  oil  from  the  very  first  day  of  their 
leaving  the  shell.  Thus  their  stock  of  fluid 
is  equal  to  the  necessity  of  its  consumption. 


Their  very  flesh  contracts  a  flavour  from  it, 
which  renders  it  in  some  so  very  rancid,  as 
to  make  it  utterly  unfit  for  food  ;  however, 
though  it  injures  the  flesh,  it  improves  the 
feathers  for  all  the  domestic  purposes  to 
which  they  are  usually  converted. 

Nor  are  the  feathers  with  which  birds  are 
covered  less  an  object  of  admiration.  The 
shaft  of  every  feather  is  made  proportionably 
strong ;  but  hollow  below  for  strength  and 
lightness,  and  above  filled  with  a  pith  to  feed 
the  growth  of  the  vane  or  beard  that  springs 
from  the  shall  of  the  feather  on  either  side. 
All  these  feathers  are  placed  generally  ac- 
cording to  their  length  and  strength,  so  that 
the  largest  and  strongest  feathers  in  flight 
have  the  greatest  share  of  duty.  The  vane 
or  beard  of  the  feather  is  formed  with  equal 
contrivance  and  care.  It  consists  not  of  one 
continued  membrane ;  because,  if  this  were 
broken,  it  could  not  easily  be  repaired ;  but 
it  is  composed  of  many  layers,  each  some- 
what in  itself  resembling  a  feather,  and  lying 
against  each  other  in  close  conjunction.  To- 
wards the  shaft  of  the  feather,  these  layers 
are  broad,  and  of  a  semicircular  form,  to 
serve  for  strength,  and  for  the  closer  graft- 
ing them  one  against  the  other  when  in  ac- 
tion. Towards  the  outer  part  of  the  vane, 
these  layers  grow  slender  and  taper,  to  be 
more  light.  On  their  under-side  they  are 
thin  and  smooth,  but  their  upper  outer-edge 
is  parted  into  two  hairy  edges,  each  side  ha- 
ving a  different  sort  of  hairs,  broad  at  bot- 
tom, and  slender  and  bearded  above.  By 
this  mechanism,  the  hooked  beards  of  one 
layer  always  lie  next  the  straight  beards  of 
the  next,  and  by  that  means  lock  and  hold 
each  other. 

The  next  object  that  comes  under  consi- 
deration, in  contemplating  an  animal  that  flies, 
is  the  wing,  the  instrument  by  which  this  won- 
derful progression  is  performed.  In  such 
birds  that  fly,  they  are  usually  placed  at  that 
part  of  the  body  which  serves  to  poise  the 
whole,  and  support  it  in  a  fluid  that  at  first 
seems  so  much  lighter  than  itself.  They  an- 
swer to  the  fore  legs  in  quadrupeds;  and  at 
the  extremity  of  this  they  hare  a  certain  fin- 
ger-like appendix,  which  is  usually  called  the 
bastard-wing.  This  instrument  of  flight  is  fur- 
nished with  quills,  which  differ  from  the  com- 


450 


A  HISTORY  OF 


mon  feathers  only  in  their  size  being  larger, 
and  also  from  their  springing  from  the  deeper 
part  of  the  skin,  their  shafts  lying  almost  close 
to  the  bone.  The  beards  of  these  quills  are 
broad  on  one  side  and  more  narrow  on  the 
other,  both  which  contribute  to  the  progres- 
sive motion  of  the  bird,  and  the  closeness  of 
the  wing.  The  manner  in  which  most  birds 
avail  themselves  of  these,  is  first  thus :  they 
quit  the  earth  with  a  bound,  in  order  to  have 
room  for  flapping  with  the  wing ;  when  they 
have  room  for  this,  they  strike  the  body  of 
air  beneath  the  wing  with  a  violent  motion, 
and  with  the  whole  under  surface  of  the  same; 
but  then  to  avoid  striking  the  air  with  equal 
violence  on  the  upper  side  as  they  rise,  the 
wing  is  instantly  contracted  ;  so  that  the  ani- 
mal rises  by  the  impulse,  till  it  spreads  the 
wing  for  a  second  blow.  For  this  reason, 
we  always  see  birds  choose  to  rise  against 
the  wind,  because  they  have  thus  a  greater 
body  of  air  on  the  under  than  the  upper  side 
of  the  wing.  For  these  reasons  also  large 
fowls  do  not  rise  easily ;  both  because  they 
have  not  sufficient  room  at  first  for  the  motion 
of  their  wings,  and  because  the  body  of  air 
does  not  lie  so  directly  under  the  wing  as 
they  rise. 

In  order  to  move  the  wings,  all  birds  are 
furnished  with  two  very  strong  pectoral  mus- 
cles, which  lie  on  each  side  of  the  breast- 
bone. The  pectoral  muscles  of  quadrupeds, 
are  trifling  in  comparison  to  those  of  birds. 
In  quadrupeds,  as  well  as  in  man,  the  muscles 
which  move  the  thighs  arid  hinder  parts  of 
the  body  are  by  far  the  strongest,  while  those 
of  the  arms  are  feeble :  but  in  birds,  which 
make  use  of  their  wings,  the  contrary  obtains; 
the  pectoral  muscles,  that  move  the  wings  or 
arms,  are  of  enormous  strength,  while  those 
of  the  thighs  are  weak  and  slender.  By 
means  of  these,  a  bird  can  move  its  wings 
with  a  degree  of  strength  which,  when  com- 
pared to  the  animal's  size,  is  almost  incredi- 
ble. The  flap  of  a  swan's  wing  would  break 
a  man's  leg ;  and  a  similar  blow  from  an  ea- 
gle has  been  known  to  lay  a  man  dead  in  an 
instant.  Such,  consequently,  is  the  force  of 
the  wing,  and  such  its  lightness,  as  to  be  ini- 
mitable by  art.  No  machines,  that  human 
skill  can  contrive,  are  capable  of  giving  such 
force  to  so  light  an  apparatus.  The  art  of 


flying,  therefore,  that  has  so  often  and  so  fruit- 
lessly been  sought  after,  must,  it  is  feared, 
forever  be  unattainable;  since  as  man  in- 
creases the  force  of  his  flying  machine,  he 
must  be  obliged  to  increase  its  weight  also. 

In  all  birds,  except  nocturnal  ones,  the 
head  is  smaller,  and  bears  less  proportion  to 
the  body  than  in  quadrupeds,  that  it  may 
more  readily  divide  the  air  in  flying,  and 
make  way  for  the  body,  so  as  to  render  its 
passage  more  easy.  Their  eyes  also  are 
more  flat  and  depressed  than  in  quadrupeds; 
a  circle  of  small  plates  of  bone,  placed  scale- 
wise,  under  the  outer  coat  of  the  organ,  en- 
compasses the  pupil  on  each,  to  strengthen 
and  defend  it  from  injuries.  Beside  this, 
birds  have  a  kind  of  skin,  called  the  nicti- 
tating membrane,  with  which,  like  a  vail, 
they  can  at  pleasure  cover  their  eyes,  though 
their  eyelids  continue  open.  This  mem- 
brane takes  its  rise  from  the  greater  or  more 
obtuse  corner  of  the  eye,  and  serves  to  wipe, 
cleanse,  and  probably  to  moisten  its  surface. 
The  eyes,  though  they  outwardly  appear  but 
small,  yet,  separately,  each  almost  equals  the 
brain  ;  whereas  in  man  the  brain  is  more  than 
twenty  times  larger  than  the  orbit  of  the  eye. 
Nor  is  this  organ  in  birds  less  adapted  for 
vision  by  a  particular  expansion  of  the  optic 
nerve,  which  renders  the  impressions  olT  ex- 
ternal objects  more  vivid  and  distinct. 

From  this  conformation  of  the  eye  it  follows, 
that  the  sense  of  seeing  in  birds  is  infinitely 
superior  to  that  of  other  animals.  Indeed 
this  piercing  sight  seems  necessary  to  the 
creature's  support  and  safety.  Were  this 
organ  blunter,  from  the  rapidity  of  the  bird's 
motion,  it  would  be  apt  to  strike  against  every' 
object  in  its  way ;  and  it  could  scarcely  find 
subsistence,  unless  possessed  of  a  power  to 
discern  its  food  from  above  with  astonishing 
sagacity.  An  hawk,  for  instance,  perceives 
a  lark  at  a  distance  which  neither  men  nor 
dogs  could  spy ;  a  kite,  from  an  almost  im- 
perceptible height  in  the  clouds,  darts  down 
on  its  prey  with  the  most  unerring  aim.  The 
sight  of  birds,  therefore,  exceeds  what  we 
know  in  most  other  animals,  and  excels  them 
both  in  strength  and  precision. 

All  birds  want  the  external  ear  standing 
out  from  the  head ;  they  are  only  furnished 
I  with  holes  that  convey  sounds  to  the  audi- 


BIRDS  IN  GENERAL. 


4.31 


tory  canal.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  the  horned 
owl,  and  one  or  two  more  birds,  seem  to  have 
external  ears;  but  what  bears  that  resem- 
blance are  only  leathers  sticking  out  on  each 
side  of  the  head,  but  no  way  necessary  to 
the  sense  of  hearing.  It  is  probable,  how- 
ever, that  the  feathers  encompassing  the  ear- 
holes  in  birds,  supply  the  detect  of  the  exte- 
rior ear,  and  collect  sounds  to  be  transmitted 
to  the  internal  sensory.  The  extreme  deli- 
cacy of  this  organ  is  easily  proved  by  the 
readiness  with  which  birds  learn  tunes,  or 
repeat  words,  and  the  great  exactness  of 
their  pronunciation. 

The  sense  of  smelling  seems  not  less  vivid 
in  the  generality  of  birds.  Many  of  them 
wind  their  prey  at  an  immense  distance,  while 
others  are  equally  protected  by  this  sense 
against  their  insidious  pursuers.  In  decoys, 
where  ducks  are  caught,  the  men  who  attend 
tnem  universally  keep  a  piece  of  turf  burn- 
ing near  their  mouths,  upon  which  they 
breathe,  lest  the  fowl  should  smell  them,  and 
consequently  fly  away.  The  universality  of 
this  practice  puts  the  necessity  of  it  beyond 
a  doubt,  and  proves  the  extreme  delicacy  of 
the  sense  of  smelling,  at  least  in  this  species 
of  the  feathered  creation. 

Next  to  the  parts  for  flight,  let  us  view  the 
legs  and  feet  ministering  to  motion.  They 
are  both  made  light,  for  the  easier  transpor- 
tation through  the  air.  The  toes  in  some  are 
webbed,  to  fit  them  for  the  waters;  in  others 
they  are  separate,  for  the  better  holding  ob- 
jects, or  clinging  to  trees  for  safety.  Such 
as  have  long  legs  have  also  long  necks,  as 
otherwise  they  would  be  incapable  of  gather- 
ing up  their  food  either  by  land  or  water. 
But  it  does  not  hold,  however,  that  those  «  ho 
have  long  necks  should  have  long  legs,  since 
we  see  that  swans  and  geese,  whose  necks 
are  extremely  long,  have  very  short  legs, 
and  these  chiefly  employed  in  swimming. 

Thus  every  external  part,  hitherto  noticed, 
appears  adapted  to  the  life  and  situation  of 
the  animal;  nor  are  the  inward  parts,  though 
less  immediately  appropriated  to  flight,  less 
necessary  to  safety.  The  bones  of  every  part 
of  the  body  are  extremely  light  and  thin ;  and 
all  the  muscles,  except  that  immediately 
moving  the  wings,  extremely  slight  and  fee- 
ble. The  tail,  which  is  composed  of  quill 

NO.  39  Sf  40. 


feathers,  serves  to  counterbalance  the  head 
and  neck ;  it  guides  the  animal's  flight,  like 
a  rudder,  and  greatly  assists  it  either  in  its 
ascent  or  when  descending. 

If  we  go  on  to  examine  birds  internally,  we 
shall  find  the  same  wonderful  conformation 
fitting  them  for  a  life  in  air,  and  increasing 
the  surface  by  diminishing  the  solidity.  In 
the  first  place  their  lungs,  which  are  com- 
monly called  the  sole,  stick  fast  to  the  sides 
of  the  ribs  and  back,  and  can  be  very  little 
dilated  or  contracted.  But  to  make  up  for 
this,  which  might  impede  their  breathing,  the 
ends  of  the  branches  of  the  wind-pipe  open 
into  them,  while  these  have  openings  into 
the  cavity  of  the  belly,  and  convey  the  air 
drawn  in  by  breathing  into  certain  receptacles 
like  bladders,  running  along  the  length  of  the 
whole  body.  Nor  are  these  openings  obscure, 
or  difficult  to  be  discerned ;  for  a  probe 
thrust  into  the  lungs  of  a  fowl  will  easily  find 
a  passage  into  the  belly ;  and  air  blown  into 
the  wind-pipe  will  be  seen  to  distend  the 
animal's  body  like  a  bladder.  In  quadrupeds 
this  passage  is  stopped  by  the  midriff1;  but 
in  fowls  the  communication  is  obvious;  and, 
consequently,  they  have  a  much  greater  fa- 
cility of  taking  a  long  and  large  inspiration. 
It  is  sometimes  also  seen  that  the  wind-pipe 
makes  many  convolutions  within  the  body  of 
a  bird,  and  it  is  then  called  the  labyrinth ;  but 
of  what  use  these  convolutions  are,  or  why 
the  wind-pfpe  should  make  so  many  turnings 
within  the  body  of  some  birds,  is  a  difficulty 
for,  which  no  naturalist  has  been  able  to  ac- 
count. 

This  difference  of  the  wind-pipe  often  ob- 
tains in  animals  that,  to  all  appearance,  are 
of  the  same  species.  Thus  in  the  tame  swan, 
the  wind-pipe  makes  but  a  straight  passage 
into  the  lungs;  while  in  the  wild  swan,  which 
to  all  external  appearance  seems  the  same 
animal,  the  wind-pipe  pierces  through  the 
breast-bone,  and  there  lias  several  turnings 
before  it  comes  out  again,  and  goes  to  enter 
the  lungs.  It  is  not  to  form  the  voice  that 
these  turnings  are  found,  since  the  fowls  that 
are  without  them  are  vocal ;  and  those,  par- 
ticularly the  bird  just  now  mentioned,  that 
have  them,  are  silent.  Whence,  therefore, 
some  birds  derive  that  loud  and  various  mo- 
dulation in  their  warblings,  is  not  easily  to 
3X 


452 


A  HISTORY  OF 


be  accounted  for ;  at  least  the  knife  of  the 
anatomist  goes  but  a  short  way  in  the  inves- 
tigation. All  we  are  certain  of  is,  that  birds 
have  much  louder  voices,  in  respect  to  their 
bulk,  than  animals  of  any  other  kind  ;  for  the 
bellowing  of  an  ox  is  not  louder  than  the 
scream  of  a  peacock. 

In  these  particulars,  birds  pretty  much  re- 
semble each  other  in  their  internal  conforma- 
tion ;  but  there  are  some  varieties  which  we 
should  more  attentively  observe.  All  birds 
have,  properly  speaking,  but  one  stomach; 
but  this  is  very  different  in  different  kinds. 
In  all  the  rapacious  kinds  that  live  upon  ani- 
mal food,  as  well  as  in  some  of  the  fish-feeding 
tribe,  the  stomach  is  peculiarly  formed.  The 
oesophagus,  or  gullet,  in  them,  is  found  replete 
with  glandulous  bodies,  which  serve  to  dilate 
and  macerate  the  food,  as  it  passes  into  the 
stomach,  which  is  always  very  large  in  pro- 
portion to  the  size  of  the  bird,  and  generally 
wrapped  round  with  fat,  in  order  to  increase 
its  warmth  and  powers  of  digestion. 
<  Granivorous  birds,  or  such  as  live  upon 
fruits,  corn,  and  other  vegetables,  have  their 
intestines  differently  formed  from  those  of  the 
rapacious  kind.  Their  gullet  dilates  just 
above  the  breast-bone,  and  forms  itself  into  a 
pouch  or  bag,  called  the  crop.  This  is  re- 
plete with  salivary  glands,  which  serve  to 
moisten  and  soften  the  grain  and  other  food 
which  it  contains.  These  glands  are  very 
numerous,  with  longitudinal  openings,  which 
emit  a  whitish  and  a  viscous  substance.  After 
the  dry  food  of  the  bird  has  been  macerated 
for  a  convenient  time,  it  then  passes  into  the 
belly,  where,  instead  of  a  soft  moist  stomach, 
as  in  the  rapacious  kinds,  it  is  ground  be- 
tween two  pair  of  muscles,  commonly  called 
the  gizzard, covered  on  the  insidewith  a  stony 
ridgy  coat,  and  almost  cartilaginous.  These 
coats  rubbing  against  each  other,  are  capable 
of  bruising  and  attenuating  the  hardest  sub- 
stances, their  action  being  often  compared  to 
that  of  the  grinding  teeth  in  man  and  other 
animals.  Thus  the  organs  of  digestion  are  in 
a  manner  reversed  in  birds.  Beasts  grind 
their  food  with  their  teeth,  and  then  it  passes 
into  the  stomach,  where  it  is  softened  and 
digested.  On  the  contrary,  birds  of  this  sort 
first  macerate  and  soften  it  in  the  crop,  and 
then  it  is  ground  and  comminuted  in  the  sto- 


mach or  gizzard.  Birds  are  also  careful  to 
pick  up  sand,  gravel,  and  other  hard  substan- 
ces, not  to  grind  their  food  as  has  been  sup- 
posed, but  to  prevent  the  too  violent  action 
of  the  coats  of  the  stomach  against  each 
other 

Most  birds  have  two  appendices,  or  blind- 
guts,  which,  in  quadrupeds,  are  always  found 
single.  Among  such  birds  as  are  thus  sup- 
plied, all  carnivorous  fowl,  and  all  birds  of 
the  sparrow  kind,  have  very  small  and  short 
ones;  water-fowl  and  birds  of  the  poultry 
kind,  the  longest  of  all.  There  is  still  another 
appendix  observable  in  the  intestines  of  birds, 
resembling  a  little  worm,  which  is  nothing 
more  than  the  remainder  of  that  passage  by 
which  the  yolk  was  conveyed  into  the  guts  of 
the  young  chicken,  while  yet  in  the  egg  and 
under  incubation. 

The  outlet  of  that  duct  which  conveys  the 
bile  into  the  intestines  is,  in  most  birds,  a 
great  way  distant  from  the  stomach;  which 
may  arise  from  the  danger  there  would  be  of 
the  bile  regurgitating  into  the  stomach  in  their 
various  rapid  motions,  as  we  see  in  men  at 
sea ;  wherefore  their  biliary  duct  is  so  con- 
trived, that  this  regurgitation  cannot  take 
place. 

All  birds,  though  they  want  a  bladder  for 
urine,  have  large  kidneys  and  ureters,  by 
which  this  secretion  is  made,  and  carried 
away  by  one  common  canal.  "  Birds,"  says 
Harvey,  "  as  well  as  serpents,  which  have 
spongy  lungs,  make  but  little  water,  because 
they  drink  but  little.  They  therefore  have 
no  need  of  a  bladder ;  but  their  urine  distils 
down  into  the  common  canal,  designed  for  re- 
ceiving the  other  excrements  of  the  body. 
The  urine  of  birds  differs  from  that  of  other 
animals :  for,  as  there  is  usually  in  urine  two 
parts,  one  more  serous  and  liquid,  the  other 
more  thick  and  gross,  which  subsides  to  the 
bottom;  in  birds,  the  last  part  is  most  abun- 
dant, and  is  distinguished  from  the  rest  by  its 
white  or  silver  colour.  This  part  is  found 
not  only  in  the  whole  intestinal  canal,  but  is 
seen  also  in  the  whole  channel  of  the  ureters, 
which  may  be  distinguished  from  the  coats  of 
the  kidneys  by  their  whiteness.  This  milky 
substance  they  have  in  greater  plenty  than 
the  more  thin  and  serous  part ;  and  it  is  of  a 
middle  consistence,  between  limpid  urine  and 


BIRDS  IN  GENERAL. 


453 


the  grosser  parts  of  the  faeces.  In  passing 
through  the  ureters,  it  resembles  milk  curdled 
or  lightly  condensed ;  and,  being  cast  forth, 
easily  congeals  into  a  chalky  crust." 

From  this  simple  conformation  of  the  ani- 
mal, it  should  seem  that  birds  are  subject  to 
few  diseases ;  and,  in  fact,  they  have  but  few. 
There  is  one,  however,  which  they  are  sub- 
ject to,  from  which  quadrupeds  are,  in  a  great 
measure,  exempt;  this  is  the  annual  moulting 
which  they  suffer ;  for  all  birds  whatsoever 
obtain  a  new  covering  of  feathers  once  a  year, 
and  cast  the  old.  During  the  moulting  season, 
they  ever  appear  disordered;  those  most  re- 
markable for  their  courage,  then  lose  all  their 
fierceness ;  and  such  as  are  of  a  weakly  con- 
stitution, often  expire  under  this  natural  ope- 
ration. No  feedingcan  maintain  their  strength; 
they  all  cease  to  breed  at  this  season ;  that 
nourishment  which  goes  to  the  production  of 
the  young  is  wholly  absorbed  by  the  demand 
required  for  supplying  the  nascent  plumage. 

This  moultiug-time,  however,  may  be 
artificially  accelerated  ;  and  those  who  have 
the  management  of  singing-birds  frequently 
put  their  secret  in  practice.  They  enclose 
the  bird  in  a  dark  cage,  where  they  keep  it 
excessively  warm,  and  throw  the  poor  little 
animal  into  an  artificial  fever ;  this  produces 
the  moult;  his  old  feathers  fall  before  their 
time,  and  a  new  set  take  place,  more  brilliant 
and  beautiful  than  the  former.  They  add, 
that  it  mends  the  bird's  singing,  and  increases 
its  vivacity;  but  it  must  not  be  concealed,  that 
scarcely  one  bird  in  three  survives  the  opera- 
tion. 

The  manner  in  which  nature  performs  this 
operation  of  moulting  is  thus  :  the  quill,  or 
feather,  when  first  protruded  from  the  skin, 
and  come  to  its  full  size,  grows  harder  as  it 
grows  older,and  receivesakind  of  periosteum 
or  skin  round  the  shaft,  by  which  it  seems 
attached  to  the  animal.  In  proportion  as  the 
quill  grows  older,  its  sides,  or  the  bony  pen- 
part,  thicken ;  but  its  whole  diameter  shrinks 


and  decreases.  Thus,  by  the  thickening 
of  its  sides,  all  nourishment  from  the  body 
becomes  more  sparing ;  and,  by  the  decrease 
of  its  diameter,  it  becomes  more  loosely  fixed 
in  its  socket,  till  at  length  it  falls  out.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  rudiments  of  an  incepient  quill 
are  beginning  below.  The  skin  forms  itself 
into  a  little  bag,  which  is  fed  from  the  body 
by  a  small  vein  and  artery,  and  which  every 
day  increases  in  size  till  it  is  protruded. 
While  the  one  end  vegetates  into  the  beard 
or  vane  of  the  feather,  that  part  attached  to 
the  skin  is  still  soft,  and  receives  a  constant 
supply  of  nourishment,  which  is  diffused 
through  the  body  of  the  quill  by  that  little 
light  substance  which  we  always  find  within 
when  we  make  a  pen.  This  substance,  which 
as  yet  has  received  no  name  that  I  know  of, 
serves  the  growing  quill  as  the  umbilical  ar- 
tery does  an  infant  in  the  womb,  by  supply- 
ing it  with  nourishment,  arid  diffusing  that 
nourishment  over  the  whole  frame.  When, 
however,  the  quill  is  come  to  its  full  growth, 
and  requires  no  further  nourishment,  the  vein 
and  artery  become  less  and  less,  till  at  last 
the  little  opening  by  which  they  commu- 
nicated with  the  quill  becomes  wholly  obli- 
terated ;  and  the  quill,  thus  deprived,  con- 
tinues in  its  socket  for  some  months,  till  in 
the  end  it  shrinks,  and  leaves  room  for  a  re- 
petition of  the  same  process  of  nature  as  be- 
fore. 

The  moulting  season  commonly  obtains 
from  the  end  of  summer  to  the  middle  of  au- 
tumn. The  bird  continues  to  struggle  with 
this  malady  during  the  winter;  and  nature 
has  kindly  provided,  that  when  there  are  the 
fewest  provisions,  that  then  the  animal's  ap- 
petite shall  be  least  craving.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  spring,  when  food  begins  again  to  be 
plentiful,  the  animal's  strength  and  vigour  re- 
turn. It  is  then  that  the  abundance  of  pro- 
visions, aided  by  the  mildness  of  the  season, 
incite  it  to  love,  and  all  nature  seems  teem- 
ing with  life,  and  disposed  to  continue  it. 
3X» 


454 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  LXXV. 

OF  THE  GENERATION,  NESTLING,  AND  INCUBATION,  OF  BIRDS. 


THE  return  of  spring  is  the  beginning  of 
pleasure.  Those  vital  spirits,  which  seemed 
locked  up  during  the  winter,  then  begin  to 
expand ;  vegetables  and  insects  supply  abun- 
dance of  food  ;  and  the  bird,  having  more 
than  a  sufficiency  for  its  own  subsistence,  is 
impelled  to  transfuse  life,  as  well  as  to  main- 
tain it.  Those  warblings,  which  had  been 
hushed  during  the  colder  seasons,  now  begin 
to  animate  the  fields;  every  grove  and  bush 
resounds  with  the  challenge  of  anger,  or  the 
call  of  allurement.  This  delightful  concert 
of  the  grove,  which  is  so  much  admired  by 
man,  is  no  way  studied  for  his  amusement: 
it  is  usually  the  call  of  the  male  to  the  female, 
his  efforts  to  soothe  her  during  the  times  of 
incubation;  or  it  is  a  challenge  between  two 
males,  for  the  affections  of  some  common  fa- 
vourite. 

It  is  by  this  call  that  birds  begin  to  pair  at 
the  approach  of  spring,  and  provide  for  the 
support  of  a  future  progeny.  The  loudest 
notes  are  usually  from  the  male,  while  the 
hen  seldom  expresses  her  consent,  but  in  a 
short  interrupted  twittering.  This  compact, 
at  least  for  the  season,  holds  with  unbroken 
faith;  many  birds  live  with  inviolable  fidelity 
together  for  a  constancy ;  and  when  one  dies, 
the  other  is  always  seen  to  share  the  same 
fate  soon  after.  We  must  not  take  our  idea 
of  the  conjugal  fidelity  of  birds  from  observ- 
ing the  poultry  in  our  yards,  whose  freedom 
is  abridged,  and  whose  manners  are  totally 
corrupted  by  slavery.  We  must  look  for  it 
in  our  fields  and  our  forests,  where  nature 
continues  in  unadulterated  simplicity ;  where 
the  number  of  males  is  generally  equal  to 
that  of  females ;  and  where  every  little  ani- 
mal seems  prouder  of  his  progeny,  than  pleas- 
ed with  his  mate.  Were  it  possible  to  com- 
pare sensations,  the  male  of  all  wild  birds 
seems  as  happy  in  the  young  brood  as  the 
female;  and  all  his  former  caresses,  all  his 
soothing  melodies,  seem  only  aimed  at  that 


important  occasion,  when  they  are  both  to 
become  parents,  and  to  educate  a  progeny 
of  their  own  producing.  The  pleasures  of 
love  appear  dull  in  their  effects,  when  com- 
pared to  the  interval  immediately  after  the 
exclusion  of  their  young.  They  both  seem 
at  that  season  transported  with  pleasure; 
every  action  testifies  their  pride,  their  impor- 
tance, and  tender  solicitude. 

When  the  business  of  fecundation  is  per- 
formed, the  female  then  begins  to  lay.  Such 
eggs  as  have  been  impregnated  by  the  cock 
are  prolific;  and  "such  as  have  not,  for  she 
lays  often  without  any  congress  whatsoever, 
continue  barren,  and  are  only  addled  by  in- 
cubation. Previous,  however,  to  laying,  the 
work  of  nestling  becomes  the  common  care; 
and  this  is  performed  with  no  small  degree 
of  assiduity  and  apparent  design.  It  has 
been  asserted,  that  birds  of  one  kind  always 
make  their  nests  in  the  same  manner,  and  of 
the  same  materials;  but  the  truth  is,  that 
they  vary  this  as  the  materials,  places,  or  cli- 
mates, happen  to  differ.  The  red  breast,  in 
some  parts  of  England,  makes  its  nest  with 
oak  leaves,  where  they  are  in  greatest  plen- 
ty; in  other  parts,  with  moss  and  hair.  Some 
birds,  that  with  us  make  a  very  warm  nest, 
are  less  solicitous  in  the  tropical  climates, 
where  the  heat  of  the  weather  promotes  the 
business  of  incubation.  In  general,  however, 
every  species  of  birds  has  a  peculiar  archi- 
tecture of  its  own ;  and  this  adapted  to  the 
number  of  eggs,  the  temperature  of  the  cli- 
mate, or  the  respective  heat  of  the  little  ani- 
mal's own  body.  Where  the  eggs  are  nu- 
merous, it  is  then  incumbent  to  make  the  nest 
warm,  that  the  animal  heat  may  be  equally 
diffused  to  them  all.  Thus  the  wren,  and  all 
the  small  birds,  make  the  nest  very  warm ; 
for  having  many  eggs,  it  is  requisite  to  dis- 
tribute warmth  to  them  in  common:  on  the 
contrary,  the  plover,  that  has  but  two  eggs, 
the  eagle,  and  the  crow,  are  not  so  solicitous 


BIRDS  IN  GENERAL. 


455 


in  this  respect,  as  thoir  bodies  are  capable 
of  being;  applied  to  the  sin  ill  number  upon 
which  thpy  sit.  With  regard  to  climate, 
water-fowl,  that  with  us  make  but  a  very  slo- 
V'lly  nest,  are  much  more  exact  in  this  par- 
ticular in  the  colder  regions  of  the  north. 
Tiif-y  there  take  every  precaution  to  make 
it  warm;  and  some  kinds  strip  the  down 
from  their  breasts,  to  line  it  with  greater 
security. 

In  general,  however,  every  bird  resorts  to 
hatch  in  those  climates  and  places  where  its 
fuo.l  is  found  in  greatest  plenty;  and  always 
at  that  season  when  provisions  are  in  the 
greatest  abundance.  The  large  birds,  and 
those  of  the  aquatic  kinds,  choose  places  as 
remote  from  man  as  possible,  as  their  food  is 
in  general  different  from  that  which  is  culti- 
vated by  human  labour.  Some  birds,  which 
have  only  the  serpent  to  fear,  build  their 
nests  depending  from  the  end  of  a  small  bough, 
and  form  the  entrance  from  below;  being 
thus  secured  either  from  the  serpent  or  the 
monkey  tribes.  But  all  the  little  birds  which 
live  upon  fruits  and  corn,  and  that  are  too 
often  unwelcome  intruders  upon  the  fruits  of 
human  industry,  in  making  their  nests,  use 
every  precaution  to  conceal  them  from  man. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  great  birds  remote 
from  human  society,  use  every  precaution  to 
render  theirs  inaccessible  to  wild  beasts  or 
vermin. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  pntience  of  birds 
while  hatching;  neither  the  calls  of  hunger,- 
nor  the  near  approach  of  danger,  can  drive 
them  from  the  nest.  They  are  often  fat  upon 
beginning  to  sit,  yet  before  incubation  is  over 
the  female  is  usually  wasted  to  skin  and  bone. 
Ravens  and  crows,  while  the  females  are  sit- 
ting, take  care  to  provide  them  with  food; 
and-this  in  great  abundance.  But  it  isdiffe  - 
enl  with  most  of  the  smaller  kinds-:  during 
the  whole  time,  the  male  sits  near  his  mate 
upon  some  tree,  and  soothes  her  by  his  sing- 
ing; and  often  when  she  is  tired  takes  her 
.place,  and  patiently  continues  upon  the  nest 
till  she  returns.  Sometimes,  however,  the 
eggs  acquire  a  degree  of  heat  too  much  for 
the  purposes  of  hatching;  in  such  cases,  the 
hen  leaves  them  to  cool  a  little,  and  then  re- 
trrns  to  sit  with  her  usual  perseverance  and 
pleasure. 


So  great  is  the  power  of  instinct  in  ani- 
mals of  this  class,  that  they  seem  driven  from 
one  appetite  to  another,  and  continue  almost 
passive  under  its  influence.  Reason  we  can- 
not call  it,  since  the  first  dictates  of  that  prin- 
ciple would  be  self-preservation:  "Take  a 
brute."  says  Addison,  "out  of  his  instinct,  and 
you  find  him  wholly  deprived  of  under- 
standing. With  what  caution,"  continues  h«>, 
"  does  the  hen  provide  herself  a  nest  in  pla- 
ces unfrequented,  and  free  from  noise  and 
disturbance!  When  she  has  laid  her  eggs  in 
such  a  manner  that  she  can  cover  them,  what 
care  does  she  take  in  turning  them  frequent- 
ly, that  all  parts  may  partake  of  the  vital 
warmth!  When  she  leaves  them,  to  provide 
for  her  necessary  sustenance,  how  punctually 
does  she  return  before  they  have  time  to  cool, 
and  become  incapable  of  producing  an  ani- 
mal! In  the  summer  you  see  her  giving  her- 
self greater  freedoms,  and  quitting  her  care 
for  above  two  hours  together:  but  in  winter, 
when  the  rigour  of  the  season  would  chill 
the  principles  of  life,  and  destroy  the  young 
one,  she  grows  more  assiduous  in  her  attend- 
ance, and  stays  away  but  half  the  time. 
When  the  birth  approaches,  with  how  much 
nicety  and  attention  does  she  help  the  chick 
to  break  the  prison!  not  to  h'ke  notice  of 
her  covering  it  from  the  injuries  of  the  wea- 
ther, providing  it  with  proper  nourishment, 
am!  teaching  it  to  help  itself;  nor  to  mention 
her  forsaking  the  nest,  if,  after  the  usual  time 
of  reckoning,  the  young  one  does  not  make 
its  appearance.  A  chymical  operation  could 
not  be  followed  with  greater  art  or  diligence 
than  is  f-een  in  the  hatching  a  chick,  though 
there  are  many  birds  thai  show  an  infinitely 
greater  sagacity:  yet  at  the  same  time  the 
hen,  that  has  all  this  seeming  ingenuity, 
(which  is  indeed  absolutely  necessary  for 
the  propagation  of  the  species,)  considered 
in  other  respects,  is  without  the  least  glim- 
merings of  thought  or  common  sense:  she 
mistakes  a  piece  of  chalk  for  an  egg,  and  sits 
upon  it  in  the  same  manner;  she  is  insensible 
of  any  increase  or  diminution  in  the  number 
of  those  she  lays;  she  does  not  distinguish 
between  her  own,  and  those  of  another  spe- 
cies; and  when  the  birth  appears  of  never 
so  different  a  bird,  will  cherish  it  for  her 
own.  A  hen,  followed  by  a  brood  of  ducks, 


456 


A  HISTORY  OF 


shall  stand  affrighted  at  the  edge  of  the  pond, 
trembling  for  the  fate  of  her  young,  which 
she  sees  venturing  into  so  dangerous  an  ele- 
ment. As  the  different  principle  which  acts 
in  these  different  animals  cannot  be  termed 
reason,  so  when  we  call  it  instinct,  we  mean 
something  we  have  no  knowledge  of.  It  ap- 
pears to  me  the  immediate  direction  of  Pro- 
vidence; and  such  an  operation  of  the  Su- 
preme Being,  as  that  which  determines  all 
the  portions  of  matter  to  their  proper  centres." 

The  production  of  the  young,  as  was  said, 
seems  to  be  the  great  a?ra  of  a  bird's  hap- 
piness. Nothing  can  at  that  time  exceed  its 
spirit  and  industry:  the  most  timid  becomes 
courageous  in  the  defence  of  its  young.  Birds 
of  the  rapacious  kind,  at  this  season,  become 
more  than  usually  fierce  and  active.  They 
carry  their  prey,  yet  throbbing  with  life,  to 
the  nest,  and  early  accustom  their  young  to 
habits  of  slaughter  and  cruelty.  Nor  are 
those  of  milder  natures  less  busily  employed  ; 
the  little  birds  then  discontinue  their  singing, 
taken  up  with  more  important  pursuits  of  com- 
mon subsistence. 

While  the  young  are  yet  unfledged,  and 
continue  in  the  nest,  the  old  ones  take  care 
to  provide  them  with  a  regular  supply;  and, 
lest  one  should  take  all  nourishment  from 
the  rest,  they  feed  each  of  the  young  in  their 
turn.  If  they  perceive  that  man  has  been 
busy  Avith  their  nest,  or  has  handled  the  lit- 
tle ones,  they  abandon  the  place  by  night,  and 
provide  their  brood  a  more  secure,  though 
less  commodious,  retreat.  When  the  whole 
family  is  completely  plumed,  and  capable  of 
avoiding  danger  by  flight,  they  are  then  led 
forth  when  the  weather  is  fine,  and  taught  the 
paternal  art  of  providing  for  their  subsistence. 
They  are  led  to  the  places  where  their  food 
lies ;  they  are  shown  the  method  of  discover- 
ing or  carrying  it  away ;  and  then  led  back 
to  the  nest,  for  a  day  or  two  longer.  At  length, 
when  they  are  completely  qualified  to  shift 
for  themselves,  the  old  ones  take  them  abroad, 
and  leading  them  to  the  accustomed  places, 
forsake  them  for  the  last  time ;  and  all  future 
connexion  is  ever  at  an  end. 

Those  birds  which  are  hatched  and  sent 
out  earliest  in  the  season  are  the  most  strong 
and  vigorous ;  those,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
have  been  delayed  till  the  midst  of  summer, 


are  more  feeble  and  tender,  and  sometimes 
incapable  of  sustaining  the  rigours  of  the  en- 
suing winter.  Birds  themselves  seem  sensi- 
ble of  this  difference,  and  endeavour  to  pro- 
duce early  in  the  spring.  If,  however,  their 
efforts  are  obstructed  by  having  their  nests 
robbed,  or  some  similar  accident,  they  still 
persevere  in  their  efforts  for  a  progeny ;  and 
it  often  happens  that  some  are  thus  retarded 
till  the  midst  of  winter.  What  number  of 
eggs  any  bird  can  lay  in  the  course  of  a  sea- 
son is  not  ascertained ;  but  this  is  true,  that 
such  as  would  have  laid  but  two  or  three  at 
the  most,  if  their  nests  be  robbed,  or  their 
eggs  stolen,  will  lay  above  ten  or  twelve.  A 
common  hen,  if  moderately  fed,  will  lay  above 
a  hundred  from  the  beginning  of  spring  to 
the  latter  end  of  autumn.  In  general,  how- 
ever, it  obtains,  that  the  smallest  and  weak- 
est animals  are  the  most  prolific,  while  the 
strong  and  rapacious  are  abridged  by  sterili- 
ty. Thus,  such  kinds  as  are  easily  destroy- 
ed, are  as  readily  repaired ;  and  nature, 
where  she  has  denied  the  power  of  resistance, 
has  compensated  by  the  fertility  attending 
procreation. 

Birds  in  general,  though  they  have  so  much 
to  fear  from  man  and  each  other,  are  seldom 
scared  away  from  their  usual  haunts.  Al- 
though they  be  so  perfectly  formed  for  a 
wandering  life,  and  are  supplied  with  pow- 
ers to  satisfy  all  their  appetites,  though  never 
so  remote  from  the  object,  though  they  are 
so  well  fitted  for  changing  place  with  ease 
and  rapidity,  yet  the  greatest  number  remain 
contented  in  the  districts  where  they  have 
been  bred,  and  by  no  means  exert  their  de- 
sires in  proportion  to  their  endowments.  The 
rook,  if  undisturbed,  never  desires  to  leave 
his  native  grove;  the  black-bird  still  frequents 
its  accustomed  hedge;  and  the  red-breast, 
though  seemingly  mild,  claims  a  certain  dis- 
trict, from  which  he  seldom  moves,  but  drives 
out  every  one  of  the  same  species  from  thence 
without  pity.  They  are  excited  to  migra- 
tion by  no  other  motives  but  those  of  fear, 
climate,  or  hunger.  It  must  be  from  one  of 
these  powerful  motives  that  the  birds,  which 
are  called  birds  of  passage,  every  year  for- 
sake us  for  some  time,  and  make  their  regu- 
lar and  expected  returns. 

Nothing  has  more  employed  the  curiosity 


BIRDS  IN  GENERAL. 


457 


of  mankind  than  these  annual  emigrations; 
and  yet  few  subjects  continue  so  much  involv- 
ed in  darkness.  It  is  generally  believed,  that 
the  cause  of  their  retreat  from  these  parts  of 
Europe,  is  either  a  scarcity  of  food  at  certain 
seasons,  or  the  want  of  a  secure  asylum  from 
the  persecution  of  man,  during  the  time  of 
courtship  and  bringing  up  their  young.  Thus 
the  starling,  in  Sweden,  at  the  approach  of 
winter,  finding  subsistence  no  longer  in  that 
kingdom,  descends  every  year  into  Germany; 
and  the  hen  chaffinches  of  the  same  country 
are  seen  every  year  to  fly  through  Holland 
in  large  flocks,  to  pass  their  winter  in  a  milder 
climate.  Others,  with  a  more  daring  spirit, 
prepare  for  journeys  that  might  intimidate  even 
human  perseverance.  Thus  the  quails,  in 
spring,  forsake  the  burning  heats  of  Africa  for 
the  milder  sun  of  Europe ;  and,  when  they 
have  past  the  summer  with  us,  steer  their 
flight  back  to  enjoy  in  Egypt  the  temperate 
air,  which  then  begins  to  be  delightful.  This, 
with  them, seems  a  preconcerted  undertaking. 
They  unite  together  in  some  open  place,  for 
some  days  before  their  departure,  and,  by  an 
odd  kind  of  chattering,  seem  to  debate  on  the 
method  to  proceed.  When  their  plan  is  re- 
solved upon,  they  all  take  flight  together,  and 
often  appear  in  such  numbers,  that  to  mari- 
ners at  sea  they  seem  like  a  cloud  that  rests 
upon  the  horizon.  The  boldest,  strongest, 
and  by  far  the  greatest  number,  make  good 
their  intention;  but  many  there  are,  who, not 
well  apprised  of  their  own  force  for  the  un- 
dertaking, grow  weary  on  the  way,  and,  quite 
spent  by  the  fatigues  of  their  flight,  drop 
down  into  the  sea,  and  sometimes  upon  deck, 
thus  becoming  an  easy  prey  to  the  mariner. 

Of  the  vast  quantity  of  water-fowl,  that  fre- 
quent our  shores,  it  is  amazing  to  reflect  how 
few  are  known  to  breed  here.  The  cause 
that  principally  urges  them  to  leave  this  coun- 
try, seems  to  be  not  merely  the  want  of  food, 
but  the  desire  of  a  secure  retreat.  Our  coun- 
try is  too  populous  for  birds  so  shy  and  timid 
as  the  greatest  number  of  these  are.  When 
great  part  of  our  island  was  a  mere  waste,  an 
uncultivated  tract  of  woods  and  marshes, 
many  species  of  birds  which  now  migrate  re- 
mained with  us  throughout  the  year.  The 
great  heron  and  the  crane,  that  have  now  for- 
saken this  country,  in  former  times  bred 


familiarly  in  our  marshes,  and  seemed  to  ani- 
mate our  fens.  Their  nests,  like  those  of 
most  cloven  footed  water-fowl,  were  built  on 
the  ground,  and  exposed  to  every  invader. 
But  as  rural  economy  increased,  these  ani- 
mals were  more  and  more  disturbed.  Before 
they  had  little  to  fear,  as  the  surrounding 
marsh  defended  them  from  all  the  carniver- 
ous  quadrupeds,  and  their  own  strength  from 
birds  of  prey;  but  upon  the  intrusion  of  man. 
and  by  a  long  series  of  alarms,  they  have  at 
length  been  obliged  to  seek,  during  the  sum- 
mer, some  lonely  habitation,  at  a  safe  distance 
from  every  destroyer. 

Of  the  numerous  tribes  of  the  duck  kind, 
we  know  of  no  more  than  five  that  breed  here; 
the  tame  swan,  the  tame  goose,  the  sheldrake, 
the  eider  duck,  and  a  few  of  the  wild  ducks. 
The  rest  contribute  to  form  that  amazing 
multitude  of  water-fowl  which  annually  repair 
So  the  dreary  lakes  and  deserts  of  Lapland 
from  the  more  southern  countries  of  Europe. 
In  those  extensive  and  solitary  retreats,  they 
perform  the  duties  of  incubation  and  nutri- 
tion in  full  security.  There  are  few  of  this 
kind  that  may  not  be  traced  to  the  northern 
deserts,  to  countries  of  lakes,  rivers,  swamps, 
and  mountains,  covered  with  thick  and  gloo- 
my forests,  that  afford  shelter  during  summer 
to  the  tirnid  animals, who  live  therein  undis- 
turbed security.  In  those  regions,  from  the 
thickness  of  the  forests,  the  ground  remains 
moist  and  penetrable  during  the  summer  sea- 
son ;  the  woodcock,  the  snipe,  and  other  slen- 
der-billed birds,  can  there  feed  at  ease ;  while 
the  web-footed  birds  find  more  than  sufficient 
plenty  of  food  from  the  number  of  insects,  which 
swarm  there  to  an  incredible  degree.  The 
days  there  are  long;  and  the  beautiful  me- 
teorous  nights  afford  them  every  opportunity 
of  collecting  so  minute  a  food,  which  is  pro- 
bably of  all  others  the  most  grateful.  We 
are  not  to  be  astonished,  therefore,  at  the 
amazing  number  of  fowl  that  descend  from 
these  regions  at  the  approach  of  winter ; 
numbers  to  which  the  army  of  Xerxes  Avas 
but  trifling  in  comparison;  and  which  Linnaeus 
has  observed  for  eight  whole  days  and  nights 
to  cover  the  surface  of  the  river  Calix. 

This  migration  from  the  north  usually  be- 
gins in  September,  when  they  quit  their  re- 
treats, and  disperse  themselves  over  all  the 


45« 


A  HISTORY  OF 


southern  parts  of  Europe.  It  is  not  unpleas- 
ing  to  observe  the  order  of  their  flight;  they 
generally  range  themselves  in  a  long  line,  or 
they  sometimes  make  their  march  angularly, 
two  lines  uniting  in  the  centre  like  the  letter 
V  reversed.  The  bird  which  leads  at  the 
point  seems  to  cleave  the  air,  to  facilitate  the 

Eassage  for  those  which  are  to  follow.  When 
itigued  with  this  laborious  station,  it  falls 
back  into  one  of  the  wings  of  the  file,  while 
another  takes  its  place.  With  us  they  make 
their  appearance  about  the  beginning  of  Oc- 
tober, circulate  first  round  our  shores,  and, 
when  compelled  by  severe  frost,  betake  them- 
selves to  our  lakes  and  rivers.  Some,  indeed, 
of  the  web-footed  fowl,  of  hardier  constitutions 
than  the  rest,  abide  the  rigours  of  their  nor- 
thern climate  the  whole  winter ;  but  when 
the  cold  reigns  there  with  more  than  usual 
severity,  they  are  obliged  to  seek  for  more 
southern  skies.  They  then  repair  with  the 
rest  for  shelter  to  these  kingdoms;  so  that 
the  diver,  the  wild  swan,  and  the  swallow- 
tailed  sheldrake,  visit  our  coasts  but  seldom, 
and  that  only  when  compelled  by  the  severity 
of  their  winters  at  home. 

It  has  been  often  a  subject  of  astonishment, 
how  animals  to  all  appearance  so  dull  and 
irrational  should  perform  such  long  journeys, 
should  know  whither  to  steer,  and  when  to 
set  out  upon  such  a  great  undertaking.  It  is 
probable  that  the  same  instinct  which  governs 
all  their  other  actions  operates  also  here. 
They  rather  follow  the  weather  than  the 
country ;  they  steer  only  from  colder  or 
warmer  climates  into  those  of  an  opposite 
nature;  and  finding  the  variations  of  the  air  as 
they  proceed  in  their  favour,  go  on  till  they 
find  land  to  repose  on.  It  cannot  be  supposed 
that  they  have  any  memory  of  the  country 
where  they  might  have  spent  a  former  winter: 
it  cannot  be  supposed  that  they  see  the 
country  to  which  they  travel,  from  their 
height  in  the  air;  since,  though  they  mount- 
ed for  miles,  the  convexity  of  the  globe  would 
intercept  their  view :  it  must  therefore  only 
be,  that  they  go  on  as  they  continue  to  per- 
ceive the  atmosphere  more  suitable  to  their 
present  wants  and  dispositions. 

All  this  seems  to  be  pretty  plain  :  but  there 
is  a  circumstance  attending  the  migration  of 
swallows  which  wraps  this  subject  in  great 


obscurity.  It  is  agreed  on  all  hardr-,  that 
they  are  seen  migrating  into  warmer  climates, 
and  that  in  amazing  numbers,  at  the  approach 
of  the  European  winter.  Their  return  into 
Europe  is  also  as  well  attested  about  the  be- 
ginning of  summer;  but  we  have  another  ac- 
count, v>  hich  serves  to  prove  that  numbers  of 
them  continue  torpid  here  during  the  winter, 
and,  like  bats,  make  their  retreat  into  old 
walls,  the  hollow  of  trees,  or  even  sink  into 
the  deepest  lakes,  and  find  security  for  the 
winter  season  by  remaining  there  in  clusters 
at  the  bottom.  However  this  latter  circum- 
stance may  be,  their  retreat  into  old  walls  is 
too  well  authenticated  to  remain  a  doubt  at 
present.  The  difficulty,  therefore,  is  to  ac- 
count for  this  difference  in  these  animals  thus 
variously  preparing  to  encounter  the  winter. 
It  was  supposed  that  in  some  of  them  the 
blood  might  lose  its  motion  by  the  cold,  and 
that  thus  they  were  rendered  torpid  by  the 
severity  of  the  season ;  but  Mr.  Buffbn  having 
placed  many  of  this  tribe  in  an  ice-house, 
found  that  the  same  cold  by  which  their  blood 
was  congealed  was  fatal  to  the  animal;  it  re- 
mains, therefore,a  doubt  to  this  hour,  whether 
there  may  not  be  a  species  of  swallows  to  all 
external  appearance  like  the  rest,  but  differ- 
ently formed  within,  so  as  to  fit  them  for  a 
state  of  insensibility  during  the  winter  here. 
It  was  suggested,  indeed,  that  the  swallows 
found  thus  torpid,  were  such  only  as  were  too 
weak  to  undertake  the  migration,  or  were 
hatched  too  late  to  join  the  general  convoy ; 
but  it  was  upon  these  that  Mr.  Buffon  tried 
his  experiment ;  it  was  these  that  died  under 
the  operation. 

Thus  there  are  some  birds  which  by  mi- 
grating make  an  habitation  of  every  part  of 
the  earth  ;  but  in  general  every  climate  has 
birds  peculiar  to  itself.  The  feathered  inha- 
bitants of  the  temperate  zone  are  but  little 
remarkable  for  the  beauty  of  their  plumage; 
but  then  the  smaller  kinds  make  up  for  this 
defect  by  the  melody  of  their  voices.  The 
birds  of  the  torrid  zone  are  very  bright  and 
vivid  in  their  colours;  but  they  have  scream- 
ing voices,  or  are  totally  silent.  The  frigid 
zone,  on  the  other  hand,  where  the  seas 
abound  with  fish,  are  stocked  with  birds  of 
the  aquatic  kind,  in  much  greater  plenty  than 
in  Europe ;  and  these  are  generally  clothed 


BIRDS  IN  GENERAL. 


459 


with  a  warmer  coat  of  feathers ;  or  they  have 
large  quantities  of  fat  lying  underneath  the 
skin,  which  serves  to  defend  them  from  the 
rigours  of  the  climate. 

In  all  countries,  however,  birds  are  a  more 
long-lived  class  of  animals  than  the  quadru- 
peds or  insects  of  the  same  climate.  The 
life  of  man  himself  is  but  short,  when  com- 
pared to  what  some  of  them  enjoy.  It  is 
said  that  swans  have  been  known  to  live 
three  hundred  years;  geese  are  often  seen 
to  live  fourscore ;  while  linnets  and  other 
little  birds,  though  imprisoned  in  cages,  are 
often  found  to  reach  fourteen  or  fifteen.  How 
birds,  whose  age  of  perfection  is  much  more 
early  than  that  of  quadrupeds,  should  yet 
live  comparatively  so  much  longer,  is  not 
easily  to  be  accounted  for:  perhaps,  as 
their  bones  are  lighter,  and  more  porous, 
than  those  of  quadrupeds,  there  are  fewer 
obstructions  in  the  animal  machine;  and 
nature,  thus  finding  more  room  for  the  opera- 
tions of  life,  is  carried  on  to  a  greater  ex- 
tent. 

All  birds  in  general  are  less  than  quadru- 
peds ;  that  is,  the  greatest  of  one  class  far 
surpass  the  greatest  of  the  other  in  magnitude. 
The  ostrich,  which  is  the  greatest  of  birds, 
bears  no  proportion  to  the  elephant ;  and  the 
smallest  humming-bird,  which  is  the  least  of 
the  class,  is  still  far  more  minute  than  the 
mouse.  In  these  the  extremities  of  nature 
are  plainly  discernible;  and  in  forming  them 
she  appears  to  have  been  doubtful  in  her 
operations:  the  ostrich,  seemingly  covered 
with  hair,  and  incapable  of  flight,  making 
near  approaches  to  the  quadruped  class ; 
while  the  humming-bird,  of  the  size  of  an 
humble-bee,  and  with  a  fluttering  motion, 
seems  nearly  allied  to  the  insect. 

These  extremities  of  this  class  are  rather 


objects  of  human  curiosity  than  utility:  it  is 
the  middle  order  of  birds  which  man  has 
taken  care  to  propagate  and  maintain.  Of 
those  which  he  has  taken  under  his  protec- 
tion, and  which  administer  to  his  pleasures 
or  necessities,  the  greatest  number  seem  crea- 
tures of  his  formation.  The  variety  of  cli- 
mate to  which  he  consigns  them,  the  food 
with  which  he  supplies  them,  and  the  pur- 
poses for  which  he  employs  them,  produce 
amazing  varieties,  both  in  their  colours,  shape, 
magnitude,  and  the  taste  of  their  flesh.  Wild 
birds  are,  for  the  most  part,  of  the  same  mag- 
nitude and  shape;  they  still  keep  the  prints 
of  primaeval  nature  strong  upon  them,  except 
in  a  few;  they  generally  maintain  their  very 
colour :  but  it  is  otherwise  with  domestic  ani- 
mals; they  change  at  the  will  of  man — of  the 
tame  pigeon,  for  instance,  it  is  said  they  can 
be  bred  to  a  feather. 

As  we  are  thus  capable  of  influencing  their 
form  and  colour,  so  also  is  it  frequent  to  see 
equal  instances  of  our  influencing  their  ha- 
bitudes, appetites,  and  passions.  The  cock, 
for  instance,  is  artificially  formed  into  that 
courage  and  activity  which  he  is  seen  to  pos- 
sess; and  many  birds  testify  a  strong  attach- 
ment to  the  hand  that  feeds  them.  How  far 
they  are  capable  of  instruction,  is  manifest 
to  those  who  have  the  care  of  hawks.  But 
a  still  more  surprising  instance  of  this  was 
seen  some  time  ago  in  London :  a  canary 
bird  was  taught  to  pick  up  the  letters  of  the 
alphabet,  at  the  word  of  command,  so  as  to 
spell  any  person's  name  in  company ;  and 
this  the  little  animal  did  by  motions  from  its 
master,  which  were  imperceptible  to  every 
other  spectator.  Upon  the  whole,  however, 
they  are  inferior  to  quadrupeds  in  docility; 
and  seem  more  mechanically  impelled  by  all 
the  power  of  instinct. 


CHAPTER  LXXVI. 

OF  THE  DIVISION  OF  BIRDS. 


THOUGH  birds  are  fitted  for  sporting  in 
air,  yet  as  they  find  their  food  upon  the  sur- 
face of  the  earth,  there  seems  a  variety  equal 
to  the  different  aliments  with  which  it  tends 

NO.  39  &  40. 


to  supply  them.  The  flat  and  burning  desert, 
the  rocky  clifF.  the  extensive  fen,  the  stormy 
ocean,  as  well  as  the  pleasing  landscape, 
have  all  their  peculiar  inhabitants.  The 
3Y 


460 


A  HISTORY  OP 


most  obvious  distinction  therefore  of  birds,  is 
into  those  that  live  by  land  and  those  that 
live  by  water;  or,  in  other  words,  into  land 
birds,  and  water  fowl. 

It  is  no  difficult  matter  to  distinguish  land 
from  water  fowl,  by  the  legs  and  toes.  All 
land  birds  have  their  toes  divided,  without 
any  membrane  or  web  between  them ;  and 
their  legs  and  feet  serve  them  for  the  pur- 
poses of  running,  grasping,  or  climbing.  On 
the  other  hand,  water  fowl  have  their  legs 
and  feet  formed  for  the  purposes  of  wading 
in  water,  or  swimming  on  its  surface.  In 
those  that  wade,  the  legs  are  usually  long 
and  naked ;  in  those  that  swim,  the  toes  are 
webbed  together,  as  we  see  in  the  feet  of  a 
goose,  which  serve,  like  oars,  to  drive  them 
forward  with  greater  velocity.  The  forma- 
tion, therefore,  of  land  and  water  fowl,  is  as 
distinct  as  their  habits ;  and  nature  herself 
seems  to  offer  us  this  obvious  distribution,  in 
methodizing  animals  of  the  feathered  creation. 

However,  a  distinction  so  comprehensive 
goes  but  a  short  way  in  illustrating  the  differ- 
ent tribes  of  so  numerous  a  class.  The  num- 
ber of  birds  already  known,  amounts  to  near- 
ly three  thousand;  and  every  person  who 
turns  his  mind  to  these  kinds  of  pursuits,  is 
every  day  adding  to  the  catalogue.  It  is  not 
enough,  therefore,  to  be  able  to  distinguish 
a  land  from  a  water  fowl ;  much  more  is  still 
required — to  be  able  to  distinguish  the  dif- 
•ferent  kinds  of  birds  from  each  other;  and 
even  the  varieties  in  the  same  kind,  when 
they  happen  to  offer.  This  certainly  is  a 
work  of  great  difficulty;  and  perhaps  the  at- 
tainment will  not  repay  the  labour.  The  sen- 
sible part  of  mankind  will  not  withdraw  all 
their  attention  from  more  important  pursuits, 
to  give  it  entirely  up  to  what  promises  to  re- 
pay them  only  with  a  very  confined  species 
of  amusement.  In  my  distribution  of  birds, 
therefore,  I  will  follow  Linnaeus  in  the  first 
sketch  of  his  system ;  and  then  leave  him,  to 
follow  the  most  natural  distinctions,  in  enu- 
merating the  different  kinds  that  admit  of  a 
history,  or  require  a  description. 

Linnaeus  divides  all  birds  into  six  classes; 
namely,  into  birds  of  the  rapacious  kind,  birds 
of  the  pie  kind,  birds  of  the  poultry  kind,  birds 
of  the  sparrow  kind,  birds  of  the  duck  kind,  and 
birds  of  the  crane  kind.  The  four  first  com- 


prehend the  various  kinds  of  land  birds;  the 
two  last,  those  that  belong  to  the  water. 

Birds  of  the  rapacious  kind,  constitute  (hat 
class  of  carnivorous  fowl  that  live  by  rapine. 
He  distinguishes  them  by  their  beak,  which 
is  hooked,  strong,  and  notched  at  the  point; 
by  their  legs,  which  are  short  and  muscular, 
and  made  for  the  purposes  of  tearing;  by 
their  toes,  which  are  strong  and  knobbed; 
and  their  talons,  which  are  sharp  and  crook- 
ed ;  by  the  make  of  their  body,  which  is 
muscular;  and  their  flesh,  which  is  impure: 
nor  are  they  less  known  by  their  food,  which 
consists  entirely  of  flesh;  their  stomach, 
which  is  membraneous;  and  their  manners, 
which  are  fierce  and  cruel. 

Birds  of  the  pie  kind  have  the  bill  differing 
from  the  former:  as  in  those  it  resembled  a 
hook,  destined  for  tearing  to  pieces;  in  these 
it  resembles  a  wedge,  fitted  for  the  purpose 
of  cleaving.  Their  legs  are  formed  short  and 
strong,  for  walking;  their  body  is  slender,  and 
impure,  and  their  food  miscellaneous.  They 
nestle  in  trees ;  and  the  male  feeds  the  female 
during  the  time  of  incubation. 

Birds  of  the  poultry  kind  have  the  bill  a  lit- 
tle convex,  for  the  purposes  of  gathering  their 
food.  The  upper  chap  hangs  over  the  lower; 
their  bodies  are  fat  and  muscular,  and  their 
flesh  white  and  pure.  They  Jive  upon  grain, 
which  is  moistened  in  the  crop.  They  make 
their  nest  on  the  ground,  without  art;  they 
lay  many  eggs,  and  use  promiscuous  venery. 

Birds  of  the  sparroiv  kind  comprehend  all 
that  beautiful  and  vocal  class  that  adorn  our 
fields  and  groves,  and  gratify  every  sense  in 
its  turn.  Their  bills  may  be  compared  tp  a 
forceps  that  catches  hold;  their  legs  are 
formed  for  hopping  along;  their  bodies  are 
tender;  pure  in  such  as  feed  upon  grain,  im- 
pure in  such  as  live  upon  insects.  They 
live  chiefly  in  trees;  their  nests  are  artifici- 
ally made,  and  their  amours  are  observed 
with  connubial  fidelity. 

Birds  of  the  duck  kind  use  their  bill  as  a 
kind  of  strainer  to  their  food ;  it  is  smooth, 
covered  with  a  skin,  and  nervous  at  the  point. 
Their  legs  are  short,  and  their  feet  formed 
for  swimming,  the  toes  being  webbed  toge- 
ther. Their  body  is  fat,  inclining  to  rancidi- 
ty. They  live  in  waters,  and  chiefly  build 
their  nests  upon  land. 


BIRDS  IN  GENERAL, 


461 


With  respect  to  the  order  of  birds  that  be- 
long to  the  waters,  those  of  the  crane  kind 
have  their  bill  formed  for  the  purposes  of 
searching  and  examining  the  bottom  of  pools; 
their  legs  are  long,  and  formed  for  wading; 
their  toes  are  not  webbed ;  their  thighs  are 
half  naked  ;  their  body  is  slender,  and  cover- 
ed with  a  very  thin  skin;  their  tail  is  short, 
and  their  flesh  savoury.  They  live  in  lakes 
upon  animals,  and  they  chiefly  build  their 
nests  upon  the  ground. 

Such  is  the  division  of  Linnasus  with  re- 
spect to  this  class  of  animals ;  and,  at  first 
sight,  it  appears  natural  and  comprehensive. 
But  we  must  not  be  deceived  by  appearances: 
the  student,  who  should  imagine  he  was  mak- 
ing a  progress  in  the  history  of  nature,  while 
he  was  only  thus  making  arbitrary  distribu- 
tions, would  be  very  much  mistaken.  Should 
he  come  to  enter  deeper  into  this  naturalist's 
plan,  he  would  find  birds  the  most  unlike  in 
nature  thrown  together  into  the  same  class; 
and  find  animals  joined,  that  entirely  differ  in 
climate,  in  habitudes,  in  manners,  in  shape, 
colouring,  and  size.  In  such  a  distribution, 
for  instance,  he  would  find  the  humming-bird 
and  the  raven,  the  rail  and  the  ostrich,  joined 
in  the  same  family.  If,  when  he  asked  what 
sort  of  a  creature  was  the  humming-bird,  he 
were  told  that  it  was  in  the  same  class  with 
the  carrion-crow,  would  he  not  think  himself 
imposed  upon?  In  such  a  case,  the  only  way 
to  form  any  idea  of  the  animal  whose  history 
he  is  desirous  to  know,  is  to  see  it ;  and  that 
curiosity  very  few  have  an  opportunity  of 
gratifying.  The  number  of  birds  is  so  great, 
that  it  might  exhaust  the  patience  not  only  of 
the  writer,  but  the  reader,  to  examine  them 
all:  in  the  present  confined  undertaking  it 
would  certainly  be  impossible.  I  will,  there- 
fore, now  attach  myself  to  a  more  natural 
method  ;  and,  still  keeping  the  general  divi- 
sion of  Linna3us  before  me,  enter  into  some 


description  of  the  most  noted,  or  the  most 
worth  knowing. 

Under  one  or  other  class,  as  I  shall  treat 
them,  the  reader  will  probably  find  all  the 
species,  and  all  the  varieties  that  demand  his 
curiosity.  When  the  leader  of  any  tribe  is 
described,  and  its  history  known,  it  will  give 
a  very  tolerable  idea  of  all  the  species  con- 
tained under  it.  It  is  true,  the  reader  will 
not  thus  have  his  knowledge  ranged  under 
such  precise  distinctions;  nor  can  he  be  able 
to  say  with  such  fluency,  that  the  rail  is  of 
the  ostrich  class;  but,  what  is  much  more 
material,  he  will  have  a  tolerable  history  of 
the  bird  he  desires  to  know,  or  at  least  of 
that  which  most  resembles  it  in  nature. 

However,  it  may  be  proper  to  apprize  the 
reader  that  he  will  not  here  find  his  curiosity 
satisfied,  as  in  the  former  volumes,  where  we 
often  took  Mr.  Buffbn  for  our  guide.  Those 
who  have  hitherto  written  the  natural  history 
of  birds,  have  in  general  been  contented  with 
telling  their  names,  or  describing  their  toes 
or  their  plumage.  It  must  often,  therefore, 
happen,  that  instead  of  giving  the  history  of 
a  bird,  we  must  be  content  to  entertain  the 
reader  with  merely  its  description.  I  will 
therefore  divide  the  following  history  of  birds, 
with  Linnaeus,  into  six  parts ;  in  the  first  of 
which  I  will  give  such  as  Brisson  has  ranged 
among  the  rapacious  birds  ;  next  those  of  the 
pie  kind  ;  and  thus  go  on  through  the  suc- 
ceeding classes,  till  I  finish  with  those  of  the 
duck  kind.  But  before  I  enter  upon  a  syste- 
matic detail,  I  will  beg  leave  to  give  the  his- 
tory of  three  or  four  birds,  that  do  not  well 
range  in  any  system.  These,  from  their  great 
size,  are  sufficiently  distinguishable  from  the 
rest ;  and,  from  their  incapacity  of  flying,  lead 
a  life  a  good  deal  differing  from  the  rest  of 
the  feathered  creation.  The  birds  I  mean 
are  the  Ostrich,  the  Cassowary,  the  Emu,  the 
Dedo,  and  the  Solitaire. 
3Y» 


462 


THE  OSTRICH. 


CHAPTER  LXXVII. 

THE  OSTRICH. 


IN  beginning  with  the  feathered  tribe,  the 
first  animal  (hat  offers  seems  to  unite  the  class 
of  quadrupeds  and  of  birds  in  itself.  While 
it  has  the  general  outline  and  properties  of  a 
bird,  yet  it  retains  many  of  the  marks  of  the 
quadruped.  In  appearance  the  ostrich  re- 
tembles  the  camel,  and  is  almost  as  tall ;  it  is 
covered  with  a  plumage  that  resembles  hair 
much  more  nearly  than  feathers,  and  its  in- 
ternal parts  bear  as  near  a  similitude  to  those 
of  the  quadruped,  as  of  the  bird  creation.  It 
may  be  considered,  therefore,  as  an  animal 
made  to  fill  up  that  chasm  in  nature  which 
separates  one  class  of  beings  from  another. 

The  ostrich  is  the  largest  of  all  birds. 
Travellers  affirm  that  they  are  seen  as  tall  as 
a  man  on  horseback ;  and  even  some  of  those 
that  have  been  brought  into  England  were 
above  seven  feet  high.  The  head  and  bill 
somewhat  resemble  those  of  a  duck ;  and  the 
neck  may  be  likened  to  that  of  a  swan,  but 
that  it  is  much  longer;  the  legs  and  thighs 
resemble  those  of  a  hen ;  though  the  whole 
appearance  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to 
that  of  a  camel.  But  to  be  more  particular : 
it  is  usually  seven  feet  high  from  the  top  of 
the  head  to  the  ground ;  but  from  the  back  it 
is  only  four ;  so  that  the  head  and  neck  are 
above  three  feet  long.  From  the  top  of  the 
head  to  the  rump,  when  the  neck  is  stretched 
out  in  a  right  line,  it  is  six  feet  long,  and  the 
tail  is  about  a  foot  more.  One  of  the  wings, 
without  the  feathers,  is  a  foot  and  a  half; 
and  being  stretched  out,  with  the  feathers,  is 
three  feet. 

The  plumage  is  much  alike  in  all;  that  is, 
generally  black  and  white ;  though  some  of 
them  are  said  to  be  gray.  The  greatest 
feathers  are  at  the  extremities  of  the  wings 
and  tail,  and  the  largest  are  generally  white. 
The  next  row  is  black  and  white ;  and  of  the 
small  feathers,  on  the  back  and  belly,  some 
are  white  and  others  black.  There  are  no 
feathers  on  the  sides,  nor  yet  on  the  thighs, 


nor  under  the  wings.  The  lower  part  of  the 
neck,  about  half  way,  is  covered  with  still 
smaller  feathers  than  those  on  the  belly  and 
back;  and  those, like  the  former,  also  are  of 
different  colours. 

All  these  feathers  are  of  the  same  kind,  and 
peculiar  to  the  ostrich  ;  for  other  birds  have 
several  sorts,  some  of  which  are  soft  and 
downy,  and  others  hard  and  strong.  Ostrich 
feathers  are  almost  all  as  soft  as  down,  being 
utterly  unfit  to  serve  the  animal  for  flying,  and 
still  less  adapted  to  be  a  proper  defence 
against  external  injury.  The  feathers  of  other 
birds  have  the  webs  broader  on  one  srde  than 
the  other,  but  those  of  the  ostrich  have  their 
shaft  exactly  in  the  middle.  The  upper  part 
of  the  head  and  neck  are  covered  with  a 
very  fine,  clear,  white  hair,  that  shines  like 
the  bristles  of  a  hog;  and  in  some  places 
there  are  small  tufts  of  it,  consisting  of  about 
twelve  hairs,  which  grow  from  a  single  shaft 
about  the  thickness  of  a  pin. 

At  the  end  of  each  wing,  there  is  a  kind  of 
spur,  almost  like  the  quill  of  a  porcupine.  It 
is  an  inch  long,  being  hollow,  and  of  a  horny 
substance.  There  are  two  of  these  on  each 
wing ;  the  largest  of  which  is  at  the  extremity 
of  the  bone  of  the  wing,  and  the  other  a  foot 
lower.  The  neck  seems  to  be  more  slender 
in  proportion  to  that  of  other  birds,  from  its 
not  being  furnished  with  feathers.  The  skin 
in  this  part  is  of  a  livid  flesh-colour,  which 
some  improperly  would  have  to  be  blue. 
The  bill  is  short  and  pointed,  and  two  inches 
and  a  half  at  the  beginning.  The  external 
form  of  the  eye  is  like  that  of  man,  the  upper 
eye-lid  being  adorned  with  eye-lashes,  which 
are  longer  than  those  on  the  lid  below.  The 
tongue  is  small,  very  short,  and  composed  of 
cartilages,  ligaments,  and  membranes,  inter- 
mixed with  fleshy  fibres.  In  some  it  is  about 
an  inch  long,  and  very  thick  at  the  bottom. 
In  others  it  is  but  half  an  inch,  being  a  little 
forked  at  the  end. 


THE  OSTRICH. 


463 


The  thighs  are  very  fleshy  and  large,  being 
covered  with  a  white  skin,  inclining  to  red- 
ness, and  wrinkled  in  the  manner  of  a  net, 
whose  meshes  will  admit  the  end  of  a  finger. 
Some  have  very  small  feathers  here  and  there 
on  the  thighs ;  and  others  again  have  neither 
feathers  nor  wrinkles.  What  are  called  the 
legs  of  birds,  in  this  are  covered  before  with 
large  scales.  The  end  of  the  foot  is  cloven, 
and  has  two  very  large  toes,  which,  like  the 
leg,  are  covered  with  scales.  These  toes  are 
of  unequal  sizes.  The  largest,  which  is  on 
the  inside,  is  seven  inches  long,  including  the 
claw,  which  is  near  three-fourths  of  an  inch 
in  length,  and  almost  as  broad.  The  other 
toe  is  but  four  inches  long,  and  is  without  a 
claw. 

The  internal  parts  of  this  animal  are  form- 
ed with  no  less  surprising  peculiarity.  At 
the  top  of  the  breast,  under  the  skin,  the  fat 
is  two  inches  thick;  and  on  the  fore  part  of 
the  belly  it  is  as  hard  as  suet,  and  about  two 
inches  and  a  half  thick  in  some  places.  It 
has  two  distinct  stomachs.  The  first,  which 
is  lowermost,  in  its  natural  situation  some- 
what resembles  the  crop  in  other  birds ;  but 
it  is  considerably  larger  than  the  other  sto- 
mach, and  is  furnished  with  strong  muscular 
fibres,  as  well  circular  as  longitudinal.  The 
second  stomach,  or  gizzard,  has  outwardly 
the  shape  of  the  stomach  of  a  man  ;  and,  upon 
opening,  is  always  found  filled  with  a  variety 
of  discordant  substances;  hay,  grass,  barley, 
beans,  bones,  and  stones,  some  of  which  ex- 
ceed in  size  a  pullet's  egg.  The  kidneys  are 
eight  inches  long  and  two  broad,  and  differ 
from  those  of  other  birds  in  not  being  divid- 
ed into  lobes.  The  heart  and  lungs  are  se- 
parated by  a  midriff,  as  in  quadrupeds,  and 
the  parts  of  generation  also  bear  a  very  strong 
resemblance  and  analogy. 

Such  is  the  structure  of  this  animal,  form- 
ing the  shade  that  unites  birds  and  quadru- 
peds; and  from  this  structure  its  habits  and 
manners  are  entirely  peculiar.  It  is  a  native 
only  of  the  torrid  regions  of  Africa,  and  has 
long  been  celebrated  by  those  who  have  had 
occasion  to  mention  the  animals  of  that  region. 
Its  flesh  is  proscribed  in  scripture  as  unfit  to 
be  eaten ;  and  most  of  the  ancient  writers 
describe  it  as  well  known  in  their  times. 
Like  the  race  of  the  elephant,  it  is  transmit- 


never 


ted  down  without  mixture;  and  has 
been  known  to  breed  out  of  that  country 
which  first  produced  it.  It  seems  formed  to 
live  among  the  sandy  and  burning  deserts  of 
the  torrid  zone;  and,  as  in  some  measure  it 
owes  its  birth  to  their  genial  influence,  so  it 
seldom  migrates  into  tracts  more  mild  or 
more  fertile.  As  that  is  the  peculiar  coun- 
try of  the  elephant,  the  rhinoceros,  and  ca- 
mel, so  it  may  readily  be  supposed  capable 
of  affording  a  retreat  to  the  ostrich.  They 
inhabit,  from  preference,  the  most  solitary 
and  horrid  deserts,  where  there  are  few  ve- 
getables to  clothe  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
and  where  the  rain  never  comes  to  refresh  it. 
The  Arabians  assert  that  the  ostrich  never 
drinks;  and  the  place  of  its  habitation  seems 
to  confirm  the  assertion.  In  these  formidable 
regions,  ostriches  are  seen  in  large  flocks, 
which  to  the  distant  spectator  appear  like  a 
regiment  of  cavalry,  and  have  often  alarmed 
a  whole  caravan.  There  is  no  desert,  how 
barren  soever,  but  what  is  capable  of  supply- 
ing these  animals  with  provision ;  they  eat 
almost  every  thing;  and  these  barren  tracts 
are  thus  doubly  grateful,  as  they  afford  both 
food  and  security.  The  ostrich  is  of  all  other 
animals  the  most  voracious.  It  will  devour 
leather,  glass,  hair,  iron,  stones,  or  any  thing 
that  is  given.  Nor  are  its  powers  of  digestion 
less  in  such  things  as  are  digestible.  Those 
substances  which  the  coats  of  the  stomach 
cannot  soften,  pass  whole ;  so  that  glass, 
stones,  or  iron,  are  excluded  in  the  form  in 
which  they  were  devoured.  All  metals,  in- 
deed, which  are  swallowed  by  any  animal, 
lose  a  part  of  their  weight,  and  often  the  ex- 
tremities of  their  figure,  from  the  action  of 
the  juices  of  the  stomach  upon  their  surface. 
A  quarter  pistole,  which  was  swallowed  by 
a  duck,  lost  seven  grains  of  its  weight  in  the 
gizzard  before  it  was  voided ;  and  it  is  pro- 
bable that  a  still  greater  diminution  of  weight 
would  happen  in  the  stomach  of  an  ostrich. 
Considered  in  this  light,  therefore,  this  ani- 
mal may  be  said  to  digest  iron;  but  such  sub- 
stances seldom  remain  long  enough  in  the 
stomach  of  any  animal  to  undergo  so  tedious 
a  dissolution.  However  this  be,  the  ostrich 
swallows  almost  every  thing  presented  to  it. 
Whether  this  be  from  the  necessity  which 
smaller  birds  are  under  of  picking  up  gravel 


L64 


THE  OSTRICH. 


to  keep  the  coats  of  their  stomach  asunder, 
or  whether  it  be  from  a  want  of  distinguish- 
ing by  the  taste  what  substances  are  fit  and 
what  incapable  of  digestion;  certain  it  is, 
that  in  the  ostrich  dissected  by  Ranby  there 
appeared  such  a  quantity  of  heterogeneous 
substances,  that  it  was  wonderful  how  any 
animal  could  digest  such  an  overcharge  of 
nourishment.  Valisnieri  also  found  the  first 
stomach  filled  with  a  quantity  of  incongruous 
substances;  grass,  nuts,  cords,  stones,  glass, 
brass,  copper,  iron,  tin,  lead,  and  wood ;  a 
piece  of  stone  was  found  among  the  rest,  that 
weighed  more  than  a  pound.  He  saw  one  of 
these  animals  that  was  killed  by  devouring  a 
quantity  of  quick-lime.  It  would  seem  that 
the  ostrich  is  obliged  to  fill  up  the  great  ca- 
pacity of  its  stomach,  in  order  to  be  at  ease ; 
but  that  nutritious  substances  not  occurring, 
it  pours  in  whatever  offers  to  supply  the  void. 

In  their  native  deserts,  however,  it  is  pro- 
bable they  live  chiefly  upon  vegetables,  where 
they  lead  an  inoffensive  and  social  life ;  the 
male,  as  Thevenot  assures  us,  assorting  with 
the  female  with  connubial  fidelity.  They  are 
said  to  be  very  much  inclined  to  venery ; 
and  the  make  of  the  parts  in  both  sexes  seems 
to  confirm  the  report.  It  is  probable  also 
they  copulate,  like  other  birds,  by  compres- 
sion; and  they  lay  very  large  eggs,  some  of 
them  being  above  five  inches  in  diameter,  and 
weighing  above  fifteen  pounds.  These  eggs 
have  a  very  hard  shell,  somewhat  resembling 
those  of  the  crocodile,  except  that  those  of 
the  latter  are  less  and  rounder. 

The  season  for  laying  depends  on  the  cli- 
mate where  the  animal  is  bred.  In  the  north- 
ern parts  of  Africa,  this  season  is  about  the 
beginning  of  July;  in  the  south,  it  is  about 
the  latter  end  of  December.  These  birds  are 
very  prolific,  and  lay  generally  from  forty  to 
fifty  eggs  at  one  clutch.  It  has  been  com- 
monly reported  that  the  female  deposits  them 
in  the  sand;  and,  covering  them  up,  leaves 
them  to  be  hatched  by  the  heat  of  the  climate, 
and  then  permits  the  young  to  shift  for  them- 
selves. Very  little  of  this,  however,  is  true: 
no  bird  has  a  stronger  affection  for  her  young 
than  the  ostrich,  nor  none  watches  her  eggs 
with  greater  assiduity.  It  happens,  indeed, 
in  those  hot  climates,  that  there  is  less  ne- 
cessity for  the  continual  incubation  of  the  fe- 


j  male ;  and  she  more  frequently  leaves  her 
|  eggs,  which  are  in  no  fear  of  being  chilled  by 
the  weather:  but  though  she  sometimes  for- 
sakes them  by  day,  she  always  carefully 
broods  over  them  by  night;  and  Kolben,  who 
has  seen  great  numbers  of  them  at  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  affirms  that  they  sit  on  their 
eggs  like  other  birds,  and  that  the  male  arid 
female  take  this  office  by  turns,  as  he  had 
frequent  opportunities  of  observing.  Nor  is 
it  more  true  what  is  said  of  their  forsaking 
their  young  after  they  are  excluded  the  shell. 
On  the  contrary,  the  young  ones  are  not  even 
able  to  walk  for  several  days  after  they  are 
hatched.  During  this  time,  the  old  ones  are 
very  assiduous  in  supplying  them  with  grass, 
and  very  careful  to  defend  them  from  danger; 
nay,  they  encounter  every  danger  in  their  de- 
fence. It  was  a  way  of  taking  them  among 
the  ancients,  to  plant  a  number  of  sharp 
stakes  round  the  ostrich's  nest  in  her  absence, 
upon  which  she  pierced  herself  at  her  return. 
The  young,  when  brought  forth,  are  of  an  ash- 
colour  the  first  year,  and  are  covered  with 
feathers  all  over.  But,  in  time,  these  feathers 
drop;  and  those  parts  which  are  covered  as- 
sume a  different  aaitJ  more  becoming  plummy. 
The  beauty  of  a  part  of  this  plumage,  par- 
ticularly the  long  feathers  that  compose  the 
wings  and  tail,  is  the  chief  reason  that  man 
has  been  so  active  in  pursuing  this  harmless 
bird  to  its  deserts,  and  hunting  it  with  no 
small  degree  of  expense  and  labour.  The 
ancients  used  those  plumes  in  their  helmets; 
the  ladies  of  the  East  make  them  an  orna- 
ment in  their  dress;  and,  among  us,  our  un- 
dertakers and  our  fine  gentlemen  still  make 
use  of  them,  to  decorate  their  hearses  and 
their  hats,  those  feathers  which  are  pluck- 
ed from  the  animal  while  alive,  are  much 
more  valued  than  those  taken  when  dead ; 
the  latter  being  dry,  light,  and  subject  to  be 
worm-eaten. 

Beside  the  value  of  their  plumage,  some  of 
the  savage  nations  of  Africa  hunt  them  also 
for  their  flesh,  which  they  consider  as  a 
dainty.  They  sometimes  also  breed  these 
birds  tame,  to  eat  the  young  ones,  of  which 
the  female  is  said  to  be  the  greatest  delicacy. 
Some  nations  have  obtained  the  name  of 
Struthophagi,  or  ostrich-eaters,  from  their 
peculiar  fondness  for  this  food ;  and  even  the 


THE  OSTRICH. 


Romans  themselves  were  not  averse  to  it. 
Apicius  gives  us  a  receipt  for  making  sauce 
for  the  ostrich;  and  Heliogabalus  is  noted  for 
having  dressed  the  brains  of  six  hundred 
ostriches  in  one  dish ;  for  it  was  his  custom 
never  to  eat  but  of  one  dish  in  a  day,  but 
that  was  an  expensive  one.  Even  among  the 
Europeans  now,  the  eggs  of  the  ostrich  are 
said  to  be  well  tasted,  and  extremely  nour- 
ishing; but  they  are  too  scarce  to  be  fed 
upon,  although  a  single  egg  be  a  sufficient 
entertainment  for  eight  men. 

As  the  spoils  of  the  ostrich  are  thus  valua- 
ble, it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  man  has 
become  their  most  assiduous  pursuer.  For 
this  purpose,  the  Arabians  train  up  their  best 
and  fleetest  horses,  and  hunt  the  ostrich  still 
in  view.  Perhaps  of  all  other  varieties  of  the 
chace,  this,  though  the  most  laborious,  is  yet 
the  most  entertaining.  As  soon  as  the  hunter 
comes  within  sight  of  his  prey,  he  puts  on  his 
horse  with  a  gentle  gallop,  so  as  to  keep  the 
ostrich  still  in  sight;  yet  not  so  as  to  terrify 
him  from  the  plain  into  the  mountains.  Of 
all  known  animals  that  make  use  of  their  legs 
in  running,  the  ostrich  is  by  far  the  swiftest ; 
upon  observing  himself  therefore  pursued  at 
a  distance,  he  begins  to  run  at  first  but  gently; 
either  insensible  of  his  danger,  or  sure  of 
escaping.  In  this  situation  he  somewhat  re- 
sembles a  man  at  full  speed  ;  his  wings,  like 
two  arms,  keep  working  with  a  motion  cor- 
respondent to  that  of  his  legs:  and  his  speed 
would  very  soon  snatch  him  from  the  view  of 
his  pursuers;  but,  unfortunately  for  the  silly 
creature,  instead  of  going  off  in  a  direct  line, 
he  takes  his  course  in  circles  ;  while  the  hun- 
ters still  make  a  small  course  within,  relieve 
each  other,  meet  him  at  unexpected  turns, 
and  keep  him  thus  still  employed,  still  follow- 
ed for  two  or  three  days  together.  At  last, 
spent  with  fatigue  and  famine,  and  finding  all 
power  of  escape  impossible,  he  endeavours 
to  hide  himself  from  those  enemies  he  cannot 
avoid,  and  covers  his  head  in  the  sand,  or  the 
first  thicket  he  meets.  Sometimes,  however, 
he  attempts  to  face  his  pursuers  ;  and,  though 
in  general  the  most  gentle  animal  in  nature, 
wh-n  drivento  desperation, he  defendshimself 
with  his  beak,  his  wings,  and  his  feet.  Such  is 
the  force  of  his  motion,  that  a  man  would  be 
utterly  unable  to  withstand  him  in  the  shock. 


The  Struthophagi  have  another  method  of 
taking  this  bird  ;  they  cover  themselves  with 
an  ostrich's  skin,  and  passing  up  an  arm 
through  the  neck,  thus  counterfeit  all  the 
motions  of  this  animal.  By  this  artifice  they 
approach  the  ostrich,  which  becomes  an  easy 
prey.  He  is  sometimes  also  taken  by  dogs 
and  nets  :  but  the  most  usual  way  is  that 
mentioned  above. 

When  the  Arabians  have  thus  taken  an 
ostrich,  they  cut  its  throat,  and  making  a 
ligature  below  the  opening,  they  shake  the 
bird,  as  one  would  rince  a  barrel ;  then  taking 
off*  the  ligature,  there  runs  out  from  the  wound 
in  the  throat  a  considerable  quantity  of  blood, 
mixed  with  the  fat  of  the  animal ;  and  this  is 
considered  one  of  their  greatest  dainties. 
They  next  flay  the  bird ;  and  of  the  skin, 
which  is  strong  and  thick,  sometimes  make  a 
kind  of  vest,  which  answers  the  purposes  of 
a  cuirass  and  a  buckler. 

There  are  others  who,  more  compassionate 
or  more  provident,  do  not  kill  their  captive, 
but  endeavour  to  tame  it,  for  the  purposes  of 
supplying  those  feathers  which  are  in  so  great 
request.  The  inhabitants  of  Dara  and  Lybia 
breed  up  whole  flocks  of  them,  and  they  are 
tamed  with  very  little  trouble.  But  it  is  not 
for  their  feathers  alone  that  they  are  prized 
in  this  domestic  state  ;  they  are  often  ridden 
upon,  and  used  as  horses.  Moore  assures  us, 
that  at  Joar  he  saw  a  man  travelling  upon  an 
ostrich ;  and  Adanson  asserts,  that,  at  the 
factory  of  Podore,  he  had  two  ostriches,  which 
were  then  young,  the  strongest  of  which  ran 
swifter  than  the  best  English  racer,  although 
he  carried  two  negroes  on  his  back.  As 
soon  as  the  animal  perceived  that  it  was 
loaded,  it  set  off  running  with  all  its  force, 
and  made  sevaral  circuits  round  the  village; 
till  at  length  the  peeple  were  obliged  to  stop 
it,  by  barring  up  the  way.  How  far  this 
strength  and  swiftness  may  be  useful  to  man- 
kind, even  in  a  polished  state,  is  a  matter 
that  perhaps  deserves  inquiry.  Posterity 
may  avail  themselves  of  this  creature's 
abilities;  and  riding  upon  an  ostrich  may 
one  day  become  the  favourite,  as  it  most 
certainly  is  the  swiftest,  mode  of  conveyance. 

The  parts  of  this  animal  are  said  to  be  con- 
vertible to  many  salutary  purposes  in  medi- 
cine. The  fat  is  said  to  be  emollient  and  re- 


466 

laxing;  that  while  it  relaxes  the 
fortifies  the  nervous  system ;  and 
plied  to  the  region  of  the  loins,  it 
pains  of  the  stone  in  the  kidneys, 
of  the  egg  powdered,  and  given 
quantities,  is  said  to  be  useful  in 


THE  EMU. 


tendons,  it 
being  ap- 
abates  the 
The  shell 
in  proper 
promoting 


urine,  and  dissolving  the  stone  in  the  bladder. 
The  substance  of  the  egg  itself  is  thought  to 
be  peculiarly  nourishing :  however,  Galen,  in 
mentioning  this,  asserts,  that  the  eggs  of  hens 
and  pheasants  are  good  to  be  eaten;  those 
of  geese  and  ostriches  are  the  worst  of  all. 


CHAPTER  LXXV1II. 

THE  EMU. 


OF  this  bird,  which  many  call  the  American 
Ostrich,  but  little  is  certainly  known.  It  is 
an  inhabitant  of  the  New  Continent ;  and  the 
travellers  who  have  mentioned  it,  seem  to 
have  been  more  solicitous  in  proving  its  af- 
finity to  the  ostrich,  than  in  describing  those 
peculiarities  which  distinguish  it  from  all 
others  of  the  feathered  creation. 

It  is  chiefly  found  in  Guiana,  along  the 
banks  of  the  Oroonoko,  in  the  inland  provin- 
ces of  Brasil  and  Chili,  and  the  vast  forests 
that  border  on  the  mouth  of  the  river  Plata. 
Many  other  parts  of  South  America  were 
known  to  have  them ;  but  as  men  multiplied, 
these  large  and  timorous  birds  either  fell  be- 
neath their  superior  power,  or  fled  from  their 
'vicinity. 

The  Emu,  though  not  so  large  as  the 
ostrich,  is  only  second  to  it  in  magnitude. 
It  is  by  much  the  largest  bird  in  the  New 
Continent ;  and  is  generally  found  to  be  six 
feet  high,  measuring  from  its  head  to  the 
ground.  Its  legs  are  three  feet  long ;  and  its 
thigh  is  near  as  thick  as  that  of  a  man.  The 
toes  differ  from  those  of  the  ostrich  ;  as  there 
are  three  in  the  American  bird,  and  but  two 
in  the  former.  Its  neck  is  long,  its  head  small, 
and  the  bill  flatted,  like  that  of  the  ostrich; 
but  in  all  other  respects  it  more  resembles  the 
Cassowary,  a  large  bird,  to  be  described 
hereafter.  The  form  of  the  body  appears 
round ;  the  wings  are  short,  and  entirely  un- 
fitted for  flying,  and  it  wants  a  tail.  It  is 
covered  from  the  back  and  rump  with  long 
feathers,  which  fall  backward,  and  cover  the 
anus ;  these  feathers  are  gray  upon  the  back, 
and  white  on  the  belly.  It  goes  very  swiftly, 


and  seems  assisted  in  its  motion  by  a  kind  of 
tubercle  behind,  like  an  heel,  upon  which,  on 
plain  ground,  it  treads  very  securely ;  in  its 
course  it  uses  a  very  odd  kind  of  action,  lift- 
ing up  one  wing,  which  it  keeps  elevated  for 
a  time ;  till  letting  it  drop,  it  lifts  up  the  other. 
What  the  bird's  intention  may  be  in  thus 
keeping  only  one  wing  up,  is  not  easy  to  dis- 
cover; whether  it  makes  use  of  this  as  a  sail  to 
catch  the  wind,  or  whether  as  a  rudder  to  turn 
its  course,  in  order  to  avoid  the  arrows  of  the 
Indians,  yet  remains  to  be  ascertained  :  how- 
ever this  be,  the  emu  runs  with  such  swiftness, 
that  the  fleetest  dogs  are  thrown  out  in  the 
pursuit.  One  of  them,  finding  itself  surround- 
ed by  the  hunters,  darted  among  the  dogs 
with  such  fury,  that  they  made  way  to  avoid 
its  rage ;  and  it  escaped,  by  its  amazing 
velocity,  in  safety  to  the  mountains. 

As  this  bird  is  but  little  known,  so  travellers 
have  given  a  loose  to  their  imaginations  in 
describing  some  of  its  actions,  which  they 
were  conscious  could  not  be  easily  contra- 
dicted. This  animal,  says  Nierenberg,  is 
very  peculiar  in  the  hatching  of  its  young. 
The  male  compels  twenty  or  thirty  of  the 
females  to  lay  their  eggs  in  one  nest ;  he  then, 
when  they  have  done  laying,  chases  them 
away,  and  places  himself  upon  the  eggs; 
however,  he  takes  the  singular  precaution  of 
laying  two  of  the  number  aside,  which  he 
does  not  sit  upon.  When  the  young  ones 
come  forth,  these  two  eggs  are  addled  ;  which 
the  male  having  foreseen,  breaks  one,  and 
then  the  other,  upon  which  multitudes  of 
flies  are  found  to  settle ;  and  these  supply 
the  young  brood  with  a  sufficiency  of  pro- 


THE  CASSOWARY. 


467 


vision,  till  they  are  able  to  shift  for  them- 
selves. 

On  the  other  hand,  Wafer  asserts,  that  he 
has  seen  great  quantities  of  this  animal's  eggs 
on  the  desert  shores,  north  of  the  river  Plata; 
where  they  were  buried  in  the  sand,  in  order 
to  be  hatched  by  the  heat  of  the  climate. 
Both  this,  as  well  as  the  preceding  account,  may 
be  doubted ;  and  it  is  more  probable  that  it 
was  the  crocodile's  eggs  which  Wafer  had  seen, 
which  are  undoubtedly  hatched  in  that  manner. 

When  the  young  ones  are  hatched,  they 
are  familiar,  and  follow  the  first  person  they 
meet.  I  have  been  followed  myself,  says 


Wafer,  by  many  of  these  young  ostriches; 
which,  at  first,  are  extremely  harmless  and 
simple :  but  as  they  grow  older,  they  become 
more  cunning  and  distrustful ;  and  run  so 
swift,  that  a  grayhound  can  scarcely  overtake 
them.  Their  flesh,  in  general,  is  good  to  be 
eaten;  especially  if  they  be  young.  It  would 
be  no  difficult  matter  to  rear  up  flocks  of 
these  animals  tame,  particularly  as  they  are 
naturally  so  familiar:  and  they  might  be 
found  to  answer  domestic  purposes,  like  the 
hen  or  the  turkey.  Their  maintenance  could 
not  be  expensive,  if,  as  Narborough  says, 
they  live  entirely  upon  grass. 


CHAPTER  LXX1X. 

THE  CASSOWARY. 


THE  Cassowary  is  a  bird  which  was  first 
brought  into  Europe  by  the  Dutch,  from  Java, 
in  the  East  Indies,  in  which  part  of  the  world 
it  is  only  to  be  found.  Next  to  the  preceding, 
it  is  the  largest  and  the  heaviest  of  the  feather- 
ed species. 

The  cassowary,  though  not  so  large  as  the 
former,  yet  appears  more  bulky  to  the  eye ; 
its  body  being  nearly  equal,  and  its  neck  and 
legs  much  thicker  and  stronger  in  proportion; 
this  conformation  gives  it  an  air  of  strength 
and  force,  which  the  fierceness  and  singularity 
of  its  countenance  conspire  to  render  formi- 
dable. It  is  five  feet  and  a  half  long,  from  the 
point  of  the  bill  to  the  extremity  of  the  claws. 
The  legs  are  two  feet  and  a  half  high,  from 
the  belly  to  the  end  of  the  claws.  The  head 
and  neck  together  are  a  foot  and  a  half;  and 
the  largest  toe,  including  the  claw,  is  five  in- 
ches long.  The  claw  alone  of  the  least  toe, 
is  three  inches  and  a  half  in  length.  The 
wing  is  so  small,  that  it  does  not  appear ;  it 
being  hid  under  the  feathers  of  the  back.  In 
other  birds,  a  part  of  the  feathers  serve  for 
flight,  and  are  different  from  those  that  serve 
for  merely  covering ;  but  in  the  cassowary, 
all  the  feathers  are  of  the  same  kind,  and  out- 
wardly of  the  same  colour.  They  are  gene- 
rally double;  having  two  long  shafts,  which 

NO.  39  &  40. 


grow  out  of  a  short  one,  which  is  fixed  in  the 
skin.  Those  that  are  double,  are  always  of 
an  unequal  length ;  for  some  are  fourteen 
inches  long,  particularly  on  the  rump;  while 
others  are  not  above  three.  The  beards  that 
adorn  the  stem  or  shaft,  are,  from  about  half 
way  to  the  end,  very  long,  and  as  thick  as  a 
horse  hair,  without  being  subdivided  into 
fibres.  The  stem  or  shaft  is  flat,  shining, 
black,  and  knotted  below;  and  from  each 
knot  there  proceeds  a  beard :  likewise  the 
beards  at  the  end  of  the  large  feathers  are 
perfectly  black ;  arid  towards  the  root  of  a 
gray  tawny  colour ;  shorter,  more  soft,  and 
throwing  out  fine  fibres  like  down ;  so  that 
nothing  appears  except  the  ends,  which  are 
hard  and  black ;  because  the  other  part, 
composed  of  down,  is  quite  covered.  There 
are  feathers  on  the  head  and  neck ;  but  they 
are  so  short  and  thinly  sown,  that  the  bird's 
skin  appears  naked,  except  towards  the  hind- 
er part  of  the  head,  where  they  are  a  little 
longer.  The  feathers  which  adorn  the  rump 
are  extremely  thick;  but  do  not  differ,  in 
other  respects,  from  the  rest,  excepting  their 
being  longer.  The  wings,  when  they  are  de- 
prived of  their  feathers,  are  but  three  inches 
long ;  and  the  feathers  are  like  those  on  other 
parts  of  the  bodv.  The  ends  of  the  wings 
3Z 


468 


THE  CASSOWARY. 


are  adorned  with  five  prickles,  of  different 
lengths  and  thickness,  which  bend  like  a 
bow  ;  these  are  hollow  from  the  roots  to  the 
very  points,  having  only  that  slight  substance 
within,  which  all  quills  are  known  to  have. 
The  longest  of  these  prickles  is  eleven  inches ; 
and  it  is  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  diameter  at 
the  root,  being  thicker  there  than  towards 
the  extremity;  the  point  seems  broken  off. 

The  part,  however,  which  most  distinguish- 
es this  animal  is  the  head :  this,  though  small, 
like  that  of  an  ostrich,  does  not  fail  to  inspire 
some  degree  of  terror.  It  is  bare  of  feathers, 
and  is  in  a  manner  armed  with  an  helmet  of 
horny  substance,  that  covers  it  from  the  root 
of  the  bill  to  near  half  the  head  backwards. 
This  helmet  is  black  before  and  yellow  be- 
hind. Its  substance  is  very  hard,  being  form- 
ed by  the  elevation  of  the  bone  of  the  skull ; 
and  it  consists  of  several  plates,  one  over 
another,  like  the  horn  of  an  ox.  Some  have 
supposed  that  this  was  shed  every  year  with 
the  feathers ;  but  the  most  probable  opinion 
is,  that  it  only  exfoliates  slowly  like  the  beak. 
To  the  peculiar  oddity  of  this  natural  armour 
may  be  added  the  colour  of  the  eye  in  this 
animal,  which  is  a  bright  yellow,  and  the 
globe  being  above  an  inch  and  ahalf  in  diame- 
ter, gives  it  an  air  equally  fierce  and  extra- 
ordinary. At  the  bottom  of  the  upper  eye-lid, 
there  is  a  row  of  small  hairs,  over  which 
there  is  another  row  of  black  hair,  which 
look  pretty  much  like  an  eye-brow.  The 
lower  eye-lid,  which  is  the  largest  of  the  two, 
is  furnished  also  with  plenty  of  black  hair. 
The  hole  of  the  ear  is  very  large  and  open, 
being  only  covered  with  small  black  feathers. 
The  sides  of  the  head,  about  the  eye  and  ear, 
being  destitute  of  any  covering,  are  blue,  ex- 
cept the  middle  of  the  lower  eye-lid,  which 
is  white.  The  part  of  the  bill  which  answers 
to  the  upper  jaw  in  other  animals,  is  very 
hard  at  the  edges  above,  and  the  extremity 
of  it  like  that  of  a  turkey-cock.  The  end  of 
the  lower  mandible  is  slightly  notched,  and 
the  whole  is  of  a  grayish  brown,  except  a 
green  spot  on  each  side.  As  the  beak  admits 
a  very  wide  opening,  this  contributes  not  a 
little  to  the  bird's  menacing  appearance. 
The  neck  is  of  a  violet  colour,  inclining  to 
that  of  a  slate ;  and  it  is  red  behind  in  several 
places,  but  chiefly  in  the  middle.  About  the 


middle  of  the  neck  before,  at  the  rise  of  the 
large  feathers,  there  are  two  processes  form- 
ed by  the  skin,  which  resemble  somewhat 
the  gills  of  a  cock,  but  that  they  are  blue  as 
well  as  red.  The  skin  which  covers  the 
fore  part  of  the  breast,  on  which  this  bird 
leans  and  rests,  is  hard,  callous,  and  without 
feathers.  The  thighs  and  legs  are  covered 
with  feathers,  and  are  extremely  thick,  strong, 
straight,  and  covered  with  scales  of  several 
shapes;  but  the  legs  are  thicker  a  little 
above  the  loot  than  in  any  other  place.  The 
toes  are  likewise  covered  with  scales,  and 
are  but  three  in  number;  for  that  which 
should  be  behind  is  wanting.  The  claws  are 
of  a  hard  solid  substance,  black  without,  and 
white  within. 

The  internal  parts  are  equally  remarkable. 
The  cassowary  unites  with  the  double  sto- 
mach of  animals  that  live  upon  vegetables, 
the  short  intestines  of  those  that  live  upon 
flesh.  The  intestines  of  the  cassowary  are 
thirteen  timesshorter  than  thoseof  the  ostrich. 
The  heart  is  very  small,  being  but  an  inch 
and  a  half  long,  arid  an  inch  broad  at  the  base. 
Upon  the  whole,  it  has  the  head  of  a  warrior, 
the  eye  of  a  lion,  the  defence  of  a  poicupine, 
and  the  swiftness  of  a  courser. 

Thus  formed  for  a  life  of  hostility,  for 
terrifying  olhers,  and  for  its  own  defence,  it 
might  be  expected  that  the  cassowary  was  one 
of  the  most  fierce  and  terrible  animals  of  the 
or  ation.  But  nothing  is  so  opposite  to  its 
natunil  character,  nothing  so  different  from  the 
life  it  is  contented  to  lead.  It  never  attacks 
others ;  and,  instead  of  the  bill,  when  attacked, 
it  rather  makes  use  of  its  legs,  and  kicks  like 
a  horse,  or  runs  against  its  pursuer,  beats  him 
down,  and  treads  him  to  the  ground. 

The  manner  of  going  of  this  animal  is  not 
less  extraordinary  than  its  appearance.  In- 
stead of  going  directly  forward,  it  seems  to 
kick  up  behind  with  one  leg,  and  then  making 
a  bound  onward  with  the  other,  it  goes  with 
such  prodigious  velocity,  that  the  swiftest  racer 
would  be  left  far  behind. 

The  same  degree  of  voraciousness  which 
we  perceive  in  the  ostrich,  obtains  as  strongly 
here.  The  cassowary  swallows  every  tiling 
that  comes  within  the  capacity  of  its  gullet. 
The  Dutch  assert,  that  it  can  devour  not  only 
glass,  iron,  and  stones,  but  even  live  on,  burn- 


THE  DODO. 


469 


ing  coals,  without  testifying  the  smallest  fear, 
or  feeling  the  least  injury.  It  is  said,  that 
the  passage  ot'  the  food  through  its  gullet  is. 
performed  so  speedily,  that  even  the  very 
eggs  which  it  has  swallowed  whole,  pass 
through  it  unbroken,  in  the  same  form  they 
went  down.  In  fact,  the  alimentary  canal  of 
this  animal,  as  was  observed  above,  is  ex- 
tremely short ;  and  it  may  happen  that  many 
kinds  of  food  are  indigestible  in  its  stomach, 
as  wheat  or  currants  are  to  a  man  when 
swallowed  whole. 

The  cassowary's  eggs  are  of  a  gray  ash 
colour,  inclining  to  green.  They  are  not  so 
large  nor  so  round  as  those  of  the  ostrich. 
They  are  marked  with  a  number  of  little 
tubercles  of  a  deep  green,  and  the  shell  is 
not  very  thick.  The  largest  of  these  is  found 
to  be  fifteen  inches  round  one  way,  and  about 
twelve  the  other. 

The  southern  parts  of  the  most  eastern 
Indies  seems  to  be  the  natural  climate  of  the 
cassowary.  His  domain,  if  we  may  so  call  it, 
begins  where  that  of  the  ostrich  terminates. 
The  latter  has  never  been  found  beyond  the 


Ganges;  while  the  cassowary  is  never  seen 
nearer  than  the  islands  of  Banda,  Sumatra, 
Java,  the  Molucca  Islands,  and  the  corres- 
ponding parts  of  the  continent.  Yet  even 
here  this  animal  seems  not  to  have  multiplied 
in  any  considerable  degree,  as  we  find  one 
of  the  kings  of  Java  making  a  present  of  one 
of  these  birds  to  the  captain  of  a  Dutch  ship, 
considering  it  as  a  very  great  rarity.  The 
ostrich,  that  has  kept  in  the  desert  and  un- 
peopled regions  of  Africa,  is  still  numerous, 
and  the  unrivalled  tenant  of  its  own  inhospi- 
table climate.  But  the  cassowary,  that  is  the 
inhabitant  of  a  more  peopled  and  polished 
region,  is  growing  scarcer  every  day.  It  is 
thus  that  in  proportion  as  man  multiplies,  all 
the  savage  and  noxious  animals  fly  before 
him  :  at  his  approach  they  quit  their  ancient 
habitations,  how  adapted  soever  they  may 
be  to  their  natures,  and  seek  a  more  peace- 
able, though  barren,  retreat :  where  they 
willingly  exchange  plenty  for  freedom  : 
and  encounter  all  the  dangers  of  famine,  to 
avoid  the  oppressions  of  an  unrelenting  de- 
stroyer. 


CHAPTER  LXXX. 

THE  DODO. 


MANKIND  have  generally  made  swiftness 
the  attribute  of  birds ;  but  the  dodo  has  no 
title  to  this  distinction.  Instead  of  exciting 
the  idea  of  swiftness  by  its  appearance,  it 
seems  to  strike  the  imagination  as  a  thing  the 
most  unwieldy  and  inactive  of  all  nature.  Its 
body  is  massive,  almost  round,  and  covered 
Avith  gray  feathers:  it  is  just  barely  support- 
ed upon  two  short  thick  legs,  like  pillars, 
while  its  head  and  neck  rise  from  it  in  a  man- 
ner truly  grotesque.  The  neck,  thick  and 
pursy,  is  joined  to  the  head,  which  consists 
of  two  great  chaps,  that  open  far  behind  the 
eyes,  which  are  large,  black,  and  prominent; 
so  that  the  animal,  when  it  gapes,  seems  to  be 
all  mouth.  The  bill,  therefore,  is  of  an  ex- 
traordinary length,  not  flat  and  broad,  but 
thick,  and  of  a  bluish  white,  sharp  at  the  end, 


and  each  chap  crooked  in  opposite  directions. 
They  resemble  two  pointed  spoons  that  are 
laid  together  by  the  backs.  From  all  this 
results  a  stupid  and  voracious  physiognomy ; 
which  is  still  more  increased  by  a  bordering 
of  feathers  round  the  root  of  the  beak,  and 
which  gives  the  appearance  of  a  hood  or 
cowl,  and  finishes  this  picture  of  stupid  de- 
formity. Bulk,  which  in  other  animals  implies 
strength,  in  this  only  contributes  to  inactivity. 
The  ostrich,  or  the  cassowary,  are  no  more 
able  to  fly  than  the  animal  before  us;  but 
then  they  supply  that  defect  by  their  speed 
in  running.  The  dodo  seems  weighed  down 
by  its  oAvn  heaviness,  and  has  scarcely 
strength  to  urge  itself  forward.  It  seems 
among  birds  what  the  sloth  is  among  quadru- 
peds, an  unresisting  thing,  equally  incapable 
3Z* 


170 


THE  DODO. 


of  flight  or  defence.  It  is  furnished  with 
wing*,covered  with  soft  ash-coloured  feathers, 
but  they  are  too  short  to  assist  it  in  flying. 
It  is  furnished  with  a  tail,  with  a  few  small 
curled  feathers;  but  this  tail  is  dispropor- 
tioned  and  displaced.  Its  legs  are  too  short 
for  running,  and  its  body  too  fat  to  be  strong. 
One  would  take  it  for  a  tortoise  that  had 
supplied  itself  with  the  feathers  of  a  bird; 
and  that  thus  dressed  out  with  the  instru- 
ments of  flight,  it  was  only  still  the  more  un- 
wieldy. 

This  bird  is  a  native  of  the  Isle  of  Francs; 
and  the  Dutch,  who  first  discovered  it  there, 
called  it,  in  their  language,  the  nauseous  bird, 
as  well  from  its  disgusting  figure  as  from  the 
bad  taste  of  its  flesh.  However,  succeeding 
observers  contradict  the  first  report,  and  as- 
sert that  its  flesh  is  good  and  wholesome  eat- 
ing. It  is  a  silly  simple  bird,  as  may  very 


well  be  supposed  from  its  figure,  and  is  very 
easily  taken.  Three  or  four  dodos  are 
enough  to  dine  a  hundred  men. 

Whether  the  dodo  be  the  same  bird  with 
that  which  some  travellers  have  described 
under  the  bird  of  Nazareth,  yet  remains  un- 
certain. The  country  from  whence  they  both 
come  is  the  same ;  their  incapacity  of  flying 
is  the  same ;  the  form  of  the  wings  and 
body  in  both  are  similar ;  but  the  chief  dif- 
ference given  is  in  the  colour  of  the  feathers, 
which  in  the  female  of  the  bird  of  Nazareth 
are  said  to  be  extremely  beautiful ;  and  in  the 
length  of  their  legs,  which  in  the  dodo  are 
short;  in  the  other,  are  described  as  long. 
Time  and  future  observation  must  clear  up 
these  doubts ;  and  the  testimony  of  a  single 
witness,  who  shall  have  seen  both,  will  throw 
more  light  on  the  subject  than  the  reasonings 
of  a  hundred  philosophers. 


A  HISTORY  OF  RAPACIOUS  BIRDS. 


471 


OF  RAPACIOUS  BIRDS. 


CHAPTER  LXXXI. 

OF  RAPACIOUS  BIRDS  IN  GENERAL. 


THERE  seems  to  obtain  a  general  resem- 
blance in  all  the  classes  of  nature.  As  among 
quadrupeds,  a  part  were  seen  to  live  upon  the 
vegetable  productions  of  the  earth,  and  another 
part  upon  the  flesh  of  each  other ;  so  among 
birds,  some  live  upon  vegetable  food,  and 
others  by  rapine,  destroying  all  such  as  want 
force  or  swiftness  to  procure  their  safety.  By 
thus  peopling  the  woods  with  animals  of  dif- 
ferent dispositions,  nature  has  wisely  provided 
for  the  multiplication  of  life  ;  since,  could  we 
suppose  that  there  were  as  many  animals  pro- 
duced as  there  were  vegetables  supplied  to 
sustain  them,  yet  there  might  still  be  another 
class  of  animals  formed,  which  could  find  a 
sufficient  sustenance  by  feeding  upon  such  of 
the  vegetable  feeders  as  happened  to  fall  by 
the  course  of  nature.  By  this  contrivance,  a 
greater  number  will  be  sustained  upon  the 
whole ;  for  the  numbers  would  be  but  very 
thin  were  every  creature  a  candidate  for  the 
same  food.  Thus,  by  supplying  a  variety  of 
appetites,  nature  has  also  multiplied  life  in  her 
productions. 

In  thus  varying  thnr  appetites,  nature  has 
also  varied  the  form  of  the  animal ;  and  while 
she  has  given  some  an  instinctive  passion  for 
animal  food,  she  has  also  furnished  them  with 
powers  to  obtain  it.  All  land-birds  of  the  ra- 
pacious kinds  are  furnished  with  a  large  head, 
and  a  strong  crooked  beak,  notched  at  the  end, 
for  the  purpose  of  tearing  their  prey.  They 


•  The  animals  of  this  order  are  all  carnivorous  ;  they 
associate  in  pairs,  build  their  nests  in  the  most  lofty  situa- 
tions, and  produce  generally  four  young  ones  at  a  brood  : 
and  the  female  is  mostly  larger  than  the  male.  They 
Consist  of  vultures,  eagles,  hawks,  and  owls. 


have  strong  short  legs,  and  sharp  crooked 
talons,  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  it.  Their 
bodies  are  formed  for  war,  being  fibrous  and 
muscular ;  and  their  wings  for  swiftness  of 
flight,  being  well  feathered  and  expansive. 
The  sight  of  such  as  prey  by  day  is  astonish- 
ingly quick ;  and  such  as  ravage  by  night, 
have  their  sight  so  fitted  as  to  see  objects  in 
darkness  with  extreme  precision. 

Their  internal  parts  are  equally  formed  for 
the  food  they  seek  for.  Their  stomach  is 
simple  and  membranous,  and  wrapt  in  fat  to 
increase  the  powers  of  digestion ;  and  their 
intestines  are  short  and  glandular.  As  their 
food  is  succulent  and  juicy,  they  want  no 
length  of  intestinal  tube  to  form  it  into  proper 
nourishment.  Their  food  is  flesh;  which  does 
not  require  a  slow  digestion  to  be  converted 
into  a  similitude  of  substance  to  their  own. 

Thus  formed  for  war,  they  lead  a  life  of 
solitude  and  rapacity.  They  inhabit  by  choice 
the  most  lonely  places,  and  the  most  desert 
mountains.  They  make  their  nests  in  the 
clefts  of  rocks,  and  on  the  highest  and  most 
inaccessible  trees  of  the  forest.  Whenever 
they  appear  in  the  cultivated  plain  or  the 
warbling  grove,  it  is  only  for  the  purposes  of 
depredation ;  and  are  gloomy  intruders  on  the 
general  joy  of  the  landscape.  They  spread 
terror  wherever  they  approach :  all  that  variety 
of  music  which  but  a  moment  before  enliven- 
ed the  grove,  at  their  appearing  is  instantly  at 
an  end :  every  order  of  lesser  birds  seek  for 
safety,  either  by  concealment  or  flight ;  and 
some  are  even  driven  to  take  protection  with 
man,  to  avoid  their  less  merciful  pursuers. 

It  would  indeed  be  fatal  to  all  the  smaller 
race  of  birds,  if,  as  they  are  weaker  than  all. 


472 


A  HISTORY  OF 


they  were  also  pursued  by  all;  but  it  is 
contrived  wisely  for  their  safety,  that  every 
order  of  carnivorous  birds  seek  only  for  such 
as  are  of  the  size  most  approaching  their  own. 
The  eagle  flies  at  the  bustard  or  the  pheasant; 
the  sparrow-hawk  pursues  the  thrush  and  the 
linnet.  Nature  has  provided  that  each  species 
should  make  war  only  on  such  as  are  furnish- 
ed with  adequate  means  of  escape.  The 
smallest  birds  avoid  their  pursuers  by  the  ex- 
treme agility,  rather  than  the  swiftness  of  their 
flight ;  for  every  order  would  soon  be  at  an 
end,  if  the  eagle,  to  its  own  swiftness  of  wing, 
added  the  versatility  of  the  sparrow. 

Another  circumstance  which  tends  to  render 
the  tyranny  of  these  animals  more  supportable, 
is,  that  they  are  less  fruitful  than  other  birds; 
breeding  but  few  at  a  time.  Those  of  the 
larger  kind  seldom  produce  above  four  eggs, 
often  but  two ;  those  of  the  smaller  kinds, 
never  above  six  or  seven.  The  pigeon,  it  is 
true,  which  is  their  prey,  never  breeds  above 
two  at  a  time ;  but  then  she  breeds  every 
month  in  the  year.  The  carnivorous  kinds 
only  breed  annually,  and,  of  consequence, 
their  fecundity  is  small  in  comparison. 

As  they  are  fierce  by  nature,  and  are  diffi- 
cult to  be  tamed,  so  this  fierceness  extend-. 
even  to  their  young,  which  they  force  from 
the  nest  sooner  than  birds  of  the  gentler  kind. 
Other  birds  seldom  forsake  their  young  till 
able,  completely,  to  provide  for  themselves : 
the  rapacious  kinds  expel  them  from  the  nest 
at  a  time  when  they  still  should  protect  and 
support  them.  This  severity  to  their  young 
proceeds  from  the  necessity  of  providing  for 
themselves.  All  animals  that,  by  the  confor- 
mation of  their  stomach  and  intestines,  are 
obliged  to  live  upon  flesh,  and  support  them- 
selves by  prey,  though  they  may  be  mild  when 
young,  soon  become  fierce  and  mischievous, 
by  the  very  habit  of  using  those  arms  with 
which  they  are  supplied  by  nature.  As  it  is 
only  by  the  destruction  of  other  animals  that 
they  can  subsist,  they  become  more  furious 
every  day ;  and  even  the  parental  feelings  are 
overpowered  in  their  general  habits  of  cruelty. 
If  the  power  of  obtaining  a  supply  be  difficult, 
the  old  ones  soon  drive  their  brood  from  the 
nest  to  shift  for  themselves,  and  often  destroy 
them  in  a  fit  of  fury  caused  by  hunger. 

Another  effect  of  this  natural  and  acquired 
severity  is,  that  almost  all  birds  of  prey  are 


unsociable.  It  has  long  been  observed  by 
Aristotle,  that  all  birds  witli  crooked  beaks 
and  talons  are  solitary  :  like  quadrupeds  of  the 
cat  kind,  they  lead  a  lonely  wandering  life, 
and  are  united  only  in  pairs,  by  that  instinct 
which  overpowers  their  rapacious  habits  of 
enmity  with  all  other  animals.  As  the  male 
and  female  are  often  necessary  to  each  other 
in  their  pursuits,  so  they  sometimes  live  to- 
gether; but  except  at  certain  seasons,  they 
most  usually  prowl  alone  ;  and,  like  robbers, 
enjoy  in  solitude  the  fruits  of  their  plunder. 

All  birds  of  prey  are  remarkable  for  one 
singularity,  for  which  it  is  not  easy  to  account. 
All  the  males  of  these  birds  are  about  a  third 
less,  and  weaker  than  the  females,  contrary  to 
what  obtains  among  quadrupeds,  among  which 
the  males  are  always  the  largest  and  the  bold- 
est :  from  thence  the  male  is  called  by  fal- 
coners a  tarcel ;  that  is,  a  tierce  or  third  less 
than  the  other.  The  reason  of  this  difference 
cannot  proceed  from  the  necessiiy  of  a  larger 
body  in  the  female  for  the  purposes  of  breed- 
ing, and  that  her  volume  is  thus  increased  by 
the  quantity  of  her  eggs ;  for  in  other  birds, 
that  breed  much  faster,  and  that  lay  in  much 
greater  proportion,  such  as  the  hen,  the  duck, 
or  the  pheasant,  the  male  is  by  much  the 
largest  of  the  two. 

Whatever  be  the  cause,  certain  it  is,  that  the 
females,  as  Willoughby  expresses  it,  are  of 
greater  size,  more  beautiful  and  lovely  for 
shape  and  colours,  stronger,  more  fierce  and 
generous,  than  the  males  ;  whether  it  may  be 
that  it  is  necessary  for  the  female  to  be  thus 
superior,  as  it  is  incumbent  upon  her  to  pro- 
vide, not  only  for  herself,  but  her  young  ones 
also. 

These  birds,  like  quadrupeds  of  the  car- 
nivorous kind,  are  all  lean  and  meagre.  Their 
flesh  is  stringy  and  iil-tasted,  soon  corrupting, 
and  tinctured  with  the  flavour  of  tlmt  animal 
food  upon  which  they  subsist.  Nevertheless, 
Belonius  asserts,  that  many  people  admire  the 
flesh  of  the  vulture  and  falcon,  and  dress  them 
for  eating,  when  they  meet  with  any  accident 
that  unfits  them  for  the  chase.  He  asserts, 
that  the  osprey,  a  species  of  the  eagle,  when 
young,  is  excellent  food ;  but  he  contents 
himself  with  advising  us  to  breed  these  birds 
up  for  our  pleasure  rather  in  the  field,  than  for 
the  table. 

Of  land  birds  of  a  rapacious  nature,  there 


1.  Genus  Vnlture.l<W'T  <**M,wlt«»  ,  2.G.  Falcon  f«> 


•f'.r,,,n 


r  .  3.  Fal<w  <;,,,til  .  \.IMn:  .r>.C.Strix.  H*»nn;l  <>*!  .   t>.Suntff  <  W. 


THE  EAGLE. 


473 


are  five  kinds.  The  eagle  kind,  the  hawk 
kind,  the  vulture  kind,  the  horned  and  the 
screech  owl  kind.  The  distinctive  marks  of 
this  class  are  taken  from  their  claws  and  beak: 
their  toes  are  separated :  their  legs  are  feather- 
ed to  the  heel :  their  toes  are  four  in  number; 
three  before,  one  behind :  their  beak  is  short, 
thick,  and  crooked. 

The  eagle  kind  is  distinguished  from  the 
rest  by  his  beak,  which  is  straight  till  to- 
wards the  end,  when  it  begins  to  hook  down- 
wards. 


The  vulture  kind  is  distinguished  by  the 
head  and  neck ;  which  are  without  feathers. 

The  hawk  kind  by  the  beak  ;  being  hooked 
from  the  very  root. 

The  horned  owl  by  the  feathers  at  the  base 
of  the  bill  standing  forwards ;  and  by  some 
feathers  on  the  head  that  stand  out,  resembling 
horns. 

The  screech-owl  by  the  feathers  at  the  base 
of  the  bill  standing  forward,  and  being  with- 
out horns.  A  description  of  one  in  each  kind, 
will  serve  for  all  the  rest. 


CHAPTER  LXXXII. 

THE  EAGLE  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


THE  Golden  Eagle  is  the  largest  and  the 
noblest  of  all  those  birds  that  have  received  the 
name  of  eagle.  It  weighs  above  twelve  pounds. 
Its  length  is  three  feet ;  the  extent  of  its  wings, 
seven  feet  four  inches;  the  bill  is  three  inches 
long,  and  of  a  deep  blue  colour  ;  and  die  eye 
of  a  hazel  colour.  The  sight  and  sense  of 
smelling  are  very  acute.  The  head  and  neck 
are  clothed  with  narrow  sharp-pointed  feathers, 
and  of  a  deep  brown  colour,  bordered  with 
tawny ;  but  those  on  the  crown  of  the  head, 
in  very  old  birds,  turn  gray.  The  whole  body, 
above  as  well  as  beneath,  is  of  a  dark  brown  ; 
and  the  feathers  of  the  back  are  finely  clouded 
with  a  deeper  shade  of  the  same.  The  wings, 
when  clothed,  reach  to  the  end  of  the  tail. 
The  quill-feathers  are  of  a  chocolate  colour, 
the  shafts  white.  The  tail  is  of  a  deep  brown, 
irregularly  barred  and  blotched  with  an  ob- 
scure ash-colour,  and  usually  white  at  the 
roots  of  the  feathers.  The  legs  are  yellow, 
short,  and  very  strong,  being  three  inches  in 
circumference,  and  feathered  to  the  very  feet. 
The  toes  are  covered  with  large  scales,  and 
armed  with  the  most  formidable  claws,  the 
middle  of  which  are  two  inches  long 

In  the  rear  of  this  terrible  bird  follow  the 
ring-tailed  eagle,  the  common  eagle,  the  bald 
eagle,  the  white  eagle,  the  kough  footed  eagle, 
the  erne,  the  black  eagle,  the  osprey,  the  sea 
eagle,  and  the  crowned  eagle.  These,  and 
others  that  might  be  added,  form  different 


shades  in  this  fierce  family ;  but  have  all  the 
same  rapacity,  the  same  general  form,  the 
same  habits,  and  the  same  manner  of  bringing 
up  their  young. 

In  general,  these  birds  are  found  in  moun- 
tainous and  ill-peopled  countries,  and  breed 
among  the  loftiest  cliffs.  They  choose  those 
places  which  are  remotest  from  man,  upon 
whose  possessions  they  but  seldom  make 
their  depredations,  being  contented  rather  to 
follow  the  wild  game  in  the  fdrest,  than  to 
risk  their  safety  to  satisfy  their  hunger. 

This  fierce  animal  may  be  considered 
among  birds  as  the  lion  among  quadrupeds  ; 
and  in  many  respects  they  have  a  strong 
similitude  to  each  other.  They  are  both  pos- 
sessed of  force,  and  an  empire  over  their  fellows 
of  the  forest.  Equally  magnanimous,  they 
disdain  smaller  plunder ;  and  only  pursue  ani- 
mals worthy  the  conquest.  It  is  not  till  after 
having  been  long  provoked,  by  the  cries  of  the 
rook  or  the  magpie,  that  this  generous  bird 
thinks  fit  to  punish  them  with  death :  the 
eagle  also  disdains  to  share  th«  plunder  of 
another  bird  ;  and  will  take  up  with  no  other 
prey  but  that  which  he  has  acquired  by  his 
own  pursuits.  How  hungry  soever  he  may 
be,  he  never  stoops  to  carrion ;  and  when 
satiated,  he  never  returns  to  the  same  carcass, 
but  leaves  it  for  other  animals,  more  rapacious 
and  less  delicate  than  he.  Solitary,  like  the  lion, 
he  keeps  the  desert  to  himself  alone ;  it  is  as 


474 


A  HISTORY  OF 


extraordinary  to  see  two  pair  of  eagles  in  the 
same  mountain,  as  two  lions  in  the  same  forest. 
They  keep  separate,  to  find  a  more  ample 
supply ;  and  consider  the  quantity  of  their 
game  as  the  best  proof  of  their  dominion. 
Nor  does  the  similitude  of  these  animals  stop 
here :  they  have  both  sparkling  eyes,  and 
nearly  of  the  same  colour ;  their  claws  are  of 
the  same  form,  their  breath  equally  strong, 
and  their  cry  equally  loud  and  terrifying. 
Bred  both  for  war,  they  are  enemies  of  all 
society  :  alike  fierce,  proud,  and  incapable  of 
being  easily  tamed.  It  requires  great  patience 
and  much  art  to  tame  an  eagle ;  and  even 
though  taken  young,  and  brought  under  by 
long  assiduity,  yet  still  it  is  a  dangerous  do- 
mestic, and  often  turns  its  force  against  its 
master.  When  brought  into  the  field  for  the 
purposes  of  fowling,  the  falconer  is  never  sure 
of  its  attachment:  that  innate  pride,  and  love 
of  liberty,  still  prompt  it  to  regain  its  native 
solitudes ;  and  the  moment  the  falconer  sees 
it,  when  let  loose,  first  stoop  towards  the 
ground,  and  then  rise  perpendicularly  into  the 
clouds,  he  gives  up  all  his  former  labour  for 
lost ;  quite  sure  of  never  beholding  his  late 
prisoner  more.  Sometimes,  however,  they 
are  brought  to  have  an  attachment*  for  their 
feeder;  they  are  then  highly  serviceable, 
and  liberally  provide  for  his  pleasures  and 
support.  When  the  falconer  lets  them  go 
from  his  hand,  they  play  about  and  hover 
round  him  till  their  game  presents,  which  they 
see  at  an  immense  distance,  and  pursue  with 
certain  destruction. 

Of  all  animals  the  eagle  flies  highest ;  and 
from  thence  the  ancients  have  given  him  the 
epithet  of  the  bird  of  heaven.  Of  all  others 
also,  he  has  the  quickest  eye ;  but  his  sense  of 
smelling  is  far  inferior  to  that  of  the  vulture. 
He  never  pursues,  therefore,  but  in  sight ;  and 
when  he  has  seized  his  prey,  he  stoops  from 
his  height,  as  if  to  examine  its  weight,  always 
laying  it  on  the  ground  before  he  carries  it  off. 
As  his  wing  is  very  powerful,  yet,  as  he  has 
but  little  suppleness  in  the  joints  of  the  leg,  he 
finds  it  difficult  to  rise  when  down  ;  however, 
if  not  instantly  pursued,  he  finds  no  difficulty 
in  carrying  off  geese  and  cranes.  He  also 
carries  away  hares,  lambs,  and  kids ;  and 
often  destroys  fawns  and  calves,  to  drink  their 
blood,  and  carries  a  part  of  their  flesh  to  his 
retreat.  Infants  themselves,  when  left  unat- 


tended, have  been  destroyed  by  these  rapaci- 
ous creatures ;  which  probably  gave  rise  to  the 
fable  of  Ganymede's  being  snatched  up  by  an 
eagle  to  heaven. 

An  instance  is  recorded  in  Scotland  of  two 
children  being  carried  off  by  eagles ;  but  for- 
tunately they  received  no  hurt  by  the  way ; 
and,  the  eagles  being  pursued,  the  children 
were  restored  unhurt  out  of  the  nests  to  the 
affrighted  parents. 

The  eagle  is  thus  at  all  times  a  formidable 
neighbour  ;  but  peculiarly  when  bringing  up 
its  young.  It  is  then  that  the  female,  as  well 
as  the  male,  exert  all  their  force  and  industry 
to  supply  their  young.  Smith,  in  his  history 
of  Kerry,  relates,  that  a  poor  man  in  that  coun- 
try got  a  comfortable  subsistence  for  his 
family,  during  a  summer  of  famine,  out  of  an 
eagle's  nest,  by  robbing  the  eaglets  of  food, 
which  was  plentifully  supplied  by  the  eld  ones. 
He  protracted  their  assiduity  beyond  the  usual 
time,  by  clipping  the  wings,  and  retarding  the 
flight  of  the  young  ;  and  very  probably  also, 
as  I  have  known  myself,  by  so  tying  them  as 
to  increase  their  cries,  which  is  always  found 
to  increase  the  parent's  despatch  to  procure 
them  provision.  It  was  lucky,  however,  that 
the  old  eagles  did  not  surprise  the  countryman 
as  he  was  thus  employed,  as  their  resentment 
might  have  been  dangerous. 

It  happened  some  time  ago,  in  the  same 
country,  that  a  peasant  resolved  to  rob  the  nest 
of  an  eagle,  that  had  built  in  a  small  island  in 
the  beautiful  lake  of  Killarney.  He  accord- 
is, gly  st  i  -peri,  and  svvam  in  upon  the  island 
while  the  old  ones  were  away ;  and,  robbing 
the  nest  of  its  young,  he  was  preparing  to  swim 
back,  with  the  eaglets  tied  in  a  string ;  but 
while  he  was  yet  up  to  his  chin  in  the  water, 
the  old  eagles  returned,  and,  missing  their 
young,  quickly  fell  upon  the  plunderer,  and, 
in  spite  of  all  his  resistance,  despatched  him 
with  their  beaks  and  talons. 

In  order  to  extirpate  these  pernicious  birds, 
there  is  a  law  in  the  Orkney  Islands,  which 
entitles  any  person  that  kills  an  eagle  to  a  hen 
out  of  every  house  in  the  parish  in  which  the 
plunderer  is  killed. 

The  nest  of  the  eagle  is  usually  built  in  the 

most  inaccessible  cliff  of  the  rock,  and  often 

shielded  from  the  weather  by  some  jutting 

crag  that  hangs  over  it.     Sometimes,   how- 

j  ever,  it  is  wholly  exposed  to  the  winds,  as 


THE  EAGLE. 


475 


well  sideways  as  above ;  for  the  nest  is  flat, 
(hough  built  with  great  labour.  It  is  said 
that  the  same  nest  serves  the  eagle  during 
life ;  and  indeed  the  pains  bestowed  in  form- 
ing it  seems  to  argue  as  much.  One  of  these 
was  found  in  the  Peak  of  Derbyshire  ;  which 
Willoughby  thus  describes.  "  It  was  made 
of  great  sticks,  resting  one  end  on  the  edge 
of  a  rock,  the  other  on  two  birch  trees.  Upon 
these  was  a  layer  of  rushes,  and  over  them  a 
layer  of  heath,  and  upon  the  heath  rushes  again; 
upon  which  lay  one  young  one,  and  an  addle 
egg;  and  by  them  a  lamb,  a  hare,  and  three 
heath-poults.  The  nest  was  about  two  yards 
square,  and  had  no  hollow  in  it.  The  young 
eagle  was  of  the  shape  of  a  goshawk,  of 
almost  the  weight  of  a  goose,  rough  footed, 
or  feathered  down  to  the  foot,  having  a  white 
ring  about  the  tail."  Such  is  the  place  where 
the  female  eagle  deposits  her  eggs ;  which 
seldom  exceed  two  at  a  time  in  the  largest 
species,  and  not  above  three  in  the  smallest. 
It  is  said  that  she  hatches  them  for  thirty 
days:  but  frequently,  even  of  this  small 
number  of  eggs,  a  part  is  addled  ;  and  it  is 
extremely  rare  to  find  three  eaglets  in  the 
same  nest.  It  is  asserted,  that  as  soon  as  the 
young  ones  are  somewhat  grown,  the  mother 
kills  the  most  feeble  or  the  most  voracious. 
If  this  happens,  it  must  proceed  only  from 
the  necessities  of  the  parent,  who  is  incapa- 
ble of  providing  for  their  support;  and  is 
content  to  sacrifice  a  part  to  the  welfare  of  all. 
The  plumage  of  the  eaglets  is  not  so  strong- 
ly marked  as  when  they  come  to  be  adult. 
They  are  at  first  white;  then  inclining  to 
yellow ;  and  at  last  of  a  light  brown.  Age, 
hunger,  long  captivity,  and  diseases,  make 
them  whiter.  It  is  said,  they  live  above  a 
hundred  years;  and  that  they  at  last  die,  not 
of  old  age,  but  from  the  beaks  turning  inward 
upon  the  under  mandible,  and  thus  prevent- 
ing their  taking  any  food.  They  are  equally 
remarkable,  says  Mr.  Pennant,  for  their 
longevity,  and  for  their  power  of  sustaining  a 
long  abstinence  from  food.  One  of  this 
species,  which  has  now  been  nine  years  in 
the  possession  of  Mr.  Owen  Holland,  of  Con- 
way,  lived  thirty-two  years  with  the  gentle- 
man who  made  him  a  present  of  it ;  but  what 
its  age  was  when  the  latter  received  it  from 
Ireland,  is  unknown.  The  same  bird  also 

NO.  41  &  42. 


furnishes  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  the  other  re- 
mark ;  having  once,  through  the  neglect  of 
servants,endured  hunger  for  twenty-one  days, 
without  any  sustenance  whatever. 

Those  eagles  which  are  kept  tame,  are  fed 
with  every  kind  of  flesh,  whether  fresh  or 
corrupting;  and  when  there  is  a  deficiency 
of  that,  bread,  or  any  other  provision,  will 
suffice.  It  is  very  dangerous  approaching 
them  if  not  quite  tame ;  and  they  sometimes 
send  forth  a  loud  piercing  lamentable  cry, 
which  renders  them  still  more  formidable. 
The  eagle  drinks  but  seldom;  and  perhaps, 
when  at  liberty,  not  at  all,  as  the  blood  of  its 
prey  serves  to  quench  its  thirst.  The  eagle's 
excrements  are  always  soft  and  moist,  and 
tinged  with  that  whitish  substance  w-hich,  as 
was  said  before,  mixes  in  birds  with  the 
urine. 

Such  are  the  general  characteristics  and 
habitudes  of  the  eagle;  however,  in  some 
these  habitudes  differ,  as  the  Sea  Eagle  and 
the  Osprey  live  chiefly  upon  fish,  and  con- 
sequently build  their  nests  on  the  sea-shore, 
and  by  the  sides  of  rivers  on  the  ground 
among  reeds;  and  often  lay  three  or  four  eggs, 
rather  less  than  those  of  a  hen,  of  a  white 
elliptical  form.  They  catch  their  prey, 
which  is  chiefly  fish,  by  darting  down  upon 
them  from  above.  The  Italians  compare  the 
violent  descent  of  these  birds  on  their  prey 
to  the  fall  of  lead  into  water;  and  call  them 
aquila  piombina,  or  the  Leaden  eagle. 

Nor  is  the  bald  eagle,  which  is  an  in- 
habitant of  North  Carolina,  less  remarkable 
for  habits  peculiar  to  itself.  These  birds 
breed  in  that  country  all  the  year  round. 
When  the  eaglets  are  just  covered  with  down, 
and  a  sort  of  white  woolly  feathers,  the  female 
eagle  lays  again.  These  eggs  are  left  to  be 
hatched  by  the  warmth  of  the  young  ones 
that  continue  in  the  nest;  so  that  the  flight  of 
one  brood  makes  room  for  the  next  that  are 
but  just  hatched.  These  birds  fly  very 
heavily ;  so  that  they  cannot  overtake  their 
prey,  like  others  of  the  same  denomination. 
To  remedy  this,  they  often  attend  a  sort  of 
fishing-hawk,  which  they  pursue,  and  strip  the 
plunderer  of  its  prey.  This  is  the  more  re- 
markable, as  this  hawk  flies  swifter  than  they. 
These  eagles  also  generally  attend  upon 
fowlers  in  the  winter ;  and  when  any  birds 
4  A 


476 


A  HISTORY  OP 


are  wounded,  they  are  sure  to  be  seized  by 
the  eagle,  though  they  may  fly  from  the  f'ovr- 
ler.  This  bird  will  often  also  steal  yoirig 
pigs,  and  carry  them  alive  to  the  nest,  which 
is  composed  of  twigs,  sticks,  and  rubbish;  it 
is  large  enough  to  fill  the  body  of  a  cart ;  and 
is  commonly  full  of  bones  half  eaten,  and 
putrid  flesh,  the  stench  of  which  is  intoler- 
able. 

The  distinctive  marks  of  each  species  are 
as  follow : 

The  golden  eagle:  of  a  tawny  iron  colour; 
the  head  and  neck  of  a  reddish  iron;  the 
tail  feathers  of  a  dirty  white,  marked  with 
cross  bands  of  tawny  iron;  the  legs  covered 
with  tawny  iron  feathers. 

The  common  eagle :  of  a  brown  colour ;  the 
head  and  upper  part  of  the  neck  inclining  to 
red;  the  tail  feathers  white,  blackening  at 
the  ends;  the  outer  ones,  on  each  side,  of  an 
ash  colour ;  the  legs  covered  with  feathers  of 
a  reddish  brown. 

The  bald  eagle :  brown ;  the  head,  neck, 
and  tail  feathers,  white ;  the  feathers  of  the 
upper  part  of  the  leg  brown. 

The  white  eagle :  the  whole  white. 

The  rough-fooled  eagle :  of  a  dirty  brown  ; 
spotted  under  the  wings,  and  on  the  legs, 
with  white;  the  feathers  of  the  tail  white  at 
the  beginning  and  the  point ;  the  leg  feathers 
dirty  brown,  spotted  with  white. 

The  white-tailed  eagle:  dirty  brown;  head 
•white ;  the  stems  of  the  feathers  black ;  the 
rump  inclining  to  black;  the  tail  feathers, 
the  first  half  black,  the  end  half  white ;  legs 
naked. 

The  erne :  a  dirty  iron  colour  above,  an 

»  To  these  we  may  add,  the  bearded  eagle  of  the  Alpt, 
*  bird  of  vast  size,  measuring  sometimes  nearly  ten  feet 
from  the  tip  of  one  wing  to  the  tip  of  the  other:  below 
the  throat  is  a  beard-like  appendage,  consisting  of  very 
•arrow  feathers.  The  legs  are  clothed  with  feathers  quite 
down  to  the  toes.  One  of  these  Mr.  Bruce  shot  on  the 
high  mountains  of  Abyssinia.  "  Upon  laying  hold  of  his 
monstrous  carcass,  (says  he)  I  was  not  a  little  surprised 
at  seeing  my  hands  covered  and  tinged  with  a  yellow 
powder  or  dust.  Upon  turning  him  on  his  belly,  and 
examining  the  feathers  of  his  back,  they  also  produced  a 


iron  mixed  with  black  below ;  the  head  and 
neck  ash,  mixed  with  chesnut;  the  points  of 
the  wings  blackish ;  the  tail  feathers  white ; 
the  legs  naked. 

The  black  eagle :  blackish ;  the  head  and 
upper  neck  mixed  with  red ;  the  tail  feathers, 
the  first  half  white^  speckled  with  black  ;  the 
other  half  blackish;  the  leg  feathers  dirty 
white. 

The  sea  eagle :  inclining  to  white,  mixed 
with  iron  brown;  belly  white,  with  iron- 
coloured  spots ;  the  covert  feathers  of  the 
tail  whitish ;  the  tail  feathers  black  at  the  ex- 
tremity; the  upper  part  of  the  leg  feathers  of 
an  iron  brown. 

The  osprey :  brown  above,  white  below ; 
the  back  of  the  head  white,  the  outward  tail 
feathers,  on  the  inner  side,  streaked  with 
white ;  legs  naked. 

The  jean  le  blanc :  above,  brownish  gray  j 
I   below,   white,  spotted   with    tawny   brown; 
the  tail  feathers,  on  the  outside   and  at  the 
extremity,  brown;  on  the  inside,  white,  streak- 
ed with  brown  ;  legs  naked. 

The  eagle  of  Brasil :  blackish  brown  ;  ash 
colour,  mixed  in  the  wings ;  tail  feathers 
white ;  legs  naked. 

The  Oroonoko  eagle:  with  a  topping;  above, 
blackish  brown ;  below,  white,  spotted  with 
black ;  upper  neck  yellow ;  tail  feathers 
brown,  with  white  circles ;  leg  feathers  white, 
spotted  with  black. 

The  crowned  African  eagle :  with  a  topping; 
the  tail  of  an  ash  colour,  streaked  on  the 
upper  side  with  black. 

The  eagle  of  Pondicherry  :  chesnut  colour ; 
the  six  outward  tail  feathers  black  one  half.1 


dust,  the  colour  of  the  feathers  there.  The  dust  was  not 
in  small  quantities;  for, upon  striking  the  breast,  the  yellow 
powder  flew  in  full  greater  quantity  than  from  a  hair- 
dresser's powder-puff.  What  is  the  reason  of  this  extraor- 
dinary provision  of  nature,  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  de- 
termine. As  it  is  an  unusual  one,  it  is  probably  meant 
for  a  defence  against  the  climate,  in  favour  of  the  birds 
which  live  in  those  almost  inaccessible  heights  of  a  coufi- 
try  doomed,  even  in  its  lower  parts,  to  several  months  ex- 
cessive rain." 


THE  CONDOR. 


477 


CHAPTER  LXXX1II. 

THE  CONDOR  OF  AMERICA. 


WE  might  now  come  to  speak  of  the  vul- 
ture kind,  as  they  hold  the  next  rank  to  the 
eagle ;  but  we  are  interrupted  in  our  method, 
by  the  consideration  of  an  enormous  bird, 
whose  place  is  not  yet  ascertained ;  as  natu- 
ralists are  in  doubt  whether  to  refer  it  to  the 
eagle  tribe,  or  to  that  of  the  vulture.  Its 
great  strength,  force,  and  vivacity,  might  plead 
for  its  place  among  the  former ;  the  baldness 
of  its  head  and  neck  might  be  thought  to  de- 
grade it  among  the  latter.  In  this  uncertain- 
ty, it  will  be  enough  to  describe  the  bird,  by 
the  lights  we  have,  and  leave  future  historians 
to  settle  its  rank  in  the  feathered  creation. 
Indeed,  if  size  and  strength,  combined  with 
rapidity  of  flight  and  rapacity,  deserve  pre- 
eminence, no  bird  can  be  put  in  competition 
with  it. 

The  Condor  possesses,  in  a  higher  degree 
than  the  eagle,  all  the  qualities  that  render 
it  formidable,  not  only  to  the  feathered  kind, 
but  to  beasts,  and  even  to  man  himself.     Acos- 
ta,  Garcilasso,  and  Desmarchais,  assert,  that 
it  is  eighteen  feet  across,  the  wings  extended. 
The  beak  is  so  strong  as  to  pierce  the  body 
of  a  cow ;  and  two  of  them  are  able  to  devour 
it.     They  do  not  even  abstain  from  man  him- 
self: but  fortunately  there  are  but  few  of  the 
species;  for  if  they  had   been  plenty,  every 
order  of  animals  must  have  carried  on  an  un- 
successful war  against  them.     The  Indians  as- 
sert, that  they  will  carry  off  a  deer,  or  a  young 
calf,  in  their  talons,  as  eagles  would  a  hare 
or  a  rabbit;  that  their  sight  is  piercing,  and 
their  air  terrible ;  that  they  seldom  frequent 
the  forests,  as  they  require  a  large  space  for 
the  display  of  their  wings;  but  that  they  are 
found  on  the  sea-shore,  and   the  banks  of  ri- 
vers, whither  they  descend  from  their  heights 
of  the   mountains.      By  later   accounts   we 
learn,  that  they  come  down  to  the  sea-shore 
only  at  certain  seasons,  when  their  prey  hap- 
pens to  fail  them  upon  land ;  that  they  then 
feed  upon  dead  fish,  and  such  other  nutritious 


substances  as  the  sea  throws  upon  the  shore. 
We  are  assured,  however,  that  their  counte- 
nance is  not  so  terrible  as  the  old  writers  have 
represented  it;  but  that  they  appear  of  a 
milder  nature  than  either  the  eagle  or  the 
vulture. 

Condamine  has  frequently  seen  them  in  se- 
veral parts  of  the  mountains  of  Quito,  and  ob- 
served them  hovering  over  a  flock  of  sheep ; 
and  he  thinks  they  would,  at  a  certain  time, 
have  attempted  to  carry  one  off,  had  they  not 
been  scared  away  by  the  shepherds.  Labat 
acquaints  us,  that  those  who  have  seen  this 
animal,  declare  that  the  body  is  as  large  as 
that  of  a  sheep ;  and  that  the  flesh  is  tough, 
and  as  disagreeable  as  carrion.  The  Spa- 
niards themselves  seem  to  dread  its  depre- 
dations ;  and  there  have  been  many  instan- 
ces of  its  carrying  off  their  children. 

Mr.  Strong,  the  master  of  a  ship,  as  he  was 
sailing  along  the  coasts  of  Chili,  in  the  thirty- 
third  degree  of  south  latitude,  observed  a  bird 
sitting  upon  a  high  cliff  near  the  shore,  which 
some  of  the  ship's  company  shot  with  a  lead- 
en bullet,  and  killed.  They  were  greatly  sur- 
prised when  they  beheld  its  magnitude ;  for 
when  the  wings  were  extended,  they  mea- 
sured thirteen  feet  from  one  tip  to  the  other. 
One  of  the  quills  was  two  feet  four  inches 
long ;  and  the  barrel,  or  hollow  part,  was  six 
inches  and  three  quarters,  and  an  inch  and 
a  half  in  circumference. 

We  have  a  still  more  circumstantial  account 
of  this  amazing  bird,  by  P.  Feuille,  the  only 
traveller  who  has  accurately  described  it : 
"In  the  valley  of  Ilo  in  Peru,  I  discovered  a 
condor  perched  on  a  high  rock  before  me : 
I  approached  within  gun-shot,  and  fired ;  but, 
as  my  piece  was  only  charged  with  swan-shot, 
the  lead  was  not  able  sufficiently  to  pierce 
the  bird's  feathers.  I  perceived,  however, 
by  its  manner  of  flying,  that  it  was  wounded ; 
and  it  was  with  a  good  deal  of  difficulty  that 
it  flew  to  another  rock,  about  five  hundred 

4A» 


478 


A  HISTORY  OF 


yards  distant  on  the  sea-shore.  I  therefore 
charged  again  with  ball,  and  hit  the  bird  un- 
der the  throat,  which  made  it  mine.  I  ac- 
cordingly ran  up  to  seize  it;  but  even  in 
death  it  was  terrible,  and  defended  itself  up- 
on its  back,  with  its  claws  extended  against 
me,  so  that  I  scarcely  knew  how  to  lay  hold 
of  it.  Had  it  not  been  mortally  wounded,  I 
should  have  found  it  no  easy  matter  to  take 
it;  but  I  at  last  dragged  it  down  from  the 
rock,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  one  of  the 
seamen,  I  carried  it  to  my  tent,  to  make  a 
coloured  drawing. 

"  The  wings  of  this  bird,  which  I  measured 
very  exactly,  were  twelve  feet  three  inches 
(English)  from  tip  to  tip.  The  great  feathers, 
that  were  of  a  beautiful  shining  black,  were 
two  feet  four  inches  long.  The  thickness  of 
the  beak  was  proportionable  to  the  rest  of 
the  body;  the  length  about  four  inches;  the 
point  hooked  downwards,  and  white  at  its 
extremity ;  and  the  other  part  was  of  a  jet 
black.  A  short  down,  of  a  brown  colour,  co- 
vered the  head ;  the  eyes  were  black,  and 
surrounded  with  a  circle  of  reddish  brown. 
The  feathers,  on  the  breast,  neck,  and  wings, 
were  of  a  light  brown ;  those  on  the  back 
were  rather  darker.  Its  thighs  were  covered 
with  brown  feathers  to  the  knee.  The  thigh 
bone  was  ten  inches  long;  the  leg  five  inches; 
the  toes  were  three  before,  and  one  behind: 
that  behind  was  an  inch  and  a  half;  and  the 
claw  with  which  it  was  armed  was  black, 
and  three  quarters  of  an  inch.  The  other 
claws  were  in  the  same  proportion;  and  the 
legs  were  covered  with  black  scales,  as 
also  the  toes ;  but  in  these  the  scales  were 
larger. 

"  These  birds  usually  keep  in  the  moun- 
tains, where  they  find  their  prey:  they  never 
descend  to  the  sea-shore  but  in  the  rainy  sea- 
son ;  for,  as  they  are  very  sensible  of  cold, 
they  go  there  for  greater  warmth.  Though 
these  mountains  are  situated  in  the  torrid 


I?  zone,  the  cold  is  often  very  severe ;  for  a 
great  part  of  the  year  they  are  covered  with 
snow,  but  particularly  in  winter. 

"  The  little  nourishment  which  these  birds 
find  on  the  sea-coast,  except  when  the  tem- 
pest drives  in  some  great  fish,  obliges  the  con- 
dor to  continue  there  but  a  short  time.  They 
usually  come  to  the  coast  at  the  approach  of 
evening;  stay  there  all  night,  and  fly  back  in 
the  morning." 

It  is  doubted  whether  this  animal  be  pro- 
per to  America  only,  or  whether  it  may  not 
have  been  described  by  the  naturalists  of 
other  countries.  It  is  supposed  that  the  great 
bird  called  the  Rock,  described  by  Arabian 
writers,  and  so  much  exaggerated  by  fable, 
is  but  a  species  of  the  condor.  The  great 
bird  of  Tarnassar,  in  the  East  Indies,  that  is 
larger  than  the  eagle,  as  well  as  the  vulture 
of  Senegal,  that  carries  oflfchildren,  are  pro- 
bably no  other  than  the  bird  we  have  been 
describing.  Russia,  Lapland,  and  even  Swit- 
zerland and  Germany,  are  said  to  have  known 
this  animal.  A  bird  of  this  kind  was  shot  in 
France,  that  weighed  eighteen  pounds,  and 
was  said  to  be  eighteen  feet  across  the  wings : 
however,  one  of  the  quills  was  described  only 
as  being  larger  than  that  of  a  swan;  so  that 
probably  the  breadth  of  the  wings  may  have 
been  exaggerated,  since  a  bird  so  large  would 
have  the  quills  more  than  twice  as  big  as 
those  of  a  swan.  However  this  be,  we  are 
not  to  regret  that  it  is  scarcely  ever  seen  in 
Europe,  as  it  appears  to  be  one  of  the  most 
formidable  enemies  of  mankind.  In  the  de- 
serts of  Pachomac,  where  it  is  chiefly  seen, 
men  seldom  venture  to  travel.  Those  wild 
regions  are  very  sufficient  of  themselves  to 
inspire  a  secret  horror':  broken  precipices — 
prowling  panthers — forests  only  vocal  with 
the  hissing  of  serpents — and  mountains  ren- 
dered still  more  terrible  by  the  condor,  the 
only  bird  that  ventures  to  make  its  residence 
in  those  deserted  situations. 


THE  VULTURE. 


479 


CHAPTER  LXXXIV. 

OF  THE  VULTURE  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


THE  first  rank  in  the  description  of  birds, 
has  been  given  to  the  eagle ;  not  because  it 
is  stronger  or  larger  than  the  vulture,  but 
because  it  is  more  generous  and  bold.  The 
eagle,  unless  pressed  by  famine,  will  not  stoop 
to  carrion ;  and  never  devours  but  what  he 
has  earned  by  his  own  pursuit.  The  vulture, 
on  the  contrary,  is  indelicately  voracious ; 
and  seldom  attacks  living  animals,  when  it 
can  be  supplied  with  the  dead.  The  eagle 
meets  and  singly  opposes  his  enemy ;  the 
vulture,  if  it  expects  resistance,  calls  in  the 
aid  of  its  kind,  and  basely  overpowers  its 
prey  by  a  cowardly  combination.  Putrefac- 
tion and  stench,  instead  of  deterring,  only 
serves  to  allure  them.  The  vulture  seems 
among  birds,  what  the  jackal  and  hyaena  are 
among  quadrupeds,  who  prey  upon  carcasses, 
and  root  up  the  dead. 

Vultures  may  be  easily  distinguished  from 
all  those  of  the  eagle  kind,  by  the  nakedness 
of  their  heads  and  necks,  which  are  without 
feathers,  and  only  covered  with  a  very  slight 
down,  or  a  few  scattered  hairs.  Their  eyes 
are  more  prominent ;  those  of  the  eagle  being 
buried  more  in  the  socket.  Their  claws  are 
shorter,  and  less  hooked.  The  inside  of  the 
wing  is  covered  with  a  thick  down,  which  is 
different  in  them  from  all  other  birds  of  prey. 
Their  attitude  is  not  so  upright  as  that  of 
the  eagle;  and  their  flight  more  difficult  and 
heavy. 

In  this  tribe  we  may  range  the  golden,  the 
ash-coloured,  and  the  brown  vulture,  which 
are  inhabitants  of  Europe;  the  spotted  and 
the  black  vulture  of  Egypt ;  the  bearded  vul- 
ture; the  Brasilian  vulture,  and  the  king  of 
the  vultures,  of  South  America.  They  all 
agree  in  their  nature  ;  being  equally  indolent, 
yet  rapacious  and  unclean. 

The  GOLDEN  VULTURE  seems  to  be  the  fore- 
most of  the  kind  ;  and  is  in  many  things  like 
the  golden  eagle,  but  larger  in  every  propor- 
tion. From  the  end  of  the  beak  to  that  of 


the  tail,  it  is  four  feet  and  a  half;  and  to  the 
claws'  end,  forty-five  inches.  The  length  of 
the  upper  mandible  is  almost  seven  inches ; 
and  the  tail  twenty-seven  in  length.  The 
lower  part  of  the  neck,  breast,  and  belly,  are 
of  a  red  colour;  but  on  the  tail  it  is  more 
faint,  and  deeper  near  the  head.  The  fea- 
thers are  black  on  the  back;  and  on  the 
wings  and  tail  of  a  yellowish  brown.  Others 
of  the  kind  differ  from  this  in  colour  and 
dimensions;  but  they  are  all  strongly  mark- 
ed by  their  naked  heads,  and  beak  straight 
in  the  beginning,  but  hooking  at  the  point. 

They  are  still  more  strongly  marked  by 
their  nature,  which,  as  has  been  observed,  is 
cruel,  unclean,  and  indolent.  Their  sense  of 
smelling,  however,  is  amazingly  great ;  and 
nature,  for  this  purpose,  has  given  them  two 
large  apertures  or  nostrils  without,  and  an 
extensive  olfactory  membrane  within.  Their 
intestines  are  formed  differently  from  those  of 
the  eagle  kind  ;  for  they  partake  more  of  the 
formation  of  such  birds  as  live  upon  grain. 
They  have  both  a  crop  and  a  stomach ;  which 
may  be  regarded  as  a  kind  of  gizzard,  from 
the  extreme  thickness  of  the  muscles  of  which 
it  is  composed.  In  fact,  they  seem  adapted 
inwardly,  not  only  for  being  carnivorous,  but 
to  eat  corn  or  whatsoever  of  that  kind  comes 
in  their  way. 

This  bird,  which  is  common  in  many  parts 
of  Europe,  and  but  too  well  known  on  the 
western  continent,  is  totally  unknown  in 
England.  In  Egypt,  Arabia,  and  many  other 
kingdoms  of  Africa  and  Asia,  vultures  are 
found  in  great  abundance.  The  inside  down 
of  their  wing  is  converted  into  a  very  warm 
and  comfortable  kind  of  fur,  and  is  common- 
ly sold  in  the  Asiatic  markets. 

Indeed,  in  Egypt,  this  bird  seems  to  be  of 
singular  service.  There  are  great  flocks  of 
them  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Grand  Cairo, 
which  no  person  is  permitted  to  destroy. 
The  service  they  render  the  inhabitants,  is 


480 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  devouring  of  all  the  carrion  and  filth  of 
that  great  city ;  which  might  otherwise  tend 
to  corrupt  and  putrefy  the  air.  They  are 
commonly  seen  in  company  with  the  wild 
dogs  of  the  country,  tearing  a  carcass  very 
deliberately  together.  This  odd  association 
produces  no  quarrels;  the  birds  and  quadru- 
peds seem  to  live  amicably,  and  nothing  but 
harmony  subsists  between  them.  The  won- 
der is  still  the  greater,  as  both  are  extremely 
rapacious,  and  both  lean  and  bony  to  a  very 
great  degree;  probably  having  no  great  plenty 
even  of  the  wretched  food  on  which  they 
subsist. 

In  America  theylead  a  lifesomewhat  similar. 
Wherever  the  hunters,  who  there  only  pur- 
sue beasts  for  the  skins,  are  found  to  go, 
these  birds  are  seen  to  pursue  them.  They 
still  keep  hovering  at  a  little  distance ;  and 
when  they  see  the  beast  flayed  and  abandon- 
ed, they  call  out  to  each  other,  pour  down 
upon  the  carcass,  and,  in  an  instant,  pick  its 
bones  as  bare  and  clean  as  if  they  had  been 
scraped  by  a  knife. 

At  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in  Africa,  they 
seem  to  discover  a  still  greater  share  of  dex- 
terity in  their  methods  of  carving.  "I  have," 
says  Kolben,  "  been  often  a  spectator  of  tbe 
manner  in  which  they  have  anatomized  a 
dead  body :  I  say  anatomized ;  for  no  artist 
in  the  world  could  have  done  it  more  cleanly. 
They  have  a  wonderful  method  of  separating 
the  flesh  from  the  bones,  and  yet  leaving  the 
skin  quite  entire.  Upon  coming  near  the 
carcass,  one  would  not  suppose  it  thus  de- 
prived of  its  internal  substance,  till  he  began 
to  examine  it  more  closely ;  he  then  finds  it, 
literally  speaking,  nothing  but  skin  and  bone. 
Their  manner  of  performing  the  operation  is 
this  :  they  first  make  an  opening  in  the  belly 
of  the  animal,  from  whence  they  pluck  out, 
and  greedily  devour,  the  entrails:  then  enter- 
ing into  the  hollow  which  they  have  made, 
they  separate  the  flesh  from  the  bones,  with- 
out ever  touching  the  skin.  It  often  happens 
that  an  ox  returning  home  alone  to  its  stall 
from  the  plough,  lies  down  by  the  way  :  it  is 
then,  if  the  vultures  perceive  it,  that  they  fall 
with  fury  down,  and  inevitably  devour  the 
unfortunate  animal.  They  sometimes  at- 
tempt them  grazing  in  the  fields ;  and 
then,  to  the  number  of  a  hundred  or 


more,  make  their  attack  all  at  once  and 
together." 

"  They  are  attracted  by  carrion,"  says 
Catesby,  "  from  a  very  great  distance.  It  is 
pleasant  to  behold  them,  when  they  are  thus 
eating,  and  disputing  for  their  prey.  An 
eagle  generally  presides  at  these  entertain- 
ments, and  makes  them  all  keep  their  distance 
till  he  has  done.  They  then  full  to  with  an 
excellent  appetite;  and  their  sense  of  smel- 
ling is  so  exquisite,  that  the  instant  a  carcass 
drops,  we  may  see  the  vultures  floating  in  the 
air  from  all  quarters,  and  come  sousing  on 
their  prey."  It  is  supposed  by  some,  that 
(hey  eat  nothing  that  has  life;  but  this  is 
only  when  they  are  not  able ;  for  when  they 
can  come  at  lambs,  they  show  no  mercy;  and 
serpents  are  their  ordinary  food.  The  man- 
ner of  those  birds  is  to  perch  themselves, 
several  together,  on  the  old  pine  and  cypress- 
trees  ;  where  they  continue  all  the  morning, 
for  several  hours,  with  their  wings  unfolded  : 
nor  are  they  fearful  of  danger,  but  suffer  peo* 
pie  to  approach  them  very  near,  particularly 
when  they  are  eating. 

The  sloth,  the  filth,  and  the  voraciousness, 
of  these  birds,  almost  exceeds  credibility. 
In  the  Brasils,  where  they  are  found  in  great 
abundance,  when  they  light  upon  a  carcass, 
which  they  have  liberty  to  tear  at  their  ease, 
they  so  gorge  themselves  that  they  are  unable 
to  fly ;  but  keep  hopping  along  when  they  are 
pursued.  At  all  times,  they  are  a  bird  of 
slow  flight,  and  unable  readily  to  raise  them- 
selves from  the  ground ;  but  when  they  have 
over-fed,  they  are  then  utterly  helpless :  but 
they  soon  get  rid  of  their  burden;  for  they 
have  a  method  of  vomiting  up  what  they 
have  eaten,  and  then  they  fly  off  with  greater 
facility. 

It  is  pleasant,  however,  to  be  a  spectator 
of  the  hostilities  between  animals  that  are 
thus  hateful  or  noxious.  Of  all  creatures,  the 
two  most  at  enmity,  is  the  vulture  of  Brasil, 
and  the  crocodile.  The  female  of  this  terri- 
ble amphibious  creature,  which  in  the  rivers 
of  that  part  of  the  world  grows  to  the  size  of 
twenty-seven  feet,  lays  its  eggs,  to  the  num- 
ber of  one  or  two  hundred,  in  the  sands,  on 
the  side  of  the  river,  where  they  are  hatched 
by  the  heat  of  the  climate.  For  this  purpose, 
she  takes  every  precaution  to  hide  from  all 


THE  VULTURE. 


ether  animals  the  place  where  she  deposits 
her  burden:  in  the  mean  time,  a  number  of 
Vultures,  or  galinassos,  as  the  Spaniards  call 
them,  sit  silent  and  unseen  in  the  branches  of 
Some  neighbouring  forest,  and  view  the  cro- 
codile's operations,  with  the  pleasing  expec- 
tation of  succeeding  plunder.  They  patiently 
wait  till  the  crocodile  has  laid  the  whole 
number  of  her  eggs,  till  she  has  covered  them 
carefully  under  the  sand,  and  until  she  is  re- 
tired from  them  to  a  convenient  distance. 
Then,  all  together,  encouraging  each  other 
with  cries,  they  pour  down  upon  the  nest, 
hook  up  the  sand  in  a  moment,  lay  the  eggs 
bare,  and  devour  the  whole  brood  without  re- 
morse. Wretched  as  is  the  flesh  of  these 
animals,  yet  men,  perhaps  when  pressed  by 
hunger,  have  been  tempted  to  taste  it.  No- 
thing can  be  more  lean,  stringy,  nauseous, 
and  unsavoury.  It  is  in  vain  that,  when  kill- 
ed, the  rump  has  been  cut  off;  in  vain  the 
body  has  been  washed,  and  spices  used  to 
overpower  its  prevailing  odour;  it  still  smells 
and  tastes  of  the  carrion  by  which  it  was  nou- 
rished, and  sends  forth  a  stench  that  is  insup- 
portable. 

These  birds,  at  least  those  of  Europe,  usu- 
ally lay  two  eggs  at  a  time,  and  produce  but 
once  a  year.  They  make  their  nests  in  inac- 
cessible cliffs,  and  in  places  so  remote,  that 
it  is  rare  to  find  them.  Those  in  our  part  of 
the  world  chiefly  reside  in  the  places  where 
they  breed,  and  seldom  come  down  into  the 
plains,  except  when  the  snow  and  ice,  in 
their  native  retreats,  has  banished  all  living 
animals  but  themselves:  they  then  come  from 
their  heights,  and  brave  the  perils  they  must 
encounter  in  a  more  cultivated  region.  As 
carrion  is  not  found,  at  those  seasons,  in  suf- 
ficient quantity,  or  sufficiently  remote  from 
man  to  sustain  them,  they  prey  upon  rabbits, 
hares,  serpents,  and  whatever  small  game 
they  can  overtake  or  overpower. 

Such  are  the  manners  of  this  bird  in  gene- 


ral ;  but  there  is  one  of  the  kind,  called  the 
King  of  the  Vultures,  which,  from  its  extra- 
ordinary figure,  deserves  a  separate  descrip- 
tion. This  bird  is  a  native  of  America,  and 
not  of  the  East  Indies,  as  those  who  make  a 
trade  of  showing  birds  would  induce  us  to 
believe.  This  bird  is  larger  than  a  turkey- 
cock;  but  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  odd 
formation  of  the  skin  of  the  head  and  neck, 
which  is  bare.  This  skin  arises  frcin  the 
base  of  the  bill,  and  is  of  an  orange  colour; 
from  whence  it  stretches  on  each  side  to  the 
head ;  from  thence  it  proceeds,  like  an  indent- 
ed comb,  and  falls  on  either  side,  according 
to  the  motion  of  the  head.  The  eyes  are  sur- 
rounded by  a  red  skin,  of  a  scarlet  colour;, 
and  the  iris  has  the  colour  and  lustre  of  pearl. 
The  head  and  neck  are  without  feathers,  co- 
vered with  a  flesh-coloured  skin  on  the  up- 
per part,  a  fine  scarlet  behind  the  head,  and 
a  duskier  coloured  skin  before:  farther  down, 
behind  the  head,  arises  a  little  tuft  of  black 
down,  from  whence  issues  and  extends  be- 
neath the  throat,  on  each  side,  a  wrinkled 
skin,  of  a  brownish  colour,  mixed  with  blue, 
and  reddish  behind:  below,  upon  the  naked 
part  of  the  neck,  is  a  collar  formed  by  soft 
longish  feathers,  of  a  deep  ash-colour,  which 
surround  the  neck,  and  cover  the  breast  be- 
fore. Into  this  collar  the  bird  sometimes 
withdraws  its  whole  neck,  and  sometimes  a 
part  of  its  head,  so  that  it  looks  as  if  it  had 
withdrawn  the  neck  into  the  body.  Those 
marks  are  sufficient  to  distinguish  this  bird 
from  all  others  of  the  vulture  kind ;  and  it 
cannot  be  doubted,  but  that  it  is  the  most 
beautiful  of  all  this  deformed  family :  however, 
neither  its  habits  nor  instincts  vary  from  the 
rest  of  the  tribe ;  being  like  them  a  slow  cow- 
ardly bird,  living  chiefly  upon  rats,  lizards, 
and  serpents;  and  upon  carrion  or  excrement, 
when  it  happens  to  be  in  the  way.  The  flesh 
is  so  bad,  that  even  savages  themselves  can- 
not abide  it. 


482 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  LXXXV. 

OF  THE  FALCON  KIND,  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


EVERY  creature  becomes  more  important 
in  the.  history  of  nature  in  proportion  as  it  is 
connected  with  man.  In  tfiis  view,  the  smal- 
lest vegetable,  or  the  most  seemingly  con- 
temptible insect,  is  a  subject  more  deserving 
attention  than  the  most  flourishing  tree,  or 
the  most  beautiful  of  the  feathered  creation. 
In  this  view,  the  falcon  is  a  more  important 
animal  than  the  eagle  or  the  vulture;  and, 
though  so  very  diminutive  in  the  comparison, 
is,  notwithstanding,  from  its  connexion  with 
our  pleasures,  a  much  more  interesting  ob- 
ject of  curiosity. 

The  amusement  of  hawking,  indeed,  is  now 
pretty  much  given  over  in  this  kingdom;  for 
as  every  country  refines,  as  its  enclosures  be- 
come higher  and  closer,  those  rural  sports 
must  consequently  decline,  in  which  the  game 
is  to  be  pursued  over  a  long  extent  of  coun- 
try; and  where,  while  every  thing  retards 
the  pursuer  below,  nothing  can  stop  the  ob- 
ject of  his  pursuit  above. 

Falconry,  that  is  now  so  much  disused 
among  us,  was  the  principal  amusement  of 
our  ancestors.  A  person  of  rank  scarcely 
stirred  out  without  his  hawk  on  his  hand ; 
which  in  old  paintings  is  the  criterion  of  no- 
bility. Harold,  afterwards  king  of  England, 
when  he  went  on  a  most  important  embassy 
into  JSormandy,  is  drawn  in  an  old  bas-relief, 
as  embarking  with  a  bird  on  his  fist,  and  a 
dog  under  his  arm.  In  those  days,  it  was 
thought  sufficient  for  noblemen's  sons  to  wind 
the  horn,  and  to  carry  their  hawk  fair,  and 
leave  study  and  learning  to  the  children  of 
meaner  people.  Indeed,  this  diversion  was 
in  such  high  esteem  among  the  great  all  over 
Europe,  that  Frederic,  one  of  the  emperors 
of  Germany,  thought  it  not  beneath  him  to 
write  a  treatise  upon  hawking. 

The  expense  which  attended  this  sport  was 
very  great :  among  the  old  Welsh  princes, 
the  king's  falconer  was  the  fourth  officer  in 
the  state ;  but,  notwithstanding  all  his  honours, 


he  was  forbid  to  take  more  than  three  draughts 
of  beer  from  his  horn,  lest  he  should  get 
drunk  and  neglect  his  duty.  In  the  reign  of 
James  I.  Sir  Thomas  Monson  is  said  to  have 
given  a  thousand  pounds  fora  cast  of  hawks; 
and  such  was  their  value  in  general,  that  it 
was  made  felony  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III. 
to  steal  a  hawk.  To  take  its  eggs,  even  in  a\ 
person's  own  ground,  was  punishable  with 
imprisonment  for  a  year  and  a  day,  together 
with  a  fine  at  the  king's  pleasure.  In  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth  the  imprisonment  was  re- 
duced to  three  months;  but  the  offender  was 
to  lie  in  prison  till  he  got  security  for  his 
good  behaviour  for  seven  years  farther.  In 
the  earlier  times  the  art  of  gunning  was  but 
little  practised,  and  the  hawk  was  then  va- 
luable, not  only  for  its  affording  diversion, 
but  for  its  procuring  delicacies  for  the  table, 
that  could  seldom  be  obtained  any  other  way. 

Of  many  of  the  ancient  falcons  used  for 
this  purpose,  we  at  this  time  know  only  the 
names,  as  the  exact  species  are  so  ill  de- 
scribed, that  one  may  be  very  easily  mistaken 
for  another.  Of  those  in  use,  at  present,  both 
here  and  in  other  countries,  are  the  gyr-fal- 
con,  the  falcon,  the  lanner,  the  sacre,  the 
hobby,  the  kestril,  and  the  merlin.  These 
are  called  the  long-winged  hawks,  to  distin- 
guish them  from  the  goss-hawk,  the  sparrow- 
hawk,  the  kite,  and  the  buzzard,  that  are  of 
shorter  wing,  and  either  too  slow,  too  cow- 
ardly, too  indolent,  or  too  obstinate,  to  be 
serviceable  in  contributing  to  the  pleasures 
of  the  field. 

The  generous  tribe  of  hawks,  as  was  said, 
are  distinguished  from  the  rest  by  the  pecu- 
liar length  of  their  wings,  which  reach  near- 
ly as  low  as  the  tail.  In  these,  the  first  quill 
of  the  wing  is  nearly  as  long  as  the  second ; 
it  terminates  in  a  point,  which  begins  to  di- 
minish from  about  an  inch  of  its  extremity. 
This  sufficiently  distinguishes  the  generous 
breed  from  that  of  the  baser  race  of  kites, 


THE  FALCON  KIND. 


483 


sparrow-hawks,  and  buzzards,  in  whom  the 
tail  is  longer  than  the  wings,  and  the  first 
feather  of  the  wing  is  rounded  at  the  extremity. 
They  differ  also  in  the  latter  having  the  fourth 
feather  of  the  wing  the  longest;  in  the  gener- 
ous race  it  is  always  the  second. 

This  generous  race,  which  have  been  taken 
into  the  service  of  man,  are  endowed  with 
natural  powers  that  the  other  kinds  are  not 
possessed  of.  From  the  length  of  their  wings, 
they  are  swifter  to  pursue  their  game ;  from 
a  confidence  in  this  swiftness,  they  are  bolder 
to  attack  it ;  and  from  an  innate  generosity, 
they  have  an  attachment  to  their  feeder,  and, 
consequently,  a  docility  which  the  baser  birds 
are  strangers  to. 

The  gyr-falcon  leads  in  this  bold  train. 
He  exceeds  all  other  falcons  in  the  largeness 
of  his  size,  for  he  approaches  nearly  to  the 
magnitude  of  the  eagle.  The  top  of  the  head 
is  flat  and  of  an  ash-colour,  with  a  strong, 
thick,  short,  and  blue  beak.  The  feathers  of 
the  back  and  wings  are  marked  with  black 
spots,  in  the  shape  of  a  heart ;  he  is  a  cou- 
rageous and  tierce  bird,  nor  fears  even  the 
eagle  himself;  but  he  chiefly  flies  at  the  stork, 
the  herbn,  and  the  crane.  He  is  mostly 
found  in  the  colder  regions  of  the  north,  but 
loses  neither  his  strength  nor  his  courage 
when  brought  into  the  milder  climates. 

The  falcon,  properly  so  called,  is  the  second 
in  magnitude  and  fame.  There  are  some 
varieties  in  this  bird ;  but  there  seem  to  be 
only  two  that  claim  distinction ;  the  falcon- 
Dentil  and  the  peregrine-falcon ;  both  are 
much  less  than  the  gyr,  and  somewhat  about 
the  size  of  a  raven.  They  differ  but  slightly, 
and  perhaps  only  from  the  different  states 
they  were  in  when  brought  into  captivity. 
Those  differences  are  easier  known  by  'ex- 
perience than  taught  by  description.  The 
lalcon-gentil  moults  in  March,  and  often 
sooner:  the  peregrine-falcon  does  not  moult 
till  the  middle  of  August.  The  peregrine  is 
stronger  in  the  shoulder,  has  a  larger  eye, 
and  yet  more  sunk  in  the  h'-ad  ;  the  beak  is 
stronger,  his  legs  longer,  and  the  toes  better 
divided. 

Next  in  size  to  these  is  the  lanner,  a  bird 
now  very  little  known  in  Europe;  then  follows 
the  sacre,  the  tegs  of  which  are  of  a  bluish 
colour,  and  serve  to  distinguish  that  bird ;  to 

NO.  41  &  42. 


them  succeeds  the  hobby,  used  for  smaller 
game,  for  daring  larks,  and  stooping  at  quails, 
The  kestril  was  trained  forthe  same  purposes; 
and  lastly  the  merlin ;  which,  though  the 
smallest  of  all  the  hawk  or  falcon  kind,  and 
not  much  larger  than  a  thrush,  yet'displays  a 
degree  of  courage  that  renders  him  formidable 
even  to  birds  ten  times  his  size.  He  has 
often  been  known  to  kill  a  partridge  or  a 
quail  at  a  single  pounce  from  above. 

Some  of  the  other  species  of  sluggish  birds 
were  now  and  then  trained  to  this  sport,  but 
it  was  when  no  better  could  be  obtained ; 
but  thesejust  described  wereonjy  considered 
as  birds  of  the  nobler  races.  Their  courage 
in  general  was  such,  that  no  bird,  not  very 
much  above  their  own  size,  could  terrify 
them ;  their  swiftness  so  great,  that  scarcely 
any  bird  could  escape  them ;  and  their  do- 
cility so  remarkable,  that  they  obeyed  not 
only  the  commands,  but  the  signs  of  their 
master.  They  remained  quietly  perched 
upon  his  hand  till  their  game  was  flushed,  or 
else  kept  hovering  round  his  head,  without 
ever  leaving  him  but  when  he  gave  permission. 
The  common  falcon  is  a  bird  of  such  spirit, 
that,  like  a  conqueror  in  a  country,  he  keeps 
all  birds  in  awe  and  in  subjection  to  his 
prowess.  Where  he  is  seen  flying  wild,  as  1 
often  had  an  opportunity  of  observing,  the 
birds  of  every  kind,  that  seemed  entirely  to 
disregard  the  kite  or  the  sparrow-hawk,  fly 
with  screams  at  hie  most  distant  appearance. 
Long  before  I  could  see  the  falcon,  I  have 
seen  them  with  the  utmost  signs  of  terror 
endeavouring  to  avoid  him ;  and,  like  the 
peasants  of  a  country  before  avictorious  army, 
every  one  of  them  attempting  to  shift  for  him- 
self. Even  the  young  falcons,  though  their 
spirit  be  depressed  by  captivity,  will,  when 
brought  out  into  the  field,  venture  to  fly  at 
barnacles  and  wild  geese,  till,  being  soundly 
brushed  and  beaten  by  those  strong  birds, 
they  learn  their  error,  and  desist  from 
meddling  with  such  unwieldy  game  for  the 
future. 

To  train  up  the  hawk  to  this  kind  of 
obedience,  so  as  to  hunt  for  his  master,  and 
bring  him  the  game  he  shall  kill,  requires  no 
small  degree  of  skill  and  assiduity.  Num- 
berless treatises  have  been  written  upon 
this  subject,  which  are  now,  with  the  sport 

4B 


484 


A  HISTORY  OF 


itself,  almost  utterly  forgotten:  indeed,  ex- 
cept to  a  few,  they  seem  utterly  unintelligible; 
for  the  falconers  had  a  language  peculiar  to 
themselves,  in  which  they  conversed  and 
wrote,  and  took  a  kind  of  professional  pride 
in  using  no  other.  A  modern  reader,  1  sup- 
pose, would  be  little  edified  by  one  of  the  in- 
structions, for  instance,  which  we  find  in  Wil- 
loughby,  when  he  bids  us  "  draw  our  falcon 
out  of  the  mew  twenty  days  before  we  en- 
seam  her.  If  she  truss  and  carry,  the  reme- 
dy is,  to  cosse  her  talons,  her  powse,  and 
petty  single." 

But,  as  it  certainly  makes  a  part  of  natural 
histon  to  show  how  much  the  nature  of  birds 
can  be  wrought  upon  by  harsh  or  kind  treat- 
ment, I  will  just  take  leave  to  give  a  short 
account  of  the  manner  of  training  a  hawk, 
divested  of  those  cant  words  with  which  men 
of  art  have  thought  proper  to  obscure  their 
profession. 

In  order  to  train  up  a  falcon,  the  master 
begins  by  clapping  straps  upon  his  legs, 
which  are  called  jesses,  to  which  there  is  fast- 
ened a  ring  with  the  owner's  name,  by  which, 
in  case  he  should  be  lost,  the  finder  may 
know  where  to  bring  him  back.  To  these 
also  are  added  little  bells,  which  serve  to 
mark  the  place  where  he  is,  if  lost  in  the 
chase.  He  is  always  carried  on  the  fist,  and 
is  obliged  to  keep  without  sleeping.  If  he  be 
stubborn,  and  attempts  to  bite,  his  head  is 
plunged  into  water.  Thus,  by  hunger,  watch- 
ing, and  fatigue,  he  is  constrained  to  submit 
to  having  his  head  covered  by  a  hood  or 
cowl,  which  covers  his  eyes.  This  trouble- 
some employment  continues  often  for  three 
days  and  nights  without  ceasing.  It  rarely 
happens  but  at  the  end  of  this,  his  necessities 
and  the  privation  of  light  make  him  lose  all 
idea  of  liberty,  and  bring  down  his  natural 
vvildness.  His  master  judges  of  his  being 
tamed  when  he  permits  his  head  to  be  cover- 
ed without  resistance,  and  when  uncovered 
he  seizes  the  meat  before  him  contentedly. 
The  repetition  of  these  lessons  by  degrees 
ensures  success.  His  wants  being  the  chief 
principle  of  his  dependence,  it  is  endeavour- 
ed to  increase  his  appetite  by  giving  him  lit- 
tle balls  of  flannel,  which  he  greedily  swal- 
lows. Having  thus  excited  the  appetite,  care 
is  taken  to  satisfy  it;  arid  thus  gratitude  at- 


taches the  bird  to  the  man  who  but  just  be- 
fore had  been  his  tormentor. 

When  the  first  lessons  have  succeeded,  and 
the  bird  shows  signs  of  docility,  he  is  carried 
out  upon  some  given,  the  head  is  uncovered, 
and,  by  flattering  him  with  food  at  different 
times,  he  is  taught  to  jump  on  the  fist,  and  to 
continue  there.  When  confirmed  in  this  ha- 
bit, it  is  then  thought  time  to  make  him  ac- 
quainted with  the  lure.  This  lure  is  only  a 
tiling  stuffed  like  the  bird  the  falcon  is  de- 
signed to  pursue,  such  as  a  heron,  a  pigeon, 
or  a  quail,  and  on  this  lure  they  always  take 
care  to  give  him  his  food.  It  is  quite  neces- 
sary that  the  bird  should  not  only  be  acquaint- 
ed with  this,  but  fond  of  it,  and  delicate  in 
his  food  when  shown  it.  When  the  falcon 
has  flown  upon  this,  and  tasted  the  first  mor- 
sel, some  falconers  then  take  it  away;  but 
by  this  there  is  a  danger  of  daunting  the  bird  ; 
and  the  surest  method  is,  when  he  flies  to 
seize  it,  to  let  him  feed  at  large,  ar:d  this 
serves  as  a  recompense  for  his  docility.  The 
use  of  this  lure  is  to  flatter  him  back  when 
he  has  flown  in  the  air,  which  it  sometimes 
fails  to  do;  and  it  is  always  requisite  to  as- 
sist it  by  the  voice  and  the  signs  of  the  mas- 
ter. When  these  lessons  have  been  long  re- 
peated, it  is  then  necessary  to  study  the  cha- 
racter of  the  bird ;  to  speak  frequently  to 
him,  if  he  be  inattentive  to  the  voice;  to 
stint  in  his  food  such  as  do  not  come  kindly 
or  readily  to  the  lure;  to  keep  waking  him, 
if  he  be  not  sufficiently  familiar ;  and  to  cover 
him  frequently  with  the  hood,  if  he  fears  dark- 
ness. When  the  familiarity  and  the  docility 
of  the  bird  are  sufficiently  confirmed  on  the 
green,  he  is  then  carried  into  the  open  fields, 
but  still  kept  fast  by  a  string  which  is  about 
twenty  yards  long.  He  is  then  uncovered  as 
before ;  and  the  falconer,  calling  him  at  some 
paces  distance,  shows  him  the  lure.  When 
he  flies  upon  it,  he  is  permitted  to  take  a 
large  morsel  of  the  food  which  is  tied  to  it. 
The  next  day  the  lure  is  shown  him  at  a 
greater  distance,  till  he  comes  at  last  to  fly 
to  it  at  the  utmost  length  of  his  string.  He 
is  then  to  be  shown  the  game  itself  alive,  but 
disabled  or  tame,  which  he  is  designed  to 
pursue.  After  having  seized  tins  several 
times,  with  his  string,  he  is  then  left  entirely 
at  liberty,  and  carried  into  the  field  for  the 


THE  FALCON  KIND. 


485 


purpose  of  pursuing  that  which  is  wild.  At 
that  he  flies  with  avidity ;  and  when  he  has 
seized  it,  or  killed  it,  he  is  brought  back  by  the 
voice  and  the  lure. 

By  this  method  of  instruction,  an  hawk  may 
be  taught  to  fly  at  any  game  whatsoever  ;  but 
falconers  have  chiefly  confined  their  pursuit 
only  to  such  ani-nals  as  yield  them  profit  by 
the  capture,  or  pleasure  in  the  pursuit.  The 
hare,  the  partridge,  and  the  quail,  repay  the 
trouble  of  taking  them  ;  but  the  most  delight- 
ful sport  is  the  falcon's  pursuit  of  the  heron, 
the  kite,  or  the  wood-lark.  Instead  of  flying 
directly  forward,  as  some  other  birds  do,  these, 
when  they  see  themselves  threatened  by  the 
approach  of  the  hawk,  immediately  take  to 
the  skies.  They  fly  almost  perpendicularly 
upward,  while  their  ardent  pursuer  keeps  pace 
with  their  flight,  and  tries  to  rise  above  them. 
Thus  both  diminish  by  degrees  from  the  gazing 
spectator  below,  till  they  are  quite  lost  in  the 
clouds ;  but  they  are  soon  seen  descending, 
struggling  together,  and  using  every  effort  on 
both  sides ;  the  one  of  rapacious  insult,  the 
other  of  desperate  defence.  The  unequal  com- 
bat is  soon  at  an  end ;  the  falcon  comes  off 
victorious,  and  the  other,  killed  or  disabled, 
is  made  a  prey  either  to  the  bird  or  the  sports- 
man. 

As  for  other  birds,  they  are  not  so  much 
pur-sued,  as  they  generally  fly  straight  forward, 
by  which  the  sportsman  loses  sight  of  the  chase, 
and,  what  is  still  worse,  runs  a  chance  of 
losing  his  falcon  also.  The  pursuit  of  the  lark 
by  a  couple  of  merlins  is  considered,  to  him 
only  who  regards  the  sagacity  of  the  chase,  as 
one  of  the  most  delightful  spectacles  this  ex- 
ercise can  afford.  The  amusement  is  to  see 
one  of  the  merlins  climbing  to  get  the  ascend- 
ant of  the  lark,  while  the  other,  lying  low  for 
the  best  advantage,  waits  the  success  of  its 
companion's  efforts ;  thus  while  the  one  stoops 
to  strike  its  prey,  the  other  seizes  it  at  its  com- 
ing down. 

Such  are  the  natural  and  acquired  habits  of 
these  birds,  which  of  all  others  have  the  great- 
est strength  and  courage  relative  to  their  size. 
While  the  kite  or  the  goss-hawk  approach  their 
prey  sideways,  these  dart  perpendicularly,  in 
their  wild  state,  upon  their  game,  and  devour 
it  on  the  spot,  or  carry  it  oft",  if  not  too  large 
for  their  powerof  flying.  They  are  sometimes 
seen  descending  perpendicularly  from  t!;e 


clouds,  from  an  amazing  height,  and  darting 
down  on  their  prey  with  inevitable  swiftness 
and  destruction. 

The  more  ignoble  race  of  birds  make  up  by 
cunning  and  assiduity  what  these  claim  by 
force  and  celerity.  Being  less  courageous, 
they  are  more  patient ;  and,  having  less  swift- 
ness, they  are  better  skilled  at  taking  their 
prey  by  surprise.  The  kite,  that  may  be  dis- 
tinguished from  all  the  rest  of  this  tribe  by  his 
forky  tail  and  his  slow  floating  motion,  seems 
almost  for  ever  upon  the  wing.  He  appears 
to  rest  himself  upon  the  bosom  of  the  air,  and 
not  to  make  the  smallest  effort  in  flying.  He 
lives  only  upon  accidental  carnage,  as  almost 
every  bird  in  the  air  is  able  to  make  good  its 
retreat  against  him.  He  may  be  therefore 
considered  as  an  insidious  thief,  who  only 
prowls  about,  and,  when  he  finds  a  small  bird 
wounded,  or  a  young  chicken  strayed  too  far 
from  the  mother,  instantly  seizes  the  hour  of 
calamity,  and,  like  a  famished  glutton,  is  sure 
to  show  no  mercy.  His  hunger,  indeed,  often 
urges  him  to  acts  of  seeming  desperation.  I 
have  seen  one  of  them  fly  round  and  round  for 
a  while  to  mark  a  clutch  of  chickens,  and  then 
on  a  sudden  dart  like  lightning  upon  the  unre- 
sisting little  animal,  and  carry  it  off,  the  hen  in 
vain  crying  out,  and  the  boys  hooting  and 
casting  stones  to  scare  it  from  its  plunder. 
For  this  reason,  of  all  birds  the  kite  is  the 
good  housewife's  greatest  tormentor  and  aver- 
sion. 

Of  all  obscene  birds,  the  kite  is  the  best 
known ;  but  the  buzzard  among  us  is  the 
most  plenty.  He  is  a  sluggish  inactive  bird, 
and  often  remains  perched  whole  days  together 
upon  the  same  bough.  He  is  rather  an  assassin 
than  a  pursuer;  and  lives  more  upon  frogs, 
mice,  and  insects,  which  he  can  easily  seize, 
than  upon  birds  which  he  is  obliged  to  follow. 
He  lives  in  summer  by  robbing  the  nests  of 
other  birds,  and  sucking  their  eggs,  and  more 
resembles  the  owl  kind  in  his  countenance 
than  any  other  rapacious  bird  of  day.  His 
figure  implies  the  stupidity  of  his  disposition ; 
and  so  little  is  he  capable  of  instruction  from 
man,  that  it  is  common  to  a  proverb  to  call 
one  who  cannot  be  taught,  or  continues  obsti- 
nately ignorant,  a  buzzard.  The  honey-buz- 
zard, the  moor-buzzard,  and  the  hen-harrier, 
are  all  of  this  stupid  tribe,  and  differ  chiefly 
in  their  size,  growing  less  in  the  order  I  have 

4B* 


486 


A  HISTORY  OF 


named  them.  The  goss-hawk  and  sparrow- 
hawk  are  what  Mr.  Willoughby  calls  short- 
winged  birds,  and  consequently  unfit  for  train- 
ing, however  injurious  they  may  be  to  the 
pigeon-house  or  the  sportsman.  They  have 
been  indeed  taught  to  fly  at  game ;  but  little 


is  to  be  obtained  from  thrir  efforts,  being 
difficult  of  instruction,  and  capricious  in  their 
obedience.  It  has  been  lately  asserted,  how- 
ever, by  one  whose  authority  is  respectable, 
that  the  sparrow-hawk  is  the  boldest  and  the 
best  of  all  others  for  the  pleasure  of  the  chase.* 


CHAPTER  LXXXVI. 

THE  BUTCHER-BIRD. 


BEFORE  I  conclude  this  short  history  of 
rapacious  birds  that  prey  by  day,  I  must  take 
leave  to  describe  a  tribe  of  smaller  birds,  that 
seem  from  their  size  rather  to  be  classed  with 
the  harmless  order  of  the  sparrow  kind ;  but 
that  from  their  crooked  beak,  courage,  and 
appetites  for  slaughter,  certainly  deserve  a  place 
here.  The  lesser  butcher-bird  is  not  much 
above  the  size  of  a  lark ;  that  of  the  smallest 
species  is  not  so  big  as  a  sparrow  ;  yet  diminu- 
tive as  these  little  animals  are,  they  make 
themselves  formidable  to  birds  four  times  their 
dimensions. 

The  greater  butcher-bird  is  about  as  large 
as  a  thrush  ;  its  bill  is  black,  an  inch  long,  and 
hooked  at  the  end.  This  mark,  together  with 
its  carnivorous  appetites,  ranks  it  among  the 
rapacious  birds ;  at  the  same  time  that  its  legs 
and  feet,  which  are  slender,  and  its  toes,  form- 
ed somewhat  differently  from  the  former, 
would  seem  to  make  it  the  shade  between 
such  birds  as  live  wholly  upon  flesh,  and  such 
as  live  chiefly  upon  insects  and  grain. 

Indeed,  its  habits  seem  entirely  to  corres- 
pond with  its  conformation,  as  it  is  found  to 
live  as  well  upon  flesh  as  upon  insects,  and 
thus  to  partake  in  some  measure  of  a  double 


«  The  Secretary  Falcon,  an  inhabitant  of  Asia  and 
Africa,  is  a  curious  bird,  for  whose  natural  history  we  are 
•chiefly  indebted  to  the  indefatigable  labours  of  M.  le 
Vuillant.  Its  body,  when  standing  erect,  is  not  much  un- 
like the  crane  ;  but  its  head,  bill,  and  claws,  are  precisely 
those  of  the  falcon.  The  general  colour  of  the  plumage 
is  a  bluish-ash  ;  the  tips  of  the  wings,  the  thighs,  and  the 
vent,  being  blackish  :  the  tail  is  black  near  the  end,  but 
the  very  tip  is  white:  the  legs  are  long,  so  that  it  mea- 
sures, when  standing  erect,  full  three  feet  from  the  top  of 
the  head  to  the  ground.  On  the  back  of  the  head  are 


nature.  However,  its  appetite  for  flesh  is  the 
most  prevalent ;  and  it  never  takes  up  with 
the  former  when  it  can  obtain  the  latter. 
This  bird,  then-fore,  leads  a  life  of  continual 
combat  and  opposition.  As  from  its  size  it 
does  not  much  terrify  the  smaller  birds  of  the 
forest,  so  it  very  frequently  meets  birds  will- 
ing to  try  its  strength,  and  it  never  declines 
the  engagement. 

It  is  wonderful  to  see  with  what  intrepidity 
this  little  creature  goes  to  war  with  the  pie, 
the  crow,  and  the  kestril,  all  above  four  times 
bigger  than  itself,  and  that  sometimes  prey 
upon  flesh  in  the  same  manner.  It  not  only 
fights  upon  the  defensive,  but  often  comes  to 
the  attack,  and  always  with  advantage,  par- 
ticularly when  the  male  and  female  unite  to 
protect  thi-ir  young,  and  to  drive  away  the 
more  powerful  birds  of  rapine.  At  that  sea- 
son, they  do  not  wait  the  approach  of  their  in- 
vader ;  it  is  sufficient  that  they  see  him  pre- 
paring for  the  assault  at  a  distance.  It  is  then 
that  they  sally  forth  with  loud  cries,  wound 
him  on  every  side,  and  drive  him  off  with  such 
fury,  that  he  seldom  ventures  to  return  to  the 
charge.  In  these  kinds  of  disputes,  they 
generally  come  off  with  the  victory ;  though  it 


several  long  dark-coloured  feathers,  hanging  down  behind; 
and  which  it  can  erect  at  pleasure.  This  crest  has  induced 
the  Dutch  at  the  Cape  to  give  it  the  name  of  the  Secre- 
tary, from  the  resemblance  they  fancy  it  has  to  the  pen  of 
a  writer,  when  in  the  time  of  leisure  it  is  stuck  behind  the 
ear. 

In  the  craw  of  one  of  this  kind,  M.  le  Vaillant  found 
eleven  tolerable  large  lizards,  three  serpents  as  long  as 
his  arm,  eleven  small  tortoises  of  about  two  inches  in  di- 
ameter, and  a  number  of  locusts  and  other  insects,  some  of 
which  were  so  entire,  that  he  added  .them  to  his  collection. 


THE  BUTCHER  BIRD. 


487 


sometimes  happens  that  they  fall  to  the  ground 
with  the  bird  they  have  so  fiercely  fixed  upon, 
and  the  conibnt  ends  with  the  destruction  of 
the  assailant  as  well  as  the  defender. 

For  this  reason,  the  most  redoubtable  birds 
of  prey  respect  them  ;  while  the  kite,  the  buz- 
zard, and  the  crow,  seem  rather  to  fear  than 
seek  the  engagement.  Nothing  in  nature 
better  displays  the  respect  paid  to  the  claims 
of  courage,  than  to  see  this  little  bird,  appa- 
rently so  contemptible,  fly  in  company  with 
the  lanner,  the  falcon,  and  all  the  tyrants  of 
the  air,  without  fearing  their  power,  or  avoid- 
ing their  resentment. 

As  for  small  birds,  they  are  its  usual  food. 
It  seizes  them  by  the  throat,  and  strangles 
them  in  an  instant.  When  it  has  thus  killed 
the  bird  or  insect,  it  is  asserted  by  the  best 
authority,  that  it  fixes  them  upon  some  neigh- 
bouring thorn,  and,  when  thus  spitted,  pulls 
them  to  pieces  with  its  bill.  It  is  supposed, 
that  as  nature  has  not  given  this  bird  str-ngth 
sufficient  to  lear  their  prey  to  pieces  with  its 
feet,  as  the  hawks  do,  it  is  obliged  to  have  re- 
course to  this  extraordinary  expedient. 

During  summer,  such  of  them  as  constantly 
reside  here,  for  the  smaller  red  butcher-bird 
migrates,  remain  aniong  the  mountainous  parts 
of  the  country  :  but  in  winter  they  descend  into 
the  plains,  and  nearer  human  habitations. 
The  larger  kind  make  their  nests  on  the  high- 
est trees,  while  the  lesser  build  in  bushes  in 
the  fields  and  hedge-rows.  They  both  lay 
about  six  eggs,  of  a  white  colour,  but  encir- 
cled at  the  bigger  end  with  a  ring  of  brownish 
red.  The  nest  on  the  outside  is  composed  of 
white  moss,  interwoven  with  long  grass ; 
within  it  is  well  lined  with  wool,  and  is  usual- 
ly fixed  among  the  forking  branches  of  a  tree. 
The  female  feeds  her  young  with  caterpillars 
and  other  insects  while  very  young ;  but  soon 
after  accustoms  them  to  flesh,  which  the  male 
procures  with  surprising  industry.  Their 

«  The  great  Butcher-bird  of  America  makes  use  of  a 
curious  stratagem  to  decoy  and  seize  its  prey.  A  gentle- 
man accidentally  observing  that  several  grasshoppers  were 
stuck  upon  some  sharp  thorns,  inquired  of  a  person,  who 
lived  close  by,  the  cause  of  this  appearance  ;  and  was  in- 
formed, that  they  were  placed  there  by  this  bird,  which  is 


nature  also  is  very  different  from  other  birds 
of  prey  it  their  parental  care  ;  for,  so  far  from 
driving  out  their  young  from  the  nest  to  shift 
for  themselves,  they  keep  them  with  care ; 
and  even  when  adult  they  do  not  forsake  them, 
but  the  whole  brood  live  in  one  family  together. 
Each  family  lives  npart,  and  is  generally  corn- 
posed  of  the  male,  female,  and  five  or  six 
young  ones;  these  all  maintain  peace  and 
subordination  among  each  other,  and  hunt  in 
concert.  Upon  the  returning  season  of  court- 
ship, this  union  is  at  an  end,  the  family  parts 
for  ever,  each  to  establish  a  little  household  of 
its  own.  It  is  easy  to  distinguish  these  birds 
at  a  distance,  not  only  from  their  going  in 
companies,  but  also  from  their  manner  of  fly- 
ing, which  is  always  up  and  down,  seldom 
direct  or  sideways. 

Of  these  birds  there  are  three  or  four  differ- 
ent kinds ;  but  the  greater  ash-coloured  but- 
cher-bird is  the  least  known  among  us.  The 
red-backed  butcher-bird  migrates  in  autumn, 
and  does  not  return  till  spring.  The  wood- 
chat  resembles  the  former,  except  in  the  colour 
of  the  back,  which  is  brown,  and  not  red  as  in 
the  other.  There  is  still  another,  less  than 
either  of  the  former,  found  in  the  rn;irshes 
near  London.  This  too  is  a  bird  of  prey, 
although  not  much  bigger  than  a  titmouse ; 
an  evident  proof  that  an  animal's  courage  or 
rapacity  does  not  depend  upon  its  size.  Of 
foreign  birds  of  this  kind  there  are  several ; 
but  as  we  know  little  of  their  manner  of  Jiving, 
we  will  not,  instead  of  history,  substitute  mere 
description.  In  fact,  the  colours  of  a  bird, 
which  is  all  we  know  of  them,  would  afford  a 
reader  but  small  entertainment  iu  the  enume- 
ration. Nothing  can  be  more  easy  than  to  fill 
volumes  with  the  different  shades  of  a  bird's 
plumage  ;  but  these  accounts  are  written 
with  more  pleasure  than  they  are  read  ;  and  a 
single  glance  of  a  good  plate  or  a  picture  im- 
prints a  justeridea  than  a  volume  could  convey." 

there  called  the  nine-killer,  from  the  supposition  that  nine 
are  always  stuck  up  in  succession.  On  further  inquiry, 
he  was  led  to  suppose,  that  this  was  an  instinctive  strata- 
gem, adopted  for  the  purpose  of  tempting  the  smaller 
birds  into  a  situation  where  he  could  easily  dart  out  upon 
them  and  seize  them. 


488 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  LXXXVII. 

OF  RAPACIOUS  BIRDS  OF  THE  OWL  KIND,  THAT  PREY  BY  NIGHT. 


HITHERTO  we  have  been  describing  a 
tribe  of  animals  who,  though  plunderers 
among  their  fellows  of  the  air,  yet  wage  war 
boldly  in  the  face  of  day.  We  now  come  to 
a  race  equally  cruel  and  rapacious ;  but  who 
add  to  their  savage  disposition,  the  further 
reproach  of  treachery,  and  carry  on  all  their 
depredations  by  night. 

All  birds  of  the  owl  kind  may  be  consider- 
ed as  nocturnal  robbers,  who,  unfitted  for 
taking  their  prey  while  it  is  light,  surprise  it 
at  those  hours  of  rest,  when  the  tribes  of  na- 
ture are  in  the  least  expectation  of  an  ene- 
my. Thus  there  seems  no  link  in  nature's 
chain  broken:  no  where  a  dead  inactive  re- 
pose ;  but  every  place,  every  season,  every 
hour  of  the  day  and  night,  is  bustlifig  with 
life,  and  furnishing  instances  of  industry,  self- 
defence,  and  invasion. 

All  birds  of  the  owl  kind  have  one  com- 
mon mark,  by  which  they  are  distinguished 
from  others;  their  eyes  are  formed  for  seeing 
better  in  the  dusk  than  in  the  broad  glare 
of  sun- shine.  As  in  the  eyes  of  tigers  and 
and  cats,  that  are  formed  for  a  life  of  noctur- 
nal depredation,  there  is  a  quality  in  the  re- 
tina that  takes  in  the  rays  of  light  so  copious- 
ly as  to  permit  their  seeing  in  places  almost 
quite  dark ;  so  in  these  birds  there  is  the 
same  conformation  of  that  organ,  and  though, 
like  us,  they  cannot  see  in  a  total  exclusion 
of  light,  yet  they  are  sufficiently  quick-sighted, 
at  times  when  we  remain  in  total  obscurity. 
In  the  eyes  of  all  animals,  nature  hath  made 
a  complete  provision,  either  to  shut  out  too 
much  light,  or  to  admit  a  sufficiency,  by  the 
contraction  and  dilatation  of  the  pupil.  In 
these  birds  the  pupil  is  capable  of  opening 
very  wide,  or  shutting  very  close:  by  con- 
tracting the  pupil,  the  brighter  light  of  the 
day,  which  would  act  too  powerfully  upon 
the  sensibility  of  the  retina,  is  excluded;  by 
dilating  the  pupil,  the  animal  takes  in  the 
more  faint  rays  of  the  night,  and  thereby  is 


enabled  to  spy  its  prey,  and  catch  it  with 
greater  facility  in  the  dark.  Beside  this, 
there  is  an  irradiation  on  the  back  of  the  eye, 
and  the  very  iris  itself  has  a  faculty  of  reflect- 
ing the  rays  of  light,  so  as  to  assist  vision  in 
the  gloomy  places  where  these  birds  are 
found  to  frequent. 

But  though  owls  are  dazzled  by  too  bright 
a  day-light,  yet  they  do  not  see  best  in  the 
darkest  nights,  as  some  have  been  apt  to 
imagine.  It  is  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  or 
the  gray  of  the  morning,  that  they  are  best 
fitted  for  seeing,  at  those  seasons  when  there 
is  neither  too  much  light,  nor  too  little.  It 
is  then  that  they  issue  from  their  retreats,  to 
hunt  or  to  surprise  their  prey,  which  is  usu- 
ally attended  with  great  success:  it  is  then 
that  they  find  all  other  birds  asleep,  or  pre- 
paring for  repose,  and  they  have  only  to  seize 
the  most  unguarded. 

The  nights  when  the  moon  shines  are  the 
times  of  their  most  successful  plunder;  for 
when  it  is  wholly  dark,  they  are  less  qualified 
for  seeing  and  pursuing  their  prey :  except, 
therefore,  by  moonlight,  they  contract  the 
hours  of  their  chace;  and  if  they  come  out 
at  the  approach  of  dusk  in  the  evening,  they 
return  before  it  is  totally  dark,  and  then  rise 
by  twilight  the  next  morning  to  pursue  their 
game,  and  to  return  in  like  manner,  before 
the  broad  day-light  begins  to  dazzle  them 
with  its  splendour. 

Yet  the  faculty  of  seeing  in  the  night,  or  of 
being  entirely  dazzled  by  day,  is  not  alike  in 
every  species  of  these  nocturnal  birds:  some 
see  by  night  better  than  others;  and  some 
are  so  little  dazzled  by  day-light,  that  they 
perceive  their  enemies,  and  avoid  them.  The 
common  White  or  Barn  Owl,  for  instance, 
sees  with  such  exquisite  acuteness  in  the 
dark,  that  though  the  barn  has  been  shut  at 
night,  and  the  light  thus  totally  excluded,  yet 
it  perceives  the  smallest  mouse  that  peeps 
from  its  hole:  on  the  contrary,  the  Brown 


THE  OWL  KIND. 


489 


Horned  Owl  is  often  seen  to  prowl  along  ilic 
hedges  by  day,  like  the  sparrow-hawk;  and 
sometimes  with  good  success. 

All  birds  of  the  owl  kind  may  be  divided 
into  two  sorts ;  those  that  have  horns,  and 
those  without.  These  horns  are  nothing 
more  than  two  or  three  feathers  that  stand 
upon  each  side  of  the  head  over  the  ear,  and 
give  thi-  animal  a  kind  of  horned  appearance. 
Of  the  horned  kind  is,  the  Great  Horned  Owl, 
which  at  first  view  appears  as  large  as  an  ea- 
gle. When  he  comes  to  be  observed  more 
closely,  however,  he  will  be  found  much  less. 
His  legs,  body,  wings,  and  tail,  are  shorter; 
his  head  much  larger  and  thicker:  his  horns 
are  C.M.'I posed  of  feathers  that  rise  above  two 
inches  and  a  half  high,  and  which  he  can 
erect  or  depress  at  pleasure:  his  eyes  are 
large  and  transparent,  encircled  with  an 
orange-coloured  iris:  his  ears  are  large  and 
deep,  and  it  would  appear  that  no  animal 
was  possessed  with  a  more  exquisite  sense  of 
hearing:  his  plumage  is  of  a  reddish  brown, 
marked  on  the  back  with  black  and  yellow 
spots,  and  yellow  only  upon  the  belly. 

Next  to  this  is  the  Common  Horned  Owl, 
of  a  much  smaller  size  than  the  former,  and 
with  horns  much  shorter.  As  the  great  owl 
was  five  feet  from  the  tip  of  one  wing  to  the 
other,  this  is  but  three.  The  horns  are  but 
about  an  inch  long,  and  consist  of  six  feathers, 
variegated  with  black  and  yellow. 

There  is  still  a  smaller  kind  of  the  horned 
owl,  which  is  not  much  larger  than  a  black- 
bird ;  and  whose  horns  are  remarkably  short, 
being  composed  but  of  one  feather,  and  that 
riot  above  half  an  inch  high. 

To  these  succeeds  the  tribe  without  horns. 
The  HOWLET,  which  is  the  largest  of  this  kind, 
with  dusky  plumes  and  black  eyes;  the 
SCREECH  OWL,  of  a  smaller  size,  with  blue  eyes, 
and  plumage  of  an  iron  gray;  the  WHITE  OWL, 
about  as  large  as  the  former,  with  yellow  eyes 
arid  whitish  plumage;  the  OREAT  KROWN  OWL, 
less  than  the  former,  with  brown  plumage  and 
a  brown  beak:  and,  lastly,  the  LITTLE  BROWN 
OWL,  with  yellowish  coloured  eyes,  and  an 
orange-coloured  bill.  To  this  catalogue 
might  be  added  others  of  foreign  denomina- 
tions, which  diflHT  but  little  from  our  own, 
it  we  except  the  HAKFANG,  or  GREAT  HUDSON'S 
BAY  OWL  of  Edwards,  which  is  the  largest  of 


all  the  nocturnal  tribe,  and  as  white  as  the 
snows  of  the  country  of  which  he  is  a  native. 

All  this  tribe  of  animals,  however  they  may 
differ  in  their  size  and  plumage,  agree  in  their 
general  characteristics  of  preying  by  night, 
and  having  their  eyes  formed  for  nocturnal 
vision.  Their  bodies  are  strong  and  muscu- 
lar; their  feet  and  claws  made  for  tearing 
their  prey;  and  their  stomachs  for  digesting 
it.  It  must  be  remarked,  however,  that  the 
digestion  of  all  birds  that  live  upon  mice,  li- 
zards, or  such  like  food,  is  not  very  perfect; 
for  though  they  swallow  them  whole,  yet 
they  are  always  seen  some  time  after  to  dis- 
gorge the  skin  and  bones,  rolled  up  in  a  pel- 
let, as  being  indigestible. 

In  proportion  as  each  of  these  animals 
bears  the  day -light  best,  he  sets  forward  ear- 
lier in  the  evening  in  pursuit  of  his  prey. 
The  great  horned  owl  is  the  foremost  in  leav- 
ing his  retreat;  and  ventures  into  the  woods 
and  thickets  very  soon  in  the  evening.  The 
horned,  and  the  brown  owl,  are  later  in  their 
excursions :  but  the  barn-owl  seems  to  see 
best  in  profound  darkness,  and  seldom  leaves 
his  hiding-place  till  midnight. 

As  they  are  incapable  of  supporting  the 
light  of  the  day,  or  at  least  of  then  seeing 
and  readily  avoiding  their  danger,  they  keep 
all  this  time  concealed  in  some  obscure  re- 
treat, suited  to  their  gloomy  appetites,  and 
there  continue  in  solitude  and  silence.  The 
cavern  of  a  rock,  the  darkest  part  of  a  hollow 
tree,  the  battlements  of  a  ruined  and  unfre- 
quented castle,  some  obscure  hole  in  a  fo.rm- 
er's  out-house,  are  the  places  where  they  are 
usually  found :  if  they  be  seen  out  of  these 
retreats  in  the  day-time,  they  may  be  con- 
sidered as  having  lost  their  way;  as  having 
by  some  accident  been  thrown  into  the  midst 
of  their  enemies,  and  surrounded  with  dan- 
ger. 

Having  spent  the  day  in  their  retreat,  at 
the  approach  of  evening  they  sally  forth,  and 
skim  rapidly  up  and  down  along  the  hedges. 
The  barn-owl,  indeed,  who  lives  chiefly  upon 
mice,  is  contented  to  be  more  stationary:  he 
takes  his  residence  upon  some  shock  of  corn, 
or  the  point  of  some  old  house ;  and  there 
watches  in  the  dark,  with  the  utmost  perspi- 
cacity and  perseverance. 

Nor  are  these  birds  by  any  means  silent; 


-190 


A  HISTORY  OF 


they  all  have  an  hideous  note;  which,  while 
pursuing  their  prey,  is  seldom  heard  ;  but  may 
be  considered  rather  as  a  call  to  courtship. 
There  is  something  always  terrifying  in  this 
call,  which  is  often  heard  in  the  silence  of 
midnight,  and  breaks  the  general  pause  with  a 
horrid  variation.  It  is  different  in  all ;  but  in 
each  it  is  alarming  and  disagreeable.  Father 
Kircher,  who  has  set  the  voices  of  birds  to 
music,  has  given  all  the  tones  of  the  owl  note, 
which  make  a  most  tremendous  melody. 
Indeed,  the  prejudices  of  mankind  are  united 
with  their  sensations  to  make  the  cry  of  the 
owl  disagreeable.  The  screech-owl's  voice 
was  always  considered  among  the  people  as  a 
presage  of- some  sad  calamity  that  was  soon  to 
ensue. 

They  seldom,  however,  are  heard  while 
they  are  preying ;  that  important  pursuit  is 
always  attended  with  silence,  as  it  is  by  no 
means  their  intention  to  disturb  or  forewarn 
those  little  animals  they  wish  to  surprise. 
When  their  pursuit  has  been  successful,  they 
soon  return  to  their  solitude,  or  to  their  young, 
if  that  be  the  season.  If,  however,  they  find 
but  little  game,  they  continue  their  quest  still 
longer;  and  it  sometimes  happens  that,  obey- 
ing the  dictates  of  appetite  rather  than  of  pru- 
dence, they  pursue  so  long  that  broad  day 
breaks  in  upon  them,  and  leaves  them  dazzled, 
bewildered,  and  at  a  distance  from  home. 

In  this  distress  they  are  obliged  to  take  shel- 
ter in  the  first  tree  or  hedge  that  offers,  there 
to  continue  concealed  all  day,  till  the  returning 
darkness  once  more  supplies  them  with  a  bet- 
ter plan  of  the  country.  But  it  too  often  hap- 
pens that,  with  all  their  precautions  to  conceal 
themselves,  they  are  spied  out  by  the  other 
birds  of  the  place,  and  are  sure  to  receive  no 
mercy.  The  blackbird,  the  thrush,  the  jay, 
the  bunting,  and  the  red-breast,  all  come  in 
file,  and  employ  their  little  arts  of  insult  and 
abuse.  The  smallest,  the  feeblest,  and  the 
most  contemptible  of  this  unfortunate  bird's 
eremies,  are  then  the  foremost  to  injure  and 
torment  him.  They  increase  their  cries  and 
turbulence  round  him,  flap  him  with  their 
wings,  and  are  ready  to  show  their  courage  to 
be  great,  as  they  are  sensible  that  their  danger 
is  but  small.  The  unfortunate  owl,  not  know- 
ing where  to  attack  or  where  to  fly,  patiently 
sits  and  suffers  all  their  insults.  Astonished 
and  dizzy,  he  only  replies  to  their  mockeries 


by  awkward  and  ridiculous  gestures,  by  turn- 
ing his  head  and  rolling  his  eyes  with  an  air  of 
stupidity.  It  is  enough  that  an  owl  appears 
by  day,  to  set  the  whole  grove  into  a  kind  of 
uproar.  Either  the  aversion  all  the  small 
birds  have  to  this  animal,  or  the  consciousness 
of  their  own  security,  makes  them  pursue  him 
without  ceasing,  while  they  encourage  each 
other  by  their  mutual  cries  to  lend  assistance 
in  this  laudable  undertaking. 

It  sometimes  happens,  however,  that  the 
little  birds  pursue  their  insults  with  the  same 
imprudent  zeal  with  which  the  owl  himself 
had  pursued  his  depredations.  They  hunt 
him  the  whole  day  until  evening  returns ; 
which  restoring  him  his  faculties  of  sight  once 
more,  he  makes  the  foremost  of  his  pursuers 
pay  dear  for  their  former  sport.  Nor  is  man 
always  an  unconcerned  spectator  here.  The 
bird-catchers  have  got  an  art  of  counterfeiting 
the  cry  of  the  owl  exactly  ;  and  having  before 
lined  the  branches  of  a  hedge,  they  sit  unseen, 
and  give  the  call.  At  this,  all  the  little  birds 
flock  to  the  place  where  they  expect  to  find 
their  well-known  enemy ;  but  is^tead  of  find- 
ing their  stupid  antagonist,  they  are  stuck  fast 
to  the  hedge  themselves.  This  sport  must  be 
put  in  practice  an  hour  before  night-fall,  in 
order  to  be  successful ;  for  if  it  is  put  off  till 
later,  those  birds  which  but  a  few  minutes 
sooner  came  to  provoke  their  enemy,  will  then 
fly  from  hirn  with  as  much  terror  as  they  just 
before  showed  insolence. 

It  is  not  unpleasant  to  see  one  stupid  bird 
made,  in  some  sort,  a  decoy  to  deceive  another. 
The  great  horned  owl  is  sometimes  made  use 
of  for  this  purpose  to  lure  the  kite,  when  fal- 
coners desire  to  catch  him  for  the  purposes  of 
training  the  falcon.  Upon  this  occasion  they 
clap  the  tail  of  a  fox  to  the  great  owl,  to  render 
his  figure  extraordinary;  in  which  trim  he  sails 
slowly  along,  flying  low,  which  is  his  usual 
manner.  The  kite,  either  curious  to  observe 
this  odd  kind  of  animal,  or  perhaps  inquisitive 
to  see  whether  it  may  not  be  proper  for  food, 
flies  after,  and  comes  nearer  and  nearer.  In 
this  manner  he  continues  to  hover,  and  some- 
times to  descend,  till  the  falconer  setting  a 
strong-winged  hawk  against  him,  seizes  him 
for  the  purpose  of  training  his  young  ones  at 
home. 

The  usual  place  where  the  great  horned  owl 
breeds  is  in  the  cavern  of  a  rock,  the  hollow  of 


THE  OWL  KIND. 


491 


a  tree,  or  the  turret  of  some  ruined  castle.  Its 
nest  is  near  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  com- 
posed of  sticks,  bound  together  by  the  fibrous 
roots  of  trees,  and  lined  with  leaves  on  the  in- 
side. It  lays  about  three  eggs,  which  are 
larger  than  those  of  a  hen,  and  of  a  colour 
somewhat  resembling  the  bird  itself.  The 
young  ones  are  very  voracious,  and  the  parents 
not  less  expert  at  satisfying  the  call  of  hunger. 
The  lesser  owl  of  this  kind  never  makes  a  nest 
for  itself,  but  always  takes  up  with  the  old  nest 
of  some  other  bird,  which  it  has  often  been 
forced  to  abandon.  It  lays  four  or  five  eggs  ; 
and  the  young  are  all  white  at  first,  but  change 
colour  in  about  a  fortnight.  The  other  owls 
in  general  build  near  the  place  where  they 
chiefly  prey ;  that  which  feeds  upon  birds,  in 
some  neighbouring  grove ;  that  which  preys 
chiefly  upon  mice,  near  some  farmer's  yard, 
where  the  proprietor  of  the  place  takes  care  to 
give  it  perfect  security.  In  fact,  whatever 
mischief  one  species  of  owl  may  do  in  the 
woods,  the  barn  owl  makes  a  sufficient  recom- 
pense for,  by  being  equally  active  in  destroy- 
ing mice  nearer  home  ;  so  that  a  single  owl  is 
said  to  be  more  serviceable  than  half  a  dozen 
cats,  in  ridding  the  barn  of  its  domestic  vermin. 

»  Mr.  Constedt,  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Philosophi- 
cal Society  of  Stockholm,  gives  a  pleasing  instance  of  their 
attachment  to  their  young.  A  young  owl  having  quitted 
the  nest,  in  the  month  of  July,  was  caught  by  his  servants, 
and  shut  up  in  a  large  hen-coop.  The  next  morning  a 
young  partridge  was  found  lying  dead  hefore  the  door  of 
the  coop.  For  fourteen  successive  nights  the  same  cir- 


"  In  the  year  1580,"  says  an  old  writer,  "  at 
Hallontide,  an  army  of  mice  so  over-run  the 
marshes  near  Southminster,  that  they  eat  up 
the  grass  to  the  very  roots.  But  at  length  a 
great  number  of  strange  painted  owls  came 
and  devoured  all  the  mice."  The  like  hap- 
pened again  in  Essex  about  sixty  years  after. 
To  conclude  our  account  of  these  birds, 
they  are  all  very  shy  of  man,  and  extremely 
indocile  and  difficult  to  be  tamed.  The  white 
owl  in  particular,  as  Mr.  Buffon  asserts,  cannot 
be  made  to  live  in  captivity ;  I  suppose  he 
means,  if  it  be  taken  when  old.  "  They 
live,"  says  he,  "  ten  or  twelve  days  in  the 
aviary  where  they  are  shut  up  ;  but  they  re- 
fuse all  kind  of  nourishment,  and  at  last  die  of 
hunger.  By  day  they  remain  without  moving 
upon  the  floor  of  the  aviary  ;  in  the  evening 
they  mount  on  the  highest  perch,  where 
they  continue  to  make  a  noise  like  a  man 
snoring  with  his  mouth  open.  This  seems 
designed  as  a  call  for  their  old  companions 
without ;  and,  in  fact,  I  have  "seen  several 
others  come  to  the  call,  and  perch  upon  the 
roof  of  the  aviary,  where  they  made  the  same 
kind  of  hissing,  and  soon  after  permitted 
themselves  to  be  taken  in  a  net."" 


cumstance  was  repeated ;  plainly  proving  that  it  had  been 
brought  there  by  the  old  owls  as  a  provision  for  the  young 
one.  Till  the  month  of  August,  various  articles  of  food, 
as  young  partridges,  moor-fowl,  pieces  of  lamb,  and  other 
substances,  were  regularly  brought ;  after  which  time  the 
parents  discontinued  their  attendance. 


NO.  41  &  42. 


4C 


492 


A  HISTORY  OF 


OF  BIRDS  OF  THE   POULTRY  KIND. 


CHAPTER  LXXXVIII. 

OF  BIRDS  OF  THE  POULTRY  KIND  IN  GENERAL. 


FROM  the  most  rapacious  and  noxious 
tribe' of  birds,  we  make  a  transition  to  those 
which  of  all  others  are  the  most  harmless,  and 
the  most  serviceable  to  man.  He  may  force 
the  rapacious  tribes  to  assist  his  pleasures  in 
the  field,  or  induce  the  smaller  warblers  to 
delight  him  with  their  singing  ;  but  it  is  from 
the  poultry  kind  that  he  derives  the  most  solid 
advantages,  as  they  not  only  make  a  con- 
siderable addition  to  the  necessaries  of  life, 
but  furnish  out  the  greatest  delicacies  to  every 
entertainment. 

Almost,  if  not  all,  the  domestic  birds  of  the 
poultry  kind  that  we  maintain  in  our  yards, 
are  of  foreign  extraction  ;  but  there  are  others 
to  be  ranked  in  this  class  that  are  as  yet  in  a 
state  of  nature ;  and  perhaps  only  wait  till 
they  become  sufficiently  scarce  to  be  taken 
under  the  care  of  man,  to  multiply  their  pro- 
pagation. It  will  appear  remarkable  enough, 
if  we  consider  how  much  the  tarne  poultry 
which  we  have  imported  from  distant  climates 
has  increased,  and  how  much  those  wild  birds 
of  the  poultry  kind  that  have  never  yet  been 
taken  into  keeping  have  been  diminished  and 
destroyed.  They  are  all  thinned  ;  and  many 
of  the  species,  especially  in  the  more  culti- 
vated and  populous  parts  of  the  kingdom,  are 
utterly  unseen. 

Under  birds  of  the  poultry  kind  I  rank  all 
those  that  have  white  flesh,  and,  comparatively 
to  their  head  and  limbs,  have  bulky  bodies. 
They  are  furnished  with  shorr  strong  bills  for 
picking  up  grain,  which  is  their  chief  and  often 
their  only  sustenance.  Their  wings  are  short 
and  concave ;  for  v\  Inch  reason  they  are  not 
able  to  fly  far.  They  lay  a  great  many  eggs  ; 
and,  as  they  lead  their  young  abroad  the  very 


day  they  are  hatched,  in  quest  of  food,  which 
they  are  shown  by  the  mother,  and  which  they 
pick  up  for  themselves,  they  generally  make 
tneir  nests  on  the  ground.  The  toes  of  all 
these  are  united  by  a  membrane  as  far  as  the 
first  articulation,  and  then  are  divided  as  in 
those  of  the  former  class. 

Under  this  class  we  may  therefore  rank  the 
comnion  cock,  the  peacock,  the  turkey,  the 
pintada  or  Guinea-hen,  the  pheasant,  the  bus- 
tard, the  grouse,  the  partridge,  and  the  quail. 
These  all  bear  a  strong  similitude  to  each 
other,  being  equally  granivorous,  fleshy,  and 
delicate  to  the  palate.  These  are  among  birds 
what  beasts  of  pasture  are  among  quadrupeds, 
peaceable  tenants  of  the  field,  and  shunning 
the  thicker  parts  of  the  forest,  that  abound 
with  numerous  animals,  who  carry  on  unceas- 
ing hostilities  against  them. 

As  nature  has  formed  the  rapacious  class  for 
war,  so  she  seems  equally  to  have  fitted  these 
for  peace,  rest,  and  society.  Their  wings  are 
but  short,  so  that  they  are  ill  formed  for  wan- 
dering from  one  region  to  another;  their  bills 
are  also  short,  and  incapable  of  annoying  their 
opposers ;  their  legs  are  strong,  indeed,  but 
their  toes  are  made  for  scratching  up  their 
food,  and  not  for  holding  or  tearing  it.  These 
are  sufficient  indications  of  their  harmless 
nature ;  while  their  bodies,  which  are  fat  and 
fleshy,  render  them  unwieldy  travellers,  and 
incnpable  of  straying  far  from  each  other. 

Accordingly  we  find  them  chiefly  m  society; 
they  live  together;  and  though  they  may  have 
their  disputes,  like  all  other  animals,  upon 
som"  Kvt-sioris,  yet  when  kept  in  the  same 
district,  or  fed  in  the  same  yard,  they  learn 
the  arts  of  subordination  ;  and,  in  proportion 


THE  POULTRY  KIND. 


493 


as  each  knows  his  strength,  he  seldom  tries 
a  second  time  the  combat  where  he  has  once 
been  worsted. 

In  this  manner,  all  of  this  kind  seem  to 
lead  an  indolent  voluptuous  life  ;  as  they  are 
furnished  internally  with  a  very  strong  sto- 
mach, commonly  called  a  gizzard,  so  their 
voraciousness  scarcely  knows  any  bounds. 
If  kept  in  close  captivity,  and  separated  from 
all  their  former  companions,  they  still  have 
the  pleasure  of  eating  left;  and  they  soon 
grow  fat  and  unwieldy  in  their  prison.  To 
say  this  more  simply,  many  of  the  wilder  spe- 
cies of  birds,  when  cooped  or  caged,  pine 
away,  grow  gloomy,  and  some  refuse  all  sus- 
tenance whatever;  none,  except  those  of  the 
poultry  kind,  grow  fat.  who  seem  to  lose  all 
remembrance  of  their  former  liberty,  satis- 
fied with  indolence  and  plenty. 

The  poultry  kind  may  be  considered  as 
eensual  epicures,  solely  governed  by  their  ap- 
petites. The  indulgence  of  these  seems  to 
influence  their  other  habits,  and  destroys 
among  them  that  connubial  fidelity  for  which 
most  other  kinds  are  remarkable.  The  ea- 
gle and  the  falcon,  how  fierce  soever  to  other 
animals,  ;ire  yet  gentle  and  true  to  each  other; 
their  connexions,  when  once  formed,  con- 
tinue till  death;  and  the  male  and  female,  in 
every  exigence,  and  every  duty,  lend  faithful 
assistance  to  each  other.  They  assist  each 
other  in  the  production  of  their  young,  in  pro- 
viding for  them  when  produced  ;  and  even 
then,  though  they  drive  them  forth  to  fight 
their  own  battles,  yet  the  old  ones  still  retain 
their  former  affection  to  each  other,  and  sel- 
dom part  far  asunder. 

But  it  is  very  different  with  this  luxurious 
class  I  am  now  describing.  Their  courtship 
is  but  short,  and  their  congress  fortuitous. 
The  male  takes  no  heed  of  his  offspring ;  and 
satisfied  with  the  pleasure  of  getting,  leaves 
to  the  female  all  the  care  of  providing  for 
posterity.  Wild  and  irregular  in  his  appetites, 
he  ranges  from  one  to  another;  and  claims 
every  female  which  he  is  strong  enough  to 
keep  from  his  fellows.  Though  timorous 
when  opposed  to  birds  of  prey,  yet  he  is  in- 


credibly bold  among  those  of  his  own  kind  ; 
and  but  to  see  a  male  of  his  own  species  is 
sufficient  to  produce  a  combat.  As  his 
desires  extend  to  all,  every  creature  be- 
comes his  enemy  that  pretends  to  be  his 
rival. 

The  female,  equally  without  fidelity  or  at- 
tachment, yields  to  the  most  powerful.  She 
stands  by,  a  quiet  meretricious  spectator  of 
their  fury,  ready  to  reward  the  conqueror 
with  every  compliance.  She  takes  upon  her- 
self all  the  labour  of  hatching  and  bringing 
up  her  young,  and  chooses  a  place  for  hatch- 
ing as  remote  as  possible  from  the  cock.  In- 
deed, she  gives  herself  very  little  trouble  in 
making  a  nest,  as  her  young  ones  are  to  leave 
it  the  instant  they  part  from  the  shell. 

She  is  equally  unassisted  in  providing  for 
her  young,  that  are  not  fed  with  meat  put  in- 
to their  mouths,  as  in  other  classes  of  the  fea- 
thered kind,  but  peck  their  food,  and,  for- 
saking their  nests,  run  here  and  there,  fol- 
lowing the  parent  wherever  it  is  to  be  found 
She  leads  them  forward  where  they  are  like 
ly  to  have  the  greatest  quantity  of  grain,  and 
takes  care  to  show,  by  pecking,  the  sort  pro- 
per for  them  to  seek  for.  Thougli  at  other 
times  voracious,  she  is  then  abstemious  to  an 
extreme  degree ;  and  intent  only  on  providing 
for,  and  showing  her  young  clutch  their  food, 
she  scarcely  takes  any  nourishment  herself. 
Her  parental  pride  seems  to  overpower  every 
other  appetite;  but  that  decreases  in  pro- 
portion as  her  young  ones  are  more  able  to 
provide  for  themselves,  and  then  all  her  vo- 
racious habits  return. 

Among  the  other  habits  peculiar  to  this 
class  of  birds  is  that  of  dusting  themselves. 
They  lie  flat  in  some  dusty  place,  and  with 
their  wings  and  feet  raise  and  scatter  the 
dust  over  their  whole  body.  What  may  be 
their  reason  for  thus  doing,  it  is  not  easy  to 
explain.  Perhaps  the  heat  of  their  bodies  is 
such,  that  they  require  this  powder  to  be  in- 
terposed between  their  feathers,  to  keep 
them  from  lying  too  close  together,  and  thus 
increasing  that  heat  with  which  they  are  in- 
commoded. 

4C» 


494 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  LXXXIX. 

OF  THE  COCK. 


ALL  birds  taken  under  the  protection  of 
man  lose  a  part  of  their  natural  figure,  and 
are  altered,  not  only  in  their  habits,  but  their 
very  form.  Climate,  food,  and  captivity,  are 
three  very  powerful  agents  in  producing  these 
alterations ;  and  those  birds  that  have 
longest  felt  their  influence  under  human 
direction,  are  the  most  likely  to  have  the 
greatest  variety  in  their  figures,  their  plumage, 
and  their  dispositions. 

Of  all  other  birds,  the  cock  seems  to  be 
the  oldest  companion  of  mankind,  to  have 
been  first  reclaimed  from  the  forest,  and  taken 
to  supply  the  accidental  failure  of  the  lux- 
uries or  necessities  of  life.  As  he  is  thus 
longest  under  the  care  of  man,  so  of  all  others 
perhaps  he  exhibits  the  greatest  number  of 
varieties,  there  being  scarce  two  birds  of 
this  species  that  exactly  resemble  each  other 
in  plumage  and  form.  The  tail,  which  makes 
such  a  beautiful  figure  in  the  generality  of 
these  birds,  is  yet  found  entirely  wanting  in 
others ;  and  not  only  the  tail,  but  the  rump 
also.  The  toes,  which  are  usually  four  in  all 
animals  of  the  poultry  kind,  yet  in  a  species 
of  the  cock  are  found  to  amount  to  five.  The 
feathers,  which  lie  so  sleek  and  in  such  beau- 
tiful order  in  most  of  those  we  are  acquainted 
with,  are  in  a  peculiar  breed  all  inverted,  and 
stand  staring  the  wrong  way.  Nay,  there  is 
a  species  that  comes  from  Japan,  which,  in- 
stead of  feathers,  seems  to  be  covered  over 
with  hair.  These,  and  many  other  varieties, 
are  to  be  found  in  this  animal,  which  seem  to 
be  the  marks  this  early  prisoner  bears  of  his 
long  captivity. 

It  is  not  well  ascertained  when  the  cock 
was  first  made  domestic  in  Europe,  but  it  is 
generally  agreed  that  we  first  had  him  in  our 
western  world  from  the  kingdom  of  Persia. 
Aristophanes  calls  the  cock  the  Persian  bird, 
and  tells  us  he  enjoyed  that  kingdom  before 
some  of  its  earliest  monarchs.  This  animal 
was  in  fact  known  so  early,  even  in  the  most 


savage  parts  of  Europe,  that  we  are  told  the 
j  cock  was  one  of  the  forbidden  foods  among 
:  the  ancient  Britons.  Indeed,  the  domestic  fowl 
seems  to  have  banished  the  wild  one.  Persia 
itself,  that  first  introduced  it  to  our  acquain- 
tance, seems  no  longer  to  know  it  in  its  natu- 
ral form ;  and  if  we  did  not  find  it  wild  in 
some  of  the  woods  of  India,  as  well  as  those 
of  the  Islands  in  the  Indian  ocean,  we  might 
begin  to  doubt,  as  we  do  with  regard  to  the 
sheep,  in  what  form  it  first  existed  in  a  state  of 
nature. 

But  those  doubts  no  longer  exist:  the  cock 
is  found  in  the  island  of  Tinian,  in  many 
others  of  the  Indian  ocean,  and  in  the  woods 
on  the  coast  of  Malabar,  in  his  ancient  state 
of  independence.  In  his  wild  condition,  his 
plumage  is  black  and  yellow,  and  his  comb 
and  wattles  yellow  and  purple.  There  is 
another  peculiarity  also  in  those  of  the  Indian 
woods ;  their  bones,  which  when  boiled  with 
us  are  white,  as  every  body  knows,  in  those 
are  as  black  as  ebony.  Whether  this  tincture 
proceeds  from  their  food,  as  the  bones  are 
tinctured  red  by  feeding  upon  madder,  I  leave 
to  the  discussion  of  others  :  satisfied  with  the 
fact,  let  us  decline  speculation. 

In  their  first  propagation  in  Europe,  there 
were  distinctions  then  that  now  subsist  no 
longer.  The  ancients  esteemed  those  fowls 
whose  plumage  was  reddish  as  invaluable; 
but  as  for  the  white,  it  was  considered  as 
utterly  unfit  for  domestic  purposes.  These 
they  regarded  as  subject  to  become  a  prey 
to  rapacious  birds ;  and  Aristotle  thinks  them 
less  fruitful  than  the  former.  Indeed,  his 
division  of  those  birds  seems  to  be  taken 
from  their  culinary  uses ;  the  one  sort  he  calls 
generous  and  noble,  being  remarkable  for 
fecundity;  the  other  sort,  ignoble  and  useless, 
from  their  sterility.  These  distinctions  differ 
widely  from  our  modern  notions  of  generosity 
in  this  animal ;  that  which  we  call  the  game- 
cock being  by  no  means  so  fruitful  as  the 


THE  POULTRY  KIND. 


493 


ungenerous  dunghill-cock,  which  we  treat 
with  contempt.  The  Athenians  had  their 
cock-matches  as  well  as  we:  but  it  is  pro- 
bable they  did  not  enter  into  our  refinement 
of  choosing  out  the  most  barren  of  the  spe^ 
cies  for  the  purposes  of  combat. 

However  this  be,  no  animal  in  the  world 
has  greater  courage  than  the  cock,  when  op- 
posed to  one  of  his  own  species;  and  in 
every  part  of  the  world  where  refinement  and 
polished  manners  have  not  entirely  taken 
place,  cock-fighting  is  a  principal  diversion. 
In  China,  India,  the  Philippine  islands,  and 
all  over  the  East,  cock-fighting  is  the  sport 
and  amusement  even  of  kings  and  princes. 
With  us  it  is  declining  every  day;  and  it  is 
to  be  hoped  it  will  in  time  become  only  the 
pastime  of  the  lowest  vulgar.  It  is  the  opini- 
on of  many,  that  we  have  a  bolder  and  more 
valiant  breed  than  is  to  be  found  elsewhere ; 
and  some,  indeed,  have  entered  into  a  se- 
rious discussion  upon  the  cause  of  so  flatter- 
ing a  singularity.  But  the  truth  is,  they  have 
cocks  in  China  as  bold,  if  not  bolder,  than 
ours;  and,  what  would  still  be  considered  as 
valuable  among  cockers  here,  they  have  more 
strength  with  less  weight.  Indeed,  I  have 
often  wondered  why  men  who  lay  two  or 
three  hundred  pounds  upon  the  prowess  of  a 
single  cock,  have  not  taken  every  method  to 
improve  the  breed.  Nothing,  it  is  probable, 
could  do  this  more  effectually  than  by  cross- 
ing the  strain,  as  it  is  called,  by  a  foreign  mix- 
ture ;  and  whether  having  recourse  even  to 
the  wild  cock  in  the  forests  of  India  would 
not  be  useful,  I  leave  to  their  consideration. 
However,  it  is  a  mean  and  ungenerous  amuse- 
ment, nor  would  I  wish  much  to  promote  it. 
The  truth  is,  I  could  give  such  instructions 
with  regard  to  cock-fighting,  and  could  so 
arm  one  of  these  animals  against  the  other, 
that  it  would  be  almost  impossible  for  the  ad- 
versary's cock  to  survive  the  first  or  second 
blow;  but,  as  Boerhaave  has  said  upon  a 
former  occasion,  when  he  was  treating  upon 
poisons,  "  to  teach  the  arts  of  cruelty  is  equi- 
valent to  committing  them." 

This  extraordinary  courage  in  the  cock  is 
thought  to  proceed  from  his  being  the  most 
salacious  of  all  other  birds  whatsoever.  A 
single  cock  suffices  for  ten  or  a  dozen  hens ; 
and  it  is  said  of  him,  that  he  is  the  only  ani- 


mal whose  spirits  are  not  abated  by  indul- 
gence. But  then  he  soon  grows  old ;  the  ra- 
dical moisture  is  exhausted;  and  in  three  or 
four  years  he  becomes  utterly  unfit  for  the 
purposes  of  impregnation.  "  Hens  also,"  to 
use  the  words  of  Willoughby,  "  as  they  for 
the  greatest  part  of  the  year  daily  lay  eggs, 
cannot  suffice  for  so  many  births,  but  for  the 
most  part  after  three  years  become  effete 
and  barren :  for  when  they  have  exhausted 
all  their  seed-eggs,  of  which  they  had  but  a 
certain  quantity  from  the  beginning,  they 
must  necessarily  cease  to  lay,  there  being  no 
new  ones  generated  within. 

The  hen  seldom  clutches  a  brood  of  chick- 
ens above  once  a  season,  though  instances 
have  been  known  in  which  they  produced 
two.  The  number  of  eggs  a  domestic  hen 
will  lay  in  the  year  are  above  two  hundred, 
provided  she  be  well  fed,  and  supplied  with 
water  and  liberty.  It  matters  not  much  whe- 
ther she  be  trodden  by  the  cock  or  no ;  she 
will  continue  to  lay,  although  all  the  eggs  of 
this  kind  can  never,  by  hatching,  be  brought 
lo  produce  a  living  animal.  Her  nest  is  made 
without  any  care,  if  left  to  herself;  a  hole 
scratched  into  the  ground,  among  a  few  bush- 
es, is  the  only  preparation  she  makes  for  this 
season  of  patient  expectation.  Nature,  al- 
most exhausted  by  its  own  fecundity,  seems 
to  inform  her  of  the  proper  time  for  hatch- 
ing, which  she  herself  testifies  by  a  clucking 
note,  and  by  discontinuing  to  lay.  The  good 
housewives,  who  often  get  more  by  their  hens 
laying  than  by  their  chickens,  artificially  pro- 
tract this  clucking  season,  and  sometimes  en- 
tirely remove  it.  As  soon  as  their  hen  be- 
gins to  cluck,  they  stint  her  in  her  provisions; 
and  if  that  fails,  they  plunge  her  inlo  cold 
water:  this,  for  the  time,  effectually  puts 
back  her  hatching;  but  then  it  often  kills  the 
poor  bird,  who  takes  cold,  and  dies  under 
the  operation. 

If  left  entirely  to  herself,  the  hen  would 
seldom  lay  above  twenty  eggs  in  the  same 
nest,  without  attempting  to  hatch  them:  but 
in  proportion  as  she  lays,  her  eggs  are  re- 
moved ;  and  she  continues  to  lay,  vainly 
hoping  to  increase  the  number.  In  the  wild 
state  the  hen  seldom  lays  above  fifteen  eggs; 
but  then  her  provision  is  more  difficultly 
obtained,  and  she  is  perhaps  sensible  of 


496 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  difficulty  of  maintaining  too  numerous  a 
family. 

When  the  hen  begins  to  sit,  nothing  can  ex- 
ceed her  perseverance  and  patience  ;  she  con- 
tinues for  some  days  immoveable ;  and  when 
forced  away  by  the  importunities  of  hunger, 
she  quickly  returns.  Sometimes,  also,  her 
eggs  become  too  hot  for  her  to  bear,  especially 
if  she  be  furnished  with  too  warm  a  nest  with- 
in doors,  for  then  she  is  obliged  to  leave  them 
to  cool  a  little :  thus  the  warmth  of  the  nest 
only  retards  incubation,  and  often  puts  the 
brood  a  day  or  two  back  in  the  shell.  While 
the  hen  sits,  she  carefully  turns  her  eggs,  and 
even  removes  them  to  different  situations ;  till 
at  length,  in  about  three  weeks,  the  young 
brood  begin  to  give  signs  of  a  desire  to  burst 
their  confinement.  When  by  the  repeated 
efforts  of  their  bill,  which  serves  like  a  pioneer 
on  this  occasion,  they  have  broke  themselves 
a  passage  through  the  shell,  the  hen  still  con- 
tinues to  sit  till  all  are  excluded.  The  strongest 
and  best  chickens  generally  are  the  first  can- 
didates for  liberty  :  the  weakest  come  behind, 
and  some  even  die  in  the  shell.  When  all 
are  produced,  she  then  leads  them  forth  to  pro- 
vide for  themselves.  Her  affection  and  her 
pride  seem  then  to  alter  her  very  nature, 
and  correct  her  imperfections.  No  longer 
voracious  or  cowardly,  she  abstains  from  all 
food  that  her  young  can  swallow,  and  flies 
boldly  at  every  creature  that  she  thinks  is 
Hkcly  to  do  them  mischief.  Whatever  the  in- 
vading animal  be,  she  boldly  attacks  him;  the 
horse,  the  hog,  or  the  mastiff.  When  march- 
ing at  the  head  of  her  little  troop,  she  acts  the 
commander,  and  has  a  variety  of  notes  to  call 
her  numerous  train  to  their  food,  or  to  warn 
them  of  approaching  danger.  Upon  one  of 
these  occasions,  I  have  seen  the  whole  brood 
run  for  security  into  the  thickest  part  of  a 
hedge,  when  the  hen  herself  ventured  boldly 
forth,  and  faced  a  fox  that  came  for  plunder. 
With  a  good  mastiff,  however,  we  soon  sent 
the  invader  back  to  his  retreat ;  but  not  before 
he  had  wounded  the  hen  in  several  places. 

Ten  or  twelve  chickens  are  the  greatest 
number  that  a  good  hen  can  rear  and  clutch 
at  a  time ;  but  as  this  bears  no  proportion  to 
the  number  of  her  eggs,  schemes  have  been 
imagined  to  clutch  all  the  eggs  of  a  hen,  and 
thus  turn  her  produce  to  the  greatest  advantage. 
By  these  contrivances  it  has  been  obtained 


that  a  hen,  that  ordinarily  produces  but  twelve 
chickens  in  the  year,  is  found  to  produce  as 
many  chickens  as  eggs,  and  consequently  often 
above  two  hundred.     The  contrivance  1  mean 
is  the  artificial  method  of  hatching  chickens  in 
stoves,  as  is  practised  at  Grand  Cairo;  or  in  a 
chymical  elaboratory  properly  graduated,  as 
has  been  effected  by  Mr.  Reaumur.     At  Grand 
Cairo,  they  thus  produce  six  or  seven  thousand 
chickens  at  a  time  ;  where,  as  they  are  brought 
forth  in  their  mild  spring,  which  is  warmer 
than  our  summer,  the  young  ones  thrive  with- 
out clutching.     But  it  is  otherwise   in    our 
colder  and  unequal  climate  ;  the  little  animal 
may,  without  much  difficulty,  be  hatched  from 
the  shell ;    but  they  almost  all  perish  when 
excluded.      To  remedy    this,  Reaumur   has 
made  use  of  a  woollen  hen,  as  he  calls  it ; 
which   was   nothing  more   than  putting   the 
young  ones  in  a  warm  basket,  and  clapping 
over  them  a  thick  woollen  canopy.     I  should 
think  a  much  better  substitute  might  be  found; 
and  this  from  among  the  species  themselves. 
Capons  may  very  easily  be  taught  to  clutch  a 
fresh  brood  of  chickens  throughout  the  year ; 
so  that  when  one  little  colony  is  thus  reared, 
another  may  be  brought  to  succeed  it.  Nothing 
is  more  common  than  to  see  capons  thas  em- 
ployed ;  and  the  manner  of  teaching  them  is 
this :  first  the  capon  is  made  very  tatne,  so  as 
to  feed  from  one's  hand  ;  then,  about  evening, 
they  pluck  the  feathers  off  his  breast,  and  rub 
the  bare  skin  with  nettles ;  they  then  put  the 
chickens  to  him,  which  presently  run  under 
his  breast  and  belly,  and  probably  rubbing  his 
bare  skin  gently  with  their  heads  allay  the 
stinging  pain  which  the  nettles  had  just  pro- 
duced.     This   is   repeated  for  two  or  three 
nights,  till  the  animal  takes  an  affection  to  the 
chickens  that  have  thus  given  him  relief,  and 
continues  to  give  them  the   protection  they 
seek  for :  perhaps  also  the  querulous  voice  of 
the  chickens  may  be  pleasant  to  him  in  misery, 
and  invite  him  to  succour  the  distressed.     He 
from  that  time  brings  up  a  brood  of  chickens 
like   a   hen,   clutching   them,  feeding   them, 
clucking,  and  performing  all  the  functions  of 
the  tenderest  parent.     A  capon  once  accus- 
tomed to  this  service,  will  not  ^ive  over;  but 
when  one  brood  is  grown  up  he  :tiay  have  ano- 
thernearly  hatched  putunderhim,  which  he  will 
treat  with  thesametendernesshe  did  the  former. 
The  cock,  from  his  salaciousness,  is  allow- 


THE  POULTRY  KIND. 


497 


ed  to  be  a  short  lived-aniraal ;  but  how  long 
these  birds  live,  if  left  to  themselves,  is  not 
yet  well  ascertained  by  any  historian.  As 
they  are  kept  only  for  profit,  and  in  a  few 
years  become  unfit  for  generation,  there  are 
few  that,  from  mere  motives  of  curiosity,  will 
make  the  tedious  experiment  of  maintaining  a 
proper  number  till  they  die.  Aldrovandus 


hints  their  age  to  be  ten  years  ;  and  it  is  pro- 
bable that  this  may  be  its  extent.  They  are 
subject  to  some  disorders,  which  it  is  not  our 
business  to  describe ;  and  as  for  poisons,  be- 
sides nux  vomica,  which  is  fatal  to  most  ani- 
mals except  man,  they  are  injured,  as  Linnaeus 
asserts,  by  elder-berries,  of  which  they  are 
not  a  little  fond. 


CHAPTER  XC. 

OF  THE  PEACOCK. 


THE  Peacock,  by  the  common  people  of 
Italy,  is  said  to  have  the  plumage  of  an  angel, 
the  voice  of  the  devil,  and  the  guts  of  a  thief. 
In  fact,  each  of  these  qualities  mark  pretty 
well  the  nature  of  this  extraordinary  bird. 
When  it  appears  with  its  tail  expanded,  there 
is  none  of  the  feathered  creation  can  vie  with 
it  for  beauty ;  yet  the  horrid  scream  of  its 
voice  serves  to  abate  the  pleasure  we  find 
from  viewing  it ;  and  still  more,  its  insatia- 
able  gluttony,  and  spirit  of  depredation,  make 
it  one  of  the  most  noxious  domestics  that  man 
has  taken  under  his  protection. 

Our  first  peacocks  were  brought  from  the 
East  Indies;  and  we  are  assured,  that  they 
are  still  found  in  vast  flocks,  in  a  wild  state, 
in  the  Islands  of  Java  and  Ceylon.  So  beau- 
tiful a  bird,  and  one  esteemed  such  a  delicacy 
at  the  tables  of  the  luxurious,  could  not  be 
permitted  to  continue  long  at  liberty  in  its 
distant  retreats.  So  early  as  the  days  of 
Solomon,  we  find  in  his  navies,  among  the 
articles  imported  from  the  east,  apes  and 
peacocks.  ./Elian  relates,  that  they  were 
brought  into  Greece  from  some  barbarous 
country,  and  were  held  in  such  high  esteem 
among  them,  that  a  male  and  female  were 
valued  at  above  thirty  pounds  of  our  money. 
We  are  told  also,  that  when  Alexander  was 
in  India,  he  found  them  flying  wild,  in  vast 
numbers,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Hyarotis, 
and  wris  so  struck  with  their  beauty,  that  he 
laid  n  severe  fine  and  pu'-.ishment  on  all  who 
shoulvl  kill  or  disturb  them.  Nor  are  we  to 
be  surprised  at  this,  as  the  Greeks  were  so 


much  struck  with  the  beauty  of  this  kird, 
when  first  brought  among  them,  that  every 
person  paid  a  fixed  price  for  seeing  it ;  and 
several  people  came  to  Athens,  from  Laced  x- 
mon  and  Thessaly,  purely  to  satisfy  their 
curiosity. 

It  was  probably  first  introduced  into  the 
West,  merely  on  account  of  its  beauty ;  but 
mankind,  from  contemplating  its  figure,  soon 
came  to  think  of  serving  it  up  for  a  different 
entertainment.  Aufidius  Hurco  stands  charg- 
ed by  Pliny  with  being  the  first  who  fatted 
up  the  peacock  for  the  feast  of  the  luxuri- 
ous. Whatever  there  may  be  of  delicacy  in 
the  flesh  of  a  young  peacock,  it  is  certain  an 
old  one  is  very  indifferent  eating;  neverthe- 
less, there  is  no  mention  made  of  choosing  the 
youngest;  it  is  probable  they  were  killed 
indiscriminately,  the  beauty  of  the  feathers 
in  some  measure  stimulating  the  appetite. 
Hortensius,  the  orator,  was  the  first  who 
served  them  up  at  an  entertainment  at  Rome; 
and  from  that  time  they  were  considered  as 
one  of  the  greatest  ornaments  of  every  feast. 
Whether  the  Roman  method  of  cookery, 
which  was  much  higher  than  ours,  might  not 
have  rendered  them  more  palatable  than  we 
find  them  at  present,  I  cannot  tell;  but  cer- 
tain it  is,  they  talk  of  the  peacock  as  being 
the  first  of  viands. 

Its  fame  for  delicacy,  however,  did  not 
continue  very  long;  for  we  find  in  the  times 
of  Francis  the  First,  that  it  was  a  custom  to 
serve  up  peacocks  to  the  tables  of  the  great, 
with  an  intention  not  to  be  eaten,  but  only 


498 


A  HISTORY  OF 


to  be  seen.  Their  manner  was  to  strip  off 
the  skin ;  and  then  preparing  the  body  with 
the  warmest  spices,  they  covered  it  up  again 
in  its  former  skin;  with  all  its  plumage  in  full 
display,  and  no  way  injured  by  the  prepara- 
tion. The  bird  thus  prepared,  was  often 
preserved  for  many  years  without  corrupt- 
ing ;  and  it  is  asserted  of  the  peacock's  flesh, 
that  it  keeps  longer  unputrefied  than  that  of 
any  other  animal.  To  give  a  higher  zest  to 
these  entertainments,  on  weddings  particu- 
larly, they  filled  the  bird's  beak  and  throat 
with  cotton  and  camphire,  which  they  set  on 
fire,  to  amuse  and  delight  the  company.  I 
do  not  know  that  the  peacock  is  much  used 
at  our  entertainments  at  present,  except  now 
and  then  at  an  alderman's  dinner,  or  a  com- 
mon-council feast,  when  our  citizens  resolve 
to  be  splendid ;  and  even  then  it  is  never 
served  with  its  cotton  and  camphire. 

Like  other  birds  of  the  poultry  kind,  the 
peacock  feeds  upon  corn,  but  its  chief  pre- 
dilection is  for  barley.  But  as  it  is  a  very 
proud  and  fickle  bird,  there  is  scarcely  any 
food  that  it  will  not  at  times  covet  and  pur- 
sue. Insects  and  tender  plants  are  often  ea- 
gerly sought  at  a  time  that  it  has  a  sufficien- 
cy of  its  natural  food  provided  more  nearly. 
In  the  indulgence  of  these  capricious  pur- 
suits, walls  cannot  easily  confine  it ;  it  strips 
the  tops  of  houses  of  their  tiles  or  thatch,  it 
lays  waste  the  labours  of  the  gardener,  roots 
up  his  choicest  seeds,  and  nips  his  favourite 
flowers  in  the  bud.  Thus  its  beauty  but  ill 
recompenses  for  the  mischief  it  occasions; 
and  many  of  the  more  homely  looking  fowls 
are  very  deservedly  preferred  before  it. 

Nor  is  the  peacock  less  a  debauchee  in  its 
affections,  than  a  glutton  in  its  appetites. 
He  is  still  more  salacious  than  even  the  cock; 
and  though  not  possessed  of  the  same  vigour, 


yet  burns  with  more  immoderate  desire.  He 
requires  five  females  at  least  to  attend  him  ; 
and  if  there  be  not  a  sufficient  number,  he 
will  even  run  upon  and  tread  the  sitting  hen. 
For  this  reason,  the  peahen  endeavours,  as 
much  as  she  can,  to  hide  her  nest  from  the 
male,  as  he  would  otherwise  disturb  her  sit- 
ting, and  break  her  eggs. 

The  peahen  seldom  lays  above  five  or  six 
eggs  in  this  climate  before  she  sits.  Aristotle 
describes  her  as  laying  twelve;  and,  it  is 
probable,  in  her  native  climate,  she  may  be 
thus  prolific ;  for  it  is  certain,  that  in  the  fo- 
rests where  they  breed  naturally,  they  are 
numerous  beyond  expression.  This  bird 
lives  about  twenty  years ;  and  not  till  its 
third  year  has  it  that  beautiful  variegated 
plumage  that  adorns  its  tail. 

"  In  the  kingdom  of  Cambaya,"  says  Taver- 
ner,  "  near  the  city  of  Baroch,  whole  flocks 
of  them  are  seen  in  the  fields.  They  are 
very  shy,  however,  and  it  is  impossible  to 
come  near  them.  They  run  off  swifter  than 
the  partridge;  and  hide  themselves  in  the 
thickets,  where  it  is  impossible  to  find  them. 
They  perch  by  night  upon  trees;  and  the 
fowler  often  approaches  them  at  that  season 
with  a  kind  of  banner,  on  which  a  peacock 
is  painted  to  the  life  on  either  side.  A  light- 
ed torch  is  fixed  on  the  top  of  this  decoy ; 
and  the  peacock,  when  disturbed,  flies  to 
what  it  takes  for  another,  and  is  thus  caught 
in  a  noose,  prepared  for  that  purpose." 

There  are  varieties  of  this  bird,  some  of 
which  are  white,  others  crested :  that  which 
is  called  the  Peacock  of  Thibet,  is  the  most 
beautiful  of  the  feathered  creation,  containing 
in  its  plumage  all  the  most  vivid  colours,  red, 
blue,  yellow,  and  green,  disposed  in  an  al- 
most artificial  order,  as  if  merely  to  please 
the  eye  of  the  beholder. 


THE  POULTRY  KIND. 


499 


CHAPTER  XCI. 

THE  TURKEY. 


THE  natal  place  of  the  cock  and  the  pea- 
cock is  pretty  well  ascertained,  but  there  are 
stronger  doubts  concerning  the  turkey  ;  some 
contending,,  that  it  has  been  brought  into  Eu- 
rope from  the  East  Indies  many  centuries  ago; 
while  others  assert,  that  it  is  wholly  unknown 
in  that  part  of  the  world,  that  it  is  a  native  of 
the  New  Continent,  and  that  it  was  not  brought 
into  Europe  till  the  discovery  of  that  part  of 
the  world. 

Those  who  contend  for  the  latter  opinion, 
very  truly  observe,  that  among  all  the  descrip- 
tions we  have  of  eastern  birds,  that  of  the  tur- 
key is  not  to  be  found  :  while,  on  the  contrary, 
it  is  very  well  known  in  the  New  Continent, 
where  it  runs  wild  about  the  woods.  It  is 
said  by  them  to  have  been  first  seen  in  France 
in  the  reign  of  Francis  I.  and  in  England  in 
that  of  Henry  VIII.  which  is  about  the  time 
when  Mexico  was  first  conquered  by  Spain. 
On  the  other  hand  it  is  asserted,  that  tlie  tur- 
key, so  far  from  being  unknown  in  Europe 
before  that  time,  wts  known  even  to  the 
ancients;  and  that  ./Elian  has  given  a  pretty 
just  description  of  it.  They  allege,  that  its 
very  name  implies  its  having  been  brought 
from  some  pa-'t  of  the  east ;  and  that  it  is  found 
a-aong  other  dainties  served  up  to  the  tables 
of  the  great,  before  that  time  anqong ourselves. 
But  what  they  pretend  to  be  the  strongest 
proof  is,  that  though  the  wild  turkey  be  so 
very  common  in  America,  yet  the  natives  can- 
not contrive  to  tame  it ;  and  though  hatched 
in  the  ordinary  manner,  nothing  can  render  it 
domestic.  In  this  diversity  of  opinions,  per- 
haps it  is  best  to  suspend  assent,  till  more 
lights  are  thrown  on  the  subject :  however,  I 
arn  inclined  to  concur  with  the  former  opin- 
ion. 

With  us,  when  young,  it  is  one  of  the  ten- 
derest  of  all  birds ;  yet,  in  its  wild  state,  it  is 
found  in  great  plenty  in  the  forests  of  Canada, 
that  are  covered  with  snow  above  three  parts 
of  the  year.  In  the  natural  woods,  they  are 
found  much  larger  than  in  their  state  of  do- 
No  43  &  44. 


mestic  captivity.  They  are  much  more  beau- 
tiful also,  their  feathers  being  of  a  dark  gray, 
bordered  at  the  edges  with  a  bright  gold  colour. 
These  the  savages  of  the  country  weave  into 
cloaks  to  adorn  their  persons,  and  fashion  into 
fans  and  umbrellas,  but  never  once  think  of 
taking  into  keeping  animals  that  the  woods 
furnish  them  with  in  sufficient  abundance. 
Savage  man  seems  to  find  a  delight  in  precari- 
ous possession.  A  great  part  of  the  pleasure 
of  the  chase  lies  in  the  uncertainty  of  the  pur- 
suit, and  he  is  unwilling  to  abridge  bin. self  in 
any  accidental  success  that  may  attend  his 
fatigues.  The  hunting  the  turkey,  therefore, 
makes  one  of  his  principal  diversions  ;  as  its 
flesh  contributes  chiefly  to  the  support  of  his 
family.  When  he  has  discovered  the  plnre  of 
their  retreat,  which,  in  general,  is  near  fields 
of  nettles,  or  where  there  is  plenty  of  anv  kind 
of  grain,  he  takes  his  dog  with  him,  which  is 
trained  to  the  sport,  (a  faithful  rough  creature, 
supposed  to  be  originally  reclaimed  from  the 
wolf,)  and  he  sends  him  into  the  midst  of  the 
flock.  The  turkeys  no  sooner  perceive  their 
enemy,  than  they  set  off  running  at  full  speed, 
and  with  such  swiftness,  that  they  leave  the 
dog  far  behind  them ;  he  follows,  nevertheless, 
and  sensible  they  must  soon  be  tired,  as  they 
cannot  go  full  speed  for  any  length  of  time,  he 
r.i  last  forces  them  to  take  shelter  in  a  tree, 
where  they  sit  quite  spent  and  fatigued,  till 
the  hunter  comes  up,  and,  with  a  long  pole, 
knocks  them  down,  one  after  the  other. 

This  manner  of  suffering  themselves  to  be 
destroyed,  argues  no  great  instinct  in  the  ani- 
mal ;  and,  indeed,  in  their  captive  state,  they 
do  not  appear  to  be  possessed  of  much. 
They  seem  a  stupid,  vain,  querulous  tribe,  apt 
enough  to  quarrel  among  themselves,  yet  with- 
out any  weapons  to  do  each  other  any  injury. 
Every  body  knows  the  strange  antipathy  the 
turkey-cock  has  to  a  red  colour ;  how  he 
bristles,  and,  with  his  peculiar  gobbling  sound, 
flies  to  attack  it.  But  there  is  another  method 
of  increasing  the  animosity  of  these  birds 

4D 


r>oo 


A  HISTORY  OF 


against  each  other,  which  is  often  practised  by 
boys,  when  they  have  a  mind  for  a  battle. 
This  is  no  more  than  to  smear  over  the  head 
of  one  of  the  turkeys  with  dirt,  and  the  rest 
run  to  attack  it,  with  all  the  speed  of  impotent 
animosity :  nay,  two  of  them,  thus  disguised, 
will  fight  each  other  till  they  are  almost  suf- 
focated with  fatigue  and  anger. 

But  though  so  furious  among  themselves, 
they  are  weak  and  cowardly  against  other 
animals,  though  far  less  powerful  than  they. 
The  cock  oftdn  makes  the  turkey  keep  at  a 
distance  ;  and  they  seldom  venture  to  attack 
him  but  with  united  force,  when  they  rather 
oppress  him  by  their  weight,  than  annoy  him 
by  their  arms.  There  is  no  animal,  how  con- 
temptible soever,  that  will  venture  boldly  to 
face  the  turkey-cock,  that  he  will  not  fly  from. 
On  the  contrary,  with  the  insolence  of  a  bully, 
he  pursues  any  thing  that  seems  to  fear  him, 
particularly  lap-dogs  and  children,  against 
both  which  he  seems  to  have  a  peculiar  aver- 
sion. On  such  occasions,  after  he  has  made 
them  scamper,  he  returns  to  his  female  train, 
displays  his  plumage  around,  struts  about  the 
yard,  and  gobbles  out  a  note  of  self-approba- 
tion." 

The  female  seems  of  a  milder,  gentler  dis- 
position. Rather  querulous  than  bold,  she 
hunts  about  in  quest  of  grain,  and  pursuit  of 
insects,  being  particularly  delighted  with  the 
eggs  of  ants  and  caterpillars.  She  lays  eigh- 
teen or  twenty  eggs,  larger  than  those  of  a 
lien,  whitish,  but  marked  with  spots  resembling 
the  freckles  of  the  face.  Her  young  are  ex- 
tremely tender  at  first,  and  must  be  carefully 
fed  with  curd  chopped  with  dock  leaves ;  but 
as  they  grow  older,  they  become  more  hardy, 
and  follow  the  mother  to  considerable  distan- 
ces, in  pursuit  of  insect  food,  which  they  pre- 
fer to  any  other.  On  these  occasions,  how- 
ever, the  female,  though  so  large,  and,  as  it 


»  In  the  American  Medical  Repository,  an  instance  is 
recorded,  where  the  turkey-cock  seemed  to  show  a  con- 
siderable share  of  courage  and  prowess.  A  gentleman  of 
New-York  received  from  a  distant  part  a  turkey-cock  and 
lien,  and  with  them  a  pair  of  bantams  :  these  lie  put  all 
together  into  the  yard  with  liis  other  poultry.  Some  time 
afterwards,  as  he  was  feeding  them  from  the  barn  door,  a 
large  hawk  suddenly  turned  the  corner  of  the  barn,  and 
made  a  pounce  at  the  bantam  hen  :  she  immediately  gave 


would  seem,  so  powerful  a  bird,  gives  them 
but  very  little  protection  against  the  attacks  of 
any  rapacious  animal  that  comes  in  her  way. 
She  rather  warns  her  young  to  shift  for  them- 
selves, than  prepares  to  defend  them.  "  I  have 
heard,"  says  the  Abbe  la  Pluche,  "a  turkey- 
hen,  when  at  the  head  of  her  brood,  send  forth 
the  most  hideous  screams,  without  know  ing 
as  yet  the  cause:  however,  her  young,  imme- 
diately when  the  warning  was  given,  skulked 
under  the  bushes,  the  grass,  or  whatever  else 
offered  for  shelter  or  protection.  They  even 
stretched  themselves  at  their  lull  length  upon 
the  ground,  and  continued  lying  as  motionless 
as  if  they  were  dead.  In  the  mean  time  the 
mother,  with  her  eyes  directed  upwards,  con- 
tinued her  cries  and  screaming  as  before.  Up- 
on looking  up  to  where  she  seemed  to  gaze, 
I  discovered  a  black  spot  just  under  the  clouds, 
but  was  unable  at  first  to  determine  what  it 
was  ;  however,  it  soon  appeared  to  be  a  bird 
of  prey,  though  at  first  at  too  great  a  distance 
to  be  distinguished.  I  have  seen  one  of  these 
animals  continue  in  this  violent  agitated  state, 
and  her  whole  brood  pinned  down  as  it  were 
to  the  ground,  for  four  hours  together  ;  whilst 
their  formidable  foe  has  taken  his  circuits,  has 
mounted, and  hovered  directly  over  their  heads: 
at  last,  upon  disappearing,  the  parent  began 
to  change  her  note,  and  sent  forth  another  cry, 
which,  in  an  instant,  gave  life  to  the  whole 
trembling  tribe,  and  they  all  flocked  round 
her  with  expressions  of  pleasure,  as  if  consci- 
ous of  their  happy  escape  from  danger." 

When  once  grown  up,  turkeys  are  very  har- 
dy birds,  and  feed  themselves  at  very  little  ex- 
pense to  the  farmer.  Those  of  Norfolk  are 
said  to  be  the  largest  of  this  kingdom,  weigh- 
ing from  twenty  to  thirty  pounds.  There  are 
places,  however,  in  the  East  Indies,  where 
they  are  known  only  in  their  domestic  state,  in 
which  they  growr  to  the  weight  of  sixty  pounds. 

the  alarm,  by  a  noise  which  is  natural  to  her  on  such  oc- 
casions;  when  the  turkey-cock,  who  was  at  the  distance 
of  about  two  yards,  and  without  doubt  understood  the 
hawk's  intentions,  and  the  immediate  danger  of  his  old 
acquaintance,  flew  at  the  tyrant  with  such  violence,  and 
gave  him  so  severe  a  stroke  with  his  spurs,  as  to  knock 
him  from  the  hen  to  a  considerable  distance;  and  the 
timely  aid  of  this  friendly  auxiliary,  completely  saved  the 
bantam  from  being  devoured. 


THE  POULTRY  KIND. 


501 


CHAPTER  XCI1. 

THE  PHEASANT. 


IT   would    surprise   a    sportsman    to    be 

old,  that  the  pheasant,  which   he  finds   wild 

n  the  woods,  in  the    remotest    parts  of  the 

kingdom,  and  in  forests  which  can  scarcely 

be  said  to  have  an  owner,  is  a  foreign   bird, 

and  was  at  first  artificially  propagated  amongst 

us.     They  were  brought  into  Europe  from 

the  banks  of  the   Phasis,  a   river  of  Colchis, 

in  Asia   Minor;  and   from  whence  they  still 

retain  their  name. 

Next  to  the  peacock,  they  are  the  most 
beautiful  of  birds,  as  well  lor  the  vivid  co- 
lour of  their  plumes,  as  for  their  happy  mix- 
tures and  variety.  It  is»  far  beyond  the  pow- 
er of  the  pencil  to  draw  any  thing  so  glossy, 
so  bright,  or  points  so  finely  blended  into 
each  other.  We  are  told  that  when  Croesus, 
king  of  Lydia,  was  seated  on  his  throne, 
adorned  with  royal  magnificence,  and  all  the 
barbarous  pomp  of  eastern  splendour,  he  ask- 
ed Solon  if  he  had  ever  beheld  any  thing  so 
fine?  The  Greek  philosopher,  no  way  moved 
by  the  objects  before  him,  or  taking  a  pride 
in  his  native  simplicity,  replied,  that  after  ha- 
ving seen  the  beautiful  plumage  of  the  phea- 
sant, he  could  be  astonished  at  no  other  finery. 
In  fact,  nothing  can  satisfy  the  eye  with  a 
greater  variety  and  richness  of  ornament  than 
this  beautiful  creature.  The  iris  of  the  eye 
is  yellow ;  and  the  eyes  themselves  are  sur- 
rounded with  a  scarlet  colour,  sprinkled  with 
small  specks  of  black.  On  the  forepart  of 
the  head  there  are  blackish  feathers  mixed 
with  a  shining  purple.  The  top  of  the  head 
and  the  upper  part  of  the  neck  are  tinged 
with  a  darkish  green,  that  shines  like  silk. 
In  .some,  the  top  of  the  head  is  of  a  shining 
blue,  and  the  head  itself,  as  well  as  the  up- 
per part  of  the  neck,  appears  sometimes  blue 
and  sometimes  green,  as  it  is  differently  pla- 
ced to  the  eye  of  the  spectator.  The  fea- 
thers of  the  breast,  the  shoulders,  the  mid- 
dle of  the  back,  and  the  sides  under  the  wings, 
have  a  blackish  ground,  with  edges  tinged 


of  an  exquisite  colour,  which  appears  some- 
times black  and  sometimes  purple,  according 
to  the  different  lights  it  is  placed  in;  under 
the  purple  there  is  a  transverse  streak  of  gold 
colour.  The  tail  from  the  middle  feathers 
to  the  root  is  about  eighteen  inches  long; 
the  legs,  the  feet,  and  the  toes,  are  of  the  co- 
lour of  horn.  There  are  black  spurs  on  the 
legs,  shorter  than  those  of  a  cock ;  there  is 
a  membrane  that  connects  two  of  the  toes  to- 
gether; and  the  male  is  much  more  beauti- 
ful than  the  female. 

This  bird,  though  so  beautiful  to  the  eye, 
is  not  less  delicate  when  served  up  to  the 
table.  Its  flesh  is  considered  as  the  greatest 
dainty;  and  when  the  old  physicians  spoke 
of  the  wholesoineness  of  any  viands,  they 
made  their  comparison  with  the  flesh  of  the 
pheasant.  However,  notwithstanding  all  these 
perfections  to  tempt  the  curiosity  or  the  pa- 
late, the  pheasant  has  multiplied  in  its  wild 
state;  and,  as  if  disdaining  the  protection  of 
man,  has  left  him  to  take  shelter  in  the  thick- 
est woods  and  the  remotest  forests.  All  others 
of  the  domestic  kind,  the  cock,  the  turkey, 
or  the  pintada,  when  once  reclaimed,  have 
still  continued  in  their  domestic  state,  and 
persevered  in  the  habits  and  appetites  of  wil- 
ling slavery.  But  the  pheasant,  though  ta- 
ken from  its  native  warm  retreats,  where  the 
woods  supply  variety  of  food,  and  the  warm 
sun  suits  its  tender  constitution,  has  still  con- 
tinued its  attachment  to  native  freedom ;  and 
now  wild  among  us,  makes  the  most  envied 
ornament  of  our  parks  and  forests,  where  he 
feeds  upon  acorns  and  berries,  and  the  scan- 
ty produce  of  our  chilling  climate. 

This  spirit  of  independence  seems  to  at- 
tend the  pheasant  even  in  captivity.  In  the 
woods,  the  hen  pheasant  lays  from  eighteen 
to  twenty  eggs  in  a  season;  but  in  a  domes- 
tic state  she  seldom  lays  above  ten.  In  the 
same  manner,  when  wild  she  hatches  and 
leads  up  her  brood  with  patience,  vigilance, 

4D* 


502 


A  HISTORY  OF 


and  courage;  but  when  kept  tame, she  never 
sits  well;  so  that  a  hen  is  generally  her  sub- 
stitute upon  such  occasions;  and  as  for  lead- 
ing her  young  to  their  food,  she  is  utterly 
ignorant  of  where  it  is  to  be  found ;  and  the 
young  birds  starve,  if  left  solely  to  her  pro- 
tection. The  pheasant  therefore,  on  every 
account,  seems  better  left  at  large  in  the 
woods,  than  reclaimed  to  pristine  captivity. 
Its  fecundity  when  wild  is  sufficient  to  stock 
the  forest;  its  beautiful  plumage  adorns  it; 
and  its  flesh  retains  a  higher  flavour  from  its 
unlimited  freedom. 

However,  it  has  been  the  aim  of  late  to 
take  these  birds  once  more  from  the  woods, 
and  to  keep  them  in  places  fitted  for  their 
reception.  Like  all  others  of  the  poultry 
kind,  they  have  no  great  sagacity,  and  suf- 
fer themselves  easily  to  be  taken.  At  ni^ht 
they  roost  upon  the  highest  trees  of  the  wood ; 
and  by  day  they  come  down  into  the  lovver 
brakes  arid  bushes,  where  their  food  is  clnef- 
ly  found.  They  generally  make  a  kind  of 
flapping  noise  when  they  are  with  the  females; 
and  this  often  apprises  the  sportsman  of  their 
retreats.  At  other  times  he  tracts  them  in  the 
snow,  and  frequently  takes  them  in  springes. 
But  of  all  birds  they  are  shot  most  easily,  as 
they  always  make  a  whirring  noise  when  they 
rise,  by  which  they  alarm  the  gunner,  and 
being  a  large  mark,  and  flying  very  slow, 
there  is  scarcely  any  missing  them. 

A  li  !  what  avail  his  glossy,  varying  dyes, 
His  purpled  crest,  and  scarlet-circled  eyes, 
The  vivid  green  his  shining  plumes  unfold, 
His  painted  wings,  and  breast  that  flames  with  gold  ? 

POPE. 

When  these  birds  are  taken  young  into 
keeping,  they  become  as  familiar  as  chick- 
ens ;  and  when  they  are  designed  for  breed- 
ing, they  are  put  together  in  a  yard,  five  hens 
to  a  cock;  for  this  bird,  like  all  of  the  poul- 
try kind,  is  very  salacious.  In  her  natural 
state  the  female-  makes  her  nest  of  dry  grass 
and  leaves;  the  same  must  be  laid  for  her  in 
the  pheasantry,  and  she  herself  will  some- 
times properly  dispose  them.  If  she  refuses 
to  hatch  her  eggs,  then  a  common  hen  must 
be  got  to  supply  her  place,  which  task  she 
will  perform  with  perseverance  and  success. 


The  young  ones  are  very  difficult  to  be  rear- 
ed ;  and  they  must  be  supplied  with  ants'  eggs, 
which  is  the  food  the  old  one  leads  them  to 
gather  when  wild  in  the  woods.  To  make 
these  go  the  farther,  they  are  to  be  chopped 
up  with  curds,  or  other  meat;  and  the  yoong 
ones  are  to  be  fed  with  great  exactness,  both 
as  to  the  quantity  and  the  time  of  their  sup- 
ply. This  food  is  sometimes  also  to  be  va- 
ried, and  woodlice,  earwigs,  and  other  insects. 
are  to  make  a  variety.  The  place  where 
they  are  reared  must  be  kept  extremely  clean, 
their  water  must  be  changed  twice  or  thrice 
a  day  ;  they  must  not  be  exposed  till  the  dew 
is  otf'the  ground  in  the  morning;  and  they 
should  always  be  taken  in  before  sun-set. 
When  they  become  adult,  they  very  well  can 
shift  for  themselves,  but  they  are  particularly 
fond  of  oats  and  barley. 

In  order  to  increase  the  breed,  and  make 
it  still  more  valuable,  Longolius  teaches  us 
a  method  that  appears  very  peculiar.  The 
pheasant  is  a  very  bold  bird,  when  first 
brought  into  the  yard  among  other  poultry, 
not  sparing  the  peacock,  nor  even  such  young 
cocks  and  hens  as  it  can  master;  but  after 
a  time  it  will  live  tamely  among  them.  and. 
will  at  last  be  brought  to  couple  with  a  com- 
mon hen.  The  breed  thus  produced  take 
much  stronger  after  the  pheasant  than  the 
hen ;  and  in  a  few  successions,  if  they  be  left 
to  breed  with  a  cock-pheasant,  (for  the  mix- 
ture is  not  barren,)  there  will  be  produced  a 
species  more  tame,  stronger,  and  more  pro- 
lific ;  so  that  he  adds,  that  it  is  strange  why 
most  of  our  pheasantries  are  not  stocked 
with  birds  produced  in  this  manner. 

The  pheasant,  when  full  grown,  seems  to 
feed  indifferently  upon  every  thing  that  of- 
fers. It  is  said  by  a  French  writer,  that  one 
of  the  king's  sportsmen  shooting  at  a  parcel 
of  crows,  that  were  gathered  round  a  dead 
carcass,  to  his  great  surprise  upon  coming 
up,  found  that  he  had  killed  as  many  phea- 
sants as  crows.  It  is  even  asserted  by  some, 
that  such  is  the  carnivorous  disposition  of  this 
bird,  that  when  several  of  them  are  put  to- 
gether in  the  same  yard,  if  one  of  them  hap- 
prv.s  (o  fall  sick,  or  seems  to  be  pining,  that 
all  the  rest  will  fall  upon,  kill,  ai>d  devour  it. 
Such  is  the  language  of  books :  th  >se  who 
have  frequent  opportunities  of  examming  the 


THE  POULTRY  KIND. 


503 


manners  of  the  bird  itself,  know  what  credit 
ought  to  be  given  to  such  an  account. 

Of  the  pheasant,  as  of  all  other  domestic 
fowl,  there  are  many  varieties.  There  are 
white  pheasants,  crested  pheasants,  spotted 
pheasants ;  but  of  all  others,  the  golden  phea- 
sant of  China  is  the  most  beautiful,  it  is  a 
doubt  whether  the  peacock  itself  can  bear 
the  comparison.  However,  the  natives  of 
China  would  not  have  us  consider  it  as  their 


most  beautiful  bird,  though  covered  all  over 
with  eyes,  resembling  in  miniature  those  of 
the  peacock.  By  their  accounts,  it  is  far  ex- 
ceeded by  the  fongwang,  an  imaginary  bird, 
of  which  they  give  a  most  fantastic  descrip- 
tion. It  is  thus  that  the  people  ol  every  coun- 
try, though  possessed  of  the  greatest  advan- 
tages, have  still  others  that  they  would  per- 
suade strangers  they  enjoy,  which  have  exist- 
ence only  in  the  imagination. 


CHAPTER  XCII1. 

THE  PINTADA,  OR  GUINEA-HEN, 


THIS  is  a  very  remarkable  bird,  and  in 
some  measure  unites  the  characteristics  of  the 
pheasant  and  the  turkey.  It  has  the  fine  de- 
licate shape  of  the  one,  and  the  bare  head  of 
the  other.  To  be  more  particular,  it  is  about 
the  size  of  a  common  hen,  hut  as  it  is  support- 
ed on  longer  legs,  it  looks  much  larger.  It 
has  a  round  back,  with  a  tail  turned  down- 
wards like  a  partridge.  The  head  is  cover- 
ed with  a  kind  of  casque;  and  the  whole 
plumage  is  black  or  dark  gray,  speckled  with 
white  spots.  It  has  wattles  under  the  bill, 
which  do  not  proceed  from  the  lower  chap 
as  in  cocks,  but  from  the  upper,  which  gives 
it  a  very  peculiar  air;  while  its  restless  gait 
and  odd  chuckling  sound  distinguish  it  suffi- 
ciently from  all  other  birds  whatever. 

It  is  well  known  all  over  Europe,  and  even 
better  than  with  us,  as  the  nations  that  bor- 
der on  the  Mediterranean  probably  had  it 
before  us  from  those  parts  of  Africa  which 
Jay  nearest.  Accordingly  we  find  it  in  differ- 
ent countries  called  by  different  names,  from 


the  place  whence  they  had  it.  They  are  by 
some  called  the  Barbary-hen ;  by  others,  the 
Tamis  bird;  and  by  others,  the  bird  of  Numidia. 
We  have  given  it  the  name  of  that  part  of  Af- 
rica from  whence  probably  it  was  first  brought. 
In  many  parts  of  their  native  country,  they 
are  seen  in  vast  flocks  together,  feeding  their 
young,  and  leading  them  in  quest  of  food. 
All  their  habits  are  like  those  of  the  poultry 
kind,  and  they  agree  in  every  other  respect, 
except  that  the  male  and  female  are  so  much 
alike,  that  they  can  hardly  be  distinguished 
asunder.  The  only  difference  lies  in  the 
wattles  described  above ;  which  in  the  cock 
are  of  a  bluish  cast;  in  the  hen  they  are 
more  inclining  to  a  red.  Their  eggs,  like 
their  bodies,  are  speckled ;  in  our  climate, 
they  lay  but  five  or  six  in  a  season :  but  they 
are  far  more  prolific  in  their  sultry  regions  at 
home.  They  are  kept  among  us  rather  for 
show  than  use,  as  their  flesh  is  not  much  es- 
teemed, and  as  they  give  a  good  deal  oi  trou- 
ble in  the  rearing 


504 


A  HISTORY  OP 


CHAPTER  XCIV. 

THE  BUSTARD. 


THE  Bustard  is  the  largest  land-bird  that 
is  a  native  of  Britain.  It  was  once  much 
more  numerous  than  it  is  at  present;  but 
the  increased  cultivation  of  the  country,  and 
the  extreme  delicacy  of  its  flesh,  has  greatly 
thinned  the  species ;  so  that  a  time  may  come 
when  it  may  be  doubted  whether  ever  so 
large  a  bird  was  bred  among  us.  It  is  pro- 
bable that  long  before  this  the  bustard  would 
have  been  extirpated,  but  for  its  peculiar 
mariner  of  feeding.  Had  it  continued  to  seek 
shelter  among  our  woods,  in  proportion  as 
they  were  cut  down,  it  must  have  been  de- 
stroyed. If  in  the  forest,  the  fowler  might 
approach  it  without  being  seen;  and  the 
bird,  from  its  size,  would  be  too  great  a  mark 
to  be  easily  missed.  But  it  inhabits  only  the 
open  and  extensive  plain,  where  its  food  lies 
in  abundance,  and  where  every  invader  may 
be  seen  at  a  distance. 

The  bustard  is  much  larger  than  the  tur- 
key, the  male  generally  weighing  from  twen- 
ty-five to  twenty-seven  pounds.  The  neck 
is  a  foot  long,  and  the  legs  a  foot  and  a  half. 
The  wings  are  not  proportionable  to  the  rest 
of  the  body,  being  but  four  feet  from  the  tip 
of  the  one  to  the  other ;  for  which  reason 
the  bird  flies  with  great  difficulty.  The  head 
ant!  neck  of  the  male  are  ash-coloured;  the 
back  is  barred  transversely  with  black,  bright, 
and  rust  colour.  The  greater  quill  feathers 
are  black ;  the  belly  white ;  and  the  tail, 
which  consists  of  twenty  feathers,  is  marked 
with  broad  black  bars. 

It  would  seem  odd,  as  was  hinted  before, 
how  so  large  a  land-bird  as  this  could  find 
shelter  in  so  cultivated  a  country  as  England  ; 
but  the  wonder  will  cease  when  we  find  it 
only  in  the  most  open  countries,  where  there 
is  scarce  any  approaching  without  being  dis- 
covered. They  are  frequently  seen  in  flocks 
of  fifty  or  more,  in  the  extensive  downs  of 
Salisbury  Plain,  in  the  heaths  of  .Sussex  and 
Cambridgeshire,  the  Dorsetshire  uplands,  and 


so  on  as  far  as  East  Lothian  in  Scotland.  In 
those  extensive  plains,  where  there  are  no 
woods  to  screen  the  sportsman,  nor  hedges 
to  creep  along,  the  bustards  enjoy  an  indo- 
lent security.  Their  food  is  composed  of  the 
berries  that  grow  among  the  heath,  and  the 
large  earth-worms  that  appear  in  great  quan- 
tities on  the  downs  before  sun-rising  in  sum- 
mer. It  is  in  vain  that  the  fowler  creeps  for- 
ward to  approach  them,  they  have  always 
centinels  placed  at  proper  eminences,  which 
are  ever  on  the  watch,  arid  warn  the  flock  of 
the  smallest  appearance  of  danger.  All  there- 
fore that  is  left  to  the  sportsman,  is  the  com- 
fortless view  of  their  distant  security.  He 
may  wish ;  but  they  are  in  safety. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  these  birds, 
though  they  are  seldom  shot  by  the  gun,  are 
often  run  down  by  grayhounds.  As  they 
are  voracious  and  greedy,  they  often  sacrifice 
their  safety  to  their  appetite,  and  feed  them- 
selves so  very  fat,  that  they  are  unable  to  fly 
without  great  preparation.  When  the  gray- 
hound,  therefore,  comes  within  a  certain  dis- 
tance, the  bustard  runs  off  flapping  its  wings, 
and  endeavouring  to  gather  air  enough  un- 
der them  to  rise;  in  the  mean  time,  the  ene- 
my approaches  nearer  and  nearer,  till  it  is 
too  late  for  the  bird  even  to  think  of  obtain- 
ing safety  by  flight;  for  just  at  the  rise  there  is 
always  time  lost,  and  of  this  the  bird  is  sensible ; 
it  continues,  therefore,  on  the  foot,  until  it  has 
got  a  sufficient  way  before  the  dog  for  flight, 
or  until  it  is  taken. 

As  there  are  few  places  where  they  can  at 
once  find  proper  food  and  security,  so  they 
generally  continue  near  their  old  haunts,  sel- 
dom wandering  above  twenty  or  thirty  miles 
from  home.  As  their  food  is  replete  with 
moisture,  it  enables  them  to  live  upon  these 
dry  plains,  where  there  are  scarcely  any 
springs  of  water,  a  long  time  v*  ithout  drink- 
ing. Besides  this,  nature  has  given  the  males 
an  admirable  magazine  for  their  security 


THE  POULTRY  KIND 


505 


against  thirst.  This  is  a  pouch,  the  entrance 
of  which  lies  immediately  under  the  tongue, 
and  capable  of  holding  near  seven  quarts  of 
water."  This  is  probably  filled  upon  proper 
occasions,  to  supply  the  hen  when  sitting,  or 
the  young  before  they  can  fly. 

Like  all  other  birds  of  the  poultry  kind, 
they  change  (heir  mates  at  the  season  of  in- 
cubation, which  is  about  the  latter  end  of 
summer.  They  separate  in  pairs,  if  there 
be  a  sufficiency  of  females  for  the  males  :  but 
when  this  happens  to  be  otherwise,  the  males 
fi^ht  until  one  of  them  falls.  In  France,  they 
often  find  some  of  those  victims  to  gallantry 
dead  in  the  fields,  and  no  doubt  are  not  dis- 
pleased at  the  occasion. 

They  make  their  nests  upon  the  ground, 
only  just  scraping  a  hole  in  the  earth,  and 
sometimes  lining  it  with  a  little  long  grass  or 
straw.  There  they  lay  two  eggs  only,  al- 


most of  the  size  of  a  goose  egg,  of  a  pale  olive 
brown,  marked  with  spots  of  a  darker  colour. 
They  hatch  in  about  five  weeks,  and  the 
young  ones  run  about  as  soon  as  they  are  out 
of  the  shell. 

The  bustards  assemble  in  flocks  in  the 
month  of  October,  and  keep  together  till  April. 
In  winter,  as  their  food  becomes  more  scarce, 
they  support  themselves  indiscriminately,  by 
feeding  on  moles,  mice,  and  even  little  birds, 
when  they  can  seize  them.  For  want  of 
other  food,  they  are  contented  to  live  upon 
turnip  leaves,  and  such  like  succulent  vege- 
tables. In  some  parts  of  Switzerland,  they 
are  found  frozen  in  the  fields  in  severe  wea- 
ther; but  when  taken  to  a  warm  place,  they 
again  recover.  They  usually  live  fifteen 
years,  and  are  incapable  of  being  propagated 
in  a  domestic  state,  as  they  probably  want  that 
food  which  best  agrees  with  their  appetite. 


CHAPTER  XCV. 

THE  GROUSE,  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


THE  Cock  of  the  Wood,  the  Black  Cock, 
the  Grouse,  and  the  Ptarmigan — these  are  all 
birds  of  a  similar  nature,  and  chiefly  found  in 
heathy  mountains  and  piny  forests,  at  a  dis- 
tance from  mankind.  They  might  once  in- 
deed have  been  common  enough  all  over  Eng- 
land, when  a  great  part  of  the  country  was 
covered  with  heath ;  but  at  present  their 
numbers  are  thinned ;  the  two  first  of  this 
kind  are  utterly  unknown  in  the  south,  and 
have  taken  refuge  in  the  northern  parts  of 
Scotland,  where  the  extensive  heath^  afford 
them  security,  and  the  forests  shelter. 

The  cock  of  the  wood  is  sometimes  of  the 
size  of  a  turkey,  and  often  weighs  near  four- 
teen pounds;  the  black  cock,  of  which  the 
male  is  all  over  black,  though  the  female  is 
of  the  polour  of  a  partridge,  is  about  the  size 
of  a  hen,  and,  like  the  former,  is  only  found 


a  The  size  of  this  reservoir  seems  something  exag- 
gerated :  for  with  an  addition  of  nearly  fourteen  pounds 
weight  thrown  forwards,  the  centre  of  gravity  must  be  so 


with  us  in  the  highlands  of  Scotland ;  the 
grouse  is  about  half  as  large  again  as  a  par- 
tridge, and  its  colour  much  like  that  of  a 
woodcock,  but  redder;  the  ptarmigan  is  still 
somewhat  less,  and  is  of  a  pale  brown  or  ash- 
colour.  They  are  all  distinguishable  from 
other  birds  of  the  poultry  kind  by  a  naked 
skin  of  a  scarlet  colour,  above  the  eyes,  in 
the  place  and  of  the  figure  of  eye-brows. 

It  seems  to  be  something  extraordinary, 
that  all  the  larger  wild  animals  of  every  spe- 
cies choose  the  darkest  and  the  inmost  re- 
cesses of  the  woods  for  their  residence,  while 
the  smaller  kinds  come  more  into  the  open 
and  cultivated  parts,  where  there  is  more 
food  and  more  danger.  It  is  thus  with  the 
birds  I  am  describing:  while  the  cock  of  the 
wood  is  seldom  seen,  except  on  the  inacces- 
sible parts  of  heathy  mountains,  or  in  the 


much  overbalanced,  as  to  destroy  its  power  of  flight,  and 
impede  its  running.  About  half  this  quantity  seems  a 
probable  sufficiency  for  all  its  wants. 


506 


A  HISTORY  OF 


midst  of  piny  forests,  the  grouse  is  found  in 
great  numbers  in  the  neighbourhood  of  corn- 
fields, where  there  is  heath  to  afford  retreat 
and  shelter.  Their  food  too  somewhat  differs ; 
while  the  smaller  kind  lives  upon  heath  blos- 
soms, cranberries,  and  corn,  the  larger  feeds 
upon  the  cones  of  the  pine-tree;  and  will 
sometimes  entirely  strip  one  tree,  before  it 
offers  to  touch  those  of  another,  though  just 
beside  him.  In  other  respects,  the  manners 
of  these  birds  are  the  same ;  being  both 
equally  simple  in  their  diet,  and  licentious  in 
their  amours. 

The  cock  of  the  wood,  for  it  is  from  him 
we  will  take  our  description,  is,  as  was  said, 
chiefly  fond  of  a  mountainous  and  woody 
situation.  In  winter  he  resides  in  the  darkest 
and  inmost  part  of  the  woods ;  in  summer  he 
ventures  down  from  his  retreats,  to  make 
short  depredations  on  the  farmers'  corn.  The 
delicacy  of  his  flesh  in  some  measure  sets  a 
high  price  upon  his  head ;  and  as  he  is 
greatly  sought  after,  so  he  continues,  when 
he  comes  down  from  the  hills,  always  on  his 
guard.  Upon  these  occasions,  he  is  seldom 
surprised;  and  those  who  would  take  him,  must 
venture  up  to  find  him  in  his  native  retreats,  i 

The  cock  of  the  wood,  when  in  the  forests, 
attaches  himself  principally  to  the  oak  and 
the  pine-tree ;  the  cones  of  the  latter  serving 
for  his  food,  and  the  thick  boughs  for  a  habi- 
tation. He  even  makes  a  choice  of  what 
cones  he  shall  feed  upon ;  for  he  sometimes 
will  strip  one  tree  bare  before  he  will  deign 
to  touch  the  cones  of  another.  He  feeds  also 
upon  ants'  eggs,  which  seem  a  high  delicacy 
to  all  birds  of  the  poultry  kind:  cranberries 
are  likewise  often  found  in  his  crop ;  and  his 
gizzard,  like  that  of  domestic  fowls,  contains 
a  quantity  of  gravel,  for  the  purposes  of  as- 
sisting his  powers  of  digestion. 

At  the  earliest  return  of  spring,  this  bird 
begins  to  feel  the  genial  influence  of  the  sea- 
son. During  the  month  of  March,  the  ap- 
proaches of  courtship  are  continued,  and  do 
not  desist  till  the  trees  have  all  their  leaves, 
and  the  forest  is  in  full  bloom.  During  this 
whole  season,  the  cock  of  the  wood  is  seen 
at  sunrise  and  setting,  extremely  active,  upon 
one  of  the  largest  branches  of  the  pine-tree. 
With  his  tail  raised  and  expanded  like  a  fan, 
and  the  wings  drooping,  he  is  seen  walking 


backward  and  forward,  his  neck  stretched 
out,  his  head  swollen  and  red,  and  making  a 
thousand  ridiculous  postures:  his  cry  upon 
that  occasion  is  a  kind  of  loud  explosion, 
which  is  instantly  followed  by  a  noise  like 
the  whetting  of  a  scythe,  which  ceases  and 
commences  alternately  for  about  an  hour, 
and  is  then  terminated  by  the  same  explosion. 

During  the  time  this  singular  cry  continues, 
the  bird  seems  entirely  deaf  and  insensible  of 
every  danger ;  whatever  noise  may  be  made 
near  him,  or  even  though  fired  at,  he  still  con- 
tinues his  call;  and  this  is  the  time  that  sports- 
men generally  take  to  shoot  him.  Upon  all 
other  occasions,  he  is  the  most  timorous  and 
watchful  bird  in  nature ;  but  now  he  seems 
entirely  absorbed  by  his  instincts;  and  sel- 
dom leaves  the  place  where  he  first  begins  to 
feel  the  accesses  of  desire.  This  extraordi- 
nary cry,  which  is  accompanied  by  a  clapping 
of  the  wings,  is  no  sooner  finished,  than  the 
female,  hearing  it,  replies,  approaches,  and 
places  herself  under  the  tree,  from  whence 
the  cock  descends  to  impregnate  her.  The 
number  of  females  that,  on  this  occasion,  re- 
sort to  his  call,  is  uncertain;  but  one  male 
generally  suffices  for  all. 

The  female  is  much  less  than  her  mate, 
and  entirely  unlike  him  in  plumnge,  so  that 
she  might  be  mistaken  for  a  bird  of  another 
species:  she  seldom  lays  more  than  six  or 
seven  eggs,  which  are  white,  and  marked 
with  yellow,  of  the  size  of  a  common  hen's 
egg;  she  generally  lays  them  in  a  dry  place, 
and  a  mossy  ground,  and  hatches  them  without 
the  company  of  the  cock.  When  sheisobliged, 
during  the  time  of  incubation,  to  leave  her 
eggs  in  quest  of  food,  she  covers  them  up  so 
artfully,  with  moss  or  dry  leaves,  that  it  is  ex- 
tremely difficult  to  discover  them.  On  this 
occasion,  she  is  extremely  tame  and  tranquil, 
however  wild  and  timorous  in  ordinary.  She 
often  keeps  to  her  nest,  though  strangers  at- 
tempt to  drag  tier  away. 

As  soon  as  the  young  ones  are  hatched, 
they  are  seen  running  with  extreme  agility 
after  the  mother,  though  sometimes  they  are 
not  entirely  disengaged  from  the  shell.  The 
hen  leads  them  forward,  for  the  first  time,  into 
the  woods,  shows  them  ants'  eggs,  and  the 
wild  mountain-berries,  which,  while  young, 
are  their  only  food.  As  they  grow  older, 


THE  POULTRY  KIND. 


507 


their  appetites  grow  stronger,  and  they  then 
feed  upon  the  tops  of  hether,  and  the  cones 
of  the  pine-tree.  In  this  manner  they  soon 
come  to  perfection:  they  are  a  hardy  bird, 
their  food  lies  every  where  before  them,  and 
it  would  seem  that  they  should  increase  in 
great  abundance.  But  this  is  not  the  case ; 
their  numbers  are  thinned  by  rapacious  birds 
and  beasts  of  every  kind  ;  and  still  more  by 
their  own  salacious  contests. 

As  soon  as  the  clutching  is  over,  which  the 
female  performs  in  the  manner  of  a  hen,  the 
whole  brood  follows  the  mother  for  about  a 
month  or  two;  at  the  end  of  which  the  young 
males  entirely  forsake  her,  and  keep  in  great 


harmony  together  till  the  beginning  of  spring. 
At  this  season  they  begin,  for  the  first  time, 
to  feel  the  genial  access ;  and  then  adieu  to 
all  their  former  friendships !  They  begin  to 
consider  each  other  as  rivals ;  and  the  rage 
of  concupiscence  quite  extinguishes  the  spirit 
of  society.  They  fight  each  other  like 
game-cocks ;  and  at  that  time  are  so  in- 
attentive to  their  own  safety,  that  it  often 
happens  that  two  or  three  of  them  are  killed 
at  a  shot.  It  is  probable  that  in  these 
contests,  the  bird  which  comes  off  victori- 
ous takes  possession  of  the  female  seraglio, 
as  it  is  certain  they  have  no  faithful  attach- 
ments." 


CHAPTER  LCVI. 

OF  THE  PARTRIDGE,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THE  Partridge  may  be  particularly  con- 
sidered as  belonging  to  the  sportsman.  It  is 
a  bird  which  even  our  laws  have  taken  under 
protection  ;  and,  like  a  peacock  or  a  hen,  may 
be  ranked  as  a  private  property.  The  only 
difference  now  is,  that  we  feed  one  in  our 
farms,  the  other  in  our  yards :  that  these  are 
contented  captives  ;  those,  servants  that  have 
it  in  their  power  to  change  their  master,  by 
changing  their  habitation. 

"  These  birds,"  says  Willoughby,  "  hold  the 
principal  place  in  the  feasts  and  entertainments 
of  princes ;  without  which  their  feasts  are 
esteemed  ignoble,  vulgar,  and  of  no  account. 
The  Frenchmen  do  so  highly  value,  and  are 
so  fond  of,  the  partridge,  that  if  they  be  want- 
ing, they  utterly  slight  and  despise  the  best- 
spread  tables ;  as  if  there  could  be  no  feast 
without  them."  But  however  this  might  be 
in  the  times  of  our  historian,  the  partridge  is 
nosv  too  common  in  France  to  be  considered 
as  a  delicacy  :  and  this,  as  well  as  every  other 
simple  dish,  is  exploded  for  luxuries  of  a  more 
compound  invention. 

In  England,  where  the  partridge  is  much 

»  This  account  is  from  the  Journal  GEconomique,  and 
may  be  relied  on. 
MO.  43  it  44. 


scarcer,  and  a  great  deal  dearer,  it  is  still  a 
favourite  delicacy  at  the  tables  of  the  rich  ; 
and  the  desire  of  keeping  it  to  themselves,  has 
induced  them  to  make  laws  for  its  preserva- 
tion, no  way  harmonizing  with  the  general 
spirit  of  English  legislation.  What  can  be 
more  arbitrary  than  to  talk  of  preserving  the 
game  ;  which,  when  defined,  means  no  more 
than  that  the  poor  shall  abstain  from  what  the 
rich  have  taken  a  fancy  to  keep  for  themselves? 
If  these  birds  could,  like  a  cock  or  a  hen,  be 
made  legal  property,  could  they  be  taught  to 
keep  within  certain  districts,  and  only  feed  on 
those  grounds  that  belong  to  the  man  whose 
entertainments  they  improve,  it  then  might, 
with  some  show  of  justice,  be  admitted,  that 
as  a  man  fed  them,  so  he  might  claim  them. 
But  this  is  not  the  case  ;  nor  is  it  in  any  man's 
power  to  lay  a  restraint  upon  the  liberty  of 
these  birds,  that,  when  let  loose,  put  no  limits 
to  their  excursions.  They  feed  every  where ; 
upon  every  man's  ground  ;  and  no  man  can 
say  these  birds  are  fed  only  by  me.  Those 
birds  which  are  nourished  by  all,  belong  to  all; 
nor  can  any  one  man,  or  any  set  of  men,  lay 
claim  to  them,  when  still  continuing  in  a  state 
of  nature. 

I  never  walked  out  about  the  environs  of 

4E 


508 


A  HISTORY  OF 


Paris,  that  I  did  not  consider  the  immense 
quantity  of  game  that  was  running  almost 
tame  on  every  side  rne,  as  a  bai:ge  of  the 
slavery  of  the  people  ;  and  what  they  wished 
me  to  observe  as  an  object  of  triumph,  I  always 
regarded  with  a  kind  of  secret  compassion  : 
yet  this  people  have  no  game-laws  for  the  re- 
moter parts  of  the  kingdGm  ;  the  game  is  only 
preserved  in  a  few  places  for  the  king,  and  is 
free  in  most  places  else.  In  England,  the 
prohibition  is  general ;  and  the  peasant  has  not 
a  right  to  what  even  slaves,  as  he  is  taught  to 
call  them,  are  found  to  possess. 

Of  partridges  there  are  two  kinds  ;  the  gray 
an'l  the  red.  The  red  partridge  is  the  largest 
of  the  two,  and  often  perches  upon  trees;  the 
gray,  with  \vhich  we  are  best  acquainted  in 
England,  is  most  prolific,  and  always  keeps  on 
the  ground. 

The  partridge  seems  to  be  a  bird  well  known 
all  over  the  world,  as  it  is  found  in  every 
country,  and  in  every  climate ;  as  well  in  the 
frozen  regions  about  the  pole,  as  the  torrid 
tracts  under  the  equator.  It  even  seems  to 
adapt  itself  to  the  nature  of  the  climate  where 
it  resides.  In  Greenland,  the  partridge,  which 
is  brown  in  summer,  as  soon  as  the  icy  winter 
sets  in,  begins  to  take  a  covering  suited  to  the 
season  :  it  is  then  clothed  with  a  warm  down 
beneath ;  and  its  outward  plumage  assumes 
the  colour  of  the  snows  amongst  which  it  seeks 
its  food.  Thus  it  is  doubly  fitted  for  the  place, 
by  the  warmth  and  the  colour  of  its  plumage; 
the  one  to  defend  it  from  the  cold,  the  oth'-r  to 
prevent  its  being  noticed  by  the  enemy.  Those 
of  Barakonda,  on  the  other  hand,  are 
longer-legged,  much  swifter  of  foot,  and 
choose  the  highest  rocks  and  precipices  to  re- 
side in. 

They  all,  however,  agree  in  one  character, 
of  being  immoderately  addicted  to  venery  ; 
and,  as  some  writers  affirm,  often  to  an  un- 
natural degree.  It  is  certain  the  male  will 
pursue  the  hen  even  to  her  nest ;  and  will 
break  her  eggs,  rather  than  not  indulge  his  in- 
clinations. Though  the  young  ones  have 


kept  together  in  flocks  during  the  winter,  when 
they  begin  to  pair  in  spring,  their  society  dis- 
perses, and  combats,  very  terrible  with  respect 
to  each  other,  ensue.  Their  manners,  in  other 
circumstances,  resemble  all  those  of  poultry  in 
general ;  but  their  cunning  and  instincts  seem 
superior  to  those  of  the  larger  kinds.  Perhaps, 
as  they  live  in  the  very  neighbourhood  of  their 
enemies,  they  have  more  frequent  occasion  to 
put  their  little  arts  in  practice ;  and  learn,  by 
habit,  the  means  of  evasion  or  safety.  When- 
ever, therefore,  a  dog,  or  other  formidable  ani- 
mal, approaches  their  nest,  the  female  uses 
every  means  to  draw  him  away.  She  keeps 
just  before  him,  pretends  to  be  incapable  of 
flying,  just  hops  up,  and  then  fallsdown  before 
him,  but  never  goes  off  so  far  as  to  discourage 
her  pursuer.  At  length,  when  she  has  drawn 
him  entirely  away  from  her  secret  treasure, 
she  at  once  takes  wing,  and  fairly  leaves  hiru 
to  g;tze  after  her  in  despair. 

After  the  danger  is  over,  and  the  dog  with- 
drawn, she  then  calls  her  young,  who  assemble 
at  once  at  her  cry,  and  follow  where  she  leads 
them.  There  are  generally  from  ten  to  fifteen 
in  a  covey  ;  and,  if  unmolested,  they  live  from 
fifteen  to  seventeen  years. 

There  are  several  methods  of  taking  them, 
as  is  well  known  :  that  by  which  they  are 
taken  in  a  net  with  a  setting-dog,  is  the  most 
pleasant,  as  well  as  the  most  secure.  The  dog, 
as  every  body  knows,  is  trained  to  this  exercise 
by  a  long  course  of  education  :  by  blows  and 
caresses  he  is  taught  to  lie  down  at  the  word  of 
command  ;  a  partridge  is  shown  him,  and  he 
is  then  ordered  to  lie  down:  he  is  brought  into 
the  field,  and  when  the  sportsman  perceives 
where  the  covey  lies,  he  orders  his  dog  to 
crouch :  at  length  the  dog,  from  habit,  crouches 
wherever  he  approaches  a  covey  ;  and  this  is 
the  signal  which  the  sportsman  receives  for 
unfolding,  and  covering  the  birds  with  his  nel. 
A  covey  thus  caught,  is  sometirrtes  fed  in  a 
place  proper  for  their  reception  ;  but  they  can 
never  be  thoroughly  tamed,  like  the  rest  of  our 
domestic  poultry. 


THE  POULTRY  KIND. 


509 


CHAPTER  XCVII. 

THE  QUAIL. 


THE  last  of  the  poultry  kind  that  I  shall 
mention,  is  the  quail;  a  bird  much  smaller 
than  any  of  the  former,  being  not  above  half 
the  size  of  a  partridge.  The  feathers  of  the 
head  are  black,  edged  with  rusty  brown;  the 
breast  is  of  a  pale  yellowish  red,  spotted 
with  black;  the  feathers  on  the  back  are 
marked  with  lines  of  a  pale  yellow,  and  the 
legs  are  of  a  pale  hue.  Except  in  the  co- 
lours thus  described,  and  the  size,  it  every 
way  resembles  a  partridge  in  shape;  and, 
except  that  it  is  a  bird  of  passage,  all 
others  of  the  poultry  kind,  in  its  habits  and 
nature. 

The  quail  is  by  all  known  to  he  a  bird  of 
passage;  and  yet  if  we  consider  its  heavy 
manner  of  flying,  and  its  dearth  of  plumage, 
with  respect  to  its  corpulence,  we  shall  be 
surprised  how  a  bird  so  apparently  ill  quali- 
fied for  migration,  should  take  such  exten- 
sive journeys.  Nothing,  however,  is  more 
certain:  "When  we  sailed  from  Rhodes  to 
Alexandria."  says  Bellonius,  "about  autumn, 
many  quails,  Hying  from  the  north  to  the 
south,  were  taken  in  our  ship;  and  sailing  at 
spring-time,  the  contrary  way,  from  the  south 
to  the  .north,  I  observed  them  on  their  return, 
when  many  of  them  were  taken  in  the  same 
manner."  This  account  is  confirmed  by  ma- 
ny others;  who  aver,  that  they  choose  a  north 
wind  for  these  adventures;  the  south  wind 
being  very  unfavourable,  as  it  retards  their 
flight,  by  moistening  their  plumage.  They 
then  fly  two  by  two;  continuing,  when  their 
way  lies  over  land,  to  go  faster  by  night  than 
by  day ;  and  to  fly  very  high,  to  avoid  being 
surprised  or  set  upon  by  birds  of  prey.  How- 
ever, it  still  remains  a  doubt  whether  quails 
take  such  long  journeys  as  Bellonius  has  made 
them  perform.  It  is  now  asserted  by  some, 
that  the  quail  only  migrates  from  one  pro- 
vince of  a  country  to  another.  For  instance, 
in  England,  they  fly  from  the  inland  counties. 


to  those  bordering  on  the  sea,  and  continue 
there  all  the  winter.  If  frost  or  snow  drive 
them  out  of  the  stubble-fields  or  marshes, 
they  then  retreat  to  the  sea-side,  shelter  them- 
selves among  the  weeds,  and  live  upon  what 
is  thrown  up  from  the  sea  upon  shore.  Par- 
ticularly in  Essex,  the  time  of  their  appear- 
ance upon  the  coasts  of  that  country  exact- 
ly coincides  with  their  disappearance  from 
the  more  internal  parts  of  the  kingdom;  so 
that  what  has  been  said  of  their  long  flights, 
is  probably  not  so  well  founded  as  is  general- 
ly supposed. 

These  birds  are  much  less  prolific  than  the 
partridge;  seldom  laying  more  than  six  or 
seven  whitish  eggs,  marked  with  ragged  rust- 
coloured  spots.  But  their  ardour  in  court- 
ship yields  scarcely  to  any  other  bird,  as  they 
are  fierce  and  cruel  at  that  season  to  each 
other,  fighting  most  desperately,  and  (a  pu- 
nishment they  richly  deserve)  being  at  that 
time  very  easily  taken.  Quail-fighting  was  a 
favourite  amusement  among  the  Athenians : 
they  abstained  from  the  flesh  of  this  bird, 
deeming  it  unwholesome,  as  supposing  that 
it  fed  upon  the  white  hellebore;  but  they 
reared  great  numbers  of  them,  for  the  plea- 
sure of  seeing  them  fight;  and  staked  sums 
of  money,  as  we  do  with  regard  to  cocks, 
upon  the  success  of  the  combat.  Fashion, 
however,  has  at  present  changed  with  regard 
to  this  bird;  we  take  no  pleasure  in  its  cou- 
rage, but  its  flesh  is  considered  as  a  very 
great  delicacy. 

Quails  are  easily  caught  by  a  call :  the 
fowler,  early  in  the  morning,  having  spread 
his  net,  hides  himself  under  it  among  the 
corn ;  he  then  imitates  the  voice  of  the  fe- 
male with  his  quail-pipe,  which  the  cock  hear- 
ing, approaches  with  the  utmost  assiduity; 
when  he  has  got  under  the  net,  the  fowler 
then  discovers  himself,  and  terrifies  the  quail, 
who  attempting  to  get  away,  entangles  him- 

4E» 


A  HISTORY  OF 


self  the  more  in  the  net,  and  is  taken.     The 
quail  may  thus  very  well  serve  to  illustrate 

[In  this  place  it  may  be  proper  to  mention  a  curious 
bird  of  South  America,  called  the  Trumpeter,  as  it  seems, 
both  in  its  formation  and  manners,  to  approach  nearest  to 
the  poultry  kind.  It  is  about  the  size  of  "a  large  fowl. 
Its  general  plumage  is  black  ;  the  neck  and  breast  glos- 
sy changeable  green  ;  the  bill  yellowish  green,  the  upper 
mandible  a  little -convex;  the  legs  are  greenish.  The 


the  old  adage,  that  every  passion,  carried  to 
an  inordinate  excess,  will  at  last  lead  to  ruin. 

Trumpeter  is  so  called  from  the  singular  noise  it  makes. 
It  is  easily  domesticated,  and  discovers  a  great  degree  of 
attachment  to  those  who  take  notice  of  it  and  feed  it,  and 
follows  them  like  a  dog  ;  but  bites  the  legs  of  those  to 
whom  it  takes  a  dislike,  following  them  to  a  great  dis- 
tance, and  showing  every  mark  of  displeasure.] 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


511 


OF   BIRDS   OF    THE   FIE   KIND. 


CHAPTER  XCV1IL 

OF  BIRDS  OF  THE  PIE  KIND. 


IN  marshalling  our  army  of  the  feathered 
creation,  we  have  placed  in  the  van  a  race  of 
birds  long  bred  to  war,  and  whose  passion  is 
slaughter ;  in  the  centre  we  have  placed  the 
slow  and  heavy  laden,  that  are  usually  brought 
into  the  field  to  be  destroyed  ;  we  now  come 
to  a  kind  of  light  infantry,  that  partake  some- 
thing of  the  spirit  of  the  two  former,  and  yet 
belonging  to  neither.  In  this  class  we  must 
be  content  to  marshal  a  numerous  irregular 
tribe,  variously  armed,  with  different  pursuits, 
appetites,  and  manners  ;  not  formidably  form- 
ed for  war,  and  yet  generally  delighting  in 
mischief,  not  slowly  and  usefully  obedient,  and 
yet  without  any  professed  enmity  to  the  rest 
of  their  fellow  tenants  of  air. 

To  speak  without  metaphor;  under  this 
class  of  birds  we  may  arrange  all  that  noisy, 
restless,  chattering,  teazing  tribe,  that  lies  be- 
tween the  hen  and  the  thrush,  that,  from  the 
size  of  the  raven  down  to  that  of  the  wood- 
pecker, flutter  round  our  habitations,  and, 
rather  with  the  spirit  of  pilferers  than  of  rob- 
bers, make  free  with  the  fruits  of  human  in- 
dustry. 

Of  all  the  other  classes,  this  seems  to  be  that 
which  the  least  contributes  to  furnish  out  the 
pleasures,  or  supply  the  necessities,  of  man. 
The  falcon  hunts  for  him ;  the  poultry  tribe  sup- 
plies him  with  luxurious  food;  and  the  little 
sparrow  race  delight  him  with  the  melody  of 
their  warblings.  Thecranekind  make  a  studied 
variety  in  his  entertainments;  and  the  class  of 
ducks  are  not  only  many  of  them  delicate  in 
their  flesh,  but  extremely  useful  for  their  fea- 
thers. But  in  the  class  of  the  pie  kind,  there 
are  few,  except  the  pigeon,  that  are  any  way 
useful.'  They  serve  rather  to  teaze  man,  than 
to  assist  or  amuse  him.  Like  faithless  ser- 


vants, they  are  fond  ef  his  neighbourhood,  be- 
cause they  mostly  live  by  his  labour ;  but 
their  chief  study  is  what  they  can  plunder  in 
his  absence,  while  their  deaths  make  him  no 
atonement  for  their  depredation. 

But  though,  with  respect  to  man,  this  whole 
class  is  rather  noxious  than  beneficial ;  though 
he  may  consider  them  in  this  light,  as  false, 
noisy,  troublesome  neighbours,  yet,  with  re- 
spect to  each  other,  no  class  of  birds  are  so 
ingenious,  so  active,  or  so  well  fitted  for  society. 
Could  we  suppose  a  kind  of  morality  among 
birds,  we  should  find  that  these  are  by  far  the 
most  industrious,  the  most  faithful,  the  most 
constant,  and  the  most  connubial.  The  ra- 
pacious kinds  drive  out  their  young  before 
they  are  fit  to  struggle  with  adversity :  but  the 
pie  kind  cherish  their  young  to  the  last.  The 
poultry  class  are  faithless  and  promiscuous  in 
their  courtship ;  but  these  live  in  pairs,  and 
their  attachments  are  wholly  confined  to  each 
other.  The  sparrow  kind  frequently  over- 
leap the  bounds  of  nature,  and  make  illicit 
varieties  ;  but  these  never.  They  live  in  har- 
mony with  each  other ;  every  species  is  true  to 
its  kind,  and  transmits  an  unpolluted  race  to 
posterity. 

As  other  kinds  build  in  rocks  or  upon  the 
ground,  the  chief  place  where  these  build  is  in 
trees  or  bushes ;  the  male  takes  his  share  in 
the  labours  of  building  the  nest,  and  often  re- 
lieves his  mate  in  the  duties  of  incubation.  Both 
take  this  office  by  turns;  and  when  the  young 
are  excluded,  both  are  equally  active  in  making 
them  an  ample  provision. 

They  sometimes  live  in  societies ;  and  in 
these  there  are  general  laws  observed,  and  a 
kind  of  republican  form  of  government  estab- 
lished among  them.  They  watch  not  only  for 


512 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  general  safety,  but  for  that  of  every  other 
bird  of  the  grove.  How  often  have  we  seen 
a  fowler,  stealing  in  upon  a  flock  of  ducks  or 
wild  geese,  disturbed  by  the  alarming  note 
of  a  crow  or  a  magpie:  its  single  voice  gave 
the  whole  thoughtless  tribe  warning,  and 
taught  them  in  good  time  to  look  to  their 
safety. 

Nor  are  these  birds  less  remarkable  for 
their  instincts  than  their  capacity  for  instruc- 
tion. There  is  an  apparent  cunning  or  arch- 
ness in  the  look  of  the  whole  tribe;  and  I 
have  seen  crows  and  ravens  taught  to  fetch 
and  carry  with  the  docility  of  a  spaniel.  In- 
deed, it  is  often  an  exercise  that,  without 
teaching,  all  this  tribe  are  but  too  fond  of. 
Every  body  knows  what  a  passion  they  have 
for  shining  substances,  and  such  toys  as  some 
of  us  put  a  value  upon.  A  whole  family  has 
been  alarmed  at  the  loss  of  a  ring;  every  ser- 
vant has  been  accused,  and  every  creature 
in  the  house,  conscious  of  their  own  innocence, 
suspected  each  other,  when,  to  the  utter  sur- 
prise of  all,  it  has  been  found  in  the  nest  of 
a  tame  magpie  or  a  jackdaw,  that  nobody 
had  ever  thought  of. 

However,  as  this  class  is  very  numerous, 
it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  manners  are 
alike  in  all.  Some,  such  as  the  pigeon,  are 


gentle  and  serviceable  to  man ;  others  are 
noxious,  capricious,  and  noisy.  In  a  tew  ge- 
neral characters  they  all  ngree;  namely,  in 
having  hoarse  voices,  slight  active  bodies,  and 
a  facility  of  flight,  that  baffles  even  the  bold- 
est of  the  rapacious  kinds  in  the  pursuit.  I 
will  begin  with  those  birds  which  most  pro- 
perly may  be  said  to  belong  to  this  class,  and 
go  on  till  I  finish  with  the  pigeon,  a  harmless 
bird,  that  resembles  this  tribe  in  little  else 
except  their  size,  and  that  seems  to  be  the 
shade  uniting  the  pie  and  the  sparrow  kind 
into  one  general  picture. 

It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  in  this  sketch 
of  the  great  magazine  of  nature,  we  can  stop 
singly  to  contemplate  every  object.  To  de- 
scribe the  number  that  offers  would  be  tedi- 
ous, and  the  similitude  that  one  bears  to  ano- 
ther would  make  the  history  disgusting.  As 
a  historian  in  relating  the  actions  of  some  no- 
ble people  does  not  stop  to  give  the  charac- 
ter of  every  private  man  in  the  army,  but  only 
of  such  as  have  been  distinguished  by  tfieir 
conduct,  courage,  or  treachery;  so  should 
the  historian  of  nature  only  seize  upon  the 
most  striking  objects  before  him ;  and  having 
given  one  common  account  of  the  most  re- 
markable, refer  the  peculiarities  of  the  rest 
to  their  general  description. 


CHAPTER  XCIX. 

OF  THE  RAVEN,  THE  CROW,  AND  THEIR  AFFINITIES. 


THE  Raven,  the  Carrion-crow,  and  the 
Rook,  are  birds  so  well  known,  that  a  .long 
description  would  but  obscure  our  ideas  of 
them.  The  Raven  is  the  largest  of  the  three, 
and  distinguished  from  the  rest  not  only  by 
his  size,  but  by  his  bill  being  somewhat  more 
hooked  than  that  of  the  rest.  As  for  the  car- 
rion-crow and  the  rook,  they  so  strongly  re- 
semble each  other,  both  in  make  and  size, 
that  they  are  not  easily  distinguished  asunder. 
The  chief  difference  to  be  found  between 
them  lies  in  the  bill  of  the  rook;  which,  by 
being  frequently  thrust  into  the  ground  to 
fetch  out  grubs  and  earth-worms,  is  bare  of 
feathers  as  far  as  the  eyes,  and  appears  of  a 


whitish  colour.  It  differs  also  in  the  purple 
splendour  or  gloss  of  its  feathers,  which  in 
the  carrion-crow  are  of  a  more  dirty  black. 
Nor  is  it  amiss  to  make  these  distinctions, 
as  the  rook  has  but  too  frequently  suffered 
for  its  similitude  to  the  carrion-crow;  and 
thus  a  harmless  bird,  that  feeds  only  upon  in- 
sects and  corn,  has  been  destroyed  for  ano- 
ther that  feeds  upon  carrion,  and  is  often  de- 
structive among  young  poultry. 

The  manners  of  the  raven  and  the  carrion-' 
crow  are  exactly  similar;  they  both  feed  upon 
carrion;  they  (ly  only  in  pairs;  and  will  de- 
stroy other  birds,  if  they  can  take  them  by 
surprise.     But  it  is  very  different  with  the 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


513 


rook,  the  daw,  and  the  Cornish  chough,  which 
may  be  all  ranked  in  this  order.  They  are 
sociable  and  harmless;  they  live  only  upon 
insects  and  grain;  and  wherever  they  arc, 
instead  of  injuring  other  birds,  they  seem  cen- 
tinels  for  the  whole  feathered  creation.  It 
will  be  proper,  therefore,  to  describe  these 
two  sorts  according  to  their  respective  ap- 
petites, as  they  have  nothing  in  common  but 
the  very  strong  similitude  they  bear  to  each 
other  in  their  colour  and  formation. 

The  raven  is  a  bird  found  in  every  region 
of  the  world :  strong  and  hardy,  he  is  unin- 
fluenced by  the  changes  of  the  weather;  and 
when  other  birds  seem  numbed  with  cold, 
or  pining  with  famine,  the  raven  is  active  and 
healthy,  busily  employed  in  prowling  for  prey, 
or  sporting  in  the  coldest  atmosphere.  As 
the  heats  at  the  line  do  not  oppress  him,  so 
he  bears  the  cold  of  the  polar  countries  with 
equal  indifFerence.  He  is  sometimes  indeed 
seen  milk  white ;  and  this  may  probably  be 
the  effect  of  the  rigorous  climates  of  the  north. 
It  is  most  likely  that  this  change  is  wrought 
upon  him  as  upon  most  other  animals  in  that 
part  of  the  world,  where  their  robes,  parti- 
cularly in  winter,  assume  the  colour  of  the 
country  they  inhabit.  As  in  old  age,  when 
the  natural  heat  decays,  the  hair  grows  gray, 
and  at  last  white;  so  among  these  animals 
the  cold  of  the  climate  may  produce  a  simi- 
lar languishment  of  colour,  and  may  shut  up 
those  pores  that  conveyed  the  tincturing  fluids 
to  the  extremest  parts  of  the  body. 

However  this  may  be,  white  ravens  are 
often  shown  among  us,  which  I  have  heard 
some  say,  are  rendered  thus  by  art ;  and  this 
we  could  readily  suppose,  if  they  were  as 
easily  changed  in  their  colour,  as  they  are 
altered  in  their  habits  and  dispositions.  A 
raven  may  be  reclaimed  to  almost  every  pur- 
pose to  which  birds  can  be  converted.  He 
may  be  trained  up  for  fowling  like  a  hawk; 
he  may  be  taught  to  fetch  and  carry  like  a 
spaniel;  he  may  be  taught  to  speak  like  a 
parrot;  but  the  most  extraordinary  of  all  is, 
that  he  can  be  taught  to  sing  like  a  man.  I 

B  At  the  seat  of  theearl  of  Aylesbury  in  Wiltshire,a  tame 
raven,  that  had  been  taught  to  speak,  used  to  ramble 
about  in  the  park  ;  thpre  lie  was  commonly  attended  and 
best-t  with  crows,  rooks,  and  others  of  his  inquisitive  tribe. 
When  a  considerable  number  of  these  were  collected  round 


have  heard  a  raven  sing  the  Black  Joke  with 
great  distinctness,  truth,  and  humour.* 

Indeed,  when  the  raven  is  taken  as  a  do- 
mestic, he  has  many  qualities  that  render  him 
extremely  amusing.  Busy,  inquisitive,  and 
impudent,  he  goes  every  where ;  affronts  and 
drives  off  the  dogs,  plays  his  pranks  on  the 
poultry,  and  is  particularly  assiduous  in  cul- 
tivating the  good-will  of  the  cook-maid,  who 
seems  to  be  the  favourite  of  the  family.  But 
then,  with  the  amusing  qualities  of  a  favourite, 
he  often  also  has  the  vices  and  defects.  He 
is  a  glutton  by  nature,  and  a  thief  by  habit. 
He  does  not  confine  himself  to  petty  depre- 
dations on  the  pantry  or  the  larder;  he  soars 
at  more  magnificent  plunder;  at  spoils  that 
he  can  neither  exhibit  nor  enjoy  ;  but  which, 
like  a  miser,  he  rests  satisfied  with  having  the 
satisfaction  of  sometimes  visiting  and  con- 
templating in  secret.  A  piece  of  money,  a 
tea-spoon,  or  a  ring,  are  always  tempting  baits 
to  his  avarice;  these  he  will  slily  seize  upon, 
and,  if  not  watched,  will  carry  to  his  favourite 
hole. 

In  his  wild  state,  the  raven  is  an  active  and 
greedy  plunderer.  Nothing  comes  amiss  to 
him ;  whether  his  prey  be  living  or  long  dead 
it  is  all  the  same,  he  falls  to  with  a  voracious 
appetite ;  and,  when  he  has  gorged  himself, 
flies  to  acquaint  his  fellows,  that  they  may 
participate  of  the  spoil.  If  the  carcass  be 
already  in  the  possession  of  some  more  power- 
ful animal,  a  wolf,  a  fox,  or  a  dog,  the  raven 
sits  at  a  little  distance,  content  to  continue  a 
humble  spectator  till  they  have  done.  If  in 
his  flights  he  perceives  no  hopes  of  carrion, 
and  his  scent  is  so  exquisite  that  he  can  smell 
it  at  a  vast  distance,  he  then  contents  him- 
self with  more  unsavoury  food,  fruits,  insects, 
and  the  accidental  dessert  of  a  dunghill. 

This  bird  chiefly  builds  its  nesf  in  trees, 
and  lays  five  or  six  eggs  of  a  pale  green  co- 
lour, marked  with  small  brownish  spots. 
They  live  sometimes  in  pairs,  and  sometimes 
they  frequent,  in  great  numbers,  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  populous  cities,  where  they  are 
useful  in  devouring  those  carcasses  that  would 


him,  he  would  lift  up  his  head,  and  with  a  hoarse  mid 
hollow  voice  shout  out  the  word  Holla!  This  would  in- 
stantly put  to  (light  and  disperse  his  suhle  brethren  ; 
while  the  raven  seemed  to  enjoy  the  fright  he  had 
occasioned. 


514 


A  HISTORY  OF 


otherwise  putrefy  and  infect  the  air.  They 
build  in  high  trees  or  old  towers,  in  the  be- 
ginning of  March  with  us  in  England,  and 
sometimes  sooner,  as  the  spring  is  more  or 
less  advanced  for  the  season.  But  it  is  not 
always  near  towns  that  they  fix  their  retreats; 
they  often  build  in  unfrequented  places,  and 
drive  all  other  birds  from  their  vicinity. 
They  will  not  permit  even  their  young  to 
keep  in  the  same  district,  but  drive  them  off" 
when  they  are  sufficiently  able  to  shift  for 
themselves.  Martin,  in  his  description  of  the 
Western  Isles,  avers,  that  there  are  three 
little  islands  among  the  number,  which  are 
occupied  by  a  pair  of  ravens  each,  that  drive 
off  all  other  birds  with  great  cries  and  impe- 
tuosity. 

Notwithstanding  the  injury  these  birds  do 
in  picking  out  the  eyes  of  sheep  and  lambs, 
when  they  find  them  sick  and  helpless,  a 
vulgar  respect  is  paid  them,  as  being  the  birds 
that  fed  the  prophet  Elijah  in  the  wilderness. 
This  prepossession  in  favour  of  the  raven  is 
of  very  ancient  date,  as  the  Romans  them- 
selves, who  thought  the  bird  ominous,  paid  it, 
from  motives  of  fear,  the  most  profound  vene- 
ration. One  of  these  that  had  been  kept  in 
the  temple  of  Castor,  as  Pliny  informs  u-. 
flew  down  into  the  shop  of  a  tailor,  who  took 
much  delight  in  the  visits  of  his  new  acquaint- 
ance. He  taught  the  bird  several  tricks;  but 
particularly  to  pronounce  the  names  of  the 
emperor  Tiberius,  and  the  whole  royal  fami- 
ly. The  tailor  was  beginning  to  grow  rich 
by  those  who  came  to  see  this  wonderful  raven, 
till  an  envious  neighbour,  displeased  at  the 
tailor's  success,  killed  the  bird,  and  deprived 
the  tailor  of  his  future  hopes  of  fortune.  The 
Romans,  however,  took  the  poor  tailor's  part; 
they  punished  the  man  who  offered  the  injury, 
and  gave  the  raven  all  the  honours  of  a 
magnificent  interment. 

Birds  in  general  live  longer  than  quadru- 
peds ;  and  the  raven  is  said  to  be  one  of  the 
most  long-lived  of  the  number.  Hesiod  asserts 
that  a  raven  will  live  nine  times  as  long  as  a 
man ;  but  though  this  is  fabulous,  it  is  certain 
that  some  of  them  have  been  known  to  live 
near  a  hundred  years.  This  animal  seems 
possessed  of  those  qualities  that  generally 
produce  longevity,  a  good  appetite,  and 
great  exercise.  In  clear  weather,  the  ravens 


fly  in  pairs  to  a  great  height,  making  a  deep 
loud  noise,  different  from  that  of  their  usual 
croaking. 

The  carrion-crow  resembles  the  raven  in 
its  appetites,  its  laying,  and  manner  of  bring- 
ing up  its  young.  It  only  differs  in  being  lesa 
bold,  less  docile,  and  less  favoured  by  man- 
kind. 

The  rook  leads  the  way  in  another,  but  a 
more  harmless  train,  that  have  no  carnivorous 
appetites,  but  only  feed  upon  insects  and  corn. 
The  Royston  crow  is  about  the  size  of  the 
two  former.  The  breast,  belly,  back,  and  up- 
per part  of  the  neck,  being  of  a  pale  ash- 
colour;  the  head  and  wings  glossed  over  with 
a  fine  blue.  He  is  a  bird  of  passage,  visiting 
this  kingdom  in  the  beginning  of  winter,  and 
leaving  it  in  the  spring.  He  breed-,  how- 
ever, in  different  parts  of  the  British  domin- 
ions ;  and  his  nest  is  common  enough  in  trees 
in  Ireland.  The  jackdaw  is  black,  like  all 
the  former,  but  ash-coloured  on  the  breast 
and  belly.  He  is  not  above  the  size  of  a 
pigeon.  He  is  docile  and  loquacious.  His 
head  is  large  for  the  size  of  his  body,  which, 
as  has  been  remarked,  argues  him  ingenious 
and  crafty.  He  builds  in  steeples,  old  castles, 
and  high  rocks,  laying  five  or  six  eggs  n>  a 
season.  The  Cornish  chough  is  like  a  jack- 
daw, but  bigger,  and  almost  the  size  of  a  crow. 
The  bill,  feet,  and  legs,  are  long  like  those 
of  a  jackdaw,  but  of  a  red  colour;  and  the 
plumage  is  black  all  over.  It  frequents  rocks, 
old  castles,  and  churches  by  the  sea-side,  like 
the  daw  ;  and  w  th  the  same  noisy  assiduity, 
ft  is  only  seen  along  the  western  coasts  of 
England.  These  are  birds  very  similar  in 
their  manners,  feeding  on  grain  and  insects, 
living  in  society,  and  often  suffering  general 
castigntion  from  the  flock  for  the  good  of  the 
community. 

The  rook,  as  is  well  known,  builds  in 
woods  and  forests  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
man,  and  sometimes  makes  choice  of  groves 
in  the  very  midst  of  cities  for  the  place  of  its 
retreat  and  security.  In  these  it  establishes 
a  kind  of  legal  constitution,  by  which  all 
intruders  are  excluded  from  coming  to  live 
among  them,  and  none  suffered  to  build  but 
acknowledged  natives  of  the  place.  I  have 
often  amused  myself  with  observing  their 
plan  of  policy  from  my  window  in  the  Temple, 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


515 


that  looks  upon  a  grove  where  they  have 
made  a  colony  in  the  midst  of  the  city.  At 
the  commencement  of  spring,  the  rookery, 
which  during  the  continuance  of  winter  seem- 
ed to  have  been  deserted,  or  only  guarded 
by  about  five  or  six,  like  old  soldiers  in  a 
garrison,  now  begins  to  be  once  more  fre- 
quented ;  and  in  a  short  time  all  the  bustle 
and  hurry  of  business  is  fairly  commenced. 
Where  these  numbers  resided  during  the 
winter  is  not  easy  to  guess;  perhaps  in  the 
trees  of  hedge-rows,  to  be  nearer  their  food. 
In  spring,  however,  they  cultivate  their  native 
trees;  and,  in  the  places  where  they  were 
themselves  hatched,  they  prepare  to  propa- 
gate a  future  progeny. 

They  keep  together  in  pairs;  and  when 
the  offices  of  courtship  are  over,  they  prepare 
for  making  their  nests  and  laying.  The  old 
inhabitants  of  the  place  are  all  already  pro- 
vided ;  the  nest  which  served  them  for  years 
before,  with  a  little  trimming  and  dressing, 
will  serve  very  well  again;  the  difficulty  of 
nestling  lies  only  upon  the  young  ones,  who 
have  no  nest,  and  must  therefore  get  up  one 
as  well  as  they  can.  But  not  only  the  mate- 
rials are  wanting,  but  also  the  place  in  which 
to  fix  it.  Every  part  of  a  tree  will  not  do  for 
this  purpose,  as  some  branches  may  not  be 
sufficiently  forked ;  others  may  not  be  suffi- 
ciently strong;  and  still  others  may  be  too 
much  exposed  to  the  rockings  of  the  wind. 
The  male  and  female  upon  this  occasion  are. 
for  some  days,  seen  examining  all  the  trees  of 
the  grove  very  attentively ;  and  when  they 
have  fixed  upon  a  branch  that  seems  fit  for 
their  purpose,  they  continue  to  sit  upon  and 
observe  it  very  sedulously  for  two  or  three 
days  longer.  The  place  being  thus  deter- 
mined upon,  they  begin  to  gather  the  mate- 
rials for  their  nest;  such  as  sticks  and  fibrous 
roots,  which  they  regularly  dispose  in  the 
most  substantial  manner.  But  here  a  new 
and  unexpected  obstacle  arises.  It  often  hap- 
pens that  the  young  couple  have  made  choice 
of  a  place  too  near  the  mansion  of  an  older 
pair,  who  do  not  choose  to  be  incommoded 
by  such  troublesome  neighbours.  A  quarrel 
therefore  instantly  ensues,  in  which  the  old 
ones  are  always  victorious. 

The    young    couple,    thus    expelled,    are 
obliged  again  to  go  through  the  fatigues  of 

KO  43  &  44. 


deliberating,  examining,  and  choosing;  and 
having  taken  care  to  keep  their  due  distance, 
the  nest  begins  again,  and  their  industry  de- 
serves commendation.  But  their  alacrity  is 
often  too  great  in  the  beginning;  they  soon 
grow  weary  of  bringing  the  materials  of  their 
nest  from  distant  places;  and  they  very  ea- 
sily perceive  that  sticks  may  be  provided 
nearer  home,  with  less  honesty,  indeed,  but 
some  degree  of  address.  Away  they  go, 
therefore,  to  pilfer,  as  fast  as  they  can ;  and 
wherever  they  see  a  nest  unguarded,  they 
take  care  to  rob  it  of  the  very  choicest  sticks 
of  which  it  is  composed.  But  these  thefts 
never  go  unpunished ;  and  probably  upon 
complaint  being  made  there  is  a  general 
punishment  inflicted.  I  have  seen  eight  or 
ten  rooks  come  upon  such  occasions,  and, 
setting  upon  the  new  nest  of  the  young  cou- 
ple all  at  once,  tear  it  in  pieces  in  a  mo- 
ment. 

At  length,  therefore,  the  young  pair  find 
the  necessity  of  going  more  regularly  and  ho- 
nestly to  work.  While  one  flies  to  fetch  the 
materials,  the  other  sits  upon  the  tree  to 
guard  it ;  and  thus  in  the  space  of  three  or 
four  days,  with  a  skirmish  now  and  then  be- 
tween, the  pair  have  fitted  up  a  commodious 
nest,  composed  of  sticks  without,  and  of 
fibrous  roots  and  long  grass  within.  From 
the  instant  the  female  begins  to  lay,  all  hos- 
tilities are  at  an  end ;  not  one  of  the  whole 
grove,  that  a  little  before  treated  her  so  rude- 
ly, will  now  venture  to  molest  her;  so  that 
she  brings  forth  her  brood  with  patient  tran- 
quillity. Such  is  the  severity  with  which 
even  native  rooks  are  treated  by  each  other; 
but  if  a  foreign  rook  should  attempt  to  make 
himself  a  denizen  of  their  society,  he  would 
meet  with  no  favour;  the  whole  grove  would 
at  once  be  up  in  arms  against  him,  and  ex- 
pel him  without  mercy. 

In  some  countries  these  birds  are  consider- 
ed as  a  benefit,  in  others  as  a  nuisance  :  their 
chief  food  is  the  worm  of  the  dor-beetle,  and 
corn ;  thus  they  may  be  said  to  do  as  much 
service  by  destroying  that  noxious  insect,  as 
they  do  injury  by  consuming  the  produce  of 
the  husbandman's  industry. 

To  this  tribe  of  the  crow-kind,  some  fo- 
reign sorts  might  be  added :  I  will  take  no- 
tice only  of  one,  which,  from  the  extraordi- 

4F 


516 


A  HISTORY  OF 


nary  size  and  fashion  of  its  bill,  must  not  be 
passed  in  silence.  This  is  the  Calao,  or  horn- 
ed Indian  raven,  which  exceeds  the  common 
raven  in  size,  and  habits  of  depredation. 
But  what  he  differs  in  from  all  other  birds  is 
the  beak,  which  by  its  length  and  curvature 
at  the  end,  appears  designed  for  rapine;  but 
then  it  has  a  kind  of  horn  standing  out  from 
the  top,  which  looks  somewhat  like  a  second 
bill,  and  gives  this  bird,  otherwise  fierce  and 
ugly,  a  very  formidable  appearance.  The 
horn  springs  out  of  the  forehead,  and  grows 
to  the  upper  part  of  the  bill,  being  of  great 
bulk;  so  that  near  the  forehead  it  is  four  in- 
ches broad,  not  unlike  the  horn  of  the  rhi- 
noceros, but  more  crooked  at  the  tip.  Were 
the  body  of  the  bird  answerable  in  size  to 


the  head,  the  calao  would  exceed  in  magni- 
tude even  the  vulture  or  the  eagle.  But  the 
head  and  beak  are  out  of  all  proportion,  the 
body  being  not  much  larger  than  that  of  a 
hen.  Yet  even  here  there  are  varieties; 
for  in  such  of  those  birds  as  come  from  differ- 
ent parts  of  Africa,  the  body  is  proportionable 
to  the  beak ;  in  such  as  come  from  the  Mo- 
lucca Islands,  the  beak  bears  no  proportion 
to  the  body.  Of  what  use  this  extraordinary 
excrescence  is  to  the  bird,  is  not  easy  to  de- 
termine; it  lives,  like  others  of  its  kind,  upon 
carrion,  and  seldom  has  a  living  enemy  to 
cope  w  ith  :  Nature  seems  to  sport  in  the  pro- 
duction of  many  animals,  as  if  she  were  wil- 
ling to  exhibit  instances  as  well  of  variety  as 
economy  in  their  formation. 


CHAPTER  C. 

OF  THE  MAGPIE,  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


THERE  are  such  a  variety  of  birds  that 
may  be  distributed  under  this  head,  that  we 
must  not  expect  very  precise  ideas  of  any. 
To  have  a  straight  strong  bill,  legs  formed 
for  hopping,  a  body  of  about  the  size  of  a 
magpie,  and  party-coloured  plumage,  are  the 
only  marks  by  which  I  must  be  contented  to 
distinguish  this  numerous  fantastic  tribe,  that 
add  to  the  beauty,  though  not  to  the  har- 
mony, of  our  landscapes.  In  fact,  their  chat- 
tering every  where  disturbs  the  melody  of 
the  lesser  warblers ;  and  their  noisy  court- 
ship not  a  little  damps  the  song  of  the  linnet 
and  the  nightingale. 

However,  we  have  very  few  of  this  kind  in 
our  woods  compared  to  those  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  line.  There  they  not  only 
paint  the  scene  with  the  beauty  and  the  va- 
riety of  their  plumage,  but  stun  the  ear  with 
their  vociferation.  In  those  luxurious  forests, 
the  singing  birds  are  scarcely  ever  heard, 
but  a  hundred  varieties  of  the* pie,  the  jay, 
the  roller,  the  chatterer,  and  the  toucan,  are 
continually  in  motion,  and  with  their  illusive 
mockeries  disturb  or  divert  the  spectator,  as 
he  happens  to  be  disposed. 


The  magpie  is  the  chief  of  this  kind  with 
us,  and  is  too  well  known  to  need  a  descrip- 
tion. Indeed,  were  its  other  accomplishments 
equal  to  its  beauty,  few  birds  could  be  put 
in  competition.  Its  black,  its  white,  its  green, 
and  purple,  with  the  rich  and  gilded  combi- 
nation of  the  glosses  on  its  tail,  are  as  fine  as 
any  that  adorn  the  most  beautiful  of  the  fea- 
thered tribe.  But  it  has  too  many  of  the  qua- 
lities of  a  beau,  to  depreciate  these  natural 
perfections:  vain,  restless,  loud,  and  quar- 
relsome, it  is  an  unwelcome  intruder  every 
where ;  and  never  misses  an  opportunity, 
when  it  finds  one,  of  doing  mischief. 

The  magpie  bears  a  great  resemblance  to 
the  butcher-bird  in  its  bill,  which  has  a  sharp 
process  near  the  end  of  the  upper  chap,  as 
well  as  in  the  shortness  of  its  wings,  and  the 
form  of  the  tail ;  each  feather  shortening  from 
the  two  middlemost.  But  it  agrees  still  more 
in  its  food,  living  not  only  upon  worms  and 
insects,  but  also  upon  small  birds  when  they 
can  be  seized.  A  wounded  lark,  or  a  young 
chicken  separated  from  the  hen,  are  sure 
plunder;  and  the  magpie  will  even  some- 
times set  upon  and  strike  a  blackbird. 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


517 


The  same  insolence  prompts  it  to  teaze  the 
largest  ani  nals,  when  its  insults  can  be  offered 
with  security.  They  often  are  seen  perched 
upon  the  back  of  an  ox  or  a  sheep,  pecking  up 
the  insects  to  be  found  there,  chattering,  and 
tormenting  the  poor  animal  at  the  same  time, 
and  stretching  out  their  necks  for  combat,  if 
the  beast  turns  its  head  backward  to  reprehend 
him.  They  seek  out  also  the  nests  of  birds : 
and,  if  the  parent  escapes,  the  eggs  make  up 
for  the  deficiency  :  the  thrush  and  the  blackbird 
are  but  too  frequently  robbed  by  this  assassin, 
and  this  in  some  measure  causes  their  scarcity. 

No  food  seems  to  come  amiss  to  this  bird  ; 
it  shares  with  ravens  in  their  carrion,  with 
rooks  in  their  grain,  and  with  the  cuckoo  in 
birds'  eggs :  but  it  seems  possessed  of  a  pro- 
vidence seldom  usual  with  gluttons;  for  when 
it  is  satisfied  for  the  present,  it  lays  up  the  re- 
mainder of  the  feast  for  another  occasion.  It 
will  even  in  a  tame  state  hide  its  food  when  it 
has  done  eating,  and  after  a  time  return  to  the 
secret  hoard  with  renewed  appetite  and  voci- 
feration. 

In  all  its  habits  it  discovers  a  degree  of  in- 
stinct unusual  to  other  birds.  Its  nest  is  not 
less  remarkable  for  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
composed,  than  for  the  place  tin-  magpie  takes 
to  buill  it  in.  The  nesi  is  usually  placed  con- 
spicuous enough,  either  in  the  middle  of 
some  hawthorn  bush,  or  on  the  top  of  >o ne 
high  tree.  The  place,  however,  is  always 
found  difficult  of  access  ;  for  the  tree  pitched 
upon  usually  grows  in  some  thick  hedge-row 
fenced  by  brambles  at  the  root;  or  sometimes 
one  of  the  higher  bushes  is  fixed  upon  for  the 
purpose.  When  the  place  is  thus  chosen  as 
inaccessible  as  possible  to  men,  the  next  care 
is  to  fence  the  nest  above  so  as  to  defend  it 
from  all  the  various  enemies  of  air.  The  kite, 
the  crow,  and  the  sparrow-hawk,  are  to  be 
guarded  against ;  as  their  nests  have  been 
sometimes  plundered  by  the  magpie,  so  it  is 
reasonably  feared  that  they  will  take  the  first 
opportunity  to  retaliate.  To  prevent  this  the 
magpie's  nest  is  built  with  surprising  labour 
and  ingenuity. 

The  body  of  the  nest  is  composed  of  haw- 
thorn branches,  the  thorns  sticking  outward, 
set  well  united  together  by  their  mutual  in- 
sertions Within  it  is  lined  with  fibrous  roots, 
wool,  and  long  grass,  and  then  nicely  plaster- 
ed all  round  with  mud  and  clay.  The  body 


of  the  nest  being  thus  made  firm  and  commo- 
dious, the  next  work  is  to  make  the  canopy 
which  is  to  defend  it  above.  This  is  compos- 
ed of  the  sharpest  thorns,  wove  together  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  deny  all  entrance  except 
at  the  door,  which  is  just  large  enough  to  per- 
mit egress  and  regress  to  the  owners.  In  this 
fortress  the  male  and  female  hatch  and  bring 
up  their  brood  with  security,  sheltered  from  all 
attacks  but  those  of  the  climbing  school-boy, 
who  often  finds  his  torn  and  bloody  hands  too 
dear  a  price  for  the  eggs  or  the  young  ones. 
The  magpie  lays  six  or  seven  eggs,  of  a  pale 
green  colour,  spotted  with  bro-.\  n. 

This  bird,  in  its  domestic  state,  preserves  its 
natural  character  with  strict  propriety.  The 
same  noisy  mischievous  habits  attend  it  to  the 
cage  that  marked  it  in  the  woods ;  and  being 
more  cunning,  so  it  is  also  a  more  docile  bird 
than  any  other  taken  into  keeping.  Those 
who  are  desirous  of  teaching  it  to  speak,  have 
a  foolish  custom  of  cutting  its  tongue,  which 
only  puts  the  poor  animal  to  pain,  without  im- 
proving its  speech  in  the  smallest  degree.  Its 
speaking  is  sometimes  very  distinct ;  but  its 
sounds  are  too  thin  and  sharp  to  be  an  ;  xact 
imitation  of  the  human  voice,  which  the  hoarse 
raven  and  parrot  can  counterfeit  more  exactly. 

To  this  tribe  we  may  refer  the  jay,  which  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  British  birds. 
The  forehead  is  white,  streaked  with  black  ; 
the  head  is  covered  with  very  long  feathers, 
which  it  can  erect  into  a  crest  at  pleasure ;  the 
whole  neck,  back,  breast,  and  belly,  are  of  a 
faint  purple,  dashed  with  gray  ;  the  wings  are 
most  beautifully  barred  with  a  lovely  blue, 
black,  and  white ;  the  tail  is  black,  and  the 
feet  of  a  pale  brown.  Like  the  magpie,  it 
feeds  upon  fruits,  will  kill  small  birds,  and  is 
extremely  docile. 

The  Chatterer  also,  which  is  a  native  of 
Germany,  may  be  placed  in  this  rank  ;  and  is 
somewhat  less  than  the  former.  It  is  varie- 
gated with  a  beautiful  mixture  of  colours  ;  red, 
ash-colour,  chesnut,  and  yellow :  but  what  dis- 
tinguishes it  from  all  other  birds,  are  the  hor- 
ny appendages  from  the  tips  of  seven  of  the 
lesser  quill  feathers,  which  stand  bare  of  beards, 
and  have  the  colour  and  gloss  of  the  best  red 
sealing-wax. 

The  Roller  is  not  less  beautiful  than  any  of 
the  former.  The  breast  and  belly  are  blue ; 
the  head  green ;  and  the  wings  variegated 

4F« 


518 


A  HISTORY  OF 


with  blue,  black,  and  white.  But  it  may  be 
distinguished  from  all  others  by  a  sort  of  naked 
tubercles  or  warts  near  the  eyes,  which  still 
farther  contribute  to  increase  its  beauty. 

To  this  class  may  be  added  a  numerous  list 
from  all  the  tropical  forests  of  the  east  and  west; 
where  the  birds  are  remarkable  for  discordant 
voices  and  brilliant  plumage.  I  will  fix  only 
upon  one,  which  is  the  most  singular  of  all  the 
feathered  creation.  This  is  the  Toucan,  a 
bird  of  the  pie  kind,  whose  bill  is  nearly  as 
large  as  the  rest  of  its  whole  body. 

Of  this  extraordinary  bird  there  are  four  or 
five  varieties.  I  will  only  describe  the  red- 
beaked  toucan ;  and  as  the  figure  of  this  bird 
makes  the  principal  part  of  its  history,  I  will 
follow  Edwards  through  all  the  minutiae  of  its 
singular  conformation.  It  is  about  the  size  of 
and  shaped  like  a  jackdaw,  with  a  large  head 
to  support  its  monstrous  bill ;  this  bill,  from 
the  angles  of  the  mouth  to  its  point,  is  six  in- 
ches and  a  half;  and  its  breadth,  in  the  thick- 
est part,  is  a  little  more  than  two.  Its  thick- 
ness near  the  head,  is  one  inch  and  a  quarter; 
and  it  is  a  little  rounded  along  the  top  of  the 
upper  chap,  the  under  side  being  round  also ; 
the  whole  of  the  bill  is  extremely  slight,  and  a 
little  thicker  than  parchment.  The  upper  chap 
is  of  a  bright  yellow,  except  on  each  side,  which 
is  of  a  fine  scarlet  colour ;  as  is  also  the  lower 
chap,  except  at  the  base,  which  is  purple. 
Between  the  head  and  the  bill  there  is  a  black 
line  of  separation  all  round  the  base  of  the 
bill ;  in  the  upper  part  of  which  the  nostrils 
are  placed,  and  are  almost  covered  with  fea- 
thers ;  which  has  occasioned  some  writers  to 
say,  that  the  toucan  has  no  nostrils.  Round 
the  eyes,  on  each  side  of  the  head,  is  a  space 
of  bluish  skin,  void  of  feathers,  above  which 
the  head  is  black,  except  a  white  spot  on  each 
side  joining  to  the  base  of  the  upper  chap. 
The  hinder  part  of  the  neck,  the  back,  wings, 
tail,  belly,  and  thighs,  are  black.  The  under 
side  of  the  head,  throat,  and  the  beginning  of 
the  breast,  are  white.  Between  the  white  on 
the  breast,  and  the  black  on  the  belly,  is  a 
space  of  red  feathers  in  the  form  of  a  new 
moon,  with  its  horns  upwards.  The  legs,  feet, 
and  claws,  are  of  an  ash-colour  ;  and  the  toes 
stand  like  those  of  the  parrot,  two  before,  and 
two  behind. 

It  is  reported,  by  travellers,   that  this  bird, 
though  furnished  with  so  formidable  a  beak, 


j  is  harmless  and  gentle,  being  so  easily  made 
'•  tame,  as  to  sit  and  hatch  its  young  in  houses. 
It  feeds  chiefly  upon  pepper,  which  it  devours 
very  greedily,  gorging  itself  in  such  a  manner, 
that  it  voids  it  crude  and  unconcocted.  This, 
however,  is  no  objection  to  the  natives  from 
using  it  again  ;  they  even  prefer  it  before  that 
pepper  which  is  fresh  gathered  from  the  tree : 
and  seem  persuaded  that  the  strength  and  heat 
of  the  pepper  is  qualified  by  the  bird,  and  that 
all  its  noxious  qualities  are  thus  exhausted. 

Whatever  be  the  truth  of  this  report,  nothing 
is  more  certain  than  that  the  toucan  lives  only 
upon  a  vegetable  diet;  and  in  a  domestic  stale, 
to  which  it  is  frequently  brought  in  the  warm 
countries  where  it  is  bred,  it  is  seen  to  prefer 
such  food  to  all  other.  Pozzo,  who  bred  one 
tame,  asserts,  that  it  leaped  up  and  down, 
wagged  the  tail,  and  cried  with  a  voice  re- 
sembling that  of  a  magpie.  It  fed  upon  the 
same  things  that  parrots  do ;  but  was  most 
greedy  of  grapes,  which,  being  plucked  off  one 
by  one,  and  thrown  into  the  air,  it  would  most 
dexterously  catch  before  they  fell  to  the  ground. 
Its  bill,  he  adds,  was  hollow,  and  upon  that 
account  very  light,  so  that  it  had  but  little 
strength  in  so  apparently  formidable  a  weapon; 
nor  could  it  peck  or  strike  smartly  therewith. 
But  its  tongue  seemed  to  assist  the  efforts  of 
this  unwieldy  machine  :  it  was  Jong,  thin,  and 
flat,  not  unlike  one  of  the  feathers  on  the  neck 
of  a  dunghill  cock;  this  it  moved  up  and  down, 
and  often  extended  five  or  six  inches  from  the 
bill.  It  was  of  a  flesh  colour,  and  very  re- 
markably fringed  on  each  side  with  very  small 
filaments,  exactly  resembling  a  feather. 

It  is  probable  that  this  long  tongue  has 
greater  strength  than  the  thin  hollow  beak  that 
contains  it.  It  is  likely  that  the  beak  is  only 
a  kind  of  sheath  for  this  peculiar  instrument, 
used  by  the  toucan,  not  only  in  making  itself  a 
nest,  but  also  in  obtaining  its  provision. 
Nothing  is  more  certain,  than  that  this  bird 
builds  its  nest  in  holes  of  trees,  which  have 
been  previously  scooped  out  for  this  purpose; 
and  it  is  not  very  likely  that  so  feeble  a  bill 
could  be  very  serviceable  in  working  upon 
such  hard  materials. 

Be  this  as  it  will,  there  is  no  bird  secures  its 
young  better  from  external  injury  than  the 
toucan.  It  has  not  only  birds,  men,  and 
serpents,  to  guard  against,  but  a  numerous 
tribe  of  monkeys,  still  more  prying,  mischiev- 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


519 


ous,  and  hungry,  than  all  the  rest.  The  tou- 
can, however,  scoops  out  its  nest  in  the  hol- 
low of  some  trees,  leaving  only  a  hole  large 
enough  to  go  in  and  out  at.  There  it  sits, 
with  its  great  beak,  guarding  the  entrance, 
and  if  the  monkey  ventures  to  offer  a  visit  of 
curiosity,  the  toucan  gives  him  such  a  wel- 
come, that  he  presently  thinks  proper  to  pack 
off",  and  is  glad  to  escape  with  safety. 


This  bird  is  only  found  in  the  warm  climates 
of  South  America,  where  it  is  in  great  request, 
both  for  the  delicacy  of  its  flesh,  which  is  ten- 
der and  nourishing,  and  for  the  beauty  of  its 
plumage,  particularly  the  feathers  of  the  breast. 
The  skin  of  this  part  the  Indians  pluck  off. 
and,  when  dry,  glue  to  their  cheeks;  and 
this  they  consider  as  an  irresistible  addition 
to  their  beauty. 


CHAPTER  Cl. 

OF  THE  WOODPECKER,  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


WE  now  come  to  the  numerous  tribe  of 
Woodpeckers;  a  class  easily  distinguished 
from  all  others,  both  for  their  peculiar  forma- 
tion, their  method  of  procuring  food,  and  their 
manner  of  providing  a  place  of  safety  for 
their  young.  Indeed,  no  other  class  of  birds 
seems  more  immediately  formed  for  the  me- 
thod of  life  they  pursue,  being  fitted  by  na- 
ture, at  all  points,  for  the  peculiarity  of  their 
condition.  They  live  chiefly  upon  the  insects 
contained  in  the  body  of  trees;  and  for  this 
purpose  are  furnished  with  a  straight,  hard, 
strong,  angular,  and  sharp  bill,  made  for  pier- 
cing and  boring.  They  have  a  tongue  of  a 
very  great  length;  round,  ending  in  a  sharp, 
stiff,  bony  thorn,  dentated  on  each  side,  to 
strike  ants  and  insects  when  dislodged  from 
their  cells.  Their  legs  are  short  and  strong, 
for  the  purposes  of  climbing.  Their  toes 
stand  two  forward,  and  two  backward ;  which 
is  particularly  serviceable  in  holding  by  the 
branches  of  the  trees.  They  have  hard  stiff 
tails  to  lean  upon  when  climbing.  They  feed 
only  upon  insects,  and  want  that  intestine, 
which  anatomists  call  the  cwcum;  a  circum- 
stance peculiar  to  this  tribe  only. 

Of  this  bird  there  are  many  kinds,  and  many 
varieties  in  each  kind.  They  form  large  co- 
lonies in  the  forests  of  every  part  of  the  world. 
They  differ  in  size,  colour,  and  appearance; 
and  agree  only  in  the  marks  above  mentioned, 
or  in  those  habits  which  result  from  so  pecu- 
liar a  conformation.  Instead,  therefore,  of 
descending  into  a  minute  discrimination  of 


every  species,  let  us  take  one  for  a  pattern, 
to  which  all  the  rest  will  be  found  to  bear 
the  strongest  affinity.  Words  can  but  fee- 
bly describe  the  plumage  of  a  bird;  but  it  is 
the  province  of  history  to  enter  into  a  detail 
of  every  animal's  pursuits  and  occupations. 
The  Green  Woodspite,  or  Woodpecker, 
is  called  the  rain-fowl  in  some  parts  of  the 
country;  because,  when  it  makes  a  greater 
noise  than  ordinary,  it  is  supposed  to  foretel 
rain.  It  is  about  the  size  of  a  jay ;  the  throat, 
breast,  and  belly,  are  of  a  pale  greenish  co- 
lour ;  and  the  back,  neck,  and  covert  feathers 
of  the  wings,  are  green.  But  the  tongue  of 
this  little  animal  makes  its  most  distinguish- 
ed characteristic,  as  it  serves  for  its  support 
and  defence.  As  was  said  above,  the  wood- 
pecker feeds  upon  insects ;  and  particularly 
on  those  which  are  lodged  in  the  body  of  hol- 
low or  of  rotting  trees.  The  tongue  is  its  in- 
strument for  killing  and  procuring  this  food ; 
which  cannot  be  found  in  great  plenty.  This 
is  round,  ending  in  a  stiff,  sharp,  bony  tip, 
dentated  on  both  sides,  like  the  beard  of  an 
arrow;  and  this  it  can  dart  out  three  or  four 
inches  from  the  bill,  and  draw  in  again  at 
pleasure.  Its  prey  is  thus  transfixed,  and 
drawn  into  the  bill,  which,  when  swallowed, 
the  dart  is  again  launched  at  fresh  game.  No- 
thing has  employed  the  attention  of  the  cu- 
rious in  this  part  of  anatomy,  more  than  the 
contrivance  by  which  the  tongue  of  this  bird 
performs  its  functions  with  such  great  celeri 
ty.  The  tongue  is  drawn  back  into  the  bill 


520 


A  HISTORY  OF 


by  the  help  of  two  small  round  cartilages, 
fastened  into  the  fore-mentioned  bony  tip,  and 
running  along  the  length  of  the  tongue.  These 
cartilages,  fro  n  the  root  of  the  tongue,  take  a 
circuit  beyond  the  ears  ;  and  being  reflected 
backwards  to  the  crown  of  the  head,  make  a 
large  bow.  The  muscular  spongy  flesh  of  the 
tongue  encloses  these  cartilages,  like  a  sheath ; 
and  is  so  made  that  it  may  be  extended  or 
contracted  like  a  worm.  The  cartilages  in- 
deed have  muscles  accompanying  them  along 
their  whole  length  backwards.  But  there  is 
still  another  contrivance  ;  for  there  is  a  broad 
muscle  joining  the  cartilages  to  the  bones  of 
the  skull,  which,  by  contracting  or  dilating, 
forces  the  cartilages  forward  through  the 
tongue,  and  then  forces  the  tongue  and  all 
through  the  bill,  to  be  employed  for  the  ani- 
mal's preservation  in  piercing  its  prey. 

Such  is  the  instrument  with  which  this  bird 
is  provided ;  and  this  the  manner  in  which 
this  instrument  is  employed.  When  a  wood- 
pecker, by  its  natural  sagacity,  finds  out  a 
rotten  hollow  tree,  where  there  are  worms, 
ants'  eggs,  or  insects,  it  immediately  prepares 
for  its  operations.  Resting  by  its  strong  claws, 
and  leaning  on  the  thick  feathers  of  its  tail, 
it  begins  to  bore  with  its  sharp  strong  beak, 
until  it  discloses  the  whole  internal  habitation. 
Upon  this,  either  through  pleasure  at  the  sight 
of  its  prey,  or  with  a  desire  to  alarm  the  in- 
sect colony,  it  sends  forth  a  loud  cry,  which 
throws  terror  and  confusion  into  the  whole 
insect  tribe.  They  creep  hither  and  thither, 
seeking  for  safety  ;  while  the  bird  luxuriously 
feasts  upon  them  at  leisure,  darting  its  tongue 
with  unerring  certainty,  and  devouring  the 
whole  brood. 

The  woodpecker,  however,  does  not  con- 
fine its  depredations  solely  to  trees,  but  some- 
times lights  upon  the  ground,  to  try  its  fortune 
at  an  ant-hill.  It  is  not  so  secure  of  prey  there 
as  in  the  former  case,  although  the  numbers 
arc  much  greater.  They  lie  generally  too 
deep  for  the  bird  to  come  at  them  ;  and  it  is 
obliged  to  make  up  by  stratagem  the  defect  of 
power.  The  woodpecker  first  goes  to  their 
hills,  which  it  pecks,  in  order  to  call  them 
abroad  ;  it  then  thrusts  out  its  long  red  tongue, 
which  being  like  a  worm,  and  resembling 
their  usual  prey,  the  ants  come  out  to  settle 
upon,  in  great  numbers ;  however,  the  bird 
watching  the  properest  opportunity,  withdraws 


its  tongue  at  a  jerk,  and  devonres  the  devou- 
rers.  This  stratagem  it  continues  till  it  has 
alarmed  their  fears ;  or  till  it  is  quite  satisfied. 
As  the  woodpecker  is  obliged  to  nidke  holes 
in  trees  to  procure  food,  so  is  it  also  to  make 
cavities  still  larger  to  form  its  nest,  and  to  lay 
in.  This  is  performed,  as  usual,  with  the  bill; 
although  some  have  affirmed  that  the  animal 
uses  its  tongue  as  a  gimblet  to  bore  with. 
But  this  is  a  mistake;  and  those  that  are 
curious,  may  often  hear  the  noise  of  the  bill 
making  its  way  in  large  woods  and  forests. 
The  woodpecker  chooses,  however,  for  this 
purpose,  trees  that  are  decayed,  or  wood  that 
is  soft,  like  beach,  elm,  and  poplar.  In  these, 
with  very  little  trouble,  it  can  make  holes  as 
exactly  round  as  a  mathematician  could  with 
compasses.  One  of  these  holes  the  bird  gene- 
rally chooses  for  its  own  use,  to  nestle  and 
bring  up  its  young  in;  but  as  they  are  easily 
made,  it  is  delicate  in  its  choice,  and  often 
makes  twenty  before  one  is  found  fit  to  give 
entire  satisfaction.  Of  those  which  it  has 
made  and  deserted,  other  birds,  not  so  good 
borers,  and  less  delicate  in  their  choice,  take 
possession.  The  jay  and  the  starling  lay 
their  eggs  in  these  holes ;  and  bats  are  now 
and  then  found  in  peaceable  possession.  Boys 
sometimes  have  thrust  in  their  hands  with  cer- 
tain hopes  of  plucking  out  a  bird's  egg  ;  but, 
to  their  great  mortification,  have  had  their 
fingers  bitten  by  a  bat  at  the  bottom. 

The  woodpecker  takes  no  care  to  line  its 
nest  with  feathers  or  straw;  its  eggs  are  de- 
posited in  the  hole,  without  any  thing  to  keep 
them  warm,  except  the  heat  of  the  parent's 
body.  Their  number  is  generally  five,  or  six; 
always  white,  oblong,  and  of  a  middle  size. 
When  the  young  are  excluded,  and  before 
they  leave  the  nest,  they  are  adorned  with  a 
scarlet  plumage  under  the  throat,  which  adds 
to  their  beauty. 

In  our  climate,  this  bird  is  contented  with 
such  a  wainscot  habitation  as  has  been  de- 
scribed for  its  young ;  but  in  the  warmer 
regions  of  Guinea  and  Brasil,  they  take  a  very 
different  method  to  protect  and  hatch  their 
nascent  progeny.  A  traveller  who  walks  into 
the  forests  of  those  countries,  among  the  first 
strange  objects  that  excite  curiosity,  is  struck 
with  the  multitude  of  birds'  nests  hanging  at 
the  extremity  of  almost  every  branch.  Many 
other  kinds  of  birds  build  in  this  manner,  but 


THE  PIE  KIND 


the  chief  of  them  are  of  the  woodpecker  kind; 
and  indeed  there  is  not,  in  the  whole  history 
of  nature,  a  more  singular  instance  of  the 
sagacity  of  those  little  animals  in  protecting 
themselves  against  such  enemies  as  they  have 
most  occasion  to  fear.  In  cultivated  coun- 
tries, a  great  part  of  the  caution  of  the  fea- 
thered tribe  is  to  hide  or  defend  their  nests 
from  the  invasions  of  man ;  as  he  is  their  most 
dreaded  enemy.  But  in  the  depth  of  those 
remote  and  solitary  forests,  where  man  is  but 
seldom  seen,  the  little  bird  has  nothing  to 
apprehend  from  man.  The  parent  is  care- 
less ho\f  much  the  nest  is  exposed  to  general 
notice ;  satisfied  if  it  be  out  of  the  reach  of 
those  rapacious  creatures  that  live  by  rob- 
bery and  surprise.  If  the  monkey  or  the 
snake  can  be  guarded  against,  the  bird  has 
no  other  enemies  to  fear ;  for  this  purpose  its 
nest  is  built  upon  the  depending  points  of  the 
most  outward  branches  of  a  tall  tree,  such  as 
the  banana,  or  the  plantain.  On  otie  of  those 
immense  trees,  is  seen  the  most  various  and 
the  most  inimical  assemblage  of  creatures 
that  can  be  imagined.  The  top  is  inhabited 
by  monkeys  of  some  particular  tribe,  that 
drive  off  all  others;  lower  down  twine  about 
the  great  trunk  numbers  of  the  larger  snakes, 
patiently  waiting  till  some  unwary  animal ' 
comes  within  the  sphere  of  their  activity, 
and  at  the  edges  of  the  tree  hang  these 
artificial  nests,  in  great  abundance,  inhabited 
by  birds  of  the  most  delightful  plumage. 

The  nest  is  usually  formed  in  this  manner: 
when  the  time  of  incubation  approaches,  they 
fly  busily  about,  in  quest  of  a  kind  of  moss, 
called  by  the  English  inhabitants  of  those 


»  This  bird  constructs  a  curious  nest  with  the  long  fibres 
of  plants  andj  grass,  and  suspends  it  by  a  kind  of  cord, 
nearly  half  an  ell  loner,  from  the  end  of  a  slender  branch 
of  a  tree,  that  it  may  be  inaccessible  to  snakes,  and  secure 
fro '  n  the  intrusion  of  the  numerous  monkeys  which  inhabit 
those  regions.  At  the  end  of  this  cord,  is  a  gourd-shaped 


countries,  old  man's  beard.  It  is  a  fibrous  sub- 
stance, and  not  very  unlike  hair,  which  bears 
being  moulded  into  any  form,  and  suffers  be- 
ing glued  together.  This  therefore  the  little 
woodpecker,  called  by  the  natives  of  Brasil, 
the  guiratemga,  first  glues,  by  some  viscous 
substance  gathered  in  the  forest,  to  the  ex- 
tremest  branch  of  a  tree;  then  building  down- 
ward, and  still  adding  fresh  materials  to  those 
already  procured,  a  nest  is  formed,  that  de- 
pends, like  a  pouch,  from  the  point  of  the 
branch :  the  hole  to  enter  at,  is  on  the  side ; 
and  all  the  interior  parts  are  lined  with  the 
finer  fibres  of  the  same  substance,  which  com- 
pose the  whole. 

Such  is  the  general  contrivance  of  these 
hanging  nests ;  which  are  made,  by  some 
other  birds,  with  still  superior  art.  A  little 
bird  of  the  Grosbeak  kind,  in  the  Philippine 
islands,  makes  its  nest  in  such  a  manner  that 
there  is  no  opening  but  from  the  bottom.  At 
the  bottom  the  bird  enters,  and  goes  up 
through  a  funnel  like  a  cliimney,  till  it  conies 
to  the  real  door  of  the  nest,  which  lies  on  one 
side,  and  only  opens  into  this  funnel.' 

Some  birds  glue  their  nest  to  the  leaf  of 
the  banana-tree,  which  makes  two  sides  of 
their  little  habitation ;  while  the  other  two 
are  artificially  composed  by  their  own  indus- 
try. But  these,  and  all  of  the  kind,  are  built 
with  the  same  precautions  to  guard  the  young 
against  the  depredations  of  monkeys  and 
serpents,  which  abound  in  every  tree.  The 
nest  hangs  there  before  the  spoilers,  a  tempt- 
ing object,  which  they  can  only  gaze  upon, 
while  the  bird  flies  in  and  out,  without  danger 
or  molestation  from  so  formidable  a  vicinity. 


nest,  divided  into  three  apartments;  the  first  of  which  is 
occupied  by  the  male,  the  second  by  the  female,  and  the 
third  contains  the  young;  and  in  the  first  apartment,  where 
the  male  keeps  watch,  is  placed  on  one  side  a  little  tough 
clay,  and  on  the  top  of  this  clay  is  fixed  a  glow-worm,  to 
afford  its  inhabitants  light  in  the  night. 


522 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CU. 

OF  THE  BIRD  OF  PARADISE,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES 


THERE  are  few  birds  that  have  more  de- 
ceived and  puzzled  the  learned  than  this. 
Some  have  described  it  as  an  inhabitant  of 
the  air,  living  only  upon  the  dew  of  heaven, 
and  never  resting  below;  others  have  ac- 
quiesced in  the  latter  part  of  its  history,  but 
have  given  it  flying  insects  to  feed  on.  Some 
have  asserted  that  it  was  without  feet,  and 
others  have  ranked  it  among  the  birds  of  prry. 

The  great  beauty  of  this  bird's  plumage, 
and  the  deformity  of  its  legs,  seem  to  have 
given  rise  to  most  of  these  erroneous  reports. 
The  native  savages  of  the  Molucca  Islands, 
of  which  it  is  an  inhabitant,  were  very  little 
studious  of  natural  history;  and,  perceiving 
the  inclination  the  Europeans  had  for  this 
beautiful  bird,  carefully  cut  off  its  legs  before 
they  brought  it  to  market;  thus  concealing 
its  greatest  deformity,  they  considered  them- 
selves entitled  to  rise  in  their  demands  when 
they  offered  it  for  sale.  One  deceit  led  on 
to  another;  the  buyer  finding  the  bird  with- 
out legs,  naturally  inquired  after  them;  and 
the  seller  as  naturally  began  to  assert  that 
it  had  none.  Thus  far  the  European  was  im- 
posed upon  by  others ;  in  all  the  rest  he  im- 
posed upon  himself.  Seeing  so  beautiful  a 
bird  without  legs,  he  concluded  that  it  could 
live  only  in  air,  where  legs  were  unnecessary. 
The  extraordinary  splendour  of  its  plumage 
assisted  this  deception;  and,  as  it  had  hea- 
venly beauty,  so  it  was  asserted  to  have  a 
heavenly  residence.  From  thence  its  name, 
and  all  the  false  reports  that  have  been  pro- 
pagated concerning  it. 

Error,  however,  is  short-lived;  and  time 
has  discovered  that  this  bird  not  only  has 
legs,  but  very  large  strong  ones  for  its  size. 
Credulity,  when  undeceived,  runs  into  the 
opposite  extreme ;  and  soon  after  this  harm- 
less bird  was  branded  with  the  character  of 
being  rapacious,  of  destroying  all  those  of 
smaller  size,  and  from  the  amazing  rapidity 
of  its  flight,  as  qualified  peculiarly  for  exten- 


sive rapine.  The  real  history  of  this  pretty 
animal  is  at  present  tolerably  well  known; 
and  it  is  found  to  be  as  harmless  as  it  is  beau- 
tiful. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  the  bird  of  Para- 
dise; one  about  the  size  of  a  pigeon,  which 
is  more  common ;  the  other  not  much  larger 
than  a  lark,  which  has  been  described  more 
imperfectly.  They  are  both  sufficiently  dis- 
tinguished from  all  other  birds,  riot  only  by 
the  superior  vivacity  of  their  tints,  but  by  the 
feathers  of  the  tail,  there  being  two  long  slen- 
der filaments  growing  from  the  upper  part  of 
the  rump;  these  are  longer  than  the  bird's 
body,  and  bearded  only  at  the  end.  By  this 
mark  the  bird  of  Paradise  may  be  easily 
known,  but  still  more  easily  by  rts  gaudy  live- 
ry, which,  being  so  very  brilliant,  demands 
to  be  minutely  described. 

This  bird  appears  to  the  eye  as  large  as 
a  pigeon,  though  in  reality  the  body  is  not 
much  greater  than  that  of  a  thrush.  The 
tail,  which  is  about  six  inches,  is  as  long  as 
the  body ;  the  wings  are  large,  compared 
with  the  bird's  other  dimensions  The  head, 
the  throat,  and  the  neck,  are  of  a  pale  gold 
colour.  The  base  of  the  bill  is  surrounded 
by  black  feathers,  as  also  the  side  of  the  head 
and  throat,  as  soft  as  velvet,  and  changeable 
like  those  on  the  neck  of  a  mallard.  The 
hinder  part  of  the  head  is  of  a  shining  green, 
mixed  with  gold.  The  body  and  wings  are 
chiefly  covered  with  beautiful  brown,  purple, 
and  gold  feathers.  The  uppermost  part  of 
the  tail-feathers  are  of  a  pale  yellow,  and 
those  under  them  white,  and  longer  than  the 
former;  for  which  reason  the  hinder  part  of 
the  tail  appears  to  be  all  white.  But  what 
chiefly  excites  curiosity  are,  the  two  long  na- 
ked feathers  above  mentioned,  which  spring 
from  the  upper  part  of  the  rurrop  above  the 
tail,  and  which  are  usually  about  three  feet 
long.  These  are  bearded  only  at  the  begin- 
ning and  the  end ;  the  whole  shaft,  for  above 


,\W.  ft/trunk   ,M 


GENUS   MEROPS 
Bee  Eater  ; 


WATTJ.ED  S.Ji. 


G.CTTjrA 
Hoopoe 

2.~to...\','i;r  XrlnnJiif     ^.M-Frtmerpps     •*.'£.  Epops     i>.\?.En-tf>n>rrn<-/i<>.s 
VEW  ZKALAJfU  B.E.    C^dP-B  H.  COMMONS.     RED  BILLED  B. 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


523 


two  feet  nine  inches,  being  of  a  deep  blark, 
while  the  feathered  extremity  is  of  a  change- 
able colour,  like  the  mallard's  neck. 

This  bird,  which  for  beauty  exceeds  all 
oth-Ts  of  the  pie  kind,  is  a  native  of  the  Mo- 
lucca Islands,  but  found  in  greatest  numbers 
in  that  of  Aro.  There,  in  the  delightful  and 
spicy  woods  of  the  country,  do  these  beautiful 
creatures  fly  in  large  flocks  ;  so  that  the  groves 
which  produce  the  richest  spices  produce  the 
finest  birds  also.  The  inhabitants  themselves 
are  not  insensible  of  the  pleasure  these  afford, 
and  give  them  the  name  of  God's  birds,  as  he- 
ing  superior  to  all  others  that  he  lias  made. 
They  live  in  large  flocks,  and  at  night  gene- 
rally perch  upon  the  same  tree.  They  are 
called  by  some,  the  swallows  of  Ternate,  from 
their  rapid  flight,  and  from  thoir  being  con- 
tinually on  the  wing  in  pursuit  of  insects,  their 
usual  prey. 

As  the  country  where  they  are  bred  has  its 
tempestuous  season,  when  rains  and  thunders 
continually  disturb  the  atmosphere,  these  birds 
are  then  but  seldom  seen.  It  is  thought  that 
they  then  fly  to  other  countries,  where  their 
food  appears  in  greater  abundance ;  for,  like 
swallows,  they  have  their  stated  times  of  re- 
turn. In  the  beginning  of  the  month  of  August, 
they  are  seen  in  great  numbers  flying  together; 


and,  as  the  inhabitants  would  have  us  believe, 
following  their  king,  who  is  distinguished  from 
the  rest  by  the  lustre  of  his  plumage,  and  that 
respect  and  veneration  which  is  paid  him.  In 
the  evening  they  perch  upon  the  highest  trees 
of  the  forest,  particularly  one  which  bears  a 
red  berry,  upon  which  they  sometimes  feed, 
when  other  food  fails  them.  In  what 
manner  they  breed,  or  what  may  be  the 
number  of  their  young,  as  yet  remains  for  dis- 
covery. 

The  natives,  who  make  a  trade  of  killing 
and  selling  these  birds  to  the  Europeans,  gene- 
rally conceal  themselves  in  the  trees  \vhere 
they  resort,  and  having  covered  themselves  up 
fro.n  sight  in  a  bower  made  of  the  branches, 
they  shoot  at  the  birds  with  reedy  arrows ; 
and,  as  they  assert,  if  they  happen  to  kill  the 
king,  they  then  have  a  good  chance  for  killing 
the  greatest  part  of  the  flock.  The  chief 
marks  by  which  they  know  the  king  is  by  the 
ends  of  the  feathers  in  his  tail,  which  have  eyes 
like  those  of  a  peacock.  When  they  have 
taken  a  number  of  these  birds,  their  usual 
method  is  to  gut  them,  and  cut  off  their  legs; 
they  then  run  a  hot  iron  into  the  body,  which 
dries  up  the  infernal  moisture  ;  and,  filling  the 
cavity  with  salts  and  spices,  they  sell  them  to 
the  Europeans  for  a  perfect  trifle. 


CHAPTER  Cin. 

THE  CUCKOO,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


FROM  a  bird  of  which  many  fables  have 
been  reported,  we  pass  to  another  that  has  not 
given  less  scope  to  fabulous  invention.  The 
note  of  the  cuckoo  is  known  to  all  the  world  ; 
the  history  and  nature  of  the  bird  itself  still  re- 
mains in  great  obscurity.  That  it  devours  its 
parent,  that  it  changes  its  nature  with  the  sea- 
son, and  becomes  a  sparrow-hawk,  were 
fables  invented  of  this  bird,  and  are  now 
sufficiently  refuted.  But  where  it  resides  in 
winter,  or  how  it  provides  for  its  supply  during 
that  season,  still  continues  undiscovered. 

This  singular  bird,  which  is  somewhat  less 
than  a  pigeon,  shaped  like  a  magpie,  and  of 

MO.  45  St  46 


a  grayish  colour,  is  distinguished  from  all  other 
birds  by  its  round  prominent  nostrils.  Having 
disappeared  all  the  winter,  it  discovers  itself  in 
our  country  early  in  the  spring,  by  its  well- 
known  call.  Its  note  is  heard  earlier  or  later, 
as  the  season  seems  to  be  more  or  less  for- 
ward, and  the  weather  more  or  less  inviting. 
From  the  cheerful  voice  of  this  bird  the  farmer 
niay  be  instructed  in  the  real  advancement  of 
the  year.  The  fallibility  of  human  calendars 
is  but  too  well  known ;  but  fiv»m  this  bird's 
note,  the  husbandman  may  be  taught  when  to 
sow  his  most  useful  seeds,  and  to  do  such 
work  as  depends  upon  a  certain  temperature 

40 


524 


A  HISTORY  OF 


of  the  air.  These  feathered  guides  come  to 
us  heaven-taught,  and  point  out  the  true  com- 
mencement of  the  season. 

The  cuckoo,  that  was  silent  some  time  after 
its  appearance,  begins  at  first  feebly,  and  at 
very  distant  intervals,  lo  give  its  call,  which, 
as  the  summer  advances,  improves  both  in  its 
frequency  and  loudness.  This  is  an  invitation 
to  courtship,  and  used  only  by  the  male,  who 
sits  generally  perched  upon  some  dead  tree,  or 
bare  bough,  and  repeats  his  song,  which  he 
loses  as  soon  as  the  genial  season  is  over. 
His  note  is  pleasant,  though  uniform  ;  and, 
from  an  association  of  ideas,  seldom  occurs  to 
the  memory  without  reminding  us  of  the  sweets 
of  summer.  Custom  too  has  affixed  a  more 
ludicrous  association  to  this  note  ;  which,  how- 
ever, we  that  are  bachelors  need  be  in  no  puin 
about.  This  reproach  seems  to  arise  from 
this  bird's  making  use  of  the  bed  or  nest  of 
another  to  deposite  its  own  brood  in. 

However  this  may  be,  nothing  is  more  cer- 
tain than  that  the  female  makes  no  n  s  f  her 
own.  She  repairs  for  that  purpose  to  the  nest 
of  some  other  bird,  generally  the  water-wag- 
tail or  hedge-sparrow,  and  having  devoured 
the  eggs  of  the  owner,  lays  her  own  in  their 
place.  She  usually  lays  but  one,  which  is 
speckled,  and  of  the  size  of  a  blackbird's. 
This  the  fond  foolish  bird  hatches  with  great 
assiduity,  and,  when  excluded,  finds  no  differ- 
ence in  the  great  ill-looking  changeling  from 
her  own.  To  supply  this  voracious  creature, 
the  ci  odulous  nurse  toils  with  unusual  labour, 
no  way  sensible  that  she  is  feeding  up  an  ene- 
my to  her  race,  and  one  of  the  most  destructive 
robbers  of  her  future  progeny. 

It  was  once  doubted  whether  these  birds 
were  carnivorous ;  but  Reaumur  was  at  the 
pains  of  breeding  up  several,  and  found  that 
they  would  not  feed  upon  bread  or  •  orn  ;  out 
flesh  and  insects  were  their  favourif  nourish- 
ment He  found  it  a  very  difficult  task  to 
teach  them  to  peck ;  for  he  was  obliged  to  feed 
them  a  full  month  after  they  were  grown  as 
big  as  the  mother.  Insects,  however,  seemed 
to  be  their  peculiar  food  when  young;  for 
they  devoured  flesh  by  a  kind  of  constraint,  as 
it  was  always  put  into  their  mouths  ;  but  meal- 
worm insects  they  flew  to,  and  swallowed  of 
their  own  accord  most  greedily  Indeed, 
their  gluttony  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  when 
we  consider  the  capacity  of  their  stomach, 


which  is  enormous,  and  reaches  from  the 
breast-bone  to  the  vent.  It  is  partly  mem- 
branous, partly  muscular,  and  of  a  prodigious 
capacity  ;  yet  still  they  are  not  to  be  supposed 
as  birds  of  prey,  for  they  have  neither  die 
strength  nor  the  courage.  On  the  contrary, 
they  are  naturally  weak  and  fearful,  as  appears 
by  their  flying  from  small  birds,  which  every 
where  pursue  them.  The  young  birds  are 
brown,  mixed  with  black ;  and  in  that  state  they 
have  been  described  by  some  authors  as  old  ones. 

The  cuckoo,  when  fledged  and  fitted  for 
flight,  follows  its  supposed  parent  but  for  a 
little  time  ;  its  appetites  for  insect  food  increas- 
ing, as  it  finds  no  great  chance  for  a  supply 
in  imitating  its  little  instructor,  it  parts  good 
friends,  the  step-child  seldom  offering  any  vio- 
'ence  to  its  nurse.  Nevertheless,  all  the  little 
birds  of  the  grove  seem  to  consider  the  young 
cuckoo  as  an  enemy,  and  revenge  the  cause 
of  their  kind  by  their  repeated  insults.  They 
pursue  it  wherever  it  flies,  and  oblige  it  to 
take  shelter  in  the  thickest  branches  of  some 
neighbouring  tree.  All  the  smaller  birds  form 
the  train  of  its  pursuers  ;  but  the  wry-neck,  in 
particular,  is  found  the  most  active  in  the 
chase  ;  and  from  thence  it  has  been  called  by 
many,  the  cuckoo's  attendant  and  provider. 
But  it  is  very  far  from  following  with  a  friend- 
ly intention  ;  it  only  pursues  as  an  insulter,  or 
a  spy,  to  warn  all  its  little  companions  of  the 
cuckoo's  depredations. 

Such  are  the  manners  of  this  bird  while  it 
continues  to  reside,  or  to  be  seen  amongst  us. 
But  early,  at  the  approach  of  winter,  it  totally 
disappears,  and  its  passage  can  be  traced  to  no 
other  country.  Some  suppose  that  it  lies  hid 
in  hollow  trees ;  and  others  that  it  passes  into 
warmer  climates.  Which  of  these  opinions  is 
true  is  very  uncertain,  as  there  are  no  facts 
related  on  either  side  that  can  be  totally  relied 
on.  To  support  the  opinion  that  they  remain 
torpid  during  the  winter,  at  home,  Willoughby 
introduces  the  following  story,  which  he  de- 
livers upon  the  credit  of  another.  "  The  ser- 
vants of  a  gentleman,  in  the  country,  having 
stocked  up  in  one  of  their  meadows  some  old, 
dry,  rotten  willows,  thought  proper,  on  a  cer- 
tain occasion,  to  carry  them  home.  In  heat- 
ing a  stove,  two  logs  of  this  timber  were  put 
into  the  furnace  beneath,  and  fire  applied  as 
usual.  But  soon,  to  the  great  surprise  of  the 
family,  was  heard  the  voice  of  a  cuckoo,  sing- 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


525 


ing  three  times  from  under  the  stove.  Won- 
dering at  so  extraordinary  a  cry  in  winter 
time,  the  servants  ran  and  drew  the  willow 
logs  from  the  furnace,  and  in  the  midst  of  one 
of  them  saw  something  move)  wherefore, 
taking  an  axe,  they  opened  the  hole,  and 
thrusting  in  their  hands,  first  they  plucked 
out  nothing  but  feathers ;  afterwards  they 
got  hold  of  a  living  animal ;  and  this  was  the 
cuckoo  that  had  waked  so  very  opportunely 
for  its  own  safety.  It  was,  indeed,"  continues 
our  historian,  "  brisk  and  lively,  but  wholly 
naked  and  bare  of  feathers,  and  without  any 
winter  provision  in  its  hole.  This  cuckoo 
the  boys  kept  two  years  afterwards  alive  in 
the  stove;  but  whether  it  repaid  them  with  a 
second  song,  the  author  of  the  tale  has  not 
thought  lit  to  inform  us." 


The  most  probable  opinion  on  this  subject 
is,  that  as  quails  and  woodcocks  shift  their 
habitations  in  winter,  so  also  does  the  cuckoo ; 
but  to  what  country  it  retires,  or  whether  it 
has  been  ever  seen  on  its  journey,  are  ques- 
tions that  I  am  wholly  incapable  of  resolv- 
ing. 

Of  this  bird  there  are  many  kinds  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  world,  not  only  differing  in 
their  colours,  but  their  size.  Brisson  makes 
not  less  than  twenty-eight  sorts  of  them ;  but 
what  analogy  they  bear  to  our  English  cuckoo, 
I  will  not  take  upon  me  to  determine.  He 
talks  of  one,  particularly  of  Brasil,  as  making 
a  most  horrible  noise  in  the  forests ;  which. 
as  it  should  seem,  must  be  a  very  different 
note  from  that  by  which  our  bird  is  distin- 
guished at  home. 


CHAPTER  CIV. 

OF  THE  PARROT,  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


THE  Parrot  is  the  best  known  among  us 
of  all  foreign  birds,  as  it  unites  the  greatest 
beauty  with  the  greatest  docility.  Its  voice 
also  is  more  like  a  man's  than  that  .of  any 
other ;  the  raven  is  too  hoarse,  and  the  jay 
and  magpie  too  shrill,  to  resemble  the  truth ; 
the  parrot's  note  is  of  the  true  pitch,  and 
capable  of  a  number  of  modulations  that  even 
some  of  our  orators  might  wish  in  vain  to 
imitate. 

The  ease  with  which  this  bird  is  taught  to 
speak,  and  the  great  number  of  words  which 
it  is  capable  of  repeating,  are  no  less  surpris- 
ing. We  are  assured  by  a  grave  writer,  that 
one  of  these  was  taught  to  repeat  a  whole 
sonnet  from  Petrarch ;  and  that  I  may  not  be 
wanting  in  my  instance,  I  have  seen  a  parrot 
belonging  to  a  distiller,  who  had  suffered 
pretty  largely  in  his  circumstances  from  an 
informer  who  lived  opposite  him,  very  ridicu- 
lously employed.  This  bird  was  taught  to 
pronounce  the  ninth  commandment,  TTiou 
shall  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour, 
with  a  very  clear,  loud,  articulate  voice.  The 
bird  was  generally  placed  in  its  cage  over 


against  the  informer's  house,  and  delighted 
the  whole  neighbourhood  with  its  persevering 
exhortations. 

Willoughby  tells  a  story  of  a  parrot,  which 
is  not  so  dull  as  those  usually  brought  up 
when  this  bird's  facility  of  talking  happens  to 
be  the  subject.  "A  parrot  belonging  to  King 
Henry  the  Seventh,  who  then  resided  at 
Westminster,  in  his  palace  by  the  riverThames, 
had  learned  to  talk  many  words  from  the 
passengers  as  they  happened  to  take  the 
water.  One  day,  sporting  on  its  perch,  the 
poor  bird  fell  into  the  water,  at  the  same 
time  crying  out,  as  loud  as  he  could,  Ji  boat ! 
twenty  pounds  for  a  boat !  A  waterman,  who 
happened  to  be  near,  hearing  the  cry,  made 
to  the  place  where  the  parrot  was  floating, 
and  taking  him  up,  restored  him  to  the  king. 
As  it  seems  the  bird  was  a  favourite,  the  man 
insisted  that  he  ought  to  have  a  reward  rather 
equal  to  his  services  than  his  trouble :  and, 
as  the  parrot  had  fried  twenty  pounds,  he 
said  the  king  was  bound  in  honour  to 
grant  it.  The  king  at  last  agreed  to  leave 
it  to  the  parrot's  own  determination,  which 


526 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  bird   hearing,  cried  out,  Give  the  knave  a 
groat." 

The  parrot,  which  is  so  common  as  a  fo- 
reign bird  with  us,  is  equally  so  as  an  indige- 
nous bird  in  the  climates  where  it  is  produ- 
ced. The  forests  swarm  with  them ;  and  the 
rook  is  not  better  known  with  us  than  the  par- 
rot in  almost  every  part  of  the  East  and  West 
Indies.  It  is  in  vain  that  our  naturalists  have 
attempted  to  arrange  the  various  species  of 
this  bird;  new  varieties  daily  offer  to  puzzle 
the  system-maker,  or  to  demonstrate  the  nar- 
rowness of  his  catalogues.  Linnaeus  makes 
the  number  of  its  varieties  amount  to  forty- 
seven  ;  while  Brisson  doubles  the  number, 
and  extends  his  catalogue  to  ninety-five.  Per- 
haps even  this  list  might  be  increased,  were 
every  accidental  change  of  colour  to  be  con- 
sidered as  constituting  a  new  species.  But, 
in  fact,  natural  history  gains  little  by  these 
discoveries ;  and  as  its  dominions  are  extend- 
ed it  becomes  more  barren.  It  is  asserted, 
by  sensible  travellers,  that  tlie  natives  of 
Brasil  can  change  the  colour  of  a  parrot's 
plumage  by  art.  If  this  be  true,  and  I  am 
apt  to  believe  the  information,  they  can  make 
new  species  at  pleasure,  and  thus  cut  out 
endless  work  for  our  nomenclators  at  home. 

Those  who  usually  bring  these  birds  over, 
are  content  to  make  three  or  four  distinctions, 
to  which  they  give  names;  and  with  these 
distinctions  I  will  content  myself  also.  The 
large  kind,  which  are  of  the  size  of  a  raven, 
are  called  maccaws  ;  the  next  size  are  simply 
called  parrots;  those  which  are  entirely  white, 
are  called  lories ;  and  the  lesser  size  of  all 
are  called  parakeets.  The  difference  between 
even  these  is  rather  in  size  than  any  other 
peculiar  conformation,  as  they  are  all  formed 
alike,  having  toes,  two  before  and  two  behind, 
for  climbing  and  holding;  strong  hooked  bills 
for  breaking  open  nuts,  and  other  hard  sub- 
stances, on  which  they  feed  ;  and  loud  harsh 
voices,  by  which  they  fill  their  native  woods 
with  clamour. 

But  there  are  further  peculiarities  in  their 
conformation:  and  first,  their  toes  are  con- 
trived in  a  singular  manner,  which  appears 
when  they  walk  or  climb,  and  when  they  are 
eating.  For  the  first  purpose  they  stretch 
two  of  their  toes  forward,  and  two  backward  ; 
tmt  when  they  take  their  meat,  and  bring  it 


to  their  mouths  with  their  foot,  they  dexte- 
rously and  nimbly  turn  the  greater  hii;d  toe 
forward,  so  as  to  take  a  firmer  grasp  of  the 
nut  or  the  fruit  they  are  going  to  feed  on, 
standing  all  the  while  upon  the  other  leg. 
Nor  even  do  they  present  their  food  in  the 
usual  manner;  for  other  animals  turn  their 
meat  inwards  to  the  mouth ;  but  these,  in  a 
seemingly  awkward  position,  turn  their  meat 
outwards,  and  thus  hold  the  hardest  nuts,  as 
if  in  one  hand,  till  with  their  bills  they  break 
the  shell,  and  extract  the  kernel. 

The  bill  is  fashioned  with  still  greater  pe- 
culiarities ;  for  the  upper  chap,  as  well  as  the 
lower,  are  both  moveable.  In  most  other 
birds  the  upper  chap  is  connected,  and  makes 
but  one  piece  with  the  skull;  but  in  these, 
and  in  one  or  two  species  of  the  feathered 
tribe  more,  the  upper  chap  is  connected  to 
the  bone  of  the  head  by  a  strong  membrane, 
placed  on  each  side,  that  lifts  and  depresses 
it  at  pleasure.  By  this  contrivance  they  can 
open  their  bills  the  wider;  which  is  not  a  lit- 
tle useful,  as  the  upper  chap  is  so  hooked  and 
so  over-hanging,  that,  if  the  lower  chap  only 
had  motion,  they  could  scarcely  gape  suffi- 
ciently to  take  any  thing  in  for  their  nourish- 
ment. 

Such  are  the  uses  of  the  beak  and  the  toes, 
when  used  separately;  but  they  are  often 
employed  both  together,  when  the  bird  is 
exercised  in  climbing.  As  these  birds  can- 
not readily  hop  from  bough  to  bough,  their 
legs  not  being  adapted  for  that  purpose,  they 
use  both  the  beak  and  the  feet ;  first  catching 
hold  with  the  beak,  as  if  with  a  hook,  then 
drawing  up  the  legs  and  fastening  them,  then 
advancing  the  head  and  beak  again,  and  so 
putting  forward  the  body  and  the  feet  alter- 
nately, till  they  attain  the  height  they  aspire  to. 

The  tongue  of  this  bird  somewhat  resem- 
bles that  of  a  man;  for  which  .reason  some 
pretend  that  it  is  so  well  qualified  to  imitate 
the  human  speech;  but  the  organs  by  which 
these  sounds  are  articulated  lie  farther  down 
in  the  throat,  being  performed  by  the  great 
motion  which  the  oshyoides  has  in  these  birds 
above  others. 

The  parrot,  though  common  enough  in  Eu- 
rope, will  not,  however,  breed  here.  The 
climate  is  too  cold  for  its  warm  constitution  ; 
and  though  it  bears  our  winter  when  arrived 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


527 


at  maturity,  yet  it  always  seems  sensible  of 
its  rigour,  and  loses  both  its  spirit  and  appe- 
tite during  the  colder  part  of  the  season.  It 
then  becomes  torpid  and  inactive,  and  seems 
quite  changed  from  that  bustling  loquacious 
animal  which  it  appeared  in  its  native  forest, 
where  it  is  almost  ever  upon  the  wing.  Not- 
withstanding, the  parrot  lives  even  with  us  a 
considerable  time,  if  it  be  properly  attended 
to ;  and,  indeed,  it  must  be  owned,  that  it 
employs  but  too  great  a  part  of  some  people's 
attention. 

The  extreme  sagacity  and  docility  of  the 
bird  may  plead  as  the  best  excuse  for  those 
who  spend  whole  hours  in  teaching  their 
parrots  to  speak;  and,  indeed,  the  bird,  on 
those  occasions,  seems  the  wisest  animal  of 
the  two.  It  at  first  obstinately  resists  all  in- 
struction ;  but  seems  to  be  won  by  perseve- 
rance, makes  a  few  attempts  to  imitate  the 
first  sounds,  and  when  it  has  got  one  word 
distinct,  all  the  succeeding  come  with  greater 
facility.  The  bird  generally  learns  most  in 
those  families  where  the  master  or  mistress 
have  the  least  to  do ;  and  becomes  more  ex- 
pert, in  proportion  as  its  instructers  are  idly 
assiduous.  In  going  through  the  towns  of 
Frnnce  some  time  since,  I  could  not  help  ob- 
serving how  much  plainer  their  parrots  spoke 
than  ours,  and  how  very  distinctly  I  under- 
stood their  parrots  speak  French,  when  I 
could  not  understand  our  own,  though  they 
spoke  my  native  language.  I  was  at  first  for 
ascribing  it  to  the  different  qualities  of  the 
two  languages,  and  was  for  entering  into  an 
elaborate  discussion  on  the  vowels  and  con- 
sonants :  but  a  friend  that  was  with  me  solved 
the  difficulty  at  once,  by  assuring  me  that  the 
F.rench  women  scarcely  did  any  thing  else 
the  whole  day  than  sit  and  instruct  their 
feathered  pupils ;  and  that  the  birds  were 
thus  distinct  in  their  lessons  in  consequence 
of  continual  schooling. 

The  parrots  of  France  are  certainly  very 
expert,  but  nothing  to  those  of  the  Brasils, 
where  the  education  of  a  parrot  is  consider- 
ed as  a  very  serious  affhir.  The  history  of 
Prince  Maurice's  parrot,  given  us  by  Mr. 
Locke,  is  too  well  known  to  be  repeated 
here ;  but  Clusius  assures  us  that  the  parrots 
of  th.it  country  are  the  most  sensible  and 
cunning  of  all  animals  not  endued  with  rea- 


son. The  great  parrot,  called  the  aicurou-s, 
the  head  of  which  is  adorned  with  yellow, 
red,  and  violet,  the  body  green,  the  ends  of 
the  wings  red,  the  feathers  of  the  tail  long  and 
yellow ;  this  bird,  he  asserts,  which  is  seldom 
brought  into  Europe,  is  a  prodigy  of  under- 
standing. "  A  certain  Brasilian  woman, 
that  lived  in  a  village  two  miles  distant  from 
the  island  on  which  we  resided,  had  a  parrot 
of  this  kind  which  was  the  wonder  of  the 
place.  It  seemed  endued  with  such  under- 
standing, as  to  discern  and  comprehend  what- 
ever she  said  to  it.  As  we  sometimes  used 
to  pass  by  that  woman's  house,  she  used  to 
call  upon  us  to  stop,  promising,  if  we  gave 
her  a  comb,  or  a  looking-glass,  that  she  would 
make  her  parrot  sing  and  dance  to  entertain 
us.  If  we  agreed  to  her  request,  as  soon  as 
she  had  pronounced  some  words  to  the  bird, 
it  began  not  only  to  leap  and  skip  on  the 
perch  on  which  it  stood,  but  also  to  talk  and 
to  whistle,  and  imitate  the  shoutings  and  ex- 
clamations of  the  Brasilians  when  they  pre- 
pare for  battle.  In  brief,  when  it  came  into 
the  woman's  head  to  bid  it  sing,  it  sang;  to 
dance,  it  danced.  But  if,  contrary  to  our 
promise,  we  refused  to  give  the*  woman  the 
little  present  agreed  on,  the  parrot  seemed  to 
sympathize  in  her  resentment,  and  was  silent 
and  immoveable;  neither  could  we,  by  any 
means,  provoke  it  to  move  either  foot  or 
tongue." 

This  sagacity,  which  parrots  show  in  a  do- 
mestic state,  seems  also  natural  to  them  in 
their  native  residence  among  the  woods. 
They  live  together  in  flocks,  and  mutually 
assist  each  other  against  other  animals,  either 
by  their  courage  or  their  notes  of  warning. 
They  generally  breed  in  hollow  trees,  where 
they  make  a  round  hole,  and  do  not  line  their 
nests  within.  If  they  find  any  part  of  a  tree 
beginning  to  rot  from  the  breaking  off  of  a 
branch,  or  any  such  accident,  this  they  take 
care  toscoop,and  to  make  the  hole  sufficiently 
wide  and  convenient;  but  it  sometimes  hap- 
pens that  they  are  content  with  the  hole 
which  a  woodpecker  has  wrought  out  with 
greater  ease  before  them ;  and  in  this  they 
prepare  to  hatch  and  bring  up  their  young. 

They  lay  two  or  three  eggs ;  and  probably 
the  smaller  kind  may  lay  more;  for  it  is  a 
rule  that  universally  holds  through  nature, 


528 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ihat  the  smallest  animals  arc  always  the  most 
prolific;  for  being,  from  their  natural  weak- 
ness, more  subject  to  devastation,  nature 
finds  it  necessary  to  replenish  the  species  by 
superior  fecundity.  In  general,  however, 
the  number  of  their  eggs  is  stinted  to  two, 
like  those  of  the  pigeon,  and  they  are  about 
the  same  size.  They  are  always  marked 
with  little  specks,  like  those  of  a  partridge ; 
and  some  travellers  assure  us,  that  they  are 
always  found  in  the  trunks  of  the  tallest, 
straightest,  and  the  largest  trees.  The  na- 
tives of  those  countries,  who  have  little  else 
to  do,  are  very  assiduous  in  spying  out  the 
places  where  the  parrot  is  seen  to  nestle,  and 
generally  come  with  great  joy  to  inform  the 
Europeans,  if  there  be  any,  of  the  discovery. 
As  those  birds  have  always  the  greatest  do- 
cility that  are  taken  young,  such  a  nest  is 
often  considered  as  worth  taking  some  trou- 
ble to  be  possessed  of;  and,  for  this  purpose, 
the  usual  method  of  coming  at  the  young  is, 
by  cutting  down  the  tree.  In  the  fall  of  the 
tree  it  often  happens  that  the  young  parrots 
are  killed ;  but  if  one  of  them  survives  the 
shock,  it  is  considered  as  a  sufficient  recom- 
pense. 

Such  is  the  avidity  with  which  these  birds 
are  sought  when  young ;  for  it  is  known  they 
always  speak  best  when  their  ear  has  not 
been  anticipated  by  the  harsh  notes  of  the 
wild  ones.  But  as  the  natives  are  not  able 
upon  all  occasions  to  supply  the  demand  for 
young  ones,  they  are  contented  to  take  the 
old  ;  and  for  that  purpose  shoot  them  in  the 
woods  with  heavy  arrows,  headed  with  cot- 
ton, which  knock  down  the  bird  without  kil- 
ling it.  The  parrots  thus  stunned  are  car- 
ried home:  some  die,  but  others  recover,  and, 
by  kind  usage  and  plentiful  food,  become 
talkative  and  noisy. 

But  it  is  not  for  the  sake  of  their  conver- 
sation alone  that  the  parrot  is  sought  after 
among  the  savages ;  for  though  some  of  them 
are  but  tough  and  ill-tasted,  yet  there  are 
other  sorts,  particularly  of  the  small  parakeet 
tribe,  that  are  very  delicate  food.  In  gene- 
ral it  obtains,  that  whatever  fruit  or  grain 
these  birds  mostly  feed  upon,  their  flesh  par- 
takes of  the  flavour,  and  becomes  good  or 
ill-tasted,  according  to  the  quality  of  their 
particular  diet.  When  the  guava  is  ripe,  they 


are  at  that  season  fat  and  tender;  if  they  feed 
upon  the  seed  of  the  acajou,  their  flesh  con- 
tracts an  agreeable  flavour  of  garlic;  if  they 
feed  upon  the  seed  of  the  spicy  trees,  their 
flesh  then  tastes  of  cloves  and  cinnamon; 
while,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  insupportably  bit- 
ter if  the  berries  they  feed  on  are  of  that  qua- 
lity. Their  seed  of  the  cotton-tree  intoxicates 
them  in  the  same  manner  as  wine  does  man.; 
and  even  wine  itself  is  drunk  by  parrots,  as 
Aristotle  assures  us,  by  which  they  are  thus 
rendered  more  talkative  and  amusing.  But 
of  all  food,  they  are  fondest  of  the  carthamus, 
or  bastard  saffron;  which,  though  strongly 
purgative  to  man,  agrees  perfectly  with  their 
constitution,  and  fattens  them  in  a  very  short 
time. 

Of  the  parakeet  kind  in  Brasil,  Labat  as- 
sures us,  that  they  are  the  most  beautiful  in 
their  plumage,  and  the  most  talkative  birds 
in  nature.  They  are  very  tame,  and  appear 
fond  of  mankind;  they  seem  pleased  with 
holding  parley  with  him;  they  never  have 
done;  but  while  he  continues  to  talk,  answer 
him,  and  appear  resolved  to  have  the  last 
word  :  but  they  are  possessed  of  another  qua- 
lity, which  is  sufficient  to  put  an  end  to  this 
association ;  their  flesh  is  the  most  delicate 
imaginable,  and  highly  esteemed  by  those 
who  are  fonder  of  indulging  their  appetites 
than  their  ears.  The  fowler  walks  into  the 
woods,  where  they  keep  in  abundance,  but 
as  they  are  green,  and  exactly  the  colour  of 
the  leaves  among  which  they  sit,  he  only 
hears  their  prattle,  without  being  able  to  see 
a  single  bird ;  he  look?  round  him,  sensible 
that  his  game  is  within  gun-shot  in  abundance, 
but  is  mortified  to  the  last  degree  that  it  is 
impossible  to  see  them.  Unfortunately  for 
these  little  animals,  they  are  restless,  and 
ever  on  the  wing,  so  that  in  flying  from  one 
tree  to  another,  he  has  but  too  frequent  op- 
portunities of  destroying  them ;  for  as  soon 
as  they  have  stripped  the  tree  on  which  they 
sat  of  all  its  berries,  some  one  of  them  flies 
oflTto  another;  and,  if  that  be  found  fit  for 
the  purpose,  it  gives  a  loud  call,  which  all 
the  rest' resort  to.  That  is  the  opportunity 
the  fowler  has  long  been  wailing  for;  he  fires 
in  among  the  flock,  while  they  are  yet  on  the 
wing;  and  he  seldom  f-  '  of  bringing  down 
a  part  of  them.  But  it  is  singular  enough  to 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


see  them  when  they  find  their  companions  fall- 
en. They  set  up  a  loud  outcry,  as  il'they  were 
chiding  their  destroyer,  and  do  notecase  till 
they  see  him  preparing  for  a  second  charge. 

But  though  there  are  so  many  motives  for 
destroying  these  beautiful  birds,  they  are  in 
very  great  plenty  ;  and  in  some  countries  on 
the  coast  of  Guinea,  they  are  considered  by 
the  negroes  as  their  greatest  tormentors. 
The  Hocks  of  parrots  persecute  them  with 
their  unceasing  screaming,  and  devour  what- 
ever fruits  they  attempt  to  produce  by  art  in 
their  little  gardens.  In  other  places  they  are 
not  so  destructive,  but  sufficiently  common ; 
and,  indeed,  there  is  scarce  a  country  of  the 
tropical  climates  that  has  not  many  of  the 
common  kinds,  as  well  as  some  peculiarly  its 
own.  Travellers  have  counted  more  than  a 
hundred  different  kinds  on  the  continent  of 
Africa  only:  there  is  one  country  in  particular, 
north  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  which  takes 
its  name  from  the  multitude  of  parrots  which 
are  seen  in  its  woods.  There  are  white  par- 
rots seen  in  the  burning  regions  of  Ethiopia  : 
in  the  East  Indies  they  are  of  the  largest  size ; 
in  South  America  they  are  docile  and  talka- 
tive ;  in  all  the  islands  of  the  Pacific  Sea  and 
the  Indian  Ocean,  they  swarm  in  great  variety 
and  abundance,  and  add  to  the  splendour  of 
those  woods  which  nature  has  dressed  in 
eternal  green. 

So  generally  are  these  birds  known  at  pre- 
sent, and  so  great  is  their  variety,  that  no- 


thing seems  more  extraordinary  than  that 
there  was  but  one  sort  of  them  known  among 
the  ancients,  and  that  at  a  time  when  they 
pretended  to  be  masters  of  the  world.  If 
nothing  else  could  serve  to  show  the  vanity 
of  a  Roman's  boast,  the  parrot  tribe  might  be 
an  instance,  of  which  there  are  a  hundred 
kinds  now  known ;  not  one  of  which  naturally 
breeds  in  the  countries  that  acknowledged 
the  Roman  power.  The  green  parakeet, 
with  a  red  neck,  was  the  first  of  this  kind  that 
was  brought  into  Europe,  and  the  only  one 
that  was  known  to  the  ancients,  from  the  time 
of  Alexander  the  Great  to  the  age  of  Nero  : 
this  was  brought  from  India;  and  when  after- 
wards the  Romans  began  to  seek  and  rum- 
mage through  all  their  dominions,  for  new  and 
unheard-of  luxuries,  they  at  last  found  out 
others  in  Gaganda,  an  island  of  Ethiopia, 
which  they  considered  as  an  extraordinary 
discovery. 

Parrots  have  usually  the  same  disorders 
with  other  birds ;  and  they  have  one  or  two 
peculiar  to  their  kind.  They  are  sometimes 
struck  by  akind  of  apoplectic  blow,  by  which 
they  fall  from  their  perches,  and  for  a  while 
seem  ready  to  expire.  The  other  is  the  grow- 
ing of  the  beak,  which  becomes  so  very  much 
hooked  as  to  deprive  them  of  the  power  of 
eating.  These  infirmities,  however,  do  not 
hinder  them  from  being  long-lived;  fora  par- 
rot, well  kept,  will  lire  five  or  six  and  twenty 
years. 


CHAPTER  CV. 

THE  PIGEON,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THIS  is  one  of  the  birds  which,  from  its 
great  fecundity,  we  have,  in  some  measure, 
reclaimed  from  a  state  of  nature,  and  taught 
to  live  in  habits  of  dependence.  Indeed,  its 
fecundity  seems  to  be  increased  by  human 
cultivation;  since  those  pigeons  that  live  in 
a  wild  state,  in  the  woods,  are  by  no  .means 
BO  fruitful  as  those  in  our  pigeon-houses  near- 
er home.  The  power  of  increase  in  most 
birds  depends  upon  the  quantity  of  their  food; 


and  it  is  seen,  in  more  than  one  instance,  that 
man,  by  supplying  food  in  plenty,  and  allow- 
ing the  animal  at  the  same  time  a  proper 
share  of  freedom,  has  brought  some  of  those 
kinds  which  are  known  to  lay  but  once  a 
year,  to  become  much  more  prolific. 

The  tame  pigeon,  and  all  its  beautiful  va- 
rieties, derive  their  origin  from  one  species, 
the  Stock-Dove  only ;  the  English  name,  im- 
plying its  being  the  stock  or  stem  from  whence 


530 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  other  domestic  kinds  have  been  propa- 
gated. This  bird,  in  its  natural  state,  is  of  a 
deep  bluish  ash-colour;  the  breast  dashed 
with  a  fine  changeable  green  and  purple  ;  its 
wings  marked  with  two  black  bars ;  the 
back  white,  and  the  tail  barred  near  the  end 
with  black.  These  are  the  colours  of  the 
pigeon  in  a  state  of  nature;  and  from  these 
simple  tints  has  man  by  art  propagated  a  va- 
riety that  words  cannot  describe,  nor  even 
fancy  suggest.  However,  nature  still  per- 
severes in  her  great  outline ;  and  though  the 
form,  colour,  and  even  the  fecundity,  of  these 
birds,  may  be  altered  by  art,  yet  their  natu- 
ral manners  and  inclinations  continue  still  the 
same. 

The  stock-dove,  in  its  native  woods,  differs 
from  the  ring-dove,  a  bird  that  has  never  been 
reclaimed,  by  its  breeding  in  the  holes  of  rocks 
and  the  hollows  of  trees.  All  other  birds  of 
the  pigeon  kind  build,  like  rooks,  in  the  top- 
most branches  of  the  forest,  and  choose  their 
habitation  as  remote  as  possible  from  man. 
But  this  species  soon  takes  to  build  in  artificial 
cavities ;  and,  from  the  temptation  of  a  ready 
provision  and  numerous  society,  easily  sub- 
mits to  the  tyranny  of  man.  Still,  however, 
it  preserves  its  native  colour  for  several  gene- 
rations, and  becomes  more  variegated  only 
in  proportion  as  it  removes  from  the  original 
simplicity  of  its  colouring  in  the  woods. 

The  Dove-house  Pigeon,  as  is  well  known, 
breeds  every  month;  but  then  it  is  necessary 
to  supply  it  with  food  when  the  weather  is 
severe,  or  the  fields  are  covered  with  snow. 
Upon  other  occasions,  it  may  be  left  to  pro- 
vide for  itself,  and  it  generally  repays  the 
owner  for  his  protection.  The  pigeon  lays 
two  white  eggs,  which  most  usually  produce 
young  ones  of  different  sexes.  For  the  lay- 
ing of  each  egg,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a 
particular  congress  with  the  male ;  and  the 
egg  is  usually  deposited  in  the  afternoon. 
When  the  eggs  are  thus  laid,  the  female,  in 
the  space  of  fifteen  days,  not  including  the 
three  days  during  which  she  is  employed  in 
laying,  continues  to  hatch,  relieved  at  inter- 
vals by  the  male.  The  turns  are  usually  re- 
gulated with  great  exactness.  From  three  or 
four  o'clock  in  the  evening  till  nine  the  next 
day,  the  female  continues  to  sit;  she  is  then 
relieved  by  the  male,  who  takes  his  place 


from  ten  till  three,  while  his  mate  is  feeding 
abroad.  In  this  manner  they  t^it  alternately 
till  the  young  are  excluded.  If,  during  this 
term,  the  female  delays  to  return  at  the  ex- 
pected time,  the  male  follows,  and  drives  her 
to  the  nest ;  and  should  he  in  his  turn  be 
dilatory,  she  retaliates  with  equal  severity. 

The  young  ones,  when  hatched,  require  no 
food  for  the  three  first  days,  only  wanting 
to  be  kept  warm,  which  is  an  employment 
the  female  takes  entirely  upon  herself. 
During  this  period,  she  never  stir*  out,  except 
for  a  few  minutes  to  take  a  little  food.  From 
this  they  are  fed  for  eight  or  ten  days  with 
corn  or  grain  of  different  kinds,  which  the  old 
ones  gather  in  the  fields,  and  keep  treasured 
up  in  their  crops,  from  whence  they  throw  it 
up  again  into  the  mouths  of  their  young  ones, 
who  very  greedily  demand  it. 

As  this  method  of  feeding  the  young  from 
the  crop  is  different  in  birds  of  the  pigeon- 
kind  from  all  others,  it  demands  a  more  de- 
tailed explanation.  Of  all  birds,  for  its  size, 
the  pigeon  has  the  largest  crop,  which  is  also 
made  in  a  manner  quite  peculiar  to  the  kind. 
In  two  of  these  that  were  dissected  by  a 
member  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences, 
it  was  found  that  if  the  anatomist  blew  air 
into  the  wind-pipe,  it  distended  the  crop  or 
gullet  to  a  prodigious  size.  This  was  the 
more  extraordinary,  as  there  seemed  to  be 
no  communication  whatever  between  these 
two  receptacles ;  as  the  conduit  by  which  we 
breathe,  as  every  one  kiiovvs,  leads  to  a  very 
different  receptacle  from  that  where  we  put 
our  food.  By  what  apertures  the  air  blown 
into  the  lungs  of  the  pigeon  makes  its  way 
into  the  crop,  is  unknown;  but  nothing  is  more 
certain  than  that  these  birds  have  a  power  of 
filling  the  crop  with  air ;  and  some  of  them, 
which  are  called  croppers,  distend  it  in  such 
a  manner,  that  the  bird's  breast  seems  bigger 
than  its  body.  The  peculiar  mechanism  of 
this  part  is  not  well  known;  but  the  necessity 
for  it  in  those  animals  is  pretty  obvious.  The 
pigeon,  as  we  all  know,  lives  entirely  upon 
grain  and  water:  these  are  mixed  together  in 
the  crop;  and  iii  the  ordinary  way  are 
digested  in  proportion  ns  the  bird  lays  in  its 
provision.  But  !o  feod  its  young,  which  are 
very  voracious,  it  is  necessary  to  lay  in  a 
store  greater  than  ordin  <ry,  and  to  give  the 


THE  PIE  KIND. 


531 


food  a  kind  of  half  maceration,  to  suit  their 
tender  appetites.  The  heat  of  the  bird's  bo- 
dy, assisted  by  air,  and  numerous  glands  se- 
parating a  milky  fluid,  are  the  most  necessa- 
ry instruments  for  this  operation:  but,  in  pro- 
portion as  the  food  macerates,  it  begins  to 
swell  also;  and  the  crop  must,  of  conse- 
quence, be  considerably  dilated.  Still,  how- 
ever, the  air  which  is  contained  in  it  gives 
the  bird  a  power  of  contracting  it  at  plea- 
sure ;  for  if  it  were  filled  with  more  solid  sub- 
stances, the  bird  could  have  no  power  to 
compress  it.  But  this  is  not  the  case,  the 
bird  can  compress  its  crop  at  pleasure;  and 
driving  out  the  air,  can  thus  drive  out  the 
food  also,  which  is  forced  up  the  gullet,  like 
a  pellet  from  a  pop-gun.  The  young  ones, 
open-mouthed,  receive  this  tribute  of  affec- 
tion, and  are  thus  fed  three  times  a  day.  In 
feeding,  the  male  usually  supplies  the  young 
female,  while  the  old  female  supplies  the 
young  of  the  opposite  sex.  The  food  with 
which  they  are  supplied,  is  more  macerated 
at  the  beginning;  but  as  they  grow  older, 
the  parents  give  it  less  preparation,  and  at 
last  drive  them  out  to  shift  for  themselves. 
When  well  fed,  however,  the  old  ones  do  not 
wait  for  the  total  dismission  of  their  young; 
but  in  the  same  nest  are  to  be  found  young 
ones  almost  fit  for  flight,  and  eggs  hatching 
at  the  same  time. 

The  fidelity  of  the  turtle-dove  is  proverbial, 
and  makes  the  usual  comparison  of  such  poets 
as  are  content  to  repeat  what  others  have 
said  before  them ;  but  the  pigeon  of  the  dove- 
house  is  not  so  faithful ;  and  having  been  sub- 
jected to  man,  it  puts  on  licentiousness  among 
its  other  domestic  habits.  Two  males  are 
often  seen  quarrelling  for  the  same  mistress; 
and  when  the  female  admits  the  addresses  of 
a  new  gallant,  her  old  companion  seems  to 
bear  the  contempt  with  some  marks  of  dis- 
pleasure, abstaining  from  her  company;  or  if 
he  approaches,  it  is  only  to  chastise  her. 
There  have  been  instances  when  two  males, 
being  displeased  with  their  respective  mates, 
have  thought  proper  to  make  an  exchange, 
and  have  lived  in  great  harmony  with  their 
new  companions. 

So  great  is  the  produce  of  this  bird  in  its 
domestic  state,  that  near  fifteen  thousand 
may,  in  the  space  of  four  years,  be  produced 

no.  45  &  46. 


from  a  single  pair.  But  the  stock-dove  sel- 
dom breeds  above  twice  a  year ;  for  when 
the  winter  months  come,  the  whole  employ- 
ment of  the  fond  couple  is  rather  for  self- 
preservation,  than  transmitting  a  posterity 
They  seem,  however,  to  have  a  stronger  at- 
tachment to  their  young  than  those  who  are 
found  to  breed  so  often ;  whether  it  be  that 
instinct  acts  more  powerfully  upon  them  in 
their  state  of  nature,  or  that  their  affections 
are  less  divided  by  the  multiplicity  of  claims. 
It  is  from  a  species  of  these,  therefore,  that 
those  pigeons  which  are  called  Carriers,  and 
are  used  to  convey  letters,  are  produced. 
These  are  easily  distinguished  from  all  others 
by  their  eyes,  which  are  compassed  about 
with  a  broad  circle  of  naked  white  skin,  and 
by  being  of  a  dark  blue  or  blackish  colour. 
It  is  from  their  attachment  to  their  native 
place,  and  particularly  where  they  have 
brought  up  their  young,  that  these  birds  are 
employed  in  several  countries  as  the  most 
expeditious  carriers.  They  are  first  brought 
from  the  place  where  they  were  bred,  and 
whither  it  is  intended  to  send  them  back  with 
information.  The  letter  is  tied  under  the 
bird's  wing,  and  it  is  then  let  loose  to  return. 
The  little  animal  no  sooner  finds  itself  at  li- 
berty, than  its  passion  for  its  native  spot  di- 
rects all  its  motions.  It  is  seen,  upon  these 
occasions,  flying  directly  into  the  clouds  to 
an  amazing  height ;  and  then,  with  the  great- 
est certainty  and  exactness,  directing  itself, 
by  some  surprising  instinct,  towards  home, 
which  lies  sometimes  at  many  miles  distance, 
bringing  its  message  to  those  to  whom  it  is 
directed.  By  what  marks  they  discover  the 
place,  by  what  chart  they  are  guided  in  the 
right  way,  is  to  us  utterly  unknown :  certain 
it  is,  that  in  the  space  of  an  hour  and  a  half 
they  perform  a  journey  of  forty  miles  ;  which 
is  a  degree  of  despatch  three  times  greater 
than  the  fleetest  quadruped  can  perform. 
These  birds  are  not  brought  up  at  present 
with  as  much  care  as  formerly,  when  they 
were  sent  from  governors  in  a  besieged  city 
to  generals  that  were  coming  to  relieve  it 
without;  when  they  were  sent  from  princes 
to  their  subjects  with  the  tidings  of  some  for- 
tunate event ;  or  from  lovers  to  their  mistres- 
ses with  expressions  of  their  passion.  The 
only  use  we  now  see  made  of  them  is  to  be 

4H 


532 


A  HISTORY  OF 


let  fly  at  Tyburn,  when  the  cart  is  drawn 
away;  pretty  much  as  when  some  ancient  hero 
was  to  be  interred,  an  eagle  was  let  off  from 
the  funeral  pile,  to  complete  his  apotheosis.8 
The  varieties  of  the  tame  pigeon  are  so  nu- 
merous, that  it  would  be  a  vain  attempt  to 
mention  them :  so  much  is  the  figure  and  co- 
lour of  this  bird  under  human  control,  that 
pigeon-fanciers,  by  coupling  a  male  and  fe- 
male of  different  sorts,  can  breed  them,  as 
they  express  it,  to  a  feather.  From  hence 
we  have  the  various  names  of  croppers,  carriers, 
jacobines,  powters,  runts,  and  turbits:  all  birds 
that  at  first  might  have  accidentally  varied 
from  the  stock-dove ;  and  then,  by  having 
these  varieties  still  heightened  by  food,  cli- 
mate, and  paring,  different  species  have  been 
produced.  But  there  are  many  species  of 
the  wild  pigeon,  which,  though  bearing  a 
strong  affinity  to  the  stock-dove,  are,  never- 
theless, sufficiently  different  from  it  to  de- 
serve a  distinct  description.  The  ring-dove 
is  of  this  number;  a  good  deal  larger  than 
the  former,  and  building  its  nest  with  a  few 
dry  sticks,  in  the  boughs  of  trees.  This 
seems  a  bird  much  fonder  of  its  native  free- 
dom than  the  former;  and  attempts  have 
been  frequently  made  to  render  it  domestic; 
but  they  have  hitherto  proved  fruitless,  for 
though  their  eggs  have  been  hatched  by  the 
tame  pigeon  in  a  dove-house,  yet,  as  soon  as 
they  could  fly,  they  always  betook  themselves 
to  the  woods  where  they  were  first  produced. 
In  the  beginning  of  winter  these  assemble  in 
great  flocks  in  the  woods,  and  leave  off  coo- 


»  In  the  Annual  Register  for  the  year  1765,  we  read  of 
an  experiment  which  was  made,  by  which  the  velocity  of 
flight  in  these  birds  was  pretty  well  ascertained.  A  gen- 
tleman, for  a  trifling  wager,  sent  a  carrier-pigeon  from 
London  by  the  coach,  to  a  friend  at  St.  Edmondsbury  ; 
and  along  with  it  a  note,  desiring  that  the  pigeon,  two 
days  after  its  arrival  there,  might  be  thrown  up  precisely 
when  the  town  clock  struck  nine  in  the  morning.  This 
was  accordingly  done;  and  the  pigeon  arrived  in  London, 
and  flew  into  the  Bell  Inn  in  Bishopsgnte-street.  at  half  an 
hour  past  eleven  o'clock  of  the  saim  morning  ;  having 
flown  72  miles  in  the  space  of  two  hours  and  a  half. 

Some  years  ago  this  animal  was  made  use  of  for  a  very 
extraordinary  purpose.  During  the  drawing  of  the  Lot- 


ing;  nor  do  they  resume  this  note  of  court- 
ship till  the  beginning  of  March,  when  the 
genial  season,  by  supplying  them  with  food, 
renews  their  desires. 

The  turtle-dove  is  a  smaller,  but  a  much 
shyer  bird,  than  any  of  the  former.  It  may 
easily  be  distinguished  from  the  rest  by  the 
iris  of  the  eye,  which  is  of  a  fine  yellow,  and 
by  a  beautiful  crimson  circle  that  encompass- 
es the  eye-lids.  The  fidelity  of  these  birds 
is  noted;  and  a  pair  being  put  in  a  cage,  if 
one  dies  the  other  will  not  survive  it.  The 
turtle-dove  is  a  bird  of  passage,  and  few,  or 
none,  remain  in  our  northern  climates  in  win- 
ter. They  fly  in  flocks  when  they  come  to 
breed  here  in  summer,  and  delight  in  open, 
mountainous,  sandy  countries.  But  they  build 
their  nests  in  the  midst  of  woods,  and  choose 
the  most  retired  situations  for  incubation. 
They  feed  upon  all  sorts  of  grain,  but  are 
fondest  of  millet-seed. 

To  this  short  list  might  be  added  a  long 
catalogue  of  foreign  pigeons,  of  which  we 
know  little  more  than  the  plumage  and  the 
names.  Indeed,  the  variety  of  their  plumage 
is  as  beautiful,  as  the  names  by  which  they 
are  known  are  harsh  and  dissonant.  The 
ocotzimtzcan,  for  instance,  is  one  of  the  most 
splendid  tenants  of  the  Mexican  forests;  but 
few,  I  believe,  would  desire  to  learn  the  name, 
only  to  be  informed  that  it  is  covered  with 
purple,  green,  and  yellow,  plumage.  To  de- 
scribe such  birds,  the  historian's  pen  is  not 
half  such  a  useful  implement  as  the  painter's 
pencil. 


tery,  a  gang  of  sharpers,  distributed  in  various  places,  de- 
vised a  scheme  for  making  this  bird  the  instrument  of 
their  plunder.  One  of  these  was  to  bring  with  him  a  car- 
rier-pigeon, and  wait  in  the  Guildhall  till  a  large  prize  was 
drawn,  and  with  all  possible  despatch  to  place  the  fortu- 
nate number  under  the  wing  of  the  pigeon,  and  let  him 
loose.  This  intelligence  was  faithfully  conveyed  to  his 
associate,  in  a  much  more  speedy  manner  than  by  the 
usual  mode,  and  he  was  directed  to  ensure  the  number  to 
whatever  amount  he  thought  proper.  It  is  probable,  that 
from  this  circumstance  might  arise  the  application  of  the 
common  cant  term  pigeon,  to  any  one  who  had  been  over- 
reached and  cheated. 


SPARROW  KIND. 


533 


OF  BIRDS  OF    THE  SPARROW  KIND. 


CHAPTER  CVI. 

OF  BIRDS  OF  THE  SPARROW  KIND. 


STILL  descending  from  the  larger  to  the 
smaller,  we  come  to  birds  of  the  sparrow  kind ; 
or  that  class  of  beautiful  little  animals  that, 
being  less  than  the  pigeon,  go  on  diminishing 
till  we  arrive  at  the  humming-bird,  the  small- 
est of  the  feathered  creation. 

The  birds  which  compose  this  class  chiefly 
live  in  the  neighbourhood  of  man,  and  are  his 
greatest  favourites.  The  falcon  may  be  more 
esteemed,  and  the  turkey  more  useful ;  but 
these  he  considers  as  servants,  not  as  friends ; 
as  animals  reclaimed  merely  to  supply  him 
with  some  of  the  conveniences  of  life :  but 
these  little  painted  songsters  have  his  affections, 
as  well  from  their  beauty  as  tht-ir  melody  ;  it 
is  this  delimit i ful  cla?s  that  fill  his  groves  with 
harmony,  and  lift  his  heart  to  sympathize  with 
their  raptures.  All  the  other  classes  are  either 
mute  or  screaming;  it  is  this  diminutive  tribe 
only  that  have  voices  equal  to  the  beauty  of 
their  figures  ;  equally  adapted  to  rejoice  man, 
and  delight  each  other. 

As  they  are  the  favourites  of  man,  so  they 
are  chiefly  seen  near  him.  All  the  great  birds 
dread  his  vicinity,  and  keep  to  the  thickest  dark- 
ness of  the  forest,  or  the  brow  of  the  most 
craggy  precipice  :  but  these  seldom  resort  to 
the  thicker  p.irts  of  the  wood  ;  they  keep  near 
its  edges,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  cultivated 
fields,  in  the  hedge-rows  of  farm  grounds,  and 
even  in  the  yard,  mixing  with  the  poultry. 

It  must  be  owned,  indeed,  that  their  living 
near  man  is  not  a  socioty  of  affection  on  their 
part,  as  they  approach  inhabited  grounds 
nier  'ly  because  their  chief  provision  is  to  be 
found  there.  In  the  depth  of  the  desert,  or  the 
gloom  of  the  forest,  there  is  no  grain  to  be 
picked  up ;  none  of  those  tender  buds  that  are 


so  grateful  to  their  appetites:  insects  themselves, 
that  make  so  great  a  part  of  their  food,  arc 
not  found  there  in  abundance ;  their  natures 
being  unsuited  to  the  moisture  of  the  place. 
As  we  enter,  therefore,  deeper  into  uncultivated 
woods,  the  silence  becomes  more  profound ; 
every  thing  carries  the  look  of  awful  stillness ; 
there  are  none  of  those  warblings,  none  of 
those  murmurs,  that  awaken  attention,  as  near 
the  habitations  of  men ;  there  is  nothing  of  that 
confused  buzz,  formed  by  the  united,  though 
distant,  voices  of  quadrupeds  and  birds  ;  but 
all  is  profoundly  dead  and  solemn.  Now  and 
then,  indeed,  the  traveller  may  be  roused  from 
this  lethargy  of  life,  by  the  voice  of  a  heron, 
or  the  scream  of  an  eagle ;  but  his  sweet  little 
friends  and  warblers  have  totally  forsaken 
him. 

There  is  still  another  reason  for  these  little 
birds  avoiding  the  depths  of  the  forests;  which 
is,  that  their  most  formidable  enemies  usually 
reside  there.  The  greater  birds,  like  robbers, 
choose  the  most  dreary  solitudrs  for  their  re- 
treats ;  and  if  they  do  not  find,  they  make  a 
desert  all  around  them.  The  small  birds  fly 
from  their  tyranny,  and  take  protection  in  the 
vicinity  of  man,  where  they  know  their  more 
unmerciful  foes  will  not  venture  to  pursue 
them. 

All  birds,  even  those  of  passage,  seem  con- 
tent with  a  certain  district  to  provide  food  and 
centre  in.  The  red-breast  or  the  wren  seldom 
leaves  the  field  where  it  has  been  brought  up, 
or  where  its  young  have  been  excluded  ;  even 
though  hunted  it  flies  along  the  hedge,  and 
seems  fond  of  the  place  with  an  imprudent 
perseverance.  The  fact  is,  all  these  small 
birds  mark  out  a  territory  to  themselves,  which 
4H* 


534 


A  HISTOKI 


they  will  permit  none  of  their  own  species  to 
remain  in ;  they  guard  their  dominions  with 
the  most  watchful  resentment ;  and  we  seldom 
find  two  male  tenants  in  the  same  hedge  to- 
gether. 

Thus,  though  fitted  by  nature  for  the  most 
wandering  life,  these  little  animals  do  not 
make  such  distant  excursions,  during  the  sea- 
son of  their  stay,  as  the  stag  or  the  leveret. 
Food  seems  to  be  the  only  object  that  puts  them 
in  motion,  and  when  that  is  provided  for  them 
in  sufficient  plenty,  they  never  wander.  But 
as  that  is  seldom  permanent  through  the  year, 
almost  every  bird  is  then  obliged  to  change  its 
abode.  Some  are  called  '  irds  of  passage,  be- 
cause they  are  obliged  to  take  long  journeys 
for  this  purpose ;  but,  strictly  speaking,  almost 
every  other  kind  are  birds  of  passage,  though 
their  migration  may  not  be  to  places  so  re- 
mote. At  some  particular  season  of  the  year, 
all  small  birds  migrate  either  from  one  country 
to  another,  or  from  the  more  inland  provinces 
towards  the  shore. 

There  are  several  persons  who  get  a  liveli- 
hood by  watching  the  seasons  when  our  small 
birds  begin  to  migrate  from  one  country  to 
another,  and  by  taking  them  with  nets  in  their 
passage.  The  birds  are  found  to  fly,  as  the 
bird-catchers  term  it,  chiefly  during  the  month 
of  October,  and  part  of  September  and  No- 
vember. There  is  also  another  flight  in  March, 
which  is  much  less  considerable  than  that  in 
autumn.  Nor  is  it  less  remarkable,  that  seve- 
ral of  these  species  of  flight-birds  make  their 
appearance  in  regular  succession.  The  pippet, 
for  instance,  begins  its  flight  every  year  about 
Michaelmas,  when  they  are  caught  in  greatest 
number.  To  this  the  wood-lark  succeeds,  and 
continues  its  flight  till  towards  the  middle  of 
October ;  other  birds  follow,  but  are  not  so 
punctually  periodical;  the  green-finch  does  not 
begin  till  the  frost  obliges  it  to  seek  for  a  change. 
These  birds,  during  those  months,  fly  from 
day-break  till  twelve  at  noon ;  and  there  is 
afterwards  a  small  flight  from  two  till  night. 
Such  are  the  seasons  of  the  migration  of  the 
birds,  which  have  been  usually  considered  as 
stationary,  and  on  these  occasions  they  are 
caught  in  great  abundance,  as  they  are  on 
their  journey.  But  the  same  arts  used  to  al- 
lurf*  them  upon  other  occasions  would  be 
utterly  fruitless,  as  they  avoid  the  nets  with 
the  most  prudent  circumspection.  The  au- 


tumnal flight  probably  consists  of  the  parents 
conducting  their  new-fledged  young  to  (hose 
places  where  there  is  sufficient  provision,  a^d 
a  proper  temperament  of  the  air  during  t'ae 
winter  season ;  and  their  return  in  spring  is 
obviously  from  an  attachment  to  the  place 
which  was  found  so  convenient  before  for  the 
purposes  of  nestling  and  incubation 

Autumn  is  the  principal  season  when  the 
bird-catcher  employs  his  art  to  catch  these 
wanderers.  His  nets  are  a  most  ingenious 
piece  of  mechanism,  being  generally  twelve 
yarns  and  a  half  long,  and  two  yards  and  a 
half  wide,  and  so  contrived  as  from  a  flat  po- 
sition to  rise  on  each  side,  and  clap  over  the 
birds  that  are  decoyed  to  come  between  them. 
The  birds  in  their  passage  are  always  observed 
to  fly  against  the  wind  ;  hence  there  is  a  great 
contention  among  the  bird-catchers  which 
shall  gain  the  wind  ;  for  example,  if  it  is 
westerly,  the  bird-catcher  who  lays  his  nets 
most  to  the  east,  is  sure  of  the  most  plentiful 
sport,  if  his  call- birds  are  good.  For  this  pur- 
pose, he  generally  carries  five  or  six  linnets, 
two  gold-finches,  two  green  finches,  one  wood- 
lark,  one  red-poll,  and  perhaps  a  bull  finch,  a 
yellow-hammer,  a  tit-lark,  and  an  aberdavine: 
these  are  placed  at  small  distances  from  the 
nets  in  little  cages.  He  has  besides  what  he 
calls  his  Jlur-birds,  which  are  placed  upon  a. 
moveable  perch,  which  the  bird-catcher  can 
raise  at  pleasure  by  moans  of  a  string ;  and 
these  he  always  lifts  gently  up  and  down  as 
the  wild  bird  approaches.  But  this  is  not 
enough  to  allure  the  wild  bird  down  ;  it  must 
be  called  by  one  of  the  call-birds  in  the  cages; 
and  these,  by  being  made  to  moult  prema- 
turely in  a  warm  cage,  call  louder  and  better 
than  those  that  are  wild  and  at  freedom. 
There  even  appears  a  malicious  joy  in  these 
call-birds  to  bring  the  wild  ones  into  the  same 
state  of  captivity,  while  at  the  same  time  their 
call  is  louder,  and  their  plumage  brighter,  than 
in  a  state  of  nature.  Nor  is  their  sight  or 
hearing  less  exquisite,  far  exceeding  that  of 
the  bird-catcher  ;  for  the  instant  the  wild  birds 
are  perceived,  notice  is  given  by  one  to  the 
rest  of  the  call-birds,  who  all  unite  in  the  same 
tumultuous  ecstacy  of  pleasure.  The  call 
birds  do  not  sing  upon  these  occasions  as  a 
bird  does  in  a  chamber,  but  incite  the  wild 
ones  by  short  jerks,  which,  when  the  birds  are 
good,  may  be  heard  at  a  great  distance.  The 


THE  SPARROW  KIND. 


535 


-"••""pr'nt  of  this  call  is  so  great,  that  the 
wiM  bud  bearing  .^  »_  P,  .  '  . 

rapid  flight;  and,  if  not  already  ScxjuJ11  ." 
with  the  nets,  lights  boldly  within  twenty  yards 
perhaps  of  the  bird-catcher,  and  on  a  spot 
which  it  would  otherwise  have  quite  disregard- 
ed. This  is  the  opportunity  wished  for,  and 
the  bird-catcher  pulling  a  string,  the  nets  on 
each  side  rise  in  an  instant,  and  clap  directly 
down  on  the  poor  little  unsuspecting  visitant. 
Nay,  it  frequently  happens,  that  if  half  a  flock 
Only  are  caught,  the  remaining  half  will  im- 
mediately afterwards  light  between  the  nets, 
and  share  the  fate  of  their  companions. 
Should  only  one  bird  escape,  this  unhappy 
survivor  will  also  venture  into  danger  till  it  is 
caught;  such  a  fascinating  power  have  the  call- 
birds. 

Indeed,  it  is  not  easy  to  account  for  the  na- 
ture of  this  call,  whether  it  be  a  challenge  to 
combat,  an  invitation  to  food,  or  a  prelude  to 
courtship.  As  the  call-birds  are  all  males,  and 
as  the  wild  birds  that  attend  to  their  voice  are 
most  frequently  males  also,  it  does  not  seem 
that  love  can  have  any  influence  in  their  assi- 
duity. Perhaps  the  wild  females,  in  these 
flights,  attend  to  and  obey  the  call  below,  and 
their  male  companions  of  the  flight  come  down 
to  bear  them  company.  If  this  be  the  case, 
and  that  the  females  have  unfaithfully  »ed  their 
mates  into  the  nets,  they  are  the  first  that  are 
punished  for  their  infidelity :  the  males  arc 
only  made  captives  for  singing  ;  while  the  fe- 
males are  indiscriminately  killed,  and  sold  to 
be  served  up  to  the  tables  of  the  delicate. 

Whatever  be  the  motives  that  thus  arrest  a 
flock  of  birds  in  their  flight,  whether  they  be 
of  gallantry  or  of  war,  it  is  certain  that  the 
small  birds  are  equally  remarkable  for  both. 
It  is,  perhaps,  the  genial  desire  that  inspires 
the  courage  of  most  animals  ;  and  that  being 
greatest  in  the  males,  gives  them  a  greater  de- 
gree of  valour  than  the  females.  Small  birds 
being  extremely  amorous,  are  remarkably 
brave.  However  contemptible  these  little 
warriors  are  to  larger  creatures,  they  are  often 
but  too  formidable  to  each  other  ;  and  some- 
times fight  till  one  of  them  yields  up  his  life 
with  the  victory.  But  their  contentions  are 
sometimes  of  a  gentler  nature.  Two  male 
birds  shall  strive  in  song,  till,  after  a  long  strug- 
gle, the  loudest  shall  entirely  silence  the  other. 
During  these  contentions,  the  female  sits  an 


attentive  silent  auditor,  and  often  rewards  the 
loudest  songster  with  her  company  during  the 


season. 

.">! 


lu&—o  -V"«»<T  birds  is  almost  universally 
the  prerogative  ol  the  nm,,;.     ,„;,,,  fll       jt  £ 

the  reverse  of  what  occurs  in  the  human  kino. 
Among  the  feathered  tribe,  the  heaviest  cares 
of  life  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  female.  Her's  is 
the  fatigue  of  incubation,  and  to  her  devolves 
the  principal  fatigue  of  nursing  the  helpless 
brood.  To  alleviate  these  fatigues, and  to  sup- 
port her  under  them,  nature  has  given  the 
song  to  the  male.  This  serves  as  a  note  of 
blandishment  at  first  to  attract  her  affections  ; 
it  serves  as  a  note  to  delight  her  during  the 
time  of  her  incubation ;  but  it  serves  still  far- 
ther as  a  note  of  security,  to  assure  her  that 
no  danger  threatens  to  molest  her.  The  male, 
while  his  mate  is  hatching,  sits  upon  some 
neighbouring  tree,  continuing  at  once  to  watch 
and  to  sing.  While  his  voice  is  heard,  the  fe- 
j  male  rests  in  confident  security  ;  and,  as  the 
poet  expresses  it,  appears  most  bless  d  when 
most  unseen  :  but  if  any  appearance  of  danger 
offers  to  intrude,  the  male,  that  a  moment  be- 
fore was  so  loud  and  sportive,  stops  all  of  a 
sudden  ;  and  this  is  a  most  certain  signal  to 
his  mate  to  provide  for  her  own  security. 

The  nest  of  little  birds  seems  to  be  of  a 
more  delicate  contrivance  than  that  of  the  lar- 
ger kinds.  As  the  volume  of  their  bodies  is 
smaller,  the  materials  of  which  their  nests  are 
composed  are  generally  warmer.  It  is  easy 
to  conceive  that  small  things  keep  heat  a 
shorter  time  than  those  that  are  large,  The 
eggs,  therefore,  of  small  birds  require  a  place 
of  more  constant  warmth  than  those  of  great 
ones,  as  being  liable  to  cool  more  quickly  ; 
and  accordingly  their  nests  are  built  warmer 
and  deeper,  lined  on  the  inside  with  softer 
substances,  and  guarded  above  with  a  better 
covering.  But  it  sometimes  happens  that  the 
little  architects  are  disturbed  in  their  opera- 
tions, and  then  they  are  obliged  to  make  a 
nest,  not  such  as  they  wish,  but  such  as  they 
can.  The  bird  whose  nest  has  been  robbed 
several  times,  builds  up  her  last  in  a  very 
slovenly  manner,  conscious  that,  from  the  near 
approach  of  winter,  she  must  not  take  time  to 
give  her  habitation  every  possible  advantage 
it  is  capable  of  receiving.  When  the  nest  is 
finished,  nothing  can  exceed  the  cunning  which 
the  male  and  female  employ  to  conceal  it. 


536 


A  HISTORY  OP 


If  it  is  built  in  bushes,  the  pliant  branches 
are  so  disposed  as  to  hide  it  entirely  from 

the  view;  if  it  be  built  among  moss,  nntk:— =- 

^  .<•.   mere  is  an 
outwardly  appears  tf,   •  ~    ,  ••. 

tet^A_J_!_Ji.  rhtrfm.  It  is  always  built  near 
>se  places  where  food  is  found  in  greatest 
abundance;  and  they  take  care  never  to  go 
in  or  out  while  there  is  any  one  in  sight.  The 
greater  birds  continue  from  their  nest  for 
some  time,  as  their  eggs  take  no  damage  in 
their  absence;  but  the  little  birds  are  assi- 
duous while  they  sit,  and  the  nest  is  always 
occupied  by  the  male  when  the  female  is 
obliged  to  seek  for  sustenance. 

The  first  food  of  all  birds  of  the  sparrow 
kind  is  worms  and  insects.  Even  the  spar- 
row and  the  gold-finch,  that  when  adult  feed 
only  upon  grain,  have  both  been  fed  upon 
insects  while  in  the  nest.  The  young  ones, 
for  some  time  after  their  exclusion  from  the 
shell,  require  no  food ;  but  the  parent  soon 
finds,  by  their  chirping  and  gaping,  that  they 
begin  to  feel  the  approaches  of  hunger,  and 
flies  to  provide  them  a  plentiful  supply.  In 
her  absence  they  continue  to  lie  close  to- 
gether, and  cherish  each  other  by  their  mu- 
tual warmth.  During  this  interval  also,  they 
preserve  a  perfect  silence,  uttering  not  the 
slightest  note,  till  the  parent  returns.  Her 
arrival  is  always  announced  by  a  chirrup, 
which  they  perfectly  understand,  and  which 
they  answer  all  together,  each  petitioning  for 
its  portion.  The  parent  distributes  a  sup- 
ply to  each  by  turns,  cautiously  avoiding  to 
gorge  them,  but  to  give  them  often,  though 
(tie  at  a  time.  The  wren  will  in  this  man- 
ner feed  seventeen  or  eighteen  young  ones, 
without  passing  over  one  of  them. 

Such  is  the  manner  in  which  these  birds 
bring  forth  and  hatch  their  young;  but  it  yet 
remains  to  usher  them  from  the  nest  into  life, 
and  this  they  very  assiduously  perform.  When 
they  are  fully  fledged,  and  fitted  for  short 
•flights,  the  old  ones,  if  the  weather  be  fair, 
lead  them  a  few  yards  from  the  nest,  and  then 
compel  them  to  return.  For  two  or  three 
succeeding  days  they  are  led  out  in  the  same 
manner,  but  each  day  to  seek  more  distant 
adventures.  When  it  is  perceived  that  they 
can  fly,  and  shift  for  themselves,  then  the  pa- 
rents forsake  them  for  ever,  and  pay  them  no 
more  attention  than  they  do  to  other  birds  in 


Indeed,  it 
...>,13,  mat, 


the  same  flock.  , 

these  I'*'1-  —•"'=>>  mat,  trom  the  moment 
-,,cir  young  are  set  out,  all  future  connexion 
ceases  between  the  male  and  the  female; 
they  go  separate  ways,  each  to  provide  for 
itself  during  the  rigours  of  winter;  and,  at 
the  approach  of  spring,  each  seeks  for  a  new 
associate. 

In  general,  birds,  when  they  come  to  pair 
in  spring,  associate  with  those  of  their  own 
age  and  place  of  abode.  Their  strength  or 
courage  is  generally  in  proportion  to  their 
age :  the  oldest  females  first  feel  the  acces- 
ses of  desire,  and  the  oldest  males  are  the 
boldest  to  drive  off  all  younger  pretenders. 
Those  next  in  courage  and  desire  become 
pretenders,  till  they  are  almost  all  provided 
in  turn.  The  youngest  come  last;  as,  in  fact, 
they  are  the  latest  in  their  inclinations.  But 
still  there  are  several,  both  males  and  females, 
that  remain  unprovided  for;  either  not  hap- 
pening to  meet  with  each  other,  or  at  least 
not  during  the  genial  interval.  Whether 
these  mix  with  small  birds  of  a  different  spe- 
cies, is  a  doubt  which  naturalists  have  not 
been  able  thoroughly  to  resolve.  Addison, 
in  some  beautiful  Latin  lines,  inserted  in  the 
Spectator,  is  entirely  of  opinion  (hat  birds 
observe  a  strict  chastity  of  manners,  and 
never  admit  the  caresses  of  a  different  tribe. 

Chaste  are  their  instincts,  faithful  is  their  fire, 
No  foreign  buauty  tempts  to  false  desire : 
The  snow-white  vesture,  and  the  glittering  crown, 
The  simple  plumage,  or  the  glossy  down, 
Prompt  not  their  love.     The  patriot  bird  pursues 
His  well  acquainted  tints,  and  kindred  hues : 
Hence  thro'  their  tribes  no  mix'd  polluted  flame, 
No  monster-breed  to  mark  the  groves  with  shame  : 
But  the  chaste  blackbird,  to  its  partner  true, 
Thinks  black  alone  is  Beauty's  fav'rite  hue: 
The  nightingale,  with  mutual  passion  blest, 
Sings  to  its  mate,  and  nightly  charms  the  nest : 
While  the  dark  owl,  to  court  his  partner  flies, 
And  owns  his  offspring  in  their  yellow  eyes. 

But  whatever  may  be  the  poet's  opinion, 
the  probability  is  against  this  fidelity  among 
the  smaller  tenants  of  the  grove.  The  great 
birds  are  much  more  true  to  (heir  species  than 
these;  and,  of  consequence,  the  varieties 
among  them  are  more  few.  Of  the  ostrich,  the 
cassowary,  and  the  eagle,  there  are  but  few 
species ;  and  no  arts  that  man  can  use,  could 
probably  induce  them  to  mix  with  each  other. 


THE  SPARROW  KIND. 


537 


But  it  is  otherwise  with  the  small  birds  we 
are  describing;  it  requires  very  little  trou- 
ble to  make  a  species  between  a  gold-finch 
and  a  canary-bird,  between  a  linnet  and  a 
lark.  They  breed  frequently  together;  and 
produce  a  race,  not,  like  the  mules  among 
quadrupeds,  incapable  of  breeding  again; 
for  this  motley  mixture  are  as  fruitful  as  their 
parents.  What  is  so  easily  done  by  art,  very 
probably  often  happens  in  a  state  of  nature; 
and  when  the  male  cannot  find  a  mate  of  his 
own  species,  he  flies  to  one  of  another,  that, 
Jike  him,  has  been  left  out  in  pairing.  This, 
some  historians  think,  may  have  given  rise  to 
the  great  variety  of  small  birds  that  are  seen 
among  us ;  some  uncommon  mixture  might 
first  have  formed  a  new  species,  and  this 
might  have  been  continued  down,  by  birds  of 
this  species  choosing  to  breed  together. 

Whether  the  great  variety  of  our  small 
birds  may  have  arisen  from  this  source,  can- 
not now  be  ascertained ;  but  certain  it  is, 
that  they  resemble  each  other  very  strongly, 
not  only  in  their  form  and  plumage,  but  also 
in  their  appetites  and  manner  of  living.  The 
gold-finch,  the  linnet,  and  the  yellow-hammer, 
though  obviously  of  different  species,  yet 
lead  a  very  similar  life;  being  equally  an  ac- 
tive, lively,  salacious  tribe,  that  subsist  by 
petty  thefts  upon  the  labours  of  mankind,  and 
repays  them  with  a  song.  Their  nests  bear 
a  similitude;  and  they  are  all  about  the  same 
time  in  hatching  their  young,  which  is  usual- 
ly fifteen  days.  Were  I  therefore  to  describe 
the  manners  of  these  with  the  same  minute- 
ness that  I  have  done  the  greater  birds,  I 
should  only  present  the  reader  with  a  repe- 
tition of  the  same  accounts;  animated  neither 
by  novelty  nor  information.  Instead,  there- 
fore, of  specifying  each  sort,  I  will  throw 
them  into  groupes;  uniting  those  together 
that  practise  the  same  manners,  or  that  are 
remarkable  for  similar  qualifications. 

Wilioughby  has  divided  all  the  smaller 
birds  into  those  that  have  slender  bills,  and 
those  that  have  short  and  thick  bills.  Those 
with  slender  bills,  chiefly  live  upon  insects; 
those  with  short  strong  bills,  live  mostly  upon 
fruits  and  grain.  Among  slender-billed  birds, 
he  enumerates  the  thrush,  the  blackbird,  the 
fieldfare,  the  starling,  the  lark,  the  titmouse, 
the  water-wagtail,  the  nightingale,  the  red- 


start, the  robin-red-breast,  the  beccafigo,  the 
stone-chatter,  the  whinchat,  the  gold-finch, 
the  while-throat,  the  hedge-sparrow,  the  pet- 
tichaps.  the  golden-crowned  wren,  the  wren, 
the  humming-bird,  and  several  other  small 
birds  of  the  sparrow-kind,  unknown  in  this 
part  of  the  world. 

All  these,  as  was  said,  live  for  the  most 
part  upon  insects;  and  are  .consequently  of 
particular  benefit  to  man.  By  these  are  his 
grounds  cleared  of  the  pernicious  swarms  of 
vermin  that  devour  the  budding  leaves  and 
flowers;  and  that  even  attack  the  root  itself, 
before  ever  the  vegetable  can  come  to  matu- 
rity. These  seek  for  and  destroy  the  eggs  of 
insects  that  would  otherwise  propagate  in 
j  numbers  beyond  the  arts  of  man  to  extirpate: 
they  know  better  than  man  where  to  seek 
for  them ;  and  thus  at  once  satisfy  their  own 
appetites,  and  render  him  the  most  essential 
services. 

But  this  is  not  the  only  merit  of  this  tribe : 
in  it  we  have  the  sweetest  songsters  of  the 
grove;  their  notes  are  softer,  and  their  man- 
ner more  musically  soothing,  than  those  of 
hard-billed  birds.  The  foremost  in  musical 
fame  are  the  nightingale,  the  thrush,  the 
blackbird,  the  lark,  the  red-breast,  the  black- 
cap, and  the  wren. 

Birds  of  the  sparrow-kind,  with  thick  and 
short  bills,  are  the  gross-beak,  the  green-finch, 
the  bull-finch,  the  crossbill,  the  house-spar- 
row, the  chaffinch,  the  brambling,  the  gold- 
finch, the  linnet,  the  siskin,  the  bunting,  the 
yellow-hammer,  the  ortolan,  the  wheat-ear, 
and  several  other  foreign  birds,  of  which  we 
know  rather  the  names  than  the  history. 
These  chiefly  feed  upon  fruits,  grain,  and 
corn.  They  are  often  troublesome  to  man, 
as  they  are  a  numerous  tribe;  the  harvest 
often  suffers  from  their  depredations;  and 
while  they  are  driven  ofFfrom  one  end  of  the 
field,  they  fly  round,  and  come  in  at  the  other. 
But  these  also  have  their  uses :  they  are  fre- 
quently the  distributors  of  seeds  into  dif- 
ferent districts;  those  grains  which  they 
swallow,  are  sometimes  not  wholly  digested ; 
and  these,  laid  upon  a  soil  congenial  to  them, 
embellish  the  face  of  nature  with  that  agree- 
able variety,  which  art  but  vainly  attempts 
to  imitate.  The  mistletoe  plant,  which  we 
often  see  growing  on  the  tops  of  elm  and 


538 


A  HISTORY  OF 


other-trees, hasbeenthoughtto  be  propagated 
in  this  manner ;  yet,  as  it  is  often  seen  grow- 
ing on  the  under  side  of  the  branch,  and 
sometimes  on  a  perpendicular  shoot,  it  seems 
extraordinary  how  a  seed  could  be  deposited 
in  that  situation.  However  this  be,  there  are 
many  plants  propagated  from  the  depositions 
of  birds ;  and  some  seeds  are  thought  to 
thrive  the  better  for  first  having  undergone  a 
kind  of  maceration  in  the  stomach  of  the  lit- 
tle animal,  before  it  is  voided  on  the  ground. 

There  are  some  agreeable  songsters  in  this 
tribe  also;  and  those  who  like  a  loud  piercing 
pipe,  endued  with  great  variety  and  perseve- 
rance, will  be  pleased  most  with  their  singing. 
The  songsters  of  this  class  are  the  canary- 
bird,  the  linnet,  the  chaffinch,  the  gold-finch, 
the  green-finch,  the  bull-finch,  the  brambling, 
the  siskin,  and  the  yellow-hammer.  The  note 
of  these  is  not  so  generally  pleasing  as  that 
of  the  soft-billed  birds,  but  it  usually  holds 
longer ;  and,  in  a  cage,  these  birds  are  more 
easily  fed,  and  more  hardy. 

This  class  of  small  birds,  like  all  the  greater, 
has  its  wanderers,  that  leave  us  for  a  season, 
and  then  return,  to  propagate,  to  sing,  or  to 
embellish  the  landscape  here.  Some  of  this 
smaller  kind,  indeed,  are  called  birds  of  pas- 
sage, that  do  not  properly  come  under  that 
denomination;  for  though  they  disappear  in 
one  place,  they  never  leave  the  kingdom,  but 
are  seen  somewhere  else.  But  there  are 
many  among  them  that  take  longer  flights, 
and  go  to  a  region  colder  or  warmer,  as  it 
suits  their  constitutions.  The  fieldfare  and 
the  red-wing  breed  pass  their  summers  in 
Norway,  and  other  cold  countries,  and  are 
tempted  hither  to  our  mild  winters,  and  to 
those  various  berries  which  then  abound  with 
us,  and  make  their  principal  food.  The  haw- 
finch and  the  crossbill  are  uncertain  visitants, 
and  have  no  stated  times  of  migration.  Swal- 
lows of  every  species  disappear  at  the  ap- 
proach of  winter.  The  nightingale,  the  black- 
cap, the  fly-catcher,  the  willow-wren,  the 
wheat-ear,  the  whin-chat,  and  the  stone-chat- 
ter, leave  us  long  before  the  approach  of 
winter;  while  the  siskin  and  the  linnet  only 
forsake  us  when  our  winters  are  more  than 
usually  severe.  All  the  rest  of  the  smaller 


tribe  never  quit  this  country;  but   support 
the  severest  rigours  of  the  climate. 

Yet  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  man- 
ners  of  our  little  birds  prevail  in  all  other 
countries ;  and  that  such  kinds  as  are  station- 
ary with  us,  never  wander  in  other  parts  of 
Europe :  on  the  contrary,  it  happens  that 
many  of  those  kinds  which  are  birds  of  pas- 
sage in  England,  are  seen,  in  other  places, 
never  to  depart,  but  to  make  one  country 
their  fixed  residence,  the  whole  year  round. 
It  is  also  frequent,  that  some  birds,  which 
with  us  are  faithful  residents,  in  other  king- 
doms put  on  the  nature  of  birds  of  passage, 
and  disappear  for  a  season. 

The  swallow,  that  with  us  is  particularly 
remarked  for  being  a  bird  of  passage,  in 
Upper  Egypt,  and  in  the  island  of  Java,  breeds 
and  continues  the  whole  year,  without  ever 
disappearing.  Larks,  that  remain  with  us 
the  year  throughout,  are  birds  of  passage  in 
Sweden ;  and  forsake  that  climate  in  winter 
to  return  again  with  the  returning  spring. 
The  chaffich,  that  with  us  is  stationary,  ap- 
pears during  the  winter  in  Carolina  and 
Virginia;  but  disappears  totally  in  summer, 
to  breed  in  the  more  northern  regions.  In 
Sweden,  also,  these  little  birds  are  seen  re- 
turning, at  the  approach  of  spring,  from  the 
warmer  climates,  to  propagate;  which  being 
accomplished  by  the  latter  end  of  autumn, 
the  males  and  females  separate;  the  males  to 
continue  among  their  native  snows,  the  fe- 
males to  seek  a  warmer  and  gentler  winter. 
On  this  occasion,  they  are  seen  in  Hocks, 
that  darken  all  the  air,  without  a  single  male 
among  them,  making  their  way  into  the  more 
southern  regions  of  Denmark,  Germany,  and 
Holland.  In  this  Amazon-like  retrent.  thou- 
sands fall  by  the  way  ;  some  by  fatigue,  some 
by  want ;  but  the  greatest  number  by  the  nets 
of  the  fowler ;  the  taking  them  being  one  of 
the  chief  amusements  among  the  gentry  where 
they  pass.  In  short,  the  change  of  country 
with  all  this  little  tribe,  is  rather  a  pilgrimage 
than  a  journey ;  a  migration  rather  of  neces- 
sity than  of  choice. 

Having  thus  givena  generalidea  of  the  birds 
of  this  class,  it  will  be  proper  to  give  some 
account  of  the  most  remarkable  among  them- 


THE  SPARROW  KIND. 


539 


CHAPTER  CVII. 

OF  THE  THRUSH,  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


WITH  the  Thrush  we  may  rank  the  red- 
wing, the  fieldfare,  the  blackbird,  the  'ring- 
ouzel,  and  the  water-ouzel.  These  are  the 
largest  of  the  sparrow  kind,  and  may  be  dis- 
tinguished from  all  others  of  this  class,  as 
well  by  their  size,  which  is  well  known,  as  by 
their  bills,  whi  li  are  a  little  bending  at  the 
point;  a  small  notch  near  the  end  of  the  up- 
per chap  ;  and  the  outmost  toe  adhering  as  far 
as  the  first  joint  of  t  e  middle  toe.  To  this 
tribe  nny  be  also  ad  ed  the  stare  or  starling, 
which,  though  with  a  flat  bill,  too  much  re- 
sembles these  birds  to  be  placed  any  where 
else. 

The  missel-thrush  is  distinguished  from  all 
of  the  kind  by  its  superior  size,  being  much 
larger  than  any  of  them.  It  differs  scarcely  in 
any  other  respect  from  the  throstle,  except 
that  the  spots  on  the  breast  are  larger.  It 
builds  its  nest  in  bushes,  or  on  the  side  of  some 
tree,  as  all  of  this  kind  are  found  to  do,  and 
lays  four  or  five  eggs  in  the  season.  Its  song 
is  very  fine,  which  it  begins  in  spring,  sitting 
on  the  summit  of  a  high  tree.  It  is  the  largest 
bird  of  all  the  feathered  tribe  that  has  music 
in  its  voice  ;  the  note  of  all  greater  birds  be- 
ing either  screaming,  chattering,  or  croaking. 
It  feeds  on  insects,  holly,  and  mistletoe-berries; 
and  sometimes  sends  forth  a  very  disagreeable 
scream  when  frighted  or  disturbed. 

The  blackbird,  which  in  cold  countries,  and 
particularly  upon  the  Alps,  is  sometimes  seen 
all  over  white,  is  a  beautiful  and  canorous  bird, 
whistling  all  the  spring  and  summer  time 
with  a  note,  at  a  distance,  the  most  pleasing 
of  all  the  grove.  It  is  the  deepest  toned 
warbler  of  the  woods ;  but  it  is  rather  unplea- 
sant in  a  cage,  being  loud  and  deafening.  It 
lays  four  or  five  bluish  eggs,  in  a  nest  usually 
built  at  the  stump  of  some  old  hawthorn,  well 
plastered  on  the  inside  with  clay,  straw,  and 
hair. 

Pleasing,  however,  as  this  bird  may  be,  the 
Blue-bird,  described  by  Bellonius,  is  in  every 
respect  far  superior.  This  beautiful  animal 

NO.  45  it  46. 


entirely  resembles  a  blackbird  in  all  but  its 
blue  colour.  It  lives  in  the  highest  parts  of 
the  Alps,  and  even  there  chooses  the  most 
craggy  rocks  and  the  most  frightful  precipices 
for  its  residence.  As  it  is  rarely  caught,  it  is 
in  high  estimation  even  in  the  countries  where 
it  breeds,  but  still  more  valuable  when  carried 
from  home.  It  not  only  whistles  in  the  most 
delightful  manner,  but  speaks  with  an  articu- 
late distinct  voice.  It  is  so  docile,  and  ob- 
serves all  things  with  such  diligence,  that 
though  waked  at  midnight  by  any  of  the  fami- 
ly, it  will  speak  and  whistle  at  the  word  of 
command.  Its  colour,  about  the  beginning  of 
winter,  from  blue  becomes  black,  which 
changes  to  its  original  hue  on  the  first  ap- 
proaches of  spring.  It  makes  its  nest  in  deep 
holes,  in  very  high  and  iuacessible  solitudes, 
and  removes  it  not  only  from  the  accesses  of 
man,  but  also  hides  it  with  surprising  cunning 
from  the  shammoy  and  other  wild  beasts  that 
might  annoy  its  young. 

The  manner  of  taking  this  beautiful  bird  is 
said  to  be  this.  The  fowlers,  either  by  chance 
or  by  lying  in  wait,  having  found  out  the  place- 
where  it  builds,  take  with  them  a  strong  stilt  or 
stake,  such  as  the  climbers  of  rocks  make  use 
of  to  assist  them  in  their  ascent.  With  the 
assistance  of  this,  they  mount  where  an  indif- 
ferent spectator  would  think  it  impossible  to 
ascend,  covering  their  heads  at  the  same  time 
to  ward  off  any  danger  of  the  failing  of  pebbles 
or  stones  from  above.  At  length,  with  ex- 
treme toil  and  danger,  having  arrived  at  the 
nest,  they  draw  it  up  from  the  hole  in  \\hich 
it  is  usually  buried,  and  cherish  the  young  with 
an  assiduity  equal  to  the  pains  they  took  to 
obtain  them.  It  produces  for  the  most  part 
five  young,  and  never  more;  it  seldom  de- 
scends into  the  plain  country,  flies  swifter  than 
a  blackbird,  and  uses  the  same  food. 

The  fieldfare  and  the  redwing  make  but  a 
short  stay  in  this  country.  With  us  they  are 
insipid  tuneless  birds,  flying  in  flocks,  and  ex- 
cessively watchful  to  preserve  the  general 

41 


540 


A  HISTORY  OF 


safety.  All  their  season  of  music  and  plea- 
sure is  employed  in  the  more  northern  cli- 
mates, where  they  sing  most  delightfully, 
perched  among  the  forests  of  maples,  with 
which  those  countries  abound.  They  build 
their  nests  in  hedges;  and  lay  six  bluish- 
green  eggs  spotted  with  black. 

The  stare,  distinguishable  from  the  rest  of 
this  tribe  by  the  glossy  green  of  its  feathers 
in  some  lights,  and  the  purple  in  others,  breeds 
in  hollow  trees,  eaves  of  houses,  towers,  ruins, 
cliffs,  and  often  in  high  rocks  over  the  sea. 
It  lays  four  or  five  eggs  of  a  pale  greenish 
ash-colour,  and  makes  its  nest  of  straw,  small 
fibres  of  roots,  and  such  like.  Its  voice  is 
rougher  than  the  rest  of  this  kind ;  but  what 
it  wants  in  the  melody  of  its  note,  it  compen- 
sates by  the  facility  with  which  it  is  taught 
to  speak.  In  winter  these  birds  assemble 
in  vast  flocks,  and  feed  upon  worms  and  in- 
sects. At  the  approach  of  spring,  they  as- 
semble in  fields  as  if  in  consultation  together, 
and  for  three  or  four  days  seem  to  take  no 
nourishment :  the  greater  part  leave  the  coun- 
try ;  the  rest  breed  here,  and  bring  up  their 
young. 

To  this  tribe  might  be  added  above  a 
a  hundred  other  birds  of  nearly  the  thrush 
size,  and  living  like  them  upon  fruit  and  ber- 
ries. Words  could  not  afford  variety  enough 
to  describe  all  the  beautiful  tints  that  adorn 
the  foreign  birds  of  the  thrush  kind.  The 
brilliant  green  of  the  emerald,  the  flaming  red 
of  the  ruby,  the  purple  of  the  amethyat,  or 
the  bright  blue  of  the  sapphire,  could  not, 
by  the  most  artful  combination,  show  any 
thing  so  truly  lively  or  delightful  to  the  sight, 
as  the  feathers  of  the  chilcoqui  or  the  tauto- 


tal.  Passing,  therefore,  over  these  beautiful, 
but  little-known,  birds,  I  will  only  mention 
the  American  mock-bird,  the  favourite  songs- 
ter of  a  region,  where  the  birds  excel  rather 
in  the  beauty  of  their  plumage  than  the  sweet- 
ness of  their  notes. 

This  valuable  bird  does  not  seem  to  vie 
with  the  feathered  inhabitants  of  that  coun- 
try in  the  beauty  of  its  plumage,  content  with 
qualifications  that  endear  it  to  mankind  much 
more.  It  is  but  a  plain  bird  to  the  eye,  about 
the  size  of  a  thrush,  of  a  white  and  gray  co- 
lour, and  a  reddish  bill.  It  is  possessed  not 
only  of  its  own  natural  notes,  which  are  mu- 
sical and  solemn,  but  it  can  assume  the  tone 
of  every  other  animal  in  the  wood,  from  the 
wolf  to  the  raven.  It  seems  even  to  sport  it- 
self in  leading  them  astray.  It  will,  at  one 
time,  allure  the  lesser  birds  with  the.call  of 
their  males,  and  then  terrify  them,  when  they 
have  come  near,  with  the  screams  of  the  ea- 
gle. There  is  no  bird  in  the  forest  but  it 
can  mimic ;  and  there  is  none  that  it  has  not 
at  times  deceived  by  its  call.  But,  not  like 
such  as  we  usually  see  famed  for  mimicing 
with  us,  and  who  have  no  particular  merit  of 
their  own,  the  mock-bird  is  ever  surest  to 
please  when  it  is  most  itself.  At  those  times 
it  usually  frequents  the  houses  of  the  Ameri- 
can planters;  and,  sitting  all  night  on  the 
chimney-top,  pours  forth  the  sweetest  and  the 
most  various  notes  of  any  bird  whatever.  It 
would  seem,  if  accounts  be  true,  that  the  de- 
ficiency of  most  other  song-birds  in  that  coun- 
try, is  made  up  by  this  bird  alone.  They 
often  build  their  nests  in  the  fruit-trees  about 
houses,  feed  upon  berries  and  other  fruits, 
and  are  easily  rendered  domestic. 


CHAPTER  CV1II. 

OF  THE  NIGHTINGALE,  AND  OTHER  SOFT-BILLED  SONG-BIRDS. 


The  Nightingale  is  not  only  famous  among 
the  moderns  for  its  singing,  but  almost  every 
one  of  the  ancients,  who  undertook  to  de- 
scribe beautiful  nature,  has  contributed  to 
raise  its  reputation.  "  The  nightingale,"  says 


Pliny,  "  that  for  fifteen  days  and  nights,  hid 
in  the  thickest  shades,  continues  her  note 
without  intermission,  deserves  our  attention 
and  wonder.  How  surprising  that  so  great 
a  voice  can  reside  in  so  small  a  body!  such 


THE  SPARROW  KIND. 


54 1 


perseverance  in  so  minute  an  animal !  With 
what  a  musical  propriety  are  the  sounds  it 
produces  modulated  !  The  note  at  one  time 
drawn  out  with  a  Ions;  breath,  now  stealing 
off  into  a  different  cadence,  now  interrupted 
by  a  break,  then  changing  info  a  new  note  by 
an  unexpected  transition ;  now  seeming  to 
renew  the  same  strain,  then  deceiving  expec- 
tation! She  sometimes  seems  to  murmur  within 
herself;  full,  deep,  sharp,  swift,  drawling, 
trembling;  now  at  the  top,  the  middle,  find 
the  bottom  of  the  scale  !  In  short,  in  that 
little  bill  seems  to  reside  all  the  melody  which 
man  has  vainly  laboured  t()  bring  from  a  variety 
of  musical  instruments.  Some  even  seem  to 
be  possessed  of  a  different  song  from  the  rest, 
and  contend  with  each  other  with  great  ardour. 
The  bird  overcome  is  then  seen  only  to  dis- 
continue its  song  with  its  life." 

This  most  famous  of  the  feathered  tribe 
visits  England  in  the  beginning  of  April,  and 
leaves  us  in  August.  It  is  found  but  in  some 
of  the  southern  parts  of  the  country,  being  to- 
tally unknown  in  Scotland,  Ireland,  or  North 
Wales.  They  frequent  thick  hedges  and  low 
coppices,  and  generally  keep  in  the  middle  of 
th>'  bush,  so  that  they  are  rarely  seen.  They 
begin  their  song  in  the  evening,  and  generally 
cont;nue  it  for  the  whole  night.  For  weeks 
together,  if  undisturbed,  they  sit  upon  the 
same  tree;  and  Siiakspeare  rightly  describes 
the  nightingale  sifting  nightly  in  the  same 
place,  which  I  have  frequently  observed  she 
seldom  departs  from. 

From  Pliny's  description,  we  should  be  led 
to  believe  this  bird  possessed  of  a  persevering 
strain  ;  but  though  it  is  in  fact  so  with  the 
nightingale  in  Italy,  yet  in  our  hedges  in 
England  the  little  songstress  is  by  no  means  so 
liberal  of  her  music.  Her  note  is  soft,  various, 
and  interrupted  ;  she  seldom  holds  it  without 
a  pause  above  the  time  that  one  can  count 
twenty.  The  nightingale's  pausing  song  would 
be  the  proper  epithet  for  this  bird's  music 
with  us,  which  is  more  pleasing  than  the 
tvarbling  of  any  other  bird,  because  it  is  heard 
at  a  time  when  all  the  rest  are  silent. 

In  the  beginning  of  May,  the  nightingale 
prepares  to  make  its  nest,  which  is  formed  of 
the  leaves  of  trees,  straw,  and  moss.  The 
nest  being  very  eagerly  sought  after,  is  as  cun- 
ningly secreted  ;  so  that  but  very  few  of  them 
r^e  found  by  the  boys  when  they  go  upon 


these  pursuits.  It  is  built  at  the  bottom  of 
hedges,  where  the  bushes  are  thickest  and  brst 
covered.  While  the  female  continues  sitting, 
the  male  at  a  good  distance,  but  ahvays  within 
hearing,  cheers  the  patient  hour  with  his  voice, 
and,  by  the  short  interruption  of  his  song, 
often  gives  her  warning  of  approaching  dan- 
ger. She  lays  four  or  five  eggs  ;  of  which  but 
a  part  in  our  cold  climate  come  to  maturity. 

The  delicacy,  or  rather  the  fame,  of  this 
bird's  music,  has  induced  many  to  abridge  its 
liberty,  to  be  secured  of  its  song.  Indeed,  the 
greatest  part  of  what  has  been  written  con- 
cerning it  in  our  country,  consists  in  directions 
how  to  manage  it  for  domestic  singing ;  while 
the  history  of  the  bird  is  confined  to  dry  re- 
ceipts for  fitting  it  for  the  cage.  Its  song, 
however,  in  captivity,  is  not  so  very  alluring  ; 
and  the  tyranny  of  taking  it  from  those  hedges 
where  only  it  is  most  pleasing,  still  more  de- 
preciates its  imprisoned  efforts.  Gesner  assures 
us,  that  it  is  not  only  the  most  agreeable  song- 
ster in  a  cage,  but  that  it  is  possessed  of  a 
most  admirable  faculty  of  talking.  He  tells 
the  following  story  in  proof  of  his  assertion, 
which  he  says  was  communicated  to  him  by  a 
friend.  "Whilst  I  was  at  Ilatisbon,"  says  his 
correspondent,  "  I  put  up  at  an  inn,  the  sign 
of  the  Golden  Crown,  where  my  host  had  three 
nightingales.  What  1  am  going  to  repeat  is 
wonderful,  almost  incredible,  and  yet  is  true. 
The  nightingales  were  placed  separately,  so 
that  each  was  shut  up  by  itself  in  a  dark  cage. 
It  happened  at  that  time,  being  the  spring  of 
the  year,  when  those  birds  are  wont  to  sing 
indefatigably,  that  I  was  so  afflicted  with  the 
stone,  that  I  could  sleep  but  very  little  all 
night.  It  was  usual  then  about  midnight, 
when  there  was  no  noise  in  the  house,  but  all 
still,  to  hear  the  two  nightingales  janging  and 
talking  with  each  other,  and  plainly  imitating 
men's  discources.  For  my  part  I  was  almost 
astonished  with  wonder;  for  at  this  time,  when 
all  was  quiet  else,  they  held  conference  together, 
and  repeated  whatever  they  had  heard  among 
the  guests  by  day.  Those  two  of  them  that 
were  most  notable,  and  masters  of  this  art, 
were  scarcely  ten  feet  distant  from  one  another. 
The  third  hung  more  remote,  so  that  I  could 
not  so  well  hear  it  as  I  lay  a-bed.  But  it  is 
wonderful  to  tell  how  those  two  provked  each 
other;  and  by  answering,  invited  and  drew 
one  another  to  speak.  Yet  did  they  not  con 
•n* 


542 


A  HISTORY  OF 


found  their  words,  or  talk  both  together,  but 
rather  utter  them  alternately  and  of  course. 
Besides  the  daily  discourse  of  the  guests, 
they  chaunted  out  two  stories,  which  gene- 
rally held  them  from  midnight  till  morning ; 
and  that  with  such  modulations  and  inflex- 
ions, that  no  man  could  have  taken  to  come 
from  such  little  creatures.  When  I  asked 
the  host  if  they  had  been  taught,  or  whether 
he  observed  their  talking  in  the  night ;  he 
answered,  no:  the  same  said  the  whole  family. 
But  I,  who  could  not  sleep  for  nights  together, 
was  perfectly  sensible  of  their  discourse. 
One  of  their  stories  was  concerning  the  tap- 
ster and  his  wife,  who  refused  to  follow  him  to 
the  wars,  as  he  desired  her :  for  the  husband 
endeavoured  to  persuade  his  wife,  as  far  as  I 
understood  by  the  birds,  that  he  would  leave 
his  service  in  that  inn,  and  go  to  the  wars  in 
hopes  of  plunder.  But  she  refused  to  follow 
him,  resolving  to  stay  either  at  Ratisbon,  or 
go  to  Nuremberg.  There  was  a  long  and 
earnest  contention  between  them ;  and  all 
this  dialogue  the  birds  repeated.  They  even 
repeated  the  unseemly  words  which  were 
cast  out  between  them,  and  which  ought 
rather  to  have  been  suppressed  and  kept  a 
secret.  But  the  birds,  not  knowing  the  dif- 
ference between  modest,  immodest,  honest, 
and  filthy  words,  did  out  with  them.  The 
other  story  was  concerning  the  war  which  the 
emperor  was  then  threatening  against  the 
Protestants;  which  the  birds  probably  heard 
from  some  of  the  generals  that  had  conferen- 
ces in  the  house.  These  things  did  they  re- 
peat in  the  night  after  twelve  o'clock,  when 
there  was  a  deep  silence.  But  in  the  day- 
time, for  the  most  part  they  were  silent,  and 
seemed  to  do  nothing  but  meditate  and  revolve 
with  themselves  upon  what  the  guests  con- 
ferred tojrcther  as  they  sat  at  table,  or  in 
thoir  walks.  I  verily  had  never  believed  our 
Pliny  writing  so  many  wonderful  things  con- 
cerning these  little  creatures,  had  I  not 
myself  seen  with  my  eyes,  and  heard  them 
with  my  ears  uttering  such  things  as  I  have 
related.  Neither  yet  can  I  of  a  sudden  write 
all,  or  call  to  remembrance  every  particular 
that  I  have  heard." 

Such  is  the  sagacity  ascribed  to  the  night- 
ingale: it  is  but  to  have  high  reputation  for 
any  one  quality,  and  the  world  is  ready 


enough  to  give  us  fame  for  others  to  which 
we  have  very  small  pretensions.  But  there 
is  a  little  bird,  rather  celebrated  for  its  affec- 
tion to  mankind  than  its  singing,  which,  how- 
ever, in  our  climate,  has  the  sweetest  note  of 
all  others.  The  reader  already  perceives 
that  I  mean  the  RED-BREAST,  the  well-known 
friend  of  man,  that  is  found  in  every  hedge, 
and  makes  it  vocal.  The  note  of  other  birds 
is  louder,  and  their  inflexions  more  caprici- 
ous, but  this  bird's  voice  is  soft,  tender,  and 
well  supported ;  and  the  more  to  be  valued, 
as  we  enjoy  it  the  greatest  part  of  the  winter. 
If  the  nightingale's  song  has  been  compared 
to  the  fiddle,  the  red-breast's  voice  has  all 
the  delicacy  of  the  flute. 

The  red-breast,  during  the  spring,  haunts 
the  wood,  the  grove,  and  the  garden ;  it  re- 
tires to  the  thickest  and  shadiest  hedge-rows 
to  breed  in.  But  in  winter  it  seems  to  be- 
come more  domestic,  and  often  to  claim  pro- 
tection from  man.  Most  of  the  soft-billed 
birds,  the  nightingale,  the  swallow,  and  the 
tit-mouse,  leave  us  in  the  winter,  when  their 
insect  food  is  no  longer  offered  in  plenty : 
but  the  red-breast  continues  with  us  the  year 
round,  and  endeavours  to  support  the  famine 
of  winter  by  chirping  round  the  warm  habi- 
tations of  mankind;  by  coming  into  those 
shelters  where  the  rigour  of  the  season  is  ar- 
tificially expelled,  and  where  insects  them- 
selves are  found  in  greater  numbers,  attract- 
ed by  the  same  cause. 

This  bird  breeds  differently  in  different 
places  :  in  some  countries  its  nest  is  usually 
found  in  the  crevice  of  some  mossy  bank,  or  at 
the  foot  of  a  hawthorn  in  hedge-rows ;  in 
others  it  chooses  the  thickest  coverts,  and 
hides  its  nest  with  oak  leaves.  The  eggs  are 
from  four  to  five,  of  a  dull  white,  with  reddish 
streaks. 

The  Lark,  whether  the  sky-lark,  the  wood, 
or  the  tit-lark,  being  all  distinguishable  from 
other  little  birds  by  the  length  of  their  heel, 
are  louder  in  their  song  than  either  of  the 
former,  but  not  so  pleasing.  Indeed,  the 
music  of  every  bird  in  captivity  produces  no 
very  pleasing  sensations;  it  is  but  the  mirUi 
of  a  little  animal,  insensible  of  its  unfortunate 
situation  :  it  is  the  landecap* .  (he  grove,  the 
golden  break  of  day.  the  contest  ni  on  the 
hawthorn,  the  fluttering  from  branch  to 


THE  SPARROW  KIND 


643 


branch,  the  soaring  in  the  air,  and  the  answer- 
ing of  its  young,  that  gives  the  bird's  song  its 
true  relish.  These,  united,  improve  each 
other,  and  raise  the  mind  to  a  state  of  the 
highest,  yet  most  harmless,  exultation.  No- 
thing can,  in  this  situation  of  mind,  be  more 
pleasing  than  to  see  the  lark  warbling  upon 
the  wing;  raising  its  note  as  it  soars,  until 
it  seems  lost  in  the  immense  heights  above 
us;  the  note  continuing,  the  bird  itself  unseen; 
to  see  it  then  descending  with  a  swell  as  it 
comes  from  the  clouds,  yet  sinking  by  degrees 
as  it  approaches  its  nest,  the  spot  where  all 
its  affections  are  centred,  the  spot  that  has 
prompted  all  this  joy. 

The  lark  builds  its  nest  upon  the  ground, 
beneath  some  turf  that  serves  to  hide  and 
shelter  it.  The  female  lays  four  or  five  eggs, 
of  a  dusky  hue  in  colour,  somewhat  like  those 
of  a  plover.  It  is  while  she  is  sitting  that  the 
male  thus  usually  entertains  her  with  his  sing- 
ing; and  while  he  is  risen  to  an  impercepti- 
ble height,  yet  he  still  has  his  loved  partner 
in  his  eye,  nor  once  loses  sight  of  the  nest, 
either  while  he  ascends  or  is  descending. 
This  harmony  continues  several  months,  be-1 
ginning  early  in  the  spring  on  pairing.  In 
winter  they  assemble  in  flocks,  .when  their 
song  forsakes  them,  and  the  bird-catchers  de- 
stroy them  in  great  numbers  for  the  tables  of 
the  luxurious. 

The  Black-cap  and  the  Wren,  though  so 
very  diminutive,  are  yet  prized  by  some  for 
their  singing.  The  former  is  called  by  some 
the  mock  nightingale ;  and  the  latter  is  ad- 
mired for  the  loudness  of  its  note,  compared 
to  the  little  body  from  whence  it  issues.  It 
must  be  confessed,  that  this  disproportion  be- 
tween the  voice  of  a  bird  and  its  size,  in  some 
measure  demands  our  wonder.  Quadrupeds 
in  this  respect  may  be  considered  as  mutes 
to  them.  The  peacock  is  louder  than  the 
lion,  and  the  rabbit  is  not  so  loud  as  the  w;ren. 
But  it  must  be  considered,  that  birds  are  very 
ditFerently  formed ;  their  lungs  in  some  mea- 
sure are  extended  through  their  whole  body, 
while  in  quadrupeds  they  lie  only  in  the 
breast.  In  birds  there  are  a  variety  of  cells 
which  take  in  the  air,  and  thus  pour  forth 
their  contents  at  (he  little  animal's  com- 
mand. The  black-cap  and  the  wren,  there- 
fore, are  as  respectable  for  their  voices  as 


they  might  be  deemed  inconsiderable  for 
their  size. 

All  these  soft-billed  birds,  thus  prized  for 
their  singing,  are  rendered  domestic,  and 
brought  up  with  assiduity  by  such  as  are 
fond  of  their  voices  in  a  cage.  The  same 
method  of  treatment  •erves  for  all,  as  their 
food  and  their  habits  are  nearly  the  same. 
The  manner  of  taking  and  treating  them,  par- 
ticularly the  nightingale,  is  this:  A  nightin- 
gale's nest  may  be  found  by  observing  the 
place  where  the  male  sings,  and  then  by 
sticking  two  or  three  meal-worms  (a  kind  of 
maggot  found  in  flour)  on  some  neighbour- 
ing thorn,  which  when  he  sees  he  will  infalli- 
bly bear  away  to  his  young.  By  listening,  he 
then  may  be  heard  with  the  female  chirping 
to  the  young  ones  while  they  are  feeding. 
When  the  nest  is  found,  if  the  young  ones  are 
not  fledged  enough  to  be  taken,  they  must 
not  be  touched  with  the  hands,  for  then  the 
old  ones  will  perceive  it,  and  entice  them 
away.  They  should  not  be  taken  till  they 
are  almost  as  full  of  feather?  as  the  old  ones; 
and,  though  they  refuse  their  meat,  yet,  by 
opening  their  bills,  you  may  give  them  two 
or  three  small  bits  at  a  time,  which  w  ill  make 
them  soon  grow  tame,  when  they  will  feed 
themselves.  They  should  be  put  nest  and  all 
into  a  little  basket  which  should  be  covered 
up  warm:  and  they  should  be  fed  every  two 
hours.  Their  food  should  be  sheep's  hearts, 
or  other  raw  flesh-meat,  chopped  very  fine, 
and  all  the  strings,  skins,  and  fat,  taken  away. 
But  it  should  always  be  mixed  with  hard  hen's 
eggs,  upon  which  they  will  feed  and  thrive 
abundantly. 

They  should  then  be  put  in  cages  like  the 
nightingale's  back  cage,  with  a  little  straw  or 
dry  moss  at  the  bottom  ;  but  when  they  are 
grown  large,  they  should  have  ant's  mould. 
They  should  be  kept  very  clean,  as  indeed 
should  all  singing-birds  whatsoever;  for  other- 
wise they  will  have  the  cramp,  and  perhaps 
the  claws  will  drop  off  In  autumn  they  will 
sometimes  abstain  from  their  food  for  a  fort- 
night, unless  two  or  three  meal-worms  be 
given  them  twice  or  thrice  a  week,  or  two  or 
three  spiders  in  a  day;  they  must  likewise 
have  a  little  saffron  in  their  water.  Figs  chop- 
ped small  among  their  meat  will  help  them 
to  recover  their  flesh.  When  their  legs  are 


544 


A  HISTORY  OF 


cramped,  they  should  be  anointed  with  fresh- 
butter,  or  capon's  fat,  three  or  four  days  to- 
gether. If  they  grow  melancholy,  put  white 
sugar-candy  into  their  water,  and  feed  them 
with  sheep's  heart,  giving  them  three  or  four 
meal-worms  in  a  day,  and  a  few  ants  with 
their  eggs. 

With  regard  to  adult  birds,  those  that  are 
taken  before  the  twenty-third  of  April  are  ac- 
counted the  best,  because  after  that  they  begin 
to  pair.  They  usually  haunt  woods,  coppices, 
and  quickset  hedges,  where  they  may  be  ta- 
ken in  trap-cages  baited  with  meal-worms. 
They  should  be  placed  as  near  the  spot 
where  the  bird  sings  as  possible ;  and  before 
you  fix  the  trap,  turn  up  the  earth  twice  the 
breadth  of  the  cage,  because  they  will  there 
look  for  food.  They  are  also  taken  with  lime 
twigs,  placing  them  upon  the  hedge  where 
they  usually  sing ;  and  there  should  be  meal- 


worms stuck  at  proper  places  to  draw  them 
into  the  snare.  After  they  are  taken,  their 
wings  should  be  gently  tied  with  thread,  to 
prevent  their  beating  themselves  against  the 
cage.  This  should  be  first  hung  in  a  private 
place,  that  the  bird  may  not  be  disturbed; 
and  it  should  be  fed  every  two  hours,  at  far- 
thest, with  sheep's  heart  and  egg  minced  very 
fine,  mixing  it  with  meal-worms.  However, 
the  first  food  must  be  worms,  ants,  caterpil- 
lars, and  flies.  You  must,  to  feed  the  bird, 
take  it  in  your  hand,  and  open  the  bill  with 
a  stick  made  thick  at  one  end,  giving  it  the 
insects,  or  four  or  five  bits  of  food  as  big  as 
peas,  to  entice  it  to  eat.  Its  common  food 
should  be  mixed  with  ants,  so  that  when  the 
bird  goes  to  pick  up  the  ants,  it  may  pick  up 
some  of  that  also.  The  nightingale,  when 
caged,  begins  to  sing  about  the  latter  end  of 
November,  and  continues  its  song  till  June. 


CHAPTER  CIX. 

OF  THE  CANARY-BIRD,  AND  OTHER  HARD*-BILLED  SINGING-BIRDS. 


THE  Canary-bird  is  now  become  so  com- 
mon, and  has  continued  so  long  in  a  domes- 
tic state,  that  its  native  habits,  as  well  as  its 
native  country,  seem  almost  forgotten.  Though 
by  the  name  it  appears  that  these  birds  came 
originally  from  the  Canary  Islands,  yet  we 
have  it  only  from  Germany,  where  they  are 
bred  up  in  great  numbers,  and  sold  into  dif- 
ferent parts  of  Europe.  At  what  period  they 
were  brought  into  Europe  is  not  well  known; 
but  it  is  certain  that  about  a  century  ago  they 
were  sold  at  very  high  prices,  and  kept  only 
for  the  amusement  of  the  great.  They  have 
since  been  multiplied  in  great  abundance; 
and  their  price  is  diminished  in  proportion 
to  their  plenty. 

In  its  native  Islands,  a  region  equally  noted 
for  the  beauty  of  its  landscapes  and  the  har- 
mony of  its  groves,  the  Canary-bird  is  of  a 
dusky  gray  colour,  and  so  different  from  those 
usually  seen  in  Europe,  that  some  have  even 
doubted  whether  it  be  of  the  same  species. 
With  us,  they  have  that  variety  of  colouring 


usual  in  all  domestic  fowls ;  some  white,  some 
mottled,  some  beautifully  shaded  with  green; 
but  they  are  more  esteemed  for  their  note 
than  their  beauty,  having  a  high  piercing  pipe, 
as  indeed  all  those  of  the  finch  tribe  have, 
continuing  for  some  time  in  one  breath  with- 
out intermission,  then  raising  it  higher  and 
higher  by  degrees,  with  great  variety. 

It  is  this  that  has  rendered  the  Canary -bird, 
next  to  the  nightingale,  the  most  celebrated 
songster;  and  as  it  is  more  easily  reared  than 
any  of  the  soft-billed  birds,  and  continues  its 
song  throughout  the  year,  it  is  rather  the 
most  common  in  our  houses.  Rules,  there- 
fore, have  been  laid  down,  and  copious  in- 
structions given,  for  breeding  these  birds  in  a 
domestic  state ;  which,  as  a  part  of  them  may 
conduce  towards  the  natural  history  of  the 
bird,  I  will  take  leave  to  transcribe. 

.In  choosing  the  Canary-bird,  those  are 
best  that  appear  with  life  and  boldness,  stand- 
ing upright  upon  the  perch,  like  a  sparrow- 
hawk,  and  not  apt  to  be  frighted  at  every 


THE  SPARROW  KIND. 


545 


thing  that  stirs.  If  its  eyes  look  cheerful,  and 
not  drowsy,  it  is  a  sign  of  health;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  if  it  hides  its  head  under  the  wing, 
and  gathers  its  body  up,  these  are  symptoms 
of  its  being  out  of  order.  In  choosing  them, 
the  melody  of  the  song  should  also  be  mind- 
ed: some  will  open  with  the  notes  of  the 
nightingale,  and,  running  through  a  variety 
of  modulations,  end  like  the  tit-lark.  Others 
will  begin  like  the  sky-lark,  and,  by  a  soft 
melodious  turn,  fall  into  the  notes  of  the  night- 
ingale. These  are  lessons  taught  this  bird 
in  its  domestic  state,  and  generally  taught  it 
by  others;  but  its  native  note  is  loud,  shrill, 
piercing,  and  enough  to  deafen  the  hearers. 
There  are  persons  who  admire  each  of  these 
.songs,  but  the  second  is  in  the  most  general 
estimation. 

Canary-birds  sometimes  breed  all  the  year 
round;  but  they  most  usually  begin  to  pair 
in  April,  and  to  breed  in  June  and  August. 
Those  are  said  to  be  the  best  breeders  that 
are  produced  between  the  English  and  the 
French. 

Towards  the  latter  end  of  March,  a  cock 
arid  a  hen  should  be  put  together  in  a  small 
cage,  where  they  will  peck  at  each  other  in 
the  beginning,  but  will  soon  become  thorough- 
ly reconciled.  The  room  where  they  are 
kept  to  breed  should  be  so  situated  as  to  let 
the  birds  have  the  benefit  of  the  morning  sun, 
and  the  windows  should  be  of  wire,  not  glass, 
that  they  may  enjoy  the  benefit  of  the  air. 
The  floor  of  the  room  should  be  kept  clean, 
and  sometimes  there  should  be  dry  gravel  or 
sand  sifted  upon  it.  There  should  also  be 
two  windows,  one  at  each  end,  and  several 
perches  at  proper  distances  for  the  birds  to 
settle  on,  as  they  fly  backwards  and  forwards. 
A  tree  in  the  middle  of  the  room  would  be 
the  most  convenient  to  divert  the  birds,  and 
sometimes  to  serve  for  building  their  nests 
upon. 

In  Germany  they  prepare  a  large  room,  and 
build  it  in  the  manner  of  a  barn,  being  much 
longer  than  broad,  with  a  square  place  at 
each  end,  and  several  holes  to  go  into  those 
square  places.  In  those  outlets  they  plant 
several  sorts  of  trees,  in  which  the  birds  take 
great  delight  to  sing  and  breed.  The  bot- 
tom of  the  place  they  strew  with  sand,  and 
upon  it  cast  rape-seed,  chick-weed,  and 


groundsel,  which  the  old  birds  feed  upon 
while  breeding.  In  the  body  of  the  house 
they  put  all  sorts  of  stuff  for  building  the  nest, 
and  brooms,  one  under  the  other,  in  all  the 
corners,  for  the  birds  to  build  in.  These 
they  separate  by  partitions  from  each  other, 
to  prevent  those  above  flying  down  upon,  or 
otherwise  incommoding,  such  as  breed  below. 
The  light  also  is  excluded,  for  no  bird  is  fond 
of  having  light  come  to  its  nest. 

With  us  the  apparatus  for  breeding  is  less 
expensive;  a  little  breeding-cage  sometimes 
suffices,  but  seldom  any  thing  more  extensive 
than  a  small  room.  While  the  birds  are 
pairing,  it  is  usual  to  feed  them  with  soft  meat; 
that  is,  bread,  maw-seed,  a  little  scalded  rape- 
seed,  and  near  a  third  part  of  an  egg.  The 
room  should  be  furnished  with  stuff  for  ma- 
king their  nests;  such  as  fine  hay,  wool,  cot- 
ton, and  hair.  These  materials  should  be 
thoroughly  dry,  and  then  mixed  and  tied  to- 
gether in  such  a  manner  that  the  birds  may 
readily  pull  out  what  they  want.  This  should 
be  hung  in  a  proper  part  of  the  room,  and 
the  male  will  take  his  turn  in  building  the 
nest,  sitting  upon  the  eggs,  and  feeding  the 
young.  They  are  generally  two  or  three 
days  in  building  their  nests;  the  hen  com- 
monly lays  five  eggs ;  and  in  the  space  of 
fourteen  days  the  young  will  be  excluded. 
So  prolific  are  these  birds  sometimes,  that 
the  female  will  be  ready  to  hatch  a  second 
brood  before  the  first  are  able  to  quit  the 
nest.  On  these  occasions  she  leaves  the  nest 
and  the  young,  to  provide  herself  with  ano- 
ther to  lay  her  new  brood  in.  In  the  mean 
time  the  male,  more  faithful  to  the  duties  of 
his  trust,  breeds  up  the  young  left  behind, 
and  fits  them  for  a  state  of  independence. 

When  the  young  ones  are  excluded,  the 
old  ones  should  be  supplied  with  a  sufficien- 
cy of  soft  food  every  day,  with  likewise  fresh 
greens,  such  as  cabbage,  lettuce,  and  chick- 
weed;  in  June,  shepherd's  purse;  and  in 
July  and  August,  plantain.  They  are  never 
to  have  groundsel  after  the  young  are  exclu- 
ded. With  these  different  delicacies  the  old 
ones  will  take  particular  care  to  feed  and 
bring  up  their  young ;  but  it  is  usual  when 
they  can  feed  themselves,  to  be  taken  from 
the  nest  and  put  into  cages.  Their  meat 
then  is  the  yolk  of  an  egg  boiled  hard,  with 


546 


A  HISTORY  OF 


an  equal  quantity  of  fine  bread,  and  a  little 
scalded  rape-seed :  this  must  be  bruised  till  it 
becomes  fine,  and  then  it  may  be  mixed  with 
a  little  maw-seed  ;  after  which  blend  all  to- 
gether; which  is  to  be  supplied  them  fresh 
every  day. 

The  canary-bird,  by  being  kept  in  company 
with  the  linnet  or  the  gold-finch,  pairs  and 
produces  a  mixed  breed,  more  like  the  canary- 
bird,  and  resembling  it  chiefly  in  its  song. 
Indeed,  all  this  tribe  with  strong  bills  and 
piercing  notes,  and  feeding  upon  grain,  have 
the  most  strong  similitude  to  each  other,  and 
may  justly  be  supposed,  as  Mr.  Buffon  imagines, 
to  come  from  the  same  original.  They  all 


breed  about  the  same  time ;  they  frequent  the 
same  vegetables;  they  build  in  tlic  same 
hedges  and  trees ;  and  are  brought  up  for  the 
cage  with  the  same  food  »ud  \n\  cautions. 
The  linnet,  the  bull-finch,  and  the  gold-finch, 
whcu  we  know  the  history  of  the  canary-bird, 
have  scarcely  any  peculiarities  that  can  attract 
our  curiosity,  or  require  our  care.  The  only 
art  necessary  with  all  those  that  have  no  very 
fine  note,  is  to  breed  them  up  under  some 
more  pleasing  harmonist.  The  gold-finch 
learns  a  fine  song  from  the  nightingale  ;  and 
the  linnet  and  bull-finch  may  be  taught,  for- 
getting the  wild  notes  of  nature,  to.  whistle  a 
long  and  regular  tune. 


CHAPTER  CX. 

OF  THE  SWALLOW,  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


AN  idea  of  any  one  bird  in  the  former  classes 
will  give  us  some  tolerable  conception  of  the 
rest.  By  knowing  the  linnet  or  the  canary- 
bird,  we  have  some  notion  of  the  manners  of 
the  gold-finch;  by  exhibiting  the  history  of 
the  nightingale,  we  see  also  that  of  the  black- 
cap or  the  tit-mouse.  But  the  swallow  tribe 
seems  to  be  entirely  different  from  all  the  for- 
mer ;  different  in  their  form,  different  in  their 
habits,  and  unlike  in  all  the  particulars  of  their 
history. 

In  this  tribe  is  to  be  found  the  Goat-sucker, 
which  may  be  styled  a  nocturnal  swallow  ;  it 
is  the  largest  of  this  kind,  and  is  known  by  its 
tail,  which  is  not  forked,  like  that  of  the  com- 
mon swallow.  It  begins  its  flight  at  evening, 
and  makes  a  loud  singular  noise,  like  the  whur 
of  a  spinning-  wheel.  To  this  also  belongs  the 
House-swallow,  which  is  too  well  known  to 
need  a  description  :  the  Martin,  inferior  in  size 
to  the  former,  and  the  tail  much  less  forked ; 
it  differs  also  in  its  nest,  which  is  covered  at 
top,  while  that  of  the  house-swallow  is  open  : 
and  the  Swift,  rather  larger  than  the  house- 
swallow,'  with  all  the  toes  standing  forward  ; 
in  which  it  differs  from  the  rest  of  its  kind. 
All  these  resemble  each  other  so  strongly,  that 
it  is  not  without  difficulty  the  smaller  kinds  are 
known  asunder. 


These  are  all  known  by  their  very  large 
mouths,  which,  when  they  fly,  are  always  kept 
open ;  they  are  not  less  remarkable  for  their 
short  slender  fret,  which  scarcely  are  able  to 
support  the  weight  of  their  bodies  ;  their  wings 
are  of  immoderate  extent  for  their  bulk  ;  their 
plumage  is  glossed  with  a  rich  purple  ;  and 
their  note  is  a  slight  twittering,  which  they 
seldom  exert  but  upon  the  wing.  This  peculiar 
conformation  seems  attended  with  a  similar 
peculiarity  of  manners.  Their  food  is  insects, 
which  they  always  pursue  flying.  For  this 
reason,  during  fine  weather,  when  the  insects 
are  most  likely  to  be  abroad,  the  swallows  are 
for  ever  upon  the  wing,  an  <  seem  pursu'ng  their 
prey  with  amazing  swiftness  and  agility.  AH 
smaller  animals,  in  some  measure,  find  safety 
by  winding  and  turning,  when  they  endeavour 
to  avoid  the  greater:  the  lark  thus  evades  the 
pursuit  of  the  hawk,  and  mau  the  crocodile. 
In  this  manner,  insects  upon  the  wing  en- 
deavour to  avoid  the  swallow  ;  but  this  bird  is 
admirably  fitted  by  nature  to  pursue  them 
through  their  shortest  tmninas.  Besides  a 
great  length  of  wing,  it  is  also  provided  with 
a  long  tail,  which,  like  a  rudder,  turns  it  in  its 
most  rapid  motions  ;  anil  thus,  while  it  is  pos- 
sessed of  the  greatest  swiftness,  it  is  also  pos- 
sessed of  the  most  extreme  agility. 


THE  SPARROW  KIND. 


547 


Early,  therefore,  in  the  spring,  when  the  re- 
;urning  sun  begins  to  rouse  the  insect  tribe 
from  their  annual  state  of  torpidity  ;  when  the 
gnat  and  the  beetle  put  off  their  earthly  robes, 
and  venture  into  air  ;  the  swallow  then  is  seen 
returning  from  its  long  migration  beyond  the 
ocean,  and  making  its  way  feebly  to  the  shore. 
At  first,  with  the  timidity  of  a  stranger,  it  ap- 
pears but  seldom,  and  flies  but  slowly  and 
heavily  along.  As  the  weather  grows  warmer, 
and  its  insect  supply  increases,  it  then  gathers 
greater  strength  and  activity.  But  it  some- 
times happens  that  a  rainy  season,  by  repelling 
the  insects,  stints  the  swallow  in  its  food ;  the 
poor  bird  is  then  seen  slowly  skimming  along 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  ofh  n  resting 
after  a  flight  of  a  few  minutes.  In  general, 
however,  it  keeps  on  the  wing,  and  moving 
with  a  rapidity  that  nothing  can  escape. 
When  the  weather  promises  to  be  fair,  the  in- 
sect tribe  feel  the  geni  il  influence,  and  make 
bolder  flights ;  at  which  time  the  swallow 
follows  them  in  their  aerial  journeys,  and  often 
rises  to  imperceptible  heights  in  the  pursuit. 
When  the  weather  is  likely  to  be  foul,  the  in- 
sects feel  thn  first  notices  of  it ;  and  from  the 
swallow's  following  low  we  are  often  apprized 
of  the  approaching  change. 

When  summer  is  fairly  begun,  and  more 
than  a  sufficient  supply  for  sustaining  the  wants 
of  nature  every  where  offers,  the  swallow  then 
begins  to  think  of  forming  a  progeny.  The 
nest  is  built  with  great  industry  and  art,  par- 
ticularly by  the  common  swallow,  which 
builds  it  on  the  tops  of  chimneys.  The  mar- 
tin sticks  it  to  the  eaves  of  houses.  The  goat- 
sucker, as  we  are"  told,  builds  it  on  the  bare 
ground.  This  nest  is  built  with  mud  from 
some  neighbouring  brook,  well  tempered  with 
the  bill,  moistened  with  water,  for  the  better 
adhesion  ;  and  still  farther  kept  firm,  by  long 
grass  and  fibres :  within  it  is  lined  with  goose 
feathers,  which  are  ever  the  wannest  and  the 
neatest.  The  martin  covers  its  nest  at  top, 


a  Sir  George  Staunton,in  his  account  of  the  embassy  to 
China,  says,  that  in  the  Cass,  a  small  island  near  Sumatra, 
were  foi^itl  two  caverns, running  horizontally  into  the  side 
of  the  ruck  ;  in  which  were  a  number  of  these  nests  so 
much  prized  by  the  Chinese  epicures.  "  They  seemed 
to  be  composed  of  fine  filaments  cemented  together  by  a 
transparent  viscous  matter,  not  unlike  what  is  left  by  the 
foam  of  the  sea,  or  those  gelatinous  animal  substances 
found  floating  on  every  coast.  The  nests  adhere  together  f 

NO.  47  &  48. 


and  has  a  door  to  enter  at ;  the  swallow  leaves 
her's  quite  open.  But  our  European  nests  are 
nothing  to  be  compared  with  those  the  swal- 
low builds  on  the  coasts  of  China  and  Coro- 
mandel ;  the  description  of  which  I  will  give 
in  the  plain  honest  phrase  of  Willoughby. 
"  On  the  sea-coast  of  the  kingdom  of  China," 
says  he,  "a  sort  of  party-coloured  birds,  of  the 
shape  of  swallows,  at  a  certain  season  of  the 
year,  which  is  their  breeding  time,  come  out 
of  the  midland  country  to  the  rocks,  and  from 
the  foam  or  froth  of  the  sea-water,  dashing 
against  the  bottom  of  the  rocks,  gather  a  cer- 
tain clammy  glutinous  matter,  perchance  the 
spawn  of  whales  and  other  young  fishes,  of 
which  they  build  their  nests,  wherein  they  lay 
their  eggs  and  hatch  their  young.  These  nests 
the  Chinese  pluck  from  the  rocks,  and  bring 
them  in  great  numbers  into  the  East  Indies  to 
sell.  They  are  esteemed,  by  gluttons,  as  great 
delicacies ;  who,  dissolving  them  in  chicken 
or  mutton  broth,  are  very  fond  of  them  ;  far 
before  oysters,  mushrooms,  or  other  dainty 
and  liquorish  morsels."a  What  a  pity  this 
luxury  hath  not  been  introduced  among  us, 
and  then  our  great  feasters  might  be  enabled 
to  eat  a  little  more ! 

The  swallow  usually  lays  from  five  to  six 
eggs,  of  a  white  colour,  speckled  with  red  ; 
and  sometimes  breeds  twice  a  year.  When 
the  young  brood  are  excluded,  the  swallow 
supplies  them  very  plentifully,  the  first  brood 
particularly,  when  she  finds  herself  capable  of 
producing  two  broods  in  a  year.  This  hap- 
pens when  the  parents  come  early,  when  the 
season  is  peculiarly  mild,  and  when  they  be- 

fin  to  pair  soon.  Sometimes  they  find  n  dif- 
culty  in  rearing  even  a  single  nest,  particularly 
when  the  weather  has  been  severe,  or  their 
nests  have  been  robbed  in  the  beginning  of  the 
season.  By  these  accidents,  this  important 
task  is  sometimes  deferred  to  the  middle  of 
September. 

At  the  latter  end  of  September,  they  leave 

and  to  the  sides  of  the  cavern,  mostly  in  rows  without  any 
break  or  interruption.  The  birds  that  build  these  nests 
are  small  gray  swallows,  with  bellies  of  a  dirty  white. 
These  nests  are  a  considerable  object  of  traffic  among 
the  Javanese,  many  of  whom  are  employed  in  it  from 
their  infancy  ;  and  as  the  operation  of  taking  them  is  at- 
tended with  much  danger,  many  lives  are  lost  in  that 
employment. 


4K 


548 


A  HISTORY  OF 


us  ;  and  for  a  few  days  previous  to  their  de- 
parture asse.nble  in  vast  flocks,  on  house  tops, 
as  if  deliberating  on  the  fatiguing  journey  that 
lay  before  them.  This  is  no  slight  under- 
taking, as  their  flight  is  directed  to  Congo, 
Senegal,  and  along  the  whole  Morocco  shoiv. 
There  are  some,  however,  left  behind  in  this 
general  expedition,  that  do  not  depart  till  eight 
or  ten  days  after  the  rest.  These  are  chiefly 
the  latter  weakly  broods,  which  are  not  yet  in 
a  condition  to  set  out.  They  are  sometimes 
even  too  feeble  to  venture,  till  the  selling  in  of 
winter ;  while  their  parents  vainly  exhort 
them  to  efforts  which  instinct  assures  them 
they  are  incapable  of  performing.  Thus  it 
often  happens,  that  the  wretched  little  families, 
being  compelled  to  stay,  perish  the  first  cold 
weather  that  comes;  whil-the  tender  parents 
share  the  fate  of  their  offspring,  and  die  with 
the  new-fledged  brood. 

Those  that  migrate,  are  first  observed  to 
arrive  in  Africa,  as  Adanson  assures  us,  about 
the  beginning  of  October.  They  are  thought 
to  have  performed  their  fatiguing  journey  in 
the  space  of  seven  davs.  They  are  sometimes 
seen,  when  interrupted  by  contrary  winds, 
wavering  in  their  course  far  off  at  sea,  and 
lighting  upon  whatever  ship  they  find  in  their 
passage.  They  then  seem  spent  with  famine 
and  fatigue ;  yet  still  they  boldly  venture, 
when  refreshed  by  a  few  hours  rest,  to  renew 
their  flight,  and  continue  the  course  which 
they  had  been  steering  before. 

These  are  facts,  proved  by  incontestable  au- 
thority; yet  it  is  a  doubt  whether  all  swallows 
migrate  in  this  manner,  or  whether  there  may 
not  be  some  species  of  this  animal  that,  though 


externally  alike,  are  so  internally  different,  as 
to  be  very  differently  affected  by  the  approach 
of  winter.  We  are  assured  from  many,  and 
these  not  contemptible  witnesses,  that  swal- 
lows hide  themselves  in  holes  under  ground, 
joined  close  together,  bill  against  bill,  and  feet 
against  feet.  feo:iie  inform  us,  that  they  have 
seen  them  taken  out  of  the  water,  and  even 
from  under  the  ice,  in  bunches,  where  they 
are  asserted  to  pass  the  winter,  without  motion. 
Reaumur,  who  particularly  interested  himself 
in  this  inquiry,  received  several  accounts  of 
bundles  of  swallows  being  thus  found  in  quar- 
ries, and  under  the  water.  These  men,  there- 
fore, have  a  right  to  some  degree  of  assent, 
and  are  not  to  lose  all  credit  from  our  igno- 
rance of  what  they  aver. 

All,  however,  that  we  have  hitherto  dissected, 
are  formed  within  like  other  birds  ;  and  seem 
to  offer  no  observable  variety.  Indeed,  that 
they  do  not  hide  themselves  under  water,  has 
been  pretty  well  proved,  by  the  noted  experi- 
ment of  Frisch,  who  tied  several  threads,  dyed 
in  water-colours,  round  the  legs  of  a  great 
number  of  swallows  that  were  preparing  for 
their  departure :  these,  upon  their  return  the 
ensuing  summer,  brought  their  threads  back 
with  them,  no  way  damaged  in  their  colour  ; 
which  they  most  certainly  would,  if,  during 
the  winter,  they  had  been  steeped  in  water : 
yet  still  this  is  a  subject  on  which  we  must 
suspend  our  assent,  as  Klein,  the  naturalist, 
has  brought  such  a  number  of  proofs  in  de- 
fence of  his  opinion,  that  swallows  are  tor- 
pid in  winter,  as  even  the  most  incredu- 
lous must  allow  to  have  some  degree  of  proba- 
bility. 


CHAPTER  CXI. 

THE  HUMMING-BIRD,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


HAVING  given  some  history  of  the  man- 
ners of  the  most  remarkable  birds  of  which 
accounts  can  be  obtained,  I  might  now  go  to 
a  very  extensive  tribe,  remarkable  for  the 
splendour  and  the  variety  of  their  plumage  : 
but  the  description  of  the  colours  of  a  beauti- 
ful bird,  has  nothing  in  it  that  can  inform  or 


entertain;  it  rather  exntes  a  longing,  which 
it  is  impossible  for  words  to  satisfy .  Natural- 
ists, indeed,  have  endeavoured  to  satisfy  this 
desire  by  coloured  prints ;  but,  beside  that 
these  at  best  give  only  a  faint  resemblance  of 
nature,  and  arc  a  very  indifferent  kind  of 
painting,  the  bird  itself  has  a  thousand  beauties, 


il    nil,  I          i..\l.ni 
"•/,- 


IIAI.'I   I   Mlllll. 


P0ITTAC  I   s     fit  IKT  \rr  * 

l'i ,-.,.!    '  f, •>•/,,/    i  ',•<-/.-, ,t..,- 

4 


THE  SPARROW  KIND. 


549 


that  the  most  exquisite  artist  is  incapable  of 
imitating.  They,  for  instance,  who  imagine 
they  have  a  complete  idea  of  the  beauty  of 
the  little  tribe  of  manikin  birds,  from  the  pic- 
tures we  have  of  them,  will  find  themselves 
deceived,  when  they  compare  their  draughts 
with  nature.  The  shining  greens,  the  change- 
able purples,  arid  the  glossy  reds,  are  be- 
yond the  reach  of  the  pencil;  and  very  far 
beyond  the  coloured  print,  which  is  but  a 
poor  substitute  to  painting.  I  have  there- 
fore declined  entering  into  a  minute  descrip- 
tion of  foreign  birds  of  the  sparrow  kind; 
as  sounds  would  never  convey  an  adequate 
idea  of  colours. 

There  is  one  species,  however,  that  I  will 
conclude  the  history  of  this  class  with;  as, 
though  the  least,  it  will  certainly  be  allowed 
the  most  beautiful  of  all  others.  In  quadru- 
peds, the  smallest  animals  are  noxious,  ugly, 
and  loathsome ;  the  smallest  of  birds  are  the 
most  beautiful,  innocent,  and  sportive.  Of  all 
those  that  flutter  in  the  garden,  or  paint  the 
landscape,  the  humming-bird  is  the  most  de- 
lightful to  look  upon,  and  the  most  inoffen- 
sive. 

Of  this  charming  little  animal,  there  are 
six  or  seven  varieties,  from  the  size  of  a  small 
wren,  down  to  that  of  an  humble-bee.  An  Eu- 
ropean could  never  have  supposed  a  bird  ex- 
is'i.'ig  so  very  small,  and  yet  completely  fur- 
nished out  with  a  bill,  feathers,  wings,  and  in- 
testines, exactly  resembling  those  of  the  lar- 
gest kind.  A  bird  not  so  big  as  the  end  of 
one's  little  finger,  would  probably  be  supposed 
but  a  creature  of  imagination,  were  it  not  seen 
in  infinite  numbers,  and  as  frequent  as  butter- 
flies in  a  summer's  day,  sporting  in  the  fields 
of  America,  from  flower  to  flower,  and  ex- 
tracting their  sweets  with  its  little  bill. 

The  smallest  humming-bird  is  about  the 
size  of  a  hazel-nut.  The  feathers  on  its  wings 
and  tail  are  black ;  but  those  on  its  body,  and 
under  its  wings,  are  of  a  greenish  brown, 
with  a  fine  red  cast,  or  gloss,  which  no  silk 
or  velvet  can  imitate.  It  has  a  small  crest 
on  its  head,  green  at  the  bottom,  and, 
as  it  were,  gilded  at  the  top;  and  which 
sparkles  in  the  sun  like  a  little  star  in  the 
middle  of  its  forehead.  The  bill  is  black, 
straight,  slender,  and  of  the  length  of  a  small 
pin.  The  larger  humming-bird  is  near  half 


as  big  as  the  common  wren,  and  without  a 
crest  on  its  head  ;  but,  to  make  amends,  it  is 
covered,  from  the  throat  half  way  down  the 
belly,  with  changeable  crimson-coloured  fea- 
thers, that,  in  different  lights,  change  to  a 
variety  of  heautiful  colours,  much  like  an 
opal.  The  heads  of  both  are  small,  with  very 
little  round  eyes,  as  black  as  jet. 

It  is  inconceivable  how  much  these  add  to 
the  high  finishing  and  beauty  of  a  rich  luxu- 
rious western  landscape.  As  soon  as  the 
sun  is  risen,  the  humming-birds,  of  different 
kinds,  are  seen  fluttering  about  the  flowers, 
without  ever  lighting  upon  them.  Their 
wings  are  in  such  rapid  motion,  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  discern  their  colours,  except  by 
their  glittering.  They  are  never  still,  but 
continually  in  motion,  visiting  flower  after 
flower,  and  extracting  its  honey  as  if  with  a 
kiss.  For  this  purpose  they  are  furnished 
with  a  forky  tongue,  that  enters  the  cup  of 
the  flower,  and  extracts  its  nectared  tribute. 
Upon  this  alone  they  subsist.  The  rapid  mo- 
tion of  their  wings  brings  out  a  humming 
sound,  from  whence  they  have  their  name; 
for  whatever  divides  the  air  swiftly,  must 
thus  produce  a  murmur. 

The  nests  of  these  birds  are  not  less  curi- 
ous than  the  rest ;  they  are  suspended  in  the 
air,  at  the  point  of  the  twigs  of  an  orange,  a 
pomegranate,  or  a  citron-tree ;  sometimes 
even  in  houses,  if  they  find  a  small  and  con- 
venient twig  for  the  purpose.  The  female  is 
the  architect,  while  the  male  goes  in  quest  of 
materials;  such  as  cotton,  fine  moss,  and  the 
fibres  of  vegetables.  Of  these  materials  a 
nest  is  composed,  of  about  the  size  of  a  hen's 
egg  cut  in  two,  admirably  contrived,  and 
warmly  lined  with  cotton.  They  lay  two 
eggs  at  a  time,  and  never  more,  about  the 
size  of  small  peas,  and  as  white  as  snow,  with 
here  and  there  a  yellow  speck.  The  male 
and  the  female  sit  upon  the  nest  by  turns; 
but  the  female  takes  to  herself  the  greatest 
share.  She  seldom  quits  the  nest,  except  a 
few  minutes  in  the  morning  and  evening, 
when  the  dew  is  upon  the  flowers,  and  their 
honey  in  perfection.  During  this  short  in- 
terval, the  male  takes  her  place ;  for,  as  the 
egg  is  so  small,  the  exposing  it  ever  so  short 
a  time  to  the  weather,  would  be  apt  to  injure 
its  contents,  the  surface  exposed  being  so 

4K* 


550 


A  HISTORY  OF 


great  in  comparison  to  the  bulk.  The  time 
of  incubation  continues  twelve  days ;  at  the 
end  of  which  the  young  ones  appear,  much 
about  the  size  of  a  blue-bottle  fly.  They  are 
at  first  bare ;  by  degrees  they  are  covered 
with  down ;  and,  at  last,  feathers  succeed,  but 
less  beautiful  at  first  than  those  of  the  old  ones. 

"  Father  Labat's  companion  in  the  mission 
to  America,  found  the  nest  of  a  humming- 
bird, in  a  shed  that  was  near  the  dwelling- 
house,  and  took  it  in  at  a  time  when  the  young 
ones  were  about  fifteen  or  twenty  days  old ; 
he  then  placed  them  in  a  cage  at  his  cham- 
ber-window, to  be  amused  by  their  sportive 
flutterings;  but  he  was  soon  surprised  to  see 
the  old  ones,  that  came  and  fed  their  brood 
regularly  every  hour  in  the  day.  By  these 
means  they  themselves  soon  grew  so  tame 
that  they  seldom  quitted  the  chamber;  but, 
without  any  constraint,  came  to  live  with 
their  young  ones.  All  four  have  frequently 
come  to  perch  upon  their  master's  hand,  chir- 
ruping as  if  they  had  been  at  liberty  abroad. 
He  fed  them  with  a  very  fine  clear  paste, 
made  of  wine,  biscuit,  and  sugar:  they  thrust 
their  tongues  into  this  paste,  till  they  were 
satisfied,  and  then  fluttered  and  chirruped 
about  the  room.  I  never  beheld  any  thing 
more  agreeable,"  continues  he,  "  than  this 
lovely  little  family  that  had  taken  possession 
of  my  companion's  chamber,  and  that  flew 
out  and  in  just  as  they  thought  proper;  but 
were  ever  attentive  to  the  voice  of  their  mas- 
ter, when  he  called  them.  In  this  manner 
they  lived  with  him  for  above  six  months ; 
but  at  a  time  when  he  expected  to  see  a  new 
colony  formed,  he  unfortunately  forgot  to  tie 
up  their  cage  to  the  ceiling  at  night,  to  pre- 
serve them  from  the  rats,  and  he  found  they 
were  devoured  in  the  morning." 

These  birds,  on  the  continent  of  America, 
continue  to  flutter  the  year  round  ;  as  their 
food,  which  is  the  honey  of  flowers,  never  for- 
sakes them  in  those  warm  latitudes  where 
they  are  found.  But  it  is  otherwise  in  the 
islands  of  the  Antilles,  where,  when  the  win- 
ter season  approaches,  they  retire,  and,  as 


some  say,  continue  in  a  torpid  state  during 
the  severity  of  that  season.  At  Surinam  and 
Jamaica,  where  they  constantly  have  flowers, 
these  beautiful  birds  are  never  known  to  dis- 
appear. 

It  is  a  doubt  whether  or  not  these  birds 
have  a  continued  note  of  singing.  All  travel- 
lers agree,  that,  beside  the  humming,  noise 
produced  by  their  wings,  they  have  a  little 
interrupted  chirrup;  but  Labat  asserts,  that 
they  have  a  most  pleasing  n\elancholy  melo- 
dy in  their  voices,  though  small,  and  propor- 
tioned to  the  organs  which  produce  it.  It  is 
very  probable  that,  in  different  places,  their 
notes  are  also  different ;  and  as  there  are 
some  that  continue  torpid  all  the  winter, 
there  may  likewise  be  some  with  agreeable 
voices,  though  the  rest  may  in  general  be  si- 
lent. 

The  Indians  formerly  made  great  use  of 
this  pretty  bird's  plumage,  in  adorning  their 
belts  and  head-dress.  The  children  take 
them  in  the  fields  upon  rings  smeared  with 
bird-lime:  they  approach  the  place  where 
the  birds  are  flying,  arid  twirling  their  rings 
in  the  air,  so  allure  them,  either  by  the  colour 
or  the  sound,  that  the  simple  little  creature 
comes  to  rest  upon  the  ring,  and  is  seized. 
They  are  then  instantly  killed  and  gutted, 
and  hung  up  in  the  chimney  to  dry.  Those 
who  take  greater  care,  dry  them  in  a  stove, 
which  is  not  so  likely  to  injure  the  plumage 
as  the  foregoing  method.  Their  beautiful 
feathers  were  once  the  ornament  of  the  high- 
est rank  of  savage  nobility :  but  at  present 
they  take  the  bird  rather  for  the  purpose  of 
selling  it  as  a  curiosity  to  the  Europeans,  than 
that  of  ornament  for  themselves.  All  the 
taste  for  savage  finery  is  wearing  out  fast, 
even  among  the  Americans.  They  now  be- 
gin to  adopt,  if  not  the  dresses  of  Europe,  at 
least  the  materials  of  which  they  are  com- 
posed. The  wandering  warrior  is  far  from 
thinking  himself  fine  at  present  with  his  bow 
and  his  feathered  crown :  his  ambition  reach- 
es to  higher  ornaments;  a  gun,  a  blue  shirt, 
and  a  blanket. 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


551 


OF  BIRDS  OF    TI2B   CRANE  ZIZBTD. 


CHAPTER  CX1I. 

OF  BIRDS  OF  THE  CRANE  KIND  IN  GENERAL 


THE  progressions  of  nature  from  one  class 
of  beings  to  another,  are  always  by  slow  and 
almost  imperceptible  degrees.  She  has  peo- 
pled the  woods  and  the  fields  with  a  variety  of 
the  most  beautiful  birds  ;  and,  to  leave  no 
part  of  her  extensive  territories  un tenanted, 
she  has  stocked  the  waters  with  its  feathered 
inhabitants  also :  she  has  taken  the  same  care 
in  providing  for  the  wants  of  her  animals  in 
this  clement,  as  she  has  done  with  respect  to 
those  of  the  other  ;  she  has  used  as  much  pre- 
caution to  render  water-fowl  fit  for  swimming, 
as  she  did  in  forming  land-fowl  for  flight ;  she 
has  defended  their  fealhers  with  a  natural  oil, 
and  united  their  toes  by  a  webbed  membrane; 
by  which  contrivances  they  have  at  once 
security  and  motion.  But  between  the  classes 
of  land-birds  that  shun  the  water,  and  of  water- 
fowl that  arc  made  for  swimming  and  living 
on  it,  she  has  formed  a  very  numerous  tribe  of 
birds,  that  seem  to  partake  of  a  middle  nature ; 
that,  with  divided  toes,  seemingly  fitted  to 
live  upon  land,  are  at  the  same  time  furnished 
with  appetites  that  chiefly  attach  them  to  the 
waters.  These  can  properly  be  called  neither 
land -birds  nor  water-fowl,  as  they  provide  all 
their  sustenance  from  watery  places,  and  yet 
are  unqualified  to  seek  it  in  those  depths  where 
it  is  often  found  in  greatest  plenty. 

This  class  of  birds,  of  the  crane  kind,  are 
to  be  distinguished  from  others  rather  by  their 
appetites  than  their  conformation.  Yet  even 
in  this  respect  they  seem  to  be  sufficiently  dis- 
criminated by  nature :  as  they  are  to  live 
among  the  waters,  yet  are  incapable  of  swim- 
ming in  them,  most  of  them  have  long  legs, 
fit;"(i  for  wading  in  shallow  waters,  or  long 
bills  proper  for  groping  in  them. 


Every  bird  of  this  kind,  habituated  to  marshy 
places,  may  be  known,  if  not  by  the  length  of 
its  legs,  at  least  by  the  scaly  surface  of  them. 
Those  who  have  observed  the  legs  of  a  snipe 
or  a  woodcock,  will  easily  perceive  my  mean- 
ing; and  how  different  the  surface  of  the  skin 
that  covers  them  is  from  that  of  the  pigeon  or 
the  partridge.  Most  birds  of  this  kind  also, 
are  bare  of  feathers  half  way  up  the  thigh  ;  at 
least,  in  all  of  them,  above  the  knee.  Their 
long  habits  of  wading  in  the  waters,  and  hav- 
ing their  legs  continually  in  moisture,  prevents 
the  growtli  of  fealhers  on  those  parts  ;  so  that 
there  is  a  surprising  difference  between  the  leg 
of  a  crane,  naked  of  feathers  almost  up  to  the 
body,  and  the  falcon,  booted  almost  to  the  very 
toes. 

The  bill  also  is  very  distinguishable  in  most 
of  this  class.  It  is,  in  general,  longer  than  that 
of  other  birds,  and  in  some  finely  fluted  on 
every  side  ;  while  at  the  point  it  is  possessed 
of  extreme  sensibility,  and  furnished  with 
nerves,  for  the  better  feeling  their  food  at  the 
bottom  of  marshes,  where  it  cannot  be  seen. 
Some  birds  of  this  class  are  thus  fitted  with 
every  convenience :  they  have  long  legs,  for 
wading;  long  necks,  for  stooping;  long  bills, 
for  searching  ;  and  nervous  points,  for  feeling. 
Others  are  not  so  amply  provided  for ;  as 
some  have  long  bills,  but  legs  of  HO  great 
length  ;  and  others  have  long  necks,  but  very 
short  legs.  It  is  a  rule  which  universally 
holds,  that  where  the  bird's  legs  are  long,  (he 
neck  is  also  long  in  proportion.  It  would  in- 
deed be  an  incurable  defect  in  the  bird's  con- 
formation, to  be  lifted  upon  stilts  above  its 
food,  without  being  furnished  with  an  instru- 
ment to  reach  it. 


552 


A  HISTORY  OF 


If  we  consider  the  natural  power  of  this 
class,  in  a  comparative  view,  they  will  seem 
rather  inferior  to  those  of  every  other  tribe. 
Their  nests  are  more  simple  than  those  of  the 
sparrow  ;  and  their  methods  of  obtaining  food 
less  ingenious  than  those  of  the  falcon  ;  the  pie 
exceeds  them  in  cunning;  and  though  they 
have  all  the  voraciousness  of  the  poultry  tribe, 
they  want  their  fecundity.  None  of  this  kind, 
therefore,  have  been  taken  into  man's  society, 
or  under  his  protection;  they  are  neither  caged, 
like  the  nightingale ;  nor  kept  tame,  like  the 
turkey  ;  but  lead  a  life  of  precarious  liberty,  in 
fens  and  marshes,  at  the  edges  of  lakes,  and 
along  the  sea-shore.  They  all  live  upon  fish 
or  insects,  one  or  two  only  excepted  ;  even 
those  that  are  called  mudsuckers,  such  as  the 
snipe  and  the  woodcock,  it  is  more  than  pro- 
bable, grope  the  bottom  of  marshy  places  only 
for  such  insects  as  are  deposited  there  by  their 
kind,  and  live  in  a  vermicular  state,  in  pools 
and  plashes,  till  they  take  wing,  and  become 
flying  insects. 

All  this  class,  therefore,  that  are  fed  upon 
insects,  their  food  b  ing  easily  digestible,  are 
good  to  be  eaten ;  while  those  who  live  en- 
tirely upon  fish,  abounding  in  oil,  acquire  in 
their  flesh  the  rancidity  of  their  diet,  and  are, 
in  general,  unfit  for  our  tables.  To  savages, 
indeed,  and  sailors  on  a  long  voyage,  every 
thing  that  has  life  seems  good  to  be  eaten ; 


and  we  often  find  them  recommending  those 
animals  as  dainties,  which  they  themselves 
would  spurn  at  after  a  course  of  good  living. 
Nothing  is  more  common  in  their  journals 

than  such  accounts  as  these "  This  d<iy  we 

shot  a  fox — pretty  good  eating:  this  day  we 
shot  a  heron — pretty  good  eating :  and  this 

day  we  killed  a  turtle" which  they  rai.k 

with  the  heron  and  the  fox,  as  "  pretty  good 
eating."  Their  accounts,  therefore,  of  the 
flesh  of  these  birds,  are  not  to  be  depended 
upon ;  and  when  they  cry  up  the  heron 
or  the  stork  of  other  countries  as  luxuri- 
ous food,  we  must  always  attend  to  the 
state  of  their  appetites  who  give  the  charao 
ter. 

In  treating  of  this  ? lass  of  birds,  it  will  be 
best  to  observe  the  simplest  method  possible  ; 
neither  to  load  the  memory  with  numerous 
distinctions,  nor  yet  confuse  the  imagination 
by  a  total  want  of  arrangement.  1  will  there- 
fore describe  some  of  the  larger  sorts  sepa- 
rately ;  as,  in  a  history  of  birds,  each  of  these 
demands  peculiar  distinction.  The  crane,  the 
stork,  the  Balearic  crane,  the  heron,  the  bit- 
tern, with  some  others,  may  require  a  separate 
history.  Some  particular  tribes  may  next 
oflfer,  that  may  very  naturally  be  classed  to- 
gether ;  and  as  for  all  the  smaller  and  least 
remarkable  sorts,  they  may  be  grouped  into 
one  general  description. 


CHAPTER  CX1II. 

THE  CRANE. 


THERE  is  something  extraordinary  in  the 
different  accounts  we  have  of  this  bird's  size 
and  dimensions.  Willoughby  and  Pennant 
make  the  crane  from  five  to  six  feet  long,  from 
the  tip  to  the  tail.  Other  accounts  say,  that 
it  is  above  five  feet  high ;  and  others,  that  it 
is  as  tall  as  a  man.  From  the  many  which  I 
myself  had  seen,  I  own  this  imputed  magni- 
tude surprised  me ;  as,  from  memory  I  was 
convinced,  they  could  be  neither  so  long  nor 
so  tall.  Indeed,  a  bird,  the  body  of  which  is 
not  larger  than  that  of  a  turkey-hen,  and  ac- 
knowledged on  all  hands  not  to  weigh  above 


ten  pounds,  cannot  easily  be  supposed  to  be 
almost  as  long  as  an  ostrich.  Brisson,  how- 
ever, seems  to  "five  this  bird  its  real  dimensions, 
when  he  describes  it  as  something  less  than 
the  brown  stork,  about  three  feet  high,  and 
about  four  from  the  tip  to  the  tail.  Still,  how- 
ever, the  numerous  testimonies  of  its  superior 
size  are  not  to  be  totally  rejected ;  and,  per- 
haps, that  from  which  Brisson  took  his  dimen- 
sions, was  one  of  the  smallest  uf  the  kind. 

The  crane,  taking  its  dimensions  from  him, 
is  exactly  three  feet  four  inches  from  the  tip  to 
the  tail,  and  four  feet  from  the  head  to  the  toe. 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


553 


It  is  a  tall  slender  bird,  with  a  long  neck  and 
long  legs.  The  top  of  the  head  is  covered 
with  black  bristles,  and  the  back  of  it  is  bald 
and  red,  which  sufficiently  distinguishes  this 
bird  from  the  stork,  to  which  it  is  very  near- 
ly allied  in  size  and  figure.  The  plumage, 
in  general,  is  ash-coloured;  and  there  are 
two  large  tufts  of  feathers,  that  spring  from 
the  pinion  of  each  wing.  These  bear  a  re- 
semblance to  hair,  and  are  finely  curled  at 
the  ends,  which  the  bird  has  a  power  of  erect- 
ing and  depressing  at  pleasure.  Gesner 
says,  that  these  feathers,  in  his  time,  used  to 
be  set  in  gold,  and  worn  as  ornaments  in 
caps. 

Such  are  the  dimensions  of  a  bird,  con- 
cerning which,  not  to  mention  modern  times, 
there  have  been  more  fables  propagated  than 
of  any  other.  It  is  a  bird  with  which  all  the 
ancient  writers  are  familiar;  and,  in  descri- 
bing it,  they  have  not  failed  to  mix  imagina- 
tion with  history.  From  the  policy  of  the 
cranes,  they  say,  we  are  to  look  for  an  idea 
of  the  most  perfect  republic  amongst  our- 
selves; from  their  tenderness  to  their  decre- 
pit parents,  which  they  take  care  to  nourish, 
to  cherish,  and  support  when  flying,  we  are 
to  learn  lessons  of  filial  piety  ;  but  particular- 
ly from  their  conduct  in  fighting  with  the  pig- 
mies of  Ethiopia,  we  are  to  receive  our  max- 
ims in  the  art  of  war.  In  early  times,  the 
history  of  nature  fell  to  the  lot  of  poets  only, 
and  certainly  none  could  describe  it  so  well; 
but  it  is  a  part  of  their  province  to  embellish 
also ;  and  when  this  agreeable  science  was 
claimed  by  a  more  sober  class  of  people, 
they  were  obliged  to  take  the  accounts  of 
things  as  they  found  them ;  and,  in  the  pre- 
sent instance,  fable  ran  down  blended  with 
truth  to  posterity. 

In  these  accounts,  therefore,  there  is  some 
foundation  of  truth  ;  yet  much  more  has  been 
added  by  fancy.  The  crane  is  certainly  a 
very  social  bird,  arid  they  are  seldom  seen 
alone.  Their  usual  method  of  flying  or  sit- 
ting is  in  flocks  of  fifty  or  sixty  together;  and 
while  a  part  feed,  the  rest  stand  like  centi- 
nr>!s  upon  duty.  The  fable  of  their  support- 
ing I.Ueir  aged  parents,  may  have  arisen  from 
their  strict  connubial  affection;  and  as  for 
their  fighting  with  tho  pigmies,  it  may  not  be 
improbable  but  that  they  have  boldly  withstood 


the  invasions  of  monkeys  coming  to  rob  their 
nests;  for,  in  this  case,  as  the  crane  lives 
upon  vegetables,  it  is  not  probable  that  it 
would  be  the  first  aggressor. 

However  this  be,  the  crane  is  a  wandering, 
sociable  bird,  that,  for  the  most  part,  subsists 
upon  vegetables;  and  is  known  in  every  coun- 
try of  Europe,  except  our  own.  There  is  no 
part  of  the  world,  says  Bellonius,  where  the 
fields  are  cultivated,  that  the  crane  does  not 
come  in  with  the  husbandman  for  a  share  in 
the  harvest.  As  they  are  birds  of  passage, 
they  are  seen  to  depart,  and  return  regularly 
at  those  seasons  when  their  provision  invites 
or  repels  them.  They  generally  leave  Eu- 
rope about  the  latter  end  of  autumn,  and  re- 
turn in  the  beginning  of  summer.  In  the  in- 
land parts  of  the  continent,  they  are  seen 
crossing  the  country  in  flocks  of  fifty  or  a  hun- 
dred, making  from  the  northern  regions  to- 
wards the  south.  In  these  migrations,  how- 
ever, they  are  not  so  resolutely  bent  upon 
going  forward,  but  that  if  a  field  of  corn  of- 
fers in  their  way,  they  will  stop  a  while  to 
regale  upon  it:  on  such  occasions  they  do 
incredible  damage,  chiefly  in  the  night;  and 
the  husbandman,  who  lays  down  in  joyful  ex- 
pectation, rises  in  the  morning  to  see  his 
fields  laid  entirely  waste  by  an  enemy,  whose 
march  is  too  swift  for  his  vengeance  to  over- 
take. 

Our  own  country  is  free  from  their  visits ; 
not  but  that  they  were  formerly  known  in 
this  island,  and  held  in  great  estimation  for 
the  delicacy  of  their  flesh;  there  was  even  a 
penalty  upon  such  as  destroyed  their  eggs  ; 
but,  at  present,  they  never  go  so  far  out  of 
their  way.  Cultivation  and  populousness  go 
hand  in  hand  ;  and  though  our  fields  may  of- 
fer them  a  greater  plenty,  yet  it  is  so  guard- 
ed that  the  birds  find  the  venture  greater  than 
the  enjoyment;  and  probably  we  are  much 
better  off  by  their  absence  than  their  com- 
pany. Whatever  their  flesh  might  once  have 
been,  when,  as  Plutarch  tells  us.  cranes  were 
blinded  and  kept  in  coops,  to  be  fattened  for 
the  tables  of  the  great  in  Rome;  or,  as  they 
were  brought  up.  stuffed  with  mint  and  rue, 
to  the  tables  of  our  nobles  at  home;  at  pre- 
sent, they  are  considered  all  over  Europe  as 
wretched  eating.  The  flesh  is  fibrous  and 
dry,  requiring  much  preparation  to  make  it 


o.ri 


A  HISTORY  OF 


palatable  ;  and  even  after  every  art,  it  is  fit 
only  for  the  stomachs  of  strong  and  labour- 
ing people. 

The  cold  Arctic  regionseemstobethis  bird's 
favourite  abode.  They  come  down  into  the 
more  southern  parts  of  Europe,  rather  as  vi- 
sitants than  inhabitants:  yet  it  is  not  well 
known  in  what  manner  they  portion  out  their 
time,  to  the  different  parts  of  the  world.  The 
migrations  of  the  fieldfare  or  thrush,  are  ob- 
vious and  well  known  ;  they  go  northward  or 
southward,  in  one  simple  track;  when  their 
food  fails  them  here,  they  have  but  one  re- 
gion to  go  to.  But  it  is  otherwise  with  the 
crane;  fie  changes  place,  like  a  wanderer: 
he  spends  the  autumn  in  Europe ;  he  then 
flies  off,  probably  to  some  more  southern  cli- 
mate, to  enjoy  a  part  of  the  winter ;  returns 
to  Europe  in  the  spring;  crosses  up  to  the 
north  in  summer ;  visits  those  lakes  that  are  ne- 
ver dry  ;  and  then  comes  down  again,  to  make 
depredations  upon  our  cultivated  grounds, 
in  autumn.  Thus,  Gesner  assures  us,  that 
the  cranes  usually  begin  to  quit  Germany, 
from  about  the  eleventh  of  September  to  the 
seventeenth  of  October;  from  thence  they  are 
seen  flying  southward  by  thousands;  and 
Redi  tells  us,  they  arrive  in  Tuscany  a  short 
time  after.  There  they  tear  up  the  fields, 
newly  sown,  for  the  grain  just  committed  to 
the  ground,  and  do  great  mischief.  It  is  to 
be  supposed  that,  in  the  severity  of  winter, 
they  go  southward,  still  nearer  the  line. 
They  again  appear  in  the  fields  of  Pisa,  re- 
gularly about  the  twentieth  of  February,  to 
anticipate  the  spring. 

In  these  journeys,  it  is  amazing  to  conceive 
the  heights  to  which  they  ascend  when  they 
fly.  Their  note  is  the  loudest  of  all  other 
birds ;  and  that  is  often  heard  in  the  clouds, 
when  the  bird  itself  is  entirely  unseen.  As 
it  is  light  for  its  size,  and  spreads  a  large  ex- 
panse of  wing,  it  is  capable  of  floating  at  the 
greatest  height,  where  the  air  is  lightest;  and 
as  it  secures  its  safety,  and  is  entirely  out  of 
the  reach  of  man,  it  flies  in  tracts  which 
would  be  too  fatiguing  for  any  other  birds  to 
move  forward  in. 

In  these  aerial  journeys,  though  unseen 
themselves,  they  have  the  distinctest  vision 
of  every  object  below.  They  govern  and  di- 
rect their  flight  by  their  cries  ;  and  exhort 


each  other  to  proceed  or  to  descend,  when 
a  fit  opportunity  offers  for  depredation.  Their 
voice,  as  was  observed,  is  the  loudest  of  all 
the  feathered  tribe;  and  its  peculiar  clangor 
arises  from  the  very  extraordinary  length  and 
contortion  of  the  windpipe.  In  quadrupeds, 
the  windpipe  is  short,  and  the  glottis,  or  car- 
tilages that  form  the  voice,  are  at  that  end  of 
it  which  is  next  the  mouth;  in  water-fowl, 
the  windpipe  is  longer,  but  the  cartilages 
that  form  the  voice  are  at  the  other  end, 
which  lies  down  in  their  belly.  By  this 
means  they  have  much  louder  voices,  in  pro- 
portion to  their  size,  than  any  other  animal 
whatever;  for  the  note  when  formed  below, 
is  reverberated  through  all  the  rings  of  the 
windpipe,  till  it  reaches  the  air.  But  the 
voice  of  the  duck  or  the  goose,  is  nothing  to 
be  compared  to  that  of  the  crane,  whose 
windpipe  is  not  only  made  in  the  same  man- 
ner with  theirs,  but  is  above  twenty  times  as 
long.  Nature  seems  to  have  bestowed  much 
pains  in  lengthening  out  this  organ.  From 
the  outside,  it  enters  through  the  flesh  into 
the  breast-bone,  which  hath  a  great  cavity 
within  to  receive  it.  There  being  thrice  re- 
flected, it  goes  out  again  at  the  same  hole, 
and  so  turns  down  to  the  lungs,  and  thus  en- 
ters the  body  a  second  time.  The  loud  clan- 
gorous sound  which  the  bird  is  thus  enabled 
to  produce,  is,  when  near,  almost  deafening : 
however,  it  is  particularly  serviceable  to  the 
animal  itself,  either  during  its  migrations,  or 
its  stay  ;  by  it  the  flock  is  encouraged  in  their 
journeys ;  and  if,  while  they  are  feeding, 
which  is  usually  performed  in  profound  si- 
lence, they  are  invaded  on  any  side,  the  bird 
that  first  perceives  the  danger  is  sure  to  sound 
the  alarm,  and  all  are  speedily  upon  the  wing. 
As  they  rise  but  heavily,  they  are  very  shy 
birds,  arid  seldom  let  the  fowler  approach 
them.  Their  depredations  are  usually  made 
in  the  darkest  nights ;  at  which  time  they 
enter  a  field  of  corn,  and  trample  it  down,  as 
if  it  had  been  crossed  over  by  a  regiment  of 
soldiers.  On  other  occasions,  they  choose 
some  extensive  solitary  marsh,  where  they 
range  themselves  all  day,  as  W  they  were  in 
deliberation ;  and  not  having  that  grain  which 
is  most  to  their  appetites,  wade  the  marshes 
for  insects  and  other  food,  which  they  can 
procure  with  less  danger. 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


555 


Corn  is  their  favourite  food  ;  but  there  is 
scarcely  any  other  that  comes  amiss  to  them. 
Redi,  who  opened  several,  found  the  stomach 
of  one  full  of  the  herb  called  dandelion;  that 
of  another  was  filled  with  beans;  a  third  had 
a  great  quantity  of  clover  in  its  stomach ; 
while  that  of  two  others  was  filled  with  earth- 
worms and  beetles  ;  in  some  he  found  lizards 
and  sea-fi^h;  in  others  snails,  grass,  and  peb- 
bles, swallowed  perhaps  for  medicinal  pur- 
poses. It  seems,  therefore,  that  these  birds 
are  easily  supplied  ;  and  that  they  are  noxi- 
ous to  corn-fields  but  on  some  particular  oc- 
casions. 

In  general  it  is  a  peaceful  bird,  both  in  its 
own  society,  and  with  respect  to  those  of  the 
forest.  Though  so  large  in  appearance,  a 
little  falcon  pursues,  and  often  disables  it. 
The  method  is,  with  those  who  are  fond  of 
hawking,  to  fly  several  hawks  together  against 
it ;  which  the  crane  endeavours  to  a*roid,  by 
flying  up  perpendicularly,  till  the  air  becomes 
too  thin  to  support  it  any  higher.  The  hawk, 
however,  still  bears  it  company;  and  though 
less  fitted  for  floating  in  so  thin  a  medium, 
yet,  possessed  of  greater  rapidity,  it  still 
gains  the  ascendancy.  They  both  often  rise 
out  of  sight ;  but  soon  the  spectator,  who 
keeps  his  eye  fixed  above,  perceives  them, 
like  two  specks,  beginning  to  appear :  they 
gather  on  his  eye  for  a  little  space,  and  shortly 
after  come  tumbling  perpendicularly  together, 
with  great  animosity  on  the  side  of  the  hawk, 
and  a  loud  screaming  on  that  of  the  crane. 
Thus  driven  to  extremity,  and  unable  to  fly, 
the  poor  animal  throws  itself  upon  its  back, 
and,  in  that  situation,  makes  a  most  desperate 
defence,  till  the  sportsman  coming  up,  gene- 
rally puts  an  end  to  the  contest  with  its  life. 

It  was  once  the  barbarous  custom  to  breed 
up  cranes  to  be  thus  baited  ;  and  young  ones 
were  taken  from  the  nest,  to  be  trained  up 
for  this  cruel  diversion.  It  is  an  animal  easily 
tamed ;  and,  if  we  can  believe  Alburtus  Mag- 

NO.  47&4S. 


nus,  has  a  particular  affection  for  man.  This 
quality,  however,  was  not  sufficient  to  guard 
it  from  being  made  the  victim  of  his  fierce 
amusements.  The  female,  which  is  easily 
distinguished  from  the  male,  by  not  being 
bald  behind  as  he  is,  never  lays  above  two 
eggs  at  a  time ;  being  like  those  of  a  goose, 
but  of  a  bluish  colour.  The  young  ones  are 
soon  fit  to  fly,  and  then  the  parents  forsake 
them  to  shift  for  themselv  es  ;  but,  before  this 
time,  they  are  led  forth  to  the  places  where 
their  food  is  most  easily  found.  Though  yet 
unfledged,  they  run  with  such  swiftness  that 
a  man  cannot  easily  overtake  them.  We  arc 
told,  that  as  they  grow  old,  their  plumage 
becomes  darker ;  and,  as  a  proof  of  their 
longevity,  Aldrovandus  assures  us,  that  a 
friend  of  his  kept  one  tame  for  above  forty 
years. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  disposition 
of  the  great,  the  vulgar  of  erery  country,  to 
this  day,  bear  the  crane  a  compassionate  re- 
gard. It  is  possible  the  ancient  prejudices 
in  its  favour,  which  once  having  been  planted 
are  eradicated  but  slowly,  may  still  continue 
to  operate.  In  some  countries,  it  is  consider- 
ed as  an  heinous  offence  to  kill  a  crane;  and 
though  the  legislator  declines  to  punish,  yet 
the  people  do  not  fail  to  resent  the  injury. 
The  crane,  they,  in  some  measure,  consider 
as  the  prophet  of  the  season :  upon  its  ap- 
proach or  delay  they  regulate  the  periods  of 
their  rural  economy.  If  their  favourite  bird 
comes  early  in  the  season,  they  expect  a 
plentiful  summer ;  if  he  is  slow  in  his  visits, 
they  then  prepare  for  an  unfavourable  spring. 
Whatever  wisdom  there  may  be  in  despising 
the  prejudices  of  the  vulgar,  there  is  but  little 
in  condemning  them.  They  have  generally 
had  their  origin  in  good  motives ;  and  it 
should  never  be  our  endeavours  to  suppress 
any  tender  emotions  of  friendship  or  pity,  in 
those  hard  breasts  that  are,  in  general,  un- 
susceptible of  either. 

4L 


556 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXIV. 

THE,  STORK. 


IF  we  regard  the  Stork  externally  only,  we 
shall  be  very  apt  to  confound  it  with  the  crane. 
It  is  of  the  same  size  ;  it  has  the  same  forma- 
tion as  to  the  bill,  neck,  legs,  and  body,  ex- 
cept that  it  is  something  more  corpulent.  Its 
dilferenccs  are  but  very  slight ;  such  as  the 
colour,  which,  in  the  crane,  is  ash  and  black, 
but  in  the  stork  is  white  and  brown.  The 
nails  of  the  toes  of  the  stork  also  are  very 
peculiar;  not  being  clawed  like  those  of  other 
birds,  but  flat  like  the  nails  of  a  man. 

These,  however,  are  but  very  slight  dif- 
ferences ;  and  its  true  distinctions  are  to  be 
taken  rather  from  its  manners  than  its  form. 
The  crane  has  a  loud  piercing  voice ;  the 
stork  is  silent,  and  produces  no  other  noise 
than  the  clacking  of  its  under-chap  against 
the  upper:  the  crane  has  a  strange  convolu- 
tion of  the  wind-pipe  through  the  breast-bone; 
the  stork's  is  formed  in  the  usual  manner : 
the  crane  feeds  mostly  upon  vegetables  and 
grain ;  the  stork  preys  entirely  upon  frogs, 
fishes,  birds,  and  serpents ;  the  crane  avoids 
towns  and  populous  places ;  the  stork  lives 
always  in  or  near  them  :  the  crane  lays  but 
two  eggs ;  and  the  stork  generally  four. 
These  are  distinctions  fully  sufficient  to  mark 
the  species,  notwithstanding  the  similitude  of 
their  form. 

Storks  are  birds  of  passage,  like  the  former; 
but  it  is  hard  to  say  whence  they  come  or 
whither  they  go.  When  they  withdraw  from 
Europe,  they  all  assemble  on  a  particular 
day.  and  never  leave  one  of  their  company 
behind  them.  They  take  their  flight  in  the 
night ;  which  is  the  reason  the  way  they  go 

»  Storks  take  their  departure  from  Europe  in  the  au- 
tumn, and  pass  into  Egypt  and  the  marshes  of  Barbary  : 
there  they  enjoy  a  second  summer,  and  there  they  pair, 
lay  again,  arid  bring  up  a  second  brood.  Mrs.  Starke,  in 
her  Letters  on  Italy,  mentions  a  singular  instance  of  the 
sagacity  of  these  birds.  "  A  wild  stork  was  brought  by  a 
farmer,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Hamburg,  into  his  poul- 
try-yard, to  be  the  companion  of  a  tame  one  he  had  long 


has  never  been  observed.  They  generally 
return  into  Europe  in  the  middle  of  March, 
and  make  their  nests  on  the  tops  of  chimneys 
and  houses,  as  well  as  of  high  trees.  The 
females  lay  from  two  to  four  eggs,  of  the  size 
and  colour  of  those  of  geese ;  and  the  male 
and  female  sit  upon  them  by  turns.  They 
are  a  month  in  hatching ;  and  when  their 
young  are  excluded,  they  are  particularly 
solicitous  for  their  safety." 

As  the  food  of  these  birds  consists  in  a 
great  measure  of  frogs  and  perperits,  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at  that  different  nations  have 
paid  them  a  particular  veneration.  The 
Dutch  are  very  solicitous  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  stork,  in  every  part  of  their  repub- 
lic. This  bird  seems  to  have  taken  refuge 
among  their  towns ;  and  builds  on  the  lops  of 
their  houses  without  any  molestation.  There 
it  is  seen  resting  familiarly  in  the  streets,  and 
protected  as  well  by  the  laws  as  the  prejudi- 
ces of  the  people.  They  have  even  got  an 
opinion  that  it  will  only  live  in  a  republic; 
and  that  story  of  its  filial  piety,  first  falsely 
propagated  of  the  crane,  has  in  part  been 
ascribed  to  the  stork.  But  it  is  not  in  repub- 
lics alone  that  the  stork  is  seen  to  reside,  as 
there  are  few  towns  on  the  continent,  in  low 
marshy  situations,  but  have  the  stork  as  an 
inmate  among  them;  as  well  the  despotic  prin- 
ces of  Germany,  as  the  little  republics  of  Italy. 

The  stork  seems  a  general  favourite  even 
among  the  moderns ;  but  with  the  ancient 
Egyptians  their  regard  was  carried  even  to 
adoration.  This  enlightened  people,  who 
worshipped  the  Deity  in  his  creatures,  paid 

kept  there  :  but  the  tame  stork  disliking  a  rival,  fell  upon 
the  poor  stranger,  and  beat  him  so  unmercifully,  that  he 
was  compelled  to  take  wing,  and  escaped  with  difficulty. 
About  four  months  afterwards,  however,  he  returned  to 
the  poultry-yard,  recovered  of  his  wounds,  and  at- 
tended by  three  other  storks ;  who  no  sooner  alighted, 
than  they  all  together  fell  upon  the  tame  stork,  and  killed 
him. 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


557 


divine  honours  to  the  ibis,  as  is  universally 
known.  It  has  been  usually  supposed  that 
the  ancient  ibis  is  the  same  with  that  which 
goes  at  present  by  the  same  name  ;  a  bird  of 
the  stork  kind,  of  about  the  size  of  a  curlew, 
all  over  black,  with  a  bill  very  thick  in  the  be- 
ginning, but  ending  in  a  point,  for  the  better 
seizing  its  prey,  which  is  caterpillars,  locusts, 
and  serpents.  But  however  useful  the  mo- 
dern ibis  may  be  in  ridding  Egypt,  where  it 
resides,  of  the  vermin  and  venomous  animals 
that  infest  it ;  yet  it  is  much  doubted  whether 
this  be  the  same  ibis  to  which  the  ancients 
paid  their  adoration.  Maillet,  the  French 
consul  at  Cairo,  observes,  that  it  is  very  hard 
to  determine  what  bird  the  ancient  ibis  cer- 
tainly was,  because  there  are  cranes,  storks, 
hawks,  kites,  and  falcons,  that  are  all  equally 
enemies  to  serpents,  and  devour  a  vast  num- 
ber. He  farther  adds,  that  in  the  month  of 


May,  when  the  winds  begin  to  blow  from  the 
internal  parts  of  Africa,  there  are  several 
sorts  of  birds  that  come  down  from  Upper 
Egypt,  from  whence  they  are  driven  by  the 
rains,  in  search  of  a  better  habitation,  and 
that  it  is  then  they  do  this  country  such  sig- 
nal services.  Nor  docs  the  (igure  of  this  bird, 
hieroglyphically  represented  on  their  pillars, 
mark  it  sufficiently  to  make  the  distinction. 
Besides,  the  modern  ibis  is  not  peculiar  to 
Egypt,  as  it  is  to  be  seen  but  at  certain  sea- 
sons of  the  year;  whereas  we  are  informed 
by  Pliny,  that  this  bird  was  seen  no  where 
else.  It  is  thought,  therefore,  that  the  true 
ibis  is  a  bird  of  the  vulture  kind,  described 
above,  and  called  by  some  the  capon  of  Ph&- 
raoh,  which  not  only  is  a  devourer  of  serpents, 
but  will  follow  the  caravans  that  go  to  Mecca, 
to  feed  upon  the  offal  of  the  animals  that  are 
killed  on  the  journey." 


CHAPTER  CXV. 

OF  THE  BALEARIC  AND  OTHER  FOREIGN  CRANES. 


HAVING  ended  the  last  chapter  with 
doubts  concerning  the  ibis,  we  shall  begin  this 
with  doubts  concerning  the  Balearic  Crane. 
Pliny  has  described  a  bird  of  the  crane  kind 
with  a  topping  resembling  that  of  the  green 
woodpecker.  This  bird  for  a  long  time  con- 
tinued unknown,  till  we  became  acquainted 
with  the  birds  of  tropical  climates,  when  one 
of  the  crane  kind  with  a  topping  was  brought 
into  Europe,  and  described  by  Aldrovandus 
as  Pliny's  Balearic  Crane.  Hence  these  birds, 
•which  have  since  been  brought  from  Africa 
and  the  East  in  numbers,  have  received  the 
name  of  Balearic  Cranes,  but  without  any 
just  foundation.  The  real  Balearic  Crane  of 
Pliny  seems  to  be  the  lesser  ash-coloured 
heron,  with  a  topping  of  narrow  white  fea- 

»  The  true  ibis  of  the  ancients  differs  from  the  stork, 
in  having  a  long,  awl-shaped,  slightly  curved  bill,  without 
the  furrow  from  the  nostrils  observable  in  the  stork  :  the 
face  is  likewise  destitute  of  feathers  ;  and  it  has  a  naked 
jugular  pouch.  The  body  is  of  a  whitish  rufous  colour, 
•with  black  quill-feathers;  the  face  is  red,  and  the  bill  pale 


thers ;  or  perhaps  the  egret,  with  two  long 
feathers  that  fall  back  from  the  sides  of  the 
head.  The  bird  that  we  are  about  to  describe 
under  the  name  of  the  Balearic  Crane,  was 
unknown  to  the  ancients,  and  the  heron  or 
egret  ought  to  be  reinstated  in  their  just  title 
to  that  name. 

When  we  see  a  very  extraordinary  animal, 
we  are  naturally  led  to  suppose  that  there 
must  be  something  also  remarkable  in  its  his- 
tory, to  correspond  with  the  singularity  of  its 
figure.  But  it  often  happens  that  history  fails 
on  tho^e  occasions  where  we  most  desire  in- 
formation. In  the  present  instance,  in  par- 
ticular, no  bird  presents  to  the  eye  a  more 
whimsical  figure  than  this,  which  we  must  be 
content  to  call  the  Balearic  Crane.  It  is  pretty 

yellow.  It  inhabits,  in  vast  flocks,  the  lower  parts  of 
Eypt,  which,  after  the  inundation  of  the  Nile,  is  infested 
with  swarms  of  reptiles  and  noxious  insects :  »Jiese  it  de- 
stroys with  great  expedition,  and  is  for  this  reason  held 
sacred  by  the  Egyptians.  It  is  nearly  forty  inches  long, 
and  rests  in  an  erect  posture. 

4L» 


558 


A  HISTORY  OF 


nearly  of  the  shape  and  size  of  the  ordinary 
crane,  with  long  legs  and  a  long  neck,  like 
others  of  the  kind ;  but  the  bill  is  shorter,  and 
the  colour  of  the  feathers  of  a  dark  greenish 
gray.  The  head  and  throat  form  the  most 
striking  part  of  this  bird's  figure.  On  the 
head  is  seen,  standing  up,  a  thick  round  crest. 
made  of  bristles,  spreading  every  -way,  and 
resembling  rays  standing  out  in  different  di- 
rections. The  longest  of  these  rays  are 
about  three  inches  and  a  half,  and  they  are 
all  topped  with  a  kind  of  black  tassels,  which 
give  them  a  beautiful  appearance.  The  sides 
of  the  head  and  cheeks  are  bare,  whitish,  and 
edged  with  red  ;  while  underneath  the  throat 
hangs  a  kind  of  bag  or  wattle,  like  that  of  a 
cock,  but  not  divided  into  two.  To  give  this 
odd  composition  a  higher  finishing,  the  eye 
is  large  and  staring;  the  pupil  black  and  big. 
surrounded  with  a  gold-coloured  iris,  that 
completes  the  bird's  very  singular  appearance. 

From  such  a  peculiar  figure,  we  might  be 
led  to  wish  for  a  minute  history  of  its  man- 
ners; but  of  these  we  can  give  but  slight  in- 
formation. This  bird  comes  from  the  coast 
of  Africa,  and  the  Cape  de  Verd  Islands.  As 
it  runs,  it  stretches  out  its  wings,  and  goes 
very  swiftly,  otherwise  its  usual  motion  is  very 
slow.  In  their  domestic  state,  the)  walk  very 
deliberately  among  other  poultry,  and  suffer 
themselves  to  be  approached  (at  least  it  was 
so  with  that  I  saw)  by  every  spectator.  They 
never  roost  in  houses;  but  about  night,  when 
they  are  disposed  to  go  to  rest,  they  search 
out  some  high  wall,  on  which  they  perch  in 
ihe  manner  of  a  peacock.  Indeed,  they  so 
much  resemble  that  bird  in  manners  and  dis- 
position, that  some  have  described  them  by 
t!;e  name  of  the  sea  peacock:  and  Ray  has 
been  inclined  to  rank  them  in  the  same  fami- 
ly. But  though  their  voice  and  roosting  be 
similar,  their  food,  which  is  entirely  upon 
greens,  vegetables,  and  barley,  seems  to  make 
some  difference. 

In  this  chapter,  of  foreign  birds  of  the  crane 
kind,  it  will  '*e  proper  to  mention  the  Jabiru 
and  the  Jabiru  Guacu,  both  natives  of  Brasil. 
Of  these  great  birds  of  the  crane  kind  we 
know  but  little,  except  the  general  outline  of 
their  figure,  and  the  enormous  bills  which  we 
often  see  preserved  in  the  cabinets  of  the  cu- 
rious. The  bill  of  the  latter  is  red,  and  thir- 


teen inches  long ;  the  bill  of  the  former  is 
black,  and  is  found  to  be  eleven.  Neither  of 
them,  however,  are  of  a  size  proportioned  to 
their  immoderate  length  of  bill.  The  jabiru 
guacu  is  not  above  the  size  of  a  common  stork, 
while  the  jabiru  with  the  smallest  bill  exceeds 
the  size  of  a  swan.  They  are  both  covered 
with  white  feathers,  except  the  head  and 
neck,  that  are  naked  ;  and  their  principal  dif- 
ference is  in  the  size  of  the  body  and  the 
make  of  the  bill;  the  lower  chap  of  the 
jabiru  guacu  being  broad,  and  bending  up- 
wards. 

A  bird  still  more  extraordinary  may  be  add- 
ed to  this  class,  called  the  anhima,  and,  like 
the  two  former,  a  native  of  Brasil.  This  is  a 
water-fowl  of  the  rapacious  kind,  and  bigger 
than  a  swan.  The  head,  which  is  small  for 
the  size  of  the  body,  bears  a  black  bill,  which 
is  not  above  two  inches  long:  but  what  dis- 
tinguishes it  in  particular,  is  a  horn  growing 
from  the  forehead  as  long  as  the  bill,  and 
bending  forward  like  that  of  the  fabulous  uni- 
corn of  the  ancients.  This  horn  is  not  much 
thicker  than  a  crow-quill,  as  round  as  if  it 
were  turned  in  a  lathe,  and  of  an  ivory  colour. 
But  this  is  not  the  only  instrument  of  battle 
this  formidable  bird  carries;  it  seems  to  be 
armed  at  all  points;  for  at  the  fore-part  of 
each  wing,  at  the  second  joint,  spring  two 
straight  triangular  spurs,  about  as  thick  as 
one's  little  finger:  the  foremost  of  these  goads 
or  spurs  is  above  an  inch  long;  the  hinder  is 
shorter,  and  both  of  a  dusky  colour.  The 
claws  also  are  long  and  sharp;  the  colour  is 
black  and  white ;  and  they  cry  terriby  loud, 
sounding  something  like  Vyhoo,  Vyhoo.  They 
are  never  found  alone,  but  always  in  pairs: 
the  cock  and  hen  prowl  together;  and  their 
fidelity  is  said  to  be  such,  that  when  one  dies, 
the  other  never  departs  from  the  carcass,  but 
dies  with  its  companion.  It  makes  its  nest  of 
clay,  near  the  bodies  of  trees,  upon  the 
ground,  of  the  shape  of  an  oven. 

One  bird  more  may  be  subjoined  to  this 
class,  not  for  the  oddity  of  its  figure,  but  the 
peculiarity  of  its  manners.  It  is  vulgarly  call- 
ed by  our  sailors  the  buffoon  bird,  and  by  the 
French  the  demoiselle  or  lady.  The  same  qua- 
lities have  procured  it  these  different  appel- 
lations from  twi.  nalions,  who,  on  more  occa- 
sions than  this,  look  upon  the  same  objects 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


559 


in  very  different  lights.  The  peculiar  ges- 
tures and  contortions  of  this  bird,  the  proper 
name  of  which  is  the  Numidian  Crane,  are  ex- 
tremely singular;  and  the  French,  who  are 
skilled  in  the  arts  of  elegant  gesticulation, 
consider  all  its  motions  as  lady-like  and  grace- 
ful. 

Our  English  sailors,  however,  who  have 
not  entered  so  deeply  into  the  dancing  art, 
think,  that  while  thus  in  motion,  the  bird  cuts 
but  a  very  ridiculous  figure.  It  stoops,  rises, 
lilts  one  wing,  then  another,  turns  round,  sails 
forward,  then  back  again ;  all  which  highly 
diverts  our  seamen;  not  imagining,  perhaps, 
that  all  these  contortions  are  but  the  awk- 


ward expression,  not   of  the   poor  animal's 
pleasures,  but  its  fears. 

It  is  a  very  scarce  bird ;  the  plumage  is  of 
a  leaden  gray  ;  but  it  is  distinguished  by  line 
white  feathers,  consisting  of  long  fibres,  which 
fall  from  the  back  of  the  head,  about  four  in- 
ches long;  while  the  fore-part  of  the  neck  is 
adorned  with  black  feathers,  composed  of 
very  fine,  soft,  and  long  fibres,  that  hang  down 
upon  the  stomach,  and  give  the  bird  a  very 
graceful  appearance.  The  ancients  have  de- 
scribed a  buffoon  bird;  but  there  are  many 
reasons  to  believe  that  theirs  is  not  the  Nu- 
midian  crane.  It  comes  from  that  country 
from  whence  it  has  taken  its  name. 


CHAPTER  CXVI. 

OF  THE  HERON,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES." 


BIRDS  of  the  Crane,  the  Stork,  and  the  " 
Heron  kind,  bear  a  very  strong  affinity  to 
each  other :  and  their  differences  are  not  ea- 
sily discernible.  As  for  the  crane  and  the 
stork,  they  differ  rather  in  their  nature  and 
internal  conformation,  than  in  their  external 
figure;  but  still  they  may  be  known  asunder, 
as  well  by  their  colour  as  by  the  stork's  claws, 
which  are  very  peculiar,  and  more  resembling 
a  man's  nails  than  the  claws  of  a  bird.  The 
heron  may  be  distinguished  from  both,  as  well 
by  its  size,  which  is  much  less,  as  by  its  bill, 
which  in  proportion  is  much  longer;  but  par- 
ticularly by  the  middle  claw  on  each  foot, 
which  is  toothed  like  a  saw,  for  the  better 
seizing  and  holding  its  slippery  prey.  Should 
other  marks  fail,  however,  there  is  an  anato- 
mical distinction,  in  which  herons  differ  from 
all  other  birds;  which  is,  that  they  have  but 
one  c;ecum,  and  all  other  birds  have  two. 

Of  this  tribe,  Brisson  has  enumerated  not 
less  than  forty-seven  sorts,  all  differing  in 
their  size,  figure,  and  plumage;  and  with  ta- 
lents adapted  to  their  place  of  residence,  or 


a  Cranes  are  distinguished  by  having  the  head  bald; 
Storks  have  the  orbits  round  the  eyes  naked  ;  and  Herons 
have  the  middle  claw  serrated  internally. 


their  peculiar  pursuits.  But,  how  various  so- 
ever the  heron  kind  may  be  in  their  colours 
or  their  bills,  they  all  seem  possessed  of  the 
same  manners,  and  have  but  one  character  of 
cowardice,  rapacity,  and  indolence,  yet  in- 
satiable hunger.  Other  birds  are  found  to 
grow  fat  by  an  abundant  supply  of  food ;  but 
these,  though  excessively  destructive  and 
voracious,  are  ever  found  to  have  lean  and 
carrion  bodies,  as  if  not  even  plenty  were 
sufficient  for  their  support. 

The  common  heron  is  remarkably  light,  in 
proportion  to  its  bulk,  scarcely  weighing 
three  pounds  and  a  half,  yet  it  expands  a 
breadth  of  wing  which  is  five  feet  from  tip  to 
tip.  Its  bill  is  very  long,  being  five  inches 
from  the  point  to  the  base ;  its  claws  are  long, 
sharp,  and  the  middlemost  toothed  like  a  saw. 
Yet,  thus  armed  as  it  appears  for  war,  it  is 
indolent  and  cowardly,  and  even  flies  at  the 
approach  of  a  sparrow-hawk.  It  was  once 
the  amusement  of  the  great  to  pursue  this  ti- 
morous creature  with  the  falcon:  and  heron- 
hawking  was  so  favourite  a  diversion  among 
our  ancestors,  that  laws  were  enacted  for  the 
preservation  of  the  species;  and  the  person 
who  destroyed  their  eggs  was  liable  to  a  pe- 
nalty of  twenty  shillings  for  each  offence. 


560 


A  HISTORY  OF 


At  present,  however,  the  defects  of  the  ill- 
judged  policy  of  our  ancestors,  is  felt  by  their 
posterity;  for,  as  the  amusement  of  hawking 
has  given  place  to  the  more  useful  method  of 
stocking  fish-ponds,  the  heron  is  now  become 
a  most  formidable  enemy.  Of  all  other  birds, 
this  commits  the  greatest  devastation  in  fresh 
waters;  and  there  is  scarce  a  fish,  though 
never  so  large,  that  he  will  not  strike  at  and 
wound,  though  unable  to  carry  it  away.  But 
the  smaller  fry  are  his  chief  subsistence; 
these,  pursued  by  their  larger  fellows  of  the 
deep,  are  obliged  to  take  refuge  in  shallow 
waters,  where  they  find  the  heron  a  still  more 
formidable  enemy.  His  method  is  to  wade 
as  far  as  he  can  go  into  the  water,  and  there 
patiently  wait  the  approach  of  his  prey,  which, 
when  it  comes  within  sight,  he  darts  upon 
with  inevitable  aim.  In  this  manner  he  is 
found  to  destroy  more  in  a  week  than  an  ot- 
ter in  three  months.  "I  have  seen  a  heron," 
says  Willoughby,  "  that  had  been  shot,  that 
had  seventeen  carps  in  his  belly  at  once, 
which  he  will  digest  in  six  or  seven  hours, 
and  then  to  fishing  again.  I  have  seen  a  carp," 
continues  he,  "  taken  out  of  a  heron's  belly, 
nine  inches  and  a  half  long.  Several  gentle- 
men who  kept  tame  herons,  to  try  what 
quantity  one  of  them  would  eat  in  a  day,  have 
put  several  smaller  roach  and  dace  in  a  tub; 
and  they  have  found  him  eat  fifty  in  a  day, 
one  day  with  another.  In  this  manner  a  sin- 
gle heron  will  destroy  fifteen  thousand  carp 
in  half  a  year. 

So  great  are  the  digestive  powers  of  this 
fresh-water  tyrant,and  so  detrimental  to  those 
who  stock  ponds  with  fish.  In  general,  he  is 
seen  taking  his  gloomy  stand  by  the  lake's 
side,  as  if  meditating  mischief,  motionless, 
and  gorged  with  plunder.  His  usual  attitude 
on  this  occasion  is  to  sink  his  long  neck  be- 
tween his  shoulders,  and  keep  his  head  turn- 
ed on  one  side,  as  if  eyeing  the  pool  more 
intently.  When  the  call  of  hunger  returns, 
the  toil  of  an  hour  or  two  is  generally  suffi- 
cient to  fill  his  capacious  stomach ;  and  he 
retires  long  before  night  to  his  retreat  in  the 
woods.  Early  in  the  morning,  however,  he 
is  seen  assiduous  at  his  usual  occupation. 

But,  though  in  seasons  of  fine  weather  the 
heron  can  always  find  a  plentiful  supply  ;  in 
cold  or  stormy  seasons,  his  prey  is  no  longer 


within  reach  :  the  fish  that  before  came  into 
the  shallow  water,  now  keep  in  the  deep;  as 
they  find  it  to  be  the  warmest  situation. 
Frogs  and  lizards  also  seldom  venture  from 
their  lurking  places;  and  the  heron  is  obli- 
ged to  support  himself  upon  his  long  habits 
of  patience,  and  even  to  take  up  with  the 
weeds  that  grow  upon  the  water.  At  those 
times  he  contracts  a  consumptive  disposition, 
which  succeeding  plenty  is  not  able  to  re- 
move ;  so  that  the  meagre  glutton  spends  his 
time  between  want  and  riot,  and  feels  alter- 
nately the  extremes  of  famine  and  excess. 
Hence,  notwithstanding  the  care  with  which 
he  takes  his  prey,  and  the  amazing  quantity 
he  devours,  the  heron  is  always  lean  and  ema- 
ciated ;  and  though  his  crop  be  usually  found 
full,  yet  his  flesh  is  scarcely  sufficient  to  cover 
the  bones. 

The  heron  usually  takes  his  prey  by  wa- 
ding into  the  water;  yet  it  must  not  be  sup- 
posed that  he  does  not  also  take  it  upon  the 
wing.  In  fact,  much  of  his  fishing  is  perform- 
ed in  this  manner;  but  he  never  hovers  over 
deep  waters,  as  there  his  prey  is  enabled  to 
escape  him  by  sinking  to  the  bottom.  In 
shallow  places  he  darts  with  more  certainty ; 
for  though  the  fish  at  sight  of  its  enemy  in- 
stantly descends,  yet  the  heron,  with  his  long 
bill  and  legs,  instantly  pins  it  to  the  bottom, 
and  thus  seizes  it  securely.  In  this  manner, 
after  having  been  seen  with  his  long  neck  for 
above  a  minute  under  water,  he  rises  upon 
the  wing,  with  a  trout  or  an  eel  struggling  in 
his  bill  to  get  free.  The  greedy  bird,  how- 
ever, flies  to  the  shore,  scarcely  gives  it  time 
to  expire,  but  swallows  it  whole,  and  then 
returns  to  fishing  as  before. 

As  this  bird  does  incredible  mischief  to 
ponds  newly  stocked,  Willoughby  has  given 
a  receipt  for  taking  him. — "  Having  found  his 
haunt,  get  three  or  four  small  roach  or  dace, 
and  having  provided  a  strong  hook  with  a 
wire  to  it,  this  is  drawn  just  within-side  the 
skin  of  the  fish,  beginning  without-side  the 
gills,  and  running  it  to  the  tail,  by  which  the 
fish  will  not  be  killed,  but  continue  for  five  or 
six  days  alive.  Then  having  a  strong  line 
made  of  silk  and  wire,  about  two  yards  and 
a  half  long,  it  is  tied  to  a  stone  at  one  end, 
the  fish  with  the  hook  being  suffered  to  swim 
about  at  the  other.  This  being  properly  dis- 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


posed  in  shallow  water,  the  heron  will  seize 
upon  she  fish  to  its  own  destruction.  From 
this  method  we  may  learn,  that  the  fish  must 
be  alive,  otherwise  the  heron  will  not  touch 
them,  and  riiat  this  bird,  as  well  as  all  those 
that  feed  upon  fish,  must  be  its  own  caterer ; 
for  they  will  not  prey  upon  such  as  die  natu- 
rally, or  are  killed  by  others  before  them." 

Though  this  bird  lives  chiefly  among  pools 
and  marshes,  yet  its  nest  is  built  on  the  tops  of 
the  highest  trees,  and  sometimes  on  cliffs  hang- 
ing over  the  sea.  They  are  never  in  flocks 
when  they  fish,  committing  their  depredations 
in  solitude  and  silence  ;  but  in  making  their 
nests  they  love  each  other's  society ;  and  they 
are  seen,  like  rooks,  building  in  company  with 
flocks  of  their  kind.  Their  nests  are  made  of 
sticks,  and  lined  with  wool ;  and  the  female 
lays  four  large  eggs  of  a  pale  green  colour. 
The  observable  indolence  of  their  nature, 
however,  is  not  less  seen  in  their  nestling  than 
in  their  habits  of  depredation.  Nothing  is 
more  certain,  and  I  have  seen  it  a  hundred 
times,  than  that  they  will  not  be  at  the  trouble 
of  building  a  nest,  when  they  can  get  one 
made  by  the  rook,  or  deserted  by  the  owl, 
already  provided  for  them.  This  they  usually 
enlarge  and  line  within,  driving  off  the  original 
possessors,  should  they  happen  to  renew  their 
fruitless  claims. 

The  French  seem  to  have  availed  them- 
selves of  the  indolence  of  this  bird  in  making 
its  nest ;  and  they  actually  provide  a  place 
with  materials  fitted  for  their  nestling,  which 
they  call  heronries.  The  heron,  which  with 
us  is  totally  unfit  for  the  table,  is  more  sought 
for  in  France,  where  the  flesh  of  the  young 
ones  is  in  particular  estimation.  To  obtain 
this,  the  natives  raise  up  high  sheds  along 
some  fishy  stream  ;  and  furnishing  them  with 
materials  for  the  herons  to  nestle  with,  these 
birds  build  and  breed  there  in  great  abundance. 
As  soon  as  the  young  ones  are  supposed  to  be 
fit,  the  owner  of  the  heronry  comes,  as  we  do 
into  a  pigeon-house,  and  carries  off  such  as 
are  proper  for  eating  ;  and  these  are  sold  for 
a  very  good  price  to  the  neighbouring  gentry. 
"  These  arc  a  delicacy  which,"  as  my  author 
says,  "  the  French  are  very  fond  of,  but  which 
strangers  have  not  yet  been  taught  to  relish  as 
they  ought."  Nevertheless,  it  was  formerly 


much  esteemed  as  food  in  England,  and  made 
a  favourite  dish  nt  great  tables.  It  was  then 
said  that  the  flesh  of  a  heron  was  a  dish  Cor  a 
king ;  at  present  nothing  about  the  house  will 
touch  it  but  a  cat. 

With  us,  therefore,  as  the  heron,  both  old 
and  young,  is  thought  detestable  eating,  we 
seldom  trouble  these  animals  in  their  heights, 
which  are  for  the  most  part  sufficiently  inac- 
cessible. Their  nests  are  often  found  in  great 
numbers  in  the  middle  of  large  forests,  and  in 
some  groves  nearer  home,  where  the  owners 
have  a  predilection  for  the  bird,  and  do  not 
choose  to  drive  it  from  its  accustomed  habita- 
tions. It  is  certain  that  by  their  cries,  their 
expansive  wings,  their  bulk,  and  wavy  motion, 
they  add  no  small  solemnity  to  the  forest,  and 
give  a  pleasing  variety  to  a  finished  improve- 
ment. 

When  the  young  are  excluded,  as  they  are 
numerous,  voracious,  and  importunate,  the  old 
ones  are  for  ever  upon  the  wing  to  provide 
them  with  abundance.  The  quantity  of  fish 
they  take  upon  this  occasion  is  amazing,  and 
their  size  is  not  less  to  be  wondered  at.  I  re- 
member a  heron's  nest  that  was  built  near  a 
school-house  ;  the  boys,  with  their  usual  appe- 
tite for  mischief,  climbed  up,  took  down  the 
young  ones,  sewed  up  their  vents,  and  laid 
them  in  the  nest  as  before.  The  pain  the  poor 
little  animals  felt  from  the  operation  increased 
their  cries  ;  and  this  but  served  to  increase  the 
diligence  of  the  old  ones  in  enlarging  their 
supply.  Thus  they  heaped  the  nest  with  vari- 
ous sorts  of  fish,  and  the  best  of  their  kind  ; 
and  as  their  young  screamed,  they  flew  off  for 
more.  The  boys  gathered  up  the  fish,  which 
the  young  ones  were  incapable  of  eating,  ti  1 
the  old  ones  at  last  quitted  their  nest ;  and 
gave  up  their  brood,  whose  appetites  they 
found  it  impossible  to  satisfy. 

The  heron  is  said  to  be  a  very  long-lived 
bird ;  by  Mr.  Keysler's  account,  it  may  ex- 
ceed sixty  years ;  and  by  a  recent  instance  of 
one  that  was  taken  in  Holland,  by  a  hawk 
belonging  to  the  Stadtholder,  its  longevity  is 
again  confirmed,  the  bird  having  a  silver  plate 
fastened  to  one  leg,  with  an  inscription, 
importing  that  it  had  been  struck  by  the  elec- 
tor of  Cologne's  hawks  thirty -five  years  be- 
fore. 


562 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXVII. 

OF  THE  BITTERN,  OR  MIRE-DRUM. 


THOSE  who  have  walked  in  an  evening 
by  the  sedgy  sides  of  unfrequented  rivers,  must 
remember  a  variety  of  notes  from  different 
water-fowl:  the  loud  scream  of  the  wild-goose, 
the  croaking  of  the  mallard,  the  whining  of 
the  lapwing,  and  the  tremulous  neighing  of 
the  jack-snipe.  But  of  all  those  sounds,  there 
is  none  so  dismally  hollow  as  the  booming  of 
the  bittern.  It  is  impossible  for  words  to  give 
those  who  have  not  heard  this  evening-call  an 
adequate  idea  of  its  solemnity,  h  is  like  the 
interrupted  bellowing  of  a  bull,  but  hollower, 
and  louder,  and  is  heard  at  a  mile's  distance, 
as  if  issuing  from  some  formidable  being  that 
resided  at  the  bottom  of  the  waters. 

The  bird,  however,  that  produces  this  terri- 
fying sound,  is  not  so  big  as  a  heron,  with  a 
weaker  bill,  not  above  four  inches  long.  It 
differs  from  the  heron  chiefly  in  its  colour, 
which  is  in  general  of  a  paleish  yellow,  spot- 
ted and  barred  with  black.  Its  wind-pipe 
is  fitted  to  produce  the  sound  for  which  it  is 
remarkable ;  the  lower  part  of  it  dividing  into 
the  lungs,  is  supplied  with  a  thin  loose  mem- 
brane, that  can  be  filled  with  a  large  body  of 
air,  and  exploded  at  pleasure.  These  bellow- 
ing explosions  are  chiefly  heard  from  the  be- 
ginning of  spring  to  the  end  of  autumn;  and, 
however  awful  they  may  seem  to  us,  are  the 
calls  to  courtship,  or  of  connubial  felicity. 

From  the  loudness  and  solemnity  of  the  note, 
many  have  been  led  to  suppose,  that  the  bird 
made  use  of  external  instruments  to  produce 
it,  and  that  so  small  a  body  could  never  eject 
such  a  quantity  of  tone.  The  common  people 
are  of  opinion,  that  it  thrusts  its  bill  into  a 
reed,  that  serves  as  a  pipe  for  swelling  the  note 
above  its  natural  pitch  ;  while  others,  and  in 
this  number  we  find  Thomson  the  poet,  imagine 
that  the  bittern  puts  its  head  under  water,  and 
then  violently  blowing  produces  its  boomings. 
The  fact  is,  that  the  bird  is  sufficiently  pro- 
vided by  nature  for  this  call ;  and  it  is  often 
heard  where  there  are  neither  reeds  nor  waters 
to  assist  its  sonorous  invitations. 


It  hides  in  the  sedges  by  day,  and  begins 
its  call  in  the  evening,  booming  six  or  eight 
times,  and  then  discontinuing  for  ten  or  twenty 
minutes,  to  renew  the  same  sound.  This  is  a 
call  it  never  gives  but  when  undisturbed, and  at 
liberty.  When  its  retreats  among  the  sedges 
are  invaded,  when  it  dreads  or  expects  the 
approach  of  an  enemy,  it  is  then  perfrcily 
silent.  This  call  it  has  never  been  heard  to 
utter  when  taken  or  brought  up  in  domestic 
captivity  ;  it  continues  under  the  control  of 
man  a  mute  forlorn  bird,  equally  incapable  of 
attachment  or  instruction.  But  though  its 
boomings  are  always  performed  in  solitude,  it 
has  a  scream  which  is  generally  heard  upon 
the  seizing  its  prey,  and  which  is  sometimes 
extorted  by  fear. 

This  bird,  though  of  the  heron  kind,  is  yet 
neither  so  destructive  nor  so  voracious.  It  is 
a  retired  timorous  animal,  concealing  itself  in 
the  midst  of  reeds  and  marshy  places,  and  liv- 
ing upon  frogs,  insects,  and  vegetables ;  and 
though  so  nearly  resembling  the  heron  in 
figure,  yet  differing  much  in  manners  and  ap- 
petites. As  the  heron  builds  on  the  tops  of 
the  highest  trees,  the  bittern  lays  its  nest  in  a 
sedgy  margin,  or  amidst  a  tuft  of  rushes.  The 
heron  builds  with  sticks  and  wool ;  the  bittern 
composes  its  simpler  habitation  of  sedges,  the 
leaves  of  water-plants,  and  dry  rushes.  The 
heron  lays  four  eggs;  the  bittern  generally 
seven  or  eight,  of  an  ash-green  colour.  The 
heron  feeds  its  young  for  many  days;  the  bit- 
tern in  three  days  leads  its  little  ones  to  their 
food.  In  short,  the  heron  is  lean  and  cada- 
verous, subsisting  chiefly  upon  animal  food ; 
the  bittern  is  plump  and  fleshy,  as  ii  feeds 
upon  vegetables,  when  more  nourishing  food  is 


wanting. 


It  cannot  be,  therefore,  from  its  voracious 
annetites,  but  its  hollow  boom,  that  the  bittern 
is  held  in  such  detestation  by  the  vulgar.  I 
remember,  in  the  place  where  I  was  a  boy, 
with  what  terror  this  bird's  note  affected  the 
whole  village  ;  they  considered  it  as  the  pre- 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


563 


sage  of  some  sad  event ;  and  generally  found 
or  made  one  to  succeed  it.  I  do  not  speak 
ludin-ously ;  but  if  any  person  in  the  neighbour- 
hood died,  th-'V  supposed  it  could  not  be  other- 
wise, for  the  night-raven  had  foretold  it ;  but 
if  no  body  happened  to  die,  the  death  of  a  cow 
or  a  sheep  gave  completion  to  the  prophecy. 

Whatever  terror  it  may  inspire  among  the 
simple,  its  flesh  is  greatly  esteemed  among  the 
luxurious.  For  this  reason,  it  is  as  eagerly 
sought  after  by  the  fowler,  as  it  is  shunned  by 
the  peasant ;  and,  as  it  is  a  heavy-rising  slow- 
winged  bird,  it  does  not  often  escape  him. 
Indeed,  it  seldom  rises  but  when  almost  trod 


upon,  and  seems  to  seek  protection  rather  from 
concealment  than  flight.  At  the  latter  end  of 
autumn,  however,  in  the  evening,  its  wonted 
indolence  appears  to  forsake  it.  It  is  then 
seen  rising  in  a  spiral  ascent,  till  it  is  quite  lost 
from  the  view,  making  at  the  same  time  a 
singular  noise  very  different  from  its  former 
boomings.  Thus  the  same  animal  is  often 
seen  to  assume  different  desires ;  and  while 
the  Latins  have  given  the  bittern  the  name  of 
the  star-reaching  bird,  (or  the  stellaris,)  the 
Greeks,  taking  its  character  from  its  more  con- 
stant habits,  have  given  it  the  title  of  the 
or  the  lazy  bird. 


CHAPTER  CXV1II. 

OF  THE  SPOONBILL,  OR  SHOVELER. 


AS  we  proceed  in  our  description  of  the 
crane  kind,  birds  of  peculiar  forms  offer,  not 
entirely  like  the  crane,  and  yet  not  so  far  dif- 
ferent as  to  rank  more  properly  with  any  other 
class.  Where  the  long  neck  and  stilt-like  legs 
of  the  crane  are  found,  they  make  too  striking 
a  resemblance  not  to  admit  such  birds  of  the 
number ;  and  though  the  bill,  or  even  the  toes, 
should  entirely  differ,  yet  the  outlines  of  the 
figure,  and  the  natural  habits  and  dispositions, 
being  the  same,  these  are  sufficient  to  mark 
their  place  in  the  general  groupe  of  nature. 

The  Spoonbill  is  one  of  those  birds  which 
differs  a  good  deal  from  the  crane,  yet  ap- 
proaches this  class  more  than  any  other.  The 
body  is  more  bulky  for  its  height,  and  the  bill 
is  very  differently  formed  from  that  of  any 
other  bird  whatever.  Yet  still  it  is  a  compa- 
ratively tall  bird  ;  it  feeds  among  waters  ;  its 
toes  are  divided  ;  and  it  seems  to  possess  the 
natural  dispositions  of  the  crane.  The  Euro- 
pean spoonbill  is  of  about  the  bulk  of  a  crane ; 
but  as  the  one  is  above  four  feet  high,  the 
other  is  not  more  than  three  feet  three  inches. 
The  common  colour  of  those  of  Europe  is  a 
dirty  white ;  but  those  of  America  are  of  a 
beautiful  rose  colour,  or  a  delightful  crimson. 
Beauty  of  plumage  seems  to  be  the  prerogative 
of  all  the  birds  of  that  continent;  and  we  here 
see  the  most  splendid  tints  bestowed  on  a  bird, 
no.  47  &  48. 


whose  figure  is  sufficient  to  destroy  the  effects 
of  its  colouring  ;  for  its  bill  is  so  oddly  fash- 
ioned, and  its  eyes  so  stupidly  staring,  that  its 
fine  feathers  only  tend  to  add  splendour  to  de- 
formity. The  bill,  which  in  this  bird  is  so 
very  particular,  is  about  seven  inches  long, 
and  running  out  broad  at  the  end,  as  its  name 
justly  serves  to  denote,  it  is  there  about  an 
inch  and  a  half  wide.  This  strangely  fashion- 
ed instrument  in  some  is  black  ;  in  others  of  a 
light  gray ;  and  in  those  of  America,  it  is  of  a 
red  colour,  like  the  rest  of  the  body.  All  round 
the  upper  chap  there  runs  a  kind  of  rim,  with 
which  it  covers  that  beneath;  and  as  for  the 
rest,  its  cheeks  and  its  throat  are  without  fea- 
thers, and  covered  with  a  black  skin. 

A  bird  so  oddly  fashioned  might  be  expect- 
ed to  possess  some  very  peculiar  appetites ; 
but  the  spoonbill  seems  to  lead  a  life  entirely 
resembling  all  those  of  the  crane  kind ;  and 
nature,  when  she  made  the  bill  of  this  bird  so 
very  broad,  seems  rather  to  have  sported  with 
its  form,  than  to  aim  at  any  final  cause  for 
which  to  adapt  it.  In  fact,  it  is  but  a  poor 
philosophy  to  ascribe  every  capricious  variety 
in  nature  to  some  salutary  purpose :  in  such 
solutions  we  only  impose  upon  each  other,  and 
often  wilfully  contradict  our  own  belief.  There 
must  be  imperfections  in  every  being,  as  well 
as  capacities  of  enjoyment.  Between  both, 

4M 


564 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  animal  leads  a  life  of  moderate  felicity;  in 
part  making  use  of  its  many  natural  advanta- 
ges, and  in  part  necessarily  conforming  to  the 
imperfections  of  its  figure. 

The  shoveler  chiefly  feeds  upon  frogs,  toads, 
and  serpents ;  of  which,  particularly  at  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  they  destroy  great  num- 
bers. The  inhabitants  of  that  country  hold 
them  in  as  much  esteem  as  the  ancient  Egyp- 
tians did  their  bird  ibis :  the  shoveler  runs 
tamely  about  their  houses  ;  and  they  are  con- 
tent with  its  society,  as  an  useful,  though  a 
homely,  companion.  They  are  never  killed  ; 
and,  indeed,  they  are  good  for  nothing  when 
they  are  dead,  for  the  llesh  is  unfit  to  be 
eaten. 

This  bird  breeds,  in  Europe,  in  company 
with  tht-  heron,  in  high  trees ;  and  in  a  nest 
formed  of  the  same  materials.  Willoughby  tells 
us,  that  in  a  certain  grove,  at  a  village  call- 
ed Seven  Huys,  near  Leyden,  they  build  and 
breed  yearly  in  great  numbers.  In  this  grove, 


also,  the  heron,  the  bittern,  the  cormorant,  and 
the  shag,  have  taken  up  their  residence,  and 
annually  bring  forth  their  young  together. 
Here  the  crane  kind  seem  to  have  formed 
their  general  rendezvous ;  and,  as  the  inhabi- 
tants say,  every  sort  of  bird  has  its  several 
quarter,  where  none  but  their  own  tribe  arc 
permitted  to  reside.  Of  this  grove  the  pea- 
sants of  the  country  make  good  profit.  "When 
the  young  ones  are  ripe,  those  that  farm  the 
grove,  with  a  hook  at  the  end  of  a  long  pole, 
catch  hold  of  the  bough  on  which  the  nest  is 
built,  and  shake  out  the  young  ones ;  but 
sometimes  the  nest  and  all  tumble  down  to- 
gether. 

The  shoveler  lays  from  three  to  five  eggs, 
white,  and  powdered  with  a  few  sanguine  or 
pale  spots.  We  sometimes  see,  in  the  cabinets 
of  the  curious,  the  bills  of  American  shovelers, 
twice  as  big  and  as  long  as  those  of  the  com- 
mon kind  among  us  ;  but  these  birds  have  not 
yet  made  their  way  into  Europe. 


CHAPTER  CX1X. 

THE  FLAMINGO. 


THE  Flamingo  has  the  justest  right  to  be 
placed  among  cranes  ;  and  though  it  happens 
to  be  web-footed,  like  birds  of  the  goose  kind, 
yet  its  height,  figure,  and  appetites,  entirely 
remove  it  from  that  groveling  class  of  animals. 
With  a  longer  neck  and  legs  than  any  other  of 
the  crane  kind,  it  seeks  its  food  by  wailing 
among  waters,  and  only  differs  from  all  of  this 
tribe  in  the  manner  of  seizing  its  prey  ;  for  as 
the  heron  makes  use  of  its  claws,  the  flamingo 
uses  only  its  bill,  which  is  strong  and  thick 
for  the  purpose,  the  claws  being  useless,  as 
they  are  feeble,  and  webbed  like  those  of 
water-fowl. 

The  flamingo  is  the  most  remarkable  of  all 
the  crane  kind,  the  tallest,  bulkiest,  and  the 
most  beautiful.  The  body,  which  is  of  a 
beautiful  scarlet,  is  no  bigger  than  that  of  a 
swan ;  but  its  legs  and  neck  are  of  such  an 
extraordinary  length,  that,  when  it  stands 
erect,  it  is  six  feet  six  inches  high.  Its  wings, 
extended,  are  five  feet  six  inches  from  tip  to  j 


tip ;  and  it  is  four  feet  eight  inches  from  tip  to 
tail.  The  head  is  round  and  small,  with  a 
large  bill,  seven  inches  long,  partly  red,  partly 
black,  and  crooked  like  a  bow.  The  legs  and 
thighs,  which  are  not  much  thicker  than  a 
man's  finger,  are  about  two  feet  eight  inches 
high  ;  and  its  neck  near  three  feet  long.  The 
feet  are  not  furnished  with  sharp  claws,  as  in 
others  of  the  crane  kind ;  but  feeble,  and 
united  by  membranes,  as  in  those  of  the  goose. 
Of  what  use  these  membranes  are  does  not 
appear,  as  the  bird  is  never  seen  swimming, 
its  legs  and  thighs  being  sufficient  for  bearing 
it  into  those  depths  where  it  seeks  for  prey. 

This  extraordinary  bird  is  now  chiefly 
found  in  America  ;  but  it  vt  as  once  known  on 
all  the  coasts  of  Europe.  Its  beauty,  its  size, 
and  the  peculiar  delicacy  of  its  flesh,  have 
been  such  temptations  to  destroy  or  take  it, 
that  it  has  long  since  deserted  thtj  shores  fre- 
quented by  man,  and  taken  refuge  in  countries 
that  are  as  yet  but  thinly  peopled.  In  those 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


desert  regions,  the  flamingos  live  in  a  state 
of  society,  and  under  a  better  polity  than  any 
other  of  the  feathered  creation. 

When  the  Europeans  first  came  to  Ameri- 
ca, and  coasted  down  along  the  African  shores, 
they  found  the  flamingos  on  several  shores, 
on  either  continent,  gentle,  and  no  way  dis- 
trustful of  mankind."  They  had  long  been 
used  to  security,  in  the  extensive  solitudes 
they  had  chosen  ;  and  knew  no  enemies  but 
those  they  could  very  well  evade  or  oppose. 
The  Negroes  and  the  native  Americans  were 
possessed  but  of  few  destructive  arts  for  kill- 
ing them  at  a  distance;  and  when  the  bird 
perceived  the  arrow,  it  well  knew  how  to 
avoid  it.  But  it  was  otherwise  when  the  Eu- 
ropeans first  came  among  them :  the  sailors, 
not  considering  that  the  dread  of  fire-arms 
was  totally  unknown  in  that  part  of  the  world, 

gave  the  flamingo  the  character  of  a  foolish 
ird,  that  suffered  itself  to  be  approached  and 
shot  at.  When  the  fowler  had  killed  one, 
the  rest  of  the  flock,  far  from  attempting  to  fly, 
only  regarded  the  fall  of  their  companion  in 
a  kind  of  fixed  astonishment;  another  and 
another  shot  was  discharged  ;  and  thus  the 
fowler  often  levelled  the  whole  flock,  before 
one  of  them  began  to  think  of  escaping. 

But  at  present  it  is  very  different  in  that 
part  of  the  world  :  and  the  flamingo  is  not  only 
one  of  the  scarcest,  but  of  the  shyest  birds  in 
the  world,  and  the  most  difficult  of  approach. 
They  chiefly  keep  near  the  most  deserted 
and  inhospitable  shores;  near  salt-water  lakes 
and  swampy  islands.  They  come  down  to 
the  banks  of  rivers  by  day ;  and  often  retire 
to  the  inland  mountainous  parts  of  the  coun- 
try at  the  approach  of  night.  Wrhen  seen  by 
mariners  in  the  day,  they  always  appear 
drawn  up  in  a  long  close  line  of  two  or  three 
hundred  together;  and,  as  Dampier  tells  us, 
present,  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile,  the 
exact  representation  of  a  long  brick  wall. 
Their  rank,  however,  is  broken  when  they 
seek  for  food ;  but  they  always  appoint  one 
of  the  number  as  a  watch,  whose  only  em- 
ployment is  to  observe  and  give  notice  of  dan- 
ger, while  the  rest  are  feeding.  As  soon  as 
this  trusty  centinel  perceives  the  remotest  ap- 
pearance of  danger,  he  gives  a  loud  scream, 

•  Albirrs  New  History  of  Birds. 


with  a  voice  as  shrill  as  a  trumpet,  and  in- 
stantly the  whole  cohort  are  upon  the  wing. 
They  feed  in  silence;  but,  upon  this  occa- 
sion, all  the  flock  are  in  one  chorus,  and  fill 
the  air  with  intolerable  screamings. 

From  this  it  appears,  that  the  flamingos  are 
ver>  difficult  to  be  approached  at  present, 
and  that  they  avoid  mankind  with  the  most 
cautious  timidity ;  however,  it  is  not  from  any 
antipathy  to  man  that  they  shun  his  society, 
for  in  some  villages,  PS  we  are  assured  by 
Labat,  along  the  coasts  of  Africa,  the  flamin- 
gos come  in  great  numbers  to  make  their  re- 
sidence among  the  natives.  There  they  as- 
semble by  thousands,  perched  on  the  trees, 
within  and  about  the  village  ;  and  are  so  very 
clamorous,  that  the  sound  is  heard  at  near 
a  mile's  distance.  The  Negroes  are  fond  of 
their  company ;  and  consider  their  society  as 
a  gift  of  Heaven,  as  a  protection  from  acci- 
dental evils.  The  French,  who  are  admit- 
ted to  this  part  of  the  coast,  cannot,  without 
some  degree  of  discontent,  see  such  a  quan- 
tity of  game  untouched,  and  rendered  useless 
by  the  superstition  of  the  natives:  they  now 
and  then  privately  shoot  some  of  them,  wlirn 
at  a  convenient  distance  from  the  village,  and 
hide  them  in  the  long  grass,  if  they  perceive 
any  of  the  Negroes  approaching;  for  they 
would  probably  stand  a  chance  of  being  ill 
used,  if  the  blacks  discovered  their  sacred 
birds  thus  unmercifully  treated. 

Sometimes,  in  their  wild  state,  they  are  shot 
by  mariners;  and  their  young,  which  run  ex- 
cessively fast,  are  often  taken.  Labat  has 
frequently  taken  them  with  nets,  properly  ex- 
tended round  the  places  they  breed  in.  When 
their  long  legs  are  entangled  in  the  meshes, 
they  are  then  unqualified  to  make  their  es- 
cape: but  they  still  continue  to  combat  with 
their  destroyer;  and  the  old  ones,  though 
seized  by  the  head,  will  scratch  with  their 
claws;  and  these,  though  seemingly  inoffen- 
sive, very  often  do  mischief.  When  they  are 
fairly  disengaged  from  the  net,  they  neverthe- 
less preserve  their  natural  ferocity ;  they  re- 
fuse all  nourishment;  they  peck,  and  com- 
bat with  their  claws,  at  every  opportunity. 
The  fowler  is,  therefore,  under  a  necessity 
of  destroying  them,  when  taken;  as  they 
would  only  pine  and  die,  if  left  to  themselves 
in  captivity. 

4M» 


566 


A  HISTORY  OF 


The  flesh  of  the  old  ones  is  black  and  hard ; 
though,  Dampier  says,  well-tasted  :  that  of  the 
young  ones  is  still  better.      But  of  all   other 
delicacies,  the  flamingos'  tongue  is  the  most 
celebrated.     "  A  dish  of  flamingos'  tongues," 
says  our  author,  "  is  a  feast  for  an  emperor." 
In  fact,  the  Roman  emperors  considered  them 
as  the  highest  luxury;  and   we  have  an  ac- 
count of  one  of  them,  who  procured  fifteen 
hundred   flamingos'  tongues  to  be  served   up 
in   a  single  dish.      The  tongue  of  this  bird, 
which  is  so  much  sought  after,  is  a  good  deal 
l;irger  than  that  of  any  other  bird   whatever. 
The  bill  of  the  flamingo  is  like  a  large  black 
box,  of  an  irregular  figure,  and  filled  with  a 
tongue  which  is  black  and  gristly ;  but  what 
peculiar  flavour  it  may  possess,  I  leave  to  be 
determined  by  such  as  understand  good   eat- 
ing better  than  I  do.     It  is  probable,  that  the 
beauty  and  scarcity  of  the  bird  might  be  the 
first  inducements  to  studious  gluttony  to  fix 
upon  its  tongue  as  meat  for  the  table.     What 
Dampier  says  of  the  goodness  of  its  flesh,  can- 
not so  well  be  relied  on;    for  Dampier  was 
often  hungry,  and  thought  any  thing  good  that 
could  be  eaten :  he  avers,  indeed,  with  Labat, 
that  the  flesh  is  black,   tough,  and   fishy  ;  so 
that  we  can  hardly  give  him  credit,  when  he 
asserts,  that  its  flesh  can  be  formed   into  a 
luxurious  entertainment. 

These  birds,  as  was  said,  always  go  in  flocks 
together;  and  they  move  in  rank,  in  the  man- 
ner of  cranes.  They  are  sometimes  seen,  at 
the  break  of  day,  flying  down  in  great  num- 
bers from  the  mountains,  and  conducting  each 
other  with  a  trumpet  cry,  that  sounds  like  the 
word  Tococo,  from  whence  the  savages  of  Ca- 
nada have  given  them  the  name.  In  their 
flight  they  appear  to  great  advantage;  for 
they  then  seem  of  as  bright  a  red  as  a  burn- 
ing coal.  When  they  dispose  themselves  to 
feed,  their  cry  ceases ;  and  then  they  disperse 
over  a  whole  marsh,  in  silence  and  assiduity. 
Their  manner  of  feeding  is  very  singular: 
the  bird  thrusts  down  its  head,  so  that  the 
upper  convex  side  of  the  bill  shall  only  touch 
the  ground ;  and  in  this  position  the  animal 
appears,  as  it  were,  standing  upon  its  head. 
In  this  manner  it  paddles  and  moves  the  bill 
about,  and  seizes  whatever  fish  or  insect  hap- 
pens to  offer.  For  this  purpose  the  upper 
chap  is  notched  at  the  edges,  so  as  to  hold 


its  prey  with  the  greater  security.  Catesby. 
however,  gives  a  different  account  of  their 
feeding.  According  to  him,  they  thus  place 
the  upper  chap  undermost,  and  so  work  about 
in  order  to  pick  up  a  seed  from  the  bottom 
of  the  water,  that  resembles  millet:  but  as 
in  picking  up  this  they  necessarily  also  suck 
in  a  great  quantity  of  mud,  their  bill  is  tooth- 
ed at  the  edges  in  such  a  manner  as  to  let 
out  the  mud  while  they  swallow  the  grain. 

Their  time  of  breeding  is  according  to  the 
climate  in  which  they  reside:  in  North  Ame- 
rica they  breed  in  our  summer;  on  the  other 
side  the  line,  they  take  the  most  favourable 
season  of  the  year.  They  build  their  nests 
in  extensive  marshes,  and  where  they  are  in 
no  danger  of  a  surprise.  The  nest  is  not 
less  curious  than  the  animal  that  builds  it: 
it  is  raised  from  the  surface  of  the  pool  about 
a  foot  and  a  half,  formed  of  mud  scraped  up 
together,  and  hardened  by  the  sun,  or  the 
heat  of  the  bird's  body:  it  resembles  a  trun- 
cated cone,  or  one  of  the  pots  which  we  see 
placed  on  chimneys;  on  the  top  it  is  hollow- 
ed out  to  the  shape  of  the  bird,  and  in  that 
cavity  the  female  lays  her  eggs,  without  any 
lining  but  the  well-cemented  mud  that  forms 
the  sides  of  the  building.  She  always  lays 
two  eggs,  and  no  more ;  and,  as  her  legs  are 
immoderately  long,  she  straddles  on  the  nest, 
while  her  legs  hang  down,  one  on  each  side, 
into  the  water. 

The  young  ones  are  a  long  while  before 
they  are  able  to  fly ;  but  they  run  with  ama- 
zing swiftness.  They  are  sometimes  caught; 
and,  very  different  from  the  old  ones,  suffer 
themselves  to  be  carried  home,  and  are 
tamed  very  easily.  In  five  or  six  days  they 
become  familiar,  eat  out  of  the  hand,  and 
drink  a  surprising  quantity  of  sea-water.  But 
though  they  are  easily  rendered  domestic, 
they  are  not  reared  without  the  greatest  dif- 
ficulty :  for  they  generally  pine  away,  for  want 
of  their  natural  supplies,  and  die  in  a  short 
time.  While  they  are  yet  young,  (heir  co- 
lours are  very  different  from  those  lively  tints 
they  acquire  with  age.  In  their  first  year 
they  are  covered  with  plumage  of  a  white  co- 
lour, mixed  with  gray:  in  the  second  year 
the  whole  body  is  white,  with  here  and  there 
a  slight  tint  of  scarlet;  and  the  great  covert 
feathers  of  the  wings  are  black :  the  third 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


567 


year  the  bird  acquires  all  its  beauty;  the  plu- 
mage of  the  whole  body  is  scarlet,  except 
some  of  the  feathers  in  the  wings,  that  still  re- 
tain their  sable  hue.  Of  these  beautiful  plumes 
the  savages  make  various  ornaments ;  and 


the  bird  is  sometimes  skinned  by  the  Euro- 
peans, to  make  muffs.  But  these  have  dimin- 
ished in  their  price,  since  we  have  obtained 
the  art  of  dying  feathers  of  the  brightest 
scarlet. 


CHAPTER  CXX. 

OF  THE  AVOSETTA,  OR  SCOOPER;  AND  THE  CORRIRA,  OR  RUNNER. 


THE  extraordinary  shape  of  the  Avosetla's 
bill  might  incline  us  to  wish  for  its  history ; 
and  yet  in  that  we  are  not  able  to  indulge  the 
reader.  Natural  historians  have  hitherto,  like 
ambitious  monarchs,  shown  a  greater  fond- 
ness for  extending  their  dominions,  than  culti- 
vating what  they  possess.  While  they  have 
been  labouring  to  add  new  varieties  to  their 
catalogues,  they  have  neglected  to  study  the 
history  of  animals  already  known. 

The  avosetta  is  chiefly  found  in  Italy,  and 
now  and  then  comes  over  into  England.  It 
is  about  the  size  of  a  pigeon,  is  a  pretty  upright 
bird,  and  has  extremely  long  legs  for  its  size. 
But  the  most  extraordinary  part  of  its  figure, 
and  that  by  which  it  may  be  distinguished 
from  all  others  of  the  feathered  tribe,  is  the 
bill,  which  turns  up  like  a  hook,  in  an  oppo- 
site direction  to  that  of  the  hawk  or  the  parrot. 
This  extraordinary  bill  is  black,  flat,  sharp, 
and  flexible  at  the  end,  and  about  three  inches 
and  a  half  long.  From  its  being  bare  a  long 
way  above  the  knee,  it  appears  that  it  lives 

«  The  Avoset  breeds  in  the  fens  of  Lincolnshire,  and 
on  Romney  marsh  in  Kent.  In  winter  they  assemble  in 
small  flocks  of  six  or  seven,  and  frequent  our  shores, 
especially  the  mouths  of  large  muddy  rivers,  in  search  of 
worms  and  marine  insects.  These  they  scoop  out  of  the 
mud  with  their  recurved  bills,  which  are  admirably  adapt- 
ed for  that  purpose,  being  tough  and  flexible  like  whale- 
bone. The  feet  seem  calculated  for  swimming,  but  they 


and  wades  in  the  waters.  It  has  a  chirping 
pert  note,  as  we  are  told ;  but  with  its  other 
habits  we  are  entirely  unacquainted.  I  have 
placed  it,  from  its  slender  figure,  among  the 
cranes ;  although  it  is  web-footed,  like  the 
duck.  It  is  one  of  those  birds  of  whose  his- 
tory we  are  yet  in  expectation." 

To  this  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  so  little 
known,  I  will  add  another,  still  less  known  ; 
the  Corrira,  or  Runner,  of  Aldrovandus.  All 
we  are  told  of  it  is,  that  it  has  the  longest  legs 
of  all  web-footed  fowls,  except  the  flamin- 
go and  avosetta  ;  that  the  bill  is  straight,  yel- 
low, and  black  at  the  ends;  that  the  pupils  of 
the  eyes  are  surrounded  with  two  circles,  one 
of  which  is  bay,  and  the  other  white  :  below, 
near  the  belly,  it  is  whitish  ;  the  tail,  with  two 
white  feathers,  black  at  the  extremities  :  and 
that  the  upper  part  of  the  body  is  of  the  colour 
of  rusty  iron.  It  is  thus  that  we  are  obliged  to 
substitute  dry  description  for  instructive  history ; 
and  employ  words,  to  express  those  shadings  of 
colour  which  the  pencil  alone  can  convey. 

are  never  observed  to  take  the  water  :  it  is  therefore  pro- 
bable, that  they  are  furnished  with  a  web  merely  to  pre- 
vent their  sinking  into  the  mud.  The  female  lays  two 
eggs  about  the  size  of  those  of  a  pigeon,  of  a  white  colour 
tinged  with  green,  and  marked  with  large  black  spots. 
It  is  said  to  be  very  tenacious  of  its  young,  and  when  dis- 
turbed at  this  season,  will  fly  round  in  repeated  circles, 
uttering  a  note  that  resembles  the  word  twit  twice  repeated. 


568 


4  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXXI. 

OF  SMALL  BIRDS  OF  THE  CRANE  KIND,  WITH  THE  THIGHS  PARTLY  BARE 

OF  FEATHERS. 


AS  I  have  taken  my  distinctions  rather 
from  the  general  form  and  manners  of  birds, 
than  from  their  minuter  though  perhaps  more 
precise  discriminations,  it  will  not  be  expected 
that  I  should  here  enter  into  a  particular  his- 
tory of  a  numerous  tribe  of  birds,  whose  man- 
ners and  forms  are  so  very  much  alike.  Of 
many  of  them  we  have  scarcely  any  account 
in  our  historians,  but  tedious  descriptions  of 
their  dimensions,  and  the  colour  of  their  plu- 
mage ;  and  of  the  rest,  the  history  of  one  is  so 
much  that  of  all,  that  it  is  but  the  same  ac- 
count repeated  to  a  most  disgusting  reiteration. 
I  will  therefore  group  them  into  one  general 
draught ;  in  which  the  more  eminent,  or  the 
most  whimsical,  will  naturally  stand  forward 
on  the  canvass. 

In  this  group  we  find  an  extensive  tribe 
of  native  birds,  with  their  varieties  and 
affinities;  and  we  might  add  a  hundred  others, 
of  distant  climates,  of  which  we  know  little 
more  than  the  colour  and  the  name.  In  this 
list  is  exhibited  the  Curlew,  a  bird  of  about 
the  size  of  a  duck,  with  a  bill  four  inches 
long:  the  Woodcock,  about  the  size  of  a 
pigeon,  with  a  bill  three  inches  long :  the 
Godwit,  of  the  same  size;  the  bill  four  inches: 
the  Green  Shank,  longer  legged  ;  the  bill  two 
inches  and  a  half:  the  Red  Shank,  differing 
in  the  colour  of  its  feet  from  the  former:  the 
Snipe,  less  by  half,  with  a  bill  three  inches. 
Then  with  shorter  bills— The  Ruff,  with  a 
collar  of  feathers  round  the  neck  of  the  male: 
the  Knot,  the  Sandpiper,  the  Sanderling,  the 
Dunlin,  the  Purre,  and  the  Stint.  To  con- 
clude with  bills  very  short — The  Lapwing, 
the  Green  Plover,  the  Gray  Plover,  the  Dot- 
trel, the  Turnstone,  and  the  Sea-lark.  These, 
with  their  affinities,  are  properly  natives  or 
visitants  of  this  country;  and  are  dispersed 
along  our  shores,  rivers,  and  watery  grounds. 
Taking  in  the  birds  of  this  kind,  belonging 
to  other  countries,  the  list  would  be  very 


widely  extended ;  and  the  whole  of  this  class, 
as  described  by  Brisson,  would  amount  to 
near  a  hundred. 

All  these  birds  possess  many  marks  in 
common;  though  some  have  peculiarities 
that  deserve  regard.  All  these  birds  are 
bare  of  feathers  above  the  knee,  or  above 
the  heel,  as  some  naturalists  choose  to  express 
it.  In  fact,  that  part  which  I  call  the  knee, 
if  compared  with  the  legs  of  mankind,  is 
analogous  to  the  heel ;  but,  as  it  is-common- 
ly  conceived  otherwise,  I  have  conformed  to 
the  general  apprehension.  I  say,  therefore, 
that  all  these  birds  are  bare  of  feathers 
above  the  knee;  and  in  some  they  are  want- 
ing half  way  up  the  thigh.  The  nudity  in 
that  part,  is  partly  natural,  and  partly  pro- 
duced by  all  birds  of  this  kind  habitually 
wading  in  water.  The  older  the  bird,  the 
barer  are  its  thighs ;  yet  even  the  young  ones 
have  not  the  same  downy  covering  reaching 
so  low  as  the  birds  of  any  other  class.  Such 
a  covering  there  would  rather  be  prejudicial, 
as  being  continually  liable  to  get  wet  in  the 
water. 

As  these  birds  are  usually  employed  rather 
in  running  than  in  flying,  and  as  their  food 
lies  entirely  upon  the  ground,  and  not  on 
trees  or  in  the  air,  so  they  run  with  great 
swiftness  for  their  size,  and  the  length  of  their 
legs  assists  their  velocity.  But,  as  in  seek- 
ing their  food,  they  are  often  obliged  to 
I  change  their  station ;  so  also  are  they  equally 
swift  of  wing,  and  traverse  immense  tracts  of 
country  without  much  fatigue. 

It  has  been  thought  by  some,  that  a  part  of 
this  class  lived  upon  an  oily  slime,  found  in 
the  bottoms  of  ditches  and  of  weedy  pools ; 
they  were  thence  termed,  by  Willoughby, 
Mudsuckers.  But  laterdiscoveries  have  shown 
that,  in  these  places,  they  hunt  for  the  cater- 
pillars and  worms  of  insects.  From  hence, 
therefore,  we  may  generally  assert,  that  all 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


569 


birds  of  this  class  live  upon  animals  of  one 
kind  or  another.  The  long-billed  birds  suck 
up  worms  and  insects  from  the  bottom;  those 
furnished  with  shorter  bills,  pick  up  such  in- 
sects as  lie  nearer  the  surface  of  the  meadow, 
or  among  the  sands  on  the  sea-shore. 

Thus  the  curlew,  the  woodcock,  and  the 
snipe,  are  ever  seen  is  plashy  brakes,  and 
under  covered  hedges,  assiduously  employed 
in  seeking  out  insects  in  their  worm  state ; 
and  it  seems,  from  their  fatness,  that  they  find 
a  plentiful  supply.  Nature,  indeed,  has  fur- 
nished them  with  very  convenient  instruments 
for  procuring  their  food.  Their  bills  are 
made  sufficiently  long  for  searching;  but 
still  more,  they  are  endowed  with  an  exqui- 
site sensibility  at  the  point,  for  feeling  their 
provision.  They  are  furnished  with  no  less 
than  three  pair  of  nerves,  equal  almost  to  the 
optic  nerves  in  thickness ;  which  pass  from 
the  roof  of  the  mouth,  and  run  along  the  up- 
per chap  to  the  point. 

Nor  are  those  birds  with  shorter  bills,  and 
destitute  of  such  convenient  instruments, 
without  a  proper  provision  made  for  their 
subsistence.  The  lapwing,  the  sandpiper, 
and  the  redshank, run  with  surprising  rapidity 
along  the  surface  of  the  marsh  or  the  sea- 
shore, quarter  their  ground  with  great  dex- 
terity, and  leave  nothing  of  the  insect  kind 
that  happens  to  lie  on  the  surface.  These, 
however,  are  neither  so  fat  nor  so  delicate 
as  the  former;  as  they  are  obliged  to  toil 
more  for  a  subsistence,  they  are  easily  satis- 
fied with  whatever  offers;  and  their  flesh 
often  contracts  a  relish  from  what  has  been 
their  latest,  or  their  principal  food. 

Most  of  the  birds  formerly  described,  have 
stated  seasons  for  feeding  and  rest;  the  eagle 
kind  prowl  by  day,  and  at  evening  repose ; 
the  owl  by  night,  and  keeps  unseen  in  the 
day-time:  but  these  birds,  of  the  crane  kind, 
seem  at  all  hours  employed ;  they  are  sel- 
dom at  rest  by  day;  and,  during  the  whole 
night-season,  every  meadow  and  marsh  re- 
sounds with  their  different  calls,  to  courtship 
or  to  food. 

This  seems  to  be  the  time  when  they  least 
fear  interruption  from  man;  and  though  they 
fly  at  all  times,  yet,  at  this  season^  they  ap- 
p  -  ;r  more  assiduously  employed,  both  in  pro- 
viding for  their  present  support,  and  continu- 


ing that  of  posterity.  This  is  usually  the  sea- 
son when  the  insidious  fowler  steals  in  upon 
their  occupations,  and  fills  the  whole  mea- 
dow with  terror  and  destruction. 

As  all  of  this  kind  live  entirely  in  waters, 
and  among  watery  places,  they  seem  pro- 
vided by  nature  with  a  warmth  of  constitu- 
tion to  fit  them  for  that  cold  element.  They 
reside,  by  choice,  in  the  coldest  climates : 
and  as  other  birds  migrate  here- in  our  sum- 
mer, their  migrations  hither  are  mostly  in  (he 
winter.  Even  those  that  reside  among  us  the 
whole  season,  retire  in  summer  to  the  tops  of 
our  bleakest  mountains ;  where  they  breed, 
and  bring  down  their  young,  when  the  cold 
weather  sets  in. 

Most  of  them,  however,  migrate,  and  retire 
to  the  polar  regions;  as  those  that  remain 
behind  in  the  mountains,  and  keep  with  us 
during  summer,  bear  no  proportion  to  the 
quantity  which  in  winter  haunt  our  marshes 
and  low  grounds.  The  snipe  sometimes 
huilds  here ;  and  the  nest  of  the  curlew  is 
sometimes  found  in  the  plashes  of  our  hills ; 
but  the  number  of  these  is  very  small ;  and 
it  is  most  probable  that  they  are  only  some 
stragglers  who,  not  having  strength  or  cou- 
rage sufficient  for  the  general  voyage,  take 
up  from  necessity  their  habitation  here. 

In  general,  during  the  summer,  this  whole 
class  either  choose  the  coldest  countries  to 
retire  to,  or  the  coldest  and  the  moistest  part 
of  ours  to  breed  in.  The  curlew,  the  wood- 
cock, the  snipe,  the  godwit,  the  gray  plover, 
the  green  and  the  long-legged  plover,  the 
knot,  and  the  turnstone,  are  rather  the  guests 
than  the  natives  of  this  island.  They  visit 
us  in  the  beginning  of  winter,  and  forsake  us 
in  the  spring.  They  then  retire  to  the  moun- 
tains of  Sweden,  Poland,  Prussia,  and  Lap- 
land, to  breed.  Our  country,  during  the 
summer  season,  becomes  uninhabitable  to 
them.  The  ground  parched  up  by  the  heat; 
the  springs  dried  away  ;  and  the  vermicular 
insects  already  upon  the  wing ;  they  have  no 
means  of  subsisting.  Their  weak  and  deli- 
cately pointed  bills  are  unfit  to  dig  into  a 
resisting  soil;  and  their  prey  is  departed, 
though  they  were  able  to  reach  its  retreats. 
Thus,  that  season  when  nature  is  said  to 
teem  with  life,  arid  to  put  on  her  gayest  live- 
ries, is  to  them  an  interval  of  sterility  and 


570 


A  HISTORY  OF 


famine.  The  coldest  mountains  of  the  north 
are  then  a  preferable  habitation ;  the  mar- 
shes there  are  never  totally  dried  up;  and 
the  insects  are  in  such  abundance,  that,  both 
above  ground  and  underneath,  the  country 
swarms  with  them.  In  such  retreats,  there- 
fore, these  birds  would  continue  always ; 
but  that  the  frosts,  when  they  set  in,  have  the 
same  effect  upon  the  face  of  the  landscape, 
as  the  heats  of  summer.  Every  brook  is  stif- 
fened into  ice ;  all  the  earth  is  congealed 
into  one  solid  mass ;  and  the  birds  are  obliged 
to  forsake  a  region  where  they  can  no  longer 
find  subsistence. 

Such  are  our  visitants.  With  regard  to 
those  which  keep  with  us  continually,  and 
breed  here,  they  are  neither  so  delicate  in 
their  food,  nor  perhaps  so  warm  in  their  con- 
stitutions. The  lapwing,  the  ruff,  the  red- 
shank, the  sandpiper,  the  sea-pie,  the  Nor- 
folk plover,  and  the  sea-lark,  breed  in  this 
country,  and,  for  the  most  part,  reside  here. 
In  summer  they  frequent  such  marshes  as  are 
not  dried  up  in  any  part  of  the  year;  the 
Essex  hundreds,  and  the  fens  of  Lincolnshire. 
There,  in  solitudes  formed  by  surrounding 
marshes,  they  breed  and  bring  up  their  young. 
In  winter  they  come  down  from  their  retreats, 
rendered  uninhabitable  by  the  flooding  of  the 
waters,  and  seek  their  food  about  our  ditches 
and  marshy  meadow-grounds.  Yet,  even  of 
this  class,  all  are  wanderers  upon  some  oc- 
casions ;  and  take  wing  to  the  northern  cli- 
mates, to  breed  and  find  subsistence.  This 
happens  when  our  summers  are  peculiarly 
dry;  and  when  the  fenny  countries  are  not 
sufficiently  watered  to  defend  their  retreats. 

But  though  this  be  the  usual  course  of  na- 
ture, with  respect  to  these  birds,  they  often 
break  through  the  general  habits  of  their 
kind ;  and  as  the  lapwing,  the  ruff,  and  the 
sandpiper,  are  sometimes  seen  to  alter  their 
manners,  and  to  migrate  from  hence,  instead 
of  continuing  to  breed  here;  so  we  often  find 
the  woodcock,  the  snipe,  and  the  curlew,  re- 
side with  us  during  the  whole  season,  and 
breed  their  young  in  different  parts  of  the 
country.  In  Casewood,  about  two  miles 
from  Tunbridge,  as  Mr.  Pennant  assures  us, 
some  woodcocks  are  seen  to  breed  annually. 
The  young  have  been  shot  there  in  the  be- 
ginning of  August ;  and  were  as  healthy  and 


vigorous  as  they  are  with  us  in  winter,  though 
not  so  well  tasted.  On  the  Alps,  and  other 
high  mountains,  says  Willoughby,  the  wood- 
cock continues  all  summer;  I  myself  have 
flushed  them  on  the  top  of  Mount  Jura,  in 
June  arid  July.  The  eggs  are  long,  of  a  pale 
red  colour,  and  stained  with  deeper  spots 
and  clouds.  The  nests  of  the  curlew  and 
the  snipe  are  frequently  found ;  and  some 
of  these  perhaps  never  entirely  leave  this 
island. 

It  is  thus  that  the  same  habits  are,  in  some 
measure,  common  to  all ;  but  in  nestling,  and 
bringing  up  their  young,  one  method  takes 
place  universally.  As  they  all  run  and  feed 
upon  the  ground,  so  they  are  all  found  to 
nestle  there.  The  number  of  eggs  generally 
to  be  seen  in  every  nest,  is  from  two  to  four; 
never  under,  and  very  seldom  exceeding. 
The  nest  is  made  without  any  art ;  but  the 
eggs  are  either  laid  in  some  little  depression 
of  the  earth,  or  on  a  few  bents  and  long  grass, 
that  scarcely  preserve  them  from  the  moisture 
below.  Yet  such  is  the  heat  of  the  body  of 
these  birds,  that  the  time  of  incubation  is 
shorter  than  with  any  others  of  the  same  size. 
The  magpie,  for  instance,  takes  twenty-one 
days  to  hatch  its  young;  the  lapwing  takes 
but  fourteen.  Whether  the  animal  oil,  with 
which  these  birds  abound,  gives  them  this 
superior  warmth,  I  cannot  tell ;  but  there  is 
no  doubt  of  their  quick  incubation. 

In  their  seasons  of  courtship,  they  pair  as 
other  birds;  but  not  without  violent  contests 
between  the  males,  for  the  choice  of  the  fe- 
male. The  lapwing  and  the  plover  are  often 
seen  to  fight  among  themselves ;  but  there  is 
one  little  bird  of  this  tribe,  called  the  ruff, 
that  has  got  the  epithet  of  the  fighter,  merely 
from  its  great  perseverance  ana  animosity  on 
these  occasions.  In  the  beginning  of  spring, 
when  these  birds  arrive  among  our  marshes, 
they  are  observed  to  engage  with  desperate 
fury  against  each  other:  it  is  then  that  the 
fowlers,  seeing  them  intent  on  mutual  destruc- 
tion, spread  their  nets  over  them,  and  take 
them  in  great  numbers.  Yet  even  in  capti- 
vity their  animosity  still  continues  :  the  peo- 
ple that  fat  them  up  for  sale,  are  obliged  to 
shut  them  up  in  close  dark  rooms  ;  for  if  they 
let  ever  so  little  light  in  among  them  the 
turbulent  prisoners  instantly  fall  to  fighting 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


571 


with  each  other,  and  never  cease  till  each 
has  killed  its  antagonist,  especially,  says 
Willoughby,  if  any  body  stands  by.  A  similar 
animosity,  though  in  a  less  degree,  prompts 
all  this  tribe ;  but  when  they  have  paired, 
and  begun  to  lay,  their  contentions  are  then 
over. 

The  place  these  birds  chiefly  choose  to 
breed  in,  is  in  some  island  surrounded  with 
sedgy  moors,  where  men  seldom  resort;  and 
in  such  situations  I  have  often  seen  the  ground 
so  strewed  with  eggs  and  nests,  that  one 
could  scarcely  take  a  step,  without  treading 
upon  some  of  them.  As  soon  as  a  stranger 
intrudes  upon  these  retreats,  the  whole  colony 
is  up,  and  a  hundred  different  screams  are 
heard  from  every  quarter.  The  arts  of  the 
lapwing,  to  allure  men  or  dogs  from  her  nest, 
are  perfectly  amusing.  When  she  perceives 
the  enemy  approaching,  she  never  waits  till 
they  arrive  at  her  nest,  but  boldly  runs  to 
meet  them :  when  she  has  come  as  near  them 
as  she  dares  to  venture,  she  then  rises  with  a 
loud  screaming  before  them,  seeming  as  if 
she  were  just  flushed  from  hatching;  while 
she  is  then  probably  a  hundred  yards  from 
the  nest.  Thus  she  flies,  with  great  clamour 
and  anxiety,  whining  and  screaming  round 
the  invaders,  striking  at  them  with  her  wings, 
and  fluttering  as  if  she  were  wounded.  To 
add  to  the  deceit,  she  appears  still  more 
clamorous,  as  more  remote  from  the  nest.  If 
she  sees  them  very  near,  she  then  seems  to 
be  quite  unconcerned,  and  her  cries  cease, 
while  her  terrors  are  really  augmenting.  If 
there  be  dogs,  she  flies  heavily  at  a  little  dis- 
tance before  them,  as  if  maimed ;  still  voci- 
ferous and  still  bold,  but  never  offering  to 
move  towards  the  quarter  where  her  treasure 
is  deposited.  The  dog  pursues,  in  hopes 
every  moment  of  seizing  the  parent,  and  by 
this  means  actually  loses  the  young;  for  the 
cunning  bird,  when  she  has  thus  drawn  him 
off  to  a  proper  distance,  then  puts  forth  her 
powers,  and  leaves  her  astonished  pursuer  to 
gaze  at  the  rapidity  of  her  flight.  The  eggs 
of  all  these  birds  are  highly  valued  by  the 
luxurious;  they  are  boiled  hard,  and  thus 
served  up  without  any  further  preparation. 

As  the  young  of  this  class  are  soon  hatch- 
ed, so,  when  excluded,  they  quickly  arrive  at 
NO.  49  &  50. 


maturity.  They  run  about  after  the  mother 
as  soon  as  they  leave  the  egg;  and  being 
covered  with  a  thick  down,  want  very  little 
of  that  clutching  which  all  birds  of  the  poul- 
try kind,  that  follow  the  mother,  indispensa- 
bly require.  They  come  to  their  adult  state 
long  before  winter;  and  then  flock  together 
till  the  breeding  season  returns,  which  for  a 
while  dissolves  their  society. 

As  the  flesh  of  almost  all  these  birds  is  in 
high  estimation,  so  many  methods  have  been 
contrived  for  taking  them.  That  used  in 
taking  the  ruff,  seems  to  be  most  advantage- 
ous; and  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  describe  it. 
The  ruff,  which  is  the  name  of  the  male,  the 
reeve  that  of  the  female,  is  taken  in  neta 
about  forty  yards  long,  and  seven  or  eight 
feet  high.  These  birds  are  chiefly  found  in 
Lincolnshire  and  the  Isle  of  Ely,  where  they 
come  about  the  latter  end  of  April,  and  dis- 
appear about  Michaelmas.  The  male  of  this 
bird,  which  is  known  from  all  others  of  the 
kind  by  the  great  length  of  the  feathers  round 
his  neck,  is  yet  so  various  in  his  plumage, 
that  it  is  said,  no  two  ruffs  were  ever  seen, 
totally  of  the  same  colour.  The  nets  in  which 
these  are  taken,  are  supported  by  sticks,  at 
an  angle  of  near  forty-five  degrees,  and  placed 
either  on  dry  ground,  or  in  a  very  shallow 
water,  not  remote  from  reeds :  among  these 
the  fowler  conceals  himself,  till  the  birds, 
enticed  by  a  stale  or  stuffed  bird,  come  under 
the  nets;  he  then,  by  pulling  a  string,  lets 
them  fall,  and  they  are  taken;  as  are  godwits, 
knots,  and  gray-plover  also,  in  the  same  man- 
ner. When  these  birds  are  brought  from 
under  the  net,  they  are  not  killed  immediate- 
ly, but  fattened  for  the  table  with  bread  and 
milk, hemp-seed, and  sometimes  boiled  wheat; 
but  if  expedition  be  wanted,  sugar  is  added, 
which  will  make  them  a  lump  of  fat  in  a  fort- 
night's time.  They  are  kept,  as  observed  be- 
fore, in  a  dark  room;  and  judgment  is  re- 
quired in  taking  the  proper  time  for  killing 
them,  when  they  are  at  the  highest  pitch  of 
fatness:  for  if  that  is  neglected,  the  birds  are 
apt  to  fall  away.  They  are  reckoned  a  very 
great  delicacy;  they  sell  for  two  shillings,  or 
half-a-crown,  a  piece;  and  are  served  up  to 
the  table  with  the  train,  like  woodcocks, 
where  we  will  leave  them. 

4N 


572 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXXII. 

OF  THE  WATER-HEN,  AND  THE  COOT. 


BEFORE  we  enter  upon  water-fowls,  pro- 
perly so  called,  two  or  three  birds  claim  our 
attention,  which  seem  to  form  the  shade  be- 
tween the  web-footed  tribe  and  those  of  the 
crane  kind.  These  partake  rather  of  the  form 
than  the  habits  of  the  crane ;  and,  though  fur- 
nished with  long  legs  and  necks,  rather  swim 
than  wade.  They  cannot  properly  be  called 
web-footed;  nor  yet  are  they  entirely  desti- 
tute of  membranes,  which  fringe  their  toes  on 
each  side,  and  adapt  them  for  swimming. 
The  birds  in  question  are,  the  Water-Hen 
and  the  Bald-Coot. 

These  birds  have  too  near  an  affinity,  not 
to  be  ranked  in  the  same  description.  They 
are  shaped  entirely  alike,  their  legs  are  long, 
and  their  thighs  partly  bare;  their  necks  are 
proportionable,  their  wings  short,  their  bills 
short  and  weak,  their  colour  black,  their  fore- 
heads bald  and  without  feathers,  and  their 
habits  entirely  the  same.  These,  however, 
naturalists  have  thought  proper  to  range  in 
different  classes,  from  very  slight  distinctions 
in  their  figure.  The  water-hen  weighs  but 
fifteen  ounces ;  the  coot  twenty-four.  The 
bald  part  of  the  forehead  in  the  coot  is  black; 
in  the  water-hen  it  is  of  a  beautiful  pink  co- 
lour. The  toes  of  the  water-hen  are  edged 
'with  a  straight  membrane;  those  of  the  coot 
have  it  scolloped  and  broader. 

The  differences  in  the  figure  are  but  slight; 
and  those  in  their  manner  of  living  still  less. 
The  history  of  the  one  will  serve  for  both. 
As  birds  of  the  crane  kind  are  furnished  with 
long  wings,  and  easily  change  place,  the  wa- 
ter-hen, whose  wings  are  short,  is  obliged  to 
reside  entirely  near  those  places  where  her 
food  lies:  she  cannot  take  those  long  journeys 
that  most  of  the  crane  kind  are  seen  to  per- 
form; compelled  by  her  natural  imperfections, 
as  well  perhaps  as  by  inclination,  she  never 
leaves  the  side  of  the  pond  or  the  river  in 
which  she  seeks  for  provision.  Where  the 


stream  is  selvaged  with  sedges,  or  the  pond 
edged  with  shrubby  trees,  the  water-hen  is 
generally  a  resident  there:  she  seeks  her  food 
along  the  grassy  banks,  and  often  along  the 
surface  of  the  water.  With  Shakspeare's  Ed- 
gar, she  drinks  the  green  mantle  of  the  stand- 
ing pool ;  or,  at  least,  seems  to  prefer  those 
places  where  it  is  seen.  Whether  she  makes 
pond-weed  her  food,  or  hunts  among  it  for 
water-insects,  which  are  found  there  in  great 
abundance,  is  not  certain.  I  have  seen  them 
when  pond-weed  was  taken  out  of  their  sto- 
mach. She  builds  her  nest  upon  low  trees 
and  shrubs,  of  sticks  and  fibres,  by  the  water- 
side. Her  eggs  are  sharp  at  one  end,  white, 
with  a  tincture  of  green,  spotted  with  red. 
She  lays  twice  or  thrice  in  a  summer;  her 
young  ones  swim  the  moment  they  leave  the 
egg,  pursue  their  parent,  and  imitate  all  her 
manners.  She  rears,  in  this  manner,  two  or 
three  broods  in  a  season:  and  when  the  young 
are  grown  up,  she  drives  them  off  to  shift  foe 
themselves. 

As  the  coot  is  a  larger  bird,  it  is  always 
seen  in  larger  streams,  and  more  remote  from 
mankind.  The  water-hen  seems  to  prefer  in- 
habited situations:  she  keeps  near  ponds, 
moats,  and  pools  of  water  near  gentlemen's 
houses;  but  the  coot  keeps  in  rivers,  and 
among  rushy  margined  lakes.  It  there  makes 
a  nest  of  such  weeds  as  the  stream  supplies, 
and  lays  them  among  the  reeds,  floating  on 
the  surface,  and  rising  and  falling  with  the 
water.  The  reeds  among  which  it  is  built 
keep  it  fast;  so  that  it  is  seldom  washed  into 
the  middle  of  the  stream.  But  if  this  hap- 
pens, which  is  sometimes  the  case,  the  bird 
sits  in  her  nest,  like  a  mariner  in  his  boat, 
and  steers  with  her  legs  her  cargo  into  the 
nearest  harbour:  there,  having  attained  her 
port,  she  continues  to  sit  in  great  tranquillity, 
rega  dies  of  the  impetuosity  of  the  current; 
and  though  the  water  penetrates  her  nest, 


GENVS    PARKA 


- 
G.VAOINALJS 

l.V.  ttllm  '£..¥.  Jut'<i tut  3.r. -s  '/"•/'-• 

WHITE  SHEATH  BlfJ.         CtTEfNrT  JACANA          <'HI.\.\.I. 


G_K/LZ./.'~V 


G.PSOFHIA 

-,.„.. -r^       ,-.- •, 6.V.cnf>Oant 

1^X11  RAIL      VARIEliATED  R.      GOLD  BREASTED  TRUMPETER 


.     7.-,l'^"ftJJ    kj.l*b<vn: 


THE  CRANE  KIND. 


573 


she  hatches  her  eggs  in  that  wet  condition. 
— The  water-hen  never  wanders;  but  the 
coot  sometimes  swims  down  the  current,  till 
it  even  reaches  the  sea.  In  this  voyage  these 
birds  encounter  a  thousand  dangers:  as  they 
cannot  fly  far,  they  are  hunted  by  dogs  and 
men ;  as  they  never  leave  the  stream,  they 
are  attacked  and  destroyed  by  otters;  they 
are  preyed  upon  by  kites  and  falcons ;  and 
they  are  taken  in  still  greater  numbers  in 
weirs  made  for  catching  fish ;  for  these  birds 
are  led  into  the  nets,  while  pursuing  small  fish 
and  insects,  which  are  their  principal  food. 
Thus  animated  nature  affords  a  picture  of 
universal  invasion !  Man  destroys  the  otter, 
the  otter  destroys  the  coot,  the  coot  feeds 
upon  fish,  and  fish  are  universally  the  tyrants 
of  each  other! 

To  these  birds,  with  long  legs  and  finny 
toes,  I  will  add  one  species  more,  with  short 
legs  and  finny  toes ;  I  mean  the  Grebe.  The 
entire  resemblance  of  this  bird's  appetites 
and  manners  to  those  of  the  web-footed  class, 
might  justly  induce  me  to  rank  it  among  them; 
but  as  it  resembles  those  above  described,  in 
the  peculiar  form  of  its  toes,  and  bears  some 
similitude  in  its  manners  also,  I  will  for  once 
sacrifice  method  to  brevity.  The  grebe  is 
much  larger  than  either  of  the  former,  and  its 
plumage  white  and  black ;  it  differs  also  en- 
tirely in  the  shortness  of  its  legs,  which  are 
made  for  swimming,  and  not  walking :  in  fact, 
they  arc  from  the  knee  upward  hid  in  the  belly 
of  the  bird,  and  have  consequently  very  little 
motion.  By  this  mark,  and  by  the  scolloped 


fringe  of  the  toes,  may  this  bird  be  easily  dis- 
tinguished from  all  others. 

As  they  are  thus,  from  the  shortness  of  their 
wings,  ill  formed  for  flying,  and  from  the  un- 
common shortness  of  their  legs  utterly  unfit- 
ted for  walking,  they  seldom  leave  the  water, 
and  chiefly  frequent  those  broad  shallow  pools 
where  their  faculty  of  swimming  can  be  turn- 
ed to  the  greatest  advantage,  in  fishing  and 
seeking  their  prey. 

They  are  chiefly,  in  this  country,  seen  to 
frequent  the  meres  of  Shropshire  and  Che- 
shire ;  where  they  breed  among  reeds  and 
flags,  in  a  floating  nest,  kept  steady  by  the 
weeds  of  the  margin.  The  female  is  said  to 
be  a  careful  nurse  of  her  young,  being  ob- 
served to  feed  them  most  assiduously  with 
small  eels ;  and  when  the  little  brood  is  tired, 
the  mother  will  carry  them  either  on  her 
back  or  under  her  wings.  This  bird  preys 
upon  fish,  and  is  almost  perpetually  diving. 
It  does  not  show  much  more  than  the  head 
above  water;  and  is  very  difficult  to  be  shot, 
as  it  darts  down  on  the  appearance  of  the 
least  danger.  It  is  never  seen  on  land  ;  and, 
though  disturbed  ever  so  often,  will  not  leave 
that  lake,  where  alone,  by  diving  and  swim- 
ming, it  can  find  food  and  security.  It  is 
chiefly  sought  for  the  skin  of  its  breast,  the 
plumage  of  which  is  of  a  most  beautiful  sil- 
very white,  and  as  glossy  as  satin.  This  part 
is  made  into  tippets;  but  the  skins  are  out  of 
season  about  February,  losing  their  bright  co- 
lour; and  in  breeding-time  their  breasts  are 
entirely  bare. 


574 


A  HISTORY  OF 


OF    WATER-FOWI, 


CHAPTER  CXX1II. 

OF  WATER-FOWL  IN  GENERAL. 


IN  settling  the  distinctions  among  the  other 
classes  of  birds,  there  was  some  difficulty ;  one 
tribe  encroached  so  nearly  upon  the  nature 
and  habitudes  of  another,  that  it  was  not  easy 
to  draw  the  line  which  kept  them  asunder : 
but  in  water-fowl,  nature  has  marked  them  for 
us  by  a  variety  of  indelible  characters ;  so 
that  it  would  be  almost  as  unlikely  to  mistake 
a  land-fowl  for  one  adapted  for  living  and 
swimming  among  the  waters,  as  a  fish  for  a 
bird. 

The  first  great  distinction  in  this  class  ap- 
pears in  the  toes,  which  are  webbed  together 
for  swimming.  Those  who  have  remarked 
the  feet  or  toes  of  a  duck,  will  easily  conceive 
how  admirably  they  are  formed  for  making 
way  in  the  water.  When  men  swim,  they  do 
not  open  the  fingers,  so  as  to  let  the  fluid  pass 
through  them  ;  but  closing  them  together,  pre- 
sent one  broad  surface  to  beat  back  the  water, 
and  thus  push  their  bodies  along.  What  man 
performs  by  art,  nature  has  supplied  to  water- 
fowl ;  and,  by  broad  skins,  has  webbed  their 
toes  together,  so  that  they  expand  two  broad  oars 
to  the  water;  and  thus,  moving  them  alter- 
nately, with  the  greatest  case  paddle  along. 
We  must  observe  also,  that  the  toes  are  so 
contrived,  that,  as  they  strike  backward,  their 
broadest  hollow  surface  beats  the  water ;  but 
as  they  gather  them  in  again,  for  a  second 
blow,  their  front  surface  contracts,  and  does 
not  impede  the  bird's  progressive  motion. 

As  their  toes  are  webbed  in  the  most  con- 
venient manner,  so  are  their  legs  also  made 
most  fitly  for  swift  progression  in  the  water. 
The  legs  of  all  are  short,  except  the  three  birds 
described  in  a  former  chapter ;  namely,  the 
flamingo,  the  avosetta,  and  the  corrira:  all 


which,  for  that  reason,  I  have  thought  proper 
to  rank  among  the  crane  kind,  as  they  make 
little  use  of  their  toes  in  swimming.  Except 
these,  all  web-footed  birds  have  very  short 
legs;  and  these  strike,  while  they  swim,  with 
great  facility.  Were  the  leg  long,  it  would 
act  like  a  lever  whose  prop  is  placed  to  a  dis- 
advantage ;  its  motions  would  be  slow,  and 
the  labour  of  moving  it  considerable.  For 
this  reason,  the  very  few  birds  whose  webbed 
feet  are  long,  never  make  use  of  them  in  swim- 
ming :  the  web  at  the  bottom  seems  only  of 
service  as  a  broad  base,  to  prevent  them  from 
sinking  while  they  walk  in  the  mud ;  but  it 
otherwise  rather  retards  than  advances  their 
motion. 

The  shortness  of  the  legs  in  the  web-footed 
kinds,  renders  them  as  unfit  for  walking  on 
land,  as  it  qualifies  them  for  swimming  in  their 
natural  element.  Their  stay,  therefore,  upon 
land,  is  but  short  and  transitory ;  and  they 
seldom  venture  to  breed  far  from  the  sides  of 
those  waters  where  they  usually  remain.  In 
their  breeding  seasons,  their  young  are  brought 
up  by  the  water-side ;  and  they  are  covered 
with  a  warm  down,  to  fit  them  for  the  cold- 
ness of  their  situation.  The  old  ones,  also, 
have  a  closer,  warmer  plumage,  than  birds  of 
any  other  class.  It  is  of  their  feathers  that 
our  beds  are  composed ;  as  they  neither  mat, 
nor  imbibe  humidity,  but  are  furnished  with 
an  animal  oil  that  glazes  their  surface,  and 
keeps  each  separate.  In  some,  however,  this 
animal  oil  is  in  too  great  abundance ;  and  is 
as  offensive  from  its  smell,  as  it  is  serviceable 
for  the  purposes  of  household  economy.  The 
feathers,  therefore,  of  all  the  penguin  kind  are 
totally  useless  for  domestic  purposes;  as  neither 


WATER-FOWL. 


575 


boiling  nor  bleaching  can  divest  them  of  their 
oily  rancidity.  Indeed,  the  rancidity  of  all 
new  feathers,  of  whatever  water-fowl  they 
be,  is  so  disgusting,  that  our  upholsterers 
give  near  double  the  price  for  old  feathers 
that  they  afford  for  new  :  to  be  free  from 
smell,  they  must  all  be  Iain  upon  for  some 
lime ;  and  their  usual  method  is  to  mix  the 
new  and  the  old  together. 

This  quantity  of  oil,  with  which  most  water- 
fowl are  supplied,  contributes  also  to  their 
warmth  in  the  moist  element  where  they  re- 
side. Their  skin  is  generally  lined  with  fat; 
so  that,  with  the  warmth  of  the  feathers  ex- 
ternally, and  this  natural  lining  more  inter- 
nally, they  are  better  defended  against  the 
changes  or  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather, 
than  any  other  class  whatever. 

As,  among  land-birds,  there  are  some  found 
fitted  entirely  for  depredation,  and  others  for 
an  harmless  method  of  subsisting  upon  vege- 
tables, so  also,  among  these  birds,  there  are 
tribes  of  plunderers  that  prey,  riot  only  upon 
fish,  but  sometimes  upon  water-fowl  them- 
selves. There  are  likewise  more  inoffensive 
tribes,  that  live  upon  insects  and  vegetables 
only.  Some  water-fowls  subsist  by  making 
sudden  stoops  from  above,  to  seize  whatever 
fish  come  near  the  surface ;  others  again,  not 
furnished  with  wings  long  enough  to  fit  them 
for  flight,  take  their  prey  by  diving  after  it  to 
the  bottom. 

From  hence  all  water-fowl  naturally  fall 
into  three  distinctions.  Those  of  the  Gull 
kind,  that,  with  long  legs  and  round  bills,  fly 
along  the  surface  to  seize  their  prey:  those 
of  the  Penguin  kind,  that,  with  round  bills, 
legs  hid  in  the  abdomen,  and  short  wings, 
dive  after  their  prey  :  and,  thirdly,  those  of 
the  Goose  kind,  with  flat  broad  bills,  that  lead 
harmless  lives,  and  chiefly  subsist  upon  in- 
sects and  vegetables. 

These  are  not  speculative  distinctions, 
made  up  for  the  arrangement  of  a  system; 


but  they  are  strongly  and  evidently  marked 
by  nature.  The  Gull  kind  are  active  and  ra- 
pacious ;  constantly,  except  when  they  breed, 
keeping  upon  the  wing;  fitted  for  a  life  of 
rapine,  with  sharp  straight  bills  for  piercing, 
or  hooked  at  the  end  for  holding  their  fishy 
prey.  In  this  class  we  may  rank  the  Alba- 
tross, the  Cormorant,  the  Gannet  or  Soland 
Goose,  the  Shae^,  the  Frigate-bird,  the  Great 
Brown  Gull,  and  all  the  lesser  tribe  of  gulls 
and  sea-swallows. 

The  Penguin  kind,  with  appetites  as  vora- 
cious, bills  as  sharp,  and  equally  eager  for 
prey,  are  yet  unqualified  to  obtain  it  by  flight. 
Their  wings  are  short,  and  their  bodies  large 
and  heavy,  so  that  they  can  neither  run  nor 
fly.  But  they  are  formed  for  diving  in  a  very 
peculiar  manner.  Their  feet  are  placed  so 
far  backward,  and  their  legs  so  hid  in  the 
abdomen,  that  the  slightest  stroke  sends  them 
head  foremost  to  the  bottom  of  the  water. 
To  this  class  we  may  refer  the  Penguin,  the 
Auk, the  Skout,  the  Sea-turtle,  the  Bottlenose. 
and  the  Loon. 

The  Goose  kind  are  easily  distinguishable, 
by  their  flat  broad  bills,  covered  with  a  skin; 
and  their  manner  of  feeding,  which  is  mostly 
upon  vegetables.  In  this  class  we  may 
place  the  Swan,  the  Goose,  the  Duck,  the 
Teal,  the  Widgeon,  and  all  their  numerous 
varieties. 

In  describing  the  birds  of  these  three 
classes,  I  will  put  the  most  remarkable  of 
each  class  at  the  beginning  of  their  respec- 
tive tribes,  and  give  their  separate  history  ; 
then,  after  having  described  the  chiefs  of  the 
tribe,  the  more  ordinary  sorts  will  naturally 
fall  in  a  body,  and  come  under  a  general 
description,  behind  their  leaders.  But  be- 
fore I  offer  to  pursue  this  methodical  arrange- 
ment, I  must  give  the  history  of  a  bird,  that, 
from  the  singularity  of  its  conformation,  seems 
allied  to  no  species ;  and  should,  therefore, 
be  separately  described — I  mean  the  Pelican. 


576 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXXIV. 

OF  THE  PELICAN. 


THE  Pelican  of  Africa  is  much  larger  in 
the  body  than  a  swan,  and  somewhat  of  the 
same  shape  and  colour.  Its  four  toes  are  all 
webbed  together;  and  its  neck,  in  some  mea- 
sure, resembles  that  of  a  swan:  but  that  sin- 
gularity in  which  it  differs  from  all  other  birds, 
is  in  the  bill  and  the  great  pouch  underneath, 
which  are  wonderful,  and  demand  a  distinct 
description.  This  enormous  bill  is  fifteen  in- 
ches from  the  point  to  the  opening  of  the 
mouth,  which  is  a  good  way  back  behind  the 
eyes.  At  the  base,  the  bill  is  somewhat  green- 
ish, but  varies  towards  the  end,  being  of  a 
reddish-blue.  It  is  very  thick  in  the  begin- 
ning, but  tapers  off  to  the  end,  where  it  hooks 
downwards.  The  under  chap  is  still  more 
extraordinary ;  for  to  the  lower  edges  of  it 
hangs  a  bag,  reaching  the  whole  length  of  the 
bill  to  the  neck,  which  is  said  to  be  capable 
of  containing  fifteen  quarts  of  water.  This 
bag  the  bird  has.a  power  of  wrinkling  up  into 
the  hollow  of  the  under  chap;  but  by  open- 
ing the  bill,  and  putting  one's  hand  down  into 
the  bag,  it  may  be  distended  at  pleasure. 
The  skin  of  which  it  is  formed  will  then  be 
seen  of  a  bluish  ash-colour,  with  many  fibres 
and  veins  running  over  its  surface.  It  is  not 
covered  with  feathers,  but  a  short  downy  sub- 
stance, as  smooth  and  as  soft  as  satin,  and  is 
attached  all  along  the  under  edges  of  the  chap, 
to  be  fixed  backward  to  the  neck  of  the  bird 
by  proper  ligaments,  and  reaches  near  half 
way  down.  When  this  bag  is  empty  it  is  not 
seen;  but  when  the  bird  has  fished  with  suc- 
cess, it  is  then  incredible  to  what  an  extent 
it  is  often  seen  dilated.  For  the  first  thing 
the  pelican  does  in  fishing  is  to  fill  up  the  bag; 
and  then  it  returns  to  digest  its  burden  at  lei- 
sure. When  the  bill  is  open  to  its  widest  ex- 
tent, a  person  may  run  his  head  into  the  bird's 
mouth,  and  conceal  it  in  this  monstrous  pouch, 
thus  adapted  for  very  singular  purposes.  .  Yet 
this  is  nothing  to  what  Ruysch  assureS^tes, 
who  avers,  that  a  man  has  been  seen  to  hide 


his  whole  leg,  boot  and  all,  in  the  monstrous 
jaws  of  one  of  these  animals.  At  first  appear- 
ance this  would  seem  impossible,  as  the  sides 
of  the  under  chap,  from  which  the  bag  de- 
pends, are  not  above  an  inch  asunder  when 
the  bird's  bill  is  first  opened;  but  then  they 
are  capable  of  great  separation;  and  it  must 
necessarily  be  so,  as  the  bird  preys  upon  the 
largest  fishes,  and  hides  them  by  dozens  in 
its  pouch.  Tertre  affirms,  that  it  will  hide  as 
many  fish  as  will  serve  sixty  hungry  men  for 
a  meal. 

Such  is  the  formation  of  this  extraordinary 
bird,  which  is  a  native  of  Africa  and  America. 
The  pelican  was  once  also  known  in  Europe, 
particularly  in  Russia;  but  it  seems  to  have 
deserted  our  coasts.  This  is  the  bird  of 
which  so  many  fabulous  accounts  have  been 
propagated ;  such  as  its  feeding  its  young  with 
its  own  blood,  and  its  carrying  a  provision  of 
water  for  them  in  its  great  reservoir  in  the 
desert.  But  the  absurdity  of  the  first  ac- 
count answers  itself;  and  as  for  the  latter, 
the  pelican  uses  its  bag  for  very  different  pur- 
poses than  that  of  filling  it  with  water. 

Its  amazing  pouch  may  be  considered  as 
analogous  to  the  crop  in  other  birds,  with  this 
difference,  that  as  theirs  lies  at  the  bottom"  of 
the  gullet,  so  this  is  placed  at  the  top.  Thus, 
as  pigeons  and  other  birds  macerate  their 
food  for  their  young  in  their  crops,  and  then 
supply  them,  so  the  pelican  supplies  its  young 
by  a  more  ready  contrivance,  and  macerates 
their  food  in  its  bill,  or  stores  it  for  its  own 
particular  sustenance. 

The  ancients  were  particularly  fond  of 
giving  this  bird  admirable  qualities  and  pa- 
rental affections ;  struck,  perhaps,  with  its  ex- 
traordinary figure,  they  were  willing  to  sup- 
ply it  with  as  extraordinary  appetites;  and 
having  found  it  with  a  large  reservoir,  they 
were  pleased  with  turning  it  to  the  most  ten- 
der and  parental  uses.  But  the  truth  is,  the 
pelican  is  a  very  heavy,  sluggish,  voracious 


7J«wn  A, 


G.PELECANUS 

( Teleran  • 

\.7.ErvtJtroryncltof      2F.  Sula  \'> .P. .tyra/n 

R  0.10^1  Billed  P. .-      BoolyF.-  Tn^aie  F. 


( Barter  ) 

\J?. puiHtatus       S.I'  nulanoyasutr. 
Spotted  Shag      BlackBellied  B._ 


WATER- FOWL. 


577 


bird,  and  very  ill  fitted  to  take  those  flights, 
or  to  make  those  cautious  provisions  lor  a  dis- 
tant time,  which  we  have  been  told  they  do. 
Father  Labat,  who  seems  to  have  studied 
their  manners  with  great  exactness,  has  given 
us  a  minute  history  of  this  bird,  as  found  in 
America;  and  from  him  I  will  borrow  mine. 

The  pelican,  says  Labat,  has  strong  wings, 
furnished  with  thick  plumage  of  an  ash-colour, 
as  are  the  rest  of  the  feathers  over  the  whole 
body.  Its  eyes  are  very  small,  when  com- 
pared to  the  size  of  its  head;  there  is  a  sad- 
ness in  its  countenance,  and  its  whole  air  is 
melancholy.  It  is  as  dull  and  reluctant  in 
its  motions,  as  the  flamingo  is  sprightly  and 
active.  It  is  slow  of  flight;  and  when  it  rises 
to  fly,  performs  it  with  difficulty  and  labour. 
Nothing,  as  it  would  seem,  but  the  spur  of  ne- 
cessity could  make  these  birds  change  their 
situation,  or  induce  them  to  ascend  into  the 
air;  but  they  must  either  starve  or  fly. 

They  are  torpid  and  inactive  to  the  last 
degree,  so  that  nothing  can  exceed  their  in- 
dolence but  their  gluttony ;  it  is  only  from 
the  stimulations  of  hunger  that  they  are  ex- 
cited to  labour;  for  otherwise  they  would 
continue  always  in  fixed  repose.  When  they 
have  raised  themselves  about  thirty  or  forty 
feet  above  the  surface  of  the  sea,  they  turn 
their  head  with  one  eye  downwards,  and  con- 
tinue to  fly  in  that  posture.  As  soon  as  they 
perceive  a  fish  sufficiently  near  the  surface, 
they  dart  down  upon  it  with  the  swiftness  of 
an  arrow,  seize  it  with  unerring  certainty,  and 
store  it  up  in  their  pouch.  They  then  rise 
again,  though  not  without  great  labour,  and 
continue  hovering  and  fishing,  with  their  head 
on  one  side  as  before. 

This  work  they  continue  with  great  effort 
and  industry  till  their  bag  is  full,  and  then 
they  fly  to  land,  to  devour  and  digest  at  lei- 
sure the  fruits  of  their  industry.  This,  how- 
ever, it  would  appear,  they  are  not  long  in 
performing;  for  towards  night  they  have  ano- 
ther hungry  call,  and  they  again  reluctantly 
go  to  labour.  At  night,  when  their  fishing  is 
over,  and  the  toil  of  the  day  crowned  with 
success,  these  lazy  birds  retire  a  little  way 
from  the  shore;  and,  though  with  the  webbed 
feet  and  clumsy  figure  of  a  goose,  they  will  he 
contented  to  perch  no  where  but  upon  trees, 
among  the  light  and  airy  tenants  of  the  forest. 


There  they  take  their  repose  for  the  night; 
and  often  spend  a  great  part  of  the  day,  ex- 
cept such  times  as  they  are  fishing,  sitting  in 
dismal  solemnity,  and,  as  it  would  seem,  half 
asleep.  Their  attitude  is,  with  the  head  rest- 
ing upon  their  great  bag,  and  that  resting  upon 
their  breast.  There  they  remain  without  mo- 
tion, or  once  changing  their  situation,  till  the 
calls  of  hunger  break  their  repose,  and  till 
they  find  it  indispensably  necessary  to  fill 
their  magazine  for  a  fresh  meal.  Thus  their 
life  is  spent  between  sleeping  and  eating ;  and 
our  author  adds,  that  they  are  as  foul  as  they 
are  voracious,  as  they  are  every  moment  void- 
ing excrements  in  heaps  as  large  as  one's  fist. 

The  same  indolent  habits  seem  to  attend 
them  even  in  preparing  for  incubation,  and 
defending  their  young  when  excluded.  The 
female  makes  no  preparation  for  her  nest,  nor 
seems  to  choose  any  j>lace  in  preference  to 
lay  in ;  but  drops  her  eggs  on  the  bare  ground 
to  the  number  of  five  or  six,  and  there  con- 
tinues to  hatch  them.  Attached  to  the  place, 
without  any  desire  of  defending  her  eggs  or 
her  young,  she  tamely  sits,  and  suffers  them 
to  be  taken  from  under  her.  Now  and  then 
she  just  ventures  to  peck,  or  to  cry  out  when 
a  person  offers  to  beat  her  ofF. 

She  feeds  her  young  with  fish  macerated  for 
some  time  in  her  bag;  and  when  they  cry, 
flies  off  for  a  new  supply.  Labat  tells  us,  that 
he  took  two  of  these  when  very  young,  and 
tied  them  by  the  leg  to  a  post  stuck  into  the 
ground,  where  he  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
the  old  one  for  several  days  come  to  feed 
them,  remaining  with  them  the  greatest  part 
of  the  day,  and  spending  the  night  on  the 
branch  of  a  tree  that  hung  over  them.  By 
these  means  they  were  all  three  become  so 
familiar,  that  they  suffered  themselves  to  be 
handled  ;  and  the  young  ones  very  kindly  ac- 
cepted whatever  fish  he  offered  them.  These 
they  always  put  first  into  their  bag,  and  then 
swallowed  at  their  leisure. 

It  seems,  however,  that  they  are  but  dis- 
agreeable and  useless  domestics;  their  glut- 
tony can  scarcely  be  satisfied ;  their  flesh 
smells  very  rancid;  and  tastes  a  thousand 
times  worse  than  it  smells.  The  native  Ame- 
ricans kill  vast  numbers ;  not  to  eat,  for  they 
are  not  fit  even  for  the  banquet  of  a  savage ; 
but  to  convert  their  large  bags  into  purses 


578 


A  HISTORY  OF  WATER-FOWL. 


and  tobacco  pouches.  They  bestow  no  small 
pains  in  dressing  the  skin  with  salt  and  ashes, 
rubbing  it  well  with  oil,  and  then  forming  it 
to  their  purpose.  It  thus  becomes  so  soft  and 
pliant,  that  the  Spanish  women  sometimes 
adorn  it  with  gold  and  embroidery  to  make 
work-bags  of. 

Yet,  with  all  the  seeming  hebetude  of  this 
bird,  it  is  not  entirely  incapable  of  instruction 
in  a  domestic  state.  Father  Raymond  assures 
us,  that  he  has  seen  one  so  tame  and  well 
educated  among  the  native  Americans,  that  it 
would  go  off  in  the  morning  at  the  word  of 
command,  and  return  before  night  to  its  mas- 
ter, with  its  great  pouch  distended  with  plun- 
der ;  a  part  of  which  the  savages  would  make 
it  disgorge,  and  a  part  they  would  permit  it  to 
reserve  for  itself. 

"  The  Pelican,"  as  Faber  relates,  "  is  not 
destitute  of  other  qualifications.  One  of  those 
which  was  brought  aHve  to  the  duke  of 
Bavaria's  court,  where  it  lived  forty  years, 


seemed  to  be  possessed  of  very  uncommon 
sensations.  It  was  much  delighted  in  the 
company  and  conversation  of  men,  and  in 
music  both  vocal  and  instrumental :  for  it 
would  willingly  stand,"  says  he,  "  by  those 
that  sung,  or  sounded  the  trumpet;  and 
stretching  out  its  head,  and  turning  its  ear  to 
the  music,  listened  very  attentively  to  its  har- 
mony ;  though  its  own  voice  was  little  plea- 
santer  than  the  braying  of  an  ass."  Gesner 
tells  us,  that  the  emperor  Maximilian  had  a 
tame  pelican,  which  lived  for  above  eighty 
years,  and  that  always  attended  his  army  on 
their  march.  It  was  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
kind,  and  had  a  daily  allowance  by  the  em- 
peror's orders.  As  another  proof  of  the  great 
age  to  which  the  pelican  lives,  Aldrovandus 
makes  mention  of  one  of  these  birds  that 
was  kept  several  years  at  Mechlin,  was 
verily  believed  to  be  fifty  years  old.  We 
often  sec  these  birds  at  our  shows  about 
town, 


A  HISTORY  OF  WATER-FOWL. 


579 


CHAPTER  CXXV. 

OF  THE  ALBATROSS,  THE  FIRST  OF  THE  GULL  KIND. 


THOUGH  this  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  formidable  birds  of  Africa  and  America, 
yet  we  have  but  few  accounts  to  enlighten  us 
in  its  history.  The  figure  of  the  bird  is  thus 
described  by  Edwards  :  "  The  body  is  rather 
larger  than  that  of  a  pelican ;  and  its  wings, 
when  extended,  ten  feet  from  tip  to  tip.  The 
bill,  which  is  six  inches  long,  is  yellowish,  and 
terminates  in  a  crooked  point.  The  top  of 
the  head  is  of  a  bright  brown ;  the  back  is  of 
a  dirty  deep  spotted  brown ;  and  the  belly 
and  under  the  wings  is  white ;  the  toes,  which 
are  webbed,  are  of  a  flesh  colour." 

Such  are  the  principal  traits  in  this  bird's 
figure  :  but  these  lead  us  a  very  short  way  in 
its  history ;  and  our  naturalists  have  thought 
fit  to  say  nothing  more.  However,  I  am  apt 
to  believe  this  bird  to  be  the  same  with  that 
described  by  Wicquefort,  under  the  title  of 
the  Alcatraz ;  its  size,  its  colours,  and  its  prey, 
incline  me  to  think  so.  He  describes  it  as  a 
kind  of  great  gull,  as  large  in  the  body  as  a 
goose,  of  a  brown  colour,  with  a  long  bill, 
and  living  upon  fish,  of  which  they  kill  great 
numbers. 

This  bird  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  tropical 
climates,  and  also  beyond  them  as  far  as  the 
Straits  of  Magellan  in  the  South  Seas.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  fierce  and  formidable  of  the 
aquatic  tribe,  not  only  living  upon  fish,  but 
also  such  small  water-fowl  as  it  can  take  by 
surprise.  It  preys,  as  all  the  gull  kind  do, 
upon  the  wing ;  and  chiefly  pursues  the  flying- 
fish,  that  are  forced  from  the  sea  by  the  dol- 
phins. The  ocean  in  that  part  of  the  world 
presents  a  very  different  appearance  from  the 
seas  with  which  we  are  surrounded.  In  our 
seas  we  see  nothing  but  a  dreary  expanse, 
ruffled  by  winds,  and  seemingly  forsaken  by 
every  class  of  animated  nature.  But  the  tro- 
pical seas,  and  the  distant  southern  latitudes 
beyond  them,  are  all  alive  with  birds  and 
fishes,  pursuing  and  pursued.  Every  various 
species  of  the  gull  kind  are  there  seen  hover- 
ing on  the  wing,  at  a  thousand  miles  distance 

NO.  49  &  50. 


from  the  shore.  The  flying-fish  are  every 
moment  rising  to  escape  from  their  pursuers 
of  the  deep,  only  to  encounter  equal  dangers 
in  the  air.  Just  as  they  rise  the  dolphin  is 
seen  to  dart  after  them,  but  generally  in  vain ; 
the  gull  has  more  frequent  success,  and  often 
takes  them  at  their  rise ;  while  the  albatross 
pursues  the  gull,  and  obliges  it  to  relinquish 
its  prey ;  so  that  the  whole  horizon  presents 
but  one  living  picture  of  rapacity  and  evasion. 

So  much  is  certain  ;  but  how  far  we  are  to 
credit  Wicquefort,  in  what  he  adds  concern 
ing  this  bird,  the  reader  is  loft  to  determine. 
"  As  these  birds,  except  when  they  breed,  live 
entirely  remote  from  land,  so  they  are  often 
seen,  as  it  should  seem,  sleeping  in  the  air. 
At  night,  when  they  are  pressed  by  slumber, 
they  rise  into  the  clouds  as  high  as  they  can  ; 
there,  putting  their  head  under  one  wing,  they 
beat  the  air  with  the  other,  and  seem  to  take 
their  ease.  After  a  time,  however,  the  weight 
of  their  bodies,  only  thus  half  supported,  brings 
them  down  ;  and  they  are  seen  descending, 
with  a  pretty  rapid  motion,  to  the  surface  of 
the  sea.  Upon  this  they  again  put  forth  their 
efforts  to  rise ;  and  thus  alternately  ascend  and 
descend  at  their  case.  But  it  sometimes  hap- 
pens," says  my  author,  "  that  in  these  slum- 
bering flights,  they  are  off  their  guard,  and 
fall  upon  deck,  where  they  are  taken." 

What  truth  there  may  be  in  this  account  I 
will  not  take  it  upon  me  to  determine :  but 
certain  it  is,  that  few  birds  float  upon  the  air 
with  more  ease  than  the  albatross,  or  support 
themselves  a  longer  time  in  that  element. 
They  seem  never  to  feel  the  accesses  of  fatigue; 
but,  night  and  day  upon  the  wing,  are  al- 
ways prowling,  yet  always  emaciated  and 
hungry. 

But  though  this  bird  be  one  of  the  most  for- 
midable tyrants  of  the  deep,  there  are  some 
associations  which  even  tyrants  themselves 
form,  to  which  they  are  induced  either  by 
caprice  or  necessity.  The  albatross  seems  to 
have  a  peculiar  affection  for  the  penguin,  and 

40 


580 


A  HISTORY  OF 


a  pleasure  in  its  society.  They  are  always 
seen  to  choose  the  same  places  for  breeding  ; 
some  distant  uninhabited  island,  where  the 
ground  slants  to  the  sea,  as  the  penguin  is  not 
iormed  either  for  flying  or  climbing.  In  such 
places  their  nests  are  seen  together,  as  if  they 
stood  in  need  of  mutual  assistance  and  pro- 
tection. Captain  Hunt,  who  for  some  time 
commanded  at  our  settlement  upon  Falkland 
Islands,  assures  me,  that  he  was  often  amazed 
at  the  union  preserved  between  these  birds, 
and  the  regularity  with  which  they  built  to- 
gether. In  that  bleak  and  desolate  spot,  where 
the  birds  had  long  continued  undisturbed  pos- 
sessors-, and  no  way  dreaded  the  encroachment 
of  men,  they  seemed  to  make  their  abode  as 
comfortable  as  they  expected  it  to  be  lasting. 


They  were  seen  to  build  with  an  amazing 
degree  of  uniformity ;  their  nests  covering 
fields  by  thousands,  and  resembling  a  regular 
plantation.  In  the  middle,  on  high,  the  alba- 
tross raised  its  nest,  on  heath,  sticks,  and  long 
grass,  about  two  feet  above  the  surface:  round 
this  the  penguins  made  their  lower  settlements, 
rather  in  holes  in  the  ground,  and  most  usual- 
ly eight  penguins  to  one  albatross.  Nothing 
is  a  stronger  proof  of  Mr.  Buffon's  fine  obser- 
vation, that  the  presence  of  nmn  not  only  de- 
stroys the  society  of  meaner  animals,  but  their 
instincts  also.  These  nests  are  now,  I  am 
told,  totally  destroyed ;  the  society  is  broke 
up  ;  and  the  albatross  and  penguin  have  gone 
to  breed  upon  more  desert  shores,  in  greater 
security  * 


CHAPTER  CXXVI. 

THE  CORMORANT. 


THE  Cormorant  is  about  the  size  of  a 
large  Muscovy  duck,  and  may  be  distinguish- 
ed from  all  other  birds  of  this  kind,  by  its 
four  toes  being  united  by  membranes  together; 
and  by  the  middle-toe  being  toothed  or  notch- 
ed like  a  saw,  to  assist  it  in  holding  its  fishy 
prey.  The  head  and  neck  of  this  bird  are  of 
a  sooty  blackness ;  and  the  body  thick  and 
heavy,  more  inclining  in  figure  to  that  of  the 
goose  than  the  gull.  The  bill  is  straight,  till 
near  the  end,  where  the  upper  chap  bends 
into  a  hook. 

But  notwithstanding  the  seeming  heaviness 
of  its  make,  there  are  few  birds  more  power- 
fully predaceous.  As  soon  as  the  winter  ap* 
proaches,  they  are  seen  dispersed  along  the 
sea-shore,  and  ascending  up  the  mouths  of 
fresh- water  rivers,  carrying  destruction  to  all 
the  finny  tribe.  They  are  most  remarkably 
voracious,  and  have  a  most  sudden  digestion. 

a  The  Albatross,  or  man  of  war  bird,  bas  a  straight 
bill,  the  upper  mandible  of  which  is  crooked  at  the  point, 
and  the  lower  one  truncated  :  the  nostrils  are  oval,  wide, 
prominent,  and  placed  on  each  side  the  bill :  the  feet  have 
three  toes,  all  placed  forwards.  In  the  West  Indies  these 
birds  are  said  to  foretell  the  arrival  of  ships  :  which  is  fre- 
quently true,  and  may  arise  from  a  very  natural  cause. 


Their  appetite  is  for  ever  craving,  and  never 
satisfied.  This  gnawing  sensation  may  pro- 
bably be  increased  by  the  great  quantity  of 
small  worms  that  fill  their  intestines,  and 
which  their  unceasing  gluttony  contributes  to 
engender. 

Thus  formed  with  the  grossest  appetites,  this 
unclean  bird  has  the  most  rank  and  disagree- 
able smell,  and  is  more  foetid  than  even  carri- 
on, when  in  its  most  healthful  state.  Its  form, 
says  an  ingenious  modern,  is  disagreeable;  its 
voice  is  hoarse  and  croaking;  and  all  its 
qualities  obscene.  No  wonder  then  that  Mil- 
ton should  make  Satan  personate  this  bird, 
when  he  sent  him  upon  the  basest  purposes, 
to  survey  with  pain  the  beauties  of  Paradise, 
and  to  sit  devising  death  on  the  tree  of  life.b 
It  has  been  remarked,  however,  of  our  poet, 
that  the  making  a  water-fowl  perch  upon  a 
tree,  implied  no  great  acquaintance  with  the 

They  always  fish  in  fine  weather  ;  so  that,  when  the  wind 
is  rough  at  sea,  they  retire  into  the  harbours,  where  they 
are  protected  by  the  land  ;  and  the  same  wind  that  blows 
them-in,  brings  likewise  whatever  vessels  may  be  exposed 
to  its  fury,  to  seek  a  retreat  from  it. 
b  Vide  Pennant's  Zoology,  p.  477- 


WATER-FOWL. 


581 


history  of  nature.  In  vindication  of  Milton, 
Aristotle  expressly  says,  that  the  cormorant  is 
the  only  water-fowl  that  sits  on  trees.  We 
have  already  seen  the  pelican  of  this  number; 
and  the  cormorant's  toes  seem  as  fit  for  perch- 
ing upon  trees  as  for  swimming  ;  so  that  our 
epic  bard  seems  to  have  been  as  deeply  versed 
in  natural  history  as  in  criticism. 

Indeed  this  bird  seems  to  be  of  a  multiform 
nature;  and  wherever  fish  are  to  be  found, 
watches  their  migrations.  It  is  seen  as  well 
by  land  as  sea ;  it  fishes  in  fresh-water  lakes, 
as  well  as  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean ;  it  builds 
in  the  cliffs  of  rocks,  as  well  as  on  trees; 
and  preys  not  only  in  the  day-time,  but  by 
night. 

Its  indefatigable  nature,  and  its  great  power 
in  catching  fish,  were  probably  the  motives 
that  induced  some  nations  to  breed  this  bird 
up  tame,  for  the  purposes  of  fishing ;  and 
Willoughby  assures  us,  it  was  once  used  in 
England  for  that  purpose.  The  description 
of  their  manner  of  fishing  is  thus  delivered  by 
Faber.  "  When  they  carry  them  out  of  the 
rooms  where  they  are  kept,  to  the  fish-pools, 
they  hoodwink  them,  that  they  may  not  be 
frighted  by  the  way.  When  they  are  come  to 
the  rivers,  they  take  off  their  hood ;  and  hav- 
ing tied  a  leather  thong  round  the  lower  part 
of  their  necks,  that  they  may  not  swallow 
down  the  fish  they  catch,  they  throw  them 
into  the  river.  They  presently  dive  under 
water ;  and  there  for  a  long  time,  with  won- 
derful swiftness,  pursue  the  fish ;  and  when 
they  have  caught  them,  rise  to  the  top  of  the 
water,  and  pressing  the  fish  lightly  with  their 
bills,  swallow  them ;  till  each  bird  hath,  after 
this  manner,  devoured  five  or  six  fishes. 
Then  their  keepers  call  them  to  the  fist,  to 
which  they  readily  fly;  and,  one  after  another, 
vomit  up  all  their  fish,  a  little  bruised  with 
the  first  nip,  given  in  catching  them.  When 
they  have  done  fishing,  setting  the  birds  on 
some  high  place,  they  loose  the  string  from 
their  necks,  leaving  the  passage  to  the  stomach 
free  and  open ;  and,  for  their  reward,  they 
throw  them  part  of  their  prey  ;  to  each  one  or 
two  fishes,  which  they  will  catch  most  dexter- 
ously, as  they  are  falling  in  the  air." 

At  present,  the  cormorant  is  trained  up  in 
every  part  of  China  for  the  same  purpose, 
where  there  are  many  lakes  and  canals.  "  To 
this  end,"  says  Le  Compte,  "  they  are  edu- 


cated as  men  rear  up  spaniels  or  hawks,  and 
one  man  can  easily  manage  a  hundred.  The 
fisher  carries  them  out  into  the  lake,  perched 
on  the  gunnel  of  his  boat,  where  they  continue 
tranquil,  and  expecting hisorders  with  patience. 
When  arrived  at  the  proper  place,  at  the  first 
signal  given  each  flies  a  different  way  to  fulfil 
the  task  assigned  it.  It  is  very  pleasant,  on 
this  occasion,  to  behold  with  what  sagacity 
they  portion  out  the  lake  or  the  canal  where 
they  are  upon  duty.  They  hunt  about,  they 
plunge,  they  rise  an  hundred  times  to  the  sur- 
face, until  they  have  at  last  found  their  prey. 
They  then  seize  it  with  their  beak  by  the 
middle,  and  carry  it  without  fail  to  their  mas- 
ter. When  the  fish  is  too  large,  they  then 
give  each  other  mutual  assistance :  one  seizes 
it  by  the  head,  the  other  by  the  tail,  and  in 
this  manner  carry  it  to  the  boat  together. 
There  the  boat-man  stretches  out  one  of  his 
long  oars,  on  which  they  perch,  and  being 
delivered  of  their  burden,  they  fly  off  to  pursue 
their  sport.  When  they  are  wearied,  he  lets 
them  rest  for  a  while  ;  but  they  are  never  fed 
till  their  work  is  over.  In  this  manner  they 
supply  a  very  plentiful  table ;  but  still  their 
natural  gluttony  cannot  be  reclaimed  even  by 
education.  They  have  always,  while  they 
fish,  the  same  string  fastened  round  their 
throats,  to  prevent  them  from  devouring  their 
prey,  as  otherwise  they  would  at  once  satiate 
themselves,  and  discontinue  their  pursuit  the 
moment  they  had  filled  their  bellies." 

As  for  the  rest,  the  cormorant  is  the  best 
fisher  of  all  birds ;  and  though  fat  and  heavy 
with  the  quantity  it  devours,  is  nevertheless 
generally  upon  the  wing.  The  great  activity 
with  which  it  pursues,  and  from  a  vast  hefght 
drops  down  to  dive  after  its  prey,  offers  one  of 
the  most  amusing  spectacles  to  those  who 
stand  upon  a  cliff  on  the  shore.  This  large 
bird  is  seldom  seen  in  the  air,  but  where  there 
are  fish  below  ;  but  then  they  must  be  near 
the  surface,  before  it  will  venture  to  souse 
upon  them.  If  they  are  at  a  depth  beyond 
what  the  impetus  of  its  flight  makes  the  cor- 
morant capable  of  diving  to,  they  certainly 
escape  him  ;  for  this  bird  cannot  move  so  fast 
under  water,  as  the  fish  can  swim.  It  seldom, 
however,  makes  an  unsuccessful  dip;  and  is 
often  seen  rising  heavily,  with  a  fish  larger 
than  it  can  readily  devour.  It  sometimes  also 
happens,  that  the  cormorant  has  caught  the 

4O* 


582 


A  HISTORY  OF 


fish  by  the  tail;  and  consequently  the  fins 
prevent  its  being  easily  swallowed  in  that 
position. 


In  this  case,  the  bird  is  seen  to  toss 


its  prey  above  its  head,  and  very  dexterously  to 
catch  it,  when  descending,  by  the  proper  end, 
and  so  swallow  it  with  ease." 


CHAPTER  CXXVII. 

OF  THE  GANNET,  OR  SOLAND  GOOSE. 


THE  Gannet  is  of  the  size  of  a  tame  goose, 
but  its  wings  much  longer,  being  six  feet  over. 
The  bill  is  six  inches  long,  straight  almost  to 
the  point,  where  it  inclines  down,  and  the 
sides  are  irregularly  jagged,  that  it  may  hold 
its  prey  with  greater  security.  It  differs  from 
the  cormorant  in  size,  being  larger ;  and  its 
colour,  which  is  chiefly  white ;  and  by  its 
having  no  nostrils,  but  in  their  place  a  long 
furrow  that  reaches  almost  to  the  end  of  the 
bill.  From  the  corner  of  the  mouth  is  a  nar- 
row slip  of  black  bare  skin,  that  extends  to  the 
hind  part  of  the  head ;  beneath  the  skin  is 
another  that,  like  the  pouch  of  the  pelican,  is 
dilatable,  and  of  size  sufficient  to  contain  five 
or  six  entire  herrings,  which  in  the  breeding 
season  it  carries  at  once  to  its  mate  or  its 
young. 

These  birds,  which  subsist  entirely  upon 
fish,  chiefly  resort  to  those  uninhabited  islands 
where  their  food  is  found  in  plenty,  and  men 
seldom  come  to  disturb  them.  The  islands  to 
the  north  of  Scotland,  the  Skelig  islands  off 
the  coasts  of  Kerry  in  Ireland,  and  those  that 
lie  in  the  north  sea  off  Norway,  abound  with 
them.  But  it  is  on  the  Bass  island,  in  the 
Frith  of  Edinburgh,  where  they  are  seen  in 
the  greatest  abundance.  "  There  is  a  small 
island,"  says  the  celebrated  Harvey,  "  called 
the  Bass,  not  more  than  a  mile  in  circum- 
ference. The  surface  is  almost  wholly  cover- 
ed during  the  months  of  May  and  June  with 
their  nests,  their  eggs,  and  young.  It  is  scarce- 
ly possible  to  walk  without  treading  on  them : 
the  flocks  of  birds  upon  the  wing  are  so  nu- 
merous, as  to  darken  the  air  like  a  cloud  ; 
and  their  noise  is  such,  that  one  cannot  with- 

»  These  birds  build  their  nests  on  the  highest  parts  of 
the  chfls  that  hang  over  the  sea:  they  lay  three  or  more 
l>ale  green  eggs,  about  the  size  of  those  of  a  goose.  In 


out  difficulty  be  heard  by  the  person  next  to 
him.  When  one  looks  down  upon  the  sea 
from  the  precipice,  its  whole  surface  seems 
covered  with  infinite  numbers  of  birds  of  dif- 
ferent kinds,  swimming  and  pursuing  their 
prey.  If,  in  sailing  round  the  island,  one 
surveys  its  hanging  cliffs,  in  every  crag,  or 
fissure  of  the  broken  rocks,  may  be  seen  innu- 
merable birds,  of  various  sorts  and  sizes,  more 
than  the  stars  of  heaven,  when  viewed  in  a 
serene  night.  If  they  are  viewed  at  a  dis- 
tance, either  receding,  or  in  their  appproach 
to  the  island,  they  seem  like  one  vast  swarm 
of  bees." 

They  are  not  less  frequent  upon  the  rocks 
of  St.  Kilda.  Martin  assures  us,  that  the 
inhabitants  of  that  small  island  consume  annu- 
ally near  twenty-three  thousand  young  birds' 
of  this  species,  besides  an  amazing  quantity  of 
their  eggs.  On  these  they  principally  subsist 
throughout  the  year ;  and  from  the  number  of 
these  visitants,  make  an  estimate  of  their  plenty 
for  the  season.  They  preserve  both  the  eggs 
and  fowls  in  small  pyramidal  stone  buildings, 
covering  them  with  turf  ashes,  to  prevent  the 
evaporation  of  their  moisture. 

The  gannet  is  a  bird  of  passage.  In  winter 
it  seeks  the  more  southern  coasts  of  Cornwall, 
hovering  over  the  shoals  of  herrings  and  pil- 
chards that  then  come  down  from  the  north- 
ern seas ;  its  first  appearance  in  the  northern 
islands  is  in  the  beginning  of  spring ;  and  it 
continues  to  breed  till  the  end  of  summer. 
But,  in  general,  its  motions  are  determined  by 
the  migrations  of  the  immense  shonls  of  her- 
rings that  come  pouring  down  at  that  season 
through  the  British  Channel,  an<I  supply  all 

winter  they  disperse  themselves  along  the  shores,  visiting 
the  fresh-water  ponds  and  lakes,  where  they  commit  great 
depredations  among  the  fish. 


WATER-FOWL. 


583 


Europe,  as  well  as  this  bird,  with  their  spoil. 
The  gannet  assiduously  attends  the  shoal  in 
their  passage,  keeps  with  them  in  their  whole 
circuit  round  our  island,  and  shares  with  our 
fishermen  this  exhaustless  banquet.  As  it  is 
strong  of  wing,  it  never  comes  near  the  land; 
but  is  constant  to  its  prey.  Wherever  the 
gannet  is  seen,  it  is  sure  to  announce  to  the 
fishermen  the  arrival  of  the  finny  tribe :  they 
(her.  prepare  their  nets,  and  take  the  herrings 
by  millions  at  a  draught;  while  the  gannet, 
who  came  to  give  the  first  information,  comes, 
though  an  unbidden  guest,  and  often  snatches 
its  prey  from  the  fisherman  even  in  his  boat. 
While  the  fishing  season  continues,  the  gan- 
nets  are  busily  employed ;  but  when  the  pil- 
chards disappear  from  our  coasts,  the  gannet 
takes  its  leave  to  keep  them  company. 

The  cormorant  has  been  remarked  for  the 
quickness  of  his  sight;  yet  in  this  the  gannet 
seems  to  exceed  him.  It  is  possessed  of  a 
transparent  membrane  under  the  eye-lid,  with 
which  it  covers  the  whole  eye  at  pleasure, 
without  obscuring  the  sight  in  the  smallest 
degree.  This  seems  a  necessary  provision 
for  the  security  of  the  eyes  of  so  weighty  a 
creature,  whose  method  of  taking  its  prey, 
like  I  hat  of  the  cormorant,,  is  by  darting  head- 
long down  from  a  height  of  a  hundred  feet 
and  more  into  the  water  to  seize  it.  These 


birds  are  sometimes  taken  at  sea,  by  fasten- 
ing a  pilchard  to  a  board,  which  they  leave 
floating.  The  gannet  instantly  pounces  down 
from  above  upon  the  board,  and  is  killed  or 
maimed  by  the  shock  of  a  body  where  it 
expected  no  resistance."  • 

These  birds  breed  but  once  a  year,  and  lay 
but  one  egg,  which  being  taken  away,  they 
lay  another;  if  that  is  also  taken,  then  a  third; 
but  never  more  for  that  season.  Their  egg 
is  white,  arid  rather  less  than  that  of  the  com- 
mon goose ;  and  their  nest  large,  composed 
of  such  substances  as  are  found  floating  on 
the  surface  of  the  sea.  The  young  birds, 
during  the  first  year,  differ  greatly  in  colour 
from  the  old  ones;  being  of  a  dusky  hue, 
speckled  with  numerous  triangular  white 
spots ;  and  at  that  time  resembling  the  co- 
lours of  the  speckled  diver. 

The  Bass  island,  where  they  chiefly  breed, 
belongs  to  one  proprietor;  so  that  care  is  tar 
ken  never  to  fright  away  the  birds  when  lay- 
ing, or  to  shoot  them  upon  the  wing.  By 
that  means,  they  are  so  confident  as  to  alight 
and  feed  their  young  ones  close  beside  you. 
They  feed  only  upon  fish,  as  was  observed; 
yet  the  young  gannet  is  counted  a  great  dain- 
ty by  the  Scots,  and  is  sold  very  dear;  so 
that  the  lord  of  the  islet  makes  a  considera- 
ble annual  profit  by  the  sale. 


CHAPTER  CXXVI1L 

OF  THE  SMALLER  GULLS  AND  PETRELS. 


HAVING  described  the  manners  of  the 
great  ones  of  this  tribe,  those  of  the  smaller 
kinds  may  be  easily  inferred.  They  resem- 
ble the  more  powerful  in  their  appetites  for 
prey,  but  have  not  such  certain  methods  of 
obtaining  it.  In  general,  therefore,  the  in- 
dustry of  this  tribe,  and  their  audacity,  in- 
crease in  proportion  to  their  imbecility;  the 
great  gulls  live  at  the  most  remote  distance 

»  Mr.  Pennant  says,  that  one  of  these  birds  flying  over 
Penzance  in  Cornwall,  saw  some  pilchards  lying  on  a  fir 
plank,  where  they  had  been  placed  for  curing ;  and  dart- 


from  man ;  the  smaller  are  obliged  to  reside 
wherever  they  can  take  their  prey ;  and  to 
come  into  the  most  populous  places,  when  so- 
litude can  no  longer  grant  them  a  supply.  In 
this  class  we  may  place  the  Gull,  properly  so 
called,  of  which  there  are  above  twenty  dif- 
ferent kinds ;  the  Petrel,  of  which  there  are 
three ;  and  the  Sea-swallow,  of  which  there 
are  as  many.  The  gulls  may  be  distinguish- 
ing itself  down  with  great  violence,  it  struck  its  bill  quite 
through  an  inch  and  quarter  plank*  it  was  killed  on  the 
spot. 


584 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ed  by  an  angular  knob  on  the  lower  chap ; 
the  petrels  by  their  wanting  this  knob ;  and 
the  sea-swallow  by  their  bills,  which  are 
straight,  slender,  and  sharp-pointed.  They 
all,  however,  agree  in  their  appetites,  and 
their  places  of  abode. 

The  gull,  and  all  its  varieties,  is  very  well 
known  in  every  part  of  the  kingdom.  It  is 
seen  with  a  slow-sailing  flight,  hovering  over 
rivers  to  prey  upon  the  smaller  kinds  offish; 
it  is  seen  following  the  ploughman  in  fallow 
fields  to  pick  up  insects ;  and  when  living  ani- 
mal food  does  not  offer,  it  has  been  known  to 
eat  carrion,  and  whatever  else  of  the  kind  that 
offers.  Gulls  are  found  in  great  plenty  in 
every  place ;  but  it  is  chiefly  rqund  our  bold- 
est rockiest  shores  that  they  are  seen  in  the 
greatest  abundance;  it  is  there  that  the  gull 
breeds  and  brings  up  its  young;  it  is  there 
that  millions  of  them  are  heard  screaming 
with  discordant  notes  for  months  together. 

Those  who  have  been  much  upon  our  coasts 
know  that  there  are  two  different  kinds  of 
shores;  that  which  slants  down  to  the  water 
with  a  gentle  declivity,  and  that  which  rises 
with  a  precipitate  boldness,  and  seems  set  as 
a  bulwark  to  repel  the  force  of  the  invading 
deeps.  It  is  to  such  shores  as  these  that  the 
whole  tribe  of  the  gull-kind  resort,  as  the 
rocks  offer  them  a  retreat  for  their  young, 
and  the  sea  a  sufficient  supply.  It  is  in  the 
cavities  of  these  rocks,  of  which  the  shore  is 
composed,  that  the  vast  variety  of  sea-fowls 
retire  to  breed  in  safety.  The  waves  be- 
neath, that  continually  beat  at  the  base,  often 
wear  the  shore  into  an  impending  boldness; 
so  that  it  seems  to  jut  out  over  the  water, 
while  the  raging  of  the  sea  makes  the  place 
inaccessible  from  below.  These  are  the  si- 
tuations to  which  sea-fowl  chiefly  resort,  and 
bring  up  their  young  in  undisturbed  security. 

Those  who  have  never  observed  our  bold- 
est coasts,  have  no  idea  of  their  tremendous 
sublimity.  The  boasted  works  of  art,  the 
highest  towers,  an,d  the  noblest  domes,  are 
but  ant-hills  when  put  in  comparison :  the 
single  cavity  of  a  rock  often  exhibits  a  coping 
higher  than  the  ceiling  of  a  Gothic  Cathedral. 
The  face  of  the  shore  offers  to  the  view  a  wall 
of  massive  stone,  ten  times  higher  than  our 
tallest  steeples.  What  should  we  think  of  a 
precipice  three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  height  ? 


and  yet  the  rocks  of  St.  Kilda  are  still  higher! 
What  must  be  our  awe  to  approach  the  edge 
of  that  impending  height,  and  to  look  down 
on  the  unfathomable  vacuity  below ;  to  pon- 
der on  the  terrors  of  falling  to  the  bottom, 
where  the  waves  that  swell  like  mountains 
are  scarcely  seen  to  curl  on  the  surface,  and 
the  roar  of  an  ocean  a  thousand  leagues  broad 
appears  softer  than  the  murmur  of  a  brook ! 
it  is  in  these  formidable  mansions  that  my- 
riads of  sea-fowls  are  for  ever  seen  sporting, 
flying  in  security  down  the  depth,  half  a  mile 
beneath  the  feet  of  the  spectator.  The  crow 
and  the  chough  avoid  those  frightful  precipi- 
ces ;  they  choose  smaller  heights,  where  they 
are  less  exposed  to  the  tempest;  it  is  the  cor- 
morant, the  gannet,  the  tarrock,  and  the  terne, 
that  venture  to  these  dreadful  retreats,  and 
claim  an  undisturbed  possession.  To  the 
spectator  from  above,  those  birds,  though 
some  of  them  are  above  the  size  of  an  eagle, 
seem  scarcely  as  large  as  a  swallow;  and 
their  loudest  screaming  is  scarcely  percep- 
tible. 

But  the  generality  of  our  shores  are  not  so 
formidable.  Though  they  may  rise  two  hun- 
dred fathoms  above  the  surface,  yet  it  often 
happens  that  the  water  forsakes  the  shore  at 
the  departure  of  the  tide,  and  leaves  a  noble 
and  delightful  walk  for  curiosity  on  the  beach. 
Not  to  mention  the  variety  of  shells  with 
which  the  sand  is  strewed,  the  lofty  rocks  that 
hang  over  the  spectator's  head,  and  that  seem 
but  just  kept  from  falling,  produce  in  him  no 
unpleasing  gloom.  If  to  this  be  added  the 
fluttering,  the  screaming,  and  the  pursuits  of 
myriads  of  water-birds,  all  either  intent  on 
the  duties  of  incubation,  or  roused  at  the  pre- 
sence of  a  stranger,  nothing  can  compose  a 
scene  of  more  peculiar  solemnity.  To  walk 
along  the  shore  when  the  tide  is  departed,  or 
to  sit  in  the  hollow  of  a  rock  when  it  is 
come  in,  attentive  to  the  various  sounds  that 
gather  on  every  side,  above  and  below,  may 
raise  the  mind  to  its  highest  and  noblest  ex- 
ertions. The  solemn  roar  of  the  waves 
swelling  into  and  subsiding  from  the  vast  ca- 
verns beneath,  the  piercing  note  of  the  gull, 
the  frequent  chatter  of  the  guillemot,  the  loud 
note  of  the  hawk,  the  scream  of  the  heron, 
and  the  hoarse  deep  periodical  croaking  of 
the  cormorant,  all  unite  to  furnish  out  the 


WATER-FOWL. 


585 


grandeur  of  the  scene,  and  turn  the  mind  to 
HIM  who  is  the  essence  of  all  sublimity. 

Yet  it  often  happens  that  the  contempla- 
tion of  a  sea-shore  produces  ideas  of  an  hum- 
bler kind,  yet  still  not  unpleasing.  The  vari- 
ous arts  of  these  birds  to  seize  their  prey, 
and  sometimes  to  elude  their  pursuers,  their 
society  among  each  other,  and  their  tender- 
ness and  care  of  their  young,  produce  gentler 
sensations.  It  is  ridiculous  also  now  and  then 
to  see  their  various  ways  of  imposing  upon 
each  other.  It  is  common  enongh,for  instance, 
with  the  arctic  gull,  to  pursue  the  lesser  gulls 
so  long,  that  they  drop  their  excrements 
through  fear,  which  the  hungry  hunter  quick- 
ly gobbles  up  before  it  ever  reaches  the 
water.  In  breeding  too  they  have  frequent 
contests ;  one  bird  who  has  no  nest  of  her 
own,  attempts  to  dispossess  another,  and  puts 
herself  in  the  place.  This  often  happens 
among  all  the  gull  kind  :  and  I  have  seen  the 
poor  bird,  thus  displaced  by  her  more  pow- 
erful invader,  sit  near  the  nest  in  pensive  dis- 
content, while  the  other  seemed  quite  com- 
fortable in  her  new  habitation.  Yet  this 
place  of  pre-eminence  is  not  easily  obtained; 
for  the  instant  the  invader  goes  to  snatch  a 
momentary  sustenance,  the  other  enters  upon 
her  own,  and  always  ventures  another  battle 
before  she  relinquishes  the  justness  of  her 
claim.  The  contemplation  of  a  cliff  thus 
covered  with  hatching-birds,  affords  a  very 
agreeable  entertainment ;  and  as  they  sit 
upon  the  ledges  of  the  rocks,  one  above 
another,  with  their  white  breasts  forward, 
the  whole  group  has  not  unaptly  been  com- 
pared to  an  apothecary's  shop. 

These  birds,  like  all  others  of  the  rapaci- 
ous kind,  lay  but  few  eggs;  and  hence,  in 
many  places,  their  number 'is  daily  seen  to 
diminish.  The  lessening  of  so  many  rapa- 
cious birds  may,  at  first  sight,  appear  a  bene- 
fit to  mankind  ;  but  when  we  consider  how 
many  of  the  natives  of  our  islands  are  sustain- 
ed by  their  flesh,  either  fresh  or  salted,  we 
shall  find  no  satisfaction  in  thinking  that  these 
poor  people  may  in  time  lose  their  chief  sup- 
port. The 


jull,  in 

builds  on  the  ledges  o 
one  egg  to  three,  in 
grass  and  sea-weed. 


eneral,   as   was  said, 
rocks,  and  lays  from 
a  nest  formed  of  long 
Most  of  the  kind  are 


fishy  tasted,  with  black  stringy  flesh;  yet  the 


young  ones  are  better  food :  and  of  these, 
with  several  other  birds  of  the  penguin  kind, 
the  poor  inhabitants  of  our  northern  islands 
make  their  wretched  banquets.  They  have 
been  long  used  to  no  other  food ;  and  even 
salted  gull  -can  be  relished  by  those  who 
know  no  better.  Almost  all  delicacy  is  a 
relative  thing ;  and  the  man  who  repines  at 
the  luxuries  of  a  well-served  table,  starves 
riot  for  want,  but  from  comparison.  The 
luxuries  of  the  poor  are  indeed  coarse  to  us, 
yet  still  they  are  luxuries  to  those  ignorant  of 
better;  and  it  is  probable  enough  that  a 
Kilda  or  a  Feroe  man  may  be  found  to  exist, 
outdoing  Apicius  himself  in  consulting  the 
pleasures  of  the  table.  Indeed,  if  it  be  true 
that  such  meat  as  is  the  most  dangerously 
earned  is  the  sweetest,  no  men  can  dine  so 
luxuriously  as  these,  as  none  venture  so 
hardily  in  the  pursuit  of  a  dinner.  In  Jacob- 
son's  History  of  the  Feroe  islands,  we  have 
an  account  of  the  method  in  which  those 
birds  are  taken;  and  1  will  deliver  it  in  his 
own  simple  manner. 

"  It  cannot  be  expressed  with  what  pains 
and  danger  they  take  these  birds  in  those 
high  steep  cliffs,  whereof  many  are  two  hun- 
dred fathoms  high.  But  there  are  men  apt 
by  nature,  and  fit  for  the  work,  who  take  them 
usually  in  two  manners:  they  either  climb 
from  below  into  these  high  promontories,  that 
are  as  steep  as  a  w  all ;  or  they  let  themselves 
down  with  a  rope  from  above.  When  they 
climb  from  below,  they  have  a  pole  five  or 
six  ells  long  with  an  iron  hook  at  the  end, 
which  they  that  are  below  in  the  boat,  or  on 
the  cliff,  fasten  unto  the  man's  girdle,  helping 
him  up  thus  to  the  highest  place  where  he 
can  get  footing;  afterwards  they  also  help  up 
another  man;  and  thus  several  climb  up  as 
high  as  they  possibly  can  ;  and,  where  they 
find  difficulty,  they  help  each  other  up,  by 
thrusting  one  another  up  with  their  poles. 
When  the  first  hath  taken  footing,  he  draws 
the  other  up  to  him,  by  the  rope  fastened  to 
his  waist ;  and  so  they  proceed,  till  they  come 
to  the  place  where  the  birds  build.  They 
there  go  about  as  well  as  Uiey  can  in  those 
dangerous  places  ;  the  one  holding  the  rope 
at  one  end,  and  fixing  himself  to  the  rock ; 
the  other  going  at  the  other  end  from  place 
to  place.  If  it  should  happen  that  he  chaiv 


536 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ceth  to  fall,  the  other  that  stands  firm  keeps  him 
up,  and  helps  him  up  again.  But  if  he  passeth 
safe,  he  likewise  fastens  himself  till  the  other  has 
passed  the  same  dangerous  place  also.  Thus 
they  go  about  the  cliffs  after  birds  as  they  please. 
It  often  happeneth,  however,  (the  more  is  the 
pity)  that  when  one  doth  not  stand  fast  enough, 
or  is  not  sufficiently  strong  to  hold  up  the  other 
in  his  fall,  that  they  both  fall  down,  and  are 
killed.  In  this  manner  some  do  perish  every 
year." 

Mr.  Peter  Clanson,  in  his  description  of  Nor- 
way, writes,  that  there  was  anciently  a  law  in 
that  country,  that  whosoever  climbed  so  on 
the  cliffs  that  he  fell  down  and  died,  if  the 
body  was  found  before  burial,  his  next  kins- 
man should  go  the  same  way;  but  if  he  durst 
not,  or  could  not  do  it,  the  dead  body  was  not 
then  to  be  buried  in  sanctified  earth,  as  the 
person  was  too  full  of  temerity,  and  his  own 
destroyer. 

"  When  the  fowlers  are  come,  in  the.  manner 
aforesaid,  to  the  birds  within  the  cliffs,  where 
people  seldom  come,  the  birds  are  so  tame, 
that  they  take  them  with  their  hands  ;  for  they 
will  not  readily  leave  their  young.  But  when 
they  are  wild,  they  cast  a  net,  with  which 
they  are  provided,  over  them,  and  entangle 
them  therein.  In  the  mean  time,  there  lieth  a 
boat  beneath  in  the  sea,  wherein  they  cast  the 
birds  killed  ;  and,  in  this  manner,  they  can  in 
a  short  time  fill  a  boat  with  fowl.  When  it  is 
pretty  fair  weather,  andther^  is  good  fowling, 
the  fowlers  stay  in  the  cliff  seven  or  eight  days 
together ;  for  there  are  here  and  there  holes  in 
the  rocks,  where  they  can  safely  rest ;  and 
they  have  meat  let  down  to  them  with  a  line 
from  the  top  of  the  mountain.  In  the  mean 
t  im  some  go  every  day  to  them,  to  fetch  home 
what  they  have  taken. 

"  Some  rocks  are  so  difficult,  that  they  can 
in  no  manner  get  unto  them  from  below ; 
wherefore  they  seek  to  come  down  thereunto 
from  above.  For  this  purpose  they  have  a 
rope  eighty  or  a  hundred  fathoms  long,  made 
of  hemp,  and  three  fingers  thick.  The  fowler 
maketh  the  end  of  this  fast  about  his  waist, 
and  between  his  legs,  so  that  he  can  sit  there- 
on ;  and  is  thus  let  down,  with  the  fowling- 
staff  in  his  hand.  Six  men  hold  by  the  rope, 
and  let  him  easily  down,  laying  a  large  piece 
of  wood  on  the  brink  of  the  rock,  upon  which 
the  rope  glideth,  that  it  may  not  be  worn  to 


pieces  by  the  hard  and  rough  edge  of  the  stone. 
They  have,  besides,  another  small  line,  that  is 
fastened  to  the  fowler's  body ;  on  which   he 
pulleth,  to  give  them  notice  how  they  should 
let  down  the  great  rope,  either  lower  or  higher ; 
or  to  hold  still,  that  he  may  stay  in  the  place 
whereunto  he  is  come.     Here  the  man  is  in 
great  danger,  because  of  the  stones  that  are 
loosened  from  the  cliff,  by  the  swinging  of  the 
rope,  and  he  cannot  avoid  them.     To  remedy 
this,  in  some  measure,  he  hath  usually  on  his 
head  a  seaman's  thick  and  shaggy  cap,  which 
defends  him  from  the  blows  of  the  stones,  if 
they  be  not  too  big ;  and  then  it  costeth  him  his 
life  :  nevertheless,  they  continually  put  them- 
selves in  that  danger,  for  the  wretched  body's 
food  sake,  hoping  in  God's  mercy  and  pro- 
tection, unto  which  the  greatest  part  of  them 
do  devoutly  recommend  themselves  when  they 
go  to  work  :  otherwise,  they  say,  there  is  no 
other  great  danger  in  it,  except  that  it  is  a 
toilsome  and  artificial  labour ;  for  he  that  hath 
not  learned  to  be  so  let  down,  and  is  not  used 
thereto,  is  turned  about  with  the  rope,  so  that 
he  soon  groueth  giddy,  and  can  do  nothing ; 
but  he  that  hath  learned  the  art,  considers  it 
as  a  sport,  swings  himself  on  the  rope,  sets  his 
feet  against  the  rock,  casts  himself  some  fathoms 
from  thence,  and  shoots  himself  to  what  place 
he  will :  he  knows  where  the  birds  are,  he  un- 
derstands how  to  sit  on  the  line  in  the  air,  and 
how  to  hold  the  fowling-staff  in  his  hand  ; 
striking  therewith  the  birds  that  come  or  fly 
away  :  and  when  there  are  holes  in  the  rocks, 
and  it  stretches  itself  out,  making  underneath 
as  a  ceiling  under  which  the  birds  are,  he 
knoweth  how  to  shoot  himself  in  among  them, 
and  there  take  firm  footing.     There,  when  he 
is  in  these  holes,  he  maketh  himself  loose  of 
the  rope,  which  he  fastens  to  a  crag  of  the 
rock,  that  it  may  not  slip  from  him  to  the  out- 
side of  the  cliff.     He  then  goes  about  in  the 
rock,  taking  the  fowl  either  with  his  hands  or 
the  fowling-staff.     Thus,  when  he  hath  killed 
as  many  birds  as  he  thinks  fit,  he  ties  them  in  a 
bundle,  and  fastens  them  to  a  little  rope,  giv- 
ing a  sign,  by  pulling,  that  they  should  draw 
them  up.      When  he  has  wrought  thus  the 
whole  day,  and  desires  to  get  up  again,  he 
sitteth  once  more  upon  the  great  rope,  giving 
a  new  sign  that  they  should  pull  him  up ;  or 
else  he  worketh  himself  up,  climbing  along 
the  rope,  with  his  girdle  full  of  birds.     It  is 


WATER-FOWL. 


587 


also  usual,  where  there  are  not  folks  enough 
to  hold  the  great  rope,  for  the  fowler  to  drive 
a  post  sloping  into  the  earth,  and  to  make  a 
rope  fast  therefore,  by  which  he  lets  himself 
down  without  any  body's  help,  to  work  in  the 
manner  aforesaid.  Some  rocks  are  so  form- 
ed that  the  person  can  go  into  their  cavities 
by  land. 

"  These  manners  are  more  terrible  and 
dangerous  to  see  than  to  describe ;  especial- 
ly if  one  considers  the  steepness  and  height 
of  the  rocks,  it  seeming  impossible  for  a  man 
to  approach  them,  much  less  to  climb  or  de- 
scend. In  some  places,  the  fowlers  are  seen 
climbing  where  they  can  only  fasten  the  ends 
of  their  toes  and  fingers ;  not  shunning  such 
places,  though  there  be  a  hundred  fathom 
between  them  and  the  sea.  It  is  a  dear  meat 
for  these  poor  people,  for  which  they  must 
venture  their  lives ;  and  many,  after  long  ven- 
turing, do  at  last  perish  therein. 

"  When  the  fowl  is  brought  home,  a  part 


thereof  is  eaten  fresh ;  another  part,  when 
there  is  much  taken,  being  hung  up  for  win- 
ter provision.  The  feathers  are  gathered  to 
make  merchandise  of,  for  other  expenses. 
The  inhabitants  get  a  great  many  of  these 
fowls,  as  God  giveth  his  blessing  and  fit  wea> 
ther.  When  it  is  dark  and  hazy,  they  take 
most ;  for  then  the  birds  stay  in  the  rocks  : 
but  in  clear  weather,  and  hot  sun-shine,  they 
seek  the  sea.  When  they  prepare  to  depart 
for  the  season,  they  keep  themselves  most 
there,  sitting  on  the  cliffs  towards  the  sea- 
side, where  people  get  at  them  sometimes 
with  boats,  and  take  them  with  fowling-staves." 
Such  is  the  account  of  this  historian ;  but 
we  are  not  to  suppose  that  all  the  birds 
caught  in  this  manner  are  of  the  gull-kind  : 
on  the  contrary,  numbers  of  them  are  of  the 
penguin  kind ;  auks,  puffins,  and  guillemots. 
These  all  come,  once  a  season,  to  breed  in 
these  recesses ;  and  retire  in  winter  to  fish  in 
more  southern  climates. 


CHAPTER  CXXIX. 

OF  THE  PENGUIN  KIND:  AND  FIRST,  OF  THE  GREAT  MAGELLANIC  PENGUIN. 


THE  gulls  are  long-winged,  swift  flyers, 
that  hover  over  the  most  extensive  seas,  and 
dart  down  upon  such  fish  as  approach  too 
near  the  surface.  The  penguin  kind  are  but 
ill  fitted  for  flight,  and  still  less  for  walking. 
Every  body  must  have  seen  the  awkward 
manner  in  which  a  duck,  either  wild  or  tame, 
attempts  to  change  place :  they  must  recol- 
lect with  what  softness  and  ease  a  gull  or  a 
kite  waves  its  pinions,  and  with  what  a  coil 
and  flutter  the  duck  attempts  to  move  them; 
how  many  strokes  it  is  obliged  to  give,  in 
order  to  gather  a  little  air;  and  even  when 
it  is  thus  raised,  how  soon  it  is  fatigued  with 
the  force  of  its  exertions,  and  obliged  to  take 
rest  again.  But  the  duck  is  not,  in  its  natu- 
ral state,  half  so  unwieldy  an  animal  as  the 
whole  tribe  of  the  penguin  kind.  Their 
wings  are  much  shorter,  more  scantily  fur- 
nished with  quills,  and  the  whole  pinion 
placed  too  forward  to  be  usefully  employed 

HO.  49  &  20. 


For  this  reason,  the  largest  of  the  penguin 
kind,  that  have  a  thick  heavy  body  to  raise, 
cannot  fly  at  all.  Their  wings  serve  them 
rather  as  paddles  to  help  them  forward,  when 
they  attempt  to  move  swiftly,  and  in  a  man- 
ner walk  along  the  surface  of  the  water. 
Even  the  smallest  kinds  seldom  fly  by  choice; 
they  flutter  their  wings  with  the  swiftest 
efforts  without  making  way  ;  and  though  they 
have  but  a  small  weight  of  body  to  sustain, 
yet  they  seldom  venture  to  quit  the  water, 
where  they  are  provided  with  food  and  pro- 
tection. 

As  the  wings  of  the  penguin  tribe  are  un- 
fitted for  flight,  their  legs  are  still  more  awk- 
wardly adapted  for  walking.  This  whole 
tribe  have  all  above  the  knee  hid  within  the 
belly :  and  nothing  appears  but  two  short 
legs,  or  feet,  as  some  would  call  them,  that 
seem  stuck  under  the  rump,  and  upon  which 
the  animal  is  very  awkwardly  supported. 

4P 


A  HISTORY  OF 


They  seem,  when  sitting,  or  attempting  to 
walk,  like  a  dog  that  has  been  taught  to  sit 
up,  or  to  move  a  minuet.  Their  short  legs 
drive  the  body  in  progression  from  side  to 
side ;  and  were  they  not  assisted  by  their 
wings,  they  could  scarcely  move  faster  than 
a  tortoise. 

This  awkward  position  of  the  legs,  which 
so  unqualifies  them  for  living  upon  land,  adapts 
them  admirably  fora  residence  in  water.  In 
that,  the  legs  placed  behind  the  moving  body, 
pushes  it  forward  with  the  greater  velocity; 
and  these  birds,  like  Indian  canoes,  are  the 
swiftest  in  the  water,  by  having  their  paddles 
in  the  rear.  Our  sailors,  for  this  reason,  give 
these  birds  the  very  homely,  but  expressive, 
name  of  arse-feet. 

Nor  are  they  less  qualified  for  diving  than 
swimming.  By  ever  so  little  inclining  their 
bodies  forward,  they  lose  their  centre  of  gra- 
vity ;  and  every  stroke  from  their  feet  only 
tends  to  sink  them  the  faster.  In  this  man- 
ner they  can  either  dive  at  once  to  the  bot- 
tom, or  swim  between  two  waters;  where 
they  continue  fishing  for  some  minutes,  and 
then  ascending,  catch  an  instantaneous  breath, 
to  descend  once  more  to  renew  their  opera- 
tions. Hence  it  is,  that  these  birds,  which 
are  so  defenceless,  and  so  easily  taken  by 
land,  are  impregnable  by  water.  If  they  per- 
ceive themselves  pursued  in  the  least,  they 
instantly  sink,  and  show  nothing  more  than 
their  bills,  till  the  enemy  is  withdrawn.  Their 
very  internal  conformation  assists  their  power 
of  keeping  long  under  water.  Their  lungs 
are  fitted  with  numerous  vacuities,  by  which 
they  can  take  in  a  very  large  inspiration ;  and 
this  probably  serves  them  for  a  length  of  time. 

As  they  never  visit  land,  except  when  they 
come  to  breed,  their  feathers  take  a  colour 
from  their  situation.  That  part  of  them  which 
has  been  continually  bathed  in  the  water,  is 
white;  while  their  backs  and  wings  are  of 
different  colours,  according  to  the  different 
species.  They  are  also  covered  more  warm- 
ly all  over  the  body  with  feathers,  than  any 
other  birds  whatever;  so  that  the  sea  seems 
entirely  their  element:  and  but  for  the  ne- 
cessary duties  of  propagating  their  species, 
we  should  scarcely  have  the  smallest  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  them,  and  should  be  utterly 
unacquainted  with  their  history. 


Of  all  this  tribe,  the  Magellanic  Penguin  is 
the  largest,  and  the  most  remarkable.  In  size 
it  approaches  near  that  of  a  tame  goose.  It 
never  flies,  as  its  wings  are  very  short,  and 
covered  with  stiff  hard  feathers,  and  are  al- 
ways seen  expanded,  and  hanging  uselessly 
down  by  the  bird's  sides.  The  upper  part 
of  the  head,  back,  and  rump,  are  covered  with 
stifFblack  feathers;  while  the  belly  and  breast, 
as  is  common  with  all  of  this  kind,  are  of  a 
snowy  whiteness,  except  a  line  of  black  that 
is  seen  to  cross  the  crop.  The  bill,  which 
from  the  base  to  about  half  way  is  covered 
with  wrinkles,  is  black,  but  marked  crossway 
with  a  stripe  of  yellow.  They  walk  erect, 
with  their  heads  on  high,  their  fin-like  wings 
hanging  down  like  arms  ;  so  that  to  see  them 
at  a  distance,  they  look  like  so  many  children 
with  white  aprons.  From  hence  they  are 
said  to  unite  in  themselves  the  qualities  of  men, 
fowls,  and  fishes.  Like  men,  they  are  up- 
right; like  fowls,  they  are  feathered;  and 
like  fishes,  they  have  fin-like  instruments,  that 
beat  the  water  before,  and  serve  for  all  the 
purposes  of  swimming,  rather  than  flying. 

They  feed  upon  fish;  and  seldom  come 
ashore,  except  in  the  breeding-season.  As 
the  seas  in  that  part  of  the  world  abound  with 
a  variety,  they  seldom  want  food  ;  and  their 
extreme  fatness  seems  a  proof  of  the  plenty 
in  which  they  live.  They  dive  with  great 
rapidity,  and  are  voracious  to  a  great  degree. 
One  of  them,  described  by  Clusius,  though 
but  very  young,  would  swallow  an  entire  her- 
ring at  a  mouthful,  and  often  three  successive- 
ly before  it  was  appeased.  In  consequence 
of  this  gluttonous  appetite,  their  flesh  is  rank 
and  fishy ;  though  our  sailors  say,  that  it  is 
pretty  good  eating.  In  some  the  flesh  is  so  tough, 
and  the  feathers  so  thick,  that  they  stand  the 
blow  of  a  scimetar  without  injury. 

They  are  a  bird  of  society;  alid,  especial- 
ly when  they  come  on  shore,  they  are  seen 
drawn  up  in  rank  and  file,  upon  the  ledge  of 
a  rock,  standing  together  with  the  albatross, 
as  if  in  consultation.  This  is  previous  to  their 
laying,  which  generally  begins,  in  that  part 
of  the  world,  in  the  month  of  November. 
Their  preparations  for  laying  are  attended 
with  no  great  trouble,  as  a  small  depression 
in  the  earth,  without  any  other  nest,  serves 
for  this  purpose.  The  warmth  of  their  fea- 


WATER-FOWL. 


.589 


thers  and  the  heat  of  their  bodies  is  such, 
that  the  progress  of  incubation  is  carried  on 
very  rapidly. 

But  there  is  a  difference  in  the  manner  of 
this  bird's  nestling  in  other  countries,  which 
I  can  only  ascribe  to  the  frequent  disturban- 
ces it  has  received  from  man  or  quadrupeds 
in  its  recesses.  In  some  places,  instead  of 
contenting  itself  with  a  superficial  depres- 
sion in  the  earth,  the  penguin  is  found  to  bur- 
row two  or  three  yards  deep:-  in  other  places 
it  is  seen  to  forsake  the  level,  and  to  clamber 
up  the  ledge  of  a  rock,  where  it  lays  its  egg, 
and  hatches  it  in  that  bleak  exposed  situation. 
These  precautions  may  probably  have  been 
taken,  in  consequence  of  dear-bought  expe- 
rience. In  those  countries  where  the  bird 
fears  for  her  own  safety,  or  that  of  her  young, 
she  may  providently  provide  against  danger, 
by  digging,  or  even  by  climbing;  for  both 
which  she  is  but  ill  adapted  by  nature.  In 
those  places,  however,  where  the  penguin 
has  had  but  few  visits  from  man,  her  nest  is 
made,  with  the  most  confident  security,  in  the 
middle  of  some  large  plain,  where  they  are 
seen  by  thousands.  In  that  unguarded  situa- 
tion, neither  expecting  nor  fearing  a  power- 
ful enemy,  they  continue  to  sit  brooding; 
and  even  when  man  comes  among  them,  have 
at  first  no  apprehension  of  their  danger.  Some 
of  this  tribe  have  been  called,  by  our  seamen, 
the  Booby,  from  the  total  insensibility  which 
they  show  when  they  are  sought  to  their  de- 
struction. But  it  is  not  considered  that  these 
birds  have  never  been  taught  to  know  the 
dangers  of  a  human  enemy :  it  is  against  the 
fox  or  the  vulture  that  they  have  learned  to 


defend  themselves ;  but  they  have  no  idea  of 
injury  from  a  being  so  very  unlike  their  natu- 
ral opposers.  The  penguins,  therefore,  when 
our  seamen  first  came  among  them,  tamely 
suffered  themselves  to  be  knocked  on  the 
head,  without  even  attempting  an  escape. 
They  have  stood  to  be  shot  at  in  flocks,  with- 
out offering  to  move,  in  silent  wonder,  till 
every  one  of  their  number  has  been  destroy- 
ed. Their  attachment  to  their  nests  was  still 
more  powerful ;  for  the  females  tamely  suffer- 
ed the  men  to  approach  and  take  their  eggs, 
without  any  resistance.  But  the  experience 
of  a  few  of  those  unfriendly  visits,  has  long 
since  taught  them  to  be  more  upon  their 
guard  in  choosing  their  situations;  or  to 
leave  those  retreats  where  they  were  so  little 
able  to  oppose  their  invaders. 

The  penguin  lays  but  one  egg;  and,  in 
frequented  shores,  is  found  to  burrow  like  a 
rabbit :  sometimes  three  or  four  take  posses- 
sion of  one  hole,  and  hatch  their  young  to- 
gether. In  the  holes  of  the  rocks,  where  na- 
ture has  made  them  a  retreat,  several  of  this 
tribe,  as  Linnasus  assures  us,  are  seen  to- 
gether. There  the  females  lay  their  single 
egg,  in  a  common  nest,  and  sit  upon  this, 
their  general  possession,  by  turns ;  while  one 
is  placed  as  a  centinel,  to  give  warning  of 
approaching  danger.  The  egg  of  the  pen- 
guin, as  well  as  of  all  this  tribe,  is  very  large 
for  the  size  of  the  bird,  being  generally  found 
bigger  than  that  of  a  goose.  But  as  there 
are  many  varieties  of  the  penguin,  and  as  they 
differ  in  size,  from  that  of  a  Muscovy  duck 
to  a  swan,  the  eggs  differ  in  the  same  propor- 
tion. 


CHAPTER  CXXX  . 

OF  THE  AUK,  PUFFIN,  AND  OTHER  BIRDS  OF  THE  PENGUIN  KIND. 


OF  a  size  far  inferior  to  the  penguin,  but 
with  nearly  the  same  form,  and  exactly  of  the 
same  appetites  and  manners,  there  is  a  very 
numerous  tribe.  These  frequent  ourshores, 
and,  like  tho  penguin,  have  their  legs  placed 
behind.  They  have  short  wings,  which  are 


not  totally  incapable  of  flight;  with  round 
bills  for  seizing  their  prey,  which  is  fish. 
They  live  upon  the  water,  in  which  they  are 
continually  seen  diving;  and  seldom  venture 
upon  land,  except  for  the  purposes  of  con- 
kind. 

4P* 


tinuing  their 


.590 


A  HISTORY  OF 


The  first  of  this  smaller  tribe  is  the  Great 
Northern  Diver,  which  is  nearly  the  size  of  a 
goose:  it  is  beautifully  variegated  all  over 
with  many  stripes,  and  differs  from  the  pen- 
guin, in  being  much  slenderer,  and  more  ele- 
gantly formed.  The  Gray  Speckled  Diver 
does  not  exceed  the  size  of  a  Muscovy  Duck ; 
and,  except  in  size,  greatly  resembles  the  for- 
mer. The  Auk,  which  breeds  on  the  islands 
of  St.  Kilda,  and  chiefly  differs  from  the  pen- 
guin in  size  and  colour,  is  smaller  than  a 
duck;  and  the  whole  of  the  breast  and  belly, 
as  far  as  the  middle  of  the  throat,  is  white. 
The  Guillemot  is  about  the  same  size;  it  dif- 
fers from  the  auk,  in  having  a  longer,  a  slen- 
derer, and  a  straighter  bill.  The  Scarlet- 
Throated  Diver  may  be  distinguished  by  its 
name;  and  the  Puffin,  or  Coulterneb,  is  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  birds  we  know. 

Words  cannot  easily  describe  the  form  of 
the  bill  of  the  puffin,  which  differs  so  greatly 
from  that  of  any  other  bird.  Those  who  have 
seen  the  coulter  of  a  plough,  may  form  some 
idea  of  the  beak  of  this  odd-looking  animal. 
The  bill  is  flat;  but,  very  different  from  that 
of  a  duck,  its  edge  is  upwards:  it  is  of  a  tri- 
angular figure,  and  ending  in  a  sharp  point, 
the  upper  chap  bent  a  little  downward,  where 
it  is  joined  to  the  head;  and  a  certain  cal- 
lous substance  encompassing  its  base,  as  in 
parrots.  It  is  of  two  colours;  ash-coloured 
near  the  base,  and  red  towards  the  point.  It 
has  three  furrows  or  grooves  impressed  in  it; 
one  in  the  livid  part,  two  in  the  red.  The 
eyes  are  fenced  with  a  protuberant  skin,  of  a 
livid  colour;  and  they  are  gray  or  ash- 
coloured.  These  are  marks  sufficient  to  dis- 
tinguish this  bird  by;  but  its  value  to  those 
in  whose  vicinity  it  breeds,  renders  it  still 
more  an  object  of  curiosity. 

The  puffin,  like  all  the  rest  of  this  kind,  has 
its  legs  thrown  so  far  back,  that  it  can  hard- 
ly move  without  tumbling.  This  makes  it 
rise  with  difficulty,  and  subject  to  many  falls 
before  it  gets  upon  the  wing:  but  as  it  is  a 
small  bird,  not  much  bigger  than  a  pigeon, 
when  it  once  rises,  it  can  continue  its  flight 
with  great  celerity. 

Both  this  and  all  the  former  build  no  nest: 
but  lay  their  eggs  either  in  the  crevices  of 
rocks,  or  in  holes  under  ground  near  the  shore. 
They  chiefly  choose  the  latter  situation ;  for 


the  puffin,  the  auk,  the  guillemot,  and  the  rest, 
cannot  easily  rise  to  the  nest  when  in  a  lofty 
situation.  Many  are  the  attempts  these  birds 
are  seen  to  make  to  fly  up  to  those  nests 
which  are  so  high  above  the  surface.  In  ren- 
dering them  inaccessible  to  mankind,  they  of- 
ten render  them  almost  inaccessible  to  them- 
selves. They  are  frequently  obliged  to  make 
three  or  four  efforts,  before  they  can  come  at 
the  place  of  incubation.  For  this  reason,  the 
auk  and  guillemot,  when  they  have  once  laid 
their  single  egg,  which  is  extremely  large  for 
the  size,  seldom  forsake  it  until  it  is  excluded. 
The  male,  who  is  better  furnished  for  flight, 
feeds  the  female  during  this  interval;  and  so 
bare  is  the  place  where  she  sits,  that  the  egg 
would  often  roll  down  from  the  rock,  did  not 
the  body  of  the  bird  support  it. 

But  the  puffin  seldom  chooses  these  inac- 
cessible and  troublesome  heights  for  its  situa- 
tion. Relying  on  its  courage  and  the  strength 
of  its  bill,  with  which  it  bites  most  terribly, 
it  either  makes  or  finds  a  hole  in  the  ground, 
where  to  lay  and  bring  forth  its  young.  All 
the  winter  these  birds,  like  the  rest,  are  ab- 
sent; visiting  regions  toe  remote  for  disco- 
very. At  the  latter  end  of  March,  or  the 
beginning  of  April,  come  over  a  troop  of  their 
spies  or  harbingers,  that  stay  two  or  three 
days,  as  it  were  to  view  and  search  out  for 
their  former  situations,  and  see  whether  all 
be  well.  This  done,  they  once  more  depart; 
and,  about  the  beginning  of  May,  return  again 
with  the  whole  army  of  their  companions. 
But  if  the  season  happens  to  be  stormy  and 
tempestuous,  and  the  sea  troubled,  the  un- 
fortunate voyagers  undergo  incredible  hard- 
ships ;  and  they  are  found,  by  hundreds,  cast 
away  upon  the  shores,  lean  and  perished  with 
famine.*  It  is  most  probable,  therefore,  that 
this  voyage  is  performed  more  on  the  water 
than  in  the  air;  and  as  they  cannot  fish  in 
stormy  weather,  their  strength  is  exhausted 
before  they  can  arrive  at  their  wished-for 
harbour. 

The  puffin,  when  it  prepares  for  breeding, 
which  always  happens  a  few  days  after  its  ar- 
rival, begins  to  scrape  up  a  hole  in  the  ground 
not  far  from  the  shore,  and  when  it  has  some 
way  penetrated  the  earth,  it  then  throws  itself 

a  Willoughby's  Ornith.  p.  326. 


WATER-FOWL. 


591 


upon  its  back,  and  with  bill  and  claws  thus 
burrows  inward,  till  it  has  dug  a  hole  with  se- 
veral windings  and  turnings,  from  eight  to  ten 
feet  deep.  It  particularly  seeks  to  (tig  under 
a  stone,  where  it  expects  the  greatest  securi- 
ty. In  this  fortified  retreat  it  lays  one  egg ; 
which,  though  the  bird  be  not  much  bigger 
thau  a  pigeon,  is  of  the  size  of  a  hen's. 

When  the  young  one  is  excluded,  the  pa- 
rent's industry  and  courage  is  incredible. 
Few  birds  or  beasts  will  venture  to  attack 
them  in  their  retreats.  When  the  great  sea- 
raven,  as  Jacobson  informs  us,  comes  to  take 
away  their  young,  the  puffins  boldly  oppose 
him.  Their  meeting  affords  a  most  singular 
combat.  As  soon  as  the  raven  approaches, 
the  puifin  catches  him  under  the  throat  with 
its  beak,  and  sticks  its  claws  into  his  breast, 
which  makes  the  raven,  with  a  loud  scream- 
ing, attempt  to  get  away ;  but  the  little  bird 
still  holds  fast  to  the  invader,  nor  lets  him  go 
till  they  both  come  to  the  sea,  where  they 
drop  down  together,  and  the  raven  is  drown- 
ed ;  yet  the  raven  is  but  too  often  successful ; 
and,  invading  the  puffin  at  the  bottom  of  its 
hole,  devours  both  the  parent  and  its  family. 

But  were  a  punishment  to  be  inflicted  for 
immorality  in  irrational  animals,  the  puffin  is 
justly  a  sufferer  from  invasion,  as  it  is  often 
itself  one  of  the  most  terrible  invaders.  Near 
the  isle  of  Anglesey,  in  an  islet  called  Pries- 
holm,  their  flocks  may  be  compared,  for  mul- 
titude, to  swarms  of  bees.  In  another  islet, 
called  the  Calf  of  Man,  a  bird  of  this  kind,  but 
of  a  different  species,  is  seen  in  great  abun- 
dance. In  both  places,  numbers  of  rabbits 
are  found  to  breed ;  but  the  puffin,  unwilling 
to  be  at  the  trouble  of  making  a  hole,  when 
there  is  one  ready  made,  disposesses  the  rab- 
bits, and  it  is  not  unlikely  destroys  their 
young.  It  is  in  these  unjustly  acquired  re- 
treats that  the  young  puffins  are  found  in 
great  numbers,  and  become  a  very  valuable 
acquisition  to  the  natives  of  the  place.  The 
old  ones  (I  am  now  speaking  of  the  Manks 
puffin)  early  in  the  morning,  at  break  of  day, 
leave  their  nests  and  young,  and  even  the  is- 
land, nor  do  they  return  till  night-fall.  All 
this  time  they  are  diligently  employed  in  fish-  | 
ing  for  their  young;  so  that  their  retreats  on 
land,  which  in  the  morning  were  loud  and 
clamorous,  are  now  still  and  quiet,  with  not 


a  wing  stirring  till  the  approach  of  dusk,  when 
their  screams  once  more  announce  their  re- 
turn. Whatever  fish,  or  other  food,  they  have 
procured  in  the  day,  by  night  begins  to  suf- 
fer a  kind  of  half  digestion,  and  is  reduced  to 
an  oily  matter,  which  is  ejected  from  the  sto- 
mach of  the  old  ones  into  the  mouth  of  the 
young.  By  this  they  are  nourished,  and  be- 
come fat  to  an  amazing  degree.  When  they 
are  arrived  to  their  full  growth,  they  who  are 
entrusted  by  the  lord  of  the  island,  draw  them 
from  their  holes ;  and.  that  they  may  more 
readily  keep  an  account  of  the  number  they 
take,  cut  off  one  foot  as  a  token.  Their  flesh 
is  said  to  be  excessively  rank,  as  they  feed 
upon  fish,  especially  sprats,  and  sea-weed; 
however,  when  they  are  pickled  and  pre- 
served with  spices,  they  are  admired  by  those 
who  are  fond  of  high  eating.  We  are  told, 
that  formerly  their  flesh  was  allowed  by  the 
church  on  Lenten  days.  They  were,  at  that 
time,  also  taken  by  ferrets,  as  we  do  rabbits. 
At  present,  they  are  either  dug  out,  or  drawn 
out,  from  their  burrows,  with  an  hooked  stick. 
They  bite  extremely  hard,  and  keep  such 
fast  hold  of  whatsoever  they  seize  upon,  as 
not  to  be  easily  disengaged.  Their  noise, 
when  taken,  is  very  disagreeable,  being  like 
the  efforts  of  a  dumb  person  attempting  to 
speak. 

The  constant  depredation  which  these  birds 
annually  suffer,  does  not  in  the  least  seem  to 
intimidate  them,  or  drive  them  away  ;  on  the 
contrary,  as  the  people  say,  the  nest  must  be 
robbed,  or  the  old  ones  will  breed  there  no 
longer.  All  birds  of  this  kind  lay  but  one  egg; 
yet  if  that  be  taken  away,  they  will  lay  ano- 
ther, and  so  on  to  a  third  ;  which  srems  to 
imply,  that  robbing  their  nests  does  not  much 
intimidate  them  from  laying  again.  Those, 
however,  whose  nests  have  been  thus  destroy- 
ed, are  often  too  late  in  bringing  up  their 
young;  who,  if  they  be  not  fledged  and  pre- 
pared for  migration  when  all  the  rest  depart, 
are  left  at  land  to  shift  for  themselves.  In 
August  the  whole  tribe  is  seen  to  take  leave 
of  their  summer  residence ;  nor  are  they  ob- 
served any  more  till  the  return  of  the  ensu- 
ing spring.  It  is  probable  that  they  sail  away 
to  more  southern  regions,  as  our  mariners  fre- 
quently see  myriads  of  water-fowl  upon  their 
return,  and  steering  usually  to  the  north.  In- 


592 


A  HISTORY  OF 


deed  the  coldest  countries  seem  to  be  their 
most  favoured  retreats ;  and  the  number  of 
water-fowl  is  much  greater  in  those  colder 
climates,  than  in  the  warmer  regions  near  the 
line.  The  quantity  of  oil  which  abounds  in 
their  bodies,  serves  as  a  defence  against  cold, 
and  preserves  them  in  vigour  against  its 
severity ;  but  the  same  provision  of  oil  is 
rather  detrimental  in  warm  countries,  as  it 
turns  rancid,  and  many  of  them  die  of  disor- 
ders which  arise  from  its  putrefaction.  In 
general,  however,  water-fowl  can  be  properly 
said  to  beof  no  climate;  the  element  upon  which 
they  live,  being  their  proper  residence.  They 
necessarily  spend  a  few  months  of  summer  upon 
land,  to  bring  up  their  young ;  but  the  rest  of  their 
time  is  probably  consumed  in  their  migrations, 
or  near  some  unknown  coasts,  where  their  pro- 
vision of  fish  is  found  in  greatest  abundance. 
Before  I  go  to  the  third  general  division  of 


water-fowls,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  observe, 
that  there  is  one  species  of  round-billed  water- 
fowl, that  does  not  properly  lie  within  any  of 
the  former  distributions.  This  is  the  Goose- 
ander  ;  a  bird  with  the  body  and  wings  shaped 
like  those  of  the  penguin  kind,  but  with 
legs  not  hid  in  the  belly.  It  may  be  distin- 
guished from  all  others  by  its  bill,  which  is 
round,  hooked  at  the  point,  and  toothed,  both 
upper  and  under  chap,  like  a  saw.  Its  colours 
are  various  and  beautiful :  however,  its  man- 
ners and  appetites  entirely  resemble  those  of 
the  diver.  It  feeds  upon  fish,  for  which  it 
dives ;  and  is  said  to  build  its  nest  upon  trees, 
like  the  heron  and  the  cormorant.  It  seems 
to  form  the  shade  between  the  penguin  and 
the  goose  kind  ;  having  a  round  bill  like  the 
one ;  and  unembarrassed  legs,  like  the  other. 
In  the  shape  of  the  head,  neck,  and  body,  it 
resembles  them  both. 


CHAPTEfc  CXXXI. 

OF  BIRDS  OF  THE  GOOSE  KIND,  PROPERLY  SO  CALLED. 


THE  Swan,  the  Goose,  and  the  Duck,  are 
leaders  of  a  numerous,  useful,  and  beautiful 
tribe  of  birds,  that  we  have  reclaimed  from  a 
state  of  nature,  and  have  taught  to  live  in  de- 
pendence about  us.  To  describe  any  of  these, 
would  be  as  superfluous  as  definitions  usually 
are  when  given  of  things  with  which  we  are 
already  well  acquainted.  There  are  few  that 
have  not  had  opportunities  of  seeing  them, 
and  whose  ideas  would  not  anticipate  our  de- 
scription. But,  though  nothing  be  so  easy  as  to 
distinguish  these  in  general  from  each  other, 
yet  the  largest  of  the  duck  kind  approach  the 
goose  so  nearly,  that  it  may  be  proper  to  mark 
the  distinctions. 

The  marks  of  the  goose  are,  a  bigger  body, 
large  wings,  a  longer  neck,  a  white  ring  about 
the  rump,  a  bill  thicker  at  the  base,  slenderer 
towards  the  tip,  with  shorter  legs,  placed  more 
forward  on  the  body.  They  both  have  a 
waddling  walk ;  but  the  duck,  from  the  posi- 
tion of  its  legs,  has  it  in  a  greater  degree.  By 
these  marks,  these  similar  tribes  may  be 
known  asunder;  and  though  the  duck  should 


be  found  to  equal  the  goose  in  size,  which 
sometimes  happens,  yet  there  are  still  other 
sufficient  distinctions. 

But  they  all  agree  in  many  particulars ; 
and  have  a  nearer  affinity  to  each  other  than 
the  neighbouring  kinds  in  any  other  depart- 
ment. Their  having  been  tamed,  has  pro- 
duced alterations  in  each,  by  which  they  differ 
as  much  from  the  wild  ones  of  their  respective 
kinds,  as  they  do  among  themselves.  There 
is  nearly  as  much  difference  between  the  wild 
and  the  tame  duck,  as  between  some  sorts  of 
the  duck  and  the  goose  ;  but  still  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  kind  are  strongly  marked  and 
obvious ;  and  this  tribe  can  never  be  mistaken. 

The  bill  is  the  first  great  obvious  distinction 
of  the  goose  kind  from  all  of  the  feathered 
tribe.  In  other  birds  it  is  round  and  wedge- 
like,  or  crooked  at  the  end.  In  all  the  goose 
kind  it  is  flat  and  broad,  made  for  the  purpose 
of  skimming  ponds  and  lakes  of  the  mantling 
weeds  that  sland  on  the  surface.  The  bills  of 
other  birds  are  made  of  a  horny  substance 
throughout;  these  have  their  inoffensive  bills 


WATER-FOWL. 


593 


sheathed  with  a  skin  which  covers  them  all  over. 
The  bill  of  every  other  bird  seems,  in  some 
measure,  forced  for  piercing  or  tearing  ;  theirs 
are  only  fitted  for  shovelling  up  their  food, 
which  is  chiefly  of  the  vegetable  kind. 

Though  these  birds  do  not  reject  animal 
food  when  offered  them,  yet  they  can  content- 
edly subsist  upon  vegetables,  and  seldom  seek 
any  other.  They  are  easily  provided  for ; 
wherever  there  is  water,  there  seems  to  be 
plenty.  All  the  other  web-footed  tribes  are 
continually  voracious,  continually  preying. 
These  lead  more  harmless  lives :  the  weeds 
on  the  surface  of  the  water,  or  the  insects  at 
the  bottom,  the  grass  by  the  bank,  or  the  fruits 
and  corn  in  cultivated  grounds,  are  sufficient 
to  satisfy  their  easy  appetites  :  yet  these,  like 
every  other  animal,  will  not  reject  flesh,  if  pro- 
perly prepared  for  them;  it  is  sufficient  praise 
to  them  that  they  do  not  eagerly  pursue  it. 

As  their  food  is  chiefly  vegetables,  so  their 
fecundity  is  in  proportion.  We  have  had  fre- 
quent opportunities  to  observe,  that  all  the 
predatory  tribes,  whether  of  birds  or  quadru- 
peds, are  barren  and  unfruitful.  We  have 
seen  the  lion  with  its  two  cubs ;  the  eagle 
with  the  same  number ;  and  the  penguin  with 
even  but  one.  Nature,  that  has  supplied  them 
with  powers  of  destruction,  has  denied  them 
fertility.  But  it  is  otherwise  with  these  harm- 
less animals  I  am  describing.  They  seem 
formed  to  fill  up  the  chasms  in  animated  na- 
ture, caused  by  the  voraciousness  of  others. 
They  breed  in  great  abundance,  and  lead 
their  young  to  the  pool  the  instant  they  are 
excluded. 

As  their  food  is  simple,  so  their  flesh  is 
nourishing  and  wholesome.  The  swan  was 


considered  as  a  high  delicacy  among  the  an- 
cients ;  the  goose  was  abstained  from  as  total- 
ly indigestible.  Modern  manners  have  in- 
verted tastes ;  the  goose  is  now  become  the 
favourite ;  and  the  swan  is  seldom  brought  to 
table,  unless  for  the  purposes  of  ostentation. 
But  at  all  times  the  flesh  of  the  duck  was  in 
high  esteem ;  the  ancients  thought  even  more 
highly  of  it  than  we  do.  We  are  contented  to 
eat  it  is  as  a  delicacy  ;  they  also  considered  it 
as  a  medicine  ;  and  Plutarch  assures  us,  that 
Cato  kept  his  whole  family  in  health,  by  feed- 
ing them  with  duck  whenever  they  threatened 
to  be  out  of  order. 

These  qualities,  of  great  fecundity,  easy 
sustenance,  and  wholesome  nourishment,  have 
been  found  so  considerable,  as  to  induce  man 
to  take  these  birds  from  a  state  of  nature,  and 
render  them  domestic.  How  long  they  have 
been  thus  dependents  upon  his  pleasures  is  not 
known  ;  for,  from  the  earliest  accounts,  they 
were  considered  as  familiars  about  him.  The 
time  must  have  been  very  remote;  for  there 
have  been  many  changes  wrought  in  their 
colours,  their  figures,  and  even  their  internal 
parts,  by  human  cultivation.  The  different 
kinds  of  these  birds,  in  a  wild  state,  are  simple 
in  their  colourings  :  when  one  has  seen  a  wild 
goose  or  a  wild  duck,  a  description  of  its  plu- 
mage will,  to  a  feather,  exactly  correspond 
with  that  of  any  other.  But  in  the  tame  kinds 
no  two  of  any  species  are  exactly  alike.  Dif- 
ferent in  their  size,  their  colours,  and  frequent- 
ly in  their  general  form,  they  seem  the  mere 
creatures  of  art ;  and  having  been  so  long  de- 
pendent upon  man  for  support,  they  seem  to 
assume  forms  entirely  suited  to  his  pleasures 
or  necessities. 


CHAPTER  CXXXI1. 

OF  THE  SWAN,  TAME  AND  WILD. 


NO  bird  makes  a  more  indifferent  figure 
upon  land,  or  a  more  beautiful  one  in  the 
water,  than  die  Swan.  When  it  ascends  from 
its  favourite  element,  its  motions  are  awkward, 
and  its  neck  is  stretched  forward  with  an  air 
of  stupidity ;  but  when  it  is  seen  smoothly 


sailing  along  the  water,  commanding  a  thou- 
sand graceful  attitudes,  moving  at  pleasure 
without  the  smallest  effort ;  "  when  it  proudly 
rows  its  state,"  as  Milton  has  it,  "  with  arch- 
ed neck,  between  its  white  wings  mantling," 
there  is  not  a  more  beautiful  figure  in  all  na- 


594 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ture.  In  the  exhibition  of  its  form,  there  are 
no  broken  or  harsh  lines,  no  constrained  or 
catching  motions;  but  the  roundest  contours, 
and  the  easiest  transitions ;  the  eye  wanders 
over  every  part  with  insatiable  pleasure,  and 
every  part  takes  a  new  grace  with  a  new  mo- 
tion. 

This  fine  bird  has  long  been  rendered  do- 
mestic ;  and  it  is  now  a  doubt  whether  there 
be  any  of  the  tame  kind  in  a  state  of  nature. 
The  wild  swan,  though  so  strongly  resembling 
this  in  colour  and  form,  is  yet  a  different  bird ; 
for  it  is  very  differently  formed  within.  The 
wild  swan  is  less  than  the  tame  by  almost  a 
fourth;  for  as  the  one  weighs  twenty  pounds, 
the  other  only  weighs  sixteen  pounds  and 
three  quarters.  The  colour  of  the  tame  swan 
is  all  over  white ;  that  of  the  wild  bird  is, 
along  the  back  and  the  tips  of  the  wings,  of 
an  ash-colour.  But  these  are  slight  differen- 
ces compared  to  what  are  found  upon  dissec- 
tion. In  the  tame  swan,  the  windpipe  sinks 
down  into  the  lungs  in  the  ordinary  manner; 
but  in  the  wild,  after  a  strange  and  wonder- 
ful contortion,  like  what  we  have  seen  in  the 
crane,  it  enters  through  a  hole  formed  in  the 
breast-bone ;  and  being  reflected  therein,  re- 
turns by  the  same  aperture;  and  being  con- 
tracted into  a  narrow  compass  by  a  broad  and 
bony  cartilage,  it  is  divided  into  two  branch- 
es, which,  before  they  enter  the  lungs,  are  di- 
lated, and,  as  it  were,  swollen  out  into  two 
cavities. 

Such  is  the  extraordinary  difference  be- 
tween these  two  animals,  which  externally 
seem  to  be  of  one  species.  Whether  it  is  in 
the  power  of  long-continued  captivity  and 
domestication  to  produce  this  strange  varie- 
ty, between  birds  otherwise  the  same,  I  will 
not  take  upon  me  to  determine.  But  cer- 
tain it  is,  that  our  tame  swan  is  no  where  to 
be  found,  at  least  in  Europe,  in  a  state  of 
nature. 

As  it  is  not  easy  to  account  for  this  differ- 
ence of  conformation,  so  it  is  still  more  diffi- 
cult to  reconcile  the  accounts  of  the  ancients 
with  the  experience  of  the  moderns,  concern- 
ing the  vocal  powers  of  this  bird.  The  tame 
swan  is  one  of  the  most  silent  of  all  birds; 
and  the  wild  one  has  a  note  extremely  loud 
and  disagreeable.  It  is  probable,  the  con- 
volutions of  the  windpipe  may  contribute  to 


increase  the  clangor  of  it;  for  such  is  the 
harshness  of  its  voice,   that  the  bird   from 
thence  has  been  called  the  hooper.     In  nei- 
ther is  there  the  smallest  degree  of  melody ; 
nor  have  they,  for  above  this  century,  been 
said  to  give  specimens  of  the  smallest  musi- 
cal abilities;  yet,  notwithstanding  this,  it  was 
the  general  opinion  of  antiquity,    that  the 
swan  was  a  most  melodious  bird ;  and  that 
even  to  its  death,  its  voice  went  on  improving. 
It  would  show  no  learning  to  produce  what 
they  have  said  upon  the  music  of  the  swan  : 
it  has  already  been  collected  by  Aldrovandus; 
and  still  more  professedly  by  the  Abbe  Ge- 
doyn,  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Academy  of 
Belles  Lettres.     From  these  accounts  it  ap- 
pears, that,  while  Plato,  Aristotle,  and  Diodo- 
rus  Siculus,  believed  the  vocality  of  the  swan, 
Pliny  and  Virgil  seem  to  doubt  that  received 
opinion.     In  this  equipoise  of  authority  Al- 
drovandus seems  to  have  determined  in  fa- 
vour of  the  Greek  philosophers;  and  (he  form 
of  the  windpipe  in  the  wild  swan,  so  much  re- 
sembling a  musical  instrument,  inclined  his 
belief  still  more  strongly.     In  aid  of  this  also, 
came  the  testimony  of  Pendasius,  who  affirm- 
ed, that  he  had  often  heard  swans  sweetly 
singing  in  the  lake  of  Mantua,  as  he  was  row- 
ed up  and  down  in  a  boat ;  as  also  of  Olaus 
Wormius,  who   professed  that  many  of  his 
friends  and  scholars  had  heard  them  singing. 
"  There  was,"  says  he,  "  in  my  family,  a  very 
honest  young  man,  John  Rostorph,  a  student 
in  divinity,  and  a  Norwedian  by  nation.     This 
man  did,  upon  his  credit,  and  with  the  inter- 
position of  an  oath,  solemnly  affirm,  that  once, 
in  the  territory  of  Dronten,  as  he  was  stand- 
ing on  the  sea-shore,  early  in  the  morning,  he 
heard  an  unusual  and  sweet  murmur,  com- 
posed of  the  most  pleasant  whistlings  and 
sounds;  he  knew  not  at  first  whence  they 
came,  or  how  they  were  made,  for  he  saw  no 
man  near  to  prod  uce  them ;  but,  looking  round 
about  him,  and  climbing  to  the  top  of  a  cer- 
tain promontory,  he  there  espied  an  infinite 
number  of  swans  gathered  together  in  a  bay, 
and  making  the  most  delightful  harmony;  a 
sweeter  in  all   his   life- time   he   had   never 
heard."     These  were  accounts  sufficient  at 
least  to  keep  opinion  in  suspense,  though  in 
contradiction  to  our  own  experience:  but  Al- 
drovandus, to  put,  as  he  supposed,  the  ques- 


WATER-FOWL. 


595 


tion  past  all  doubt,  gives  us  the  testimony  of  a 
countryman  of  our  own,  from  whom  he  had 
the  relation.  This  honest  man's  name  was 
Mr.  George  Braun,  who  assured  him,  that 
•nothing  was  more  common  in  England,  than 
to  hear  swans  sing ;  that  they  were  bred  in  great 
numbers  in  the  sea  near  London  ;  and  that 
every  fleet  of  ships  that  returned  from  their  voy- 
ages from  distant  countries,  were  met  by  swans, 
that  came  joyfully  out  to  welcome  their  return, 
and  salute  them  with  a  loud  and  cheerful  sing- 
ing !  It  was  in  this  manner  that  Aldrovandus, 
that  great  and  good  man,  was  frequently  im- 
posed upon  by  the  designing  and  the  needy  : 
his  unbounded  curiosity  drew  round  him  peo- 
ple of  every  kind,  and  his  generosity  was  as 
ready  to  reward  falsehood  as  truth. — Poor 
Aldrovandus !  after  having  spent  a  vast  for- 
tune, for  the  purposes  of  enlightening  man- 
kind ;  after  having  collected  more  truth,  and 
more  falsehood,  than  any  man  ever  did  be- 
fore him,  he  little  thought  of  being  reduced  at 
last  to  want  bread,  to  feel  the  ingratitude  of 
his  country,  and  to  die  a  beggar  in  a  public 
hospital ! 

Thus  it  appears  that  our  modern  authorities, 
in  favour  of  the  singing  of  swans,  are  rather 
suspicious,  since  they  are  reduced  to  this  Mr. 
G.  Braun,  and  John  Rostorph,  the  native  of  a 
country  remarkable  for  ignorance  and  credu- 
lity. It  is  probable  the  ancients  had  some 
mythological  meaning  in  ascribing  melody  to 
the  swan ;  and  as  for  the  moderns,  they 
scarcely  deserve  our  regard.  The  swan, 
therefore,  must  be  content  with  that  share  of 
fame  which  it  possesses  on  the  score  of  its  beau- 
ty; since  the  melody  of  its  voice,  without  better 
testimony,  will  scarcely  be  admitted  by  even 
the  credulous. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  as  delicate  in  its  appe- 
tites, as  elegant  in  its  form.  Its  chief  food  is 
corn,  bread,  herbs  growing  in  the  water,  and 
roots  and  seeds,  which  are  found  near  the 
margin.  It  prepares  a  nest  in  some  retired 
part  of  the  bank,  and  chiefly  where  there  is 
an  islet  in  the  stream.  This  is  composed  of 

»  A  species  has  lately  been  discovered  in  New  Holland, 
which  at  once  puts  an  end'to  the  proverbial  point  of  a 
black  swan.  This  rare  and  elegant  bird,  in  its  general 
appearance,  bears  the  most  striking  resemblance  to  the 
tame  swan,  and  has  all  those  gracefully-varying  attitudes 
which  so  eminently  distinguish  it  from  all  other  inhabi. 

NO.  51  &  52. 


water-plants,  long  grass,  and  sticks ;  and  the 
male  and  female  assist  in  forming  it  with  great 
assiduity.  The  swan  lays  seven  or  eight  eggs, 
white,  much  larger  than  those  of  a  goose,  with 
a  hard,  and  sometimes  a  tuberous,  shell.  It 
sits  near  two  months  before  its  young  are  ex- 
cluded ;  which  are  ash-coloured  when  they 
first  leave  the  shell,  and  for  some  months  after. 
It  is  not  a  little  dangerous  to  approach  the  old 
ones,  when  their  little  family  are  feeding  round 
them.  Their  fears,  as  well  as  their  pride, 
seem  to  take  the  alarm  ;  and  they  have  some- 
times been  known  to  give  a  blow  with  their 
pinion,  that  has  broke  a  man's  leg  or  arm. 

It  is  not  till  they  are  a  twelvemonth  old  that 
the  young  swans  change  their  colour  with 
their  plumage.  All  the  stages  of  this  bird's 
approach  to  maturity  are  slow,  and  seem  to 
mark  its  longevity.  It  is  two  months  hatch- 
ing ;  a  year  in  growing  to  its  proper  size  :  and 
if,  according  to  Pliny's  observation,  that  those 
animals  that  are  longest  in  the  womb  are  the 
longest  lived,  the  swan  is  the  longest  in  the 
shell  of  any  bird  we  know,  and  is  said  to  be 
remarkable  for  its  longevity.  Some  say,  that 
it  lives  three  hundred  years  ;  and  Willoughby, 
who  is  in  general  diffident  enough,  seems  to 
believe  the  report.  A  goose,  as  he  justly  ob- 
serves, has  been  known  to  live  a  hundred ; 
and  the  swan,  from  its  superior  size,  and  from 
its  harder,  firmer  flesh,  may  naturally  be  sup- 
posed to  live  still  longer. 

Swans  were  formerly  held  in  such  great 
esteem  in  England,  that  by  an  act  of  Edward 
the  Fourth,  none,  except  the  son  of  the  king, 
was  permitted  to  keep  a  swan,  unless  possess- 
ed of  five  marks  a  year.  By  a  subsequent 
act,  the  punishment  for  taking  their  eggs  was 
imprisonment  for  a  year  and  a  day,  and  a 
fine  at  the  king's  will.  At  present  they  are 
but  little  valued  for  the  delicacy  of  their  flesh  ; 
but  many  are  still  preserved  for  their  beauty. 
We  see  multitudes  on  the  Thames  and  Trent; 
but  no  where  greater  numbers  than  on  the  salt 
water  inlet  of  the  sea  near  Abbotsbury,  in 
Dorsetshire." 

tants  of  the  waters :  but  the  plumage  is  of  a  full  deep 
black,  with  a  bill  of  the  finest  red,  and  white  quilled  fea- 
thers. The  tip  of  the  upper  beak  is  blackish  ;  and  thero 
is  a  yellow  spot  near  it :  the  legs  are  black,  and  the  feet 
somewhat  paler. 

4Q 


596 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXXXIII. 

OF  THE  GOOSE,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THE  Goose,  in  its  domestic  state,  exhibits  a 
variety  of  colours.  The  wild  goose  always 
retains  the  same  marks ;  the  whole  upper 
part  is  ash-coloured  ;  the  breast  and  belly  are 
of  a  dirty  white ;  the  bill  is  narrow  at  the 
base,  and  at  the  tip  it  is  black ;  the  legs  are  of 
a  saffron  colour,  and  the  claws  black.  These 
marks  are  seldom  found  in  the  tame  ;  whose 
bill  is  entirely  red,  and  whose  legs  are  entirely 
brown.  The  wild  goose  is  rather  less  than 
the  tame ;  but  both  invariably  retain  a  white 
ring  round  their  tail,  which  shows  that  they 
are  both  descended  from  the  same  original. 

The  wild  goose  is  supposed  to  breed  in  the 
northern  parts  of  Europe ;  and,  in  the  be- 
ginning of  winter,  to  descend  into  more  tem- 
perate regions.  They  are  often  seen  flying  at 
very  great  heights,  in  flocks  from  fifty  to  a 
hundred,  and  seldom  resting  by  day.  Their 
cry  is  frequently  heard,  when  they  are  at  an 
imperceptible  distance  above  us ;  and  this 
seems  bandied  from  one  to  the  other,  as  among 
hounds  in  the  pursuit.  Whether  this  be  the 
note  of  mutual  encouragement,  or  the  neces- 
sary consequence  of  respiration,  is  doubtful ; 
but  they  seldom  exert  it  when  they  alight  in 
these  journeys. 

Upon  their  coming  to  the  ground  by  day, 
they  range  themselves  in  a  line,  like  cranes  ; 
and  seem  rather  to  have  descended  for  rest, 
than  for  other  refreshment.  When  they  have 
sat  in  this  manner  for  an  hour  or  two,  I  have 
heard  one  of  them,  with  a  loud  long  note, 
sound  a  kind  of  charge,  to  which  the  rest 
punctually  attended,  and  they  pursued  their 
journey  with  renewed  alacrity.  Their  flight 
is  very  regularly  arranged  :  they  either  go  in 
a  line  abreast,  or  in  two  lines,  joining  in  an 
angle  in  the  middle.  I  doubt  whether  the 
form  of  their  flight  be  thus  arranged  to  cut  the 
air  with  greater  ease,  as  is  commonly  believed  ; 
I  am  more  apt  to  think  it  is  to  present  a 
smaller  mark  to  fowlers  from  below.  A  bul- 
let might  easily  reach  them,  if  huddled  together 
in  a  flock,  and  the  same  discharge  might  de- 


stroy several  at  once ;  but,  by  their  manner  of 
flying,  no  shot  from  below  can  affect  above 
one  of  them  ;  and  from  the  height  at  which 
they  fly,  this  is  not  easy  to  be  hit. 

The  Barnacle  differs  in  some  respects  from 
both  these;  being  less  than  either,  with  a 
black  bill,  much  shorter  than  either  of  the 
preceding.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  com- 
bat the  idle  error  of  this  bird's  being  bred  from 
a  shell  sticking  to  ships'  bottoms ;  it  is  well 
known  to  be  hatched  from  an  egg  in  the  or- 
dinary manner,  and  to  differ  in  very  few  par- 
ticulars from  all  the  rest  of  its  kind. 

The  Brent  Goose  is  still  less  than  the  former, 
and  not  bigger  than  a  Muscovy  duck,  except 
that  the  body  is  longer.  The  head,  neck, 
and  upper  part  of  the  breast,  are  black  ;  but 
about  the  middle  of  the  neck,  on  each  side, 
are  two  small  spots  or  lines  of  white,  whjch 
together  appear  like  a  ring. 

These,  and  many  other  varieties,  are  found 
in  this  kind  ;  which  agree  in  one  common 
character  of  feeding  upon  vegetables,  and  be- 
ing remarkable  for  their  fecundity.  Of  these, 
however,  the  tame  goose  is  the  most  fruitful. 
Having  less  to  fear  from  its  enemies,  leading  a 
securer  and  a  more  plentiful  life,  its  prolific 
powers  increase  in  proportion  to  its  ease  ;  and 
though  the  wild  goose  seldom  lays  above  eight 
eggs,  the  tame  goose  is  often  seen  to  lay  above 
twenty.  The  female  hatches  her  eggs  with 
great  assiduity ;  while  the  gander  visits  her 
twice  or  thrice  a  day,  and  sometimes  drives 
her  off  to  take  her  place,  where  he  sits  with 
great  state  and  composure. 

But  beyond  that  of  all  animals  is  his  pride 
when  the  young  are  excluded :  he  seems  then 
to  consider  himself  as  a  champion,  not  only 
obliged  to  defend  his  young,  but  also  to  keep 
off  the  suspicion  of  danger ;  he  pursues  dogs 
and  men  that  never  attempt  to  molest  him : 
and,  though  the  most  harmless  thing  alive,  is 
then  the  most  petulant  and  provoking.  When, 
in  this  manner,  he  has  pursued  the  calf  or  the 
mastiff,  to  whose  contempt  alone  he  is  indebted 


Dmwn  ly  S 


GfUAKTOlV  GENUS 

Tm""r  ''""'  Guillemot  Div«.  (;„.!„. 

s.     2.T.rh<nnaini.<  ,!.(' .Miirni,-nitii.<.  1  \' . Arriiais .  b.C.Sinouii.  6.C .<<<muiu.<. 

COMMON  T.      KKII  TA1I.EH  T.  MARKI.KIn;*      "  KLAtK  THROAT  Kit  l>         CHIXKtiEn.     HOKlfKD  Gl 


WATER-FOWL. 


597 


for  safety,  he  returns  to  his  female  and  her 
brood  in  triumph,  clapping  his  wings,  scream- 
ing, and  showing  all  the  marks  of  conscious 
superiority.  It  is  probable,  however,  these 
arts  succeed  in  raising  his  importance  among 
the  tribe  where  they  are  displayed  ;  and  it  is 
probable  there  is  not  a  more  respectable  ani- 
mal on  earth  to  a  goose  than  a  gander! 

A  young  goose  is  generally  reckoned  very 
good  eating;  yet  the  feathers  of  this  bird  still 
farther  increase  its  value.  I  feel  my  obliga- 
tions to  this  animal  every  word  I  write ;  for, 
however  deficient  a  man's  head  may  be,  his 
pen  is  nimble  enough  upon  every  occasion  : 
it  is  happy  indeed  for  us,  that  it  requires  no 
great  effort  to  put  it  in  motion.  But  the  fea- 
thers of  this  bird  are  still  as  valuable  in  ano- 
ther capacity,  as  they  make  the  softest  and 
the  warmest  beds  to  sleep  on. 

Of  goose-feathers  most  of  our  beds  in  Eu- 
rope are  composed  ;  in  the  countries  border- 
ing on  the  Levant,  and  in  all  Asia,  the  use  of 
them  is  utterly  unknown.  They  there  use 
mattrasses,  stuffed  with  wool,  or  camel's  hair, 
or  cotton ;  and  the  warmth  of  their  climate 
may  perhaps  make  them  dispense  with  cu- 
shions of  a  softer  kind.  But  how  it  happens 
that  the  ancients  had  not  the  use  of  feather- 
beds,  is  to  me  surprising:  Pliny  tells  us,  in- 
deed, that  they  made  bolsters  of  feathers  to 


lay  their  heads  on;  and  this  serves  as  a 
proof  that  they  turned  feathers  to  no  other 
uses. 

As  feathers  are  a  very  valuable  commodi- 
ty, great  numbers  of  geese  are  kept  tame  in 
the  fens  in  Lincolnshire,  which  are  plucked 
once  or  twice  a  year.  These  make  a  con- 
siderable article  of  commerce.  The  feathers 
of  Somersetshire  are  most  in  esteem;  those 
of  Ireland  are  reckoned  the  worst.  Hudson's 
Bay  also  furnishes  very  fine  feathers,  supposed 
to  be  of  the  goose  kind.  The  down  of  the 
swan  is  brought  from  Dantzic.  The  same 
place  also  sends  us  great  quantities  of  the 
feathers  of  the  cock  and  hen ;  but  Greenland, 
Iceland,  and  Norway,  furnish  the  best  fea- 
thers of  all :  and  in  this  number  we  may 
reckon  the  Eider  down,  of  which  we  shall 
take  notice  in  its  place.  The  best  method 
of  curing  feathers,  is  to  lay  them  in  a  room, 
in  an  open  exposure  to  the  sun,  and  when 
dried  to  put  them  into  bags,  and  beat  them 
well  with  poles  to  get  the  dust  off.  But,  after 
all,  nothing  will  prevent,  for  a  time,  the  hea- 
vy smell  which  arises  from  the  putrefaction 
of  the  oil  contained  in  every  feather ;  no  ex- 
posure will  draw  this  off,  how  long  soever  it 
be  continued ;  they  must  be  lain  upon,  which 
is  the  only  remedy ;  and  for  this  reason,  old 
feathers  are  much  more  valuable  than  new. 


CHAPTER  CXXXIV. 

OF  THE  DUCK,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THE  Tame  Duck  is  the  most  easily  rear- 
ed of  all  our  domestic  animals.  The  very  in- 
stincts of  the  young  ones  direct  them  to  their 
favourite  element;  and  though  they  are  con- 
ducted by  a  hen,  yet  they  despise  the  admo- 
nitions of  their  leader. 

This  serves  as  an  incontestable  proof  that 
all  birds  have  their  manners  rather  from  na- 
ture than  education.  A  falcon  pursues  the 
partridge,  not  because  it  is  taught  by  the  old 
one,  but  because  its  appetites  make  their  im- 
portunate call  for  animal  food  :  the  cuckoo 
follows  a  very  different  trade  from  that  which 


its  nurse  endeavoured  to  teach  it;  and,  if  we 
may  credit  Pliny,  in  time  destroys  its  instruc- 
tor: animals  of  the  duck  kind  also  follow 
their  appetites,  not  their  tutor,  and  come  to 
all  their  various  perfections  without  any  guide. 
All  the  arts  possessed  by  man,  are  the  result 
of  accumulated  experience;  all  the  arts  of 
inferior  animals  are  self-taught,  and  scarcely 
one  acquired  by  imitation. 

It  is  usual  with  the  good  women  to  lay  duck- 
eggs  under  a  hen,  because  she  hatches  them 
better  than  the  original  parent  would  have 
done.  The  duck  seems  to  be  a  heedless  in- 

4Q* 


598 


A  HISTORY  OF 


attentive  mother;  she  frequently  leaves  her 
eggs  till  they  spoil,  and  even  seems  to  forget 
that  she  is  intrusted  with  the  charge :  she  is 
equally  regardless  of  them  when  excluded ; 
she  leads  them  to  the  pond,  and  thinks  she 
has  sufficiently  provided  for  her  offspring 
when  she  has  shown  them  the  water.  What- 
ever advantages  may  be  procured  by  coming 
nearer  the  house,  or  attending  in  the  yard, 
she  declines  them  all ;  and  often  lets  the  ver- 
min, who  haunt  the  waters,  destroy  them,  ra- 
ther than  bring  them  to  take  shelter  nearer 
home.  The  hen  is  a  nurse  of  a  very  opposite 
character;  she  broods  with  the  utmost  assi- 
duity, and  generally  brings  forth  a  young  one 
from  every  egg  committed  to  her  charge ;  she 
does  not  lead  her  younglings  to  the  water  in- 
deed, but  she  watchfully  guards  them  when 
there,  by  standing  at  the  brink.  Should  the 
rat,  or  the  weasel,  attempt  to  seize  them,  the 
hen  can  give  them  protection ;  she  leads  them 
to  the  house  when  tired  with  paddling,  and 
rears  up  the  suppositions  brood,  without  ever 
suspecting  that  they  belong  to  another. 

The  wild  duck  di tiers  in  many  respects 
from  the  tame;  and  in  them  there  is  still 
greater  variety  than  among  the  domestic 
kinds.  Of  the  tame  duck  there  are  not  less 
than  ten  different  sorts ;  and  of  the  wild,  Bris- 
son  reckons  above  twenty.  The  most  obvious 
distinction  between  wild  and  tame  ducks  is 
in  the  colour  of  their  feet :  those  of  the  tame 
duck  being  yellow,  those  of  the  wild  duck 
black.  The  difference  between  wild  ducks 
among  each  other,  arises  as  well  from  their 
size  as  the  nature  of  the  place  they  feed  in. 
Sea-ducks,  which  feed  in  salt-water,  and  dive 
much,  have  a  broad  bill,  bending  upwards,  a 
large  hind-toe,  and  a  long  blunt  tail.  Pond- 
ducks,  which  feed  in  plashes,  have  a  straight 
and  narrow  bill,  a  small  hind-toe,  and  a  sharp- 
pointed  train.  The  former  are  called,  by  our 
decoymen,  foreign  ducks ;  the  latter  are  sup- 
posed to  be  natives  of  England.  It  would  be 
tedious  to  enter  into  the  minute  varieties  of 
such  a  number  of  birds;  all  agreeing  in  the 
same  general  figure,  the  same  habits  and  mode 
of  living,  and  differing  in  little  more  than  their 
size  and  the  colours  of  their  plumage.  In 
this  tribe,  we  may  rank  as  natives  of  our  own 
European  dominions,  the  Eider  Duck,  which 
is  double  the  size  of  a  common  duck,  with  a 


black  bill ;  the  Velvet  Duck,  not  so  large, 
and  with  a  yellow  bill;  the  Scoter,  with  a 
knob  at  the  base  of  a  yellow  bill ;  the  T  uited 
Duck,  adorned  with  a  thick  crest;  the  Scaup 
Duck,  less  than  the  common  duck,  with  the 
bill  of  a  grayish  blue  colour ;  the  Golden  Eye, 
with  a  large  white  spot  at  the  corners  of  the 
mouth,  resembling  an  eye;  the  Sheldrake, 
with  the  bill  of  a  bright  red,  and  swelling  into 
a  knob;  the  Mallard,  which  is  the  stock  from 
whence  our  tame  breed  has  probably  been 
produced  ;  the  Pintail,  with  the  two  middle 
feathers  of  the  tail  three  inches  longer  than 
the  rest ;  the  Pochard,  with  the  head  and  neck 
of  a  bright  bay ;  the  Widgeon,  w  ith  a  lead-co- 
loured bill,  and  the  plumage  of  the  back 
marked  with  narrow  black  and  white  undu- 
lated lines,  but  best  known  by  its  whistling 
sound  ;  lastly,  the  Teal,  which  is  the  smallest 
of  this  kind,  with  the  bill  black,  the  head  and 
upper  part  of  the  neck  of  a  bright  bay.  These 
are  the  most  common  birds  of  the  duck  kind 
among  ourselves:  but  who  can  describe  the 
amazing  variety  of  this  tribe  if  he  extends  his 
view  to  the  different  quarters  of  the  world  ? 
The  most  noted  of  the  foreign  tribe  are  the 
Muscovy  Duck,  or,  more  properly  speaking, 
the  Musk  Duck,  so  called  from  a  supposed 
musky  smell,  with  naked  skin  round  the  eyes, 
and  which  is  a  native  of  Africa;  the  Brasilian 
Duck,  that  is  of  the  size  of  a  goose,  all  over 
black  except  the  tips  of  the  wings  ;  the  Ame- 
rican Wood  Duck,  with  a  variety  of  beauti- 
ful colourj»,  and  a  plume  of  feathers  that  falls 
from  the  back  of  the  head  like  a  friar's  cowl. 
These,  and  twenty  others,  might  be  added, 
were  increasing  the  number  of  names  the  way 
to  enlarge  the  sphere  of  our  comprehension. 
All  these  live  in  the  manner  of  our  domes- 
tic ducks,  keeping  together  in  flocks  in  the 
winter,  and  flying  in  pairs  in  summer,  bring- 
ing up  their  young  by  the  water-side,  and 
leading  them  to  their  food  as  soon  as  out  of 
the  shell.  Their  nests  are  usually  built  among 
heath  or  rushes,  not  far  from  the  water,  and 
they  lay  twelve,  fourteen,  or  more  eggs,  be- 
fore they  sit:  yet  this  is  not  always  their  me- 
thod ;  the  dangers  they  continually  encoun- 
ter from  their  ground  situation,  sometimes 
obliges  them  to  change  their  manner  of  build- 
ing; and  their  awkward  nests  are  often  seen 
exalted  on  the  tops  of  trees.  This  must  be  a 


WATER-FOWL. 


599 


very  great  labour  to  perform,  as  the  duck's 
bill  is  but  ill  formed  for  building  a  nest,  and 
giving;  the  materials  of  which  it  is  composed 
a  sufficient  stability  to  stand  the  weather. 
The  nest,  whether  high  or  low,  is  generally 
composed  of  singular  materials.  The  longest 
grass,  mixed  with  heath,  and  lined  with  the 
bird's  own  feathers,  usually  go  to  the  compo- 
sition :  however,  in  proportion  as  the  climate 
is  colder,  the  nest  is  more  artificially  made, 
and  more  warmly  lined.  In  the  Arctic  re- 
gions, nothing  can  exceed  the  great  care  all  of 
this  kind  take  to  protect  their  eggs  from  the 
intenseness  of  the  weather.  While  the  gull 
•  and  the  penguin  kind  seem  to  disregard  the 
severest  cold,  the  duck,  in  those  regions,  forms 
itself  a  hole  to  lay  in,  shelters  the  approach, 
lines  it  with  a  layer  of  long  grass  and  cluy ; 
within  that  another  of  moss;  and,  lastly,  a 
warm  coat  of  feathers,  or  down.  The  eider 
duck  is  particularly  remarkable  for  the  warmth 
of  its  nest.  This  bird,  which,  as  was  said,  is 
above  twice  as  large  as  the  common  duck, 
and  resides  in  the  colder  climates,  lays  from 
six  to  eight  eggs,  making  her  nest  among  the 
rocks  or  the  plants  along  the  sea-shore.  The 
external  materials  of  the  nest  are  such  as  are 
in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  kind  ;  but  the 
inside  lining,  on  which  the  eggs  are  immedi- 
ately deposited,  is  at  once  the  softest,  warmest, 
and  the  lightest  substance,  with  which  we  are 
acquainted.  This  is  no  other  than  the  inside 
down  which  covers  the  breast  of  the  bird  in 
the  breeding  season.  This  the  female  plucks 
off  with  her  bill,  and  furnishes  the  inside  of 
her  nest  with  a  tapestry  more  valuable  than 
the  most  skilful  artists  can  produce.  The 
natives  watch  the  place  where  she  begins  to 
build,  and,  suffering  her  to  lay,  take  away 
both  the  eggs  and  the  nest.  The  duck,  hovv- 

•  The  Eider  duck  is  principally  found  in  the  western 
Islands  of  Scotland,  and  on  the  coasts  of  Norway,  Iceland, 
and  Greenland.  Its  bill  is  black,  and  its  plumage  is  a 
varied  mixture  of  black  and  white;  the  female  however 
is  of  a  reddish  brown  colour,  marked  with  black  and  dusky 
streaks.  They  generally  build  on  small  islands,  not  far 
from  the  shore,  and  the  male  continues  on  the  watch  near 
the  shore  while  the  female  is  sitting ;  but  he  leaves  them 
when  the  brood  is  hatched.  As  soon  as  they  are  able  to 
creep  from  the  shell,  the  mother  entices  them  to- the  water 
side,  and  taking  them  on  her  back,  she  swims  a  short  dis- 
tance with  them  ;  when  she  has  got  them  a  Uttle  way 
from  the  land,  she  dives  suddenly,  leaving  them  floating 
on  the  surface  of  the  water  to  shift  for  themselves.  After 
this  they  are  seldom  found  on  land. 


ever,  not  discouraged  by  the  first  disappoint- 
ment, builds  and  lays  in  the  same  place  a 
second  time ;  and  this  they  in  the  same  man- 
ner take  away  :  the  third  lime  she  builds,  but 
the  drake  must  supply  the  down  from  his 
breast  to  line  the  nest  with  ;  and  if  this  be 
robbed,  they  both  forsake  the  place,  and  breed 
there  no  more.  This  down  the  natives  take 
care  to  separate  from  the  dirt  and  moss  with 
which  it  is  mixed;  and  though  no  people 
stand  in  more  need  of  a  warm  covering  than 
themselves,  yet  their  necessities  compel  them 
to  sell  it  to  the  more  indolent  and  luxurious 
inhabitants  of  the  south  for  brandy  and  to- 
bacco.* 

As  they  possess  the  faculties  of  flying  and 
swimming,  so  they  are  in  general  birds  of 
passage,  and,  it  is  most  probable,  perform  their 
journeys  across  the  ocean,  as  well  on  the  water 
as  in  the  air.  Those  that  migrate  to  this  coun- 
try, on  the  approach  of  winter,  are  seldom  found 
so  well  tasted  or  so  fat  as  the  fowls  that  con- 
tinue with  us  the  year  round  :  their  flesh  is 
often  lean,  and  still  oftener  fishy  ;  which  fla- 
vour it  has  probably  contracted  in  the  journey, 
as  their  food  in  the  lakes  of  Lapland,  from 
whence  they  descend,  is  generally  of  the  in- 
sect kind. 

As  soon  as  they  arrive  among  us,  they  are 
generally  seen  flying  in  flocks  to  make  a  sur- 
vey of  those  lakes  where  they  intend  to  take 
up  their  residence  for  the  winter.  In  the 
choice  of  these  they  have  two  objects  in  view; 
to  be  near  their  food,  and  yet  remote  from  in- 
terruption. Their  chief  aim  is  to  choose  some 
lake  in  the  neighbourhood  of  a  marsh,  where 
there  is  at  the  same  time  a  cover  of  woods,  and 
where  insects  are  found  in  great  abundance. 
Lakes,  therefore,  with  a  marsh  on  one  side, 
and  a  wood  on  the  other,  are  seldom  without 

But  that  which  renders  this  bird  so  highly  valued, is  the 
celebrated  Eider  down,  used  for  the  beds  and  couches  of 
the  luxurious  and  the  effeminate.  This  is  plucked  from 
the  breast  by  the  birds,  in  order  to  line  their  nests  ;  and 
during  the  time  that  the  female  is  sitting,  those  who  are 
concerned  in  the  traffic,  remove  her,  and  take  away  the 
down  and  superfluous  eggs,  and  then  carefully  replace 
her.  This  is  done  several  times,  and  the  down  is  again 
produced  by  the  birds,  and  she  begins  to  lay  afresh  ;  and 
when  the  young  ones  leave  the  nest,  it  is  completely  plun- 
dered. One  female  will  give  about  half  a  pound  of  dowrij 
which,  when  properly  cleaned,  is  reduced  to  one  half  of 
that  quantity. 


600 


A  HISTORY  OF 


vast  quantities  of  wild-fowl ;  and  where  a 
couple  are  seen  at  any  time,  that  is  a  sufficient 
inducement  to  bring  hundreds  of  others.  The 
ducks  flying  in  the  air,  are  often  lured  down 
from  their  heights  by  the  loud  voice  of  the 
mallard  from  below.  Nature  seems  to  have 
furnished  this  bird  with  very  pariicular  facul- 
ties for  calling.  The  windpipe,  where  it  be- 
gins to  enter  the  lungs,  opens  into  a  kind  of 
bony  cavity,  where  the  sound  is  reflected  as  in 
a  musical  instrument,  and  is  heard  a  great 
way  off.  To  this  call  all  the  stragglers  resort; 
and  in  a  week  or  a  fortnight's  time,  a  lake, 
that  before  was  quite  naked,  is  black  with 
water-fowl,  that  have  left  their  Lapland  re- 
treats to  keep  company  with  our  ducks  who 
never  stirred  from  home. 

They  generally  choose  that  part  of  the  lake 
where  they  are  inaccessible  to  the  approach  of 
the  fowler,  in  which  they  all. appear  huddled 
together,  extremely  busy,  and  very  loud. 
What  it  is  can  employ  them  all  the  day  is  not 
easy  to  guess.  There  is  no  food  for  them  at 
the  place  where  they  sit  and  cabal  thus,  as 
they  choose  the  middle  of  the  lake ;  and  as 
for  courtship,  the  season  for  that  is  not  yet 
come;  so  that  it  is  wonderful  what  can  so 
busily  keep  them  occupied.  Not  one  of  them 
seems  a  moment  at  rest.  Now  pursuing  one 
another,  now  screaming,  then  all  up  at  once, 
then  down  again  ;  the  whole  seems  one  strange 
scene  of  bustle,  with  nothing  to  do. 

They  frequently  go  off  in  a  more  private 
manner  by  night  to  feed  in  the  adjacent  mea- 
dows and  ditches,  which  they  dare  not  ven- 
ture to  approach  by  day.  In  these  nocturnal 
adventures  they  are  often  taken ;  for,  though 
a  timorous  bird,  yet  they  are  easily  deceived, 
and  every  spring  seems  to  succeed  in  taking 
them.  But  the  greatest  quantities  are  taken 
in  decoys;  which,  though  well  known  near 
London,  are  yet  untried  in  the  remoter  parts 
of  the  country.  The  manner  of  making  and 
managing  a  decoy  is  as  follows. 

A  place  is  to  be  chosen  for  this  purpose  far 
remote  from  the  common  highway,  and  all 
noise  of  people.  A  decoy  is  best  where  there 
is  a  large  pond  surrounded  by  a  wood,  and  be- 
yond that  a  marshy  and  uncultivated  country. 
When  the  place  is  chosen,  the  pool,  if  possible, 
is  to-be  planted  round  with  willows,  unless  a 
wood  answers  the  purposes  of  shading  it  on 
every  side.  On  the  south  and  north  side  of 


this  pool  are  two,  three,  or  four  ditches  or 
channels,  made  broad  towards  the  pool,  and 
growing  narrower  till  they  end  in  a  point. 
These  channels  are  to  be  covered  over  with 
nets,  supported  by  hooped  sticks  bending  from 
one  side  to  the  other ;  so  that  they  form  a 
vault  or  arch  growing  narrower  and  narrower 
to  the  point,  where  it  is  terminated  by  a  tunnel- 
net,  like  that  in  which  fish  are  caught  in  weirs. 
Along  the  banks  of  these  channels  so  netted 
over,  which  are  called  pipes,  many  hedges  are 
made  of  reeds  slanting  to  the  edge  of  the  chan- 
nel, the  acute  angles  to  the  side  next  the  pool. 
The  whole  apparatus,  also,  is  to  be  hidden 
from  the  pool  by  a  hedge  of  reeds  along  the 
margin,  behind  which  the  fowler  manages  his 
operations.  The  place  being  fitted  in  this 
manner,  the  fowler  is  to  provide  himself  with 
a  number  of  wild  ducks  made  tame,  which 
are  called  decoys.  These  are  always  to  be 
fed  at  the  mouth  or  entrance  of  the  pipe,  and 
to  be  accustomed  to  come  at  a  whistle. 

As  soon  as  the  evening  is  set  in,  the  decoy 
rises,  as  they  term  it,  and  the  wild-fowl  feed 
during  the  night.  If  the  evening  be  still,  the 
noise  of  their  wings,  during  their  flight,  is 
heard  at  a  very  great  distance,  and  produces 
no  unpleasing  sensation.  The  fowler,  when 
he  finds  a  fit  opportunity,  and  sees  his  decoy 
covered  with  fowl,  walks  about  the  pool,  and 
observes  into  what  pipe  the  birds  gathered  in 
the  pool  may  be  enticed  or  driven.  Then 
casting  hemp-seed,  or  some  such  seed  as  will 
float  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  at  the  en- 
trance, and  up  along  the  pipe,  he  whistles  to 
his  decoy-ducks,  who  instantly  obey  the  sum- 
mons, and  come  to  the  entrance  of  the  pipe, 
in  hopes  of  being  fed  as  usual.  Thither  also 
they  are  followed  by  a  whole  flock  of  wild 
ones,  who  little  suspect  the  danger  preparing 
against  them-.  Their  sense  of  smelling,  how- 
ever, is  very  exquisite ;  and  they  would  soon 
discover  their  enemy,  but  that  .the  fowler  al- 
ways keeps  a  piece  of  turf  burning  at  his  nose, 
against  which  he  breaths,  and  this  prevents 
the  effluvia  .of  his  person  from  reaching  their 
exquisite  senses.  The  wild  -ducks,  therefore, 
pursuing  the  decoy-ducks,  are  led  into  the 
broad  mouth  of  the  channel  or  pipe,  nor  have 
the  least  suspicion  of  the  man,  who  keeps 
hidden  behind  one  of  the  hedges.  When  they 
have  got  up  the  pipe,  however,  finding  it  grow 
more  and  more  narrow,  they  begin  to  suspect 


WATER-FOWL. 


601 


danger,  and  would  return  back ;  but  they 
are  now  prevented  by  the  man,  who  shows 
himself  at  the  broad  end  below.  Thither, 
therefore,  they  dare  not  return;  and  rise 
they  may  not,  as  they  are  kept  by  the  net 
above  from  ascending.  The  only  way  left 
them,  therefore,  is  the  narrow-funnelled  net 
at  the  bottom;  into  this  they  fly,  and  there 
they  are  taken. 

It  often  happens,  however,  that  the  wild- 
fowl are  in  such  a  state  of  sleepiness  or  do- 
zing, that  they  will  not  follow  the  decoy- 
ducks.  Use  is  then  generally  tnadeof  a  dog, 
who  is  taught  his  lesson.  He  passes  back- 
ward and  forward  between  the  reed-hedges, 
in  which  there  are  little  holes,  both  for  the 
decoy-man  to  see,  and  for  the  little  dog  to  pass 
through.  This  attracts  the  eye  of  the  wild- 
fowl ;  who,  prompted  by  curiosity,  advance 
towards  this  little  animal,  while  he  all  the 
time  keeps  playing  among  the  reeds,  nearer 
and  nearer  the  funnel,  till  they  follow  him  too 
far  to  recede.  Sometimes  the  dog  will  not 
attract  their  attention  till  a  red  handkerchief, 
or  something  very  singular,  be  put  about 
him.  The  decoy-ducks  never  enter  the  fun- 
nel-net with  the  rest,  being  taught  to  dive 
under  water  as  soon  as  the  rest  are  driven 


in. 


The  general  season  for  catching  fowl  in 
decoys  is  from  the  latter  end  of  October  till 
February.  The  taking  them  earlier  is  pro- 
hibited by  an  act  of  George  the  Second, 
which  imposes  a  penalty  of  five  shillings  for 
every  bird  destroyed  at  any  other  season. 

The  Lincolnshire  decoys  are  commonly 
let  at  a  certain  annual  rent,  from  five  pounds 
to  twenty  pounds  a  year;  and  some  even 
amount  to  thirty.  These  principally  con- 
tribute to  supply  the  markets  of  London  with 
wild-fowl.  The  number  of  ducks,  widgeon, 
and  teal,  that  are  sent  thither  is  amazing. 
Above  thirty  thousand  have  been  sent  up  in 
one  season  from  ten  decoys  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Wainfleet.  This  quantity  makes 
them  so  cheap  on  the  spot,  that  it  is  asserted, 
that  several  decoy-men  would  be  glad  to  con- 


tract for  years  to  deliver  their  ducks  at  the 
next  town  for  ten-pence  the  couple. 

To  this  manner  of  taking  the  wild-fowl  in 
England,  I  will  subjoin  another,  still  more  ex- 
traordinary, frequently  practised  in  China. 
Whenever  the  fowler  sees  a  number  of  ducks 
settled  in  any  particular  plash  of  water,  he 
sends  off  two  or  three  gourds  to  float  among 
them.  These  gourds  resemble  our  pompi- 
ons ;  but,  being  made  hollow,  they  swim  on 
the  surface  of  the  water ;  and  on  one  pool 
there  may  sometimes  be  seen  twenty  or  thirty 
of  these  gourds  floating  together.  The  fowl 
at  first  are  a  little  shy  of  coming  near  them ; 
but  by  degrees  they  come  nearer ;  and  as  all 
birds  at  last  grow  familiar  with  a  scare-crow, 
the  ducks  gather  about  these,  and  amuse 
themselves  by  whetting  their  bills  against 
them.  When  the  birds  are  as  familiar  with 
the  gourds  as  the  fowler  could  wish,  he  then 
prepares  to  deceive  them  in  good  earnest. 
He  hollows  out  one  of  these  gourds  large 
enough  to  put  his  head  in  ;  and,  making  holes 
to  breath  and  see  through,  he  claps  it  on  his 
head.  Thus  accoutred,  he  wades  slowly 
into  the  water,  keeping  his  body  under,  and 
nothing  but  his  head  in  the  gourd  above  the 
surface ;  and  in  that  manner  moves  imper- 
ceptibly towards  the  fowls,  who  suspect  no 
danger.  At  last,  however,  he  fairly  gets  in 
among  them ;  while  they,  having  been  long 
used  to  see  gourds,  take  not  the  least  fright 
while  the  enemy  is  in  the  very  midst  of  them: 
and  an  insidious  enemy  he  is;  for  ever  as  he 
approaches  a  fowl,  he  seizes  it  by  the  legs, 
and  draws  it  in  a  jerk  under  water.  There 
he  fastens  it  under  his  girdle,  and  goes  to 
the  next,  till  he  has  thus  loaded  himself  with 
as  many  as  he  can  carry  away.  When  he 
has  got  his  quantity,  without  ever  attempting 
to  disturb  the  rest  of  the  fowls  on  the  pool, 
he  slowly  moves  off  again ;  and  in  this  man- 
ner pays  the  flock  three  or  four  visits  in  a 
day.  Of  all  the  various  artifices  for  catching 
fowl,  this  seems  likely  to  be  attended  with 
the  greatest  success,  as  it  is  the  most  prac- 
tised in  China. 


602 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXXXV. 

OF  THE  KING  FISHER. 


1  will  conclude  this  history  of  birds  with 
one  that  seems  to  unite  in  itself  somewhat  of 
every  class  preceding.  It  seems  at  once  pos- 
sessed of  appetites  for  prey  like  the  rapaci- 
ous kinds,  with  an  attachment  to  water  like 
the  birds  of  that  element.  It  exhibits  in  its 
form  the  beautiful  plumage  of  the  peacock, 
the  shadings  of  the  humming-bird,  the  bill  of 
the  crane,  and  the  short  legs  of  the  swallow. 
The  bird  I  mean  is  the  King-fisher,  of  which 
many  extraordinary  falsehoods  have  been 
propagated ;  and  yet  of  which  many  extra- 
ordinary things  remain  to  be  said  that  are  ac- 
tually true. 

The  King-fisher  is  not  much  larger  than  a 
swallow;  its  shape  is  clumsy;  the  legs  dis- 
proportionably  small,  and  the  bill  dispropor- 
tionably  long;  it  is  two  inches  from  the  base 
to  the  tip;  the  upper  chap  black,  and  the 
lower  yellow :  but  the  colours  of  this  bird 
atone  for  its  inelegant  form ;  the  crown  of  the 
head  and  the  coverts  of  the  wings  are  of  a 
deep  blackish  green,  spotted  with  bright 
azure;  the  back  and  tail  are  of  the  most  re- 
splendent azure ;  the  whole  under-side  of  the 
body  is  orange-coloured;  a  broad  mark  of 
the  same  passes  from  the  bill  beyond  the  eyes; 
beyond  that  is  a  large  white  spot:  the  tail  is 
short,  and  consists  of  twelve  feathers  of  a  rich 
deep  blue;  the  feet  are  of  a  reddish  yellow, 
and  the  three  joints  of  the  outmost  toe  adhere 
to  the  middle  toe,  while  the  inner  toe  adheres 
only  by  one. 

From  the  diminutive  size,  the  slender  short 
legs,  and  the  beautiful  colours  of  this  bird, 
no  person  would  be  led  to  suppose  it  one  of 
the  most  rapacious  little  animals  that  skims 
the  deep.  Yet  it  is  for  ever  on  the  wing,  and 


«  Mr.  Montague,  who  paid  much  attention  to  the  man- 
ners of  this  bird,  says,  that  they  never  suspend  themselves 
oil  the  wing,  and  dart  on  their  prey,  like  the  osprey  ;  but 
that  they  sit  p;itient!y  on  a  bough  over  the  water,  and 
when  a  small  fish  comes  near  the  surface,  they  dart  on  it, 


feeds  on  fish,  which  it  takes  in  surprising 
quantities,  when  we  consider  its  size  and  fi- 
gure. It  chiefly  frequents  the  banks  of  rivers, 
and  takes  its  prey  after  the  manner  of  the 
osprey,  balancing  itself  at  a  certain  distance 
above  the  water  for  a  considerable  space, 
then  darting  into  the  deep,  and  seizing  the 
fish  with  inevitable  certainty.  While  it  re- 
mains suspended  in  the  air,  in  a  bright  day, 
the  plumage  exhibits  a  beautiful  variety  of 
the  most  dazzling  and  brilliant  colours.  It 
might  have  been  this  extraordinary  beauty 
that  has  given  rise  to  fable;  for  wherever 
there  is  any  thing  uncommon,  fancy  is  always 
willing  to  increase  the  wonder." 

Of  this  bird  it  has  been  said,  that  she  built 
her  nest  on  the  water,  and  thus  in  a  few  days 
hatched  and  produced  her  young.  But,  to  be 
uninterrupted  in  this  task,  she  was  said  to 
be  possessed  of  a  charm  to  allay  the  fury  of 
the  waves;  and  during  this  period  the  mari- 
ner might  sail  with  the  greatest  security. 
The  ancient  poets  are  full  of  these  fables; 
their  historians  are  not  exempt  from  them. 
Cicero  has  written  a  long  poem  in  praise  of 
the  halcyon,  of  which  there  remain  but  two 
lines.  Even  the  emperor  Gordian  has  writ- 
ten a  poem  on  this  subject,  of  which  we  have 
nothing  remaining.  These  fables  have  been 
adopted  each  by  one  of  the  earliest  fathers 
of  the  church.  "  Behold,"  says  St.  Ambrose, 
"  the  little  bird,  which  in  the  midst  of  the  win- 
ter lays  her  eggs  on  the  sand  by  the  shore. 
From  that  moment  the  winds  are  hushed ;  the 
sea  becomes  smooth ;  and  the  calm  continues 
for  fourteen  days.  This  is  the  time  she  re- 
quires ;  seven  days  to  hatch,  and  seven  days 
to  foster  her  young.  Their  Creator  has  taught 


and  seize  it  with  their  bill.  He  never  could  observe  the 
old  birds  with  any  thing  in  their  bills,  when  they  went  in 
to  feed  their  young ;  from  which  he  concludes  that  they 
eject  it  from  their  stomachs  for  this  purpose. 


WATER-FOWL. 


603 


these  little  animals  to  make  their  nest  in  the 
midst  of  the  most  stormy  season,  only  to  ma- 
nifest his  kindness  by  granting  them  a  lasting 
calm.  The  seamen  are  not  ignorant  of  this 
blessing ;  they  call  this  interval  of  fair  wea- 
ther their  halcyon  days  ;  and  they  are  particu- 
larly careful  to  seize  the  opportunity,  as  then 
they  need  fear  no  interruption,"  This,  and 
a  hundred  other  instances,  might  be  given  of 
the  credulity  of  mankind  with  respect  to  this 
bird  ;  they  entered  into  speculations  concern- 
ing the  manner  of  her  calming  the  deep,  the 
formation  of  her  nest,  and  her  peculiar  saga- 
city ;  at  present  we  do  not  speculate,  because 
we  know,  with  respect  to  our  king-fisher,  that 
most  of  the  facts  are  false.  It  may  be  al- 
leged, indeed,  with  some  show  of  reason,  that 
the  halcyon  of  the  ancients  was  a  different 
bird  from  our  king-fisher;  it  may  be  urged, 
that  many  birds,  especially  on  the  Indian 
ocean,  build  a  floating  nest  upon  the  sea;  but 
still  the  history  of  the  ancient  halcyon  is  clog- 

fed  with  endless  fable;  and  it  is  but  an  in- 
ifferent  method  to  vindicate  falsehood,  by 
showing  that  a  part  of  the  story  is  true. 

The  king-fisher  with  which  we  are  acquaint- 
ed at  present,  has  none  of  those  powers  of  al- 
laying the  storm,  or  building  upon  the  waves; 
it  is  contented  to  make  its  nest  on  the  banks 
of  rivers,  in  such  situations  as  not  to  be  af- 
fected by  the  rising  of  the  stream.  When  it 
has  found  a  place  for  its  purpose,  it  hollows 
out  with  its  bill  a  hole  about  a  yard  deep;  or 
if  it  finds  the  deserted  hole  of  a  rat,  or  one 
caused  by  the  root  of  a  tree  decaying,  it  takes 
quiet  possession.  This  hole  it  enlarges  at 
the  bottom  to  a  good  size ;  and  lining  it  with 
the  down  of  the  willow,  lays  its  eggs  there 
without  any  further  preparation. 

Its  nest,  or  rather  hole,  is  very  different 
from  that  described  by  the  ancients,  by  whom 
it  is  said  to  be  made  in  the  shape  of  a  long- 
necked  gourd  of  the  bones  of  the  sea-needle. 
The  bones,  indeed,  are  found  there  in  great 
quantities,  as  well  as  the  scales  of  fishes;  but 
these  are  the  remains  of  the  bird's  food,  and 
by  no  means  brought  there  for  the  purposes 
of  warmth  or  convenience.  The  king-fisher, 
as  Bellonius  says,  feeds  upon  fish,  but  is  in- 
capable of  digesting  the  bones  and  scales, 
which  he  throws  up  again,  as  eagles  and  owls 
are  seen  to  do  a  part  of  their  prey.  These 

HO.  51  &  52. 


fill  the  bird's  nest  of  course ;  and  although 
they  seem  as  if  designedly  placed  there,  are 
only  a  kind  of  nuisance. 

In  these  holes,  which,  from  the  remains  of 
fish  brought  there,  are  very  foetid,  the  king- 
fisher is  often  found  with  from  five  eggs  to 
nine.  There  the  female  continues  to  hatch, 
even  though  disturbed;  and  though  the  nest 
be  robbed,  she  will  again  return  and  lay  there. 
"  I  have  had  one  of  those  females  brought  me,'" 
says  Reaumur,  "  which  was  taken  from  her 
nest  about  three  leagues  from  my  house.  Af- 
ter admiring  the  beauty  of  her  colours,  I  let 
her  fly  again,  when  the  fond  creature  was  in- 
stantly seen  to  return  back  to  the  nest  where 
she  had  just  before  been  made  a  captive. 
There,  joining  the  male,  she  again  began  to 
lay,  though  it  was  for  the  third  time,  and  though 
the  season  was  very  far  advanced.  At  each 
time  she  had  seven  eggs.  The  older  the  nest 
is,  the  greater  quantity  offish-bones  and  scales 
does  it  contain:  these  are  disposed  without 
any  order;  and  sometimes  take  up  a  good 
deal  of  room." 

The  female  begins  to  lay  early  in  the  sea- 
son; and  excludes  her  first  brood  about  the 
beginning  of  April.  The  male,  whose  fideli- 
ty exceeds  even  that  of  the  turtle,  brings  her 
large  provisions  offish  while  she  is  thus  em- 
ployed ;  and  she,  contrary  to  most  other  birds, 
is  found  plump  and  fat  at  that  season.  The 
male,  that  used  to  twitter  before  this,  now  en- 
ters the  nest  as  quietly  and  as  privately  as 
possible.  The  young  ones  are  hatched  at 
the  expiration  of  twenty  days ;  but  are  seen  to 
differ  as  well  in  their  size  as  in  their  beauty. 

As  the  ancients  have  had  their  fables  con- 
cerning this  bird,  so  have  the  modern  vulgar. 
It  is  an  opinion  generally  received  among 
them,  that  the  flesh  of  the  king-fisher  will  not 
corrupt,  and  that  it  will  even  banish  all  ver- 
min. This  has  no  better  foundation  than 
that  which  is  said  of  its  always  pointing,  when 
hung  up  dead,  with  its  breast  to  the  north. 
The  only  truth  which  can  be  affirmed  of  this 
bird,  when  killed,  is,  that  its  flesh  is  utterly 
unfit  to  be  eaten;  while  its  beautiful  plumage 
preserves  its  lustre  longer  than  that  of  any 
other  bird  we  know. 

Having  thus  given  a  short  history  of  birds, 
I  own  I  cannot  take  leave  of  this  most  beau- 
tiful part  of  the  creation  without  reluctance.. 
4R 


604 


A  HISTORY  OF  WATER-FOWL. 


These  splendid  inhabitants  of  the  air  pos- 
sess all  those  qualities  that  can  sooth  the 
heart,  and  cheer  the  fancy.  The  brightest 
colours,  the  roundest  forms,  the  most  active 
manners,  and  the  sweetest  music.  In  send- 
ing the  imagination  in  pursuit  of  these,  in  fol- 
lowing them  to  the  chirping  grove,  the  scream- 
ing precipice,  or  the  glassy  deep,  the  mind 
naturally  lost  the  sense  of  its  own  situation, 
and,  attentive  to  their  little  sports,  almost  for- 
got the  TASK  of  describing  them.  Innocently 
to  amuse  the  imagination  in  this  dream  of  life 
is  wisdom;  and  nothing  is  useless  that,  by 
furnishing  mental  employment,  keeps  us  for 
a  while  in  oblivion  of  those  stronger  appe- 


tites that  lead  to  evil.  But  every  rank  and 
state  of  mankind  may  find  something  to  imi- 
tate in  those  delightful  songsters,  and  we  may 
not  only  employ  the  time,  but  mend  our  lives, 
by  the  contemplation.  From  their  courage 
in  defence  of  their  young,  and  their  assiduity 
in  incubation,  the  coward  may  learn  to  be 
brave,  and  the  rash  to  be  patient.  The  in- 
violable attachment  of  some  to  their  compa- 
nions may  give  lessons  of  fidelity;  and  the 
connubial  tenderness  of  others,  be  a  monitor 
to  the  incontinent.  Even  those  that  are  ty- 
rants by  nature  never  spread  capricious  de- 
struction ;  and,  unlike  man,  never  indict  a 
pain  but  when  urged  by  necessity. 


A  HISTORY  OF  FISHES  IN  GENERAL- 


605 


OF    FISHES    IN    GENERAL. 


CHAPTER  CXXXVI. 

INTRODUCTION. 


THE  ocean  is  the  great  receptacle  of  fishes. 
It  has  been  thought,  by  some,  that  11  fish  are 
naturally  of  that  salt  element ;  and  that  they 
have  mounted  up  into  fresh  water  by  some 
accidental  migration.  A  few  still  swim  up 
rivers  to  deposit  their  spawn  ;  but  of  the  great 
body  of  fishes,  of  which  the  size  is  enormous 
and  the  shoals  are  endless,  those  all  keep  to 
the  sea,  and  would  quickly  expire  in  fresh 
water.  In  that  extensive  and  undiscovered 
abode,  millions  reside,  whose  manners  are  a 
secret  to  us,  and  whose  very  form  is  unknown. 
The  curiosity  of  mankind,  indeed,  has  drawn 
some  from  their  depths,  and  his  wants  many 
more  :  with  the  figure  of  these  at  least  he  is 
acquainted  ;  but  for  their  pursuits,  migrations, 
societies,  antipathies,  pleasures,  times  of  ges- 
tation, and  manner  of  bringing  forth,  these  are 
all  hidden  in  the  turbulent  element  that  pro- 
tects them. 

The  number  offish  to  which  we  have  given 
names,  and  of  the  figure,  at  least,  of  which  we 
know  something,  according  to  Linnaeus,  are 
above  four  hundred.  Thus  to  appearance, 
indeed,  the  history  of  fish  is  tolerably  copious ; 
but  when  we  come  to  examine,  it  will  be 
found  that  of  the  greatest  part  of  these  we 
know  very  little.  Those  qualities,  singulari- 
ties, or  advantages,  that  render  animals  worth 
naming,  still  remain  to  be  discovered.  The 


history  of  fishes,  therefore,  has  little  in  it  en* 
tertaining :  for  our  philosophers  hitherto,  in- 
stead of  studying  their  nature,  have  been  em- 
ployed in  increasing  their  catalogues ;  and 
the  reader,  instead  of  observations  or  facts,  is 
presented  with  a  long  list  of  names,  that  dis- 
gust him  with  their  barren  superfluity.  It 
must  displease  him  to  see  the  language  of 
science  increasing,  while  the  science  itself  has 
nothing  to  repay  the  increasing  tax  laid  upon 
his  memory. 

Most  fish  offer  us  the  same  external  form  ; 
sharp  at  either  end,  and  swelling  in  the  mid- 
dle ;  by  which  they  are  enabled  to  traverse 
the  fluid  which  they  inhabit,  with  greater 
celerity  and  ease.  That  peculiar  shape  which 
nature  has  granted  to  most  fishes,  we  endea- 
vour to  imitate  in  such  vessels  as  are  designed 
to  sail  with  the  greatest  swiftness ;  however, 
the  progress  of  a  machine  moved  forward  in 
the  water  by  human  contrivance,  is  nothing 
to  the  rapidity  of  an  animal  destined  by  na- 
tureto  reside  there.  Any  of  the  large  fish  over- 
take a  ship  in  full  sail  with  great  ease,  play  round 
it  without  effort,  and  outstrip  it  at  pleasure. 
Every  part  of  the  body  seems  exerted  in  this 
despatch  ;  the  fins,  the  tail,  and  the  motion  of 
the  whole  back-bone,  assist  progression  ;  and 
it  is  to  that  flexibility  of  body  at  which  art 
cannot  arrive,  that  fishes  owe  their  great  velocity 

4R» 


606 


A  HISTORY  OF 


The  chief  instruments  in  a  fish's  motion, 
are  the  fins ;  which,  in  some  fish,  are  much 
more  numerous  than  in  others.  A  fish  com- 
pletely fitted  for  sailing,  is  furnished  with  not 
less  than  two  pair;  also  three  single  fins,  two 
above  and  one  below.  Thus  equipped,  it 
migrates  with  the  utmost  rapidity,  and  takes 
voyages  of  a  thousand  leagues  in  a  season. 
But  it  does  not  always  happen  that  such  fish 
as  have  the  greatest  number  of  fins  have  the 
swiftest  motion  :  the  shark  is  thought  to  be 
one  of  the  swiftest  swimmers,  yet  it  wants 
the  ventral  or  belly  fins ;  the  haddock  does 
not  move  so  swift,  yet  it  is  completely  fitted 
for  motion. 

But  the  fins  serve  not  only  to  assist  the  ani- 
mal in  progression,  but  in  rising  or  sinking, 
in  turning,  or  even  leaping  out  of  the  water. 
To  answer  these  purposes,  the  pectoral  fins 
serve,  like  oars,  to  push  the  animal  forward ; 
they  are  placed  at  some  little  distance  be- 
hind the  opening  of  the  gills;  they  are  gene- 
rally large  and  strong,  and  answer  the  same 
purposes  to  the  fish  in  the  water,  as  wings  do 
to  a  bird  in  the  air.  With  the  help  of  these, 
and  by  their  continued  motion,  the  flying-fish 
is  sometimes  seen  to  rise  out  of  the  water, 
and  to  fly  above  an  hundred  yards;  till, 
fatigued  with  its  exertions,  it  is  obliged  to 
sink  down  again.  These  also  serve  to  balance 
the  fish's  head,  when  it  is  too  large  for  the 
body,  and  keep  it  from  tumbling  prone  to  the 
bottom,  as  is  seen  in  large-headed  fishes, 
when  the  pectoral  fins  are  cut  off.  Next 
these  are  seen  the  ventral  fins,  placed  towards 
the  lower  part  of  the  body,  under  the  belly ; 
these  are  always  seen  to  lie  flat  on  the  water, 
in  whatever  situation  the  fish  may  be  ;  and 
they  serve  rather  to  raise  or  depress  the  fish 
in  its  element,  than  to  assist  progressive  mo- 
tion. The  dorsal  fin  is  situated  along  the 
ridge  of  the  back;  and  serves  to  keep  it  in 
equilibrio,  as  also  to  assist  its  progressive  mo- 
tion. In  many  fishes  this  is  wanting ;  but  in 
all  flat  fishes  it  is  very  large,  as  the  pectoral 
fins  are  proportionably  small.  The  anal  fin 
occupies  that  part  of  the  fish  which  lies  be- 
tween the  anus  and  the  tail ;  and  this  serves 
to  keep  the  fish  in  its  upright  or  vertical  situa- 
tion. Lastly,  the  tail,  which  in  some  fishes 
is  flat,  and  upright  in  others,  seems  the  grand 
instrument  of  motion;  the  fins  are  but  all 


subservient  to  it,  and  give  direction  to  its 
great  impetus,  by  which  the  fish  seems  to  dart 
forward  with  to  much  velocity.  To  explain 
all  this  by  experiment;  a  carp  is  taken,  and 
put  into  a  large  vessel.  The  fish,  in  a  state 
of  repose,  spreads  all  its  fins,  and  seems  to 
rest  upon  its  pectoral  and  ventral  fins  near 
the  bottom  :  if  the  fish  folds  up  (for  it  has  the 
power  of  folding)  either  of  its  pectoral  fins, 
it  inclines  to  the  same  side  :  folding  the  right 
pectoral  fin,  the  fish  inclines  to  the  right  side; 
folding  the  left  fin,  it  inclines  to  that  side  in 
turn.  When  the  fish  desires  to  have  a  retro- 
grade motion,  striking  with  the  pectoral  fins, 
in  a  contrary  direction,  effectually  produces 
it.  If  the  fish  desires  to  turn,  a  blow  from  the 
tail  sends  it  about ;  but  if  the  tail  strikes  both 
ways,  then  the  motion  is  progressive.  In 
pursuance  of  these  observations,  if  the  dorsal 
and  ventral  fins  be  cut  oJF,  the  fish  reels  to 
the  right  arid  left,  and  endeavours  to  supply 
its  loss  by  keeping  the  rest  of  its  fins  in  con- 
stant employment.  If  the  right  pectoral  fin 
be  cut  off,  the  fish  leans  to  that  side;  if  the 
ventral  fin  on  the  same  side  be  cut  away, 
then  it  loses  its  equilibrium  entirely.  When 
the  tail  is  cut  ofF,  the  fish  loses  all  motion, 
and  gives  itself  up  to  where  the  water  impels 
it. 

From  hence  it  appears,  that  each  of  these 
instruments  has  a  peculiar  use  assigned  it; 
but,  at  the  same  time,  that  they  all  conspire 
to  assist  each  other's  motions.  Some  fish 
are  possessed  of  all,  whose  motions  are  yet 
not  the  swiftest;  others  have  but  a  part,  and 
yet  dart  in  the  water  with  great  rapidity. 
The  number,  the  size,  and  the  situation  of 
the  fins,  therefore,  seem  rather  calculated  to 
correspond  with  the  animal's  figure,  than 
solely  to  answer  the  purposes  of  promoting 
its  speed.  Where  the  head  is  large  and 
heavy,  there  the  pectoral  fins  are  large,  and 
placed  forward,  to  keep  it  from  oversetting. 
Where  the  head  is  small,  or  produced  out 
into  a  long  beak,  and  therefore  not  too  heavy 
for  the  tail,  the  pectoral  fins  are  small,  and 
the  ventral  fins  totally  wanting. 

As  most  animals  that  live  upon  land  are 
furnished  with  a  covering  to  keep  ofT  the  in- 
juries of  the  weather,  so  all  that  live  in  the 
water  are  covered  with  a  slimy  glutinous 
matter,  that,  like  a  sheath,  defends  their  bo- 


FISHES  IN  GENERAL. 


607 


dies  from  the  immediate  contact  of  a  surround- 
ing fluid.  This  substance  may  be  considered 
as  a  secretion  from  the  pores  of  the  animal's 
body ;  and  serving  not  only  to  defend,  but  lo 
-  assist  the  fish's  easy  progress  through  the: 
water.  Beneath  this,  in  many  kinds,  is  found 
a  strong  covering  of  scales,  that,  like  a  coat 
of  mail,  defend  it  still  more  powerfully;  and 
under  that,  before  we  come  to  the  muscular 
parts  of  the  body,  an  oily  substance,  which 
supplies  the  requisite  warmth  and  vigour. 

The  fish  thus  protected  and  fitted  for  mo- 
tion in  its  natural  element,  seems  as  well  fur- 
nished with  the  means  of  happiness  as  quad- 
rupeds or  birds;  but  if  we  come  to  examine 
its  faculties  more  nearly,  we  shall  find  it  very 
much  their  inferior.  The  sense  of  touching, 
which  beasts  and  birds  have  in  a  small  de- 
gree, the  fish,  covered  up  in  its  own  coat  of 
mail,  can  have  but  little  acquaintance  with. 

The  sense  of  smelling,  which  in  beasts  is 
so  exquisite,  and  among  birds  is  not  wholly 
unknown,  seems  given  to  fishes  in  a  very  mo- 
derate proportion.  It  is  true,  that  all  fishes 
have  one  or  more  nostrils;  and  even  those 
that  have  not  the  holes  perceptible  without, 
yet  have  the  proper  formation  of  the  bones 
for  smelling  within.  But  as  air  is  the  only 
medium  we  know  for  thedistribution  of  odours, 
it  cannot  be  supposed  that  these  animals,  re- 
siding in  water,  can  be  possessed  of  any 
power  of  being  affected  by  them.  If  they 
have  any  perception  of  smells,  it  must  be  in 
the  same  manner  as  we  distinguish  by  our 
taste;  and,  it  is  probable,  the  olfactory  mem- 
brane in  fish  serves  them  instead  of  a  distin- 
guishing palate:  and  by  this  they  judge  of 
substances,  that,  first  tincturing  the  water 
with  their  vapours,  are  thus  sent  to  the  nos- 
trils of  the  fish,  and  no  doubt  produce  some 
kind  of  sensation.  This  most  probably  must 
be  the  use  of  that  organ  in  those  animals,  as 
otherwise  there  would  be  the  instruments  of 
a  sense  provided  for  them,  without  any  power 
in  them  of  enjoyment 

As  to  tasting,  they  seem  to  make  very  little 
distinction;  the  palate  of  most  fish  is  hard 
and  bony,  and  consequently  incapable  of  the 
powers  of  relishing  different  substances.  This 
sense  among  quadrupeds,  who  possess  it  in 
some  degree,  arises  from  the  soft  pliancy  of 
the  organ,  and  the  delicacy  of  the  skin  which 


covers  the  instruments  of  tasting;  it  may  be 
considered,  in  them,  as  a  more  perfect  and 
delicate  kind  of  feeling :  in  the  bony  palate 
offish,  therefore,  all  powers  of  distinguishing 
are  utterly  taken  away ;  and  we  have  accord- 
ingly often  seen  these  voracious  animals  swal- 
low the  fisherman's  plummet  instead  of  the 
bait. 

Hearing  in  fishes  is  found  still  more  imper- 
fect, if  it  be  found  at  all.     Certain  it  is,  that 
anatomists  have  not   been  able  to  discover, 
except  in  the  whale  kind,  the  smallest  traces 
of  an  organ,  either  within  or  without  the  head 
of  fishes.     It  is  true,  that  in  the  centre  of  the 
brain  of  some  fishes  are  found  now  and  then 
some  little  bones,  the  number  and  situation 
of  which   are   entirely   accidental.      These 
bones  Mr.  Klein  has  supposed  to  constitute 
the  organ  of  hearing ;  but  if  we  consider  their 
entire  dissimilitude  to  the  bones  that  serve 
for  hearing  in  other  animals,  we  shall  be  of 
another  opinion.      The  greatest  number  of 
fishes  are  deprived   of  these  bones  entirely : 
some  fish  have  them  in  small  numbers,   and 
others  in  abundance :  yet  neither  testify  any 
excellence  or  defect  in  hearing.     Indeed,  of 
what  advantage   would   this  sense  be  to  ani- 
mals that  are  incapable  of  making  themselves 
heard  ?     They  have  no  voice  to  communicate 
to  each  other,  and  consequently  have  no  need 
of  an  organ  for  hearing.    Mr.  Gouan,  who  kept 
some  gold  fishes  in  a  vase,  informs  us,  that 
whatever  noise  he  made,  he  could  neither  dis- 
turb nor  terrify  them ;  he  halloed  as  loud  as 
he  could,  putting  a  piece  of  paper  between 
his  mouth  and  the  water,  to  prevent  the  vi- 
brations from  affecting  the  surface,  and  the 
fishes  still  seemed  insensible:  but  when  the 
paper  was  removed,  and  the  sound  had  its 
full  play  upon  the  water,  the  fishes  seemed 
instantly  to  feel  the  change,  and  shrunk   to 
the  bottom.     From  this  we  may  learn,  that 
fishes  are  as  deaf  as  they  are  mute:  and  that 
when  they  seem  to  hear  the  call  of  a  whistle 
or  a  bell  at  the  edge  of  a  pond,  it  is   rather 
the  vibrations  of  the  sound  that  affect  the  wa- 
ter, by  which  they  are   excited,  than   any 
sounds  that  they  hear. 

Seeing  seems  to  be  the  sense  fishes  are  pos- 
sessed of  in  the  greatest  degree ;  and  yet  even 
this  seems  obscure,  if  we  compare  it  to  that 
of  other  animals.  The  eye,  in  almost  all  fish, 


608 


A  HISTORY  OF 


is  covered  with  the  same  transparent  skin  that 
covers  the  rest  of  the  head ;  and  which,  pro- 
bably, serves  to  defend  it  in  the  water,  as 
they  are  without  eye-lids.  The  globe  is  more 
depressed  anteriorly,  and  is  furnished  behind 
with  a  muscle,  which  serves  to  lengthen  or 
flatten  it,  according  to  the  necessities  of  the 
animal.  The  crystalline  humour,  whicli  in 
quadrupeds  is  flat,  and  of  the  shape  of  a  but- 
ton-mould, in  fishes  is  as  round  as  a  pea;  or 
sometimes  oblong,  like  an  egg.  From  all  this 
it  appears,  that  fish  are  extremely  near-sight- 
ed ;  and  that  even  in  the  water  they  can  see 
objects  at  a  very  small  distance.  This  dis- 
tance might  very  easily  be  ascertained,  by 
comparing  the  refraction  of  bodies  in  the  wa- 
ter, with  that  formed  by  a  lens  that  is  spheri- 
cal. Those  unskilled  in  mathematical  calcu- 
lations, will  have  a  general  idea  of  this,  from 
the  glasses  used  by  near-sighted  people. 
Those  whose  crystalline  humour  is  too  con- 
vex, or,  in  other  words,  too  round,  are  always 
very  near-sighted ;  and  obliged  to  use  con- 
cave glasses,  to  correct  the  imperfections  of 
nature.  The  crystalline  humour  offish  is  so 
round,  that  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  any  glass- 
es, much  less  of  water,  to  correct  their  vision. 
This  crystalline  humour  in  fishes  all  must 
have  seen;  being  that  little  hard  pea-like  sub- 
stance which  is  found  in  their  eyes  after  boil- 
ing. In  the  natural  state  it  is  transparent, 
and  not  much  hardef*than  a  jelly. 

From  all  this  it  appears  how  far  fish  fall 
behind  terrestrial  animals  in  their  sensations, 
and  consequently  in  their  enjoyments.  Even 
their  brain,  which  is  by  some  supposed  to  be 
of  a  size  with  every  animal's  understanding, 
shows  that  fish  are  inferior  even  to  birds  in 
this  particular.  It  is  divided  into  three  parts, 
surrounded  with  a  whitish  froth,  and  gives  oflf 
nerves  as  well  to  the  sense  of  sightas  of  smell- 
ing. In  some  fish  it  is  gray,  in  others  white; 
in  some  it  is  flatted,  in  others  round  ;  but  in 
all  extremely  small,  compared  to  the  bulk  of 
the  animal. 

Thus  Nature  seems  to  havie  fitted  these 
animals  with  appetites  and  powers  of  an  in- 
ferior kind  ;  and  formed  them  for  a  sort  of 
passive  existence  in  the  obscure  and  heavy 
element  to  which  they  are  consigned.  To 
preserve  their  own  existence,  and  to  continue 
it  to  their  posterity,  fill  up  the  whole  circle 


of  their  pursuits  and  enjoyments;  to  these 
they  are  impelled  rather  by  necessity  than 
choice,  and  seem  mechanically  excited  to 
every  fruition.  Their  senses  are  incapable 
of  making  any  distinctions;  but  they  drive 
forward  in  pursuit  of  whatever  they  can  swal- 
low, conquer,  or  enjoy. 

A  ceaseless  desire  of  food  seems  to  give 
the  ruling  impulse  to  all  their  motions.  This 
appetite  impels  them  to  encounter  every  dan- 
ger; and  indeed  their  rapacity  seems  insa- 
tiable. Even  when  taken  out  of  the  water, 
and  almost  expiring,  they  greedily  swallow 
the  very  bait  by  which  they  were  allured  to 
destruction. 

The  maw  is,  in  general,  placed  next  the 
mouth,  and  though  possessed  of  no  sensible 
heat,  is,  however,  endued  with  a  surprising 
faculty  of  digestion.  Its  digestive  power  seems, 
in  some  measure,  to  increase  with  the  quan- 
tity *o£ food  it  is  supplied  with;  a  single  pike 
having  been  known  to  devour  a  hundred 
roaches  in  three  days.  Its  faculties  also  are 
as  extraordinary;  for  it  digests  not  only  fish, 
but  much  harder  substances;  prawns,  crabs, 
and  lobsters,  shells  and  all.  These  the  cod 
or  the  sturgeon  will  not  only  devour,  but  dis- 
solve down,  though  their  shells  are  so  much 
harder  than  the  sides  of  the  stomach  which 
contains  them.  This  amazing  faculty  in  the 
cold  maw  of  fishes,  has  justly  excited  the  cu- 
riosity of  philosophers ;  and  has  effectually 
overturned  the  system  of  those,  who  supposed 
that  the  heat  of  the  stomach  was  alone  a  suffi- 
cient instrument  for  digestion.  The  truth 
seems  to  be,  and  some  experiments  of  the 
skilful  Dr.  Hunter  seem  to  evince,  that  there 
is  a  power  of  animal  assimilation  lodged 
in  the  stomach  of  all  creatures,  which  we  can 
neither  describe  nor  define,  converting  the 
substances  they  swallow  into  a  fluid  fitted  for 
their  own  peculiar  support.  This  is  done 
neither  by  trituration,  nor  by  warmth,  nor  by 
motion,  nor  by  a  dissolving  fluid,  nor  by  their 
united  efforts;  but  by  some  principle  in  the 
stomach  yet  unknown,  which  acts  in  a  differ- 
ent manner  from  all  kinds  of  artificial  mace- 
ration. The  meat  taken  into  the  stomach  or 
maw  is  often  seen,  though  very  near  being 
digested,  still  to  retain  its  original  form :  and 
ready  for  a  total  dissolution,  while  it  appears 
to  the  eye  as  yet  untouched  by  the  force  of 


FISHES  IN  GENERAL. 


609 


the  stomach.  This  animal  power  is  lodged 
in  the  maw  of  fishes,  in  a  greater  degree  than 
in  any  other  creatures  ;  their  digestive  powers 
are  quick,  and  their  appetites  ever  are  craving. 

Yet  though  fish  are  thus  hungry,  and  for 
ever  prowling,  I10  animals  can  suffer  the  want 
of  food  for  so  long  a  time.  The  gold  and 
silver  fish  we  keep  in  vases,  seem  never  to 
want  any  nourishment  at  all :  whether  it  be 
that  they  feed  on  the  water  insects,  too  minute 
for  our  observation,  or  that  water  alone  is  a 
sufficient  supply,  is  not  evident ;  but  they  are 
often  seen  for  months  without  apparent  suste- 
nance. Even  the  pike,  the  most  voracious  of 
fishes,  will  live  in  a  pond  where  there  is  none 
but  himself;  and,  what  is  more  extraordinary, 
will  be  often  found  to  thrive  there. 

Still,  however,  fishes  are  of  all  other  ani- 
mals the  most  voracious  and  insatiable.  What- 
ever any  of  them  is  able  to  swallow,  possessed 
of  life,  seems  to  be  considered  as  the  most  de- 
sirable food.  Some  that  have  very  small 
mouths  feed  upon  worms  and  the  spawn  of 
other  fish  ;  others,  whose  mouths  are  larger, 
s?ek  larger  prey  ;  it  matters  not  of  what  kind, 
whether  of  another  or  their  own.  Those 
with  the  largest  mouths  pursue  almost  every 
thing  that  has  life;  and  often  meet  each  other 
in  fieiva  opposition,  when  the  fish  with  the 
largest  swallow  comes  off  with  the  victory, 
and  devours  its  antagonist. 

Thus  are  they  irritated  by  the  continual 
desire  of  satisfying  their  hunger  ;  and  the  life 
of  a  fish,  from  the  smallest  to  the  greatest,  is 
but  one  scene  of  hostility,  violence,  and  eva- 
sion. But  the  smaller  fry  stand  no  chance  in 
the  unequal  combat ;  and  their  usual  way  of 
escaping  is  by  swimming  into  those  shallows 
where  the  greater  are  unable,  or  too  heavy,  to 
pursue.  There  they  become  invaders  in  turn, 
and  live  upon  the  spawn  of  larger  fish,  which 
they  find  floating  upon  the  surface  of  the  wa- 
ter ;  yet  there  are  dangers  attending  them  in 
every  place.  Even  in  the  shallows,  the  mus- 
sel, the  oyster,  and  the  scallop,  lie  in  ambush 
at  the  bottom,  with  their  shells  open,  and 
whatever  little  fish  inadvertently  approaches 
into  contact,  they  at  once  close  their  shells 
upon  him,  and  devour  the  imprisoned  prey  at 
their  leisure. 

Nor  is  the  pursuit  of  fishes,  like  that  of  ter- 
restrial animals,  confined  to  a  single  region, 
or  to  one  effort :  shoals  of  one  species  follow 


those  of  another  through  vast  tracks  of  ocean, 
from  the  vicinity  of  the  pole,  even  down  to  the 
equator.  Thus  the  cod,  from  the  banks  of 
Newfoundland,  pursues  the  whiting,  which 
flies  before  it  even  to  the  southern  shores  of 
Spain.  The  cachalot  is  said,  in  the  same 
manner,  to  pursue  a  shoal  of  herrings,  and  to 
swallow  thousands  at  a  gulp. 

This  may  be  one  cause  of  the  annual  mi- 
gration of  fishes  from  one  part  of  the  ocean  to 
the  other  ;  but  there  are  other  motives  which 
come  in  aid  of  this  also.  Fishes  may  be  in- 
duced to  change  the  place  of  their  residence, 
for  one  more  suited  to  their  constitutions,  or 
more  adapted  to  depositing  their  spawn.  It 
is  remarkable  that  no  fish  are  fond  of  very 
cold  waters,  and  generally  frequent  those 
places  where  it  is  warmest.  Thus,  in  summer, 
they  are  seen  in  great  numbers  in  the  shallows 
near  the  shore,  where  the  sun  has  power  to 
warm  the  water  to  the  bottom  ;  on  the  con- 
trary, in  winter,  they  are  found  towards  the 
bottom  in  the  deep  sea ;  for  the  cold  of  the 
atmosphere  is  not  sufficiently  penetrating  to 
reach  them  at  those  great  depths.  Cold  pro- 
duces the  same  effect  upon  fresh-water  fishes ; 
and  when  they  are  often  seen  dead  after 
severe  frosts,  it  is  most  probable  that  they 
have  been  killed  by  the  severity  of  the  cold, 
as  well  as  by  their  being  excluded  by  the  ice 
from  air. 

All  fish  live  in  the  water  ;  yet  they  all  stand 
in  need  of  air  for  their  support.  Those  of  the 
whale  kind,  indeed,  breath  air  in  the  same 
manner  as  we  do,  and  come  to  the  surface 
every  two  or  three  minutes  to  take  a  fresh  in- 
spiration ;  but  those  which  continue  entirely 
under  water,  are  yet  under  a  necessity  of  be- 
ing supplied  with  air,  or  they  will  expire  in  a 
very  few  minutes.  We  sometimes  see  all 
the  fish  of  a  pond  killed,  when  the  ice  every 
where  covers  the  surface  of  the  water,  and 
thus  keeps  off  the  air  from  the  subjacent  fluid. 
If  a  hole  be  made  in  the  ice,  the  fish  will  be 
seen  to  come  all  to  that  part,  in  order  to  take 
the  benefit  of  a  fresh  supply.  Should  a  carp, 
in  a  large  vase  of  water,  be  placed  under  an 
air-pump,  and  then  be  deprived  of  its  air, 
during  the  operation  a  number  of  bubbles  will 
be  seen  standing  on  the  surface  of  the  fish's 
body;  soon  after  the  animal  will  appear  to 
breath  swifter,  and  with  greater  difficulty ;  it 
will  then  be  seen  to  rise  towards  the  surface, 


610 


A  HISTORY  OF 


to  get  more  air ;  the  bubbles  on  the  surface 
begin  to  disappear ;  the  belly,  that  was  before 
swollen,  will  then  fall  of  a  sudden ;  and  the 
animal  sinks  expiring  and  convulsed  at  the 
bottom. 

So  very  necessary  is  air  to  all  animals,  but 
particularly  to  fish,  that,  as  was  said,  they  can 
live  but  a  few  minutes  without  it ;  yet  nothing 
is  more  difficult  to  be  accounted  for  than  the 
manner  in  which  they  obtain  this  necessary 
supply.  Those  who  have  seen  a  fish  in  the 
water,  must  remember  the  motion  of  its  lips 
and  its  gills,  or  at  least  of  the  bones  on  each 
side  that  cover  them.  This  motion  in  the  ani- 
mal is,  without  doubt,  analogous  to  our  breath- 
ing ;  but  it  is  not  air,  but  water,  that  the  fish 
actually  sticks  in  and  spouts  out  through  the 
gills  at  every  motion.  The  manner  of  its 
breathing  is  thus :  the  fish  first  takes  in  a 

auantity  of  water  by  the  mouth,  which  is 
riven  to  the  gills ;  these  close  and  keep  the 
water  so  swallowed  from  returning  by  the 
mouth ;  while  the  bony  covering  of  the  gills 
prevents  k  from  going  through  them,  until 
the  animal  lias  drawn  the  proper  quantity  of 
air  from  the  body  of  water  thus  imprisoned  : 
then  the  bony  covers  open,  and  give  it  a  free 
passage  ;  by  which  means  also  the  gills  again 
are  opened,  and  admit  a  fresh  quantity  of 
water.  Should  the  fish  be  prevented  from  the 
free  play  of  its  gills,  or  should  the  bony  covers 
be  kept  from  moving,  by  a  string  tied  round 
them,  the  animal  would  soon  fall  into  convul- 
sions, and  die  in  a  few  minutes. 

But  though  this  be  the  general  method  of 
explaining  respiration  in  fishes,  the  difficulty 
remains  to  know  what  is  done  with  this  air, 
which  the  fish  in  this  manner  separates  from 
the  water.  There  seems  no  receptacle  for  con- 
taining it ;  the  stomach  being  the  chief  cavity 
within  the  body,  is  too  much  filled  with  aliment 
for  that  purpose.  There  is  indeed  a  cavity, 
and  that  a  pretty  large  one,  I  mean  the  air- 
bladder  or  swim,  which  may  serve  to  contain 
it  for  vital  purposes ;  but  that  our  philosophers 
have  long  destined  to  a  very  different  use. 
The  use  universallyassigned  to  the  air-bladder, 
is  the  enabling  the  fish  to  rise  or  sink  in  the 
water  at  pleasure,  as  that  is  dilated  or  com- 
pressed. The  use  assigned  by  the  ancients 
fur  it  was  to  come  in  aid  of  the  lungs,  and  to 
remain  as  a  kind  of  store-  house  of  air  to  sup- 
ply the  animal  in  its  necessities.  I  own  my 


attachment  to  this  last  opinion ;  but  let  us  ex- 
hibit both  with  their  proper  share  of  evidence, 
and  the  reader  must  be  left  to  determine. 

The  air-bladder  is  described  as  a  bag  filled 
with  air,  sometimes  composed  of  one,  some- 
times of  two,  and  sometimes  of  three  divisions, 
situated  towards  the  back  of  the  fish,  and 
opening  into  the  maw  or  the  gullet.  Those 
who  contend  that  this  bag  is  designed  for  rais- 
ing or  depressing  the  fish  in  the  water,  build 
upon  the  following  experiment :  A  carp  being 
put  into  the  air-pump,  and  the  air  exhausted, 
the  bladder  is  said  to  expand  itself  to  such  a 
degree,  that  the  fish  swells  in  an  extraordinary 
manner,  till  the  bladder  bursts,  and  then  the 
fish  sinks,  and  ever  after  continues  to  crawl  at 
the  bottom.  On  another  occasion,  the  air- 
bladder  was  pricked  and  wounded,  which  let 
out  its  air ;  upon  which  the  fish  sunk  to  the 
bottom,  and  was  not  seen  to  rise  after.  From 
thence  it  is  inferred,  that  the  use  of  the  air- 
bladder  must  be  by  swelling,  at  the  will  of  the 
animal,  thus  to  increase  the  surface  of  the  fish's 
body,  and  thence  diminishing  its  specific 
gravity,  to  enable  it  to  rise  to  the  top  of  the 
water,  and  keep  there  at  pleasure.  On  the 
contrary,  when  the  fish  wants  to  descend,  it  is, 
say  they,  but  to  exhaust  this  bladder  of  its  air; 
and  the  fish  bring  thus  rendered  slimi.fer  and 
heavier,  consequently  sinks  to  the  bottom. 

Such  is  the  account  given  of  the  use  of  the 
air-bladder ;  no  part  of  which  seems  to  me 
well  supported.  In  the  first  place,  though 
nothing  is  more  certain,  than  that  a  carp  put 
into  the  air-pump  will  swell,  yet  so  v\\]  a 
mouse  or  a  frog ;  and  these  we  know  to  have 
no  air-bladders.  A  carp  will  rise  to  the  sur- 
face ;  but  so  will  all  fish  that  want  air, 
whether  they  have  an  air-bladder  or  not. 
The  air-bladder  is  said  to  burst  in  the  experi- 
ment ;  but  that  I  deny.  The  air-bladder  is 
indeed  found  empty,  but  it  has  suffered  no 
laceration,  and  may  be  distended  by  being 
blown  into  like  any  other  bladder  that  is  sound. 
The  fish  after  the  experiment,  I  grant,  con- 
tinues to  creep  at  the  bottom  ;  and  so  will  all 
fish  that  arc  sick  and  wounded,  which  must 
be  the  case  with  this  aftor  such  an  operation. 
Thus  these  facts  prove  nothing,  but  that  when 
the  fish  is  killed  in  an  air  pump  the  air-blad- 
der is  found  exhausted,  and  that  it  will  natu- 
rally and  necessarily  be ;  for  the  drain  of  air 
by  which  the  fish  is  supplied  in  the  natural 


FISHES  IN  GENERAL. 


611 


way  will  necessarily  oblige  it  to  make  use  of 
all  its  hidden  stores;  and,  as  there  is  a  com- 
munication between  the  gullet  and  the  air- 
bladder,  the  air  which  the  latter  contains 
will  thus  be  obviously  drawn  away.  But 
still  farther,  how  comes  the  air-bladder,  ac- 
cording to  their  hypothesis,  to  swell  under 
the  experiment  of  the  air-pump  ?  What  is  it 
that  closes  the  aperture  of  that  organ  in  such 
a  manner  as  at  last  to  burst  it?  or  what 
necessity  has  the  fish  for  diluting  it  to  that 
violent  degree?  At  most,  it  only  wants  to 
rise  to  the  surface;  and  that  the  fish  can 
easily  do  without  so  great  a  distention  of  the 
air-bladder.  Indeed,  it  should  rather  seem 
that  the  more  the  air  was  wanted  without, 
the  less  necessity  there  was  for  its  being  use- 
lessly accumulated  within  ;  and,  to  make  the 
modern  system  consistent,  the  fish  under  the 
air-pump,  instead  of  permitting  its  bladder 
to  be  burst,  would  readily  give  up  its  con- 
tents ;  which,  upon  their  supposition,  all  can 
do  at  pleasure. 

But  the  truth  is,  the  fish  can  neither  in- 
crease nor  diminish  the  quantity  of  air  in  its 
air-bladder  at  will,  no  more  than  we  can  that 
which  is  contained  in  our  stomachs.  The 
animal  has  no  one  muscle,  much  less  a  pair 
of  muscles,  for  contracting  or  dilating  this 
organ ;  its  aperture  is  from  the  gullet ;  and 
what  air  is  put  into  it  must  remain  there  till 
the  necessities,  and  not  the  will,  of  the  ani- 
mal call  it  forth  as  a  supply. 

But,  to  put  the  matter  past  a  doubt,  many 
fish  are  furnished  with  an  air-bladder,  that 
continually  crawl  at  the  bottom;  such  as  the 
eel  and  the  flounder ;  and  many  more  are 
entirely  without  any  bladder,  that  swim  at 
ease  in  every  depth ;  such  as  the  anchovy 
and  fresh-water  gudgeon."  Indeed,  the  num- 
ber of  fish  that  want  this  organ  is  alone  a  suf- 
ficient proof  that  it  is  not  so  necessary  for 
the  purposes  of  swimming ;  and  as  the  ven- 
tral fins,  which  in  all  fish  lie  flat  upon  the 
water,  seem  fully  sufficient  to  keep  them  at 
all  depths,  I  see  no  great  occasion  for  this  in- 
ternal philosophical  apparatus  for  raising  and 
depressing  them.  Upon  the  whol3,  the  air- 
bladder  seems  adapted  for  different  purposes 
than  that  of  keeping  the  fish  at  different 

•  Redi. 
wo.  51  Hi  52. 


depths  in  the  water:  but  whether  it  be  to 
supply  them  with  air  when  it  is  wanted  from 
without,  or  for  what  other  purpose,  I  will  not 
take  upon  me  to  determine. 

Hitherto  we  have  seen  fish  in  every  respect 
inferior  to  land  animals :  in  the  simplicity  of 
their  conformation,  in  their  senses,  and  their 
enjoyments ;  but  of  that  humble  existence 
which  they  have  been  granted  by  nature, 
they  have  a  longer  term  than  any  other  class 
of  animated  nature.  "  Most  of  the  disorders 
incident  to  mankind,"  says  Bacon,  "  arise 
from  the  changes  and  alterations  of  the  atmos- 
phere ;  but  fishes  reside  in  an  element  little 
subject  to  change  ;  theirs  is  an  uniform  ex- 
istence ;  their  movements  are  without  effort, 
and  their  life  without  labour.  Their  bones 
also,  which  are  united  by  cartilages,  admit 
of  indefinite  extension ;  and  the  different 
sizes  of  animals  of  the  same  kind,  among 
fishes,  is  very  various.  They  still  keep 
growing;  their  bodies,  instead  of  suffering 
the  rigidity  of  age,  which  is  the  cause  of 
natural  decay  in  land  animals,  still  continue 
increasing  with  fresh  supplies;  and  as  the 
body  grows,  the  conduits  of  life  furnish  their 
stores  in  greater  abundance.  How  long  a 
fish,  that  seems  to  have  scarcely  any  bounds 
put  to  its  growth,  continues  to  live,  is  not 
ascertained ;  perhaps  the  life  of  a  man 
would  not  be  long  enough  to  measure  that  of 
the  smallest. 

There  have  been  two  methods  devised  for 
determining  the  age  of  fishes,  which  are  more 
ingenious  than  certain ;  the  one  is  by  the 
circles  of  the  scales,  the  other  by  the  transverse 
section  of  the  back-bone.  The  first  method 
is  this:  When  a  fish's  scale  is  examined 
through  a  microscope,  it  will  be  found  to  con- 
sist of  a  number  of  circles,  one  circle  within 
another,  in  some  measure  resembling  those 
which  appear  upon  the  transverse  section  of  a 
tree,  and  supposed  to  offer  the  same  informa- 
tion. For  as  in  trees  we  can  tell  their  age  by 
die  number  of  their  circles,  so  in  fishes  we  can 
tell  theirs  by  the  number  of  circles  in  every  scale, 
reckoning  one  ring  for  every  year  of  the  ani- 
mal's existence.  By  this  method,  Mr.  Buffon 
found  a  carp,  whose  scales  he  examined,  to 
be  not  less  than  a  hundred  years  old ;  a  thing 
almost  incredible,  had  we  not  several  accounts 
in  oilier  authors  which  tend  to  confirm  the 

4S 


612 


A  HISTORY  OF 


discovery.  Gesner  brings  us  an  instance  of 
one  of  the  same  age;  and  Albertus  of  one 
more  than  double  that  period. 

The  age  of  the  skate  and  the  ray,  that  want 
scales,  may  be  known  by  the  other  method ; 
which  is,  by  separating  the  joints  of  the  back- 
bone, and  then  minutely  observing  the  num- 
ber of  rings,  which  the  surface  where  it  has 
joined  exhibits.  By  this  the  fish's  age  is  said 
to  be  known ;  and  perhaps  with  as  much  cer- 
tainty as  in  the  former  instance. 

But  how  unsatisfactory  soever  these  marks 
may  be,  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt  the  great 
age  of  some  fishes.  Those  that  have  ponds, 
often  know  the  oldest  by  their  superior  size. 
But  the  longevity  of  these  animals  is  nothing 
when  compared  to  their  fecundity.  All  sorts, 
a  few  of  the  larger  ones  excepted,  multiply 
their  kind,  some  by  hundreds,  and  some  by 
millions.  There  are  some  that  bring  forth 
their  young  alive,  and  some  that  only  produce 
eggs:  the  former  are  rather  the  least  fruitful; 
yet  even  these  are  seen  to  produce  in  great 
abundance.  The  viviparous  blenny,  for  in- 
stance, brings  forth  two  or  three  hundred  at 
a  time,  all  alive  and  playing  round  the  parent 
together.  Those  who  exclude  their  progeny 
in  a  more  imperfect  state,  and  produce  eggs, 
which  they  are  obliged  to  leave  to  chance, 
either  on  the  bottom  at  the  edge  of  the  wa- 
ter, or  floating  on  the  surface  where  it  is  deep- 
er, are  all  much  more  prolific ;  and  seem  to 
proportion  their  stock  to  the  danger  there  is 
of  its  consumption.  Of  these  eggs  thus  de- 
posited, scarcely  one  in  a  hundred  brings 
forth  an  animal ;  they  are  devoured  by  all  the 
lesser  fry  that  frequent  the  shores ;  by  aqua- 
tic birds  near  the  margin;  and  by  the  larger 
fish  in  deep  water.  Still,  however,  there  are 
enough  for  supplying  the  deep  with  inhabi- 
tants; and,  notwithstanding  their  own  rapa- 
city, and  that  of  the  fowls  of  various  tribes, 
the  numbers  that  escape  are  sufficient  to  re- 
lieve the  wants  of  a  very  considerable  part  of 
mankind.  Indeed,  when  we  consider  the  num- 
bers that  a  single  fish  is  capable  of  producing, 
the  amount  will  seem  astonishing.  If,  for 
instance,  we  should  be  told  of  a  being  so 
very  prolific,  that  in  a  single  season  it  could 
bring  forth  as  many  of  its  kind  as  there  are 
inhabitants  in  England,  it  would  strike  us  with 
surprise ;  yet  a  single  cod  produces  full  that 


number.  The  cod  spawns  in  one  season,  as 
Lewenhoeck  assures  us,  above  nine  million 
of  eggs  or  peas,  contained  in  one  single  roe. 
The  flounder  is  commonly  known  to  produce 
above  one  million ;  and  the  mackarel  above 
five  hundred  thousand.  Such  an  amazing  in- 
crease, if  permitted  to  come  to  maturity, 
would  overstock  nature,  and  even  the  ocean 
itself  would  not  be  able  to  contain,  much  less 
to  provide  for,  the  half  of  its  inhabitants.  But 
two  wise  purposes  are  answered  by  this  ama- 
zing increase ;  it  preserves  the  species  in  the 
midst  of  numberless  enemies,  and  serves  to 
furnish  the  rest  with  a  sustenance  adapted  to 
their  nature. 

Fishes  seem,  all  except  the  whale  kind,  en- 
tirely divested  of  tho^e  parental  solicitudes 
which  so  strongly  mark  the  manners  of  the 
more  perfect  terrestrial  animals.  How  far 
they  copulate,  remains  as  yet  a  doubt;  for 
though  they  seem  to  join,  yet  the  male  is  not 
furnished  with  any  external  instrument  of  ge- 
neration. It  is  said,  by  some,  that  his  only 
end  in  that  action  is  to  emit  his  impregnating 
milk  upon  the  eggs  that  at  that  time  fall  from 
the  female.  He  is  said  to  be  seen  pursuing 
them  as  they  float  down  the  stream,  and  care- 
fully impregnating  them  one  after  another. 
On  some  occasions  also  the  females  dig  holes 
in  the  bottom  of  rivers  and  ponds,  and  there 
deposit  their  spawn,  which  is  impregnated  by 
the  male  in  the  same  manner.  All  this,  how- 
ever, is  very  doubtful;  what  we  know  with 
certainty  of  the  matter,  and  that  not  discover- 
ed till  very  lately,  is,  that  the  male  has  two 
organs  of  generation  that  open  into  the  blad- 
der of  urine,  and  that  these  organs  do  not 
open  into  the  rectum  as  in  birds,  but  have  a 
particular  aperture  of  their  own."  These  or- 
gans of  generation  in  the  male  are  empty  at 
some  seasons  of  the  year ;  but  before  t  he  time 
of  spawning  they  are  turgid  with  what  is  call- 
ed the  milt,  and  emit  the  fluid  proper  for  im- 
pregnation. 

Fish  have  different  seasons  for  depositing 
their  spawn:  some,  that  live  in  the  depths  of 
the  ocean,  are  said  to  choose  the  winter 
months;  but,  in  general,  those  with  which 
we  are  acquainted,  choose  the  hottest  months 
in  summer,  and  prefer  such  water  as  is  some- 

»  Vide  Gaman  de  Generatione  Piscium. 


FISHES  IN  GENERAL. 


613 


what  tepified  by  the  beams  of  the  sun.  They 
then  leave  the  deepest  parts  of  the  ocean, 
which  are  the  coldest,  and  shoal  round  the 
coasts,  or  swim  up  the  fresh-water  rivers, 
which  are  warm  as  they  are  comparatively 
shallow.  When  they  have  deposited  their 
burdens,  they  then  return  to  their  old  stations, 
and  leave  their  nascent  progeny  to  shift  for 
themselves. 

The  spawn  continues  in  its  egg-state  in 
some  fish  longer  than  in  others,  and  this  in 
proportion  to  the  animal's  size.  In  the  sal- 
mon, tor  instance,  the  young  animal  continues 
in  the  egg  from  the  beginning  of  December 
till  the  beginning  of  April ;  the  carp  continues 
in  the  egg  not  above  three  weeks ;  the  little 
gold  fish  from  China,  is  produced  still  quicker. 
These  all,  when  excluded,  at  first  escape  by 
their  minuteness  and  agility.  They  rise,  sink, 
and  turn,  much  readier  than  grown  fish ;  and 
they  can  escape  into  very  shallow  waters 
when  pursued.  But.  with  all  their  advantages, 
scarcely  one  in  a  thousand  survives  the  nu- 
merous perils  of  its  youth.  The  very  male 
and  female  that  have  given  them  birth,  are 
equally  dangerous  and  formidable  with  the 
rest,  forgetting  all  relation  at  their  depar- 
ture. 

Such  is  the  general  picture  of  these  heed- 
less and  hungry  creatures:  but  there  are 
some  in  this  class,  living  in  the  waters,  that 
are  possessed  of  finer  organs  and  higher  sen- 
sations; that  have  all  the  tenderness  of  birds 
or  quadrupeds  for  their  young;  that  nurse 
them  with  constant  care,  and  protect  them 
from  every  injury.  Of  this  class  are  the  Ce- 
taceous tribe,  or  the  fishes  of  the  whale  kind. 
There  are  others,  though  not  capable  of 
nursing  their  young,  yet  that  bring  them  alive 
into  the  world,  and  defend  them  with  courage 
and  activity.  These  are  the  Cartilaginous 
kinds,  or  those  who  have  gristles  instead  of 
bones.  But  the  fierce  unmindful  tribe  we 
have  been  describing,  that  leave  their  spivvn 
without  any  protection,  are  called  the  Spi- 
nous  or  bony  kinds,  from  their  bones  resem- 
bling the  sharpness  of  thorns. 

Thus  there  are  three  grand  divisions  in  the 


«  Though  fishes  live  in  a  salt  element,  they  do  not  sub- 
sist on  it.  All  the  water  they  take  into  their  mouths  is 
again  discharged  through  the  gills,  after  retaining  the  air 


fish  kind  ;  the  cetaceous,  the  cartilaginous,  and 
the  spinous ;  all  differing  from  each  other  in 
their  conformation,  their  appetites,  in  their 
bringing  forth,  and  in  the  education  of  their 
young.  These  three  great  distinctions  are 
not  the  capricious  differences  formed  by  a 
maker  of  systems,  but  are  strongly  and  firm- 
ly marked  in  nature.  These  are  the  distinc- 
tions of  Aristotle;  and  they  have  been  adopt- 
ed by  mankind  ever  since  his  time.  It  will 
be  necessary,  therefore,  to  give  the  history  of 
each  of  these  in  particular;  and  then  to  range, 
under  each  head,  those  fishes  whose  history 
is  the  most  remarkable;  or,  more  properly 
speaking,  those  of  which  we  have  any  histo- 
ry. For  we  shall  find,  when  we  come  to  any 
of  the  species  in  particular,  how  little  can  be 
said  of  their  habits,  their  stations,  or  method 
of  propagation. 

Much,  indeed,  can  be  said  of  them  if  con- 
sidered relatively  to  man ;  and  large  books 
have  been  written  of  the  manner  of  taking  fish ; 
or  of  dressing  them.  Apicius  is  noted  for 
having  first  taught  mankind  to  suffocate  fish 
in  Carthaginian  pickle  ;  and  Quin,  for  giving 
a  sauce  to  the  Johndory:  Mrs.  Glasse  is  fa- 
mous for  her  eel-pie,  and  Mr.  Tull  for  his  in- 
vention of  spaying  carp,  to  give  it  a  finer  fla- 
vour. In  this  manner  our  cooks  handle  the 
subject.  On  the  other  hand,  our  physicians 
assure  us  that  the  flesh  of  fishes  yields  little 
nourishment,  and  soon  corrupts;  that  it 
abounds  in  a  gross  sort  of  oil  and  water,  and 
hath  but  a  few  volatile  particles,  which  ren- 
der it  less  fit  to  be  converted  into  the  sub- 
stance of  our  bodies.  They  are  cold  and 
moist,  and  must  needs,  say  they,  produce 
juices  of  the  same  kind,  and  consequently  are 
improper  to  strengthen  the  body.  In  this  di- 
versity of  opinion,  it  is  the  wisest  way  to  eat 
our  fish  in  the  ordinary  manner,  and  pay  no 
great  attention  to  cooks  or  doctors. 

I  cannot  conclude  this  chapter  without  put- 
ting a  question  to  the  learned,  which,  I  con- 
fess, I  am  not  able  to  resolve.  How  comes  it 
that  fish,  which  are  bred  in  a  salt  element, 
have  yet  no  salt  to  the  taste,  or  that  is  capa- 
ble of  being  extracted  from  them  ?a 


contained  in  it  for  the  purposes  of  life.     The  medium  of 
water  answers  the  precise  purpose  to  fishes,  that  the  me- 
dium of  air  does  to  man  and  other  land  animals.     In  in- 
4S» 


614 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXXXVH. 

OF  CETACEOUS  FISHES  IN  GENERAL. 


AS  on  land  there  are  some  orders  of  ani- 
mals that  seem  formed  to  command  the  rest, 
with  greater  powers  and  more  various  in- 
stincts, so  in  the  ocean  there  are  fishes  which 
seem  formed  upon  a  nobler  plan  than  others, 
and  that,  to  their  fishy  form,  join  the  appe- 
tites and  the  conformation  of  quadrupeds. 
These  are  all  of  the  cetaceous  kind ;  and  so 
much  raised  above  their  fellows  of  the  deep, 
in  their  appetites  and  instincts,  that  almost 
all  our  modern  naturalists  have  fairly  ex- 
cluded them  from  the  tinny  tribes,  and  will 
have  them  called,  not  fishes,  but,  great  beasts 
of  the  ocean.  With  them  it  would  be  as  im- 
proper to  say  men  go  to  Greenland  fishing 
for  whale,  as  it  would  be  to  say  that  a  sports- 
man goes  to  Blackwall  a  fowling  for  macka- 
rel. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  philosophers,  man- 
kind will  always  have  their  own  way  of  talk- 
ing; and,  for  my  own  part,  I  think  them  here 
in  the  right.  A  different  formation  of  the 
lungs,  stomach,  and  intestines;  a  different 
manner  of  breathing  or  propagating;  are  not 
sufficient  to  counterbalance  the  great  obvious 
analogy  which  these  animals  bear  to  the 
whole  finny  tribe.  They  are  shaped  as  other 
fishes ;  they  swim  with  fins ;  they  are  entirely 
naked,  without  hair;  they  live  in  the  water, 
though  they  come  up  to  breath ;  they  are 
only  seen  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean,  and 
never  come  upon  shore  but  when  forced 
thither.  These,  surely,  are  sufficient  to  plead 
in  favour  of  the  general  denomination,  and 
acquit  mankind  of  error  in  ranking  them  with 
their  lower  companions  of  the  deep. 

But  still  they  are  many  degrees  raised 
above  other  fishes  in  their  nature,  as  they  are 
in  general  in  their  size.  This  tribe  is  com- 

spiration  the  element  is  received  into  the  lungs  or  gills, 
and  in  expiration  is  returned  deprived  of  its  purer  parts, 
which  are  retained  for  the  purpose  of  animal  economy. 
And  whatever  salt  may  be  taken  into  the  stomachs  of 
fishes  with  their  food,  is  decomposed  and  separated  into 


posed  of  the  Whale  and  its  varieties,  of  the 
Cachalot,  the  Dolphin,  the  Grampus,  and  the 
Porpoise.  All  these  resemble  quadrupeds 
in  their  internal  structure,  and  in  some  of 
their  appetites  and  affections.  Like  quadru- 
peds, they  have  lungs,  a  midriff",  a  stomach, 
intestines,  liver,  spleen,  bladder,  and  parts  of 
generation ;  their  heart  also  resembles  that 
of  quadrupeds,  with  its  partitions  closed  up 
as  in  them,  and  driving  red  and  warm  blood 
in  circulation  through  the  body.  In  short, 
every  internal  part  bears  a  most  striking 
similitude;  and  to  keep  these  parts  warm, 
the  whole  kind  are  also  covered  between  the 
skin  and  the  muscles  with  a  thick  coat  of  fat 
or  blubber,  which,  like  the  bacon-fat  of  a 
hog,  keeps  out  the  cold,  renders  their  muscles 
glib  and  pliant,  and  probably  makes  them 
lighter  in  swimming. 

As  these  animals  breath  the  air,  it  is  obvi- 
ous that  they  cannot  bear  to  be  any  long 
time  under  water.  They  are  constrained, 
therefore,  every  two  or  three  minutes,  to 
come  up  to  the  surface  to  take  breath,  as 
well  as  to  spout  out  through  their  nostril  (for 
they  have  but  one)  that  water  which  they 
sucked  in  while  gaping  for  their  prey.  Thia 
conduit,  by  which  they  breath,  and  also  throw 
out  the  water,  is  placed  in  the  head,  a  little 
before  the  brain.  Though  externally  the 
hole  is  but  single,  it  is  internally  divided  by 
a  bony  partition,  which  is  closed  by  a  sphinc- 
ter muscle  on  the  inside,  that,  like  the  mouth, 
of  a  purse,  shuts  it  up  at  the  pleasure  of  the 
animal.  There  is  also  another  muscle  or 
valve,  which  prevents  the  water  from  going 
down  the  gullet.  When,  therefore,  the  ani- 
mal takes  in  a  certain  quantity  of  water, 
which  is  necessary  to  be  discharged  and 

its  component  parts  of  acid  and  soda.  The  sailor  that 
feeds  for  twelve  mouths  together  on  salted  meats,  has  not 
his  own  flesh  made  salt ;  but  a  decomposition  taking  place 
during  the  process  of  digestion,  he  becomes  corrupted  and 
scorbutic  by  the  excess  of  soda  and  magnesia. 


CETACEOUS  FISHES. 


615 


separated  from  its  food,  it  shuts  the  mouth, 
closes  the  valve  of  the  stomach,  opens  the 
sphincter  that  kept  the  nostril  closed,  and  then 
breathing  strongly  from  the  lungs,  pushes  the 
water  out  by  the  effort,  as  we  see  it  rise  by 
the  pressure  of  air  in  a  fire-engine. 

The  senses  of  these  animals  seem  also  su- 
perior to  those  of  other  fishes.  The  eyes  of 
other  fishes,  we  have  observed,  are  covered 
only  with  that  transparent  skin  that  covers 
the  rest  of  the  head  ;  but  in  all  the  cetaceous 
kinds,  it  is  covered  by  eye-lids,  as  in  man. 
This,  no  doubt,  keeps  that  organ  in  a  more 
perfect  state,  by  giving  it  intervals  of  relaxa- 
tion, in  which  all  vision  is  suspended.  The 
other  fishes,  that  are  for  ever  staring,  must 
see,  if  for  no  other  reason,  more  feebly,  as 
their  organs  of  sight  are  always  exerted. 

As  for  hearing,  these  also  are  furnished 
with  the  internal  instruments  of  the  ear,  al- 
though the  external  orifice  no  where  appears. 
It  is  most  probable  that  this  orifice  may  open 
by  some  canal,  resembling  the  Eustachian 
tube,  into  the  mouth;  but  this  has  not  as  yet 
been  discovered. 

Yet  nature  sure  has  not  thus  formed  a  com- 
plete apparatus  for  hearing,  and  denied  the 
animal  the  use  of  it  when  formed.  It  is  most 
likely  that  all  animals  of  the  cetaceous  kind 
can  hear,  as  they  certainly  utter  sounds,  and 
bellow  to  each  other.  This  vocal  power 
would  be  as  needless  to  animals  naturally 
deaf,  as  glasses  to  a  man  that  was  blind. 

But  it  is  in  the  circumstances  in  which  they 
continue  their  kind,  that  these  animals  show 
an  eminent  superiority.  Other  fish  deposit 
their  spawn,  and  leave  the  success  to  acci- 
dent :  these  never  produce  above  one  young, 
or  two  at  the  most ;  and  this  the  female 
suckles  entirely  in  the  manner  of  quadrupeds, 
her  breasts  being  placed,  as  in  the  human 
kind,  above  the  navel.  We  have  read  many 
fabulous  accounts  of  the  nursing  of  the  de- 
migods of  antiquity,  of  their  feeding  on  the 
marrow  of  lions,  and  their  being  suckled  by 
wolves :  one  might  imagine  a  still  more  he- 
roic system  of  nutrition,  if  we  supposed  that 
the  young  hero  was  suckled  and  grew  strong 
upon  the  breast-milk  of  a  she-whale  ! 

The  whale  or  the  grampus  are  terrible  at 
any  time;  but  are  fierce  and  desperate  in  the 
defence  of  their  young.  In  Wallers  beauti- 
ful poem  of  the  Summer  Islands,  we  have  » 


story,  founded  upon  fact,  which  shows  the 
maternal  tenderness  of  these  animals  for  their 
offspring.  A  whale  and  her  cub  had  got  into 
an  arm  of  the  sea,  where,  by  the  desertion  of 
the  tide,  they  were  enclosed  on  every  side. 
The  people  from  shore  soon  saw  their  situa- 
tion, and  drove  down  upon  them  in  boats, 
with  such  weapons  as  the  urgent  occasion 
offered.  The  two  animals  were  soon  wound- 
ed in  several  places,  and  the  whole  sea  round 
was  tinctured  with  their  blood.  The  whales 
made  several  attempts  to  escape ;  and  at  last 
the  old  one,  by  its  superior  strength,  forced 
over  the  shallow  into  the  depths  of  the  ocean. 
But  though  in  safety  herself,  she  could  not  bear 
the  danger  that  awaited  her  young  one;  she 
therefore  rushed  in  once  more  where  the  small- 
er animal  was  imprisoned,  and  resolved,  when 
she  could  not  protect,  at  least  to  share  its  dan- 
ger. The  story  ends  with  poetical  justice;  for 
the  tide  coming  in,  brought  off  both  in  safety 
from  their  enemies,  though  not  without  sustain- 
ing an  infinite  numberof  wounds  in  every  part. 

As  to  the  rest,  the  distinctive  marks  of  this 
tribe  are,  that  the  number  of  their  fins  never 
exceed  three;  namely,  two  pectoral  fins,  and 
one  back  fin ;  but  in  some  sorts  the  last  is 
wanting.  These  fins  differ  very  much  from 
those  of  other  fishes,  which  are  formed  of 
straight  spines :  the  fins  of  the  cetaceous  tribe 
are  made  up  of  bones  and  muscles ;  and  the 
skeleton  of  one  of  their  fins,  very  much  re- 
sembles the  skeleton  of  a  man's  hand.  Their 
tails  also  are  different  from  those  of  all  other 
fish :  they  are  placed  so  as  to  lie  fiat  on  the 
surface  of  the  water;  while  the  other  kinds 
have  them,  as  we  every  day  see,  upright  or 
edgeways.  This  flat  position  of  the  tail  in 
cetaceous  animals,  enables  them  to  force 
themselves  suddenly  to  the  surface  of  the 
water  to  breath,  which  they  are  continually 
constrained  to  do. 

Of  these  enormous  animals,  some  are  with- 
out teeth,  and  properly  called  whales:  others 
have  the  teeth  only  in  the  lower  jaw,  and  are 
called,  by  the  French,  cachalots:  the  nar- 
whal has  teeth  only  in  the  upper  JHW  :  the 
dolphin's  teeth,  as  well  as  those  of  the  por- 
poise and  grampus,  are  both  above  and  below. 
These  are  the  marks  that  serve  to  distinguish 
the  kinds  of  this  enormous  tribe  from  each 
other;  and  these  shall  serve  to  guide  us,  in 
giving  their  history, 


616 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXXXVIII. 

OF  THE  WHALE  PROPERLY  SO  CALLED,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


IF  we  compare  land  animals,  in  respect  to 
magnitude,  with  those  of  the  deep,  they  will 
appear  contemptible  in  the  competition.  It  is 
probable,  indeed,  that  quadrupeds  once  exist- 
ed much  larger  than  we  find  them  at  present. 
From  the  skeletons  of  some  that  have  been 
dug  up  at  different  times,  it  is  evident,  that 
there  must  have  been  terrestrial  animals  twice 
as  large  as  the  elephant ;  but  creatures  of  such 
an  immense  bulk  required  a  proportionable 
extent  of  ground  for  subsistence,  and,  by  being 
rivals  with  men  for  large  territory,  they  must 
have  been  destroyed  in  the  contest. 

But  it  is  not  only  upon  land  that  man  has 
exerted  his  power  of  destroying  the  larger 
tribes  of  animated  nature,  he  has  extended  his 
efforts  even  into  the  midst  of  the  ocean,  and 
has  cut  off  numbers  of  those  enormous  ani- 
mals that  had  perhaps  existed  for  ages.  We 
now  no  longer  hear  of  whales  f.vo  hundred, 
and  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long,  which 
we  are  certain  were  often  seen  about  two 
centuries  ago.  They  have  all  been  destroyed 
by  the  skill  of  mankind,  and  the  species  is 
now  dwindled  into  a  race  of  diminutive  ani- 
mals, from  thirty  to  about  eighty  feet  long. 

The  northern  seas  were  once  the  region  to 
which  the  greatest  of  these  animals  resorted; 
but  so  great  has  been  the  slaughter  of  whales 
for  more  than  two  ages,  that  they  begin  to 
grow  thinner  every  day ;  and  those  that  are 
now  found  there,  seem,  from  their  size,  not  to 
come  to  their  full  dimensions.  The  greatest 
whales  resort  to  places  where  they  have  the 
least  disturbance  ;  to  those  seas  that  are  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  globe,  near  the  south 
pole.  In  that  part  of  the  world,  there  are 
still  to  be  seen  whales  that  are  above  a  hun- 
dred and  sixty  feet  long ;  and  perhaps  even 
longer  might  be  found  in  those  latitudes  near 
the  south  polo,  to  which  we  have  not  as  yet 
ventured. 

Taking  the  whale,  however,  at  the  ordinary 
size  of  eighty  feet  long  and  twenty  feet  high, 
what  an  enormous  animated  mass  must  it  ap- 


pear to  the  spectator !  With  what  amaze- 
ment must  it  strike  him,  to  behold  so  great  a- 
creature  gamboling  in  the  deep,  with  the  ease 
and  agility  01  the  smallest  animal,  and  making 
its  way  with  incredible  swiftness !  This  is 
a  sight  which  is  very  common  to  those  who 
frequent  the  northern  or  southern  ocean.  Yet 
though  this  be  wonderful,  perhaps  still  greater 
wonders  are  concealed  in  the  deep,  which 
we  have  not  had  opportunities  of  exploring. 
These  large  animals  are  obliged  to  show  them- 
selves in  order  to  take  breath  ;  but  who  knows 
the  size  of  those  that  are  fitted  to  remain  for 
ever  under  water,  and  that  have  been  increas- 
ing in  magnitude  for  centuries !  To  believe 
all  that  has  been  said  of  the  Sea-Serpent,  or 
the  Kraken,  would  be  credulity  ;  to  reject 
the  possibility  of  their  existence,  would  be 
presumption. 

The  Whale  is  :he  largest  animal  of  which 
we  have  any  certain  information  ;  and  the 
various  purposes  to  which,  when  taken,  its 
different  parts  are  converted,  have  brought  us 
tolerably  acquainted  with  its  history.  Of  the 
whale,  properly  so  called,  there  are  no  less 
than  seven  different  kinds  ;  all  distinguished 
from  each  other  by  their  external  figure,  or 
internal  conformation.  The  Great  Greenland 
Whale,  without  a  back-fin,  and  black  on  the 
back ;  the  Iceland  Whale,  vv  ithout  a  back-fin, 
and  whitish  on  he  back ;  the  New-England 
Whale,  with  a  hump  on  the  back  ;  the  Whale, 
with  six  humps  on  the  back ;  the  Fin-fish, 
with  a  fin  on  the  back  near  the  tail;  the  Pike- 
headed  Whale,  and  the  Round-rlipped  Whale. 
All  these  differ  from  each  other  in  figure,  as 
their  names  obviously  imply.  They  differ 
also  somewhat  in  their  manner  of  living  ;  the 
fin-fish  having  a  larger  swallow  than  the  rest, 
being  more  active,  slender,  and  fierce,  and 
living  chiefly  upon  herrings.  However,  there 
are  none  of  them  very  voracious ;  and,  if 
compared  to  the  cachalot,  tlmi  enormous  tyrant 
of  the  deep,  they  appear  harmless  and  gentle. 
The  history  of  the  rest,  therefore,  may  be 


CETACEOUS  FISHES. 


617 


comprised  under  that  of  the  Great  Common 
Greenland  Whale,  with  which  we  are  best 
acquainted. 

The  Great  Greenland  Whale  is  the  fish, 
for  taking  which  there  arc  such  preparations 
made  in  different  parts  of  Europe.  It  is  a 
large  heavy  animal,  and  the  head  alone  makes 
a  third  of  its  bulk.  It  is  usually  found  from 
sixty  to  seventy  feet  long.  The  fins  on  each 
side  are  from  five  to  eight  feet,  composed  of 
bones  and  muscles,  and  sufficiently  strong  to 
give  the  great  mass  of  body  which  they  move, 
speed  and  activity.  The  tail,  which  lies  flat 
on  the  water,  is  about  twenty-four  feet  broad ; 
and,  when  the  fish  lies  on  one  side,  its  blow  is 
tremendous.  The  skin  is  smooth  and  black, 
and,  in  some  places,  marbled  with  white  and 
yellow;  which,  running  over  the  surface,  has 
a  very  beautiful  effect.  This  marbling  is  par- 
ticularly observable  in  the  fins  and  the  tail. 
In  the  figures  which  are  thus  drawn  by  nature, 
fancy  often  forms  the  pictures  of  trees,  land- 
scapes, and  houses.  In  the  tail  of  one  that 
was  thus  marbled,  Ray  tells  us,  that  the  num- 
ber 122  was  figured  very  evenly  and  exactly, 
as  if  done  with  a  pencil. 

The  whale  makes  use  only  of  the  tail  to 
advance  itself  forward  in  the  water.  This 
serves  as  a  great  oar  to  push  its  mass  along  ; 
and  it  is  surprising  to  see  with  what  force 
and  celerity  its  enormous  bulk  cuts  through 
the  ocean.  The  fins  are  only  made  use  of  for 
turning  in  the  water,  and  giving  a  direction 
to  the  velocity  impressed  by  the  tail.  The 
female  also  makes  use  of  them  when  pursued, 
to  bear  off  her  young,  clapping  them  on  her 
back,  and  supporting  them  by  the  fins  on  each 
side  from  falling. 

The  outward  or  scarf  skin  of  the  whale  is 
no  thicker  than  parchment ;  but  this  removed, 
the  real  skin  appears,  of  about  an  inch  thick, 
and  covering  the  fat  or  blubber  that  lies  be- 
neath ;  this  is  from  eight  to  twelve  inches  in 
thickness  ;  and  is,  when  the  fish  is  in  health, 
of  a  beautiful  yellow.  The  muscles  lie  be- 
neath ;  and  these,  like  the  flesh  of  quadrupeds, 
are  very  red  and  tough. 

The  cleft  of  the  mouth  is  above  twenty  feet 
long,  which  is  near  one-third  of  the  animal's 
whole  length  ;  and  the  upper  jaw  is  furnished 
with  barbs,  that  lie  like  the  pipes  of  an  organ, 
the  greatest  in  the  middle,  and  the  smallest  to 
the  sides.  These  compose  the  whalebone ; 


the  longest  spars  of  which  are  found  to  be  not 
less  than  eighteen  feet ;  the  shortest,  being  of 
no  value,  are  thrown  away.  The  tongue  is 
almost  immoveably  fixed  to  the  lower  jaw, 
seeming  one  great  lump  of  fat ;  and,  in  fact, 
it  fills  several  hogsheads  with  blubber.  The 
eyes  are  not  larger  than  those  of  an  ox ;  and 
when  the  crystalline  humour  is  dried,  it  does 
not  appear  larger  than  a  pea.  They  are 
placed  towards  the  back  of  the  head,  being 
the  most  convenient  situation  for  enabling 
them  to  see  both  before  and  behind  ;  as  also 
to  see  over  them,  where  their  food  is  princi- 
pally found.  They  are  guarded  by  eye-lids 
and  eye-lashes,  as  in  quadrupeds;  and  they 
seem  to  be  very  sharp-sighted. 

Nor  is  their  sense  of  hearing  in  less  perfec- 
tion ;  for  they  are  warned  at  great  distances, 
of  any  danger  preparing  against  them.  It 
would  seem  as  if  nature  had  designedly  given 
them  these  advantages,  as  they  multiply  little, 
in  order  to  continue  their  kind.  It  is  true, 
indeed,  that  the  external  organ  of  hearing  is 
not  perceptible,  for  this  might  only  embarrass 
them  in  their  natural  element :  but  as  soon  as 
the  thin  scarf-skin  above  mentioned  is  remov- 
ed, a  black  spot  is  discovered  behind  the  eye, 
and  under  that  is  the  auditory  canal,  that  leads 
to  a  regular  apparatus  for  hearing.  In  short, 
the  animal  hears  the  smallest  sounds  at  very 
great  distances,  and  at  all  times,  except  when 
it  is  spouting  water ;  which  is  the  time  that 
the  fishers  approach  to  strike  it. 

These  spout-holes  or  nostrils,  in  all  the 
cetaceous  tribe,  have  been  already  described  : 
in  this  whale  there  are  two,  one  on  each  side 
the  head  before  the  eyes,  and  crooked,  some- 
what like  the  holes  on  the  belly  of  a  violin. 
From  these  holes  this  animal  blows  the  water 
very  fiercely,  and  with  such  a  noise,  that  it 
roars  like  a  hollow  wind,  and  may  be  heard 
at  three  miles  distance.  When  wounded,  it 
then  blows  more  fiercely  than  ever,  so  that  it 
sounds  like  the  roaring  of  the  sea  in  a  great 
storm. 

We  have  already  observed,  that  the  sub- 
stance called  whalebone,  is  taken  from  the 
upper  jaw  of  the  animal,  and  is  very  different 
from  the  real  bones  of  the  whale.  The  real 
bones  are  hard,  like  those  of  great  land  ani- 
mals, are  very  porous,  and  filled  with  marrow. 
Two  great  strong  bones  sustain  the  under  lip, 
lying  against  each  other  in  the  shape  of  a 


618 


A  HISTORY  OF 


half-moon :  some  of  these  are  twenty  feet 
long ;  they  are  seen  In  several  gardens  set  up 
against  each  other,  and  are  usually  mistaken 
for  the  ribs  of  this  animal. 

Such  is  the  general  conformation  and  figure 
of  this  great  inhabitant  of  the  deep,  the  pre- 
cise anatomy  of  which  has  not  been  yet  ascer- 
tained. In  those  places  where  they  are  caught 
in  greatest  abundance,  the  sailors  are  not 
yery  curious  as  to  the  structure  of  the  viscera ; 
and  few  anatomists  care  to  undertake  a  task, 
where  the  operator,  instead  of  separating  with 
a  lancet,  must  cut  his  way  with  an  axe.  It  is 
as  yet  doubted,  therefore,  whether  the  whale, 
that  in  most  points  internally  resembles  a 
quadruped,  may  not  have  one  great  bowel 
fitted  entirely  for  the  reception  of  air,  to  sup- 
ply it,  when  constrained  to  keep  longer  than 
usual  at  the  bottom.  The  sailors  universally 
affirm  that  it  has ;  and  philosophers  have 
nothing  but  the  analogy  of  its  parts  to  oppose 
to  their  general  assertions. 

As  these  animals  resemble  quadrupeds  in 
conformation,  so  they  bear  a  strong  resem- 
blance in  some  of  their  appetite*  and  manners. 
The  female  joins  with  the  male,  as  is  asserted, 
more  humano,  and  once  in  two  years  feels  the 
accesses  of  desire. 

Their  fidelity  to  each  other  exceeds  what- 
ever we  are  told  of  even  the  constancy  of 
birds.  Some  fishers,  as  Anderson  informs  us, 
having  struck  one  of  two  whales,  a  male  and 
a  female,  that  were  in  company  together,  the 
wounded  fish  made  a  long  and  a  terrible  resis- 
tance :  it  struck  down  a  boat  with  three  men 
in  it,  with  a  single  blow  of  the  tail,  by  which 
all  went  to  the  bottom.  The  other  still  attend- 
ed its  companion,  and  lent  it  every  assistance; 
till,  at  last,  the  fish  that  was  struck  sunk 
under  the  number  of  its  wounds ;  while  its 
faithful  associate,  disdaining  to  survive  the 
loss,  with  great  bellowing,  stretched  itself  upon 
the  dead  fish,  and  shared  its  fate. 

The  whale  goes  with  young  nine  or  ten 
months,  and  is  then  fatter  than  usual,  particu- 
larly when  near  the  time  of  bringing  forth. 
It  is  said  that  the  embryo,  when  first  percep- 
tible, is  about  seventeen  inches  long,  and 
white ;  but  the  cub,  when  excluded,  is  black, 
and  about  ten  feet  long.  She  generally  pro- 
duces one  young  one,  and  never  above  two. 
When  she  suckles  her  yon  rig,  she  throws  her- 
self on  one  side  on  the  surface  of  the  sea,  and 


the  young  one  attaches  itself  to  the  teat.  The 
breasts  are  two,  generally  hid  within  the  belly; 
but  she  can  produce  them  at  pleasure,  so  as 
to  stand  forward  a  foot  and  a  half,  or  two 
feet ;  and  the  teats  are  like  those  of  a  cow. 
In  some,  the  breasts  are  white;  in  others, 
speckled;  in  all,  filled  with  a  large  quantity 
of  milk,  resembling  that  of  land  animals. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  tenderness  of  the 
female  for  her^  offspring ;  she  carries  it  with 
her  wherever'  she  goes,  and  when  hardest 
pursued,  keeps  it  supported  between  her  fins. 
Even  when  wounded,  she  still  clasps  her 
young  one  ;  and  when  she  plunges  to  avoid 
danger,  takes  it  to  the  bottom;  but  rises  sooner 
than  usual,  to  give  it  breath  again. 

The  young  ones  continue  at  the  breast  for 
a  year;  during  which  time  they  are  called  by 
the  sailors,  short- heads.  They  are  then  ex- 
tremely fat,  and  yield  above  fifty  barrels  of 
blubber.  The  mother,  at  the  same  time,  is 
equally  lean  and  emaciated.  At  the  age  of 
two  years  they  are  called  stunts,  as  they  do 
not  thrive  much  immediately  after  quitting  the 
breast ;  they  then  scarcely  yield  above  twenty, 
or  twenty-four,  barrels  of  blubber :  from  that 
forward,  they  are  called  skull-fish,  and  their 
age  is  wholly  unknown. 

Every  species  of  whale  propagates  only 
with  those  of  its  own  kind,  and  does  not  at 
all  mingle  with  the  rest;  however,  they  are 
generally  seen  in  shoals,  of  different  kinds 
together,  and  make  their  migrations  in  large 
companies,  from  one  ocean  to  another.  They 
are  a  gregarious  animal,  \\hich  implies  thrir 
want  of  mutual  defence  against  the  invasions  of 
smaller,  but  more  powerful  fishes.  It  seems 
astonishing,  therefore,  how  a  shoal  of  these 
enormous  animals  find  subsistence  together, 
when  it  would  seem  that  the  supplying  even 
one  with  food  would  require  greater  plenty 
than  the  ocean  could  furnish.  To  increase 
our  wonder,  we  not  only  see  them  hording  to- 
gether, but  usually  find  them  fatter  than  any 
other  animals  of  whatsoever  element.  We 
likewise  know  that  they  cannot  swallow  large 
fishes,  as  their  throat  is  so  narrow,  that  an 
animal  larger  than  a  herring  could  not  enter. 
How  then  do  they  subsist  and  grow  so  fat  ? 
A  small  insect,  which  is  seen  floating  in  those 
seas,  and  which  Linnaeus  terms  the  Medusa, 
is  sufficient  for  this  supply.  These  insects  are 
black,  and  of  the  size  of  a  small  bean,  and 


CETACEOUS  FISHES. 


619 


are  sometimes  seen  floating  in  clusters  on  the 
surface  of  the  water.  They  are  of  a  round 
form,  like  snails  in  a  box,  but  they  have  wings, 
which  are  so  tender,  that  it  is  scarcely  pos- 
sible to  touch  them  without  breaking.  These 
serve  rather  for  swimming  than  flying;  and 
the  little  animal  is  called  by  the  Icelanders, 
the  Walfuchoas,  which  signifies  the  whale's 
provender.  Th«y  have  the  taste  of  raw  mus- 
cles, and  have  the  smell  of  burnt  sugar.  These 
are  the  food  of  the  whale,  which  it  is  seen  to 
draw  up  in  great  numbers  with  its  huge  jaws, 
and  to  bruise  between  its  barbs,  which  are 
always  found  with  several  of  these  sticking 
among  them. 

This  is  the  simple  food  of  the  great  Green- 
land whale;  it  pursues  no  other  animal,  leads 
an  inoffensive  life  in  its  element,  and  is  harm- 
less in  proportion  to  its  strength  to  do  mis- 
chief. There  seems  to  be  an  analogy  between 
its  manners  and  those  of  the  elephant.  They 
are  both  the  strongest  and  (he  largest  ani- 
mals in  their  respective  elements ;  neither 
offer  injury,  but  are  terrible  when  provoked 
to  resentment.  The  fin-fish  indeed,  in  some 
measure,  differs  from  the  great  whale  in  this 
particular,  as  it  subsists  chiefly  upon  herrings, 
great  shoals  of  which  it  is  often  seen  driving 
before  it.  Yet  even  the  swallow  of  this  fish 
is  not  very  large,  if  compared  to  the  cachalot 
tribe;  and  its  ravages  are  but  sports  in  com- 
parison. The  stomach  and  intestines  of  all 
these  animals,  when  opened,  setdom  have  any 
thing  in  them,  except  a  soft  unctuous  substance 
of  a  brownish  colour;  and  their  excrements 
are  of  a  shining  red. 

As  the  whale  is  an  inoffensive  animal,  it  is 
not  to  be  wondered  that  it  has  many  enemies, 
willing  to  take  advantage  of  its  disposition, 
and  inaptitude  for  combat.  There  is  a  small 
animal,  of  the  shell-fish  kind,  called  the  Whale- 
louse,  that  sticks  to  its  body,  as  we  see  shells 
sticking  to  the  foul  bottom  of  a  ship.  This 
insinuates  itself  chiefly  under  the  fins:  and 
whatever  efforts  the  great  animal  makes,  it 
still  keeps  its  hold,  and  lives  upon  the  fat, 
which  it  is  provided  with  instruments  to  ar- 
rive at. 

The  sword-fish,  however,  is  the  whale's 
most  terrible  enemy.  "  At  the  sight  of  this 
little  animal,"  says  Anderson,  '•  the  whale 
seems  agitated  in  an  extraordinary  manner; 

MO.  S3  &  54. 


leaping  from  the  water  as  if  with  affright: 
wherever  it  appears,  the  whale  perceives  it 
at  a  distance,  and  flies  from  it  in  the  opposite 
direction.  I  have  been  myself,"  continues  he, 
"  a  spectator  of  their  terrible  encounter.  The 
whale  has  no  instrument  of  defence  except 
the  tail;  with  that  it  endeavours  to  strike  the 
enemy  ;  and  a  single  blow  taking  place,  would 
effectually  destroy  its  adversary:  but  the 
sword-fish  is  as  active  as  the  other  is  strong, 
and  easily  avoids  the  stroke;  then  bounding 
into  the  air,  it  falls  upon  its  great  subjacent 
enemy,  and  endeavours  not  to  pierce  with  its 
pointed  beak,  but  to  cut  it  with  its  toothed 
edges.  The  sea  all  about  is  seen  dyed  with 
blood,  proceeding  from  the  wounds  of  the 
whale  ;  while  the  enormous  animal  vainly  en- 
deavours to  reach  its  invader,  and  strikes 
with  its  tail  against  the  surface  of  the  water, 
making  a  report  at  each  blow  louder  than  the 
noise  of  a  cannon." 

There  is  still  another  and  more  powerful 
enemy,  called  by  the  fishermen  of  New-Eng- 
land, the  Killer.  This  is  itself  a  cetaceous 
animal,  armed  with  strong  and  powerful  teeth. 
A  number  of  these  are  said  to  surround  the 
whale,  in  the  same  manner  as  dogs  get  round 
a  bull.  Some  attack  it  with  their  teeth  be- 
hind ;  others  attempt  it  before,  until,  at  last, 
the  great  animal  is  torn  down,  and  its  tongue 
is  said  to  be  the  only  part  they  devour  when 
they  have  made  it  their  prey.  They  are 
said  to  be  of  such  great  strength,  that  one  of 
them  alone  was  known  to  stop  a  dead  whale 
that  several  boats  were  towing  along,  and 
drag  it  from  among  them  to  the  bottom. 

But  of  all  the  enemies  of  these  enormous 
fishes,  man  is  the  greatest :  he  alone  destroys 
more  in  a  year  than  the  rest  in  an  age,  and 
actually  has  thinned  their  numbers  in  that 
part  of  the  world  where  they  are  chiefly  sought. 
The  great  resort  of  these  animals,  was  found 
to  be  on  the  inhospitable  shores  of  Spitzber- 
gen;  where  the  distance  of  the  voyage,  the 
coldness  of  the  climate,  the  terrors  of  the  icy 
sea,  and,  still  more,  their  own  formidable  bulk, 
might  have  been  expected  to  protect  them 
from  human  injury.  But  all  these  were  but 
slight  barriers  against  man's  arts,  his  courage, 
and  his  necessities.  The  European  ships, 
soon  after  the  improvement  of  navigation, 
found  the  way  iuto  those  seaa;  and  as  early 
4T 


620 


A  HISTORY  OF 


as  the  beginning  of  the  fourteenth  century, 
the  Biscayneers  were  in  possession  of  a  very 
considerable  trade  to  the  coast  of  Greenland. 
The  Dutch  and  the  English  followed  them 
thither,  and  soon  took  that  branch  of  com- 
merce out  of  their  hands.  The  English  com- 
menced the  business  about  the  beginning  of 
the  seventeenth  century;  and  the  town  of  Hull 
had  the  honour  of  first  attempting  that  pro- 
fitable branch  of  trade.  But,  at  present,  it 
seems  upon  the  decline,  as  the  quantity  of 
fish  are  so  greatly  reduced,  by  the  constant 
capture  for  such  a  vast  length  of  time.  It  is 
now  said  that  the  fishers,  from  a  defect  of 
whales,  apply  themselves  to  the  seal-fishery ; 
yet,  as  these  animals  are  extremely  timorous, 
they  will  soon  be  induced  to  quit  those  shores, 
where  they  meet  such  frequent  disturbance 
and  danger.  The  poor  natives  of  Greenland 
themselves,  who  used  to  feed  upon  the  whale, 
are  diminishing,  in  proportion  as  their  sus- 
tenance is  removed ;  and,  it  is  probable,  that 
the  revolution  of  a  few  years  will  see  that 
extensive  coast  totally  deserted  by  its  inha- 
bitants, as  it  is  already  nearly  deserted  by  the 
whales. 

The  art  of  taking  whales,  like  most  others, 
is  much  improved  by  time,  and  differs  in  many 
respects  from  that  practised  by  the  Biscay- 
neers, when  they  first  frequented  the  icy  sea. 
But  as  the  description  of  their  method  is  the 
least  complicated,  and  consequently  the  ea- 
siest understood,  it  will  be  best  suited  to  our 
purpose. 

For  this  navigation,  the  Biscayneers,  in 
favourable  seasons,  fitted  out  thirty  ships,  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  tons  each,  with  fifty 
choice  men  apiece,  and  a  few  boys.  These 
were  stored  with  six  months'  provision ;  and 
each  ship  had  its  boats,  which  were  to  be  ser- 
viceable when  come  to  the  place  of  duty. 
When  arrived  at  the  part  where  the  whales 
are  expected  to  pass  to  the  southward,  they 
always  keep  their  sails  set,  and  a  sailor  is  pla- 
ced at  the  mast  head,  to  give  information  when 
he  spies  a  whale.  As  soon  as  he  discovers 
one,  the  whole  crew  are  instantly  in  employ- 
ment: they  fit  out  their  boats,  and  row  away 
to  where  the  whale  was  seen.  The  harpoon- 
er,  who  is  to  strike  the  fish,  stands  at  the  prow 
of  the  boat,  with  an  harpoon  or  javelin  in 
his  hand,  five  or  six  feet  long,  pointed  with 


steel  like  the  barb  of  an  arrow,  of  a  triangu- 
lar shape.  As  this  person's  place  is  that  of 
the  greatest  dexterity,  so  also  it  is  of  the  great- 
est  danger:  the  whale  sometimes  overturns 
the  boat  with  a  blow  of  its  tail;  or  drives 
against  it  with  fury.  In  general,  however, 
the  animal  seems  to  sleep  on  the  surface  of 
the  water :  while  the  boat  is  approaching,  the 
harpooner  stands  aloft,  and  with  his  harpoon 
tied  to  a  cord  of  several  hundred  fathom 
length,  darts  it  into  the  animal,  and  then  rows 
as  fast  as  possible  away.  It  is  some  time  be- 
fore the  whale  seems  to  feel  the  blow ;  the 
instrument  has  usually  pierced  no  deeper 
than  the  fat,  and  that  being  insensible,  the 
animal  continues  for  a  while  motionless ;  but 
soon  roused  from  its  seeming  lethargy,  as  the 
shaft  continues  to  pierce  deeper  and  deeper 
into  the  muscular  flesh,  it  flies  off  with  ama- 
zing rapidity.  In  the  mean  time,  the  har- 
poon sticks  in  its  side,  while  the  rope,  which 
is  coiled  up  in  the  boat,  and  runs  upon  a  swi- 
vel, lengthens  as  the  whale  recedes,  but  still 
shows  the  part  of  the  deep  to  which  it  has  re- 
treated. The  cord  is  coiled  up  with  great 
care;  for  such  is  the  rapidity  with  which  it 
runs  off,  that  if  it  was  but  the  least  checked, 
as  it  yields  with  the  animal's  retreat,  it  would 
infalliby  overset  the  boat,  and  the  crew  would 
go  to  the  bottom.  It  sometimes  happens  also, 
that  the  rapidity  wilh  which  it  runs  over  the 
swivel  at  the  edge  of  the  boat,  heats  it,  and 
it  would  infallibly  take  fire,  did  not  a  man 
stand  continually  with  a  wet  mop  in  his  hand, 
to  cool  the  swivel  as  the  cord  runs.  The 
whale  having  dived  to  a  considerable  depth, 
remains  at  the  bottom,  sometimes  for  near 
half  an  hour,  with  the  harpoon  in  its  body, 
and  then  rises  to  take  breath,  expecting  the 
danger  over;  but  the  instant  it  appears,  they 
are  all  with  their  boats  ready  to  receive  it, 
and  fling  the  harpoons  into  its  body;  the  ani- 
mal again  dives  and  again  rises,  while  they 
repeat  their  blows.  The  ship  follows  in  full 
sail,  like  all  the  rest,  never  losing  sight  of  the 
boats,  and  ready  to  lend  them  assistance ;  the 
whole  ocean  seems  dyed  in  blood.  Thus  they 
renew  their  attacks,  till  the  whale  begins  to 
be  quite  enfeebled  and  spent,  when  they 
plunge  their  longer  spears  into  various  parts 
of  its  body,  and  the  enormous  animal  expires 
When  it  is  dead,  to  prevent  it  from  sinking 


CETACEOUS  FISHES. 


621 


they  tie  it  with  a  strong  iron  chain  to  the  side 
of  the  boat,  and  either  cut  it  up  in  pieces,  and 
carry  it  home  in  that  manner,  or  extract  the 
oil  from  the  blubber  on  ship-board. 

Such  is  the  manner  in  which  these  fish  were 
taken  in  the  beginning ;  but  succeeding  arts 
have  improved  the  method,  and  the  harpoon 
is  now  thrown  by;  a  machine  being  used 
which  inflicts  a  deeper  wound,  and  strikes  the 
animal  with  much  greater  certainty  :  there  are 
better  methods  for  extracting  the  oil,  and  pro- 
per machines  for  cutting  the  animal  up,  than 
were  used  in  the  early  fisheries.  But  as  an 
account  of  this  belongs  to  the  history  of  art, 
and  not  of  nature,  we  must  be  contented  with 
observing,  that  several  parts  of  this  animal, 
and  all  but  the  intestines  and  the  bones,  are 
turned  to  a  very  good  account ;  not  only  the 
oil,  but  the  greaves  from  which  it  is  separated. 
The  barbs  also  were  an  article  of  great  profit; 
but  have  sunk  in  their  price,  since  women  no 
longer  use  them  to  swell  out  their  petticoats 
with  whale-bone.  The  flesh  of  this  animal 
is  also  a  dainty  to  some  nations,  and  even  the 
French  seamen  are  now  and  then  found  to 


dress  and  use  it  as  their  ordinary  diet  at  sea. 
It  is  said,  by  the  English  and  Dutch  sailors,  to 
be  hard  and  ill-tasted  ;  but  the  French  assert 
the  contrary  ;  and  the  savages  of  Greenland, 
as  well  as  those  near  the  south  pole,  are 
fond  of  it  to  distraction.  They  eat  the 
flesh,  and  drink  the  oil,  which  is  a  first-rate 
delicacy.  The  finding  a  dead  whale  is 
an  adventure  considered  among  the  fortunate 
circumstances  of  their  wretched  lives.  They 
make  their  abode  beside  it ;  and  seldom  re- 
move till  they  have  left  nothing  but  the 
bones. 

Jacobson,  whom  we  quoted  before  in  the 
History  of  Birds,  where  he  described  his 
countrymen  of  the  island  of  Feroe  as  living  a 
part  of  the  year  upon  salted  gulls,  tells  us  also, 
that  they  are  very  fond  of  salted  whale's 
flesh.  The  fat  of  the  head  they  season  with 
bay  salt,  and  then  hang  it  up  to  dry  in  the 
chimney.  He  thinks  it  tastes  as  well  as  fat 
bacon ;  and  the  lean,  which  they  boil,  is,  in 
his  opinion,  not  inferior  to  beef.  I  fancy  poor 
Jacobson  would  make  but  an  indifferent  taster 
at  one  of  our  city  feasts ! 


CHAPTER  CXXXIX. 

OF  THE  NARWHAL. 


FROM  whales  that  entirely  want  teeth,  we 
come  to  such  as  have  them  in  the  upper  jaw 
only  ;  and  in  this  class  there  is  found  but  one, 
the  Narwhal,  or  Sea-unicorn.  This  fish  is 
not  so  large  as  the  whale,  not  being  above 
sixty  feet  long.  Its  body  is  slenderer  than 
that  of  the  whale,  and  its  fat  not  in  so  great 
abundance.  But  this  great  animal  is  sufficient- 
ly distinguished  from  ijltnhers  of  the  deep  by 
its  tooth  or  teeth,  which  stand  pointing  direct- 
ly forward  from  the  upper  jaw,  and  are  from 
nine  to  fourteen  feet  long.  In  all  the  variety 
of  weapons  with  which  nature  has  armed  her 
various  tribes,  there  is  not  one  so  large  or  so 
formidable  as  this.  This  terrible  weapon  is 
generally  found  single,  and  some  are  of  opin- 
ion that  the  animal  is  furnished  but  with  one 
by  nature ;  but  there  is  at  present  the  skull  of 


a  narwhal  at  the  Stadthouse  at  Amsterdam, 
with  two  teeth  ;  which  plainly  proves  that  in 
some  animals,  at  least,  this  instrument  is 
double.  It  is  even  a  doubt  whether  it  may  not 
be  so  in  all ;  and  that  the  narwhal's  wanting 
a  tooth  is  only  an  accident  which  it  has  met 
with  in  the  encounters  it  is  obliged  daily  to  be 
engaged  in.  Yet  it  must  be  owned,  of  those 
that  are  taken  only  with  one  tooth,  there 
seems  no  socket,  nor  no  remains  of  any  other 
upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  jaw,  but  all  is 
plain  and  even.  However  this  be,  the  tooth, 
or,  as  some  are  pleased  to  call  it,  the  horn  of 
the  narwhal,  is  the  most  terrible  of  all  natural 
instruments  of  destruction.  Itis  as  straight  as 
an  arrow,  about  the  thickness  of  the  small  of 
a  man's  leg,  wreathed  in  the  manner  we 
sometimes  see  twisted  bars  of  iron  ;  it  tapers 

4T* 


622 


A  HISTORY  OF 


to  a  sharp  point ;  and  is  whiter,  heavier,  and 
harder,  than  ivory.  It  is  generally  seen  to 
spring  from  the  left  side  of  the  head  directly 
forward  in  a  straight  line  with  the  body ;  and 
its  root  enters  into  the  socket  above  a  foot  and 
a  half.  In  a  skull  to  be  seen  at  Hamburgh 
there  are  two  teeth,  which  are  each  above 
seven  feet  long,  and  are  eight  inches  in  cir- 
cumference. When  the  animal,  possessed  of 
these  formidable  weapons,  is  urged  to  employ 
them,  it  drives  directly  forward'  against  the 
enemy  with  its  teeth,  that,  like  protended 
spears,  pierce  whatever  stands  before  them. 

The  extreme  length  of  these  instruments 
have  induced  some  to  consider  them  rather  as 
horns  than  teeth ;  but  they  in  every  respect 
resemblethe  tusks  of  the  boar  and  the  elephant. 
They  grow,  as  in  them,  from  sockets  in  the 
upper  jaw ;  they  have  the  solidity  of  the 
hardest  bone,  and  far  surpass  ivory  in  all  its 
qualities.  The  same  error  has  led  utuers  to 
suppose,  that  as  among  quadrupeds  the  female 
was  often  found  without  horns,  so  these  instru- 
ments of  defence  were  only  to  be  found  in  the 
male  :  but  this  has  been  more  than  once  re- 
futed by  actual  experience;  both  sexes  are 
found  armed  in  this  manner ;  the  horn  is 
sometimes  found  wreathed,  and  sometimes 
smooth ;  sometimes  a  little  bent,  and  sometimes 
straight ;  but  always  strong,  deeply  fixed,  and 
sharply  pointed. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  all  those  appointments 
for  combat,  these  long  and  pointed  tusks, 
amazing  strength,  and  unmatchable  celerity, 
the  narwhal  is  one  of  the  most  harmless  and 
peaceful  inhabitants  of  the  ocean.  It  is  seen 
constantly  and  inoffensively  sporting  among 
the  other  great  monsters  of  the  deep,  no  way 
attempting  to  injure  them,  but  pleased  in  their 
company.  The  Greenlanders  call  the  narwhal 
the  forerunner  of  the  whale  ;  for  wherever  it 
is  seen,  the  whale  is  shortly  after  sure  to  fol- 
low. This  may  arise  as  well  from  the  natural 
passion  for  society  in  these  animals,  as  from 
both  living  upon  the  same  food,  which  are 
the  insects  described  in  the  preceding  chapter. 
These  powerful  fishes  make  war  upon  no  other 
jiving  creature;  and  though  furnishced  with 
instruments  to  spread  general  destruction,  are 
as  innocent  and  as  peaceful  as  a  drove  of  oxen. 
Nay,  so  regardless  are  they  of  their  own  wea- 
pons, and  so  utterly  unmindful  to  keep  them 


in  repair  for  engagement,  that  they  are  con- 
stantly seen  covered  over  with  wteds,  slough, 
and  all  tht  filth  of  the  sea ;  they  seem  rather 
considered  as  an  impediment  than  a  de- 
fence. 

The  manners  and  appetites  both  of  the 
narwhal  and  the  great  whale  are  entirely 
similar;  they  both  alike  want  teeth  for  chew- 
ing, arid  are  obliged  to  live  upon  insects; 
they  both  are  peaceable  and  harmless,  and 
always  rather  fly  than  seek  the  combat 
The  narwhal,  however,  has  a  much  narrower 
gape  than  the  great  whale,  and,  therefore, 
does  not  want  the  use  of  barbs  to  keep  in  its 
food  when  once  sucked  into  the  mouth.  It 
is  also  much  swifter,  and  would  never  be 
taken  by  the  fishermen  but  for  those  very 
tusks  which  at  first  appear  to  be  its  principal 
defence.  These  animals,  as  was  said,  being 
fonJ  of  living  together,  are  always  seen  in 
herds  of  several  at  a  time ;  and  whenever 
they  are  attacked  they  crowd  together  in 
such  a  manner,  that  they  are  mutually  em- 
barrassed by  their  tusks.  By  these  they  are 
often  locked  together,  and  are  prevented 
from  sinking  to  the  bottom.  It  seldom  hap- 
pens, therefore,  but  the  fishermen  make  sure 
of  one  or  two  of  the  hindmost,  which  very 
well  reward  their  trouble. 

It  is  from  the  extraordinary  circumstance 
of  the  teeth,  therefore,  thai  this  fish  demands 
a  distinct  history;  and  such  has  been  the 
curiosity  of  mankind,  and  their  desire  to  pro- 
cure them,  that  a  century  ago  they  were  con- 
sidered as  the  greatest  rarity  in  the  world. 
At  that  time  the  art  of  catching  whales  was 
not  known ;  and  mankind  saw  few,  except 
such  as  were  stranded  on  the  coasts  by  ac- 
cident. The  tooth  of  the  narwhal,  therefore, 
was  ascribed  to  a  very  different  animal  from 
that  which  really  bore  it.  Among  other  fossil 
substances,  they  vvere^  some-times  dug  up; 
and  the  narwhal  being  utterly  unknown,  na- 
turalists soon  found  a  terrestrial  owner. 
They  were  thought  to  be  the  horns  of  uni- 
corns, an  animal  described  by  Pliny  as  re- 
sembling a  horse,  and  with  one  straight  horn 
darting  forward  from  the  middle  of  its  fore- 
head. These  teeth  were,  therefore,  consider- 
ed as  a  strong  testimony  in  favour  of  that 
historian's  veracity,  and  were  shown  among 


CETACEOUS  FISHES. 


623 


the  most  precious  remains  of  antiquity.  Even 
for  some  time  after  the  narwhal  was  known, 
the  deceit  was  continued,  as  those  who  were 
possessed  of  a  tooth  sold  it  to  great  advantage. 


But  at  present  they  are  too  well  known  to 
deceive  any,  and  are  only  shown  for  what 
they  really  are  ;  their  curiosity  increasing  in 
proportion  to  their  weight  and  their  size." 


CHAPTER  CXL. 

OF  THE  CACHALOT,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THE  Cachalot,  which  has  generally  gone 
under  the  name  of  the  spermaceti-whale,  till 
Mr.  Pennant  very  properly  made  the  distinc- 
tion, by  borrowing  its  name  from  the  French, 
has  severaljteeth  in  the  under  jaw,  but  none 
in  the  upper.  As  there  are  no  less  than  seven 
distinctions  among  whales,  so  also  there  are 
the  same  number  of  distinctions  in  the  tribe 
we  are  describing.  The  cachalot  with  two 
fins  and  a  black  back  ;  the  cachalot  with  two 
fins  and  a  whitish  back ;  that  with  a  spout  in 
the  neck;  that  with  a  spout  in  the  snout; 
that  with  three  fins  and  sharp-pointed  teeth; 
that  with  three  fins  and  sharp-edged  teeth  ; 
and,  lastly,  the  cachalot,  with  three  fins  and 
flatted  teeth. 

This  tribe  is  not  of  such  enormous  size  as 
the  whale,  properly  so  called,  not  being  above 
sixty  feet  long,  and  sixteen  feet  high.  In 
consequence  of  their  being  more  slender, 
they  are  much  more  active  than  the  common 
Avhale;  they  remain  a  longer  time  at  the  bot- 
tom ;  and  afford  a  smaller  quantity  of  oil. 
As  in  the  common  whale  the  head  was  seen 
to  make  a  third  part  of  its  bulk,  so  in  this 
species  the  head  is  so  large  as  to  make  one 
half  of  the  whole.  The  tongue  of  this  ani- 
mal is  small,  but  the  throat  is  very  formidable; 
and  with  very  great  ease  it  could  swallow  an 
ox.  In  the  stomach  of  the  whale  scarcely 
any  thing  is  to  be  found;  but  in  that  of  the 
cachalot  there  are  loads  of  fish  of  different 
kinds;  some  whole,  some  half  digested,  some 
small,  and  others  eight  or  nine  feet  long. 
The  cachalot  is,  therefore,  as  destructive 


a  A  species  is  mentioned  by  Fabricius,  as  being  found 
on  the  short's  of  Greenland,  much  smaller,  of  a  black 
colour,  with  two  obtuse  teeth  from  the  upper  jaw,  a  little 


among  lesser  fishes,  as  the  whale  is  harmless; 
and  can  at  one  gulp  swallow  a  shoal  of  fishes 
down  its  enormous  gullet.  Linnaeus  tells  us 
that  this  fish  pursues  and  terrifies  the  dol- 
phins and  porpoises  so  much,  as  often  to 
drive  them  on  shore. 

But,  how  formidable  soever  this  fish  may 
be  to  its  fellows  of  the  deep,  it  is  by  far  the 
most  valuable,  and  the  most  sought  after  by 
man,  as  it  contains  two  very  precious  drugs, 
spermaceti  and  ambergris.  The  use  of  these, 
either  for  the  purposes  of  luxury  or  medicine, 
is  so  universal,  that  the  capture  of  this  ani- 
mal, that  alone  supplies  them,  turns  out  to 
very  great  advantage,  particularly  since  the 
art  has  been  found  out  of  converting  all  the 
oil  of  this  animal,  as  well  as  the  brain,  into 
that  substance  called  spermaceti. 

This  substance,  as  it  is  naturally  formed, 
is  found  in  the  head  of  the  animal,  and  is  no 
other  than  the  brain.  The  outward  skin  of 
the  head  being  taken  ofl^  a  covering  of  fat 
offers  about  three  inches  thick ;  and  under 
that,  instead  of  a  bony  skull,  the  animal  has 
only  another  thick  skin  that  serves  for  a 
covering  and  defence  of  the  brain.  The  first 
cavity  or  chamber  of  the  brain,  is  filled  with 
that  spermaceti  which  is  supposed  of  the 
greatest  purity  and  highest  value.  From 
this  cavity  there  is  generally  drawn  about 
seven  barrels  of  the  clearest  spermaceti, 
that  thrown  upon  water  coagulates  like 
cheese.  Below  this  there  is  another  cham- 
ber just  over  the  gullet,  which  is  about  seven 
feet  high ;  and  this  also  contains  the  drug, 


curved  at  the  tips,  very  weak,  and  measuring  not  above 
an  incli  in  length  :  it  has  likewise  a  small  fin  on  the 
back,  which  is  wanting  in  the  common  narwhal. 


624 


A  HISTORY  OF 


but  of  less  value.  It  is  distributed  in  this  ca- 
vity like  honey  in  a  hive,  in  small  cells,  se- 
parated from  each  other  by  a  membrane  like 
the  inner  skin  of  an  egg.  In  proportion  as 
the  oily  substance  is  drawn  away  from  this 
part,  it  fills  anew  from  every  part  of  the  body; 
and  from  this  is  generally  obtained  about  nine 
barrels  of  oil.  Besides  this,  the  spinal-mar- 
row, which  is  as  thick  as  a  man's  thigh,  and 
reaches  all  along  the  back-bone  to  the  tail, 
where  it  is  not  thicker  than  one's  finger,  af- 
fords no  inconsiderable  quantity." 

This  substance,  which  is  used  in  the  com- 
position of  many  medicines,  rather  to  give 
them  consistence  than  efficacy,  was  at  first 
sold  at  a  very  high  price,  both  from  the  ma- 
ny virtues  ascribed  to  it,  and  the  small  quan- 
tity that  the  cachalot  was  capable  of  supply- 
ing:'at  present,  the  price  is  greatly  fallen ; 
first,  because  its  efficacy  in  medicine  is  found 
to  be  very  small ;  and  again,  because  the 
whole  oil  of  the  fish  is  easily  convertible  into 
Spermaceti.  This  is  performed  by  boiling  it 
with  a  ley  of  pot-ash,  and  hardening  it  in  the 
manner  of  soap.  Candles  are  now  made  of 
it,  which  are  substituted  for  wax,  and  sold 
much  cheaper;  so  that  we  need  not  fear  ha- 
ving our  spermaceti  adulterated  in  the  man- 


ner some  medical  books  caution  us  to  beware 
of;  for  they  carefully  guard  us  against  ha- 
ving our  spermaceti  adulterated  with  virgin 
wax. 

As  to  the  ambergris,  which  is  sometimes 
found  in  this  whale,  it  was  long  considered  as 
a  substance  found  floating  on  the  surface  of 
the  sea ;  but  time,  that  reveals  the  secrets  of 
the  mercenary,  has  discovered  that  it  chiefly 
belongs  to  this  animal.  The  name,  which 
has  been  improperly  given  to  the  former  sub- 
stance, seems  more  justly  to  belong  to  this; 
for  the  ambergris  is  found  in  the  place  where 
the  seminal  vessels  are  usually  situated  in 
other  animals.  It  is  found  in  a  bag  of  three 
or  four  feet  long,  in  round  lumps  from  one  to 
twenty  pounds  weight,  floating  in  a  fluid  ra- 
ther thinner  than  oil,  and  of  a  yellowish  co- 
lour. There  are  never  seen  more  than  four 
at  a  time  in  one  of  these  bags ;  and  that 
which  weighed  twenty  pounds,  and  which 
was  the  largest  ever  seen,  was  found  single. 
These  balls  of  ambergris  are  not  found  in  all 
fishes  of  this  kind,  but  chiefly  in  the  oldest 
and  strongest.  The  uses  of  this  medicine  for 
the  purposes  of  luxury,  and  as  a  perfume,  are 
well  known ;  though  upon  some  subjects  ig- 
norance is  preferable  to  information. 


CHAPTER  CLXI. 

OF  THE  DOLPHIN,  THE  GRAMPUS,  AND  THE  PORPOISE,  WITH  THEIR 

VARIETIES. 


ALL  these  fish  have  teeth  both  in  the  up- 
per and  the  lower  jaw,  and  are  much  less 
than  the  whale.  The  Grampus,  which  is  the 
largest,  never  exceeds  twenty  feet.  It  may 
also  be  distinguished  by  the  flatness  of  its 
head,  which  resembles  a  boat  turned  upside 
down.  The  Porpoise  resembles  the  gram- 
pus in  most  things  except  the  snout,  which  is 
not  above  eight  feet  long ;  its  snout  also  more 
resembles  that  of  a  hog.  The  Dolphin  has 

•  The  perfume  called  Ambergris,  is  found  in  large  mas- 
ses, in  the  intestines,  and  is  now  known  to  be  nothing  more 
.h»n  the  excrements  of  the  animal.  Spermaceti  is  found 


a  strong  resemblance  to  the  porpoise,  except 
that  its  snout  is  longer  and  more  pointed. 
They  have  all  fins  on  the  back ;  they  all  have 
heads  very  large,  like  the  rest  of  the  whale- 
kind;  and  resemble  each  other  in  their  ap- 
petites, their  manners,  and  conformations; 
being  equally  voracious,  active,  and  roving. 
The  great  agility  of  these  animals  prevents 
their  often  being  taken.  They  seldom  re- 
main a  moment  above  water;  sometimes,  in- 

in  a  vast  cavity  in  the  upper  part  of  the  head  :  while  fresh, 
and  in  its  natural  receptacle,  it  is  nearly  fluid  ;  but  it  con- 
cretes into  opake  masses  soon  after  it  is  exposed  to  the  air. 


1.1'lbctni-epliahis.BlimHK-acli-d  C.       -  S.varT.Gfl&osns  Streb.   Gflflxms  C. —  3.D.Thocama  rOrpoise.-4.1)DelpWsDdymi. 

e1 


CETACEOUS  FISHES. 


625 


deed,  their  too  eager  pursuits  expose  them 
to  danger;  and  a  shoal  of  herrings  often  al- 
lures them  out  of  their  depth.  In  such  a  case, 
the  hungry  animal  continues  to  flounder  in 
the  shallows  till  knocked  on  the  head,  or  till 
the  returning  tide  seasonably  comes  to  its  re- 
lief. But  all  this  tribe,  and  the  dolphin  in 
particular,  are  not  less  swift  than  destructive. 
No  fish  could  escape  tliem,  but  from  the  awk- 
ward position  of  the  mouth,  which  is  placed 
in  a  manner  under  the  head :  yet,  even  with 
these  disadvantages,  their  depredations  are 
so  great,  that  they  have  been  justly  styled  the 
plunderers  of  the  deep. 

What  could  induce  the  ancients  to  a  pre- 
dilection in  favour  of  these  animals,  particu- 
larly the  dolphin,  it  is  not  easy  to  account  for. 
Historians  and  philosophers  seem  to  have 
contended  who  should  invent  the  greatest 
number  of  fables  concerning  them.  The  dol- 
phin was  celebrated  in  the  earliest  time  for 
its  fondness  to  the  human  race,  and  was  dis- 
tinguished by  the  epithets  of  the  boy-loving 
and  philanthropist.  Scarcely  an  accident 
could  happen  at  sea,  but  the  dolphin  offered 
himself  to  convey  the  unfortunate  to  shore. 
The  musician  flung  into  the  sea  by  pirates, 
the  boy  taking  an  airing  in  the  midst  of  the 
sea,  and  returning  again  in  safety,  were  obli- 
ged to  the  dolphin  for  its  services.  It  is  not 
easy,  I  say,  to  assign  a  cause  why  the  anci- 
ents should  thus  have  invented  so  many  fa- 
bles in  their  favour.  The  figure  of  these  ani- 
mals is  far  from  prejudicing  us  in  their  in- 
terests ;  their  extreme  rapacity  tends  still 
less  to  endear  them ;  I  know  nothing  that  can 
reconcile  them  to  man  and  excite  his  preju- 
dices, except  that  when  taken  they  sometimes 
have  a  plaintive  moan,  with  which  they  con- 
tinue to  express  their  pain  till  they  expire. 
This,  at  first,  might  have  excited  human  pity; 
and  that  might  have  produced  affection.  At 
present,  these  fishes  are  regarded  even  by 
the  vulgar  in  a  very  different  light;  their  ap- 
pearance is  far  from  being  esteemed  a  favour- 
able omen  by  the  seamen ;  and  from  their 
boundings,  springs,  and  frolics  in  the  water, 
experience  has  taught  the  mariners  to  pre- 
pare for  a  storm. 

But  it  is  not  to  one  circumstance  only  that 
the  ancients  have  confined  their  fabulous  re- 
ports concerning  these  animals ;  as  from  their 


leaps  out  of  their  element,  they  assume  a  tem- 
porary curvature,  which  is  by  no  means  their 
natural  figure  in  the  water,  the  old  painters 
and  sculptors  have  universally  drawn  them 
wrong.  A  dolphin  is  scarcely  ever  exhibited 
by  the  ancients  in  a  straight  shape,  but  curv- 
ed, in  the  position  which  they  sometimes  ap- 
pear when  exerting  their  force;  and  the 
poets  too  have  adopted  the  general  error. 
Even  Pliny,  the  best  naturalist,  has  asserted, 
that  they  instantly  die  when  taken  out  of  the 
water ;  but  Rondelet,  on  the  contrary,  assures 
us  that  he  has  seen  a  dolphin  carried  alive 
from  Montpelier  to  Lyons. 

The  moderns  have  more  just  notions  of 
these  animals ;  and  have  got  over  the  many 
fables,  which  every  day's  experience  contra- 
dicts. Indeed  their  numbers  are  so  great, 
and,  though  shy,  they  are  so  often  taken,  that 
such  peculiarities,  if  they  were  possessed  of 
any,  would  have  been  long  since  ascertained. 
They  are  found,  the  porpoise  especially,  in 
such  vast  numbers,  in  all  parts  of  the  sea  that 
surrounds  this  kingdom,  that  they  are  some- 
times noxious  to  seamen,  when  they  sail  in 
small  vessels.  In  some  places  they  almost 
darken  the  water  as  they  rise  to  take  breath, 
and  particularly  before  bad  weather  are  much 
agitated,  swimming  against  the  wind,  and  tum- 
bling about  with  unusual  violence. 

Whether  these  motions  be  the  gambols  of 
pleasure  or  the  agitations  of  terror,  is  not  well 
known.  It  is  most  probable  that  they  dread 
those  seasons  of  turbulence,  when  the  lesser 
fishes  shrink  to  the  bottom,  and  their  prey 
no  longer  offers  in  such  abundance.  In  times 
of  fairer  weather  they  are  seen  herding  toge- 
ther, and  pursuing  shoals  of  various  fish  with 
great  impetuosity.  Their  method  of  hunting 
their  game,  if  it  may  be  so  called,  is  to  follow 
in  a  pack,  and  thus  give  each  other  mutual 
assistance.  At  that  season,  when  the  macka- 
rel,  the  herring,  the  salmon,  and  other  fish  of 
passage,  begin  to  make  their  appearance,  the 
cetaceous  tribes  are  seen  fierce  in  the  pursuit; 
urging  their  prey  from  one  creek  or  bay  to 
another,  deterring  them  from*  the  shallows, 
driving  them  towards  each  other's  ambush, 
and  using  a  greater  variety  of  arts  than  hounds 
are  seen  to  exert  in  pursuing  the  hare.  How- 
ever, the  porpoise  not  only  seeks  for  prey 
near  the  surface,  but  often  descends  to  the 


626 


A  HISTORY  OF 


bottom  in  search  ot  sand-eels,  and  sea-worms, 
which  it  roots  out  of  the  sand  with  its  nose, 
in  the  manner  hogs  harrow  up  the  fields  for 
food.  For  this  purpose,  the  nose  projects  a 
little,  is  shorter  and  stronger  than  that  of  the 
dolphin  ;  and  the  neck  is  furnished  with  very 
strong  muscles,  which  enable  it  the  readier 
to  turn  up  the  sand. 

But  it  sometimes  happens,  that  the  im- 
petuosity, or  the  hunger,  of  these  animals,  in 
their  usual  pursuits,  urges  them  beyond  the 
limits  of  safety.  The  fishermen,  who  extend 
their  long  nets  for  pilchards,  on  the  coasts  of 
Cornwall,  have  sometimes  an  unwelcome  cap- 
ture in  one  of  these.  Their  feeble  nets,  which 
are  calculated  only  for  taking  smaller  prey, 
suffer  an  universal  laceration  from  the  efforts 
of  this  strong  animal  to  escape;  and  if  it  be 
not  knocked  on  the  head,  before  it  has  had 
time  to  flounder,  the  nets  are  destroyed,  and 
the  fishery  interrupted.  There  is  nothing, 
therefore,  they  so  much  dread,  as  the  en- 
tangling a  porpoise;  and  they  do  every  thing 
to  intimidate  the  animal  from  approach- 
ing. 

Indeed,  these  creatures  are  so  violent  in  the 
pursuit  of  their  prey,  that  they  sometimes  fol- 
low a  shoal  of  small  fishes  up  a  fresh-water 
river,  from  whence  they  find  no  small  difficul- 
ty to  return.  We  have  often  seen  them  ta- 
ken in  the  Thames  at  London,  both  above 
the  bridges  and  below  them.  It  is  curious 
enough  to  observe  with  what  activity  they 
avoid  their  pursuers,  and  what  little  time  they 


require  to  fetch  breath  above  the  water.  The 
manner  of  killing  them  is  for  four  or  five  boats 
to  spread  over  the  part  of  the  river  in  which 
they  are  seen,  and  with  fire-arms  to  shoot  at 
them  the  instant  they  rise  above  the  water. 
The  fish  being  thus  for  some  time  kept  in  agi- 
tation, requires  to  come  to  the  surface  at 
quicker  intervals,  and  thus  affords  the  marks- 
men more  frequent  opportunities. 

When  the  porpoise  is  taken,  it  becomes  no 
inconsiderable  capture,  as  it  yields  a  very 
large  quantity  of  oil ;  and  the  lean  of  some, 
particularly  if  the  animal  be  young,  is  said  to 
be  as  well  tasted  as  veal.  The  inhabitants 
of  Norway  prepare,  from  the  eggs  found  in  the 
body  of  this  fish,  a  kind  of  cavier,  which  is 
said  to  be  a  very  delicate  sauce,  or  good  when 
even  eaten  with  bread.  There  is  a  fishery 
for  porpoise  along  the  western  isles  of  Scot- 
land during  the  summer  season,  when  they 
abound  on  that  shore;  and  this  branch  of 
industry  turns  to  good  advantage. 

As  for  the  rest,  we  are  told,  that  these  ani- 
mals go  with  young  ten  months;  that,  like 
the  whale,  they  seldom  bring  forth  above  one 
at  a  time,  and  that  in  the  midst  of  summer: 
that  they  live  to  a  considerable  age ;  though 
some  say  not  above  twenty-five  or  thirty  years ; 
and  they  sleep  with  the  snout  above  water. 
They  seem  to  possess,  in  a  degree  propor- 
tioned to  their  bulk,  the  manners  of  whales; 
and  the  history  of  one  species  of  cetaceous 
animals,  will,  in  a  great  measure,  serve  for 
all  the  rest. 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


627 


OF    CARTILAGINOUS   FISHES. 


CHAPTER  CXLH. 

OF  CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES  IN  GENERAL. 


WE  have  seen  that  fishes  of  the  cetaceous 
kind  bear  a  strong  resemblance  to  quadru- 
peds in  their  conformation  ;  those  of  the  car- 
tilaginous kinds  are  one  remove  separated 
from  them ;  they  form  the  shade  that  com- 
pletes the  imperceptible  gradations  of  na- 
ture. 

The  first  great  distinction  they  exhibit  is, 
in  having  cartilages  or  gristles  instead  of 
bones.  The  cetaceous  tribes  have  their 
bones  entirely  resembling  those  of  quadru- 
peds, thick,  white,  and  filled  with  marrow ; 
those  of  the  spinous  kind,  on  the  contrary, 
have  small  slender  bones,  with  points  re- 
sembling thorns,  and  generally  solid  through- 
out. Fishes  of  the  cartilaginous  kinds  have 
their  bones  always  soft  and  yielding;  and 
age,  that  hardens  the  bones  of  other  animals, 
rather  contributes  still  more  to  soften  theirs. 
The  size  of  all  fishes  increases  with  age ; 
but  from  the  pliancy  of  the  bones  in  this 
tribe,  they  seem  to  have  no  bounds  placed  to 
their  dimensions;  and  it  is  supposed  that  they 
grow  larger  every  day  till  they  die. 

They  have  other  differences,  more  obvi- 
ously discernible.  We  have  observed,  that 
the  cetaceous  tribes  had  lungs  like  quadru- 
peds, a  heart  with  its  partition  in  the  same 
manner,  and  an  apparatus  for  hearing;  on 
the  other  hand,  we  mentioned  that  the  spin- 
ous kinds  had  no  organs  of  hearing,  no  lungs 
to  breath  through,  and  no  partition  in  the 
heart ;  but  that  their  cold  red  blood  was 
circulated  by  the  means  of  the  impulse  made 
upon  their  gills  by  the  water.  Cartilaginous 
fishes  unite  both  these  systems  in  their  con- 
formation :  like  the  cetaceous  tribes,  they 

MO.  53  Se  54. 


have  organs  of  hearing,  and  lungs ;  like  the 
spinous  kinds,  they  have  gills,  and  a  heart 
without  a  partition.  Thus  possessed  of  a 
twofold  power  of  breathing,  sometimes  by 
means  of  their  lungs,  sometimes  by  that  of 
their  gills,  they  seem  to  unite  all  the  advan- 
tages of  which  their  situation  is  capable,  and 
drawing  from  both  elements  every  aid  to  their 
necessities  or  their  enjoyments. 

This  double  capacity  of  breathing  in  these 
animals,  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  fea- 
tures in  the  history  of  nature.  The  apertures 
by  which  they  breath,  are  some  where  placed 
about  the  head ;  either  beneath,  as  in  flat 
fish;  on  the  sides,  as  in  sharks;  or  on  the 
top  of  the  head,  as  in  pipe-fish.  To  these 
apertures  are  the  gills  affixed,  but  without 
any  bone  to  open  and  shut  them,  as  in  spin- 
ous fishes ;  from  which,  by  this  mark,  they 
may  be  easily  distinguished,  though  other- 
wise very  much  alike  in  appearance.  From 
these  are  bending  cylindrical  ducts,  that  run 
to  the  lungs,  and  are  supposed  to  convey  the 
air,  that  gives  the  organs  their  proper  play. 
The  heart,  however,  has  but  one  valve;  so 
that  their  blood  wants  that  double  circula- 
tion which  obtains  in  the  cetaceous  kinds ; 
and  the  lungs  seem  to  be  rather  as  an  inter- 
nal assistant  to  the  gills,  than  fitted  for  sup- 
plying the  same  offices  as  in  quadrupeds, 
for  they  want  the  pulmonary  vein  and  artery. 

From  this  structure,  however,  the  animal 
is  enabled  to  live  a  longer  time  out  of  water 
than  those  whose  gills  are  more  simple. 
The  cartilaginous  shark,  or  ray.  live  some 
hQurs  after  they  are  taken ;  while  the  spinous 
herring  or  mackarel  expire  a  few  minutes 
4U 


628 


A  HISTORY  OF 


after  they  are  brought  on  shore.  From  hence 
this  tribe  seems  possessed  of  powers  that  other 
fishes  are  wholly  deprived  of;  they  can  re- 
main continually  under  water,  without  ever 
taking  breath ;  while  they  can  venture  their 
heads  above  the  deep,  and  continue  for  hours 
out  of  their  native  element. 

We  observed,  in  a  former  chapter,  that 
spin ous  fishes  have  not,  or  at  least  appear  not 
to  have,  externally  any  instruments  of  genera- 
tion. It  is  very  different  with  those  of  the 
cartilaginous  kind,  for  the  male  always  has 
these  instruments  double.  The  fish  of  this 
tribe  are  not  unfrequently  seen  to  copulate ; 
and  their  manner  is  belly  to  belly,  such  as  may 
naturally  be  expected  from  animals  whose 
parts  of  generation  are  placed  forward.  They 
in  general  choose  colder  seasons  and  situations 
than  other  fish  for  propagating  their  kind  ; 
and  many  of  them  bring  forth  in  the  midst  of 
winter. 

The  same  duplicity  of  character  which 
marks  their  general  conformation,  obtains 
also  with  regard  to  their  manner  of  bringi-;g 
forth.  Some  bring  forth  their  young  alive ; 
and  some  bring  forth  eggs,  which  are  after- 
wards brought  to  maturity.  In  all,  however, 
the  manner  of  gestation  is  nearly  the  same  ; 
for  upon  dissection,  it  is  ever  found,  that  the 
young,  while  in  the  body,  continue  in  the  egg 
till  a  very  little  time  before  they  are  excluded : 
these  eggs  they  may  properly  be  said  to  hatch 
within  their  body  ;  and  as  soon  as  their  young 
quit  the  shell,  they  begin  to  quit  the  womb 
also.  Unlike  to  quadrupeds,  or  the  cetaceous 
tribes,  that  quit  the  egg  state  in  a  few  days 
after  their  first  conception,  and  continue  in  the 
womb  several  months  after,  these  continue  in 
the  body  of  the  female,  in  their  egg  state,  for 
weeks  together  ;  and  the  eggs  are  found  linked 
together  by  a  membrane,  from  which,  when 
the  foetus  gets  fir e,  it  continues  but  a  very  short 
time  till  it  delivers  itself  from  its  confinement 
in  the  womb.  The  eggs  themselves  consist 
of  a  white  and  a  yolk,  and  have  a  substance, 
instead  of  shell,  that  apt ly  may  be  compared 
to  softened  horn.  These,  as  I  observed,  are 
sometimes  hatched  in  the  womb,  as  in  the 
shark  and  ray  kinds;  and  they  are  sometimes 
excluded,  as  in  the  sturgeon,  before  the  ani- 
mal comes  to  its  time  of  disengaging.  Thus 
we  see  that  there  seems  very  little  difference 
between  the  viviparous  and  the  oviparous 
.kinds,  in  this  class  of  fishes :  the  one  hatch 


their  eggs  in  the  womb,  and  the  young  con- 
tinue no  long  time  there ;  the  others  exclude 
their  eggs  before  hatching,  and  leave  it  to 
time  and  accident  to  bring  their  young  to 
maturity. 

Such  are  the  peculiar  marks  of  the  carti- 
laginous class  of  fishes,  of  which  there  are 
many  kinds.  To  give  a  distinct  description 
of  every  fish  is  as  little  my  intention,  as  per- 
haps it  is  the  wish  of  the  reader ;  but  the  pecu- 
liarities of  each  kind  deserve  notice,  and  the 
most  striking  of  these  it  would  be  unpardon- 
able to  omit. 

Cartilaginous  fish  may  be  divided  first  into 
those  of  the  shark  kind,  w  ith  a  body  growing 
less  towards  the  tail,  H  rough  skin,  with  the 
mouth  placed  far  beneath  the  end  of  the  nose, 
five  apertures  on  the  sides  of  the  neck  for 
breathing,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  tail  longer 
than  (he  lower.  This  class  chiefly  compre- 
hends the  Great  White  Shark,  ti>e  Balance 
Fish,  the  Hound  Fish,  the  Monk  Fish,  the 
Dog  Fish,  the  Basking  Shark,  the  Zygaena, 
the  Tope,  the  Cat  Fish,  the  Blue  Shark,  the 
Sea  Fox,  the  Smooth  Hound  Fish,  and  the 
Porbeagle.  These  are  all  of  the  same  nature, 
and  differ  more  in  size,  than  in  figure  or  con- 
formation. 

The  next  division  is  that  of  flat  fish ;  and 
these  their  broad,  flat,  thin  shape,  is  sufficient- 
ly capable  of  distinguishing  from  all  others  of 
this  kind.  They  may  be  easily  distinguished 
also  from  spinous  flat  fish,  by  the  holes  through 
which  they  breath,  which  are  uncovered  by  a 
bone;  and  which,  in  this  kind,  are  five  on 
each  side.  In  this  tribe  we  may  place  the  Tor- 
pedo, the  Skate,  the  Sharp-nosed  Ray,  the 
Rough  Ray,  the  Thornback,  and  the  Fire 
Flare. 

The  third  division  is  that  of  the  slender 
snake-shaped  kind  ;  such  as  the  Lamprey,  the 
Pride,  and  the  Pipe  fish. 

The  fourth  division  is  of  the  Sturgeon  and 
its  variety,  the  Ising-glass  Fish. 

The  last  division  may  comprise  fish  of  dif- 
ferent figures  and  natures,  that  do  not  rank 
under  the  former  divisions.  These  are  the 
Sun  Fish,  the  Tetrodon,  the  Lump  Fish,  the 
Sea  Snail,  the  Chiinaera,  and  the  Fishing 
Frog.  Each  of  these  has  somewhat  peculiar 
in  its  powers  or  its  forms,  that  deserves  to  be 
remarked.  The  description  of  the  figures 
of  these  at  least  may  compensate  for  our 
general  ignorance  of  the  rest  of  their  history. 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


629 


CHAPTER  CXLIII. 

OF  CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES  OF  THE  SHARK  KIND. 


strength 
arrangement 


OF  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  deep,  those  of 
the  shark  kind  are  the  fiercest  and  the  most 
voracious.  The  smallest  of  this  tribe  is  not 
less  dreaded  by  greater  fish,  than  many  that 
to  appearance  seem  more  powerful ;  nor  do 
any  of  them  seem  fearful  of  attacking  animals 
far  above  their  size :  but  the  Great  White 
Shark,  which  is  the  largest  of  the  kind,  joins 
to  the  most  amazing  rapidity,  the  strongest 
appetites  for  mischief:  as  he  approaches  nearly 
in  size  to  the  whale,  he  far  surpasses  him  in 
and  celerity,  in  the  formidable 
of  his  teeth,  and  his  insatiable 
desire  of  plunder. 

The  White  Shurk  is  sometimes  seen  to  rank 
evon  among  whales  for  magnitude ;  and  is 
found  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  long.     Some 
assert  that  they  have  seen  them  of  four  thou- 
sand pound  weight ;  and  we  are  told  particu- 
larly of  one,  that  had  a  human  corpse  in  his 
belly.     The  head  is  large,  and  somewhat  flat- 
ted ;  the  snout  long,  and  the  eyes  large.     The 
mouth  is  enormously  wide,  as  is  the  throat, 
and  capable  of  swallowing  a  man  with  great 
ease.     But  its  furniture  of  teeth  is  still  more 
terrible  ;  of  these  there  are  six  rows,  extremely 
hard,    sharp-pointed,   and   of  a    wedge-like 
figure.     It  is  asserted  that  there  are  seventy- 
two  in  each  jaw,  which  make  an  hundred  and 
forty-four  in  the  whole  ;  yet  others  think  that 
their  number  is  uncertain ;  and  that  in  propor- 
tion as  the  animal  grows  older,  these  terrible 
instruments  of  destruction  are  found  to  increase. 
With  these  the  jaws,  both  above  and  below, 
appear  planted  all  over ;  but  the  animal  has  a 
power  of  erecting  or  depressing  them  at  plea- 
sure.    When  the  shark  is  at  rest,  they  lie  quite 
flat  in  his  mouth ;  but  when  he  prepares  to 
seize  his  prey,  he  i  rects  all  this  dreadful   ap- 
paratus, by  the  h  -Ip  of  a  set  of  muscles  that 
join  them  to  the  jaw ;  and  the  animal  he  seizes, 
dies,  pierced  with  a  hundred  wounds,  in  a 
moment. 

Nor  is  this  fish  less  terrible  to  behold  as  to 
the  rest  of  his  form  :  his  fins  are  larger  in  pro- 


portion ;  he  is  furnished  with  great  goggle 
eyes,  that  he  turns  with  ease  on  every  side,  so 
as  to  see  his  prey  behind  him  as  well  as  before ; 
and  his  whole  aspect  is  marked  with  a  charac- 
ter of  malignity  :  his  skin  also  is  rough,  hard, 
and  prickly ;  being  that  substance  which 
covers  instrument  cases,  called  shagreen. 

As  the  shark  is  thus  formidable  in  his  ap- 
pearance, so  is  he  also  dreadful  from  his  cou- 
rage and  activity.  No  fish  can  swim  so  fast 
as  he;  none  so  constantly  employed  in  swim- 
ming: he  outstrips  the  swiftest  ships,  plays 
round  them,  darts  out  before  them,  returns, 
seems  to  gaze  at  the  passengers,  and  all  the 
while  does  not  seem  to  exhibit  the  smallest 
symptom  of  an  effort  to  proceed.  Such  ama- 
zing powers,  with  such  great  appetites  for  de- 
struction, would  quickly  unpeople  even  the 
ocean,  but  providentially,  the  shark's  upper 
jaw  projects  so  far  above  the  lower,  that  he  is 
obliged  to  turn  on  one  side,  (not  on  his  back, 
as  is  generally  supposed,)  to  seize  his  prey. 
As  this  takes  some  small  time  lo  perform,  the 
animal  pursued  seizes  that  opportunity  to 
make  its  escape. 

Still,  however,  the  depredations  he  commits 
are  frequent  and  formidable.  The  shark  is 
the  dread  of  sailors  in  all  hot  climates ;  w  here, 
like  a  greedy  robber,  he  attends  the  ships,  in 
expectation  of  what  may  drop  over  board. 
A  man  who  unfortunately  falls  into  the  sea  at 
such  a  time,  is  sure  to  perish,  without  mercy. 
A  sailor  that  was  bathing  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean, near  Antibes,  in  the  year  1744,  while  he 
was  swimming  about  fifty  yards  from  the  ship, 
perceived  a  monstrous  fish  making  towards 
him,  and  surveying  him  on  every  side,  as  fish 
are  often  seen  to  look  round  a  bait.  The 
poor  man,  struck  with  terror  at  its  approach, 
cried  out  to  his  companions  in  the  vessel  to 
take  him  on  board.  They  accordingly  threw 
him  a  rope  with  the  utmost  expedition,  and 
were  drawing  him  up  by  the  ship's  side,  when 
the  shark  darted  after  him  fronj  the  deep,  and 
snapped  off  his  leg. 

4U» 


630 


A  HISTORY  OF 


Mr.  Pennant  tells  as,  that  the  master  of  a 
Guinea-ship,  finding  a  rage  for  suicide  pre- 
vail among  his  slaves,  from  a  notion   the   un- 
happy creatures  had,  that  after  death  they 
should  be  restored  again  to  their  families, 
friends,  and   country ;  to  convince   them   at 
least  that  some  disgrace  should  attend  them 
here,  he  ordered  one  of  their  dead  bodies  to 
be  tied  by  the  heels  to  a  rope,  and   so  let 
down  into  the  sea ;  and,  though  it  was  drawn 
up  again  with  great  swiftness,  yet,  in  that 
short  space,  the  sharks  had  bit  off  all  but  the 
feet.     Whether  this  story  iS  prior  to  an  acci- 
dent of  the  same  kind,  which  happened  at 
Belfast  in  Ireland,  about  twenty  years  ago,  I 
will  not  take  upon  me  to  determine  ;  but  cer- 
tain it  is,  there  are  some  circumstances  alike 
in  both,  though  more  terrible  in  that  I  am  go- 
ing  to    relate.     A   Guinea  captain  was,  by 
stress  of  weather,  driven  into  the  harbour  of 
Belfast,  with  a  lading  of  very  sickly  slaves, 
who,  in  the  manner  above  mentioned,  took 
every  opportunity  to  throw  themselves  over- 
board when  brought  up  upon  the  deck,  as  usual, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  fresh  air.     The  captain 
perceiving,   among   others,  a   woman    slave 
attempting  to  drown  herself,  pitched  upon 
her  as  a  proper  example  to  the  rest.     As  he 
supposed  that  they  did  not  know  the  terrors 
attending  death,  he  ordered  the  woman  to  be 
tied  with  a  rope  under  the  arm-pits,  and  so 
let  her  down  into  the  water.     When  the  poor 
creature  was  thus  plunged  in,  and  about  half 
way  down,  she  was  heard  to  give  a   terrible 
shriek,   which  at   first  was  ascribed  to  her 
fears  of  drowning ;  but  soon  after  the  water 
appearing  red  all  round  her,  she  was  drawn 
up,  and  it  was  found  that  a  shark,  which  had 
followed  the  ship,  had  bit  her  off  from  the 
middle. 

Such  is  the  frightful  rapacity  of  this  ani- 
mal; nothing  that  has  life  is  rejected.  But 
it  seems  to  have  a  peculiar  enmity  to  man  : 
when  once  it  has  tasted  human  flesh,  it  never 
desists  from  haunting  those  places  where  it 
expects  the  return  of  ite  prey.  It  is  even 
asserted,  that  along  the  coasts  of  Africa, 
where  these  animals  are  found  in  great  abun- 
dance, numbers  of  the  negroes,  who  are 
obliged  to  frequent  the  waters,  are  seized 
and  devoured  by  them  every  year.  The 
people  of  these  coasts  are  firmly  of  opinion, 


that  the  shark  loves  the  black  man's  flesh  in 
preference  to  the  white,  and  that  when  men 
of  different  colours  are  in  the  water  together, 
it  always  makes  choice  of  the  former. 

However  this  be,  men  of  all  colours  are 
j  equally  afraid  of  this  animal,  and  have  con- 
trived different  methods  to  destroy  him.     In 
general,  they  derive  their  success  from  the 
shark's  own  rapacity.     The  usual  method  of 
our  sailors  to  take  him,  is  by  baiting  a  great 
hook  with  a  piece  of  beef  or  pork,  which  is 
thrown  out  into  the  sea  by  a  strong  cord, 
strengthened   near   the  hook  with    an    iron 
chain.     Without  this  precaution,  the  shark 
would  quickly  bite  the  cord  in  two,  and  thus 
set  himself  free.     It  is  no  unpleasant  amuse- 
ment to  observe  this  voracious  animal  com- 
ing up  to  survey  the  bait,  particularly  when 
not  pressed  by  hunger.     He  approaches  it, 
examines  it,  swims  round  it,  seems  for  a  while 
to  neglect  it,  perhaps  apprehensive  of  the 
cord  and  chain:  he  quits  it  for  a  little;   but 
his  appetite  pressing,  he  returns  again ;  ap- 
pears preparing  to  devour  it,  but  quits  it  once 
more.     When    the   sailors    have  sufficiently 
diverted  themselves  with  his  different  evolu- 
tions, they  then  make  a  pretence,  by  draw- 
ing the  rope,  as  if  intending  to  take  the  bait 
away :    it  is  then  that  the  glutton's  hunger 
excites  him ;  he  darts  at  the  bait,  and  swal- 
lows it,  hook  and  all.     Sometimes,  however, 
he  does  not  so  entirely  gorge  the  whole,  but 
that  he  once  more  gets  free ;  yet  even  then, 
though  wounded  and  bleeding  with  the  hook, 
he  will  again  pursue  the  bait  until  he  is  taken. 
When  he  finds  the  hook  lodged  in  his  maw, 
his  utmost  efforts  are  then  excited,  but  in 
vain,  to  get  free;  he  tries  with  his  teeth  to 
cut  the  chain ;  he  pulls  with  all  his  force  to 
break  the  line ;  he  almost  seems  to  turn  his 
stomach  inside  out,  to  disgorge  the  hook  :  in 
this  manner  he  continues  his  formidable  though 
fruitless  efforts;  till,  quite  spent,  he  suffers 
his  head  to  be  drawn  above   water,  and  the 
sailors,  confining  his  tail  by  a  noose,  in  this 
manner  draw  him  on  ship-board, arid  despatch 
him.     This  is  done   by   beating  him  on  the 
head  till  he  dies;  yet  even  that  is  not  effect- 
ed without  difficulty  and  danger;  the  enor- 
mous creature,  terrible  even  in  the  agonies 
of  death,  still  struggles  witli  his  destroyers; 
nor  is  there  an  animal  in  the  world  that  is 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


631 


harder  to  be  killed.  Even  when  cut  in  pie- 
ces, the  muscles  still  preserve  their  motion, 
and  vibrate  for  some  minutes  after  being  se- 
parated from  the  body.  Another  method  of 
taking  them,  is  by  striking  a  barbed  instru- 
ment, called  a  fizgig,  into  his  body,  as  he 
brushes  along  by  the  side  of  the  ship.  As 
soon  as  he  is  taken  up,  to  prevent  his  flounc- 
ing, they  cut  off  the  tail  with  an  axe,  with 
the  utmost  expedition. 

This  is  the  manner  in  which  Europeans  de- 
stroy the  shark;  but  some  of  the  Negroes 
along  the  African  coast,  take  a  bolder  and 
more  dangerous  method  to  combat  their  ter- 
rible enemy.  Armed  with  nothing  more  than 
a  knife,  the  Negro  plunges  into  the  water, 
where  he  sees  the  shark  watching  for  his  prey, 
and  boldly  swims  forward  to  meet  him:  though 
the  great  animal  does  not  come  to  provoke 
the  combat,  he  does  not  avoid  it,  and  suffers 
the  man  to  approach  him;  but  just  as  he 
turns  upon  his  side  to  seize  the  aggressor,  the 
Negro  watches  ihe  opportunity,  plunges  his 
knife  into  the  fish's  belly,  and  pursues  his 
blows  with  such  success,  that  he  lays  the  ra- 
venous tyrant  dead  at  the  bottom :  he  soon 
however  returns,  fixes  the  fish's  head  in  a 
noose,  and  drags  him  to  shore,  where  he  makes 
a  noble  feast  for  the  adjacent  villages. 

Nor  is  man  alone  the  only  enemy  this  fish 
has  to  fear:  the  Remora,  or  Sucking-fish,  is 
probably  a  still  greater,  and  follows  the  shark 
every  where.  This  fish  has  got  a  power  of 
adhering  to  whatever  it  sticks  against,  in  the 
same  manner  as  a  cupping-glass  sticks  to  the 
human  body.  It  is  by  such  an  apparatus  that 
this  animal  sticks  to  the  shark,  and  drains 
away  its  moisture.  The  seamen,  however, 
are  of  opinion,  that  it  is  seen  to  attend  on  the 
shark  for  more  friendly  purposes,  to  point  him 
to  his  prey,  and  to  apprise  him  of  his  danger. 

•  Sharks,  as  well  as  the  Ray  tribe,  bring  forth  their 
young  alive,  more  than  one  at  a  time,  and  each  enclosed 
in  a  square  horny  case,  terminated  at  the  four  corners  by 
slender  filaments.  After  being  in  the  water  some  time, 
these  natural  pouches  open  at  one  end,  and  the  young  fish 
escapes  from  his  confinement.  These  receptacles  are, 
in  the  shark,  of  a  pellucid  horn-colour,  terminated  at  the 


For  this  reason  it  has  been  called  the  Shark's 
Pilot. 

The  shark  so  much  resembles  the  whale 
in  size,  that  some  have  injudiciously  ranked 
it  in  the  class  of  cetaceous  fishes;  but  its  real 
rank  is  in  the  place  here  assigned  it,  among 
those  of  the  cartilaginous  kind.  It  breaths 
with  gills  and  lungs,  its  bones  are  gristly,  and 
it  brings  forth  several  living  young :  Bellonius 
assures  us,  that  he  saw  a  female  shark  pro- 
duce eleven  live  young  ones  at  a  time.  But 
I  will  not  take  upon  me  to  vouch  for  the  ve- 
racity of  Rondeletius,  who,  when  talking  of 
the  blue  shark,  says,  that  the  female  will  per- 
mit her  small  brood,  when  in  danger,  to  swim 
down  her  mouth,  and  take  shelter  in  her  bel- 
ly. Mr.  Pennant,  indeed,  seems  to  give  cre- 
dit to  the  story,  and  thinks  that  this  fish,  like 
the  oppossum,  may  have  a  place  fitted  by  na- 
ture for  the  reception  of  her  young.  To  his 
opinion  much  deference  is  due,  and  is  suffi- 
cient, at  least,  to  make  us  suspend  our  dis- 
sent; for  nothing  is  so  contemptible  as  that 
affectation  of  wisdom  which  some  display,  by 
universal  incredulity.* 

Upon  the  whole,  a  shark,  when  living,  is  a 
very  formidable  animal ;  and,  when  dead,  is 
of  very  little  value.  The  flesh  is  hardly  di- 
gestible by  any  but  the  Negroes,  who  are 
fond  of  it  to  distraction :  the  liver  affords  three 
or  four  quarts  of  oil;  some  imaginary  virtues 
have  been  ascribed  to  the  brain;  and  its  skin 
is,  by  great  labour,  polished  into  that  sub- 
stance called  shagreen.  Mr.  Pennant  is  of 
opinion,  that  the  female  is  larger  than  the 
male  in  all  this  tribe;  which  would,  if  con- 
firmed by  experience,  make  a  striking  agree- 
ment between  them  and  birds  of  prey.  It 
were  to  be  wished  that  succeeding  historians 
would  examine  into  this  observation,  which 
is  offered  only  as  a  conjecture ! 

corners  by  very  long  slender  filaments,  which  are  gene- 
rally found  twisted  round  coral,  sea-weeds,  and  other  sub- 
stances, to  prevent  their  being  driven  on  shore  before  the 
young  is  excluded  :  those  of  the  Ray  tribe  are  black,  with 
the  filaments  hardly  longer  than  the  case,  and  are  fre- 
quently cast  on  our  shores  in  great  abundance. 


632 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXLIV. 

OF  CARTILAGINOUS  FLAT-FISH,  OR  THE  RAY  KIND. 


THE  same  rapacity  which  impels  the  shark 
along  the  surface  of  the  water,  actuates  the 
flat  fish  at  the  bottom.  Less  active,  and  less 
formidable,  they  creep  in  security  along  the 
bottom,  seize  every  thing  that  comes  in  their 
way ;  neither  the  hardest  shells  nor  the  sharp- 
est spines  give  protection  to  the  animals  that 
bear  them;  their  insatiable  hunger  is  such 
that  they  devour  all;  and  the  force  of  their 
stomach  is  so  great,  that  it  easily  digests  them. 

The  whole  of  this  kind  resemble  each  other 
very  strongly  in  their  figure;  nor  is  it  easy, 
without  experience,  to  distinguish  one  from 
another.  The  stranger  to  this  dangerous  tribe 
may  imagine  he  is  only  handling  a  skate,  when 
he  is  instantly  struck  numb  by  the  torpedo; 
he  may  suppose  he  has  caught  a  thorn-back, 
till  he  is  stung  by  the  fire-flare.  It  will  be 
proper,  therefore,  after  describing  the  gene- 
ral figure  of  these  animals,  to  mark  their  dif- 
ferences. 

All  fish  of  the  ray  kind  are  broad,  cartila- 
ginous, swimming  flat  on  the  water,  and  ha- 
ving spines  on  different  parts  of  their  body, 
or  at  the  tail.  They  all  have  their  eyes  and 
mouth  placed  quite  under  the  body,  with  aper- 
tures for  breathing  either  about  or  near  them. 
They  all  have  teeth,  or  a  rough  bone,  which 
answers  the  same  purpose.  Their  bowels 
are  very  wide  towards  the  mouth,  and  go  on 
diminishing  to  the  tail.  The  tail  is  very  dif- 
ferently shaped  from  that  of  other  fishes ;  and 
at  first  sight  more  resembling  that  of  a  quad- 
ruped, being  narrow,  and  ending  either  in  a 
bunch  or  a  point.  But  what  they  are  chief- 
ly distinguished  by,  is,  their  spines  or  prickles, 
which  the  different  species  have  on  different 
parts  of  their  body.  Some  are  armed  with 
spines  both  above  and  below ;  others  have 
them  on  the  upper  part  only ;  some  have  their 
spines  at  the  tail ;  some  have  three  rows  of 
them,  and  others  but  one.  These  prickles  in 
some  are  comparatively  soft  and  feeble;  those 
of  others,  strong  and  piercing.  The  smallest 


of  these  spines  are  usually  inclining  towards 
the  tail ;  the  larger  towards  the  head. 

It  is  by  the  spines  that  these  animals  are 
distinguished  from  each  other.  The  skate 
has  the  middle  of  the  back  rough,  and  a  sin- 
gle row  of  spines  on  the  tail.  The  sharp- 
nosed  ray  has  ten  spines  that  are  situated  to- 
wards the  middle  of  the  back.  The  rough 
ray  has  its  spines  spread  indiscriminately  over 
the  whole  back.  The  thorn-back  has  its 
spines  disposed  in  three  rows  upon  the  back 
The  fire-flare  has  but  one  spine,  but  that  in- 
deed a  terrible  one.  This  dangerous  wea- 
pon is  placed  on  the  tail,  about  four  inches 
from  the  body,  and  is  not  less  than  five  inches 
long.  It  is  of  a  flinty  hardness,  the  sides  thin, 
sharp-pointed,  and  closely  and  sharply  beard- 
ed the  whole  way.  The  last  of  this  tribe  that 
I  shall  mention  is  the  torpedo;  and  this  ani- 
mal has  no  spines  that  can  wound ;  but  in  the 
place  of  them  it  is  possessed  of  one  of  the  most 
potent  and  extraordinary  faculties  in  nature. 

Such  are  the  principal  differences  that  may 
enable  us  to  distinguish  animals,  some  of 
which  are  of  very  great  use  to  mankind,  from 
others  that  are  terrible  and  noxious.  With 
respect  to  their  uses,  indeed,  as  we  shall  soon 
see,  they  differ  much;  but  the  similitude 
among  them,  as  to  their  nature,  appetites,  and 
conformation,  is  perfect  and  entire.  They 
are  all  as  voracious  as  they  are  plenty ;  and 
as  dangerous  to  a  stranger  as  is  useful  to  him 
who  can  distinguish  their  differences. 

Of  all  the  larger  fish  of  the  sea,  these  are  the 
most  numerous;  and  they  owe  their  numbers 
to  their  size.  Except  the  while  shark  and 
cachalot  alone,  there  is  no  other  fish  that  has 
a  swallow  large  enough  to  take  them  in;  and 
their  spines  make  them  a  still  more  danger- 
ous morsel.  Yet  the  size  of  soinr  is  such, 
that  even  the  shark  himself  is  unable  to  de- 
vour them :  we  have  seen  some  of  them  in 
England  weigh  above  two  hundred  pounds; 
but  that  is  nothing  to  their  enormous  bulk  in. 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


633 


other  parts  of  the  world.  Labat  tells  us  of  a 
prodigious  ray  that  was  speared  by  the 
negroes  at  Guadaloupe,  which  was  thirteen 
feet  eight  inches  broad,  and  above  ten  feet 
from  the  snout  to  the  insertion  of  the  tail. 
The  tail  itself  was  in  proportion,  for  it  was 
no  less  than  fifteen  feet  long,  twenty  inches 
broad  at  its  insertion,  and  tapering  to  a  point. 
The  body  was  two  feet  in  depth  ;  the  skin  as 
thick  as  leather,  and  marked  with  spots; 
which  spots,  in  all  of  this  kind,  are  only 
glands,  that  supply  a  mucus  to  lubricate  and 
soften  the  skin.  This  enormous  fish  was 
utterly  unfit  to  be  eaten  by  Europeans ;  but 
the  negroes  chose  out  some  of  the  nicest  bits, 
and  carefully  salted  them  up  as  a  most  favou- 
rite provision. 

Yet,  large  as  this  may  seem,  it  is  very  pro- 
bable that  we  have  seen  only  the  smallest  of 
the  kind  ;  as  they  generally  keep  at  the  bot- 
tom, the  largest  of  the  kind  are  seldom  seen; 
and,  as  they  may  probably  have  been  grow- 
ing for  ages,  the  extent  of  their  magnitude  is 
unknown.  It  is  generally  supposed,  however, 
that  they  are  the  largest  inhabitants  of  the 
doep ;  and,  were  we  to  credit  the  Norway 
Bishop,  there  are  some  above  a  mile  over. 
But  to  suppose  an  animal  of  such  a  magni- 
tude is  absurd  ;  yet  the  over-stretching  the 
supposition  does  not  destroy  the  probability 
that  animals  of  this  tribe  grow  to  an  enor- 
mous size. 

The  ray  generally  chooses  for  its  retreat 
such  parts  of  the  sea  as  have  a  black  muddy 
bottom;  the  large  ones  keep  at  greater 
depths  ;  but  the  smaller  approach  ihe  shores, 
and  feed  upon  whatever  living  animals  they 
can  surprise,  or  whatever  putrid  substances 
they  meet  with.  As  they  are  ravenous,  they 
easily  take  the  bait,  yet  will  not  touch  it  if  it 
be  taken  up  and  kept  a  day  or  two  out  of 
water.  Almost  all  fish  appear  much  more 
delicate  with  regard  to  a  baited  hook  than 
their  ordinary  food.  They  appear  by  their 
m  inner  to  perceive  the  line,  and  to  dread  it; 
but  the  impulse  of  their  hunger  is  too  great 
for  their  caution  ;  and,  even  though  they  per- 
ceive (he  danger,  if  thoroughly  hungry  they 
devour  the  destruction. 

These  fish  genernt"  in  March  and  April ; 
at  which  time  only  they  are  seen  swimming 
near  the  surface  of  the  water,  several  of  the 


males  pursuing  one  female.  They  adhere  so 
fast  together  in  coition,  that  the  fishermen 
frequently  draw  up  both  together,  though 
only  one  has  been  hooked.  The  females  are 
prolific  to  an  extreme  degree;  there  having 
been  no  less  than  three  hundred  eggs  taken 
out  of  the  body  of  a  single  ray.  These  eggs 
are  covered  with  a  tough  horny  substance, 
which  they  acquire  in  the  womb ;  for  before 
they  descend  into  that,  they  are  attached  to 
the  ovary  pretty  much  in  the  same  manner 
as  in  the  body  of  a  pullet.  From  this  ovary, 
or  egg-bag,  as  it  is  vulgarly  called,  the  fish's 
eggs  drop  one  by  one  into  the  womb,  and 
there  receive  a  shell  by  th«  concretion  of  the 
fluids  of  that  organ.  When  come  to  the  pro- 
per maturity,  they  are  excluded,  but  never 
above  one  or  two  at  a  time,  and  often  at  in- 
tervals of  three  or  four  hours.  These  eggs, 
or  purses,  as  the  fishermen  call  them,  are  usu- 
ally cast  about  the  beginning  of  May,  and  they 
continue  casting  during  the  whole  summer. 
In  October,  when  their  breeding  ceases,  th'y 
are  exceedingly  poor  and  thin;  but  in  Novem- 
ber they  begin  to  improve,  and  grow  gradu- 
ally better  till  May,  when  they  are  in  the 
highest  perfection. 

It  is  chiefly  during  the  winter  season  that 
our  fishermen  take  them ;  but  the  Dutc! ,  who 
are  indefatigable,  begin  their  operations 
earlier,  and  fish  with  better  success  than  we. 
The  method  practised  by  the  fishermen  of 
Scarborough  is  thought  to  be  the  best  among 
the  English ;  and  as  Mr.  Pennant  has  given 
a  very  succinct  account  of  it,  I  will  take 
leave  to  present  it  to  the  reader. 

"  When  they  go  out  to  fish,  each  person  is 
provided  with  three  lines:  each  man's  lines 
are  fairly  coiled  upon  a  flat  oblong  piece  of 
wicker-work ;  the  hooks  being  baited  and 
placed  very  regularly  in  the  centre  of  the 
coil.  Each  line  is  furnished  with  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty  hooks,  at  the  distance  of  six 
feet  two  inches  from  each  other.  The  hooks 
are  fastened  to  lines  of  twisted  horse-hair, 
twenty-seven  inches  in  length. 

"  When  fishing,  there  are  always  three  men 
in  each  coble ;  and  consequently  nine  of 
these  lines  are  fastened  together,  and  us^d 
as  one  line,  extending  in  length  near  three 
miles,  and  furnished  with  above  two  thousand 
five  hundred  hooks.  An  anchor  and  a  buoy 


634 


A  HISTORY  OF 


are  fixed  at  the  first  end  of  the  line,  and  one 
more  at  each  end  of  each  man's  lines ;  in  all, 
four  anchors,  and  four  buoys  made  of  leather 
or  cork.  The  line  is  always  laid  across  the 
current.  The  tides  of  flood  and  ebb  continue 
an  equal  time  upon  our  coast;  and,  when  un- 
disturbed by  winds,  run  each  way  about  six 
hmir.s.  They  are  so  rapid  that  the  fishermen 
can  only  shoot  and  haul  their  lines  at  the  turn 
of  the  tide ;  and  therefore  the  lines  always 
remain  upon  the  ground  about  six  hours. 
The  same  rapidity  of  tide  prevents  their  using 
hand-lines ;  and,  therefore,  two  of  the  people 
commonly  wrap  themselves  in  the  sail  and 
sleep,  while  the  other  keeps  a  strict  look-out, 
for  fear  of  being  run  down  by  ships,  and  to 
observe  the  weather :  for  storms  often  rise  so 
suddenly,  that  it  is  sometimes  with  extreme 
difficulty  they  escape  to  the  shore,  though  they 
leave  their  lines  behind  them. 

"  The  coble  is  twenty  feet  six  inches  long, 
and  five  feet  extreme  breadth.  It  is  about  one 
ton  burden,  rowed  with  three  pair  of  oars,  and 
admirably  constructed  for  the  purpose  of 
encountering  a  mountainous  sea.  They  hoist 
sail  when  the  wind  suits. 

"  The  five-men-boat  is  forty  feet  long,  fifteen 
broad,  and  twenty-five  tons  burden.  It  is  so 
called,  though  navigated  by  six  men  and  a 
boy  ;  because  one  of  the  men  is  hired  to  cook, 
and  does  not  share  in  the  profits  with  the  other 
five.  All  our  able  fishermen  go  in  these  boats 
to  the  herring  fishery  at  Yarmouth,  the  latter 
end  of  September,  and  return  about  the  mid- 
dle of  November.  The  boats  are  then  laid  up 
until  the  beginning  of  Lent,  at  which  time 
they  go  offin  them  to  the  edge  of  the  Dogger, 
and  other  places,  to  fish  for  turbot,  cod,  ling, 
skate,  &r.  They  always  take  two  cobles  on 
board, and  when  they  come  upon  their  ground, 
anchor  the  boat,  throw  out  the  cobles,  and  fish 
in  the  same  manner  as  those  do  who  go  from 
the  shore  in  a  coble  ;  with  this  difference  only, 
that  here  each  man  is  provided  with  double 
the  quantity  of  lines,  and,  instead  of  waiting 
the  return  of  the  tide  in  the  coble,  return  to 
the  boat,  and  bait  their  other  lines  ;  thus  haul- 
ing one  set  and  shooting  another,  every  turn 
of  tide.  They  commonly  run  into  the  harbour  j 
twice  a  week,  to  deliver  their  fish.  The  five-  j 
men-boat  is  decked  at  each  end,  but  open  in 
the  middle,  and  has  two  long  sails. 

"  The  best  bait  for  all  kinds  offish,  is  fresh 


herring  cut  in  pieces  of  a  proper  size ;  and, 
notwithstanding  what  has  been  said  to  the 
contrary,  they  are  taken  there  at  any  time  in 
the  winter,  and  all  the  spring,  win-never  the 
fishermen  put  down  their  nets  for  that  pur- 
pose :  the  five-men-boats  always  take  some 
nets  for  that  end.  Next  to  herrings  are  the 
lesser  lampreys,  which  come  all  winter  by 
land  carriage  from  Tadcaster.  The  next 
baits  in  esteem  are  small  haddocks  cut  in 
pieces,  sand-worms,  muscles,  and  limpets ; 
and,  lastly,  when  none  of  these  can  be  found, 
they  use  bullock's  liver.  The  hooks  used 
there  are  much  smaller  than  those  employed 
at  Iceland  and  Newfoundland.  Experience 
has  shown  that  the  larger  fish  will  take  a  liv- 
ing small  one  upon  the  hook,  sooner  than  any 
bait  that  can  be  put  on ;  therefore  they  use 
such  as  the  fish  can  swallow.  The  hooks  are 
two  inches  and  a  half  long  in  the  shank  ;  and 
near  an  inch  wide  between  the  shank  and  the 
point.  The  line  is  made  of  small  cording, 
and  is  always  tanned  before  it  is  used.  All 
the  rays  and  turbots  are  extremely  delicate  in 
their  choice  of  baits  :  if  a  piece  of  herring  or 
haddock  has  been  twelve  hours  out  of  the 
sea,  and  then  used  as  a  bait,  they  will  not 
touch  it." 

Such  is  the  manner  of  fishing  for  those  fish 
that  usually  keep  near  the  bottom  on  the 
coasts  of  England ;  and  Duhamel  observes, 
that  the  best  weather  for  succeeding,  is  a  half- 
calm,  when  the  waves  are  just  curled  with  a 
silent  breeze. 

But  this  extent  of  line,  which  runs,  as  we 
have  seen,  three  miles  along  the  bottom,  is 
nothing  to  what  the  Italians  throw  out  in  the 
Mediterranean.  Their  fishing  is  carried  on  in 
a  tartan,  which  is  a  vessel  much  larger  than 
ours ;  and  they  bait  a  line  of  no  less  than 
twenty  miles  long,  with  above  ten  or  twelve 
thousand  hooks.  This  line  is  called  the  para- 
sina :  and  the  fishing  goes  by  that  of  the  pitla- 
go.  This  line  is  not  regularly  drawn  every 
six  hours,  as  with  us,  but  remains  for  some 
time  in  the  sea,  and  it  requires  the  space  of 
twenty-four  hours  to  take  it  up.  By  this 
apparatus  they  take  rays,  sharks,  and  other 
fish  ;  some  of  which  are  above  a  thousand 
pound  weight.  When  they  have  caught  any 
of  this  magnitude,  they  strike  them  through 
with  a  harpoon  to  bring  them  on  board,  and 
kill  them  as  fast  as  they  can. 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


635 


This  method  of  catching  fish  is  obviously 
fatiguing,  and  dangerous ;  but  the  value  of  the 
capture  generally  repays  the  pains.  The 
skate  and  the  thorn-back  are  very  good  food, 
and  their  size,  which  is  from  ten  pounds  to 
two  hundred  weight,  very  well  rewards  the 
trouble  of  fishing  for  them.  But  it  sometimes 
happens  that  the  lines  are  visited  by  very  un- 
welcome intruders;  by  the  rough  ray,  the 
fire-flare,  or  the  torpedo.  To  all  these  the 
fishermen  have  the  most  mortal  antipathy; 
and,  when  discovered,  shudder  at  the  sight: 
however,  they  are  not  always  so  much  upon 
their  guard,  but  that  they  sometimes  feel  the 
different  resentments  of  this  angry  tribe ;  and, 
instead  of  a  prize,  find  they  have  caught  a 
vindictive  enemy.  When  such  is  the  case, 
they  take  care  to  throw  them  back  into  the 
sea  with  the  swiftest  expedition. 

The  rough  ray  inflicts  but  slight  wounds 
with  the  prickles  with  which  its  whole  body 
is  furnished.  To  the  ignorant  it  seems  harm- 
less, and  a  man  would  at  first  sight  venture  to 
take  it  in  his  hand,  without  any  apprehension; 
but  he  soon  finds,  that  there  is  not  a  single 
part  of  its  body  that  is  not  armed  with  spines; 
and  that  there  is  no  way  of  seizing  the  ani- 
mal, but  by  the  little  fin  at  the  end  of  the  tail. 

But  this  animal  is  harmless,  when  compared 
to  the  fire-flare,  which  seems  to  be  the  dread 
of  even  the  boldest  and  most  experienced 
fishermen.  The  weapon  with  which  nature 
has  armed  this  animal,  which  grows  from  the 
tail,  and  which  we  described  as  barbed,  and 
five  inches  long,  hath  been  an  instrument  of 
terror  to  the  ancient  fishermen  as  well  as  the 
modern :  and  they  have  delivered  man  tre- 
mendous fables  of  its  astonishing  effects. 
Pliny,  JElian,  and  Oppian,  have  supplied  it 
with  a  venom  that  affects  even  the  inanimate 
creation  :  trees  that  are  struck  by  it  instantly 
lose  their  verdure,  and  rocks  themselves  are 
incapable  of  resisting  the  potent  poison.  The 
enchantress  Circe  armed  her  son  with  a  spear 
headed  with  the  spine  of  the  trygon,  as  the 
most  irresistible  weapon  she  could  furnish  him 
with;  a  weapon  that  soon  after  was  to  be 
the  death  of  his  own  father. 

"  That  spears  and  darts,"  says  Mr.  Pennant, 

•  The  account  of  the  venomous  properties  of  this  spine, 
ai  well  as  that  it  is  shed  annually,  appears  to  be  altogether 
NO.  53  &  54. 


might  in  very  early  times  have  been  headed 
with  this  bone  instead  of  iron,  we  have  no 
doubt.  The  Americans  head  their  arrows 
with  the  bones  of  fishes  to  this  day ;  and,  from 
their  hardness  and  sharpness,  they  are  no  con- 
temptible weapons.  But  that  this  spine  is  pos- 
sessed of  those  venomous  qualities  ascribed 
to  it,  we  have  every  reason  to  doubt;  though 
some  men  of  high  reputation,  and  the  whole 
body  of  fishermen,  contend  for  its  venomous 
effects.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  weapon  of  offenc"e  be- 
longing to  this  animal  and  capable,  from  its 
barbs,  of  inflicting  a  very  terrible  wound,  at- 
tended with  dangerous  symptoms ;  but  it  can- 
not be  possessed  of  any  poison,  as  the  spine 
has  no  sheath  to  preserve  the  supposed  ve- 
nom on  its  surface;  and  the  animal  has  no 
gland  that  separates  the  noxious  fluid :  besides, 
all  those  animals  that  are  furnished  with  en- 
venomed fangs  or  stings,  seem  to  have  them 
strongly  connected  with  their  safety  and  ex- 
istence ;  they  never  part  with  them ;  there  is 
an  apparatus  of  poison  prepared  in  the  body 
to  accompany  their  exertions;  and  when  the 
fangs  or  stings  are  taken  away,  the  animal 
languishes  and  dies.  But  it  is  otherwise  with 
the  spine  of  the  fire-flare;  it  is  fixed  to  the 
tail,  as  a  quill  is  into  the  tail  of  a  fowl,  and  is 
annually  shed  in  the  same  manner:  it  may  be 
necessary  for  the  creature's  defence,  but  it  is 
noway  necessary  for  its  existence.  The  wound 
inflicted  by  an  animal's  tail,  has  something 
terrible  in  the  idea,  and  may  from  thence 
alone  be  supposed  to  be  fatal.  From  hence 
terror  might  have  added  poison  to  the  pain, 
and  called  up  imagined  dangers:  the  negroes 
universally  believe  that  the  sting  is  poisonous; 
but  they  never  die  of  the  wound ;  for  by  open- 
ing the  fish,  and  laying  it  to  the  part  injured, 
it  effects  a  speedy  cure.  The  slightness  of 
the  remedy  proves  the  innocence  of  the  wound." 
The  Torpedo  is  an  animal  of  this  kind, 
equally  formidable  and  well  known  with  the 
former;  but  the  manner  of  its  operating  is  to 
this  hour  a  mystery  to  mankind.  The  body 
of  this  fish  is  almost  circular,  and  thicker  than 
others  of  the  ray  kind  ;  the  skin  is  soft,  smooth, 
and  of  a  yellowish  colour,  marked,  as  all  the 
kind,  with  large  annular  spots;  the  eves  very 

fabulous.     It  is  probable  that,  by  its  great  strength,  it 
may  be  able  to  inflict  a  painfully  lacerated  wound. 
4X 


636 


A  HISTORY  OF 


small;  the  tail  tapering  to  a  point;  and  the 
weight  of  the  fish  from  a  quarter  to  fifteen 
pounds.     Redi  found  one  twenty-four  pounds 
weight.     To  all  outward  appearance,  it  is  fur- 
nished with  no  extraordinary  powers ;  it  has 
no  muscles  formed  for  particularly  great  ex- 
ertions; no  internal  conformation  perceptibly 
differing  from  the  rest  of  its  kind  ;  yet  such  is 
that  unaccountable  power  it  possesses,  that, 
the  instant  it  is  touched,  it  numbs  not  only  the 
hand- and  arm,  but  sometimes  also  the  whole 
body.     The  shock  received,  by  all  accounts, 
most  resembles  the  stroke  of  an  electrical 
machine;  sudden,  tingling,  and  painful.  "The 
instant,"  says  Kempfer,  "  I  touched  it  with  my 
hand,  I  felt  a  terrible  numbness  in  my  arm, 
and  as  far  up  as  the  shoulder.     Even   if  one 
treads  upon  it  with  the  shoe  on,  it  affects  not 
only  the  leg,  but  the  whole  thigh  upwards. 
Those  who  touch  it  with  the  foot,  are  seized 
with  a  stronger  palpitation  than   even   those 
who  touch  it  with  the  hand.     This  numbness 
bears  no  resemblance  to  that  which  we  feel 
when  a  nerve  is  a  long  time  pressed,  and  the 
foot  is  said   to   be  asleep;  it   rather  appears 
like  a  sudden  vapour,  which  passing  through 
the  pores  in  an  instant,  penetrates  to  the  very 
springs  of  life,  from  whence   it  diffuses  itself 
over  the   whole  body,   and    gives  real    pain. 
The  nerves  are  so  affected,  that  the  person 
struck  imagines  all  the  bones  of  his  body,  and 
particularly  those  of  the  limb  that   received 
the  blow,  are  driven  out  of  joint.     All  this  is 
accompanied  with  an  universal  tremor,  a  sick- 
ness of  the  stomach,  a  general  convulsion,  arid 
a  total  suspension  of  the  faculties  of  the  mind. 
In  short,"  continues  Kempfer,  "such  is  the 
pain,  that  all  the  force  of  our  promises  and 
authority  could  not  prevail  upon  a  seaman  to 
undergo  the  shock  a  second  time.     A  negro, 
indeed,  that  was  standing  by,   readily  under- 
took to  touch  the  torpedo,  and   was  seen  to 
handle  it  without  feeling  any  of  its  effects. 
He  informed  us,  that  his  whole  secret  con- 
sisted in  keeping  in  his  breath ;  and  we  found, 
upon  trial,  that  this   method   answered   with 
ourselves.     When  we  held  in  our  breath,  the 
torpedo  was  harmless;  but  when  we  breathed 
ever  so  little,  its  efficacy  took  place." 

Kempfer  has  very  well  described  the  effects 
of  this  animal's  shock;  but  succeeding  ex- 
perience has  abundantly  convinced  us,  that 


holding  in  the  breath  no  way  guards  against 
its  violence.  Those,  therefore,  who  depend- 
ing on  that  receipt,  should  play  with  a  tor- 
pedo, would  soon  find  themselves  painfully 
undeceived  :  not  but  that  this  fish  may  be 
many  times  touched  with  perfect  security; 
for  it  is  not  upon  every  occasion  that  it  ex- 
erts its  potency.  Reaumur,  who  made  seve- 
ral trials  upon  this  animal,  has  at  least  con- 
vinced the  world  that  it  is  not  necessarily,  but 
by  an  effort,  that  the  torpedo  numbs  the  hand 
of  him  that  touches  it.  He  tried  several  times, 
and  could  easily  tell  when  the  fish  intended 
the  stroke,  and  when  it  was  about  to  continue 
harmless.  Always  before  the  fish  intended 
the  stroke,  it  flattened  the  back,  raised  the 
head  and  the  tail,  and  then,  by  a  violent  con- 
traction in  the  opposite  direction,  struck  with 
its  back  against  the  pressing  finger;  and  the 
body,  which  before  was  flat,  became  humped 
and  round. 

But  we  must  not  infer,  as  he  has  done,  that 
the  whole  effect  of  this  animal's  exertions 
arise  from  the  greatness  of  the  blow  which 
the  fingers  receive  at  the  instant  they  are 
struck.  We  will,  with  him,  allow  that  the 
stroke  is  very  powerful,  equal  to  that  of  a 
musquet-ball,  since  he  will  have  it  so;  but  it 
is  very  well  known,  that  a  blow,  though  ne- 
ver so  great,  on  the  points  of  the  fingers,  dif- 
fuses no  numbness  over  the  whole  body  :  such 
a  blow  might  break  the  ends  of  the  fingers 
indeed,  but  would  hardly  numb  the  shoulder. 
Those  blows  that  numb,  must  be  applied  im- 
mediately to  some  great  and  leading  nerve,  or 
to  a  large  surface  of  the  body ;  a  powerful 
stroke  applied  to  the  points  of  the  fingers 
will  be  excessively  painful  indeed,  but  the 
numbness  will  not  reach  beyond  the  fingers 
themselves.  We  must,  therefore,  look  for 
another  cause  producing  the  powerful  effects 
wrought  by  the  torpedo. 

Others  have  ascribed  it  to  a  tremulous  mo- 
tion which  this  animal  is  found  to  possess, 
somewhat  resembling  that  of  a  horse's  skin, 
when  stung  by  a  fly.  This  operating  under 
the  touch  with  an  amazing  quickness  of  vi- 
bration, they  suppose  produces  the  uneasy 
sensation  described  above;  something  simi- 
lar to  what  we  feel  when  we  rub  plush  cloth 
against  the  grain.  But  the  cause  is  quite  dis.- 
proportioued  to  the  effect;  and  so  much  be- 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


637 


yond  our  experience,  that  this  solution  is  as 
difficult  as  the  wonder  we  want  to  explain. 

The  most  probable  solution  seems  to  be, 
that  the  shock  proceeds  from  an  animal  elec- 
tricity, which  this  fish  has  some  hidden  power 
of  storing  up,  and  producing  on  its  most  urgent 
occasions.  The  shocks  are  entirely  similar  ; 
the  duration  of  the  pain  is  the  same  ;  but  how 
the  animal  contrives  to  renew  the  charge,  how 
it  is  prevented  from  evaporating  it  on  con- 
tiguous objects,  how  it  is  originally  procured, 
these  are  difficulties  that  time  alone  can  eluci- 
date. 

But  to  know  even  the  effects  is  wisdom. 
Certain  it  is.  that  the  powers  of  this  animal 
seem  to  decline  with  its  vigour ;  for  as  its 
strength  ceases,  the  force  of  the  shock  seems 
to  diminish  ;  till,  at  last,  w  hen  the  fish  is  dead, 
the  whole  power  is  destroyed,  and  it  may  be 
handled  or  eaten  with  perfect  security:  on  the 
contrary,  when  immediately  taken  out  of  the 
sea,  its  force  is  very  great,  and  not  only  affects 
the  hand,  but  if  even  touched  with  a  stick,  the 
person  finds  himself  sometimes  affected.  This 
power,  however,  is  not  to  be  extended  to  the 
degree  that  some  would  have  us  believe  ;  as 
reaching  the  fishermen  at  the  end  of  the  line, 
or  numbing  fish,  s  in  the  same  pond.  Godig- 
nus,  in  his  History  of  Abyssinia,  carries  this 
quality  to  a  most  ridiculous  excess  ;  he  tells  us 
of  one  of  these  that  was  put  into  a  basket 
among  a  number  of  dead  fishes,  and  that  the 
next  morning  the  people,  to  their  utter  aston- 
ishment, perceived,  that  the  torpedo  had  actu- 
ally numbed  the  dead  fishes  into  life  again. 

To  conclude,  it  is  generally  supposed  that 
the  female  torpedo  is  much  more  powerful 
than  the  male.  Lorenzini,  who  has  made 

•  From  a  series  of  experiments  made  by  Mr.  Walsh, 
and  communicated  to  the  Royal  Society,  it  appears  that 
the  powers  of  this  animal  are  purely  electric  ;  though  no 
spark  could  ever  be  discovered  to  proceed  from  it,  nor 
wore  pith-balls  ever  affected  by  it.  "  A  live  Torpedo," 
rnys  this  ingenious  experimentalist,  "  was  placed  on  a 
table;  round  another  table  stood  five  persons  insulated; 
two  brass  wires,  each  thirteen  feet  long,  were  suspended 
from  the  ceiling  by  silken  strings;  one  of  these  wires  rest- 
ed by  one  end  on  the  wet  napkin  on  which  the  fish  lay  ; 
the  other  end  was  immersed  in  a  basin  full  of  water,  p-'aced 
on  a  second  table,  on  which  stood  four  other  basins  like- 
wise full  of  water ;  the  first  person  put  a  finger  (if  one 
hand  in  the  basin  in  which  the  wire  was  immersed,  and  a 
finger  of  the  other  hand  in  a  second  basin  :  the  second 
person  put  a  finger  of  one  hand  in  this  last  basin,  and  a 
f.nger  of  the  other  hand  in  the  third  ;  and  so  on  succes- 


several  experiments  upon  this  animal,  seems 
convinced  that  its  power  wholly  resides  in  two 
thin  muscles  that  cover  a  part  of  the  back. 
These  he  calls  the  trembling  fibres ;  and  he 
asserts  that  the  animal  may  be  touched  with 
safety  in  any  other  part  It  is  now  known 
also  that  there  are  more  fish,  than  this  of  the 
ray  kind,  possessed  of  the  numbing  quality, 
which  has  acquired  them  the  name  of  the  tor- 
pedo. These  are  described  by  Atkins  and 
Moore,  and  found  in  great  abundance  along 
the  coast  of  Africa.  They  are  shaped  like  a 
mackarel,  except  that  the  head  is  much  larger; 
the  effects  of  these  seem  also  to  differ  in  some 
respects.  Moore  talks  of  keeping  his  hand 
upon  the  animal  ;  u  hich  in  the  ray  torpedo  it 
is  actually  impossible  to  do.  "  There  was  no 
man  in  the  company,"  says  he,  "  that  could 
bear  to  keep  his  hand  on  this  animal  the 
twentieth  part  of  a  minute,  it  gave  him  so 
great  pain  ;  but  upon  taking  the  hand  away, 
the  numbness  went  off,  and  all  was  well  again. 
This  numbing  quality  continued  in  this  torpedo 
even  after  it  was  dead  ;  and  the  very  skin  was 
still  possessed  of  its  extraordinary  power  till  it 
became  dry."  Condamine  informs  us  of  a  fish 
possessed  of  the  pouers  of  the  torpedo,  of  a 
shape  very  different  from  the  former,  and  every 
way  resembling  a  lamprey.  This  animal,  if 
touched  by  the  hand,  or  even  w  ith  a  stick, 
instantly  benumbs  the  hand  and  arm  to  the 
wry  shoulder ;  and  sometimes  the  man  falls 
down  under  the  blow.  These  animals,  there- 
fore, must  affect  the  nervous  system  in  a  dif- 
ferent manner  from  the  former,  both  with  re- 
spect to  the  manner  and  the  intention  ;  but 
hnw  this  effect  is  wrought,  we  must  be  content 
to  dismiss  in  obscurity.* 

sively,till  the  five  persons  communicated  with  one  another 
by  the  water  in  the  basins.  In  the  last  basin,  one  end  of 
the  second  wire  was  immersed,  and  with  the  other  end 
Mr.  Walsh  touched  the  torpedo  ;  when  five  persons  felt  a 
commotion,  which  differed  in  nothing  from  that  of  the 
Leyden  experiment,  except  in  the  degree  of  force.  Mr. 
Walsh,  who  was  not  in  the  circle  of  conduction,  received 
no  shock.  The  action  of  the  torpedo  is  communicated 
by  the  same  mediums  as  that  of  the  electric  fluid;  and 
the  bodies  which  intercept  the  action  of  the  one,  intercept 
likewise  the  action  of  the  other.  The  effect  produced  by 
the  torpedo,  when  in  air,  appeared,  on  many  repeated  ex- 
periments, to  be  about  four  times  as  strong  as  when  in 
water.  The  numbness  produced  by  the  shock  of  the  tor- 
pedo was  imitated  by  artificial  electricity,  and  shown  to 
be  producible  by  a  quick  concussion  of  minute  shocks. 
This,  in  the  torpedo,  may  be  effected  by  the  successive 
4X» 


638 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXLV. 

OF  THE  LAMPREY,  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


THERE  is  a  species  of  the  Lamprey 
served  up  as  a  great  delicacy  among  the 
modern  Romans,  very  different  from  ours. 
Whether  theirs  be  the  maraena  of  the  ancients 
I  will  not  pretend  to  say ;  but  there  is  no- 
thing more  certain  than  that  our  lamprey  is  not. 
The  Roman  lamprey  agrees  with  the  ancient 
fish  in  being  kept  in  ponds,  and  considered 
by  the  luxurious  as  a  very  great  delicacy. 

The  lamprey,  known  among  us,  is  different- 
ly estimated,  according  to  the  season  in  which 
it  is  caught,  or  the  place  where  it  has  been 
fed.  Those  that  leave  the  sea  to  deposit  their 
spawn  in  fresh  waters  are  the  best :  those 
that  are  entirely  bred  in  our  rivers,  and  that 
have  never  been  at  sea,  are  considered  as 
much  inferior  to  the  former.  Those  that  are 
taken  in  the  months  of  March,  April,  or  May, 
just  upon  their  leaving  tne  sea.  are  reckoned 
very  good ;  those  that  are  caught  after  they 
have  cast  their  spawn,  are  found  to  be  flabby, 
and  of  little  value.  Those  caught  in  several 
of  the  rivers  in  Ireland,  the  people  will  not 
venture  to  touch ;  those  of  the  English  Severn, 
are  considered  as  the  most  delicate  of  all  other 
fish  whatever. 

The  lamprey  much  resembles  an  eel  in  its 
general  appearance,  but  is  of  a  lighter  colour, 
and  rather  a  clumsier  make.  It  differs  how- 
ever in  the  mouth,  which  is  round,  and  placed 
rather  obliquely  below  the  end  of  the  nose. 
It  more  resembles  the  mouth  of  a  leech  than 
an  eel ;  and  the  animal  has  a  hole  on  the  top 
of  the  head  through  which  it  spouts  water,  as 
in  the  cetaceous  kind.  There  are  seven  holes 
on  each  side  for  respiration  ;  and  the  fins  are 
formed  rather  by  a  lengthening  out  of  the  skin, 
than  any  set  of  bones  or  spines  for  that  pur- 
pose. As  the  mouth  is  formed  resembling 

discharges  of  his  numerous  cylinders,  the  organs  of  its 
power,  in  the  nature  of  a  running  fire  of  musquetry  ;  the 
strong  single  shock  may  be  his  general  volley.  In  the 
continued  effect,  as  well  as  the  instantaneous,  his  eyes, 
which  are  usually  prominent,  are  withdrawn  into  their 
sockets.  A  coated  vial  was  applied  to  it,  but  could  not 


that  of  a  leech,  so  it  has  a  property  resembling 
that  animal,  of  sticking  close  to  and  sucking 
any  body  it  is  applied  to.  It  is  extraordinary 
the  power  they  have  of  adhering  to  stones ; 
which  they  do  so  firmly,  as  not  to  be  drawn 
off  without  some  difficulty.  We  are  told  of 
one  that  weighed  but  three  pounds ;  and  yet 
it  stuck  so  firmly  to  a  stone  of  twelve  pounds, 
that  it  remained  suspended  at  its  mouth,  from 
which  it  was  separated  with  no  small  difficulty. 
This  amazing  power  of  suction  is  supposed  to 
arise  from  the  animal's  exhausting  the  air 
within  its  body  by  the  hole  over  the  nose, 
while  the  mouth  is  closely  fixed  to  the  object, 
and  permits  no  air  to  enter.  It  would  be  easy 
to  determine  the  weight  this  animal  is  thus  able 
to  sustain  ;  which  will  be  equal  to  the  weight 
of  a  column  of  air  of  equal  diameter  with  the 
fish's  mouth. 

From  some  peculiarity  of  formation,  this 
animal  swims  generally  with  its  body  as  nrar 
as  possible  to  the  surface;  and  it  might  easily 
be  drowned  by  being  kept  by  force  for  any 
time  under  water.  Muralto  has  given  us  the 
anatomy  of  this  animal ;  but,  in  a  very  minute 
description,  makes  no  mention  of  lungs.  Yet 
I  am  very  apt  to  suspect,  that  two  red  glands 
tissued  with  nerves,  which  he  describes  as 
lying  towards  the  back  of  the  head,  are  no 
other  than  the  lungs  of  this  animal.  The 
absolute  necessity  it  is  under  of  breathing  in 
the  air,  convinces  me  that  it  must  have  lungs, 
though  I  do  not  know  of  any  anatomist  that 
has  described  them. 

The  adhesive  quality  in  the  lamprey  may 
be  in  some  measure  increased  by  that  slimy 
substance  with  which  its  body  is  all  over 
smeared  ;  a  substance  that  serves  at  once  to 
keep  it  warm  in  its  cold  element,  and  also  to 

be  charged.  Two  other  fishes  are  known  to  possess  this 
extraordinary  power :  the  electrical  Eef,  which  is  able  to 
give  a  shock  even  greater  than  the  torpedo;  and  the  elec- 
tric Silurus,  whose  shock  is  much  less  vigorous  than  either 
of  the  others. 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


639 


keep  its  skin  soft  and  pliant.  This  mucus  is 
separated  by  two  long  lymphatic  canals,  that 
extend  on  each  side  from  the  head  to  the  tail, 
and  that  furnish  it  in  great  abundance.  As 
to  its  intestines,  it  seems  to  have  but  one  great 
bowel  running  from  the  mouth  to  the  vent, 
narrow  at  both  ends,  and  wide  in  the  mid- 
dle. 

So  simple  a  conformation  seems  to  imply 
an  equal  simplicity  of  appetite.  In  fact,  the 
lamprey's  food  is  either  slime  and  water,  or 
such  small  water-insects  as  are  scarcely  per- 
ceivable. Perhaps  its  appetite  may  be  more 
active  at  sea,  of  which  it  is  properly  a  native  ; 
but  when  it  comes  up  into  our  rivers,  it  is 
hardly  perceived  to  devour  any  thing. 

Its  usual  time  of  leaving  the  sea,  which  it  is 
annually  seen  to  do  in  order  to  spawn,  is 
about  the  beginning  of  spring ;  and  after  a 
stay  of  a  few  months  it  returns  again  to  the 
sea.  Their  preparation  for  spawning  is  pecu- 
liar ;  their  manner  is  to  make  holes  in  the 
gravelly  bottom  of  rivers ;  arid  on  this  occa- 
sion their  sucking  power  is  particularly  ser- 
viceable ;  for  if  they  meet  with  a  stone  of  a 
considerable  size,  they  will  remove  it,  and 
throw  it  out.  Their  young  are  produced 
from  eggs  in  the  manner  of  flat  fish  ;  the  fe- 
male remains  near  the  place  where  they  are 
excluded,  and  continues  with  them  till  they 
come  forth.  She  is  sometimes  seen  with  her 
whole  family  playing  about  her ;  and  after 
some  time  she  conducts  them  in  triumph  back 
to  the  ocean. 

But  some  have  not  sufficient  strength  to  re- 
turn ;  and  these  continue  in  the  fresh  water 
till  they  die.  Indeed  the  life  of  this  fish,  ac- 
cording to  Rondeletius,  who  has  given  its  his- 
tory, is  but  of  very  short  continuance  ;  and  a 
single  brood  is  the  extent  of  the  female's  fer- 
tility. As  soon  as  she  has  returned  after  cast- 
ing her  eggs,  she  seems  exhausted  and  flabby. 


She  becomes  old  before  her  time  ;  and  two 
years  is  generally  the  limit  of  her  existence. 

However  this  may  be,  they  are  very  indiffer- 
ent eating  after  they  have  cast  their  eggs,  and 
particularly  at.  the  approach  of  hot  weather. 
The  best  season  for  them  is  the  months  of 
March,  April,  and  May  ;  and  they  are  usually 
taken  in  nets  with  salmon,  and  sometimes  in 
baskets  at  the  bottom  of  the  river.  It  has  been 
an  old  custom,  for  the  city  of  Gloucester 
annually  to  present  the  king  with  a  lamprey- 
pie  ;  and  as  the  gift  is  made  at  Christmas,  it 
is  not  without  groat  difficulty  the  corporation 
can  procure  the  proper  quantity,  though  they 
give  a  guinea  a- piece  for  taking  them. 

How  much  they  were  valued  among  the 
ancients,  or  a  fish  bearing  some  resemblance 
to  them,  appears  from  all  the  classics  that 
have  praised  good  living,  or  ridiculed  glut- 
tony. One  story  we  are  told  of  this  fish,  with 
which  I  will  conclude  its  history.  A  senator 
of  Rome,  whose  name  does  not  deserve  being 
transmitted  to  posterity,  was  famous  for  the* 
delicacy  of  his  lampreys.  Tigelinus,  Manu- 
cius,  and  all  the  celebrated  epicures  of  Rome, 
were  loud  in  his  praises :  no  man's  fish  had 
such  a  flavour,  was  so  nicely  fed,  or  so  exactly 
pickled.  Augustus,  hearing  so  much  of  this 
man's  entertainments,  desired  to  be  his  guest; 
and  soon  found  that  fame  had  been  just  to  his 
merits ;  the  man  had  indeed  very  fine  lam- 
preys, and  of  an  exquisite  flavour.  The 
emperor  was  desirous  of  knowing  the  method 
by  « hich  he  fed  his  fish  to  so  fine  a  relish  ; 
and  the  glutton,  making  no  secret  of  his  art, 
informed  him  that  his  way  was  to  throw  into 
his  ponds  such  of  his  slaves  as  had  at  any 
time  displeased  him.  Augustus,  we  are  told, 
was  not  much  pleased  with  his  receipt,  and 
instantly  ordered  all  his  ponds  to  be  filled  up. 
The  story  would  have  ended  better,  if  he  had 
ordered  the  owner  to  be  flung  in  also. 


640 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXLVI. 

THE  STURGEON,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THE  Sturgeon,  with  a  form  as  terrible,  and 
a  body  as  large,  a's  the  shark,  is  yet  as  harm- 
less as  the  fish  we  have  been  just  describing; 
incapable  and  unwilling  to  injure  others,  it 
flies  from  the  smallest  fishes,  and  generally 
falls  a  victim  to  its  own  timidity. 

The  sturgeon  in  its  general  form  resembles 
a  fresh-water  pike.  The  •  nose  is  long ;  the 
mouth  is  situated  beneath,  being  small,  and 
•without  jaw-bones  or  teeth.  But  though  it 
is  so  harmless  and  ill  provided  for  war,  the 
body  is  formidable  enough  to  appearance. 
It  is  long,  pentagonal,  and  covered  with  five 
rows  of  large  bony  knobs,  one  row  on  the 
back  and  two  on  each  side,  and  a  number  of 
fins  to  give  it  greater  expedition.  Of  this  fish 
there  are  three  kinds;  the  Common  Sturgeon, 
the  Caviar  Sturgeon,  and  the  Huso  or  Isjn- 
glass  Fish.  The  first  has  eleven  knobs  or 
scales  on  the  back ;  the  second  has  fifteen ; 
and  the  latter  thirteen  on  the  back,  and  forty- 
three  on  the  tail.  These  differences  seem 
slight  to  us  who  only  consider  the  animal's 
form ;  but  those  who  consider  its  uses  find  the 
distinction  of  considerable  importance.  The 
first  is  the  sturgeon,  the  flesh  of  which  is  sent 
pickled  into  a-11  parts  of  Europe.  The  se- 
cond is  the  fish  from  the  roe  of  which  that 
noted  delicacy  called  Caviar  is  made;  and 
the  third,  besides  supplying  the  caviar,  fur- 
nishes also  the  valuable  commodity  of  isin- 
glass. They  all  grow  to  a  very  great  size ; 
and  some  of  them  have  been  found  above 
eighteen  feet  long." 

There  is  not  a  country  in  Europe  but  what 
this  fish  visits  at  different  seasons;  it  annual- 
ly ascends  the  largest  rivers  to  spawn,  and 
propagates  in  an  amazing  number.  The  in- 
habitants along  the  banks  of  the  Po,  the  Da- 
nube, and  the  Wolga,  make  great  profit  year- 
ly of  its  incursions  up  the  stream,  and  have 

«  Isinglass  is  prepared  from  various  other  fishes,  but 
principally  from  the  White  Dolphin,  or  Belluga  of  North  ! 


their  nets  prepared  for  its  reception.  The 
sturgeon  also  is  brought  daily  to  the  markets 
of  Rome  and  Venice,  and  they  are  known  to 
abound  in  the  Mediterranean  sea.  Yet  those 
fish  that  keep  entirely  either  in  salt  or  fresh 
water  are  but  comparatively  small.  When 
the  sturgeon  enjoys  the  vicissitude  of  fresh 
and  salt  water,  it  is  then  that  it  grows  to  an 
enormous  size,  so  as  almost  to  rival  even  the 
whale  in  magnitude. 

Nor  are  we  without  frequent  visits  from 
this  much  esteemed  fish  in  England.  It  is 
often  accidentally  taken  in  our  rivers  in  sal- 
mon-nets, and  particularly  in  those  parts  that 
are  not  far  remote  from  the  sea.  The  largest 
we  have  heard  of,  caught  in  Great  Britain, 
was  a  fish  taken  in  the  Eske,  where  they  are 
most  frequently  found,  which  weighed  four 
hundred  and  sixty  pounds.  An  enormous 
size  to  those  who  have  only  seen  our  fresh- 
water fishes ! 

North  America  also  furnishes  the  sturgeon; 
their  rivers  in  May,  June,  and  July,  supply 
them  in  very  great  abundance.  At  that  time 
they  are  seen  sporting  in  the  water,  and  leap- 
ing from  its  surface  several  yards  into  the  air. 
When  they  fall  again  on  their  sides,  the  con- 
cussion is  so  violent,  that  the  noise  is  heard 
in  still  weather  at  some  miles  distance. 

But  of  all  places  where  this  atumal  is  to  be 
found,  it  appears  no  where  in  such  numbers 
as  in  the  lakes  of  Frischehaff  and  CurischafF, 
near  the  city  of  Pillau.  In  the  rivers  also 
that  empty  themselves  into  the  Euxine  sea, 
this  fish  is  caught  in  great  numbers,  particu- 
larly at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Don.  In  all 
these  places  the  fishermen  regularly  expect 

f  O  *  I 

their  arrival  from  the  sea,  and  have  their  nets 

and  salt   ready  prepared  for  their  reception. 

As  the  sturgeon  is  a  harmless  fish,  and  no 

way  voracious,  it  is  never  caught  by  a   bait 

America.  This  well-known  substance  is  made  from  the 
sound,  or  air-bladder. 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


641 


in  the  ordinary  manner  of  fishing,  but  always 
in  nets.  From  the  description  given  above 
of  its  mouth,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the 
sturgeon  would  swallow  any  hook  capable  of 
holding  so  large  a  bulk  and  so  strong  a  swim- 
In  fact,  it  never  attempts  to  seize  any 


mer. 


of  the  finny  tribe,  but  lives  by  rooting  at  the 
bottom  of  the  sea,  where  it  makes  insects  and 
sea-plants  its  whole  subsistence.  From  this 
quality  of  floundering  at  the  bottom  it  has  re- 
ceived its  name;  which  comes  from  the  Ger- 
man \erbfloeren,  signifying  to  wallow  in  the 
mud.  That  it  lives  upon  no  large  animals  is 
obvious  to  all  those  who  cut  it  open,  where 
nothing  is  found  in  its  stomach  but  a  kind  of 
slimy  substance,  which  has  induced  some  to 
think  it  lives  only  upon  water  and  air. — 
From  hence  there  is  a  German  proverb,  which 
is  applied  to  a  man  extremely  temperate, 
when  they  say,  he  is  as  moderate  as  a  stur- 
geon. 

As  the  sturgeon  is  so  temperate  in  its  ap- 
petites, so  is  it  also  equally  timid  in  its  nature. 
There  would  be  scarcely  any  method  of  ta- 
king it,  did  not  its  natural  desire  of  propaga- 
tion induce  it  to  incur  so  great  a  variety  of 
dangers.  The  smallest  fish  is  alone  sufficient 
to  terrify  a  shoal  of  sturgeons;  for,  being  un- 
furnished with  any  weapon  of  defence,  they 
are  obliged  to  trust  to  their  swiftness  and 
their  caution  for  security.  Like  all  animals 
that  do  not  make  war  upon  others,  sturgeons 
live  in  society  among  themselves;  rather  for 
the  purposes  of  pleasure  than  from  any  power 
of  mutual  protection.  Gesner  even  asserts, 
that  they  are  delighted  with  sounds  of  various 
kinds;  and  that  he  has  seen  them  shoal  to- 
gether, at  the  notes  of  a  trumpet. 

The  usual  time,  as  was  said  before,  for  the 
sturgeon  to  come  up  rivers  to  deposit  its  spawn, 
is  about  the  beginning  of  summer,  when  the 
fishermen  of  all  great  rivers  make  a  regular 
preparation  for  its  reception.  At  Pillau,  par- 
ticularly, the  shores  are  formed  into  districts, 
and  allotted  to  companies  of  fishermen,  some 
of  which  are  rented  for  about  three  hundred 
pounds  a  year.  The  nets  in  which  the  stur- 
geon is  caught,  are  made  of  small  cord,  and 
placed  across  the  mouth  of  the  river;  but  in 
such  a  manner  that,  whether  the  tide  ebbs  or 
flows,  the  pouch  of  the  net  goes  with  the 
stream.  The  sturgeon  thus  caught,  while  in 


|j  the  water,  is  one  of  the  strongest  fishes  that 
swims,  and  often  breaks  the  net  to  pieces  that 
!  encloses  it;  but  the  instant  it  is  raised  with 
'  its  head  above  water,  all  its  activity  ceases; 
it  is  then  a  lifeless,  spiritless  lump,  and  suffers 
itself  to  be  tamely  dragged  on  shore.  It  has 
been  found  prudent,  however,  to  draw  it  to 
shore  gently ;  for  if  excited  by  any  unneces- 
sary violence,  it  has  been  found  to  break  the 
fishermen's  legs  with  a  blow  of  its  tail.  The 
most  experienced  fishers,  therefore,  when 
they  have  drawn  it  to  the  brink,  keep  the 
head  still  elevated,  which  prevents  its  doing 
any  mischief  with  the  hinder  part  of  the  body : 
others,  by  a  noose,  fasten  the  head  and  the 
tail  together;  and  thus,  without  immediately 
despatching  it,  bring  it  to  the  market,  if  there 
be  one  near,  or  keep  it  till  their  number  is 
completed  for  exportation. 

The  flesh  of  this  animal,  pickled,  is  very 
well  known  at  all  the  tables  of  Europe ;  and 
is  even  more  prized  in  England  than  in  any 
of  the  countries  where  it  is  usually  caught. 
The  fishermen  have  two  different  methods  of 
preparing  it.  The  one  is  by  cutting  it  in  long 
pieces  lengthwise,  and,  having  -salted  them, 
by  hanging  them  up  in  the  sun  to  dry:  the 
fish  thus  prepared  is  sold  in  all  the  countries 
of  the  Levant,  and  supplies  the  want  of  bet- 
ter provision.  The  other  method,  which  is 
usually  practised  in  Holland,  and  along  the 
shores  of  the  Baltic,  is  to  cut  the  sturgeon 
crosswise,  into  short  pieces,  and  put  it  in  small 
barrels,  with  a  pickle  made  of  salt  and  sau- 
mure.  This  is  the  sturgeon  which  is  sold  in 
England  ;  and  of  which  great  quantities  came 
from  the  North,  until  we  gave  encouragement 
to  the  importation  of  it  from  North  America. 
From  thence  we  are  very  well  supplied  ;  but 
it  is  said,  not  with  such  good  fish  as  those  im- 
ported from  (he  North  of  Europe. 

A  very  great  trade  is  also  carried  on  with 
the  roe  of  the  sturgeon,  preserved  in  a  par- 
ticular manner,  and  called  Caviar:  it  is  made 
from  the  roe  of  all  kinds  of  sturgeon,  but  par- 
ticularly the  second.  This  is  much  more  in 
request  in  other  countries  of  Europe  than 
with  us.  To  all  these  high-relished  meats, 
the  appetite  must  be  formed  by  degrees ;  and 
though  formerly  even  in  England  it  was  very 
much  in  request  at  the  politest  tables,  it  is  at 
present  sunk  entirely  into  disuse.  It  is  still, 


642 


A  HISTORY  OF 


however,  a  considerable  merchandise  among 
the  Turks,  Greeks,  and  Venetians.  Caviar 
somewhat  resembles  soft  soap  in  consistence; 
but  it  is  of  a  brown,  uniform  colour,  and  is 
eaten  as  cheese  with  bread.  The  manner  of 
making  it  is  this :  they  take  the  spawn  from 
the  body  of  the  sturgeon — for  it  is  to  be  ob- 
served, the  sturgeon  differs  from  other  car- 
tilaginous fish,  in  that  it  has  spawn  like  a  cod, 
and  not  eggs  like  a  ray.  They  take  the  spawn, 
I  say,  and  freeing  it  from  the  small  membranes 
that  connect  it  together,  they  wash  it  with 
vinegar,  and  afterwards  spread  it  to  dry  upon 
a  table;  they  then  put  it  into  a  vessel  with 
salt,  breaking  the  spawn  with  their  hands,  and 
not  with  a  pestle ;  this  done,  they  put  it  into 
a  canvas  bag,  letting  the  liquor  drain  from 
it;  lastly,  they  put  it  into  a  tub,  with  holes  in 
the  bottom,  so  that,  if  there  be  any  moisture 
still  remaining,  it  may  run  out :  then  it  is  press- 
ed down,  and  covered  up  close  for  use. 

But  the  Huso  or  Isinglass  fish  furnishes  a 
still  more  valuable  commodity.  This  fish  is 
caught  in  great  quantities  in  the  Danube, 
from  the  month  of  October  to  January  :  it  is 
seldom  under  fifty  pounds  weight,  and  often 
above  four  hundred :  its  flesh  is  soft,  gluti- 
nous, and  flabby ;  but  it  is  sometimes  salted, 
which  makes  it  better  tasted,  and  then  it  turns 
red  like  salmon.  It  is  for  the  commodity  it 
furnishes  that  it  is  chiefly  taken.  Isinglass  is 
of  a  whitish  substance,  inclining  to  yellow, 
done  up  into  rolls,  and  so  exported  for  use. 
It  is  very  well  known  as  serviceable,  riot  only 
in  medicine,  but  many  arts.  The  varnisher, 
the  wine-merchant,  and  even  the  clothier, 
know  its  uses;  and  very  great  sums  are 
yearly  expended  upon  this  single  article  of 
commerce.  The  manner  of  making  it  is  this: 
they  take  the  skin,  the  entrails,  the  fins,  and 


the  tail  of  this  fish,  and  cut  them  into  small 
pieces ;  these  are  left  to  macerate  in  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  warm  water,  and  they  are 
all  boiled  shortly  after  with  a  slow  fire,  until 
they  are  dissolved  and  reduced  to  a  jelly; 
this  jelly  is  spread  upon  instruments  made  for 
the  purpose,  so,  that  drying,  it  assumes  the 
form  of  parchment,  and,  when  quite  dry,  it  is 
then  rolled  into  the  form  which  we  see  it  in 
the  shops. 

This    valuable   commodity   is   principally 
furnished  from  Russia,  where  they  prepare 

Jreat  quantities  surprisingly  cheap.  Mr. 
ackson,  an  ingenious  countryman  of  our 
own,  found  out  an  obvious  method  of  making 
a  glue  at  home  that  answered  all  the  purposes 
of  isinglass ;  but  what  with  the  trouble  of 
making  it,  and  perhaps  the  arts  put  in  prac- 
tice to  under-sell  him,  he  was,  as  I  am  told, 
obliged  to  discontinue  the  improvement  of 
his  discovery.  Indeed,  it  is  a  vain  attempt 
to  manufacture  among  ourselves  those  things 
which  may  be  more  naturally  and  cheaply 
supplied  elsewhere.  We  have  many  trades 
that  are  unnaturally,  if  I  may  so  express  it, 
employed  among  us;  who  furnish  more  labo- 
riously those  necessaries  with  which  other 
countries  could  easily  and  cheaply  supply 
us.  It  would  be  wiser  to  take  what  they  can 
thus  produce;  and  to  turn  ourartizans  to  the 
increase  and  manufacture  of  such  productions 
as  thrive  more  readily  among  us.  Were,  for 
instance,  the  number  of  hands  that  we  have 
now  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  silk, 
turned  to  the  increase  of  agriculture,  it  is 
probable  that  the  increased  quantity  of  corn 
thus  produced,  would  be  more  than  an 
equivalent  for  the  diminution  of  national 
wealth  in  purchasing  wrought  silk  from  other 
countries. 


CHAPTER  CXLVII. 

OF  ANOMALOUS  CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


OF  all  others,  the  Cartilaginous  class 
seems  to  abound  with  the  greatest  variety  of 
ill-formed  animals ;  and.  if  philosophy  could 


allow  the  expression,  we  might  say,  that  the 
cartilaginous  class  was  the  class  of  monsters; 
in  fact,  it  exhibits  a  variety  of  shapeless  be- 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


643 


ings,  the  deviations  of  which  from  the  usual 
form  of  fishes  are  beyond  the  power  of  words 
to  describe,  and  scarcely  of  the  pencil  to 
draw.  In  this  class  we  have  the  Pipe  Fish, 
that  almost  tapers  to  a  thread,  and  the  Sun 
Fish,  that  has  the  appearance  of  a  bulky 
head,  but  the  body  cut  off  in  the  middle; 
the  Hippocampus,  with  ahead  somewhat  like 
that  of  a  horse,  and  the  Water  Bat,  whose 
head  can  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the 
body.  In  this  class  we  find  the  Fishing  Frog, 
which  from  its  deformity  some  have  called 
the  Sea  Devil ;  the  Chimaera,  the  Lump  Fish, 
the  Sea  Porcupine,  and  the  Sea  Snail.  Of 
all  these  the  history  is  but  little  known;  and 
naturalists  supply  the  place  with  descrip- 
tion. 

The  Sun  Fish  sometimes  grows  to  a  very 
large  size ;  one  taken  near  Plymouth  was 
five  hundred  weight.  In  form  it  resembles  a 
bream,  or  some  deep  fish  cut  off  in  the  mid- 
dle: the  mouth  is  very  small,  and  contains  in 
each  jaw  two  broad  teeth,  with  sharp  edges: 
the  colour  of  the  back  is  dusky  and  dnppled, 
and  the  belly  is  of  a  silvery  white.  When 
boiled,  it  has  been  observed  to  turn  to  a  glu- 
tinous jelly,  and  would  most  probably  serve 
for  all  the  purposes  of  isinglass,  were  it  found 
in  sufficient  plenty. 

The  Fishing  Frog  in  shape  very  much  re- 
sembles a  tadpole  or  young  frog;  but  then  a 
tadpole  of  enormous  size,  for  it  grows  to  above 
five  feet  long,  and  its  mouth  is  sometimes  a 
y:»rd  wide.  Nothing  can  exceed  its  deformi- 
ty. The  head  is  much  bigger  than  the  whole 
body;  the  under  jaw  projects  beyond  the  up- 
per, and  both  are  armed  with  rows  of  slender 
sharp  teeth :  the  palate  arid  the  tongue  are 
furnished  with  teeth  in  like  manner:  the  eyes 
are  placed  on  the  top  of  the  head,  and  are  en- 
compassed with  prickles:  immediately  above 
the  nose,  are  two  long  beards  or  filaments, 
small  in  the  beginning,  but  thicker  at  the  end, 
and  round  :  these,  as  it  is  said,  answer  a  very 
singular  purpose;  for  being  made  somewhat 
resembling  a  fishing- line,  it  is  asserted,  that 
the  animal  converts  them  to  the  purposes  of 
fishing.  With  these  extended,  as  Pliny  as- 
serts, the  fishing  frog  hides  in  muddy  waters, 
and  leaves  nothing  but  the  beards  to  be  seen:  . 
the  curiosity  of  the  smaller  fish  brings  them 
to  view  these  filaments,  and  their  hunger  in- 

KO.  55  &  jtf. 


duces  them  to  seize  the  bait ;  upon  which  the 
animal  in  ambush  instantly  draws  in  its  fila- 
ments, with  the  little  fish  that  had  taken  the 
bait,  and  devours  it  without  mercy.  This 
story,  though  apparently  improbable,  has 
found  credit  among  some  of  our  best  natural- 
ists; but  what  induces  me  to  doubt  the  fact 
is,  that  there  is  another  species  of  this  ani- 
mal, that  has  no  beards,  which  it  would  not 
want  if  they  were  necessary  to  the  existence 
of  the  kind.  Rondeletius  informs  us,  that  if 
we  take  out  the  bowels,  the  body  will  appear 
with  a  kind  of  transparence;  and  that  if  a 
lighted  candle  be  placed  within  the  body,  ae 
in  a  lantern,  the  whole  has  a  very  formidable 
appearance.  The  fishermen,  however,  have 
in  general  a  great  regard  for  this  ugly  fish,  an 
it  is  an  enemy  to  the  dog-fish,  the  bodies  of 
those  fierce  and  voracious  animals  being  often 
found  in  its  stomach :  whenever  they  take  it, 
therefore,  they  always  set  it  at  liberty. 

The  Lump  Fish  is  trifling  in  size,  compar- 
ed to  the  former  :  its  length  is  but  sixteen  in- 
ches, and  its  weight  about  four  pounds;  the 
shape  of  the  body  is  like  that  of  a  bream, 
deep,  and  it  swims  edgeways;  the  back  is 
sharp  and  elevated,  and  the  belly  flat;  the 
lips,  mouth,  and  tongue  of  this  animal,  are  of 
a  deep  red  ;  the  whole  skin  is  rough,  with 
bony  knobs;  the  largest  row  is  along  the  ridge 
of  the  back;  the  belly  is  of  a  bright  crimson 
colour:  but  what  makes  the  chieisingularity 
in  this  fish,  is  an  oval  aperture  in  the  belly, 
surrounded  with  a  fleshy  soft  substance  that 
seems  bearded  all  round ;  by  means  of  this 
part  it  adheres  with  vast  force  to  any  thing 
it  pleases.  If  flung  into  a  pail  of  water,  it  will 
stick  so  close  to  the  bottom,  that  on  taking 
the  fish  by  the  tail,  one  may  lift  up  pail  and 
all,  though  it  holds  several  gallons  of  water. 
Great  numbers  of  these  fish  are  found  along 
the  coasts  of  Greenland  in  the  beginning  of 
summer,  where  they  resort  to  spawn.  Their 
roe  is  remarkably  large,  and  theGreenlandere 
boil  it  to  a  pulp  for  eating.  They  are  extreme- 
ly fat,  but  not  admired  in  England,  being  both 
flabby  and  insipid. 

The  Sea  Snail  takes  its  name  from  the  soft 
and  unctuous  texture  of  its  body,  resembling 
the  snail  upon  land.  It  is  almost  transparent, 
and  soon  dissolves  and  melts  away.  It  is  but 
a  little  animal,  being  not  above  five  inches 

4  Y 


644 


A  HISTORY  OF 


long.  The  colour,  when  fresh  taken,  is  of  a 
pale  brown,  the  shape  of  the  body  round,  and 
the  back  fin  reaches  all  the  way  from  the 
head  to  the  tail.  Beneath  the  throat  is  a 
round  depression,  of  a  whitish  colour,  sur- 
rounded by  twelve  brown  spots,  placed  in  a 
circle.  It  is  taken  in  England  at  the  mouth 
of  rivers,  four  or  five  miles  distant  from  the  sea. 

The  body  of  the  Pipe  Fish,  in  the  thickest 
part,  is  not  thicker  than  a  swan-quill,  while 
it  is  above  sixteen  inches  long.  This  is  angu- 
lar, but  the  angles  being  not  very  sharp,  they 
are  not  discernible  until  the  fish  is  dried.  Its 
general  colour  is  an  olive-brown,  marked  with 
numbers  of  bluish  lines,  pointing  from  the 
back  to  the  belly.  It  is.  viviparous ;  for  on 
crushing  one  that  was  just  taken,  hundreds  of 
very  minute  young  ones  were  observed  to 
crawl  about. 

The  Hippocampus,  which,  from  the  form 
of  its  head,  some  call  the  Sea-horse,  never 
exceeds  nine  inches  in  length.  It  is  about  as 
thick  as  a  man's  thumb,  and  the  body  is  said, 
while  alive,  to  have  hair  on  the  fore-part, 
which  falls  off  when  it  is  dead.  The  snout  is 
a  sort  of  a  tube  with  a  hole  at  the  bottom,  to 
which  there  is  a  cover,  which  the  animal  can 
open  and  shut  at  pleasure.  Behind  the  eyes 
there  are  two  fius  which  look  like  ears  ;  and 
above  them  are  two  holes  which  serve  for 
respiration.  The  whole  body  seems  to  be 
composed  of  cartilaginous  rings,  on  the  inter- 
mediate membranes  of  which  several  small 
prickles  are  placed.  It  is  found  in  the  Medi- 
terranean, and  also  in  the  Western  Ocean  ; 
and,  upon  the  whole,  more  resembles  a  great 
caterpillar  than  a  fish.  The  ancients  con- 
sidered it  as  extremely  venomous  ;  probably 
induced  by  its  peculiar  figure. 

From  these  harmless  animals,  covered  with 
a  slight  coat  of  mail,  we  may  proceed  to 
others,  more  thickly  defended,  and  more  for- 
midably armed,  whose  exact  station  in  the 
scale  of  fishes  is  not  yet  ascertained.  While 
Linnaeus  ranks  them  among  the  cartilaginous 
kinds,  a  later  naturalist  places  them  among 
the  spinous  class.  With  which  tribe  they 
most  agree,  succeeding  observations  must  de- 
termine. At  present  we  seem  better  acquaint- 
ed with  their  figure  than  their  history  :  their 
deformity  is  obvious ;  and  the  venomous  na- 
ture of  the  greatest  number,  has  been  confirm- 
ed by  fatal  experience.  This  circumstance, 


as  well  as  the  happy  distance  at  which  they 
are  placed  from  us,  being  all  found  in  the 
Oriential  or  American  seas,  may  have  pre- 
vented a  more  critical  inquiry  ;  so  that  we 
know  but  little  of  the  nature  of  their  malignity, 
and  still  less  of  their  pursuits  and  enmities  in 
the  deep. 

In  the  first  of  this  tribe  we  may  place  the 
Sea  Orb,  which  is  almost  round,  has  a  mouth 
like  a  frog,  and  is  from  seven  inches  to  two 
feet  long.  Like  the  porcupine,  from  whence 
it  sometimes  takes  ils  name,  being  also  called 
the  Sea  Porcupine,  it  is  covered  over  with 
long  thorns  or  prickles,  which  point  on  every 
side  ;  and,  when  the  animal  is  enraged,  it  can 
blow  up  its  body  as  round  as  a  bladder.  Of 
this  extraordinary  creature  there  are  nmny 
kinds:  some  threatening  only  with  spines,  as 
the  Sea  Hedgehog;  others  defended  with  a 
bony  helmet  that  covers  the  hi  ad,  as  the  Os- 
tracion ;  others  with  a  coat  of  mail  from  the 
head  to  the  tail,  where  it  terminates  in  a  point, 
as  the  Centriscus;  and  others  still  armed  offen- 
sively and  defensively  with  bones  and  spines, 
as  the  Shield  Orb. 

Of  these  scarcely  one  is  without  its  peculiar 
weapon  of  offence.  Thecentriscus  wounds  with 
its  spine  ;  the  ostracion  poisons  w  ith  its  venom  ; 
theorb  is  impregnable,  and  is  absolutely  poison- 
ous if  eaten.  Indeed,  their  figure  is  not  such  »s 
would  tempt  one  to  make  the  experiment  4 
and  the  natives  of  those  countries  where  they 
are  found,  are  careful  to  inform  foreigners  of 
their  danger:  yet  a  certain  sailor  at  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  not  believing  what  the  Dutch 
told  him  concerning  their  venom,  was  resolved 
to  make  the  experiment,  and  break  through  a 
prejudice,  which,  he  supposed,  was  founded 
on  the  animal's  deformity.  He  tried,  and  ate 
one  ;  but  his  rashness  cost  him  his  life  ;  he  in- 
stantly fell  sick,  and  died  a  few  days  after. 

These  frightful  animals  are  of  different 
sizes ;  some  not  bigger  than  a  foot-ball,  and 
others  as  large  as  a  bushel.  They  almost  all 
flatten  and  erect  their  spines  at  pleasure,  and 
increase  the  terrors  of  their  appearance  in  pro- 
portion to  the  approach  of  danger.  At  first 
they  seem  more  inoffensive;  their  body  oblong, 
with  all  their  weapons  pointing  towards  the 
tail ;  but,  upon  being  prove»ked  or  alarmed, 
the  body,  that  before  seemed  small,  swells  to 
the  view ;  the  animal  visibly  grows  rounder 
and  larger,  and  all  its  prickles  stand  upright, 


CARTILAGINOUS  FISHES. 


646 


and  threaten  the  invader  on  every  side.  The 
Americans  often  amuse  themselves  with  the 
barren  pleasure  of  catching  these  frightful 
creatures  by  a  line  and  hook,  baited  with  a 
piece  of  sea-crab.  The  animal  approaches 
the  bait  with  its  spines  flattened ;  but  when 
hooked  and  stopped  by  the  line,  straight  all 
its  spines  are  erected  ;  the  whole  body  being 
armed  in  such  a  manner  at  all  points,  that  it 
is  impossible  to  lay  hold  of  it  on  any  part. 
For  this  reason  it  is  dragged  to  some  distance 
from  the  water,  and  there  it  quickly  expires. 
In  the  middle  of  the  belly  of  all  these  there 
is  a  sort  of  bag  or  bladder  filled  with  air,  and 
by  the  inflation  of  which  the  animal  swells  it- 
self in  the  manner  already  mentioned. 

In  describing  the  deformed  animals  of  this 
class,  one  is  sometimes  at  a  loss  whether  it  be 
a  fish  or  an  insect  that  lies  before  him.  Thus 
the  hippocampus  and  the  pipe-fish  bear  a 
strong  resemblanc^to  the  caterpillar  and  the 
worm;  while  the  lesser  orb  bears  some  like- 
ness to  the  class  of  sea-eggs  to  be  described 
after.  I  will  conclude  this  account  of  carti- 
laginous fishes  with  the  description  of  an  ani- 
mal which  I  would  scarcely  call  a  fish,  but 
that  Father  Labat  dignifies  it  with  the  name. 
Indeed,  this  class  teems  with  such  a  number 
of  odd-shaped  animals,  that  one  is  prompted 
to  rank  every  thing  extraordinary  of  the  finny 
species  among  the  number ;  but  besides,  Labat 
says,  its  bones  are  cartilaginous,  and  that  may 
entitle  it  to  a  place  here. 

The  animal  I  mean  is  the  Galley  Fish,  which 
Linnaeus  degrades  into  the  insect  tribe,  under 
the  title  of  the  Medusa,  but  which  I  choose  to 
place  in  this  tribe,  from  its  habits,  that  are 
somewhat  similar.  To  the  eye  of  an  unmind- 
ful spectator,  this  fish  seems  a  transparent 
bubble  swimming  on  the  surface  of  the  sea, 
or  like  a  bladder  variously  and  beautifully 
painted  with  vivid  colours,  where  red  and 
violet  predominate,  as  variously  opposed  to 
the  beams  of  the  sun.  It  is,  however,  an  ac- 
tual fish ;  the  body  of  which  is  composed  of 


cartilages,  and  a  very  thin  skin  filled  with  air, 
which  thus  keeps  the  animal  floating  on  the 
surface,  as  the  waves  and  the  winds  happen 
to  drive.  Sometimes  it  is  seen  thrown  on  the 
shore  by  one  wave,  and  again  washed  back 
into  the  sea  by  another.  Persons  who  hap- 
pen to  be  walking  along  the  shore  often  hap- 
pen to  tread  upon  these  animals;  and  the 
bursting  of  their  body  yields  a  report  like 
that  when  one  treads  upon  the  swim  of  a  fish. 
It  has  eight  broad  feet,  with  which  it  swims, 
or  which  it  expands  to  catch  the  air  as  with 
a  sail.  It  fastens  itself  to  whatever  it  meets 
by  means  of  its  legs,  which  have  an  adhesive 
quality.  Whether  they  move  when  on  shore, 
Labat  could  never  perceive,  though  he  did 
every  thing  to  make  them  stir;  he  only  saw 
that  it  strongly  adhered  to  whatever  sub- 
stances he  applied  it.  It  is  very  common  in 
America,  and  grows  to  the  size  of  a  goose- 
egg,  or  somewhat  more.  It  is  perpetually 
seen  floating ;  and  no  efforts  that  are  used 
to  hurt  it  can  sink  it  to  the  bottom.  All  that 
appears  above  water  is  a  bladder,  clear  and 
transparent  as  glass,  and  shining  with  the 
most  beautiful  colours  of  the  rainbow.  Be- 
neath, in  the  water,  are  four  of  the  feet  al- 
ready mentioned,  that  serve  as  oars,  while 
the  other  four  are  expanded  above  to  sail 
with.  But  what  is  most  remarkable  in  this 
extraordinary  creature,  is  the  violent  pun- 
gency of  the  slimy  substance  with  which  its 
legs  are  smeared.  If  the  smallest  quantity 
but  touch  the  skin,  so  caustic  is  its  quality, 
that  it  burns  it  like  hot  oil  dropped  on  the 
part  affected.  The  pain  is  worst  in  the  heat 
of  the  day,  but  ceases  in  the  cool  of  the  even- 
ing. It  is  from  feeding  on  these  that  he  thinks 
the  poisonous  quality  contracted  by  some 
West  Indian  fish  may  be  accounted  for.  It 
is  certain  these  animals  are  extremely  com- 
mon along  all  the  coasts  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico ;  and  whenever  the  shore  is  covered 
with  them  in  an  unusual  manner,  it  is  con- 
sidered as  a  certain  forerunner  of  a  storm. 

4Y* 


646 


A  HISTORY  OF 


OF  SPXNOUS  FISHES. 


CHAPTER  CXLVII1. 

THE  DIVISION  OF  SPINOUS  FISHES. 


THE  third  general  division  of  fishes  is  into 
that  of  the  spinous  or  bony  kind.  These  are 
obviously  distinguished  from  the  rest  by  hav- 
ing a  complete  bony  covering  to  their  gills ; 
by  their  being  furnished  with  no  other  method 
of  breathing  but  gills  only  ;  by  their  bones, 
which  are  sharp  and  thorny ;  and  their  tails, 
which  are  placed  in  a  situation  perpendicular 
to  the  body.  This  is  that  class  which  alone 
our  later  naturalists  are  willing  to  admit  as 
fishes.  The  cetaceous  class  with  them  are 
but  beasts  that  have  taken  up  their  abode  in 
the  ocean  ;  the  cartilaginous  class  are  an 
amphibious  band,  that  are  but  half  denizens 
of  that  element:  it  is  fishes  of  the  spinous 
kind  that  really  deserve  the  appellation. 

This  distinction  the  generality  of  mankind 
will  hardly  allow  ;  but  whatever  be  the  justice 
of  this  preference  in  favour  of  the  spinous  class, 
it  is  certain  that  the  cetaceous  and  cartilagi- 
nous classes  bear  no  proportion  to  them  in 
number.  Of  the  spinous  classes  are  already 
known  above  four  hundred  species;  so  that 
the  numbers  of  the  former  are  trifling  in  com- 
parison, and  make  not  above  a  fifth  part  of 
the  finny  creation. 

From  the  great  variety  in  this  class,  it  is 
obvious  how  difficult  a  task  it  must  have  been 
to  describe  or  remember  even  a  part  of  what 
it  contains.  When  six  hundred  different  sorts 
of  animals  offer  themselves  to  consideration, 
the  mind  is  bewildered  in  the  multiplicity  of 
objects  that  all  lay  some  claim  to  its  attention. 
To  obviate  this  confusion,  systems  have  been 
devised,  which,  throwing  several  fishes  that 
agree  in  many  particulars  into  one  group,  and 
thus  uniting  all  into  so  many  particular  bodies, 
the  mind  that  was  incapable  of  separately  con- 


sidering each,  is  enabled  to  comprehend  all, 
when  thus  offered  in  larger  masses  to  its  con- 
sideration. 

Indeed,  of  all  the  beings  in  animated  na- 
ture, fishes  most  demand  a  systematical 
arrangement.  Quadrupeds  are  but  few,  and 
can  be  all  known ;  birds,  from  their  seldom 
varying  in  their  size,  can  be  very  tolerably 
distinguished  without  system ;  but  among 
fishes,  which  no  size  can  discriminate,  where 
the  animal  ten  inches,  and  the  animal  ten  feet 
long,  is  entirely  the  same,  there  must  be  some 
other  criterion  by  which  they  are  to  be  dis- 
tinguished ;  something  that  gives  precision  to 
our  ideas  of  the  animal  whose  history  we  de- 
sire to  know.  , 

Of  the  real  history  of  fishes,  very  little  is  yet 
known ;  but  of  very  many  we  have  full  and 
sufficient  accounts,  as  to  their  external  form. 
It  would  be  unpardonable,  therefore,  in  a  his- 
tory of  these  animals,  not  to  give  the  little  we 
do  know ;  and,  at  least,  arrange  our  forces, 
though  we  cannot  tell  their  destination.  In 
this  art  of  arrangement.  Artedi  and  Linnaeus 
have  long  been  conspicuous  :  they  have  both 
taken  a  view  of  the  animal's  form  in  different 
lights;  and,  from  the  parts  which  most  struck 
them,  have  founded  their  respective  systems. 

Artedi,  who  was  foremost,  perceiving  that 
some  fishes  had  hard  prickly  fins,  as  the  pike; 
that  others  had  soft  pliant  ones,  as  the  herring; 
and  that  others  still  wanted  that  particular  fin 
by  which  the  gills  are  opened  and  shut,  as  the 
eel,  made  out  a  system  from  these  varieties. 
Linnaeus,  on  the  other  hand,  rejecting  this 
system,  which  he  found  liable  to  too  many  ex- 
ceptions, considered  the  fins,  not  with  regard 
to  their  substance,  but  their  position.  The 


C.f.M'S  PLEVRONEfTKS 
\  flounder! 


\.\  '.  in 


SPINOUS  FISHES. 


647 


ventral  fins  seem  to  be  the  great  object  of  bis 
system  ;  he  considers  them  in  fishes  supplying 
the  same  offices  as  feet  in  quadrupeds ;  and 
from  their  total  absence,  or  from  their  being 
situated  nearer  the  head  or  the  tail,  in  differ- 
ent fishes,  he  takes  the  differences  of  his  sys- 
tem. 

These  arrangements,  which  are  totally  arbi- 
trary, and  which  are  rather  a  method  than  a 
science,  are  always  fluctuating ;  and  the  last 
is  generally  preferred  to  that  which  went  be- 
fore. There  has  lately  appeared,  however,  a 
system  composed  by  Mr.  Gouan,  of  Mont- 
pellier,  that  deserves  applause  for  more  than 
its  novelty.  It  appears  to  me  the  best  arrange- 
ment of  this  kind  that  ever  was  made ;  and 
in  it  the  divisions  are  not  only  precisely  sys- 
tematical, but,  in  some  measure,  adopted  by 
nature  itself.  This  learned  Frenchman  has 
united  the  systems  of  Artedi  and  Linnaeus 
together ;  and,  by  bringing  one  to  correct  the 
other,  has  made  out  a  number  of  tribes,  that 
are  marked  with  the  utmost  precision.  A  part 
of  his  system,  however,  we  have  already 
gone  through,  in  the  cartilaginous,  or,  as  he 
calls  a  part  of  them,  the  branchiostegous  tribe 
of  fishes.  In  the  arrangement  of  these,  I  have 
followed  Linnaeus,  as  the  number  of  them  was 
but  small,  and  his  method  simple.  But  in 
that  which  is  more  properly  called  the  spinous 
class  of  fishes,  I  will  follow  Mr.  Gouan's  sys- 
tem ;  the  terms  of  which,  as  well  as  of  all  the 
former  systems,  require  some  explanation.  I 
do  not  love  to  multiply  the  technical  terms  of 
a  science  ;  but  it  often  happens  that  names, 
by  being  long  used,  are  as  necessary  to  be 
known  as  the  science  itself. 

If  we  consider  the  substance  of  the  fin  of  a 
fish,  we  shall  find  it  composed,  besides  the 
skin,  either  of  straight,  hard,  pointed,  bony 
prickles  or  spines,  as  in  the  pike;  or  of  soft, 
crooked,  or  forked  bones,  or  cartilages,  as  in 
the  herring.  The  fish  that  have  bony  prickly 
fins,  are  called  prickly-famed  fish ;  the  latter, 
that  have  soft  or  cartilaginous  fins,  are  called 
soft- finned  fish.  The  prickly-finned  fish  have 
received  the  Greek  new-formed  name  of 
Acanthopterigii ;  the  soft-finned  fish  have  like- 
wise their  barbarous  Greek  name  of  Mala- 
copterigii.  Thus  far  Artedi  has  supplied  Mr. 
Gouan  with  names  and  divisions.  All  spinous 
fish  are  divided  into  prickly-finned  fish  and 
soft-finned  fish. 


Again,  Linnaeus  has  taught  him  to  remark 
the  situation  of  the  fins ;  for  the  ventral  or 
belly-fins,  which  are  those  particularly  to  be 
remarked,  are  either  wholly  wanting,  as  in  the 
eel,  and  then  the  fish  is  called  Apodal,  (a 
Greek  word  signifying  without  feet ;)  or  the 
ventral-fins  are  placed  more  forward  than  the 
pectoral-fins,  as  in  the  haddock,  and  then  the 
animal  is  called  a  Jugular-fish  ;  or  the  ventral- 
fins  are  placed  directly  under  the  pectoral- 
fins,  as  in  the  father-lasher,  and  then  it  is  call- 
ed a  Thoracic-fish ;  or,  lastly,  the  ventral-fins 
are  placed  nearer  the  tail  than  the  pectoral- 
fins,  as  in  the  minnow,  and  then  it  is  an  Ab- 
dominal-fish. 

Possessed  of  these  distributions,  the  French 
naturalist  mixes  and  unites  them  into  two 
grand  divisions.  All  the  prickly-finned  fish 
make  one  general  division  ;  all  the  soft-finned 
fish  another.  These  first  are  distinguished 
from  each  other,  as  being  either  apodal,  jugu- 
lar, thoracic,  or  abdominal.  Thus  there  are 
prickly-finned  apodal  fishes ;  prickly-finned 
jugular  fishes ;  prickly-finned  thoracic  fishes  ; 
and  prickly-finned  abdominal  fishes.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  soft-finntd  fishes  fall  under  a 
similar  distribution,  and  make  the  other  gene- 
ral division.  Thus  there  are  soft-finned  apo- 
dal fishes,  soft-fin i\ed  jugular  fishes,  soft-finned 
thoracic  fishes,  and  soft-finned  abdominal  fishes. 
These  general  characters  are  strongly  marked, 
and  easily  remembered.  It  only  remains, 
therefore,  to  divide  these  into  such  tribes  as 
are  most  strongly  marked  by  nature ;  and  to 
give  the  distinct  characters  of  each,  to  form  a 
complete  system  with  great  simplicity.  This 
Mr.  Gouan  has  done ;  and  the  tribes  into 
which  he  has  distributed  each  of  these  divisions, 
exactly  amount  to  fifty.  Thus  the  reader, 
who  can  contain  in  his  memory  the  charac- 
teristic marks  of  fifty  kinds,  will  have  a  toler- 
able idea  of  the  form  of  every  kind  of  spinous 
fish.  I  say,  of  the  form  ;  for  as  to  the  history 
and  nature  of  the  animal  itself,  that  can  only  be 
obtained  by  experience  and  information. 

SECT.  I. 

PRICKLY-FINNED  FISHES. 

Prickly-finned  Apodal  Fish. 

1 .  THE  Trichurus.     The  body  of  a  sword- 
form  ;    the  head  oblong ;    the  teeth   sword- 


648 


A  HISTORY  OF 


like,  bearded  near  the  points ;  the  fore-teeth 
largest;  the  fin  that  covers  the  gills  with 
seven  spines ;  the  tail  ending  in  a  point  with 
out  fins  ;  an  inhabitant  near  the  Oriental  and 
American  shores;  of  a  silvery  white;  frequent- 
ly leaping  into  the  fishermen's  boats  in 
China. 

2.  The  Xiphias,  or  Sword-fish.     The  body 
round;  the  head  long;  the  upper  jaw  termi- 
nating by  a  long  beak,  in  form  of  a  sword ; 
the  fin  that  covers  the  gills  with  eight  spines ; 
an  inhabitant  of  Europe ;  an  enemy  to  the 
whale. 

3.  The  Ophidium  or  Gitihead.     The  body 
sword-like ;  the  head  blunt ;  the  fin  covering 
the  gills  with  seven  spines ;  the  opening  of 
the  mouth  side  ways ;  the  fins  of  the  back, 
the  anus,  and  the  tail,  all  joining  together ; 
the  most  beautiful  of  all  fishes,  covered  over 
with  green,  gold,  and  silver;  it  is  by  sailors 
called  the  dolphin,  and  gives  chace  to  the  fly- 
ing fish. 

Prickly-Jinned  Jugular  Fish 

4.  THE   Trachinus  or  Weever.     The  body 
oblong  ;  the  head  obtuse  ;  the  bones  covering 
the  gills  jagged  at  the  bottom;  the  fins  cover- 
ing the  gills  with  six  spines  ;  the  anus  near  the 
breast ;  buries  itself  in  the  sands,  leaving  only 
its  nose  out ;  and  if  trod  upon,  immediately 
strikes  with  the  spines  that  form  its  dorsal 
fins,  which  are  venomous  and  dangerous. 

5.  The   Uranoscopus.     The  body   wedge- 
like  ;  the  head  almost  round,  and  larger  than 
the  body  ;  the  mouth  flat ;  the  eyes  on  the 
top  of  the  head ;    the  fin  covering  the  gills 
with  six  spines ;  the  anus  in  the  middle  of 
the  body  ;  an  inhabitant  of  the  Mediterranean 
Sea. 

6.  The  Callyonymus  or  Dragonet.     The 
body  almost  wedge-like  ;  the  head  broad,  and 
larger  than  the  body;  the  mouth  even  with 
the  body  5'thi-  bony  covering  of  the  gills  dose 
shut;    the   opening   to   the   gills   behind  the 
head ;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  six  spines; 
an  inhabitant  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

7.  The  Blennius  or  Blenny.     The   body 
oblong  ;  the  head  obtusely  bevel ;  the  teeth  a 
single  range ;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with 
six  spines ;  the  ventral  fins  have  two  small 
blunt  bones  in  each  ;  a  species  of  this  animal 
is  viviparous. 


Prickly-firmed  Thoracic  Fish. 


8.  THE   Gobius  or  Gudgeon.     The   body 
round  and  oblong ;  the  head  with  two  little 
holes  between  the  eyes,  one  before  the  other; 
the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  four  spines  ;  the 
ventral  fins  joined  together. 

9.  The    Cepola.      The  body   s\vord-like ; 
the  head  blunt ;  the  mouth  flat ;  the  fin  cover- 
ing the  gill  with  six  spines ;  the  fins  distinct ; 
an  inhabitant  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 

10.  The    Coryphcena  or  Razor  fish.     The 
body  wedge-like ;  the  head  very  bevel ;  the 
fin  covering  the  gills  with  five  spines. 

1 1 .  The  Scomber  or  Mackarel.     The  body 
oblong ;  the  line  running  down  the   side  zig- 
zagged towards  the  tail  ;  the  head  sharp  and 
small ;  the  fins  covering  the  gills  with  seven 
spines;  several  false  fins  towards  the  tail. 

12.  The    Labrus   or    Wrasse.     The  body 
oval ;    the  head  middling ;  the  lips  doubled 
inward ;    both   cutting    and   grinding  teeth ; 
the  covers  of  the  gills  scaly  ;  the  fin  covering 
the  gills  with  five  spines ;   the  pectoral  fins 
pointed. 

13.  The  Sparus  or  Sea-bream.     The  body 
oblong ;  the  head  middling  ;  the  lips  not  in- 
verted ;  the  teeth  cutting  and  grinding ;  the 
cover  of  the  gills  scaly  ;  the  fins  covering  the 
gills  with  five  rays ;  the  pectoral  fins  point- 
ed. 

14.  The  Chcetodon  or  Cat-fish.     The  body 
oblong ;    the  head  small ;    the  teeth   slender 
and  bending;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with 
three  to  six  spines ;  the  fins  of  the  back  and 
anus  scaly. 

15.  The  Scicena.     The  body  nearly  ellipti- 
cal ;    the  head   bevel,  the  covers  of  the  fins 
scaly;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  six  rays; 
the  fins  of  the  back  jagged,  and  hidden  in  a 
furrow  in  the  back. 

16.  The   Perch.     The  body  oblong;   the 
head  bevel ;  the  covers  of  the  gills  scaly  and 
toothed  ;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  seven 
spines  ;  the  fins  in  some  jagged. 

17.  The  Scorpeena  or  Father-lasher.     The 
body  oblong ;  the  head   great,  with   beards ; 
the    covers  of   the   gills  armed    with    pric- 
kles ;   the  fin  covering  the  gills    with  seven 
spines. 

18.  The  Mullus  or  Surmulet.     The  body 
slender;  the  head  almost  four-cornered;  the 
fin  covering  the  gills  with  three  spines ;  some 


SPINOUS  FISHES. 


649 


of  these  have  beards ;  a  fish  highly  prized  by 
tiie  Romans,  and  still  considered  as  a  very 
great  delicacy. 

19.  The  Trigla  or  the  Gurnard.     The  body 
slender;  the  head  nearly  four-cornered,  and 
covered  with  a  bony  coat,   the  fin  covering 
the  gills  with  seven  spines;  the  pectoral  and 
ventral-fins, strengthened  with  additional  mus- 
cles and  bones,  and  very  large  for  the  ani- 
mal's size. 

20.  The  Coitus  or  Bull-head.      The  body 
wedge-like;  the  head  flat  and  broader  than 
the  body;  the  fin  covering  the  gills'  with  six 
spines;  the    head    furnished    with    p*rickles, 
knobs,  and  beards. 

21.  The  Zeus  or  Doree.     The  body  oblong; 
the  head  large,  bevel ;  the  fin  covering  the 
gills   with  seven   rays;  the  fins  jagged;  the 
upper  jaw  with  a  loose  floating  skin  depend- 
ing into  the  mouth. 

22.  The  Thrachipterus  or  Sabre.     The  body 
sword  like;  the  head  bevel;  the  fin  covering 
the   gills    with   six  spines;  the   lateral    line 
straight;  the  scales  in  a  single  order;  a  loose 
skin  in  both  the  jaws. 

23.  The  Gasterosteus  or  Stickleback.     The 
body  broadest  towards  the  tail ;  the  head  ob- 
long ;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  three,  six, 
or  seven  spines ;  prickles  starting  backward 
before  the  back  fins  and  the  fins  of  the^&nus. 

Prickly-finned  Abdominal  Fish. 

21.  THE  Silurus  or  Sheath-fish.  The  body 
oblong;  the  head  large;  the  fin  covering  the 
gills  from  four  to  fourteen  spines ;  the  leading 
bones  or  spines  in  the  back  and  pectoral  fins 
toothed. 

25.  The  Mugil  or  Mullet.     The  body  ob- 
,long;  the  head  almost  conical;  the  upper  jaw 
with  a  furrow,  which  receives  the  prominence 
of  the  under ;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with 
seven  rays. 

26.  The  Polynemus.     The  body  oblong;  the 
head  with  a  beak;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with 
from  five  to  seven  spines :  the  bones  that  move 
the  pectoral  fins  not  articulated  to  those  fins. 

27.  The  Teuthys.     The  body  almost  ellip- 
tical ;   the  head  abruptly  shortened ;  the  fin 
covering  the  gills  with  five  rays  ;  the  teeth  in 
a  single  row,  close,  strong,  and  even. 

28.  The  Elops  or  Sea-Serpent.     The  body 


slender ;  the  head  large ;  the  fin  covering  the 
gills  double,  with  thirty  spines,  and  armed  ex- 
ternally with  five  bones  resembling  teeth. 

SECT.  II. 

SOFT-FINNED  FISHES. 

Soft-firmed  Apodal  Fish. 

29.  THE  Muratna  or  Eel.     The  body  round 
and  slender;  the  head  terminating  in  a  beak; 
the  fin  covering  the  gills  with   ten   rays ;  the 
opening  to  the  gills  pipe-fashion,  placed  near 
the  pectoral  fins;  the  fins  of  the  back,  the 
anus,  and  the  tail,  united  in  one. 

30.  The  Gymnotus  or  Carapo.     The  body 
broadest  on  the  back,  like  the  blade  of  a  knife; 
the  head  small ;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with 
five  rays ;  the  back  without  a  fin ;  two  beards 
or  filaments  from  the  upper  lip;  an  inhabit- 
ant of  Brasil. 

31.  The  Anarhicas  or  Wolf-fish.     The  body 
roundish  and   slender;    the   head   large  arid 
blunt;  the  fore-teeth  above  and  below  conical; 
the  grinding  teeth  and   those  in  the   palate 
round ;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  has  seven  rays. 

32.  The  Stromateus.      The  body  oblong; 
the  head  small;  the  teeth  moderately  sharp; 
the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  five  or  six  rays. 

33.  The  Ammodytes  or  Launce.     The  body 
slender  and  roundish;  the  head  terminated 
by  a  beak;  the  teeth  of  a  hair-like  fineness; 
the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  seven  rays. 

Soft-finned  Jugular  Fish. 

34.  THE  Lepadogaster.     The  body  wedge- 
like;  the  head  oblong,  forwarder  than   the 
body,  flattish,  the  beak  resembling  that  of  a 
duck;  the  pectoral  fins  double,  two  on  each 
side;  the  ventral  fins  joined  together;  a  kind 
of  bony  breast-plate  between  the  pectoral  fins; 
the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  five  rays;  the 
opening  to  the  gills  pipe-fashion. 

35.  The  Gadus    or  Cod-fish.      The    body 
oblong;  the  head  wedge-like;  the  fin  cover- 
ing the  gills  with  seven  rays;  several   back 
and  anal  fins 

Soft-firmed  Thoracic  Fish. 

36.  THE  Pleuronectes  or  Flat-fish.    The  body 


650 


A  HISTORY  OF 


elliptical;  the  head  small;  both  eyes  on  one 
side  of  the  head;  the  fin  covering  the  gills 
with  from  four  to  seven  rajs. 

37.  The  Echineis  or  Sucking-fish,     The  bo- 
dy almost  wedge-like,  moderately  round ;  the 
head  broader  than  the  body;  the  fin  covering 
the  gills  with  ten  rays ;  an  oval  breast-plate, 
streaked  in  form  of  a  ladder,  toothed. 

38.  The  Lipidopus  or  Garter-fish.     The  bo- 
dy sword-like ;  the  head  lengthened  out ;  the 
fins  covering  the  gills  with  seven  rays ;  three 
scales  only  on  the  whole  body ;  two  in  the 
place  of  the  ventral  fins ;  the  third  from  that 
of  the  anus. 

Soft-Jinned  Abdominal  Fish. 

39.  THE  Lortcaria.  The  body  crusted  over; 
the  head  broad  with  a  beak;  no  teeth;  the 
fin  covering  the  gills  with  six  rays. 

40.  The  Atherina  or  Atherine.     The  body 
oblong ;  the  head  of  a  middling  size ;  the  lips 
indented  ;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  six 
rays;  the  line  on  the  sides  resembling  a  sil- 
ver band. 

41.  The  Salmo  or  Salmon.     The  body  ob- 
long; the  head  a  little  sharp;  the  fin  cover- 
ing the  gills  from  four  to  ten  rays ;  the  last 
fin  on  the  back,  without    its  correspondent 
muscles,  fat. 

42.  The  Fistularia.     The  body  angular,  in 
form  of  a  spindle ;  the  head  pipe-fashion,  with 
a  beak;  the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  seven 
rays;  the  under  jaw  covering  the  upper. 

43.  The  Esox  or  Pike.     The  body  round ; 
the  head  with  a  beak ;  the  under  jaw  pierced 
longitudinally  with  small  holes;  the  fin  cover- 
ing the  gills  with  from  seven  to  twelve  rays. 

44.  The  Argentina  OT  Argentine.     The  body 
a  little  round  and  slender;  the  head  with  a 
beak,  broader  than  the  body ;  the  fin  covering 
the  gills  with  eight  rays;  a  spurious  back-fin. 

45.  The  Clupea  or  Herring.     The  body  a 
little  oblong;  the  head  with  a  small  beak; 
the  fin  covering  the  gills  with  eight  rays. 

46.  The  Exocetus  or  Flying-fish.     The  body 
oblong;  the  head  almost  three-cornered;  the 
fin  covering  the  gills  with  seven  rays;  the 
pectoral  fins  placed  high,  and  as  long  as  the 
whole  body;  the  back-fin  at  the  extremity  of 
the  back. 

47.  TheCy/mmtsor  Carp.     The  body  elon- 


gated, almost  round ;  the  head  with  a  small 
beak;  the  hinder  part  of  the  bone  covering 
the  gills,  marked  with  a  crescent;  the  fin  co- 
vering the  gills  with  three  rays. 

48.  The  Cobitis  or  Loach.     The  body   ob- 
long; almost  equally  broad  throughout;  the 
head  small,  a  little  elongated  ;  the  eyes  in  the 
hinder  part  of  the  head;  the  fin  covering  the 
gills  from  four  to  six  rays;  the  covers  of  the 
gills  closed  below. 

49.  The  Amia  or  Bonito.     The  body  round 
and  slender;  the  head,  forehead,  and  breast, 
without  skin;  the  fin  covering  the  gills   with 
twelve  rays ;  two  beards  from  the  nose. 

50.  The  Mormyrus.    The  body  oblong ;  the 
head   elongated ;  the  fin   covering  the    gills 
with  a  single  ray;  the  opening  to  the  gills   is 
linear,  and  has  no  bone  covering  them. 

• 

Such  is  the  system  of  Mr  Gouan;  by  re- 
ducing to  which  any  fish  that  offers,  we  caa 
know  its  rank,  its  affinities,  and  partly  its  ana- 
tomy, all  which  make  a  considerable  part  in 
its  natural  history.  But,  to  show  the  use  of 
this  system  still  more  apparently,  suppose  I 
meet  with  a  fish,  the  name  to  me  unknown, 
of  which  I  desire  to  know  something  more. 
The  way  is  first  to  see  whether  it  be  a  car- 
tilaginous fish,  which  may  be  known  by  its 
wanting  fins  to  open  and  shut  the  gills,  which 
the  cartilaginous  kinds  are  wholly  without. 
If  I  find  that  it  has  them,  then  it  is  a  spinous 
fish;  and  in  order  to  know  its  kind,  I  examine 
its  fins,  whether  they  be  prickly  or  soft :  I  find 
them  soft ;  it  is  therefore  to  be  ranked  among 
the  soft-finned  fishes.  I  then  examine  its  ven- 
tral or  belly  fins,  and  finding  (hat  the  fish  has 
them,  I  look  for  their  situation,  and  find  they 
lie  nearer  to  the  tail  than  the  pectoral  fins. 
By  this  I  find  the  animal  to  be  a  soft-finned 
abdominal  fish.  Then,  to  know  which  of  the 
kinds  of  these  fishes  it  is,  I  examine  its  figure 
and  the  shape  of  its  head  :  I  find  the  body 
rather  oblong;  the  head  with  a  small  beak; 
the  lower  jaw  like  a  saw;  the  fin  covering 
the  gills  with  eight  rays.  This  animal  must 
therefore  be  the  herring,  or  one  of  that  fami- 
ly, such  as  the  pilchard,  the  sprat,  the  shiid, 
or  the  anchovy.  To  give  another  instance: 
Upon  examining  the  fins  of  a  fish  to  me  un- 
known, I  find  them  prickly;  I  then  look  for 
the  situation  of  the  ventral  fins,  I  find  them 


SPINOUS  FISHES. 


651 


entirely  wanting ;  this  then  must  be  a  prickly- 
finiied  apodal  fish.  Of  this  kind  there  are 
but  three :  and  by  comparing  the  fish  with 
the  description,  I  find  it  either  of  the  trichurus 


kind,  the  sword-fish,  or  the  gilthead.  Upon 
examining  also  its  internal  structure,  I  shall 
find  a  very  great  similitude  between  my  fish 
and  that  placed  at  the  head  of  the  family. 


CHAPTER  CXLIX. 

OF  SPINOUS  FISHES  IN  GENERAL. 


HAVING  given  a  method  by  which  Spinous 
Fishes  may  be  distinguished  from  each  other, 
the  history  of  each  in  particular  might  natu- 
rally be  expected  to  follow ;  but  such  a  dis- 
tinct account  of  each  would  be  very  disgust- 
ing, from  the  unavoidable  uniformity  of  every 
description.  The  history  of  any  one  of  this 
class  very  much  resembles  that  of  all  the  rest: 
they  breath  air  and  water  through  the  gills  ; 
they  live  by  rapine,  each  devouring  such  ani- 
mals as  its  mouth  is  capable  of  admitting; 
and  they  propagate,  not  by  bringing  forth 
their  young  alive,  as  in  the  cetaceous  tribes, 
nor  by  distinct  eggs,  as  in  the.  generality  of  the 
cartilaginous  tribes,  but  by  spawn,  or  peas,  as 
they  are  generally  called,  which  thev  produce 
by  hundreds  of  thousands.  These  are  the 
leading  marks  that  run  through  their  whole 
history,  and  which  have  so  much  swelled 
books  with  tiresome  repetition. 

It  will  be  sufficient  therefore  to  draw  this 
numerous  class  into  one  point  of  view,  and  to 
mark  how  they  differ  from  the  former  classes; 
and  what  they  possess  peculiarly  striking,  so 
as  to  distinguish  them  from  each  other.  The 
first  object  that  presents  itself,  and  that  by 
which  they  differ  from  all  others,  are  the 
bones.  These,  when  examined  but  slightly, 
appear  to  be  entirely  solid  ;  yet,  when  viewed 
more  closely,  every  bone  will  be  found  hollow, 
and  filled  with  a  substance  less  rancid  and 
oily  than  marrow.  These  bones  are  very 
numerous,  and  pointed  ;  and,  as  in  quadru 
pe«ls,  are  the  props  or  stays  to  which  the 
muscles  are  fixed  which  move  the  different 
parts  of  the  body. 

The  number  of  bones  in  all  spinous  fishes 
of  the  same  kind,  is  alwuvs  the  same.  It  is  a 
vulgar  way  of  speaking  M  sny,  that  fishes  are 
at  some,  seasons  more  bony  than  at  others ; 

wo-  53  &  36. 


but  this  scarcely  requires  contradiction.  It  is 
true  indeed,  that  fish  are  at  some  seasons  much 
fatter  than  at  others ;  so  that  the  quantity  of 
the  flesh  being  diminished,  and  that  of  the 
bones  remaining  the  same,  they  appear  to  in- 
crease in  number,  as  they  actually  bear  a 
greater  proportion. 

All  fish  of  the  same  kind,  as  was  said,  have 
the  same  number  of  bones:  the  skeleton  of  a 
fish,  however  irregularly  the  bones  may  fall 
in  our  way  at  table,  has  its  members  very 
regularly  disposed ;  and  every  bone  has  its 
fixed  place,  with  as  much  precision  as  we  find 
in  the  orders  of  a  regular  fabric.  But  then 
spinous  fish  differ  in  the  number  of  bones  ac- 
cording to  the  species:  for  some  have  a  greater 
number  of  fins  by  which  they  move  in  the 
water.  The  number  in  each  is  always  in 
proportion  to  the  number  and  size  of  these 
fins  :  for  every  fish  has  a  regular  apparatus  of 
bones  and  muscles,  by  which  the  fins  are 
moved ;  and  all  those  fish,  where  they  are 
numerous  or  large,  must,  of  consequence,  be 
considerably  bony.  Indeed,  in  the  larger  fish, 
the  quantify  of  flesh  is  so  much,  and  the  bones 
themselves  are  so  large,  that  they  are  easily 
seen  and  separated  ;  but  in  the  smaller  kinds 
with  many  fins,  the  bones  are  as  numerous  as 
in  the  great ;  yet  being  so  very  minute,  they 
lurk  almost  in  every  part  of  the  flesh,  and  are 
dangerous  as  well  as  troublesome  to  be  eaten. 
In  a  word,  those  fish  which  are  large,  fat,  and 
have  few  fins,  are  found  to  be  the  least  bony ; 
those  which  are  small,  lean,  and  have  many 
fins,  are  the  most  bony  of  all  others.  Thus, 
for  instance,  a  roach  appears  more  bony  than 
a  carp,  because  it  is  leaner  and  smaller ;  and 
if  is  actually  more  bony  than  an  eel,  because 
it  has  a  greater  number  of  fins. 

As  the  spinous  fish  partake  less  of  the  quad- 
41 


652 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ruped  in  their  formation  than  any  others,  so 
they  can  bear  to  Jive  out  of  their  own  element 
a  shorter  time.     In  general,  when   taken  out 
of  the   water   they   testify    their   change   by 
panting  more  violently  and  at  closer  intervals, 
the  thin  air  not  furnishing  their  gills  the  proper 
play ;    and    in   a   few   minutes   they   expire. 
Some  indeed  are  more  vivacious  in  air  than 
others  ;  the  eel  will  live  several  hours  out  of 
water  ;  and  the  carp  has  been  known  to  be 
fattened  in  a  damp  cellar.     The  method  is  by 
placing  it  in  a  net  well  wrapped  up  in  wet 
moss,  the  mouth  only  out,  and  then  hung  up 
in  a  vault.     The  fish  is  fed  with  white  bread 
and  milk ;  and  the  net  now  and  then  plunged 
into  the  water.     The  animal,  thus  managed, 
has  been  known  not  only  to  live  for  a  fort- 
night, but  to  grow  exceedingly  fat,  and  of  a 
superior  flavour.     From  this  it  would  seem 
that  the  want  of  moisture  in  the  gills  is  the 
chief  cause  of  the  death  of  these  animals  ;  and 
could  that  be  supplied,  their  lives  might  be  pro-   ; 
longed  in  the  air,  almost  as  well  as  in  their 
own  element. 

Yet  it  is  impossible  to  account  for  the  dif- 
ferent operations  of  the  same  element,  upon 
animals  that,  to  appearance,  have  the  same 
conformation.  To  some  fishes,  bred  in  the 
sea,  fresh  water  is  immediate  destruction  :  on 
the  other  hand,  some  fishes,  that  live  in  our 
lakes  and  ponds,  cannot  bear  the  salt  water. 
Whence  this  difference  can  aris^,  is  not  easily 
to  be  accounted  for.  The  saline  quality  of 
the  water  cannot  properly  be  given  as  the 
cause  ;  since  no  fishes  imbibe  any  of  the  sea's 
saltness  with  their  food,  or  in  respiration. 
The  flesh  of  all  fishes  is  equally  fresh,  both  in 
the  river,  and  in  the  saltest  depths  of  the 
ocean  ;  the  salt  of  the  element  in  which  they 
live  no  way  mixing  with  their  constitution. 
Whence  then  is  it  that  animals  will  live  only 
there,  and  will  quickly  expire  when  carried 
into  fresh  water  ?  It  may  probably  arise  from 
the  sup  jrior  weight  of  the  sea-water ;  as  from 
the  great  quantity  of  salt  dissolved  in  its  com- 
position, it  is  much  heavier  than  fresh  water, 
so  if  is  probable  it  li^s  with  greater  force  upon 
the  organs  of  respiration,  and  gives  them  their 
proper  and  necessary  play :  on  the  other 
hand,  (hose  fish  which  are  used  only  to  fresh 
water,  cannot  bear  the  weight  of  the  saline 
flui  I,  and  expire  in  a  manner  suffocated  in  the 
grossness  of  the  strange  element. 


But  though  there  are  some  tribes  that  live 
only  in  the  sea,  and  others  only  in  fresh 
water,  yet  there  are  some  whose  organs  are 
equally  adapted  to  either  element ;  and  that 
spend  a  part  of  their  season  in  one,  and  a  part 
in  the  other.  Thus  the  salmon,  the  shad,  the 
smelt,  and  the  flounder,  annually  quit  their 
native  ocean,  and  come  up  our  rivers  to  de- 
posite  their  spawn.  This  seems  the  most  im- 
portant business  of  their  lives  ;  and  there  is 
no  danger  which  they  will  not  encounter,  even 
to  the  surmounting  precipices,  to  find  a  proper 
place  for  the  deposition  of  their  future  offspring. 
The  salmon,  upon  these  occasions,  is  seen  to 
ascend  rivers  five  hundred  miles  from  the  sea; 
and  to  brave  not  only  the  danger  of  various 
enemies,  but  also  to  spring  up  cataracts  as 
high  as  a  house.  As  soon  as  they  come  to 
the  bottom  of  the  torrent,  they  seem  disap- 
pointed to  meet  the  obstruction,  and  swim 
some  paces  back :  they  then  lake  a  view  of 
the  danger  that  lies  before  them,  survey  it 
motionless  for  some  minutes,  advance,  and 
again  retreat ;  till  at  last  summoning  up  all 
their  force,  'hty  take  a  leap  from  the  bottom, 
their  body  straight,  mid  strongly  in  motion  ; 
and  thus  most  frequently  clear  every  obstruc- 
tion. It  sometimes  happens,  however,  that 
they  want  strength  to  make  the  leap;  and 
then,  in  our  fisheries,  they  are  taken  in  their 
descent.  But  this  is  one  of  the  smallest  dan- 
gers that  attend  these  adventuring  animals  in 
their  progress :  numberless  are  the  methods 
of  taking  then) ;  as  well  by  the  hook,  as  by 
nets,  baskets,  and  other  inventions,  which  it 
is  not  our  business  here  to  describe.  Their 
capture  makes,  in  several  countries,  a  great 
article  of  commerce;  and  being  cured  in 
several  different  manners,  either  by  salting, 
pickling,  or  drying,  they  are  sent  to  all  the 
markets  of  Europe. 

As  these  mount  up  the  rivers  to  deposite 
their  spawn,  others,  particulary  the  eel,  de- 
scend the  fresh  water  stream,  as  Redi  assures 
us,  to  bring  forth  their  young  in  the  sea. 
About  the  month  of  August,  annually,  these 
animals  take  the  opportunity  of  the  most  ob- 
scure nights,  and  when  the  rivers  are  flooded 
by  accidental  rains  seek  the  ocean.  When 
they  have  reached  the  sea,  and  produced  their 
young,  for  they  are  viviparous,  they  again 
ascend  the  stream,  at  different  times,  as  oppor- 
tunity offers,  or  as  the  season  is  favourable  or 


SPINOUS  FISHES. 


653 


tempestuous.  Thfir  passage  begins  usually 
about  the  end  of  January,  and  continues  till 
towards  t-he  end  of  May,  when  they  are  taken 
in  the  river  Arno  by  millions,  and  so  small 
th-tt-a  thousand  of  them  goes  to  a  pound. 
There  is  nothing  more  certain  than  that  they 
descend  in  our  own  rivers  after  floods,  in 
great  abundance,  and  are  thus  caught  in  nets, 
to  very  great  advantage.  They  are  possessed 
also  of  a  power  of  climbing  over  any  obstacle ; 
for,  by  applying  their  glutinous' and  slimy 
bodies  to  the  surface  of  the  object  they  desire 
to  surmount,  they  can  thus  creep  up  locks, 
weirs,  and  every  thing  that  Would  prevent 
their  ascending  the  current  of  the  stream. 

But  the  length  of  the  voyage  performed  by 
these  fishes,  is  sport,  if  compared  to  what  is 
annually  under-taken  by  some  tribes,  that 
constantly  reside  in  the  ocean.  These  are 
known  to  take  a  course  of  three  or  four  thou- 
sand miles  in  .a  season,  serving  for  prey  to 
whales,  sharks,  and  the  numerous  flocks  of 
water-fowl,  that  regularly  wait  to  intercept 
their  progress.  These  may  be  called  fish  of 
passage,  and  bear  a  strong  an  >logy  to  birds  of 
passage,  both  from  their  social  disposition,  and 
the  immensity  of  their  numbers.  Of  this 
kind  are  the  cod,  the  haddock,  the  whiting, 
the  mackarel,  the  tunny,  the  herring,  and  the 
pilchard.  Other  fish  live  in  our  vicinity,  and 
reside  on  our  coasts  all  the  year  round ;  or 
keep  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean,  and  are  but 
seldom  seen :  but  these,  at  stated  seasons, 
visit  their  accustomed  haunts  with  regular 
certainty,  generally  returning  the  same  week 
in  the  succeeding  year,  and  often  the  same 
day. 

The  stated  returns,  and  the  regular  progress 
of  these  fish  of  passage,  is  one  of  the  most  ex- 
traordinary circumstances  in  all  the  history  of 
nature.  What  it  is  that  impels  them  to  such 
distant  voyages  ;  what  directs  their  passage  ; 
and  what  supports  them  by  the  way ;  and 
what  sometimes  prompts  them  to  quit,  for 
several  seasons,  one  shore  for  another,  and 
then  return  to  their  accustomed  harbour :  are 
questions  that  curiosity  may  ask,  but  philoso- 
phy can  hardly  resolve.  We  must  dismiss 
inquiry,  satisfied  with  the  certainty  of  the 
facts. 

The  cod  seems  to  be  the  foremost  of  this 
wandering  tribe,  and  is  only  found  in  our 
northern  part  of  the  world.  This  animal's 


chief  place  of  resort  is  on  the  banks  of  New- 
foundland, and  the  other  sand-banks  that  lie 
off  Cape  Breton.  That  extensive  flat,  seems 
to  be  no  other  than  the  broad  top  of  a  sea- 
mountain,  extending  for  above  five  hundred 
miles  long,  and  surrounded  with  a  deeper 
sea.  Hither  the  cod  annually  repair  in  num- 
bers beyond  the  power  of  calculation,  to  feed 
on  the  quantity  of  worms  that  are  to  be  found 
there  in  the  sandy  bottom.  Here  they  are 
taken  in  such  quantities,  that  they  supply  all 
Europe  with  a  considerable  share  of  provision. 
The  English  have  stages  erected  all  along  the 
shore  for  salting  and  drying  them  ;  and  the 
fishermen,  who  take  them  with  the  hook  and 
line,  which  is  their  method,  draw  them  in  as 
fast  as  they  can  throw  out.  This  immense 
capture,  however,  makes  but  a  very  small 
diminution,  when  compared  to  their  numbers; 
and  when  their  provision  there  is  exhausted, 
or  the  season  for  propagation  returns,  they  go 
off  to  the  polar  seas,  where  they  deposite  their 
roes  in  full  security.  From  thence  want  of 
food  forces  them,  as  soon  as  the  first  more 
southern  seas  are  open,  to  repair  southward 
for  subsistence.  Nor  is  this  fish  an  unfrequent 
visitant  upon  our  own  shores  :  but  the  returns 
are  not  so  regular,  nor  does  the  capture  bear 
any  proportion  to  that  at  Newfoundland. 

The  haddock,  the  whiting,  and  the  macka- 
rel, are  thought  by  some  to  be  driven  upon 
our  coast  rather  by  their  fears  than  their  ap- 
petites ;  and  it  is  to  the  pursuit  of  the  larger 
fishes  we  owe  their  welcome  visits.  It  is 
much  more  probable,  that  they  come  for  that 
food  which  is  found  in  more  plenty  near  the 
shore  than  farther  out  at  sea.  One  thing  is 
remarkable,  that  their  migrations  seem  to  be 
regularly  conducted.  The  grand  shoal  of 
haddocks  that  comes  periodically  on  the 
Yorkshire  coasts,  appeared  there  in  a  body 
on  the  tenth  of  December,  1766;  and  exactly 
on  the  same  day  in  the  following  year.  This 
shoal  extended  from  the  shore  near  three 
miles  in  breadth,  and  in  length  for  more  than 
forty.  The  limits  of  a  shoal  are  precisely 
known;  for  if  the  fishermen  put  down  their 
lines  at  the  distance  of  more  than  three  miles 
from  shore,  they  catch  nothing  but  dog-fish : 
a  proof  (hat  the  haddock  is  not  there. 

But  of  all  migrating  fish,  the  herring  and 
the  pilchard  take  the  most  adventurous  voy- 
ages. Herrings  are  found  in  the  greatest 

4Z» 


C54 


A  HISTORY  OF 


abundance  in  the  highest  northern  latitudes. 
In  those  inaccessible  seas,  that  are  covered 
with  ice  fora  great  part  of  the  year,  the  her- 
ring and  pilchard  find  a  quiet  and  sure  retreat 
from  all  their  numerous  enemies :  thither  nei- 
ther man,  nor  their  still  more  destructive  ene- 
my, the  fin-fish,  or  the  cachalot,  dares  to  pur- 
sue them.  The  quantity  of  insect  food  which 
those  seas  supply,  is  very  great;  whence,  in 
that  remote  situation,  defended  by  the  icy 
rigour  of  the  climate,  they  live  at  ease,  and 
multiply  beyond  expression.  From  this  most 
desirable  retreat,  Anderson  supposes,  they 
would  never  depart,  but  that  their  numbers 
render  it  necessary  for  them  to  migrate ;  and, 
as  with  bees  from  a  hive,  they  are  compelled 
to  seek  for  other  retreats. 

For  this  reason,  the  great  colony  is  seen 
to  set  out  from  the  icy  sea  about  the  middle 
of  winter;  composed  of  numbers,  that  if  all 
the  men  in  the  world  were  to  be  loaded  with 
herrings,  they  would  not  carry  the  thousandth 
part  away.  But  they  no  sooner  leave  their 
retreats,  but  millions  of  enemies  appear  to 
thin  their  squadrons.  The  fin-fish  and  the 
cachalot  swallow  barrels  at  a  yawn ;  the  por- 
poise, the  grampus,  the  shark,  and  the  whole 
numerous  tribe  of  dog-fish,  find  them  an  easy 
prey,  and  desist  from  making  war  upon  each 
other:  but.  still  more,  the  unnumbered  flocks 
of  sea-fowl,  that  chiefly  inhabit  near  the  pole, 
watch  the  outset  of  their  dangerous  migration, 
and  spread  extensive  ruin. 

in  this  exigence  the  defenceless  emigrants 
find  no  other  safety  but  by  crowding  closer 
together,  and  leaving  to  the  outmost  bands 
the  danger  of  being  the  first  devoured;  thus, 
like  sheep  when  frighted,  that  always  run  to- 
gether in  a  body,  and  each  finding  some  pro- 
tection in  being  but  one  of  many  that  are 
equally  liable  to  invasion,  they  are  seen  to 
separate  into  shoals,  one  body  of  which  moves 
to  the  west,  and  pours  down  along  the  coasts 
of  America,  as  far  south  as  Carolina,  and  but 
seldom  farther.  In  Chesapeak  Bay,  the  an- 
nual inundation  of  these  fish  is  so  great,  that 
they  cover  the  shores  in  such  quantities  as  to 
become  a  nuisance.  Those  that  hold  more 
to  the  east,  and  come  down  towards  Europe, 
endeavour  to  save  themselves  from  their  mvr- 
ciless  pursuers,  by  approaching  the  first  shore 
*hey  can  find ;  and  that  which  first  offers  in 


their  descent,  is  the  coast  of  Iceland,  in  the 
beginning  of  March.  Upon  their  arrival  on 
that  coast,  their  phalanx,  which  has  already 
suffered  considerable  diminutions,  is,  never- 
theless, of  amazing  extent,  depth,  and  close- 
ness, covering  an  extent  of  shore  as  large  as 
the  island  itself.  The  whole  water  seems 
alive ;  and  is  seen  so  black  with  them  to  a 
great  distance,  that  the  number  seems  inex- 
haustible. There  the  porpoise  and  the  shark 
continue  their  depredations;  and  the  birds 
devour  what  quantities  they  please.  By  these 
enemies  the  herrings  are  cooped  up  into  so 
close  a  body,  that  a  shovel,  or  any  hollow 
vessel,  put  into  the  water,  takes  them  up  with- 
out farther  trouble. 

That  body  which  comes  upon  our  coasts, 
begins  to  appear  off  the  Shetland  Isles  in 
April.  These  are  the  forerunners  of  the 
grand  shoal  which  descends  in  June;  while 
its  arrival  is  easily  announced,  by  the  num- 
ber of  its  greedy  attendants,  the  gannet,  the 
gull,  the  shark,  and  the  porpoise.  When  the 
main  body  is  arrived,  its  breadth  and  depth 
is  such  as  to  alter  the  very  appearance  of  the 
ocean.  It  i?  divided  into  distinct  columns,  of 
five  or  six  miles  in  length,  and  three  or  four 
broad  ;  while  the  water  before  them  curls  up, 
as  if  forced  out  of  its  bed.  Sometimes  they 
sink  for  the  space  of  ten  or  fifteen  minutes, 
then  rise  again  to  the  surface;  and,  in  bright 
weather,  reflect  a  variety  of  splendid  colours, 
like  afield  bespangled  wilh  purple, gold,  and 
azure.  The  fishermen  are  ready  prepared 
to  give  them  a  proper  reception ;  and,  by 
nets  made  for  the  occasion,  they  take  some- 
times above  two  thousand  barrels  at  a  single 
draught. 

From  the  Shetland  Isles,  another  body  of 
this  great  army,  where  it  divides,  goes  off  to 
the  western  coasts  of  Ireland,  where  they 
meet  with  a  second  necessity  of  dividing.  The 
one  takes  to  the  Atlantic,  where  it  is  soon 
lost  in  that  extensive  ocean ;  the  other  passes 
into  the  Irish  sea,  and  furnishes  a  very  con- 
siderable capture  to  the  natives. 

In  this  manner,  the  herrings,  expelled  from 
their  native  seas,  seek  those  bays  and  shores 
where  they  can  find  food,  and  the  best  defence 
against  their  unmerciful  pursuers  of  the  deep. 
In  general,  the  most  inhabited  shores  are  the 
places  where  the  larger  animals  of  the  deep 


SPINOUS  FISHES. 


655 


are  least  fond  of  pursuing;  and  these  are  cho- 
sen by  the  herrings  as  an  asylum  from  great 
dangers.  Thus,  along  the  coasts  of  Norway, 
the  German  shores,  and  the  northern  shores 
of  France,  these  animals  are  found  punctual 
in  their  visitations.  In  these  different  places 
they  produce  their  young;  which,  when  come 
to  some  degree  of  maturity,  attend  the  gene- 
ral motions.  After  the  destruction  of  such 
numbers,  the  quantity  that  attempts  to  return 
is  but  small;  and  Anderson  doubts  whether 
they  ever  return. 

Such  is  the  account  given  of  the  migration 
of  these  fishes,  by  one  who,  of  all  others,  was 
best  acquainted  with  their  history;  and  yet 
many  doubts  arise,  in  every  part  of  the  mi- 
gration. The  most  obvious  which  has  been 
made  is,  that  though  such  numbers  perish  in 
their  descent  from  the  north,  yet,  in  compari- 
son to  those  that  survive,  (he  account  is  tri- 
fling: and  it  is  supposed,  that  of  those  taken 
by  man,  the  proportion  is  not  one  to  a  million. 
Their  regularly  leaving  the  shore  also  at  a 
stated  lime,  would  imply  that  they  are  not 
in  these  visits  under  the  impulse  of  necessity. 
In  fact,  there  seems  one  circumstance  that 
shows  these  animals  are  governed  by  a  choice 
with  respect  to  the  shores  they  pitch  upon; 
and  not  blindly  drove  from  one  shore  to  ano- 
ther. What  I  mean  is,  their  fixing  upon  some 
shores  for  several  seasons,  or,  indeed,  for  se- 
veral ages  together;  and,  after  having  regu- 
larly visited  them  every  year,  then  caprici- 
ously forsaking  them,  never  more  to  return. 
The  first  great  bank  for  herrings  was  along 
the  shores  of  Norway.  Before  the  year  1584, 
the  number  of  ships  from  all  parts  of  Europe 
tiiat  resorted  to  that  shore,  exceeded  some 
thousands.  The  quantity  of  herrings  that 
wen?  then  assembled  there,  was  such,  that  a 
man  who  should  put  a  spear  in  the  water,  as 
Olaus  Magnus  ass-erts.  would  see  it  stand  on 
end,  being  prevented  from  falling.  But  soon 
after  that  period,  these  animals  were  seen  to 
desert  the  Norway  shores,  and  took  up  along 
the  German  coast,  where  the  Hanse-Towns 
drove  a  very  great  trade  by  their  capture  and 
sale;  but  for  above  a  century,  the  herrings 
have,  in  a  great  measure,  forsaken  them  ;  and 
their  greatest  colonies  are  seen  in  the  British 
Channel,  and  upon  the  Irish  shores.  It  is  not 
easy  to  assign  a  cause  for  this  seemingly  ca- 


pricious desertion:  whether  the  number  of 
their  finny  enemies,  increasing  along  the 
northern  coasts,  may  have  terrified  the  her- 
ring tribe  from  their  former  places  of  resort; 
or,  whether  the  quantity  of  food  being  greater 
in  the  British  Channel,  may  not  allure  them 
thither;  is  not  easy  to  determine. 

The  pilchard,  which  is  a  fish  differing  little 
from  the  herring,  makes  the  coast  of  Corn- 
wall its  place  of  principal  resort.  Their  ar- 
rival on  that  coast  is  soon  proclaimed  by  their 
attendants  the  birds,  and  the  larger  fishes; 
and  the  whole  country  prepare  to  take  the 
advantage  of  this  treasure,  providentially 
thrown  before  them.  The  natives  sometimes 
enclose  a  bay  of  several  miles  extent  with 
their  nets  called  saines.  To  direct  them  in 
their  operations,  there  were  some  years  ago 
(but  I  believe  they  are  discontinued)  several 
men  placed  on  eminences  near  the  shore,  call- 
ed huers,  who,  with  brooms  in  their  hands, 
gave  signals  where  the  nets  were  to  be  ex- 
lended,  and  where  the  shoals  of  fishes  lay: 
this  they  perceived  by  the  colour  of  the  w  a- 
ter,  which  assumed  a  tincture  from  the  shoals 
beneath.  By  these  means,  they  sometimes 
take  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  barrels  of  pil- 
chards at  a  draught;  and  they  place  them  in 
heaps  on  the  shore.  It  often  happens,  that 
the  quantity  caught  exceeds  the  salt  or  the 
utensils  for  curing  them  ;  and  they  then  are 
carried  off  to  serve  for  the  purposes  of  ma- 
nure. This  fishery  employs  not  only  great 
numbers  of  men  at  sea,  training  them  to  naval 
affairs,  but  also  numbers  of  women  and  chil- 
dren at  land,  in  salting  and  curing  the  fish  ; 
in  making  boats,  nets,  ropes,  aiid  casks,  lor 
the  purposes  of  taking  or  fitting  them  tor  sale. 
The  poor  are  fed  with  the  superfluity  of  the 
capture;  the  land  is  manured  with  theoflids; 
the  merchant  finds  the  gain  of  commission, 
and  honest  commerce;  the  fisherman  a  com- 
fortable subsistence  from  his  toil.  "Ships," 
says  Dr.  Borlase,  "are  often  freighted  hither 
with  salt,  and  into  foreign  countries  with  the 
fish,  carrying  off  at  the  same  time  a  part  of 
our  tin.  The  usual  produce  of  the  number 
of  hogsheads  exported  for  ten  years,  from 
1747  to  1756  inclusive,  amounted  to  near 
thirty  thousand  hogsheads  each  year;  every 
hogshead  has  amounted,  upon  an  average,  to 
the  price  of  one  pound  thirteen  shillings  and 


656 


A  HISTORY  OF 


threepence.  Thusthe money  paid  for  pilchards 
exported,  has  annually  amounted  to  nenr  fifty 
thousand  pounds." 

Whence  these  infinite  numbers  arc  derived, 
still  remains  obscure  ;  but  it  will  increase  our 
wonder  to  be  told,  that  so  small  a  fish  as  the 
stickleback,  which  is  seldom  above  two  inches 
long,  and  that  one  would  think  could  easily 
find  support  in  any  water,  is  yet  obliged  to 
colonize,  and  leave  its  native  fens  in  search  of 
new  habitations.  Once  every  seventh  or 
eighth  year,  amazing  shoals  of  these  appear 
in  the  river  Welland,  near  Spalding,  and  come 
up  the  stream,  forming  one  great  column. 
They  are  supposed  to  be  multitudes  collected 
in  some  of  the  fens,  till  overcharged  with 
numbers,  they  are  periodically  obliged  to  mi- 
grate. An  idea  may  be  had  of  their  numbers, 
when  we  are  informed,  that  a  man,  employed 
by  a  farmer  to  take  them,  for  the  purpose  of 
manuring  his  grounds,  has  got,  for  a  consider- 
able time,  four  shillings  a  day,  by  selling  them 
at  a  halfpenny  a  bushel ! 

Thus  we  see  the  amazing  propagation  of 
fishes  along  our  own  coasts  and  rivers ;  but 
their  numbers  bear  no  proportion  to  the  vast 
quantities  found  among  the  islands  of  the 
Indian  ocean.  The  inhabitants  of  these  coun- 
tries are  not  under  the  necessity  even  of  pro- 
viding instruments  for  fishing ;  it  is  but  going 
down  to  the  shore,  and  there  the  fish  are 
found  in  great  numbers  in  the  plashes  that 
still  continue  to  have  water  in  them.  In  some 
of  these  places  the  quantity  is  so  great,  that 
they  are  left  in  shoals  on  those  swamps,  dried 
up  by  the  sun,  and  their  putrefaction  contri- 
butes to  render  the  country  unhealthful. 

This  power  of  increasing  in  these  animals, 
exceeds  our  ideas,  as  it  would,  in  a  very  short 
time,  outstrip  all  calculation.  A  single  her- 
ring, if  suffered  to  multiply  unmolested  and 
undiminished  for  twenty  years,  would  show  a 
progeny  greater  in  bulk  than  ten  such  globes 
as  that  we  live  upon.  But  happily  the 
balance  of  nature  is  exactly  preserved  ;  and 
their  consumption  is  equal  to  their  fecundity. 
For  this  reason  we  are  to  consider  the  por- 
poise, the  shdrk,  or  the  cod-fish,  not  in  the 
light  of  plunderers  and  rivals,  but  of  benefac- 
tors to  mankind.  Without  their  assistance, 
the  sea  would  soon  become  overcharged  with 
the  burden  of  its  own  productions;  and  that 
element,  which  at  present  distributes  health 


and  plenty  to  the  shore,  would   but  load  it 
with  putrefaction. 

In  the  propagation  of  all  fish,  some  degree 
of  warmth  seems  absolutely  necessary,  not 
only  to  their  preservation,  but  to  the  advance- 
ment of  their  posteriiy.  Their  spawn  is 
always  deposited  in  those  places  where  the 
sun-beams  may  reach  them,  either  at  the  bot- 
tom of  shallow  shores,  or  floating  on  the  sur- 
face in  deeper  waters.  A  small  degree  of 
heat  answers  all  the  purposes  of  incubation, 
and  the  animal  issues  from  the  egg  in  its  state 
of  perfect  formation,  never  to  undergo  any 
succeeding  change. 

Yet,  still  1  have  some  doubts  whether  most 
fish  come  from  the  egg  con  pletely  formed. 
We  know  that  in  all  the  frog  tribe,  and  many 
of  the  lizard  kind,  they  are  produced  from  the 
egg  in  an  imperfect  form.  The  tadpole,  or 
young  frog,  with  its  enormous  head  and  slen- 
der tail,  are  well  known  ;  a  species  of  the 
lizard  also,  which  is  excluded  from  the  sh<  11 
without  legs,  only  acquires  them  by  degn  PS, 
and  not  till  after  some  time  does  it  put  off  its 
serpent  form.  It  is  probable  that  some  kinds 
of  fish  in  like  manner  suffer  a  change  ;  and 
though  it  be  too  inconsiderable  to  strike  the 
fisherman  or  the  inattentive  spectator,  yet  it 
makes  a  very  material  difference  to  the  natu- 
ralist, and  would  perhaps  disarrange  his  most 
favourite  systems.  A  slight  alteration  in  the 
fins  or  bones  that  cover  the  gills  would  over- 
turn the  whole  fabric  of  the  most  applauded 
ichthyologist ;  and  yet,  as  I  observed,  it  is 
most  probable  that  these  minute  alterations 
often  take  place. 

As  a  proof  of  this,  during  the  month  of  July, 
there  appear  near  Greenwich  innumerable 
shoals  of  small  fishes,  which  are  known  to  the 
Londoners  by  the  name  of  White  Bait.  It  is 
universally  agreed  that  they  are  the  young  of 
some  fish  ;  they  are  never  seen  but  at  this 
time  of  the  year,  and  never  found  to  have  any 
roe,  a  circumstance  that  proves  their  not 
bring  come  to  maturity.  The  quantity  is 
amazing ;  and  the  fish  that  produces  them  in 
such  numbers  must  be  in  plenty,  though  it  is 
not  yet  known  what  that  fish  is,  as  they  cor- 
respond with  no  other  species  whatever. 
They  most  resemble  the  smelt  in  form  ;  and 
yet  they  want  a  fin,  which  that  animal  is 
never  without.  They  cannot  be  the  bleak, 
as  they  are  never  found  in  other  rivers  where 


SPINOUS  FISHES. 


657 


the  bleak  breed  in  great  abundance.  It  is 
most  probable,  therefore,  that  they  are  the 
young  of  some  animal  not  yet  come  to  their 
perfect  form,  and  therefore  reducible  to  no 
present  system. 

The  time  that  spinous  fishes  continue  in 
the  pea  is  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the 
kind.  It  is  a  rule  that  chiefly  holds  through 
nature,  that  the  larger  the  animals  are,  the 
longer  they  continue  before  exclusion.  This 
I  say  holds  generally  through  all  nature, 
though  it  is  not  easy  to  assign  a  cause  for  so 
well  known  a  truth.  It  may  probably  be, 
that  as  all  large  bodies  take  a  longer  time  to 
grow  hot  than  small  ones,  so  the  larger  the 
egg.  the  longer  influence  of  vital  warmth  it 
requires  to  reach  through  all  its  recesses,  and 
to  unfold  the  dormant  springs  that  wait  to  be 
put  into  motion. 

The  manner  in  which  the  eggs  of  fishes  are 
impregnated  is  wholly  unknown.  All  that 
obviously  offers  is,  that  in  ponds  the  sexes 
are  often  seen  together  among  the  long  grass 
at  the  edge  of  the  water;  that  there  they 
seem  to  struggle ;  and  that  during  this  time 
they  are  in  a  state  of  suffering:  they  grow 
thin;  they  lose  their  appetite,  and  their  flesh 
becomes  flabby ;  the  scales  of  some  grow 
'rough,  and  they  lose  their  lustre.  On  the 
contrary,  when  the  time  of  coupling  is  over, 
their  appetite  returns;  they  reassume  their 
natural  agility,  and  their  scales  become  bril- 
liant and  beautiful. 

Although  the  usual  way  with  spinous  fishes 
is  to  produce  by  spawn ;  yet  there  are  some, 
such  as  the  eel  and  the  blenny,  that  are 
known  to  bring  forth  their  young  alive. 
Bowlker,  who  has  written  a  treatise  upon 
fishing,  seems  to  determine  the  question  rela- 
tive to  the  viviparous  production  of  eels, 
upon  the  authority  of  one  or  two  credible 
witnesses.  An  eel,  opened  in  the  presence 
of  several  persons  of  credit,  was  found  to 
have  an  infi.iite  number  of  little  creatures, 
closely  wrapped  up  together  in  a  lump,  about 
the  size  of  a  nutmeg,  which  being  put  into  a 


*  The  Eel,  it  is  known,  is  viviparous.  It  produces  its 
numerous  young  during  the  decline  of  summer  :  these  are 
very  small  at  their  first  exclusion.  This  fish  often  wan- 
ders about  meadows  in  search  of  snails  and  other  food  ; 
and,  according  to  Dr.  Anderson,  young  eels  will  often 


basin  of  water,  soon  separated,  and  swam 
about :  yet  still,  whether  these  may  not  have 
been  worms  generated  in  the  animal's  body, 
remains  a  doubt;  for  there  are  scarcely  any 
fishes  that  are  not  infested  with  worms  in 
that  manner.* 

With  respect  to  the  growth  of  fishes,  it  is 
observed,  that  among  carps,  particularly  the 
first  year,  they  grow  to  about  the  size  of  the 
leaf  of  a  willow-tree  ;  at  two  years,  they  are 
about  four  inches  long.  They  grow  but  one 
inch  more  the  third  season,  which  is  five 
inches.  Those  of  four  years  old  are  about 
six  inches  ;  and  seven  after  the  fifth.  From 
that  to  eight  years  old  they  are  found  to  be 
large  in  proportion  to  the  goodness  of  the 
pond,  from  eight  to  twelve  inches.  With  re- 
gard to  sea-fish,  the  fishermen  assure  us,  that 
a  fish  must  be  six  years  old  before  it  is  fit  to 
be  served  up  to  table.  They  instance  it  in 
the  growth  of  a  mackarel.  They  assure  us 
that  those  of  a  year  old  are  as  large  as  one's 
finger;  that  those  of  two  years,  are  about 
twice  that  length;  at  three  and  four  years, 
they  are  that  small  kind  of  mackarel  that 
have  neither  milts  nor  roes  ;  and  between  five 
and  six,  they  are  those  full-grown  fish  that 
are  served  up  to  our  tables.  In  the  same 
manner,  with  regard  to  flat  fishes,  they  tell 
us,  that  the  turbot  and  barbel  at  one  year 
are  about  the  size  of  a  crown-piece ;  the 
second  year  as  large  as  the  palm  of  one's 
hand ;  and  at  the  fifth  and  sixth  year,  they 
are  large  enough  to  be  served  up  to  table. 
Thus  it  appears,  that  fish  are  a  considerable 
time  in  coining  to  their  full  growth,  and  that 
they  are  a  long  time  destroyed  before  it 
comes  to  their  turn  to  be  destroyers.1* 

All  fish  live  upon  each  other,  in  some  state 
of  their  existence.  Those  with  the  largest 
mouths,  attack  and  devour  the  larger  kinds; 
those  whose  mouths  are  less,  lie  in  wait  for 
the  smaller  fry  ;  and  even  these  chiefly  sub- 
sist upon  spawn.  Of  those  which  live  in  the 
ocean,  of  the  spinous  kinds,  the  Dorado  is 
the  most  voracious.  This  is  chiefly  found  in 


migrate  across  land,  in  great  shoals,  from  one  part  of  a 
river  to  another. 

b  Traite  dus  Peches,  par  Monsieur  Duhamel.     Sect.  3. 
p.  10. 


658 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  tropical  climates ;  and  is  at  once  the  most 
active  and  the  most  beautiful  of  the  finny  re- 
gion. It  is  about  six  feet  long;  the  back  all 
over  enamelled  with  spots  of  a  bluish  green 
and  silver;  the  tail  and  fins  of  a  gold  colour; 
and  all  have  a  brilliancy  of  tint,  that  nothing 
but  nature's  pencil  can  attain  to:  the  eyes 
are  placed  on  each  side  of  the  head,  large  and 
beautiful,  surrounded  with  circles  of  shining 
gold.  In  the  seas  where  they  are  found,  these 
fish  are  always  in  motion,  and  play  round 
ships  in  full  sail,  with  ease  and  security:  for 
ever  either  pursuing  or  pursued,  they  are 
seen  continually  in  a  state  of  warfare;  either 
defending  themselves  against  the  shark,  or 
darting  after  the  smaller  fishes.  Of  all  others, 
the  Flying-fish  most  abounds  in  these  seas ; 
and  as  it  is  a  small  animal,  seldom  growing 
above  the  size  of  a  herring,  it  is  chiefly  sought 
by  the  dorado.  Nature  has  furnished  each 
respectively  with  the  powers  of  pursuit  and 
evasion.  The  dorado  being  above  six  feet 
long,  yet  not  thicker  than  a  salmon,  and  fur- 
nished with  a  full  complement  of  fins,  cut  its 
way  through  the  water  with  amazing  rapidi- 
ty :  on  the  other  hand,  the  flying-fish  is  fur- 
nished with  two  pair  of  fins  longer  than  the 
body,  and  these  also  moved  by  a  stronger 
set  of  muscles  than  any  other.  This  equali- 
ty of  power  seems  to  furnish  one  of  the  most 
entertaining  spectacles  those  seas  can  exhibit. 
The  efforts  to  seize  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
arts  of  escaping  on  the  other,  are  perfectly 
amusing.  The  dorado  is  seen,  upon  this  oc- 
casion, darting  after  its  prey,  which  will  not 
leave  the  water,  while  it  has  the  advantage 
of  swimming,  in  the  beginning  of  the  chase. 
But,  like  a  hunted  hare,  being  tired  at  last, 
it  then  has  recourse  to  another  expedient  for 
safety  by  flight.  The  long  fins,  which  began 
to  grow  useless  in  the  water,  are  now  exert- 
ed in  a  different  manner  and  different  direc- 
tion to  that  in  which  they  were  employed  in 
swimming:  by  this  means,  the  timid  little  ani- 
m  il  rises  from  the  water,  and  flutters  over  its 
surface,  for  two  or  three  hundred  yards,  till 
the  muscles  employed  in  moving  the  wings 
are  enfeebled  by  that  particular  manner  of 
exertion.  By  this  time,  however,  they  have 
acquired  a  fresh  power  of  renewing  their  ef- 
forts in  the  water,  and  the  animal  is  capable 
of  proceeding  with  some  velocity  by  swim- 


ming: still,  however,  the  active  enemy  keepg 
it  in  view,  and  drives  it  again  from  the  deep; 
till,  at  length,  the  poor  little  creature  is  seen 
to  dart  to  shorter  distances,  to  flutter  with 
greater  effort,  and  to  drop  down  at  last  into 
the  mouth  of  its  fierce  pursuer.  But  not  the 
dorado  alone,  all  animated  nature  seems  com- 
bined against  this  little  fish,  which  seems  pos- 
sessed of  double  powers,  only  to  be  subject 
to  greater  dangers.  For  though  it  should  es- 
cape from  its  enemies  of  the  deep,  yet  the 
tropic  bird  and  the  albatross  are  for  ever  up- 
on the  wing  to  seize  it.  Thus  pursued  in 
either  element,  it  sometimes  seeks  refuge  from 
a  new  enemy;  and  it  is  not  unfrequent  for 
whole  shoals  of  them  to  fall  on  shipboard, 
where  they  furnish  man  with  an  object  of 
useless  curiosity. 

The  warfare  in  fresh  water  is  not  carried 
on  with  such  destructive  activity;  nor  are 
the  inhabitants  of  that  element  so  numerous. 
It  would  seem  that  there  is  something  more 
favourable  to  the  fecundity  of  fishes  in  the 
ocean,  than  in  an  element  less  impregnated 
with  salt.  It  has  been  the  opinion  of  some 
philosophers,  that  all  fish  are  natives  of  that 
great  reservoir;  and  that  only  colonies  have 
been  sent  up  rivers,  either  through  accident, 
or  the  necessity  of  procuring  subsistence. 
They  have  been  led  to  this  opinion  by  the 
superior  fecundity  of  sea-fish,  which  breed 
twenty  to  one;  as  well  as  by  their  superiority 
in  strength  and  size,  over  those  of  the  same 
kind  found  in  lakes  and  rivers.  This  is  a 
matter  too  remotely  speculative  to  be  worth 
pursuing;  but  certain  it  is,  that,  in  fresh  wa- 
ter, fishes  seem  to  abate  much  of  their  cou- 
rage and  rapacity;  pursue  each  other  with 
less  violence,  and  seem  to  be  less  powerfully 
actuated  by  all  their  appetites.  The  gree- 
diness with  which  sea-fish  devour  the  bait  is 
prodigious,  if  compared  with  the  manner  they 
take  it  in  fresh  water.  The  lines  of  such  fish- 
ermen as  go  off  to  sea,  are  coarse,  thick,  and 
clumsy,  compared  to  what  are  used  by  those 
who  fish  at  land.  Their  baits  are  seldom 
more  than  a  piece  of  a  fish,  or  the  flesh  of  some 
quadruped,  stuck  on  the  hook  in  a  bungling 
manner;  and  scarcely  any  art  is  employed 
to  conceal  the  deception.  But  it  is  other- 
wise in  fresh  water:  the  lines  must  often  be 
drawn  to  a  hair  like  fineness ;  they  must  be 


SPINOUS  FISHES. 


659 


tinctured  of  the  peculiar  colour  of  the  stream; 
the  bait  must  be  formed  with  the  nicest  art, 
and  even,  if  possible,  to  exceed  the  perfection 
of  nature :  yel  still  the  fishes  approach  it  with 
diffidence,  and  often  swim  round  it  with  dis- 
dain. The  cod,  on  the  banks  of  Newfound- 
land, the  instant  the  hook,  which  is  only  bait- 
ed with  the  guts  of  the  animal  last  taken,  is 
dropped  into  the  water,  darts  to  it  at  once, 
and  the  fishermen  have  but  to  pull  up  as  fast 
as  they  throw  down.  But  it  is  otherwise  with 
those  who  fish  in  fresh  waters,  they  must  wait 
whole  hours  in  fruitless  expectation:  and  the 
patience  of  a  fisherman  is  proverbial  among  us. 

This  comparative  neglect  of  food,  which  is 
found  in  all  the  tribes  of  fresh-water  fishes, 
renders  them  less  turbulent  and  less  destruc 
tive  among  each  other.  Of  all  these  the  pike 
is  the  most  active  and  voracious;  and  our 
poets,  whose  business  it  is  to  observe  the  sur- 
face of  nature,  have  called  it  the  tyrant  of  the 
watery  plain.  In  fact,  in  proportion  to  its 
strength  and  celerity,  the  pike  does  some  mis- 
chief; but  what  are  its  efforts  compared  to 
those  of  the  cachalot  or  the  shark!  they  re- 
semble the  petty  depredations  of  a  robber, 
put  in  competition  with  the  ravages  of  a  con- 
queror! However,  the  pike  will  attack  every 
fish  less  than  itself;  and  it  is  sometimes  seen 
choaked,  by  attempting  to  swallow  such  as 
are  too  large  a  morsel.  It  is  immaterial  of 
what  species  the  animal  it  pursues  appears 
to  be,  whether  of  another  or  its  own,  all  are 
indiscriminately  devoured  ;  so  that  every  fish 
owes  its  safety  to  its  minuteness,  its  celerity, 
or  its  courage:  nor  does  the  pike  confine  it- 
self to  feed  on  fish  and  frogs;  it  will  draw 
down  the  water-rat  and  the  young  ducks,  as 
they  are  swimming  about.  Gesner  tells  us 
of  a  mule  that  stooped  to  drink  in  the  water, 
when  a  famished  pike,  that  was  near,  seized 
it  by  the  nose,  nor  was  it  disengaged  till  the 
beast  flung  it  on  shore.  So  great  is  their  ra- 
pacity, that  they  will  contend  with  the  otter 
for  his  prey,  and  even  endeavour  to  force  it 
from  him.  For  this  reason  it  is  dreaded  by 
all  other  fish;  and  the  small  ones  show  the 
same  uneasiness  and  detestation  at  the  pre- 
sence of  their  tyrant,  as  the  little  birds  do  at 
the  sight  of  a  ha\vk  or  an  owl.  When  the 
pike  lies  asleep  near  the  surface,  as  is  fre- 
quently the  case,  the  lesser  fish  are  often  ob- 

NO.  fc£  &  56. 


served  to  swim  around  it  in  vast  numbers,  with 
a  mixture  of  caution  and  terror. 

The  other  tribes  of  fresh-water  fish   are 
much  inferior  to  this  animal  in  courage  and 
rapacity :   they  chiefly  subsist  upon  worms 
and  insects,  pursuing  them  at  the  bottom,  or 
jumping  after  them  to  the  surface  of  the  wa- 
ter.    In  winter  also,  their  appetite  seems  en- 
tirely to  forsake  them;  at  least   they   con- 
tinue in  so  torpid  a  state,  that  few  baits  will 
tempt  them  to  their  destruction.     At  that  sea- 
son, they  forsake  the  shallow  waters,  and  seek 
those  deep  holes  to  be  found  in  every  river, 
where  they  continue  for  days  together,  with- 
out ever  appearing  to  move.     The  cold  seems 
to  affect  them ;  for  at  that  time  they  lie  close 
to  the  bottom,  where  the  water  is  most  warm, 
and  seldom  venture  out,  except  the  day  be 
peculiarly  fine,  and  the  shallows  at  the  edges 
of  the  stream  become  tepified  by  the  power- 
ful rays  of  the  sun.     Indeed,  I  have  been  as- 
sured, that  some  fishes  may  be  rendered  so 
torpid  by  the  cold,  in  the  northern  rivers,  as 
to  be  frozen  up  in  the  great  masses  of  ice,  in 
which  they  continue  for  several  months  toge- 
ther, seemingly  without  life  or  sensation,  the 
prisoners  of  congelation,  and  waiting  the  ap- 
proach of  a  warmer  sun,  to  restore  them  at 
once  to  life  and  liberty.     Thus  that  cheerful 
luminary  not  only  distributes  health  and  ve- 
getation to  the  productions  of  the  earth,  but 
is  ardently  sought  even  by  the  gelid  inhabi- 
tants of  the  water. 

As  fish  are  enemies  one  to  another,  so  each 
species  is  infested  with  worms  of  different 
kinds,  peculiar  to  itself.  The  great  fish 
abound  with  them;  and  the  little  ones  are 
not  entirely  free.  These  troublesome  vermin 
lodge  themselves  either  in  the  jaws  and  the 
intestines  internally,  or  near  the  fins  without. 
When  fish  are  healthy  and  fat,  they  are  not 
much  annoyed  by  them;  but  in  winter,  when 
they  are  lean  or  sickly,  they  then  suffer  very 
much. 

Nor  does  the  reputed  longevity  of  this  class 
secure  them  from  their  peculiar  disorders. 
They  are  not  only  affected  by  too  much  cold, 
but  there  are  frequently  certain  dispositions 
of  the  element  in  which  they  reside  unfavour- 
able to  their  health  and  propagation.  Some 
ponds  they  will  not  breed  in,  however  artful- 
ly disposed  for  supplying  them  with  fresh 
5A 


660 


A  HISTORY  OF 


recruits  of  water,  as  well  as  provision.  In 
some  seasons  they  are  found  to  feel  epidemic 
disorders,  and  are  seen  dead  by  the  water 
side,  without  any  apparent  cause :  yet  still 
they  are  animals  of  all  others  the  most  viva- 
cious, and  they  often  live  and  subsist  upon 
such  substances  as  are  poisonous  to  the  more 
perfect  classes  of  animated  nature. 

It  is  not  easy  to  determine  whether  the 
poisonous  qualities  which  many  of  them  are 
found  to  possess,  either  when  they  wound  our 
bodies  externally  with  their  spines,  or  when 
they  are  unwarily  eaten  at  our  tables,  arises 
from  this  cause.  That  numbers  of  fishes  in- 
flict poisonous  wounds,  in  the  opinion  of 
many,  cannot  be  doubted.  The  concurrent 
testimony  of  mankind,  they  think  sufficient 
to  contradict  any  reasonings  upon  this  head, 
taken  from  anatomical  inspection.  The  great 
pain  that  is  felt  from  the  sting  given  by  the 
back  fin  of  the  weaver,  bears  no  proportion 
to  the  smallness  of  the  instrument  that  inflicts 
the  wound.  How  the  poison  is  preserved, 
or  how  it  is  conveyed  by  the  animal,  it  is  not 
in  our  power  to  perceive ;  but  its  actual  ex- 
istence has  been  often  attested  by  painful  ex- 
perience. In  this  instance  we  must  decline 
conjecture,  satisfied  with  history. 

The  fact  of  their  being  poisonous  when 
eaten,  is  equally  notorious ;  and  the  cause 
equally  inscrutable.  My  poor  worthy  friend 
Dr.  Grainger,  who  resided  for  many  years  at 
St.  Christopher's,  assured  me,  that  of  the  fish 
caught,  of  the  same  kind,  at  one  end  of  the 
island,  some  were  the  best  and  most  whole- 
some in  the  world ;  while  others  taken  at  a 
different  end  were  always  dangerous,  and 
most  commonly  fatal.  We  have  a  paper  in 
the  Philosophical  Transactions,  giving  an 
account  of  the  poisonous  qualities  of  those 
found  at  New  Providence,  one  of  the  Bahama 
islands.  The  author  assures  us,  that  the 
greatest  part  of  the  fish  of  that  dreary  coast 
are  all  of  a  deadly  nature :  their  smallest 
effects  being  to  bring  on  a  terrible  pain  in 
the  joints,  which,  if  terminating  favourably, 
leaves  the  patient  without  any  appetite  for 
several  days  after.  It  is  not  those  of  the 
most  deformed  figure,  or  the  most  frightful  to 
look  at,  that  are  alone  to  be  dreaded;  all 
kinds,  at  different  times,  are  alike  dangerous; 
and  the  same  species  which  has  this  day 


served  for  nourishment,  is  the  next,  if  tried, 
found  to  be  fatal ! 

This  noxious  quality  has  given  rise  to  much 
speculation,  and  many  conjectures.  Some 
have  supposed  it  to  arise  from  the  fishes  on 
these  shores  eating  of  the  manchineel  apple, 
a  deadly  vegetable  poison,  that  sometimes 
grows  pendent  over  the  sea :  but  the  quantity 
of  those  trees  growing  in  this  manner,  bears 
no  proportion  to  the  extensive  infection  of 
the  fish.  Labat  has  ascribed  it  to  their  eat- 
ing the  galley  fish,  which  is  itself  most 
potently  poisonous :  but  this  only  removes 
our  wonder  a  little  farther  back;  for  it  may 
be  asked,  with  as  just  a  cause  for  curiosity, 
how  comes  the  galley  fish  itself  to  procure  its 
noxious  qualities  ?  Others  have  ascribed  the 
poison  of  these  fishes  to  their  feeding  upon 
copperas  beds :  but  I  do  not  know  of  any 
copper  mines  found  in  America.  In  short,  as 
we  cannot  describe  the  alembic  by  which  the 
rattlesnake  distils  its  malignity,  nor  the  pro- 
cess by  which  the  scorpion,  that  lives  among 
roses,  converts  their  sweets  to  venom,  so  we 
cannot  discover  the  manner  by  which  fishes 
become  thus  dangerous ;  and  it  is  well  for  us 
of  Europe  that  we  can  thus  wonder  in  secu- 
rity. It  is  certain  that,  with  us,  if  fishes,  such 
as  carp  or  tench,  acquire  any  disagreeable 
flavour  from  the  lakes  in  which  they  have 
been  bred,  this  can  be  removed,  by  their  be- 
ing kept  some  time  in  finer  and  better  water: 
there  they  soon  clear  away  all  those  disagree- 
able qualities  their  flesh  had  contracted,  and 
become  as  dejicate  as  if  they  had  been 
always  fed  in  the  most  cleanly  manner.  But 
this  expedient  is  with  us  rather  the  precau- 
tion of  luxury,  than  the  effect  of  fear:  we 
have  nothing  to  dread  from  the  noxious 
qualities  of  our  fish;  for  all  the  animals  our 
waters  furnish  are  wholesome. 

Happy  England  !  where  the  sea  furnishes 
an  abundant  and  luxurious  repast,  and  the 
fresh  waters  an  innocent  and  harmless  pas- 
time; where  the  angler,  in  cheerful  solitude, 
strolls  by  the  edge  of  the  stream,  and  fears 
neither  the  coiled  snake,  nor  the  lurking 
crocodile ;  where  he  can  retire  at  night,  with 
his  few  trouts  (to  borrow  the  pretty  descrip- 
tion of  old  Walton)  to  some  friendly  cottage, 
where  the  landlady  is  good,  and  the  daugh- 
ter innocent  and  beautiful ;  where  the  room 


SPINOUS  FISHES. 


661 


is  cleanly,  wuh  lavender  in  the  sheets,  and 
twenty  ballads  stuck  about  the  wall !  There 
he  can  enjoy  the  company  of  a  talkative 
brother  sportsman,  have  his  trouts  dressed 
for  supper,  tell  tales,  sing  old  tunes,  or  make 


a  catch !  There  he  can  talk  of  the  wonders 
of  nature  with  learned  admiration,  or  find 
some  harmless  sport  to  content  him,  and  pass 
away  a  little  time,  without  offence  to  God,  or 
injury  to  man! 

5  A* 


662 


A  HISTORY  OF 


OF   CRUSTACEOUS  AND  TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


— «e»— 


CHAPTER  CL. 

THE  DIVISION  OF  SHELL  FISH. 


IN  describing  the  inhabitants  of  the  water, 
a  class  of  animals  occur,  that  mankind,  from 
the  place  of  their  residence,  have  been  con- 
tent to  call  fish ;  but  that  naturalists,  from 
their  formation,  have  justly  agreed  to  be  un- 
worthy of  the  name.  Indeed,  the  affinity 
many  of  this  kind  bear  to  the  insect  tribe, 
may  very  well  plead  for  the  historian  who 
ranks  them  rather  as  insects.  However,  the 
common  language  of  a  country  must  not  be 
slightly  invaded ;  the  names  of  things  may 
remain,  if  the  philosopher  be  careful  to  give 
precision  to  our  ideas  of  them. 

There  are  two  classes  of  animals,  there- 
fore, inhabiting  the  water,  which  commonly 
receive  the  name  of  fishes,  entirely  different 
from  those  we  have  been  describing,  and 
also  very  distinct  from  each  other.  These 
are  divided  by  naturalists  into  Crustaceous 
and  Testaceous  animals :  both,  totally  unlike 
fishes  to  appearance,  seem  to  invert  the 
order  of  nature;  and  as  those  have  their 
bones  on  the  inside,  and  their  muscles  hung 
upon  them  for  the  purposes  of  life  and  motion, 
these,  on  the  contrary,  have  all  their  bony 
parts  on  the  outside,  and  all  their  muscles 
within.  Not  to  talk  mysteriously — all  who 
have  seen  a  lobster  or  an  oyster,  perceive 
that  the  shell  in  these  bears  a  strong  analogy 
to  the  bones  of  other  animals;  and  that,  by 
these  shells,  the  animal  is  sustained  and  de- 
fended. 

Crustaceous  fish,  such  as  the  crab  and  the 
lobster,  have  a  shell  not  quite  of  a  stony 
hardness,  but  rather  resembling  a  firm  crust, 


and  in  some  measure  capable  of  yielding. 
Testaceous  fishes,  such  as  the  oyster  or 
cockle,  are  furnished  with  a  shell  of  a  stony 
hardness;  very  brittle,  and  incapable  of 
yielding.  Of  the  crustaceous  kinds  are  the 
Lobster,  the  Crab,  and  the  Tortoise  :  of  the 
testaceous,  that  numerous  tribe  of  Oysters, 
Muscles.  Cockles,  and  Sea-Snails,  which  offer 
with  infinite  variety. 

The  Crustaceous  tribe  seems  to  hold  the 
middle  rank  between  fishes,  properly  so  call- 
ed, and  those  snail-like  animals  that  receive 
the  name  of  testaceous  fishes.  Their  muscles 
are  strong  and  firm,  as-  in  the  former;  their 
shell  is  self-produced,  as  among  the  latter. 
They  have  motion,  and  hunt  for  food  with 
great  avidity,  like  the  former.  They  are  in- 
capable of  swimming,  but  creep  along  the 
bottom,  like  the  latter:  in  short,  they  form 
the  link  that  unites  these  two  classes,  that 
seem  so  very  opposite  in  their  natures. 

Of  testaceous  fishes  we  will  speak  here- 
after. As  to  animals  of  the  Crustaceous  kind, 
they  are  very  numerous,  their  figure  offers 
an  hundred  varieties:  but  as  to  their  nature, 
they  are  obviously  divided  into  two  very 
distinct  kinds,  differing  in  their  habits  and 
their  conformation.  The  chief  of  one  kind 
is  the  Lobster;  the  chief  of  the  other,  the 
Tortoise.  Under  the  Lobster  we  rank  the 
Prawn,  the  Craw-Fish,  the  Shrimp,  the  Sea- 
Crab,  the  Land-Crab,  and  all  their  varieties. 
Under  the  Sea-Tortoise,  the  Turtle,  the 
Hawksbill-Turtle,  the  Land-Tortoise,  and 
their  numerous  varieties. 


CRUSTACEOUS  FISHES. 


G63 


CHAPTER  CLI. 

CRUSTACEOUS  ANIMALS  OF  THE  LOBSTER  KIND. 


HOWEVER  different  in  figure  the  lobster 
and  the  crab  may  seem,  their  manners  and 
conformation  are  nearly  the  same.  With  all 
the  voracious  appetites  of  fishes,  they  are 
condemned  to  lead  an  insect  life  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  water ;  and,  though  pressed  by 
continual  hunger,  they  are  often  obliged  to 
w  (it  till  accident  brings  them  their  prey. 
Though  without  any  warmth  in  their  bodies, 
or  even  without  red  blood  circulating  through 
their  veins,  they  are  animals  wonderfully 
voracious.  Whatever  they  seize  upon  that 
has  life,  is  sure  to  perish,  though  never  so 
well  defended  ;  they  even  devour  each  other: 
and,  to  increase  our  surprise  si  ill  more,  they 
may,  in  some  measure,  be  said  to  eat  them- 
selves ;  as  they  change  their  shell  and  their 
stomach  every  year,  and  their  old  stomach  is 
generally  the  first  morsel  that  serves  to  glut 
the  new. 

The  lobster  is  an  animal  of  so  extraordinary 
a  form,  that  those  who  first  see  it  are  apt  to 
mistake  the  head  for  the  tail;  but  it  is  soon 
discovered  that  the  animal  moves  with  its 
claws  foremost ;  and  that  the  part  which 
plays  within  itself  by  joints,  like  a  coat  of 
armour,  is  the  tail.  The  two  great  claws 
are  the  lobsters  instruments  of  provision  and 
defence ;  these,  by  opening  like  a  pair  of 
nippers,  have  great  strength  and  take  a  firm 
hold ;  they  are  usually  notched  like  a  saw, 
which  still  more  increases  their  tenacity. 
Besides  these  powerful  instruments,  which 
may  be  considered  as  arms,  the  lobster  has 
eight  legs,  four  on  each  side,  and  these,  with 
the  tail,  serve  to  give  the  animal  its  progres- 
sive and  sideling  motion.  Between  the  two 
claws  is  the  animal's  head,  very  small,  and 
•  furnished  with  eyes  that  seem  like  two  black 
horny  specks  on  each  side;  and  these  it  has 
a  power  of  advancing  out  of  the  socket,  and 
drawing  in  at  pleasure.  The  mouth,  like 
that  of  insects,  opens  the  long  way  of  the 
body,  not  crossways,  as  with  man,  and  the 


higher  race  of  animals.  It  is  furnished  with 
two  teeth  for  the  comminution  of  its  food ; 
but,  as  these  are  not  sufficient,  it  has  three 
more  in  the  stomach ;  one  on  each  side,  and 
the  other  below.  Between  the  two  teeth 
there  is  a  fleshy  substance,  in  the  shape  of  a 
tongue.  The  intestines  consist  of  one  long 
bowel,  which  reaches  from  the  mouth  to  the 
vent,  but  what  this  animal  differs  in  from  all 
others,  is,  that  the  spinal-marrow  is  in  the 
breast-bone.  It  is  furnished  with  two  long 
feelers  or  horns,  that  issue  on  each  side  of 
the  head,  that  seem  to  correct  the  dimness 
of  its  sight,  and  apprize  the  animal  of  its  dan- 
ger, or  of  its  prey.  The  tail,  or  that  jointed 
instrument  at  the  other  end,  is  the  grand  in- 
strument of  motion :  and  with  this  it  can  raise 
itself  in  the  water.  Under  this  we  usually 
see  lodged  the  spawn  in  great  abundance ; 
every  pea  adhering  to  the  next  by  a  very  fine 
filament, which  is  scarcely  perceivable.  Every 
lobster  is  a  hermaphrodite,  and  is  supposed 
to  be  self-impregnated  !  The  ovary,  or  place 
where  the  spawn  is  first  produced,  is  back- 
wards towards  the  tail,  where  a  fed  sub. 
stance  is  always  found,  and  which  is  nothing 
but  a  cluster  of  peas,  that  are  yet  too  small 
for  exclusion.  From  this  receptacle  there  go 
two  canals,  that  open  on  each  side  at  the 
jointures  of  the  shell,  at  the  belly;  and 
through  these  passages  the  peas  descend  to 
be  excluded,  and  placed  under  the  tail, 
where  the  animal  preserves  them  from  dan- 
ger for  some  time,  until  they  come  to  maturity; 
when  being  furnished  with  limbs  and  motion, 
they  drop  off  into  the  water. 

When  the  young  lobsters  leave  the  parent, 
they  immediately  seek  for  refuge  in  the 
smallest  clefts  of  rocks,  and  in  such  like 
crevices  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  where  the 
entrance  is  but  small,  and  the  opening  can 
be  easily  defended.  There,  without  seeming 
to  take  any  food,  they  grow  larger  ui  a  few 
weeks  time,  from  the  mere  accidental  sub- 


664 


A  HISTORY  OF 


stances  which  the  water  washes  to  their  re- 
treats. By  this  time,  also,  they  acquire  a  hard 
firm  shell,  which  furnishes  them  with  both 
'offensive  and  defensive  armour.  They  then 
begin  to  issue  from  their  fortresses,  and  boldly 
creep  along  the  bottom,  in  hopes  of  meeting 
with  more  diminutive  plunder.  The  spawn 
offish,  the  smaller  animals  of  their  own  kind, 
but  chiefly  the  worms  that  keep  at  the  bottom 
of  the  sea,  supply  them  with  plenty.  They 
keep  in  this  manner  close  among  the  rocks, 
busily  employed  in  scratching  up  the  sand 
with  their  claws  for  worms,  or  surprising  such 
heedless  animals  as  fall  within  their  grasp : 
thus  they  have  little  to  apprehend,  except 
from  each  other ;  for  in  them,  as  among  fishes, 
the  large  are  the  most  formidable  of  all  other 
enemies  to  the  small. 

But  this  life  of  abundance  and  security  is 
soon  to  have  a  most  dangerous  interruption  ; 
for  the  body  of  the  lobster  still  continuing  to 
increase,  while  its  shell  remains  unalterably 
the  same,  the  animal  becomes  too  large  for  its 
habitation,  and  imprisoned  within  the  crust 
that  has  naturally  gathered  round  it,  there 
comes  on  a  necessity  of  getting  free.  The 
young  of  this  kind,  therefore,  that  grow  faster, 
as  I  am  assured  by  the  fishermen,  change  their 
shell  oftener  than  the  old,  who  come  to  their 
full  growth,  and  who  remain  in  the  same  shell 
often  for  two  years  together.  In  general, 
however,  all  these  animals  change  their  shell 
once  a  year ;  and  this  is  not  only  a  most  pain- 
ful operation,  but  also  subjects  them  to  every 
danger.  Their  moulting  season  is  generally 
about  the  beginning  of  summer,  at  which  time 
their  food  is  in  plenty,  and  their  strength  and 
vigour  in  the  highest  perfection.  But  soon 
all  their  activity  ceases  ;  they  are  seen  for- 
saking the  open  parts  of  the  deep,  and  seeking 
some  retired  situation  among  the  rocks,  or 
some  outlet  where  they  may  remain  in  safety 
from  the  attacks  of  their  various  enemies. 
For  some  days  before  their  change  the  animal 
discontinues  its  usual  voraciousness ;  it  is  no 
longer  seen  laboriously  harrowing  up  the  sand 
at  the  bottom,  or  fighting  with  others  of  its 
kind,  or  hunting  its  prey  ;  it  lies  torpid  and 
motionless,  as  if  in  anxious  expectation  of  the 
approaching  change.  Just  before  casting  its 
shell,  it  throws  itself  upon  its  back,  strikes  its 
claws  against  each  other,  and  every  limb 
seems  to  tremble  ;  its  feelers  are  agitated,  and 


the  whole  body  is  in  violent  motion :  it  then 
swells  itself  in  an  unusual  manner,  and  at  last 
the  shell  is  seen  beginning  to  divide  at  its 
junctures;  particularly,  it  opens  at  the  junc- 
tures, of  the  belly,  where,  like  a  pair  of  jumps, 
it  was  before  but  seemingly  united.  It  also 
seems  turned  inside  out,  and  its  stomach  conies 
away  with  its  shell.  After  this,  by  the  same 
operation,  it  disengages  itself  of  the  claws, 
which  burst  at  the  joints ;  the  animal,  with  a 
tremulous  motion,  casting  them  oft'  as  a  man 
would  kick  off  a  boot  that  was  too  big  for 
him. 

Thus,  in  a  short  time,  this  wonderful  crea- 
ture finds  itself  at  liberty  ;  but  in  so  weak  and 
enfeebled  a  state,  that  it  continues  for  several 
hours  motionless.  Indeed,  so  violent  and 
painful  is  the  operation,  that  many  of  them 
die  under  it ;  and  those  who  survive  are  .in 
such  a  weakly  state  for  some  time,  that  they 
neither  take  food  nor  venture  from  their  re- 
treats. Immediately  after  this  change,  they 
have  not  only  the  softness  but  the  timidity  of 
a  worm.  Every  animal  of  the  deep  is  then  a 
powerful  enemy,  which  they  can  neither 
escape  nor  oppose ;  and  this,  in  fact,  is  the 
time  when  the  dog-fish,  the  cod,  and  the  ray, 
devour  them  by  hundreds.  But  this  state  of 
defenceless  imbecility  continues  for  a  very 
short  time  :  the  animal,  in  less  than  two  days, 
is  seen  to  have  the  skin  that  covered  its  body 
grown  almost  as  hard  as  before ;  its  appetite 
is  seen  to  increase ;  and,  strange  to  behold ! 
the  first  object  that  tempts  its  gluttony,  is  its 
own  stomach,  which  it  so  lately  was  disen- 
gaged from.  This  it  devours  with  great 
eagerness ;  and  sometime  after  «ats  even  its 
former  shell.  In  about  forty- eight  hours,  in 
proportion  to  the  animal's  health  and  strength, 
the  new  shell  is  perfectly  formed,  and  as  hard 
as  that  which  was  but  just  thrown  aside. 

To  contribute  to  the  speedy  growth  of  the 
shell  it  is  supposed  by  some,  that  the  lobster  is 
supplied  with  a  very  extraordinary  concretion 
within  its  body,  that  is  converted  into  the 
shelly  substance.  It  is  a  chalky  substance, 
found  in  the  lower  part  of  the  stomach  of  all 
lobsters  improperly  called  crab's  eyes,  and 
sold  under  that  title  in  the  shops.  About  the 
time  the  lobster  quits  its  shrll,  the  teeth  in  its 
stomach  break  these  stones  to  pieces,  and  the 
fluids  contained  therein  dissolve  them.  This 
fluid,  which  still  remains  in  the  new  stomach, 


CRUSTACEOUS  FISHES. 


665 


is  thought  to  be  replete  with  a  petrifying 
quality,  proper  for  forming  a  new  shell : 
however,  the  concreting  power  that  first  form- 
ed these,  shows  a  sufficient  power  in  the  ani- 
mal to  produce  also  the  shell ;  and  it  is  going 
but  a  short  way  in  the  causes  of  things  when 
we  attempt  to  explain  one  wonder  by  another. 

When  the  lobster  is  completely  equipped  in 
its  new  shell,  it  then  appears  how  much  it  has 
grown  in  the  space  of  a  very  lew  days ;  the 
dimensions  of  the  old  shell  being  compared 
with  those  of  the  new,  it  will  be  found  that 
the  creature  is  increased  above  a  third  in  its 
size ;  and,  like  a  boy  that  has  outgrown  his 
clothes,  it  seems  wonderful  how  the  deserted 
shell  was  able  to  contain  so  great  an  animal 
as  entirely  fills  up  the  new. 

The  creature  thus  furnished,  not  only  with 
a  complete  covering,  but  also  a  greater  share 
of  strength  and  courage,  ventures  more  boldly 
among  the  animals  at  the  bottom  ;  and  not  a 
week  passes,  that,  in  its  combats,  it  does  not 
suffer  some  mutilation.  A  joint,  or  even  a 
whole  claw,  is  sometimes  snapped  off  in  these 
encounters.  At  certain  seasons  of  the  year 
these  animals  never  meet  each  other  without 
an  engagement.  In  these,  to  come  off  with 
the  loss  of  a  leg,  or  even  a  claw,  is  considered 
as  no  great  calamity  ;  the  victor  carries  off  the 
spoil  to  feast  upon  at  leisure,  while  the  other 
retires  from  the  defeat  to  wait  for  a  thorough 
repair.  This  repair  it  is  not  long  in  procuring. 
From  the  place  where  the  joint  of  the  claw 
was  cut  away,  is  seen  in  a  most  surprising 
manner  to  bourgeon  out  the  beginning  of  a 
new  claw.  This,  if  observed,  at  first,  is  small 
and  tender,  but  grows,  in  the  space  of  three 
weeks,  to  be  almost  as  large  and  as  powerful 
as  the  old  one.  I  say  almost  as  large,  for  it 
never  arrives  to  the  full  size ;  and  this  is  the 
reason  we  generally  find  the  claws  of  lobsters 
of  unequal  magnitude. 

After  what  has  been  thus  described,  let  us 
pause  a  little,  to  reflect  on  the  wonders  this 
extraordinary  creature  offers  to  our  imagina- 
tion !  An  animal  without  bones  on  the  inside, 
yet  furnished  with  a  stomach  capable  of  digest- 
ing the  hardest  substances,  the  shells  of  muscles, 
of  oysters,  and  even  its  own  ;  an  animal  gain- 
ing a  new  stomach  and  a  new  shell  at  stated 
intervals !  Furnished  with  the  instruments  of 
generation  double  in  both  sexes ;  and  yet  with 
an  apparent  incapacity  of  uniting !  Without 


red  blood  circulating  through  the  body,  and 
yet  apparently  vigorous  and  active !  But, 
most  strange  of  all,  an  animal  endowed  with 
a  vital  principle  that  furnishes  out  such  limbs 
as  have  been  cut  away,  and  keeps  continually 
combating  it,  though  in  constant  repair  to  re- 
new its  engagements  !  These  are  but  a  small 
prvrt  of  the  wonders  of  the  deep,  where  nature 
sports  without  a  spectator ! 

Of  this  extraordinary  yet  well  known  ani- 
mal there  are  many  varieties,  with  some  dif- 
ferences in  the  claws,  but  little  in  the  habits 
or  conformation.  It  is  found  above  three  feet 
long ;  and  if  we  may  admit  the  shrimp  and 
the  prawn  into  the  class,  though  unfurnished 
with  claws,  it  is  seen  not  above  an  inch. 
These  all  live  in  the  water,  and  can  bear  its 
absence  for  but  a  few  hours.  The  shell  is 
black  when  taken  out  of  the  water,  but  turns 
red  by  boiling.  The  most  common  way  of 
taking  the  lobster  is  in  a  basket,  or  pot,  as  the 
fishermen  call  it,  made  of  wickerwork,  in 
which  they  put  the  bait,  and  then  throw  it  to 
the  bottom  of  the  sea,  in  six  or  ten  fathoms 
water.  The  lobsters  creep  into  this  for  the 
sake  of  the  bait,  but  are  not  able  to  get  out 
again.  The  river  craw-fish  differs  little  from 
the  lobster,  but  that  the  one  will  live  only  in 
fresh  water,  and  the  other  will  thrive  only  in 
the  sea. 

The  crab  is  an  animal  found  equally  in 
fresh  and  salt  water ;  as  well  upon  land  as  in 
the  ocean.  In  rhape  it  differs  very  much  from 
the  lobster,  but  entirely  resembles  it  in  habits 
and  conformation.  The  tail  in  this  animal  is 
not  so  apparent  as  in  the  former,  being  that 
broad  flap  that  seems  to  cover  a  part  of  the 
belly,  and  when  lifted  discovers  the  peas  or 
spawn,  situated  there  in  great  abundance.  It 
resembles  the  lobster  in  the  number  of  its 
claws,  which  are  two,  and  its  legs,  which  are 
eight,  four  on  either  side.  Like  the  lobster, 
it  is  a  bold  voracious  animal ;  and  such  an 
enmity  do  crabs  bear  each  other,  that  those 
who  carry  them  for  sale  to  market,  often  tie 
their  claws  with  strings  to  prevent  their  fight- 
ing and  maiming  themselves  by  the  way.  In 
short,  it  resembles  the  lobster  in  every  thing 
but  the  amazing  bulk  of  its  body  compared  to 
the  size  of  its  head,  and  the  length  of  its  intes- 
tines, which  have  many  convolutions. 

As  the  crab,  however,  is  found  upon  land  as 
well  as  in  water,  the  peculiarity  of  its  situa- 


666 


A  HISTORY  OF 


tion  produces  a  difference  in  its  habitudes, 
which  it  is  proper  to  describe.  The  Land 
Crab  is  found  in  some  of  the  warmer  regions  of 
Europe,  and  in  great  abundance  in  all  the  tro- 
pical climates  in  Africa  and  America.  They 
are  of  various  kinds,  and  endued  with  various 
properties;  some  being  healthful,  delicious, 
and  nourishing  food ;  others,  poisonous  or 
malignant  to  the  last  degree ;  some  are  not 
above  half  an  inch  broad,  others  are  found  a 
foot  over;  some  are  of  a  dirty  brown,  and 
others  beautifully  mottled.  That  animal  call- 
ed the  Violet  Crab  of  the  Carribbee  Island, 
is  the  most  noted  both  for  the  shape,  the  de- 
licacy of  its  flesh,  and  the  singularity  of  its 
manners.  The  violet  crab  somewhat  resem- 
bles two  hands  cut  through  the  middle  and 
joined  together;  for  each  side  looks  like  four 
fingers,  and  the  two  nippers  or  claws  resem- 
ble the  thumbs.  All  the  rest  of  the  body  is 
covered  with  a  shell  as  large  as  a  man's  hand 
and  bunched  in  the  middle,  on  the  fore-part 
of  which  there  are  two  long  eyes  of  the  size 
of  a  grain  of  barley,  as  transparent  as  crystal, 
and  as  hard  as  horn.  A  little  below  these  is 
the  mouth,  covered  with  a  sort  of  barbs,  un- 
der which  there  are  two  broad  sharp  teeth 
as  white  as  snow.  They  are  not  placed,  as 
in  other  animals,  crossways,  but  in  the  oppo- 
site direction,  not  much  unlike  the  blades  of 
a  pair  of  scissors.  With  these  teeth  they  can 
easily  cut  leaves,  fruits,  and  rotten  wood, 
which  is  their  usual  food.  But  their  princi- 
pal instruments  for  cutting  and  seizing  their 
food  is  their  nippers,  which  catch  such  a  hold, 
that  the  animal  loses  the  limb  sooner  than  its 
grasp,  and  is  often  seen  scampering  off,  ha- 
ving left  its  claws  still  holding  fast  upon  the 
enemy.  The  faithful  claw  seems  to  perform 
its  duty,  and  keeps  for  above  a  minute  fasten- 
ed upon  the  finger  while  the  crab  is  making 
off!"  In  fict,  it  loses  no  great  matter  by  leav- 
ing a  leg  or  an  arm,  for  they  soon  grow  again, 
and  the  animal  is  found  as  perfect  as  be- 
fore. 

This,  however,  is  the  least  surprising  part 
of  this  creature's  history;  and  what  I  am  go- 
ing to  relate,  were  it  not  as  well  known  and 
as  confidently  confirmed  as  any  other  circum- 
stance in  natural  history,  it  might  well  stag- 

«  Brown's  Jamaica,  p.  423. 


ger  our  belief.  These  animals  live  not  only 
in  a  kind  of  orderly  society  in  their  retreats 
in  the  mountains,  but  regularly  once  a  year 
march  down  to  the  sea-side  in  a  body  of  some 
millions  at  a  time.  As  they  multiply  in  great 
numbers,  they  choose  the  months  of  April  or 
May  to  begin  their  expedition ;  and  then  they 
sally  out  by  thousands  from  the  stumps  of  hol- 
low trees,  from  the  clefts  of  the  rocks,  and 
from  the  holes  which  they  dig  for  themselves 
under  the  surface  of  the  earth.  At  that  time 
the  whole  ground  is  covered  with  this  band 
of  adventurers ;  there  is  no  setting  down  one's 
foot  without  treading  upon  them.b  The  sea 
is  their  place  of  destination,  and  to  that  they 
direct  their  march  with  right-lined  precision. 
No  geometrician  could  send  them  to  their  de- 
stined station  by  a  shorter  course;  they  nei- 
ther turn  to  the  right  nor  left,  whatever  ob- 
stacles intervene ;  and  even  if  they  meet  with 
a  house,  they  will  attempt  to  scale  the  walls 
to  keep  the  unbroken  tenor  of  their  way.  But 
though  this  be  the  general  order  of  their 
route,  they  upon  other  occasions  are  compel- 
led to  conform  to  the  face  of  the  country ;  and 
if  it  be  intersected  by  rivers,  they  are  then 
seen  to  wind  along  the  course  of  the  stream. 
The  procession  sets  forward  from  the  moun- 
tains with  the  regularity  of  an  army,  under  the 
guidance  of  an  experienced  commander. 
They  are  commonly  divided  into  three  bat- 
talions; of  which,  the  first  consists  of  the 
strongest  and  boldest  males,  that,  like  pio- 
neers, march  forward  to  clear  the  route  and 
face  the  greatest  dangers.  These  are  often 
obliged  to  halt  for  want  of  rain,  and  go  into 
the  most  convenient  encampment  till  the  wea- 
ther changes.  The  main  body  of  the  army 
is  composed  of  females,  which  never  leave  the 
mountains  till  the  rain  is  set  in  for  some  time, 
and  then  descend  in  regular  battalia,  being 
formed  into  columns  of  fifty  paces  broad  and 
three  miles  deep,  and  so  close  that  they  almost 
cover  the  ground.  Three  or  four  days  after 
this  the  rear-guard  follows;  a  straggling,  un- 
disciplined tribe,  consisting  of  males  and  fe- 
males, but  neither  so  robust  nor  so  numerous 
as  the  former.  The  night  is  their  chief  time 
of  proceeding;  but  if  it  rains  by  day,  they  do 
not  fail  to  profit  by  the  occasion ;  and  they 

b  Lebat.     Voyage  aux  Isle  Francoises,  vol.  ii.  p.  2^1. 


CRUSTACEOUS  FISHES. 


Continue  to  move  forward  in  their  slow  uni- 
form manner.  When  the  sun  shines  and  is 
hot  upon  the  surface  of  the  ground,  they  then 
make  an  universal  halt,  and  wait  till  the  cool 
of  the  evening.  When  they  are  terrified,  they 
march  back  in  a  confused  disorderly  manner, 
holding  up  their  nippers,  with  which  they 
sometimes  tear  off'  a  piece  of  the  skin,  and 
then  leave  the  weapon  where  they  indicted 
the  wound.  They  even  try  to  intimidate  their 
enemies;  for  they  often  clatter  their  nippers 
together,  as  if  it  were  to  threaten  those  that 
come  to  disturb  them.  But  though  they  thus 
strive  to  be  formidable  to  man,  they  are  much 
more  so  to  each  other;  for  they  are  possess- 
ed of  one  most  unsocial  property,  which  is, 
that  if  any  of  them  by  accident  is  maimed  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  be  incapable  of  proceed- 
ing, the  rest  fall  upon  and  devour  it  on  the 
spot,  and  then  pursue  their  journey. 

When  after  a  fatiguing  march  and  escaping 
a  thousand  dangers  (for  they  are  sometimes 
three  months  in  getting  to  the  shore)  they 
have  arrived  at  their  destined  port,  they  pre- 
pare to  cast  their  spawn.  The  peas  are  as 
yet  within  their  bodies,  and  not  excluded,  as 
is  usual  in  animals  of  this  kind,  under  the  tail ; 
for  the  creature  waits  for  the  benefit  of  the 
sea-water  to  help  the  delivery.  For  this  pur- 
pose, the  crab  has  no  sooner  reached  the 
shore,  than  it  eagerly  goes  to  the  edge  of  the 
"water,  and  lets  the  waves  wash  over  its  body 
two  or  three  times.  This  seems  only  a  pre- 
paration for  bringing  the  hpawn  to  maturity ; 
for  without  farther  delay  they  withdraw  to 
seek  a  lodging  upon  laiid:  in  the  meantime, 
the  spawn  grows  larger,  is  excluded  out  of 
the  body,  and  sticks  to  the  barbs  under  the 
i'ap,  or  more  properly  the  tail.  This  bunch 
is  seen  as  big  as  a  hen's  egg,  and  exactly  re- 
sembling the  roes  of  herrings.  In  this  state 
of  pregnancy,  they  once  more  seek  the  shore 
for  the  last  time,  and  shaking  off  their  spawn 
intojhe  water,  leave  accident  to  bring  it  to 
maturity.  At  this  time  whole  shoals  of  hun- 
gry fish  are  at  the  shore  in  expectation  of  this 
annual  supply;  the  sea  to  a  great  distance 
seems  black  with  them;  and  about  two-thirds 
of  the  crabs-eggs  are  immediately  devoured 
by  these  rapacious  invaders.  The  eggs  that 
escape  are  hatched  under  the  sand  ;  and  soon 
after  millions  at  a  time  of  these  little  crabs 


are  seen  quitting  the  shore,  and  slowly  tra- 
velling up  to  the  mountains. 

The  old  ones,  however,  are  not  so  active 
to  return;  they  hare  become  so  feeble  and 
lean,  that  they  can  hardly  creep  along,  and 
the  flesh  at  that  time  changes  its  colour.  The 
most  of  them,  therefore,  are  obliged  to  con- 
tinue in  the  flat  parts  of  the  country  till  they 
recover,  making  holes  in  the  earth,  which 
they  cover  at  the  mouth  with  leaves  and  dirt. 
so  that  no  air  may  enter.  There  they  throw 
off*  their  old  shells,  which  they  leave  as  it 
were  quite  whole,  the  place  where  they  open- 
ed on  the  belly  being  unseen.  At  that  time 
they.are  quite  naked,  and  almost  without  mo- 
tion for  six  days  together,  when  they  become 
so  fat  as  to  be  delicious  food.  They  have 
then  under  their  stomachs  four  large  white 
stones,  which  gradually  decrease  in  propor- 
tion as  the  shell  hardens,  and  when  they  come 
to  perfection  are  not  to  be  found.  It  is  at 
that  time  that  the  animal  is  seen  slowly  making 
its  way  back;  and  all  this  is  most  commonly 
performed 'in  the  space  of  six  weeks. 

This  animal  when  possessed  of  its  retreats 
in  the  mountains  is  impregnable ;  for  only  sub- 
sisting upon  vegetables,  it  seldom  ventures 
out;  and  its  habitation  being  in  the  most  in- 
accessible places,  it  remains  for  a  great  part 
of  the  season  in  perfect  security.  It  is  only 
when  impelled  by  the  desire  of  bringing  forth 
its  young,  and  when  compelled  to  descend  into 
the  flat  country,  that  it  is  taken.  At  that 
time  the  natives  wait  for  its  descent  in  eager 
expectation,  and  destroy  thousands;  but  dis- 
regarding the  bodies,  they  only  seek  for  that 
small  spawn  which  lies  on  each  side  of  the 
stomach  within  the  shell ;  of  about  the  thick- 
ness of  a  man's  thumb.  They  are  much  more 
valuable  upon  their  return  after  they  have 
cast  their  shell ;  for  being  covered  with  a  skin 
resembling  soft  parchment,  almost  every  part 
except  the  stomach,  may  be  eaten.  They 
are  taken  in  their  holes  by  feeling  for  them 
in  the  ground  with  an  instrument:  they  are 
sought,  after  by  night,  when  on  their  journey, 
willi  flambeaux.  The  instant  the  animal  per- 
ceives itself  attacked,  it  throws  itself  on  its 
back,  and  with  its  claws  pinches  most  terri- 
bly whatever  it  happens  to  fasten  on.  But 
the  dexterous  crab-catcher  takes  them  by  the 
hinder  legs  in  such  a  manner,  that  its  nippers 
5  B 


A  HISTORY  OF 


cannot  touch  inni,  aim  tuns  he  tnrows  it  into 
his  bag.  Sometimes  also  they  are  caught 
when  they  take  refuge  at  the  bottom  of  holes, 
in  rocks  by  the  sea-side,  by  clapping  a  slick 
at  the  mouth  of  the  hole,  uliich  prevents  their 
getting  out  ;  and  then  soon  after  the  tide 
coming,  enters  the  hole,  and  the  animal  is 
found,  upon  its  retiring,  drowned  in  its  retreat. 

These  crabs  are  of  considerable  advantage 
to  the  natives ;  and  the  slaves  very  often  feed 
entirely  upon  them.  In  Jamaica,  where  they 
are  found  in  great  plenty,  they  are  considered 
as  one  of  the  greatest  delicacies  of  the  place. 
Yet  still,  the  eating  of  them  is  attended  with 
some  danger,  for  even  of  this  kind  many  are 
found  poisonous,  being  fed,  as  it  is  thought, 
upon  the  machined  apple;  and  whenever  they 
are  found  under  that  noxious  plant,  they  are 
always  rejected  with  caution.  It  is  thus  with 
almost  all  the  productions  of  those  luxurious 
climates ;  however  tempting  they  may  be  to 
the  appetite,  they  but  too  often  are  found  de- 
structive ;  and  scarce  a  delicacy  among  them 
that  does  not  carry  its  own  alloy. 

The  descent  of  these  creatures  for  such  im- 
portant purposes,  deserves  o»r  admiration  ; 
but  there  is  an  animal  of  the  lobster  kind  that 
annually  descends  from  its  mountains  in  like 
manner,  and  for  purposes  still  more  important 
and  various.  Its  descent  is  not  only  to  pro- 
duce an  offspring,  but  to  provide  itself  a  cover- 
ing ;  not  only  to  secure  a  family,  but  to  fur- 
nish a  house.  The  animal  I  mean  is  the 
soldier-crab,  which  has  some  similitude  to  the 
lobster,  if  divested  of  its  shell.  It  is  usually 
about  four  inches  long,  has  no  shell  behind, 
but  is  covered  down  to  the  tail  with  a  rough 
skin,  terminating  in  a  point.  It  is,  however, 
armed  with  strong  hard  nippers  before,  like 
the  lobster  ;  and  one  of  them  is  as  thick  as  a 
man's  thumb,  and  pinches  most  powerfully. 
It  is,  as  1  said,  without  a  shell  to  any  part  ex- 
cept its  nippers  ;  but  what  nature  has  denied 
this  animal,  it  takes  care  to  supply  by  art ; 
and  taking  possession  of  the  deserted  shell  of 
some  other  animal,  it  resides  in  it,  till,  by 
growing  too  large  for  its  habitation,  it  is  under 
a  necessity  of  change.  It  is  a  native  of  the 
West  India  Islands  ;  and,  like  the  former,  it  is 
seen  every  year  descending  from  the  moun- 
tains to  the  sea-shore,  to  deposite  its  spawn, 
and  to  provide  itself  with  a  new  shell.  This 
is  a  most  bustling  time  with  it,  having  so  many 


things  to  do ;  and,  in  fnct,  very  busy  it  appears. 
It  is  very  probable  that  its  first  care  is  to  pro- 
vide for  its  offspring  before  it  attends  to  its 
own  wants  :  and  it  is  thought,  from  the  num- 
ber of  little  shells  which  it  is  seen  examining, 
that  it  deposites  its  spaw,n  in  them,  which  thus 
is  placed  in  perfect  security  till  the  time  of  ex- 
clusion. 

However  this  be,  the  soldier  is  in  the  end 
by  no  means  unmindful  of  itself.  It  is  still  seen 
in  its  old  shell,  which  it  appears  to  have  con 
siflt  rably  outgrown  ;  for  a  part  of  the  naked 
body  is  seen  at  the  mouth  of  it,  which  the 
habitation  is  too  small  to  hide.  A  shell,  there- 
fore, is  to  be  found  large  enough  to  cover  the 
whole  body  ;  and  yet  not  so  large  as  to  be 
unmanageable  and  unwieldy.  To  answer 
both  these  ends  it  is  no  easy  matter,  nor  the 
attainment  of  a  slight  inquiry.  The  little 
soldier  is  seen  busily  parading  the  shore  along 
that  line  of  pebbles  and  shells  that  is  formed  by 
the  extremest  wave  ;  still,  however,  dragging 
its  old  incommodious  habitation  at  its  tail,  un- 
willing to  part  with  one  shell,  even  though  a 
troublesome  appendage,  till  it  can  find  another 
more  convenient.  It  is  seen  stopping  at  one 
shell,  turning  it  and  passing  it  by,  going  on  to 
another,  contemplating  that  for  a  while,  and 
then  slipping  its  tail  from  its  old  habitation,  to 
try  on  the  new.  This  also  is  found  to  be  in- 
convenient ;  and  it  quickly  returns  to  its  old 
shell  again.  In  this  manner  it  frequently 
changes,  till  at  last  it  finds  one  light,  roomy, 
and  commodious ;  to  this  it  adheres,  though 
the  shell  be  sometimes  so  large  as  to  hide  the 
body  of  the  animal,  claws  and  all.' 

Yet  it  is  not  till  after  many  trials,  but  many 
combats  also,  that  the  soldier  is  thus  com- 
pletely equipped  ;  for  there  is  often  a  contest 
between  two  of  them  for  some  well-looking 
favourite  shell  for  which  they  are  rivals. 
They  both  endeavour  to  take  possession ; 
they  strike  with  their  claws,  they  bite  each 
other,  till  the  weakest  is  obliged  to  yield,  by 
giving  up  the  object  of  dispute.  It  is. then 
that  the  victor  immediately  takes  possession, 
and  parades  it  in  his  new  conquest  three  or 
four  times  back  and  forward  upon  the  strand 
before  his  envious  antagonist. 

When  this  animal  is  taken,  it  sends  forth  a 
feeble  cry,  endeavouring  to  seize  the  enemy 

»  Peru  du  Testre. 


CRUSTACEOU6  FISHES. 


(569 


with  its  nippers ;  which  if  it  fastens  upon  it 
will  soontT  die  than  quit  the  grasp.  The 
wound  is  very  painful,  and  not  easily  cured. 
For  this  reason,  and  as  it  is  not  much  esteem- 
ed for  its  flesh,  it  is  generally  permitted  to  re- 


turn to  its  old  retreat  to  the  mountains  in 
safety.  There  it  continues  till  the  necessity 
of  changing  once  more,  and  the  desire  of  pro- 
ducing an  offspring,  expose  it  10  fresh  dangers 
the  year  ensuing. 


CHAPTER  CLI1. 

OF  THE  TORTOISE  AND  ITS  KINDS. 


HAVING  described  the  lobster  and  the 
crab  as  animals  in  some  measure  approaching 
to  the  insect  tribes,  it  will  appear  like  injustice 
to  place  the  Tortoise  among  the  number,  that, 
from  its  strength,  its  docility,  the  warm  red 
blood  that  is  circulating  in  its  veins,  deserves 
to  be  ranked  even  above  the  fishes.  But  as 
this  animal  is  covered,  like  the  lobster,  with  a 
shell ;  as  it  is  of  an  amphibious  nature,  and 
brings  forth  its  young  from  the  egg  without 
hatching,  we  must  be  content  to  degrade  it 
among  anhnals  that  in  every  respect  it  infinite- 
ly surpasses. 

Tortoises  are  usually  divided  into  those  that 
live  upon  land,  and  those  that  subsist  in  the 
water  ;  and  use  has  made  a  distinction  even 
in  the  name  ;  the  one  being  called  Tortoises, 
the  other  Turtles.  However,  Seba  has  proved 
that  all  tortoises  are  amphibious ;  that  the 
land-tortoise  will  live  in  the  water,  and  thai 
the  sea-turtle  can  be  fed  upon  land.  A  land- 
tortoise  was  brought  to  him  that  \vas  caught 
in  one  of  the  canals  of  Amsterdam,  which  he 
kept  for  half  a  year  in  his  house,  where  it  lived 
very  well  contented  in  both  elements.  When 
in  the  water  it  remained  with  its  head  above 
the  surface ;  when  placed  in  the  sun,  it  seem- 
ed delighted  with  its  beams,  and  continued 
iminoveable  while  it  felt  their  warmth.  The 
difference,  therefore,  in  these  animals,  arises 
rather  from  their  habits  than  their  conforma- 
tion ;  and,  upon  examination,  there  will  be 
less  variety  found  between  them  than  between 
birds  that  live  upon  land,  and  those  that  swim 
upon  the  water. 

Yet,  though  nature  seems  to  have  made,  but 
few  distinctions  among  these  animals,  as  to 
their  conformation,  yet,  in  their  habits,  they 
are  very  dissimilar :  as  these  result  from  the 


different  qualities  of  their  food,  and  the  dif- 
ferent sorts  of  enemies  they  have  to  avoid  or 
encounter.  I  will,  therefore,  exhibit  their 
figure  and  conformation  under  one  common 
description,  by  which  their  slight  differences 
will  be  more  obvious ;  and  then  1  will  give  a 
separate  history  of  the  manners  of  each,  as 
naturalists  and  travellers  have  taught  us. 

All  tortoises,  in  their  external  form,  pretty 
much  resemble  each  other;  their  outward 
covering  being  composed  of  two  great  shells, 
the  one  laid  upon  the  other,  and  only  touch- 
ing at  the  edges  :  however,  when  we  come  to 
look  closer,  we  shall  find  that  the  tipper  shell 
is  composed  of  no  less  than  thirteen  pieces, 
which  are  laid  flat  upon  the  ribs,  like  the  tiles 
of  a  house,  by  which  the  shell  is  kept  arched 
and  supported.  The  shells  both  above  and 
below,  that,  which  seem,  to  an  inattentive 
observer,  to  make  each  but  one  piece,  are 
bound  together  at  the  edges  by  very  strong 
and  hard  ligaments,  yet  with  some  small  share 
of  motion.  There  are  two  holes  at  either 
cd»e  of  this  vaulted  body ;  one  for  a  very  small 
head,  shoulders,  and  arms  to  peep  through  ; 
the  other  at  the  opposite  edge,  for  the  feet  and 
the  tail.  These  shells  the  animal  is  never 
disengaged  from  ;  and  they  serve  for  its  de- 
fence against  every  creature  but  man. 

The  tortoise  has  but  a  small  head,  wilh  no 
teeth  ;  having  only  two  bony  ridges  in  the 
place,  serrated  and  hard.  These  serve  to 
gather  and  grind  its  food  ;  and  such  is  the 
amazing  strength  of  the  jaws,  that  it  is  impos- 
sible to  open  them  where  they  have"  once 
fastened.  Even  when  the  head  is  cut  off,  the 
jaws  still  keep  their  hold  ;  and  the  muscles,  in 
death,  preserve  a  tenacious  rigidity.  Indeed, 
the  animal  is  possessed  of  equal  strength  in  all 
5B» 


670 


A  HISTORY  OF 


other  parts  of  its  body :  the  legs,  though  short, 
are  inconceivably  strong :  and  torpid  as  the 
tortoise  may  appear,  it  has  been  known  to 
Carry  five  men  standing  upon  his  back,  with 
apparent  ease  and  unconcern.  Its  manner  of 
going  forward  is  by  moving  its  legs  one  after 
the  other  ;  and  the  claws  with  which  the  toes 
are  furnished,  sink  into  the  ground  like  the 
nails  of  an  iron-shod  wheel,  and  assist  its  pro- 
gression. 

With  respect  to  its  internal  parts,  not  to 
enter  into  minute  anatomical  disquisitions,  it 
may  not  be  improper  to  observe,  that  the 
blood  circulates  in  this  animal  as  in  some 
cartilaginous  fishes,  and  something  in  the 
manner  of  a  child  in  the  womb.  The  greatest 
quantity  of  the  blood  passes  directly  from  the 
vena  cava  into  the  left  ventricle  of  the  heart, 
which  communicates  with  the  right  ventricle 
by  an  opening  ;  while  the  auricles  only  receive 
what  the  ventricles  seern  incapable  of  admit- 
ting. Thus  the  blood  is  driven  by  a  very 
short  passage  through  the  circulation ;  and 
the  lungs  seem  to  lend  only  occasional  assist- 
ance. From  this  conformation  the  animal 
can  subsist  for  some  time,  without  using  the 
lungs  or  breathing  ;  at  least,  the  lungs  are  not 
so  necessary  an  instrument  for  driving  on  the 
circulation  as  with  us. 

Such  is  the  general  structure  of  this  animal, 
whether  found  to  live  by  land  or  water. 
With  regard  to  the  differences  of  these  animals, 
the  land-tortoise,  from  its  habits  of  making 
use  of  its  feet  in  walking,  is  much  more  nim- 
ble upon  land  than  the  sea-turtle :  the  land- 
tortoise,  if  thrown  upon  its  back,  by  rocking 
and  balancing  its  body,  like  a  child  rocking 
in  a  cradle,  at  last  turns  itself  upon  its  face 
again  ;  but  the  turtle,  when  once  turned,  con- 
tinues without  being  able  to  move  from  the 
spot.  In  comparing  the  feet  also  of  these  ani- 
mals, the  nails  upon  the  toes  of  one  that  has 
been  used  to  scratch  for  subsistence,  upon  land, 
are  blunt  and  worn  ;  while  those  that  have 
only  been  employed  in  swimming,  are  sharp 
and  long,  and  have  more  the  similitude  of  fins. 
The  brain  of  the  land-tortoise  is  but  small ; 
and  yet  it  is  three  times  as  large  as  that  of  the 
turtle.  There  is  a  difference  also  in  the  shape 
of  their  eggs,  and  in  the  passage  by  which 
they  are  excluded  ;  for,  in  the  land-tortoise, 
the  passage  is  so  narrow,  that  the  egg  conforms 
to  the  shape  of  the  aperture,  and  though  round 


when  in  the  body,  yet  becomes  much  more 
oblong  than  those  of  fowls,  upon  being  ex- 
cluded ;  otherwise  they  would  never  be  able 
to  pass  through  the  bony  canal  by  which  they 
are  protruded  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  passage 
is  wider  in  the  turtle,  and  therefore  its  eggs 
are  round.  These  are  the  most  striking  dis- 
tinctions ;  but  that  which  is  most  known  i.s 
their  size  ;  the  land-tortoise  often  not  exceed- 
ing three  feet  long,  by  two  feet  broad  ;  the 
sea-turtle  being  sometimes  from  five  to  seven 
feet  long.  The  size,  however,  is  but  a  fallaci- 
ous distinction  ;  since  land  -tortoises,  in  some 
parts  of  India,  grow  to  a  very  groat  magni- 
tude ;  though  probably  not,  as  the  ancients 
affirm,  big  enough  for  a  single  shell  to  serve 
for  the  covering  of  a  house. 

But  if  the  different  kinds  of  tortoises  are  not 
sufficiently  distinguished  by  iheir  figure,  they 
are  very  obviously  distinguishable  by  their 
methods  of  living.  The  land-tortoise  lives  In 
holes  dug  in  the  mountains,  or  near  marshy 
lakes  ;  the  sea-turtle  in  cavities  of  rocks,  and 
extensive  pastures  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 
The  tortoise  makes  use  of  its  feet  to  walk 
with,  and  burrow  in  the  ground  ;  the  turtle 
chiefly  uses  its  feet  in  swimming,  or  creeping 
at  the  bottom. 

The  land-tortoise  is  generally  found,  as  was 
observed  above,  from  one  foot  to  five  feet  long, 
from  the  end  of  the  snout  to  the  end  of  the 
tail ;  and  from  five  inches  to  a  foot  and  a  half 
across  the  back.  It  has  a  small  head,  some- 
what resembling  that  of  a  serpent ;  an  eye 
without  the  upper  lid  ;  the  under  eye-lid  serv- 
ing to  cover  and  keep  that  organ  in  safety. 
It  has  a  strong  scaly  tail,  like  the  lizard.  Its 
head  the  animal  can  put  out  and  hide  at  plea- 
sure, under  the  great  penthouse  of  its  shell  :• 
there  it  can  remain  secure  from  all  attacks ; 
there,  defended  on  every  side,  it  can  fatigue 
the  palic'nce  of  the  most  formidable  animul  of 
the  forest,  that  makes  use  only  of  natural, 
strength  to  destroy  it.  As  the  tortoise  lives 
wholly  upon  vegetable  food,  it  never  seeks  the 
encounter  ;  yet,  if  any  of  the  smaller  animals 
attempt  to  invade  its  repose,  they  are  sure  to 
suffer.  The  tortoise,  impregnably  defended, 
is  furnished  with  such  a  strength  of  jaw,  that, 
though  armed  only  with  bony  plates  instead 
of  teeth,  wherever  it  fastens,  it  infallibly  keeps 
its  hold,  until  it  has  taken  out  the  piece. 

Though  peaceable  in  itself,  it  is  formed  for 


CRUSTACEOUS  FISHES. 


671 


war  in  another  respect,  for  it  seems  almost 
endued  with  immortality.     Nothing  can  kill 
it ;  the  depriving  it  of  one  of  its  members,  is 
but  a  slight  injury  ;  it  will   live,  though  de- 
prived of  the  brain  ;  it  will  live,  though  de- 
prived of  its  head.     Rhcdi  informs  us,  that  in 
making  some  experiments  upon  vital  motion, 
he,  in  the  beginning  of  the  monih  of  Novem- 
ber, took  a  land-tortoise,  made  a  large  opening 
in  its  skull,  and  drew  out  all  the  brain,  wash- 
ed the  cavity,  so  as  not  to  leave   the  smallest 
part  remaining,   and   then,   leaving  the   hole 
open,  set    the   animal   at    liberly.     Notwith- 
standing this,  the  tortoise  marched  away  with- 
out seeming  to  have  received  the  smallest  in- 
jury ;  only  it  shut  the  eyes,  and  never  opened 
them  afterwards.     Soon  after  the  hole  in  the 
skull  was  seen  to  close;  and,  in   three  days, 
there  was  a  complete  skin  covering  the  wound. 
In   this  manner   the  animal   lived   without   a 
brain,  for  six  months;  walking  about  uncon- 
cernedly,   and    moving   its   limbs  as    before. 
But  the  Italian  philosopher,  not  satisfied  with 
this  experiment,  carried  it  still  farther;  for  he 
cut  off  the  head,  and  the  animal  lived  twenty- 
three  days  after  its  separation  from  the  body. 
The  head  also  continued  to  rattle  the  jaws, 
like  a  pair  of  castanets,"  for  above  a  qnorter  of 
an  hour. 

Nor  are  these  animals  less  long-lived  than 
difficult  in  destroying.  Tortoises  are  com- 
monly known  to  exceed  eighty  years  old  ; 
and  there  was  one  kept  in  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury's  garden,  at  Lambeth,  that  was 
remembered  above  a  hundred  and  twenty. 
It  was  at  last  killed  by  the  severity  of  a  frost, 
from  which  it  had  not  sufficiently  defended 
itself  in  its  winter  retreat,  which  was  a  heap 
of  sand,  at  the  bottom  of  the  garden. 

The  usual  food  of  the  land-tortoise  seems 
not  so  nourishing  as  to  supply  this  extraordi- 
nary principle  of  vitality.  It  lives  upon  vege- 
tables in  its  retreats  in  the  mountains  or  the 
plain  ;  and  seldom  makes  its  prey  of  snails  or 
worms,  but  when  other  food  is  not  found  in 
grateful  plenty.  It  is  fond  also  of  fruits;  and 
when  the  forest  affords  them,  is  generally 
found  not  far  from  where  they  grow.  As  it 
can  move  but  slowly,  it  is  not  very  delicate  in 
the  choice  of  its  food  ;  so  that  it  usually  fills 
itself  with  whatever  offers.  Those  that  are 
kept  in  a  domestic  state,  will  eat  any  thing  ; 
leaves,  fruits,  corn,  bran,  or  grass. 


From  the  smallness  of  its  brain,  and  the 
slowness  of  its  motion,  it  obviously  appears  to 
be  a  torpid,  heavy  animal,  requiring  rest  and 
sleep ;  and,  in  fact,  it  retires  to  some  cavern 
to  sleep  for  the  winter.     I   already  observed 
that,  iis  blood  circulated  through  the  heart  by 
a  short  passage  ;  and   that  it  did  not,  as  ana- 
tomists express  it,  go  through  the  great  circu- 
lation.    With  us,  and  quadrupeds,  the  blood 
goes  from   the  veins  to  tlie  heart ;  from  the 
heart  it  is  sent  to  be  spread  over  the  lungs  : 
from  the  lungs  it  returns  to  the"  heart  again  ; 
and  from  thence  it  goes  to  the  arteries  to  be 
distributed  through  the  whole  body.     But  its 
passage  in  the  tortoise  is  much  shorter ;  for, 
from  the  veins  it  goes  to  the  heart ;  then  leav- 
ing the  lungs   entirely   out  of  its   course,  it 
takes  a  short  cut,  if  I  may  so  say,  into  the  be- 
ginning of  the  arteries,  which  send  it  round 
the  animal,  frame.     From  hence  we  see  the 
lungs  are  left  out  of  the  circulation  ;  and,  con- 
sequently, the  animal  is  capable  of  continuing 
to  live  without  continuing  to  breath.     In  this 
it  resembles  the  bat,  the  serpent,  the  mole,  and 
the  lizard  ;  like  them  it  takes  up  its  dark  resi- 
dence for  the  winter ;  and,  at  that  time,  when 
its  food  is  no  longer  in  plenty,  it  happily   be- 
comes insensible  to  the  want.     Nor  is  it  un- 
mindful to  prepare  its  retreat,  and  make  it  as 
convenient  as  possible  ;  it  is  sometimes  buried 
two  or  three  feet  in  the  ground,  with  its  hole 
furnished  with  moss,  grass,  and  other  sub- 
stances, as  well  to  keep  the  retreat  warm,  as 
to  serve  for  food,  in  case  it  should  prematurely 
wake  from  its  state  of  stupefaction.     But  it 
must  not  be  supposed  that,  while  it  is  thus  at 
rest,  it  totally  discontinues  to  breath  ;  on  the 
contrary,  an  animal  of  this  kind,  if  put  into  a 
close  vessel,  without  air,  will  soon  be  stifled; 
though  not  so  readily  as  in  a  state  of  vigour 
and  activity'. 

From  this  dormant  state  the  tortoise  is 
awakened  by  the  genial  return  of  spring;  and 
is  thought  not  to  be  much  wasted  by  its  long 
confinement.  To  animals  that  live  an  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years,  a  sleep  of  six  months  is 
but  as  the  nap  of  a  night.  All  the  actions  of 
these  long-lived  qreatures  seem  formed  upon 
a  scale  answering  the  length  of  their  existence; 
their  slumbers  are  for  a  season ;  their  motions 
are  slow,  and  require  time  in  every  action : 
even  the  act  of  procreation,  which  among 
other  animals  is  performed  in  a.  very  few 


672 


A  HISTORY  OF 


minutes,  is  with  them  the  business  of  days. 
About  a  month  after  their  enlargement  from 
a  torpid  state,  they  prepare  to  transmit  their 
posterity;  and  both  continue  joined  for  near 
a  month  together.  The  eggs  of  the  female 
are  contained  in  the  ovary,  above  the  blad- 
der, which  is  extremely  large ;  and  these  are, 
before  their  exclusion,  round  and  naked, 
with  some  spots  of  .red  :  after  they  are  laid, 
however,  they  assume  another  form,  being 
smaller  and  linger  than  those  of  a  hen.  This 
alteration  in  the  figure  of  the  eggs  most  pro- 
bably proceeds  from  the  narrowness  of  the 
bony  passage  through  which  they  areexcluded. 
Swammerdam,  who  compared  the  size  of  the 
eggs  taken  out  of  this  animal's  body  with  the 
diameter  of  the  passage  through  which  they 
were  excluded,  was  of  opinion  that  the  bones 
themselves  separated  from  each  other,  and 
closed  again;  but,  in  my  opinion,  it  is  more 
probable  to  suppose,  that  the  eggs,  and  riot 
the  bones,  alter  their  form.  Certain  it  is, 
that  they  are  round  in  the  body,  and  that  they 
are  oval  upon  being  protruded. 

The  eggs  of  all  the  tortoise  kind,  like  those 
of  birds,  are  furnished  with  a  yolk  and  a 
white  ;  but  the  shell  is  different,  being  some- 
what like  those  soft  eggs  that  hens  exclude 
before  their  time:  however,  this  shell  is  much 
thicker  and  stronger,  and  is  a  longer  time  in 
cominj;  to  maturity  in  the  womb.  The  land- 
tortoise  lays  but  a  few  in  number,  if  com- 
pared to  the  sea-turtle,  who  deposits  from  a 
hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  in  a  sea- 

The  amount  of  the  land-tortoise's  eggs  I 
hue- not  been  able  to  learn;  but,  from  the 
scarceness  of  the  animal,  I  am  apt  to  think 
they  cannot  be  very  numerous.  When  it 
prepares  to  lay,  the  female  scratches  a  slight 
depression  in  the  earth,  generally  in  a  warm 
situation,  where  the  beams  of  the  sun  have 
th^ir  full  effect :  there  depositing  her  eg^s, 
and  covering  them  with  grass  and  leaves,  she 
forsakes  them,  to  be  hatched  by  the  heat  of 
the  season.  The  young  tortoises  are  gene- 
rally excluded  in  about  twenty-six  days  :  but, 
as  the  heat  of  the  weather  assists,  or  its  cold- 
ness retards  incubation,  sometimes  it  happens 
that  there  is  a  difference  of  two  or  three  days. 
The  little  animals  no  sooner  leave  the  egg 
ilia?)  they  seek  for  their  provision,  entirely 


self-taught;  and  their  shell,  with  which  they 
are  covered  from  the  beginning,  expands  and 
grows  larger  with  age :  as  it  is  composed  of 
a  variety  of  pieces,  they  are  all  capable  of 
extension  at  their  sutures,  and  the  shell  ad- 
mits of  increase  in  every  direction.  It  is 
otherwise  with  those  animals,  like  the  lobster, 
whose  shell  is  composed  all  of  one  piece,  that 
admits  of  no  increase ;  which,  when  the 
tenant  is  too  big  for  the  habitation,  must 
burst  the  shell,  and  get  another.  But  the 
covering  of  the  tortoise  grows  larger  in  pro- 
portion as  the  internal  parts  expand ;  in 
some  measure  resembling  the  growth  of  the 
human  skull,  which  is  composed  of  a  num- 
ber of  bones,  increasing  in  size  in  propor- 
tion to  the  quantity  of  the  brain.  All  tor- 
toises, therefore,  as  they  never  change  their 
shell,  must  have  it  formed  in  pieces;  and 
though,  in  some  that  have  been  described  by 
painters  or  historians,  these  marks  have  not 
been  attended  to,  yet  we  can  have  no  doubt 
that  they  are  general  to  the  whole  tribe. 

It  is  common  enough  to  take  these  animals 
into  gardens,  as  they  are  thought  to  destroy 
insects  and  snails  in  great  abundance.  We 
are  even  told  that  in  hot  countries,  they  are 
admitted  into  a  domestic  state,  as  they  are 
great  destroyers  of  bugs.  How  so  large  and 
heavy  an  animal  is  capable  of  being  expert 
at  such  petty  prey,  is  not  easy  to  conceive ; 
but  I  have  seen  several  of  them  about  gentle- 
men's houses,  that,  in  general,  appear  torpid, 
harmless,  and  even  fond  of  employment. 
Children  have  sometimes  got  upon  the  back 
of  a  tortoise ;  and  such  was  the  creature's 
strength,  that  it  never  seemed  overloaded, 
but  moved  off  with  its  burden  to  where  it  ex- 
pected to  be  fed,  but  would  carry  them  no 
further.  In  winter  they  regularly- find  out  a 
place  to  sleep  in  ;  but  in  those  warm  coun- 
tries in  which  the  tortoise  is  found  larger, 
and  in  greater  plenty  than  in  Europe,  they 
live,  without  retiring,  the  whole  year  round. 

The  Sea-Tortoise,  or  Turtle,  as  it  is  now 
called,  is  generally  found  larger  than  the 
former.  This  element  is  possessed  with  the 
property  of  increasing  the  magnitude  of  those 
animals,  which  are  common  to  the  land  and 
the  ocean.  The  sea-pike  is  larger  than  that 
of  fr^sli  water;  the  sea-bear  is  larger  than 
that  of  the  mountains:  and  the  sea-turtle  ei 


CRUSTACEOUS  FISHES. 


ceeds  the  land-tortoise  in  the  same  propor- 
tion. It  is  of  different  magnitudes,  according 
to  its  different  kinds;  some  turtles  being  not 
above  tilty  pounds  weight,  and  some  above 
eight  hundred. 

The  Great  Mediterranean  Turtle  is  the 
largest  of  the  turtle  kind  with  which  we  are 
acquainted.  It  is  found  from  five  to  eight 
feet  long,  and  from  six  to  nine  hundred  pounds 
weight.  But,  unluckily,  its  utility  bears  no 
proportion  to  its  size;  as  it  is  unfit  for  food, 
and  sometimes  poisons  those  who  eat  it.  The 
shell  also,  which  is  a  tough,  strong  integument, 
resembling  an  hide,  is  unfit  for  all  serviceable 
purposes.  One  of  these  animals  was  taken 
in  the  year  1729,  at  the  month  of  the  Loire, 
in  nets  that  were  not  designed  for  so  large  a 
capture.  This  turtle,  which  was  of  enormous 
strength,  by  its  own  struggles  involved  itself 
in  the  nets  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  incapa- 
ble of  doing  mischief:  yet,  even  thus  shackled, 
it  appeared  terrible  to  the  fishermen,  who 
were  at  first  for  flying;  but  finding  it  impo- 
tent, they  gathered  courage  to  drag  it  on  shore, 
where  it  made  a  most  horrible  bellowing ;  and 
when  they  began  to  knock  it  on  the  head  with 
their  gaffs,  it  was  to  be  heard  at  half  a  mile's 
distance.  They  were  still  further  intimidated 
by  its  nauseous  and  pestilential  breath,  which 
so  powerfully  affected  them,  that  they  were 
near  fainting.  This  animal  wanted  but  four 
inches  of  being  eight  feet  long,  and  was  above 
two  feet  over:  its  shell  more  resembled  lea- 
ther than  the  shell  of  a  tortoise;  and,  unlike 
all  other  animals  of  this  kind,  it  was  furnished 
with  teeth  in  each  jaw,  one  rank  behind  ano- 
ther, like  those  of  a  shark:  its  feet  also,  dif- 
ferent from  the  rest  ofcthis  kind,  wanted  claws; 
and  the  tail  was  quite  disengaged  from  the 
shell,  and  fifteen  inches  long,  more  resembling 
that  of  a  quadruped  than  a  tortoise.  This 
animal  was  then  unknown  upon  the  coasts  of 
France,  and  was  supposed  to  have  been 
brought  into  the  European  seas,  in  some  In- 
dia ship  that  might  be  wrecked  upon  her  re- 
turn. Since  that,  however,  two  or  three  of 
these  animals  have  been  taken  upon  the  coasts: 
two  in  particular  upon  those  of  Cornwall,  in 
the  year  1756,  the  largest  of  which  weighed 
eight  hundred  pounds;  and  one  upon  the  Isle 
ofRhe,  but  two  years  before  that,  weighed 
between  seven  and  eight  hundred.  One, 


most  probably  of  this  kind  also,  was  caught 
about  thirty  years  ago  near  Scarborough,  and 
a  good  deal  of  company  was  invited  to  feast 
upon  it:  a  gentleman,  who  was  one  of  the 
guests,  told  the  company  that  it  was  a  Medi- 
terranean turtle,  and  not  wholesome;  but  a 
person,  who  was  willing  to  satisfy  his  appetite 
at  the  risk  of  his  life,  ate  of  it :  he  was  seized 
with  a  violent  vomiting  and  purging;  but  his 
constitution  overpowered  the  malignity  of  the 
poison. 

These  are  a  formidable  and  useless  kind, 
if  compared  to  the  turtle  caught  in  the  South 
Seas  and  the  Indian  Ocean.  These  are  ot 
different  kinds;  not  only  unlike  each  other 
in  form,  but  furnishing  man  with  very  differ- 
ent advantages.  They  are  usually  distinguish- 
ed by  sailors  into  four  kinds  ;  the  Trunk  Tur- 
tle, the  Loggerhead,  the  Hawksbill,  and  the 
Green  Turtle.  •: 

The  Trunk  Turtle  is  commonly  larger  than 
the  rest,  and  its  back  higher  and  rounder.  The 
flesh  of  this  is  rank,  and  not  very  wholesome. 

The  Loggerhead  is  so  called  from  the  large- 
ness of  its  head,  which  is  much  bigger  in  pro- 
portion than  that  of  the  other  kinds.  The  fle^h- 
of  this  is  also  very  rank,  and  not  eaten  but  in 
case  of  necessity. 

The  Hawksbill  Turtle  is  the  least  of  the 
four,  and  has  a  long  and  small  mouth,  s,ome- 
what  resembling  the  bill  of  a  hawk.  The 
flesh  of  this  also  is  very  indifferent  eating;  but 
the  shell  serves  for  the  most  valuable  pur- 
poses. This  is  the  animal  that  supplies  the 
tortoise-shell,  of  which  such  a  variety  of  beau- 
tiful trinkets  are  made.  The  substance  of 
which  the  shells  of  other  turtlesarecomposed, 
is  thin  and  porous;  but  that  of  the  havvksbill 
is  firm,  and,  when  polished,  is  beautifully  mar- 
bled. They  generally  carry  about  three 
pounds ;  but  the  largest  of  all  six  pounds. 
The  shell  consists,  as  in  all  the  kind,  of  thir- 
teen leaves  or  plaits,  of  which  eight  are  Hat, 
and  five  hollow.  They  are  raised  and  taken 
ofFby  means  of  fire,  which  is  made  under  the 
shell  after  the  flesh  is  taken  out.  As  soon  as 
the  heat  affects  the  leaves,  they  start  from  the 
ribs,  and  are  easily  raised  with  the  point  of 
a  knife.  By  being  scraped  and  polished  on 
both  sides,  they  become  beautifully  transpa- 
'  rent,  or  are  easily  cast  into  what  form  the 
workman  thinks  proper,  by  making  them  soft 


674 


A  HISTORY  OF 


and  pliant  in  warm  water,  uud  (hen  screwing  II 
them  in  a  mould,  like  a  medal :  however,  the 
shell  is  most  beautiful   before  it  undergoes 
this  last  operation. 

But  of  all  animals  of  the  tortoise  kind,  the 
green  turtle  is  the  most  noted,  and  the-  most 
valuable.  The  delicacy  of  its  flesh,  and  its 
nutritive  qualities,  together  with  the  property 
of  being  easily  digested,  were,  for  above  a 
century,  known  only  to  our  seamen  and  the 
inhabitants  of  the  co:!st=;  where  (hey  were 
taken.  It  was  not  till  by  slow  degrees  the 
distinction  came  to  be  made  between  such  as 
were  malignant  and  such  as  were  wholesome. 
The  controversies  and  contradictions  of  our 
old  tVavellers  were  numerous  upon  this  head: 
some  asserting,  that  the  turtle  was  delicious 
lood ;  and  others,  that  it  was  actual  poison. 
Dampier,  that  rough  seaman,  who  has  added 
jnore  to  natural  history  than  half  of  the  phi- 
losophers that  went  before  him,  appears  to  be. 
the  first  who  informed  us  of  their  distinctions ; 
and  that,  while  the  rest  might  be  valuable  for 
other  purposes,  the  green  turtle  alone  was 
chiefly  prized  for  the  delicacy  of  its  flesh. 
He  never  imagined,  however,  that  this  ani- 
mal would  make  its  way  to  the  luxurious  ta- 
bles of  Kurope;  for  he  seems  chietly  to  re- 
commend it  as  salted  up  for  ship's  provision, 
in  case  of  necessity. 

At  present  the  turtle  is  very  well  known 
among  us,  and  is  become  the  favourite  food 
of  those  that  are  desirous  of  eating  a  great 
deal  without  the  danger  of  surfeiting.  This 
is  a  property  the  flesh  of  the  turtle  seems  pe- 
culiarly possessed  of;  and  by  the  importa- 
tion of  it  alive  among  us,  "gluttony  is  freed 
from  one  of  its  greatest  restraints.  The  flesh 
of  the  turtle  is  become  a  branch  of  commerce; 
and  therefore  ships  are  provided  with  con- 
veniences for  supplying  them  with  water  and 
provision,  to  bring  them  over  in  health  from 
Jamaica  and  other  West  India  islands.  This, 
however,  is  not  always  effected ;  for  though 
they  are  very  vivacious,  and  scarcely  require 
any  provision  upon  the  voyage,  yet,  by  the 
working  of  the  ship,  and  their  beating  against 
the  side  of  the  boat  that  contains  them,  they 
become  battered  and  lean ;  so  that  to  eat  this 
animal  in  the  highest  perfection,  instead  of 
bringing  the  turtle  to  the  epicure,  he  ought 
to  be  transported  to  the  turtle. 


The  animal  is  called  the  green  turtle,  from 
the  colour  of  its  shell,  which  is  rather  greener 
ihan  that  of  others  of  this  kind.  It  is  gene- 
rally found  about  two  hundred  weight;  though 
some  are  five  hundred,  and  others  not  above 
fifty.  Darnpier  tells  us  of  one  that  was  seen 
at  Port-Royal  in  Jamaica,  that  was  six  feet 
broad  across  the  back;  he  does  not  tell  us  its 
other  dimensions;  but  says,  that  the  son  of 
Captain  Uoach,  a  boy  about  ten  years  old, 
sailed  in  the  shell,  as  in  a  boat,  from  the  shore 
to  his  fathers  ship,  which  was  above  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  from  land.  But  this  is  nothing 
to  the  size  of  some  turtles  the  ancients  speak 
of.  ^Elian  assures  us,  that  the  houses  in  the 
island  of  Taprobane  are  usually  covered  with 
a  single  shell.  Diodorus  Siculus  tells  us,  that 
a  people  neighbouring  on  Ethiopia,  called  the 
Turtle-caters^  coasted  along  the  shore  in  boats 
made  of  the  upper  shell  of  this  animal;  and 
that  in  war,  when  they  had  eaten  the  flesh, 
the  covering  served  them  as  a  tent.  In  this 
account,  Pliny,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  ancients 
agree;  and  as  they  had  frequent  opportuni- 
ties of  knowing  the  truth,  we  are  not  lightly 
to  contradict  their  testimony. 

At  present,  however,  they  are  not  seen  of 
such  amazing  dimensions.  We  are  told,  by 
Laet,  that  on  the  isle  of  Cuba  they  grow  to 
such  a  size,  as  that  five  men  can  stand  on  the 
back  of  one  of  them  together;  and,  what  is 
more  surprising  still,  that  the  animal  does  not 
seem  overloaded,  but  will  go  off  with  them  upon 
its  back,  with  a  slow  steady  motion,  towards 
the  sea. 

They  are  found  in  the  greatest  numbers  on 
the  island  of  Ascension^  where,  for  several 
years,  they  were  taken  to  be  salted  to  feed 
the  slaves,  or  for  a  supply  of  ship's  provision. 
Their  value  at  present  seems  to  be  better 
known. 

This  animal  seldom  comes  from  the  sea  but 
to  deposite  their  eggs,  and  now  and  then  to 
sport  in  fresh  water.  Its  chief  food  is  a  sub- 
marine plant,  that  covers  the  bottom  of  seve- 
ral parts  of  the  sea  not  far  from  the  shore. 
There  the  turtles  are  seen,  when  the  wea- 
ther is  fair,  feeding  in  great  numbers,  like 
flocks  of  sheep,  several  fathoms  deep  upon 
the  verdant  carpet  below.  At  other  times 
they  go  to  the  mouths  of  rivers;  and  they 
seem  to  find  gratification  in  fresh  water 


CRUST ACEOUS  PISHES. 


07,  < 


After  some  time  thus  employed,  they  seek 
their  former  stations:  and  when  done  feeding, 
they  generally  float  with  their  heads  above 
water,  unless  they  are  alarmed  by  the  ap- 
proach of  hunters  or  birds  of  prey,  in  which 
case  they  suddenly  plunge  to  the  bottom. 
They  often  seek  their  provision  among  the 
rocks,  feeding  upon  moss  and  sea-weed  :  and 
it  is  probable  will  not  disdain  to  prey  upon 
insects  and  other  small  animals,  as  they  are 
very  fond  of  flesh  when  taken  and  fed  tor  the 
table. 

At  the  time  of  breeding,  they  are  seen  to 
forsake  their  former  haunts  and  their  food,  and 
to  take  sometimes  a  voyage  of  nine  hundred 
miles  to  deposite  their  eggs  on  some  favourite 
shore.  The  coasts  they  always  resort  to  upon 
these  occasions  are  those  that  are  low,  flat, 
and  sandy  ;  for  being  heavy  animals,  they  can- 
not climb  a  bold  shore  ;  nor  is  any  bod  so 
proper  as  sand  to  lay  their  eggs  on.  They 
couple  in  March,  and  continue  united  till  May ; 
during  a  great  part  of  which  time  they  are 
seen  locked  together,  and  almost  incapable  of 
separation.  The  female  seems  passive  and 
reluctant;  but  the  male  grasps  her  with  his 
claws  in  such  a  manner,  that  nothing  can  in- 
duce him  to  qujt  his  hold.  It  would  seem  that 
the  grasp,  as  in  frogs,  is  in  some  measure  con- 
vulsive, and  that  the  animal  is  unable  to  relax 
its  efforts. 

When  the  time  for  laying  approaches,  the 
female  is  seen  towards  the  setting  of  the  sun 
drawing  near  the  shore,  and  looking  earnestly 
about  her,  as  if  afraid  of  being  discovered. 
When  she  perceives  any  person  on  shore,  she 
seeks  for  another  place;  but  if  otherwise,  she 
lands  when  it  is  dark,  and  goes  to  take  a  sur- 
vey of  the  sand  where  she  designs  to  lay. 
Having  i-iarked  the  spot,  she  goes  back,  with-, 
out  laying  for  that  night,  to  the  ocean  again  : 
but  the  next  night  returns  to  deposite  a  part  of 
her  burden.  She  begins  by  working  and 
digging  in  the  sand  with  her  fore-fet  t  till  she 
has  made  a  round  hole,  a  foot  broad  and  a 
foot  and  a  half  deep,  just  at  the  place  a  little 
above  where  the  water  reaches  highest.  This 
done,  she  lays  eighty  or  ninety  eggs  at  a  time, 
each  as  big  as  a  hen's  egg,  and  as  round  as  a 
ball.  She  continues  laying  about  the  space 
of  an  hour,  during  which  time,  if  a  cart  were 
driven  over  her,  she  would  not  be  induced  to 
stir-  The  eggs  are  covered  with  a  tough 

NO.  57  &  58. 


white  skin,  like  wetted  parchment.  When 
she  has  done  laying  she  covers  the  hole  so  dex- 
terously, that  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  find  the 
place ;  and  these  must  be  accustomed  to  the 
search  to  make  the  discovery.  When  the 
turtle  has  done  laying  she  returns  to  the  sea, 
and  leaves  her  eggs  to  be  hatched  by  the  heat 
of  the  sun.  At  the  end  of  fifteen  days  she  lays 
about  the  same  number  of  eggs  again  ;  and  at 
the  end  of  another  fifteen  days  she  repeats  the 
same  ;  three  times  in  all,  using  'the  same  pre- 
cautions every  time  for  their  safety. 

In  about  twenty-four  or  twenty-five  days 
after  laying,  the  eggs  are  hatched  by  the  heat  of 
the  sun  ;  and  the  young  turtles,  being  about 
as  big  as  quails,  are  seen  bursting  from  the 
sand,  as  if  earth-born,  and  running  directly  to 
the  sea,  with  instinct  only  for  their  guide  : 
but,  to  their  great  misfortune,  it  often  happens 
that,  their  strength  being  small,  the  surges  of 
the  sea,  for  some  few  days,  beat  them  back 
upon  the  shore.  Thus  exposed,  they  remain 
a  prey  to  thousands  of  birds  that  then  haunt 
the  coasts ;  and  these  stooping  down  upon 
them,  carry  off  the  greatest  part,  and  some- 
times the  wl.olc  brood,  before  they  have 
strength  sufficient  to  withstand  the  waves,  or 
dive  to  the  bottom.  Helbigius  informs  us, 
that  they  have  still  another  enemy  to  fear, 
which  is  no  other  than  the  parent  that  pro- 
duced them,  that  waits  for  their  arrival  at  the 
edge  of  the  deep,  and  devours  as  many  as  she 
can.  -This  circumstance,  however,  demands 
further  confirmation  ;  though  nothing  is  more 
certain  than  that  the  crocodile  acts  in  the  same 
unnatural  manner. 

When  thr  turtles  have  done  laying,  they 
then  return  to  their  accustomed  places  of  feed"- 
ing.  Upon  their  out-set  to  the  shore,  where 
they  breed,  they  are  always  found  fat  and 
healthy  ;  but  upon  their  return,  they  are  weak, 
lean,  and  unfit  to  be  eaten.  They  are  seldom, 
therefore,  molested  upon  their  retreat ;  but 
the  great  art  is  to  seize  them  when  arrived,  or 
to  intercept  their  arrival.  In  these  uninhabit- 
ed islands,  to  which  the  green-turtle  chiefly 
resorts,  the  men  that  go  to  take  them  land 
about  night-fall,  and  without  making  any 
noise  (for  those  animals,  though  without  any 
external  opening  of  the  ear,  hear  very  dis- 
tinctly, there  being  an  auditory  conduit  that 
opens  into  the  mouth)  lie  close  while  they  see 
the  female  turtle  coming  on  shore.  They  Jet 

5C 


G7U 


A  HISTORY  OF 


her  proceed  to  her  greatest  distance  from  the 
sea  ;  and  then,  when  she  is  most  busily  em- 
ployed in  scratching  a  hole  in  the  sand,  they 
sally  out  and  surprise  her.  Their  manner  is 
to  turn  her  upon  her  back,  which  utterly  inca- 
pacitates her  from  moving;  and  yet,  as  the 
creature  is  very  strong,  and  struggles  very 
hard,  two  men  find  it  no  easy  matter  to  Jay 
her  over.  When  thus  secured  they  go  to  the 
next ;  and  in  (his  manner,  in  less  than  three 
hours,  they  have  been  known  to  turn  forty  or 
fifty  turtles,  each  of  which  weighs  from  a 
hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  pounds. 
Labat  assures  us,  that  when  the  animal  is  in 
this  helpless  situation,  it  is  heard  to  sigh  very 
heavily,  and  even  to  shed  tears. 

At  present,  from  the  great  appetite  that 
man  has  discovered  for  this  animal,  they  are 
not  only  thinned  in  their  numbers,  but  are 
also  grown  much  more  shy.  There  are  seve- 
ral other  ways,  therefore,  contrived  for  taking 
them.  One  is,  to  seize  them  when  coupled 
together,  at  the  breeding  season,  when  they 
are  very  easily  approached,  and  as  easily 
seen;  for  these  animals,  though  capable  ol 
living  for  some  time  under  water,  yet  rise 
every  eiajht  or  ten  minutes  to  breath.  As 

i  •  i  1 

Boon  as  they  are  thus  perceived,  two  or  three 
people  draw  near  them  in  a  canoe,  and  slip 
a  noose  either  round  their  necks  or  one  of 
their  feet.  If  they  have  no  line,  they  lay 
hold  of  them  by  the  neck,  where  they  have 


no  shell,  with  their  hands  only ;  and  by  this 
means  they  usually  catch  them  both  together. 
But  sometimes  the  female  escapes,  being 
more  shy  than  the  male. 

Another  \vay  of  taking  them  is  by  the  har- 
poon, either  when  they  arc  playing  on  the 
surface  of  the  water,  or  feeding  at  the  bot- 
tom; when  the  harpoon  is  skilfully  darted,  it 
sticks  fast  in  the  shell  of  the  back  ;  the  wood 
then  disengages  from  the  iron,  and  the  line  is 
long  enough  for  the  animal  to  take  its  range; 
for  if  the  harpooner  should  attempt  at  once 
to  draw  the  animal  into  his  boat  till  it  is 
weakened  by  its  own  struggling,  it  would  pro- 
bably get  free.  Thus  tht!  turtle  struggles 
hard  to  get  loose,  but  all  in  vain;  for  they 
take  care  the  line  fastened  to  the  harpoon 
shall  be  strong  enough  to  hold  it. 

There  is  yet  another  way  which,  though 
seemingly  awkward,  is  said  to  be  attended 
with  very  great  success.  A  good  diver  places 
himself  at  the  head  of  the  boat ;  and  when 
the  turtles  are  observed,  which  they  some- 
times are  in  great  numbers,  asleep  on  the 
surface,  he  immediately  quits  the  vessel,  at 
about  fifty  yards  distance,  and  keeping  still 
under  water,  directs  his  passage  to  where 
the  turtle  was  seen,  and  comil%  up  beneath, 
seizes  it  by  the  tail ;  the  animal  awaking, 
struggles  to  get  free ;  and  by  this  both  are 
kept  at  the  surface  until  the  boat  arrives  to 
take  them  in. 


CHAPTER  CL1I1. 

OF  THE  SHELL  OF  TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


'  ONE  is  apt  to  combine  very  dissimilar  ob- 
jects in  the  same  group,  when  hurried  into 
the  vortex  of  method.  No  two  animals  are 
more  unlike  each  other  than  the  whale  and 
the  limpet,  the  tortoise  and  the  oyster.  Yet, 
as  these  animals  must  find  some  place  in  the 
picture  of  Animated  Nature,  it  is  best  to  let 
them  rest  in  the  station  where  the  generality 
of  mankind  have  assigned  them ;  and  as  they 
have  been,  willing  to  give  them  all  from  their 


abode  the  name  of  fishes,  it  is  wisest  in  us  to 
conform. 

But  before  I  enter  into  any  history  of  shell- 
fish, it  may  not  be  improper  to  observe,  that 
naturalists  who  have  treated  on  this  part  of 
history,  have  entirely  attended  to  outward 
forms;  and,  as  in  many  other  instances,  for- 
saking the  description  of  the  animal  itself, 
have  exhausted  all  their  industry  in  describ- 
ing the  habitation.  In  consequence  of  this 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


'077 


radical  error,  we  have  volumes  written  upon 
the  subject  of  shells,  and  very  little  said  on 
the  history  of  shell-fish.  The  life  of  these 
industrious  creatures,  that  for  the  most  part 
creep  along  the  bottom,  or  immoveably  wait 
till  driven  as  the  waves  happen  to  direct,  is 
almost  entirely  unknown.  The  wreathing  of 
their  shells,  or  the- spots  with  which  they  are 
tinctured,  have  been  described  with  a  most 
disgusting  prolixity  ;  but  their  appetites  and 
their  combats,  their  escapes  and  humble  arts 
of  subsistence,  have  been  utterly  neglected. 

As  I  have  only  undertaken  to  write  the  his- 
tory of  Animated  Nature,  the  variety  of  shells, 
and  their  peculiar  spots  or  blemishes,  do  not 
come  within  my  design.  However,  the  man- 
ner in  which  shells  are  formed  is  a  part  of 
natural  history  connected  with  my  plan,  as 
it  pre-supposes  vital  force  or  industry  in  the 
animal  that  forms  them. 

The  shell  may  be  considered  as  a  habita- 
tion supplied  by  nature.  Ft  is  a  hard  stonv 
substance,  made  up  somewhat  in  the  manner 
of  a  wall.  Part  of  the  stony  substance  the 
animal  derives  from  outward  objects,  and  the 
dnids  of  the  animal  itself  furnish  the  cement. 
These  united  make  that  firm  covering  which 
shell-fish  generally  reside  in  till  they  die. 

But,  in  order  to  give  a  more  exact  idea  of 
the  manner  in  which  sea-shells  are  formed, 
we  must  have  recourse  to  an  animal  that  lives 
upon  land,  with  the  formation  of  whose  shell 
we  are  best  acquainted.  This  is  the  garden- 
snail,  that  carries  its  box  upon  its  back,  whose 
history  Swammerdam  has  taken  such  endless 
p^ins  to  describe.  As  the  manner  of  the  for- 
mation of  this  animal's  shell  extends  to  that 
of  all  others  that  have  shells,  whether  they 
live  upon  land  or  in  the  water,  it  will  be 
proper  to  give  it  a  place  before  we  enter 
"upon  the  history  of  testaceous  fishes. 

To  begin  with  the  animal  in  its  earliest 
state,  and  trace  the  progress  of  its  shell  from 
the  time  it  first  appears.  The  instant  the 
young  snail  leaves  the  egg,  it  carries  its  shell 
or  ks  box  on  its  back.  It  does  not  leave  the 
egg  till  it  is  arrived  at  a  certain  growth, 
when  its  little  habitation  is  sufficiently  har- 
dened. This  beginning  of  the  shell  is  not 
much  bigger  than  a  pin's  head,  but  grows  in 
a  very  rapid  manner,  having  at  first  but  two 
circumvolutions,  for  the  rest  are  added  as  the 


snail  grows  larger.  In  proportion  as  the  ani- 
mal increases  in  size,  the  circumvolutions  of 
the  shell  increase  also,  until  the  number  of 
those  volutes  come  to  be  five,  which  is  never 
exceeded. 

The  part  where  the  animal  enlarges  its 
shells  is  at  the  mouth,  to  which  it  adds  in 
proportion  as  it  finds  itself  stinted  in  ittf 
habitation  below.  Being  about  to  enlarge 
its  shell,  it  is  seen  with  its  little  teeth  biting 
and  clearing  away  the  scaly  skin  that  grows 
at  the  edges.  It  is  sometimes  seen  to  eat 
those  bits  it  thus  takes  off;  at  other  times  it 
only  cleans  away  the  margin  when  covered 
with  films,  and  then  adds  another  rim  to  its 
shell. 

For   the  purposes  of  making   the    shell, 
which  is  natural  to  the  animal,  and   without 
which  it  could  not  live  three  days,  its  whole 
body  is  furnished  with  glands,  from  the  ori- 
fices of  which  flows  out  a  kind  of  slimy  fluid, 
like  small  spiders'threads,which  join  together 
in  one  common  crust  or  surface,  and  in  time 
condense  and  acquire  a  stony  hardness.     It 
is  this  slimy  humour  that  grows  into  a  mem- 
brane, and  afterwards  a  stony  skin;  nor  can 
it  have  escaped  any  who  have  observed  the 
track    of  a  snail,  that  glistening   substance 
which  it  leaves  on  the  floor  or  the  wall,  is  no 
other  than  the  materials  with  which  the  ani- 
mal adds  to  its  shell,  or  repairs  it  when  bro- 
ken. ;.) 
Now  to  exhibit  in  a  more  satisfactory  man- 
ner the  method  in  which  the  shell  is  formed. 
The  snail  bursts  from  its  egg  with  its  shell 
upon  its  back  ;  this  sRell,  though  very  simple, 
is  the  centre  round  which  every  succeeding 
convolution  of  the  shell  is  formed,  by  new 
circles  added  to  the  first.     As  the  body  of  the 
snail  can  be  extended  no  where  but  to  the 
aperture,  the  month  of  the  shell  only  can,  of 
consequence,    receive  augmentation.      The 
substance  of  which  the  shell  is  composed  is 
chiefly  supplied  by  the  animal  itself,  and  is 
no  more  than  a  slimy  fluid  which  hardens 
into  bone.     This  fluid  passes  through  an  in- 
finite number  of  little  glands  till  it  arrives  at 
the  pores  of  the  skin  ;  but  there  it  is  stopped 
by  the  shell  that  covers  the  part  below ;  and 
therefore  is  sent  to  the  mouth  of  (he  shell, 
where  it  is  wanted  for  its  enlargement.   There 
the  first  layer  of  slime  soon  hardens;  awl 
•  5C» 


678 


A  HISTORY  OF 


then  another  is  added,  which  hardens  also,, 
till  in  time  the  shell  becomes  as  thick  as  is 
requisite  for  the  animal's  preservation.  Thus 
every  shell  may  be  considered  as  composed 
of  a  number  of  layers  of  slime,  which  have 
entirely  proceeded  from  the  animal's  own 
body. 

But  though  this  be  the  general  opinion 
with  regard  to  the  formation  of  shells,  1  can- 
not avoid  thinking  there  are  still  other  sub- 
stances besides  the  .animal's  own  slime  which 
go  to  the  composition  of  its  shell,  or  at  least 
to  its  external  coat,  which  is  ever  different 
from  the  internal.  The  substances  I  mean  are 
the  accidental  concretions  of  earthy  or  sa- 
line parts,  which  adhere  to  the  slimy  mat- 
ter upon  its  first  emission.  By  adopting  this 
theory,  we  can  more  satisfactorily  account 
for  the  various  colours  of  the  shell,  which 
cannot  be  supposed  to  take  its  tincture  from 
the  animal's  body,  as  is  the  usual  opinion ; 
for  all  the  internal  parts  of  the  shell  are  but 
of  one  white  colour;  it  is  only  the  outermost 
layer  of  the  shell  that  is  so  beautifully  varied, 
so  richly  tinctured  with  that  variety  of  colours 
we  behold  in  the  cabinets  of  the  curious.  If 
the  external  coat  be  scaled  off',  as  Mr.  Angen- 
ville  asserts,  all  the  inner  substance  will  be 
found  but  of  one  simple  colouring;  and  con- 
sequently the  animal's  own  juices  can  give 
enly  one  colour;  whereas  we  see  some  shells 
stained  with  a  hundred. 

The  usual  way  of  accounting  for  the  dif- 
ferent colouring  of  shells,  which  seems  to  me 
erroneous,  is  this:  In  th^>  body  of  every  one 
of  these  animals,  several- streaks  are  discern- 
ed of  a  different  colour  from  the  rest.  "This 
variety,"  say  they,  "  is  an  incontestable  proof 
that  the  juices  flowing  from  those  parts  will 
be  also  of  a  different  hue;  and  will  conse- 
quently tinge  that  part  of  the  shell  which  their 
slime  composes  of  a  different  colour."  But 
this  system,  as  was  observed  before,  is  over- 
thrown by  the  fact,  which  discovers  that  only 
the  outer  surface  of  the  shell  is  tinged ;  where- 
as by  this  it  would  have  been  coloured  through- 
out ;  nay,  by  this  system,  the  internal  parts 
of  the  shell  would  he  stained  with  the  most 
vivid  colouring,  as  being  least  exposed  to  the 
external  injuries  of  the  element  where  it  is 
placed.  But  the  truth  is,  the  animal  residing 
in  the  shell  has  none  of  these  various  colours 


thus  talked  of:  its  slime  is  a  simple,  pellucid 
substance;  and  (he  only  marblings  which  ap- 
pear in  its  body,  are  the  colour  of  the  food 
which  is  seen  through  its  transparent  intes- 
tines. We  must,  therefore,  account  for  the 
various  colouring  of  its  shell  upon  a  different 
principle. 

if,  as  I  said,  we  examine-the  cabinets  of  the 
curious,  we  shall  find  shells  with  Carious  and 
beautiful  colouring;  we  shall  find  them  ge- 
nerally furnished  with  a  while  ground,  tinc- 
tured with  red,  yellow,  brown,  green,  and  se- 
veral other  shades  and  lovely  mixtures,  but 
never  blue.  Shells  are  of  almost  all  colours 
but  blue.  The  reason  seems  to  be  obvious; 
for  blue  is  the  colour  which  sea-water  changes. 
A  piece  of  silk,  or  a  feather,  of  this  colour, 
put  into  an  infusion  of  salt,  urine,  or  nitre, 
lose  their  tint  entirely.  Now,  may  not  this 
give  us  a  hint  with  respect  to  the  operation 
of  nature  in  colouring  her  shells?  May  we  not 
from  hence  conclude,  that  sea-water  is  effi- 
cacious in  giving  colour  or  taking  it  away? 
That,  to  produce  colour,  the  animal  not  only 
furnishes  its  juices,  but  the  sea  or  the  earth 
that  mixture  of  substance  which  is  to  unite 
with  them.  Neither  the  animal  slime  alone, 
nor  the  external  earthy  or  saline  substances 
alone,  could  produce  colours;  but  both  united, 
produce  an  effect  which  neither  separately 
were  possessed  of.  Thus  shells  assume  every 
colour  but  blue;  and  that  sea-water,  instead 
of  producing,  would  be  apt  to  destroy. 

From  hence,  therefore,  it  appears,  that  the 
animal  does  not  alone  tincture  its  own  shell; 
but  that  external  causes  co-operate  in  contri- 
buting to  its  beauty.  It  is  probable,  that, 
from  the  nature  of  its  food,  or  from  other  cir- 
cumstances unknown  to  us,  the  external  lay- 
ers of  its  slime  may  be  of  different  consisten- 
ces; so  as,  when  joined  with  the  particles  of 
earth  or  salt  that  are  accidentally  united  with 
them  from  without,  they  assume  various  and 
beautiful  hues.  But  the  internal  layers,  which 
receive  no  foreign  admixture,  still  pi^erve 
the  natural  colour  of  the  animal,  and  continue 
white  without  any  variation. 

Thus  far  we  see  that  the  animal  is  not  whol- 
ly the  agent  in  giving  beauty  and  colouring 
to  its  shell :  but  it  seems  otherwise  with  re- 
spect to  its  convolutions,  its  prominences,  and 
general  form.  These  entirely  depend  upon 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


the  art  of  the  animal;  or  rather  upon  its  in- 
stincts ;  which,  in  the  same  kinds,  are  ever 
invariable.  The  shell  generally  hears  some 
rude  resemblance  to  the  body  upon  which  it 
has  been  moulded.  Thus,  it  is  observable  in 
all  sea-shells,  that  if  the  animal  has  any  tu- 
mour or  excrescence  on  its  body,  it  creates 
likewise  a  swelling  in  that  part  of  the  incrus- 
tation to  which  it  corresponds.  When  the 
animal  begins  to  alter  its  position,  and  to 
make  new  additions  to  its  apartments,  the 
same  protuberance  which  had  raised  the  shell 
before  in  one  part,  swells  it  again  at  some  lit- 
tle distance;  by  which  means  we  see  the 
same  inequality,  in  a  spiral  line,  all  -round 
the  shell.  Sometimes  these  tumours  of  the 
animal  are  so  large,  or  so  pointed,  that  those 
which  rise  over  them  in  the  incrustation,  ap- 
pear like  horns:  after  this  the  animal  disen- 
gages itself  from  its  first  cavities,  and  then, 
by  fresh  evacuations,  assumes  a  new  set  of 
horns;  and  so  increases  the  number  in  pro- 
portion to  its  growth.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  body  happens  to  be  channelled,  the  shell 
that  covers  it  will  be  channelled  likewise;  if 
there  be  any  protuberances  in  the  body,  which 
wind  in  a  spiral  line  about  it,  the  shell  will 
likewise  have  its  tumours  and  cavities  winding 
round  to  the  end. 

In  this  manner,  as  the  animals  are  of  vari- 
ous forms,  the  shells  exhibit  an  equal  variety. 
Indeed,  the  diversity  is  so  great  and  the 
figures  and  colours  so  very  striking,  that  seve- 
ral persons,  with  a  kind  of  harmless  indolence, 
have  made  the  arrangement  of  them  the  study 
and  the  business  of  their  lives.  Those  who 
consult  their  beauty  alone,  take  care  to  have 
them  polished,  and  to  have  an  external  crust, 
or  periosteum,  as  Swammerdam  calls  it, 
scoured  off  fro:n  their  surfaces  by  spirit  of 
salt.  But  there  are  others  that,  with  more 
learned  affectation,  keep  them  exactly  in  the 
state  in  which  they  have  been  found,  with 
their  precious  crust  still  round  them.  The 
expense  men  have  sometimes  been  at  in 
making  such  collections,  is  amazing;  and 
some  shells,  such  as  the  Stairs-shell,  or  the 
Admiral-shell,  are  not  more  precious  for  their 
scarceness,  than  pearls  are  for  their  beauty. 
Indeed,  it  is  the  scarcity,  and  not  the  beauty 
of  the  object,  that  determines  the  value  of  all 
natural  curiosities.  Those  shells  that  offer 


but  little  beauty  to  the  ignorant,  are  often  the 
most  precious  ;  and  those  shells  which  an  un- 
learned spectator  would  stop  to  observe  with 
admiration,  one  accustomed  to  the  visitation 
of  cabinets,  would  pass  over  with  disdain. 
These  collections,  however,  have  their  use: 
I  not  only  by  exhibiting  the  vast  variety  of  na- 
ture's operations,  but  also  by  exciting  our 
curiosity  to  the  consideration  of  the  animals 
that  form  them.  A  mind  that  can  find  inno- 
cent entertainment  in  these  humble  contem- 
plations is  well  employed;  and,  as  we  say  of 
children,  is  kept  from  doing  mischief.  Al- 
though there  may  be  nobler  occupations 
than  that  of  considering  the  convolutions  of 
a  shell,  yet  there  may  be  some  who  want  the 
ambition  to  aspire  after  such  arduous  pursuits; 
there  may  be  some  unfit  for  them ;  there 
may  be  some  who  find  their  ambition  fully 
gratified  by  the  praise  which  the  collectors 
of  shells  bestow  upon  each  other.  Indeed, 
for  a  day  or  two,  there  is  no  mind  that  a 
cabinet  of  shells  cannot  furnish  with  pleasing 
employment.  "  What  can  be  more  gratify- 
ing," as  Pliny  says,"  "  than  to  view  nature  in 
all  her  irregularities,  and  sporting  in  her 
variety  of  shells  !  such  a  difference  of  colour 
do  they  exhibit !  such  a  difference  of  figure  ! 
flat,  concave,  long,  lunated,  drawn  round  in 
a  circle,  the  orbit  cut  in  two !  some  are  seen 
with  a  rising  on  the  back,  some  smooth,  some 
wrinkled,  toothed,  streaked,  the  point  vari- 
ously intorted,  the  mouth  pointing  like  a  dag- 
ger, folded  back,  bent  inwards !  all  these 
variations,  and  many  more,  furnish  at  once 
novelty,  elegance,  and  speculation." 

With  respect  to  the  figure  of  shells,  Aris- 
totle has  divided  them  into  three  kinds:  and 
his  method  is,  of  all  others,  the  most  con- 
formable to  nature.  These  are,  first,  the  uni- 
valve, or  turbinated'\v\\\c\\  consist  of  one  piece, 
like  the  box  of  a  snail ;  secondly,  the  bivalve, 
consisting  of  two  pieces,  united  by  a  hinge. 
like  an  oyster;  and,  thirdly,  the  multivawe, 
consisting  of  more  than  two  pieces,  as  the 
acorn-shell,  which  has  not  less  than  twelve 
pieces  that  go  to  its  composition.  All  these 
kinds  are  found  in  the  sea  at  different  depths, 
arid  are  valuable  in  proportion  to  their 
scarceness  or  beauty. 

*  Plin.  ix.  33. 


A  HISTORY  OF 


From  the  variety  of  ilie  colours  and  figure 
of  shells,  we  may  pass  to  that  of  their  place 
and  situation.  Some  are  found  in  the  sea; 
some  in  fresh-water  rivers  ;  some  alive  upon 
land  ;  and  a  still  greater  quantity  dead  in  the 
bowels  of  the  earth.  But  wherever  shells  are 
found,  they  are  universally  known  to  be  com- 
posed of  one  and  the  same  substance.  They 
are  formed  of  an  animal  or  calcariotis  earth, 
that  ferments  with  vinegar  and  other  acids, 
and  that  burns  into  lime,  and  will  not  easily 
melt  into  glass.  Such  is  the  substance  of 
which  they  are  composed  :  and  of  their  spoils, 
many  philosophers  think  that  a  great  part  of 
ihe  surface  of  the  earth  is  composed  at  present. 
!t  is  supposed  by  them,  that  chalks,  marls,  and 
all  such  earths  as  ferment  with  vinegar,  are 
nothing  more  than  a  composition  of  shells, 
decayed,  and  crumbled  down  to  one  uniform 
mass. 

Sea-shells  are  either  found  in  the  depths  of 
the  ocean,  or  they  are  cast  empty  and  forsaken 
of  their  animals  upon  shore.  Those  which 
are  fished  up  from  the  deep,  are  called  by  the 
Latin  name  Pelagii;  those  that  are  cast  upon 
shore,  are  called  Littorales.  Many  of  the 
pelagii  are  never  seen  upon  shore  ;  they  con- 
tinue in  the  depths  where  they  are  bred  ;  and 
we  owe  their  capture  only  to  accident.  These, 
therefore,  are  the  most  scarce  shells,  and  con- 
sequently the  most  valuable.  The  littorales 
are  more  frequent,  and  such  as  are  of  the  same 
kind  with  the  pelagii  are  not  so  beautiful.  As 
they  are  often  empty  and  forsaken,  and  as 
their  animal  is  dead,  and  perhaps  putrid  in  the 
bottom  of  the  shell,  they  by  this  means  lose 
the  whiteness  and  the  brilliancy  of  their  colour- 
ing. They  are  not  unfrequently  also  found 
eaten  through,  either  by  worms  or  by  each 
other ;  and  they  are  thus  rendered  less  valu- 
able :  but  what  decreases  their  price  still  more 
is,  when  they  are  scaled  and  .worn  by  lying  too 
long  empty  at  the  bottom,  or  exposed  upon 
the  shore.  Upon  the  whole,  however,  sea- 
shells  exceed  either  land  or  fossil  shells  in 
beauty ;  they  receive  the  highest  polish,  and 
exhibit  the  most  brilliant  and  various  colour- 
ing.^ 

Fresh-water  shells  are  neither  so  numerous, 
so  various,  nor  so  beautiful,  as  those  belong- 
ing to  the  sea.  They  want  that  solidity  which 
the  others  have  ;  their  clavicle,  as  it  is  called, 
rs  neither  so  prominent  nor  so  strong;  and  not 


having  a  saline  substance  to  tinge  the  surface 
of  the  shell,  the  colours  are  obscure.  In  fresh- 
water there  are  but  two  kinds  of  shells,  name- 
ly, the  bivalvcd  and  the  turbinated. 

Living  land-shells  are  more  beautiful,  though 
not  so  various  as  those  of  fresh-water  ;  and 
some  not  inferior  to  sea-shells  in  beauty. 
There  are,  indeed,  but  of  one  kind,  namelv, 
the  turbinated  ;  but  in  that  there  are  found 
four  or  five  very  beautiful  varieties. 

Of  fossil,  or,  as  they  are  called,  extraneous 
shells,  found  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  there 
are  great  numbers,  and  as  great  a  variety.  In 
this  class  there  are  as  many  kinds  as  in  the 
sea  itself.  There  are  found  there  turbinatcd, 
the  bivalve,  and  the  multivative  kinds  ;  and 
of  all  these,  many  at  present  not  to  be  found 
even  in  the  ocean.  Indeed,  the  number  is  so 
great,  and  the  varieties  so  many,  that  it  was 
long  the  opinion  of  naturalists,  that  they  were 
merely  the  capricious  productions  of  nature, 
and  had  never  given  rein  at  to  animals  whose 
habitations  they  resembled.  They  were  foundv 
iiot  only  of  various  kinds,  but  in  different  states 
of  preservation  :  some  had  the  shell  entire, 
composed,  as  in  its  primitive  state,  of  a  white 
calcarious  earth,  and  filled  with  earth,  or  even 
empty ;  others  were  found  with  the  shell 
entire,  but  filled  with  a  substance  which  was 
petrified  by  time  ;  others,  and  these  in  great 
numbers,  were  found  with  the  shell  entirely 
mouldered  away,  but  the  petrified  substance 
that  filled  it  still  exhibiting  the  figure  of  the 
shell ;  others  still,  that  had  been  lodged  near 
earth  or  stone,  impressed  their  print  upon 
these  substances,  and  left  the  impression, 
though  they  themselves  were  decayed  :  lastly, 
some  shells  were  found  half  mouldered  away, 
their  parts  scaling  off  from  each  other  in  the 
same  order  in  which  they  were  originally 
formed.  However,  these  different  stages  of 
the  shell,  and  even  their  fermenting  with  acids, 
were  at  first  insufficient  to  convince  those  who 
had  before  assigned  them  a  different  origin. 
They  were  still  considered  as  accidentally  and 
sportively  formed,  and  deposited  in  the  various 
repositories  where  they  were  found,  but  no 
way  appertaining  to  any  part  of  Animated 
Nature.  This  put  succeeding  inquiries  upon 
more  minute  researches ;  and  they  soon  be- 
gan to  find,  that  often  where  they  dug  up 
petrified  shells  or  teeth,  they  could  discover  the 
petrified  remains  of  some  other  bony  parts  of 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


681 


the  body.  They  found  that  the  shells  which 
were  taken  from  the  earth,  exhibited  the  usual 
defects  and  mischances,  which  the  same  kind 
are  known  to  receive  at  sea.  They  showed 
thorn  not  only  tinctured  with  a  salt-water 
crust,  but  pierced  in  a  peculiar  manner  by  the 
sea  worms,  that  make  the  shells  of  fishes  their 
favourite  food.  These  demonstrations  were 
sufficient  at  last  to  convince  all  but  a  few 
philosophers  who  died  away,  and  whose  erro- 
neous systems  died  with  them. 

Every  shell,  therefore,  wherever  it  is  found, 
is  now  considered  as  the  spoil  of  some  animal, 
that  o«ce  found  shelter  therein.  It  matters 
not  by  what  unaccountable  means  they  may 
have  wandered  from  the  sea ;  but  they  exhibit 
all,  and  the  most  certain  marks  of  their  origin. 
From  their  numbers  and  situation,  we  are  led 
to  conjecture,  that  the  sea  reached  the  places 
where  they  are  found  ;  and  from  their  varie- 
ties, we  learn  how  little  we  know  of  all  the 
sea  contains  at  present ;  as  the  earth  furnishes 
many  kinds  which  our  most  exact  and  indus- 
trious shell-collectors  have  not  been  able  to 
fish  up  from  the  deep.  It  is  most  probable 
that  thousands  of  different  forms  still  remain 
at  the  bottom  unknown ;  so  that  we  may 
justly  say  with  the  philosopher:  Ea  quce  sci- 
mus  sunt  pars  minima  eorum  quce  ignora- 
mus. 

It  is  well,  however,  for  mankind,  that  the 
defect  of  our  knowledge  on  this  subject  is,  of 
all  parts  of  learning,  that  which  may  be  most 
easily  dispensed  with.  An  increase  in  the 
number  of  shells,  would  throw  but  very  few 
lights  upon  the  history  of  the  animals  that 


inhabit  them.     For  such  information  we  are 
obliged  to  those  men  who  contemplated  some- 
thing more  than  the  outside  of  the  objects  before 
them.     To  ReaumSr  we  are  obliged   for  ex- 
amining the  manners  of  some  with  accuracy ; 
but  to  Swammerdam  for  more.     In  fact,  this 
Dutchman  has  lent  attention  to  those  animals, 
that  almost  exceed    credibility  :    he  has  ex- 
celled even  the  insects  he  dissected,  in  patience, 
industry,  and  perseverance.     It  was  in  vain 
that   this  poor   man's   father   dissuaded   him 
from  what  the  world  considered  as  a  barren 
pursuit ;  it  was  in  vain  that  an  habitual  disor- 
der, brought  on  by  his  application,  interrupted 
his  efforts;  it  was  in  vain  that  mankind  treat- 
ed him  with  ridicule  while  living,  as  they  suf- 
fered his  works  to  remain  long  imprinted  and 
neglected  when  dead ;  still  the  Dutch  philo 
sopher  went  on,  peeping  into  unwholesome 
ditches,  wading  through  fens,  dissecting  spi- 
ders, and  enumerating  the  blood-vessels  of  a 
snail :  like  the  bee,  whose  heart  he  could  not 
only  distinguish,  but  dissect,  he  seemed  in- 
stinctively  impelled    by    his    ruling  passion, 
although  he  found  nothing  but  ingratitude  from 
man,  and  though  his  industry  was  apparently 
becoming  fatal  to  himself.     From  him  I   will 
take  some  of  the  leading  features  in  the  history 
of  those  animal?  which  breed  in  shells;  pre- 
viously taking  my  division  from  Aristotle,  who, 
as  was  said   above,  divides  them  into  three 
classes;  the  Turbinated,  or  those  of  the  Snail 
kind  ;  the  Bivalved,  or  those  of  the  Oyster 
kind  ;  and  the  Multivalved,  or  those  of  the 
Acorn-shell  kind.     Of  each  I  will  (real  in  dis- 
tinct chapters. 


CHAPTER  CLIV. 

i 

OF  TURBINATED  SHELL-FISH  OF  THE  SNAIL  KIND. 


TO  conceive  the  manner  in  which  those 
animals  subsist  that  are  hid  from  us  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  deep,  we  must  again  have  recourse 
to  one  of  a  similar  nature  and  formation,  that 
we  know.  The  history  of  the  garden-snail 
has  been  more  copiously  considered  than  that 
of  the  elephant ;  and  its  anatomy  is  as  well, 
if  not  better  known :  however,  not  to  give 


any  one  object  more  room  in  the  general  pic- 
ture of  nature  than  it  is  entitled  to,  it  will  be 
sufficient  to  observe,  that  the  snail  is  surpri- 
singly fitted  for  the  life  it  is  formed  to  lead. 
It  is  furnished  with  the  organs  of  life  in  a 
manner  almost  as  complete  as  the  largest  ani- 
mal ;  with  a  tongue,  brain,  salival  ducts, 
glands,  nerves,  stomach,  and  intestines;  liver, 


A  HISTORY  OF 


heart,  and  blood-vessels:  besides  this,  it  has 
a  purple  bag  that  furnishes  a  red  matter  to 
different  parts  of  the  body,  together  with 
strong  muscles  that  hold  it  to  the  shell,  and 
which  are  hardened,  like  tendons,  at  their 
insertion. 

But  these  it  possesses  in  common  with  other 
animals.  We  must  now  see  what  it  has  pe- 
culiar to  itself.  The  first  striking  peculiari- 
ty is,  that  the  animal  has  got  its  eyes  on  the 
points  of  its  largest  horns.  When  the  snail 
is  in  motion,  four  horns  are  distinctly  seen ; 
but  the  two  uppermost  and  longest  deserve 
peculiar  consideration,  both  on  account  of  the 
various  motions  with  which  they  are  endaed, 
as  well  as  their  having  their  eyes  fixed  at  the 
extreme  ends  of  them.  These  appear  like  two 
blackish  points  at  their  ends.  When  con- 
sidered as  taken  out  of  the  body,  they  are  of 
a  bulbous  or  turnip-like  figure  ;  they  have  but 
one  coat;  and  the  three  humours  which  are 
common  in  the  eyes  of  other  animals,  namely, 
the  vitreous,  the  aqueous,  and  the  crystalline, 
are  in  these  very  indistinctly  seen.  The  eyes 
the  animal  can  direct  to  different  objects  at 
pleasure,  by  a  regular  motion  out  of  the  body; 
and  sometimes  it  hides  them,  by  a  very  swift 
contraction  into  the  belly.  Under  the  small 
horns  is  the  animal's  month;  and  though  it 
may  appear  too  soft  a  substance  to  be  fur- 
nished with  teeth,  yet  it  lias  not  less  than 
eight  of  them,  with  which  it  devours  leaves, 
and  other  substances,  seemingly  harder  than 
itself;  and  with  which  it  sometimes  bites  oflT 
pieces  of  its  own  shell. 

But  what  is  most  surprising  in  the  forma- 
tion of  this  animal,  are  the  parts  that  serve 
for  generation.  Every  snail  is  at  once  male 
and  female;  and  while  it  impregnates  another, 
is  itself  impregnated  in  turn.  -The  vessels 
supplying  the  fluid  for  this  purpose,  are  pla- 
ced chiefly  in  the  fore  part  of  the  neck,  and 
extend  themselves  over  the  body ;  but  the 
male  and  female  organs  of  generation,  are 
always  found  united,  and  growing  together. 
There  is  a  large  opening  on  the  right  side  of 
the  neck,  which  serves  for  very  different  pur- 
poses. As  an  anus  it  gives  a  passage  to  the 
excrements ;  as  a  mouth  it  serves  for  an  open- 
ing for  a  respiration ;  and  also  as  an  organ 
of  generation,  it  dilates  when  the  desire  of 
propagation  begins.  Within  this  each  ani- 


mal has  those    parts,   or   something  similar 
thereto,  which  continue  the  kind. 

For  some  d;>ys  before  coition,  the  snails 
gather  together,  and  lie  quite  near  each  other, 
eating  very  little  in  the  mean  time;  but  they 
settle  their  bodies  in  such  a  posture,  that  the 
neck  arid  head  are  placed  upright.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  apertures  on  the  side  of  the 
neck  being  greutl)  dilated,  two  organs,  re- 
sembling intestines,  are  seen  issuing  from 
them,  which  some  have  thought  to  be  the  in- 
struments of  generation.  Beside  the  protru- 
sion of  these,  each  animal  is  possessed  of 
another  peculiarity;  for,  from  the  same  aper- 
ture, they  launch  forth  a  kind  of  dart  at  each 
other,  which  is  pretty  hard,  barbed,  and  end- 
ing in  a  very  sharp  point.  This  is  performed 
when  the  apertures  approach  each  other; 
and  then  the  one  is  seen  to  shoot  its  weapon, 
which  is  received  by  the  other,  though  it 
sometimes  falls  to  the  ground;  some  minutes 
after,  the  snail  which  received  the  weapon, 
darts  one  of  its  own  at  its  antagonist,  which 
is  received  in  like  manner.  They  then  soft- 
ly approach  still  nearer,  and  apply  their  bo- 
dies one  to  the  other,  as  closely  as  the  palms 
and  fingers  of  the  hands,  when  grasped  toge- 
ther. At  that  time  the  horns  are  seen  vari- 
ously moving  in  all  directions ;  and  this 
sometimes  for  three  days  together.  The  cou- 
pling of  these  animals  is  generally  thrice  re- 
peated, at  intervals  of  fifteen  days  each  ; 
and  at  every  time,  a  new  dart  is  mutually 
emitted. 

At  the  expiration  of  eighteen  days,  thesnails 
produce  their  eggs,  at  the  opening  of  the  neck, 
and  hide  them  in  the  earth  with  the  greatest 
solicitude  and  industry.  These  eggs  are  in 
great  numbers,  round,  white,  and  covered 
with  a  soft  shell:  they  are  also  stuck  to  each 
other  by  an  imperceptible  slime,  like  a  bunch 
of  grapes,  of  about  the  size  of  a  small  pea. 

When  the  animal  leaves  the  egg,  it  is  seen 
with  a  very  small  shell  on  its  back,  which 
has  but  one  convolution;  but  in  proportion 
as  it  grows,  the  shell  increases  in  the  number 
of  its  circles.  The  shell  always  receives  its 
additions  at  the  mouth;  the  first  centre  still 
remaining :  the  animal  sending  forth  from  its 
body  that  slime  which  hardens  into  a  stony 
substance,  and  still  is  fashioned  into  similar 
volutions.  The  garden-snail  seldom  exceeds 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


1)8.;! 


four  rounds  and  a- half;  but  some  of  the  sea- 
snails  arrive  even  at  ten. 

The  snail,  thus  fitted  with  its  box,  which  is 
light  and  firm,  finds  itself  defended  in  a  very 
ample  manner  from  all  external  injury. 
Whenever  it  is  invaded,  it  is  but  retiring  into 
this  fortress,  and  waiting  patiently  till  the  dan- 
ger is  over.  Nor  is  it  possessed  only  of  a 
power  of  retreating  into  its  shell,  but  of  mend- 
ing it  when  broken.  Sometimes  these  animals 
are  crushed  seemingly  to  pieces ;  and,  to  all 
appearance,  utterly  destroyed  :  yet  still  they 
set  themselves  to  work,  and,  in  a  few  days, 
mend  all  their  numerous  breaches.  The 
same  substance  by  which  the  shell  is  originally 
made,  goes  to  there-establishment  of  the  ruin- 
ed habitation.  But  all  the  junctures  arc  very 
easily  seen,  for  they  have  a  fresher  colour  than 
the  rest,  and  the  whole  shell  in  some  measure 
resembles  an  old  coat,  patched  with  new 
pieces.  They  are  sometimes  seen  with  eight 
or  ten  of  these  patches;  so  that  the  damage 
must  have  been  apparently  irreparable.  Still, 
however,  though  the  animal  is  possessed  of 
the  power  of  mending  its  shell,  it  cannot,  when 
come  to  its  full  growth,  make  a  new  one. 
Swammerdam  tried  the  experiment:  he  strip- 
ped a  snail  of  its  shell,  without  hurting  any  of 
the  blood-vessels,  retaining  that  part  of  the 
shell  where  the  muscles  were  inserted  ;  but  it 
died  in  three  days  after  it  was  stripped  of  its 
covering :  not,  however,  without  making 
efforts  to  build  up  a  new  shell ;  for,  before  its 
death,  it  pressed  out  a  certain  membrane  round 
the  whole  surface  of  its  body.  This  membrane 
was  entirely  of  the  shelly  nature,  and  was  in- 
tended, by  the  animal,  as  a  supply  towards  a 
new  one. 

As  the  snail  is  furnished  with  all  the  organs 
of  life  and  sensation,  it  is  not  wonderful  to  see 
it  very  voracious.  It  chiefly  subsists  upon  the 
leaves  of  plants  and  trees  ;  but  is  very  delicate 
in  its  choice.  When  the  animal  moves  to  seek 
its  food,  it  goes  fonvard  by  means  of  that 
broad  muscular  skin  which  is  sometimes  seen 
projecting  round  the  mouth  of  the  shell ;  this 
is  expanded  before,  and  then  contracted  with 
a  kind  of  undulating  motion,  like  a  man  at- 
tempting to  move  himself  forward  by  one  arm, 
while  lying  on  his  belly.  But  the  snail  has 
another  advantage,  by  which  it  not  only 
smooths  and  planes  its  way,  but  also  can 
ascend  in  the  most  perpendicular  direction. 

MO.  57  &  58. 


This  is  by  that  slimy  substance  with  which  it 
is  so  copiously  furnished,  and  which  it  emits 
wherever  it  moves.  Upon  this  slime,  as  upon 
a  kind  of  carpet,  it  proceeds  slowly  along, 
without  any  danger  of  wounding  its  tender 
body  against  the  asperites  of  the  pavement ; 
by  means  of  this  it  moves  upwards  to  its  food 
upon  trees ;  and  by  this  descends  without 
danger  of  falling,  and  breaking  its  shell  by  the 
shock. 

The  appetite  of  these  animals  is  very  great  ,• 
and  the  damage  gardeners  in  particular  sustain 
from  them,  makes  them  employ  every  method 
for  their  destruction.  Salt  will  destroy  them, 
as  well  as  soot ;  but  a  tortoise  in  a  garden  is 
said  to  banish  them  much  more  effectually. 

At  the  approach  of  winter,  the  snail  buries 
itself  in  the  earth  ;  or  retires  to  some  hole,  to 
continue  in  a  torpid  state,  during  the  severity 
of  the  season.  It  is  sometimes  seen  alone ; 
but  more  frequently  in  company  in  its  retreat  ; 
several  being  usually  found  together,  apparent- 
ly deprived  of  life  and  sensation.  For  the 
purposes  of  continuing  in  greater  warmth  and 
security,  the  snail  forms  a  cover  or  lid  to  the 
mouth  of  its  shell  with  its  slime,  which  stops 
it  up  entirely,  and  thus  protects  it  from  every 
external  danger.  The  matter  of  which  the 
cover  is  composed,  is  whitish,  somewhat  like 
plaster,  pretty  hard  and  solid,  yet  at  the  same 
time  porous  and  thin,  to  admit  air,  which  the 
animal  cannot  live  without.  When  the  cover 
is  formed  too  thick,  the  snail  then  breaks  a 
little  hole  in  it,  which  corrrcts  the  defect  of 
that  closeness,  which  proceeded  from  too  much 
caution.  In  this  manner,  sheltered  in  its  hole 
from  the  weather,  defended  in  its  shell  by  a 
cover,  it  sleeps  during  the  winter  ;  and,  for 
six  or  seven  months,  continues  without  food 
or  motion,  until  the  genial  call  of  spring  breaks 
its  slumber,  and  excites  its  activity. 

The  snail  having  slept  for  so  long  a  season, 
wakes  one  of  the  first  fine  days  of  April,  breaks 
open  its  cell,  and  sallies  forth  to  seek  for  nou- 
rishment. It  is  not  surprising  that  so  long  a 
fast  should  have  thinned  it,  and  rendered  it 
very  voracious.  At  first,  therefore,  it  is  not 
very  difficult  in  the  choice  of  its  food  ;  almost 
any  vegetable  that  is  green  seems  welcome ; 
but  the  succulent  plants  of  the  garden  are 
chiefly  grateful ;  and  the  various  kinds  of 
pulse  are,  at  some  seasons,  almost  wholly  de~ 
stroyed  by  their  numbers.  So  great  is  the 

5D 


681 


A  HISTORY  OF 


multiplication  of  snails  at  some  years,  that 
gardeners  imagine  they  burst  from  the  earth. 
A  wet  season  is  generally  favourable  to  their 
production  ;  for  this  animal  cannot  bear  very 
i:ry  seasons,  or  dry  places,  as  they  cause  too 
great  a  consumption  of  its  slime,  without 
plenty  of  which  it  cannot  subsist  in  health  and 


vigour. 


Such  are  the  most  striking  particulars  in 
the  history  of  this  animal ;  and  this  may  serve 
as  a  general  picture,  to  which  the  manners 
and  habitudes  of  the  other  tribes  of  this  class 
may  be  compared  and  referred.  These  are, 
the  sea-snail,  of  which  naturalists  have,  from 
the  apparent  difference  of  their  shells,  mention- 
ed fifteen  kinds  ;a  the  fresh-water  snail,  of 
which  there  are  eight  kinds ;  and  the  land- 
snail,  of  which  there  are  five.  These  all  bear 
a  strong  resemblance  to  the  garden-snail,  in 
the  formation  of  their  shell,  in  their  hermaphro- 
dite natures,  in  the  slimy  substance  with  which 
they  are  covered,  in  the  formation  of  their  in- 
testines, and  the  disposition  of  the  hole  on  the 
right  side  of  the  neck,  which  serves  at  once 
for  the  discharge  of  the  faeces,  for  the  lodging 
the  instruments  of  generation,  and  for  respira- 
tion, when  the  animal  is  under  a  necessity  of 
taking  in  a  new  supply. 

But  in  nature,  no  two  kinds  of  animals, 
however  like  each  other  in  figure  or  confor- 
mation, are  of  manners  entirely  the  same. 
Though  the  common  garden-snail  bears  a  very 
strong  resemblance  to  that  of  fresh -water,  and 
that  of  the  sea,  yet  there  are  differences  to  be 
found,  and  those  very  considerable  ones. 

If  we  compare  them  with  the  fresh-water 
snail,  though  we  shall  find  a  general  resem- 
blance, yet  there  are  one  or  two  remarkable 
distinctions :  and  first,  the  fresh-water  snail, 
and,  as  I  should  suppose,  all  snails  that  live  in 
water,  are  peculiarly  furnished  with  a  contri- 
vance by  nature,  for  rising  to  the  surface,  or 
sinking  to  the  bottom.  The  manner  in  which 
this  is  performed,  is  by  opening  and  shutting 
the  orifice  on  the  right  side  of  the  neck,  which 
is  furnished  with  muscles  for  that  purpose. 
The  snail  sometimes  gathers  this  aperture 
into  an  oblong  tube,  and  stretches  or  protends 
it  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  in  order  to 
draw  in  or  expel  the  air  as  it  finds  occasion. 
This  may  not  only  be  seen,  but  heard  also  by 

»  D'Argenville's  Concliylioligie. 


the  noise  which  the  snail  makes  in  moving 
the  water.  By  dilating  this  it  rises,  by  com- 
pressing it  the  animal  sinks  to  the  bottom. 
This  is  effected  somewhat  in  the  manner  in 
which  little  images  of  glass  are  made  to  rise 
or  sink  in  water,  by  pressing  the  air  contained 
at  the  mouth  of  the  tubes,  so  ihat  it  shall  drive 
the  water  into  their  hollow  bodies,  which  be- 
fore were  filled  only  with  air,  and  thus  make 
them  heavier  than  the  clement  in  which  they 
swim.  In  this  manner  does  the  fresh-water 
snail  dive  or  swim,  by  properly  managing  the 
air  contained  in  its  body. 

But  what  renders  these  animals  far  more 
worthy  of  notice  is.  that  they  are  viviparous, 
and  bring  forth  their  young  not  only  alive,  but 
with  their  shells  upon  their  backs.  This 
seems  surprising  :  yet  it  is  incontestably  true  f 
the  young  come  to  some  degree  of  perfection 
in  the  womb  of  the  parent;  there  they  receive 
their  stony  coat ;  and  from  thence  are  ex- 
cluded, with  a  complete  apparatus  for  subsis- 
tence. 

"On  the  twelfth  of  March,"  says  Swam- 
merdam,  "  I  began  my  observations  upon  this, 
snail,  and  collected  a  great  number  of  the 
kind,  which  I  put  into  a  large  basin  filled  with 
rain-water,  and  fed  for  a  long  time  with  pot- 
ter's earth,  dissolved  in  the  water  about  them. 
On  the  thirteenth  of  the  same  month  I  opened 
one  of  these  snails,  when  I  found  nine  living 
snails  in  its  womb :  the  largest  of  these  were 
placed  foremost,  as  the  first  candidates  for  ex- 
clusion. I  put  them  into  fresh-water,  and 
they  lived  till  the  eighteenth  of  the  same 
month,  moving  and  swimming,  like  snails  full 
grown  ;  nay,  their  manner  of  swimming  was 
much  more  beautiful."  Thus,  at  whatever 
time  of  the  year  these  snails  are  opened,  they 
are  found  pregnant  with  eggs,  or  with  living 
snails  ;  or  with  both  together. 

This  striking  difference  between  the  fresh- 
water and  the  garden-snail,  obtains  also  in 
some  of  the  sea  kind  ;  among  which  there  are 
some  that  are  found  viviparous,  while  others 
lay  eggs  in  the  usual  manner.  Of  this  kind 
are  one  or  two  of  the  Buccinums  ;  within 
which  living  young  have  been  frequently 
found,  upon  their  dissection.  In  general, 
however,  the  rest  of  this  numerous  class  bring 
forth  eggs  ;  from  whence  the  animal  bursts  at 
a  proper  state  of  maturity,  completely  equip- 
ped with  a  house,  which  the  moistness  of  the 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


680 


element  where  it  resides  does  not  prevent  the 
inhabitant  from  enlarging.  How  the  soft  slime 
of  the  snail  hardens,  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea, 
into  the  stony  substance  of  a  shell,  is  not  easy 
to  conceive  !  This  slime  must  at  least  be  pos- 
sessed of  very  powerful  petrifying  powers. 

All  animals  of  the  snail  kind,  as  was  ob- 
served before,  arc  hermaphrodites;  each  con- 
taining the  instruments  of  generation  double. 
But  some  of  the  sea  kinds  copulate  in  a  dif- 
ferent manner  from  those  of  the  garden.  The 
one  impregnates  the  other;  but,  from  the  po- 
sition of  the  parts,  is  incapable  of  being  im- 
pregnated by  the  same  in  turn.  For  this  rea- 
son it  is  necessary  for  a  third  to  be  admitted 
as  a  partner  in  this  operation:  so  that,  while 
one  impregnates  that  before  it,  another  does 
the  same  office  by  this;  which  is  itself  impreg- 
nated by  a  fourth.  In  this  manner,  Mr.  Adan- 
son  has  seen  vast  numbers  of  sea-snails  united 
together  in  a  chain,  impregnating  each  other. 
The  Bulin  and  the  Corel  perform  the  offices 
of  male  and  female  at  the  same  time.  The 
orifices  in  these  are  two,  both  separate  from 
each  other:  the  opening  by  which  the  animal 
performs  the  office  of  the  male,  being  at  the 
origin  of  the  horns;  that  by  which  it  is  pas- 
sive, as  the  female,  being  farther  down  upon 
the  neck.  It  may  also  be  observed  as  a  ge- 
neral rule,  that  all  animals  that  have  this  ori- 
fice, or  verge,  as  some  call  it,  on  the  right  side, 
have  their  shells  turned  from  the  right  to  the 
left ;  on  the  contrary,  those  which  have  it  on 
the  left  side,  have  their  shells  turned  from  left 
to  right,  in  a  contrary  direction  to  the  former. 

But  this  is  not  the  only  difference  between 
land  and  sea-snails.  Many  of  the  latter  en- 
tirely want  horns;  and  none  of  them  have 
above  two.  Indeed,  if  the  horns  of  snails  be 
furnished  with  eyes,  and  if,  as  some  are  wil- 
ling to  think,  the  length  of  the  horn,  like  the 
tube  of  a  telescope,  assists  vision,  these  ani- 
mals that  chiefly  reside  in  the  gloomy  bottom 
of  the  deep,  can  have  no  great  occasion  for 
them.  Eyes  would  be  unnecessary  to  crea- 
tures whose  food  is  usually  concealed  in  the 
darkest  places;  and  who,  possessed  of  very 
little  motion,  are  obliged  to  grope  for  what 
they  subsist  on.  To  such,  1  say,  eyes  would 
rather  be  an  obstruction  than  an  advantage ; 
and,  perhaps,  even  those  that  live  upon  land 
are  without  them. 


Those  that  have  seen  the  shells  of  sea- 
snails,  need  not  be  told,  that  the  animal  which 
produces  them  is  larger  than  those  of  the 
same  denomination  upon  land.  The  sea 
seems  to  have  the  property  of  enlarging  the 
magnitude  of  all  its  inhabitants ;  and  the  same 
proportion  that  a  trout  bears  to  a  shark,  is 
often  seen  to  obtain  between  a  shell  bred  upon 
the  land,  and  one  bred  in  tlte  ocean.  Its  con- 
volutions are  more  numerous.  The  garden- 
snail  has  but  five  turns  at  the  most ;  in  the 
sea-snail  the  convolutions  are  sometimes  seen 
amounting  to  Ion. 

There  is  a  difference  also  in  the  position 
of  the  mouth,  in  the  garden  and  the  water- 
snail.  In  the  former,  the  mouth  is  placed 
crosswise,  as  in  quadrupeds;  furnished  with 
jnw-bones,  lips,  and  teeth.  In  most  of  (he 
sea-snails,  the  mouth  is  placed  longitudinally 
in  the  head ;  and  in  some  obliquely,  or  on 
one  side.  Others,  of  the  Trochus  kind,  have 
no  mouth  whatsoever;  but  are  furnished  with 
a  trunk,  very  long  in  some  kinds  and  shorter 
in  others. 

Snails  of  the  Trochus  kind,  furnished  thuo 
with  an  instrument  of  offence,  deserve  our  par 
ticular  attention.  The  trunk  of  the  Trochu* 
is  fleshy,  muscular,  supple,  and  hollow.  Its 
extremity  is  bordered  with  a  cartilage,  and 
toothed  like  a  saw.  The  snails  that  are  pro- 
vided with  this,  may  be  considered  as  the  pre- 
dacious tribe  among  their  fellows  of  the  bot- 
tom. They  are  among  snails,  what  the  tiger, 
the  eagle,  or  the  shark  is  among  beasts,  birds, 
or  fishes.  The  whole  race  of  shellrd  animals 
avoid  their  approach;  for  their  hnbitations, 
however  powerfully  and  strongly  built,  though 
never  so  well  fortified,  yield  to  the  superior 
force  of  these  invaders.  Though  provided 
with  a  thick,  clumsy  shell  themselves,  yet 
they  move  with  greater  swiftness  at  the  bot- 
tom than  most  other  shell-fish,  and  seize  their 
prey  with  greater  facility.  No  shell  so  large 
but  they  will  boldly  venture  to  attack;  and, 
with  their  piercing  augre-like  trunk,  will 
quickly  bore  it  through.  No  efforts  the  other 
animal  makes  can  avail :  it  expands  itself,  and 
rises  to  the  surface :  but  the  enemy  rises  with 
it :  it  agaiti  sinks  to  the  bottom,  but  still  its 
destroyer  closely  adheres.  In  this  manner 
the  carnivorous  shell-fish,  as  some  naturalists 
call  it,  sticks  for  several  days,  nay  weeks,  to 
5D* 


C86 


A  HISTORY  OF 


its  prey,  until,  with  its  trunk,  it  has  sucked 
out  all  substance,  or  until  it  drops  off  when 
the  other  begins  to  putrefy. 

Thus  it  would  seem  throughout  nature, 
that  no  animal  is  so  well  defended,  but  that 
others  are  found  capable  of  breaking  in  upon 
its  entrenchments.  The  garden-snail  seems 
tolerably  well  guarded;  but  the  wall  of  its 
shell  is  paper  itself,  in  comparison  with  that 
which  fortifies  some  of  the  sea-snail  kind. 
Beside  this  thick  shell,  many  of  them  are  also 
furnished  with  a  lid,  which  covers  the  mouth 
of  the  shell,  and  which  opens  and  shuts  at 
the  animal's  pleasure.  When  the  creature 
hunts  for  food,  it  opens  its  box,  gropes  or 
swims  about;  and,  when  satisfied,  drops  its 
lid,  and  sinks  to  the  bottom:  there  it  might 
besupposed  to  remain  in  perfect  security;  but 
the  trochus  soon  finds  the  way  to  break  into 
the  thickest  part  of  its  enclosure,  and  quick- 
ly destroys  it  with  the  most  fatal  industry. 

Their  being  liable  to  the  attacks  of  the 
trochus  seems  to  be  a  calamity  to  which 
most  of  this  tribe  are  subject.  Scarce  a  shell 
is  met  with  entirely  and  sound  to  the  end  of 
its  convolutions;  but  particularly  the  thinnest 
shells  are  the  most  subject  to  be  thus  invaded. 
As  their  shells  are  easily  pierced,  the  preda- 
tory shell-fish,  or  the  sea-worm,  chiefly  seek 
them  for  subsistence ;  and  of  those  thin, 
paper-like  shells,  not  one  in  a  hundred  is 
found  that  has  not  suffered  some  disaster. 
As  they  are  lighter  than  other  shell-fish,  they 
swim  with  greater  ease ;  and  this  is  the  chief 
method  of  avoiding  their  heavier  thick-shell- 
ed pursuers.  The  food  of  all  snails  properly 
lies  at  the  bottom ;  when,  therefore,  the  nau- 
tilus, or  other  thin-shelled  fish,  are  seen  busily 
swimming  at  the  surface,  it  may  be,  that,  in- 
stead of  sporting  or  sunning  themselves,  as 
some  are  apt  to  suppose,  they  are  actually  la- 
bouring to  escape  their  most  deadly  pursuers. 

Of  all  sea-snails,  that  which  is  most  fre- 
quently seen  swimming  upon  the  surface,  and 
whose  shell  is  the  thinnest  and  most  easily 
pierced,  is  the nauiilus.  Whether,  upon  these 
occasions,  it  is  employed  in  escaping  its  nu- 
merous enemies  at  the  bottom,  or  seeking  for 
food  at  the  surface,  I  will  not  venture  to  de- 
cide. It  seems  most  probable,  that  the  for- 
mer is  the  cause  of  its  frequently  appearing ; 
for,  upon  opening  the  stomach,  it  is  found  to 


contain  chiefly  that  food  which  it  finds  at 
the  bottom.  This  animal's  industry,  there- 
fore, may  be  owing  to  its  fears  :  and  all  those 
arts  of  sailing  which  it  has  taught  mankind, 
may  have  been  originally  the  product  of 
necessity.  But  the  nautilus  is  too  famous  not 
to  demand  a  more  ample  description.  Al- 
though there  be  several  species  of  the  nauti- 
lus, yet  they  all  may  be  divided  into  two: 
the  one  with  a  white  shell,  as  thin  as  paper, 
which  it  is  often  seen  to  quit,  and  again  to 
resume ;  the  other  with  a  thicker  shell,  some- 
times of  a  beautiful  mother-of-pearl  colour, 
and  that  quits  its  shell  but  rarely.  This  shell 
outwardly  resembles  that  of  a  large  snail,  but 
is  generally  six  or  eight  inches  across:  with- 
in it  is  divided  into  forty  partitions,  that 
communicate  with  each  other  by  doors,  if  I 
may  so  call  them,  through  which  one  could 
not  thrust  a  goose-quill:  almost  the  whole 
internal  part  of  the  shell  is  filled  by  the  ani- 
animal ;  the  body  of  which,  like  its  habita- 
tion, is  divided  into  as  many  parts  as  there 
are  chambers  in  its  shell:  all  the  parts  of  its 
body  communicate  with  each  other,  through 
the  doors  or  openings,  by  a  long  blood-vessel, 
which  runs  from  the  head  to  the  tail :  thus 
the  body  of  the  animal,  if  taken  out  of  the 
shell,  may  be  likened  to  a  number  of  soft  bits 
of  flesh,  of  which  there  are  forty  threaded 
upon  a  string.  From  this  extraordinary  con- 
formation, one  would  not  be  apt  to  suppose 
that  the  nautilus  sometimes  quitted  its  shell, 
and  returned  to  it  again;  yet  nothing,  though 
seemingly  more  impossible,  is  more  certain. 
The  manner  by  which  it  contrives  to  disen- 
gage every  part  of  its  body  from  so  intricate 
a  habitation ;  by  which  it  makes  a  substance 
to  appearance  as  thick  as  one's  wrist,  pass 
through  forty  doors,  each  of  which  Avould 
scarcely  admit  a  goose-quill,  is  not  yet  dis- 
covered ;  but  the  fact  it  is  certain ;  for  the 
animal  is  often  found  without  its  shell ;  and 
the  shell  more  frequently  destitute  of  the  ani- 
mal. It  is  most  probable,  that  it  has  a  power 
of  making  the  substance  of  one  section  of  its 
body  remove  up  into  that  which  is  next;  and 
thus,  by  multiplied  removals,  it  gets  free. 

But  this,  though  very  strange,  is  not  the 
peculiarity  for  which  the  nautilus  has  been  the 
most  distinguished.  Its  "  spreading  the  thin 
oar,"  and  "  catching  the  flying  gale,"  to  use  the 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


087 


poet's  description  of  it,  has  chiefly  excited 
human  curiosity.  These  animals,  particularly 
those  of  the  white,  light  kind,  are  chiefly 
found  in  the  Mediterranean ;  and  scarce  any 
who  have  sailed  on  that  sea,  but  must  often 
have  seen  them.  When  the  sea  is  calm,  they 
are  observed  floating  on  the  surface ;  some 
spreading  their  little  sail ;  some  rowing  with 
tlieir  feet,  as  if  for  life  and  death  ;  and  others 
still,  floating  upon  their  mouths,  like  a  ship 
with  the  keel  upward.  If  taken  while  thus 
employed,  and  examined,  the  extraordinary 
mechanism  of  their  limbs  for  sailing  will  ap- 
pear more  manifest.  The  nautilus  is  furnish- 
ed with  eight  feet,  which  issue  near  the 
mouth,  and  may  as  properly  be  called  barbs : 
these  are  connected  to  each  other  by  a  thin 
skin,  like  that  between  the  toes  of  a  duck,  but 
much  thinner  and  more  transparent.  Of  these 
eight  feet  thus  connected,  six  are  sUort,  and 
these  are  held  up  as  sails  to  catch  the  wind  in 
sailing :  the  two  others  are  longer,  and  are 
kept  in  the  water ;  serving,  like  paddles,  to 
steer  their  course  by.  When  the  weather  is 
quite  calm,  and  the  animal  is  pursued  from 
belo\v,  it  is  then  seen  expanding  only  a  part 
of  its  sail,  and  rowing  with  the  rest:  whenever 
it  is  interrupted,  or  fears  danger  from  above, 
it  instantly  furls  the  sail,  catches  in  all  its  oars, 
turns  its  shell  mouth  downward,  and  instantly 
sinks  to  the  bottom.  Sometimes,  also,  it  is 
seen  pumping  the  water  from  its  leaking  hulk  ; 
and,  when  unfit  for  sailing,  deserts  its  shell 
entirely.  The  forsaken  hulk  is  seen  floating 
along,  till  it  dashes,  by  a  kind  of  shipwreck, 
upon  the  rocks  or  the  shore. 


From  the  above  description,  I  think  we 
may  consider  this  animal  rather  as  attempting 
to  save  itself  from  the  attacks  of  its  destroyers, 
than  as  rowing  in  pursuit  of  food.  Certain 
it  is,  that  no  creature  of  the  deep  has  more 
numerous  and  more  powerful  enemies.  Its 
shell  is  scarcely  ever  found  in  perfect  preserva- 
tion ;  but  is  generally  seen  to  bear  some  marks 
of  hostile  invasion.  Its  little  arts,  therefore, 
upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  may  have  been 
given  it  for  protection:  and  it  may  thus  be 
endued  with  comparative  swiftness  to  avoid 
the  crab,  the  sea-scorpion,  the  trochus,  and 
all  the  slower  predacious  reptiles  that  lurk  for 
it  at  the  bottom  of  the  water. 

From  this  general  view  of  snails,  they  ap- 
pear to  be  a  much  more  active,  animated 
tribe,  than  from  their  figure  one  would  at  first 
conceive.  They  seem  to  an  inattentive  spec- 
tator, as  mere  inert  masses  of  soft  flesh,  rather 
loaded  than  covered  with  a  shell,  scarcely  ca- 
llable of  motion,  and  insensible  to  all  the  ob- 
jects around  them.  When  viewed  more  close- 
ly, they  are  found  to  be  furnished  with  the 
organs  of  life  and  sensation  in  a  tolerable  per- 
fection :  they  are  defended  with  armour,  that 
is  at  once  both  light  and  strong  ;  they  are  as 
active  as  their  necessities  require ;  and  are 
possessed  of  appetites  more  poignant  than 
those  of  animals  that  seem  much  more  per- 
fectly formed.  In  short,  they  are  a  fruitful, in- 
dustrious tribe  ;  furnished,  like  all  other  ani- 
mals, with  the  powers  of  escape  and  invasion ; 
they  have  their  pursuits  and  their  enmities ; 
and,  of  all  creatures  of  the  deep,  they  have 
most  to  fear  from  each  other. 


CHAPTER  CLV. 

OF  BIVALVED  SHELL-FISH,  OR  SHELLS  OF  THE  OYSTER  KIND. 


IT  may  seem  whimsical  to  make  a  dis- 
tinction between  the  animal  perfections  of  tur- 
binated  and  bivalved  shell-fish ;  or  to  grant  a 
degree  of  superiority  to  the  snail  above  the 
oyster.  Yet  this  distinction  strongly  and  ap- 
parently obtains  in  nature  ;  and  we  shall  find 
the  bivalved  tribe  of  animals  in  every  respect 
inferior  to  those  we  have  been  describing. 


Inferior  in  all  their  sensations  ;  inferior  in 
their  powers  of  motion ;  but  particularly  infe- 
rior in  their  system  of  animal  generation. 
The  snail  tribe,  as  we  saw,  are  hermaphrodite, 
but  require  the  assistance  of  each  other  for  fe- 
cundation ;  all  the  bivalve  tribe  are  hermaphro- 
dite in  like  manner,  but  they  require  no 
assistance  from  each  other  towards  impregna- 


683 


A  HISTORY  OF 


tiou ;  anJ  a  single  muscle  or  oyster,  if  there 
were  no  other  in  the  world,  would  quickly 
replenish  the  ocean.  As  the  land-snail,  from 
its  being  best  known,  took  the  lead  in  the 
former  class,  so  the  fresh-water  muscle,  for 
the  same  reason,  may  take  lead  in  this.  The 
life  and  manners  of  such  as  belong  to  the  sea 
will  be  best  displayed  in  the  comparison. 

The  muscle,  as  is  well  known,  whether 
belonging  to  fresh  or  salt-water,  consists  of 
two  equal  shells,  joined  at  the  back  by  a 
strong,  muscular  ligament,  that  answers  all 
the  purposes  of  a  hinge.  By  the  elastic  con- 
traction of  these  the  animal  can  open  its  shell 
at  pleasure,  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  from 
each  other.  The  fish  is  fixed  to  either  shell 
by  four  tendons,  by  means  of  which  it  shuts 
them  close,  and  keeps  its  body  firm  from 
being  crushed  by  any  shock  against  the  walls 
of  its  own  habitation.  It  is  furnished,  like  all 
other  animals  of  this  kind,  with  vital  organs, 
though  these  are  situated  in  a  very  extraor- 
dinary manner.  It  has  a  mouth  furnished 
with  two  fleshy  lips;  its  intestine  begins  at 
the  bottom  of  the  mouth,  passes  through  the 
brain,  and  makes  a  number  of  circumvolutions 
through  the  liver;  on  leaving  this  organ,  it 
goes  on  straight  into  the  heart,  which  it  pe- 
netrates, and  ends  in  the  anus ;  near  which 
the  lungs  are  placed,  and  through  which  it 
breaths,  like  those  of  the  snail  kind;  and  in 
this  manner  its  languid  circulation  is  carried 
on.0 

But  the  organs  of  generation  are  what  most 
deserve  to  excite  our  curiosity.  These  con- 
sist in  each  muscle  of  two  ovaries,  which  are 
the  female  part  of  its  furniture,  and  of  two  se- 
minal vessels,  resembling  what  are  found  in 
the  male.  Each  ovary  and  each  seminal  ves- 
sel, has  its  own  proper  canal ;  by  the  ovary- 
canal  the  eggs  descend  to  the  anus ;  and  there, 
also,  the  seminal  canals  send  their  fluids  to 
impregnate  them.  By  this  contrivance,  one 
single  animal  suffices  for  the  double  purposes 
of  generation ;  and  the  eggs  are  excluded  and 
impregnated  by  itself  alone. 

As  the  muscle  is  thus  furnished  with  a  kind 
of  self-creating  power,  there  are  few  places 
where  it  breeds,  that  it  is  not  found  in  great 
abundance.  The  ovaries  usually  empty  them- 

»  M.  Mery.  Anat,  de  Moules  d'Etang. 


selves  of  their  eggs  in  spring,  and  they  are 
replenished  in  autumn^  For  this  reason  they 
are  found  empty  in  summer  and  full  in  winter. 
They  produce  in  great  numbers,  as  all  bival- 
ved  shell-fish  are  found  to  do.  The  fecun- 
dity of  the  snail  kind  is  trifling  in  comparison 
to  the  fertility  of  these.  Indeed  it  may  be  as- 
serted as  a  general  rale  in  nature,  that  the 
more  helpless  and  contemptible  tlie  animal, 
the  more  prolific  it  is  always  found.  Thus 
all  creatures  that  are  incapable  of  resisting 
their  destroyers,  have  nothing  but  their  quick 
multiplication,  for  the  continuation  of  their 
existence. 

The  multitude  of  these  animals  in  some 
places  is  very  great;  but,  from  their  defence- 
less state,  the  number  of  their  destroyers  are 
in  equal  proportion.  The  crab,  the  cray-fish, 
and  many  other  animals,  are  seen  to  devour 
them ;  but  the  trochus  is  their  most  formidable 
enemy.  When  their  shells  are  found  deserted, 
if  we  then  obserre  closely,  it  is  most  proba- 
ble we  shall  find  that  the  trochus  has  been 
at  work  in  piercing  them.  There  is  scarce 
one  of  them  without  a  hole  in  it;  and  this 
probably  was  the  avenue  by  which  the  ene- 
my entered  to  destroy  the  inhabitant. 

But  notwithstanding  the  number  of  this 
creature's  animated  enemies,  it  seems  still 
more  fearful  of  the  agitations  of  the  element 
in  which  it  resides;  for  if  dashed  against  rocks, 
or  thrown  far  on  the  beach,  it  is  destroyed 
without  a  power  of  redress.  In  order  to  guard 
against  these,  which  are  to  this  animal  the 
commonest  and  the  most  fatal  accidents,  al- 
though it  has  a  power  of  slow  motion,  which 
I  shall  presently  describe,  yet  it  endeavours 
to  become  stationary,  and  to  attach  itself  to 
any  fixed  object  it  happens  to  be  near.  For 
this  purpose,  it  is  furnished  with  a  very  sin- 
gular capacity  of  binding  itself  by  a  number 
of  threads  to  whatever  object  it  approaches  ; 
and  these  Reaumur  supposed  it  spun  artifi- 
cially, as  spiders  their  webs  which  they 
fasten  against  a  wall.  Of  this,  however,  later 
philosophers  have  found  very  great  reason 
to  doubt.  It  is  therefore  supposed  that  these 
threads,  which  are  usually  called  the  beard 
of  the  muscle,  are  the  natural  growth  of  the 
animal's  body,  and  by  no  means  produced  at 
pleasure.  Indeed,  the  extreme  length  of  this 
beard  in  some,  which  far  exceeds  the  length 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


(589 


of  the  body,  seems  impossible  to  be  manufac- 
tured by  the  thrusting  out  and  drawing  in  of 
the  tongue,  with  the  glutinous  matter  of  which 
the  French  philosopher  supposed  those  threads 
were  formed.  It  is  even  found  to  increase 
with  the  growth  of  the  anim  >1  ;  and  as  the 
muscle  becomes  larger  and  older,  the  beard 
becomes  longer  and  its  filaments  more  strong." 
Be  this  as  it  will,  nothing  is  more  certain  than 
that  the  muscle  is  found  attached  by  these 
threads  to  every  fixed  object;  sometimes, 
indeed,  for  want  of  such  an  object,  these 
animals  are  found  united  to  each  other; 
and  though  thrown  into  a  lake  separately, 
they  are  taken  out  in  bunches  of  many  to- 
gether. 

To  have  some  fixed  resting  place  where  the 
muscle  can  continue,  and  take  in  its  acciden- 
tal food,  seems  the  state  that  this  animal  chief- 
ly desires.  Its  instrument  of  motion,  by  which 
it  contrives  to  reach  the  object  it  wants  to 
bind  itself  to,  is  that  muscular  substance  re- 
sembling a  tongue,  which  is  found  long  in 
proportion  to  the  size  of  the  muscle.  In 
some  it  is  two  inches  long,  in  others  not  a 
third  part  of  these  dimensions.  This  the  ani- 
mal has  a  power  of  thrusting  out  of  its  shell ; 
and  with  this  it  is  capable  of  making  a  slight 
furrow  in  the  sand  at  the  bottom.  By  means 
of  this  furrow  it  can  erect  itself  upon  the  edge 
of  its  shell  ;  and  thus  continuing  to  make  the 
furrow  in  proportion  as  it  goes  forward,  it 
reaches  out  its  tongue,  that  answers  the  pur- 
pose of  an  arm,  and  thus  carries  its  shell  edge- 
ways, as  in  agroove,  until  it  reaches  the  point 
intended.  There,  where  it  determines  to  take 
up  its  residence,  it  fixes  the  ends  of  its  beard, 
which  are  glutinous,  to  the  rock  or  the  object, 
whatever  it  be;  and  thus,  like  a  ship  at  anchor, 
braves  all  the  agitations  of  the  water.  Some- 
times the  animal  is  attached  by  a  large  num- 
ber of  threads ;  sometimes  but  by  three  or 
four,  that  seem  scarce  able  to  retain  it.  When 
the  muscle  is  fixed  in  this  manner,  it  lives 
upon  the  little  earthy  particles  that  the  water 
transports  to  its  shells,  and  perhaps  the  flesh 
of  the  most  diminutive  animals.  However,  it 
does  not  fail  to  grow  considerably ;  and  some 
of  this  kind  have  been  found  a  foot  long.  I 
have  seen  the  beards  a  foot  and  a  half;  and 

»  Mercier  du  Paty,sur  le  bouchots  &  moules.     Tom.  ii. 
1' Academic  de  la  Rochelle. 


of  this  substance  the  natives  of  Palermo  some- 
times make  gloves  and  stockings. 

These  shell-fish  are  found  in  lakes,  rivers, 
and  in  the  sea.  Those  of  the  lake  often  grow 
to  a  very  large  size  ;  but  they  seem  a  solitary 
animal,  and  are  found  generally  separate  from 
each  other.  Those  of  rivers  are  not  so  large, 
but  yet  in  greater  abundance  ;  but  the  sea- 
muscle  of  all  others  is  perhaps  the  most  plenty. 
These  are  often  bred  artificially  in  salt-water 
marshes  that  are  overflowed  by  the  tide  ;  the 
fishermen  throwing  them  in  at  the  proper  sea- 
sons ;  and  there  being  undisturbed  by  the 
agitations  of  the  sea,  and  not  preyed  upon  by 
their  powerful  enemies  at  the  bottom,  they  cast 
their  eggs,  which  soon  become  perfect  animals, 
and  these  are  generally  found  in  clusters  ol 
several  dozens  together.  It  requires  a  year 
for  the  peopling  a  muscle  bed  ;  so  (hat,  if  the 
number  consists  of  forty  thousand,  a  tenth 
part  may  annually  be  left  for  the  peopling 
the  bed  anew.  Muscles  are  taken  from 
their  beds  from  the  month  of  July  to  Octo- 
ber ;  and  they  are  sold  at  a  very  moderate 
price. 

From  this  animal  the  oyster  differs  very 
little,  except  in  the  thickness  of  its  shell,  and 
its  greater  imbecility.  The  oyster,  like  the 
muscle,  is  formed  with  organs  of  life  and  res- 
piration, with  intestines  which  are  very  volu- 
minous, and  liver,  lungs,  and  heart.  Like  the 
muscle,  it  is  self-impregnated  ;  and  the  shell, 
which  the  animal  soon  acquires,  serves  it  for 
its  future  habitation.  Like  the  muscle,  it 
opens  its  shell  to  receive  the  influx  of  water ; 
and  like  that  animal  is  strongly  attached  to  its 
shells  both  above  and  below. 

But  it  differs  in  many  particulars.  In  the 
first  place  its  shells  are  not  equal,  the  one  be- 
ing cupped,  the  other  flat ;  upon  the  cupped 
shell  it  is  always  seen  to  rest ;  for  if  it  lay  upon 
the  flat  side  it  would  then  lose  all  its  water. 
It  differs  also  in  the  thickness  of  its  shells, 
which  are  so  strongly  lined  and  defended,  that 
no  animal  will  attempt  to  pierce  them.  But 
though  the  oyster  be  secured  from  the  attacks 
of  the  small  reptiles  at  the  bottom,  yet  it  often 
serves  as  an  object  to  which  they  are  attached. 
Pipe-worms,  and  other  little  animals,  fix  their 
habitation  to  the  oyster's  sides,  and  in  this 
manner  continue  to  live  in  security.  Among 
the  number  of  these  is  a  little  red  worm,  that 
is  often  found  upon  the  shell ;  which  some, 


690 


A  HISTORY  OF 


from  never  seeing  oysters  copulate,  erroneous- 
ly supposed  to  be  the  male  by  which  their 
spawn  was  impregnated. 

The  oyster  differs  also  from  the  muscle  in 
being  utterly  unable  to  change  its  situation. 
The  muscle,  as  we  have  observed,  is  capa- 
ble of  erecting  itself  on  an  edge,  and  going 
forward  with  a  slow  laborious  motion.  The 
oyster  is  wholly  passive,  and  endeavours  by 
all  its  powers  to  rest  fixed  to  one  spot  at  the 
bottom.  It  is  entirely  without  that  tongue 
which  we  saw  answering  the  purposes  of  an 
arm  in  the  other  animal ;  but  nevertheless 
is  often  attached  very  firmly  to  any  object  it 
happens  to  approach.  Rocks,  stones,  pieces 
of  timber,  or  sea-weeds,  all  seem  proper  to 
give  it  a  fixture,  and  to  secure  it  against  the 
agitation  of  the  waves.  Nothing  so  common 
in  the  rivers  of  the  tropical  climates  as  to  see 
oysters  growing  even  amidst  the  branches  of 
the  forest..  Many  trees  which  grow  along  the 
banks  of  the  stream  often  bend  their  branches 
into  the  water,  and  particularly  the  mangrove, 
which  chielly  delights  in  a  moist  situation. 
To  these  the  oysters  hang  in  clusters,  like 
apples  upon  the  most  fertile  tree  ;  and  in  pro- 
portion as  the  weight  of  the  fish  sinks  the 
plant  into  the  water,  where  it  still  continues 
growing,  the  number  of  oysters  increase,  and 
hang  upon  the  branches.  Thus  there  is  no- 
thing that  these  shell-fish  will  not  stick  to; 
they  are  often  even  found  to  stick  to  each 
other.  This  is  effected  by  means  of  a  glue 
proper  to  themselves,  which,  when  it  cements, 
the  joining  is  as  hard  as  the  shell,  and  is  as 
difficultly  broken.  The  joining  substance, 
however,  is  not  always  of  glue ;  but  the  ani- 
mal grows  to  the  rocks,  somewhat  like  the 
muscle,  by  threads ;  although  these  are  only 
seen  to  take  root  in  the  shell,  and  not,  as  in 
the  muscle,  to  spring  from  the  body  of  the  fish 
itself. 

Oysters  usually  cast  their  spawn  in  May, 
which  at  first  appear  like  drops  of  candle- 
grease,  and  stick  to  any  hard  substance  they 
fall  upon.  These  are  covered  with  a  shell  in 
two  or  three  days  ;  and  in  three  years  the  ani- 
mal is  large  enough  to  be  brought  to  market. 
As  they  invariably  remain  in  the  places  where 
they  are  laid,  and  as  they  grow  without  any 
other  seeming  food  than  the  afflux  of  sea- 
water,  it  is  the  custom  at  Colchester,  and 
other  parts  of  the  kingdom,  where  the  tide 


!  settles  in  marshes  on  land,  to  pick  up  great 
quantities  of  small  oysters  along  the  shore, 
which,  when  first  gathered,  seldom  exceed  the 
size  of  a  sixpence.  These  are  deposited  in 
beds  where  the  tide  comes  in,  and  in  two  or 
three  years  grow  to  a  tolerable  size.  They 
are  said  to  be  better  tasted  for  being  thus 
sheltered  from  the  agitations  of  the  deep  :  and 
a  mixture  of  fresh  water  entering  into  these 
repositories,  is  said  to  improve  their  flavour, 
and  to  increase  their  growth  and  fatness. 

The  oysters,  however,  which  are  prepared 
in  this  manner,  are  by  no  means  so  large  as 
those  found  sticking  to  rocks  at  the  bottom  of 
the  sea,  usually  called  rock-oysters.  These  are 
sometimes  found  as  broad  as  a  plate,  and  are 
admired  by  some  as  excellent  food.  But 
what  is  the  size  of  these  compared  to  the  oys- 
ters of  the  East  Indies,  some  of  whose  shells  I 
have  seen  two  feet  over  !  The  oysters  found 
along  the  coast  of  Coromandel  are  capable  of 
furnishing  a  plentiful  meal  to  eight  or  ten  men; 
but  it  seems  universally  agreed  that  they  are 
no  way  comparable  to  ours  for  delicacy  or 
flavour. 

Thus  the  muscle  and  the  oyster  appear  to 
have  but  few  distinctions,  except  in  their  shape, 
and  the  power  of  motion  in  the  former. 
Other  bivalved  shell-fish,  such  as  the  cockle, 
the  scallop,  and  the  razor-shell,  have  differ- 
ences equally  minute.  The  power  of  chang- 
ing place,  which  some  of  them  effect  in  a 
manner  quite  peculiar  to  themselves,  makes 
their  greatest  difference.  The  scallop  is  par- 
ticularly remarkable  for  its  method  of  moving 
forward  upon  land,  or  swimming  upon  the 
surface  of  the  water.  When  this  animal  finds 
itself  deserted  by  the  tide,  it  makes  very  re- 
markable efforts  to  regain  the  water,  moving 
towards  the  sea  in  a  most  singular  manner. 
It  first  gapes  with  its  shell  as  widely  as  it  can, 
the  edges  being  often  an  inch  asunder  ;  then 
it  shuts  them  with  a  jerk,  and  by  this  the 
whole  animal  rises  five  or  six  inches  from  the 
ground.  It  thus  tumbles  any  how  forward, 
and  then  renews  the  operation  until  it  has  at- 
tained its  journey's  end.  When  in  the  water 
it  is  capable  of  supporting  itself  upon  the  sur- 
face ;  and  there  opening  and  shutting  its  shells, 
it  tumbles  over  and  over,  and  makes  its  way 
with  some  celerity. 

The  Pivot,  or  Razor-shell,  has  a  very  dif- 
ferent kind  of  motion.  As  the  former  moves 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


691 


laboriously  and  slowly  forward,  so  the  razor- 
shell  h-is  only  a  power  of  sinking  point  down- 
ward. The  shells  of  (his  animal  resemble  no- 
thing so  much  as  the  haft  of  a  razor  ;  and  by 
this  form  it  is  better  enabled  to  dive  into  the 
soft  sand  at  the  bottom.  All  the  motions  of 
this  little  animal  are  confined  to  sinking  or 
rising  a  foot  downwards  or  upwards  in  the 
sand,  for  it  never  leaves  the  spot  where  first 
it  was  planted.  From  time  to  time  it  is  seen 
to  rise  about  half  way  out  of  its  hole  ;  but  if 
any  way  disturbed,  it  sinks  perpendicularly 
down  again.  Just  over  the  place  where  the 
razor  buries  itself,  there  is  a  small  hole  like  a 
chimney,  through  which  the  animal  breaths, 
or  imbibes  the  sea-water.  Ujton  the  deser- 
tion of  the  tide,  these  holes  are  easily  distin- 
guished by  the  fishermen  who  seek  for  it ;  and 
their  method  of  enticing  the  razor  up  from  the 
depth  of  its  retreat  is  by  sprinkling  a  little  sea- 
salt  upon  the  hole.  This,  melting,  no  sooner 
reaches  the  razor  below  than  it  rises  instantly 
straight  upwards,  and  shows  about  half  its 
length  above  the  surface.  This  appearance, 
however,  is  instantaneous ;  and  if  the  fisher 
does  not  seize  the  opportunity,  the  razor  buries 
itself  with  great  ease  to  its  former  depth. 
There  it  continues  secure  ;  no  salt  can  allure 
it  a  second  time  ;  but  it  remains  unmolested, 
unless  the  fisher  will  be  at  the  trouble  of  dig- 
ging it  out  sometimes  two  feet  below  the  sur- 
lace. 

Such  are  the  minute  differences  between 
bivalved  shell-fish  ;  but  in  the  great  outlines 
of  their  nature  they  exactly  resemble  each 
other.  It  is  particularly  in  this  class  of  shell- 
fish that  pearls  are  fo-nv!  in  great  abundance; 
aii'l  it  is  in  the  internal  parts  of  those  shells 
tint  are  of  a  shining  silvery  colour  that  these 
gp'ris  vire  usually  generated  ;  but  the  pearl  is 
also  found  to  breed  as  well  in  the  muscle  or 
the  se  illop  ;is  in  the  oyster.  In  fact,  it  is  found 
in  all  bivalved  shells,  the  insides  of  which  re- 
semble that  well  known  substance  called 
mother-of-pearl. 

Whether  pearls  be  a  disease  or  an  accident 
in  th"  animal  is  scarcely  worthy  inquiry.  The 
corn  non  opinion  is,  that  they  are  a  kind  of 
calculus  concr<'ti.>i)  in  tin-  body  of  the  animal, 
some  \hat  resembling  a  stone  in  the  bladder, 
and  are  consequently  to  be  considered  as  a 
disorder.  It  is  said,  in  confirmation  of  this 
opinion,  that  those  coasts  upon  which  pearls 

NO.  59  &  60. 


are  fished,  are  very  unhealthy  ;  and  therefore 
most  probably  oysters  share  the  general  in- 
fluence of  the  climate ;  it  is  also  added,  that 
those  oysters  in  which  pearls  are  found  are 
always  ill-tasted,  which  is  a  sign  of  their  be- 
ing unsound  ;  and  lastly,  it  is  asserted  that  the 
pearl  grows  sometimes  so  big  as  to  keep  the 
shells  of  the  animal  from  shutting,  and  that 
thus  it  dies  by  being  exposed.  It  is  easy  to 
see  the  weakness  of  these  assertions,  which 
seem  neither  true  nor  amusing.  To  answer 
them  in  their  own  way  :  If  a  stone  in  the 
bladder  be  a  disorder,  a  stone  in  the  stomach 
of  an  ostrich  is  a  benefit,  and  so  it  may  be  in 
the  shell  of  an  oyster.  If  the  shores  where  the 
pearls  are  fished  be  unwholesome  to  man,  that, 
instead  of  being  disadvantageous,  is  so  much 
the  more  lucky  for  the  oyster.  If  the  pearl 
oysters  are  the  worst  tasted,  so  are  kites  and 
ravens  among  birds ;  and  yet  we  know  that 
they  are  healthy  and  long-lived  animals :  if 
the  oyster  had  ever  its  shell  kept  asunder  by 
the  pearl  within  it,  that  would  be  a  disease 
indeed  :  but  this,  in  reality,  never  happens ; 
for  the  oyster  that  breeds  a  large  pearl  always 
breeds  a  large  shell,  and  the  shell  itself  indents 
to  receive  its  impression.  The  pearl  upon  the 
whole  seems  bred  from  no  disorder  in  the  ani- 
mal, but  accidentally  produced  by  the  same 
matter  that  goes  to  form  the  shell.  The  sub- 
stance, which  is  soft  at  first,  quickly  hardens; 
and  thus,  bv  successive  coats,  layer  over  layer, 
the  pearl  acquires  its  dimensions.  If  cut 
through  it  will  be  found  to  consist  of  several 
coats,  like  an  onion;  and  sometimes  a  small 
speck  is  seen  in  the  middle,  upon  which  the 
coats  were  originally  formed. 

All  oysters,  and  most  shell  fish,  are  found 
to  contain  pearls  ;  but  that  which  particularly 
obtains  the  name  of  the  pearl  oyster,  has  a 
large  strong  whitish  shell,  wrinkled  and  rough 
uithout,  and  within  smooth  and  of  a  silver 
colour.  From  these  the  mother-of-pearl  is 
taken,  which  is  nothing  more  than  the  inter- 
nal coats  of  the  shell,  resembling  the  pearl  in 
colour  and  consistence.  This  is  taken  out 
and  shaped  into  the  variety  of  utensils  which 
are  found  so  beautiful,  but  the  pearl  itself  is 
chiefly  prized;  being  found  but  in  few  oysters, 
and  generally  adhering,  sometimes  making  a 
print  in  the  body  of  the  shell,  sometimes  at 
large  within  the  substance  of  the  fish. 

There  are  a  great  number  of  pearl  fisheries 


692 


A  HISTORY  OF 


in  America  and  Asia ;  but  as  pearls  bear  a 
worse  price  than  formerly,  those  of  America 
are  in  a  great  measure  discontinued.  The 
most  famous  of  all  the  Asiatic  fisheries  is  in 
the  Persian  Gulf,  near  the  Isle  of  Bahren. 
There  is  another  between  the  coast  of  Madura 
and  the  Island  of  Ceylon ;  and  there  was  a 
third  on  the  coasts  of  Japan:  but  as  these 
noble  islanders  have  a  contempt  for  jewels, 
and  an  abhorrence  for  such  Europeans  as 
come  in  pursuit  of  them,  that  fishery,  which 
is  thought  to  be  the  most  valuable  of  all  others, 
is  discontinued.  The  diving  business  is  now 
carried  on  only  in  those  countries  where  the 
wretchedness  of  one  part  of  mankind  goes  to 
support  the  magnificence  of  the  other. 

The  chief  fishery,  as  was  said,  is  carried 
on  in  the  Persian  Gulf,  and  the  most  valuable 
pearls  are  brought  from  thence.  The  value 
of  these  jewels  increases  not  only  in  propor- 
tion to  their  size,  but  also  their  figure  and 
colour;  for  some  pearls  are  white,  others  are 
yellowish,  others  of  a  lead  colour;  and  some 
affirm  they  have  been  found  as  black  as  jet. 
What  it  is  that  gives  these  different  tinctures 
to  pearls  is  not  known;  Taverner  ascribes  it 
to  their  lying  two  or  three  weeks  upon  shore 
after  the  oyster  is  taken;  Reaumur  thinks  it 
proceeds  from  the  colour  of  that  part  of  the 
fish's  body  upon  which  the  pearl  lies.  It  is 
most  probable  that  this  colour  proceeds,  like 
the  spots  frequently  found  on  the  internal  sur- 
face of  the  shell  itself,  from  some  accident 
while  the  pearl  is  growing 

The  begt  coloured  pearls,  and  the  roundest, 
are  brought  from  the  East;  those  of  America 
are  neither  so  white  nor  so  exactly  oval.  All 
pearls,  however,  in  time  become  yellow ;  they 
may  be  considered  as  an  animal  substance 
converted  into  a  stony  hardness,  and  like  ivo- 
ry taking  ;\  tincture  from  the  air.  They  have 
been  even  found  to  decay  when  in  damp  or 
vaulted  places,and to moulderintoa substance 
scarce  harder  than  chalk.  When  the  daugh- 
ters of  Stilicon,  who  were  both  betrothed,  one 
after  the  other,  to  the  emperor  Honorius,  were 
buried,  much  of  their  finery  was  also  deposit- 
ed with  them,  in  the  same  tomb.  In  this  man- 
ner they  remained  buried  for  above  eleven 
hundred  years,  till  the  foundations  of  the 
church  of  St.  Peter  were  Hying.  Their  tomb 
was  tli^n  discovered,  and  all  their  finery  was 


found  in  tolerable  preservation  except  their 
pearls,  which  were  converted  by  time  and 
damps  into  a  chalky  powder. 

The  wretched  people  that  are  destined  to 
fish  for  pearls,  are  either  Negroes  or  some  of 
the  poorest  of  the  natives  of  Persia.  The  in- 
habitants of  this  country  are  divided  into  ty- 
rants and  slaves.  The  divers  are  not  only 
subject  to  the  dangers  of  the  deep,  to  tem- 
pests, to  suffocation  at  the  bottom,  to  being 
devoured  by  sharks,  but  from  their  profession 
universally  labour  under  a  spitting  of  blood, 
occasioned  by  the  pressure  of  air  upon  their 
lungs  in  going  down  to  the  bottom.  The 
most  robust  and  healthy  young  men  are  cho- 
srn  for  this  employment,  but  they  seldom  sur- 
vive it  above  five  or  six  years.  Their  fibres 
become  rigid ;  their  eye-balls  turn  red;  and. 
they  usually  die  consumptive. 

It   is   amazing   how    very   long 
seen  to  continue  at  the  bottom. 


they 
Some 


are 
,  as 

we  are  assured,  have  been  known  to  con- 
tinue three  quarters  of  an  hour  under  wa- 
ter without  breathing;  and  to  one  unused 
to  diving,  ten  minutes  would  suffocate  the 
strongest.  Whether  from  some  effort  the 
blood  bursts  the  old  passage  which  it  had  in 
the  fetus,  and  circulates  without  going  through 
the  lungs,  it  is  not  easy  to  tell;  but  certain  it 
is  that  some  bodies  have  been  dissected  with 
this  canal  of  communication  open,  and  these 
extraordinary  divers  may  be  internally  formed 
in  that  manner. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  no  way  of  life  seems  so 
laborious,  so  dangerous,  or  so  painful.  They 
fish  for  pearls,  or  rather  the  oysters  that  con- 
tain them,  in  boats  twenty-eight  feet  long; 
and  of  these  there  are  sometimes  three  or 
four  hundred  at  a  time,  with  each  seven  or 
eight  stones,  which  serve  for  anchors.  There 
are  from  five  to  eight  divers  belonging  to  each, 
that  dive  one  after  another.  They  are  quite 
nakfd,  except  that  they  have  a  net  hanging 
down  from  the  neck  to  put  their  oysters  in, 
and  gloves  on  their  hands  to  defend  them 
while  they  pick  the  oysters  from  the  holes  in 
the  rocks;  for  in  this  manner  alone  can  they 
be  gathered.  Every  diver  is  sunk  by  means 
of  a  stone,  weighing  fifty  pounds,  tied  to  the 
rope  by  which  he  descends.  He  places  his 
foot  in  a  kind  of  stirrup,  and  laying  hold  of 
the  rope  with  his  left  hand,  with  his  right  lw> 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


603 


stops  his  nose  to  keep  in  his  breath,  as  upon 
going  down  he  takes  in  a  very  long  inspira- 
tion. They  are  no  sooner  come  to  the  bot- 
tom, but  they  give  the  signal  to  those  who 
are  in  the  boat  to  draw  up  the  stone;  which 
done,  they  go  to  work,  filling  their  net  as  fast 
as  they  can;  and  then  giving  another  signal, 
the  boats  above  pull  up  the  net  loaded  with 
oysters,  and  shortly  after  the  diver  himself 
to  take  a  new  inspiration.  They  dive  to  the 
depth  of  fifteen  fathoms,  and  seldom  go  deeper. 
They  generally  go  every  morning  by  break 
of  day  to  this  fatiguing  employment,  taking 
the  land  wind  to  waft  them  out  to  sea,  and 


returning  with  the  sea-breeze  at  night.  The 
owners  of  the  boats  usually  hire  the  divers, 
and  the  rest  of  the  boats  crew,  as  we  do  our 
labourers,  at  so  much  a  day.  All  the  oysters 
are  brought  on  shore,  where  they  are  laid  in 
a  great  heap,  till  the  pearl  fishery  is  over, 
which  continues  during  the  months  of  No- 
vember and  December.  When  opportunity 
serves,  they  then  examine  every  oyster,  and  it 
is  accidental  whether  the  capture  turns  out  ad- 
vantageous. Indeed  no  human  being  can  wish 
well  to  a  commerce,  which  thus  chains  such  a 
number  of  fellow  creatures  to  the  bottom,  to 
pluck  up  a  glittering,  mouldering  pebble. 


CHAPTER  CJLVI. 

OF  MULTIVALVE  SHELL-FISH. 


MULTIVALVE  SHELL-FISH  may  be 

considered  as  animals  shut  up  in  round  boxes. 
To  view  their  habitations  externally,  one 
would  be  little  apt  to  consider  them  as  the  re- 
treats of  living  creatures;  and  still  less,  to 
suppose  that  some  of  them  carry  their  boxes 
with  a  tolerable  share  of  swiftness,  so  as  to 
escape  their  pursuers.  Of  these  there  are 
principally  two  kinds ;  such  as  move,  and 
such  as  are  stationary :  the  first  are  usually 
known  in  our  cabinets  by  the  name  of  Sea- 
eggs  ;  the  others  are  as  often  admired,  from 
the  cavities  which  they  scoop  out  for  their 
habitation  in  the  hardest  marble.  The  first 
are  called,  by  naturalists,  Echini,  or  Urchins: 
the  latler  are  called  Pholades,  or  File-fish. 
Of  both  there  are  several  sorts;  but,  by  de- 
scribing these  two,  we  shall  have  a  competent 
idea  of  all  the  rest. 

To  a  slight  view,  the  sea  urchin  may  be 
compared  to  the  husk  of  a  chesnut ;  being 
like  it  round,  and  with  a  number  of  bony 
prickles  standing  out  on  every  side.  To  ex- 
hibit this  extraordinary  animal  in  every  light, 
if  we  could  conceive  a  turnip  stuck  full  of  pins 
on  every  side,  and  running  upon  these  pins 
with  some  degree  of  swiftness,  we  should 
have  some  idea  of  this  extraordinary  creature. 
The  mouth  is  placed  downwards ;  the  vent  is 


above  ;  the  shell  is  a  hollow  vase,  resembling 
a  scooped  apple ;  and  this  filled  wilh  a  soft 
muscular  substance,  through  which  the  intes- 
tines wind  from  the  bottom  to  the  top.  The 
mouth,  which  is  placed  undermost,  is  large 
and  red,  furnished  with  five  sharp  teeth, which 
are  easily  discerned.  The  jaws  are  strength- 
ened by  five  small  bones,  in  the  centre  of 
which  is  a  small  fleshy  tongue ;  and  from  this 
the  intestines  make  a  winding  of  five  spires 
round  the  internal  sides  of  the  shell,  ending  at 
top,  where  the  excrements  arc  excluded. 
But  what  makes  the  most  extraordinary  part 
of  this  animal's  conformation,  are  its  horns 
and  its  spines,  that  point  from  every  part  of 
the  body,  like  (he  horns  of  a  snail,  and  that 
serve  at  once  as  legs  to  move  upon,  as  arms 
to  feel  with,  and  as  instruments  of  capture  and 
defence.  Between  these  herns  it  has  also 
spines  that  are  not  endued  with  such  a  share 
of  motion.  The  spines  and  the  horns  issue 
from  every  part  of  the  body  ;  the  spines  being 
hard  and  prickly  ;  the  horns  being  soft,  longer 
than  the  spines,  and  never  seen  except  in  (he 
water.  They  are  put  forward  and  withdrawn 
like  the  horns  of  a  snail,  and  are  hid  at  the 
bases  of  the  spines,  serving,  as  was  said  before, 
for  procuring  food  and  motion.  All  this  ap- 
paratus, however,  is  only  seen  when  the  ani 

5  fc» 


694 


A  HISTORY  OF 


mal  is  hunting  its  prey  at  the  bottom  of  the  i 
water ;  for  a  few  minutes  after  it  is  taken,  all 
the  horns  are  withdrawn  into  the  body,  and 
most  of  the  spines  drop  off. 

It  is  generally  said  of  the  insects,  that  those 
which  have  the  greatest  number  of  legs, 
always  move  the  slowest :  but  this  animal 
seems  to  be  an  exception  to  the  rule ;  for 
though  furnished  with  two  thousand  spines, 
and  twelve  hundred  horns,  all  serving  for  leg?, 
and  from  their  number  seeming  to  impede 
each  other's  motion,  yet  it  runs  with  some 
share  of  swiftness  at  the  bottom,  and  it  is 
sometimes  no  easy  matter  to  overtake  it.  It 
is  often  taken  upon  the  ebb,  by  following  it  in 
shallow  water,  either  in  an  osier  basket,  or 
simply  with  the  hand.  Both  the  spines  and 
the  horns  assist  its  motion  ;  and  the  anima! 
is  usually  seen  running  with  the  mouth  down- 
ward. 

Some  kinds  of  this  animal  are  as  good  eat- 
ing as  the  lobster  ;  and  its  eggs,  which  are  of 
a  deep  red,  are  considered  as  a  very  great 
delicacy.  But  of  others  the  taste  is  but  indif- 
ferent ;  and  in  ail  places,  except  the  Mediter- 
ranean, they  are  little  sought  for,  except  as 
objects  of  curiosity. 

Very  different  in  motion,  though  not  much 
different  in  shape  from  these,  are  the  Acorn 
Shell-Fish,  the  Thumb-footed  Shell-Fish,  and 
the  Imaginary  Barnacle.  These  are  fixed  to 
one  spot,  and  appear  to  vegetate  from  a  stalk. 
Indeed,  to  an  inattentivespectator,  each  actually 
seems  to  be  a  kind  of  fungus  that  grows  in  the 
deep,  destitute  of  animal  life  as  well  as  motion. 
But  the  inquirer  will  soon  change  his  opinion, 
when  he  comes  to  observe  this  mushroorn- 
Jike  figure  more  minutely.  He  will  then  see 
that  the  animal  residing  within  the  shell  has 
not  only  life,  but  some  degree  of  voracious- 
ness ;  that  it  has  a  cover,  by  which  it  opens 
and  shuts  its  shell  at  pleasure ;  that  it  has 
twelve  long  crooked  arms,  furnished  with  hair, 
which  it  thrusts  forth  for  its  prey  ;  and  eight 
smaller,  which  are  generally  kept  in  the  shell. 
These  are  seen  adhering  to  every  substance 
that  7=  to  be  met  with  in  the  ocean  ;  rocks, 
ro-'ts  of  trees,  ships'  bottoms,  whales,  lob- 
sters, and  even  crabs,  like  bunches  of 
grapes,  clung  to  each  other.  It  is  amusing 

a  Anderson's  History  pf  Greenland. 


enough  to  behold  their  operations/  They 
for  some  time  remain  motionless  within  their 
shell;  but  when  the  sea  is  calm,  they  art  seen 
opening  the  lid,  and  peeping  about  them. 
They  then  thrust  out  their  long  neck,  look 
round  them  for  some  time,  and  then  abruptly 
retreat  back  into  their  box,  shut  their  lid,  and 
lurk  in  darkness  and  security,  Some  people 
eat  them  ;  but  they  are  in  no  great  repute  at 
the  tables  of  the  luxurious,  v\  here  their  de- 
formed figure  would  be  no  objection  to  their 
being  introduced. 

Of  all  animals  of  the  shelly  trihr,  the  Pho- 
lades  are  the  most  wonderful.  From  their 
great  powers  of  penetration,  compared  with 
their  apparent  imbecility,  they  justly  excite 
the  astonishment  of  the  curious  observer. 
These  animals  are  found  to  different  places; 
sometimes  clothed  in  their  proper  shell,  at  the 
bottom  of  the  water ;  sometimes  concealed  in 
lumps  of  marly  earth;  and  sometimes  lodged, 
shell  and  all,  in  the  body  of  the  hardest  it  ar- 
ble.  In  their  proper  shell  they  assume  dif- 
ferent figures ;  but,  in  general,  they  somewhat 
resemble  a  muscle,  except  that  their  shell  is 
found  actually  composed  of  five  or  more 
pieces,  the  smaller  valves  serving  to  close  up 
the  opening  left  by  the  irregular  meeting 
of  two  principal  shells.  But  their  pene- 
tration into  rocks  and  their  residence  there,1 
makes  up  the  most  wonderful  part  of  their  rnV 
tory. 

This  animal,  when  divested  of  its  shell, 
resembles  a  roundish  soft  pudding,  with  i  o 
instrument  that  seems  in  ihe  least  fitted  for 
boring  into  stones,  or  even  penetrating  the 
softest  substances.  It  is  furnished  with  two 
teeth  indeed  ;  but  these  are  placed  in  such  a 
situation  as  to  be  incapable  of  touching  the 
hollow  surface  of  its  stony  dwelling :  it  has 
also  two  covers  to  its  shell,  that  open  and  shut 
at  either  end  ;  but  these  are  totally  unservice- 
able to  it  as  a  miner.  The  instrument  \\ith 
which  it  performs  all  its  operations,  and  buries 
itself  in  the  hardest  rocks,  is  only  a  broad 
fleshy  substance,  somewhat  resembling  a 
tongue,  that  is  seen  issuing  from  the  bottom 
of  its  shell.  With  this  soft,  yielding  instru- 
ment, it  perforates  the  most  solid  marbles; 
and  havina,  while  yet  little  and  young,  made 
its  way,  by  a  very  narrow  entrance,  into 
the  substance  of  the  stone,  it  then  begins  to 


TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


695 


grow  bigger,  and  thus  to  enlarge  its  apart- 
ment. 

The  seeming  uafitness,  however,  of  this 
animal  for  penetrating  into  rocks,  and  there 
forming  an  habitation,  has  induced  many 
philosophers  to  suppose  that  they  entered 
the  rock  while  it  was  yet  in  a  soft  state,  and 
from  the  petrifying  quality  of  the  water,  that 
the  whole  rock  afterwards  hardened  round 
them  by  degrees.  Thus  any  penetrating 
quality,  it  was  thought,  was  unjustly  ascribed 
to  them,  as  they  only  bored  into  a  soft  sub- 
stance, that  was  hardened  by  time.  This 
opinion,  however,  has  been  confuted,  in  a 
very  satisfactory  manner,  by  Doctor  Bohads, 
who  observed,  that  many  of  the  pillars  of  the 
temple  of  Serapis  at  Puteoli  were  penetrated 
by  these  animals.  From  thence  he  very 
jnsily  concludes,  that  the  pholas  must  have 
pierced  into  them  since  they  were  erected  ; 
for  no  workmen  would  have  laboured  a  pillar 
into  form,  if  it  had  been  honey-combed  by 
worms  in  the  quarry.  In  short,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  but  that  the  pillars  were  perfectly 
sound  when  erected ;  and  that  the  pholades 
have  attacked  them,  during  that  time  in 
which  they  continued  buried  under  water. 
by  means  of  the  earthquake  that  swallowed 
up  the  city." 

From  hence  it  appears,  that,  in  all  nature, 
there  is  not  a  greater  instanceof  perseverance 
and  patience  than  what  this  animal  is  seen 
to  exhibit.  Furnished  with  the  bluntest  and 
softest  auger,  by  slow  successive  applications, 
it  effects  what  other  animals  arc  incapable  of 
performing  by  force;  penetrating  the  hardest 
bo  lies  only  with  its  tongue.  When,  while 
yet  naked  and  very  small,  it  has  effected  an 
entrance,  and  has  buried  its  body  in  the 
stone,  it  there  continues  for  life  at  its  ease; 
the  sea-water  that  enters  at  the  little  aper- 
ture supplying  it  with  luxurious  plenty. 
When  the  animal  has  taken  too  great  a  quan- 
tity of  water,  it  is  seen  to  spurt  it  out  of  its 
hole  with  some  violence.  Upon  this  seem- 
ingly thin  diet,  it  quickly  grows  larger,  and 
soon  finds  itself  inder  a  necessity  of  enlarg- 
ing its  habitation  and  its  shell  The  motion 
of  the  pholas  is  slow  beyond  conception;  its 

»  Bohadsch  de  Animalibus  Marinis,  p.  153, 


progress  keeps  pace  with  the  growth  of  its 
body;  and,  in  proportion  as  it  becomes  lar- 
ger, it  makes  its  way  farther  into  the  rock. 
When  it  has  got  a  certain  way  in,  it  then 
turns  from  its  former  direction,  and  hollows 
downward  ;  till,  at  last,  when  its  habitation 
is  completed,  the  whole  apartment  resembles 
the  hole  of  a  tobacco  pipe ;  the  hole  in  the 
shank  being  that  by  which  the  animal  enter- 
ed. 

Thus  immured,  the  pholas  lives  in  dark- 
ness, indolence,  and  plenty;  it  never  removes 
from  the  narrow  mansion  into  which  it  has 
penetrated ;  and  seems  perfectly  content 
with  being  enclosed  in  its  own  sepulchre. 
The  influx  of  the  sea-water,  that  enters  by  its 
little  gallery,  satisfies  all  its  wants;  and,  with- 
out any  other  food,  it  is  found  to  grow  from 
seven  to  eight  inches  long,  and  thick  in  pro- 
portion. 

But  they  are  not  supplied  only  with  their 
rocky  habitation;  they  have  also  a  shell  to 
protect  them  :  this  shell  grows  upon  them  in 
the  body  of  the  rock,  and  seems  a  very  un- 
necessary addition  to  their  defence,  which 
they  have  procured  themselves  by  art. 
These  shells  take  different  forms,  and  are 
often  composed  of  a  different  number  of 
valves:  sometimes  six  ;  sometimes  but  three; 
sometimes  the  shell  resembles  a  tube  with 
holes  at  either  end,  one  for  the  mouth,  and 
the  other  for  voiding  the  excrements. 

Yet  the  pholas,  thus  shut  up,  is  not  so  soli- 
tary an  animal  as  it  would  at  first  appear  ;  for 
though  it  is  immured  in  its  hole  without  egress, 
though  it  is  impossible  for  the  animal,  grown 
to  a  great  size,  to  get  out  by  the  way  it  made 
in,  yet  many  of  this  kind  often  meet  in  the 
heart  of  the  rock,  and,  like  miners  in  a  siege, 
who  sometimes  cross  each  other's  galleries, 
they  frequently  break  in  upon  each  other's 
retreats.  Whether  their  thus  meeting  be  the 
work  of  accident  or  of  choice,  few  can  take 
upon  them  to  determine  :  certain  it  is,  they 
are  most  commonly  found  in  numbers  in 
the  same  rock  ;  and  sometimes  above  twenty 
are  discovered  within  a  few  inches  of  each 
other. 

A«  to  the  rest,  this  animnl  is  found  in 
greaiest  numbers  at  Ancona.  in  Italy  ;  il  is 
found  along  the  shores  of  Normandy  and 


696 


A  HISTORY  OF  TESTACEOUS  FISHES. 


Poitou,  in  France ;  it  is  found  also  upon  some 
of  the  coasts  of  Scotland:  and,  in  general,  is 


8  Must  of  these  animals  contain  a  phosphorescent  fluid, 
of  great  splendour  and  brilliancy  in  the  dark,  and  which 
illuminates  whatever  it  touches,  or  happens  to  fall  upon. 
They  are  generally  on  rocky  shores,  with  a  bed  of  sand, 


considered  as  a  very  great  delicacy  at  the 
tables  of  the  luxurious.* 


just  below  high  water  mark,  with  their  heads  a  little  lifted 
above  the  surface,  by  which  they  may  be  easily  drawn 
from  their  holes. 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  FROG  KIND. 


697 


OF 


OF  FROGS  AND  TOADS. 


CHAPTER  CLVII. 

OF  FROGS  AND  TOADS  IN  GENERAL. 


IF  we  emerge  from  the  deep,  the  first  and 
most  obvious  class  of  amphibious  animals  that 
occur  upon  land  are  frogs  and  toads.  These, 
wherever  they  reside,  seem  equally  adapted 
for  living  upon  land  and  in  the  water,  having 
their  hearts  formed  in  such  a  'Manner  as  to 
dispense  with  the  assistance  of  the  lungs  in 
carrying  on  the  circulation.  The  frog  and 
the  toad  therefore  can  live  several  days  under 
water,  without  any  danger  of  suffocation  ; 
th-'y  want  but  little  air  at  the  bottom;  and 
what  is  wanting  is  supplied  by  lungs,  like 
bladders,  which  are  generally  distended  with 
wind,  and  a  iswer  all  the  purposes  of  a  reser- 
voir from  whence  to  breath. 

To  describe  the  form  of  animals  so  well 
known  would  be  superfluous;  to  murk  those 
differences  that  distinguish  them  from  each 
other  may  be  necessary.  The  frog  moves  by 


leaping ;  the  toad  crawls  along  the  ground : 
the  frog  is  in  general  less  than  the  toad,  its 
colour  is  brighter,  and  with  a  more  polished 
surface ;  the  toad  is  brown,  rough,  and  dusty. 
The  frog  is  light  and  active,  and  its  belrjr 
comparatively  small ;  the  toad  is  slow,  swol- 
len, and  incapable  of  escaping.  The  frogj 
when  taken,  contracts  itself  so  as  to  have  a 
lump  on  its  back;  the  toad's  back  is  straight 
and  even.  Their  internal  parts  are  nearly 
the  same,  except  that  the  lun»sof  the  toad  are 
more  compact  than  those  of  the  frog ;  they 
have  fewer  air-bladders,  and  of  consequence 
the  animal  is  less  fitted  for  living  under  water. 
Such  are  the  differences  with  respect  to  figure 
and  conformation  ;  their  habitudes  and  man- 
ners exhibit  a  greater  variety,  and  require  a 
separate  description. 


CHAPTER  CLVIH. 

OF  THE  FROG,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 

TTIE   external  figure  of  the  Frog  is  too  \\  nature  hath  finely  adapted  Tt<?  parts  for  those 


wHI  knoA'n  to  need  a  descrin'ion.  Its  power 
of  taking  large  leaps  is  remarkably  great, 
compared  to  the  bulk  of  if  body.  l'i  is  the 
best  swimmer  of  all  four-footed  animals;  and 


ends,  the  arms  being  light  and  active,  the  legs 
and  thighs  long,  and  furnished  with  very 
strong  mnsrles. 

If  we  examine  this  animal  internally,  we 


698 


A  HISTORY  OF 


shall  find  that  it  has  a  very  little  brain  for 
its  size ;  a  very  wide  swallow ;  a  stomach 
seemingly  small,  but  capable  of  great  disten- 
tion.  The  heart  in  the  frog,  as  in  all  other 
animals  that  are  truly  amphibious,  has  but 
one  ventricle;  so  that  the  blood  can  circulate 
without  the  assistance  of  the  lungs,  while  it 
keeps  under  water.  The  lungs  resemble  a 
number  of  small  bladders  joined  together, 
like  the  cells  of  a  honey-comb:  they  are 
connected  to  the  back  by  muscles,  and  can 
be  distended  or  exhausted  at  the  animal's 
pleasure.  The  male  has  two  testiculi  lying 
near  the  kidneys ;  and  the  female  has  two 
ovaries,  lying  near  the  same  place :  but 
neither  male  nor  female  have  any  of  the  ex- 
ternal instruments  of  generation;  the  anus 
serving  for  that  purpose  in  both.  Such  .are 
the  most  striking  peculiarities  in  the  anatomy 
of  a  frog;  and  in  these  it  agrees  with  the 
toad,  the  lizard,  and  the  serpent.  They  are 
all  formed  internally  pretty  much  in  the  same 
manner,  with  spongy  lungs,  a  simple  heart, 
and  are  destitute  of  the  external  instruments 
that  serve  to  continue  the  kind. 

Of  all  those  who  have  given  histories  of 
the  frog,  Mr.  Raesal,  of  Nuremberg,  seems 
the  most  accurate  and  entertaining.  His 
plates  of  this  animal  are  well  known ;  his 
assiduity  and  skilfulness  in  observing  its 
manners  are  still  more  deserving  our  esteem. 
Instead,  therefore,  of  following  any  other,  I 
will  take  him  for  my  guide;  and  though  it 
be  out  of  my  power  to  amuse  the  reader  with 
his  beautiful  designs,  yet  there  will  be  some 
merit  in  transcribing  his  history. 

The  Common  Brown  Frog  begins  to  couple 
early  in  (he  season,  and  as  soon  as  the  ice  is 
thawed  from  the  stagnating  waters.  In  some 
places  the  cold  protracts  their  genial  appe- 
tite till  April;  but  it  generally  begins  about 
the  middle  of  March.  The  male  is  usually 
of  a  grayish  brown  colour;  the  female  is 
more  inclining  to  yellow,  speckled  with 
brown.  When  they  couple,  the  colours  of 
both  are  nrarly  alike  on  the  back;  but  as  they 
change  their  skins  almost  every  eighth  day, 
the  old  one  falling  off  in  the  form  of  mucus, 
the  male  grows  yellower,  and  the  female 
more  brown.  In  the  males  the  arms  and  legs 
are  much  stronger  than  in  the  females;  and 
at  the  time  of  coupling,  they  have  upon  their 


thumbs  a  kind  of  fleshy  excrescence,  which 
they  fix  firmly  to  the  breast  of  the  female. 
This  Linnaeus  supposed  to  be  the  male  in- 
strument of  generation;  but,  by  closer  in- 
spection, it  is  tound  only  of  service  in  hold- 
ing the  female  in  a  more  strict  embrace.  It 
may  be  cut  oft"  and  the  impregnation  con- 
tinue unimpaired  :  it  is  sometimes  found  in 
the  opposite  sex;  and  some  of  the  males  are 
found  entirely  without  it:  however,  when  it 
is  cut  off,  the  male  cannot  hold  the  female  so 
strongly  as  before. 

The  sex  couple  only  once  a  year;  and 
then  continue  united  sometimes  for  four  days 
together.  At  this  time  they  both  have  their 
bellies  greatly  swollen;  that  of  the  female 
being  filled  with  eggs  ;  the  male  having  the 
skin  of  the  whole  body  distended  with  a  lim- 
pid water,  which  is  ejected  in  impregnation. 
As  soon  as  the  male  has  leaped  upon  the  fe- 
male, he  throws  his  fore  legs  round  her 
breast,  and  closes  them  so  firmly,  that  it  is 
impossible  with  the  naked  hands  to  loose 
them.  The  male  clasps  his  fingers  between 
each  other,  in  the  same  manner  as  people 
when  they  are  praying;  the  thumbs  press 
with  their  thickest  sides  against  the  breast 
of  the  female ;  and  though  she  should  strug- 
gle ever  so  much,  nothing  can  induce  him  to 
let  go  his  hold.  The  grasp  seems  involuntary 
and  convulsive ;  they  cannot  be  easily  torn 
asunder;  and  they  swim,  creep,  and  live 
united,  for  some  days  successively,  till  the 
female  has  shed  her  spawn,  which  at  length 
she  does  almost  in  an  instant.  But  how  the 
impregnation  is  performed,  without  any  ap- 
parent instruments  of  generation,  has  long 
been  an  object  of  inquiry  ;  and  still  continues 
in  great  obscurity.  To  investigate  the  diffi- 
culty as  carefully  as  possible,  .our  German 
philosopher  continued  to  examine  their  mu- 
tual congress  for  three  years  together,  and 
availed  himself  of  all  the  lights  that  the  knife, 
or  analogy,  could  furnish. 

After  having  chosen  twelve  couple  of  frogs 
that  were  thus  joined  to  each  other,  and 
having  placed  each  couple  in  a  glass  vessel 
with  water,  he  scarcely  let  them  out  of  his 
sight  day  or  night,  and  even  sat  up  two  nights 
together  to  examine  their  operations.  The 
first  day  he  observed  nothing  that  deserved 
remark ;  but  the  second  they  began  to  be 


THE  FROG  KIND. 


68$ 


agitated  more  than  before ;  the  males  made 
a  cioise  somewhat  resembling  the  grunting  of 
a  hog;  the  females  only  keptsinking  and  rising 
jnthc  water.  The  male  of  the  first  couple  eject- 
ed  the  humidity  with  which  his  body  was  swol- 
len, by  which  the  water  in  the  glass  was  made 
muddy  ;  and  he  soon  after  quitted  the  female. 
Our  philosopher  continued  for  twelve  hours 
to  observe  whether  the  female  would  cast 
her  spawn;  but  finding  her  tardy, he  dissected 
both  her  and  the  male:  in  the  latter,  the  sper- 
matic vessels  were  quite  empty,  as  might  na- 
turally have  been  supposed;  but,  for  the  fe- 
male, her  spawn  still  remained  in  her  body. 
Upon  its  being  extracted,  and  put  into  water, 
it  perished  without  producing  any  animal 
whatever.  From  hence  he  justly  concluded, 
that  it  required  that  the  eggs  should  be  eject- 
ed from  the  body  of  the  female  before  they 
could  be  at  all  prolific.  In  another  pair  the 
male  quitted  the  female,  who  did  not  eject 
her  spawn  till  sixteen  days  after;  and  these, 
like  the  former,  came  to  nothing.  But  it  was 
very  different  with  some  of  the  rest.  The 
females  ejected  their  spawn,  while  the  male 
still  remained  in  his  station,  and  impregnated 
the  masses  at  different  intervals  as  they  fell 
from  her;  and  these  all  brought  forth  animals 
in  the  usual  course  of  generation.  From 
the«e  observations  it  was  easy  to  infer,  that 
the  female  was  impregnated  neither  by  the 
mouth,  as  some  philosophers  imagined,  nor 
bv  the  excroscence  at  the  thumbs,  as  was  the 
opinion  of  Linnasns.  but  by  the  inspersion  of 
the  male  seminal  fluid  upon  the  eggs,  as  they 
proceeded  from  the  body. 

A  single  female  produces  from  six  to  eleven 
hundred  eggs  at  a  time;  and.  in  general,  she 
throws  them  all  out  together,  by  a  single 
effort;  though  sometimes  she  is  an  hour  in 
performing  this  task.  While  she  is  thus 
bringing  forth,  it  may  be  observed,  that  the 
male  acts  the  part  of  a  midwife,  and  promotes 
the  expulsion  of  the  eggs  by  working  with  his 
thumbs,  and  compressing  the  female's  body 
more  closely.  The  eggs  which  were  com- 
pressed in  the  womb,  upon  being  emitted, 
expand  themselves  into  a  round  form,  and 
drop  to  the  bottom  of  the  water:  while  the 

»  The  tadpole  is  furnished  with  a  small  tube  beneath 
the  lower  jaw,  which  arts  as  a  sucker,  and  by  menus  of 
which  it  can  at  pleasure  attach  itself  to  the  under  surface  of 

wo.  59  &  60. 


male  swims  off,  and  strikes  with  his  arms  as 
usual,  though  they  had  continued  so  long  in 
a  state  of  violent  contraction. 

The  egg,  or  little  black  globe,  which  pro- 
duces a  tadpole,  is  surrounded  with  two  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  liquor.  That  which  immedi- 
ately surrounds  the  globe  is  clear  and  trans- 
parent, and  contained  in  its  proper  mem- 
brane; that  which  surrounds  the  whole  is 
muddy  and  mucus.  The  transparent  liquor 
serves  for  the  nourishment  of  the  tadpole 
from  time  to  time ;  and  answers  the  same  pur- 
poses that  the  white  of  the  egg  does  to  birds. 
The  tadpoles,  when  this  membrane  is  broken, 
are  found  to  adhere  with  their  mouth  to  part 
of  it;  and  when  they  get  free,  they  immediate- 
ly sink  to  the  bottom  of  the  water,  never  be- 
ing able  to  get  to  the  top  after,  while  they 
continue  in  their  tadpole  form. 

But  to  return — When  the  spawn  is  emitted 
and  impregnated  by  the  male,  it  drops,  as 
was  said,  to  the  bottom,  and  there  the  white 
quickly  and  sensibly  increases.  The  eggs, 
which  during  the  four  first  hours  suffer  no 
perceptible  change,  begin  then  to  enlarge 
and  grow  lighter;  by  which  means  they  mount 
to  the  surface  of  the  water.  At  the  end  of 
eight  hours,  the  white  in  which  they  swim 
grows  thicker,  the  eggs  lose  their  blackness, 
and,  as  they  increase  in  size,  somewhat  of 
their  spherical  form.  The  twenty-first  day, 
the  egg  is  seen  to  open  a  little  on  one  side, 
and  the  beginning  of  a  tail  to  peep  out,  which 
becomes  more  and  more  distinct  every  day. 

The  thirty-ninth  day  the  little  animal  begins 
to  have  motion  ;  it  moves  at  intervals  its  tail; 
and  it  is  perceived  that  the  liquor  in  which 
it  is  circumfused,  serves  it  for  nourishment. 
In  two  days  more,  some  of  these  little  crea- 
tures fall  to  the  bottom;  while  others  remain 
swimming  in  the  fluid  around  them,  while 
their  vivacity  and  motion  is  seen  to  increase. 
Those  which  fall  to  the  bottom  remain  there 
the  whole  day;  but  having  lengthened  them- 
selves a  little,  for  hitherto  they  are  doubled 
up,  they  mount  at  intervals  to  the  mucus 
which  they  had  quitted,  and  are  seen  to  feed 
upon  it  with  great  vivacity.  The  next  day 
they  acquire  their  tadpole  form.1  In  three 

aquatic  plants :  from  these  plants  it  can  also  suspend  itself, 

when  very  young,  by  a  kind  of  glutinous  thread,  in  the 

same  manner  as  spiders  drop  from  the  ceiling  to  the.grouod. 

5F 


700 


A  HISTORY  OF 


days  more  they  are  perceived  to  have  two 
little  fringes,  that  serve  as  fins,  beneath  the 
head  ;  and  these,  in  four  days  after,  assume 
a  more  perfect  form,  ft  is  then,  also,  that 
they  are  seen  to  feed  very  greedily  upon  the 
pond-weed  with  which  they  are  to  he  suppli- 
ed ;  and,  leaving  their  former  food,  on  this 
they  continue  to  subsist  till  they  arrive  at 
maturity.  When  they  come  to  be  ninety-two 
days  old,  two  small  feet  are  seen  beginning 
to  bourgeon  near  the  tail:  and  the  head  ap- 
pears to  be  separate  from  the  body.  The 
next  day,  the  legs  are  considerably  enlarged : 
four  days  after  they  refuse  all  vegetable  food; 
their  mouth  appears  furnished  with  teeth; 
and  their  hinder-logs  are  completely  formed. 
In  two  days  more  the  arms  are  completely 
produced;  and  now  the  frog  is  everyway 
perfect,  except  that  it  still  continues  to  carry 
the  tail.  In  this  odd  situation  the  animal,  re- 
sembling at  once  both  a  frog  and  a  lizard,  is 
seen  frequently  rising  to  the  surface,  not  to 
take  food,  but  to  breath.  In  this  state  it 
continues  for  about  six  or  eight  hours,  and 
then,  the  tail  dropping  off  by  degrees,  the 
animal  appears  in  its  most  perfect  form. 

Thus  the  frog,  in  less  than  a  day,  having 
changed  its  figure,  is  seen  to  change  its  ap- 
petites also.  So  extraordinary  is  this  trans- 
formation, that  the  food  it  fed  upon  so 
greedily  but  a  few  days  before,  is  now  utter- 
ly rejected  ;  it  would  even  starve  if  supplied 
with  no  other.  As  soon  as  the  animal 
acquires  its  perfect  state,  from  having  fed 
upon  vegetables,  it  becomes  carnivorous,  and 
lives  entirely  upon  worms  and  insects.  But 
as  the  water  cannot  supply  these,  it  is  oblig- 
ed to  quit  its  native  element,  and  seek  for 
food  upon  land,  where  it  lives  by  hunting 
worms,  and  taking  insects  by  surprise.  At 
first,  being  feeble  and  unable  to  bear  the 
warmth  of  the  sun,  it  hides  among  bushes  and 
under  stones;  but  when  a  shower  comes  to 
refresh  the  earth,  then  the  whole  multitude 
are  seen  to  quit  their  retreats,  in  order  to 
enjoy  the  grateful  humidity.  Upon  many 
occasions  the  ground  is  seen  perfectly  black- 
ened with  their  numbers:  some  hunting  for 
prey,  and  some  seeking  secure  lurking  places. 
From  the  myriads  that  offer  on  such  occa- 
sions, some  have  been  induced  to  think  that 
fchege  animals  were  generated  in  the  clouds, 


and  thus  showered  down  on  the  earth.  But 
had  they,  like  Derham,  traced  them  to  the 
next  pool,  they  would  have  tbund  out  a  better 
solution  for  the  difficulty. 

The  frog  lives  for  the  most  part  out  of  the 
water ;  but  when  the  cold  nights  begin  to  set 
in,  it  returns  to  its  native  element,  always 
choosing  stagnant  waters,  where  it  can  lie 
without  danger  concealed  at  the  bottom.  In 
this  manner  it  continues  torpid,  or  with  but 
very  little  motion,  all  the  winter:  like  the 
rest  of  the  dormant  race,  it  requires  no  food ; 
and  the  circulation  is  slowly  carried  on  with- 
out any  assistance  from  the  air. 

It  is  at  the  approach  of  spring  that  all  these 
animals  are  roused  from  a  stale  of  slumber 
to  a  state  of  enjoyment.  A  short  time  after 
they  rise  from  the  bottom  they  begin  to  pair, 
while  those  that  are  as  yet  too  young  come 
upon  land  before  the  rest.  For  this  reason, 
while  the  old  ones  continue  concealed  in  the 
beginning  of  spring,  the  small  ones  are  more 
frequently  seen  ;  the  former  remaining  in  the 
lake  to  propagate,  while  the  latter  are  not 
yet  arrived  at  a  state  of  maturity. 

The  difference  of  sexes,  which  was  men- 
tioned above,  is  not  perceivable  in  these 
animals,  until  they  have  arrived  at  their 
fourth  year;  nor  do  they  begin  to  propagate,, 
till  they  have  completed  that  period.  By  com- 
paring their  slow  growth  with  theirotherhabi- 
tudes,  it  would  appear  that  they  live  about 
twelve  years;  but  having  so  many  enemies, 
both  by  land  and  water,  it  is  probable  that 
few  of  them  arrive  at  the  end  of  their  term. 

Frogs  live  upon  insects  of  all  kinds;  but 
they  never  eat  any  unless  they  have  motion. 
They  continue  fixed  and  immoveable  till 
their  prey  appears  ;  and  just  when  it  comes 
sufficiently  near,  they  jump  forward  with 
great  agility,  dart  out  their  tongues,  and  seize 
it  with  certainty.  The  tongue,  in  this  animal, 
as  in  the  toad,  lizard,  and  serpent  kinds,  is 
extremely  long,  and  formed  in  such  a  manner, 
that  it  swallows  the  point  down  its  throat;  so 
that  a  length  of  tongue  is  thus  drawn  out, 
like  a  sword  from  its  scabbard,  to  assail  its 
prey.  This  tongue  is  furnished  with  a  glu- 
tinous substance ;  and  whatever  insect  it 
touches,  infallibly  adheres,  and  is  thus  held 
fast  till  it  is  dratvn  into  the  mouth. 

As  the  frog  is  thus  supplied  with  the  power 


THE  FROG  KIND. 


of  catching  its  prey,  it  is  also  very  vivacious, 
and  able  to  bear  hunger  fora  very  long  time. 
I  have  known  one  of  them  continue  a  month 
in  summer  without  any  other  food  than  the 
turf  on  which  it  was  placed  in  a  glass  vessel. 
We  are  told  of  a  German  surgeon,  that  kept 
one  eight  years  in  a  glass  vessel,  covered 
with  a  net.  Its  food  was  at  all  times  but 
sparing:  in  summer  he  gave  it  fresh  grass, 
which  it  is  said  to  have  fed  upon  ;  and,  in  the 
winter,  hay,  a  little  moistened  :  he  likewise, 
now  and  then,  put  flies  into  the  glass,  which 
it  would  follow  with  an  open  mouth,  and  was 
very  expert  in  catching  them.  In  winter, 
when  the  flies  were  difficult  to  be  found,  it 
usually  fell  away,  and  grew  very  lean ;  but 
in  the  summer,  when  they  were  plenty,  it 
soon  grew  fat  again.  It  was  kept  in  a  warm 
room,  and  was  always  lively  and  ready  to 
take  its  prey  :  however,  in  the  eighth  winter, 
when  there  were  no  flies  to  be  found,  it  fell 
away  and  died.  It  is  not  certain  how  long  it 
might  have  lived,  had  it  been  supplied  with 
proper  nourishment;  but  we  are  certain,  that 
a  very  little  food  is  capable  of  sufficing  its 
necessities. 

Nor  is  the  frog  less  tenacious  of  life.  It 
will  live  and  jump  about  several  hours  after 
its  head  has  been  cut  off.  It  will  continue 
active,  though  all  its  bowels  are  taken  out; 
and  it  can  live  some  days,  though  entirely 
stripped  of  it  skin.  This  cruel  trick,  which 
is  chiefly  practised  among  school-boys,  of 
skinning  frogs,  an  operation  which  is  done  in 
an  instant,  seems  for  some  hours  no  way  to 
abate  their  vigour.  I  am  assured  that  some 
of  them  get  a  new  skin»  and  recover,  after 
this  painful  experiment. 

The  croaking  of  frogs  is  well  known;  and, 
from  thence,  in  some  countries,  they  are  dis- 
tinguished by  the  ludicrous  title  of  Dutch 
Nightingales.  Indeed,  the  aquatic  frogs  of 
Holland  are  loud  beyond  what  one  would 
imagine.  We  could  hardly  conceive  that  an 
animal,  not  bigger  than  one's  fist,  should  be 
able  to  send  forth  a  note  that  is  heard  at 
three  miles'  distance ;  yet  such  is  actually 
the  case.  The  large  water-frogs  have  a  note 
as  loud  as  the  bellowing  of  a  bull ;  and,  for 
this  purpose,  puff  up  the  cheeks  to  a  sur- 
prising magnitude.  Of  all  frogs,  however, 
the  male  only  croaks ;  the  female  is  silent, 


and  the  voice  in  the  other  seems  to  be  the 
call  to  courtship.  It  is  certain,  that  at  these 
times  when  they  couple,  the  loudness  of  their 
croaking  is  in  some  places  very  troublesome; 
for  then  the  whole  lake  seems  vocal ;  and  a 
thousand  dissonant  notes  perfectly  stun  the 
neighbourhood.  At  other  times,  also,  before 
wet  weather,  their  voicrs  are  in  full  exertion  ; 
they  are  then  heard  with  unceasing  assiduity, 
sending  forth  their  call,  and  welcoming  the 
approaches  of  their  favourite  moisture.  No 
weather-glass  was  ever  so  true  as  a  frog  in 
foretelling  an  approaching  change;  and,  in 
fact,  the' German  surgeon,  mentioned  ahove, 
kept  his  frog  for  that  purpose.  It  was  always 
heard  to  croak  at  the  approach  of  wet  wea- 
ther: but  was  as  mute  as  a  fish  when  it  threat- 
ened a  continuance  of  fair.  This  may  pro- 
bably serve  to  explain  an  opinion  which  some 
entertain,  that  there  is  a  month  in  the  year, 
called  Paddock  Moon,  in  which  the  frogs 
never  croak  :  the  whole  seems  to  be  no  more 
than  that,  in  the  hot  season,  when  the  mois- 
ture is  dried  away,  and  consequently,  when 
these  animals  neither  enjoy  the  quantity  of 
health  or  food  that  at  other  times  they  are 
supplied  with,  they  show,  by  their  silence, 
how  much  they  are  displeased  with  the  wea- 
ther. All  very  dry  weather  is  hurtful  to  their 
health,  and  prevents  them  from  getting  their 
prey.  They  subsist  chiefly  upon  worms  and 
snails;  and  as  drought  prevents  these  from 
appearing,  the  frog  is  thus  stinted  in  its  pro- 
visions, and  also  wants  that  grateful  humidity 
which  moistens  its  skin,  and  renders  it  alert 
and  active. 

As  frogs  adhere  closely  to  the  backs  of 
their  own  species,  so  it  has  been  found,  by 
repeated  experience,  they  will  also  adhere 
to  the  backs  of  fishes.  Few  that  have  ponds, 
but  know  that  these  animals  will  stick  to  the 
backs  of  carp,  and  fix  their  fingers  in  the 
corner  of  each  eye.  In  this  manner  they  are 
often  caught  together :  the  carp  blinded-  and 
wasted  away.  Whether  this  proceeds  from 
the  desires  of  the  frog,  disappointed  of  its 
proper  mate,  or  whether  it  be  a  natural 
enmity  between  frogs  and  fishes,  I  will  not 
take  upon  me  to  say.  A  story  told  us  by 
Walton,  might  be  apt  to  incline  us  to  the  lat- 
ter opinion. 

"  As  Dubravius,  a  bishop  of  Bohemia,  wajs 
5F» 


702 


A  HISTORY  OF 


walking  with  a  friend  by  a  large  pond  in  that 
country,  they  saw  a  frog,  when  a  pike  lay 
very  sleepily  and  quiet  by  the  shore  side,  leap 
upon  his  head,  and  the  frog  having  expressed 
malice  or  anger  by  his  swollen  cheeks  and 
staring  eyes,  did  stretch  out  his  legs,  and  em- 
braced the  pike's  head,  and  presently  reached 
them  to  his  eyes,  tearing  with  them  and  his 
teelh  those  tender  parts ;  the  pike,  irritated 
with  anguish,  moves  up  and  down  the  water, 
and  rubs  himself  against  weeds,  and  whatever 
he  thought  might  quit  him  of  his  enemy  ;  but 
all  in  vain,  for  the  frog  did  continue  to  ride 
triumphantly,  and  to  bite  and  torment  the 


[Another  tribe  of  this  family,  is  the  Tree-frog  :  these 
animals  have  a  much  slenderer  and  more  elegant  shape 
than  the  common  frog,  and  have  the  limhs  longer.  At 
the  end  of  each  toe  is  a  round,  fleshy,  concave  substance, 


pike  till  his  strength  failed,  and  then  the 
frog  sunk  with  the  pike  to  the  bottom  of  the 
water :  then  presently  the  frog  appeared  again 
at  the  top,  and  croaked,  and  seemed  to  rejoice 
like  a  conqueror ;  after  which  he  presently 
retired  to  his  secret  hole.  The  bishop,  that 
had  beheld  the  battle,  called  his  fisherman  to 
fetch  his  nets,  and  by  all  means  to  get  the 
pike,  that  they  might  declare  \vhat  had  hap- 
pened. The  pike  was  drawn  forth,  and  both 
his  eyes  eaten  out ;  at  which  when  they  began 
to  wonder,  the  fisherman  wished  them  to  for- 
bear, and  assured  them  he  was  certain  that 
pikes  were  often  so  served." 


which  exudes  an  unctuous  matter,  which  enables  it  to  ad- 
here to  the  leaves  and  brandies  of  trees,  &c.  in  search  of 
insects.  They  are  found  in  France,  Germany,  Italy,  and 
America.] 


CHAPTER  CLIX. 

OF  THE  TOAD,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


IF  we  regard  the  figure  of  the  toad,  there 
seems  nothing  in  it  that  should  disgust  more 
than  that  of  the  frog.  Its  form  and  propor- 
tions are  nearly  the  same ;  and  it  chiefly  dif- 
fers in  colour,  which  is  blacker ;  and  its  slow 
and  heavy  motion,  which  exhibits  nothing  of 
the  agility  of  the  frog :  yet  such  is  the  force 
of  habit,  begun  in  early  prejudice,  that  those 
who  consider  the  one  as  a  harmless  playful 
animal,  turn  from  the  other  with  horror  and 
disgust.  The  frog  is  considered  as  an  useful 
assistant,  in  ridding  our  grounds  of  vermin  ; 
the  toad,  as  a  secret  enemy,  that  only  wants 
an  opportunity  to  infect  us  with  its  venom. 

Tiie  imagination,  in  this  manner  biassed  by 
its  terrors,  paints  out  the  toad  in  the  most 
hideous  colouring,  and  clothes  it  in  more  than 
natural  deformity.  Its  body  is  broad ;  Its 
back  flat ;  covered  with  a  dusky  pimpled  hide; 
the  belly  is  large  and  swagging;  the  pace 
laboured  and  crawling  ;  its  retreat  gloomy 
and  filthy ;  and  its  whole  appearance  calcu- 
lated to  excite  disgust  and  horror :  yet,  upon 
my  first  seeing  a  toad,  none  of  all  these  defor- 
mities in  the  least  affected  me  with  sensations 


of  loathing :  born  as  I  was,  in  a  country 
where  there  are  no  toads,  I  had  prepared  my 
imagination  for  some  dreadful  object ;  but 
there  seemed  nothing  to  me  more  alarming  in 
the  sight,  than  in  that  of  a  common  frog ; 
and,  indeed,  for  some  time,  I  mistook  and, 
handled  the  one  for  the  other.  When  first  in- 
formed of  my  mistake,  I  very  well  remember 
my  sensations :  I  wondered  how  I  had 
escaped  with  safety,  after  handling  and  dis- 
secting a  toad,  which  I  had  mistaken  for  a 
frog.  I  then  began  to  lay  in  a  fund  of  horror 
against  the  whole  tribe,  which,  though  con- 
vinced they  are  harmless,  I  shall  never  get  rid 
of.  My  first  imaginations  were  two  strong 
not  only  for  my  reason,  but  for  the  conviction 
of  my  senses. 

As  the  toad  bears  a  general  resemblance  of 
figure  to  the  frog,  so  also  it  resembles  that 
animal  in  its  nature  and  appetites.  Like  the 
frog,  the  toad  is  amphibious;  like  that  animal, 
it  lives  upon  worms  and  insects,  which  it 
seizes  by  darting  out  its  length  of  tongue  ; 
and  in  the  same  manner  also  it  crawls  about 
in  moist  weather.  The  male  and  female 


THE  FROG  KIND. 


703 


couple  as  in  all  the  frog  kind  ;  their  time  of 
propiigation  bring  v  ry  early  in  the  spring. 
So  netimes  the  females  are  seen  upon  land 
oppressed  by  the  males ;  but  more  frequently 
they  are  coupled  in  the  water.  They  continue 
together  some  hour.*,  and  adhere  so  fast  as  to 
te.ir  the  very  skin  from  the  parts  they  stick  to. 
In  all  this  they  entirely  resemble  the  frog ; 
but  the  assistance  which  the  male  lends  the 
female,  in  bringing  forth,  is  a  peculiarity  in 
this  species  that  must  not  be  passed  over  in 
silence.  "  In  the  evening  of  a  summer's  day, 
a  French  gentleman,  being  in  the  king's  gar- 
dens at  Paris,  perceived  two  toads  coupled 
together,  and  he  stopped  to  examine  them. 
Two  facts  equally  new  surprised  him ;  the 
first  was  the  extreme  difficulty  the  female 
had  in  laying  her  eggs ;  the  second  was  the 
assistance  lent  her  by  the  male  for  this  pur- 
pose. The  eggs  of  the  female  lie  in  her  body, 
like  beads  on  a  string ;  and  after  the  first,  by 
great  effort,  was  excluded,  the  male  caught  it 
with  his  hinder  paws,  and  kept  working  it 
till  he  had  thus  extracted  the  whole  chain. 
In  this  manner  the  animal  performed,  in  some 
measure,  the  functions  of  a  midwife  ;  impreg- 
nating, at  the  same  time,  every  egg  as  it  issu- 
ed from  the  body." 

It  is  probable,  however,  that  this  difficulty 
in  bringing  forth  obtains  only  upon  land  ;  and 
that  the  toad,  which  produces  its  spawn  in 
the  water,  performs  it  with  as  much  ease  as  a 
frog.  They  propagate  in  England  exactly  in 
the  manner  of  frogs;  and  the  female,  instead 
of  retiring  to  dry  holes,  goes  to  the  bottom  of 
ponds,  and  there  lies  torpid  all  the  winter, 
preparing  to  propagate  in  the  beginning  of 
spring.  On  these  occasions,  the  number  of 
mal-'s  N  found  greatly  to  surpass  that  of  the 
other  sex,  there  being  above  thirty  to  one ; 
an-1  twelve  <>r  fourteen  are  often  seen  clinging 
to  the  same  female. 

When,  like  the  frog,  they  have  undergone 
all  the  variations  of  their  tadpole  state,  they 
fors-ike  the  water ;  and  are  often  seen,  in  a 
moist  summer's  evening,  crawling  up,  by 
myriads,  from  fenny  places,  into  dryer  situa- 
tions. There,  having  found  out  a  retreat,  or 
havi-'g  dug  themselves  one  with  their  mouth 
and  !>auds,  they  lead  a  patient  solitary  life, 
seldom  venturing  out,  except  when  the  mois- 
ture of  a  summer's  evening  invites  them 
abroad,  At  that  time  the  grass  is  filled  with 


snails,  and  the  pathways  covered  with  worms, 
which  make  their  principal  food.  Insects 
also  of  every  kind  they  are  fond  of;  and  we 
have  the  authority  of  Linnaeus  for  it,  that 
they  sometimes  continue  immoveable,  with 
the  mouth  open,  at  the  bottom  of  shrubs, 
where  the  butterflies,  in  some  measure  fesci- 
nated,  are  seen  to  fly  down  their  throats." 

In  a  letter  from  Mr.  Arscott,  there  are  some 
curious  particulars  relating  to  this  animal, 
which  throws  great  light  upon  its  history. 
"  Concerning  the  toad,"  says  he,  "  that  lived 
so  many  years  with  us,  and  was  so  great  a 
favourite,  the  greatest  curiosity  was  its  becom- 
ing so  remarkably  tame ;  it  had  frequent- 
ed some  steps  before  our  hall-door  some  years 
before  my  acquaintance  commenced  with  it, 
and  had  been  admired  by  my  father  for  its 
size,  (being  the  largest  I  ever  met  with,)  who 
constantly  paid  it  a  visit  every  evening.  I 
knew  it  myself  above  thirty  years  ;  and  by 
constantly  feeding  it,  brought  it  to  be  so  tame, 
that  it  always  came  to  the  candle,  and  looked 
up,  as  if  expecting  to  be  taken  up  and  brought 
upon  the  table,  where  I  always  fed  it  with  in- 
sects of  all  sorts.  It  was  fondest  of  flesh  mag- 
gots, which  I  kept  in  bran;  It  would  follow 
them,  and  when  within  a  proper  distance, 
would  fix  his  eyes,  and  remain  motionless  for 
near  a  quarter  of  a  minute,  as  if  preparing  for 
the  stroke,  which  was  an  instantaneous  throw- 
ing its  tongue  at  a  great  distance  upon  the  in- 
sect, which  stuck  to  the  tip  by  a  glutinous 
matter.  The  motion  is  quicker  than  the  eye 
can  follow.  I  cannot  say  how  long  my  father 
had  been  acquainted  with  the  toad,  before  I 
knew  it ;  but  when  I  was  first  acquainted 
with  it,  he  used  to  mention  it  as  the  old  toad 
I  have  known  so  many  years  ;  I  can  answer 
for  thirty-six  years.  This  old  toad  made  its 
appearance  as  soon  as  the  warm  weather 
earne ;  and  1  always  concluded  it  retired  to 
some  dry  bank,  to  repose  till  spring.  When 
we  new  layed  the  steps,  I  had  two  holes  made 
in  the  third  step,  on  each,  with  a  hollow  of 
more  than  a  yard  long  for  it ;  in  which  I 
imagine  it  slept,  as  it  came  from  thence  at  its 
first  appearance.  It  was  seldom  provoked. 
Neither  that  toad,  nor  the  multitudes  I  have 
seen  tormented  with  great  cruelty,  ever 
showed  the  least  desire  of  revenge,  by  spitting 

»  Amsenit.  vol.  vi.  p.  201, 


704 


A  HISTORY  OF 


or  emitting  any  juice  from  their  pimples. 
Sometimes,  upon  taking  it  up,  it  would  let 
out  a  great  quantity  of  clear  water,  which,  as 
I  have  often  seen  it  do  the  same  upon  the 
steps  when  quite  quiet,  was  certainly  its 
urine,  and  no  snore  than  a  natural  evacuation. 
Spiders,  tnillipeds,  and  flesh  maggots,  seem 
to  bo  lliis  animal's  favourite  food.  1  imagine 
if  a  hoc  was  to  be  put  before  a  toad,  it  would 
certainly  eat  it  t*j  its  cost;  but  as  bees  are 
seldom  stirring  at  the  same  time  that  toads 
are,  they  rarely  come  in  their  way  ;  as  they 
do  not  appear  after  sun-rising,  or  before  sun- 
set. In  the  heat  of  the  day  they  will  come 
to  the  mouth  of  their  hole,  I  believe  for  air. 
f  once,  from  my  parlour  window,  observed  a 
large  toad  I  had  in  the  bank  of  a  bowling- 
green,  about  twelve  at  noon  in  a  very  hot 
day,  very  busy  and  active  upon  the  grass. 
So  uncommon  an  appearance  made  me  go 
out  to  see  what  it  was;  when  I  found  an  in- 
numerable swarm  of  winged  ants  had  drop- 
ped round  his  hole;  which  temptation  was 
as  irresistible  as  a  turtle  would  be  to  a  luxu- 
rious* alderman.  In  respect  to  its  end,  had  it 
not  been  for  a  tame  raven,  I  make  no  doubt 
but  it  would  have  been  now  living.  This 
bird,  one  day  seeing  it  at  the  mouth  of  its 
hole,  pulled  it  out,  and,  although  I  rescued 
it,  pulled  out  one  eye,  and  hurt  it  so,  that 
notwithstanding  its  living  a  twelvemonth,  it 
never  enjoyed  itself,  and  had  a  difficulty  of 
taking  its  food,  missing  the  mark  for  want  of 
its  eye.  Before  that  accident,  it  had  all  the 
appearance  of  perfect  health." 

To  this  account  of  the  toad's  inoffensive 
qualities,  I  will  add  another  from  Valisnieri, 
to  show  that,  even  taken  internally,  the  toad 
is  no  way  dangerous.  "In  the  year  1692, 
some  German  soldiers,  who  had  taken  pos- 
session of  the  castle  of  Arceti,  finding  that 
the  peasants  of  the  country  often  amused 
themselves  in  catching  frogs,  and  dressing 
them  for  the  table  ;  resolved  to  provide  them- 
selves with  a  like  entertainment,  and  made 
preparations  for  frog  fishing,  in  the  same 
manner.  It  may  easily  be  supposed  that  the 
Italians  and  their  German  guests  were  not 
very  fond  of  each  other;  and  indeed  it  is 

*  Raesel  tried  a  frog ;  it  swallowed  the  bee  alive  :  its 
«tomaoh  was  stung,  and  the  animal  vomited  it  up  again. 


natural  to  think  that  the  soldiers  gave  the 
poor  people  of  the  country  iminy  good  rea- 
sons for  discontent.  They  were  not  a  little 
pleased,  therefore,  when  they  saw  them  go 
to  a  ditch  where  toads  instead  of  frogs  were 
found  in  abundance.  The  Germans,  no  way 
distinguishing  in  their  sport,  caught  them  in 
great  numbers;  while  the  peasants  kept 
looking  on,  silently  flattering  themselves 
with  the  hopes  of  speedy  revenge.  After  be- 
ing brought  home,  the  toads  were  dressed  up 
after  the  Italian  fashion:  the  peasants  were 
quite  happy  at  seeing  their  tyrants  devour 
them  with  so  good  an  appeiite,  and  expected 
every  moment  to  see  them  drop  down  dead. 
But  what  was  their  surprise  to  find,  that  the 
Germans  continued  as  well  as  ever,  and  only 
complained  of  a  slight  excoriation  of  the  lips, 
which  probably  arose  from  some  other  cause 
than  that  of  their  repast." 

I  will  add  another  story,  from  Soleriander; 
who  tells  us,  that  a  tradesman  of  Rome  and 
his  wife  had  long  lived  together  with  mutual 
discontent;  the  man  was  dropsical,  and  the 
woman  amorous :  this  ill-matched  society 
promised  soon,  by  the  very  infirm  state  of  the 
man,  to  have  an  end  ;  but  the  woman  was 
unwilling  to  wait  the  progress  of  the  disorder; 
and  therefore  concluded  that,  to  get  rid  of 
her  husband,  nothing  was  left  her  but  poison. 
For  this  purpose,  she  chose  out  a  dose  that 
she  supposed  would  be  the  most  effectual; 
and  having  calcined  some  toads,  mixed  their 
powder  with  his  drink.  The  man,  after 
taking  a  hearty  dose,  found  no  considerable 
inconvenience,  except  that  it  greatly  promo- 
ted urine.  His  wife,  who  considered  this  as 
a  beginning  symptom  of  the  venom,  resolved 
not  to  stint  the  next  dose,  but  gave  it  in 
greater  quantities  than  before.  This  also 
increased  the  former  symptom  ;  and,  in  a  few 
days,  the  woman  had  the  mortification  to  see 
her  detested  husband  restored  to  perfect 
health ;  and  remained  in  utter  despair  of 
ever  being  a  widow. 

From  all  this  it  will  appear  with  what  in- 
justice this  animal  has  hitherto  been  treated. 
It  has  undergone  every  kind  of  reproach; 
and  mankind  have  been  taught  to  consider 
as  an  enemy,  a  creature  that  destroys  that 
insect  tribe  which  are  their  real  invaders. 
We  are  to  treat,  therefore,  as  fables,  those 


THE  FROG  KIND. 


70j> 


accounts  that  represent  the  toad  as  possessed 
of  poison  to  kill  at  a  distance;  of  its  ejecting 
its  venom,  which  burns  wherever  it  touches; 
of  its  infecting  those  vegetables  near  which 
it  resides;  of  its  excessive  fondness  for  sage, 
which  it  renders  poisonous  by  its  approach; 
these,  and  a  hundred  others  ol  the  same  kind, 
probably  took  rise  from  an  antipathy  which 
some  have  to  all  animals  of  the  kind.  It  is 
an  harmless,  defenceless  creature,  torpid  and 
unvenomous,  and  seeking  the  darkest  retreats, 
not  from  the  malignity  of  its  nature,  but  the 
multitude  of  its  enemies. 

Like  all  the  frog  kind,  the  toad  is  torpid  in 
winter.  It  chooses  then  for  a  retreat  either 
the  hollow  root  of  a  tree,  the  cleft  of  a  rock, 
or  sometimes  the  bottom  of  a  pond,  where  it 
is  found  in  a  state  of  seeming  insensibility. 
As  it  is  very  long-lived,  it  is  very  difficult  to 
be  killed;  its  skin  is  tough,  and  cannot  be 
easily  pierced ;  and,  though  covered  with 
wounds,  the  animal  continues  to  show  signs 
of  life,  and  every  part  appears  in  motion.  But 
what  shall  we  say  to  its  living  for  centuries 
lodged  in  the  bosom  of  a  rock,  or  cased  with- 
in the  body  of  an  oak  tree,  without  the  small- 
est access  on  any  side  either  for  nourishment 
or  air,  and  yet  taken  out  alive  and  perfect! 
Stories  of  this  kind  it  would  be  as  rash  to  con- 
tradict, as  difficult  to  believe;  we  have  the 
highest  authorities  bearing  witness  to  their 
truth,  and  yet  the  whole  analogy  of  nature 
seems  to  arraign  them  of  falsehood.  Bacon 
asserls,  that  toads  are  found  in  this  manner; 
Dr.  Plot  asserts  the  same:  There  is  to  this 
day  a  marble  chimney-piece  at  Chatsworth 
with  the  print  of  a  toad  upon  it,  and  a  tradi- 
tion of  the  manner  in  which  it  was  found.  In 
the  Memoirs  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences, 
there  is  an  account  of  a  toad  found  alive  and 
healthy  in  the  heart  of  a  very  thick  elm, 
without  the  smallest  entrance  or  egress."  In 
the  year  1731,  there  was  another  found  near 
N  intes  in  the  heart  of  an  old  oak,  without  the 
smallest  issue  to  its  cell ;  and  the  discoverer 
was  of  opinion,  from  the  size  of  the  tree,  that 
the  animal  could  not  have  been  confined  there 
less  than  eighty  or  a  hundred  years,  without 
sustenance  and  without  air.  To  all  these  we 
can  only  oppose  the  strangeness  of  the  facts; 

#  Vide  the  year  1719. 


the  neccessity  this  animal  appears  under  of 
receiving  air;  and  its  dying  like  all  other  ani- 
mals in  the  air-pump,  when  deprived  of  this 
all-sustaining  fluid.  But  whether  these  be 
objections  to  weigh  against  such  respectable 
and  disinterested  authority,  I  will  not  pretend 
to  determine;  certain  it  is,  that  if  kept  in  a 
damp  place,  the  toad  will  live  for  several 
months  without  any  food  whatsoever. 

To  this  extraordinary  account,  which  is 
doubtful,  I  will  a<ld  another  not  less  so ;  which 
is,  that  of  toads  sucking  cancerous  breasts, 
and  thus  extracting  the  venom,  and  perform- 
ing a  cure.  The  first  account  we  have  of 
this,  is  in  a  letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Carlisle 
from  Doctor  Pitfield,  who  was  the  first  person 
of  consequence  that  attended  the  experiment 
His  letter  is  as  follows: 

"Your  lordship  must  have  taken  notice  of 
a  paragraph  in  the  papers  with  regard  to  the 
application  of  toads  to  a  cancered  breast.  A 
patient  of  mine  has  sent  to  the  neighbourhood 
of  Hungerford,  and  brought  down  the  very 
woman  on  whom  the  cure  was  done.  I  have, 
w  ith  all  the  attention  I  am  capable  of,  attend- 
ed the  operation  for  eighteen  or  twenty  days, 
and  am  surprised  at  the  phenomenon.  I  am 
in  no  expectation  of  any  great  service  from 
the  application;  the  age,  constitution,  and 
thoroughly  cancerous  condition,  of  the  person, 
being  unconquerable  barriers  to  it.  How  an 
ailment  of  that  kind,  absolutely  local,  in  an 
otherwise  sound  habit  and  of  a  likely  age, 
might  be  relieved,  I  cannot  say.  But  as  to 
the  operation,  thus  much  I  can  assert,  that 
there  is  neither  pain  nor  nauseousness  in  it. 
The  animal  is  put  into  a  linen  bag  all  but  its 
head,  and  that  is  held  to  the  part.  It  has 
generally  instantly  laid  hold  of  the  foulest 
part  of  the  sore,  and  sucked  with  greediness 
until  it  dropped  off  dead.  It  has  frequently 
happened  that  the  creature  has  swollen  im- 
mediately, and  from  its  agonies  appeared  to 
be  in  great  pain.  I  have  weighed  them  for 
several  days  together,  before  and  after  the 
application, and  found  their  increaseof  weight, 
in  the  different  degrees,  from  a  drachm  to 
near  an  ounce.  They  frequently  sweat  ex- 
ceedingly, and  turn  quite  pale;  sometimes 
they  disgorge,  recover,  and  become  lively 
again :  I  think  the  whole  scene  is  surprising, 
and  a  very  remarkable  piece  of  natural  his- 


A  HISTORY  OF 


tory.  From theconstant  inoffensiveness which 
I  have  observed  iu  them,  I  almost  question 
the  truth  of  their  poisonous  spitting.  Many 
people  here  expect  no  great  good  from  the 
application  of  toads  to  cancers;  and  where 
the  disorder  is  not  absolutely  local,  none  is 
to  be  expected.  When  it  is  seated  in  any 

Fart  not  to  be  well  come  at  for  extirpation, 
think  it  is  hardly  to  be  imagined,  but  that 
the  having  it  sucked  clean  as  often  as  you 
please,  must  give  great  relief.  Every  body 
knows  that  dogs  licking  of  sores  cures  them, 
which  is  I  suppose  chiefly  by  keeping  them 
clean.  If  there  be  any  credit  to  be  given  to 
history,  poisons  have  been  sucked  out.  Pal- 
kntia  vitlnera  lambit  ore  venena  trahens,  are  the 
words  of  Ltican  on  the  occasion.  If  the  peo- 
ple to  whom  these  words  are  applied  did 
their  cure  by  immediately  following  the  in- 
jection of  the  poison,  the  local  confinement  of 
another  poison  brings  the  case  to  a  great  de- 
gree of  similarity.  I  hope  I  have  not  tired 
your  Lordship  with  my  long  tale:  as  it  is  a 
true  one,  and  in  my  apprehension  a  curious 
piece  of  natural  history,  I  could  not  forbear 
communicating  it  to  you.  I  own  I  thought 
the  story  in  the  papers  to  bean  invention; 
and  when  I  considered  the  instinctive  prin- 
ciple in  all  animals  of  self-preservation,  1  was 
confirmed  in  my  disbelief:  but  what  I  have 
related  I  saw ;  and  all  theory  must  yield  to 
fact.  It  is  only  the  Rubeth,  the  land-toad, 
which  has  the  property  of  sucking:  I  cannot 
find  any  the  least  mention  of  the  property  in 
any  one  of  the  old  naturalists.  My  patient 
can  bear  to  have  but  one  applied  in  twenty- 
four  hours.  The  woman  who  was  cured  had 
them  on  day  and  night  without  intermission 
for  five  weeks.  Their  time  of  hanging  at  the 
breast  has  been  from  one  to  six  hours." 

Other  remarks  made  upon  their  method  of 
performing  this  extraordinary  operation  are 
as  follow.  "  Some  toads  die  very  soon  after 
they  have  sucked  -,  others  live  about  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour,  and  some  much  longer.  For 
example,  one  that  was  applied  about  seven 
o'clock  sucked  till  ten,  and  died  as  soon  as 
it  was  taken  from  the  breast;  another  that 
immediately  succeeded  continued  till  three 
o'clock,  but  dropped  dead  from  the  wound  : 
each  swelled  exceedingly,  and  of  a  pale  co- 
lour. They  do  not  seem  to  suck  greedily, 


and  often  turn  their  heads  away;  but  during 
the  time  of  their  sucking,  they  were  heard  to 
smack  their  lips  like  a  young  child."" 

From  this  circumstantial  account  of  the 
progress  of  this  extraordinary  application,  one 
could  hardly  suppose  that  any  doubt  could 
remain  of  the  ingenious  observer's  accuracy ; 
and  yet,  from  information  which  I  have  it  - 
ceived  from  authority  still  more  respectable, 
there  is  much  reason  as  yet  to  suspend  our 
assent.  A  lady,  who  was  under  the  care  of 
the  present  president  of  the  college  of  phy- 
sicians, was  induced  by  her  friends  to  try  the 
experiment;  and  as  he  saw  the  case  was  des- 
perate, and  that  it  would  quiet  her  mind  as 
as  well  as  theirs,  he  permitted  the  trial.  Du- 
ring the  whole  continuance  of  their  applica- 
tion, she  could  never  thoroughly  perceive 
that  they  sucked  her;  but  that  did  not  pre- 
vent their  swelling  and  dying,  as  in  the  former 
instances.  Once  indeed,  she  said,  she  thought 
that  one  of  them  seemed  to  suck ;  but  the 
physician,  and  those  who  attended,  could  not 
perceive  any  appearance  of  it.  Thus,  after 
all,  it  is  a  doubt  whether  these  animals  die 
by  the  internal  or  the  external  application  of 
the  cancerous  poison. 

Of  this  animal  there  are  several  varieties ; 
such  as  the  Water  and  the  Land  Toad,  which 
probably  differ  only  in  the  ground-colour  of 
their  skin.  In  the  first,  it  is  more  inclining 
to  ash-colour,  with  brown  spots ;  in  the  other, 
the  colour  is  brown,  approaching  to  black. 
The  water  toad  is  not  so  large  as  the  other; 
but  both  equally  breed  in  that  element.  The 
size  of  the  toad  with  us  is  generally  from  two 
to  four  inches  long;  but  in  the  fenny  coun- 
tries of  Europe,  I  have  seen  them  much 
larger,  and  not  less  than  a  common  crab,  when 
brought  to  table.  But  this  is  nothing  to  what 
they  are  found  in  someof  the  tropical  climates, 
where  travellers  often,  for  the  first  time,  mis- 
take a  toad  for  a  tortoise.  Their  usual  size 
is  from  six  to  seven  inches;  but  there  are  some 
still  larger,  and  as  broad  as  a  plate.  Of  the^e 
some  are  beautifully  streaked  and  coloured; 
some  studded  over,  as  with  pearls;  others 
bristled  with  horns  or  spines;  some  have  the 
head  distinct  from  the  body,  while  others  have 
it  so  sunk  in,  that  the  animal  appears  without 

•  British  Zoology,  vol.  iii.  p.  338. 


THE  FROG  KIND. 


707 


a  head.*  All  these  are  found  in  the  tropical 
clim.ites,  in  great  abundance;  and  particularly 
after  a  shower  of  rain.  It  is  then  that  the 
streets  seem  entirely  paved  with  them  ;  they 
then  crawl  from  their  retreats,  and  go  into  all 
places  to  enjoy  their  favourite  moisture*  With 
us  the  opinion  of  its  raining  toads  and  frogs 
has  long  been  justly  exploded;  but  it  still  is 
entertained  in  the  tropical  countries;  and 
that  not  only  by  the  savage  natives,  but  the 
more  refined  settlers,  who  are  apt  enough 
to  add  the  prejudices  of  other  nations  to  their 
own. 

It  would  be  a  tedious,  as  well  as  useless 
task,  to  enter  into  all  the  minute  discrimina- 
tions of  these  animals,  as  found  in  different 
countries  or  places;  but  the  Pipal,  or  the 
Surina;ii  Toad,  is  too  strange  a  creature  not 
to  require  an  exact  description.  There  is  not, 
perhaps,  in  all  nature,  a  more  extraordinary 
phenomenon,  than  that  of  an  animal  breeding 
and  hatching  its  young  in  its  back ;  from 
whence,  as  from  a  kind  of  hot-bed,  they 
crawl  one  after  the  other,  when  come  to  ma- 
turity. 

The  pipal  is  in  form  more  hideous  than 
even  the  common  toad  ;  nature  seeming  to 
have  marked  all  those  strange-mannered  ani- 
mals with  peculiar  deformity.  The  body  is 
flat  and  broad  ;  the  head  small  ;  the  jaws, 
like  those  of  a  mole,  are  extended,  and  evU 
dently  formed  for  rooting  in  the  ground  :  the 
skin  of  the  neck  forms  a  sort  of  wrinkled  col- 
lar :  the  colour  of  the  head  is  of  a  dark  ches- 
nut,  and  the  eyes  are  small :  the  back,  which 
is  very  broad,  is  of  a  lightish  gray,  and  seems 
covered  over  with  a  number  of  small  eyes, 
which  are  round,  and  placed  at  nearly  equal 
distances.  These  eyes  are  very  different  from 
what  they  see;ii  ;  they  are  the  animal's  eggs, 
covered  with  their  shells,  and  placed  there  for 
hatching.  These  eggs  are  buried  deep  in  the 
skin,  and  in  the  beginning  of  incubation  but 
just  appear ;  and  are  very  visible  when  the 
young  animal  is  about  to  burst  from  its  con- 
finement. They  are  of  a  reddish  shining  yel- 


•  Among  tliis  numerous  family  there  is  one,  which,  for 
horrid  and  deformed  appearance,  probably  exceeds  all 
other  created  beings.  This  is  the  horned  Toad  of  South 
America.  The  colour  is  cinerous,  with  brown  stripes 
The  eye-lids  project  in  a  singular  manner,  and  give  it  the 
appearance  as  if  the  eyes  were  placed  at  the  bottom  of  a 

NO.  59  &  60. 


low  colour ;  and  the  spaces  between  them  arc 
full  of  small  warts,  resembling  pearls. 

This  is  their  situation,  previous  to  their 
coming  forth  ;  but  nothing  so  much  demands 
our  admiration,  as  the  manner  of  their  pro- 
duction. The  eggs,  when  formed  in  the 
ovary,  are  sent  by  some  internal  canals,  which 
anatomists  have  not  hitherto  described^  to  lie 
and  come  to  maturity  under  the  bony  sub- 
stance of  the  back  ;  in  this  state  they  are  im- 
pregnated by  the  male,  whose  seed  finds  its 
way  by  pores  veiy  singularly  contrived,  and 
pierces  not  only  the  skin  but  the  periosteum. 
The  skin,  however,  is  still  apparently  entire, 
and  forms  a  very  thick  covering  over  the 
whole  brood  ;  but  as  they  advance  to  maturity, 
at  different  intervals,  one  after  another,  the  egg 
seems  to  start  forward  and  bourgeon  from  the 
back,  becomes  more  yellow,  and  at  last  breaks, 
when  the  young  one  puts  forth  its  head :  it 
still,  however,  keeps  its  situation,  until  it  has 
acquired  a  proper  degree  of  strength,  and 
then  it  leaves  the  shell,  but  still  continues  to 
keep  upon  the  back  of  the  parent.  In  this 
manner  the  pipal  is  seen  travelling  with  her 
wondrous  family  on  her  back,  in  all  the  dif- 
ferent stages  of  maturity.  Some  of  the 
strange  progeny,  not  yet  come  to  sufficient 
perfection,  appear  quite  torpid,  and  as  yet 
without  life  in  the  egg :  others  seem  just  be- 
ginning to  rise  through  the  skin  ;  here  peeping 
forth  from  the  shell ;  and  there,  having  entire- 
ly forsaken  their  prison,  some  are  sporting  at 
large  upon  the  parent's  back  ;  and  others  de- 
scending to  the  ground,  to  try  their  own  for- 
tune below. 

Such  is  the  description  given  of  this  strange 
production  by  Seba,  in  which  he  differs  from 
Ruysch,  who  affirms,  that  the  young  ones  are 
bred  in  the  back  of  the  male  only,  where  the 
female  lays  her  eggs.  I  have  followed  Seba, 
however,  not  because  he  is  better  authority, 
but  because  he  is  more  positive  of  the  truth  of 
his  account,  and  asserts,  assuredly,  that  the 
eggs  are  found  on  the  back  of  the  female 
only.  Many  circumstances,  however,  are 


pair  of  sharp-pointed  horns  :  the  head  is  very  large,  and 
the  mouth  is  so  enormous,  as  to  exceed  half  the  length  of 
its  body.  To  add  to  its  loathsome  appearance,  it  is  like- 
wise clothed  all  over,  except  the  head  and  feet,  with  short 
sharp  spines. 

50 


708 


A  HISTORY  OF 


wanting  towards  completing  his  information  ; 
such  as  a  description  of  the  passage  by  which 
the  egg  finds  its  way  into  the  back  ;  the  man- 
ner of  its  fecundation ;  the  time  of  gestation ; 
as  also  a  history  of  the  manners  of  this  strange 
animal  itself:  but,  by  a  prolixity  that  too 
much  prevails  among  naturalists  at  present, 
he  leaves  the  most  interesting  object  of  curi- 
osity, to  give  us  a  detailed  description  of  the 
legs  and  claws  of  the  pipal,  about  which  we 
have  very  little  concern. 

The  male  pipal  is  every  way  larger  than 
the  female,  and  hns  the  skin  less  tightly  drawn 
round  the  bodv.  The  whole  body  is  covered 


with  pustules  resembling  pearls ;  and  the  bel- 
ly, which  is  of  a  bright  yellow,  seems  as  if  it 
were  sewed  up  from  the  throat  to  the  vtnt,  a 
seam  being  seen  to  run  in  that  direction. 
This  animal,  like  the  rest  of  the  frog  kind,  is 
most  probably  harmless  ;  though  we  are  told 
of  the  terrible  effects  resulting  from  its  powder 
when  calcined.  This,  however,  must  certain- 
ly be  false ;  no  creature  whatever,  when 
calcined,  can  be  poisonous ;  for  the  fire 
burns  away  whatever  might  have  been  dan- 
gerous in  their  composition  :  all  animal  sub- 
stances, when  calcined,  being  entirely  the 
same. 


THE  LIZARD  KIND. 


709 


OF    THE    LIZARD   KIND, 


.*••«> 


CHAPTER  CLX. 

OF  LIZARDS  IN  GENERAL. 


THERE  is  scarcely  a  naturalist,  who  has 
treated  of  lizards,  but  has  a  particular  manner 
of  ranking  them  in  the  scale  of  animated  na- 
ture. Ray,  rather  struck  with  the  number  of 
their  legs,  than  their  habits  and  conformation, 
has  exalted  them  among  quadrupeds;  while 
Linnaeus,  attentive  only  to  their  long  slender 
forms,  has  degraded  them  among  serpents. 
Brisson  gives  them  a  distinct  class  by  them- 
selves, under  the  name  of  reptiles.  Klein 
gives  them  a  class  inferior  to  beasts,  under  the 
name  of  naked  quadrupeds.  Some,  in  short, 
from  their  scaly  covering,  and  fondness  for  the 
water,  have  given  them  to  the  fishes  ;  while 
there  have  not  been  wanting  naturalists  who 
have  classed  them  with  insects,  as  the  smaller 
kinds  of  this  class  seem  to  demand. 

It  is  indeed  no  easy  matter  to  tell  to  what 
class  in  nature  lizards  are  chiefly  allied.  They 
are  unjustly  raised  to  the  rank  of  beasts,  as 
they  bring  forth  eggs,  dispense  with  breathing, 
and  are  not  covered  with  hair.  They  cannot 
be  placed  among  fishes,  as  the  majority  of 
them  live  upon  land  :  they  are  excluded  from 
the  serpent  tribe,  by  their  feet,  upon  which 
they  run  with  some  celerity  ;  and  from  the 
insects,  by  their  size ;  for  though  the  Newt 
may  be  looked  upon  in  this  contemptible  light, 
a  Crocodile  would  be  a  terrible  insect  indeed. 
Thus  lizards  are,  in  some  measure,  excluded 
from  every  rank ;  while  they  exhibit  some- 
what of  the  properties  of  all ;  the  legs  and 
celerity  of  the  quadruped  ;  a  facility  of  creep- 
through  narrow  and  intricate  ways,  like 
serpent ;  and  a  power  of  living  in  the 
like  fishes :  however,  though  endued 
with  these  various  powers,  they  have  no  real 
advantages  over  any  other  class  of  animated 


ing 
the 


nature  ;  for  what  they  gain  in  aptitude  for  one 
element,  they  lose  in  their  fitness  for  another. 
Thus,  between  both,  they  are  an  awkward 
ungainly  tribe  ;  neither  so  alert  upon  land,  nor 
so  nimble  in  the  water,  as  the  respective  in- 
habitants of  either  abode :  and,  indeed,  this 
holds  throughout  all  nature,  that  in  proportion 
as  the  seeming  advantages  of  inferior  animals 
are  multiplied,  their  real  ones  are  abridged; 
and  all  their  instincts  are  weakened  and  lost 
by  the  variety  of  channels  into  which  they  are 
divided. 

As  lizards  thus  differ  from  every  other  class 
of  animals,  they  also  differ  widely  from  each 
other.  With  respect  to  size,  no  class  of  beings 
has  its  ranks  so  opposite.  What,  for  instance, 
can  be  more  removed  than  the  small  Chame- 
leon, an  inch  long,  and  the  Alligator  of  the 
river  Amazons,  above  twenty-seven  feet  ?  To 
an  inattentive  observer,  they  would  appear 
entirely  of  different  kinds  •  and  Seba  wonders 
how  they  ever  came  to  be  classed  together. 

The  colour  of  these  animals  also  is  very 
various,  as  they  are  found  of  a  hundred  dif- 
ferent hues — green,  blue,  red,  chesmit,  yellow, 
spotted,  streaked,  and  marbled.  Were  colour 
alone  capable  of  constituting  beauty,  the  lizard 
would  often  please  ;  but  there  is  something  so 
repressing  in  the  animal's  figure,  that  the  bril- 
liancy of  its  scales,  or  the  variety  of  its  spots, 
only  tend  to  give  an  airof  more  exquisite  venom 
or  greater  malignity.  The  figure  of  these  ani- 
mals is  not  less  various :  sometimes  swollen 
in  the  belly ;  sometimes  pursed  up  at  the 
throat ;  sometimes  with  a  rough  set  of  spines 
on  the  back,  like  the  teeth  of  a  saw ;  some- 
times with  teeth,  at  others  with  none;  some- 
times venomous  at  others  harmless,  and  even 

5G* 


'10 


A  HISTORY  OF 


philanthropic ;  sometimes  smooth  and  even  ; 
sometimes  with  a  long  slender  tail ;  and  often 
with  a  shorter  blunt  one.1 

But  their  greatest  distinction  arises  from  the 
manner  of  bringing  forth  their  young.  First, 
some  of  them  are  viviparous.  Secondly,  some 
are  oviparous  ;  and  which  may  be  considered 
in  three  distinct  ways.  Thirdly,  some  bring 
forth  small  spawn,  like  fishes.  The  Crocodile, 
the  Iguana,  and  all  the  larger  kinds,  bring 
forth  oggs,  which  are  hatched  by  the  heat  of 
the  sun  ;  the  animals  that  issue  from  them  are 
complete  upon  leaving  the  shell ;  and  their 
first  efforts  are  to  run  to  seek  food  in  their 
proper  element,  The  viviparous  kinds,  in 
which  are  all  the  salamanders,  come  forth  alive 
from  the  body  of  the  female,  perfect  and  ac- 
tive, and  suffer  no  succeeding  change.  But 
those  which  arc  bred  in  the  water,  and,  as  we 
have  reason  to  think,  from  spawn,  suffer  a  very 
considerable  change  in  their  form.  They  are 
produced  with  an  external  skin  or  covering, 
that  sometimes  encloses  their  feet,  and  gives 
them  a  serpentine  appearance.  To  this  false 
skin  fins  are  added,  above  and  below  the  tail, 
that  serve  the  animal  for  swimming ;  but 
when  the  false  skin  drops  off,  these  drop 
off  also ;  and  then  the  lizard,  with  its  four 
feet,  is  completely  formed,  and  forsakes  the 
water, 

From  hence  it  appears,  that  of  this  tribe 
there  are  three  distinct  kinds,  differently  pro- 
duced, and  most  probably  very  different  in 
their  formation.  But  the  history  of  these  ani- 
mals is  very  obscure  ;  and  we  are  as  yet  inca- 
pable of  laying  the  line  that  separates  them. 
All  we  know,  as  was  said  before,  is,  that  the 
great  animals  of  this  kind  are  mostly  produced 
perfect  from  the  egg ;  the  salamanders  are 
generally  viviparous ;  and  some  of  the  water 
lizards  imperfectly  produced.  Jn  all  these 

»  The  whole  of  this  tribe  is  perfectly  destitute  of  poi- 
son, and,  except  the  crocodile  and  alligator,  quite  inoffen- 


most  unfinished  productions  of  nature,  if  I 
may  so  call  them,  the  varieties  in  their  struc- 
ture increase  in  proportion  to  their  imperfec- 
tions. A  poet  would  say,  that  nature  grew 
tired  of  the  nauseous  formation,  and  left  acci- 
dent to  finish  the  rest  of  her  handy-work. 

However,  the  three  kinds  have  many  points 
of  similitude ;  and,  in  all  their  varieties  of 
figure,  colour,  and  production,  this  tribe  is 
easily  distinguished,  and  strongly  marked. 
They  have  all  four  short  legs  ;  the  two  fore- 
feet somewhat  resembling  a  man's  hand  and 
arm.  They  have  tails  almost  as  thick  as  the 
body  at  the  beginning,  and  that  generally  run 
tapering  to  a  point.  They  are  all  amphibious 
also  ;  equally  capable  of  living  upon  land  and 
water ;  and  formed  internally  in  the  same 
manner  with  the  tortoise,  and  other  animals, 
that  can  continue  a  long  time  without  respira- 
tion :  in  other  words,  their  lungs  are  not  so 
necessary  to  continue  life  and  circulation,  but 
that  their  play  may  be  stopped  for  some  con* 
siderable  time,  while  the  blood  performs  its 
circuit  round  the  body  by  a  shorter  communi-> 
cation. 

These  are  differences  that  sufficiently  sepa- 
rate lizards  from  all  other  animals;  but  it  will 
be  very  difficult  to  fix  the  limits  that  distin- 
guish the  three  kinds  from  each  other.  The 
crocodile  tribe,  and  its  affinities,  are  sufficiently 
distinguished  from  all  the  rest  by  their  size 
and  fierceness  ;  the  salamander  tribe  is  distin- 
guished by  their  deformity,  their  frog-like 
heads,  the  shortness  of  their  snouts,  their  swol- 
len bellies,  and  their  viviparous  production* 
With  regard  to  the  rest,  which  we  may  deno- 
minate the  chameleon  or  lizard  kind,  some  of 
which  bring  forth  from  the  egg,  and  some  of 
which  are  imperfectly  formed  from  spawn,  we 
must  group  them  under  one  head,  and  leave 
time  to  unravel  the  rest  of  their  history. 

sive  to  mankind.     Those  that  are  bred  in  waters  undergo 
a  metamorphosis,  and  pass  through  a  tadpole  state. 


THE  LIZARD  KIND. 


7J1 


CHAPTER  CLXI. 

OF  THE  CROCODILE,  AND  ITS  AFFINITIES. 


THE  Crocodile  is  an  animal  placed  at  a 
happy  distance  from  the  inhabitants  of  Europe, 
and  formidable  only  in  those  regions  where 
men  are  scarce,  and  arts  are  but  little  known. 
In  all  the  cultivated  and  populous  parts  of  the 
world,  the  great  animals  are  entirely  banish- 
ed, or  rarely  seen.  The  appearance  of  such 
raises  at  once  a  whole  country  up  in  arms  to 
oppose  their  force;  and  their  lives  generally 
pay  the  forfeit  of  their  temerity.  The  croco- 
dile, therefore,  that  was  once  so  terrible  along 
the  banks  of  the  river  Nile,  is  now  neither  so 
large,  nor  ils  numbers  so  great,  as  formerly. 
The  arts  of  mankind  have,  through  a  course 
of  ages,  powerfully  operated  to  its  destruc- 
tion; and,  though  it  is  sometimes  seen,  it  ap- 
pears comparatively  timorous  arid  feeble. 

To  look  for  this  animal  in  all  its  natural 
terrors,  grown  to  an  enormous  size,  propa- 
gated in  surprising  numbers,  and  committing 
unceasing  devastations,  we  must  go  to  the 
uninhabited  regions  of  Africa  and  America, 
to  those  immense  rivers  that  roll  through  ex- 
tensive and  desolate  kingdoms,  where  arts 
have  never  penetrated,  where  force  only  makes 
distinction,  and  the  most  powerful  animals 
exert  their  strength  with  confidence  and  se- 
curity. Those  that  sail  up  the  river  Amazons, 
or  the  river  Niger,  well  know  how  numerous 
and  terrible  those  animals  are  in  such  parts 
of  the  world.  In  both  these  rivers,  they  are 
found  from  eighteen  to  twenty-seven  feet  long; 
and  sometimes  lying  as  close  to  each  other  as 
rafts  of  timber  upon  one  of  our  streams.  There 
they  indolently  bask  on  the  surface,  no  way 
disturbed  at  the  approach  of  an  enemy,  since, 
from  the  repeated  trials  of  their  strength,  they 
found  none  that  they  were  not  able  to  subdue. 

Of  this  terrible  animal  there  are  two  kinds ; 
the  Crocodile,  properly  so  called,  and  the  Cay- 
man or  Alligator  Travellers,  however,  have 
rather  made  the  distinctions  than  nature;  for 
in  the  general  outline,  and  in  the  nature  of 
these  *wo  animals,  they  are  entirely  the  same. 


It  would  be  speaking  more  properly  to  call 
these  animals  the  Crocodiles  of  the  eastern 
and  the  western  world ;  for  in  books  of  voy- 
ages, they  are  so  entirely  confounded  together, 
that  there  is  no  knowing  whether  the  Asiatic 
animal  be  the  crocodile  of  Asia,  or  the  alliga- 
tor of  the  western  world.  The  distinctions 
usually  made  between  the  crocodile  and  al- 
ligator are  these :  the  body  of  the  crocodile 
is  more  slender  than  that  of  the  alligator; 
its  snout  runs  off  tapering  from  the  forehead, 
like  that  of  a  greyhound ;  while  that  of  the 
other  is  indented,  like  the  nose  of  a  lap-dog. 
The  crocodile  has  a  much  wider  swallow,  and 
is  of  an  ash-colour;  the  alligator  is  black,  va- 
ried with  white,  and  is  thought  not  to  be  so 
mischievous.  All  these  distinctions,  however, 
are  very  slight;  and  can  be  reckoned  little 
more  than  minute  variations."1 

This  animal  grows  to  a  great  length,  being 
sometimes  found  thirty  feet  long,  from  the  tip 
of  the  snout  to  the  end  of  the  tail :  its  most 
usual  length,  however,  is  eighteen.  One  which 
was  dissected  by  the  Jesuits  at  Siam,  was  of 
the  latter  dimensions;  and  as  the  description 
which  is  given  of  it,  both  externally  and  in- 
ternally, is  the  most  accurate  known  of  this 
noted  animal,  I  must  beg  leave  to  give  it  as 
I  find  it,  though  somewhat  tedious.  It  was 
eighteen  feet  and  a  half,  French  measure,  in 
length ;  of  which  the  tail  was  no  less  than 
five  feet  and  a  half,  and  the  head  and  neck 
above  two  feet  and  a  half.  It  was  four  feet 
nine  inches  in  circumference,  where  thickest. 
The  fore  legs  had  the  same  parts  and  confor- 
mation as  the  arms  of  a  man,  both  within  and 
without.  The  hands,  if  they  may  be  so  call- 
ed, had  five  fingers;  the  two  last  of  which  hud 
no  nails,  and  were  of  a  conical  figure.  The 
hinder  legs,  including  the  thigh  and  pa\v,  were 

a  The  Crocodile  has  a  scaly  mail  round  its  nt<k  :  but 
the  neck  of  the  Alligator  is  naked  :  the  tail  of  the  Croco- 
dile is  likewiselurnished  with  two  lateral  crested 


IV. 


A  HISTORY  OF 


two  feet  two  inches  long ;  the  paws,  from  the 
joint  to  the  extremity  of  the  longest  claws, 
were  above  nine  inches :  they  were  divided 
into  four  toes,  of  which  three  were  armed  with 
large  claws,  the  longest  of  which  was  an  inch 
and  a  half;  these  toes  were  united  by  a  mem- 
brane, like  those  of  a  duck,  but  much  thicker. 
The  head  was  long,  and  had  a  little  rising  at 
the  top ;  but  the  rest  was  flat,  and  especially 
towards  the  extremity  of  the  jaws.  It  was 
covered  by  a  skin,  which  adhered  firmly  to 
the  skull  and  to  the  jaws.  The  skull  was 
rough  and  unequal  in  several  places :  and 
about  the  middle  of  the  forehead  there  were 
two  bony  crests,  about  two  inches  high  :  the 
skull  between  these  two  crests  was  proof 
against  a  musket-ball ;  for  it  oniy  rendered 
the  part  a  little  white  that  it  struck  against. 
The  eye  was  very  small,  in  proportion  to  the 
rest  of  the  body,  and  was  so  placed  within  its 
orbit,  that  the  outward  part,  when  the  lid  was 
closed,  was  only  an  inch  long,  and  the  line 
running  parallel  to  the  opening  of  the  jaws. 
It  was  covered  with  a  double  lid,  one  within 
and  one  without :  that  within,  like  the  nicti- 
tating membrane  in  birds,  was  folded  in  the 
great  corner  of  the  eye,  and  had  a  motion  to- 
wards the  tail,  but  being  transparent,  it  cover- 
ed the  eye  without  hindering  the  sight.  The 
iris  was  very  large  in  proportion  to  the  globe 
of  the  eye,  and  was  of  a  yellowish  gray  colour. 
Above  the  eye  the  ear  was  placed,  which  open- 
ed from  above  downwards,  as  if  it  were  by  a 
kind  of  spring,  by  means  of  a  solid,  thick,  car- 
tilaginous substance.  The  nose  was  placed 
in  the  middle  of  the  upper  jaw,  near  an  inch 
from  its  extremity,  and  was  perfectly  round 
and  flat,  being  near  two  inches  in  diameter, 
of  a  black,  soft,  spongy  substance,  not  unlike 
the  nose  of  a  dog.  The  jaws  seemed  to  shut 
one  within  another ;  and  nothing  can  be  more 
false  than  that  the  animal's  under  jaw  is  with- 
out motion  ;  it  moves  like  the  lower  jaw  in 
all  other  animals,  while  the  upper  is  fixed  to 
the  skull,  and  absolutely  immoveable.  The 
animal  had  twenty-seven  cutting  teeth  in  the 
upper  jaw,  and  fifteen  in  the  lower,  with  seve- 
ral void  spaces  between  them :  they  were 
thick  at  the  bottom,  and  sharp  at  the  point, 
being  all  of  different  sizes,  except  ten  large 
hooked  ones,  six  of  which  were  in  the  lower 
jaw,  and  four  in  the  upper.  The  mouth  was 
fifteen  inches  in  length,  and  eight  and  a  half 


in  breadth,  where  broadest.  The  distance  of 
the  two  jaws,  when  opened  as  wide  as  they 
could  be,  was  fifteen  inches  and  a  half;  this 
is  a  very  wide  yawn,  and  could  easily  enough 
take  in  the  body  of  a  man.  The  colour  of 
the  body  was  of  a  dark  brown  on  the  upper 
part,  and  of  a  whitish  citron  below,  with  large 
spots  of  both  colours  on  the  sides.  From  the 
shoulders  to  the  extremity  of  the  tail,  the  ani- 
mal was  covered  with  large  scales,  of  a  square 
form,  disposed  like  parallel  girdles,  and  fifty- 
two  in  number ;  but  those  near  the  tail  were 
not  so  thick  as  the  rest.  The  creature  was 
covered  not  only  with  these,  but  all  over  with 
a  coat  of  armour ;  which,  however,  was  not 
proof  against  a  musket-ball,  contrary  to  what 
has  been  commonly  asserted  :  however,  it 
must  be  confessed,  that  the  attitude  in  which 
the  animal  was  placed,  might  contribute  to 
render  the  skin  more  penetrable  ;  for,  proba- 
bly, if  the  hall  had  struck  obliquely  against  the 
shell,  it  would  have  flown  off.  Those  parts 
of  the  girdles  underneath  the  belly  were  of  a 
whitish  colour,  and  were  made  up  of  scales 
of  divers  shapes,  but  not  so  hard  as  those  on 
the  back. 

With  respect  to  the  internal  parts  of  the  ani- 
mal, the  gullet  was  large  in  proportion  to  the 
mouth  ;  and  a  ball  of  wood  as  large  as  one's 
head,  readily  ran  down,  and  was  drawn  up 
again.  The  guts  were  but  short,  in  compari- 
son, being  not  so  long  as  the  animal's  body. 
The  tongue,  which  some  have  erroneously 
asserted  this  animal  was  without,  consisted  of 
a  thick  spongy  soft  flesh,  and  was  strongly 
connected  to  the  lower  jaw.  The  heart  was 
of  the  size  of  a  calf's,  of  a  bright  red  colour, 
the  blood  passing  as  well  from  the  veins  to  the 
aorta  as  into  the  lungs.  There  was  no  blad- 
der ;  but  the  kidneys  sent  the  urine  to  be  dis- 
charged by  the  anus.  There  were  sixty-two 
joints  in  the  back-bone,  which,  though  very 
closely  united,  had  sufficient  play  to  enable 
the  animal  to  bend  like  a  bow  to  the  right  and 
the  left;  so  that  \\hat  we  hear  of  escaping  the 
creature  by  turning  out  of  the  right  line,  and 
of  the  animal  not  being  able  to  wheel  readily 
after  its  prey,  seems  to  be  fabulous.  It  is  most 
likely  the  crocodile  can  turn  with  ease,  for  the 
joints  of  its  back  are  not  stiffer  than  those  of 
other  animals,  which  we  know,  by  experience, 
can  wheel  about  very  nimbly  for  their  size. 

Such  is  the  figure  and  conformation  of  this 


THE  LIZARD  KIND. 


713 


formidable  animal,  that  unpeoples  countries, 
and  makes  the  most  navigable  rivers  desert 
and  dangerous.  They  are  seen,  in  some 
places,  lying  for  whole  hours,  and  even  days, 
stretched  in  the  sun,  and  motionless  ;  so  that 
one  not  used  to  them  might  mistake  them  for 
trunks  of  trees,  covered  with  a  rough  and  dry 
bark;  but  the  mistake  would  soon  be  fatal,  if 
not  prevented  :  for  the  torpid  animal,  at  the 
near  approach  of  any  living  thing,  darts  upon 
it  with  instant  swiftness,  and  at  once  drags  it 
down  to  the  bottom.  In  the  times  of  an  in- 
undation, they  sometimes  enter  the  cottages 
of  the  natives,  where  the  dreadful  visitant 
seizes  the  first  animal  it  meets  with.  There 
have  been  several  examples  of  their  taking  a 
man  out  of  a  canoe  in  the  sight  of  his  com- 
panions, without  their  being  able  to  lend  him 
any  assistance. 

The  strength  of  every  part  of  the  crocodile 
is  very  great ;  and  its  arms,  both  offensive  and 
defensive,  irresistible.  We  have  seen,  from 
the  shortness  of  its  legs,  the  amazing  strength 
of  the  tortoise :  but  what  is  the  strength  of 
such  an  animal,  compared  to  that  of  the  cro- 
codile, whose  legs  are  very  short,  and  whose 
size  is  so  superior  !  The  back-bone  is  jointed 
in  the  firmest  manner  ;  the  muscles  of  the  fore 
and  hinder  legs  are  vigorous  and  strong  ;  and 
its  whole  form  calculated  for  force.  Its  teeth 
are  sharp,  numerous,  and  formidable ;  its 
claws  are  long  and  tenaceous  ;  but  its  princi- 
pal instrument  of  destruction  is  the  tail :  with 
a  single  blow  of  this  it  has  often  overturned  a 
canoe,  and  seized  upon  the  poor  savage  its 
conductor. 

Though  not  so  powerful,  yet  it  is  very  terri- 
ble even  upon  land.  The  crocodile  seldom, 
except  when  pressed  by  hunger,  or  with  a 
view  of  depositing  its  eggs,  leaves  the  water. 
Its  usual  method  is  to  float  along  upon  the 
surface,  and  seize  whatever  animals  come 
within  its  reach ;  but  when  this  method  fails, 
it  then  goes  closer  to  the  bank.  Disappointed 
of  its  fishy  prey,  it  there  waits  covered  up 
among  the  sedges,  in  patient  expectation  of 
some  land  animal  that  comes  to  drink ;  the 
dog,  the  bull,  the  tiger,  or  man  himself.  No- 
thing is  to  be  seen  of  the  insidious  destroyer 
as  the  animal  approaches ;  nor  is  its  retreat 
discovered,  till  it  be  too  late  for  safety.  It 
seizes  the  victim  with  a  spring,  and  goes  at  a 
bound  much  farther  than  so  unwieldy  an  ani- 


mal could  be  thought  capable  of  exerting, 
then  having  secured  the  creature  with  both 
teeth  and  claws,  it  drags  it  into  the  water,  in- 
stantly sinks  with  it  to  the  bottom,  and,  in 
this  manner,  quickly  drowns  it. 

Sometimes  it  happens  that  the  creature  the 
crocodile  has  thus  surprised  escapes  from  its 
grasp  wounded,  and  makes  off  from  the  river 
side.  In  such  a  case  the  tyrant  pursues  \\ith 
ad  its  force,  and  often  seizes  it  a  second  tin  <  ; 
for,  though  seemingly  heavy,  the  crocod!:<: 
runs  with  great  celerity.  In  this  manner  i;  is 
sometimes  seen  above  half  a  mile  from  the 
bank,  in  pursuit  of  an  animal  wounded  be- 
yond the  power  of  escaping,  and  then  drag- 
ging it  back  to  the  river-side,  where  it  leasts 
in  security. 

It  often  happens,  in  its  depredations  along 
the  bank,  that  the  crocodile  seizes  on  a  crea- 
ture as  formidable  as  itself,  and  meets  with  a 
most  desperate  resistance.  We  are  told  of 
frequent  combats  between  the  crocodile  and 
the  tiger.  All  creatures  of  the  tiger  kind  are 
continually  oppressed  by  a  parching  thirst, 
that  keeps  them  in  the  vicinity  of  great  rivers, 
whither  they  descend  to  drink  very  frequently. 
It  is  upon  these  occasions  that  they  are  seized 
by  the  crocodile;  and  they  die  not  unrevenged. 
The  instant  they  are  seized  upon,  they  turn 
with  the  greatest  agility,  and  force  their  claws 
into  the  crocodile's  eyes,  while  he  plunges 
with  his  fierce  antagonist  into  the  river.  There 
they  continue  to  struggle  for  some  time,  till  at 
last  the  tiger  is  drowned. 

In  this  manner  the  crocodile  seizes  and  de- 
stroys all  animals,  and  is  equally  dreaded  by 
all.  There  is  no  animal  but  man  alone  that 
can  combat  it  with  success.  We  are  assured 
by  Labat,  that  a  Negro,  with  no  other  wea- 
pons than  a  knife  in  his~  right  hand,  and  his 
left  arm  wrapped  round  with  a  cow-hide,  ven- 
tures boldly  to  attack  this  animal  in  its  own 
element.  As  soon  as  he  approaches  the  cro- 
codile, he  presents  his  left  arm,  which  the  ani- 
mal swallows  most  greedily ;  but  sticking  in 
its  throat,  the  Negro  has  time  to  give  it  seve- 
ral stabs  under  the  throat ;  and  the  water  also 
getting  in  at  the  mouth,  which  is  held  involun- 
tarily open,  the  creature  is  soon  bloated  up  as 
big  as  a  tun,  and  expires. 

To  us  who  live  at  a  distance  from  the* 
rapacity  of  these  animals,  these  stories 
appear  strange,  and  yet  most  probably  are 


714 


A  HISTORY  OF 


true.  From  not  having  seen  any  thing  so  for- 
midable or  bold  in  the  circle  of  our  own  ex- 
perience, we  are  not  to  determine  upon  the 
wonderful  transactions  in  distant  climates.  It 
is  probable. that  these,  and  a  number  of  more 
dreadful  encounters,  happen  every  day  among 
those  forests  and  in  those  rivers  where  the 
most  formidable  animals  are  known  to  reside; 
where  the  elephant  and  rhinoceros,  the  tiger 
and  the  hippopotamus,  the  shark  and  the  cro- 
codile, have  frequent  opportunities  of  meet- 
ing, and  every  day  of  renewing  their  engage- 
ments. 

Whatever  be  the  truth  of  these  accounts, 
certain  it  is  that  crocodiles  are  taken  by  the 
Siamese  in  great  abundance.  The  natives  of 
that  empire  seem  particularly  fond  of  the  cap- 
ture of  all  the  great  animals  with  which  their 
country  abounds.  We  have  already  seen 
their  success  in  taking  and  taming  the  elephant ; 
nor  are  they  less  powerful  in  exerting  their 
dominion  over  the  crocodile.  The  manner  of 
taking  it  in  Siam,  is  by  throwing  three  or  four 
strong  nets  across  a  river,  at  proper  distances 
from  each  other  ;  so  that  if  the  animal  breaks 
through  the  first,  it  may  be  caught  by  one  of 
the  rest.  When  it  is  first  taken,  it  employs 
the  tail,  which  is  the  grand  instrument  of 
strength,  with  great  force ;  but  after  many 
unsuccessful  struggles,  the  animal's  strength  is 
at  last  exhausted.  Then  the  natives  approach 
their  prisoner  in  boats,  and  pierce  him  with 
their  weapons  in  the  most  tender  parts,  till  he 
is  weakened  with  the  loss  of  blood.  When  he 
has  done  stirring,  they  begin  by  tying  up  his 
mouth,  and  with  the  same  cord  they  fasten  his 
head  to  bis  tail,  which  last  they  bend  back 
like  a  bow.  However,  they  are  not  yet  per- 
fectly secure  from  his  fury ;  but,  for  their 
greater  safety,  they  tie  his  fore-feet,  as  well  as 
those  behind,  to  the  top  of  his  back.  These 
precautions  are  not  useless :  for  if  they  were 
to  omit  them,  the  crocodile  would  soon  re- 
cover strength  enough  to  do  a  great  deal  of 
mischief. 

The  crocodile,  thus  brought  into  subjection, 
or  bred  up  young,  is  used  to  divert  and  enter- 
tain the  great  men  of  the  East.  It  is  often 
managed  like  a  horse ;  a  curb  is  put  into  its 
mouth,  and  the  rider  directs  it  as  he  thinks 
proper.  Though  awkwardly  formed,  it  does 
not  fail  to  proceed  with  some  degree  of  swift- 
ness ;  and  is  thought  to  move  as  fast  as  some 


of  the  most  unwieldy  of  our  own  animals,  the 
hog  or  the  cow.  Some,  indeed,  asM  rt,  that 
no  animal  could  escape  it,  but  for  its  difficulty 
in  turning  ;  but  to  this  resource  we  could  wish 
none  would  trust  who  are  so  unhappy  as  to 
find  themselves  in  danger. 

Along  the  rivers  of  Africa  this  animal  is 
sometimes  taken  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
shark.  Several  Europeans  go  together  in  a 
large  boat,  and  throw  out  a  piece  of  beef  upon 
a  hook  and  strong  fortified  line,  which  the 
crocodile  seizing  and  swallowing,  is  drawn 
along,  floundering  and  struggling  until  its 
strength  is  quiio  exhausted,  when  it  is  pierced 
in  the  belly,  which  is  its  tendercst  part;  and 
thus,  after  numberless  wounds,  is  drawn  ashore. 
In  this  part  of  the  world  also,  as  well  as  at 
Siam,  the  crocodile  makes  an  object  of  savage 
pomp  near  the  palaces  of  their  monarchs. 
Philips  informs  us,  that  at  Sahi,  on  the  slave 
coast,  there  are  two  pools  of  water,  near  the 
royal  palace,  where  crocodiles  are  bred,  as 
we  breed  carp  in  our  ponds  in  Europe. 

Hitherto  I  have  been  describing  the  croco- 
dile as  it  is  found  in  unpeopled  countries,  and 
undisturbed  by  frequent  encounters  \\  ith  man- 
kind.    In  this  state  it  is  fierce  and  cruel,  at- 
tacking every  object  that  seems  endued  with 
motion :    but  in   Egypt,  and  other  countries 
long    peopled,    where    the    inhabitants    are 
civilized,  and  the  rivers  frequented,  this  ani- 
mal is  solitary  and  fearful.     So  far  from  com- 
ing to  attack  a  man,  it  sinks  at  his  approach 
with  the  utmost  precipitation  ;  and,  as  if  sen- 
sible  of  superior   power,    ever   declines   the 
engagement.     We  have  seen  more  than  one 
instance  in  animated  nature  of  the  contempt 
which  at  first  the  lower  orders  of  the  creation 
have  for  man,  till  they  have  experienced   his 
powers  of  destruction.     The  lion  and  the  tiger 
among  beasts,  the  whale  among  fishes,  the 
nlb'itross  and  the  penguin  among  birds,  meet 
the  first  encounters  of  man  without  dread  or 
apprehension  :  but  they  soon  learn  to  acknow- 
ledge his  superiority,  and  take  refuge  from  his 
power  in   the   deepest   fastnesses  of  nature. 
This  may  account  for  the  different  characters 
which  have  been  given  us  of  the  crocodile  and 
the  alligator,  by  travellers  at  different  times  ; 
some  describing  them  as  harmless  and  fearful, 
as  ever  avoiding  the  sight  of  man,  and  prey- 
ing only  upon  fishes:    others  ranking  them 
among  the  destroyers  of  nature ;  describing 


THE  LIZARD  KIND. 


them  as  furnished  with  strength,  and  impelled 
by  malignity,  to  do  mischief;  representing 
them  as  the  greatest  enemies  of  mankind,  and 
particularly  desirous  of  human  prey.  The 
truth  is,  the  animal  has  been  justly  described 
by  both ;  being  such  as  it  is  found  in  places 
differently  peopled  or  differently  civilized. 
Wherever  the  crocodile  has  reigned  long  un- 
molested, it  is  there  fierce,  bold,  and  danger- 
ous; wherever  it  has  been  harassed  by  man- 
kind, its  retreats  invaded,  and  its  numbers 
destroyed,  it  is  there  timorous  and  inoffensive. 

In  some  places,  therefore,  this  animal,  in- 
stead of  being  formidable,  is  not  only  inoffen- 
sive, but  is  cherished  and  admired.  In  the 
river  San  Domingo,  the  crocodiles  are  the 
most  inoffensive  animals  in  nature;  the  chil- 
dren play  with  them,  and  ride  about  on  their 
backs ;  they  even  beat  them  sometimes,  with- 
out receiving  the  smallest  injury.  It  is  true 
the  inhabitants  are  very  careful  of  this  gentle 
breed,  and  consider  them  as  harmless  domes- 
tics. 

It  is  probable  that  the  smell  of  musk,  which 
all  these  animals  exhale,  may  render  them 
agreeable  to  the  savages  of  that  part  of 
Africa.  They  are  often  known  to  take  the  part 
of  this  animal  which  contains  the  musk,  and 
wear  it  as  a  perfume  about  their  persons. 
Travellers  are  not  agreed  in  what  part  of  the 
body  these  musk-bags  are  contained ;  some 
say  in  the  ears ;  some,  in  the  parts  of  gene- 
ration ;  but  the  most  probable  opinion  is,  that 
this  musky  substance  is  amassed  in  the  glands 
under  the  legs  and  arms.  From  whatsoever 
part  of  the  body  this  odour  proceeds,  it  is 
very  strong  and  powerful,  tincturing  the  flesh 
of  the  whole  body  with  its  taste  and  smell. 
The  crocodile's  flesh  is  at  best  very  bad,  tough 
eating;  but  unless  the  musk-bags  be  sepa- 
rated, it  is  insupportable.  The  Negroes  them- 
selves cannot  well  digest  the  flesh;  but  then, 
a  crocodile's  egg  is  to  them  the  most  delicate 
morsel  in  the  world.  Even  savages  exhibit 
their  epicures  as  wrell  as  we ;  and  one  of  true 
taste  will  spare  neither  pains  nor  danger  to 
furnish  himself  with  his  favourite  repast.  For 
this  reason,  he  often  watches  the  places  where 
the  female  comes  to  lay  her  eggs,  and  upon 
her  retiring,  seizes  the  booty. 

All  crocodiles  breed  near  fresh  waters;  and 
though  they  are  sometimes  found  in  the  sea, 

NO.  61  &  62. 


yet  that  may  be  considered  rather  as  a  place 
of  excursion  than  abode.  They  produce  their 
young  by  eggs,  as  was  said  above ;  and  for 
this  purpose  the  female,  when  she  comes  to 
lay,  chooses  a  place  by  the  side  of  a  river,  or 
some  fresh-water  lake,  to  deposite  her  brood 
in.  She  always  pitches  upon  an  extensive 
sandy  shore,  where  she  may  dig  a  hole  with- 
out danger  of  detection  from  the  ground  being 
fresh  turned  up.  The  shore  must  also  be 
gentle  and  shelving  to  the  water,  for  the  great- 
er convenience  of  the  animal's  going  and  re- 
turning; and  a  convenient  place  must  be  found 
near  the  edge  of  the  stream,  that  the  young 
may  have  a  shorter  way  to  go.  When  all 
these  requisites  are  adjusted,  the  animal  is 
seen  cautiously  stealingupon  shore  to  deposite 
her  burden.  The  presence  of  a  man,  a  beast, 
or  even  a  bird,  is  sufficient  to  deter  her  at 
that  time;  and  if  she  perceives  any  creature, 
looking  on,  she  infallibly  returns.  If,  however, 
nothing  appears,  she  then  goes  to  work, 
scratching  up  the  sand  with  her  fore-paws, 
and  making  a  hole  pretty  deep  in  the  shore. 
There  she  deposites  from  eighty  to  a  hundred 
eggs,  of  the  size  of  a  tennis-ball,  and  of  the 
same  figure,  covered  with  a  tough  white  skin 
like  parchment.  She  takes  above  an  hour  to 
perform  this  task;  and  then  covering  up  the 
place  so  artfully  that  it  can  scarcely  be  per- 
ceived, she  goes  back  to  return  again  the  next 
day.  Upon  her  return,  with  the  same  pre- 
caution as  before,  she  lays  about  the  same 
number  of  eggs;  and  the  day  following  also 
a  like  number.  Thus  having  deposited  her 
whole  quantity,  and  having  covered  them 
close  up  in  the  sand,  they  are  soon  vivified 
by  the  heat  of  the  sun ;  and  at  the  end  of  thir- 
ty days,  the  young  ones  begin  to  break  open 
the  shell.  At  this  time  the  female  is  instinc- 
tively taught  that  her  young  ones  want  relief; 
and  she  goes  upon  land  to  scratch  away  the 
sand,  and  set  them  free.  Her  brood  quickly 
avail  themselves  of  their  liberty ;  a  part  run 
unguided  to  the  water;  another  part  ascend 
the  back  of  the  female,  and  are  carried  thi- 
ther in  greater  safety.  But  the  moment  they 
arrive  at  the  water,  all  natural  connexion  is 
at  an  end :  when  the  female  has  introduced 
her  young  to  their  natural  element,  not  only 
she,  but  the  male,  become  among  the  num- 
ber of  their  most  formidable  enemies,  and  de- 
5H 


716 


A  HISTORY  OF 


vour  as  many  of  them  as  they  can.  The 
whole  brood  scatters  into  different  parts  of  the 
bottom  ;  by  far  the  greatest  number  are  de- 
stroyed, and  the  rest  find  safety  in  their  agility 
or  minuteness. 

But  it  is  not  the  crocodile  alone  that  is  thus 
found  to  thin  their  numbers;  the  eggs  of  this 
animal  are  not  only  a  delicious  feast  to  the 
savage,  but  are  eagerly  sought  after  by  every 
beast  and  bird  of  prey.  The  ichneumon  was 
erected  into  a  deity  among  the  ancients  for  its 
success  in  destroying  the  eggs  of  these  mon- 
sters :  at  present  that  species  of  the  vulture 
called  the  Gallinazo  is  their  most  prevailing 
enemy.  All  along  the  banks  of  great  rivers, 
for  thousands  of  miles,  the  crocodile  is  seen  to 
propagate  in  numbers  that  would  soon  overrun 
the  earth,  but  for  the  vulture,  that  seems  ap- 
pointed by  Providence  to  abridge  its  fecundity. 
These  birds  are  ever  found  in  greatest  num- 
bers where  the  crocodile  is  most  numerous  : 
and,  hiding  themselves  within  the  thick  bran- 
ches of  the  trees  that  shade  the  banks  of  the 
river,  they  watch  the  female  in  silence,  and 
permit  her  to  lay  all  her  eggs  without  interrup- 
tion. Then  when  she  has  retired,  they  en- 
courage each  other  with  cries  to  the  spoil ; 
and  flocking  all  together  upon  the  hidden 
treasure,  tear  up  the  eggs,  and  devour  them 
in  a  much  quicker  time  than  they  were  de- 
posited. Nor  are  they  less  diligent  in  attend- 
ing the  female  while  she  is  carrying  her  young 
to  the  water ;  for  if  any  one  of  them  happens 
to  drop  by  the  way,  it  is  sure  to  receive  no 
mercy. 

Such  is  the  extraordinary  account  given  us 
by  late  travellers  of  the  propagation  of  this 
animal;  an  account  adopted  by  Linna3us  and 
the  most  learned  naturalists  of  the  age.*  Yet, 
- 

o  Ulloa.  b  What  the  author  means  here  by  the  open- 
bellied  crocodile,  we  are  at  a  loss  to  make  out :  but  it  is  cer- 
tain that  not  one  of  the  lizard  tribe  have  any  thing  like  an 


if  one  might  argue  from  the  general  analogy 
of  nature,  the  crocodile's  devouring  her  own 
young  when  she  gets  to  the  water  seerns  doubt- 
ful. This  may  be  a  story  raised  from  the 
general  idea  of  this  animal's  rapacious  cruelty ; 
when,  in  fact,  the  crocodile  only  seems  more 
cruel  than  other  animals,  because  it  has  more 
power  to  do  mischief.  It  is  probable  that  it  is 
not  more  divested  of  parental  tenderness  than 
other  creatures,  and  I  am  the  more  led  to  think 
so  from  the  peculiar  formation  of  one  of  the 
crocodile  kind.  This  is  called  the  Open- 
Bellied  Crocodile,  and  is  furnished  with  a  false 
belly  like  the  oppossum,  where  the  young 
creep  out  and  in,  as  their  dangers  or  necessi- 
ties require.  The  crocodile  thus  furnished  at 
least  cannot  be  said  to  be  an  enemy  to  her 
own  young,  since  she  thus  gives  them  more 
than  parental  protection.  It  is  probable,  also, 
that  this  open-bellied  crocodile  is  viviparous, 
and  fosters  her  young  that  are  prematurely 
excluded  in  this  second  womb,  until  they  come 
to  proper  maturity.1" 

How  long  the  crocodile  lives  we  are  not 
certainly  informed :  if  we  may  believe  Aris- 
totle, i^  lives  the  age  of  a  man  ;  but  the  an- 
cients so  much  amused  themselves  in  invent- 
ing fables  concerning  this  animal,  that  even 
truth  from  them  is  suspicious.  What  we  know 
for  certain  from  the  ancients  is,  that  among 
the  various  animals  that  were  produced  to  fight 
in  the  amphitheatre  at  Rome,  the  combat  of 
the  crocodile  was  not  wanting.'  Marcus 
Scaurus  produced  them  living  in  his  unrivalled 
exhibitions  ;  and  the  Romans  considered  him 
as  the  best  citizen,  because  he  furnished  them 
with  the  most  expensive  entertainments.  But 
entertainment  at  that  corrupt  time  was  their 
only  occupation. 


abdominal  pouch  for  the  safety  of  their  young.       °  Plin. 
lib.  viii.  c.  26, 


THE  LIZARD  KIND. 


717 


CHAPTER  CLXII. 

OF  THE  SALAMANDER. 


THE  ancients  have  described  a  lizard  that 
is  bred  from  heat,  that  lives  in  the  flames,  and 
feeds  upon  fire  as  its  proper  nourishment. 
As  they  saw  every  other  element,  the  air,  tlie 
earth,  and  water,  inhabited,  fancy  was  set  to 
work  to  find  or  make  an  inhabitant  in  fire  ; 
and  thus  to  people  every  part  of  nature.  It 
will  be  needless  to  say  that  there  is  no  such 
animal  existing;  and  that  of  all  others,  the 
modern  salamander  has  the  smallest  affinity 
to  such  an  abode. 

Whether  the  animal  that  now  goes  by  the 
name  of  the  Salamander  be  the  same  with 
that  described  by  Pliny,  is  a  doubt  with  rne ; 
but  this  is  not  a  place  for  the  discussion.  It 
is  sufficient  to  observe,  that  the  modern  sala- 
mander is  an  animal  of  the  lizard  kind,  and 
under  this  name  is  comprehended  a  large 
tribe  that  all  go  by  the  same  name.  There 
have  been  not  less  than  seven  sorts  of  this 
animal  described  by  Seba  ;  and  to  have  some 
idea  of  the  peculiarity  of  their  figure,  if  we 
suppose  the  tail  of  a  lizard  applied  to  the 
body  of  a  frog,  we  shall  not  be  far  from  pre- 
cision. The  common  lizard  is  long,  small, 
and  taper;  the  salamander,  like  the  frog,  has 
its  eyes  towards  the  back  of  the  head ;  like 
the  frog,  its  snout  is  round,  and  not  pointed, 
and  its  belly  thick  and  swollen.  The  claws 
of  its  toes  are  short  and  feeble;  its  skin 
rough;  and  the  tongue,  unlike  that  of  the 
smallest  of  the  lizard  kind,  in  which  it  is  long 
and  forked,  is  short,  and  adhering  to  the  un- 
der jaw. 

But  it  is  not  in  figure  than  this  animal  chief- 
ly differs  from  the  rest  of  the  lizard  tribe; 
for  it  seems  to  differ  in  nature  and  conforma- 
tion. In  nature  it  is  unlike,  being  a  heavy 
torpid  animal ;  whereas  the  lizard  tribe  are 
active,  restless,  and  ever  in  motion  :  in  con- 
formation it  is  unlike,  as  the  salamander  is 
produced  alive  from  the  body  of  its  parent, 
and  is  completely  formed  the  moment  of  its 
exclusion.  It  differs  from  them  also  in  its 


general  reputation  of  being  venomous :  how- 
ever, no  trials  that  have  been  hitherto  made 
seem  to  confirm  the  truth  of  the  report. 

Not  only  this,  but  many  others  of  the  lizard 
tribe,  are  said  to  have  venom  ;  but  it  were  to 
be  wished  that  mankind,  for  their  own  happi- 
ness, would  examine  into  the  foundation  of 
this  reproach.  By  that  means  many  of  them, 
that  are  now  shunned  and  detested,  might  ie 
found  inoffensive;  their  figure,  instead  of  ex- 
citing either  horror  or  disgust,  would  then 
only  tend  to  animate  the  general  scene  of 
nature  ;  and  speculation  might  examine  their 
manners  in  confidence  and  security.  Certain 
it  is,  that  all  of  the  lizard  kind,  with  which 
we  are  acquainted  in  this  country,  are  per- 
fectly harmless;  audit  is  equally  true  that, 
for  a  long  time,  till  our  prejudices  were 
removed,  we  considered  not  only  the  Newt, 
but  the  Snake  arid  the  Blind-worm,  as  fraught 
with  the  most  destructive  poison.  At  pre- 
sent we  have  got  over  these  prejudices;  and, 
it  is  probable,  that  if  other  nations  made  the 
same  efforts  for  information,  it  would  be 
found,  that  the  malignity  of  most,  if  not  all,  of 
the  lizard  tribe,  was  only  in  the  imagination. 

With  respect  to  the  Salamander,  the  whole 
tribe,  from  the  Moron  to  the  Gekko,  are  said 
to  be  venomous  to  the  last  degree  ;  yet,  when 
experiments  have  been  tried,  no  arts,  no  pro- 
vocations, could  excite  these  animals  to  the 
rage  of  biting.  They  seem  timid  and  inoffen- 
sive, only  living  upon  worms  and  insects; 
quite  destitute  of  fangs,  like  the  viper,  their 
teeth  are  so  very  small  that  they  are  hardly  able 
to  inflict  a  wound.  But  as  the  teeth  are  thug 
incapable  of  offending,  the  people  of  the 
countries  where  they  are  found  have  recourse 
to  a  venomous  slaver,  which,  they  suppose, 
issues  from  the  animal's  mouth ;  they  also 
tell  us  of  a  venom  issuing  from  the  claws : 
even  Linnasus  seems  to  acknowledge  the  fact; 
but  thinks  it  a  probable  supposition  that  this 
venom  may  proceed  from  their  urine. 
5H* 


718 


A  HISTORY  OF 


Of  all  animals,  the  Gekko  is  the  most  no- 
torious for  its  powers  of  mischief;  yet  we  are 
told  by  those  who  load  it  with  that  calumny, 
that  it  is  very  friendly  to  man,  and  though 
supplied  with  the  most  deadly  virulence,  is 
yet  never  known  to  bite.  It  would  he  absurd 
in  us,  without  experience,  to  pronounce  upon 
the  noxious  or  inoffensive  qualities  of  animals: 
yet  it  is  most  probable,  from  an  inspection  of 
the  teeth  of  lizards,  and  from  their  inoffensive 
qualities  in  Europe,  that  the  gekko  has  been 
unjustly  accused;  and  that  its  serpent-like 
figure  has  involved  it  in  one  common  reproach 
with  serpents. 

The  salamander  best  known  in  Europe,  is 
from  eight  to  eleven  inches  long,  usually 
black,  spotted  with  yellow ;  and,  when  taken 
in  the  hand,  feeling  cold  to  a  great  degree. 
There  are  several  kinds.  Our  Black  Water- 
Newt  is  reckoned  among  the  number.  The 
idle  report  of  its  being  inconsumable  in  fire, 
has  caused  many  of  these  poor  animals  to  be 
burnt ;  but  we  cannot  say  as  philosophical 
martyrs,  since  scarcely  any  philosopher  could 
think  it  necessary  to  make  the  experiment. 
When  thrown  into  the  fire  the  animal  is  seen 
to  burst  with  the  heat  of  its  situation,  and  to 
eject  its  fluids.  We  are  gravely  told,  in  the 
Philosophical  Transactions,  that  this  is  a 
method  the  animal  takes  to  extinguish  the 
flames ! 

When  examined  internally,  the  salamander 
exhibits  little  difference  from  other  animals  of 
the  lizard  kind.  It  is  furnished  with  lungs 
that  sometimes  serve  for  the  offices  of  breath- 
jng ;  with  a  heart  that  has  its  communications 
open,  so  that  the  animal  cannot  easily  be 
drowned.  The  ovary  in  the  female  is  double 
the  size  of  what  it  is  in  others  of  this  tribe ; 
and  the  male  is  furnished  with  four  testiculi 
instead  of  two.  But  what  deserves  particu- 
lar notice  is  the  manner  of  this  animal's  bring- 
in  forth  its  young  alive."  "The  salamander," 
says  my  author,  "  begins  to  show  itself  in 
spring,  and  chiefly  during  heavy  rains.  When 
the  warm  weather  returns,  it  disappears;  and 
never  leaves  its  hole,  during  either  great 
heats  or  severe  colds,  both  which  it  equally 
fears.  When  taken  in  the  hand,  it  appears 

»  Acta  Hafniensia,  ann.  1676.  Observ.  11.  Memoires 
de  1'Academie  Royale  des  Sciences,  torn.  iii.  part  3.  p.  80. 


like  a  lump  of  ice;  it  consequently  loves  the 
shade,  and  is  found  at  the  feet  of  old  trees 
surrounded  with  brushwood  at  the  bottom. 
It  is  fond  of  running  along  new  ploughed 
grounds;  probably  to  seek  lor  worms,  which 
are  its  ordinary  food.  One  of  these,"  con- 
tinues my  author,  "  1  took  alive  some  years 
ago  in  a  ditch  that  had  been  lately  made.  I 
laid  it  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs  upon  coming 
home,  and  there  it  disgorged  from  the  throat 
a  worm  three  inches  long,  that  lived  for  an 
hour  after,  though  wounded  as  I  suppose  by 
the  teeth  of  the  animal.  I  afterwards  cut  up 
another  of  these  lizards,  and  saw  not  less 
than  fifty  young  ones,  resembling  the  parent, 
come  from  its  womb,  all  alive,  and  actively 
running  about  the  room."  It  were  to  be 
wished  the  author  had  used  another  word 
beside  that  of  worm;  as  we  now  are  in  doubt 
whether  he  means  a  real  worm,  or  a  young 
animal  of  the  lizard  species :  had  he  been 
more  explicit,  and  had  it  appeared  that  it  was 
a  real  young  lizard,  which  I  take  to  be  his 
meaning,  we  might  here  see  a  wonder  of  na- 
ture brought  to  the  proof,  which  many  have 
asserted,  and  many  have  thought  proper  to 
deny :  I  mean  the  refuge  which  the  young  of 
the  shark,  the  lizard,  and  the  viper  kinds,  are 
said  to  take,  by  running  down  the  throat  of 
the  parent,  and  there  finding  a  temporary 
security.  The  fact,  indeed,  seems  a  little  ex- 
traordinary ;  and  yet  it  is  so  frequently  at- 
tested by  some,  and  even  believed  by  others, 
whose  authority  is  respectable,  among  the 
number  of  whom  we  find  Mr.  Pennant,  that 
the  argument  of  strangeness  must  give  way 
to  the  weight  of  authority. 

However  this  be,  there  is  no  doubt  of  the 
animal's  being  viviparous,  and  producing 
above  fifty  at  a  time.  They  come  from  the 
parent  in  full  perfection,  and  quickly  leave 
her  to  shift  for  themselves.  These  animals, 
in  the  lower  ranks  of  nature,  want  scarcely 
any  help  when  excluded  ;  they  soon  complete 
the  little  circle  of  their  education ;  and  in  a 
day  or  two  are  capable  of  practising  all  the 
arts  of  subsistence  and  evasion  practised  by 
their  kind. 

They  are  all  amphibious,  or  at  least  are 
found  capable  of  subsisting  in  either  element, 
when  placed  tlwre :  if  those  taken  from  land 
are  put  into  water,  they  continue  there  in 


THE  LIZARD  KIND. 


719 


seeming  health  ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  those 
taken  from  the  water  will  live  upon  land.  In 
water,  however,  they  exhibit  a  greater  variety 
in  their  appearance;  and  what  is  equally 
wonderful  with  the  rest  of  their  history,  during 
the  whole  spring  and  summer  this  water- 
lizard  changes  its  skin  every  fourth  or  fifth 
day;  and  during  the  winter  every  fifteen  days. 
This  operation  they  perform  by  means  of  the 
mouth  and  the  claws;  and  it  seems  a  work 
of  no  small  difficulty  and  pain.  The  cast 
skins  are  frequently  seen  floating  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  water :  they  are  sometimes  seen 
also  with  a  part  of  their  old  skin  still  sticking 
to  one  of  their  limbs,  which  they  have  not 
been  able  to  get  rid  of;  and  thus,  like  a  man 
with  a  boot  half  drawn,  in  some  measure 
crippled  in  their  own  spoils.  This  also  often 
corrupts,  and  the  leg  drops  off;  but  the  ani- 
mal does  not  seem  to  feel  the  want  of  it,  for 
the  loss  of  a  limb  to  all  the  lizard  kind  is  but 
a  trifling  calamity.  They  can  live  several 
hours  even  after  the  loss  of  their  head :  and 
for  some  time  under  dissection,  all  the  parts 


of  this  animal  seem  to  retain  life:  but  the  tail 
is  the  part  that  longest  retains  its  motion. 
Salt  seems  to  be  much  more  efficacious  in 
destroying  these  animals  than  the  knife ;  for 
upon  being  sprinkled  with  it,  the  whole  body 
emits  a  viscous  liquor,  and  the  lizard  dies  in 
throe  minutes,  in  great  agonies. 

The  whole  of  the  lizard  kind  are  also 
'  tenacious  of  life  in  another  respect,  and  the 
salamander  among  the  number.  They  sus- 
tain the  want  of  food  in  a  surprising  manner. 
One  of  them,  brought  from  the  Indies,  lived 
nine  months,  without  any  other  food  than 
what  it  received  from  licking  a  piece  of  earth 
on  which  it  was  brought  over:"  another  was 
kept  by  Seba  in  an  empty  vial  for  six  months, 
without  any  nourishment ;  and  Rhedi  talks 
of  a  large  one,  brought  from  Africa,  that  lived 
for  eight  months,  without  taking  any  nourish- 
ment whatever.  Indeed,  as  many  of  this 
kind,  both  salamanders  and  lizards,  are  tor- 
pid, or  nearly  so,  during  the  winter,  the  loss 
of  thejr  appetite  for  so  long  a  time  is  the  less 
surprising. 


CHAPTER  CLXHI. 

OF  THE  CHAMELEON,  THE  IGUANA,  AND  LIZARDS  OF  DIFFERENT  KINDS. 


IT  were  to  be  wished  that  animals  could 
be  so  classed,  that  by  the  very  mentioning 
their  rank,  we  should  receive  some  insight 
into  their  history.  This  I  have  endeavoured 
in  most  instances;  but  in  the  present  chapter 
all  method  is  totally  unserviceable.  Here 
distribution  gives  no  general  ideas:  for  some 
of  the  animals  to  be  here  mentioned  produce 
by  eggs ;  some  by  spawn ;  and  some  are  vi- 
viparous. The  peculiar  manner  of  propa- 
gating in  each,  is  very  indistinctly  known. 
The  Iguana  and  the  Chameleon,  we  know 
bring  forth  eggs  ;  some  others  ;ilso  produce  in 
the  same  manner;  but  of  the  rest,  which  na- 
turalists make  amount  to  above  fifty,  we  have 
but  very  indistinct  information. 

In  the  former  divisions  of  this  tribe,  we  had 
to  observe  upon  animals,  formidable  from 


their  size,  or  disgusting  from  their  frog-like 
head  and  appearance;  in  the  present  divi- 
sion, all  the  animals  are  either  beautiful  to 
the  eye,  or  grateful  to  the  appetite.  The 
lizards,  properly  so  called,  are  beautifully 
painted  and  mottled;  their  frolicksome  agility 
is  amusing  to  those  who  are  familiar  with 
their  appearance;  and  the  great  affection 
which  some  of  them  show  to  man,  should,  in 
some  measure,  be  repaid  with  kindness. 
Others,  such  as  the  fguana,  though  not  pos- 
sessed of  beauty,  are  very  serviceable,  fur- 
nishing one  of  the  most  luxurious  feasts  the 
tropical  climates  can  boast  of.  Those  treat- 
ed of  before  were  objects  of  curiosity,  be- 
cause they  were  apparently  objects  of  dan- 

»  Phil.  Trans,  ann.  1661.  N.  21.  art.  7. 


720 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ger:  most  of  these  here  mentioned  have  either 
use  or  beauly  to  engage  us. 

Directly  descending  from  the  crocodile, 
we  find  the  Cordyle,  the  Tockay,  and  the 
Tejuguacu,  all  growing  less  in  order,  as  J 
have  named  them.  These  fill  up  the  chasm 
to  he  found  hetvveeri  the  crocodile  and  the 
African  Iguana. 

The  Iguana,  which  deserves  our  notice,  is 
about  five  feet  long,  and  the  body  about  as 
thick  as  one's  thigh  :  the  skin  is  covered  \vith 
small  scales,  like  those  of  a  serpent;  and  the 
back  is  furnished  with  a  row  of  prickles,  that 
stand  up,  like  the  teeth  of  a  saw :  the  eyes  | 
seem  to  be  but  half  opened,  except  when  the 
animal  is  angry,  and  then  they  appear  large 
and  sparkling:  both  the  jaws  are  full  of  very 
sharp  teeth,  and  the  bite  is  dangerous,  though 
not  venomous,  for  it  never  lets  loose  till  it  is 
killed.  The  male  has  a  skin  hanging  under 
his  throat,  which  reaches  down  to  his  breast; 
and,  when  displeased,  he  puffs  it  up  like  a 
bladder:  he  is  one-third  larger  and  stronger 
than  the  female ;  though  the  strength  of 
either  avails  them  little  towards  their  defence. 
The  males  are  ash-coloured,  and  the  females 
are  green. 

The  flesh  of  these  may  be  considered  as 
tne  greatest  delicacy  of  Africa  and  America; 
and  the  sportsmen  of  those  climates  go  out 
to  hunt  the  iguana,  as  we  do  in  pursuit  of  the 
pheasant  or  the  hare.  In  the  beginning  of 
the  season,  when  the  great  floods  of  the  tro- 
pical climates  are  past  away,  and  vegetation 
starts  into  universal  verdure,  the  sportsmen 
are  seen,  with  a  noose  and  a  stick,  wander- 
ing along  the  sides  of  the  rivers  to  take  the 
iguana.  The  animal,  though  apparently 
formed  for  combat,  is  the  most  harmless  crea- 
ture of  all  the  forest:  it  lives  among  the  trees, 
or  sports  in  the  water,  without  ever  offering 
to  offend;  there, having  fed  upon  the  flowers 
of  the  mahot,  and  the  leaves  of  the  mapou, 
that  grow  along  the  banks  of  the  stream,  it 
goes  to  repose  upon  the  branches  of  the  trees 
that  hang  over  the  water.  Upon  the  land  the 
animal  is  swift  of  foot;  but  when  once  in 
possession  of  a  tree,  it  seems  conscious  of 
the  security  of  its  situation,  and  never  offers 
to  stir.  There  the  sportsman  easily  finds  it, 
and  as  easily  fastens  his  noose  round  its 
neck:  if  the  head  be  placed  in  such  a  man- 


ner that  the  noose  cannot  readily  be  fastened, 
by  hitting  the  animal  a  blow  on  the  nose  with 
the  stick,  it  lifts  the  head,  and  offers  it  in 
some  measure  to  the  noose.  In  this  manner, 
and  also  by  the  tail,  the  iguana  is  dragged 
from  the  trees,  and  killed  by  repeated  blows 
on  the  head. 

The  Chameleon  is  a  very  different  animal; 
and  as  the  iguana  satisfies  the  appetites  of 
the  epicure,  this  is  rather  the  feast  of  the 
philosopher.  Like  the  crocodile,  this  little 
animal  proceeds  from  an  egg;  and  it  also 
nearly  resembles  that  formidable  creature  in 
form:  but  it  differs  widely  in  its  size  and  its 
appetites;  being  not  above  eleven  inches 
long,  and  delighting  to  sit  upon  trees,  being 
afraid  of  serpents,  from  which  it  is  unable  to 
escape  on  the  ground. 

The  head  of  a  large  chameleon  is  almost 
two  inches  long;  and  from  thence  to  the  be- 
ginning of  the  tail,  four  and  a  half:  the  tail  is 
five  inches  long,  and  the  feet  two  and  a  half: 
the  thickness  of  the  body  is  different  at  dif- 
ferent times;  for  sometimes,  from  the  back 
to  the  belly,  it  is  two  inches,  and  sometimes 
but  one;  for  it  can  blow  itself  up,  and  con- 
tract itself  at  pleasure.  The  swelling  and 
contraction  is  not  only  of  the  back  and  belly, 
but  of  the  legs  and  tail. 

These  different  tumours  do  not  proceed 
from  a  dilatation  of  the  breast  in  breathing, 
which  rises  and  falls  by  turns;  but  are  very 
irregular,  and  seem  adopted  merely  from 
caprice.  The  chameleon  is  often  seen,  as  it 
were,  blown  up  for  two  hours  together;  and 
then  it  continues  growing  less  and  less  insen- 
sibly; for  the  dilatation  is  always  more  quick 
and  visible  than  the  contraction.  In  this  last 
state  the  animal  appears  extremely  lean  ;  the 
spine  of  the  back  seems  sharp,  and  all  the 
ribs  may  be  counted ;  likewise  the  tendons 
of  the  legs  and  arms  may  be  seen  very  dis- 
tinctly. 

This  method  of  puffing  itself  up,  is  similar 
to  that  in  pigeons,  whose  crops  are  some- 
times greatly  distended  with  air.  The  cha- 
meleon has  a  power  of  driving  the  air  it 
breaths  over  every  part  of  the  body :  how- 
ever, it  only  gets  between  the  skin  and  the 
muscles;  for  the  muscles  themselves  are 
never  swollen.  The  skin  is  very  cold  to  the 
touch ;  and  though  the  animal  seems  so  lean, 


THE  LIZARD  KIND. 


721 


there  is  no  feeling  the  beating  of  the  heart. 
The  surface  of  the  skin  is  unequal,  and  has 
a  grain  not  unlike  shagreen,  but  very  soft,  be- 
cause each  eminence  is  as  smooth  as  if  it  were 
polished.  Some  of  these  little  protuberances 
are  as  large  as  a  pin's  head,  on  the  arms,  legs, 
belly,  and  tail ;  but  on  the  shoulders  and  head 
they  are  of  an  oval  figure,  and  a  little  larger: 
those  under  the  throat  are  ranged  in  the  Ibrm 
of  a  chaplet,  from  the  lower  lip  to  the  breast. 
The  colour  of  all  these  eminences,  when  the 
chameleon  is  at  rest  in  a  shady  place,  is  of  a 
bluish  gray,  and  the  space  between  is  of  a 
pale  red  and  yellow, 

But  when  the  animal  is  removed  into  the 
sun,  then  comes  the  wonderful  part  of  its  his- 
tory. At  first  it  appears  to  suffer  no  change 
of  colour,  its  grayish  spots  still  continuing  the 
same :  but  the  whole  surface  soon  seems  to 
imbibe  the  rays  of  light;  and  the  simple  co- 
louring of  the  body  changes  into  a  variety  of 
beautiful  hues.  Wherever  the  light  comes 
upon  the  body,  it  is  of  a  tawny  brown;  but 
that  part  of  the  skin  on  which  the  sun  does 
not  shine,  changes  into  several  brighter  co- 
lours, pale  yellow,  or  vivid  crimson:  which 
forms  spots  of  the  size  of  half  one's  finger: 
some  of  these  descend  from  the  spine  half 
•way  down  the  back ;  and  others  appear  ou 
the  sides,  arms,  and  tail.  When  the  sun  has 
done  shining,  the  original  gray  colour  returns 
by  degrees,  and  covers  all  the  body.  Some- 
times the  animal  becomes  all  over  spotted 
with  brown  spots,  of  a  greenish  cast.  When 
it  is  wrapt  up  in  a  white  linen  cloth  for  two 
or  three  minutes,  the  natural  colour  becomes 
much  lighter;  but  not  quite  white,  as  some 
authors  have  pretended:  however,  from  hence 
it  must  not  be  concluded  that  the  chameleon 
assumes  the  colour  of  the  objects  which  it 
approaches;  this  is  entirely  an  error,  and 
probably  has  taken  its  rise  from  the  continual 
changes  it  appears  to  undergo. 

Le  Bruyn,  in  his  Voyage  to  the  Levant,  has 
given  us  a  very  ample  description  of  the  cha- 
meleon. During  his  stay  at  Smyrna,  he  bought 
several  of  this  kind  ;  and  to  try  how  long  they 
could  live,  kept  four  of  them  in  a  cage,  per- 
mitting them  at  times  to  run  about  the  house. 
The  fresh  sea-breeze  seemed  to  give  them 
most  spirits  and  vivacity ;  they  opened  their 
mouths  to  take  it  in ;  he  never  perceived  that  | 


they  eat  any  thing,  except  now  and  then  a 
fly,  which  they  took  half  an  hour  to  swallow: 
he  observed  their  colour  often  to  change,  three 
or  four  times  successively,  without  being  able 
to  find  out  any  cause  tor  such  alterations; 
their  common  colour  he  found  to  be  gray,  or 
rather  a  pale  mouse  colour;  but  its  most  fre- 
quent changes  were  into  a  beautiful  green, 
spotted  with  yellow;  sometimes  the  animal 
was  marked  all  over  with  dark  brown;  and 
this  often  changed  into  a  lighter  brown  :  some 
colours,  however,  it  never  assumed ;  and,  con- 
trary to  what  was  said  above,  he  found  red 
to  be  among  the  number. 

Though  our  traveller  took  the  utmost  care, 
he  was  unable  to  preserve  any  of  them  nlive 
above  five  months;  and  many  of  them  died 
in  four.  W  hen  the  chameleon  changes  place, 
and  attempts  to  descend  from  an  eminence, 
it  moves  with  the  utmost  precaution,  ad- 
vancing one  leg  very  deliberately  before  the 
other,  still  securing  itself  by  holding  what- 
ever it  can  grasp  by  the  tail.  It  seldom  opens 
its  mouth,  except  for  fresh  air;  and  when 
that  is  supplied,  discovers  its  satisfaction  by 
its  motions,  and  the  frequent  changes  of  its 
colour.  The  tongue  is  sometimes  d.irted  out 
after  its  prey,  which  is  flies;  and  this  is  as 
long  as  the  whole  body.  The  eyes  are  re- 
markably little,  though  they  stand  out  of  the 
head :  they  have  a  single  eye-lid,  like  a  cap 
with  a  hole  in  the  middle,  through  which  the 
sight  of  the  eye  appears,  which  is  of  a  shining 
brown;  and  round  it  there  is  a  little  circle 
of  a  gold  colour:  but  the  most  extraordinary 
part  of  their  conformation  is,  that  the  animal 
often  moves  one  eye,  when  the  other  is  entire- 
ly at  rest;  nay,  sometimes  one  eye  will  seem 
to  look  directly  forward,  while  the  other  looks 
backward;  and  one  will  look  upward,  while 
the  other  regards  the  earth. 

To  this  class  of  lizards,  we  may  refer  the 
Dragon,  a  most  terrible  animal,  but  most  pro- 
bably not  of  nature's  formation.  Of  thisdeath- 
dealing  creature  all  people  have  read ;  and 
the  most  barbarous  countries,  to  this  day,  paint 
it  to  the  imagination  in  all  its  terrors,  and  fear 
to  meet  it  in  every  forest.  It  is  not  enough 
that  nature  has  furnished  those  countries  with 
poisons  of  various  malignity ;  with  serpents 
forty  feet  long;  with  elephants,  lions,  and  ti- 
gers ;  to  make  their  situation  really  danger* 


-722 


A  HISTORY  OF 


ous,  the  capricious  imagination  is  set  at  work 
to  call  up  new  terrors;  and  scarce  a  savage 
is  found  that  does  not  talk  of  winged  serpents 
of  immoderate  length,  flying  away  with  the 
camel  or  the  rhinoceros,  or  destroying  man- 
kind by  a  single  glare.  Happily,  however, 
such  ravages  are  no  where  found  to  exist  at 
present;  and  the  whole  race  of  dragons  is 
dwindled  down  to  the  Flying  Lizard,  a  little 
harmless  creature,  that  only  preys  upon  in- 
sects, and  even  seems  to  embellish  the  forest 
with  its  beauty. 

The  Flying  Lizard  of  Java  perches  upon 
fruit-trees,  and  feeds  upon  flies,  ants,  butter- 
flies, and  other  small  insects.  It  is  a  very 
harmless  creature,  and  does  no  mischief  in 
any  respect.  Geritil,  in  his  Voyage  round  the 
World,  affirms,  that  he  has  seen  these  lizards 
at  the  Island  of  Java,  in  the  East  Indies.  He 
observed  they  flew  very  swiftly  from  tree  to 
tree;  and  having  killed  one,  he  could  not  but 
admire  the  skin,  which  was  painted  with  se- 
veral beautiful  colours:  it  was  a  foot  in  length, 
and  had  four  paws,  like  the  common  lizards ; 
but  its  head  was  flat,  and  had  a  small  hole  in 
the  middle ;  the  wings  were  very  thin,  and  re- 
sembled those  of  a  flying-fish.  About  the 
neck  were  a  sort  of  wattles,  not  unlike  those 
of  cocks,  which  gave  it  no  disagreeable 
appearance.  He  intended  to  have  pre- 
served it,  in  order  to  bring  it  into  Europe ; 
but  it  was  corrupted  by  the  heat,  before  the 
close  of  the  day :  however,  they  have  since 
been  brought  into  England,  and  are  now 

[Besides  these,  it  may  be  necessary  to  mention  one 
more,  the  Basilisk,  so  dreadful  to  the  imagination  of  our 
ancestors.  It  is,  however,  an  inoffensive  animal,  a  native 
of  South  America.  It  is  distinguished  by  a  long,  conic, 
cap-like  protuberance  on  the  head,  and  a  kind  of  fin  like 


common  enough  in  the  cabinets  of  the  curi- 
ous. 

The  last  animal  of  the  lizard  kind  that  I 
shall  mention,  is  theChalcidian  Lizard  of  Al- 
drovandus,  very  improperly  called  the  Seps 
by  modern  historians.  This  animal  seems  to 
make  the  shade  that  separates  the  lizard  from 
the  serpent  race.  It  has  four  legs,  like  the 
lizard ;  but  so  short,  as  to  be  utterly  un- 
serviceable in  walking:  it  has  a  long  slendet 
body,  like  the  serpent;  and  it  is  said  to  have 
the  serpent's  malignity  also.  The  fore  legs 
are  very  near  the  head ;  the  hind  legs  are 
placed  far  backward  ;  but  before  and  behind 
they  seem  rather  useless  incumbrances,  than 
instruments  serving  to  assist  the  animal  in  its 
motions,  or  in  providing  for  its  subsistence. 
These  animals  are  found  above  three  feet 
long,  and  thick  in  proportion,  with  a  large 
head  and  pointed  snout.  The  whole  body 
is  covered  with  scales ;  and  the  belly  is  white 
mixed  with  blue.  It  has  four  crooked  teeth, 
as  also  a  pointed  tail,  which,  however,  can 
inflict  no  wound.  Whether  the  teeth  be 
similar  to  the  viper's  fangs,  we  are  not  told  ; 
though  Volateranus  says,  they  are  covered 
with  a  membrane ;  by  which  I  am  apt  to  think 
he  means  a  venom-bag,  which  is  found  at  the 
root  of  the  teeth  of  all  serpents  that  are  poi- 
sonous. It  is  viviparous;  fifteen  young  ones 
having  been  taken  alive  out  of  its  belly.  Upon 
the  whole,  it  appears  to  bear  a  strong  affinity 
to  the  viper;  and,  like  that  animal,  its  bite 
may  be  dangerous. 

a  fish  along  the  back,  which  it  can  elevate  or  depress  at 
pleasure;  and  is  about  a  foot  and  a  half  in  length,  of  great 
agility,  and  is  said  to  be  able  occasionally  to  switn  with 
perfect  ease.] 


I    GK.Vf'.V    /iff  A  .    I 
I  Ji.  Crn.tnicur.  (.'ttKAT  IS      •>  II.  l>hnyt',t .  '/.Jf/ifi O/UKH Kl>  fi .     7,.  U. //filiil,ui,f.   (,'AKMKX  B. 


THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


723 


OF  SERPENTS. 


CHAPTER  CLX1V. 

OF  SERPENTS  IN  GENERAL. 


WE  now  come  to  a  tribe  that  not  only  their 
deformity,  their  venom,  their  ready  malignity, 
but  also  our  prejudices,  and  our  very  religion, 
have  taught  us  to  detest.  The  serpent  has 
from  the  beginning  been  the  enemy  of  man  ; 
and  it  has  hitherto  continued  to  terrify  and 
annoy  him,  notwithstanding  all  the  arls  that 
have  been  practised  to  destroy  it.  Formidable 
in  itself,  it  deters  the  invader  from  the  pursuit; 
and  from  its  figure  capable  of  finding  shelter 
in  a  little  space,  it  is  not  easily  discovered  by 
those  who  would  venture  to  try  the  encounter. 
Thus  possessed  at  once  of  potent  arms  and  in- 
accessible or  secure  retreats,  it  baffles  all  the 
arts  of  man,  though  never  so  earnestly  bent 
upon  its  destruction. 

For  this  reason,  there  is  scarce  a  country  in 
the  world  that  does  not  still  give  birth  to  this 
poisonous  brood,  that  seem  formed  to  quell 
human  pride,  and  repress  the  boasts  of 
security.  Mankind  have  driven  the  lion,  die 
tiger,  and  the  wolf,  from  their  vicinity  ;  but 
the  snake  and  the  viper  still  defy  their  power, 
and  frequently  punish  their  insolence. 

Their  numbers,  however,  are  thinned  by 
human  assiduity  ;  and  it  is  possible  some  of 
the  kinds  are  wholly  destroyed.  In  none  of 
the  countries  of  Europe  are  they  sufficiently 
numerous  to  be  trulv  terrible  ;  the  philosopher 
can  meditate  in  the  fields  without  danger,  and 
the  lover  seek  the  grove  without  fearing  any 
wounds  but  those  of  metaphor.  The  various 
malignity  that  has  been  ascribed  to  European 
serpents  of  old,  is  now  utterly  unknown ; 
th  're  are  not  above  three  or  four  kinds  that 
are  dangerous,  and  their  poison  operates  in  all 
in  the  same  manner.  A  burning  pain  in  the 
part,  easily  removable  by  timely  applications, 

NO.  61  &  62. 


is  the  worst  effect  that  we  experience  from  the 
bite  of  the  most  venomous  serpents  of  Europe. 
The  drowsy  death,  the  starting  of  the  blood 
from  every  pore,  the  insatiable  and  burning 
thirst,  the  melting  down  the  solid  mass  of  the 
whole  form  into  one  heap  of  putrefaction,  these 
are  horrors  with  which  we  are  entirely  unac- 
quainted. 

But  though  we  have  thus  reduced  these  dan- 
gers, having  been  incapable  of  wholly  re- 
moving them,  in  other  parts  of  the  world  they 
still  rage  with  all  their  ancient  malignity. 
Nature  seems  to  have  placed  them  ascentinels 
to  deter  mankind  from  spreading  too  widely, 
and  from  seeking  new  abodes  till  they  have 
thoroughly  cultivated  those  at  home.  In  the 
warm  countries  that  lie  within  the  tropic,  as 
well  as  in  the  cold  regions  of  the  north,  where 
the  inhabitants  are'few,  the  serpents  propagate 
in  equal  proportion.  But  of  all  countries, 
those  regions  have  them  in  the  greatest  abun- 
dance where  the  fields  are  unpeopled  and  fer- 
tile, and  where  the  climate  supplies  warmth 
and  humidity.  All  along  the  swarnpy  banks 
of  the  river  Niger  or  Oroonoko,  where  the  sun 
is  hot,  the  forests  thick,  and  the  men  but  few, 
the  serpents  cling  among  the  branches  of  the 
trees  in  infinite  numbers,  and  carry  on  an  un- 
ceasing war  against  all  other  animals  in  their 
vicinity.  Travellers  have  assured  us,  that 
they  have  often  seen  large  snakes  twining 
round  the  trunk  of  a  tall  tree,  encompassing  it 
like  a  wreath,  and  thus  rising  and  descending 
at  pleasure.  In  these  countries,  therefore,  the 
serpent  is  too  formidable  to  become  an  object 
of  curiosity,  for  it  excites  much  more  violent 
sensations. 

We  are  not,  therefore,  to  reject  as  wholly 

51 


•724 


A  HISTORY  OF 


fabulous,  the  accounts  left  us  by  the  ancients 
of  tiie  terrible  devastations  committed  by  a 
single  serpent.     It  is  probable,  in  early  times, 
when  tin-  arts  were  little  known,  and  mankind 
were  but  thinly  scattered  over  the  earth,  that 
serpents,  continuing  undisturbed  possessors  of 
the   forest,  grew   to  an  amazing   magnitude ; 
and  every  other   tribe  of  animals  fell   before 
them.     It  then  might    have    happened,   that 
serpents  reigned   the  tyrants  of  a  district  for 
centuries  together.     To  animals  of  this  kind, 
.grown  by  ti  ne  and  rapacity  to  a  hundred  or 
a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  length,  the  lion,  the 
tiger,  an  I   even  the  elephant  itself,  were  but 
feeble    opponents.      The    dreadful    monster 
spread  desolation  round  him  ;  every  creature 
that  had  life  was  devoured,  or  fled  to  a  dis- 
tance.    That  horrible  fcetor,  which  even  the 
commonest  and  the  most  harmless  snakes  are 
still  found   to  diffuse,  might,  in  these  larger 
ones,  become  too  powerful  for  any  living  be- 
ing to  withstand  ;  and  while  they  preyed  with- 
out  distinction,  they    might   thus   also    have 
poisoned    the  atmosphere  around   them.     In 
this  manner,  having  for  ages  lived  in  the  hid- 
den and  unpeopled  forest,  and  finding,  as  their 
appetites  were  more  powerful,  the  quantity  of 
their  prey  decreasing,  it  is  possible  they  might 
venture  boldly   from    their  retreats,  into  the 
more  cultivated  parts  of  the  country,  and  carry 
consternation  among  mankind,  as  they  had 
before  desolation  among  the  lower  ranks  of 
nature.     We  have  many  histories  of  antiquity, 
prev  nting  us  such  a  picture  ;  and   exhibiting 
a  whole  nation  sinking  under  the  ravages  of  a 
single   serpent.     At  that  time  man  had  not 
learned  the  art  of  uniting  the  efforts  of  many, 
to  effect  one  great  purpose.     Opposing  multi- 
tudes only  added  new  victims  to  the  general 
calamity, and  increased  mutual  embarrassment 
and  terror.     The  animal  was  therefore  to   be 
singly  opposed  by  him  who  had  the  greatest 
strength,  the  best  armour,  .and  the  most  un- 
daunted courage.     In  such  an  encounter  hun- 
dreds must  have  fallen  ;  till  one,  more  lucky 
than  the  rest,  by   a   fortunate   blow,   or    by 
taking  ;he  monster  in  its  torpid  interval,  and 
surcharged  with  spoil,  might  kill,  and  thus  rid 
hi1*  country  of  the  destroyer.     Such  was  the 
original  occupation  of  heroes :  and  those  who 
first  obtained  that  name,  from  their  destroying 
the  ravagers  of  the  earth,  gained  it  much  more 
deservedly   than   their    successors,    who  ac- 


quired  their  reputation   only  for    their  skill 
in   destroying  each   other.      But   as  \\e  de- 
scend into  more  enlightened  antiquity,  we  find 
these  animals  less  formidable,  as  being  attack- 
ed in  a  more  successful  manner.     We  are  told> 
that  while  Regulus  led  his  army  along  the 
banks  of  the  river   Bagrada,  in    Africa,   an 
enormous  serpent  disputed  his  passage  over. 
We  are  assured  by  Pliny,  who  says  that  he 
himself  saw  the  skin,  that  it  was  a  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  long,  and  that  it  had  destroy- 
ed many  of  the  army.     At  last,  however,  the 
battering  engines  were  brought  out  against  it; 
and  these  assailing  it  at  a  distance,  it  was  soon 
destroyed.     Its  spoils  were  carried  to  Rome, 
and  the  general  was  decreed  an  ovation  for 
his  success.     There  are,   perhaps,    few  facts 
better  ascertained  in  history    than    this :    an 
ovation  was  a  remarkable  honour;  and  was 
given  only  for  some  signal  exploit,  that  did 
not  deserve  a  triumph  :    no  historian  would 
offer  to  invent  that  part  of  the  story  at  least, 
without  being  subject  to  the  most  shameful 
detection.      The   skin    was  kept   for  several 
years  after  in  the  Capitol ;  and  Pliny  says,  he 
saw  it  there  :  now,  though   Pliny  was  a  cre- 
dulous writer,  he  was  by  no  means  a  false 
one  ;  and  whatever  he  says  he  has  seen,  we 
may  very  safely  rely  on.     At  present,  indeed, 
such  ravages  from  serpents  are  scarcely  seen 
in   any   part  of  the   world  ;  not  but   that  in 
Africa  and  America,  some  of  them  are  power- 
ful enough  to  brave  the  assaults  of  men  to  this 
day. 

But  happily  for  us,  we  are  placed  at  such  a 
distance  as  to  take  a  view  of  this  tribe,  with- 
out fearing  for  our  safety  ;  we  can  survey  their 
impotent  malignity  with  the  same  delight 
with  which  the  poet  describes  the  terrors  of  a, 
dead  monster, 

Nequeant  expleri  corda  tuendo 
Terribiles  oculos  villosaque  setis  pectore. 

To  us  their  slender  form,  their  undulating 
motion,  their  vivid  colouring,  their  horrid 
stench,  their  forky  tongue,  and  their  envenom- 
ed fangs,  are  totally  harmless ;  and  in  this 
country  their  uses  even  serve  to  counter- 
balance the  mischief  they  sometimes  occa- 
sion. 

If  we  t;;ke  a  survey  of  serpents  in  general, 
they  have  marks  by  which  they  are  distia- 


THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


72.") 


guished  from  all  the  rest  of  animated  nature. 
They  have  the  length  and  the  suppleness  of 
the  eel,  but  want  fins  to  swim  with  :  they  have 
the  scaly  covering  and  pointed  tail  of  the  li- 
zard, but  they  want  legs  to  walk  with:  they 
have  the  crawling  motion  el  the  worm,  but, 
unlike  that  animal,  they  have  lungs  to  breath 
with:  like  all  the  reptile  kind,  they  are  re- 
sentful when  offended  ;  and  nature  has  sup- 
plied them  with  terrible  arms  to  revenge  every 
injury. 

Though  (hey  arc  possessed  of  very  different 
degrees  of  malignity,  yet  they  are:.!!  formida- 
ble to  man,  and  have  a  strong  similitude  of 
form  to  each  other;  and  it  will  be  proper  to 
mark  the  general  characters  before  we  de- 
scend to  particulars.  With  respect  to  their 
conformation,  all  serpents  have  a  very  wide 
mouth,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  head; 
and,  what  is  very  extraordinary,  they  can  gape 
and  swallow  the  head  of  another  animal  which 
is  three  times  as  big  as  their  own.  I  have 
seen  a  load  taken  out  of  the  belly  of  a  snake, 
at  Lord  Spencer's,  near  London,  the  body  of 
which  was  thrice  the  diameter  of  the  animal 
that  swallowed  it.  However,  it  is  no  way 
surprising  that  the  skin  of  the  snake  should 
stretch  to  receive  so  large  a  morsel ;  the  won- 
der seems  how  the  jaws  could  take  it  in.  To 
explain  this,  it  must  be  observed  that  the  jaws 
of  this  animal  do  not  open  as  ours,  in  the  man- 
ner of  a  pair  of  hinges,  where  bones  are  ap- 
plied to  bones,  and  play  upon  one  another; 
on  the  contrary,  the  serpent's  jaws  are  held 
together  at  the  roots  by  a  stretching  muscular 
skin;  by  which  means  they  open  as  widely 
as  the  animal  chooses  to  stretch  them,  and 
admit  of  a  prey  much  thicker  than  the  snake's 
own  body.  The  throat,  like  stretching  lea- 
ther, dilates  to  admit  the  morsel ;  the  stomach 
receives  it  in  part;  and  the  rt-st  remains  in 
the  gullet,  till  putrefaction  and  the  juices  of 
the  serpent's  body  unite  to  dissolve  it. 

As  to  the  teeth,  I  will  talk  more  of  them 
when  I  come  to  treat  of  the  viper's  poison; 
it  will  be  sufficient  here  to  observe,  that  some 
serpents  havefangs,  or  canine  teeth,  and  others 
are  without  them.  The  teeth  in  all  are  crook- 
ed and  hollow  ;  and,  by  a  peculiarcontrivance, 
are  capable  of  being  erected  or  depressed  at 
pleasure. 

The  eyes  of  all  serpents  are  small,  if  com* 


pared  to  the  length  of  the  body;  and  though 
differently  coloured  in  different  kinds,  yet 
the  appearance  of  all  is  malign  and  heavy; 
and  from  their  known  qualities,  they  strike 
the  imagination  with  the  idea  of  a  creature 
meditating  mischief.  In  some,  the  upper  eye- 
lid is  wanting,  and  theserpenl  winks  only  with 
that  below;  in  others,  the  animal  has  a  nic- 
titating membrane  or  skin,  resembling  that 
which  is  found  in  birds,  which  keeps  the  eye 
clean, and  preserves  the  sight.  The  substance 
of  the  eye  in  all  ia  hard  and  horny;  .the  crys- 
talline humour  occupying  a  great  part  of  the 
globe. 

The  holes  for  hearing  are  very  visible  in  all : 
but  there  are  no  conduits  for  smelling;  though 
it  is  probable  that  some  of  them  enjoy  that 
sense  in  tolerable  perfection. 

Tire  tongue  in  all  these  animals  is  long  and 
forky.  It  is  composed  of  two  long  fleshy  sub- 
stances, which  terminate  in  sharp  points,  and 
are  very  pliable.  At  the  root  it  is  connected 
very  strongly  to  the  neck  by  two  tendons, 
that  give  it  a  variety  of  play.  Some  of  the 
viper  kind  have  tongues  a  fifth  part  of  the 
length  of  their  bodies;  they  are  continually 
darting  them  out,  but  they  are  entirely  harm- 
less, and  only  terrify  those  who  are  ignorant 
of  the  real  situation  of  their  poison. 

If  from  the  jaws  we  go  on  to  the  gullet,  we 
shall  find  it  very  wide  for  the  animal's  size, 
and  capable  of  being  distended  to  a  great  de- 
gree; at  the  bottom  of  this  lies  the  stomach, 
which  is  not  so  capacious,  and  receives  oidy 
a  part  of  the  prey,  while  the  rest  continues 
in  the  gullet  for  digestion.  When  the  sub- 
stance in  the  stomach  is  dissolved  into  chyle, 
it  passes  into  the  intestines,  and  from  thence 
goes  to  nourishment,  or  to  be  excluded  by 
the  vent. 

Like  most  other  animals,  serpents  are  fur- 
nished with  lungs,  which  I  suppose  are  ser- 
viceable in  breathing,  though  we  cannot  per- 
ceive the  manner  in  which  this  operation  is 
performed  ;  for  though  serpents  are  often  seen 
apparently  to  draw  in  their  breath,  yet  we 
cannot  find  the  smallest  signs  of  their  ever 
respiring  it  again.  Their  lungs,  however,  are 
long  and  large,  and  doubtless  are  necessary 
to  promote  their  languid  circulation.  The 
heart  is  formed  as  in  the  tortoise,  the  frog,  and 
the  lizard  kinds,  so  as  to  work  without  the 
51* 


726 


A  HISTORY  OF 


assistance  of  the  lungs.  It  is  single,  the  great- 
est part  oi'  the  blood  flowing  from  the  great 
rein  to  the  great  artery  by  the  shortest  course. 
By  this  contrivance  ot"  nature  we  easily  ga- 
ther two  consequences  —  that  snakes  are  am- 
phibious, being  equally  capable  of  living  on 
land  and  in  the  water;  and,  that  also  they 
are  torpid  in  winter,  like  the  bat,  the  lizard, 
and  other  animals  formed  in  the  same  man- 
ner. 

The  vent  in  these  animals  serves  for  the 
emission  of  the  urine  and  the  fasces,  and  for 
the  purposes  of  generation.  The  instrument 
of  generation  in  the  male  is  double,  being 
forked  like  the  tongue;  the  ovaries  in  the 
female  are  double  also  ;  arid  the  aperture  is 
very  large,  in  order  to  receive  the  double  in- 
strument of  the  male.  They  copulate  in  their 
retreats;  and  it  is  said  by  the  ancients,  that 
in  this  situation  they  appear  like  one  serpent 
with  two  heads  :  but  how  far  this  remark  is 
founded  in  truth,  I  do  not  find  any  of  the  mo- 
derns that  can  resolve  me. 

As  the  body  of  this  animal  is  long,  slender, 
and  capable  of  bending  in  every  direction,  the 
number  of  joints  in  the  back-bone  are  nu- 
merous beyond  what  one  would  imagine.  In 
the  generality  of  quadrupeds,  they  amount  to 
not  above  thirty  or  forty  ;  in  the  serpent  kind 
they  amount  to  a  hundred  and  forty-  five  from 
the  head  to  the  vent,  and  twenty-five  more 
from  that  to  the  tail."  The  number  of  these 
joints  must  give  the  back-bone  a  surprising 
degree  of  pliancy  ;  but  this  is  still  increased 
by  the  manner  in  which  each  of  these  joints 
are  locked  into  the  other.  In  man  and  quad- 
rupeds, the  flat  surfaces  of  the  bones  arc  laid 
one  against  the  other,  and  bound  tight  by 
sinews  ;  but  in  serpents,  the  bones  play  one 
within  the  other,  like  ball  and  socket,  so  that 
they  have  full  motion  upon  each  other  in  every 
direction.1"  Thus,  if  a  man  were  to  form  a 
machine  composed  of  so  many  joints  as  are 
found  in  the  back  of  a  serpent,  he  would  find 
it  no  easy  matter  to  give  it  such  strength  and 
pliancy  at  the  same  time.  The  chain  of  a 
watch  is  but  a  bungling  piece  of  workmanship 
in  comparison. 

Though  the  numbnr  of  joints  in  the  back- 
bone is  great,  yet  that  of  the  ribs  is  still  great- 


Charat.  Anatona,        b  Derham,  p.  39fc>. 


er;  for,  from  the  head  to  the  vent,  there  are 
two  ribs  to  every  joint,  which  makes  their 
number  two  hundred  and  ninety  in  all.  These 
ribs  are  furnished  with  muscles,  four  in  num- 
ber; which  being  inserted  into  the  head,  run 
along  to  the  end  of  the  tail,  and  give  the  ani- 
mal great  strength  and  agility  in  all  its  motions. 

The  skin  also  contributes  to  its  motions, 
being  composed  of  a  number  of  scales,  united 
to  each  other  by  a  transparent  membrane, 
which  grows  harder  as  it  grows  older,  until 
the  animal  changes,  which  is  generally  done 
twice  a  year.  This  cover  then  bursts  near 
the  head,  and  the  serpent  creeps  from  it,  by 
an  undulatory  motion,  in  a  new  skin,  much 
more  vivid  than  the  former.  If  the  old  slough 
be  then  viewed,  every  scale  will  be  distinctly 
seen,  like  a  piece  of  net-work,  and  will  be 
found  greatest  where  the  part  of  the  body 
they  covered  was  largest. 

There  is  much  geometrical  neatness  in  the 
disposal  of  the  serpent's  scales,  for  assisting 
the  animal's  sinuous  motion.  As  the  edges 
of  the  foremost  scales  lie  over  the  ends  of  their 
following  scales,  so  those  edges,  when  the 
scales  are  erected,  which  the  animal  has  a 
power  of  doing  in  a  small  degree,  catch  in 
the  ground,  like  the  nails  in  the  wheel  of  a 
chariot,  and1  so  promote  and  facilitate  the  ani- 
mal's progressive  motion.  The  erecting  these 
scales  is  by  means  of  a  multitude  of  distinct 
muscles,  with  which  each  ia  supplied,  and 
one  end  of  which  is  tacked  each  to  the  mid- 
dle of  the  foregoing. 

In  some  of  the  serpent  kind  there  is  the  ex- 
actest  symmetry  in  these  scales;  in  others 
they  are  disposed  more  irregularly.  In  some 
there  are  larger  scales  on  the  belly,  and  of- 
ten answering  to  the  number  of  ribs;  in  others, 
however,  the  animal  is  without  them.  Upon 
this  slight  difference,  Linnreus  has  founded 
his  distinctions  of  the  various  classes  of  the 
serpent  tribe.  Human  curiosity,  however, 
and  even  human  interest,  seem  to  plead  for 
a  very  different  method  of  distribution.  Il  is 
not  the  number  of  scales  on  a  formidable  ani- 
mal's belly,  nor  their  magnitude  or  variety, 
that  any  way  excite  our  concern.  The  first 
question  that  every  man  will  naturally  ask, 
when  he  hears  of  a  snake,  is,  whether  it  be 
large?  the  second,  whether  it  be  venomous? 
In  other  words,  the  strongest  lines  in  the  ani- 


THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


727 


mal's  history  are  those  that  first  excite  our  at- 
tention ;  find  these  it  is  every  historian's  busi- 
ness to  display. 

When  we  come  to  compare  serpents  with  each 
other,  the  first  groat  distinction  appears  in 
their  size;  no  other  tribe  of  animals  differing 
so  widely  in  this  particular.  What,  for  in- 
stance, can  be  so  remotely  separated  as  the 
Great  Liboya  of  Surinam,  that  grows  to  thirty- 
six  feet  long ;  and  the  Little  Serpent,  at  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  the  north  of  the 
river  Senegal,  that  is  not  above  three  inches, 
and  covers  whole  sandy  deserts  with  its  multi- 
tudes !  This  tribe  of  animals,  like  that  of 
fishes,  seems  to  have  no  bounds  put  to  their 
growth  :  their  bones  are  in  a  great  measure 
cartilaginous,  and  they  are  consequently  capa- 
ble of  great  extension  :  the  older,  therefore,  a 
serpent  becomes,  the  larger  it  grows  ;  and  as 
they  seem  to  live  to' a  great  age,  they  arrive  at 
an  enormous  size. 

Leguat  assures  us,  that  he  saw  one  in  Java, 
that  was  fifty  feet  long.  Carli  mentions  their 
growing  to  above  forty  feet ;  and  we  have  now 
the  skin  of  one  in  the  Museum,  that  measures 
thirty-two.  Mr.  Wentworth,  who  had  large 
concerns  in  the  Berbices  in  America,  assures 
me,  that,  in  that  country,  they  grow  to  an 
enormous  length.  He  one  day  sent  out  a 
soldier,  with  an  Indian,  to  kill  wild  fowl  for 
the  table ;  and  they  accordingly  went  some 
miles  from  the  fort :  in  pursuing  their  game, 
the  Indian,  who  generally  marched  before, 
beginning  to  tire,  went  to  rest  himself  upon 
the  fallen  trunk  of  a  tree,  as  he  supposed  it  to 
be ;  but  when  he  was  just  going  to  sit  down, 
the  enormous  monster  began  to  move,  and  the 
poor  savage  perceiving  that  he  had  approach- 
ed a  Liboya,  the  greatest  of  all  the  serpent 
kind,  dropped  down  in  an  agony.  The 
soldier  who  perceived  at  some  distance  what 
had  happened,  levelled  at  the  serpent's  head, 
and,  by  a  lucky  aim,  shot  it  dead  :  however, 
he  continued  his  fire  until  he  was  assured  that 
the  animal  was  killed  ;  and  tlwm  going  up  to 
rescue  his  companion,  who  was  fallen  motion- 
less by  its  sii'e,  he,  to  his  astonishment,  found 
him  dead  likewise,  being  killed  by  the  fright. 
Upon  his  return  to  the  fort,  an  i  telling  what  had 
happened,  Mr.  Wentworth  ordered  the  animal 
to  be  brought  up,  when  it  was  measured,  and 
found  to  be  shirty-six  feet  long.  He  had  the 
skin  stuffed,  and  thea  sent  to  Europe,  as  a 


present  to  the  Prince  of  Orange,  in  whose 
cabinet  it  is  now  to  be  seen  at  the  Hague  ; 
but  the  skin  has  shrunk,  by  drying,  two  or 
three  feet. 

In  the  East  Indies  they  grow  also  to  an 
enormous  size ;  particularly  in  the  island  of 
Java,  where,  we  are  assured,  that  one  of  them 
will  destroy  and  devour  a  buffalo.  In  a  letter, 
printed  in  the  German  Ephemcrides,  we  have 
an  account  of  a  combat  between  an  enormous 
serpent  and  a  buffalo,  by  a  person,  who  assures 
us  that  he  was  himself  a  spectator.  The  ser 
pent  had  for  some  time  been  waiting  near  the 
brink  of  a  pool,  in  expectation  of  its  prey  : 
when  a  buffalo  was  the  first  that  offered 
Having  darted  upon  the  affrighted  animal,  it 
instantly  began  to  wrap  it  round  with  its 
voluminous  twistings  ;  and  at  every  twist  the 
bones  of  the  buffalo  were  heard  to  crack 
almost  as  loud  as  the  report  of  a  cannon.  It 
was  in  vain  that  the  poor  animal  struggled  and 
bellowed  ;  its  enormous  enemy  entwined  it  too 
closely  to  get  free ;  till  at  length,  all  its  bones 
being  mashed  to  pieces,  like  those  of  a  male- 
factor on  the  wheel,  and  the  whole  body  re- 
duced to  one  uniform  mass,  the  serpent  un- 
twined its  folds  to  swallow  its  prey  at  leisure. 
To  prepare  for  this,  and  in  order  to  make  the 
body  slip  down  the  throat  more  glibly,  it  was 
seen  to  lick  the  whole  body  over,  and  thus 
cover  it  with  its  mucus.  It  then  began  to 
swallow  it  at  that  end  that  offered  least  resist- 
ance; while  its  length  of  body  was  dilated  to 
receive  its  prey,  and  thus  took  in  «t  once  a 
morsel  that:  was  three  times  its  own  thickness. 
We  are  assured  by  travellers,  that  these  ani- 
mals are  often  found  with  the  body  of  a  stag 
in  their  gullet,  while  the  horns,  which  they  arc 
unable  to  swallow,  keep  sticking  out  at  their 
mouths. 

But  it  is  happy  for  mankind  that  the 
rapacity  of  these  frightful  creatures  is  often 
their  punishment  ;  for  whenever  any  of  the 
serpent  kind  have  gorged  themselves  in  this 
manner,  whenever  their  body  is  seen  particu- 
larly diste.nded  with  food,  they  then  become 
torpid,  and  may  lie  approached  and  destroyed 
with  safety.  Patient  of  hunger  to  a  surprising 
degree,  whenever  they  seize  and  swallow  their 
prey,  they  seem,  like  surfeited  gluttons,  un- 
wieldy stupid,  helpless,  and  sleepy  :  they  at 
that  time  seek  some  retreat,  where  they  may 
lurk,  for  several  days  together,  and  digest  their 


728 


A  HISTORY  OF 


meal  in  safety :  the  smallest  effort  at  that  time 
is  capable  of  destroying  them;  they  can 
scarcely  make  any  resistance;  and  they  are 
equally  unqualified  for  flight  or  opposition : 
that  is  the  happy  opportunity  of  attacking 
thorn  with  success:  at  that  time  the  naked 
Indian  himself  does  not  fear  to  assail  them. 
But  it  is  otherwise  when  this  sleepy  interval 
of  digestion  is  over;  they  then  issue,  with 
famished  appetite?,  from  their  retreats,  and 
with  accumulated  terrors,  while  every  ani- 
mal of  the  forest  flies  before  them. 

Carli  describes  the  Long  Serpent  of  Congo, 
making  its  track  through  the  tall  grass,  like 
mowers  in  a  Bummer's  day.  He  could  not 
without  terror  behold  whole  lines  of  grass  ly- 
ing levelled  under  the  sweep  of  its  tail.  In 
this  manner  it  moved  forward  with  great -ra- 
pidity, until  it  found  a  proper  situation  fre- 
quented by  its  prey:  there  it  continued  to 
lurk,  in  patient  expectation,  and  would  have 
remained  for  weeks  together,  had  it  not  been 
disturbed  by  the  natives. 

Other  creatures  have  a  choice  in  their  pro- 
vision; but  the  serpent  indiscriminately  preys 
upon  all;  the  buffalo,  the  tiger,  and  the  ga- 
zelle. One  would  think  that  the  porcupine's 
quills  might  be  sufficient  to  protect  it;  hut 
whatever  has  life,  serves  to  appease  the  hun- 
ger of  these  devouring  creatures :  porcupines, 
with  all  their  quills,  have  frequently  been 
found  in  their  stomachs,  when  killed  and  open- 
ed ;  nay,  they  most  frequently  are  seen  to 
devour  each  other. 

A  li-fe  of  savage  hostility  in  the  forest,  offers 
the  imagination  one  of  the  most  tremendous 
pictures  in  nature.  In  those  burning  coun- 
tries, where  the  sun  dries  up  every  brook  for 
hundreds  of  miles  round  ;  when  what  had  the 
appearance  of  a  great  river  in  the  rainy  sea- 
son, becomes,  in  summer,  one  dreary  bed  of 
sand — in  those  countries,  I  say,  a  lake  that 
is  never  dry,  or  a  brook  that  is  perennial,  is 
considered  by  every  animal  as  the  greatest 
convenience  of  nature.  As  to  food,  the  luxu- 
riant landscape  supplies  that  in  sufficient 
abundance:  it  is  the  want  of  water  that  all 
animals  endeavour  to  remove ;  and  inwardly 
parched  by  the  heat  of  the  climate,  traverse 
whole  deserts  to  find  out  a  spring.  When 
they  have  discovered  this,  no  dangers  can 
deter  them  from  attempting  to  slake  their 


thirst.  Thus,  the  neighbourhood  of  a  rivulet, 
in  the  heart  of  the  tropical  continents,  is  ge- 
nerally the  place  where  all  the  hostile  tribes 
of  nature  draw  np  for  the  engagement.  On 
the  banks  of  this  little  envied  spot,  thousands 
of  animals  of  various  kinds  are  seen  venturing 
to  quench  their  thirst,  or  preparing  to  seize 
their  prey.  The  elephants  are  perceived,  in 
a  long  line,  marching  from  the  darker  parts 
of  the  forest ;  the  buffaloes  arc  there,  depend- 
ing upon  numbers  for  security;  the  gazelles, 
relying  solely  upon  their  swiftness;  the  lion 
and  tiger,  waiting  a  proper  opportunity  to 
seize;  but  chiefly  the  larger  serpents  nrc 
upon  guard  there,  and  defend  the  accesses 
of  the  Like.  Not  an  hour  passes  without 
some  dreadful  combat;  but  the  serpent,  de- 
fended by  its  scales,  and  naturally  capable 
of  sustaining  a  multitude  of  wounds,  is,  of  all 
others,  the  most  formidable.  It  is  the  most 
wakeful  also;  for  the  whole  tribe  sleep  with 
their  eyes  open,  and  are,  consequently,  for 
ever  upon  the  watch:  so  that,  till  their  ra- 
pacity is  satisfied,  few  other  animals  will  ven- 
ture to  approach  their  station. 

But  though  these  animals  are,  of  all  others, 
the  most  voracious,  and  though  the  morsel 
which  they  swallow  without  chewing,  is  great- 
er than  what  any  other  creature,  either  by 
land  or  water,  the  whale  itself  not  excepted, 
can  devour,  yet  no  animals  upon  earth  bear 
abstinence  so  long  as  they.  A  single  meal, 
with  many  of  the  snake  kind,  seems  to  be  the 
adventure  of  a  season;  it  is  an  occurrence 
for  which  they  have  been  for  weeks,  nay, 
sometimes  for  months,  in  patient  expectation 
of.  When  they  have  seized  their  prey,  their 
industry  for  several  weeks  is  entirely  discon- 
tinued :  the  fortunate  capture  of  an  hour,  often 
satisfies  them  for  the  remaining  period  of  their 
annual  activity.  As  their  blood  is  colder 
than  that  of  most  other  terrestrial  animals, 
and  as  it  circulates  but  slowly  through  their 
bodies,  so  their  powers  of  digestion  are  but 
feeble.  Their  prey  continues,  for  a  long  time, 
partly  in  the  stomach,  partly  in  the  gullet, 
and  a  part  is  often  seen  hanging  out  of  the 
mouth.  In  this  manner,  it  digests  by  degrees ; 
and  in  proportion  as  the  .part  below  is  dis- 
solved, the  part  above  is  taken  in.  It  is  not, 
therefore,  till  this  tedious  operation  is  entire- 
ly performed,  that  the  serpent  renews  its  ap- 


THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


729 


petite  and  its  activity.  But  should  any  ac- 
cident prevent  it  from  issuing  once  more  from 
its  cell,  it  still  can  continue  to  bear  famine 
for  weeks,  months,  nay,  for  years  together. 
Vipers  are  often  kept  in  boxes  for  six  or  eight 
months,  without  any  food  whatever;  and  there 
are  little  serpents  sometimes  sent  over  to 
Europe  from  Grand  Cairo,  the  name  of  which 
I  have  not  been  able  to  learn,  that  live  for 
several  years  in  glasses,  and  never  eat  at  all, 
nor  even  stain  the  glass  with  their  excrements. 
Thus  the  serpent  tribe  unite  in  themselves 
two  very  opposite  qualities;  wonderful  ab- 
stinence, and  yet  incredible  rapacity. 

If,  leaving  the  consideration  of  their  appe- 
tites, we  corne  to  compare  serpents  as  to  their 
voices,  some  are  found  silent,  some  have  a 
peculiar  cry;  but  hissing  is  the  sound  which 
they  most  commonly  send  forth,  either  as  a 
call  to  their  kind,  or  as  a  threat  to  their  ene- 
mies. In  the  countries  where  they  abound  ; 
they  are  generally  silent  in  the  middle  of  the 
day,  when  they  are  obliged  to  retire  from  the 
heat  of  the  climate ;  but  as  the  cool  of  the 
evening  approaches,  they  are  then  heard  is- 
suing from  their  cells,  with  continued  hissings; 
and  such  is  the  variety  of  their  notes,  that 
some  have  assured  me  they  very  much  re- 
semble the  music  of  an  English  grove.  This 
some  will  hardly  credk — at  any  rate,  such 
notes,  how  over  pleasing,  can  give  but  very 
little  delight,  when  we  call  to  mind  the  ma- 
lignity of  the  minstrel.  If  considered,  indeed, 
as  they  answer  the  animal's  own  occasions, 
they  will  be  found  well  adapted  to  its  nature, 
and  fully  answering  the  purposes  of  terrifying 
such  as  would  venture  to  offend  it. 

With  respect  to  motion,  some  serpents,  par- 
ticularly those  of  the  viper  kind,  move  slowly ; 
while  others,  such  as  the  Ammodytes,  dart 
with  amazing  swiftness.  The  motion  in  all 
is  similar;  but  the  strength  of  body  in  some 
gives  a  yery  different  appearance.  The  viper, 
that  is  but  a  slow  feeble-bodied: animal,  makes 
way  in  a  heavy  undulating  manner;  ad- 
vancing its  head,  then  drawing  up  its  tail  be- 
hind, and  beading  the  body  into  a  bow;  then 
from  the  spot  where  the  head  and  tail  were 
united,  advancing  the  head  forward  as  before. 
This,  which  is  the  motion  of  all  serpents,  is 
very  different  from  that  of  the  earth-worm 
or  the  naked  snail.  The  serpent,  as  was  said 


above,  has  a  back-bone  with  numerous  joints, 
and  this  bone  the  animal  has  a  pow  er  of  bend- 
ing in  every  direction,  but  without  being  able 
to  shorten  or  lengthen  it  at  pleasure.  The 
earth-worm,  on  the  other  hand,  has  no  back- 
bone ;  but  its  body  is  composed  of  rings,  v»  Inch, 
like  a  barber's  puff,  it  can  lengthen  or  shorten 
as  it  finds  necessary.  The  earth-worm,  there- 
fore, in  order  to  move  forward,  lengthens  the 
body ;  then,  by  the  fore  part  clings  to  the 
ground,  where  it  has  reached,  and  then  con- 
tracts and  brings  up  its  rear:  then  when  the 
body  is  thus  shortened,  the  fore  part  is  length- 
ened again  for  another  progression;  and  so 
on.  The  serpent,  instead  of  shortening  the 
body,  bends  it  into  an  arch;  and  this  is  the 
principal  difference  between  serpentine  and 
vermicular  progression. 

I  have  instanced  this  motion  in  the  viper, 
as  most  easily  discerned  ;  but  there  are  many 
serpents  that  dart  with  such  amazing  swiftness, 
that  they  appear  rather  to  leap  than  crawl. 
It  is  most  probable,  however,  that  no  serpent 
can  dart  upon  even  ground   farther  than  its 
own  length  at  one  effort.     Our  fears,  indeed, 
may  increase  the  force  of  their  speed,  which 
is  sometimes  found  so  fatal.     We  are  told  by 
some,  that  they  will  dart  to  a  very  great  dis- 
tance; but  this  my  inquiries  have  never  been 
able  to  ascertain.    The  manner  of  progression 
in  the  swiftest  serpent  we  know,  which  is  the 
jaculus,  is  by  instantly  coiling  itself  upoirits 
tail,  and  darting  from  thence  to  its  full  extent; 
then  carrying  the  tail  as  quick  as  lightning  to 
the  head,  coiling  and  darting  again  ;  and   by 
this  means  proceeding  with  extreme  rapidity, 
without  ever  quilting  the  ground.     Indeed, 
if  we  consider  the  length  and  the  weakness 
of  the  back-bone  in  all  these  animals;  if  we 
regard  the  make  of  their  vertebra,  in  which 
we  shall  find  the  junctures  all  formed  to  give 
play,  and  none  to  give  power;  we  cannot  be  of 
opinion  that  they  have  a  faculty  of  springing 
from  the  ground,  as  they  entirely  want  a  ful- 
crum, if  I  may  so  express  it,  from  whence  to 
take  their  spring ;  the  whole  body  being  com- 
posed of  unsupported  muscles  and  joints  that 
are  yielding.     It  must  be  confessed,  that  they 
dart  down  from  trees  upon   their  prey;  but 
their  weight  alone  is  sufficient  for  that  pur- 
pose, without  much  effort  of  their  own* 
Though  all  serpents  are  amphibious,  some 


730 


A  HISTORY  OP 


arc  much  fonder  of  the  water  than  others ; 
and,  though  destitute  of  fins  or  gills,  remain  at 
the  bottom,  or  swim  along  the  surface  with 
great   case.     From    their    internal    structure, 
just  sketched  above,  we  see  how  well  adapted 
they  are  for  either  element ;  and  how  capable 
their  blood  is  of  circulating  at  the  bottom,  as 
freely  as  in  the  frog  or  the  tortoise.     They 
can,  however,  endure  to  live  in  fresh  water 
only  :  for  salt  is  an  effectual  bane  to  the  whole 
tribe.     The  greatest  serpents  are  most  usually 
found    in   fresh-water,   either  choosing  it  as 
their  favourite  element,  or  finding  their  prey 
in    such   places    in    the   greatest   abundance. 
But  that  all  will  live  and  swim  in  liquids,  ap- 
pears from  the  experiment  of  Rhedi ;  who  put 
a  serpent  into  a  large  glass  vessel  of  wine, 
where   it   lived  swimming  about  six  hours ; 
though,  when  it  was  by  force  immersed  and 
kept  under  that  liquid,  it  lived  only  one  hour 
and   a   half.     He   put   another    in   common 
water,  where  it  lived  three  days  ;  but  when  it 
was  kept  under  water,  it  lived  only   about 
twelve  hours."     Their  motion  there,  however, 
is  perfectly  the  reverse  of  what  it  is  upon  land  ; 
for,  in  order  to  support  themselves  upon  an 
clement   lighter  than  their   bodies,  they  are 
obliged  to  increase  their  surface  in  a   very 
artificial  manner.     On  earth  their  windings 
are   perpendicular  to  the  surface ;   in   water 
they  are  parallel  to  it :  in  other  words,  if  I 
should  wave  my  hand  up  and  down,  it  will 
give  an  idea  of  the  animal's  progress  on  land; 
if  I  should  wave  it  to  the  right  and  left,  it 
will   give  some  idea  of  its  progress  on  the 
water. 

Some  serpents  have  a  most  horrible  faetor 
attending  them,  which  is  alone  capable  of 
intimidating  the  brave.  This  proceeds  from 
two  glands  near  the  vent,  like  those  in  the 
wea«el  or  polecat ;  and,  like  those  animals,  in 
proportion  as  they  are  excited  by  rage  or  by 
fear,  the  scent  grows  stronger.  It  would  seem,  t 
however,  that  such  serpents  as  are  most  ve- 
nomous, are  least  offensive  in  this  particular  ;  i 
since  the  rattle -snake  and  the  viper  have  no 
smell  whatever :  nay,  we  are  told  that  at  Ca- 
licut and  Cranganon,  in  the  East  Indies,  there 
are  some  very  noxious  serpents,  who  are  so 
far  from  being  disagreeable,  that  their  excre- 
ments are  sought  after,  and  kept  as  the  most  • 

»  Rhedi,  Exper.  p.  170. 


pleasing  perfume.     The  Esculapian  Serpent  is 
also  of  this  number.  , 

Some  serpents  bring  forth  their  young  alive, 
as  the  viper ;  some  bring  forth  eggs,  which 
are  hatched  by  the  heat  of  their  situation  ;  as 
the  common  black  snake,  and  the  majority  of 
the  serpent  tribe.  When  a  reader,  ignorant  of 
anatomy,  is  told,  that  some  of  those  animals 
produce  their  young  alive,  and  that  some  pro- 
duce eggs  only,  he  is  apt  to  suppose  a  very 
great  difference  in  the  internal  conformation, 
which  makes  such  a  variety  in  the  manner  of 
bringing  forth.  But  this  is  not  the  case  :  these 
animals  are  internally  alike,  in  whatever  man- 
ner they  produce  their  young  ;  and  the  variety 
in  their  bringing  forth,  is  rather  a  slight  than 
a  real  discrimination.  The  only  difference  is, 
that  the  viper  hatches  her  eggs,  and  brings 
them  to  maturity  within  her  body  ;  the  snake 
is  more  premature  in  her  productions,  and 
sends  her  eggs  into  the  light  some  time  before 
the  young  ones  are  capable  of  leaving  the  shell. 
Thus,  if  either  are  opened,  the  eggs  will  be 
found  in  the  womb,  covered  with  their  mem- 
branous shell,  and  adhering  to  each  other  like 
large  beads  on  a  string.  In  the  eggs  of  both, 
young  ones  will  be  found,  though  at  different 
stages  of  maturity :  those  of  the  viper  will 
crawl  and  bite  the  moment  the  shell  that  en- 
closes them  is  broke  open ;  those  of  the  snake 
are  not  yet  arrived  at  their  perfect  form. 

Father  Labat  took  a  serpent  of  the  viper 
kind,  that  was  nine  feet  long,  and  ordered  it 
•to  be  opened  in  his  presence.  He  then  saw 
the  manner  in  which  the  eggs  of  these  animals 
lie  in  the  womb.  In  this  creature  there  were 
six  eggs,  each  of  the  size  of  a  goose  egg,  but 
longer,  more  pointed,  and  covered  with  a 
membranous  skin,  by  which  also  they  were 
united  to  each  other.  Each  of  these  eggs  con- 
tained, from  thirteen  to  fifteen  young  ones, 
about  six  inches  long,  and  as  thick  as  a  goose- 
quill.  Though  the  female  from  whence  they 
were  taken  was  spotted,  the  young  seemed  to 
have  a  variety  of  colours  very  different  from 
the  parent ;  and  this  led  the  traveller  to  sup- 
pose that  the  colour  was  no  characteristic 
mark  among  serpents.  These  little  mischiev- 
ous animals  were  no  sooner  let  loose  from  the 
shell,  than  they  crept  about,  and  put  them- 
selves into  a  threatening  posture,  coiling  them- 
selves up,  and  biting  the  stick  with  which  he 
was  destroying  them.  In  this  manner  he  kill- 


THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


731 


ed  seventy-four  young  ones ;  those  that  were 
contained  in  one  of  the  eggs  escaped  at  the 
place  where  the  female  was  killed,  by  the 
bursting  of  the  egg,  and  their  getting  among 
the  bushes. 

The  last  distinction  that  I  shall  mention, 
but  the  most  material  among  serpents,  is,  that 
some  are  venomous,  and  some  inoffensive.  If 
we  consider  the  poison  of  serpents  as  it  relates 
to  man,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  a 
scourge  and  an  affliction.  The  various  ca- 
lamities that  the  poison  of  serpents  is  capa- 
ble of  producing,  are  not  only  inflicted  by  the 
animal  itself,  but  by  men,  more  mischievous 
than  even  serpents,  who  prepare  their  v€nom 
to  destroy  each  other.  VVith  this  the  savages 
poison  their  arms,  and  also  prepare  their  re- 
vengeful potions.  The  ancients  were  known 
to  preserve  it  for  the  purposes  of  suicide ;  and 
even  among  semi-barbarous  countries  at  this 
day,  the  venom  of  snakes  is  used  as  a  philter. 

But,  though  the  poison  be  justly  terrible  to 
us,  it  has  been  given  to  very  good  purposes 
for  the  animal's  own  proper  support  and  de- 
fence. Without  this,  serpents,  of  all  other  ani- 
mals, would  be  the  most  exposed  and  defence- 
less :  without  feet  for  escaping  a  pursuit; 
without  teeth  capable  of  inflicting  a  dangerous 
wound,  or  without  strength  for  resistance ;  in- 
capable, from  their  size,  of  finding  security  in 
very  soiall  retreats,  like  the  earth-worm,  and 
disgusting  all  from  their  deformity,  nothing 
was  left  for  them  but  a  speedy  extirpation. 
But  furnished  as  they  are  with  powerful  poi- 
son, every  rank  of  animals  approach  them  with 
dread,  and  never  seize  them  but  at  an  advan- 
tage. Nor  is  this  all  the  advantage  they  de- 
rive from  it.  The  malignity  of  a  few  serves 
for  the  protection  of  all.  Though  not  above 
a  tenth  of  their  number  are  actually  venomous, 
yet  the  similitude  they  all  bear  to  each  other 
excites  a  general  terror  of  the  whole  tribe ; 
and  the  uncertainty  of  their  enemies  in  which 
the  poison  chiefly  resides,  makes  even  the 
most  harmless  formidable.  Thus  Providence 
seems  to  have  acted  with  double  precaution  ; 
it  has  given  some  of  them  poison  for  the  gene- 
ral defence  of  a  tribe  naturally  feeble  ;  but  it 
has  thinned  the  numbers  of  those  which  are 
venomous,  lest  they  should  become  too  power- 
ful for  the  rest  of  Animated  Nuture. 

From  these  noxious  qualities  in  the  serpent 
kind,  it  is  no  wonder  that  not  only  man,  but 

NO.  61  &  62. 


beasts  and  birds,  carry  on  an  unceasing  war 
against  them.  The  ichneumon  of  the  Indians, 
and  the  peccary  of  America,  destroy  them  in 
great  numbers.  These  animals  have  the  art 
of  seizing  them  near  the  head  ;  and  it  is  said 
that  they  can  skin  them  with  great  dexterity. 
The  vulture  and  the  eagle  also  prey  upon  them 
in  great  abundance ;  and  often  sousing  down 
from  the  clouds,  drop  upon  a  long  serpent, 
which  they  snatch  up  struggling  and  writhing 
in  the  air.  Dogs  also  are  bred  up  to  oppose 
them.  Father  Feuillee  tells  us,  that  being  in 
the  woods  of  Martiriico,  he  was  attacked  by  a 
large  serpent,  which  he  could  not  easily  avoid, 
when  his  dog  immediately  came  to  his  relief, 
and  seized  the  assailant  with  great  courage. 
The  serpent  entwined  him,  and  pressed  him 
so  violently,  that  the  blood  came  out  of  his 
mouth,  and  yet  the  dog  never  ceased  till  he 
had  tore  it  to  pieces.  The  dog  was  not  sensi- 
ble of  his  wounds  during  the  fight ;  but  soon 
after  his  head  swelled  prodigiously,  and  he  Jay 
on  the  ground  as  dead.  But  his  master  having 
found  hard  by  a  banana  tree,  he  applied  its 
juice,  mixed  with  treacle  to  the  wounds,  which 
recovered  the  dog,  and  quickly  healed  his 
sores. 

But  it  is  in  man  that  these  venomous  creatures 
find  the  most  dangerous  enemy.  The  Psylli 
of  old  were  famous  for  charming  and  destroy- 
ing serpents.  Some  moderns  pretend  to  the 
same  art.  Cassaubon  says,  that  he  knew  a 
man  who  could  at  any  time  summon  a  hun» 
dred  serpents  together,  and  draw  them  into 
the  fire.  Upon  a  certain  occasion,  when  one 
of  them  bigger  than  the  rest  would  not  be 
brought  in,  lie  only  repeated  his  charm,  and 
it  came  forward,  like  the  rest,  to  submit  to  the 
flames.  Philostratus  describes  particularly 
how  the  Indians  charm  serpents.  "  They 
take  a  scarlet  robe,  embroidered  with  golden 
letters,  and  spread  it  before  a  serpent's  hole. 
The  golden  letters  have  a  fascinating  power; 
and  by  looking  steadfastly,  the  serpent's  eyes 
are  overcome  and  laid  asleep."  These,  and 
many  other  feats,  have  been  often  practised 
upon  these  animals  by  artful  men,  who  had 
first  prepared  the  serpents  for  their  exercise, 
and  then  exhibited  them  as  adventitiously 
assembled  at  their  call.  In  India  there  is  no- 
thing so  common  as  dancing  serpents,  which 
are  carried  about  in  a  broad  flat  vessel,  some- 
what resembling  a  sieve.  These  erect  and  put 

5K 


732 


A  HISTORY  OF 


themselves  in  motion  at  the  word  of  command. 
AV  ten  their  keeper  sings  a  slow  tune,  they 
seen  by  their  heads  to  keep  time;  when  he 
sings  a  quicker  measure,  they  appear  to  move 
brisk  and  lively.  All  animals  have  a  certain 
decree  of  docility  ;  and  \ve  find  that  serpents 
themselves  can  be  brought  to  move  and  ap- 
proach at  the  voice  of  their  master.  From 
this  trick,  successfully  practised  before  the 
ignorant,  it  is  most  probable  has  arisen  all  the 
bo  ssled  pretensions  which  some  have  made 
to  charming  of  serpents;  an  art  to  which  the 
native  Americans  pretend  at  this  very  day. 
O.io  of  Linnneus's  pupils,  we  are  told,  pur- 
chased the  secret  from  an  Indian,  and  then 
discovered  it  to  his  master;  but,  like  ail  secrets 
of  the  kind,  it  is  probable  this  ended  in  a  few 
unmeaning  words  of  no  efficacy. 

Though  the  generality  of  mankind  regard 
this  formidable  race  with  horror,  yet  there 
have  been  some  nations,  and  there  are  some 
at  this  day,  that  consider  them  with  venera- 
tion and  regard.  The  adoration  paid  by  the 
ancient  Egyptians  to  a  serpent  is  well  known: 
many  of  the  nations  at  present  along  the 
western  coast  of  Africa  retain  the  same  unac- 
countable veneration.  Upon  the  gold  and 
slave  coasts,  a  stranger,  upon  entering  the 
cottages  of  the  natives,  is  often  surprised 
to  see  the  roof  swarming  with  serpents,  that 
cling  there  without  molesting  and  unmolested 
by  the  natives.  But  his  surprise  will  increase 
upon  going  farther  southward  to  the  kingdom 


of  Widah,  when  he  finds  that  a  serpent  is  the 
god  of  the  country.  This  animal,  which  tra- 
vellers describe  as  a  huge,  overgrown  creature, 
has  its  habitation,  its  temple,  and  its  priests. 
These  impress  the  vulgar  with  an  opinion  of 
its  virtues  ;  and  numbers  are  daily  seen  to  offer 
not  only  their  goods,  their  provisions,  and  their 
prayers,  at  the  shrine  of  their  hideous  deity, 
but  also  their  wives  and  daughters.  These 
the  priests  readily  accept  of,  and  after  some 
days  of  penance,  return  them  to  their  sup- 
pliants, much  benefited  by  the  serpent's  sup- 
posed embraces.  Such  a  complicated  picture 
of  ignorance  and  imposture  gives  no  very 
favourable  impressions  of  our  fellow-creatures; 
but  we  may  say  in  defence  of  Human  Nature, 
that  the  most  frightful  of  reptiles  is  worshipped 
by  the  most  uncultivated  and  barbarous  of 
mankind. 

From  this  general  picture  of  the  serpent 
tribe,  one  great  distinction  obviously  presents 
itself;  namely,  into  those  that  are  venomous, 
and  those  that  are  wholly  destitute  of  poison. 
To  the  first  belong  the  viper,  the  rattlesnake, 
the  cobra  di  capello,  and  all  their  affinities : 
to  the  other,  the  common  black  snake,  the 
liboya,  the  boiguacu,  the  amphisbaena,  and 
various  others,  that,  though  destitute  of  venom, 
do  not  cease  to  be  formidable.  I  will,  there- 
fore, give  their  history  separately,  beginning 
with  the  venomous  class,  as  they  have  the 
strongest  claims  to  our  notice  and  atten- 
tion. 


CHAPTER  CLXV. 

OF  VENOMOUS  SERPENTS  IN  GENERAL. 


THE  poison  of  serpents  has  been  for  ages 
one  of  the  greatest  objects  of  human  conside- 
ration. To  us,  who  seldom  feel  the  vengeful 
wound,  it  is  merely  a  subject  of  curiosity ; 
but  to  those  placed  in  the  midst  of  the  serpent 
tribe,  who  are  every  day  exposed  to  some  new 
disaster,  it  becomes  a  matter  of  the  most  seri- 
ous importance.  To  remedy  the  bite  of  a 
serpent  is  considered  among  our  physicians,  as 
one  of  the  slightest  operations  in  medicine  : 
but  among  the  physicians  of  the  East,  the  anti- 


dotes for  this  calamity  make  up  the  bulk  of 
their  dispensaries.  In  our  colder  climates,  the 
venom  does  not  appear  with  that  instantane- 
ous operation  which  it  exhibits  in  the  warmer 
regions  ;  for  either  its  powers  are  less  exqui- 
site, or  our  fluids  are  not  carried  round  in 
such  rapid  circulation. 

In  all  countries,  however,  the  poison  of  the 
serpent  is  sufficiently  formidable  to  deserve 
notice,  and  to  excite  our  attention  to  its  nature 
and  effects.  It  will,  therefore,  in  the  first 


THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


733 


place  be  proper  to  describe  its  seat  in  the  ani- 
mal, as  also  the  instrument  by  which  the 
wound  is  made,  and  the  poison  injected.  In 
all  this  venomous  class  of  reptiles,  whether  the 
viper,  the  rattlesnake,  or  the  cobra  di  capello, 
there  are  two  large  teeth  or  fangs  that  issue 
from  (he  upper  jaw,  and  that  hang  out  beyond 
the  lower.  The  rest  of  the  snake  tribe  are 
destitute  of  these  ;  and  it  is  most  probable  that 
wherever  these  fangs  are  wanting,  the  animal 
is  harmless  ;  on  the  contrary,  wherever  they 
are  found  it  is  to  be  avoided  as  the  most  pesti- 
lent enemy,  These  are  the  instruments  that 
seem  to  place  the  true  distinction  between  ani- 
mals of  the  serpent  kind  ;  the  wounds  which 
these  fangs  inflict  produce  the  most  dangerous 
symptoms  ;  the  wounds  inflicted  by  the  teeth 
only  are  attended  with  nothing  more  than  the 
ordinary  consequences  attending  the  bite  of 
any  other  animal.  Our  first  great  attention, 
therefore,  upon  seeing  a  serpent,  should  be 
directed  to  the  teeth.  If  it  has  the  fang  teeth, 
it  is  to  be  placed  among  the  venomous  class ; 
if  it  wants  them,  it  may  be  set  down  as  inoffen- 
sive. I  am  not  ignorant  that  many  serpents 
are  said  to  be  dangerous  whose  jaws  are  un- 
furnished with  fangs ;  but  it  is  most  probable 
that  our  terrors  only  have  furnished  these  ani- 
mals with  venom  ;  for  of  all  the  tribe  whose 
teeth  arc  thus  formed,  not  one  will  be  found 
to  have  a  bag  for  containing  poison,  nor  a 
conduit  for  injecting  it  into  the  wound.  Tho 
Black  Snake,  the  Liboya,  the  Blind  Worm, 
and  a  hundred  others  that  might  be  mention- 
ed, have  their  teeth  of  an  equal  size,  fixed  into 
the  jaws,  and  with  no  other  apparatus  for  in- 
flicting a  dangerous  wound  than  a  dog  or  a 
lizard  ;  but  it  is  otherwise  with  the  venomous 
tribe  we  are  now  describing ;  these  are  well 
furnished,  not  only  with  an  elaboratory  where 
the  poison  is  formed,  but  a  canal  by  which  it 
is  conducted  to  the  jaw,  a  bag  under  the  tooth 
for  keeping  it  ready  for  every  occasion,  and 
also  an  aperture  in  the  tooth  itself  for  injecting 
it  into  the  wound.  To  be  more  particular, 
the  glands  that  serve  to  fabricate  this  venom- 
ous fluid  are  situated  on  each  side  of  the  head 
behind  the  eyes,  and  have  their  canals  leading 
from  thence  to  the  bottom  of  the  fangs  in  the 
upper  jaw,  where  they  empty  into  a  kind  of 
bladder,  from  whence  the  fangs  on  each  side 
are  seen  to  grow.  The  venom  contained  in 
this  bladder  is  a  yellowish  thick  tasteless 


liquor,  which  injected  into  the  blood  is  death, 
yet  which  may  be  swallowed  without  any  dan- 
ger. 

The  fangs  that  give  the  wound  come  next 
under  observation  ;  they  are  large  in  propor- 
tion to  the  size  of  the  animal  that  bears  them  ; 
crooked,  yet  sharp  enough  to  inflict  a  m.dy 
wound.  They  grow  one  on  each  side,  ami 
sometimes  two,  from  two  movcable  bones  in 
the  upper  jaw,  which  by  sliding  backward  or 
forward,  have  a  power  of  erecting  or  repress- 
ing the  teeth  at  pleasure.  In  these  hones  are 
a:so  fixed  many  teeth,  but  no  wny  venoicovs, 
and  only  serving  to  take  and  hold  (he  ariir.oPs 
prey.  Besides  this  apt  disposition  of  the  fargs, 
they  are  hollow  within,  and  have  an  opening 
towards  the  point  like  the  slit  of  a  pen,  through 
which,  when  the  fang  is  pressed  down  upon 
the  bladder  where  it  grows,  there  is  seen  to 
issue  a  part  of  the  venom  that  lay  below.  To 
describe  this  operation  at  once,  when  the  ser- 
pent is  irritated  to  give  a  venomous  wound,  it 
opens  its  formidable  jaws  to  the  widest  extent ; 
the  rnoveable  bones  of  the  upper  jaw  slide  for- 
ward ;  the  fangs  that  lay  before  inclining  are 
thus  erected  ;  they  are  struck  with  force  into 
the  flesh  of  the  obnoxious  person  ;  by  meeting 
resistance  at  the  points,  they  press  upon  the 
bladders  of  venom  from  whence  they  grow  ; 
the  venom  issues  tip  through  the  hollow  of  the 
tooth,  and  is  pressed  out  through  its  slit  into 
the  wound,  which  by  this  time  the  tooth  has 
made  in  the  skin.  Thus  from  a  slight  punc- 
ture, and  the  infusion  of  a  drop  of  venom 
scarce  larger  than  the  head  of  a  pin,  the  part 
is  quickly  inflamed,  and,  without  a  proper 
antidote,  the  whole  frame  contaminated. 

The  appearances  which  this  venom  produces 
are  different,  according  to  the  serpent  that 
wounds,  or  the  season,  or  the  strength  of  the 
animal  that  strikes  the  blow.  If  a  viper  in- 
flicts the  wound,  and  the  remedy  be  neglected, 
the  symptoms  are  not  « ithout  danger  It  first 
causes  an  acute  pain  in  the  place  affected,  at- 
tended with  a  swelling,  first  red,  and  after- 
wards livid.  This  by  degrees  spreads  to  the 
neighbouring  parts;  great  faintness  and  a 
quick,  though  low  and  interrupted,  pulse 
ensues :  to  this  succeed  great  sickness  at  the 
stomach,  bilious  and  convulsive  vomitings,  cold 
sweats,  pains  about  the  navel,  and  death  itself. 
But  the  violence  of  the  symptoms  depend  much 
on  the  season  of  the  year,  the  difference  of 
5K» 


734 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  climate,  the  size  or  rage  of  the  animal, 
and  the  depth  and  situation  of  the  wound. 
These  symptoms  are  much  more  violent,  and 
succeed  each  other  more  rapidly  after  the 
bite  of  a  rattlesnake;  but  when  the  person 
is  bit  by  the  cobra  di  capello,  he  dies  in  an 
hour,  his  wliole  frame  being  dissolved  into  a 
putrid  mass  of  corruption. 

Nothing  surely  can  more  justly  excite  our 
wonder,  than  that  so  small  a  quantity  of  venom 
should  produce  such  powerful  and  deadly 
effects.  If  the  venom  itself  be  examined 
through  a  microscope,  it  will  be  found  to  shoot 
into  little  crystals,  that,  to  an  imagination  al- 
ready impressed  with  its  potency,  look  like 
so  many  darts  fit  for  entering  the  blood-ves- 
yels,  and  wounding  their  tender  coats.  But 
all  these  darts  are  wholly  of  our  own  making ; 
the  softest  mildest  flqid  whatever,  possessed 
of  any  consistency,  will  form  crystals  under 
the  eye  of  the  microscope,  and  put  on  an  ap- 
pearance exactly  like  the  venom  of  the  viper, 
In  fact,  this  venom  has  no  acrid  taste  what- 
ever; and  to  all  experiments  that  our  senses 
can  make  upon  it,  appears  a  slimy  insipid 
fluid.  Charas,  who  often  tasted  it,  assures 
us  of  the  fact;  and  asserts,  that  it  may  be 
taken  inwardly  without  any  sensible  effects, 
or  any  prejudice  to  the  constitution.  But 
the  famous  experiments  that  were  tried  by 
Rhedi  and  others,  in  the  presence  of  the  Great 
Duke  of  Tuscany  and  his  court,  put  this  be- 
yond any  doubt  whatsoever.  By  these  it 
appeared,  that  the  serpent  having  once  bitten, 
exhausted  for  that  time  the  greatest  part  of 
its  poison ;  and  though  the  wound  caused  by 
its  biting  a  second  time  was  attended  with 
some  malignant  symptoms,  yet  they  were 
much  milder  than  before.  It  appeared  that 
the  serpent  biting  upon  a  sponge,  or  a  piece 
of  soft  bread,  and  then  biting  a  dog  immediate- 
ly after,  did  not  inflict  a  wound  more  danger- 
ous than  the  prick  of  a  needle.  It  appeared 
that  the  venom  being  collected,  and  a  needle 
dipped  therein,  this  produced  almost  as  pain- 
ful effects  as  the  tooth  of  the  animal  itself. 
But  what  caused  the  greatest  surprise  in 
the  court  was,  the  seeming  rashness  of  one 
Tozzi,  a  viper-catcher;  who*  while  the  phi- 
losophers were  giving  elaborate  lectures  on 
the  danger  of  the  poison  when  taken  inter- 
nally, boldly  desired  a  large  quantity  of  it 


might  be  put  together;  and  then,  with  the 
utmost  confidence,  drank  it  off  before  them 
all.  The  court  was  struck  with  astonishment, 
and  expected  that  the  man  would  instantly 
fall  dead ;  but  they  soon  perceived  their  mis- 
take, and  found  that  taken  in  this  manner 
the  poison  was  as  harmless  as  water;  so  true 
is  that  famous  passage  of  Lucan, 

Noxia  serpentum  est  admixto  sanguine  pestis: 
Morsu  virus  habent,  et  fatum  in  dente  minantur: 
Pocula  morte  carent. 

What  then  shall  we  say  to  the  speedy  ef- 
fect of  so  seemingly  harmless  a  liquid  taken 
into  the  circulation  ?  Let  us  first  observe,  that 
milk  is  one  of  the  most  mild  and  nourishing 
of  all  fluids,  and  seemingly  the  most  friendly 
to  the  human  constitution;  yet  if  milk  be  in- 
jected into  a  vein,  it  will  quickly  become  fa- 
tal, and  kill  with  more  certain  destruction 
than  even  the  venom  of  the  viper.  From 
hence  then  we  may  infer,  that  the  introducing 
not  only  the  serpentine  venom,  but  also  a 
quantity  of  any  other  mixture,  into  the  circu- 
lation, will  be  fatal;  and  that,  consequently, 
serpents  kill  as  well  by  their  power  of  inject- 
ing the  wound  as  by  the  potency  of  their  poi- 
son. Some  indeed  may  inject  a  more  acri- 
monious mixture,  and  this  may  produce  more 
speedy  effects;  but  any  mixture  thus  inject 
ed  would  be  dangerous,  and  many  would  be 
fatal. 

Ray  gives  us  an  instance  of  the  potency  of 
the  serpent-poison ;  which  though  it  has  all 
the  air  of  a  fable,  I  cannot  help  transcribing. 
"  A  gentleman  who  went  over  to  the  East  In- 
dies, while  he  was  one  day  sitting  among 
some  friends,  was  accosted  by  an  Indian  jug- 
gler, who  offered  to  show  him  some  experi- 
ments respecting  the  venom  of  serpents:  an 
exhibition  usual  enough  in  that  country.  Ha- 
ving first,  therefore,  produced  a  large  ser- 
pent, he  assured  the  company  that  it  was 
harmless ;  and  to  convince  them  of  what  he 
said,  he  tied  up  his  arm,  as  is  usual  with  those 
who  are  going  to  be  bled,  and  whipped  the 
serpent  till  it  was  provoked  to  bite  him.  Ha-1 
ving  drawn  in  this  manner  about  half  a  spoon- 
ful of  blood  from  his  arm.  he  put  the  congeal- 
ed clot  upon  his  thigh.  He  then  took  out 
a  much  smaller  serpent,  which  was  no  other 


THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


735 


than  the  cobra  di  capello;  arid  having  tied 
up  its  neck,  he  procured  about  half  a  drop 
of  its  venom,  which  he  sprinkled  on  the  clot 
of  blood  on  his  thigh,  which  instantly  began 
to  ferment  and  bubble,  and  soon  changed  co- 
lour from  a  red  into  a  yellow." 

This,  he  pretended,  was  caused  by  the  ex- 
treme malignity  of  that  animal's  venom  ;  how- 
ever, I  have  no  doubt  that  the  whole  is  either 
a  fable,  or  a  trick  of  the  Indian's ;  who,  while 
he  seemed  to  mix  the  serpent's  venom,  ac- 
tually infused  some  stronger  ingredient,  some 
mineral  acid,  into  the  mass  of  blood,  which 
was  capable  of  working  such  a  change.  It 
cannot  be  supposed  that  any  animal  poison 
could  act  so  powerfully  upon  the  blood  al- 
ready drawn  and  coagulated;  for  a  poison 
that  could  operate  thus  instantaneously  upon 
cold  blood,  could  not  fail  of  soon  destroying 
the  animal  itself. 

Be  this  as  it  will,  the  effects  of  serpent-poi- 
son are  too  well  known,  though  the  manner 
of  operation  be  not  so  clear.  As  none  of 
this  malignant  tribe  grow  to  a  great  size,  the 
longest  of  them  not  exceeding  nine  feet,  they 
seldom  seek  the  combat  with  larger  animals, 
or  offend  others  till  they  are  first  offended. 
Did  they  exert  their  malignity  in  proportion 
to  their  power,  they  could  easily  drive  the 
ranks  of  nature  before  them  ;  but  they  seem 
unconscious  of  their  own  superiority,  and  ra- 
ther fly  than  offer  to  meet  the  meanest  opposer. 
Their  food  chiefly  consists  of  small  prey,  such 
as  birds,  moles,  toads,  and  lizards ;  so  that 
they  never  attack  the  more  formidable  ani- 
mals that  would  seldom  die  unrevenged. 
They  lurk  therefore  in  the  clefts  of  rocks,  or 
among  stony  places ;  they  twine  round  the 
branches  of  trees,  or  sun  themselves  in  the 
long  grass  at  the  bottom.  There  they  only 
seek  repose  and  safety.  If  some  unwary  tra- 
veller invades  their  retreats,  their  first  effort 
is  to  fly  ;  but  when  either  pursued  or  acciden* 
tally  trod  upon,  they  then  make  a  fierce  and 
fatal  resistance.  For  this  purpose,  they  raise 
themselves  according  to  their  strength  upon 
their  tail,  erect  their  head,  seize  the  limb  that 
presses  them,  the  wound  is  given,  and  the 
head  withdrawn  in  a  moment.  It  is  not  there- 
fore without  reason,  that  the  Asiatics,  who 
live  in  regions  where  serpents  greatly  abound, 
wear  boots  and  long  clothes,  which  very  well 


protect  their  lower  parts  from  the  accidental 
resentment  of  their  reptile  annoyers. 

In  the  eastern  and  western  Indies,  the  num 
her  of  noxious  serpents  is  various ;  in  this  conn 
try  we  are  acquainted  only  with  one.  The 
viper  is  the  only  animal  in  Great  Britain  from 
whose  bite  we  have  any  thing  to  fear.  In  the 
tropical  climates,  the  rattlesnake,  the  whip- 
snake,  and  the  cobra  di  capello,  are  the  most 
formidable,  though  by  no  means  the  most  com- 
mon. From  the  general  notoriety  of  the  par- 
ticular serpents,  and  the  universal  terror  which 
they  occasion,  it  would  seem  that  few  others 
arc  possessed  of  such  powerful  malignity. 

Vipers  are  found  in  many  parts  of  this  is- 
land ;  but  the  dry,  stony,  and  particularly  the 
chalky  countries,  abound  with  them.  This 
animal  seldom  grows  to  a  greater  length  than 
two  feet;  though  sometimes  they  are  found 
above  three.  The  ground  colour  of  their  bo- 
dies is  a  dirty  yellow  ;  that  of  the  female  is 
deeper.  The  back  is  marked  the  whole  length 
with  a  series  of  rhomboid  black  spots;  touch- 
ing eaeh  other  at  the  points ;  the  sides  with 
triangular  ones,  the  belly  entirely  black.  It 
is  chiefly  distinguished  from  the  common  black 
snake  by  the  colour,  which  in  the  latter  is 
more  beautifully  mottled,  as  well  as  by  the 
head,  which  is  thicker  than  the  body ;  but 
particularly  by  the  tail,  which  in  the  viper, 
though  it  ends  in  a  point,  does  not  run  taper- 
ing to  so  great  a  length  as  in  the  other.  When, 
therefore,  other  distinctions  fail,  the  difference 
of  the  tail  can  be  discerned  at  a  single  glance. 

The  viper  differs  from  most  other  serpents 
in  being  much  slower,  as  also  in  excluding  its 
young  completely  formed,  and  bringing  them 
forth  alive.  The  kindness  of  Providence  seems 
exerted,  not  only  in  diminishing  the  speed,  but 
also  the  fertility,  of  this  dangerous  creature. 
They  copulate  in  May,  and  are  supposed  to 
be  about  three  months  before  they  bring  forth-, 
and  have  seldom  above  eleven  eggs  at  a  time. 
These  are  of  the  size  of  a  blackbird's  egg,  and 
chained  together  in  the  womb  like  a  string  of 
beads.  Each  egg  contains  from  one  to  four 
young  ones ;  so  that  the  whole  of  a  brood 
may  amount  to  about  twenty  or  thirty.  They 
continue  in  the  womb  till  they  come  to  such 
perfection  as  to  be  able  to  burst  from  the 
shell;  and  they  are  said  by  their  own  efforts 
to  creep  from  the  confinement  into  the  open 
air,  where  they  continue  for  several  days  with- 


736 


A  HISTORY  OF 


out  taking  any  food  whatsoever.  "We  have 
been  often  assured,"  says  Mr.  Pennant,  "  by 
intelligent  people,  of  the  truth  of  a  fact,  that 
the  young  of  the  viper,  when  terrified,  will 
run  down  the  throat  of  the  parent,  and  seek 
shelter  in  its  belly  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
young  of  the  oppossum  retire  into  the  ventral 
pouch  of  the  old  one.  From  this,'' continues 
he,  ';  some  have  imagined  that  the  viper  is 
so  unnatural  as  to  devour  its  own  young;  but 
this  deserves  no  credit,  as  these  animals  live 
upon  frogs,  toads,  lizards,  and  young  birds, 
which  they  often  swallow  whole,  though  the 
morsel  is  often  three  times  as  thick  as  their 
own  body." 

The  viper  is  capable  of  supporting  very 
long  abstinence,  il,  being  known  that  some 
have  been  kept  in  a  box  six  months  without 
food  ;  yet  during  the  whole  time  they  did  not 
abate  of  their  vivacity.  They  feed  only  a 
small  part  of  the  year,  but  never  during  their 
confinement;  for  if  mice,  their  favourite  diet, 
should  at  that  time  be  thrown  into  their  box, 
though  they  will  kill,  yet  they  will  never  eat 
them.  When  at  liberty,  they  remain  torpid 
throughout  the  winter;  yet,  when  confined, 
have  never  been  observed  to  take  their  an- 
nual repose.  Their  poison,  however,  de- 
creases in  proportion  to  the  length  of  their 
confinement;  and  it  is  thought  that  the  virtues 
of  the  animal's  flesh  are,  by  the  same  restraints, 
considerably  lessened. 

They  are  usually  taken  with  wooden  tongs, 
by  the  end  of  the  tail,  which  may  be  done 
without  danger;  for,  while  held  in  that  po- 
sition, they  are  unable  to  wind  themselves  up 
to  hurt  their  enemy :  yet,  notwithstanding  this 

Krecaution,  the  viper-catchers  are  frequently 
it  by  them;  but,  by  the  application  of  olive- 
oil,  the  bite  is  effectually  cured. 

One  William  Oliver,  a  viper-catcher  at  Bath, 
was  the  first  who  discovered  this  admirable 
remedy.  On  the  first  of  June,  1735,  in  the 
presence  of  a  great  number  of  persons,  he 
suffered  himself  to  be  bit  by  an  old  black 
viper,  (brought  by  one  of  the  company,)  upon 
the  wrist  and  joint  of  the  thumb  of  the  right 
hand,  so  that  drops  of  blood  came  out  of  the 
wound:  he  immediately  felt  a  violent  pain 
both  at  the  top  of  his  thumb,  and  up  his  arm, 
even  before  the  viper  was  loosened  from  his 
hand ;  soon  after  lie  felt  a  pain,  resembling 


that  of  burning,  trickle  up  his  arm;  in  a  few 
minutes  his  eyes  began  to  look  red  and  fiery, 
and  to  water  much;  in  less  than  an  hour  he 
perceived  the  venom  seize  his  heart ;  with  a 
pricking  pain,  which  was  attended  with  faint- 
ness,  shortness  of  breath,  and  cold  sweats; 
in  a  few  minutes  after  this,  his  belly  began  to 
swell,  with  great  gripings,  and  pains  in  his 
back,  which  were  attended  with  vomitingsand 
pui'gings:  during  the  violence  of  these  symp- 
toms, his  sight  was  gone  for  several  minutes, 
but  he  could  hear  all  the  while.  He  said, 
that  in  his  former  experiments  he  had  never 
deferred  making  use  of  his  remedy  longer 
than  he  perceived  the  effects  of  the  venom 
reaching  his  heart ;  but  this  time,  being  wil- 
ling to  satisfy  the  company  thoroughly,  and 
trusting  to  the  speedy  effects  of  his  remedy, 
which  was  nothing  more  than  olive-oil,  he  ab- 
stained to  apply  any  thing,  till  he  found  him- 
self exceeding  ill  and  quite  giddy.  About 
an  hour  and  a  quarter  after  the  first  of  his 
being  bit,  a  chafing-dish  of  glowing  charcoal 
was  brought  in,  and  his  naked  arm  was  held 
over  it,  as  near  as  he  could  bear,  while  his 
wife  rubbed  in  the  oil  with  her  hand,  turning 
his  arm  continually  round,  as  if  she  would 
have  roasted  it  over  the  coals :  he  said  the 
poison  goon  abated,  but  the  swelling  did  not 
diminish  much.  Most  violent  purgings  and 
vomitings  soon  ensued  ;  and  his  pulse  became 
so  low,  and  so  often  interrupted,  that  it  was 
thought  proper  to  order  him  a  repetition  of 
cordial  potions:  he  said  he  was  not  sensible 
of  any  great  relief  from  these;  but  that  a 
glass  or  two  of  olive-oil  drank  down,  seemed 
to  give  him  ease.  Continuing  in  this  danger- 
ous condition,  he  was  put  to  bed,  where  his 
arm  was  again  bathed  over  a  pan  of  char- 
coal, and  rubbed  with  olive-oil,  heated  in  a 
ladle  over  the  charcoal,  by  Dr.  Mortimer's 
direction,  who  was  the  physician  that  drew 
up  the  account.  From  this  last  operation  he 
declared  that  he  found  immediate  ease,  as 
though  by  some  charm :  he  soon  after  fell 
into  a  profound  sleep,  and,  after  about  nine 
hours  sound  rest,  awaked  about  six  the  next 
morning,  and  found  himself  very  well;  but 
in  the  afternoon,  on  drinking  some  rum  and 
strong  beer,  so  as  to  be  almost  intoxicated, 
the  swelling  returned,  with  much  pain  and 
cold  sweats,  which  abated  soon,  on  bathing 


THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


737 


the  arm,   as  before,  and  wrapping  it  up  in 
brown  paper  soaked  in  the  oil. 

Such  are  the  effects  of  the  viper's  bite  ;  yet 
its  flesh  has  long  been  celebrated  as  a  noble 
medicine.  A  broth,  made  by  boiling  one  vi- 
per in  a  quart  of  water  till  it  conies  to  a  pint, 
is  the  usual  method  in  which  it  is  given  at 
present ;  and  it  is  said  to  be  a  very  power- 
ful restorative  in  battered  constitutions:  the 
salt  of  vipers  is  also  thought  to  exceed  any 
other  animal  salt  whatever,  in  giving  vigour 
to  the  languid  circulation,  and  prompting  to 
venery. 

The  Rattlesnake  is  bred  in   America,  and 
in  no  part  of  the  old   world.     Some  are  as 
thick  as  a  man's  leg,  and  six  feet  in  length ; 
but  the  most  usual  size   is  from  four  to  live 
feet  long.     In  most  particulars  it   resembles 
the  viper:  like  that  animal,  having  a  large 
head  and  a  small  neck,  being  of  a  dusky  co- 
lour, and  furnished  with  fangs  that  inflict  the 
most  terrible  wounds.     It  differs,   however, 
in  having  a  large  scale,   which  hangs  like  a 
penthouse  over  each  eye.     The  eye  also   is 
furnished  with  a  nictitating  membrane,  that 
preserves  it  from  dust;  and  its  scales  are  of 
a  considerable  degree  of  hardness,     They 
are  of  an  orange,  tawny,  and  blackish  colour, 
on  the  back ;  and  of  an  ash-colour  on  the  bel- 
ly, inclining  to  lead.     The  male  may  be  rea- 
dily distinguished  from  the  female,  by  a  black 
velvet  spot  on  the  head,  and  by  the  head  being 
smaller  and  longer.     But  that  which,  besides 
their  superior  malignity,  distinguishes  them 
from  all  other  animals,  is  their  rattle,  an  in- 
btrument  lodged  in  their  tail,  by  which   they 
make  such  a  loud,  rattling  noise,  when  they 
move,  that  their  approach  may  readily  be  per- 
ceived, and  the  danger  avoided.     This  rat- 
tle, which  is  placed  in  the  tail,  somewhat  re- 
sembles, when  taken  out  of  the  body,  the  curb 
chain  of  a  bridle:  it  is  composed   of  several 
thin,  hard,  hollow  bones,  linked  to  each  other, 
and  rattling  upon  the  slightest  motion.     It  is 
supposed   by  some,  that  the  snake  acquires 
an  additional  bone  every  year;  and  that,  from 
hence,  its  age  may  be  precisely  known  :  how- 
ever this  may  be,  certain  it  is,  that  the  young 
snakes,  of  a  year  or  two  old,  have  no  rattles 
at  all :  while  many  old  ones  have  been  kill- 
ed, that  had  from  eleven  to  thirteen  joints 
each.    They  shake  and  make  a  noise  with 


these  rattles  with  prodigious  quickness  when 
they  are  disturbed;  however,  the  peccary  and 
the  vulture  are  no  way  terrified  at  the  sound, 
but  hasten,  at  the  signal,  to  seize  the  snake, 
as  their  most  favourite  prey. 

It  is  very  different  with  almost  every  other 
animal.  The  certain  death  which  ensues 
from  this  terrible  creature's  bite,  makes  a  so- 
litude wherever  it  is  heard.  It  moves  alon^r 
with  the  most  maje&tic  rapidity;  neither  seek- 
ing to  offend  the  larger  animals,  nor  fearing 
their  insults.  If  unprovoked,  it  never  meddles 
with  any  thing  but  its  natural  prey  ;  but  when 
accidentally  trod  upon,  or  pursued  to  be  de- 
stroyed, it  then  maltes  a  dreadful  and  des- 
perate defence.  It  ercols  itself  upon  its  tail, 
throws  back  the  head,  and  inilicts  its  wound 
in  a  moment ;  then  parts,  and  inilicts  a  second 
wound  :  after  which,  we  are  told,  by  some, 
that  it  remains  torpid  and  inactiv.e,  without 
even  attempting  to  escape. 

The  very  instant  (lie  wound  is  inflicted, 
though  small  in  itself,  it  appears  more  pain- 
ful than  the  sting  of  a  bee.  This  pain,  which 
is  so  suddenly  felt,  far  from  abating,  grows 
every  moment  more  excruciating  and  danger- 
ous :  the  limb  swells;  the  venom  reaches  the 
head,  which  is  soon  of  a  monstrous  size;  the 
eyes  are  red  and  fiery;  the  heart  beats  quick, 
with  frequent  interruptions;  the  pain  becomes 
insupportable,  and  some  expire  under  it  in 
five  or  six  hours;  but  others,  who  are  of 
stronger  constitutions,  survive  the  agony  for 
a  few  hours  longer,  only  to  sink  under  a  ge- 
neral mortification,  which  ensues,  and  cor- 
rupts the -whole  body. 

As  a  gentleman  in  Virginia  was  walking 
iii  the  fields  for  his  amusement,  he  acciden- 
tally trod  upon  a  rattlesnake,  that  had  been 
lurking  in  a  stony  place;  which,  enraged  by 
the  pressure,  reared  up,  bit  his  hand,  and 
shook  his  rattles.  The  gentleman  readily 
perceived  that  he  was  in  the  most  dreadful 
danger;  but  unwilling  to  die  unrevenged,  he 
killed  the  snake,  and  carrying  it  home  in  his 
hand,  threw  it  on  the  ground  before  his  fa- 
mily, crying  out,  "  I  am  killed,  and  there  is 
my  murderer!"  In  such  an  extremity,  the  spee- 
diest remedies  were  the  best.  His  arm,  which 
was  beginning  to  swell,  was  tied  up  near  the 
shoulder,  the  wound  wag  anointed  with  oil, 
arid  every  precaution  taken  to  stop  the  infeo 


/38 


A  HISTORY  OF 


tion.  by  tne  help  01  a  very  strong  constitu- 
tion he  recovered ;  but  not  without  feeling 
the  most  various  and  dreadful  symptoms  for 
several  weeks  together.  His  arm,  below  the 
ligature,  appeared  of  several  colours,  with  a 
writhing  among  the  muscles,  that,  to  his  ter- 
rified imagination,  appeared  like  the  motions 
of  the  animal  that  had  wounded  him.  A  fe- 
ver ensued ;  the  loss  of  his  hair,  giddiness, 
drought,  weakness,  and  nervous  faintings:  till, 
by  slow  degrees,  a  very  strong  habit  over- 
powered the  latent  malignity  of  the  poison. 

Several  remedies  have  been  tried  to  alle- 
viate this  calamity.  A  decoction  of  the  Vir- 
ginian snake-root  is  considered  as  the  most 
effectual ;  and  at  the  same  time  the  head  of 
the  animal  bruised  and  laid  upon  the  part  af- 
fected, is  thought  to  assist  the  cure.  In  ge- 
neral, however,  it  is  found  to  be  fatal ;  and 
the  Indians,  sensible  of  this,  take  care  to  dip 
their  arrows  in  the  poison  under  the  rattle- 
snake's fangs,  when  they  desire  to  take  a  sig- 
nal revenge  of  their  enemies. 

Thus  much  concerning  this  animal  is  agreed 
upon  by  every  naturalist:  there  are  other 
circumstances  in  its  history,  which  are  not 
so  well  ascertained.  And  first,  its  motion, 
which  some  describe  as  the  swiftest  imagin- 
able; asserting,  that  its  Indian  name  of  Eca- 
coalt,  which  signifies  the  windserpent,  implies 
its  agility:  others,  on  the  contrary,  assert 
that  it  is  the  slowest  and  the  most  sluggish  of 
all  serpents ;  and  that  it  seldom  moves  from 
one  place.  In  this  opposition  of  opinions, 
there  are  others,  who  assert,  that  on  even 
ground  it  moves  but  slowly ;  but  then,  among 
rocks,  that  it  goes  at  a  great  rate.  If  we  may 
argue  from  analogy,  the  opinion  of  those 
who  contend  for  its  slow  motion,  seems  the 
most  probable ;  as  the  viper,  which  it  so  very 
much  resembles,  is  remarkable  among  ser- 
pents for  its  inactivity. 

It  is  said  also  by  some,  that  the  rattlesnake  lias 
a  power  of  charming  its  prey  into  its  mouth; 
and  this  is  as  strongly  contradicted  by  others. 
The  inhabitants  of  Pennsylvania  are  said  to 
have  opportunities  of  observing  this  strange 
fascination  every  day.  The  snake  is  often 
seen  basking  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  where  birds 
and  squirrels  make  their  residence.  There, 
coiled  upon  its  tail,  its  jaws  extended,  and 
its  eyes  shining  like  fire,  the  rattlesnake  le- 


vels its  dreadful  glare  upon  one  of  the  little 
animals  above.  The  bird,  or  the  squirrel, 
which  ever  it  may  be,  too  plainly  perceives 
the  mischief  meditating  against  it,  and  hops 
from  branch  to  branch,  with  a  timorous,  plain- 
tive sound,  wishing  to  avoid,  yet  incapable 
of  breaking  through  the  fascination  :  thus  it 
continues  for  some  time  its  feeble  efforts  and 
complaints,  but  is  still  seen  approaching  lower 
and  lower  towards  the  bottom  branches  of  the 
tree,  until,  at  last,  as  if  overcome  by  the  po- 
tency of  its  fears,  it  jumps  down  from  the  tree 
directly  into  the  throat  of  its  frightful  de- 
stroyer. 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  truth  of  this  story, 
a  mouse  was  put  into  a  large  iron  cage,  where 
a  rattlesnake  was  kept,  and  the  effect  care- 
fully observed.  The  mouse  remained  motion- 
less at  one  end  of  the  cage;  while  the  snake, 
at  the  other,  continued  fixed,  with  its  eyes 
glaring  full  on  the  little  animal,  and  its  jaws 
opened  to  their  w  idest  extent :  the  mouse  for 
some  time  seemed  eager  to  escape;  but  every 
effort  only  served  to  increase  its  terrors,  and 
to  draw  it  still  nearer  the  enemy;  till,  after 
several  ineffectual  attempts  to  break  the  fas- 
cination, it  was  seen  to  run  into  the  jaws  of 
the  rattlesnake,  where  it  was  instantly  kill- 
ed. 

To  these  accounts  the  incredulous  oppose 
the  improbability  of  the  fact :  they  assert, 
that  such  a  power  ascribed  to  serpents,  is 
only  the  remnant  of  a  vulgar  error,  by  which 
it  was  supposed  that  serpents  could  be  charm- 
ed, and  had  also  a  pow  er  of  charming.  They 
aver,  that  animals  are  so  far  from  running 
down  the  throat  of  a  rattlesnake  in  captivity, 
that  the  snake  will  eat  nothing  in  that  state, 
but  actually  dies  for  want  of  subsistence. 

A  serpent,  called  the  Whipsnake,  is  still 
more  venomous  than  the  former.  This  ani- 
tnal,  which  is  a  native  of  the  east,  is  about 
five  feet  long,  yet  not  much  thicker  than  the 
thong  of  a  coachman's  whip.  It  is  exceed- 
ingly venomous;  and  its  bite  is  said  to  kill  in 
about  six  hours.  One  of  the  Jesuit  missiona- 
ries, happening  to  enter  into  an  Indian  pa- 
goda, saw  what  he  took  to  be  a  whipcord  ly- 
ing on  the  floor,  and  stooped  to  take  it  up; 
but,  upon  handling  it,  what  was  his  surprise 
to  find  that  it  was  animated,  and  no  other 
than  the  whipsnake,  of  which  he  had  heard 


THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


739 


such  formidable  accounts :  fortune,  however, 
seemed  favourable  to  him,  for  he  grasped  it 
by  the  head,  so  that  it  had  no  power  to  bite 
him,  and  only  twisted  its  folds  up  his  arm. 
In  this  manner  he  held  it,  till  it  was  killed  by 
those  who  came  to  his  assistance. 

To  this  formidable  class  might  be  added  the 
Asp,  whose  bite  however  is  not  attended  with 
those  drowsy  symptoms  which  the  ancients 
ascribed  to  it.  The  Jaculus  of  Jamaica  also, 
is  one  of  the  swiftest  of  the  serpent  kind. 
The  Haemorrhois,  so  called  from  the  haemorr- 
hages which  its  bite  is  said  to  produce  ;  the 
Seps,  whose  wound  is  very  venomous,  and 
causes  the  part  affected  to  corrupt  in  a  very 
short  time ;  the  Coral  Serpent,  which  is  red, 
and  whose  bite  is  said  to  be  fatal.  But  of  all 
others,  the  Cobra  di  Capello,  or  Hooded  Ser- 
pent, inflicts  the  most  deadly  and  incurable 
wounds.  Of  this  formidable  creature  there 
are  five  or  six  different  kinds  ;  but  they  are  all 
equally  dangerous,  and  their  bite  followed  by 
spee'ly  and  certain  death.  It  is  from  three  to 
eight  feet  long,  with  two  large  fangs  hanging 
out  of  the  upper  jaw.  It  has  a  broad  neck, 
and  a  mark  of  dark  brown  on  the  forehead  ; 
which,  when  viewed  frontwise,  looks  like  a 
pair  of  spectacles ;  but  behind  like  the  head  of 
a  cat.  The  eyes  are  fierce  and  full  of  fire  ; 
the  head  is  small,  and  the  nose  flat,  though 


covered  with  very  large  scales,  of  a  yellowish 
ash-colour ;  the  skin  is  white,  and  the  large 
tumour  on  the  neck  is  flat,  and  covered  with 
oblong,  smooth  scales.  The  bite  of  this  ani- 
mal is  said  to  be  incurable,  the  patient  dying 
in  about  an  hour  after  the  wound  ;  the  whole 
frame  being  dissolved  into  one  putrid  mass  of 
corruption. 

To  remedy  the  bite  of  all  these  animals, 
perhaps  salad-oil  would  be  very  efficacious: 
however,  the  Indians  make  use  of  a  composi- 
tion, which  is  called,  in  Europe,  Petro  de  Co- 
bra, or  the  Serpent-stone ;  and  which  applied 
to  the  wound,  is  said  to  draw  out  the  venom. 
The  composition  of  this  stone,  for  it  is  an  ar- 
tificial substance,  is  kept  a  secret ;  and  per- 
haps its  effects  in  extracting  the  venom  may 
be  imaginary :  nevertheless,  it  is  certain  that 
it  has  a  power  of  sticking  to  the  skin,  and 
sucking  a  part  of  the  blood  from  the  wound. 
This  it  may  do  somewhat  in  the  same  manner 
as  we  see  a  tobacco-pipe  stick  to  the  lips  of  a 
man  who  is  smoking :  yet  still  we  are  igno- 
rant of  the  manner ;  and  the  secret  might 
probably  be  of  some  use  in  medicine.  It  were 
to  be  wished,  therefore,  that  those  who  go  into 
India  would  examine  into  this  composition, 
and  give  us  the  result  of  their  in.quiries  :  but  I 
fear  that  it  is  not  to  benefit  mankind,  that  our 
travellers  now  go  to  India. 


CHAPTER  CLXVI. 

OF  SERPENTS  WITHOUT  VENOM. 


THE  class  of  serpents  without  poison,  may 
be  distinguished  from  those  that  are  venom- 
ous, by  their  wanting  the  fang-teeth  :  their 
heads,  also,  are  not  so  thick  in  proportion  to 
their  bodies ;  and,  in  general,  they  taper  off 
to  the  tail  more  gradually  in  a  point.  But 
notwithstanding  their  being  destitute  of  venom, 
they  do  not  cease  to  be  formidable :  some 
grow  to  a  size  by  which  they  become  the 
most  powerful  animals  of  the  forest ;  and 
even  the  smallest  and  most  harmless  of  this 
slender  tribe,  find  protection  from  the  simili- 
tude of  their  form. 

The  fangs  make  the  great  distinction  among 

NO.  63  &  64. 


serpents  ;  and  all  this  tribe  are  without  them. 
Their  teeth  are  short,  numerous,  and,  in  the 
smaller  kinds,  perfectly  inoffensive :  they  lie 
in  either  jaw,  as  in  frogs  and  fishes,  their  points 
bending  backwards,  the  better  to  secure  their 
prey.  They  want  that  artificial  mechanism 
by  which  the  poisonous  tribe  inflict  such  dead- 
ly wounds :  they  have  no  gland  in  the  head 
for  preparing  venom  ;  no  conduits  for  convey- 
ing it  to  the  teeth  ;  no  receptacles  there  ;  no 
hollow  in  the  instrument  that  inflicts  the 
wound.  Their  bite,  when  the  teeth  happen 
to  be  large  enough  to  penetrate  the  skin,  (for, 
in  general,  they  are  too  small  for  this  purpose,) 
5L 


710 


A  HISTORY  OF 


is  attended  \vith  no  other  symptoms  than 
those  of  an  ordinary  puncture ;  and  many  of 
this  tribe,  as  if  sensible  of  their  own  impotence, 
cannot  be  provoked  to  bite,  though  never  so 
rudely  assaulted.  They  hiss,  dart  out  their 
forky  tongues,  erect  themselves  on  the  tail, 
and  call  up  all  their  terrors  to  intimidate  their 
aggressors ;  but  seem  to  consider  their  teeth 
as  unnecessary  instruments  of  defence,  and 
never  attempt  to  use  them.  Even  amongst 
ihe  largest  of  this  kind,  the  teeth  are  never 
employed,  in  the  most  desperate  engagements. 
Vv'hen  a  hare  or  a  bird  is  caught,  the  teeth 
may  serve  to  prevent  such  small  game  from 
escaping  ;  but  when  a  buffalo  or  a  tiger  is  to 
be  encountered,  it  is  by  the  strong  folds  of  the 
body,  by  the  fierce  verberations  of  the  tail, 
that  the  enemy  is  destroyed  :  by  this  twining 
round,  and  drawing  the  knot  with  convulsive 
energy,  this  enormous  reptile  breaks  every 
bone  in  the  quadruped's  body,  and  then,  at 
one  morsel,  devours  its  prey. 

From  hence  we  may  distinguish  the  un- 
venomous  tribe  into  two  kinds :  first,  into 
tiose  which  are  seldom  found  of  any  consi- 
derable magnitude,  and  that  never  offend  ani- 
mals larger  or  more  powerful  than  themselves, 
but  which  find  their  chief  protection  in  flight, 
or  in  the  doubtfulness  of  their  form  ;  secondly, 
into  such  as  grow  to  an  enormous  size,  fear 
no  enemy,  but  indiscriminately  attack  all 
other  animals  and  devour  them.  Of  the  first 
kind  is  the  Common  Black  Snake,  the  Blind 
Worm,  the  Esculapian  Serpent,  the  Arnphis- 
baena,  and  several  others.  Of  the  second,  the 
Liboya,  the  Boiguacu,  the  Depona,  and  the 
Boiquatrara. 

The  Black  Snake  is  the  largest  of  English 
serpents,  sometimes  exceeding  four  feet  in 
length.  The  neck  is  slender ;  the  middle  of 
the  body  thick ;  the  back  and  sides  covered 
with  small  scales ;  the  belly  with  oblong,  nar- 
row, transverse  plaits :  the  colour  of  the  back 
and  sides  are  of  a  dusky  brown  ;  the  middle  of 
the  back  marked  with  two  rows  of  small  black 
spots,  running  from  the  head  to  the  tail ;  the  plaits 
on  the  bdly  are  dusky  ;  the  scales  on  the  sides 
are  of  a  bluish  white  ;  the  teeth  are  small  and 
serrated,  lying  on  each  side  of  the  jaw  in  two 
rows.  The  whole  species  is  perfectly  inoffen- 
sive ;  taking  shelter  in  dunghills,  and  among 
bushes  in  moist  places ;  from  whence  they 
Seldom  remove,  unless  in  the  midst  of  the  day, 


in  summer,  when  they  are  called  out  by  the 
heat  to  bask  themselves  in  the  sun.  If  disturb- 
ed or  attacked,  they  move  away  among  the 
brambles  with  great  swiftness;  but  if  too 
closely  pursued,  they  hiss  and  threaten,  and 
thus  render  themselves  formidable,  though  in- 
capable of  offending. 

The  black  snake  preys  upon  frogs,  insects, 
worms,  mice,  and  young  birds  :  and,  consider- 
ing the  snirtllness  of  the  neck,  it  is  amazing 
how  large  an  animal  it  will  swallow.  The 
black  snake  of  Virginia,  which  is  larger  than 
ours,  and  generally  grows  to  six  feet  long, 
takes  a  prey  proportionable  to  its  size  ;  par- 
tridges, chickens,  and  young  ducks.  It  is 
generally  found  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
hen-roost,  and  will  devour  the  eggs  even 
while  the  hen  is  sitting  upon  them  :  these  it 
swallows  whole,  and  often  after  it  has  done 
the  mischief  will  coil  itself  round  in  the  nest. 

The  whole  of  this  tribe  are  oviparous,  ex- 
cluding eighty  or  a  hundred  eggs  at  a  time, 
which  are  laid  in  dunghills  or  hotbeds  ;  the 
heat  of  which,  aided  by  that  of  the  sun,  brings 
them  to  maturity.  During  winter  they  lie 
torpid,  in  banks  of  edges,  and  under  old 
trees. 

The  Blind  Worm  is  another  harmless  rep- 
tile, with  a  formidable  appearance.  The 
usual  length  of  this  species  is  eleven  inches. 
The  eyes  are  red  ;  the  head  small ;  the  neck 
still  more  slender ;  from  that  part  the  body 
grows  suddenly,  and  continues  of  an  equal 
bulk  to  the  tail,  which  ends  quite  blunt :  the 
colour  of  the  back  is  cinereous,  marked  with 
very  small  lines,  composed  of  minute  black 
specks ;  the  sides  are  of  a  reddish  cast ;  the 
belly  dusky,  and  marked  like  the  back.  The 
motion  of  this  serpent  is  slow  ;  from  which, 
and  from  the  smallness  of  the  eyes,  are  derived 
its  names  ;  some  calling  it  the  slow  and  some 
the  blind  worm.  Like  all  the  rest  of  the  kind 
in  our  climates,  they  lie  torpid  during  winter; 
and  are  sometimes  found  in  vast  numbers, 
twisted  n<  Aether.  This  animal,  like  the  for- 
mer, is  perfectly  innocent;  however,  like  the 
viper  it  brings  forth  its  young  alive.  Gesner 
tells  us,  that  one  of  these  being  si  ruck  on  the 
head  when  it  was  pregnant,  it  immediately 
cast  forth  its  young. 

The  Arnphisbaena,  or  the  Double  Headed 
Serpent,  is  remarkable  for  moving  along  with 
either  the  head  or  the  tail  foremost ;  and  from 


THE  SERPENT  KLND. 


711 


thence  it  has  been  thought  to  have  two  heads. 
This  error  took  its  rise  from  the  thickness  of 
the  tail,  which,  at  a  distance,  may  be  mistaken 
for  another  head.  Upon  a  nearer  view,  how- 
ever, the  error  is  easily  discovered,  and  the 
animal  will  be  found  formed  according  to  the 
usual  course  of  nature.  It  is  as  thick  at  one 
end  as  at  the  other;  and  the  colour  of  the 
skin  is  like  that  of  the  earth,  being  rough, 
hard,  and  variously  spotted.  Some  have  af- 
tirmed  that  its  bite  is  dangerous;  but  this 
must  be  a  mistake,  as  it  wants  the  fangs,  and,  '' 
consequently,  the  elaboratory  that  prepares 
the  poison. 

These  animals  are  only  formidable  from 
their  similitude  to  the  viper  tribe;  and,  in 
some  countries,  where  such  reptiles  are  com- 
mon, they  make  the  distinction  so  exactly, 
that  while  they  destroy  serpents  of  one  kind 
with  great  animosity,  they  take  others  into 
their  houses,  and  even  into  their  bosoms,  with 
a  kind  of  unaccountable  affection.  The  Es- 
Cttlaptan  Serpent  of  Italy  is  among  this  num- 
ber. It  is  there  suffered  to  crawl  about  the 
chambers;  and  often  gets  into  the  beds  where 
people  lie.  It  is  a  yellow  serpent,  of  about 
an  ell  long;  and,  though  innocent,  yet  will 
bite  when  exasperated.  They  are  said  to 
be  great  destroyers  of  mice ;  and  this  may  be 
the  reason  why  they  are  taken  under  human 
protection.  The  Boyuna  of  Ceylon  is  equal- 
ly a  favourite  among  tho  natives;  and  they 
consider  the  meeting  it  as  a  sign  of  good  luck. 
The  Surinam  Serpent,  which  some  improper- 
ly call  the  Ammodytes,  is  equally  harmless 
and  desirable  among  the  savages  of  that  part 
of  the  world.  They  consider  themselves  as 
extremely  happy  if  this  animal  comes  into 
their  huts.  The  colours  of  this  serpent  are 
so  many  and  beautiful,  that  they  surpass  all 
description ;  and  these,  perhaps,  are  the  chief 
inducements  to  the  savages  to  consider  its 
visits  as  so  very  fortunate.  A  still  greater 
favourite  is  the  Prince  of  Serpents,  a  native 
of  Japan,  that  has  not  its  equal  for  beauty. 
The  scales  which  cover  the  back  are  reddish, 
finely  shaded,  and  marbled  with  large  spots 
of  irregular  figures  mixed  with  black.  The 
fore  part  of  the  head  is  covered  with  large 
beautiful  scales,  the  jaws  bordered  with  yel- 
low, the  forehead  marked  with  a  black  mar- 
bled streak,  and  the  eyes  handsome  and  live- 


ly. But  of  all  others,  the  Geremla  of  the 
East  Indies  is  the  most  honoured  and  esteem- 
ed. To  this  animal,  which  is  finely  spotted 
with  various  colours,  the  natives  of  Calicut 
pay  divine  honours;  and  while  their  deity 
lies  coiled  up,  which  is  its  usual  posture,  the 
people  fall  upon  their  faces  before  it  with 
stupid  adoration.  The  African  Gerenda  \» 
larger,  and  worshipped  in  the  same  manner 
by  the  inhabitants  of  the  coast  of  Mosambique. 
The  skin  is  not  so  finely  spotted  as  the  for- 
mer; but  it  is  variegated  all  over  the  body 
with  very  fine,  white,  ash-coloured,  and  black 
spots.  The  brilliancy  of  colouring  in  these 
reptiles  would  only  serve  with  us  to  increase 
our  disgust;  but  in  those  countries  where 
the.y  are,  common  distinctions  are  made  ;  and 
even  in  this  horrid  class,  there  are  some  eyes 
that  can  discover  beauty. 

But  in  the  larger  tribe  of  serpents,  there 
is  nothing  but  danger  to  be  apprehended* 
This  formidable  class,  though  without  venom, 
have  something  frightful  in  their  colour,  aa 
well  as  their  size  and  form.  They  want  that 
vivid  hue  with  which  the  savages  are  so  much 
pleased  in  the  lesser  kinds  ;  they  are  all  found 
of  a  dusky  colour,  with  large  teeth,  which 
are  more  formidable  than  dangerous. 

The  first  of  this  claps  is  the  Great  Liboya 
of  Java  and  Brasi),  which  Legaut  affirms,  he 
has  seen  fifty  feet  long.  Nor  is  he  singular 
in  this  report,  as  many  of  the  missionaries 
affirm  the  same;  and  we  have  the  concurrent 
testimony  of  historians  as  a  further  proof. 
The  largest  animal  of  this  kind  which  has 
been  brought  into  Europe,  is  but  thirty-six 
feet  long;  and  it  is  probable,  that  much  great- 
er have  been  seen  and  destroyed,  before  they 
were  thought  worth  sending  so  far  to  satisfy 
European  curiosity.  The  most  usual  length, 
however,  of  the  liboya,  is  about  twenty  feet, 
and  the  thickness  in  proportion.  The  teeth 
are  small  in  proportion  to  (lie  body;  nor  are 
thr-y  used,  but  when  it  seizes  (he  smallest  prey. 
It  lies  in  wait  for  wild  animals  near  the  paths, 
and  when  it  throws  itself  upon  them,  it  wraps 
them  round  so  closely  as  to  break  all  the 
bones;  then  moistening  the  whole  body  over 
with  its  slaver,  it  makes  it  fit  for  deglutition, 
and  swallows  it  whole. 

The  Boiguacu  is  supposed  to  be  the  next 
in  magnitude,  and  has  often  been  seen  to  swal- 
5L» 


742 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  SERPENT  KIND. 


low  a  goat  whole.  It  is  thickest  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  body,  and  grows  shorter  and  small- 
er towards  the  head  and  the  tail :  on  the  mid- 
dle of  the  back,  there  is  a  chain  of  small  black 
.spots  running  along  the  length  of  it;  and  on 
each  side,  there  are  large,  round,  black  spots, 
at  some  distance  from  each  other,  which  are 
white  in  the  centre :  between  these,  near  the 
belly,  there  are  two  rows  of  lesser  black  spots, 
M'hich  run  parallel  to  the  back.  It  has  a 
double  row  of  sharp  teelh  in  each  jaw,  of  a 
white  colour,  and  shining  like  mother-of-pearl. 
The  head  is  broad ;  and  over  the  eyes  it  is 
raised  into  two  prominences :  near  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  tail  there  are  two  claws,  re- 
sembling those  of  birds. 

These  serpents  lie  hid  in  thickets,  from 
whence  they  sally  out  unawares,  and  raising 
themselves  upright  on  their  tails,  will  attack 
both  men  and  beasts.  They  make  a  loud, 
hissing  noise  when  exasperated;  and  some- 
times winding  up  trees,  will  dart  down  upon 
travellers,  and  twist  themselves  so  closely 
round  their  bodies,  as  to  despatch  them  in  a 
very  few  minutes.  Condamine,  however,  af- 
firms, that  their  bite  is  not  dangerous;  for 
though  the  teeth  are  so  large  as  to  inspire 
the  beholder  with  terror,  yet  the  wound  they 
make  is  attended  with  no  dangerous  conse- 
quences whatever.  Dellon  affirms,  that  they 
generally  haunt  desert  places;  and  though 
they  are  sometimes  seen  near  great  towns,  or 
on  the  banks  of  rivers,  yet  it  is  generally  after 
some  great  inundation:  he  never  saw  any  but 
what  were  dead;  and  they  appeared  to  him  like 
the  trunk  of  a  great  tree  lying  on  the  ground. 

To  this  class  of  large  serpents,  we  may  re- 
fer the  Depona,  a  native  of  Mexico,  with  a 
very  large  head  and  great  jaws.  The  mouth 
is  armed  with  cutting,  crooked  teeth,  among 


which  there  are  two  longer  than  the  rest,  pla- 
ced in  the  fore  part  of  the  upper  jaw,  but  very 
different  from  the  fangs  of  the  viper.  All 
round  the  mouth  there  is  a  broad  scaly  bor- 
der; and  the  eyes  are  so  large,  that  they  give 
it  a  very  terrible  aspect.  The  forehead  is 
covered  with  very  large  scales;  on  which  are 
placed  others,  that  are  smaller,  curiously  ran- 
ged :  those  on  the  back  are  grayish,  and  along 
it  runs  a  double  chain,  whose  ends  are  join- 
ed in  the  manner  of  a  buckler.  Each  side  of 
the  belly  is  marbled  with  large  square  spots, 
of  a  chesnut  colour,  in  the  middle  of  which 
is  a  spot,  which  is  round  and  yellow.  They 
avoid  the  sight  of  man;  and,  consequently, 
never  do  much  harm. 

Such  are  the  most  noted  animals  of  the 
serpent  tribe;  but  to  recount  all,  would  be  a 
vain,  as  well  as  a  useless  endeavour.  In  those 
countries  where  they  abound,  their  discrimi- 
nations are  so  numerous,  and  their  colours  so 
various,  that  every  thicket  seems  to  produce 
a  new  animal.  The  same  serpent  is  often 
found  to  bring  forth  animals  of  eight  or  ten 
different  colours:  and  the  naturalist  who  at- 
tempts to  arrange  them  by  that  mark,  will 
find  that  he  has  made  distinctions  which  are 
entirely  disowned  by  nature :  however,  a  very 
considerable  number  might  be  added  to  en- 
large the  catalogue;  but  having  supplied  a 
general  history,  the  mind  turns  away  from  a 
subject  where  every  object  presents  some- 
thing formidable  or  loathsome  to  the  imagi- 
nation. Indeed,  the  whole  tribe  resemble 
each  other  so  nearly,  that  the  history  of  one 
may  almost  serve  for  every  other.  They  are 
all  terrible  to  the  imagination,  all  frightful  to 
behold  in  their  fury,  and  have  long  been  con- 
sidered as  a  race  of  animals  between  whom 
and  man  there  is  a  natural  antipathy. 


A   HISTORY  OF  INSECTS  IN  GENERAL. 


743 


or  INSECTS  or  THE  FIRST  ORDER. 


CHAPTER  CLXVII. 

OF  INSECTS  IN  GENERAL. 


HAVING  gone  through  the  upper  ranks  of 
nature,  we  descend  to  that  of  insects,  a  sub- 
ject almost  inexhaustible  from  the  number  of 
its  tribes  and  the  variety  of  their  appearance. 
Those  who  have  professedly  written  on  this 
subject  seem  to  consider  it  as  one  of  the 
greatest  that  can  occupy  the  human  mind,  as 
the  most  pleasing  in  Animated  Nature.  "After 
an  attentive  examination,"  says  Svvammer- 
dam,  "  of  the  nature  and  anatomy  of  the 
smallest  as  well  as  the  largest  animals,  I  can- 
not help  allowing  the  least  an  equal,  or  per- 
haps a  superior,  degree  of  dignity.  If,  while 
we  dissect  with  care  the  larger  animals,  we 
are  filled  with  wonder  at  the  elegant  disposi- 
tion of  their  parts,  to  what  a  height  is  our 
astonishment  raised,  when  we  discover  all 
these  parts  arranged  in  the  least  in  the  same 
regular  manner !  Notwithstanding  the  small- 
ness  of  ants,  nothing  hinders  our  preferring 
them  to  the  largest  animals.  If  we  consider 
either  their  unwearied  diligence,  their  won- 
derful strength,  or  their  inimitable  propensity 
to  labour.  Their  amazing  love  to  their  young 
is  still  more  unparalleled  among  the  larger 
classes.  They  not  only  daily  carry  them  to 
such  places  as  may  afford  them  food ;  but  if, 
by  accident,  they  are  killed,  and  even  cut 
into  pieces,  they,  with  the  utmost  tenderness, 


will  carry  them  away  piecemeal  in  their  arms. 
Who  can  show  such  an  example  among  the 
larger  animals  which  are  dignified  with  the 
title  of  perfect  ?  Who  can  find  an  instance 
in  any  other  creature  that  can  come  in  com- 
petition with  this  ?" 

Such  is  the  language  of  a  man,  who,  by 
long  study,  became  enamoured  of  his  subject; 
but  to  those  who  judge  less  partially,  it  will 
be  found  that  the  insect  tribe,  for  every  rea- 
son, deserve  but  the  last  and  lowest  rank  in 
Animated  Nature.  As  in  mechanics  the  most 
complicated  machines  are  required  to  per- 
form the  nicest  operations,  so  in  anatomy  the 
noblest  animals  are  most  variously  and  won- 
derfully made.  Of  all  living  beings,  man 
offers  the  most  wonderful  variety  in  his  inter- 
nal conformation ;  quadrupeds  come  next, 
and  other  animals  follow  in  proportion  to  their 
powers  or  their  excellencies.  Insects  seem 
of  all  others  the  most  imperfectly  formed  : 
from  their  minuteness,  the  dissecting  knife 
can  go  but  a  short  way  in  the  investigation ; 
but  one  thing  argues  an  evident  imperfection, 
which  is,  that  many  of  them  can  live  a  long 
time,  though  deprived  of  those  organs  which 
are  necessary  to  life,  in  the  higher  ranks  of 
nature.  Many  of  them  are  furnished  with 
lungs  and  a  heart,  like  nobler  animals ;  yet 


744 


A  HISTORY  OF 


the  caterpillar  continues  to  live,  though  its 
heart  and  lungs,  which  is  often  the  case,  are 
entirely  eaten  away. 

But  it  is  not  from  their  conformation  alone 
that  insects  are  interior  to  other  animals,  but 
from  their  instincts  also.  It  is  true  that  the 
ant  and  the  bee  present  us  with  very  striking 
instances  of  assiduity;  but  how  far  are  theirs 
beneath  the  marks  of  sagacity  exhibited  in 
the  hound  or  the  stag !  a  bee,  taken  from  the 
swarm,  is  totally  helpless  and  inactive,  inca- 
pable of  giving  the  smallest  variation  to  its  in- 
stincts: it  has  but  one  single  method  of 
operating,  and,  if  put  from  that,  it  can  turn  to 
no  other.  In  the  pursuits  of  the  hound,  there 
is  something  like  a  choice;  in  the  labours  of 
the  bee,  the  whole  appears  like  necessity  or 
compulsion. 

If  insects  be  considered  as  bearing  a  rela- 
tion to  man,  and  as  assisting  him  in  the  plea- 
sures or  necessities  of  life,  they  will,  even  in 
this  respect,  sink  in  the  comparison  with  the 
larger  tribes  of  nature.  It  is  true  that  the  bee, 
the  silk-worm,  the  cochineal  fly,  and  the  can- 
tharides,  render  him  signal  services ;  but  how 
many  others  of  this  class,  are  either  noxious 
or  totally  unserviceable  to  him.  Even  in  a 
country  like  ours,  where  all  the  noxious  ani- 
mals have  been  reduced  by  repeated  as- 
siduity, the  insect  tribes  still  maintain  their 
ground, and  are  buttoo  often  unwelcome  intru- 
ders upon  the  fruits  of  human  industry.  But 
in  more  uncultivated  regions,  their  annoyance 
and  devastations  are  terrible.  What  an  un- 
comfortable life  must  the  natives  lead  in  Lap- 
land, and  some  parts  of  America,  where  if  a 
candle  be  lighted,  the  insects  swarm  in  such 
abundance,  as  instantly  to  extinguish  it  with 
their  numbers;  where  the  inhabitants  are 
obliged  to  smear  their  bodies  and  faces  with 
tar,  or  some  other  composition,  to  protect 
them  from  the  puncture  of  their  minute  ene- 
mies; where,  though  millions  are  destroyed, 
famished  millions  are  still  seen  to  succeed, 
and  to  make  the  torture  endless! 

Their  amazing  number  is  also  an  argument 
of  their  imperfection.  It  is  a  rule  that  ob- 
tains through  all  nature,  that  the  nobler  ani- 
mals are  slowly  produced,  and  that  nature 
acts  with  a  kind  of  dignified  economy;  but 
the  meaner  births  are  lavished  in  profusion, 
and  thousands  are  brought  forth  merely  to 


supply  the  necessities  of  the  more  favourite 
objects  of  Creation.  Of  all  other  productions 
in  nature,  insects  are  the  most  numerous. 
Vegetables  that  cover  the  surface  of  the  earth 
bear  no  proportion  to  their  multitudes;  and 
though,  at  first  sight,  herbs  of  the  field  seem 
to  be  the  parts  of  organized  nature  produced 
in  the  greatest  abundance,  yet  upon  minuter 
inspection,  we  shall  find  every  plant  support- 
ing a  number  of  scarce  perceptible  creatures, 
that  fill  up  the  various  stages  of  youth,  vigour, 
and  age,  in  the  compass  of  a  few  days  exist- 
ence. 

All  otlior  animals  are  capable  of  some  de- 
gree of  education  ;  their  instincts  may  be  sup- 
pressed or  altered ;  the  dog  may  be  taught 
to  fetch  and  carry ;  the  bird  to  whistle  a  tune ; 
and  the  serpent  to  dance ;  but  the  insect  has 
but  one  invariable  method  of  operating;  no 
arts  can  turn  it  from  its  instincts;  and,  in- 
deed, its  life  is  too  short  for  instruction,  as  a 
single  season  often  terminates  its  existence. 

For  these  reasons,  the  insect  tribe  are  de- 
servedly placed  in  the  lowest  rank  of  Ani- 
mated Nature;  and,  in  general,  they  soem 
more  allied  to  the  vegetables  on  which  they 
feed,  than  to  the  noble  classes  above  them. 
Many  of  them  are  attached  to  one  vegetable, 
often  to  a  single  leaf:  there  they  increase; 
with  the  flourishing  plant,  and  die  as  it  de- 
cays; a  few  dnys  fill  up  the  measure  of  their 
contemptible  lives  ;  while  the  ends  for  which 
they  were  produced,  or  the  pictures  they 
enjoyed,  to  us,  at  least,  are  utterly  unknown. 

Yet  while  I  am  thus  fixing  the  rank  of  a  cer- 
tain class  of  animals,  it  seems  necessary  to 
define  the  nature  of  those  animals  which  arc 
thus  degraded.  Definitions  in  general  pro- 
duce little  knowledge ;  but  here,  where  the 
shades  of  nature  are  so  intimately  blended, 
some  discrimination  is  necessary  to  prevent 
confusion.  The  smallness  of  the  animal,  for 
instance,  does  not  constitute  an  insect;  for 
then,  many  of  the  lizard  kind,  which  are  not 
above  two  inches  long,  would  come  under  this 
denomination,  and  if  the  smaller  lizards,  why 
not  the  crocodile?  which  would  be  a  terrible 
insect  indeed  !  In  the  same  manner,  smallness, 
with  a  slow  creeping  motion,  does  not  con- 
stitute an  insect;  for,  though  snails  might  be 
called  insects,  with  the  same  propriety  the 
whole  tribe  of  sea  shell- fish  would  then  have 


INSECTS  IN  GENERAL. 


745 


equal  pretensions;  and  a  very  troublesome 
innovation  would  be  brought  into  our  lan- 
guage, which  is  already  formed.  Excluding 
such  animals,  therefore,  from  the  insect  tribe, 
we  may  define  insects  to  be  little  animals  with- 
out red  blood,  bones,  or  cartilages,  furnished  with 
a  trunk,  or  else  a  mouth,  opening  lengthwise,  with 
eyes  which  they  are  incapable  of  covering,  and 
with  lungs  which  have  their  openings  on  the  sides. 
This  definition  comprehends  the  whole  class 
of  insects,  whether  with  or  without  wings; 
whether  in  their  caterpillar  or  butterfly  state; 
whether  produced  in  the  ordinary  method  of 
generation  between  male  and  female,  or  from 
an  animal  that  is  itself  both  male  and  female, 
or  from  the  same  animal  cut  into  several  parts, 
and  each  part  producing  a  perfect  ani- 
mal. 

From  hence  it  appears,  that  in  this  class  of 
animals  there  are  numerous  distinctions,  and 
that  a  general  description  will  by  no  means 
serve  for  all.  Almost  every  species  has  its 
own  distinct  history ;  and  exhibits  manners, 
appetites,  and  modes  of  propagation,  pecu- 
liarly its  own.  In  the  larger  ranks  of  exist- 
ence, two  animals  that  nearly  resemble  each 
other  in  form  will  be  found  to  have  a  similar 
history ;  but  here  insects  almost  entirely  alike 
will  be  often  found  perfectly  dissimilar,  as 
well  in  their  manner  of  bringing  forth  and  sub- 
sisting, as  in  the  changes  which  they  undergo 
during  their  short  lives.  Thus  as  this  class 
is  prolific  beyond  computation,  so  are  its  va- 
rieties multiplied  beyond  the  power  of  de- 
scription. The  attempt  to  enumerate  all  the 
species  of  a  fly  or  a  moth  would  be  very  fruit- 
less; but  to  give  a  history  of  all  would  be  ut- 
terly impracticable;  so  various  are  the  ap- 
petites, the  manners,  and  the  lives  of  this  hum- 
ble class  of  beings,  that  every  species  requires 
its  distinct  history.  An  exact  plan,  therefore, 
of  nature's  operations  in  this  minute  set  of 
creatures  is  not  to  be  expected ;  and  yet  such 
a  general  picture  may  be  given,  as  is  suffi- 
cient to  show  the  protection  which  Provi- 
dence affords  its  smallest  as  well  as  its  largest 
productions,  and  to  display  that  admirable 
circulation  in  nature  by  which  one  set  of 
living  beings  find  subsistence  from  the  de- 
struction of  another;  and  by  which  life  is 
continued  without  a  pause  in  every  part  of 
the  Creation. 


Upon  casting  a  slight  view  over  the  whole 
insect  tribe  just  when  they  are  supposed  to 
rouse  from  their  state  of  annual  torpidity, 
when  they  begin  to  feel  the  genial  influence 
of  spring,  and  again  exhibit  new  life  in  every 
part  of  nature,  their  numbers  and  their  varie- 
ties seem  to  exceed  all  powers  of  calculation, 
and  they  are  indeed  too  great  for  description. 
When  we  look  closer,  however,  we  shall  find 
some  striking  similitudes,  either  in  their  pro- 
pagation, their  manners,  or  their  form,  that 
give  us  a  hint  for  grouping  several  of  them 
into  one  description,  and  thus  enabling  us  to 
shorten  the  labour  of  a  separate  history  for 
every  species.  Swammerdam,  Reaumur,  and 
Linnajus,  have  each  attempted  to  abridge  the 
task  of  description,  by  throning  a  number  of 
similar  animals  into  distinct  classes,  arid  thus 
making  one  general  history  stand  for  all.  I 
will  avail  myself  of  their  labours;  and  uniting 
their  general  distinctions,  throw  the  whole 
class  of  insects  into  fourseparatedistributions. 
giving  under  each  the  history  of  every  species 
that  seems  to  me  considerable  enough  to  de- 
serve our  notice.  Thus  our  labour  will  be 
shortened ;  and  the  very  rank  in  which  an 
insect  is  placed,  will,  in  some  measure,  ex- 
hibit a  considerable  part  of  its  history. 

In  our  cursory  inspection  of  the  insect  tribe, 
the  first  animals  that  offer  themselves  are 
those  which  want  wings,  that  appear  crawl- 
ing about  on  every  plant,  and  on  every  spot 
of  earth  we  regard  with  any  degree  of  atten- 
tion. Of  these,  some  never  obtain  wings  at 
any  period  of  their  existence,  but  are  destined 
to  creep  on  the  vegetable,  or  the  spot  of  earth 
where  they  are  stationed  for  tLeir  whole  lives. 
On  the  contrary,  others  are  only  candidates 
fora  more  happy  situation;  and  only  wait 
their  growing  wings,  when  they  may  be  said 
to  arrive  at  their  state  of  full  perfection. 

Those  that  never  have  wings,  but  creep 
about  till  they  die,  may  be  considered  as  con- 
stituting the  FIRST  CLASS  of  insects.  All  these, 
the  flea  and  the  wood-louse  only  excepted, 
are  produced  from  an  egg;  and  when  once 
they  break  the  shell,  they  never  suffer  any 
further  change  of  form,  but  continue  to  grow, 
larger  till  they  die.  Thus  the  louse  or  the 
spider  are  produced  from  an  egg,  never  suf- 
fering any  alteration  when  once  they  are  ex- 
cluded ;  but,  like  the  chicken  or  the  duck> 


746 


A  HISTORY  OF 


remaining  invariably  the  same,  from   their 
birth  to  their  dissolution. 

The  SECOND  ORDER  of  insects  consists  of 
such  as  have  wings ;  but  which,  when  pro- 
duced from  the  egg,  have  those  wings  cased 
up  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  appear.  This 
casing  up  of  the  wing,  however,  does  not  pre- 
vent the  animal's  runriing,leaping,and  moving 
with  its  natural  celerity ;  but  when  the  case 
bursts,  and  the  wings  have  a  power  of  ex- 
panding, all  the  animal's  motions  become 
more  extensive,  and  the  animal  arrives  at  full 
perfection.  Thus  the  grasshopper,  the  dragon- 
fly, and  the  ear-wig,  have  their  wings  at  first 
bound  down;  but  when  the  skin  that,  like  a 
pair  of  stays,  kept  them  confined,  bursts, 
they  are  then  expanded,  and  the  animal  pur- 
sues the  purposes  for  which  it  was  produced. 

The  THIRD  ORDER  of  insects  is  of  the  moth 
and  butterfly  kind.  These  all  have  four 
wings,  each  covered  with  a  mealy  substance 
of  various  colours,  which  when  handled  comes 
off  upon  the  fingers;  and,  if  examined  by  the 
microscope,  will  appear  like  scales,  with 
which  the  wing  is  nicely  embroidered  all 
over.  These  insects  also  are  produced  in  a 
manner  peculiar  to  themselves.  They  are 
first  hatched  from  an  egg,  from  whence  pro- 
ceeds a  caterpillar  that  eats,  and  often  casts 
its  skin  ;  the  caterpillar  having  divested  itself 
for  the  last  time,  assumes  a  new  covering, 
which  is  called  a  chrysalis,  or  the  cone  in  the 
silk-worm,  in  which  it  continues  hidden  till 
it  comes  forth  a  perfect  moth,  or  butterfly. 

The  FOURTH  ORDER  is  of  those  "winged  in- 
sects which  come  from  a  wor-m  instead  of  a 
caterpillar,and  yet  go  through  changes  similar 


to  those  which  moths  and  butterflies  are  seen 
to  undergo.  They  are  first  excluded  from 
the  egg  as  a  worm,  and  then  become  a  chry- 
salis ;  in  some,  their  wings  and  legs  are  seen; 
in  others,  the  animal  is  quite  detached  from 
the  cone  in  which  it  is  concealed  ;  but  all  at 
length  break  their  prison,  and  come  out  per- 
fect winged  animals;  some  furnished  with 
two  wings  and  some  with  four.  The  wings 
of  all  these  differ  from  those  of  the  butterfly 
and  moth  kind,  by  not  having  the  mealy 
scales  which  are  ever  found  on  the  wings  of 
the  former.  In  this  class  we  may  place  the 
numerous  tribes  of  gnats,  beetles,  bees,  and 
flies. 

To  these  I  will  add,  as  a  FIFTH  ORDER,  a 
numerous  tribe  lately  discovered,  to  which 
naturalists  have  given  the  name  of  Zoophytes. 
These  do  not  go  through  the  ordinary  forms 
of  generation,  but  may  be  propagated  by  dis- 
section. Some  of  these,  though  cut  into  a 
hundred  parts,  still  retain  life  in  each,  and 
are  endued  with  such  a  vivacious  principle, 
that  every  part  will  in  a  short  time  become  a 
perfect  animal.  They  seem  a  set  of  creatures 
placed  between  animals  and  vegetables,  and 
make  the  shade  that  connects  Animated  and 
Insensible  Nature.  To  this  class  belong  the 
polypus,  the  earth-worm,  and  all  the  varieties 
of  the  sea-nettle. 

Having  thus  given  a  general  distribution 
of  insects,  I  will  proceed  to  describe  each 
class  in  the  order  I  have  mentioned  them ; 
beginning  with  insects  without  wings,  as  they 
more  nearly  resemble  the  higher  ranks  of 
nature,  as  well  in  their  habits  as  their  con- 
formation. 


CHAPTER  CLXVIII. 

OF  INSECTS  WITHOUT  WINGS. 


EVERY  moment's  observation  furnishes  us 
with  instances  of  insects  without  wings;  but 
the  difficulty  is  to  distinguish  those  which  are 
condemned  continually  to  lead  reptile  lives, 
from  such  as  only  wait  the  happy  moment  of 
transmutation.  For  this,  nothing  but  a  long 


and  intimate  acquaintance  will  suffice ;  but, 
in  general,  all  animals  resembling  the  flea,  the 
louse,  the  spider,  the  bug,  the  wood-louse, 
the  water-louse,  and  the  scorpion,  never  ac- 
quire wings,  but  are  produced  from  the  egg  in 
that  form  which  they  never  change  afterwards. 


THE  SPIDER  KIND. 


747 


If  we  consider  this  class  as  distinct  from 
others,  we  shall  find  them  in  general  longer 
lived  than  the  rest,  and  often  continuing  their 
term  beyond  one  season,  which  is  the  ordinary 
period  of  an  insect's  existence.  They  seem 
also  teas  subject  to  the  influence  of  the  weather  ; 
and  often  endure  the  rigours  of  winter  without 
being  numbed  into  torpidity.  The  whole 
race  of  moths,  butterflies,  bi'es,  and  flies,  are 
rendered  lifeless,  by  the  return  of  cold  wea- 
ther ;  but  we  need  not  be  told,  that  the  louse, 
th  •  H;M,  and  many  of  these  wingless  creatures 
that  seem  formed  to  teaze  mankind,  continue 
their  painful  depredations  the  whole  year  round. 

They  come  to  perfection  in  the  egg,  as  was 
said  before;  and  it  sometimes  happens,  that 
when  the  animal  is  interrupted  in  performing 
the  offices  of  exclusion,  the  young  ones  burst 
the  shell  within  the  parent's  body,  and  are 
thus  brought  forth  alive.  This  not  unfrequent- 
ly  happens  with  the  wood-louse,  and  others  of 
the  kind,  which  are  sometimes  seen  producing 
eggs,  and  so  uetimes  young  ones  perfectly 
formed. 

Though  these  creatures  are  perfect  from  the 


beginning,  yet  they  are  often,  during  their  ex- 
istence, seen  to  change  their  skin  :  this  is  a 
faculty  which  they  possess  in  common  with 
many  of  the  higher  ranks  of  animal.*,  and 
which  answers  the  same  purposes.  However 
tender  their  skins  may  seem  to  our  feel,  yet,  if 
compared  to  the  animal's  strength  and  size, 
they  will  be  found  to  resemble  a  coat  of  mail, 
or,  to  talk  more  closely,  the  shell  of  a  lobster. 
By  this  skin  these  animals  are  defended  from 
accidental  injuries,  and  particularly  from  the 
attacks  of  each  other.  Within  this  they 
continue  to  grow,  till  their  bodies  become  so 
large  as  to  be  imprisoned  in  their  own  cover- 
ing, and  then  the  shell  bursts,  but  is  quickly 
replaced  by  a  new  one. 

Lastly,  these  animals  are  endued  with  a  de- 
gree of  strength  for  their  size,  that  at  first  might 
exceed  credibility.  Had  a  man  an  equal  de- 
gree of  strength,  bulk  for  bulk,  nith  a  louse, 
or  flea,  the  history  of  Samson  would  be  no 
longer  miraculous.  A  flea  will  draw  a  chain 
a  hundred  times  hea\ier  than  itself;  an.  to 
compensate  for  this  force,  will  eat  ten  times  its 
own  size  of  provision  in  a  single  day. 


— «9»— 


CHAPTER  CLXIX. 

OF  THE  SPIDER  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THE  animal  that  deserves  our  first  notice 
in  tliis  principal  order  of  insects  is  the  spider, 
whose  manners  are,  of  all  others,  the  most 
subtle,  and  whose  instincts  are  most  various. 
Formed  for  a  life  of  rapacity,  and  incapable 
of  living  upon  any  other  than  insect  food,  all 
its  habits  are  calculated  to  deceive  and  siir- 
prisp  ;  it  spreads  toils  to  entangle  its  prey  ;  it 
is  endued  with  patience  to  expect  its  coming  ; 
and  is  possessed  of  arms  and  strength  to  de- 
stroy it  when  fallen  into  the  snare. 

In  this  country,  where  all  the  insect  tribes 
are  kept  under  by  human  assiduity,  the  spiders 
are  but  small  and  harmless.  We  are  acquaint- 
ed with  few,  but  the  house-spider,  which 
weaves  its  web  in  neglected  rooms  ;  the  gar- 
den-spider, that  spreads  its  toils  from  tree  to 
tree,  and  rests  in  the  centre ;  the  wandering- 
spider,  that  has  no  abode  like  the  rest ;  and 

wo.  C3  &  64. 


the  field-spider,  that  is  sometimes  seen  mount- 
ing, web  and  all,  into  the  clouds.  These  are 
the  chief  of  our  native  spiders  ;  which,  though 
reputed  venomous,  are  entirely  inoffensive. 
But  they  form  a  much  more  terrible  tribe  in 
Africa  and  America.  In  those  regions,  w!here 
all  the  insect  species  acquire  their  greatest 
growth,  where  the  butterfly  is  seen  to  expand 
a  wing  as  broad  as  our  sparrow,  and  the  ant 
to  build  a  habitation  as  tall  as  a  man,  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at  that  the  spiders  are  seen 
bearing  a  proportionable  magnitude.  In  fact, 
the  bottom  of  the  Martinico  spider's  body  is 
as  large  as  a  hen's  egg,  and  covered  all  over 
with  hair.  Its  web  is  strong,  and  its  bite  dan- 
gerous. It  is  happy  for  us,  however,  that  we 
are  placed  at  a  distance  from  these  formidable 
creatures,  and  that  we  can  examine  their  his- 
tory without  feeling  their  resentment. 

5M 


748 


A  HISTORY  OF 


Every  spider  has  two  divisions  in  ils  body. 
The  lore  part,  containing;  the  head  and  breast, 
is  separated  from  the  hinder  part  or  belly  by 
a  very   slender  thread,  through   which,  how- 
ever, there  i.s  a  communication  from  one  part 
to  the  other.     The  fore  part  is  covered  with  a 
hard  shell,  as  well  as  the  legs,  which  adhere 
to  the    breast.     The  hinder  part    is   clothed 
with  a  supple  skin,  beset  all  over  with  hair. 
They  have  several  eyes  all  round  the  head, 
brilliant  and  acute  ;  these  are  sometimes  eight 
i>i  number,  sometimes   but  six;  two  behind, 
two  before,  and  the  rest  on  each  side.     Like 
all  other  insects,  their  eyes  are  immovcable, 
and   they    want    eye-lids ;    but  this  organ   is 
fortified  wit!)  a  transparent  horny   substance, 
which  at  once  secures  and  assists  their  vision. 
As  the  animal  procures  its  subsistence  by  the 
most  watchful  attention,  so  large  a  number  of 
eyes  was  necessary  to  give  it  the  earliest  infor- 
mation of  the  capture  of  its  prey    They  have 
two  pincers  ot:  'he  fore  part  of  the  head,  rough, 
with  strong  points,  toothed  like  a  saw,  and 
terminating  in  claws  like  those  of  a  cat.     A 
little  below  the  point  of  the  claw  there  is  a 
small  hole,  through  which  the  animal  emits  a 
poison,  which,  though  harmless  to  us,  is  suffi- 
ciently capable  of  instantly  destroying  its  prey. 
This  is  the  most  powerful  weapon  they,  have 
against  their  enemies  ;  they  can  open  or  extend 
tliese  pincers  as  occasion  may  require ;  and 
when  they  are  undisturbed,  they  suffer  them  to 
lie  one  upon  the  other,  never  opening  them  but 
when  there  is  a  necessity  for  their  exertion. 
They  have  all  eight  legs,  jointed  like  those  of 
lobsters,  and  similar  also  in  another  respect ; 
for  if  a  leg  be  torn  away,  or  a  joint  cut  off,  a 
new  one  will  quickly  grow  in  its  place,  and 
the  animal  will  find  itself  fitted  for  combat  as 
before.     At  the  end  of  each  leg  there  are  three 
crooked  moveable   claws;    namely,   a  small 
one,  placed  higher  up,  like  a  cock's  spur,  by 
the  assistance  of  which  it  adheres  to  the  threads 
of  its  web.    There  are  two  others  larger,  which 
meet  together  like  a  lobster's  claw,  by  which 
they  can  catch  hold  of  the  smallest  depressions, 
walking  up  or  down  the  very  polished  surfaces, 
on  which  they  can  find  inequalities  that  are 
imperceptible  to  our  grosser  sight.     But  when 
they  walk  upon  such  bodies  as  are  perfectly 
smooth,  as  looking-glass  or  polished  marble, 
they  squeeze  a  little  sponge,  which  grows  near 
the  extremity  of  their  claws,  and  thus  diffusing 


a  glutinous  substance,  adhere  to  the  surface 
until  they  make  a  second  step.  Besides  the 
eight  legs  just  mentioned,  these  animals  have 
two  others,  which  may  more  properly  be  call- 
ed arms,  as  they  do  not  serve  to  assist  motion, 
butare  used  )lf  holding  and  managing  theirprry. 

The  spider,  though  thus  formidably  equip- 
ped, would  seldom  prove  successful  in  the 
rapture,  were  it  not  equally  furnished  with 
other  instruments  to  assist  its  depredations. 
As  it  lives  wholly  upon  flies,  and  is  without 
wings  to  pursue  them,  it  is  obvious  they  must 
for  ever  escape  so  impotent  an  adversary  ;  l>ut 
the  spider  is  a  most  experienced  hunter,  and 
spreads  its  nets  to  catch  those  animals  it  is  un- 
able to  pursue.  The  spider's  web  is  general- 
ly laid  in  those  places  where  flies  are  most  apt 
to  come  and  shelter  ;  in  the  corners  of  rooms, 
round  the  edges  of  windows,  and  in  the  open 
air  among  the  branches  of  trees.  There  the 
little  animal  remains  for  days,  nay,  weeks 
together,  in  patient  expectation,  seldom  chang- 
ing its  situation  though  never  so  unsuccessful. 

For  the  purposes  of  making  this  web,  na- 
ture has  supplied  this  animal  with  a  large 
quantity  of  glutinous  matter  within  its  body, 
and  five  dugs  or  teats  for  spinning  it  into 
thread.  This  substance  is  contained  in  a  little 
bag,  and  at  first  sight  it  resembles  soft  glue ; 
but  when  examined  more  accurately,  it  will 
be  found  twisted  into  many  coils  of  an  agate 
colour,  and  upon  breaking  it,  the  contents  ntay 
be  easily  drawn  out  into  threads,  from  the 
tenacity  of  the  substance,  not  from  those 
threads  being  already  formed.  Those  who 
have  seen  the  machine  by  which  wire  is  spun, 
will  have  an  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  this 
animal  forms  the  threads  of  its  little  net,  the 
orifices  of  the  five  teats  above  mentioned, 
through  which  the  thread  is  drawn,  contract- 
ing or  dilating  at  pleasure.  The  threads  w  hich 
we  see,  and  appear  so  fine,  are,  notwithstand- 
ing, composed  of  five  joined  together,  and 
these  arc  many  times  doubled  when  the  web 
is  in  formation. 

When  a  house-spider  proposes  to  begin  a 
web,  it  first  makes  choice  of  some  commodi- 
ous spot,  where  there  is  an  appearance  of 
plunder  and  security.  The  animal  then  distils 
one  little  drop  of  its  glutinous  liquor,  which  is 
very  tenacious,  and  then  creeping  up  the 
wall,  and  joining  its  thread  as  it  proceeds,  it 
darts  itself  in  a  very  surprising  manner,  as  I 


THE  SPIDER  KIND. 


749 


have  often  seen,  to  the  opposite  place,  where 
the  other  end  of  the  web  is  to  be  fastened. 
The  first  thread  thus  formed,  drawn  tight,  and 
fixed  at  each  end,  the  spider  then  runs  upon  it 
backward  and  forward,  still  assiduously  em- 
ployed in  doubling  and  strengthening  it,  as 
uponils  force  depends  the  strength  and  stability 
of  the  whole.  The  scaffolding  thus  completed, 
the  spider  makes  a  number  of  threads  parallel 
to  the  first,  in  the  same  manner,  and  then 
crosses  them  with  others;  the  clammy  sub- 
stance of  which  they  are  formed,  serving  (o 
bind  them,  when  newly  made,  to  each  other. 
The  insect,  after  this  opt  ration,  doubles  and 
trebles  the  thread  that  borders  its  web,  by 
opening  all  its  teats  at  once,  and  secures  the 
edges,  so  as  to  prevent  the  wind  from  blowing 
the  work  away.  The  edges  being  thus  forti- 
fied, the  retreat  is  next  to  be  attended  to ; 
and  this  is  formed  like  a  funnel  at  the  bottom 
of  the  web,  where  the  little  creature  lies  con- 
cealed. To  this  are  two  passages,  or  outlets, 
one  above  and  the  other  below,  very  artfully 
contrived,  to  give  the  animal  an  opportunity 
of  making  excursions  at  proper  seasons,  of 
prying  into  every  corner,  and  cleaning  thosp 
parts  which  are  observed  to  be  clogged  or 
encumbered.  Still  attentive  to  its  web,  the 
spider,  from  time  to  time,  cleans  away  the 
dust  that  gathers  round  it,  which  might  other- 
wise clog  and  incommode  it :  for  this  purpose, 
it  gives  the  whole  a  shake  with  its  paws  ;  still, 
however,  proportioning  the  blow  so  as  not  to 
endanger  the  fabric.  It  often  happens  also, 
that  from  the  main  web  there  are  several 
threads  extended  at  some  distance  on  every 
side;  these  are,  in  some  measure,  the  outworks 
of  the  fortification,  which,  whenever  touched 
from  without,  the  spider  prepares  for  attack 
or  self-defence.  If  the  insect  impinging  be  a 
fly,  it  springs  forward  with  great  agility ;  if, 
on  the  contrary,  it  be  the  assault  of  an  enemy 
stronger  than  itself,  it  keeps  within  its  fortress, 
and  never  ventures  out  till  the  danger  be  over. 
Another  advantage  which  the  spider  reaps  from 
this  contrivance  of  a  cell  or  retreat  behind  the 
web,  is,  that  it  serves  for  a  place  where  the 
creature  can  feast  upon  its  game  with  all  safety, 
and  conceal  the  fragments  of  those  carcasses 
which  it  has  picked,  without  exposing  to  pub- 
lic view  the  least  trace  of  barbarity,  that  might 
create  a  suspicion  in  any  insects  that  their 
enemy  was  near. 


It  often  happens,  however,  that  the  wind, 
or  the  rustling  of  the  branches,  or  the  approach 
of  some  large  animal,  destroys  in  a  minute  the 
labours  of  an  age.  In  this  case,  the  spider  is 
obliged  to  remain  a  patient  spectator  of  the 
universal  ruin  ;  and  \\  hen  the  danger  is  passed 
away,  it  sets  about  repairing  the  calamity. 
For  this  purpose,  it  is  furnished  with  a  large 
store  of  the  glutinous  substance  of  which  the 
web  is  made ;  and  with  this,  it  cither  makes 
a  new  web,  or  patches  up  the  old  one.  In 
general,  however,  the  animal  is  nsuch  fonder 
of  mending  than  making,  as  it  is  furnished 
originally  with  but  a  certain  quantity  of  glu- 
tinous matter,  which,  when  exhausted,  nothing 
can  renew.  The  time  seldom  fails  to  come, 
when  their  reservoirs  are  entirely  dried  up, 
and  the  poor  animal  is  left  to  all  the  chances 
of  irretrievable  necessity.  An  old  spider  is 
thus  frequently  reduced  to  the  greatest  ex- 
tremity ;  its  web  is  destroyed,  and  it  wants 
the  materials  to  make  a  new  one.  But  as 
these  animals  have  been  long  accustomed  to  a 
life  of  shifting,  it  hunts  about  to  find  out  the 
web  of  another  spider,  younger  and  weaker 
than  itself,  with  whom  it  ventures  a  battle. 
The  invader  generally  succeeds  ;  the  young 
one  is  driven  out  to  make  a  new  web,  and  the 
old  one  remains  in  quiet  possession.  If,  how- 
ever, the  spider  is  unable  to  dispossess  any 
other  of  its  web,  it  then  endeavours,  for  a 
while,  to  subsist  upon  accidental  depredation; 
but  in  two  or  three  months  it  inevitably  dies  of 
hunger. 

The  garden-spider  seems  to  work  in  a  dif- 
ferent manner.  The  method  with  this  insect 
is  to  spin  a  great  quantity  of  thread,  which 
floating  in  the  air  in  various  directions,  hap- 
pens from  its  glutinous  quality,  at  last  to  stick 
to  some  object  near  it,  a  lofty  plant  or  the 
branch  of  a  tree.  The  spider  only  wants  to 
have  one  end  of  the  line  fast,  in  order  to  secure 
and  tighten  the  other.  It  accordingly  draws- 
the  line  when  thus  fixed,  and  then  by  passing 
and  repassing  upon  it,  strengthens  the  thread 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  answer  all  its  inten- 
tions. The  first  cord  being  thus  stretched, 
the  spider  walks  along  a  part  of  it,  and  there 
fastens  another,  and  dropping  from  thence, 
fastens  the  thread  to  some  solid  body  below, 
then  climbs  up  again  and  begins  a  third,  which 
it  fastens  by  the  same  contrivance.  When 
three  threads  are  thus  fixed,  it  forms  a  square, 

5  M» 


750 


A  HISTORY  OF 


or  something  that  very  nearly  resembles  one,  j 
and  in  tins  the  airiiiml  is  generally  seen  to  re- 
side.    It  often  happens,  however,  when   the   ! 
young  spider  begins  spinning,  that  its  web  be- 
comes too  buoyant,  and   not  only  the   thread 
floats  in  the  a'ir,  but  even   the   little  spinster. 
In  this  manner  \ve  have  often  seen  the  threads 
of  spiders  floating  in  the  air;  and  what  is  still   j 
more  surprising,  the  young  spiders  themselves   j 
attached  to  their  own  web.     The   reason  is   I 
obvious ;  for  as  even  gold   itself  may  be  so 
finely  drawn  out  as  to  float  in  the  air,  so  the 
finer  thread  of  a  spider  is  so   buoyant  as  not   | 
only  to  sw'rn  in   the   air,  but   also  to  lift   the 
spider  itself;  which,  like  the  tail  of  a  kite,  rises 
with  its  own  manufacture. 

The  spider's  web  being  thus  completed,  and 
fixed  in  a  proper  place,  its  next  care  is  to  seize 
and  secure  whatever  insect  happens  to  be 
caught  in  the  toil.  For  this  purpose,  it  remains 
for  weeks  and  even  months  upon  the  watch, 
without  ever  catching  a  single  fly ;  for  the  spi- 
der, like  most  other  insects,  is  surprisingly 
patient  of  hunger.  It  sometimes  happens  that 
too  strong  a  fly  strikes  itself  against  the  web, 
and  thus,  instead  of  being  caught,  tears  the  net 
to  pieces.  In  general,  however,  the  butterfly 
or  the  hornet,  when  they  touch  the  web,  fly 
off  again,  and  the  spider  seems  no  way  dis- 
posed to  interrupt  their  retreat.  The  large 
blue-bottle-fly,  the  ichneumon-fly,  and  the 
common  meat-fly,  seem  to  be  its  favourite 
game.  When  one  of  these  strike  into  the  toils, 
the  spider  is  instantly  seen  alert  and  watchful 
at  the  mouth  of  its  hole,  careful  to  observe 
whether  the  fly  be  completely  immeshed  :  if 
that  be  the  case,  the  spider  walks  leisurely  for- 
ward, seizes  its  prey,  and  instantly  kills  it  by 
instilling  a  venomous  juice  into  the  wound  it 
makes.  If,  however,  the  fly  be  not  entirely 
immeshed,  the  spider  patiently  waits,  without 
appearing  uniil  its  prey  has  fatigued  itself  by 
its  struggles  to  obtain  its  liberty  ;  for  if  the 
ravager  should  appear  in  all  his  terrors  while 
the  prey  is  but  half  involved,  a  desperate  effort 
might  give  k  force  enough  to  get  free.  If  the 
spider  has  fristed  for  a  long  time,  it  then  drags 
the  fly  immediately  into  its  hole  and  devours 
it ;  but  if  there  has  been  plenty  of  game,  and 
the  animal  be  no  way  pressed  by  hunger,  it 
then  gives  the  fly  two  or  three  turns  in  its  web, 
so  as  completely  to  immesh  it,  and  there  leaves 
it  impotently  to  struggle  until  the  little  tyrant 


COIIK-S  to  its  appetite.  W'hy  the  spider  should 
at  one  time  kill  its  prey,  and  at  another  suffer 
it  to  struggle  in  the  toils  for  several  hours  to- 
gether, 1  am  not  able  to  say  ;  perhaps  it  only 
likes  its  prey  newly  killed,  and  therefore  de- 
lays to  put  the  captive  to  death  until  it  is  to  be 
ea'.en. 

It  has  been  the  opinion  of  some  philosophers, 
that  the  spider  was  in  itself  both  male  and  fe- 
male ;  but  Lister  has  been  able  to  distinguish 
the  sexes,  and  to  perceive  that  the  males  were 
much  less  in  size  than  the  females.  But  this 
is  not  the  chief  peculiarity  ;  for,  different  from 
all  other  animals,  except  the  fish  called  the 
Ray,  it  has  its  instruments  of  generation  placed 
in  the  fore-arms,  which  have  been  already  de- 
scribed. When  these  animals  copulate,  they 
for  some  time  tease  each  other  with  their  legs 
and  arms,  then  appear  the  instruments  of 
generation  in  the  male,  as  if  bursting  out  from 
the  points  of  its  fore  feet,  and  are  inserted 
into  the  receptacle  beneath  the  body  of  the  fe- 
male. 

The  female  generally  lays  from  nine  hun- 
dred to  a  thousand  eggs  in  a  season  ;  they 
are  of  a  bluish  colour,  speckled  with  black, 
and  separated  from  each  other  by  a  glutinous 
substance,  not  unlike  frog  spawn  water.  These 
eggs  are  large  or  small  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  animal  that  produces  them.  In 
some  they  are  as  large  as  a  grain  of  mustard- 
seed  ;  in  others,  they  are  scarcely  visible. 
The  female  never  begins  to  lay  till  she  be  two 
years  old  at  the  least,  and  her  first  brood  is 
never  so  numerous  as  when  she  has  come  to 
her  greatest  maturity. 

When  the  number  of  eggs  which  the  spider 
has  brought  forth,  have  remained  for  an  hour 
or  two  to  dry  after  exclusion,  the  little  animal 
then  prepares  to  make  them  a  bag,  where  they 
are  to  be  hatched  until  they  leave  the  shell. 
For  this  purpose,  she  spins  a  w  eb  four  or 
five  times  stronger  than  that  made  for  catch- 
ing flies  ;  and  besides,  lines  it  within  side  by  a 
down,  which  she  plucks  from  her  own  breast. 
This  bag,  when  completed,  is  as  thick  as 
paper,  is  smooth  within  side,  but  rougher  with- 
out. Within  this  they  deposite  ti  eir  eggs  ; 
and  it  is  almost  incredible  to  relate  the  con- 
cern and  industry  which  they  bestow  in  the 
preservation  of  it.  They  stick  it  by  means  of 
their  glutinous  fluid  to  the  end  of  their  body; 
so  that  the  animal,  when  thus  loaded,  appears 


THE  SPIDER  KIND. 


as  if  she  had  one  body  placed  behind  another. 
If  this  bag  be  separated  from  her  by  any  ucci- 
dent,  she  employs  all  her  assiduity  to  stick  it 
again  in  its  former  situation,  ami  seldom  aban- 
dons her  treasure  but  with  her  life.  \V  hen  the 
young  ones  are  excluded  from  their  shells, 
within  the  bag,  they  remain  for  some  time  in 
their  confinement,  until  the  female,  instinctive- 
ly knowing  their  maturity,  bites  open  their 
prison,  and  sets  them  free.  But  her  parental 
care  does  not  terminate  with  their  exclusion  ; 
she  receives  them  upon  her  back  for  some 
time,  until  they  have  strength  to  provide  for 
themselves,  when  they  leave  her  never  to  re- 
turn, and  each  begins  a  separate  manufactory 
of  its  own.  The  young  ones  begin  to  spin 
when  they  can  scarcely  be  discerned  ;  and 
prepare  for  a  life  of  plunder  before  they  have 
strength  to  overcome.  Indeed,  nature  seems 
to  have  formed  them  in  every  respect  for  a  life 
of  hostility.  No  other  insect  is  possessed  of 
such  various  powers  of  assault  and  defence  ; 
and  they  are  able  to  destroy  animals  ten  times 
bigger  tlian  the  nselves.  Even  after  a  severe 
defeat,  they  quickly  recover  of  their  wounds; 
and  as  for  their  leg^,  they  consider  the  loss  of 
them  as  but  a  small  misfortune,  as  they  grow 
again  very  speedily  to  their  former  magni- 
tude. 

Thus  there  is  no  insect  to  which  they  are 
not  an  enemy  ;  but  what  is  more  barbarous 
still,  spiders  are  the  enemies  of  each  other. 
Mr.  Reau  nur,  who  was  fond  of  making  expe- 
riments upon  insects,  tried  to  turn  the  labours 
of  the  spider  to  human  advantage,  and  actual- 
ly made  a  pair  of  gloves  from  their  webs. 
For  this  purpose,  he  collected  a  large  number 
of  those  insects  together  :  he  took  care  to  have 
them  constantly  supplied  with  Hies,  and  the 
ends  of  young  feathers,  fresh  picked  from 
chickens  and  pigeons,  which  being  full  of 
blood,  are  a  diet  that  spiders  are  particularly 
fond  of.  But,  notwithstanding  all  his  cm1, 
be  was  soon  convinced  tiiat  it  was  impracti- 
cable to  rear  them,  since  they  were  of  such  a 
malignant  nature,  that  they  could  never  IK- 
brought  to  live  in  society  ;  but  instead  of  tlvir 
usual  food,  chose  to  devour  each  other.  In- 
deed, were  it  practicable  to  reconcile  them  to 
each  other,  it  would  require  too  much  attend- 
ance to  rear  up  a  sufficient  number  to  make 
the  project  any  way  useful.  Their  thread  is 
four,  if  not  five  times  finer  than  that  of  the  silk- 


worm ;  so  that  upon  the  smallest  calculation, 
there  must  have  been  sixty  thousand  spiders  to 
make  a  single  pound  of  silk.  That  which 
Reaumur  made  use  of  was  only  the  web  in 
which  they  deposited  their  eggs,  which  is  five 
times  stronger  than  their  ordinary  manufac- 
ture. 

Of  this  animal,  there  arc  several  kinds, 
slightly  differing  from  each  other,  either  in 
habits  or  conformation.  The  Water  spider  is 
the  most  remarkable  of  the  number.  This 
insect  resembles  the  common  spider  in  its  ap- 
pearnnce,  except  that  its  hinder  part  is  made 
rather  in  the  shape  of  a  nine-pin  than  a  ball. 
They  differ  in  being  able  to  live  as  well  by 
land  as  water  ;  and  in  being  capable  of  spin- 
ning as  well  in  one  element  as  the  other. 
Their  appearance  under  water  is  very  remark- 
able; for  though  they  inhabit  the  bottom,  yet 
they  are  never  touched  by  the  clement  in 
which  they  reside,  but  are  enclosed  in  a  bubble 
of  air  that,  like  a  box,  surrounds  them  on 
every  side.  This  bubble  has  the  bright  ap- 
pearance, at  the  bottom,  of  quicksilver;  and 
within  this  they  perform  their  several  func- 
tions of  eating,  spinning,  and  sleeping,  without 
its  ever  busting,  or  in  the  least  disturbing  their 
operations :  sometimes,  the  bubble  is  seen 
divided  into  three  distinct  apartments  ;  and 
in  the  spring,  the  male  enters  one  of  those  to 
impregnate  the  female  in  the  manner  mention- 
ed above,  while  the  bubble  in  which  he  was 
contained  unites  «  ith  the  oilier,  like  two  drops 
of  water,  when  approached  to  each  otl.er. 
They  spin  their  webs  as  well  in  the  water  as 
upon  land  ;  and  it  is  most  probable  that  they 
make  their  food  of  the  small  insects  of  either 
element. 

The  Tarantula  is  also  of  this  species,  and 
deserves  particular  notice,  not  for  any  remark- 
able properties  that  really  attend  it,  but  for  the 
numerous  falsehoods  vt  hich  have  been  propa- 
gated concerning  it.  What  may  be  said  with 
tru:h  concerning  it  is,  that  it  is  the  larg<  st  of 
the  spller  kii;  I  known  in  Europe,  and  is  a 
native  of  Apulia  in  Italy.  Its  body  is  three 
quarters  of  an  inch  long,  and  about  as  thick 
as  one's  little  finger  ;  the  colour  is  generally  an 
olive  brown,  variegated  with  one  that  is  more 
dusky  ;  it  has  eight  legs  and  eight  eyes,  like 
the  rest,  and  nippers,  which  are  sharp  and  ser- 
rated :  between  these  and  the  fore  legs,  there 
are  two  little  horns,  or  feelers,  which  it  is 


752 


A  HISTORY  OF 


observed  to  move  very  briskly  when  it  ap- 
proaches its  prey.  It  is  covered  all  over  the 
body  with  a  soft  down,  and  propagates,  as 
other  spiders,  by  laying  eggs.  In  the  summer 
months,  particularly  in  the  dog-days,  the  ta- 
rantula creeping  among  the  corn,  bites  the 
mowers  and  passengers :  but  in  winter,  it 
lurks  in  holes,  and  is  seldom  seen. 

Thus  far  is  true;  but  now  the  fable  begins: 
for  though  the  bite  is  attended  witli  no  dan- 
gerous symptoms,  and  will  easily  cure  of  it- 
self, wonderful  stories  are  reported  concern- 
ing its  virulence.  The  part  which  is  bitten, 
as  we  are  told,  is  soon  after  discoloured  with 
a  livid  black,  or  yellowish  circle,  attended 
with  an  inflammation.  At  first  the  pain  is 
scarcely  felt;  but  a  few  hours  after,  come  on 
a  violent  sickness,  difficulty  of  breathing, 
fainting,  and  sometimes  trembling.  The  per- 
son bit  after  this  does  nothing  but  laugh, 
dance,  skip  about,  putting  himself  into  the 
most  extravagant  postures,  and  sometimes 
also  is  seized  with  a  most  frightful  melancho- 
ly. At  the  return  of  the  season  in  which  he 
was  bit,  his  madness  begins  again ;  and  the 
patient  always  talks  of  the  same  things. 
Sometimes  he  fancies  himself  a  shepherd  : 
sometimes  a  king;  appearing  entirely  out  of 
his  senses.  These  troublesome  symptoms 
sometimes  return  for  several  years  succes- 
sively, and  at  last  terminate  in  death.  But 
so  dreadful  a  disorder  has,  it  seems,  not  been 
left  without  a  remedy  ;  which  is  no  other 
than  a  well  played  fiddle.  For  this  purpose 


the  medical  musician  plays  a  particular  tune, 
tumous  for  the  cure,  which  he  begins  slow, 
and  'increases  in  quickness  as  he  sees  the  pa- 
tient affected.  The  patient  no  sooner  hears 
the  music,  but  he  begins  to  dance;  and  con- 
tinues so  doing  till  he  is  all  over  in  a  sweat, 
which  forces  out  the  venom  that  appeared  so 
dangerous.  This  dancing  sometimes  con- 
tinues for  three  or  four  hours,  before  the  pa- 
tient is  weary,  and  before  the  sweating  is  co- 
pious enough  to  cure  the  disorder.  Such 
are  the  symptoms  related  of  the  tarantula 
poison;  symptoms  which  some  of  the  best  and 
gravest  physicians  have  credited,  and  at- 
Tempted  to  account  for.  But  the  truth  is,  that 
the  whole  is  an  imposition  of  the  peasants 
upon  travellers  who  happen  to  pass  through 
that  part  of  the  country,  and  who  procure  a 
trifle  for  suffering  themselves  to  be  bitten  by 
the  tarantula.  Whenever  they  find  a  travel- 
ler willing  to  try  the  experiment,  they  readily 
offer  themselves,  and  are  sure  to  counterfeit 
the  whole  train  of  symptoms  which  music  is 
supposed  to  remove.  A  friend  of  mine,  who 
had  passed  through  that  part  of  the  country, 
had  a  trusty  servant  bitten,  without  ever  ad- 
ministering the  musical  cure  :  the  only  symp- 
toms were  a  slight  inflammation,  which  was 
readily  removed,  and  no  other  consequence 
ever  attended  the  bite.  It  is  thus  that  false- 
hoods prevail  for  a  century  or  two;  and 
mankind  at  last  begin  to  wonder  how  it 
was  possible  to  keep  up  the  delusion  so 
long. 


CHAPTER  CLXX. 


OF  THE  FLEA. 


THE  history  of  those  animals  with  which 
we  are  the  best  acquainted,  are  the  first  ob- 
jects of  our  chiefest  curiosity.  There  are 
few  but  are  well  informed  of  the  agility  and 
blood-thirsty  disposition  of  the  flea;  of  the 
caution  with  which  it  comes  to  the  attack ; 
and  the  readiness  with  which  it  avoids  the 
pursuit.  This  insect,  which  is  not  only  the 


enemy  of  mankind,  but  of  the  dog,  cat,  am 
several  other  animals,  is  found  in  every  part 
of  the  world,  but  bites  with  greater  severity 
in  some  countries  than  in  others.  Its  num- 
bers in  Italy  and  France  are  much  greater 
than  in  England ;  and  yet  its  bite  is  much 
more  troublesome  here,  than  I  have  found  it 
in  any  other  place.  It  would  seem  that  its 


THE  LOUSE  KIND. 


7.53 


force  increase  with  the  coldness  of  the  cli- 
mate; and,  though  less  prolific,  that  it  became 
more  predaceous. 

If  the  flea  be  examined  with  a  microscope, 
it  will  be  observed  to  have  a  small  head, 
large  eyes,  and  a  roundish  body.  It  has  two 
feelers,  or  horns,  which  are  short,  and  com- 
posed of  four  joints;  and  between  these  lies 
its  trunk,  which  it  buries  in  the  skin,  and 
through  which  it  sucks  the  blood  in  large 
quantities.  The  body  appears  to  be  all  over 
curiously  adorned  with  a  suit  of  polished 
sable  armour,  neatly  jointed,  and  beset  with 
multitudes  of  sharp  pins,  almost  like  the  quills 
of  a  porcupine.  It  has  six  legs,  the  joints  of 
which  are  so  adapted,  that  it  can,  as  it  were, 
fold  them  up  one  within  another;  and  when 
it  leaps,  they  all  spring  out  at  once,  whereby 
its  whole  strength  is  exerted,  and  the  body 


raised  above  two  hundred  times  its  own  di- 
ameter. 

The  young  fleas  are  at  first  a  sort  of  nits 
or  eggs,  which  are  round  and  smooth ;  and 
from  these  proceed  white  worms,  of  a  shining 
pearl  colour:  in  a  fortnight's  time  they  come 
to  a  tolerable  size,  and  are  very  lively  and 
active;  but  if  they  are  touched  at  this  time, 
they  roll  themselves  up  in  a  ball :  soon  after 
this  they  begin  to  creep  like  silk-worms  that 
have  no  legs:  and  they  seek  a  place  to  lie 
hid  in,  where  they  spin  a  silken  thread  from 
their  mouth,  and  with  this  they  enclose  them- 
selves in  a  small  round  bag  or  case,  as  white 
within  as  writing-paper,  but  dirty  without : 
in  this  they  continue  lor  a  fortnight  longer : 
after  which  they  burst  from  their  confine- 
ment perfectly  formed,  and  armed  with  pow- 
[  ers  to  disturb  the  peace  of  an  emperor. 


CHAPTER  CLXXI. 

OF  THE  LOUSE,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THE  antipathies  of  mankind  are  various; 
some  considering  the  toad,  some  the  serpent, 
some  the  spider,  and  some  the  beetle,  with  a 
strong  degree  of  detestation:  but  while  all 
wonder  at  the  strangeness  of  each  other's 
aversions,  they  all  seem  to  unite  in  their  dis- 
like to  the  louse,  and  regard  it  as  their  natu- 
ral and  most  nauseous  enemy.  Indeed,  it 
seems  the  enemy  of  man  in  the  most  odious 
degree,  for  wherever  wretchedness,  disease, 
or  hunger  seize  upon  him,  the  louse  seldom 
fails  to  add  itself  to  the  tribe,  and  to  increase 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  his  calamities. 

In  examining  the  human  louse  with  the 
microscope,  its  external  deformity  first  strikes 
us  witli  disgust;  the  shape  of  the  fore  part  of 
the  head  is  somewhat  oblong ;  that  of  the 
hind  part  somewhat  round  :  the  skin  is  hard, 
arid  being  stretched,  transparent,  with  here 
and  there  several  bristly  hairs:  in  the  fore 
part  is  a  proboscis  or  sucker,  which  is  seldom 
visible:  on  each  side  of  the  head  are  antennae, 
or  horns,  each  divided  into  five  joints,  cover- 
ed with  bristly  hair;  and  several  white  ves- 


sels are  seen  through  these  horns :  behind 
these  are  the  eyes,  which  seem  to  want  those 
divisions  observable  in  other  insects,  and  ap- 
pear encompassed  with  some  few  hairs:  the 
neck  is  very  short,  and  the  breast  is  divided 
into  three  parts;  on  each  side  of  which  are 
placed  six  legs,  consisting  of  six  joints,  cover- 
ed also  with  bristly  hairs;  the  ends  of  the 
legs  are  armed  with  two  smaller  and  larger 
ruddy  claws,  serving  those  insects  as  a  finger 
and  thumb,  by  which  they  catch  hold  of  such 
objects  as  they  approach  :  the  end  of  the 
body  terminates  in  a  cloven  tail,  while  the 
sides  are  all  over  hairy;  the  whole  resembling 
clear  parchment,  and,  when  roughly  pressed, 
cracking  with  a  noise. 

When  we  take  a  closer  view,  its  white 
veins,  and  other  internal  parts  appear,  as  like- 
wise a  most  wonderful  motion  in  ils  intestines, 
from  the  transparency  of  its  external  cover- 
ing. When  the  louse  feeds,  the  blood  is  seen 
to  rush,  like  a  torrent,  into  the  stomach  ;  and 
its  greediness  is  so  great,  that  the  excrements 
contained  in  the  intestines  are  ejected  at  the 


754 


A  HISTORY  OF 


same  time,  to  make  room  for  this  new  sup- 
ply- 

The  louse  has  neither  bersk,  teeth, norany 
kind  of  mouth,  as  Dr.  Hooke  described  it,  for 
the  entrance  into  the  gullet  is  absolutely 
closed.  In  the  place  of  all  these,  it  has  a 
proboscis  or  trunk  ;  or,  as  it  imy  be  other- 
wise called,  a  pointed,  hollow  sucker,  with 
which  it  pierces  the  skin,  and  sucks  the  hu- 
man blood,  taking  that  for  food  only.  The 
stomach  is  lodged  partly  in  the  breast  and 
back;  but  the  greatest  portion  of  it  is  in  the 
abdomen.  When  swollen  with  blood,  it  ap- 
pears of  a  dark  brown  colour,  which  is  visi- 
ble through  the  skin;  and  is  either  a  faint 
red,  or  a  full  or  bright  brown,  as  the  contents 
of  the  stomach  are  more  or  less  changed. 
When  it  is  empty,  it  is  colourless;  but  when 
filled,  it  is  plainly  discernible,  and  its  motion 
seems  very  extraordinary.  It  then  appears 
working  with  verystrongagitalions,and  some- 
what resembles  an  animal  within  an  animal. 
Superficial  observers  are  apt  to  take  this  for 
the  pulsation  of  the  heart ;  but  if  the  animal 
be  observed  when  it  is  sucking,  it  will  thru 
be  found  that  the  food  takes  a  direct  passage 
from  the  trunk  to  the  stomach,  where  the  re- 
mainder of  the  old  aliment  \\ill  be  seen  mix- 
ing with  the  new,  and  agitated  up  and  down 
on  every  side. 

If  this  animal  be  kept  from  food  two  or 
three  days,  and  then  placed  on  the  back  of 
the  hand,  or  any  soft  part  of  the  body,  it  will 
immediately  seek  for  food  ;  which  it  will  the 
more  readily  find,  if  the  hand  be  rubbed  till 
it  grows  red.  The  animal  then  turns  its  head, 
which  lies  between  the  t\vo  fore  legs,  to  the 
skin,  and  diligently  searches  for  some  pore  : 
when  found,  it  fixes  the  trunk  therein  ;  and 
soon  the  microscope  discovers  the  blood  as- 
cending through  the  head,  in  a  very  rapid, 
and  even  frightful  stream.  The  lonse  has  at 
that  time  sufficient  appetite  to  feed  in  a;iv 
posture  ;  it  is  then  seen  sucking  with  its  head 
downward,  and  its  tail  elevated.  If,  during 
this  operation,  the  skin  be  drawn  tight,  (he 
trunk  is  bound  fist,  arid  the  animal  is  incapa- 
ble of  disengaging  itself;  but  it  more  fre- 
quently suffers  from  its  gluttony,  since  it  gor- 
ges to  such  a  degree,  that  it  is  crushed  to 
pieces  by  the  slightest  impression. 

Whether  lice  are  distinguished  by  the  parts 


of  generation  into  males  and  females  is  not 
yet  discovered  :  Swammerdana  is  inclined  to 
think  that  they  are  hermaphrodites.  1  avhg 
foutid  an  ovary  in  all  those  he  exrnined; 
and  he  dissected  not  less  than  Ibrly-two.  In 
one  of  these  animals  were  found  ten  large 
eggs;  and  forly-tbur  smaller,  (hat  were  not 
yet  come  to  their  full  perfection. 

There  is  scarce  any  animal  that  multiplies 
so  fast  as  this  unwelcome  intruder.  It  has 
been  pleasantly  said,  that  a  louse  becomes  a 
grandfather  in  the  space  of  twenty-lour  hours; 
this  fact  cannot  be  ascertained  :  but  nothing 
is  more  true  than  the  moment  the  nit,  which 
is  no  other  than  the  egg  of  the  louse,  gets  rid 
of  its  superfluous  moisture,  and  throws  ofTits 
shell,  but  it  then  begins  to  breed  in  its  turn. 
Nothing  so  much  prevents  the  increase  of  this 
nauseous  animal  as  cold  and  want  of  humidity; 
the  nits  must  be  laid  in  a  place  that  is  warm, 
and  moderately  moist,  to  produce  any  thing. 
This  is  the  reason  that  many  nits  laid  on  the 
hairs  in  the  night-time,  are  destroyed  by  the 
cold  of  the  succeeding  day;  and  so  stick  for 
several  months,  till  they  at  last  come  to  lose 
even  their  external  form. 

The  louse  is  found  upon  every  part  of  the 
human  body;  but  particularly  in  the  heads 
of  children.  Those  found  upon  the  miners 
in  Sweden,  are  said  by  Linna?us  to  be  very 
large  ;  and  he  is  of  opinion  that  the  head  and 
the  body-louse  differ  in  no  respect  from  each 
other.  The  pthiriasis,or  lousy  disease,  though 
very  little  known  at  present,  was  frequent 
enough  among  the  ancients:  Herod,  Airii- 
ochiis.  Epiphanes.  Alcman.  the  poet,  Pherecjv 
des.  Cassander,  Callisthenes,  and  Sylln.  all 
died  of  this  disorder.  The  use  of  mercury, 
which  was  unknown  among  the  ancients,  may 
probably  have  banished  it  from  among  the 
moderns  ;  for  certain  it  is,  that  these  animals 
seldom  attack  any  in  our  climate,  but  such 
as  fro'n  slo'h  or  famine  invite  their  company. 

Such  is  the  history  of  the  human  louse, 
which,  from  its  connection  with  mankind,  de- 
serves first  notice  :  but  it  would  be  endless 
to  describe  the  various  tribes  that  go  under 
this  name,  and  swarm  upon  every  part  of  na- 
ture. There  is  scarce  an  animal,  and  scarce 
even  a  vegetable,  that  does  not  suffer  under 
its  own  peculiar  louse.  The  sheep,  the 
horse,  the  hog,  and  the  elephant,  are  all 


THE  LOUSE  KIND. 


teased  by  them ;  the  whale,  the  shark,  the 
sahnon,  and  the  lobster,  are  not  without  their 
company;  while  every  hot-house,  and  every 
garden  is  infested  with  some  peculiarly  de- 
structive. Linnaeus  tells  us,  that  he  once 
found  a  vegetable-louse  upon  some  plants 
newly  arrived  from  America;  and,  willing  to 
trace  the  little  animal  through  its  various 
stages,  he  brought  it  with  him  from  London 
to  Leyden,  where  he  carefully  preserved  it 
during  the  winter,  until  it  bred  in  the  spring; 
but  the  louse  it  seems  did  not  treat  him  with 
all  the  gratitude  he  expected ;  for  it  became 
the  parent  of  so  numerous  a  progeny,  that  it 
soon  overrun  all  the  physic-garden  of  that 
beautiful  city  ;  and  leaves,  to  this  day,  many 
a  gardener  to  curse  the  Swede's  too  indul- 
gent curiosity. 

The  animal  w'liich  some  have  called  the 
Leaf-louse,  is  of  the  size  of  a  flea,  and  of  a 
bright  green.or  bluish-green  colour;  the  body 
is  nearly  oval,  and  is  largest  and  most  convex 
on  the  hinder  part  ;  the  breast  is  very  small, 
and  the  head  is  blunt  and  green  :  the  eyes 
may  be  seen  very  plainly,  being  prominent 
on  the  fore  part  of  the  head,  and  of  a  shining 
black  colour;  near  these  there  is  a  black 
line  on  each  side  ;  and  the  legs  are  very  slen- 
der. 

Those  animals  are  usually  found  upon  the 
leaves  of  the  orache,  and  other  plants;  and 
(he  weaker  the  leaves  and  buds  are,  these 
insects  swartn  upon  them  in  greater  abun- 
dance. Some  plants  are  covered  over  with 
them;  though  they  are  not  the  cause  of  the 
plant's  weakness,  but  the  sign:  however,  by 
wounding  and  sucking  the  leaf,  they  increase 
the  disease.  They  generally  assume  their 
colour  from  the  plant  on  which  they  reside. 
Those  that  feed  upon  pot-herbs  and  plum- 
frees,  are  of  an  ash-colour;  only  they  are 
greenish  when  they  are  young:  those  that 
belong  to  the  alder  and  cherry-tree,  are 
black;  as  also  those  upon  beans,  and  some 
other  plants  :  those  on  the  leaves  of  apples 
and  rose-trees,  are  white;  but  as  they  leap, 
like  grasshoppers,  some  place  them  in  the 
number  of  the  flea  kind.  The  most  uncom- 
mon colour  is  reddish;  and  lice  of  this  sort 
may  be  found  on  the  leaves  of  tansey  ;  and 
their  juice,  when  rubbed  in  the  hands,  tinges 
them  with  no  disagreeable  red.  All  these 

NO.  G3  &  64. 


live  upon  their  respective  plant;  and  arc 
often  engendered  within  the  very  substance 
of  the  leaf. 

All  these  bring  forth  their  young  alive; 
and  the  fetus,  when  it  is  ready  to  be 
brought  forth,  entirely  fills  the  belly  of  the 
female ;  its  fore  parts  being  excluded  first, 
and  then  the  hinder.  The  young  one  does 
not  begin  to  move  till  the  horns  or  feelers 
appear  out  of  the  body  of  the  old  one ;  and 
by  the  motion  of  these  it  first  shows  signs  of 
life,  moving  them  in  every  direction,  and 
bending  all  their  joints.  When  the  horns  and 
head  are  excluded,  the  two  fore  feet  follow, 
which  they  move  with  equal  agility;  after 
this  follow  the  middle  feet,  and  then  the 
hinder:  still,  however,  the  young  one  con- 
tinues sticking  to  its  parent,  supported  only 
at  one  extremity,  and  hanging,  as  it  were  in 
air,  until  its  small  and  soft  members  become 
hardened  and  fitted  for  self-support.  The 
parent  then  gets  rid  of  its  burden;  by  moving 
from  the  place  uhere  she  was  sitting,  and 
forcing  the  young  one  to  stand  upon  its  legs, 
leaves  it  to  shift  tor  itself. 

As  the  animal  has  riot  far  to  go,  its  provi- 
sions lying  beneath  it,  during  the  summer  it 
continues  to  eat  and  creep  about  with  great 
agility.  But  as  it  is  viviparous,  and  must 
necessarily  lurk  somewhere  in  winter,  where 
its  body  may  be  defended  from  the  cold,  it 
endeavours  to  secure  a  retreat,  near  the  trees 
or  plants  that  serve  to  nourish  it  in  the  be- 
ginning of  spring.  They  never  hide  them- 
selves in  the  earth,  like  many  other  insects, 
because  they  have  no  part  of  their  bodies 
fitted  lo  remove  the  earth;  nor  can  they 
creep  into  every  chink,  as  their  legs  are  too 
long:  besides,  their  bodies  are  so  tender, 
that  the  least  rough  particle  of  the  earth 
would  hurt  them.  They,  therefore,  get  into 
the  deep  chinks  of  the  bark,  and  into  the 
cavities  of  the  stronger  stalks,  from  whence 
they  sally  out  upon  the  branches  and  leaves, 
when  the  warmth  of  the  sun  begins  to  be  felt. 
Neither  the  cold  in  the  autumnal  season,  nor 
the  lesser  degree  of  heat  in  the  spring,  ever 
hurts  them  ;  they  seldom,  therefore,  seek  for 
hiding-places  before  the  fall  of  the  leaf,  and 
are  alert  enough  to  take  the  earliest  advan- 
tage of  the  returning  spring. 

Like  many  other  insects,  they  cast  their 
5N 


756 


A  HISTORY  OF 


skins  four  several  times ;  and,  what  is  very 
remarkable,  the  males  have  four  wings,  but 
the  females  never  have  any.  They  all  have 
long  leg?,  not  only  to  enable  them  to  creep 
over  the  long  hairs  of  plants  or  leaves,  but 
also  to  travel  from  one  tree  to  another  when 
they  happen  to  stand  at  a  distance.  Their 
trunk  or  snout  lies  under  their  breast ;  and 
this  they  thrust  into  the  pores  of  the  plant  to 
suck  out  the  juice,  for  they  do  not  gnaw  them, 
like  the  caterpillar ;  but  so  hurt  them  by 
sucking,  that  the  leaves  become  spotted,  and 
as  it  were  overrun  with  scabs ;  for  which 
reason  their  edges  always  turn  up  towards  the 
middle. 

It  has  been  said,  that  these  insects  are  often 
cirried  away  and  devoured  by  ants  ;  but  this 
Frysch,  from  whom  this  description  is  taken, 
oould  never  observe.  The  ants,  indeed,  are 
fond  of  those  trees  where  there  is  a  great  num- 
ber of  those  insects  ;  but  then  it  is  only  to  suck 
the  juice  which  flows  from  the  leaves  that 
have  been  just  wounded.  This  more  parti- 


!  cularly  happens  in  the  heat  of  summer,  when 
other  moisture  is  wanting :  however,  he  never 
found  them  hurting  or  carrying  away  any  of 
these  insects  while  alive;  nor,  indeed,  were 
they  able,  for  the  leaf-louse  is  more  than  a 
match  for  the  ant  at  single  combat.  When- 
ever they  perceive  the  ant  approaching  behind 
them,  they  kick  back  with  their  hinder  feet* 
and  thus  drive  off  the  invader,  as  a  horse 
would  a  lion. 

The  three  principal  and  constant  enemies 
to  these  insects  are,  first,  the  fire-fly,  which 
lays  its  eggs  where  these  insects  are  in  greatest 
number,  which,  producing  a  worm,  seizes  and 
devours  all  the  leaf-lice  that  come  near  it : 
another  enemy  is  the  worm  of  a  peculiar  kind 
of  beetle,  which  destroys  them  in  great  num- 
bers :  but  the  most  formidable  of  all  enemies, 
is  the  ichneumon  fly,  that  seizes  upon  one  of 
the  largest  females,  and  laying  its  egg  upon 
her,  this  is  hatched  into  a  worm,  which  soon 
devours  and  destroys  the  animal  from  whose 
body  it  sprung. 


CHAPTER  CLXXII. 

OF  THE  BUG,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THE  Bug  is  another  of  those  nauseous  in- 
sects that  intrude  upon  the  retreats  of  man- 
kind ;  and  that  often  banish  that  sleep,  which 
even  sorrow  and  anxiety  permitted  to  ap- 
proach. This,  to  many  men,  is  of  all  other 
insects  the  most  troublesome  and  obnoxious. 
The  night  is  usually  the  season  when  the 
wretched  have  rest  from  their  labour;  but 
this  seems  the  only  season  when  the  bug  issues 
from  its  retreats,  to  make  its  depredations. 
By  day  it  lurks,  like  a  robber,  in  the  most 
secret  parts  of  the  bed  ;  takes  the  advantage 
of  every  chink  and  cranny,  to  make  a  secure 
lodgment ;  and  contrives  its  habitation  with 
so  much  art,  that  scarce  any  industry  can  dis- 
cover its  retreat.  It  seems  to  avoid  the  light 
with  great  cunning ;  and  even  if  candles  be 
kept  burning,  this  formidable  insect  will  not 
issue  from  its  hiding-place.  But  when  dark- 
ness promises  security,  it  then  issues  from 
f  very  corner  of  the  bed,  drops  from  the  teas- 


ter,  crawls  from  behind  the  arras,  and  travels 
with  great  assiduity  to  the  unhappy  patient, 
who  vainly  wishes  for  rest  and  refreshment. 
It  is  generally  vain  to  destroy  one  only,  as 
there  are  hundreds  more  to  revenge  their 
companion's  fate ;  so  that  the  person  who 
thus  is  subject  to  be  bitten,  remains  the  whole 
night  like  a  centinel  upon  duty,  rather  watch- 
ing the  approach  of  fresh  invaders,  than  in- 
viting the  pleasing  approaches  of  sleep. 

Nor  are  these  insects  less  disagreeable  from 
their  nauseous  stench,  than  their  unceasing 
appetites.  When  they  begin  to  crawl,  the 
whole  bed  is  infected  with  the  smell :  but  if 
they  are  accidentally  killed,  then  it  is  insup- 
portable. 

These  are  a  part  of  the  inconveniences  that 
result  from  the  persecution  of  these  odious  in- 
sects :  but  happily  for  Great  Britain,  they 
multiply  less  in  these  islands  than  in  any  part 
of  the  continent.  In  France  and  Italy  the 


THE  BUG  KIND. 


757 


beds,  particularly  in  their  inns,  swarm  with 
them  ;  and  every  piece  of  furniture  seems  to 
afford  them  a  retreat.  They  grow  larger  also 
with  them  than  with  us,  and  bite  with  more 
eruel  appetite. 

This  animal,  if  examined  minutely,  appears 
to  consist  of  three  principal  parts  ;  the  head, 
the  corselet,  and  the  belly.  It  has  two  brown 
eyes,  that  are  very  small,  and  a  little  promi- 
nent, besides  two  feelers,  with  three  joints  : 
underneath  these  there  is  a  crooked  trunk, 
which  is  its  instrument  of  torture,  and  which, 
when  in  motion,  lies  close  upon  the  breast. 
The  breast  is  a  kind  of  ring,  in  which  are 
pi  iced  ihe  two  first  pair  of  legs.  The  belly 
consists  of  nine  rings  ;  under  which  are  placed 
two  pair  of  legs  more,  making  six  in  all. 
Each  leg  has  three  joints,  which  form  the 
thigh,  the  leg,  and  the  foot,  which  is  armed 
with  a  crooked  claw,  like  a  hook.  The  body 
is  smooth,  except  a  few  short  hairs,  that  may 
be  seen  by  the  microscope,  about  the  vent, 
and  on  the  two  last  rings.  Its  motion  is  slow 
and  unwieldy  ;  yet  its  sight  is  so  exquisite, 
that  the  instant  it  perceives  the  light,  it  gene- 
rally makes  good  its  retreat  ;  and  they  are 
seldom  caught,  though  the  bed  swarms  with 
them. 

If  we  examine  this  insect  internally,  we 
shall  find  the  great  artery,  which  in  all  insects 
performs  the  functions  of  the  heart  ;  we  shall 
find  (he  apertures  of  the  lungs  on  the  right 
side  and  the  left,  through  which  the  animal 
breaths  ;  we  shall  find  a  stomach  and  intes- 
tines, which,  as  in  other  anim.ds,  run  from  the 
month  to  the  anus.  If  the  insect  has  been 
kept  long  fastin-i,  there  will  be  a  mucus  found 
in  its  body,  like  the  white  of  an  egg  ;  but  if 
crushed  afrer  a  full  meal,  the  human  blood 
which  it  has  sucked  in,  will  appear  a  little 
darkened,  by  having  passed  through  the  in- 
sect's body. 

The  male  and  female  of  these  animals  are 
plainly  distinguishable  from  ench  other  ;  and 
the  parts  of  generation  are  obvious  enough. 
f,v,nH  rmmiins:  tail  to  tail  ; 


,,..  „,.„  0D., 


and  in  this  state  are  very  easily  destroyed. 
The  female  has  an  ovary  filled  with  eggs, 
joined  together  like  a  bunch  of  grapes  ;  tach 
egg  being  oblong,  almost  cylindrical,  inclining 
to  white,  and  pretty  transparent.  In  about 
two  days  after  impregnation  by  the  male,  she 
deposites  her  eggs  to  the  number  of  about  a 
hundred  and  fifty,  in  some  convenient  place 
where  they  are  likely  to  receive  no  disturbance. 
There  they  continue  for  some  months;  during 
which  time,  neither  cold  nor  heat,  neither 
moisture  nor  fumigation,  can  in  the  lenst  re- 
tard their  exclusion  ;  but  they  come  forth  ac- 
tive, and  ready  for  mischief.  It  is  this  hardi- 
ness in  the  shell  that  seems  to  continue  the 
breed ;  as  the  old  ones  die  every  winter,  or 
are  easily  destroyed  by  any  fumigation  that  is 
used  for  that  purpose.  But  the  eggs  seem  in- 
capable of  destruction ;  even  those  men  who 
make  a  livelihood  by  killing  these  nauseous 
insects,  though  they  ran  answer  for  the  parent, 
can  never  be  sure  of  the  egg.  For  this  reason 
they  usually  pay  those  houses  to  which  they 
are  called,  a  second  or  a  third  visit,  and  at  last 
exterminate  them  by  perseverance. 

The  manner  of  destroying  themseems  rathet 
the  effects  of  assiduity  than  antidote  ;  for  the 
men  called  in  upon  this  occasion,  take  every 
part  of  the  furniture  asunder,  brush  every  part 
of  it  with  great  assiduity,  anoint  it  with  a 
liquid  which  I  take  to  be  a  solution  of  corro- 
sive sublimate,  and  having  performed  this 
operation  twice  or  thrice,  the  vermin  are  most 
usually  destroyed. 

Cleanliness,  therefore,  seems  to  be  the  best 
antidote  to  remove  these  nauseous  insects;  and 
wherever  that  is  wanting,  their  increase  seems 
but  a  just  punishment.  Indeed,  they  are  some- 
times found  in  such  numbers  among  old  fur- 
nituie,  and  neglected  chambers,  exposed  to  the 
south,  that,  wanting  other  sustenance,  they 
devour  each  other.  They  are  also  enemies  to 
other  vermin,  and  destroy  fleas  very  effectual- 
ly ;  so  that  we  seldom  have  the  double  perse- 
cution of  different  vermin  in  the  same  bed. 
Of  the  bug  kind  Linnaeus  reckons  up  forty. 


753 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CLXXIII. 

OF  THE  WOOD-LOUSE,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THE  common  wood-louse  is  seldom  above 
half  an  inch  long,  and  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
broad.  The  colour  is  of  a  livid  black, 
especially  when  found  about  dunghills,  and 
on  the  ground ;  but  those  that  are  to  be  met 
with  under  tiles,  and  in  drier  places,  are  of 
the  colour  of  the  hair  of  an  ass.  It  has  four- 
l:?en  feet,  seven  on  each  side;  and  they  have 
only  one  joint  each,  which  is  scarcely  per- 
ceivable. It  has  two  short  feelers,  and  the 
body  is  of  an  oval  shape.  When  it  is  touch- 
ed, it  rolls  itself  up  into  a  sort  of  a  ball;  and 
the  sides  near  the  feet  are  dentated  like  a 
s  nv.  It  is  often  found  among  rotten  timber, 
and  on  decayed  trees ;  in  winter  it  lies  hid 
in  the  crevices  of  walls  and  al1  sort*  of  build- 


ings. 


The  male  is  easily  distinguishable  from 
the  female,  being  less  and  more  slender. 
The  eggs  they  lay  are  white  and  shining,  like 
seed  pearls,  and  are  very  numerous :  how- 
ever, more  properly  speaking,  although,  when 
excluded,  the  young  have  all  the  appearance 
of  an  egg,  yet  they  are  alive,  arid  without 
throwing  off  any  shell,  stir  and  move  about 
with  great  vivacity  ;  so  that  this  animal  may 
properly  be  said  to  be  viviparous.  The  lit- 
tle worms  at  first  seem  scarce  able  to  stir; 
but  they  soon  feed,  and  become  very  brisk. 
These  animals  are  of  great  use  in  medicine : 
being  impregnated  with  a  saline  quality, 
which  is  diuretic  and  stimulating.  Of  this 
insect,  Linnaeus  makes  three  species. 


CHAPTER  CLXXIV. 

OF  THE  MONOCULUS;  OR,  ABORESCENT  WATER-FLEA. 


THIS  animal,  which  is  of  the  size  of  a  flea, 
appears  to  the  sight,  unassisted  by  the  mi- 
croscope, to  have  but  one  eye ;  for  the  eyes, 
by  reason  of  the  smallness  of  the  head,  seem 
to  be  joined  to  each  other:  they  are  situated 
in  the  trunk  of  this  insect,  and  the  beak  is 
likewise  very  small  and  sharp-pointed.  The 
structure  of  the  eye  is  seen,  by  the  micro- 
scope, to  be  reticulated,  or  made  like  a  net ; 
and  the  trunk  of  this  insect,  by  which  it  feeds, 
is  not  only  small  and  sharp,  but  also  transpa- 
rent. The  insects  are  of  a  blood-red  colour; 
and  sometimes  are  seen  in  such  multitudes 
on  the  surface  of  standing  water,  as  to  make 
them  appear  all  over  red,  whence  many  fan- 
ciful people  have  thought  the  water  to  be 
turned  into  blood. 

Swammerdam  tells  us  of  a  celebrated  pro- 
fessor of  Leyden,  who  was  at  first  astonished 


by  an  appearance  of  this  kind.  Being  once 
intent  upon  his  studies,  he  heard  a  noise,  of 
which,  as  it  increased  by  degrees,  he  was  de- 
sirous to  know  the  cause.  The  maid-ser- 
vant attending  to  his  summons,  appeared 
quite  petrified  with  fear,  and  told  him  with  a 
tremulous  voice,  that  all  the  waters  of  Ley- 
den  were  turned  into  blood  !  Upon  this  he 
went  directly,  in  a  small  bark,  to  the  place 
where  the  water  was  thus  changed,  arid  put 
some  of  the  bloody  water  into  a  glass ;  but 
upon  viewing  it  with  attention,  he  observed, 
that  it  abounded  with  infinite  numbers  of 
these  little  red  insects,  which  tinged  the 
whole  body  of  the  fluid  with  that  seemingly 
formidable  colour.  Thus  his  sudden  fright 
was  changed  into  lasting  admiration. 

Of  all  parts  of  this  animal,  its  branching 
arms,  and  the  motion  it  makes  with  them  in 


THE  SCORPION  KIND. 


759 


the  water,  deserve  our  greatest  attention. 
By  these  the  little  creature  can  move  in  a 
straight  line  ;  waving  its  arms,  as  a  bird  does 
its  wings  in  the  air,  sometimes  upward, some- 
times downward,  sometimes  to  the  right, 
sometimes  to  the  left,  yet  still  continuing  to 
proceed  in  a  right  line.  By  striking  the 
water  with  its  arms,  it  car  ascend  with  great 
velocity ;  and  by  striking  in  a  contrary  di- 
rection, it  dives  with  equal  ease.  As  these 
motions  are  very  rapid,  the  little  animal  ap- 
pears to  jump  in  the  water,  its  head  always 
tending  to  the  surface,  and  its  tail  stretched 
downward.  This  insect  is  produced  from  an 


ij  egg,  which,  when  excluded,  is  carried  on  the 
back  ol'the  female,  and  soon  is  seen  floating 
in  the  water  round  her.  Its  appearance  at 
first  is  that  of  a  very  small  whitish  insect, 
endued  with  a  very  nimble  motion.  Except 
in  colour, it  suffers  no  change,  only  continuing 
to  grow  larger  and  redder,  as  it  grows  old. 
They  sometimes  remain  several  days  on  the 
surface  of  the  water;  and  sometimes  an; 
seen  at  the  bottom  only  ;  but  they  are  never 
at  rest.  They  change  their  skin,  like  most 
other  insects;  and  the  cast  skin  resembles 
the  insect  itself  so  exactly,  that  one  might 
mistake  the  mask  for  the  animal. 


CHAPTER  CLXXV. 

OF  THE  SCORPION,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


THERE  is  scarce  an  insect  without  wings 
that  is  not  obnoxious  to  man  :  the  smallest 
have  the  power  of  annoying  him,  either  by 
biting  or  stinging  him ;  and  though  each  is  in 
itself  contemptible,  they  become  formidable 
from  their  numbers.  But  of  all  this  class, 
there  is  none  so  terrible  as  the  Scorpion, 
whose  shape  is  hideous,  whose  size  among 
the  insect  tribe  is  enormous,  and  whose  sting 
is  generally  fatal.  Happy  for  England,  the 
scorpion  is  entirely  a  stranger  among  us!  In 
several  parts  of  the  continent  of  Europe  it  is 
but  too  well  known,  though  it  seldom  grows 
above  four  inches  long:  but  in  the  warm  tro- 
pical climates,  it  is  seen  a  foot  in  length,  and 
in  every  respect  as  large  as  a  lobster. 

The  scorpion  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
insect  tribe,  and  not  less  terrible  from  its 
size  than  its  malignity.  It  resembles  a  lob- 
ster somewhat  in  shape,  but  is  infinitely  more 
hideous.  There  have  been  enumerated  nine 
different  kinds  of  this  dangerous  insect,  chief- 
ly distinguished  by  their  colour,  there  being 
scorpions  yellow,  brown,  and  ash-coloured  ; 
others  that  are  (he  colour  of  rusty  iron,  green, 
pale  yellow,  black,  claret- colour,  white,  and 

g™y- 

There  are  four  principal  parts  distinguish- 
able in  this  animal;  the  head,  the  breast,  the 


belly,  and  the  tail.  The  scorpion's  head 
seems,  as  it  were,  jointed  to  the  breast ;  in 
the  middle  are  seen  two  eyes ;  and  a  little 
more  forward,  two  eyes  more,  placed  in  the 
fore  part  of  the  head  :  these  eyes  are  so  small, 
that  they  are  scarcely  perceivable;  and  it  is 
probable  the  animal  has  but  little  occasion 
for  seeing.  The  mouth  is  furnished  with 
two  jaws;  the  undermost  is  divided  into  (wo, 
and  the  parts  notched  into  each  other,  which 
serves  the  animal  as  teeth,  and  with  which  it 
breaks  its  food,  and  thrusts  it  into  its  mouth  : 
these  the  scorpion  can  at  pleasure  pull  back 
into  its  mouth,  so  that  no  part  of  them  can  be 
seen.  On  each  side  of  the  head  are  two  arms, 
each  composed  of  four  joinls;  the  Inst  of 
which  is  large,  with  strong  muscles,  and  made 
in  the  manner  of  a  lobster's  claw.  Below  the 
breast  are  eight  articulated  legs,  each  divided 
into  six  joints;  the  two  hindmost  of  which  are 
each  provided  with  two  crooked  claws,  and 
here  and  there  covered  with  hair.  The  belly 
is  divided  into  seven  little  rings.-  from  the 
lowest  of  which  is  continued  a  tail  composed 
of  six  joints,  which  are  bristly  and  formed  like 
little  globes,  the  last  being  armed  with  a 
crooked  sting.  This  is  that  fatal  instrument 
which  renders  this  insect  so  formidable:  it  is 
long,  pointed,  hard,  and  hollow  ;  it  is  pierced 


760 


A  HISTORY  OF 


near  the  base  by  two  small  holes,  through 
n  liich,  when  the  animal  stings,  it  ejects  ;i  drop 
of  poison,  which  is  white,  caustic,  and  fatal. 
The  reservoir  in  which  this  poison  is  kept,  is 
in  n  small  Madder  near  the  tail,  into  wliich 
the  venom  is  distilled  by  a  peculiar  appara- 
tus. If  this  bladder  be  gently  pressed,  the 
venom  will  be  seen  issuing  out  through  the 
two  holes  above  mentioned ;  so  that  it  ap- 
pears, that  when  the  animal  stings,  the  blad- 
der is  pressed,  and  the  venom  issues  through 
the  two  apertures  into  the  wound. 
•  There  are  few  animals  more  formidable, 
or  more  truly  mischievous  than  the  scorpion. 
As  it  takes  refuge  in  a  small  place,  and  is 
generally  found  sheltering  in  nouses,  so  it 
cannot  be  otherwise  than  that  it  must  fre- 
quently sting  those  among  whom  it  resides. 
In  some  of  the  towns  of  Italy,  and  in  France, 
in  the  province  of  Languedoc,  it  is  one  of  the 
greatest  pests  that  torment  mankind  :  but  its 
malignity  in  Europe  is  trilling,  when  compared 
to  what  the  natives  of  Africa  and  the  Kast  are 
known  to  experience.  In  I'atavia,  where 
they  grow  twelve  inches  long,  there  is  no  re- 
moving any  piece  of  furniture,  without  the 
utmost  danger  of  being  stung  by  them.  Bos- 
man  assures  us,  that,  along  the  Gold  Coast, 
they  are  often  found  larger  than  a  lobster; 
and  that  (heir  sling  is  inevitably  fatal.  In 
Kurope,  however,  they  are  by  no  means  so 
large,  so  venomous,  or  so  plentiful.  The 
general  size  of  this  animal  does  not  exceed 
t-.vo  or  three  inches;  and  its  sling  is  very  sel- 
dom found  to  be  fatal.  Matipertuis.  who 
made  several  experiments  on  the  scorpion  of 
Languedoc,  found  it  by  no  menus  so  inva- 
riably dangerous  MS  had  till  then  been  repre- 
sented. He  provoked  one  of  them  to  sting  a 
tlog,  in  three  places  of  the  belly,  when-  the 
animal  was  without  hair:  in  about  an  hour 
after  the  poor  animal  seemed  greatly  swollen, 
and  became  very  sick  ;  he  then  east  up  what- 
ever he  had  in  his  bowels;  and  for  about 
three  hours  continued  vomiting  a  whitish 
liquid.  The  belly  was  always  greatly  swollen, 
when  the  animal  began  to  vomit;  but  this 
operation  always  seemed  to  abate  the  swell- 
ing; which  alternately  swelled,  and  was  thus 
emptied,  for  three  hours  successively.  The 
poor  animal,  after  this,  fell  into  convulsions, 
bit  the  ground,  dragged  himself  along  upon 


his  fore  feet,  and  at  last  died,  five  hours  after 
being  bitten.  He  was  not  partially  swollen 
round  the  place  which  was  bitten,  as  is  usual 
after  the  sting  of  a  wasp  or  a  bee;  but  his 
whole  body  was  inflated,  and  there  only  ap- 
peared a  red  spot  on  the  places  where  he  had 
been  stung.  t 

Some  days  after,  however,  the  same  ex- 
periment was  tried  upon  another  dog,  and 
even  with  more  aggravated  cruelty;  yet  the 
dog  seemed  no  way  alT'ected  by  the  wounds, 
but  howling  a  little  when  he  received  them, 
continued  alert  and  well  after  them;  and 
soon  after  was  set  at  liberty,  without  showing 
the  smallest  symptoms  of  pain.  So  far  was 
this  poor  creature  from  being  terrified  at  the 
experiment,  that  he  left  his  own  master's 
house,  to  come  to  that  of  the  philosopher, 
where  he  had  received  more  plentiful  enter- 
tainment. The  same  experiment  was  tried 
by  fresh  scorpions,  upon  seven  other  dogs, 
and  upon  three  hens;  but  not  the  smallest 
deadly  symptoms  were  seen  to  ensue.  From, 
hence  it  appears  that  many  circumstances, 
which  are  utterly  unknown,  must  contribute 
to  give  ellicacy  to  the  scorpion's  venom. 
Whether  its  food,  long  fasting,  the  season, 
the  nature  of  the  vessels  it  wounds,  or  its 
slate  of  maturity,  contribute  to,  or  retard  its 
malignity. is  yet  to  be  ascertained  by  succeed- 
ing experiments.  In  the  trials  made  by  our 
philosopher,  he  employed  scorpions  of  both 
sexes,  newly  caught,  and  seemingly  vigorous 
and  active.  The  success  of  this  experiment 
may  serve  to  show,  that  many  of  those  boast- 
ed antidotes  which  are  given  for  the  cure  of 
the  scorpion's  sting,  owe  their  success  rather 
to  accident  than  their  own  efficacy.  They 
only  happened  to  cure,  when  their  sting  \\aa 
no  way  dangerous;  but  in  cases  of  actual 
malignity,  they  might  probably  be  utterly  un- 
serviceable. 

The  scorpion  of  the  tropical  climates  being 
much  larger  than  the  former,  is  probably 
much  more  venomous.  Helbigius,  however, 
who  resided  for  many  years  in  the  East, 
assures  us,  that  he  was  often  stung  by  the 
scorpion,  and  never  received  any  material  in- 
jury from  the  wound  :  a  painful  tumour  gene- 
rally ensued  :  but  he  always  cured  it,  by  rub- 
bing the  part  with  a  piece  of  iron  or  stone, 
as  he  had  seen  the  Indians  practise  before 


THE  SCORPION  KIND. 


him,  until  the  flesh  became  insensible.  Seba, 
Moore,  and  Bosnian,  however,  give  a  very 
different  account  of  the  scorpion's  malignity: 
and  assert  that,  unless  speedily  relieved,  the 
wound  becomes  fatal. 

It  is  certain  that  no  animal  in  the  creation 
seems  endued  with  such  an  irascible  nature. 
1  have  often  seen  them  taken  and  put  into  a 
plaee  of  security,  exerting  all  their  rage 
against  the  sides  of  the  glass  vessel  (hat  con- 
tained them.  I  have  seen  them  attempt  to 
sting  a  stick,  when  put  near  them;  and  attack 
a  mouse  or  a  frog,  while  those  animals  were 
far  from  ottering  any  injury.  Maupertnis  put 
three  scorpions  and  a  mouse  into  the  same 
vessel  together,  and  they  soon  stung  the  little 
animal  in  different  places.  The  mouse,  thus 
assaulted,  stood  for  some  time  upon  the  de- 
fensive, and  at  last  killed  them  all,  one  after 
another.  He  tried  this  experiment,  in  order 
to  see  whether  the  mouse,  after  it  had  killed, 
would  cat  the  scorpions;  but  the  little  quad- 
ruped seemed  entirely  satisfied  with  the  vic- 
tory, and  even  survived  the  severity  of  the 
wounds  it  had  received  :  Wolkamer  tried  the 
courage  of  the  scorpion  against  the  large  spi- 
der, and  enclosed  several  of  both  kinds  in 
glass  vessels  for  that  purpose."  The  success 
of  this  combat  was  very  remarkable.  The 
spider  at  first  used  all  its  efforts  to  immesh 
the  scorpion  in  its  web,  which  it  immediately 
began  spinning;  but  the  scorpion  rescued  it- 
self from  the  danger,  by  stinging  its  adversary 
to  death;  it  soon  after  cut  off',  with  its  claus, 
all  the  legs  of  the  spider,  and  then  sucked  all 
the  internal  parts  at  its  leisure.  If  the  scor- 
pion's skin  had  not  been  so  hard,  Wolkamer 
is  of  opinion  that  the  spider  would  have  ob- 
tained the  victory;  for  he  had  often  seen  one 
of  these  spiders  destroy  a  toad. 

The  fierce  spirit  of  this  animal  is  equally 
dangerous  to  its  own  species ;  for  scorpions 
are  the  crudest  enemies  to  each  other. 
M  inpertuis  put  about  a  hundred  of  them  to- 
gether in  the  same  glass ;  and  they  scarce 
came  into  contact,  when  they  began  to  exert 
all  their  rage  in  mutual  destruction:  there 
was  nothing  to  be  seen  but  one  universal 
carnage,  without  any  distinction  of  age  or 
or  sex ;  so  that  in  a  few  days  there  remained 

(a)  EphemcridesDec.il.  1687.  Obgerv.  224. 


only  fourteen,  which  had  killed  and  devoured 
all  the  rest. 

But  their  unnatural  malignity  is  still  more 
apparent  in  their  cruelty  to  their  offspring, 
lie  enclosed  a  female  scorpion,  big  with 
young,  in  a  glass  vessel,  and  she  was  seen  to 
devour  them  as  fast  as  they  were  excluded  : 
there  was  but  one  only  of  the  number  that 
escaped  the  general  destruction,  bv  taking 
refuge  on  the  back  of  its  parent;  and  this 
soon  after  revenged  the  cause  of  its  brethren, 
by  killing  the  old  one  in  its  turn. 

.Such  is  the  terrible  and  unrelenting  nature 
of  this  insect,  which  neither  the  bonds  of 
society,  nor  of  nature  can  reclaim  :  it  is  even 
asserted  tlmt,  when  driven  to  an  extremitv, 
the  scorpion  will  often  destroy  itself.  The 
following  experiment  was  ineffectual!?  tried 
by  JManpertuis:  but  I  am  so  well  assured  of 
it  by  many  eye-witnesses,  who  have  seen  it 
both  in  Italy  and  America,  that  I  have  no 
doubt  remaining  of  its  veracity.  A  scorpion, 
newly  caught,  is  placed  in  the  midst  of  a 
circle  of  burning  charcoal,  nnd  thus  an  egress 
prevented  on  every  side:  the  scorpion.  ;is  I 
am  assured,  runs  for  about  a  minute  round 
the  circle,  in  hopes  of  escaping;  but  finding 
that  impossible,  it  stings  itself  on  the  back  of 
the  head,  and  in  this  manner  the  undaunted 
suicide  instantly  expires. 

It  is  happy  for  mankind  that  these  animals 
are  thus  destructive  to  each  other;  since 
otherwise  they  would  multiply  in  so  great  a 
degree  as  to  render  some  countries  uninha- 
bitable. The  male  and  female  of  this  insect 
are  very  easily  distinguishable;  the  male  be- 
ing smaller  and  less  hairy.  The  female  brings 
forth  her  young  nlive,  and  perfect  in  their 
kind.  Rhedi  having  bought  a  quantity  of 
scorpions,  selected  the  females,  which  by 
their  size  and  roughness  were  easily  distin- 
guishable from  the  rest,  and  putting  them  in 
separate  glass  vessels,  he  kept  them  for  some 
days  without  food.  In  about  five  days  one  of 
them  brought  forth  thirty-eight  young  ones, 
well  shaped,  and  of  a  milk-white  colour,  which 
changed  every  day  more  and  more  into  a  dark 
rusty  hue.  Another  female,  in  a  different 
vessel,  brought  forth  twenty-seven  of  the  same 
colour:  and  the  day  following  the  young  ones 
seemed  all  fixed  to  the  back  and  belly  of  the 
female.  For  near  a  fortnight  all  these  eon- 


762 


A  HISTORY  OF 


tinued  alive  and  well;  but  afterwards  some 
of  them  died  daily:  until,  in  about  a  month, 
they  all  died  except  two. 

Were  it  worth  the  trouble,  these  animals 
might  be  kept  living  as  long  as  curiosity 
should  think  proper.  Their  chief  food  is 
worms  and  insects ;  and  upon  a  proper  sup* 
ply  of  these,  their  lives  might  be  lengthened 
to  their  natural  extent.  How  long  that  may 
lj°,  we  are  not  told  ;  bnt  if  we  may  argue 
from  analogy,  it  cannot  be  less  than  s-.'veu  or 
eight  years;  and  perhaps,  in  the  larger  kind, 
double  that  duration.  As  they  have  some- 
what the  form  of  the  lobster,  so  they  resemble 
that  animal  in  casting  their  shell,  or  more 
properly  their  skin;  since  it  is  softer  by  far 
than  the  covering  of  the  lobster,  and  set  with 
hairs,  which  grow  from  it  in  great  abundance, 
particularly  at  the  joinings.  The  young  lie 
:j  the  womb  of  the  oarent,  each  covered  up 


in  its  own  membrane,  to  the  number  of  forty 
or  fifty,  and  united  to  each  other  by  an  ob- 
long thread,  so  as  to  exhibit  altogether  the 
form  of  a  chaplel. 

Such  is  the  manner  in  which  the  common 
scorpion  produces  its  young;  but  there  is  a 
scorpion  of  America,  produced  from  the  egg, 
in  the  manner  of  the  spider.  The  eggs  ;ire 
no  larger  than  pin-points ;  and  they  are  de- 
posited in  a  web,  which  they  spin  from  their 
bodies,  and  carry  about  with  them,  till  they 
are  hatched.  As  soon  as  the  young  ones  are 
excluded  from  the  shell,  they  get  upon  the 
back  of  the  parent,  who  turns  her  tail  over 
them,  and  defends  them  with  her  sting.  It 
seems  probable,  therefore,  that  captivity  pro- 
duces that  unnatural  disposition  in  the  scor- 
pion, which  induces  it  to  destroy  its  young; 
since,  at  liberty,  it  is  found  to  protect  them 
with  such  unceasing  assiduity. 


CHAPTER  CLXXVI. 

OF  THE  SCOLOPENDRA  AND  G ALLY-WORM. 


OF  these  hideous  and  angry  insects  we 
know  little,  except  the  figure  and  the  noxious 
qualities.  Though  with  us  there  are  insects 
somewhat  resembling  them  in  form,  we  are 
pi  u-od  at  a  happy  distance  from  such  as  are 
really  formidable.  With  us  they  seldom 
grow  above  an  inch  long;  in  the  tropical 
climates  they  are  often  found  above  a  quarter 
of  a  yard. 

The  Scolopendra  is  otherwise  called  the 
Centipea,  from  the  number  of  its  feet;  and  it 
is  very  common  in  many  parts  of  the  world, 
especially  between  the  tropics.  Those  of 
the  East  Indies,  where  they  grow  to  the  lar- 
gest size,  are  about  six  inches  long,  of  a 
rud.ly  colour,  and  as  thick  as  a  man's  finger: 
they  consist  of  many  joints;  and  from  each 
joint  is  a  leg  o;i  each  side:  they  are  cover- 
ed with  hair,  and  seem  to  have  no  eyes:  but 
there  are  two  feelers  on  the  head,  which  they 
make  use  of  to  find  out  the  way  they  are  to 
pass:  the  head  is  vory  round,  with  two  small 
sharp  teeth,  with  which  they  inflict  wounds 


that  are  very  painful  and  dangerous.  A  sailor 
j  that  was  bit  by  one  on  board  a  ship,  felt  an 
excessive  pain,  and  his  life  was  supposed  to 
be  in  danger :  however,  he  recovered,  by  the 
application  ot  three  roasted  onions  to  the  part, 
and  was  soon  quite  well.  Ofthis  animal  there 
are  different  kinds:  some  living,  like  worm*, 
in  holes  in  the  earth:  oth.'-rs  und^r  Clones 
and  among  rotten  wood :  so  that  nothing  is 
more  dangerous  than  removing  those  sub- 
stances, in  the  places  where  they  breed. 

The  G.dly-worm  differs  from  the  soo'o- 
pendra,  in  having  double  the  number  of  foot: 
there  being  two  on  each  side,  to  every  joint 
of  the  body.  Some  of  these  are  smooth,  and 
others  hairy  :  some  ore  yellow,  some  black, 
and  some  brown.  They  are  found  among 
decayed  trees,  between  the  wood  and  c 
bark;  as  also  among  stones  that  are  covered 
with  moss.  They  all,  when  touched,  contract 
themselves,  rolling  themselves  up  like  a  ball. 
Whatever  may  be  their  qualities  in  the  tropi- 
cal parts  of  the  world,  in  Europe  they  are 


THE  LEECH  KIND. 


763 


perfectly  harmless  ;  baring  been  often  hand- 
led and  irritated,  without  any  vindictive  con- 
sequences. 

All  these,  as  well  as  the  scorpion,  are  sup- 
posed to  be  produced  perfect  from  the  pa- 
rent, or  the  egg;  and  to  undergo  no  changes, 
after  their  first  exclusion.  They  are  seen  of 


all  sizes  ;  and  this  is  a  sufficient  inducement 
to  suppose,  that  they  preserve  their  first  ap- 
pearance through  the  whole  of  their  exist- 
ence. It  is  probable,  however,  that  like 
most  of  this  class,  they  often  change  their 
skins ;  but  of  this  we  have  no  certain  infor- 
mation. 


CHAPTER  CLXXV1I. 

OF  THE  LEECH. 


THE  last  of  this  wingless  tribe  that  I  shall 
mention  is  the  Leech,  which,  like  all  the  for- 
mer, undergoes  no  varieties  of  transformation; 
but  when  once  excluded  from  the  body  of 
the  parent,  preserves  its  first  figure  to  the  end. 
I  place  the  history  of  the  leech  among  the 
first  class  of  animals;  while  I  have  degraded 
the  Earth-worm,  the  Tasnia,  and  the  Polypus, 
into  the  class  of  Zoophytes,  or  that  imperfect 
tribe  which  serves  to  make  the  shade  be- 
tween animal  and  vegetable  nature.  Not 
but  that  the  earth-worm  or  the  polypus  have 
their  motions,  their  appetites,  and  their  vital 
principles,  as  complete  as  the  leech,  and,  to 
a  cursory  view,  appear  every  way  as  com- 
plete animals.  But  there  is  one  circumstance 
that  lays  the  line  between  them ;  that  exalts 
the  one  and  degrades  the  other.  The  earth- 
worm a;id  the  polypus  may  be  cut  in  two 
pieces,  and  each  piece  will  produce  a  new 
and  perfect  animal :  the  leech  cannot  suffer 
this  dissection,  but  dies  when  cut  in  t\vo;  an 
evident  instance  that  it  is  possessed  of  a  more 
perfect  organization  than  those  animals  which 
it  otherwise  very  much  resembles. 

The  leech,  from  its  uses  in  medicine,  is  one 
of  those  insects  that  man  has  taken  care  to 
provide;  but  of  a  great  variety,  one  kind 
only  is  considered  as  serviceable.  The 
horse-leech,  which  is  the  largest  of  all,  and 
grows  to  four  inches  in  length,  with  a  glossy. 
black  surface,  is  of  no  use,  as  it  will  not  stick 
to  the  skin;  the  snail-leech  is  but  an  inch  in 
length ;  and  though  it  will  stick,  is  not  large 
enough  to  extract  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
blood  from  the  patient;  the  broad-tailed 

NO.  63  £  66. 


leech,  which  grows  to  an  inch  and  a  half  in 
length,  with  the  back  raised  into  a  sort  of 
ridge,  will  stick  but  on  very  few  occasions: 
it  is  the  large  brown  leech,  with  a  whitish 
belly,  that  is  made  use  of  in  medicine,  and 
whose  history  best  merits  our  curiosity. 

The  leech  has  the  general  figure  of  a  worm, 
and  is  about  as  long  as  one's  middle  finger. 
Its  skin  is  composed  of  rings,  by  means  of 
which  it  is  possessed  of  its  agility,  and  swims 
in  water.  It  contracts  itself,  when  out  of 
water,  in  such  a  manner,  that  when  touched 
it  is  not  above  an  inch  long.  It  has  a  small 
head,  and  a  black  skin,  edged  with  a  yellow 
line  on  each  side,  with  some  yellowish  spots 
on  the  back.  The  belly  ateo,  which  is  of  a 
reddish  colour,  is  marked  with  whitish  yellow 
spots.  But  the  most  remarkable  part  of  this 
animal  is  the  mouth,  which  is  composed  of 
two  lips,  that  take  whatever  form  the  insect 
finds  convenient.  When  at  rest,  the  opening 
is  usually  triangular;  and  within  it  are  placed 
three  very  sharp  teeth,  capable  of  piercing 
not  only  the  human  skin,  but  also  that  of  a 
horse  or  an  ox.  Still  deeper  in  the  head,  is 
discovered  the  tongue,  which  is  composed  of 
a  strong  fleshy  substance,  and  which  serves 
to  assist  the  animal  in  sucking,  when  it  has 
inflicted  its  triple  wound;  for  no  sooner  is 
this  voracious  creature  applied  to  the  skin, 
than  it  buries  ifs  teeth  therein,  then  closes 
its  lips  round  the  wound  which  it  has  made; 
and  thus,  in  the  manner  of  a  cupping-glass, 
extracts  the  blood  as  it  flows  to  the  different 
orifices. 

In  examining  this  animal's  form  farther  to- 
5O 


A  HISTORY  OF 


wards  the  tail,  it  is  seen  to  have  a  gullet  and 
an  intestinal  canal,  into  which  the  blood  (lows 
in  great  abundance.  On  each  side  of  this  are 
seen  running  along  several  little  bladders, 
which,  when  the  animal  is  empty,  seem  to  be 
filled  with  nothing  but  water;  but  when  it  is 
goro-ing  blood,  they  seem  to  communicate 
with  the  intestines,  and  receive  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  blood  which  flows  into  the  body. 
If  these  bladders  should  be  considered  as  so 
many  stomachs,  then  every  leech  will  be 
found  to  have  twenty-four.  But  what  is  most 
extraordinary  of  all  in  this  animal's  formation 
is,  that  though  it  takes  so  large  a  quantity  of 
food,  it  has  no  anus  or  passage  to  eject  it 
from  the  body  when  it  has  been  digested. 
On  the  contrary,  the  blood  which  the  leech 
has  thus  sucked  remains  for  several  months 
clotted  within  its  body,  blackened  a  liltle  by 
the  change,  but  no  way  putrefied,  and  very 
little  altered  in  its  texture  or  consistence. 
In  what  manner  it  passes  through  the  animal's 
body,  or  how  it  contributes  to  its  nourishment, 
is  not  easily  accounted  for.  The  water  in 
which  they  are  kept  is  very  little  discoloured 
by  their  continuance ;  they  cannot  be  sup- 
posed to  return  the  blood  by  the  same 
passage  through  which  it  was  taken  in ; 
it  only  remains,  therefore,  that  it  goes  off 
through  the  pores  of  the  body,  and  that 
these  are  sufficiently  large  to  permit  its  ex- 
clusion. 

But  it  is  not  in  this  instance  alone  that  the 
leech  differs  from  all  other  insects.  It  was 
remarked  in  a  former  chapter,  that  the  whole 
insect  tribe  had  the  opening  into  their  lungs 
placed  in  their  sides,  and  that  they  breathed 
through  those  apertures  as  other  animals 
through  the  mouth.  A  drop  of  oil  poured  on 
the  sides  of  a  wasp,  a  bee,  or  a  worm,  would 
quickly  suffocate  them,  by  stopping  up  the 
passages  through  which  they  breath ;  but  it 
is  otherwise  with  the  leech,  for  this  animal 
may  be  immersed  in  oil  without  injury;  nay, 
it  will  live  therein  ;  and  the  'only  damage  it 
will  sustain  is,  that,  when  taken  out,  it  will 
be  seen  to  cast  a  fine  pellucid  skin  exactly 
of  the  shape  of  the  animal,  after  which  it  is 
as  alert  and  vigorous  as  before.  It  appears 
fronrhence  that  the  leech  breaths  through 
the  month:  and.  in  fie  ,  it  has  a  motion  thnt 
i  to  reseuble  the  act  of  respiration  in 


more  perfect  animals:  but  concerning  all  this 
we  are  very  much  in  the  dark. 

This  animal  seems  to  differ  from  all  others 
in  several  respects:  the  rest  of  the  reptile 
tribe  are  brought  forth  from  eggs;  the  leech 
is  viviparous,  and  produces  its  young  one 
after  the  other,  to  the  number  of  forty  or  fifty 
at  a  birth.  It  is  probable  that,  like  the  snail, 
each  insect  contains  the  two  sexes,  and  that 
it  impregnates  and  is  impregnated  in  the 
same  manner.  The  young  ones  are  chiefly 
found  in  the  month  of  July,  in  shallow  running 
waters,  and  particularly  where  they  are 
tepified  by  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The  large 
ones  are  chiefly  sought  after ;  and  being  put 
into  a  glass  vessel  filled  with  water,  they  re- 
main for  months,  nay  for  years,  without 
taking  any  other  subsistence.  But  they 
never  breed  in  this  confinement;  and,  conse- 
quently, what  regards  that  part  of  their  his- 
tory still  remains  obscure. 

In  this  part  of  the  world  they  seldom  grow 
to  above  four  inches ;  but  in  America  and 
the  East  they  are  found  from  six  to  seven. 
Their  pools  there  abound  with  them  in  such 
numbers,  that  it  would  be  dangerous  bathing 
there,  if  for  no  other  consideration.  Our 
sailors  and  soldiers,  who  the  last  war  were 
obliged  to  walk  in  those  countries  through 
marshy  grounds,  talk  with  terror  of  the  num- 
ber of  leeches  that  infested  them  on  their 
march.  Even  in  some  parts  of  Europe  they 
increase  so  as  to  be'come  formidable.  Sede- 
lius,  a  German  physician,  relates,  that  a  girl 
of  nine  years  old,  who  was  keeping  sheep 
near  the  city  of  Bomst  in  Poland,  percei\ing 
a  soldier  making  up  to  her,  went  to  hide  her- 
self in  a  neighbouring  marsh  among  some 
bushes;  but  the  number  of  leeches  was  so 
great  in  that  place,  and  they  stuck  to  her  so 
close,  that  the  poor  creature  expired  from 
the  quantity  of  blood  which  she  lost  by  their 
united  efforts.  Nor  is  this  much  to  be  won- 
dered at,  since  one  of  those  insects  that, 
when  empty,  generally  weighs  but  a  scruple, 
will,  when  gorged,  weigh  more  than  two 
drachms. 

When  leeches  are  to  be  applied,  the  best 

way  is  to  take  them  from  the  water  in  which 

they  are  contained  about  an  hour  before,  for 

:  thr-y  thus  become  more  voracious  and  fasten 

ij  more  readily.     When  saturated  with  blood, 


THE  LEECH  KIND. 


765 


they  generally  fall  off  of  themselves ;  but  if 
it  be  thought  necessary  to  tnke  them  from  the 
wound,  care  should  be  used  to  pull  them  very 
gently,  or  even  to  sprinkle  them  with  salt  if 
they  continue  to  adhere  :  for  if  they  be  pluck- 
ed rudely  away,  it  most  frequently  happens 
tint  they  leave  their  teeth  in  the  wound,  which 
makes  a  very  troublesome  inflammation,  and 
is  often  attended  with  danger.  If  they  be.slow 
in  fixing  to  the  part,  they  are  often  enticed  by 


rubbing  it  with  milk  or  blood,  or  water  mixed 
with  sugar.  As  salt  is  a  poison  to  most  in- 
sects, many  people  throw  it  upon  the  leech 
when  it  has  dropped  from  the  wound,  by 
which  means  it  disgorges  the  blood  it  has 
swallowed,  and  it  is  then  kept  for  repeated 
application.  They  seldom,  however,  stick  after 
this  operation  ;  and  as  the  price  is  but  small, 
fresh  leeches  should  always  be  applied  when- 
ever such  an  application  is  thought  necessarv. 

5O» 


rea 


A  HISTORY  OF 


INSECTS  OF  T2E2J   SECOND   ORDER. 


CHAPTER  CJLXXVI11. 

OF  THE  SECOND  ORDER  OF  INSECTS. 


IN  the  former  part  we  gave  a  concise  his- 
tory of  the  most  considerable  insects  that, 
without  wings,  were  produced  in  a  perfect 
state ;  either  from  the  body  of  the  parent  alive, 
like  quadrupeds,  or  from  the  egg,  in  the  man- 
ner of  birds.  We  come  now  to  a  second  or- 
der of  insects,  that  are  produced  from  the  egg, 
like  the  former,  but  not  in  a  perfect  slate ;  for 
when  first  excluded,  they  are  without  wings. 
This,  however,  does  not  hinder  the  exercise 
of  their  animal  functions  ;  the  insect,  although 
not  yet  come  to  perfection,  walks,  leaps,  and 
eats ;  nor  is  it  ever  deprived  of  motion,  only 


that  it  rests  a  little  when  it  is  about  to  cast 
that  part  of  its  skin  previous  to  its  state  of 
perfection.  It  is  then  seen  to  assume  two 
wings,  which,  like  a  budding  flower,  burst 
through  the  case  that  contained  them,  and  ;he 
animal  becomes  a  winged  insect  in  its  state  of 
highest  perfection.  To  this  order  we  may  re- 
fer the  Libella,  or  Dragon-Fly  ;  the  Formica 
Leo,  or  Lion- Ant;  the  Grasshopper ;  the  Lo- 
cust;  the  Cricket;  the  Wood-Cricket;  the 
Mole-Cricket ;  the  Flea-Locust;  the  Flying- 
Bug;  the  Tipula  ;  the  Water-Scorpion;  the 
Notonecta,  or  Water-Fly  ;  and  many  others. 


CHAPTER  CLXXIX. 

OF  THE  LIBELLA,  OR  DRAGON-FLY. 


OF  all  the  flies  which  adorn  or  diversify 
the  face  of  nature,  these  arc  the  most  various 
and  the  most  beautiful;  they  are  of  all  colours; 
green,  blue,  crimson,  scarlet,  white ;  some 
unite  a  variety  of  the  most  vivid  tints,  and  ex- 
liibir  in  one  animal  more  different  shades  than 
are  to  be  found  in  the  rainbow.  They  are 
call-'d,  in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom,  by 
different  names ;  but  none  can  be  at  a  loss  to 
know  them,  as  they  are  distinguished  from  all 
other  flies  by  the  length  of  their  bodies,  by  the 
largeness  of  their  eyes,  and  the  beautiful  trans- 
parency of  their  wings,  which  are  four  in 
number.  Thev  are  seen  in  summer  flvirig 
\\ith  grcit  ranuiify  near  every  hedge,  and  by 


every  running  brook  ;  they  sometimes  settle  on 
the  leaves  of  plants,  and  sometimes  keep  for 
hours  together  on  the  wing. 

Dragon-flies,  though  there  are  three  or  four 
different  kinds,  yet  agree  in  the  most  striking 
parts  of  their  history,  and  one  account  may 
serve  for  all.  The  largest  sort  are  generally 
found  from  two  to  three  inches  long:  their 
tail  is  forked ;  their  body  divided  into  eleven 
rings  ;  their  eyes  are  large,  horny,  and  trans- 
parent, divided  by  a  number  of  intersections; 
and  their  wings,  that  always  lie  flat  when 
they  are  at  rest,  are  of  a  beautiful  glossy  trans- 
parency ;  sometimes  shiuninu.  like  silver,  and 
sometimes  glistening  like  gold.  Within  the 


THE  DRAGON-FLY. 


767 


mouth  are  to  be  seen  two  teeth  covered  with 
a  beautiful  li|> ;  with  iiiese  the  creatures  bite 
fiercely  when  they  an;  take:i :  but  their  bite  is 
perfectly  harmless,  as  I  have  experienced  more 
than  once. 

These  insects,  beautiful  as  they  are,  are  pro- 
duced fro  n  eggs,  which  are  deposited  in  the 
water,  where  (hey  remain  for  some  time  with- 
out see  ning  life  or  motion.  They  are  (jeered 
by  the  female  into  the  water  in  clusters,  like  a 
bunc.i  of  grapes,  where  they  sink  to  the  hot- 
to  u  by  their  natural  weight,  and  continue  in 
that  state  till  the  young  ones  find  strength 
enough  to  break  the  shell,  and  to  separate 
from  each  other.  The  form  in  which  they 
first  show  life,  is  that  of  a  worm  with  six  legs, 
bearing  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  dragon-fly 
in  its  winged  state,  except  that  the  wings  are 
yet  concealed  within  a  sheath  peculiar  to  this 
animal.  The  rudiments  of  these  appear  in 
bunches  on  the  back,  within  which  the  wings 
are  folded  up  into  each  other,  while  all  the 
colours  and  varieties  of  painting  appear  trans- 
parent through  the  skin.  These  ani.nals, 
upon  quitting  the  egg,  still  continue  in  the 
water,  where  they  creep  and  swim,  but  do  not 
move  swiftly.  They  have  likewise  a  sharp 
sight,  and  immediately  sink  to  the  bottom,  if 
any  one  comes  to  the  places  wherein  they  live, 
or  whenever  they  perceive  the  least  uncom- 
mon object.  Their  food  at  that  time  is  soft 
mud  and  the  glutinous  earthy  substances  that 
arc  found  at  the  bottom. 

When  these  animals  prepare  to  change  from 
their  reptile  to  their  flying  state,  they  then 
move  out  of  the  water  to  a  dry  place  ;  as  into 
grass  ;  to  pieces  of  wood,  stone,  or  any  thing 
else  they  meet  with.  They  there  firmly  (ix 
their  acute  claws  ;  and,  for  a  short  time,  con- 
tinue quite  immoveahle,  as  if  meditating  <>u 
the  cha.ige  thev  are  to  undergo.  It  is  then 
observed,  that  the  skin  first  opens  on  the  head 
an  I  back;  anil  out  of  this  opening  they  ex- 
hibit their  real  head  and  eyes,  and  at  lengih 
th  ir  six  legs;  whilst,  in  the  mean  time,  the 
hollow  and  empty  skin,  or  slough  of  their  lc;j.s, 
re  nains  firmly  fixed  in  its  place.  After  this, 
the  enclosed  cr-'ature  creeps  forward  by  de- 
grees;  and  by  this  means  draws  first  its  wings 

fa}  Diirina;  the  pruh-stale  of  tins  animal,  it  preys  with 
the  mo-it  <:iv;ic;i-  frrorj'v  on  ;iil  aqua'ir  insects.  It  is, 
likew  ise,  at  this  }x;riod,  furnished  with,  an  apparatus  at  the 


and  then  its  body  out  of  the  skin  ;  and  pro- 
ceeding a  little  farther,  sits  at  rest  for  some 
time,  as  if  immoveable.  During  this  time,  the 
wings,  which  were  moist  and  folded,  begin  by 
degrees  to  expand  themselves,  and  to  make 
smooth  and  even  all  those  plaits  which  were 
laid  against  each  other,  like  a  closed  fan. 
The  body  is  likewise  insensibly  ext  nded, 
until  all  the  limbs  have  obtained  (heir  proper 
size  and  dimensions.  All  these  surprising  and 
difficult  operations  are  accomplished  by  the 
force  of  the  blood  and  the  circulating  i>umours. 
The  creature  cannot  at  first  make  use  of  its 
new  wings,  and  therefore  is  forced  to  stay  in 
the  same  place  until  all  its  limbs  are  dried  by 
the  circumambient  air.  It  soon,  however, 
begins  to  enter  upon  a  more  noble  life  than  it 
had  hitherto  led  in  the  bottom  of  the  brook  ; 
and  from  creeping  slowly  and  living  acciden- 
tally, it  now  wings  the  air,  and  makes 
choice  from  amidst  the  variety  of  its  provi- 
sions." 

Indeed,  no  animal  is  more  amply  fitted  for 
motion,  subsistence,  and  enjoyment.  As  it 
haunts  and  seeks  after  its  food  flying  in  the 
air,  nature  has  provided  it  with  two  large 
e\  es,  which  make  almost  the  whole  head,  and 
which  resemble  glittering  mother-of-pearl. 
It  has  also  four  expansive  silver-coloured 
wings,  with  which,  as  with  oars,  it  can  turn 
itself  with  prodigious  velocity  ;  and  to  assist 
these,  it  is  furnished  with  a  very  long  body, 
which,  like  a  rudder,  directs  its  motions.  As 
the  wings  are  long,  and  the  legs  short,  they 
seldom  walk,  but  are  ever  seen  either  resting 
or  flying.  For  this  reason,  they  always  choose 
dry  branches  of  trees  or  shrubs  to  remain  on  ; 
and  u  hen  they  have  refreshed  themselves  a 
little,  they  renew  their  flight.  Thus  they  are 
seen  adorning  the  summer  with  a  profusion 
of  hf-auty,  lightly  traversing  the  air  in  a  thou- 
sand directions,  and  expanding  the  most  beau- 
tiful colours  to  the  sun.  The  garden,  the 
forest,  the  hedges,  and  the  rivulets,  are  ani- 
ni.ited  hv  tluir  sports;  and  there  are  few  who 
IMXV  bren  brought  up  in  the  country,  v  ho 
have  not  ei!?|>i;>)ed  a  part  of  their  childhood 
in  (he  pnrsiiit. 

But  while  these  beautiful  flies  appear  to  us 


end  of  the  body,  by  which  it  can  suck  up  and  eject  water 
with  considerable  force. 


7G8 


A  HISTORY  OF 


so  idly  and  innocently  employed,  they  are  in 
fact  tue  greatest  tyrants  of  the  insect  tribe; 
and,  like  the  hawk  among  birds,  are  only 
hovering  up  and  down  to  seize  their  prey. 
They  are  the  strongest  and  the  most  courage- 
ous of  all  winged  insects ;  nor  is  there  one, 
how  large  soever,  that  they  will  not  attack  and 
devour.  The  bine-fly,  the  bee,  the  wasp,  and 
the  hornet,  make  their  constant  prey  ;  and 
even  the  butterfly,  that  spreads  so  large  a  wing, 
is  often  caught  and  treated  without  mercy. 
Their  appetite  seems  to  know  no  bounds ; 
they  spend  the  whole  day  in  the  pursuit,  and 
have  been  seen  to  devour  three  times  their 
own  size  in  the  capture  of  a  single  hour. 
They  seize  their  prey  flying  with  their  six 
claws,  and  tear  it  easily  to  pieces  with  their 
teeth,  which  are  capable  of  inflicting  trouble- 
some wounds. 

But  the  males  are  upon  the  wing  for 
another  purpose  beside  that  of  food,  as  they 
are  very  salacious,  and  seek  the  females  with 
great  ardour.  The  sun  no  sooner  begins  to 
warm  the  fields,  than  the  males  are  found 
assiduously  employed  each  in  seeking  its  mate; 
and  no  sooner  does  a  female  appear,  but  two 
or  three  males  are  seen  pursuing,  and  endea- 
vouring to  seize  her  with  all  their  arts  and 
agility.  The  instrument  of  generation  in  the 
male  is  placed  very  different  from  that  of  any 
other  insect,  being  not  at  the  end  of  the  nil, 
as  in  others,  but  immediately  under  the  breast, 
and  consequently,  at  first  view,  incapable  of 


being  united  to  the  sexual  part  of  the  female  ; 
which,  as  in  other  insects,  lies  in  the  tail.  To 
perform  this  junction,  nature  has  provided  the 
male  with  a  very  peculiar  manner  of  proceed- 
ing. As  soon  as  he  perceives  the  female,  and 
finds  himself  sufficiently  near,  he  seizes  upon 
the  back  of  her  head  by  surprise,  and  fastening 
his  claws  upon  her,  turns  round  his  forky  tail, 
which  he  fastens  round  her  neck,  and  in  this 
manner  fixes  himself  so  closely  and  firmly, 
that  no  efforts  can  remove  him.  It  is  in  vain 
that  she  flies  from  one  branch  to  another,  and 
settles  upon  them,  he  still  keeps  fixed,  and 
often  continues  in  this  situation  for  three  or 
four  hours  successively.  When  he  flies,  she 
is  obliged  to  fly  with  him  ;  but  he  still  directs 
the  way  :  and  though  she  moves  her  wings, 
she  seems  entirely  guided  by  his  motion.  As 
yet,  however,  the  business  of  impregnation  is 
not  performed  ;  for  to  this  the  female  must 
contribute  ;  and  she  at  last  seems,  by  the  con- 
tinuance of  her  constraint,  to  comply :  for, 
turning  up  the  end  of  her  tail  to  that  part  of 
the  breast  of  the  male  in  which  lies  the  part 
proper  for  generation,  both  instruments  meet, 
and  the  eggs  of  the  female  receive  the 
necessary  fecundation.  An  hour  or  two 
after  this,  she  flics  to  some  neighbouring 
pool,  where  she  deposites  her  eggs,  as  was 
already  mentioned.  There  they  continue 
in  a  reptile  state  for  a  year ;  and  then  are 
changed  into  a  beautiful  fly,  resembling  the 
parent. 


CHAPTER  CLXXX. 

OF  THE  FORMICA  LEO,  OR  LION- ANT. 


ALTHOUGH  this  animal  properly  belongs 
to  no  order  of  insects,  yet  as  it  is  changed  into 
a  fly  very  much  resembling  that  described  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  it  may  not  be  improper 
to  give  its  history  here.  If' we  consider  the 
life  of  this  animal,  in  its  different  stages  of  ex- 
istence, we  shall  find  it  equally  wonderful  in 
all ;  but  as  it  changes  to  a  dragon-fly,  what 
we  have  said  of  that  animal  above,  need  not 
be  repeated  here.  The  lion-ant,  when  it  be- 
comes an  inhabitant  of  air,  in  every  respect 


resembles  that  which  has  been  already  de- 
scribed ;  its  glossy  wings,  its  voracious  appe- 
tites, its  peculiar  manner  of  generation,  are 
entirely  the  same.  It  is  in  its  reptile  state 
that  it  differs  from  all  other  insects ;  and  in 
that  state  it  will  be  amusing  to  pursue  its  his- 
tory. 

The  lion-ant,  in  its  reptile  state,  is  of  the 
size  of  a  common  wood-louse,  but  somewhat 
broader.  It  has  a  pretty  long  head,  and  a 
roundish  body,  which  becomes  a  little  nar- 


THE  LION-ANT. 


769 


roxver  towards  the  tail.  The  colour  is  a  dirty 
gray,  speckled  with  black,  and  the  body  is 
composed  of  several  flat  rings,  which  slip  one 
upon  another.  It  has  six  feet,  four  of  which 
are  fixed  to  the  bre  »st,  and  two  to  the  neck. 
The  head  is  small  and  flat,  and  before  there 
are  two  iiule  smooth  horns  or  feelers,  which 
are  hard,  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  long,  and 
crooked  at  the  ends.  At  the  b.isis  of  the 
'feelers  there  are  two  small  black  lively  eyes, 
by  which  it  can  see  the  smallest  object,  as  is 
easily  discovered  by  its  starting  from  every 
thing  that  approaches. 

To  a  form  so  unpromising,  and  so  ill  provid- 
ed for  the  purposes  of  rapacity,  this  animal 
unites  the  most  ravenous  appetites  in  nature  ; 
but  to  mark  its  imbecility  still  stronger,  as 
oilier  ani  nals  have  wings  or  feet  to  enable 
them  to  advance  towards  their  prey,  the  lion- 
ant  is  unprovided  with  such  assistance  from 
either.  It  has  legs,  indeed;  but  these  only 
enable  it  to  run  backward,  so  that  it  could  as 
soon  die  as  make  the  smallest  progressive  mo- 
tion. Thus  famished  and  rapacious  as  it  ever 
seems,  its  prey  must  come  to  it,  or  rat  er  into 
the  snare  provided  for  it,  or  the  insidious 
assassin  must  starve. 

But  nature,  that  IMS  di-nied  it  strength  or 
swiftness,  has  given  it  an  equivalent  in  cun- 
ning, so  that  no  ani  nal  fares  more  sumptuous- 
ly, without  ever  stirring  from  its  retreat.  For 
this  purpose,  it  chooses  a  dry  sandy  place  at 
th"  foot  of  a  wall,  or  under  some  shelter,  in 
order  to  preserve  its  maelii nations  from  the 
rain.  The  driest  and  nost  sandy  spot  is  the 
most  proper  for  it ;  because  a  heavy  clogged 
earth  would  defeat  its  labour.  When  it  goes 
about  to  dig  the  hole  vhcre  it  takes  its  prey, 
it  begins  to  bend  the  hinder  part  of  its  body, 
which  is  pointed,  and  thus  works  backward  ; 
making,  after  several  atte  npts,  a  circular  fur- 
row, wiiich  serves  to  mark  out  the  size  of  the 
hole  it  intends  making,  as  the  ancients  marked 
our  the  limits  of  a  city  with  a  plough.  Within 
this  first  furrow  it  digs  a  second,  then  a  third, 
a;i  I  aft  Twar  Is  others,  which  are  always  less 
than  the  preceding.  Then  it  begins  to  deepen 
its  hole,  sinking  lower  and  lower  into  the 
sa^id,  which  it  throws  with  its  horns  or  feelers 
towards  the  edges,  as  we  see  men  throw  up 
sand  in  a  gravel-pir.  Thus,  by  repeating  its 
lab  Kirs  all  round,  the  sand  is  thrown  up  in  a 
circle  about  the  edge  of  the  pit,  until  the 


whole  is  quite  completed.  This  hole  is  always 
formed  in  a  perfect  circle  ;  and  the  pit  itself 
resembles  the  inside  of  an  inverted  funnel. 
When  this  insect  first  leaves  the  egg  and  is 
newly  hatched,  the  first  pit  it  makes  is  very 
small ;  but  as  it  gro,ws  bigger,  it  makes  a 
larger  hole  ;  which  Is  destined,  like  a  pit-fall, 
to  entrap  its  prey.  It  is  generally  about  two 
inches  deep,  and  as  much  in  diameter. 

The  work  being  tiius,  with  great  labour, 
finished,  the  insidious  insect  places  itself  in 
ambush,  hiding  itself  in  the  bottom  under  the 
sand,  in  such  a  manner,  that  its  two  horns 
encircle  the  bottom  of  the  pit.  All  the  sides 
of  this  pit-fall  are  made  of  the  most  loose  and 
crumbling  materials;  so  that  scarcely  any 
insect  can  climb  up  that  has  once  got  down 
to  the  bottom.  Conscious  of  this,  the  lion-ant 
remains  in  patient  expectation,  ready  to  profit 
by  that  accident  which  throws  some  heedless 
little  animal  into  its  den.  If  then,  by  misfor- 
tune, an  ant,  a  wood-louse,  or  a  small  caterpil- 
lar, walks  too  near  the  edge  of  the  precipice, 
the  sand  gives  way  beneath  them,  and  they 
fall  to  the  bottom  of  the  pit,  where  they  meet 
inevitable  destruction.  The  fall  of  a  single 
grain  of  sand  gives  the  murderer  notice  at  the 
bottom  of  its  cave  ;  and  it  never  fails  to  sally 
forth  to  seize  upon  its  prey.  It  happens  some- 
times, however,  that  the  ant  or  the  wood-louse 
is  too  nimbi'*,  and  runs  up  the  sides  of  the  pit- 
fall before  the  other  can  make  ready  to  seize 
it.  Fhe  lion-ant  has  then  another  contrivance, 
still  more  wonderful  than  the  former  ;  for,  by 
means  of  its  broad  head  and  feelers,  it  has  a 
method  of  throwing  up  a  shower  of  sand, 
which  fills  upon  the  struggling  captive  with 
tremendous  weight,  and  once  more  crushes  it 
down  to  the  bottom.  When  the  insect  is  once 
fallen  thus  low,  no  efforts  can  retrieve  or  re- 
lease it ;  the  lion-ant  seizes  it  with  its  feelers, 
which  are  hollow,  and  darting  them  both  info 
its  body,  sucks  out  all  the  little  animal's  juices 
with  the  utmost  rapacity. 

Whm  the  prr-y  is  thus  reduced  to  a  husk, 
and  nothing  but  the  external  form  remains, 
the  next  care  of  the  murderer  is  to  remove  the 
body  from  its  cell;  since  the  appearance  of 
dead  carcasses  might  forewarn  other  insects 
of  the  danger  of  the  place.  The  insect,  there- 
fore, takes  up  the  wasted  trunk  with  its  feelers, 
and  throws  it,  with  wonderful  strength,  at 
least  six  laches  from  the  edge  of  its  hole ;  and 


770 


A  HISTORY  OF 


then  patiently  sets  about  mending  the  breaches 
which  its  fortifications  had  received  in  the  last 
engagement.  Nothing  can  abate  its  industry, 
its  vigilance,  its  patience,  or  its  rapacity.  It 
will  work  for  a  week  together  to  make  its  pit- 
fall ;  it  will  continue  upon  the  watch  for  more 
than  a  month,  patiently  expecting  the  ap- 
proach of  its  prey  ;  and  if  it  comes  in  greater 
quantities  than  is  needful,  yet  still  the  little 
voracious  creature  will  quit  the  insect  it  has 
newly  killed,  and  leave  it  half  eaten,  to  kill 
and  attack  any  other  that  happens  to  fall 
within  the  sphere  of  its  malignity  :  though  so 
voracious,  it  is  surprisingly  patient  of  hunger ; 
some  of  them  having  been  kept  in  a  box  with 
sand,  for  six  months  and  upwards,  without 
feeding  at  all. 

When  the  lion-ant  attains  a  certain  age,  in 
which  it  is  to  change  into  another  form,  it 
then  leaves  off  its  usual  rapacious  habits,  but 
keeps  on  its  industry.  It  no  longer  continues 
to  make  pits,  but  furrows  up  the  sand  all 
round  in  an  irregular  nanner;  testifying  those 
workings  and  violent  agitations  which  most 
insects  exhibit  previous  to  their  transformation. 
These  animals  are  produced  in  autumn,  and 
generally  live  a  year,  and  perhaps  two,  before 
they  assume  a  winged  form.  Certain  it  is, 
that  they  are  found  at  the  end  of  winter  of  all 
sizes ;  and  it  would  seem  that  many  of  the 
smaller  kinds  had  not  yet  attained  sufficient 
maturity  for  transformation.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  when  the  time  of  change  approaches,  if 
the  insect  finds  its  little  cell  convenient,  it 
seeks  no  other ;  if  it  is  obliged  to  remove, 
after  furrowing  up  the  sand,  it  hides  itself  un- 
der it,  horns  and  all.  It  there  spins  a  thread, 
in  the  manner  of  the  spider ;  which  being 
made  of  a  glutinous  substance,  and  being 
humid  from  the  moisture  of  its  body,  sticks  to 
the  little  particles  of  sand  among  which  it  is 
spun  ;  and  in  proportion  as  it  is  thus  excluded, 
the  insect  rolls  up  its  web,  sand  and  all,  into  a 
ball,  of  which  itself  is  the  centre.  This  ball 
is  about  half  an  inch  in  diameter  ;  and  within 


it  the  insect  resides,  in  an  apartment  sufficient- 
ly spacious  for  all  its  motions.  The  out.side 
is  composed  of  sand  and  silk;  the  inside  is 
lined  with  silk  only,  of  a  fine  pearl-colour,  ex- 
tremely delicate,  and  perfectly  beautiful.  But 
though  the  work  is  so  curious  within,  it  ex- 
hibits nothing  to  external  appearance  but  a 
lump  of  sand  ;  and  thus  escapes  the  search  of 
birds,  that  might  otherwise  disturb  the  inhabi- 
tant within. 

The  insect  continues  thus  shut  up  for  six 
weeks  or  two  months ;  and  gradually  parts 
with  its  eyes,  its  feelers,  its  feet,  and  its  skin  ; 
all  which  are  thrust  into  a  corner  of  the  inner 
apartment,  like  a  rag.  The  insect  then  ap- 
pears almost  in  its  winged  state,  except  that 
there  is  a  thin  skin  which  wraps  up  the  wings, 
and  that  appears  to  be  nothing  else  but  a 
liquor  dried  on  their  outside.  Still,  however, 
the  little  animal  is  too  delicate  and  tender  to 
venture  from  its  retreat;  but  continues  en- 
closed for  some  time  longer :  at  length,  when 
the  members  of  this  new  insect  have  acquired 
the  necessary  consistence  and  vigour,  it  tears 
open  its  lodging,  and  breaks  through  its  wall. 
For  this  purpose  it  has  two  teeth,  like  those  of 
grasshoppers,  with  which  it  eats  through,  and 
enlarges  the  opening,  till  it  gets  out.  Its  body, 
which  is  turned  like  a  screw,  takes  up  no 
more  than  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  an  inch  ; 
but  when  it  is  unfolded,  it  becomes  half  an 
inch  in  length  ;  while  its  wings,  that  seemed 
to  occupy  the  smallest  space,  in  two  minutes' 
time  unfold,  and  become  longer  than  the  body. 
In  short,  it  becomes  a  large  and  beautiful  fly, 
of  the  libellula  kind,  with  a  long  slender  body, 
of  a  brown  colour ;  a  small  head,  with  large 
bright  eyt'S,  long  slender  legs,  and  four  large 
transparent  reticulated  wings.  The  rest  of  its 
habits  resemble  that  insect  whose  form  it 
bears  ;  except,  that  instead  of  dropping  its  eggs 
in  the  water,  it  deposites  them  in  sand,  where 
they  are  soon  hatched  into  that  rapacious  in- 
sect so  justly  admired  for  its  method  of  catch- 
ing its  prey. 


THE  GRASSHOPPER  KIND 


771 


CHAPTER  CLXXXI. 

OF  THE  GRASSHOPPER,  THE  LOCUST,  THE  CICADA,  THE  CRICKET,  AND 

THE  MOLE-CRICKET. 


BELONGING  to  the  second  order  of  in- 
sects, we  find  a  tribe  of  little  animals,  which, 
though  differing  in  size  and  colour,  strongly 
resemble  each  other  in  figure,  appetites,  na- 
ture, and  transformation.  But  though  they 
all  appear  of  one  family,  yet  man  has  been 
taught  to  hold  them  in  different  estimation; 
for  while  some  of  this  tribe  amuse  him  with 
their  chirpings,  and  banish  solitude  from  the 
fieMs,  others  come  in  swarms,  eat  up  every 
thing  that  is  green,  and  in  a  single  night  con- 
vert the  most  delightful  landscape  into  a 
dreary  watte.  However,  if  these  animals  be 
separately  considered,  the  devouring  locust 
is  not  in  the  least  more  mischievous  than  the 
musical  grasshopper;  the  only  difference  is, 
that  one  species  comes  for  food  in  a  swarm, 
the  other  i'eeds  singly. 

That  animal  which  is  called  the  grasshop- 
per with  us,  differs  greatly  from  the  cicada 
of  antiquity;  for  as  our  insect  is  active  enough 
in  hopping  through  the  long  grass,  from 
whence  it  has  taken  its  name,  the  cicada  had 
not  this  power,  but  either  walked  or  flew. 
The  little  hissing  note  also  of  our  grasshop- 
per is  very  different  from  the  song  of  the 
cicada,  which  was  louder,  and  far  more  mu- 
sical. The  manner  in  which  this  note  is  pro- 
duced by  the  two  animals  is  very  different; 
for  the  cicada  makes  it  by  a  kind  of  buckler, 
which  the  male  has  beneath  its  belly ;  the 
grasshopper  by  a  transparent  membrane  that 
covers  a  hole  at  the  base  of  its  wings.  There 
is  still  a  greater  variety  in  all  these  with  re- 
gard to  shape  and  colour.  Some  are  green, 
some  black,  some  livid,  and  some  variegated; 
but  many  of  themdonot  show  all  their  colours 
till  they  fly.  Some  have  long  legs,  some 
short,  some  with  more  joints,  others  with 
fewer.  Some  sing,  others  are  mute:  some 
are  innocent,  doing  no  damage  to  the  hus- 
bandman; while  others  do  such  prodigious 
mischief,  thai  they  are  looked  upon  in  some 

Jfo.  65  &  GT>. 


countries  as  one  of  the  terrible  scourges  of 
the  incensed  Divinity. 

Of  this  variegated  tribe,  the  little  grasshop- 
per that  breeds  in  such  plenty  in  every  mea- 
dow, and  that  continues  its  chirping  through 
the  summer,  is  best  known  to  us ;  and  by 
having  its  history,  we  shall  be  possessed  of 
that  of  all  the  rest.  This  animal  is  of  the 
colour  of  green  leaves,  except  a  line  of  brown 
which  streaks  the  back,  and  two  pale  lines 
under  the  belly  and  behind  the  legs.  It  may 
be  divided  into  the  head,  the  corselet,  and 
the  belly.  The  head  is  oblong,  regarding 
the  earth,  and  bearing  some  resemblance  to 
that  of  a  horse.  Its  mouth  is  covered  by  a 
kind  of  round  buckler  jutting  over  it,  and 
armed  with  teeth  of  a  brown  colour,  hooked 
at  the  points.  Within  the  mouth  is  perceiv- 
able a  large  reddish  tongue,  and  fixed  to  the 
lower  jaw.  The  feelers  or  horns  are  very 
long,  tapering  off"  to  a  point ;  and  the  eyes 
are  like  two  black  specks,  a  little  prominent. 
-Sfhe  corselet  is  elevated,  narrow,  armed 
above  and  below  by  two  serrated  spines. 
The  back  is  armed  with  a  strong  buckler,  to 
which  the  muscles  of  the  legs  are  firmly  bound, 
and  round  these  muscles  are  seen  the  vessels 
by  which  the  animal  breaths,  as  white  as 
snow.  The  last  pair  of  legs  are  much  longer 
and  stronger  than  the  first  twe-pair,  fortified 
by  thick  muscles,  and  very  well  formed  for 
leaping.  It  has  four  wings  ;  the  anterior  ones 
springing  from  the  second  pair  of  legs,  the 
posterior  from  the  third  pair.  The  hinder 
wings  are  much  finer  and  more  expansive 
than  the  foremost,  and  are  the  principal  in- 
struments of  its  flight.  The  belly  is  con- 
siderably large,  composed  of  eight  rings,  and 
terminated  by  a  forky  tail,  covered  with 
down,  like  the  tail  of  a  rat.  When  examined 
internally,  besides  the  gullet,  we  discover  a 
small  stomach;  and  behind  that  a  very  large 
one,  wrinkled  and  furrowed  within  side : 
5P 


772 


A  HISTORY  OF 


lower  down  there  is  still  a  third  ;  so  that  it  is 
not  without  reason  that  all  the  animals  of 
tliis  order  are  said  to  chew  the  end,  as  they 
so  much  resemble  ruminant  animals  in  their 
internal  conformation. 

A  short  time  after  the  grasshopper  assumes 
its  wings,  it  tills  the  meadow  with  its  note; 
which,  like  that  among  birds,  is  a  call  to 
courtship.  The  male  only  of  this  tribe  is 
vocal;  and,  upon  examining  at  the  base  of 
the  wings,  there  will  be  found  a  little  hole  in 
its  body,  covered  with  a  fine  transparent 
membrane.  This  is  thought,  by  Linnreus,  to 
be  the  instrument  it  employs  in  singing:  but 
others  are  of  opinion  the  sound  is  produced 
by  rubbing  its  hinder  legs  against  each  other: 
however  this  be,  the  note  of  one  male  is  sel- 
dom heard,  but  it  is  returned  by  another; 
and  the  two  little  animals,  after  many  mutual 
insults  of  this  kind,  are  seen  to  meet  and  fight 
desperately.  The  female  is  generally  the 
reward  of  victory ;  for,  after  the  combat,  the 
male  seizes  her  with  his  teeth  behind  the 
neck,  and  thus  keeps  her  for  several  hoars 
till  the  business  of  fecundation  is  performed. 
They  are  at  that  time  so  strongly  united,  that 
they  can  scarcely  be  separated  without  tear- 
ing asunder.  Towards  the  latter  end  of 
autumn  the  female  prepares  to  deposite  her 
burden ;  and  her  body  is  then  seen  greatly 
distended  with  her  eggs,  which  she  carries  to 
the  number  of  an  hundred  and  filly.  In  order 
to  make  a  proper  lodgment  in  the  earth  for 
them,  nature  has  furnished  her  with  an  instru- 
ment at  her  tail,  somewhat  resembling  a  two- 
edged  sword,  which  she  can  sheath  and  un- 
sheath  at  pleasure :  with  this  she  pierces 
the  earth  as  deep  as  she  is  able ;  and  into 
the  hole  which  her  instrument  has  made,  she 
deposites  her  eggs,  one  after  the  other. 

Having  thus  provided  for  the  continuation 
of  her  posterity,  the  animal  herself  does  not 
long  survive;  but  as  the  winter  approaches, 
she  dries  up,  seems  to  feel  the  effects  of  age, 
and  dies  from  a  total  decay.  Some,  however, 
assert,  that  she  is  killed  by  the  cold ;  and 
others,  that  she  is  eaten  by  worms :  but  cer- 
tain it  is,  that  neither  the  male  nor  female 
are  ever  seen  to  survive  the  winter.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  eggs  which  have  been  de- 
posited continue  unaltered,  either  by  the 
severity  of  the  season  or  the  retardation  of 


the  spring.  They  are  of  an  oval  figure, 
white,  and  of  the  consistence  of  horn  :  their 
size  nearly  equals  that  of  a  grain  of  anise: 
they  are  enveloped  in  the  body  within  a 
covering,  branched  all  over  with  veins  and 
arteries;  and  when  excluded  they  crack,  on 
being  pressed  between  the  fingers ;  their 
substance  within  is  a  whitish,  viscous,  and 
transparent  fluid.  In  this  manner  they  re- 
main deposited  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  during  the  whole  winter;  till  the  genial 
return  of  spring  begins  to  vivify  and  hatch 
them.  The  sun,  with  its  warmth,  beginning 
to  animate  all  nature,  the  insect  eggs  feel 
its  benign  influence ;  .and,  generally,  about 
the  beginning  of  May,  every  egg  produces  an 
insect,  about  the  size  of  a  flea.  These,  at 
first,  are  of  a  whitish  colour;  at  the  end  of 
two  or  three  days  they  turn  black;  and 
soon  after  they  become  of  a  reddish  brown.. 
They  appear,  from  the  beginning,  like  grass- 
hoppers, wanting  wings  ;  and  hop  among  the 
grass,  as  soon  as  excluded,  with  great  agility. 
Yet  still  they  are  by  no  means  arrived  at 
their  state  of  full  perfection;  although  they 
bear  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  animal  in 
its  perfect  form.  They  want,  or  seem  to  want,, 
the  wings,  which  they  are  at  last  seen  to  as- 
sume; and  can  only  hop  among  the  grass, 
without  being  able  to  fly.  The  wings,  how- 
ever, are  not  wanting,  but  are  concealed 
within  four  little  bunches,  that  seem  to  deform 
the  sides  of  the  animal :  there  they  lie  rolled 
up  in  a  most  curious  manner;  and  occupying 
a  smaller  space  than  one  could  conceive  who 
saw  them  extended.  Indeed,  all  insects, 
whatever  transmutations  they  seem  to  undergo^ 
are  yet  brought  forth  with  those  very  limbs, 
parts,  and  wings,  which  they  afterwards  seem 
to  acquire.  In  the  most  helpless  caterpillar, 
there  is  still  to  be  seen  the  rudiments  of  that 
beautiful  plumage  which  it  afterwards  ex- 
pands when  a  butterfly  :  and  though  many 
new  parts  seem  unfolded  to  the  view,  the  ani- 
mal acquires  none  but  such  as  it  was  from 
the  beginning  possessed  of.  The  grasshop- 
per, therefore,  though  seemingly  without 
wings,  is,  in  reality,  from  the  first,  possessed 
of  those  instruments,  and  only  waits  for  suf- 
ficient force  to  break  the  bonds  that  hold 
them  folded  up,  and  to  give  them  their  full 
expansion. 


THE  GRASSHOPPER  KIND. 


773 


The  grasshopper,  that  for  above  twenty 
days  from  its  exclusion  has  continued  with- 
out the  use  of  its  wings,  which  were  folded 
up  to  its  body,  at  length  prepares  for  its 
emancipation,  and  for  a  life  of  greater  liberty 
and  pleasure.  To  make  the  proper  disposi- 
tions for  the  approaching  change,  it  ceases 
from  its  grassy  food,  and  seeks  about  for  a 
convenient  place,  beneath  some  thorn  or 
thistle,  that  may  protect  it  from  an  acciden- 
tal shower.  The  same  laborious  writhings 
and  workings,  heavings  and  palpitations, 
which  we  have  remarked  in  every  other  in- 
sect upon  an  approaching  change,  are  ex- 
hibited in  this.  It  swells  up  its  head  and 
neck;  it  then  seems  to  draw  them  in  again; 
and  thus  alternately,  for  some  time,  it  exerts 
its  powers  to  get  free.  At  length,  the  skin 
covering  the  head  and  breast  is  seen  dividing 
above  the  neck  ;  the  head  is  seen  issuing  out 
first  from  the  bursting  skin;  the  efforts  still 
continuing,  the  other  parts  follow  successive- 
ly; so  that  the  little  animal,  with  its  long 
feelers,  legs  and  all,  works  its  way  from  the 
old  skin,  that  remains  fixed  to  the  ihisile  or 
the  thorn.  It  is,  indeed,  inconceivable  how 
the  insect  can  thus  extricate  itself  from  so 
exact  a  sheath  as  that  which  covereth  every 
part  of  its  body. 

The  grasshopper,  thus  disengaged  from  its 
outer  skin,  appears  in  its  perfect  form ;  but 
then  so  feeble,  and  its  body  so  soft  and  ten- 
der, that  it  may  be  moulded  like  wax.  It  is 
no  longer  of  that  obscure  colour  which  it  ex- 
hibited before,  but  of  «  greenish  white,  which 
becomes  more  vivid  as  the  moisture  on  the 
surface  is  dried  away.  Still,  however,  the 
animal  continues  to  show  no  signs  of  life,  but 
appears  quite  spent  and  fatigued  with  its 
labour  for  more  than  an  hour  together. 
During  this  time,  the  body  is  drying,  and  the 
wings  unfolding  to  their  greatest  expansion; 
and  the  curious  observer  will  perceive  them, 
fold  after  fold,  opening  to  the  sun,  till  at  last 
they  become  longer  than  the  two  hinder  legs. 
The  insect's  body  also  is  lengthened  during 
this  operation,  and  it  becomes  much  more 
beautiful  than  before. 

These  insects  are  generally  vocal  in  the 
midst  of  summer,  and  they  are  heard  at  sun- 
setting  much  louder  than  during  the  heats  of 
the  day  They  are  fed  upon  grass ;  and,  if 


their  belly  be  pressed,  they  will  be  seen  to 
return  the  juices  of  the  plants  they  have  last 
fed  upon.  Though  unwilling  to  fly,  and  slow 
in  flight,  particularly  when  the  weather  is 
moist  or  cool,  they  are  some'times  seen  to  fly 
to  considerable  distances.  If  they  are  caught 
by  one  of  the  hinder  legs,  they  quickly  disen- 
gage themselves  from  it,  and  leave  the  leg 
behind  them.  This,  however,  does  not  grow 
again,  as  with  crabs  or  spiders  ;  for  as  they 
are  animals  but  of  a  single  year's  continuance, 
they  have  not  sufficient  time  for  repairing 
those  accidental  misfortunes.  The  loss  of 
their  leg  also  prevents  them  from  flying;  for 
being  unable  to  lift  themselves  in  the  air, 
they  have  not  room  upon  the  ground  for  the 
proper  expansion  of  their  wings.  If  they  be 
handled  roughly,  they  will  bite  very  fiercely; 
and  when  they  fly,  they  make  a  noise  with 
their  wings.  They  generally  keep  in  the 
plain,  where  the  grass  is  luxuriant,  and  the 
ground  rich  and  fertile  :  there  they  deposite 
their  eggs,  particularly  in  those  cracks  which 
are  formed  by  the  heat  of  the  sun. 

Such  arc  the  habits  and  nature  of  those 
little  vocal  insects,  that  swarm  in  our  mea- 
dows, and  enliven  the  landscape.  The  lar- 
ger kinds  only  differ  from  them  in  size,  in 
rapidity  of  flight,  and  the  powers  of  injuring 
mankind,  by  swarming  upon  the  productions 
of  the  earth.  The  quantity  of  grass  which  a 
few  grasshoppers  that  sport  in  the  fields  can 
destroy  is  trifling ;  but  when  a  swarm  of  lo- 
custs, two  or  three  miles  long,  and  several 
yards  deep,  settle  upon  a  field,  the  conse- 
quences are  frightful.  The  annals  of  every 
country  are  marked  with  the  devastation 
which  such  a  multitude  of  insects  produces; 
and  though  they  seldom  visit  Europe  in  such 
dangerous  swarms  as  formerly,  yet,  iti  some 
of  the  southern  kingdoms,  they  are  still  for- 
midable. Those  which  have  at  uncertain  in- 
tervals visited  Europe,  in  our  memory,  are 
supposed  to  have  come  from  Africa,  and  the 
animal  is  called  the  Great  Brown  Locust. 
It  was  seen  in  several  parts  of  England  in  the 
year  1748,  and  many  dreadful  consequences 
were  apprehended  from  its  appearance. 
This  insect  is  about  three  inches  long;  and 
has  two  horns  or  feelers,  an  inch  in  length. 
The  head  and  horns  are  of  a  brownish  colour; 
it  is  blue  about  the  mouth,  as  also  on  the  in- 

5P» 


774 


A  HISTORY  OF 


side  of  the  larger  legs.  The  shield  that 
covers  the  back  is  greenish;  and  the  upper 
side  of  the  body  brown,  spotted  with  black, 
and  the  under  side  purple.  The  upper  wings 
arc  brown,  with  s;n:tll  dusky  spots,  with  one 
larger  at  the  tips;  the  under  wings  are  more 
transparent,  and  of  a  light  brown,  tinctured 
witii  green,  but  there  is  a  dark  cloud  oi  spots 
near  the  tips.  This  is  that  insect  that  lias 
threatened  us  so  often  with  its  visitations ; 
and  that  is  so  truly  terrible  in  the  countries 
where  it  is  bred.  There  is  no  animal  in  the 
creation  that  multiplies  so  fast  as  -these,  if  the 
sun  be  warm,  and  the  soil  in  which  their  eggs 
are  deposited  be  dry.  Happily  for  us,  the 
coldness  of  our  climate,  and  the  humidity  of 
our  soil,  are  no  way  favourable  to  their  pro- 
duction ;  and  as  they  are  but  the  animals  of 
a  year,  they  visit  us  and  perish. 

The  Scripture,  which  was  written  in  a 
country  where  the  locust  made  a  distinguish- 
ed feature  in  the  picture  of  nature,  has  given 
us  several  very  striking  images  of  this  animal's  j 
numbers  and  rapacity.  It  compares  an  army, 
where  the  numbers  are  almost  infinite,  to  a 
swarm  of  locusts:  it  describes  them  as  rising 
out  of  the  earth,  where  they  are  produced  ; 
as  pursuing  a  settled  march  to  destroy  the 
fruits  of  the  earth,  and  co-operate  with  Divine 
indignation. 

When  the  locusts  take  the  field,  as  we  are 
assured,  they  have  a  leader  at  their  head, 
whose  flight  they  observe,  and  pay  a  strict 
attention  to  all  his  motions.  They  appear, 
at  a  distance,  like  a  black  cloud,  which,  as 
it  approaches,  gathers  upon  the  horizon,  and 
almost  hides  the  light  of  the  day.  It  often 
happens  that  the  husbandman  sees  this  im- 
minent calamity  pass  away  without  doing 
him  any  mischief;  and  the  whole  swarm  pro- 
ceed onward,  to  settle  upon  the  labours  of 
some  less  fortunate  country.  But  wretched 
is  the  district  upon  which  they  settle  :  they 
ravage  the  meadow  and  the  pasture  ground ; 
strip  the  trees  of  their  leaves,  and  the  gar- 
den of  its  beauty:  the  visitation  of  a  tew 
minutes  destroys  the  expectations  of  a  year; 
and  a  famine  but  too  frequently  ensues.  In 
their  native  tropical  climates  they  are  not  so 
dreadful  as  iti  the  more  southern  parts  of 
Europe.  There,  though  the  plain  and  the 
forest  be  stripped  of  their  verdure,  the  power 


of  vegetation  is  so  great,  that  an  interval  of 
three  or  four  days  repairs  the  calamity  :  but 
our  verdure  is  the  livery  of  a  season;  and  we 
must  wait  till  the  ensuing  spring  repairs  (he 
damage.  Besides,  in  their  long  flights  to  this 
part  of  the  world,  they  are  famished  by  the 
tediousness  of  their  journey,  and  are  there- 
lore  more  voracious  wherever  they  happen 
to  settle.  But  it  is  not  by  what  they  devour 
that  they  do  so  much  damage,  as  by  what 
they  destroy.  Their  very  bite  is  thought  to 
contaminate  the  plant,  and  to  prevent  its 
vegetation.  To  use  the  expression  of  the 
husbandman,  they  burn  whatever  they  touch, 
and  leave  the  marks  of  their  devastation  for 
two  or  three  years  ensuing.  But  if  they  be 
noxious  while  living,  they  are  still  more  so 
when  dead;  for  wherever  they  fall,  they  in- 
fect the  air  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  smell 
is  insupportable..  Orosius  tells  us,  that  in 
the  year  of  the  world  3800,  there  was  an  in- 
credible number  of  locusts  which  infected 
Africa;  and,  after  having  eaten  up  every 
thing  that  was  green,  they  flew  ofi°,  and  were 
drowned  in  the  African  sea;  where  they 
caused  such  a  stench,  that  the  putrefying 
bodies  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  men  could 
not  equal  it. 

In  the  year  1690,  a  cloud  of  locusts  was 
seen  to  enter  Russia  in  three  different  places; 
and  from  thence  to  spread  themselves  over 
Poland  and  Lithuania,  in  such  astonishing 
multitudes,  that  the  air  was  darkened,  and 
the  earth  covered  with  their  numbers.  In 
some  places  they  were  seen  lying  dead,  heap- 
ed upon  each  other  four  feet  deep:  in  others, 
they  covered  the  surface  like  a  black  cloth: 
the  trees  bent  beneath  their  weight ;  and 
the  damage  which  the  country  sustained  ex- 
ceeded computation.  In  Barbary  their  num- 
bers are  formidable,  and  their  visits  are  fre- 
quent. In  the  year  1724,  Dr.  Shaw  was  a 
witness  in  that  country  of  their  devastations. 
Their  first  appearance  was  about  the  latter 
end  of  March,  when  the  wind  had  been 
southerly  for  some  time.  In  the  beginning  of 
April,  their  numberswere  so  vastly  increased, 
that  in  the  heat  of  the  day  they  formed  them- 
selves into  large  swarms,  which  appeared 
likt'  clouds,  and  darkened  the  sun.  In  the 
middle  of  May  they  began  to  disappear,  re- 
tiring into  the  plains  to  deposite  their  eggs. 


THE  GRASSHOPPER  KIND. 


775 


In  the  next  month,  being  June,  the  young 
brood  began  to  make  their  appearance,  form- 
in^  tii;iny  compact  bodies  of  several  hundred 
y.trds  square ;  which  afterwards  marching 
for  xard,  climbed  the  trees,  walls,  and  houses, 
eating  every  tiling  that  was  green  in  their  way. 
The  inhabitants,  "to  stop  their  progress,  laid 
trenches  all  over  their  fields  and  gardens, 
filling  them  witli  water.  Some  placed  large- 
quantities  of  heath,  stubble,  and  such  like 
co. nbustible  matter,  in  rows,  and  set  them  on 
fire  on  the  approach  of  the  locusts.  But  all 
this  was  to  no  purpose  ;  or  the  trenches  were 
quickly  filled  up,  and  the  fires  put  out  by  the 
vast  number  of  swarms  that  succeeded  each 
other.  A  day  or  two  after  one  of  these  was 
in  motion,  others  that  were  just  hatched  came 
to  glean  alter  them,  gnawing  off  the  young 
branches  and  the  very  bark  of  the  trees. 
Having  lived  near  a  month  in  this  manner, 
they  arrived  at  their  full  growth,  and  threw 
off  their  worm-like  state,  by  casting  their  skins. 
To  prepare  themselves  for  this  change,  they 
fixed  their  hinder  feet  to  some  bush  or  twig, 
or  corner  of  a  stone,  when  immediately,  by 
an  undulating  motion  used  on  this  occasion, 
their  heads  would  first  appear,  and  soon  after 
the  rest  of  their  bodies.  The  whole  transfor- 
mation was  performed  in  seven  or  eight 
minutes'  time  ;  after  which,  they  were  a  little 
while,  in  a  languishing  condition  ;  but  as  soon 
as  the  sun  and  air  had  hardened  their  wings, 
and  dried  up  the  moisture  that  remained  after 
casting  off  their  sloughs,  they  returned  again 
to  their  former  greediness,  with  an  addition 
both  of  strength  and  agility.  But  they  did 
not  continue  long  in  this  state  before  they 
were  entirely  dispersed  ;  after  laying  their 
eggs,  directing  their  course  northward,  they 
probably  perished  in  the  sea.  It  is  said  that 
the  holes  these  animals  make,  to  deposite  their 
eggs,  are  four  feet  deep  in  the  ground  ;  the 
eggs  are  about  fourscore  in  number,  of  the  size 
of  caraway  comfits,  and  bundled  up  together 
in  clusters. 

It  would  be  endless  to  recount  all  the  mis- 
chiefs which  these  famished  insects  have  at 
different  times  occasioned  ;  but  whit  cin  have 
induced  them  to  take  such  distant  flights, 
when  they  come  into  Europe,  is  not  so  easy 
to  be  accounted  for.  It  seems  most  probable, 
that  by  means  of  a  very  diy  season  in  the 
heart  of  Africa,  they  are  propagated  in  such 


numbers,  that  the  vegetables  of  the  spot  where 
they  are  produced  are  not  sufficient  to  sustain 
them.  Thus  being  obliged  to  find  out  other 
countries,  they  traverse  the  sandy  deserts, 
where  they  can  find  no  sustenance  :  still  meet- 
ing with  nothing  to  allure  them  from  their 
height,  they  proceed  forward  across  the  sea, 
and  thus  come  into  Europe,  where  they  alight 
upon  the  first  green  pastures  that  occur. 

In  some  parts  of  the  world,  the  inhabitants 
turn  what  seems  a  plague  to  their  own  ad- 
vantage. Locusts  are  eaten  by  the  natives  in 
many  kingdoms  of  the  East ;  and  are  caught 
in  small  nets  provided  for  that  purpose. 
They  parch  them  over  the  fire  in  an  earthen 
pan  ;  and  when  their  wings  and  legs  are  fallen 
off,  they  turn  reddish,  of  the  colour  of  boiled 
shrimps.  Dampicr  has  eaten  them  thus 
prepared,  and  thinks  them  a  tolerable  dish. 
The  natives  of  Barbary  also  eat  them  fried 
with  salt ;  and  they  are  said  to  taste  like  cray- 
fish. 

There  is  a  locust  in  Tonquin,  about  the 
bigness  of  the  top  of  a  man's  finger,  and  as 
long  as  the  first  joint.  It  breeds  in  the  earth, 
in  low  grounds;  mid  in  the  months  of  Janu- 
ary and  February,  which  is  the  season  for 
taking  them,  they  issue  from  the  earth  in  vast 
swarms.  At  first  they  can  hardly  fly,  so  that 
they  often  fall  into  the  rivers  in  great  num- 
bers :  however,  the  natives  in  these  months 
watch  the  rivers,  and  take  them  up  in  multi- 
tude* in  small  nets.  They  eisher  eat  them 
fresh,  broiled  on  the  coals,  or  pickle  them  for 
keeping.  They  are  considered  as  a  great 
delicacy  in  that  part  of  the  world,  as  well  by 
the  rich  as  the  poor.  In  the  countries  where 
they  are  eaten,  they  are  regularly  brought  to 
market,  and  sold  as  larks  or  quails  in  Europe. 
They  must  have  been  a  common  food  with 
the  Jews,  as  Moses,  in  the  book  of  Leviticus, 
permits  them  to  eat  four  different  kinds  of  this 
animal,  which  he  takes  care  to  specify.  This 
dish,  however,  has  not  yet  made  its  way  into 
the  kitchens  of  the  luxurious  in  Europe ;  and 
though  we  may  admire  the  delicacies  of  the 
East,  we  are  as  yet  happily  deprived  of  the 
power  of  imitation. 

Of  all  animals,  however,  of  this  noxious 
trib".  the  Great  West  Indian  Locust,  m- 
'UvUually  considered,  is  the  most  formidable. 
It  is  about  the  thickness  of  the  barrel  of  a 
goose-quill,  and  the  body  is  divided  into  nine 


776 


A  HISTORY  OF 


or  ten  joints,  in  the  whole  about  six  or  seven 
inches  long.  It  has  two  small  eyes  standing 
out  of  the  head  like  those  of  crabs,  mid  two 
feelers  like  long  hair.  The  whole  body  is 
studded  with  small  excrescences,  which  are 
not  much  bigger  than  the  points  of  pins.  The 
shape  is  roundish,  and  the  body  diminishes  in 
circumference  to  the  tail,  which  is  forked  into 
two  horns.  Between  this,  there  is  a  sort  of  a 
sheath  contnining  a  small  dangerous  sting. 
If  any  person  happens  to  touch  tiiis  insect,  he 
is  sure  to  be  stung;  and  is  immediately  taken 
with  a  shivering  and  trembling  all  over  the 
body;  which,  however,  may  soon  be  put  a 
stop  to,  by  rubbing  the  place  that  was  affected 
with  a  little  palm  oil.* 

From  the  locust  we  descend  to  the  Cricket, 
which  is  a  very  inoffensive  and  pretty  animal. 
Though  there  be  a  species  of  this  insect  that 
lives  entirely  in  the  woods  and  fit-Ids,  yet  that 
with  which  we  are  best  acquainted  is  the 
House-cricket,  whose  voice  is  so  well  known 
behind  a  country  fire  in  a  winter's  evening. 
There  is  something  so  unusual  in  hearing  a 
sound  while  we  do  not  see  the  animal  pro- 
ducing it,  nor  discover  the  place  from  whence 
it  comes,  that  among  the  country  people  the 
chirping  of  the  cricket  is  always  held  ominous  ; 
and  whether  it  deserts  the  fire-side,  or  pays 
an  unexpected  visit,  the  credulous  peasantry 
always  find  something  to  be  afraid  of.  In 
general,  however,  the  killing  of  a  cricket  is 
considered  as  a  most  unlucky  omen :  and 
though  their  company  is  not  much  desired, 
yet  no  methods  must  be  taken  to  remove  them. 

The  cricket  very  much  resembles  the  grass- 
hopper in  its  shape,  its  manner  of  ruminating, 
its  voice,  its  leaping,  and  methods  of  propaga- 
tion. It  differs  in  its  colour,  which  is  uniform- 
ly of  a  rusty  brown ;  in  its  food,  which  is 
more  various ;  and  in  its  place  of  residence, 
which  is  most  usually  in  the  warmest  chinks 
behind  a  country  hearth.  They  are,  in  some 
measure,  obliged  to  the  bad  masonry  employ- 
ed in  making  peasants'  houses  for  their  retreats. 
The  smallest  chink  serves  to  give  them  shelter; 
and  where  they  once  make  their  abode,  they 
are  sure  to  propagate.  They  are  of  a  most 
chilly  nature,  seldom  leaving  the  fire-side ; 
and,  if  undisturbed,  are  seen  to  hop  from  their 

(a)  It  is  now  known  that  every  insect  of  this  tribe  it 
perfectly  harmless. 


retreats  to  chirrup  at  the  blaze  in  the  chimney. 
The  wood-cricket  is  the  most  timorous  animal 
in  nature  ;  but  the  chimney-cricket,  being 
used  to  noises,  disregnrds  not  only  those,  but 
the  appearance  of  people  near  it.  Whether 
the  voice  of  (his  animal  is  formed  in  the  same 
manner  with  that  of  the  grasshopper,  by  a  fine 
membrane  at  the  base  of  the  wings,  which  is 
moved  by  a  muscle,  and  which  being  coiled 
up,  gives  a  sound  like  a  quail-pipe,  is  not  yet 
ascertained  ;  nor  do  we  well  know  the  use  of 
this  voice,  since  anatomical  inspection  has  not 
yet  been  able  to  discover  the  smallest  organs 
of  hearing.  Still,  however,  we  can  mnke  no 
doubt  of  their  power  of  distinguishing  sound?, 
though  probably  not  in  the  same  manner  with 
the  more  prefect  ranks  of  nature.  Certain  it 
is,  that  I  have  often  heard  them  call,  and  this 
call  was  as  regularly  answered  by  another, 
although  none  but  the  males  are  vocal. 

As  the  cricket  lives  chiefly  in  the  dark,  so 
its  ryes  set-in  formed  for  the  gloominess  of  its 
abode  ;  and  those  who  would  surprise  it,  have 
only  to  light  a  candle  unexpectedly;  by  which 
it  is  dazzled,  and  cannot  find  the  way  back  to 
its  retreat.  It  is  a  very  voracious  little  ani- 
mal, awl  will  eat  bread,  flour,  and  meat ;  but 
it  is  particularly  fond  of  sugar.  They  never 
drink,  but  keep  for  months  together  at  the 
bark,  of  the  chiiuiH'v,  where  they  could  pos- 
sibly have  hud  no  moisture.  The  warmth  of 
tlu-ir  situation  only  serves  to  increase  their 
mirth  and  loquacity.  Except  in  the  very 
coldest  weather,  they  never  cease  their  chir- 
ruping, but  continue  ihat  little  piercing  note, 
which  is  a*  pleasing  to  some  as  it  is  disagree- 
able to  others.  The  great  Scaliger  was  pajr- 
ticularly  delighted  with  the  chirruping  of 
crickets,  and  kept  several  of  them  for  his 
amusement,  enclosed  in  a  box,  which  he 
placed  in  a  warm  situation.  Others,  on  the 
contrary,  think  there  is  something  ominous 
and  Rir.iitnf.holy  in  the  sound,  and  use  every 
endeavour  to  banish  this  insect  from  th?ir 
houses.  Ledelius  tells  us  of  a  woman  who 
was  very  much  incommoded  by  crickets,  and 
tried,  but  in  vain,  every  method  of  banishing 
them  from  her  house.  She  at  last  accidental- 
ly succeeded ;  for  having  one  day  invited 
several  guests  to  her  house,  where  there  was 
a  wedding,  in  order  to  increase  the  festivity 
of  the  entertainment,  she  procured  drums  and 
trumpets  to  entertain  them.  The  noise  of 


THE  GRASSHOPPER  KIND. 


777 


these  was  so  much  greater  than  what  the  little 
animals  were  used  to,  that  they  instantly  for- 
sook their  situation,  and  were  never  heard  in 
that  mansion  more. 

But  of  all  the  cricket  kind,  that  which  is 
called  the  Mok-Cricket  is  the  most  extraor- 
dinary. Tin's  animal  is  the  largest  of  all  the 
insects  with  which  we  are  acquainted  in  this 
country,  being  two  inches  and  a  half  in  length, 
and  three  quarters  of  an  inch  in  breadth. 
The  colour  is  of  a  dusky  brown  ;  and  at  the 
extremity  of  the  tail  there  are  two  hairy  ex- 
crescences, resembling  in  some  sense  the  tail 
of  a  mouse.  The  body  consists  of  eight  scaly 
joints  or  separate  folds,  is  brown  on  the  up- 
per part,  and  more  deeply  tinged  below. 
The  wings  are  long,  narrow,  and  terminate 
in  a  sharp  point,  each  having  a  blackish  line 
running  down  it :  however,  when  they  are 
extended,  they  appear  to  be  much  broader 
than  could  at  first  sight  be  supposed.  The 
shield  of  the  breast  is  of  a  firm  texture,  of  a 
blackish  colour,  and  hairy.  The  fore  feet, 
which  arc  this  animal's  principal  instruments 
of  burrowing  into  the  earth,  are  strong, 
webbed,  and  hairy;  it  generally,  however, 
runs  backward  ;  but  it  is  commonly  under 
ground,  where  it  burrows  even  faster  than  a 
mole.  It  is  thought  also  to  be  amphibious, 
and  capable  of  living  under  water,  as  well  as 
under  ground. 

Of  all  insects  this  is  the  most  detested  by 
gardeners,  as  it  chiefly  resides  in  that  ground 
which  lies  light,  and  where  it  finds  sufficient 
plenty  under  the  surface.  Thus,  in  a  single 
night's  time,  it  will  run  along  a  furrow  which 
has  been  newly  sown,  and  rob  it  of  all  its 
contents.  Its  legs  are  formed  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  it  can  penetrate  the  earth  in  every 
direction;  before,  behind,  and  above  it.  At 
night  it  ventures  from  its  under-ground  habi- 


(n)  iVmong  this  tribe  maybe  numbered  the  Great  Lan- 
tern Fly  of  Peru,  an  insect  the  most  splendid  and  lumi- 
nous of  all  that  ere  yet  known.  In  the  head  is  contained 
a  phosphorescent  light,  sufficiently  vivid  to  nerve  the  pur- 
poses of  a  candle  in  a  dark  room ;  or,  when  two  or  three 


tation,  and,  like  the  cricket,  has  its  chirping 
call.  When  the  female  is  fecundated,  she 
makes  a  cell  of  clammy  earth,  the  inside  of 
which  is  large  enough  to  hold  two  hazel-nuts; 
and  in  this  she  lays  her  eggs.  The  whole 
nest  is  about  the  size  of  a  common  hen's  egg, 
closed  up  on  every  side,  and  well  defended 
from  the  smallest  breath  of  air.  The  eggs 
generally  amount  to  the  number  of  a  hundred 
and  fifty,  being  white,  and  about  the  size  of 
a  caraway  comfit.  They,  are  thus  carefully 
covered,  as  well  to  defend  them  from  the  in-  '' 
juries  of  the  weather,  as  from  the  attacks  of 
the  black  beetle;  that  being  itself  an  under- 
ground inhabitant,  would,  but  for  this  pre- 
caution, devour  or  destroy  them.  To  pre- 
vent this,  the  female  rnole-cricket  is  often 
posted  as  a  centinel  near  the  nest,  and  when 
the  black  invader  plunges  in  to  seize  its  prey, 
the  guardian  insect  seizes  him  behind,  and 
instantly  bites  him  in  two. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  care  and  assiduity 
which  these  animals  exhibit  in  the  preserva- 
tion of  their  young.  Wherever  the  nest  is 
placed,  there  seems  to  be  a  fortification, 
avenues  and  entrenchments,  drawn  round  it: 
there  are  numberless  winding-ways  that  lead 
to  It,  and  a  ditch  drawn  about  it,  which  few 
of  its  insect  enemies  are  able  to  pass.  But 
their  care  is  not  confined  to  this  only  ;  for  at 
the  approach  of  winter  they  carry  their  nest 
entirely  away,  and  sink  it  deeper  in  the 
ground,  so  that  the  frost  can  have  no  influence 
in  retarding  the  young  brood  from  coming  to 
maturity.  As  the  weather  grows  milder,  they 
raise  their  magazine  in  proportion;  till,  at 
last,  they  bring  it  as  near  the  surface  as  they 
can,  to  receive  the  genial  influence  of  the 
sun,  without  wholly  exposing  it  to  view  ;  yet 
should  the  frost  unexpectedly  return,  they 
sink  it  again  as  before.8 


are  put  together  at  the  end  of  a  stick,  to  light  travellers 
on  the  road  like  a  lantern.  It  is  about  the  size  of  the 
larger  kind  of  lor.ust,  and  the  wings  and  whole  body  are 
beautifully  variegated. 


778 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CJLXXXII. 

OF  THE  EARWIG,  THE  FROTH  INSECT,  AND  SOME  OTHERS  BELONGING 
TO  THE  SECOND  ORDER  OF  INSECTS. 


WE  should  still  keep  in  memory,  that  all 
insects  of  the  second  order,  though  not  pro- 
duced quite  perfect  from  the  egg,  yet  want 
very  little  of  their  perfection,  and  require 
but  a  very  small  change  to  arrive  at  that 
state  which  fits  them  for  flight  and  generation. 
The  natural  functions  in  these  are  never  sus- 
pended ;  from  the  instant  they  leave  the  egg, 
they  continue  to  eat,  to  move,  to  leap,  and 
pursue  their  prey:  a  slight  change  ensues; 
a  skin,  that  enclosed  a  part  of  their  body  and 
limbs,  bursts  behind,  like  a  woman's  stays, 
and  gives  freedom  to  a  set  of  wings,  with 
which  the  animal  expatiates,  and  flies  in  pur- 
suit of  its  mate. 

Of  all  this  class  of  insects,  the  Earwig  un- 
dergoes the  smallest  change.  This  animal 
is  so  common  that  it  scarce  needs  a  descrip- 
tion :  its  swiftness  in  the  reptile  state  is  not 
less  remarkable  than  its  indefatigable  velocity 
when  upon  the  wing.  That  it  must  be  very 
prolific,  appears  from  its  numbers;  and  that 
it  is  very  harmless,  every  one's  experience 
can  readily  testify.  It  is  provided  with  six 
feet,  and  two  feelers ;  the  tail  is  forked  ;  and 
with  this  it  often  attempts  to  defend  itself 
against  every  assailant.  But  its  attempts  are 
only  the  threats  of  impotence;  they  draw 
down  the  resentment  of  powerful  animals, 
but  no  way  serve  to  defend  it.  The  deformity 
of  its  figure,  and  its  slender  make,  have  also 
subjected  it  to  an  imputation,  which,  though 
entirely  founded  in  prejudice,  has  more  than 
once  procured  its  destruction.  It  is  supposed, 
as  the  name  imports,  that  it  often  enters  into 
the  ears  of  people  sleeping ;  thus  causing 
madness  from  the  intolerable  pain,  and  soon 
after  death  itself.  Indeed,  the  French  name, 
which  signifies  the  Ear-piercer,  urges  the 
calumny  against  this  harmless  insect  in  very 
plain  terms;  yet  nothing  can  be  more  unjust: 
the  ear  is  already  filled  with  a  substance 
which  prevents  any  insect  from  entering; 


and  besides,  it  is  well  lined,  and  defended 
with  membranes,  which  would  keep  out  any 
little  animal,  even  though  ihe  ear-wax  were 
away.      These    reproaches,    therefore,    are 
entirely  groundless:  but  it  were  well  if  the 
accusations   which   gardeners   bring  against 
the  earwig  were  as  slightly  founded.     There 
is   nothing   more    certain  than  that  it  lives 
among  flowers,  and  destroys  them.     When 
fruit  also  has  been  wounded  by  flies,  the  ear- 
wig generally  comes  in  for  a  second  feast, 
and  sucks  those  juices  which  they  first  began 
to  broach.     Still,  however,  this  insect  is  not 
so  noxious  as  it  would  seem ;  and  seldom  is 
found  but  where  the  mischief  has  been  origin- 
ally begun  by  others.     Like  all  of  this  class, 
the  earwig  is  hatched  from  an  egg.     As  there 
are   various   kinds  of  this   animal,  so    they 
choose  different  places  to  breed  in:  in  gene- 
ral, however,  they  lay  their  eggs  under  the 
bark  of  plants,  or  in  the  clefts  of  trees,  when 
beginning  to  decay.     They  proceed  from  the 
egg  in  that  reptile  state  in  which  they  are 
most  commonly  seen ;  and,  as  they  grow  lar- 
ger, the  wings  bound  under  the  skin  begin  to 
bourgeon.      It    is    amazing   how    very    little 
room  four  large  wings  take,  up   before  they 
are  protruded ;  for  no  person  could  ever  con- 
ceive such  an  expansion  of  natural  drapery 
could  be  rolled  up   in   so   small   a   packet. 
The   sheath  in  which  they  are  enveloped, 
folds  and  covers  them  so  neatly,  that  the  ani- 
mal  seems   quite   destitute  of  wings;"    and 
even  when  they  are  burst  from^lheir  confine- 
ment, the  animal,  by  the  power  of  the  muscles 
and  joints  which  it  has  in  the  middle  of  its 
wings,  can  closely  fold  them  into  a  very  nar- 
row compass.     When  the  earwig  has  become 
a  winged  insect,  it  flies  in  pursuit  of  the  fe- 
male, ceasing  to  feed,  and  is  wholly  employ- 
ed in  the  business  of  propagation.     It  lives  in 

(a)  Swamtnerdam,  p.  114. 


THE  EARWIG  KIND. 


779 


its  winged  state  but  a  few  days ;  and  having 
taken  care  for  the  continuance  of  posterity, 
dries  up,  and  dies  to  all  appearance  con- 
sumptive." 

To  this  order  of  insects  we  may  also  refer 
the  Cuckow-Spit,  or  Froth-Worm,  that  is 
often  found  hid  in  that  frothy  matter  which 
we  find  on  the  surface  of  plants.  It  has  an 
oblong  obtuse  body ;  and  a  large  head  with 
small  eyes.  The  external  wings,  for  it  has 
four,  are  of  a  dusky  brown,  marked  with  two 
white  spots  :  the  head  is  black.  The  spume 
in  which  it  is  found  wallowing,  is  all  of  its 
own  formation,  and  very  much  resembles 
frothy  spittle.  It  proceeds  from  the  vent  of 
the  animal,  and  other  parts  of  the  body  ;  and 
if  it  be  wiped  away,  a  new  quantity  will  be 
quickly  seen  ejected  from  the  little  animal's 
body.  Within  this  spume  it  is  seen  in  time 
to  acquire  four  tubercles  on  its  back,  where- 
in the  wings  are  enclosed :  these  bursting, 
from  a  reptile  it  becomes  a  winged  animal; 
and  thus  rendered  perfect,  it  flies  to  meet  its 
mate,  and  propagate  its  kind. 

The  Water-Tipula  also  belongs  to  this 
class.  It  has  an  oblong  slender  body,  with 
four  feet  fixed  upon  the  breast,  and  four 
feelers  near  the  mouth.  It  has  four  weak 
Avings,  which  do  not  at  all  seem  proper  for 
flying,  but  leaping  only.  But  what  this  insect 
chiefly  demands  our  attention  for  is,  the 
wonderful  lightness  wherewith  it  runs  on  the 
surface  of  the  water,  so  as  scarce  to  put  it 
in  motion.  It  is  sometimes  seen  in  rivers, 
and  on  their  banks,  especially  under  shady 
trees;  and  generally  in  swarms  of  several 
together. 

The  Common  Water-Fly  also  breeds  in  the 
same  manner  with  those  above  mentioned. 


(a)  The  indefatigable  M.  de  Goer  has  discovered  that 
the  female  earwig  sits  over  her  eggs,  and  fosters  her  young, 
in  the  tame  manner  as  a  hen  does  her  chickens. 

NO.  65  &  66. 


This  animal  is  by  some  called  Notonecta, 
because  it  does  not  swim,  in  the  usual  man- 
ner, upon  its  belly,  but  on  its  back  :  nor  can 
we  help  admiring  that  fitness  in  this  insect 
!  for  its  situation,  as  it  feeds  on  the  under-side 
of  plants  which  grow  on  the  surface  of  the 
water;  and  therefore  it  is  thus  formed  with 
its  month  upwards,  to  take  its  food  with 
greater  convenience  and  ease. 

We  may  also  add  the  Water-Scorpion, 
which  is  a  large  insect,  being  near  an  inch  in 
length,  arid  about  half  an  inch  in  breadth. 
Its  body  is  nearly  oval,  but  very  flat  and  thin; 
and  its  tail  long  and  pointed.  The  head  is 
small ;  and  the  feelers  appear  like  legs,  re- 
sembling the  claws  of  a  scorpion,  but  without 
sharp  points.  This  insect  is  generally  found 
in  ponds;  and  is,  of  all  others,  the  most 
tyrannical  and  rapacious.  It  destroys,  like 
a  wolf  among  sheep,  twenty  times  as  many  as 
its  hunger  requires.  One  of  these,  when  put 
into  a  basin  of  water,  in  which  were  thirty 
or  forty  worms  of  the  libellula  kind,  each  as 
large  as  itself,  destroyed  them  all  in  a  few 
minutes  ;  getting  on  their  backs,  and  piercing 
with  its  trunk  through  their  body.  These 
animals,  however,  though  so  formidable  to 
others,  are  nevertheless  themselves  greatly 
overrun  with  a  little  kind  of  louse,  about  the 
size  of  a  nit,  which  very  probably  repays  the 
injury  which  the  water-scorpion  inflicts  upon 
others. 

The  water-scorpions  live  in  the  water  by 
day;  out  of  which  they  rise  in  the  dusk  of 
the  evening  into  the  air,  and  so  flying  from 
place  to  place,  often  betake  themselves,  in 
quest  of  food,  to  other  waters.  The  in- 
sect, before  its  wings  are  grown,  remains 
in  the  place  where  it  was  produced;  but 
when  come  to  its  state  of  perfection,  sallies 
forth  in  search  of  a  companion  of  the  other 
sex,  in  order  to  continue  its  noxious  pos- 
terity. 


780 


A  HISTORY  OP 


CHAPTER  CLXXXIII. 

OF  THE  EPHEMERA. 


THE  last  insect  we  shall  add  to  the  second 
order,  is  the  Ephemera;  which  though  not 
strictly  belonging  to  it,  yet  seems  more  pro- 
perly referred  to  this  rank  than  any  other. 
Indeed,  we  must  not  attend  to  the  rigour  of 
method,  in  a  history  where  nature  seems  to 
take  delight  to  sport  in  variety. 

That  there  should  be  a  tribe  of  flies  whose 
duration  extends  but  to  a  day,  seems  at  first 
surprising;  but  the  wonder  will  increase, 
when  we  are  told,  that  some  of  this  kind  seem 
to  be  born  and  to  die  in  the  space  of  a  single 
hour.  The  reptile,  however,  from  which 
they  are  bred,  is  by  no  means  so  short-lived; 
but  is  sometimes  seen  to  live  two  years,  and 
many  times  three  years  together. 

All  ephemeras,  of  which  there  are  various 
kinds,  are  produced  from  the  egg  in  the 
form  of  worms ;  from  whence  they  change 
into  a  more  perfect  form ;  namely,  that  of 
aurelias,  which  is  a  kind  of  middle  state  be- 
tween a  worm  and  a  fly ;  and  from  thence 
they  take  their  last  mutation,  which  is  into  a 
beautiful  fly,  of  longer  or  shorter  duration, 
according  to  its  kind. 

The  ephemera,  in  its  fly  state,  is  a  very 
beautiful  winged  insect,  and  has  a  strong 
similitude  to  the  butterfly,  both  from  its  shape 
and  its  wings.  It  is  -about  the  size  of  a 
middling  butterfly ;  but  its  wings  differ  in  not 
being  covered  with  the  painted  dust  with 
which  those  of  butterflies  are  adorned,  and 
rendered  opake,  for  they  are  very  transparent 
and  tery  thin.  These  insects  have  four 
wings,  the  uppermost  of  which  are  much  the 
largest:  when  the  insect  is  at  rest,  it  gene- 
rally lays  its  wings  one  over  the  other,  on  the 
back.  The  body  is  long,  being  formed  of 
six  rings,  these  are  larger  at  the  origin  than 
near  the  extremity;  and  from  this  a  tail  pro- 
ceeds, that  is  longer  than  all  the  rest  of  the 
fly,  and  consists  sometimes  of  three  threads 
of  an  equal  length,  or  sometimes  of  two  long 
and  one  short.  To  acquire  this  beautiful 


form,  the  insect  has  been  obliged  to  undergo 
several  transmutations;  but  its  glory  is  very 
short-lived,  for  the  hour  of  its  perfection  is 
the  hour  of  its  death ;  and  it  seems  scarcely 
introduced  to  pleasure,  when  it  is  obliged  to 
part  with  life. 

The  reptile  that  is  to  become  a  fly,  and 
that  is  granted  so  long  a  term,  when  compared 
to  its  latter  duration,  is  an  inhabitant  of  the 
water,  and  bears  a  very  strong  resemblance 
to  fishes,  in  many  particulars ;  having  gills 
by  which  it  breaths  at  the  bottom,  and  also 
the  tapering  form  of  aquatic  animals.  These 
insects  have  six  scaly  legs,  fixed  on  their 
corselet.  Their  head  is  triangular:  the  eyes 
are  placed  forward,  and  may  be  distinguish- 
ed by  their  largeness  and  colour.  The  mouth 
is  furnished  with  teeth ;  and  the  body  con- 
sists of  six  rings;  that  next  the  corselet  being 
largest,  but  growing  less  and  less  to  the  end : 
the  last  ring  is  the  shortest,  from  which  the, 
three  threads  proceed,  which  are  as  long 
as  the  whole  body.  Thus  we  see  that  the 
reptile  bears  a  very  strong  resemblance  to 
the  fly ;  and  only  Fequires  wings,  to  be  very 
near  its  perfection. 

As  there  are  several  kinds  of  this  animal, 
their  aurelias  are  consequently  of  different 
colours ;  some  yellow,  some  brown,  and  some 
cream-coloured.  Some  of  these  also  bore 
themselves  cells  at  the  bottom  of  the  water, 
from  which  they  never  stir  out,  but  feed  upon 
the  mud  composing  the  walls  of  their  habita- 
tion, in  contented  captivity;  others,  on  the 
contrary,  range  about,  go  from  the  bottom  to 
the  surface,  swim  between  two  waters,  quit 
that  element,  entirely  to  feed  upon  plants  by 
the  river  side,  and  then  return  to  their  favou- 
rite element,  for  safety  and  protection. 

The  reptile,  however,  though  it  lives  two 
or  three  years,  offers  but  little,  in  its  long 
duration,  to  excite  curiosity  :  it  is  hid  at  the 
bottom  of  the  water,  and  feeds  almost  wholly 
within  its  narrow  habitation.  The  most 


THE  EPHEMERA. 


781 


striking  facts  command  our  attention  during 
the  short  interval  of  its  fly  state ;  into  which 
it  crowds  the  most  various  transactions  of  its 
little  life.  It  then  may  be  said  to  be  in  a 
hurry  to  live,  as  it  has  but  so  small  a  time  to 
exist.  The  peculiar  sign  whereby  to  know 
that  these  reptiles  will  change  into  Hies  in  a 
short  time,  consists  in  a  protuberance  of  the 
wings  on  the  back.  About  that  time  the 
smooth  and  depressed  form  of  the  upper  part 
of  the  body  is  changed  into  a  mere  swollen 
and  rounder  shape;  «o  that  the  wings  are  in 
some  degree  visible  through  the  external 
sheath  that  covers  them.  As  they  are  not 
natives  of  England,  he  who  would  s^e  them 
in  their  greatest  abundance,  must  walk,  about 
sun-set,  along  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  or  the 
Seine  near  Paris;  where,  for  about  three 
days,  in  the  midst  of  summer,  lie  will  be 
astonished  at  their  numbers  and  assiduity. 
The  thickest  descent  of  the  flakes  of  snow  in 
winter  seems  not  to  equal  their  number;  the 
whole  air  seems  alive  with  the  new  born  race : 
and  the  earth  itself  is  all  over  covered  with 
their  remains.  The  aurelias,  or  reptile  in- 
sects, that  are  as  yet  beneath  the  surface  of 
the  water,  wait  only  for  the  approach  of 
evening  to  begin  their  transformation.  The 
most  industrious  shake  off  their  old  gar- 
ments about  eight  o'clock ;  and  those  who 
are  the  most  tardy,  are  transformed  before 
nine. 

We  have  already  seen  that  the  operation 
of  change  in  other  insects  is  laborious  and 
painful:  but  with  these  nothing  seems  shorter, 
or  performed  with  greater  ease.  The  aure- 
lias are  scarcely  lifted  above  the  surface  of 
the  water,  than  their  old  sheathing  skin  bursts; 
and  through  the  cavity  which  is  thus  formed, 
a  fly  issues,  whose  wings,  at  the  same  instant, 
are  unfolded,  and  at  the  same  time  lift  it  into 
the  air.  Millions  and  millions  of  aurelias 
rise  in  this  manner  to  the  surface:  and  at 
once  become  flies,  and  till  every  quarter  with 
their  flutterings.  But  all  these  sports  are 
shortly  to  have  an  end ;  for  as  the  little  stran- 
gers live  but  an  hour  or  two,  the  whole  swarm 
soon  falls  to  the  ground,  and  covers  the 
earth,  like  a  deep  snow,  for  several  hundred 
yards,  on  every  side  of  the  river.  Their 
numbers  are  then  incredible,  and  every  ob- 
ject they  touch  becomes  fatal  to  them ;  for 


I   they  instantly  die,  if  they  hit  even  against 
each  other. 

At  this  time  the  males  and  females  are 
very  differently  employed.  The  males,  quite 
inactive,  and  apparently  without  desires,seetn 
only  born  to  die:  no  way  like  the  males  of 
other  insects;  they  neither  follow  the  oppo- 
site sex,  nor  bear  any  enmity  to  each  other: 
after  fluttering  for  an  hour  or  two,  they  drop 
upon  land,  without  seeming  to  receive  wings 
for  scarce  any  other  purpose  but  to  satisfy 
an  idle  curiosity.  It  is  otherwise  with  the 
females  ;  they  are  scarce  risen  from  the  sur- 
face of  the  water,  and  have  dried  their  wings, 
but  they  hasten  to  drop  their  eggs  back  again. 
If  they  happen  also  to  flutter  upon  land,  they 
deposite  their  burden  in  the  place  where 
they  drop.  But  then  it  may  be  demanded, 
where,  and  in  what  manner,  are  these  eggs 
fecundated,  as  no  copulation  whatever  ap- 
pears between  the  sexes,  in  their  transitory 
visits  in  air?  Swammerdam  is  of  opinion, 
that  they  are  impregnated  in  the  manner  of 
fish-spawn,  by  the  male,  after  being  ejected 
by  the  female;  but,  beside  that,  this  doctrine 
is  exploded  even  from  the  history  of  fishes,  it 
is  certain  that  the  males  have  not  time  for 
this  operation,  as  the  eggs  drop  to  the  bottom 
the  instant  they  arc  laid  on  the  water.  Reau- 
mur is  of  opinion  that  they  copulate;  but 
that  the  act  bears  a  proportion  in  shortness 
to  the  small  duration  of  their  lives;  and,  con- 
sequently, must  be  so  soon  performed,  as  to 
be  scarcely  visible.  This,  however,  is  at 
best  forcing  a  theory;  and  it  is  probable,  that 
as  there  are  many  insects  known  to  breed 
without  any  impregnation  from  the  male,  as 
we  have  already  seen  in  muscles  and  oysters, 
and  shall  hereafter  see  in  the  gnat,  and  a 
species  of  the  beetle,  so  the  ephemera  may 
be  of  this  number.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  fe- 
males are  in  such  haste  to  deposite  their  eggs, 
that  multitudes  of  them  fall  to  the  ground; 
but  the  greatest  part  are  laid  in  the  water. 
As  they  Butter  upon  the  surface,  two  clusters 
are  seen  issuing  from  the  extremity  of  their 
body,  each  containing  about  three  hundred 
and  fifty  eggs,  which  make  seven  hundred  in 
all.  Thus,  of  all  insects,  this  appears  to  be 
the  most  prolific ;  and  it  would  seem  that 
there  was  a  necessity  for  such  a  supply,  as  in 
its  reptile  state  it  is  the  favourite  food  of 
5Q* 


782 


A  HISTORY  OF 


every  kind  of  fresh-water  fish.  It  is  in  vain 
that  these  little  animals  form  galleries  at  the 
bottom  of  the  river,  from  whence  they  seldom 
remove ;  many  kinds  of  fish  break  in  upon 
their  retreats,  and  thin  their  numbers.  For 
this  reason  fishermen  are  careful  to  provide 
themselves  with  these  insects,  as  the  most 
grateful  bait ;  and  thus  turn  the  fish's  rapacity 
to  its  own  destruction. 

But  though  the  usual  date  of  those  flies  is 
two  or  three  hours  at  farthest,  there  are  som.e 
kinds  that  live  several  days;  and  one  kind  in 


particular,  after  quitting  the  water,  has 
another  case  or  skin  to  get  rid  of.  These 
are  often  seen  in  the  fields  and  woods,  distant 
from  the  water;  but  they  are  more  frequent- 
ly found  in  its  vicinity.  They  are  often  tound 
sticking  upon  walls  and  trees ;  and  frequent- 
ly with  the  head  downwards,  without  chang- 
ing place,  or  having  any  sensible  motion. 
They  are  then  waiting  for  the  moment  when 
they  shall  be  divested  of  their  last  incommo- 
dious garment,  which  sometimes  does  not 
happen  for  two  or  three  days  together. 


CATERPILLARS  IN  GENERAL, 


783 


or  INSECTS  or  THE  THIRD  ORDER. 


CHAPTER  CLXXXIV. 

OF  CATERPILLARS  IN  GENERAL. 


IF  we  take  a  cursory  view  of  insects  in 
general,  caterpillars  alone,  and  the  butter- 
flies and  moths  they  give  birth  to,  will  make 
a  third  part  of  the  number.  Wherever  we 
move,  wherever  we  turn,  these  insects,  in  one 
shape  or  another,  present  themselves  to  our 
Some,  in  every  state,  offer  the  most 


view. 


entertaining  spectacle ;  others  are  beautiful 
only  in  their  winged  form.  Many  persons,  of 
"which  number  I  am  one,  have  an  invincible 
aversion  to  caterpillars  and  worms  of  every 
species :  there  is  something  disagreeable  in 
their  slow  crawling  motion,  for  which  the 
variety  of  their  colouring  can  never  compen- 
sate. But  others  feel  no  repugnance  at  ob- 
serving, and  even  handling,  them  with  the 
most  attentive  application. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  butterfly  state  so 
be  tutiful  or  splendid  as  these  insects.  They 
serve,  not  less  than  the  birds  themselves,  to 
banish  solitude  from  our  walks,  and  to  fill  up 
our  idle  intervals  with  the  most  pleasing 
speculations.  The  butterfly  makes  one  of 
the  principal  ornaments  of  oriental  poetry; 
but  in  those  countries,  the  insect  is  larger 
and  more  beautiful  than  with  us. 

The  beauties  of  the  fly  may,  therefore, 
very  well  excite 'our  curiosity  to  examine  the 
reptile.  But  we  are  still  more  strongly  at- 
tached to  this  tribe  from  the  usefulness  of  one 
of  the  number.  The  silk-worm  is,  perhaps, 
the  most  serviceable  of  all  other  animals ; 
since,  from  its  labours,  and  the  manufacture 
attending  it,  near  a  third  part  of  the  world 
are  clothed,  adorned,  and  supported. 

Caterpillars  may  be  easily  distinguished 
from  worms  or  maggots,  by  the  number  of 


their  feet;  and  by  their  producing  butterflies 
or  moths.  When  the  sun  calls  up  vegetation, 
and  vivifies  the  various  eggs  of  insects,  the 
caterpillars  are  the  first  that  are  seen  upon 
almost  every  vegetable  and  tree,  eating  its 
leaves,  and  preparing  for  a  state  of  greater 
perfection.  They  have  feet  both  before  and 
behind ;  which  not  only  enable  them  to  move 
forward  by  a  sort  of  steps  made  by  their  fore 
and  hinder  parts,  but  also  to  climb  up  vege- 
tables, and  to  stretch  themselves  out  from  the 
boughs  and  stalks  to  reach  their  food  at  a 
distance.  All  of  this  class  have  from  eight 
feet,  at  the  least,  to  sixteen ;  and  this  may 
serve  to  distinguish  them  from  the  worm  tribe, 
that  never  have  so  many.  The  animal  into 
which  they  are  converted  is  always  a  butter- 
fly or  a  moth ;  and  these  are  always  distin- 
guished from  other  flies,  by  having  their  wings 
covered  over  with  a  painted  dust,  which  gives 
them  such  various  beauty.  The  wings  of 
flies  are  transparent,  as  we  see  in  the  com- 
mon flesh-fly;  while  those  of  beetles  are  hard, 
like  horn :  from  such  the  wing  of  a  butterfly 
may  be  easily  distinguished ;  and  words 
would  obscure  their  differences. 

From  hence  it  appears,  that  caterpillars, 
whether  in  the  reptile  state,  or  advanced  to 
their  last  state  of  perfection  into  butterflies, 
may  easily  be  distinguished  from  all  other  in- 
sects ;  being  animals  peculiarly  formed,  and 
also  of  a  peculiar  nature.  The  transmuta- 
tions they  undergo  are  also  more  numerous 
than  those  of  any  insect  hitherto  mentioned  ; 
and,  in  consequence,  they  have  been  placed 
in  the  third  order  of  changes  by  Swammer- 
dam,  who  has  thrown  such  lights  upon  this 


784 


A  HISTORY  OF 


part  of  natural  history.  In  the  second  order 
of  changes,  men.ioned  before,  we  saw  the 
gr«s*. topper  and  ihe  earwig,  when  excluded 
from  the  egg,  assume  a  form  very  like  tint 
wiiicn  they  were  after  to  preserve  ;  and  seem- 
ed arrived  at  a  state  of  perfection,  in  all  re- 
spects, except  in  not  having  wings ;  which 
did  not  bud  forth  until  they  were  come  to  ma- 
turity. But  the  insects  of  this  third  order, 
that  we  are  now  about  to  describe,  go  through 
a  much  greater  variety  of  tra  sformaiions ; 
for  when  they  are  excluded  from  the  egg,  they 
assume  the  form  of  a  small  caterpillar,  which 
feeds  and  grows  larger  every  day,  often  chang- 
ing its  skin,  but  still  preserving  its  form. 
When  the  animal  has  come  to  a  certain  mag- 
nitude in  this  state,  it  discontinues  eating, 


makes  itself  a  covering  or  husk,  in  which  it 
remains  wrapped  up,  seemingly  without  life 
or  motion  ;  and  after  having  for  some  time 
continued  in  tiiis  state,  it  once  more  bursts  its 
confinement,  and  conies  forth  a  beautiful  but- 
terfly. Thus  we  see  this  animal  put  on  no 
less  than  three  different  appearances,  from  the 
time  it  is  first  excluded  from  (he  egg.  It  ap- 
pears a  crawling  caterpillar;  then  an  insen- 
sible aurelia,  as  it  is  called,  without  life  or 
motion  ;  and,  lastly,  a  butterfly,  variously 
painted,  according  to  its  different  kind. 
Having  thus  distinguished  this  class  of  insects 
from  all  others,  we  will  first  survey  their  his- 
tory in  general  ;  and  then  enter  particularly 
into  the  manners  and  nature  of  a  few  ot  them, 
which  most  deserve  our  curiosity  and  attention. 


CHAPTER  CLXXXV. 

OF  THE  TRANSFORMATION  OF  THE  CATERPILLAR  INTO  ITS  CORRESPOND* 

ING  BUTTERFLY  OR  MOTH. 


WHEN  winter  has  disrobed  the  trees  of 
their  leaves,  nature  then  seems  to  have  lost 
her  insects.  There  are  thousands  of  different 
kinds,  with  and  without  wings,  which,  though 
swarming  at  other  seasons,  then  entirely  dis- 
appear. Our  fields  are  re-peopled,  when  the 
leaves  begin  to  bud,  by  the  genial  influence  of 
spring ;  and  caterpillars  of  various  sorts  are 
seen  feeding  upon  the  promise  of  the  year, 
even  before  the  leaves  are  completely  unfolded. 
Those  caterpillars,  which  ue  then  see,  may 
serve  to  give  us  a  view  of  the  general  means 
which  nature  employs  to  preserve  such  a  num- 
ber of  insects  during  that  season,  when  they 
can  no  longer  find  subsistence.  It  is  known, 
by  united  experience,  that  all  these  animals 
are  hatched  from  the  eggs  of  butterflies  :  and 
those  who  observe  them  more  closely,  will  find 
the  fly  very  careful  in  depositing  its  eggs  in 
those  places  where  they  are  likely  to  be  hatch- 
ed with  the  greatest  safety  and  success. 
During  winter,  therefore,  the  greatest  number 
of  caterpillars  are  in  an  egg  state ;  and  in  this 
lifeless  situation  brave  all  the  rigours  and  the 
humidity  of  the  climate  ;  and  though  often  ex 
posed  to  all  its  changes,  still  preserve  the  la- 


tent principles  of  life,  which  is  more  fully  ex- 
erted at  the  approach  of  spring.  Thai  same 
power  that  pushes  forth  the  budding  leaf  and 
the  opening  flower,  impels  the  insect  into  ani- 
mation ;  and  nature  at  once  seems  to  furnish 
the  guest  and  the  banquet.  When  the  insect 
has  found  force  to  break  its  shell,  it  always 
finds  its  favourite  aliment  provided  in  abun- 
dance before  it. 

But  all  caterpillars  are  not  sent  r.ff  from  the 
egg  in  the  beginning  of  spring  ;  for  many  of 
them  have  subsisted  during  the  winter  in  thoir 
aurelia  state  ;  in  which,  as  we  have  briefly  ob- 
served above,  the  animal  is  seemingly  deprived 
of  life  and  motion.  In  this  state  of  insensibility, 
many  of  these  insects  eontimie  during  the 
rigours  of  winter  ;  »ome  enclosed  in  a  kind  of 
shell,  which  they  have  spun  for  themselves  at 
the  end  of  autumn  ;  some  concealed  under  the 
bark  of  trees ;  others  in  the  chinks  of  old 
wells;  and  many  buried  underground.  From 
all  these,  a  variety  of  butterflies  are  seen  to 
issue  in  the  beginning  of  spring ;  and  adorn 
the  earliest  part  of  the  year  with  their  painted 
flutterings. 

Some  caterpillars  do  not  make  any  change 


THE  CATERPILLAR. 


785 


whatsoever  at  the  approach  of  winter ;  but 
continue  to  live  in  their  reptile  state  through 
all  the  severity  of  the  season.  They  choose 
themselves  some  retreat,  where  they  may  re- 
main undisturbed  for  months  together;  and 
tin-re  they  continue  motionless,  and  as  insen- 
sible as  if  they  were  actually  dead.  Their 
constitution  is  such,  that  food  at  that  time 
would  be  useless ;  and  the  cold  prevents  their 
making  those  dissipations  which  require  resto- 
ration. In  general,  caterpillars  of  this  kind 
are  found  in  great  numbers  together,  enclosed 
in  one  common  web,  that  covers  them  alF,  and 
serves  to  protect  them  from  the  injuries  of  the 
air. 

Lastly,  there  are  some  of  the  caterpillar 
kind,  whose  butterflies  live  all  the  winter ; 
and  who,  having  fluttered  about  for  some 
part  of  the  latter  end  of  autumn,  seek  for  some 
retreat  during  the  winter,  in  order  to  answer 
the  ends  of  propagation  at  the  approach  of 
spring.  These  are  often  found  lifeless  and 
motionless  in  the  hollows  of  trees  or  the  clefts 
of  timber ;  but  by  being  approached  to  the 
fire,  they  recover  life  and  activity,  and  seem 
to  anticipate  the  desires  of  the  spring. 

In  general,  however,  whether  the  animal 
has  subsisted  in  an  egg  state,  during  the  win- 
ter ;  or  whether  as  a  butterfly,  bred  from  an 
aurelia,  in  the  beginning  of  spring  ;  or  a  but- 
terfly that  has  subsisted  during  the  winter,  and 
lays  eggs  as  soon  as  the  leaves  of  plants  are 
shot  forward  ;  the  whole  swarrn  of  caterpillars 
are  in  motion  to  share  the  banquet  that  nature 
has  provided.  There  is  scarcely  a  plant  that 
has  not  its  own  peculiar  insects  ;  and  some 
are  knowi>  to  support  several  of  different  kinds. 
Of  these,  many  are  hatched  from  the  egg,  at 
the  foot  of  the  tree,  and  climb  up  to  its  leaves 
for  subsistence  ;  the  eggs  of  others  have  been 
glued  by  the  parent  butterfly  to  the  leaves ; 
and  they  are  no  sooner  excluded  from  the 
shell,  but  they  find  themselves  in  the  midst  of 
plenty. 

When  the  caterpillar  first  bursts  from  the 
egg,  it  is  small  and  feeble;  its  appetites  are  in 
proportion  to  its  size,  and  it  seems  to  rn<.ke  no 
great  co  .sumption  ;  but  as  k  increase*  in 
magnitude,  it  improves  in  its  appe  ites  ;  so 
that,  in  its  adult  caterpillar  state,  it  is  i  he  most 
ravenous  of  all  animals  whatsoever.  A  single 
caterpillar  will  eat  double  its  own  w  iglit  of 
leaves  in  a  day,  and  yet  seems  no  way  disor- 


dered by  the  meal.  What  would  mankind 
do,  if  their  oxen  or  their  horses  were  so  vora- 
cious ? 

These  voracious  habits,  with  its  slow  crawl- 
ing motion,  but  still  more  a  stinging  like  that 
of  nettles,  which  follows  upon  handling  the 
greatest  number  of  them,  make  these  insects 
not  the  most  agreeable  objects  of  human 
curiosity.  However,  there  are  many  philoso- 
phers who  have  spent  years  in  their  contem- 
plation ;  and  who  have  not  only  attended  to 
their  habits  and  labours,  but  minutely  ex- 
amined their  structure  and  internal  conforma- 
tion. 

The  body  of  the  caterpillar,  when  anatomi- 
cally considered,  is  found  composed  of  rings, 
whose  circumference  is  pretty  near  circular  or 
oval.  They  arc  generally  twelve  in  number, 
nnd  arc  all  membranaceous  ;  by  which  cater- 
pillars may  be  distinguished  from  many  other 
insects,  that  nearly  resemble  them  in  form. 
The  head  of  the  caterpillar  is  connected  to  the 
first  ring  by  the  neck  ;  that  is  generally  so 
short  and  contracted,  that  it  is  scarce  visible. 
All  the  covering  of  the  head  in  caterpillars 
seems  to  consist  of  a  shell;  and  they  have 
neither  upper  nor  under  jaw,  for  they  are  both 
placed  rather  vertically,  and  each  jaw  armed 
with  a  large  thick  tooth,  which  is  singly  equal 
to  numbers.  With  these  the  animals  devour 
their  food  in  such  amazing  quantities ;  and 
with  these,  some  of  the  kind  defend  themselves 


against  their  enemies. 


Though  the  mouth  be 


kept  shut,  the  teeth  are  always  uncovered  ; 
and  while  the  insect  is  in  health  they  are  sel- 
dom without  employment.  Whatever  the 
caterpillar  devours,  these  teeth  serve  to  chop 
it  into  small  pieces,  and  render  the  parts  of 
the  leaf  fit  for  swallowing.  Many  kinds,  while 
they  are  yet  youngv  eat  only  the  succulent 
part  of  the  leaf,  and  leave  all  the  fibres  un- 
touched ;  others,  however,  attack  the  whole 
leaf,  and  eat  it  clean  away.  One  may  be 
amused,  for  a  little  time,  in  observing  the 
avidity  with  which  they  are  seen  to  feed  ; 
some  are  seen  eating  the  whole  day ;  others 
have  their  hours  of  repast ;  some  choose  the 
night,  and  others  the  day.  When  the  cater- 
pillar attacks  a  leaf,  it  places  its  body  in  such 
*  maun  r  that  the  edge  of  the  leaf  shall  fall 
'ictweeu  its  feet,  which  keeps  it  steady  while 
the  teet"  are  employed  in  cutting  it :  these 
fall  upon  the  leaf  somewhat  in  the  manner  of  a 


786 


A  HISTORY  OF 


pair  of  gardener's  shears ;  and  every  morsel 
is  swallowed  as  soon  as  cut.  Some  caterpil- 
lars feed  upon  leaves  so  very  narrow,  that 
they  are  not  broader  than  their  mouths  ;  in 
this  case  the  animal  is  seen  to  devour  it  from 
the  point,  as  \ve  would  eat  a  radish. 

As  there  are  various  kinds  of  caterpillars,  the 
number  of  their  feet  are  various;  some  having 
eight,  and  some  sixteen.  Of  these  feet  the  six 
foremost  are  covered  with  a  sort  of  shining 
gristle ;  and  are  therefore  called  the  shelly  legs. 
The  hindmost  feet,  whatever  be  their  number, 
are  soft  and  flexible,  and  are  called  membru- 
naceous.  Caterpillars  also,  with  regard  to 
their  external  figure,  are  either  smooth  or 
hairy.  The  skin  of  the  first  kind  is  soft  to 
the  touch,  or  hard  like  shagreen  ;  the  skin  of 
the  latter  is  hairy,  and  as  it  were  thorny  ;  and 
generally,  if  handled,  stings  like  nettles. 
Some  of  them  even  cause  this  stinging  pain  if 
but  approached  too  nearly. 

Caterpillars,  in  general,  have  six  small 
black  spots  placed  on  the  circumference  of  the 
fore  ring,  and  a  little  to  the  side  of  the  head. 
Three  of  these  are  larger  than  the  rest,  and 
are  convex  and  transparent :  these  Reaumur 
takes  to  be  the  eyes  of  the  caterpillar ;  how- 
ever, most  of  these  reptiles  have  very  little  oc- 
casion for  sight,  and  seem  only  to  be  directed 
by  their  feeling. 

But  the  parts  of  the  caterpillar's  body  which 
most  justly  demand  our  attention,  are  the 
stigmata,  as  they  are  called  ;  or  those  holes 
on.  the  sides  of  its  body,  through  which  the 
animal  is  supposed  to  breath.  All  along  this 
insect's  body,  on  each  side,  these  holes  are 
easily  discoverable.  They  are  eighteen  in 
number,  nine  on  a  side,  rather  nearer  the  belly 
than  the  back ;  a  hole  for  every  ring,  of  which 
the  animal's  body  is  composed,  except  the 
second,  the  third,  and  the  last.  Tiiese  oval 
openings  may  be  considered  as  so  many 
mouths,  through  which  the  insect  breaths; 
but  with  this  difference,  that  as  we  have  imc 
one  pair  of  lungs,  the  caterpillar  has  no  less 
than  eighteen.  It  requires  no  great  anatomi- 
cal dexterity  to  discover  these  lungs  in  tbe  lar- 
ger kind  of  caterpillars :  they  appear,  at  first 
view,  to  be  hollow  cartilaginous  tubes,  and  of 
the  colour  of  mother-of-pearl.  These  tubes 
are  often  seen  to  unite  with  each  other ;  some 
are  perceived  to  open  into  the  intestines ;  and 
some  go  to  different  parts  of  the  surface  of  the 


body.  That  thrsc  vessels  serve  to  convey  the 
air,  appears  evidently,  from  the  famous  ex- 
periment of  Malpighi ;  who,  by  stopping  up 
the  mouths  of  the  stigmata  with  oil,  quickly 
suffocated  the  animal,  which"  was  seen  to  die 
convulsed  the  instont  after.  In  order  to  as- 
certain his  theory,  he  rubbed  oil  upon  other 
parts  of  the  insect's  body,  leaving  the  stigmai;* 
free ;  and  this  seemed  to  have  no  effect  upon 
the  animal's  health,  but  it  continued  to  move 
and  oat  as  usual :  he  rubbed  oil  on  the  stigmata 
of  one-  side,  and  the  animal  underwent  a 
partial  convulsion,  but  recovered  soon  after. 
However,  it  ought  to  be  observed,  that  air  is 
not  so  necfssary  to  these  as  to  the  nobler  ranks 
of  animals,  since  caterpillars  will  live  in  an 
exhausted  receiver  for  several  days  together: 
and  though  they  scern  dead  at  the  bottom,  yet, 
when  taken  out,  recover,  and  resume  their 
former  vivacity. 

If  the  caterpillar  be  cut  open  longitudinally 
along  the  back,  its  intestines  will  be  perceived 
running  directly  in  a  straight  line  from  the 
mouth  to  the  anus.  They  resemble  a  number 
of  small  bags  opening  into  each  other;  «nd 
strengthened  on  both  sides  by  a  fleshy  cord, 
by  which  they  are  united.  These  insects  are, 
upon  many  occasions,  seen  to  cast  forth  the 
internal  coat  of  their  intestines  with  their 
food,  in  the  changes  which  they  so  frequently 
undergo.  But  the  intestine^  take  up  but  a 
small  part  of  the  animal's  body,  if  compared 
to  the  fatty  subatance  in  which  they  are  in- 
volved. The  substance  changes  its  colour 
whan  the  insect's  metamorphosis  begins  to  ap- 
proach ;  aivi  from  white  it  is  usually  seen  to 
become  yellow.  If  to  these  parts  we  add  the 
caterpillar's  implements  for  spinning,  (for  all 
caterpillars  spin  at  one  time  or  another,)  we 
shall  have  a  rude  sketch  of  this  animal's  con- 
formation :  however,  we  shall  reserve  the  de- 
scription of  those  parts,  till  we  come  to  the  his- 
tory of  the  silk-worm,  where  the  manner  in 
which  thess  insects  spin  their  webs,  will  most 
properly  find  a  place. 

The  life  of  a  caterpillar  seems  one  continued 
succession  of  changes,  and  it  is  seen  to  throw 
off  one  skin  only  to  assume  another ;  which 
also  is  divested  \K  its  turn  :  and  thus  for  eight 
or  ten  times  successively.  We  must  not,  bow- 
ever,  confound  this  changing  of  the  skin  with 
the  great  metamorphosis  which  it  is  afterwards 
to  undergo.  The  throwing  off  one  skin,  and 


THE  CATERPILLAR. 


assuming  another,  seems,  in  comparison,  but 
a  slight  operation  among  these  animals:  this 
is  but  the  work  of  a  day ;  the  other  is  the 
great  adventure  of  their  lives.  Indeed,  this 
faculty  of  changing  the  skin,  is  not  peculiar 
to  caterpillars  only,  but  is  common  to  all  the 
insect  kind;  and  even  to  some  animals  that 
claim  a  higher  rank  in  nature.  We  have 
already  seen  the  lobster  and  the  crab  out- 
growing their  first  shells,  and  then  bursting 
from  their  confinement,  in  order  to  assume  a 
covering  more  roomy  and  convenient.  It  is 
probable  that  the  louse,  the  flea,  and  the  spi- 
der, change  their  covering  from  the  same 
necessity;  and  growing  too  large  for  the  crust 
in  which  they  have  been  for  some  time  enclos- 
ed, burst  it  for  another.  This  period  is  pro- 
bably that  of  their  growth ;  for  as  soon  as 
their  new  skin  is  hardened  round  them,  the 
animal's  growth  is  necessarily  circumscribed, 
while  it  remains  within  it.  With  respect  to 
caterpillars,  many  of  them  change  their  skins 
five  or  six  times  in  a  season ;  and  this  cover- 
ing, when  cast  off)  often  seems  so  complete, 
that  many  might  mistake  the  empty  skin  for 
the  real  insect.  Among  the  hairy  caterpil- 
lars, for  instance,  the  cast  skin  is  covered 
with  hair;  the  feet,  as  well  gristly  as  mem- 
braneous, remain  fixed  to  it;  even  the  parts 
which  nothing  but  a  microscope  can  discover, 
are  visible  in  it;  in  short,  all  the  parts  of  the 
head ;  not  only  the  skull,  but  the  teeth. 

In  proportion  as  the  time  approaches  in 
which  the  caterpillar  is  to  cast  its  old  skin. 
its  colours  become  more  feeble,  the  skin 
seems  to  wither  and  grow  dry.  and  in  some 
measure  resembles  a  leaf,  when  it  is  no  lon- 
ger supplied  with  moisture  from  the  stock. 
At  that  time,  the  insect  begins  to  find  it- 
self under  a  necessity  of  changing;  and  it  is 
not  effected  without  violent  labour,  and  per- 
haps pain.  A  d  ly  or  two  before  the  critical 
hour  approaches,  the  insect  ceases  to  eat, 
loses  its  usual  activity,  and  seems  to  rest  im- 
moveable.  It  seeks  some  place  to  remain  in 
security ;  and  no  longer  timorous,  seems  re- 
gardless even  of  the  touch.  It  is  now  and 
then  seen  to  bend  itself  and  elevate  its  back; 
again  it  stretches  to  its  utmost  extent:  it 
sometimes  lifts  up  the  head,  and  then  lets  it 
fall  again;  it  sometimes  wavf>s  it  three  or 
four  times  from  side  to  side,  and  then  remains 

no.  67  &  68. 


in  quiet.  At  length,  some  of  the  rings  of  its 
body,  particularly  the  first  and  second.  ;ire 
seen  to  swell  considerably,  the  old  skin  dis- 
tends and  bursts,  till,  by  repeated  swellings 
and  contractions  in  every  ring,  the  animal 
disengages  itself  and  creeps  from  its  incon- 
venient covering. 

How  laborious  soever  this  operation  may 
be,  it  is  performed  in  the  space  of  a  minute; 
and  the  animal,  having  thrown  off  its  old  skin, 
seems  to  enjoy  new  vigour,  as  well  as  ac- 
quired colouring  and  beauty.  Sometimes  it 
happens  that  it  takes  a  new  appearance,  and 
colours  very  different  from  the  old.  Those 
that  are  hairy  still  preserve  their  covering; 
although  their  ancient  skin  seems  not  to  have 
lost  a  single  hair:  every  hair  appears  to  have 
been  drawn  like  a  sword  from  the  scabbard. 
However,  the  fact  is,  that  a  new  crop  of  hair 
grows  between  the  old  skin  and  the  new,  and 
probably  helps  to  throw  off  the  external 


covering. 


The  caterpillar  having  in  this  manner  con- 
tinued for  several  days  feeding,  and  at  inter- 
vals casting  its  skin,  begins  at  last  to  prepare 
for  its  change  into  an  anrelia.  It  is  most 
probable  that,  from  the  beginning,  all  the 
parts  of  the  butterfly  lay  hid  in  this  insect, 
in  its  reptile  state;  but  it  required  time  to 
bring  them  to  perfection  ;  and  a  large  quan- 
tity of  food,  to  enable  the  animal  to  undergo 
all  the  changes  requisite  for  throwing  ofTthese 
skins,  which  seemed  to  clog  the  butterfly 
form.  However,  when  the  caterpillar  has 
fed  sufficiently,  and  the  parts  of  the  future 
butterfly  have  formed  themselves  beneath  its 
skin,  it  is  then  time  for  it  to  make  its  first 
great  and  principal  change  into  an  aurelia, 
or  a  chrysalis,  as  some  have  chosen  to  call  it; 
during  which,  as  was  observed,  it  seems  to 
remain  for  several  days,  or  even  months, 
without  life  or  motion. 

Preparatory  to  this  important  change,  the 
caterpillar  most  usually  quits  the  plant,  or 
the  tree  on  which  it  fed  ;  or  at  least  attaches 
itself  to-the  stalk  or  the  stem,  more  gladly 
than  the  leaves.  It  forsakes  its  food,  and 
prepares,  by  fastiug,  to  undergo  its  transmu- 
tation. In  this  period,  all  the  food  it  has 
taken  is  thoroughly  digested  ;  and  it  often 
voids  even  the  internal  membrane  which  lined 
its  intestines. 

5R 


788 


A  HISTORY  OF 


Some  of  this  tribe,  at  this  period  also,  are 
seen  entirely  to  change  colour;  and  the 
vivacity  of  the  tints,  in  all,  seems  faded. 
Those  of  them  which  are  capable  of  spinning 
themselves  a  web,  set  about  this  operation; 
those  which  have  already  spun,  await  the 
change  in  the  best  manner  they  are  able. 
The  web  or  cone,  with  which  some  cover 
themselves,  hides  the  aurelia  contained  wilh- 
in  from  the  view ;  but  in  others,  where  it  is 
more  transparent,  the  caterpillar,  when  i(  has 
done  spinning,  strikes  into  it  the  claws  of  the 
two  feet  under  the  tail,  and  aflerwards  forces 
in  the  tail  itself,  by  contracting  those  claws, 
and  violently  striking  the  feet  one  against  the 
other.  If,  however,  they  be  taken  from  their 
web  at  this  time,  they  appear  in  a  state  of 
great  languor;. and.  incapable  of  walking,  re- 
main on  that  spot  where  they  are  placed.  In 
this  condition  they  remain  one  or  two  days, 
preparing  to  change  into  an  aurelia  ;  some- 
what in  the  manner  they  made  preparations 
for  changing  their  skin.  They  then  appear 
with  their  bodies  bent  into  a  bow,  which  they 
now  and  then  are  seen  to  straighten :  they 
make  no  use  of  their  legs  ;  but  if  they  attempt 
to  change  place,  do  it  by  the  contortions  of 
their  body.  In  proportion  as  their  change 
into  an  aurelia  approaches,  their  body  be- 
comes  more  and  more  bent;  while  their  ex- 
tensions and  convulsive  contractions  become 
more  frequent.  The  hinder  end  of  the  body 
is  the  part  which  the  animal  first  disengages 
from  its  caterpillar  skin;  that  part  of  the  skin 
remains  empty,  while  the  body  is  drawn  up 
contracledly  towards  the  head.  In  the  same 
manner  they  disengage  themselves  from  the 
two  succeeding  rings;  so  that  the  animal  is 
then  lodged  entirely  in  the  fore  part  of  its 
caterpillar  covering:  that  half  which  is 
abandoned,  remains  flaccid  and  empty ;  while 
the  fore  part,  on  the  contrary,  is  swollen  and 
distended.  The  animal,  having  thus  quitted 
the  hinder  part  of  its  skin,  to  drive  itself  up 
into  the  fore  part,  still  continues  to  heave  and 
work  as  before  :  so  that  the  skull  is  soon  seen 
to  burst  into  three  pieces,  and  a  longitudinal 
opening  is  made  in  the  three  first  rings  of  the 
body,through  which  the  insect  thrusts  forth  its 
Baked  body  with  strong  efforts.  Thus  at  last  it 
entirely  gets  free  from  its  caterpillar  skin,  and 
Jbr  ever  forsakes  its  most  odious  reptile  form. 


The  caterpillar,  thus  stripped  of  its  skin 
for  the  last. time,  is  now  become  an  aurelia; 
in  which  the  parts  of  the  future  butterfly  are 
all  visible;  but  in  so  soft  a  state,  that  the 
smallest  touch  can  discompose  them.  The 
animal  is  now  become  helpless  and  mo- 
tionless; but  Oi.ly  wails  tor  the  assistance  of 
the  air  to  dry  up  the  moisture  on  Us  surface, 
and  supply  it  wiihacrnsi  capable  of  resisting 
external  injuries.  Immediately  after  bring 
stripped  of  its  caterpillar  skin,  it  is  of  a  green 
colour,  especially  in  those  parts  which  are 
distended  by  an  extraordinary  afflux  of  ani- 
mal moisture;  but  in  ten  or  twelve  hours 
after  being  thus  exposed,  its  parts  harden, 
the  air  forms  its  external  covering  into  a  firm 
crust,  and  in  about  four  and  twenty  hours  the 
aurelia  may  be  handled,  without  endangering 
the  little  animal  that  is  thus  left  in  so  defence- 
less a  situation.  Such  is  the  history  of  the 
little  pod  or  cone  that  is  found  so  common 
by  every  pathway,  sticking  to  nettles,  and 
sometimes  shining  like  polished  gold.  From 
the  beautiful  and  resplendent  colour,  with 
which  it  is  thus  sometimes  adorned,  some 
authors  have  called  it  a  Chrysalis,  implying 
a  creature  made  of  gold. 

Such  are  the  efforts  by  which  these  little 
animals  prepare  for  a  state  of  perfection  ;  but 
their  care  is  still  greater  to  provide  th.'-m- 
selves  a  secure  retreat,  during  this  season  of 
their  imbecility.  It  would  seem  like  erecting 
themselves  a  monument,  where  they  were  to 
rest  secure,  until  nature  had  called  them  into 
a  new  and  more  improved  existence.  For 
this  purpose,  some  spin  themselves  a  cone  op 
web,  in  which  they  lie  secure  till  they  have 
arrived  at  maturity  :  others,  that  cannot  spin 
so  copious  a  covering,  suspend  themselves  by 
the  tail,  in  some  retreat  where  they  are  not 
likely  to  meet  disturbances.  Some  mix  sand 
with  their  gummy  and  moist  w.ebs,  and  thus 
make  themselves  a  secure  incrustation;  while 
others,  before  their  change,  bury  themselves 
in  the  ground,  and  thus  avoid  the  numerous 
dangers  that  might  attend  them.  One  would 
imagine  that  they  were  conscious  of  the  pre- 
cise time  of  their  continuance  in  their  aurelia 
state;  since  their  little  sepulchres,  with  re- 
sp^ct  to  the  solidity  of  the  building,  are  pro- 
portioned to  such  duration.  Those  that  are 
to  lie  in  that  state  of  existence  but  a  few  days* 


THE  CATERPILLAR. 


789 


make  choice  of  some  tender  leaf,  which  they 
render  still  more  pliant  by  diffusing  a  kind  of 
glue  upon  it :  the  leaf  thus  gradually  curls  up, 
and  withering  us  it  infolds,  the  insect  wraps 
itself  within,  as  in  a  mantle,  till  the  genial 
warmth  of  the  sun  enables  it  to  struggle  for 
new  life,  and  burst  from  its  confinement. 
Others,  whose  time  of  transformation  is  also 
near  at  hand,  fasu  n  their  tails  to  a  tree,  or  to 
the  first  worm-hole  they  meet  in  a  beam,  and 
wait  in  that  defenceless  situation.  Such 
caterpillars,  on  the  other  hand,  as  are  seen  to 
lie  several  months  in  their  aurelia  state,  act 
with  much  greater  circumspection.  Most  of 
them  mix  their  web  with  sand,  and  thus  make 
themselves  a  strong  covering  :  others  build  in 
wood,  which  serves  them  in  the  nature  of  a 
coffin.  Such  as  have  made  the  leaves  of  wil- 
lows their  favourite  food,  break  the  tender 
twigs  of  them  first  into  small  pieces,  then 
pound  them  as  it  were  to  powder ;  and,  by 
means  of  their  glutinous  silk,  make  a  kind  of 
paste,  in  which  they  wrap  themselves  up. 
Many  are  the  forms  which  these  animals  as- 
sume in  (his  helpless  state  ;  and  it  often  hap- 
pens, that  the  most  deformed  butterflies  issue 
from  the  most  beautiful  aurelias. 

In  general,  however,  the  aurelia  takes  the 
rude  outline  of  the  parts  of  the  animal  which 
is  contained  within  it ;  but  as  to  the  various 
colours  which  it  is  seen  to  assume,  they  are 
rather  the  effect  of  accident ;  for  the  same 
species  of  insect  docs  not  at  all  times  assume 
the  same  hue,  when  it  becomes  an  aurelia. 
In  some,  the  beautiful  gold  colour  is  at  one 
time  found  ;  in  others,  it  is  wauling.  This 
brilliant  hue,  which  does  not  fall  short  of  the 
b  ^t  gililing,  is  formed  in  the  same  manner  in 
which  we  see  leather  obtain  a  gold  colour, 
though  none  of  that  metal  ever  enters  into  the 
tincture.  It  is  only  formed  by  a  beautiful 
brown  varnish,  laid  upon  a  white  ground  ; 
and  the  white  thus  gleaming  through  the 
transparency  of  the  brown,  gives  a  charming 
golden  yellow.  These  two  colours  are  found, 
one  over  the  other,  in  the  aurelia  of  the  little 
aniual  we  are  describing;  and  the  whole  ap- 
pears gil.led,  without  any  real  gilding. 

The  aurelia  thus  formed,  and  left  to  time  to 
expand  into  a  butterfly,  in  some  measure  re- 
sembles an  animal  in  an  egg,  that  is  to  wait 
for  external  warmth  to  hatch  it  into  life  and 
vigour.  As  the  quantity  of  moisture,  that  is 


enclosed  within  the  covering  of  the  aurelia, 
continues  to  keep  its  body  in  the  most  tender 
state,  so  it  is.  requisite  that  this  humidity 
should  be  dried  away,  before  the  little  butter- 
fly can  burst  its  pris.on.  Many  have  been  the 
experiments  to  prove  that  nature  may  in  this 
respect  be  assisted  by  art ;  and  that  the  life  of 
the  insect  may  be  retarded  or  quickened,  with- 
out doing  it  the  smallest  injury.  For  this 
purpose,  it  is  only  requisite  to  continue  the  in- 
sect in  its  aurelia  state,  by  preventing  the 
evaporation  of  its  humidity;  which  will  con- 
sequently add  some  days,  nay  weeks,  to  its 
life  :  on  the  other  hand,  by  evaporating  its 
moisture  in  a  warm  situation,  the  animal  as- 
sumes its  winged  s'ate  before  its  usual  time, 
and  goes  through  the  offices  assigned  its  ex- 
istence. To  prove  this,  Mr.  Reaumur  enclosed 
the  aurelia  in  a  glass  tube ;  and  found  the 
evaporated  water,  which  exhaled  from  the 
body  of  the  insect,  collected  in  drops  at  the 
bottom  of  the  tube :  he  covered  the  aurelia 
with  varnish  ;  and  this  making  the  evapora- 
tion more  difficult  and  slow,  the  butterfly  was 
two  months  longer  than  its  natural  term,  in 
coming  out  of  its  case  :  he  found,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  by  laying  the  anittial  in  a  warm 
room,  he  hastened  the  disclosure  of  the  butter- 
fly, and  by  keeping  it  in  an  ice-house,  in  the 
same  manner  h-e  delayed  it.  Warmth  acted, 
in  this  case,  in  a  double  capacity ;  invigo- 
rating the  animal,  and  evaporating  the  mois- 
ture. 

The  aurelia,  though  it  bears  a  different  ex- 
ternal appearance,  nevertheless  contains  within 
it  all  the  parts  of  the  butterfly  in  perfect  for- 
mation ;  and  lying  each  in  a  very  orderly 
manner,  though  in  the  smallest  compass.  These, 
however,  are  so  fast  and  tender,,  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  visit  without  discomposing  them. 
When  either  by  warmth,  or  increasing  vigour, 
the  parts  have  acquired  the  necessary  force 
and  solidity,  the  butterfly  then  seeks  to  disem- 
barrass itself  of  those  bands  whi<  h  kept  it  so 
long  in  confinement.  Some  insects  continue 
under  the  form  of  an  aurelia  not  above  ten 
days  ;  some  twenty  ;  some  several  months ; 
and  even  for  a  year  together. 

The  butterfly,  however,  does  not  continue 
so  long  under  the  form  of  an  aurelia,  as  one 
would  be  apt  to  imagine.  In  general  those 
c  -terpillars  that  provide  themselves  with  cones, 
continue  within  them  but  a  few  days  after  the 


790 


A  HISTORY  OF 


cone  is  completely  finished.  Some,  however, 
reinain  buried  in  this  artificial  covering  for 
eight  or  nine  months,  without  taking  the 
smallest  sustenance  during  the  whole  time : 
and  though  in  the  caterpillar  state  no  animals 
were  so  voracious,  when  thus  transformed 
they  appear  a  miracle  of  abstinence.  In  nil, 
sooner  or  later,  the  butterfly  bursts  from  its 
prison ;  not  only  that  natural  prison  which 
is  formed  by  the  skin  of  the  aurelia,  but 
also  from  that  artificial  one  of  silk,  or  any 
other  substance  in  which  it  has  enclosed  itself. 

The  efforts  which  the  butterfly  makes  to  get 
free  from  its  aurelia  state,  are  by  no  means  so 
violent  as  those  which  the  insect  had  in  chang- 
ing from  the  caterpillar  into  the  aurelia.  The 
quantity  of  moisture  surrounding  the  butterfly 
is  by  no  means  so  great  as  that  attending  its 
former  change;  and  the  shell  of  the  aurelia 
is  so  dry,  that  it  may  be  cracked  between  the 
fingers. 

If  the  animal  be  shut  up  within  a  cone,  thr 
butterfly  always  gets  rid  of  the  natural  inter- 
nal skin  of  the  aurelia,  before  it  eats  its  way 
through  the  external  covering  which  its  own 
industry  has  formed  round  it.  In  order  to 
observe  the  manner  in  which  it  thus  gets  rid 
of  the  aurelia  covering,  we  must  cut  open  the 
cone,  and  then  we  shall  have  an  opportunity 
of  discovering  the  insect's  efforts  to  emanci- 
pate itself  from  its  natural  shell.  When  this 
operation  begins,  there  seems  to  be  a  violent 
agitation  in  the  humours  contained  within  the 
little  animal's  body.  Its  fluids  seem  driven, 
by  an  hasty  fermentation,  through  all  the  ves- 
sels ;  while  it  labours  violently  with  its  legs, 
arid  makes  several  other  violent  struggles  to 
get  free.  As  all  these  motions  concur  with 
the  growth  of  the  insect's  wings  and  body,  it 
is  impossible  that  the  brittle  skin  which  covers 
it  should  longer  resist :  it  at  length  gives  way, 
by  bursting  into  four  distinct  and  regular 
pieces.  The  skin  of  the  head  and  legs  first 
separates ;  then  the  skin  at  the  back  flies 
open,  and  dividing  into  two  regular  portions, 
disengages  the  back  and  wings :  then  there 
likewise  happens  another  rupture,  in  that  por- 

(a)  These  red  drops,  which  several  of  the  Butterfly 
tribe  discharge  immediately  upon  their  transformation, 
have  been  recorded  by  ancient  writers,  as  showers  of 
Wood,  portending  some  convulsion  of  nature,  or  national 
calamity.  In  the  year  1608,  the  inhabitants  of  the  town 
«f  Aix  were  in  the  utmost  consternation,  in  consequence 


tion  which  covered  the  rings  of  the  back  of 
the  aurelia.  After  this,  the  butterfly,  as  if 
fatigued  with  its  struggles,  remains  very  quiet 
for  some  time,  with  its  wings  pointed  down- 
wards, and  its  legs  fixed  in  the  skin  which  it 
had  just  thrown  off.  At  first  sight  tne  animal, 
just  set  free,  and  permitted  the  future  use  of 
its  wings,  seenis  to  want  them  entirely  ;  they 
take  up  such  little  room,  that  one  would 
wonder  where  they  were  hidden.  But  soon 
after  they  expand  so  rapidly,  that  the  rye  can 
scarce  attend  their  unfolding.  From  reach- 
ing scarce  half  the  length  of  the  body, 
they  acquire,  in  a  most  wonderful  manner, 
their  full  extent  and  bigness,  so  as  to  be  each 
five  times  larger  than  they  were  before.  Nor 
is  it  the  wings  alone  that  arc  thus  increased ; 
all  their  spots  and  paintings,  before  so  ininutj 
as  to  be  scarce  discernible,  are  proportionably 
extended  :  so  that  what  a  few  minutes  before 
seemed  only  a  number  of  confused  unmeaning 
points,  now  become  distinct  and  most  beauti- 
ful ornaments.  Nor  are  the  wings,  when  they 
are  thus  expanded,  unfolded  in  the  manner  in 
which  earwigs  and  grasshoppers  display  theirs, 
who  unfurl  them  like  a  lady's  fan  :  on  the 
contrary,  those  of  butterflies  actually  grow  to 
their  natural  size  in  this  very  short  space. 
The  wing,  at  the  instant  it  is  freed  from  its 
late  confinement,  is  considerably  thicker  than 
afterwards;  so  that  it  spreads  in  all  its  dimen- 
sions, growing  thinner  as  it  becomes  broader. 
If  one  of  the  wings  be  plucked  from  the  ani* 
mal  just  set  free,  it  may  be  spread  by  the  fin- 
gers, and  it  will  soon  become  as  broad  as  the 
other  which  has  been  left  behind.  As  the 
wings  extend  themselves  so  suddenly,  they 
have  not  yet  had  time  to  dry  ;  and  according- 
ly appear  like  pieces  of  wet  paper,  soft  and 
full  of  wrinkles.  In  about  half  an  hour  they 
are  perfectly  dry,  their  wrinkles  entirely  dis- 
appear, and  the  little  animal  assumes  all  its 
splendour.  The  transmutation  being  thus 
perfectly  finished,  the  butterfly  discharges 
three  or  four  drops  of  a  blood-coloured  liquid, 
which  are  the  last  remains  of  its  superfluous 
moisture.8  Those  aurelias  which  are  enclosed 

of  a  discharge  of  this  kind,  which  fell  in  the  suburbs,  and 
for  some  miles  round.  But  the  philosopher  Pieresc  soon 
quietod  their  alarms,  by  showing  them  that  the  whole  of 
this  wonder  originated  in  a  flight  of  harmlev;  butterflies, 
that  had  just  taken  wing  from  their  chrysalis  state, 


BUTTERFLIES  AND  MOTHS. 


791 


within  a  cone,  find  that  exit  more  difficult,  as 
they  have  still  anotiicr  prison  to  break  through: 
this,  however,  they  perform  in  a  short  time ; 
for  the  butterfly,  freed  from  its  aurelia  skin, 
butts  with  its  iiead  violently  against  the  walls 
of  its  artificial  prison ;  and  probably  with  its 
eyes,  that  are  rough  and  like  a  file,  it  rubs  the 
internal  surface  a\v  iy  ;  till  it  is  at  last  seen 
bursting  its  way  into  open  light ;  and,  in  less 
than  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  the  animal  acquires 
its  full  perfection. 

Thus,  to  use  the  words  of  Swarnmerdam, 
we  see  a  little  insignificant  creature  distin- 
guished, in  its  last  birth, with  qualifications 
and  ornaments,  which  man,  during  his  stay 
upon  earth,  can  never  even  hope  to  acquire. 


The  butterfly,  to  enjoy  life,  needs  no  other 
food  but  the  dews  of  heaven,  and  the  honeyed 
juices  which  are  distilled  from  every  flower. 
The"  pageantry  of  princes  cannot  equal  the 
ornaments  with  which  it  is  invested  ;  nor  the 
rich  colouring  that  embellishes  its  wings. 
The  skies  are  the  butterfly's  proper  habitation, 
and  the  air  is  its  element :  whilst  man  comes 
into  the  world  naked,  and  often  roves  about 
without  habitation  or  shelter ;  exposed  on  one 
hand  to  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and,  on  the  other, 
to  the  damps  and  exhalations  of  the  earth  ; 
both  alike  enemies  of  his  happiness  and  ex- 
istence. A  strong  proof  that,  while  this  little  ani- 
mal is  raised  to  its  greatest  height,  \ve  are  as 
yet  in  this  world  only  candidates  for  perfection! 


CHAPTER  CLXXXVI.. 

OF  BUTTERFLIES  AND  MOTHS. 


IT  has  been  already  shown,  that  all  butter- 
flies are  bred  from  caterpillars;  and  we  have  ex- 
hibited the  various  circumstances  of  that 
surprising  change.  It  has  been  remarked, 
that  butterflies  may  be  easily  distinguished 
from  flies  of  every  other  kind,  by  their  wings  : 
for,  in  others,  they  are  either  transparent, 
<|ke  gauze,  as  we  see  in  the  common  flesh  fly; 
*£  they  are  hard  and  crusted,  as  we  see  in  the 
.vings  of  the  beetle.  But  in  the  butterfly,  the 
wings  are  soft,  opake,  and  painted  over  with 
a  beautiful  dust,  that  comes  off  with  handling. 

The  number  of  these  beautiful  animals  is 
very  great ;  and  though  Linnaeus  Ir.is  reckon- 
ed up  above  seven  hundred  and  sixty  different 
kinds,  the  catalogue  is  still  very  incomplete. 
Every  collector  of  butterflies  can  show  unde- 
scribed  species  :  and  such  as  are  fond  of  mi- 
nute discovery,  can  here  produce  animals  that 
have  been  examined  only  by  himself.  In 
general,  however,  those  of  the  warm  climates 
are  larger  and  mor-  beautiful  than  such  as 
are  bred  at  home;  and  <v<r  can  easily  admit 
the  beauty  of  th.-  'vinei-fly,  since  we  are  thus 
freed  ff.  uu^e  of  the  r--uerpillar..  It 

has  been  the  amuse  ICIH  of  swnp  to  collect 
these  ani  nals  from  differeir  parts  of  the  world ; 
or  to  breed  them  from  caterpillars  at  home. 


These  they  arrange  in  systematic  order,  or 
dispose  so' as  to  make  striking  and  agreeable 
pictures  ;  and  .-ill  must  grant,  that  this  specious 
idleness  is  far  preferable  to  that  unhappy  state 
which- is  produced  by  a  total  want  of  employ- 
ment. 

The  wings  of  butterflies,  as  was  observed, 
fully  distinguish  them  from  flies  of  every  other 
kind.  They  are  four  in  number;  and  though 
two  of  them  be  cut  off,  the  animal  can  fly 
with  the  two  others  remaining.  They  are,  in 
their  own  substance,  transparent ;  but  owe 
their  opacity  to  the  beautiful  dust  with  which 
they  are  covered  ;  and  which  has  been  liken- 
ed, by  some  naturalists,  to  the  feathers  of  birds; 
by  others,  to  the  scales  of  fishes ;  as  their 
imaginations  were  disposed  to  catch  the  re- 
semblance. In  fact,  if  we  regard  the  wing  of 
n  butterfly  with  a  good  microscope,  we  shall 
perceive  it  studded  over  with  a  variety  of  little 
grains  of  different  dimensions  and  forms, 
generally  supported  upon  a  footstalk,  regularly 
laid  upon  the  whole  surface.  Nothing  can 
exceed  the  beautiful  and  regular  arrangement 
of  these  little  substances ;  which  thus  serve  to. 
paint  the  butterfly's  wing,  like  the  tiU-s  of  a 
house.  Those  of  one  rank  are  a  little  cover- 
ed by  those  that  follow :  they  are  of  many 


792 


A  HISTORY  OF 


figures  :  on  one  part  of  the  wing  may  be  seen 
a  succession  of  ovi!  studs;  on  another  part, 
a  cluster  of  studs,  each  in  tiie  form  of  a  heart: 
in  one  place  they   resemble   a   hand   open; 
and  in  another  they  arc  long  or  triangular; 
while  all  are  interspersed   with  taller  studs, 
that  grow  between  the  rest,  like  mushrooms 
upon  a  stalk.     The  wing  itself  is  composed 
of  several  thick  nerves,  which    render  the 
construction   very  strong,  though  light;  and 
though  it  be  covered   over  with  thousands  of 
these  scales  or  studs,  yet  its  weight  is  very 
little  increased  by  the  number.     The  animal 
is  with  ease  enabled  to  support  itself  a  long 
while  in  air,  although  its  flight  be  not  very 
graceful.     When  it  designs  to  fly   to   a   con- 
siderable distance,  it  ascends  and  descends 
alternately ;    going  sometimes  to  the  right, 
sometimes  to  the  left,  without  any  apparent 
reason.     Upon  closer  examination,  however, 
it  will  be  found  that  it  flies  thus   irregularly 
in  pursuit  of  its  mate;  and  as  dogs  bait  and 
quarter  the  ground  in  pursuit  of  their  game, 
so  these  insects  traverse  the  air  in  quest  of' 
their  mates,  whom  they  can  discover  at  more 
than  a  mile's  distance. 

If  we  prosecute  our  description  of  the  but- 
terfly, the  animal  may  be  divided  into  three 
parts;  the  head,  the  corselet,  and  the  body. 

The  body  is  the  hinder  part  of  the  butter- 
fly, and  is  composed  of  rings,  which  are  gene- 
rally concealed  under  long  hair,  with  which 
that  part  of  the  animal  is  clothed.  The 
corselet  is  more  solid  than  the  rest  of  the 
body,  because  the  fore-wings  and  the  legs  are 
fixed  therein.  The  legs  are  six  in  number, 
although  four  only  are  made  use  of  by  the 
animal ;  the  two  fore-legs  being  often  so 
much  concealed  in  the  long  hair  of  the  body, 
that  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to  discover  them. 
If  we  examine  these  parts  internally,  we  shall 
find  the  same  set  of  vessels  in  the  butterfly 
that  we  observed  in  the  caterpillar;  but  with 
this  great  difference,  that  as  the  blood  or 
humours  in  the  caterpillar  circulated  from  the 
tail  to  the  head,  they  are  found  in  the  butter- 
fly to  take  a  direct  contrary  course,  and  to 
circulate  from  the  head  to  the  tail;  so  that 
the  caterpillar  may  be  considered  as  the  em- 
bryo animal,  in  which,  as  we  have  formerly 
se°n,  the  circulation  is  carried  on  differently 
from  what  it  is  in  animals  when  excluded. 


But  leaving  the  other  parts  of  the  butterfly, 
let  us  turn  our  iilietuion  pai  ticulariy  lo  llic 
head.  The  eyes  ol  hulterllirs  have  not  all 
the  same  form;  for  in  smiie  they  are  large, 
in  others  small ;  in  some  they  are  the  larger 
portion  of  a  sphere,  in  others  they  are  but  a 
small  part  of  it,  and  just  appearing  from  the 
head.  In  all  of  them,  however,  the  out  ward 
coat  has  a  lustre,  in  which  may  be  discover- 
ed the  various  colours  of  the  rainbow.  When 
examined  a  little  closely,  it  will  be  found  to 
have  the  appearance  of  a  tiiultiplying-glass; 
having  a  great  number  of  sides  or  facets,  in 
the  manner  of  a  brilliant  cut  diamond.  In 
this  particular,  the  eye  of  the  butterfly,  and 
of  most  other  insects,  entirely  correspond  ; 
and  Leuwenhoek  pretends  there  are  about 
six  thousand  facets  on  the  cornea  of  the  flea. 
These  animals,  therefore,  see  not  only  with 
great  clearness,  but  view  every  object  multi- 
plied in  a  surprising  mariner.  Puget  adapted 
the  cornea  of  a  fly  in  such  a  position,  as  to 
see  objects  through  it  by  the  means  of  a  mi- 
croscope; and  nothing  could  exceed  the 
strangeness  of  its  representations.  A  soldier, 
who  was  seen  through  it,  appeared  like  an 
army  of  pigmies;  for  while  it  multiplied,  it 
also  diminished  the  object;  the  arch -of  a 
bridge  exhibited  a  spectacle  more  magnificent 
than  human  skill  could  perform;  the  flame  of 
a  candle  seemed  a  beautiful  illumination.  It 
still,  however,  remains  a  doubt,  whether  the 
insect  sees  objects  singly,  as  with  one  eyelf 
or  whether  every  facet  is  itself  a  cornpljfi 
eye,  exhibiting  its  own  object  distinct  from 
all  the  rest. 

Butterflies,  as  well  as  most  other  flying  in- 
sects, have  two  instruments,  like  horns,  on 
their  heads,  which  are  commonly  called 
feelers.  They  differ  from  the  horns  of  greater 
animals,  in  being  moveable  at  their  base; 
and  in  having  a  great  number  of  joints,  by 
which  means  the  insect  is  enabled  to  turn 
them  in  every  direction.  Those  of  butterflies 
are  placed  at  the  top  of  the  head,  pretty 
near  the  external  edge  of  eye.  What  the 
use  of  these  instruments  may  be  which  are 
thus  formed  with  so  much  art,  and  by  a 
WORKMAN  who  does  nothing  without  reason, 
is  as  yet  unknown  to  man.  They  may  serve 
to  guard  the  eye ;  they  may  be  of  use  to 
clean  it ;  or  they  may  be  the  organ  of  some 


BUTTERFLIES  AND  MOTHS. 


793 


sense  which  we  are  ignorant  of:  but  this  is 
only  explaining  one  difficult  by  another. 
We  "are  not  so  ignorant  of  the  uses  ol  the 
trunk,  which  few  insects  of  the  butterfly  kind 
are  without.  This  instrument  is  placed  ex- 
actly between  the  eyes ;  and  when  the  ani- 
mal is  not  employed  in  seeking  its  nourish- 
ment, it  is  rolled  up  like  a  curl.  A  butterfly 
when  it  is  feeding,  flies  round  some  flower, 
and  settles  upon  it.  The  trunk  is  then  un- 
curled, and  thrust  out  either  wholly  or  in 
part;  and  is  employed  in  searching  the  flower 
to  its  very  bottom,  let  it  be  ever  so  deep. 
This  search  being  repeated  seven  or  eight 
times,  the  butterfly  then  passes  to  another; 
and  continues  to  hover  over  those  agreeable 
to  its  taste,  like  a  bird  over  its  prey.  This 
trunk  consists  of  two  equal  hollow  tubes, 
nicely  joined  to  each  other,  like  the  pipes  of 
an  organ. 

Such  is  the  figure  and  conformation  of 
these  beautiful  insects,  that  cheer  our  walks, 
and  give  us  the  earliest  intimations  of  sum- 
mer. But  it  is  not  by  day  alone  that  they  are 
seen  fluttering  wantonly  from  flower  to  flower, 
as  the  greatest  number  of  them  fly  by  night, 
and  expand  the  most  beautiful  colouring  at 
those  hours  when  there  is  no  spectator. 
This  tribe  of  insects  has,  therefore,  been 
divided  into  Diurnal  and  Nocturnal  Flies ; 
or,  more  properly  speaking,  into  Butterflies 
and  Moths :  the  one  flying  only  by  day,  the 
other  most  usually  on  the  wing  in  the  night. 
They  may  be  easily  distinguished  from  each 
other,  by  their  horns  or  feelers:  those  of  the 
butterfly  being  clubbed  or  knobbed  at  the 
end  ;  those  of  the  moth  tapering  finer  and 
fi.K>r  to  a  point.  To  express  it  technically — 
the  feelers  of  butterflies  are  clavated  :  those 
of  moths  are  filiform. 

The  butterflies,  as  well  as  the  moths,  em- 
plov  the  short  life  assigned  them  in  a  variety 
of  •  ijoyrnents.  Their  whole  time  is  spent 
eit'ier  in  quest  of  food,  which  every  flower 
offers;  or  in  pursuit  of  the  female,  whose  ap- 
proach they  can  often  perceive  at  two  miles' 
distance.  Their  sagacity  in  this  particular 
is  not  less  astonishing  than  true;  but  by  what 
sense  they  are  'thus  capable  of  distinguish- 
ing each  other  at  such  -^fauces,  is  not  en*y 
to  conceive.  It  t.  not  l>"  by  the  sight,  since 
such  small  objects  as  they  are  must  be  utter- 


ly imperceptible  at  half  the  distance  at  which 
they  perceive  each  IK  her:  it  can  scarcely  be 
by  the  sense  of  smelling,  since  the  animal  has 
no  organs  for  that  purpose.  Whatever  be 
their  powers  of  perception,  certain  it  is,  that 
the  male,  after  having  fluttered,  as  if  care- 
lessly about  for  some  time,  is  seen  to  take 
wing,  and  go  forward,  sometimes  for  t\vo 
miles  together,  in  a  direct  line,  to  where  the 
female  is  perched  on  a  flower. 

The  general  rule  among  insects  is,  that  the 
female  is  larger  than  the  male;  and  this  ob- 
tains particularly  in  the  tribe  I  am  describing. 
The  body  of  the  male  is  smaller  and  slen- 
derer; that  of  the  female  more  thick  and  oval. 
Previous  to  the  junction  of  these  animal?, 
they  are  seen  sporting  in  the  air,  pursuing 
and  flying  from  each  other,  and  preparing,  by 
a  mock  combat,  for  the  more  important  busi- 
ness of  their  lives.  If  they  be  disturbed  while 
united,  the  female  flies  off  with  the  male  on 
her  back,  who  seems  entirely  passive  upon 
the  occasion. 

But  the  females  of  many  moths  and  butter- 
flies seem  to  have  assumed  their  airy  irrm 
for  no  other  reason  but  to  fecundate  their 
egg?,  and  lay  them.  They  are  not  seen  flut- 
tering about  in  quest  of  food  or  a  mate:  all 
that  passes  during  their  short  lives,  is  a  junc- 
tion with  the  male  of  about  half  an  hour; 
after  which  they  deposite  their  eggs,  and  die, 
without  taking  any  nourishment,  or  seeking- 
any.  It  may  be  observed,  however,  that  in 
all  the  females  of  this  tribe,  they  are  impreg- 
nated by  the  male  by  one  aperture,  and  lay 
their  eggs  by  another. 

The  eggs  of  female  butterflies  are  disposed^ 
in  the  body  like  a  bed  of  chaplets;  which, 
when  excluded,  are  usually  oval,  and  of  a 
whitish  colour :  some,  however,  are  quite 
round;  and  others,  flatted,  like  a  turnip. 
The  covering,  or  shell  of  the  egg,  though 
solid,  is  thin  and  transparent;  and  in  propor- 
tion as  the  caterpillar  grows  within  the  egg, 
the  colours  change,  and  are  distributed  dif- 
ferently. The  butterfly  seems  very  well  in- 
structed by  nature  in  its  choice  of  the  pl:vit, 
or  the  leaf,  where  it  shall  deposite  its  burden. 
E  eh  egg  contains  but  one  caterpillar;  and 
it  <8  requisite  that  this  litile  animal,  when  ex- 
clude \,  should  be  nearits  peculiir  provision. 
The  butterfly,  therefore,  is  careful  to  place 


794 


A  HISTORY  OF 


her  brood  only  upon  those  plants  that  afford 
good  nourishment  to  its  posterity.  Though 
the  little  winged  animal  has  been  fed  itself 
upon  dew,  or  the  honey  of  flowers,  yet  it 
makes  choice  for  its  young  of  a  very  different 
provision,  and  lays  its  eggs  on  the  most  un- 
savoury plants;  the  rag-weed,  the  cabbage, 
or  the  nettle.  Thus  every  butterfly  chooses 
not  the  plant  most  grateful  to  it  in  its  \vinged 
state;  but  such  as  it  has  fed  upon  in  its- rep- 
tile form. 

All  the  eggs  of  butterflies  are  attached  to 
the  leaves  of  the  favourite  plant,  by  a  sort  of 
size  or  glue;  where  they  continue  unobserv- 
ed, unless  carefully  sought  after.  The  eggs 
are  sometimes  placet  round  the  tender  shoots 
of  plants,  in  the  form  of  bracelets,  consisting 
of  above  two  hundred  in  each,  and  generally 
surrounding  the  shoot  like  a  ring  upon  a  fin- 
ger. Some  butterflies  secure  their  eggs  from 


the  injuries  of  air,  by  covering  them  with  hair 
plucked  from  their  own  bodies,  as  birds  s-ome- 
times  are  seen  to  make  their  nests;  so  that 
their  eggs  are  thus  kept  warm,  and  also  en- 
tirely concealed. 

All  the  tribe  of  female  moths  lay  their  eggs 
a  short  time  after  they  leave  the  aurelia  ;  bnt 
there  are  many  butterflies  that  flutter  about 
the  whole  summer,  and  do  not  think  of  laying. 
till  the  winter  begins  to  warn  them  of  their 
approaching  end  :  some  even  continue  the 
whole  winter  in  the  hollows  of  trees,  and  do 
not  provide  for  posterity  until  the  beginning 
of  April,  when  they  leave  their  retreats,  de- 
posite  their  eggs,  and  die.  Their  eggs  soon 
begin  to  feel  the  genial  influence  of  the  sea- 
son:  the  little  animals  burst  from  them  in 
their  caterpillar  state,  to  become  aurelias  and 
butterflies  in  their  turn,  and  thus  to  continue 
the  round  of  nature. 


CHAPTER 


OF  THE  ENEMIES  OF  THE  CATERPILLAR. 


NATURE,  though  it  has  rendered  some 
animals  surprisingly  fruitful,  yet  ever  takes 
care  to  prevent  their  too  great  increase. 
One  set  of  creatures  is  generally  opposed  to 
another :  and  those  are  chiefly  the  most  pro- 
lific that  are,  from  their  imbecility,  incapable 
of  making  any  effectual  defence.  The  cater- 
pillar has,  perhaps,  of  all  other  animals,  the 
greatest  number  of  enemies  ;  and  seems  only 
to  exist  by  its  surprising  fecundity.  Some 
animals  devour  them  by  hundreds;  others, 
more  minute,  yet  more  dangerous,  mangle 
them  in  various  ways :  so  that,  how  great 
soever  their  numbers  may  be,  their  destroyers 
are  in  equal  proportion.  Indeed,  if  we  con- 
sider the  mischiefs  these  reptiles  are  capable 
of  occasioning,  and  the  various  damages  we 
sustain  from  their  insatiable  rapacity,  it  is 
happy  for  the  other  ranks  of  nature,  that 
there  are  thousands  of  fishes,  birds,  and  even 
insects,  that  live  chiefly  upon  caterpillars, 
and  make  them  their  most  favourite  repast. 

When  we   described  the  little  birds  that 


live  in  our  gardens,  and  near  our  houses,  as 
destructive  neighbours,  sufficient  attention 
was  not  paid  to  the  services  which  they  are 
frequently  found  to  render  us.  It  has  been 
proved,  that  a  single  sparrow  and  its  mate, 
that  have  young  ones,  destroy  above  three 
thousand  caterpillars  in  a  week  ;  not  to  men- 
tion several  butterflies,  in  which  numberless 
caterpillars  are  destroyed  in  embryo.  It  is 
in  pursuit  of  these  reptiles  that  \ve  are  favour- 
ed with  the  visits  of  many  of  our  most  beau- 
tiful songsters,  that  amuse  us  during  their 
continuance,  and  leave  us  when  the  caterpil- 
lars disappear. 

The  maxim  which  has  often  been  urged 
against  man,  that  he,  of  all  other  animals,  is 
the  only  creature  that  is  an  enemy  to  his  own 
kind,  and  that  the  human  species  only  are 
found  to  destroy  each  other,  has  been  adopt- 
ed by  persons  who  never  considered  the  his- 
tory of  insects.  Some  of  the  caterpillar  kind 
in  p-.r'icular,  that  seem  fitted  only  to  live 
upou  leaves  and  plants,  will,  however,  eat 


THE  ENEMIES  OF  THE  CATERPILLAR. 


each  other;  and  the  strongest  will  devour  the 
weak,  in  preference  to  their  vegetable  food. 
That  which  lives  upon  the  oak  is  found  to 
seize  any  of  its  companions,  which  it  con- 
veniently can,  by  the  first  rings,  and  indict  a 
deadly  wound:  it  then  feasts  in  tranquillity 
on  its  prey,  and  leaves  nothing  of  the  animal 
but  the  husk. 

But  it  is  not  from  each  other  they  have  the 
most  to  fear,  as  in  general  they  are  inoffen- 
sive j  and  many  of  this  tribe  are  found  to  live 
in  a  kind  of  society.  Many  kinds  of  Hies  lay 
their  eggs  either  upon,  or  within  their  bodies; 
and,  as  these  turn  into  worms,  the  caterpillar 
is  seen  to  nourish  a  set  of  intestine  enemies 
within  its  body,  that  must  shortly  be  its  de- 
struction :  nature  having  taught  tlies,  as  well 
as  all  other  animals,  the  surest  methods  of 
perpetuating  their  kind.  "Towards  the  end 
of  August,"  says  Reaumur,  "I  perceived  a 
little  fly,  of  a  beautiful  gold  colour,  busily 
employed  in  the  body  of  a  large  caterpillar, 
of  that  kind  which  feeds  upon  cabbage.  I 
gently  separated  that  part  of  the  leaf  on  which 
these  insects  were  placed,  from  the  rest  of 
the  plant,  and  placed  it  where  I  might  ob» 
serve  them  more  at  my  ease.  The  fly,  wholly 
taken  up  by  the  business  in  which  it  was  em- 
ployed, walked  along  the  caterpillar's  body, 
now  and  then  remaining  fixed  to  a  particular 
spot.  Upon  this  occasion,  I  perceived  it 
every  now  and  then  dart  a  sting,  which  it 
carried  at  the  end  of  its  tail,  into  the  cater- 
pillar's body,  and  then  drew  it  out  again,  to 
repeat  the  same  operation  in  another  place. 
It  was  not  difficult  for  me  to  conjecture  the 
business  which  engaged  this  animal  so  ear- 
nestly ;  its  whole  aim  was  to  deposite  its  eggs 
in  the  caterpillar's  body;  which  was  to  serve 
as  a  proper  retreat  for  bringing  them  to  per- 
fection. The  reptile  thus  rudely  treated, 
seemed  to  bear  all  very  patiently, only  moving 
a  little  when  stung  too  deeply;  which,  how- 
ever, the  fly  seemed  entirely  to  disregard. 
1  took  particular  care  to  feed  this  caterpillar; 
which  seemed  to  me  to  continue  as  voracious 
and  vigorous  as  any  of  the  rest  of  its  kind. 
In  about  ten  or  twelve  days,  it  changed  into 
an  aurelia,  which  seemed  gradually  to  de- 
cline, and  died  :  upon  examining  its  internal 
parts,  the  animal  was  entirely  devoured  by 
worms ;  whichv  however,  did  not  come  to  per- 

yo.  6~  &  68. 


fection,  as  it  is  probable  they  had  not  enough 
to  sustain  them  within." 

What  the  French  philosopher  perceived 
upon  this  occasion,  is  every  day  to  be  seen 
in  several  of  the  larger  kinds  of  caterpillars, 
whose  bodies  serve  as  a  nest  to  various  flies, 
that  very  carefully  deposite  their  eggs  within 
them.  The  large  cabbage  caterpillar  is  so 
subject  to  ils  injuries,  that,  at  certain  seasons, 
it  in  much  easier  to  find  them  with  than  with- 
out them.  The  ichneumon  lly,  as  it  is  called, 
particularly  infests  these  reptiles,and  prevents 
their  fecundity.  This  fly  is  of  all  others  the 
most  formidable  to  insects  of  various  kinds. 
The  spider,  that  destroys  the  ant,  the  moth, 
and  the  butterfly,  yet  often  falls  a  prey  to  the 
ichneumon ;  who  pursues  the  robber  to  his 
retreat,  and,  despising  his  nets,  tears  him  in 
pieces,  in  the  very  labyrinth  he  has  made. 
This  insect,  as  redoubtable  as  the  little  quad- 
ruped that  destroys  the  crocodile,  has  receiv- 
ed the  same  name ;  and  from  its  destruction 
of  the  caterpillar  tribe,  is  probably  more 
serviceable  to  mankind.  This  insect,  I  say, 
makes  the  body  of  the  caterpillar  the  place 
for  depositing  its  eggs,  to  the  number  of  ten, 
fifteen,  or  twenty.  As  they  are  laid  in  those 
parts  which  are  riot  mortal,  the  reptile  still 
continues  to  live  and  to  feed,  showing  no  signs 
of  being  incommoded  by  its  new  guests. 
The  caterpillar  changes  its  skin  ;  and  some- 
times undergoes  the  great  change  into  an 
aurelia :  but  still  the  fatal  intruders  work 
within,  and  secretly  devour  its  internal  sub- 
stance: soon  after  they  are  seen  bursting 
through  its  skin,  and  moving  away,  in  order 
to  spin  themselves  a  covering,  previous  to 
their  own  little  transformation.  It  is  indeed 
astonishing  sometimes  to  see  the  number  of 
Avorrns,  and  those  pretty  large,  that  thus  issue 
from  the  body  of  a  single  caterpillar,  and  eat 
their  way  through  its  skin  :  but  it  is  more  ex- 
traordinary still,  that  they  should  remain 
within  the  body,  devouring  its  entrails,  with- 
out destroying  its  life.  The  truth  is,  they 
seem  instructed  by  nature  not  to  devour  its 
vital  parts;  for  they  are  found  to  feed  only 
upon  that  fatty  substance  which  composes  the 
largest  part  of  the  caterpillar's  body.  When 
this  surprising  appearance  was  first  observed, 
it  was  supposed  that  the  animal  thus  gave 
birth  to  a  number  of  flies  different  from  itself; 

5S 


796 


A  HISTORY  OF 


and  that  the  same  caterpillar  sometimes  bred  Jj  tion  it  was  discovered,  that  the  ichneumon 
an  ichneumon,  and  sometimes  a  butterfly;       tribe    were    not    the  caterpillar's  ol 
but  it  was  not  till  after  more  careful  inspec-  jj   but  its  murderers. 


CHAPTER  CLXXXVHI. 

OF  THE  SILKWORM. 


HAVING  mentioned,  in  the  last  chapter, 
the  damages  inflicted  by  the  caterpillar  tribe, 
we  now  come  to  an  animal  of  this  kind,  that 
alone  compensates  for  all  the  mischief  occa- 
sioned by  the  rest.  This  little  creature, 
which  only  works  for  itself,  has  been  made 
of  the  utmost  service  toman;  and  furnishes 
him  with  a  covering  more  beautiful  than  any 
other  animal  can  supply.  We  may  declaim 
indeed  against  the  luxuries  of  the  times,  when 
silk  is  so  generally  worn  ;  but  were  such  gar- 
ments to  fail,  what  other  arts  could  supply 
the  deficiency  ? 

Though  s'llk  was  anciently  brought  in  small 
quantities  to  Rome,  yet  it  was  so  scarce  as 
to  be  sold  for  its  weight  in  gold ;  and  was 
considered  as  such  a  luxurious  refinement  in 
dress,  that  it  was  infamous  for  a  man  to  ap- 
pear in  habits  of  which  silk  formed  but  half 
the  composition.  It  was  most  probably 
brought  among  them  from  the  remotest  parts 
of  the  East ;  since  it  was,  at  the  time  of  which 
I  am  speaking,  scarcely  known  even  in 
Persia. 

Nothing  can  be  more  remote  from  the 
truth,  than  the  manner  in  which  their  histo- 
rians describe  the  animal  by  which  silk  is 
produced.  Pausanias  informs  us,  that  silk 
came  from  the  country  of  the  Seres,  a  people 
of  Asiatic  Scythia ;  in  which  place  an  insect 
as  large  as  the  beetle,  but  in  every  other  re- 
spect resembling  a  spider,  was  bred  up  for 
that  purpose.  They  take  great  care,  as  he 
assures  us,  to  feed  and  defend  it  from  the 
weather;  as  well  during  the  summer's  heat, 
as  the  rigours  of  winter.  This  insect,  he  ob- 
serves, makes  its  web  with  its  feet,  of  which 
it  has  eight  in  number.  It  is  fed  for  the  space 
of  four  years  upon  a  kind  of  paste,  prepared 
for  it ;  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifth,  it  is 


supplied  with  the  leaves  of  the  green  willow, 
of  which  it  is  particularly  fond.  It  then  feeds 
till  it  bursts  with  fat ;  after  which  they  take 
out  its  bowels,  which  are  spun  into  the  beau- 
tiful manufacture  so  scarce  and  costly. 

The  real  history  of  this  animal  was  un- 
known among  the  Romans  till  the  time  of 
Justinian;  and  it  is  supposed, that  silkworms 
were  not  brought  into  Europe  till  the  be- 
ginning of  the  twelfth  century  ;  when  Roger 
of  Sicily  brought  workmen  in  this  manufac- 
ture from  Asia  Minor,  after  his  return  from 
his  expedition  to  the  Holy  Land,  and  settled 
them  in  Sicily  and  Calabria.  From  these  the 
other  kingdoms  of  Europe  learned  this  manu- 
facture ;  and  it  is  now  one  of  the  most  lucra- 
tive carried  on  among  the  southern  provinces 
of  Europe. 

The  silkworm  is  now  very  well  known 
to  be  a  large  caterpillar,  of  a  whitish 
colour,  with  twelve  feet,  and  producing  a 
butterfly  of  the  moth  kind.  The  cone  on 
which  it  spins,  is  formed  for  covering  it  while 
it  continues  in  the  aurelia  state;  and  several 
of  these,  properly  wound  off,  and  united  to- 
gether, form  those  strong  and  beautiful  threads, 
which  are  woven  into  silk.  The  feeding 
these  worms,  the  gathering,  the  winding,  the 
twisting,  and  the  weaving  their  silk,  is  one  of 
the  principal  manufactures  of  Europe;  and, 
as  our  luxuries  increase,  seems  every  day  to 
become  more  and  more  necessary  to  human 
happiness. 

There  are  two  methods  of  breeding  silk- 
worms; for  they  may  be  left  to  grow,. and  to 
remain  at  liberty  upon  the  trees  where  they 
are  hatched  ;  or  they  may  be  kept  in  a  place, 
built  for  that  purpose,  and  fed  every  day  with 
fresh  leaves.  The  first  method  is  used  in 
China,  Tonquin,  and  other  hot  countries} 


THE  SILKWORM. 


797 


the  other  is  used  in  those  places  where  the 
animal  has  been  artificially  propagated,  and 
still  continues  a  stranger.  In  the  warm  cli- 
mates, the  silkworm  proceeds  from  an  egg, 
which  has  been  glued  by  the  parent  moth 
upon  proper  parts  of  the  mulberry-tree,  and 
which  remains  in  that  situation  during  the 
winter.  The  manner  in  which  .  they  are 
situated  and  fixed  to  the  tree,  keeps  them 
unaffected  by  the  influence  of  the  weather; 
so  that  those  frosts  which  are  severe  enough 
to  kill  the  tree,  have  no  power  to  injure  the 
silkworm. 

The  insect  never  proceeds  from  the  egg 
till  nature  has  provided  it  a  sufficient  supply; 
and  till  the  budding  leaves  are  furnished,  in 
sufficient  abundance,  for  its  support.  When 
the  leaves  are  put  forth,  the  worms  seem  to 
feel  the  genial  summons,  and,  bursting  from 
their  little  eggs,  crawl  upon  the  leaves,  where 
they  feed  wilh  a  most  voracious  appetite. 
Thus  they  become  larger  by  degrees ;  and 
after  some  months'  feeding,  they  lay,  upon 
every  leaf,  small  bundles  or  cones  of  silk, 
which  appear  like  so  many  golden  apples, 
painted  on  a  fine  green  ground.  Such  is  the 
method  of  breeding  them  in  the  East;  and 
without  doubt  it  is  best  for  the  worms,  and 
least  troublesome  for  the  feeder  of  them. 
But  it  is  otherwise  in  our  colder  European 
climates ;  the  frequent  changes  of  the  wea- 
ther, and  the  heavy  dews  of  our  evenings, 
render  the  keeping  them  all  night  exposed, 
subject  to  so  many  inconveniences,  as  to  ad- 
mit of  no  remedy.  It  is  true,  that,  by  the  as- 
sistance of  nets,  they  may  be  preserved  from 
the  insults  of  birds  ;  but  the  severe  cold  wea- 
ther, which  often  succeeds  the  first  heats  of 
summer,  as  well  as  the  rain  and  high  winds, 
will  destroy  them  all:  and,  therefore,  to  breed 
them  in  Europe,  they  must  be  sheltered  and 
protected  from  every  external  injury. 

For  this  purpose,  a  room  is  chosen,  with  a 
south  aspect;  and  the  windows  are  so  well 
glazed,  as  not  to  admit  the  least  air:  the 
walls  are  well  built,  and  the  planks  of  the 
floor  exceedingly  close,  so  as  to  admit  neither 
birds  nor  mice,  nor  even  so  much  as  an  insect. 
In  the  middle  there  should  be  four  pillars 
erected,  or  four  wooden  posts,  so  placed  as 
to  form  a  pretty  large  squire.  Between 
these  are  different  stories  made  with  osier 


hurdles;  and  under  each  hurdle  there  should 
be  a  floor,  with  an  upright  border  all  round. 
These  hurdles  and  floors  must  hang  upon 
pulleys,  so  as  to  be  placed  or  taken  down  at 
pleasure. 

When  the  worms  are  hatched,  some  tender 
mulberry  leaves  are  provided,  and  placed  in 
the  cloth  or  paper-box  in  which  the  eggs 
were  laid,  and  which  are  large  enough  to 
hold  a  great  number.  When  they  have  ac- 
quired some  strength,  they  must  be  distri- 
buted on  beds  of  mulberry  leaves,  in  the  dif- 
ferent stories  of  the  square  in  the  middle  of 
the  room,  round  which  a  person  may  freely 
pass  on  every  side.  They  will  fix  themselves 
to  the  leaves,  and  afterwards  to  the  sticks  of 
the  hurdles,  when  the  leaves  are  devoured. 
They  have  then  a  thread,  by  which  they  can 
suspend  themselves  on  occasion,  to  prevent 
any  shock  by  a  fall  ;  but  this  is  by  no  means 
to  be  considered  as  the  silk  which  they  spin 
afterwards  in  such  abundance.  Care  must 
be  taken  that  fresh  leaves  be  brought  every 
morning,  which  must  be  strewed  very  gently 
and  equally  over  them  ;  upon  which  the  silk- 
worms will  forsake  the  remainder  of  the  old 
leaves,  which  must  be  carefully  taken  away, 
and  every  thing  kept  very  clean;  for  nothing 
hurts  these  insects  so  much  as  moisture  and 
uncleanliness.  For  this  reason  their  leaves 
must  be  gathered  when  the  weather  is  dry, 
and  kept  in  a  dry  place,  if  it  be  necessary  to 
lay  in  a  store.  As  these  animals  have  but  a 
short  time  to  live,  they  make  use  of  every 
moment,  and  almost  continually  are  spinning, 
except  at  those  intervals  when  they  change 
their  skins.  If  mulberry  leaves  be  difficult 
to  be  obtained,  the  leaves  of  lettuce,  or  holy- 
oak  will  sustain  them  ;  but  they  do  not  thrive 
so  well  upon  their  new  diet;  and  their  silk 
will  neither  be  so  copious,  nor  of  so  good  a 
quality. 

Though  the  judicious  choice  and  careful 
management  of  their  diet  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary, yet  there  is  another  precaution  of  equal 
importance;  which  is,  to  give  them  air,  and 
open  their  chamber  windows,  at  such  times 
as  the  sun  shines  warmest.  The  place  also 
must  be  kept  as  clean  as  possible;  not 
only  the  several  floors  that  are  laid  to  re- 
ceive their  ordure,  but  the  whole  apart 
ments  in  general.  These  things  well  ob- 

5-S* 


798 


A  HISTORY  OF 


served,  contribute  greatly  to  their  health  and 
increase. 

The  worm,  at  the  time  it  bursts  the  shell,  is 
extremely  small,  and  of  a  black  colour ;  but 
the  head  is  of  a  more  shining  black  than  the 
rest  of  the  body  :  some  days  after,  they  begin 
to  turn  whitish,  or  of  an  ash-coloured  gray. 
After  rhe  skin  begins  to  grow  too  rigid,  or  the 
animal  is  stinted  within  it,  the  insect  throws 
it  off,  and  appears  clothed  anew  :  it  then  be- 
comes larger,  and  much  whiter,  though  it  has 
a  greenish  cast ;  after  some  days,  which  are 
more  or  less,  according  to  the  different  heat  of 
the  climate,  or  to  the  quality  of  the  food,  it 
leaves  off  eating,  and  seems  to  sleep  for  two 
days  together  :  then  it  begins  to  stir,  and  put 
itself  into  violent  motions,  till  the  skin  falls  off 
the  second  time,  and  is  thrown  aside  by  the 
animal's  feet.  All  these  changes  are  made  in 
three  weeks  or  a  month's  time ;  after  which 
it  begins  to  feed  once  more,  still  in  its  cater- 
pillar form,  but  a  good  deal  differing  from  it- 
self before  its  change,  In  a  few  days'  time  it 
seems  to  sleep  again  ;  and,  when  it  awakes,  it 
again  changes  its  clothing,  and  continues  feed- 
ing as  before.  When  it  has  thus  taken  a  suf- 
ficiency of  food,  and  its  parts  are  disposed  for 
assuming  the  aurelia  form,  the  animal  forsakes, 
for  the  last  time,  all  food  and  society,  and  pre- 
pares itself  a  retreat  to  defend  it  from  external 
injuries,  while  it  is  seemingly  deprived  of  life 
and  motion. 

This  retreat  is  no  other  than  its  cone,  or 
ball  of  silk,  which  nature  has  taught  it  to  com- 
pose with  great  art;  and  within  which  it 
buries  itself,  till  it  assumes  its  winged  form. 
This  cone  or  ball  is  spun  from  too  little  long- 
ish  kinds  of  bags  that  lie  above  the  intestines, 
and  are  filled  with  a  gummy  fluid,  of  a  mari- 
gold colour.  This  is  the  substance  of  which 
the  threads  are  formed  ;  and  the  little  animal 
is  furnished  with  a  surprising  apparatus  for 
spinning  it  to  the  degree  of  fineness  which  its 
occasions  may  require.  This  instrument  in 
some  measure  resembles  a  wire-drawer's 
machine,  in  which  gold  or  silver  threads  are 
drawn  to  any  degree  of  minuteness ;  and 
through  this  the  animal  draws  its  thread  with 
great  assiduity.  As  every  thread  proceeds 
from  two  gum-bags,  it  is  probable  that  each 
•applies  Us  own ;  which,  however,  are  united, 
as  they  proceed  from  the  animal's  body.  If 
we  examine  the  thread  with  a  microscope,  it 


will  be  found  that  it  is  flatted  on  one  side* 
and  grooved  along  its  length  :  from  hence  we 
may  infer,  that  it  is  doubled  just  upon  leaving 
the  body ;  and  that  the  two  threads  stick  to 
each  other  by  that  gummy  quality  of  which 
they  are  possessed.  Previous  to  spinning  its 
web,  the  silkworm  seeks  out  some  convenient 
place  to  erect  its  cell,  without  any  obstruction. 
When  it  has  found  a  leaf,  or  a  chink  fitted  to 
its  purpose,  it  begins  to  wreath  its  head  in 
every  direction,  and  fastens  its  thread  on  every 
side  to  the  sides  of  its  retreat.  Though  all  its 
first  essays  seem  perfectly  confused,  yet  they 
are  not  altogether  without  design :  there  ap- 
pears, indeed,  no  order  or  contrivance  in  the 
disposal  of  its  first  threads :  they  are  by  no 
means  laid  artfully  over  each  other,  but  arc 
thrown  out  at  random,  to  serve  as  an  exter- 
nal shelter  against  rain  ;  for  nature  having 
appointed  the  animal  to  work  upon  trees  in 
the  open  air,  its  habits  remain,  though  it  is 
brought  up  in  a  warm  apartment. 

Malpighi  pretends  to  have  observed  six  dif- 
ferent layers  in  a  single  cone  of  silk ;  but 
what  may  easily  be  observed  is,  that  it  is  com- 
posed externally  of  a  kind  of  rough  cotton- 
like  substance,  which  is  called  floss ;  within, 
the  thread  is  more  distinct  and  even ;  and 
next  the  body  of  the  aurelia,  the  apartment 
seems  lined  with  a  substance  of  the  hardness 
of  paper,  but  of  a  much  stronger  consistence. 
It  must  not  be  supposed,  that  the  thread  which 
goes  to  compose  the  cone,  is  rolled  round,  as 
we  roll  a  bottom  ;  on  the  contrary,  it  lies  upon 
it  in  a  very  irregular  manner,  and  winds  off 
now  from  one  side  of  the  cone,  and  then  from 
the  other.  This  whole  thread,  if  measured, 
will  be  found  about  three  hundred  yards  long ; 
and  so  very  fine,  that  eight  or  ten  of  them  are 
generally  rolled  off  into  one  by  the  manufac- 
turers. The  cone,  when  completed,  is  in  form 
like  a  pigeon's  egg,  and  more  pointed  at  one 
end  than  the  other:  at  the  smaller  end,  the 
head  of  the  aurelia  is  generally  found  ;  and 
this  is  the  place  that  the  insect,  when  con- 
vrrted  into  a  moth,  is  generally  seen  to  burst 
through. 

It  is  generally  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks 
before  the  aurelia  is  changed  into  a  moth ; 
but  no  sooner  is  the  winged  insect  completely 
formed,  than  having  divested  itself  of  its 
aurelia  skin,  it  prepares  to  burst  through  its 
cone,  or  outward  prison  s  for  this  purpose  it 


THE  SILKWORM. 


799 


extends  its  head  towards  the  point  of  the 
cone,  butts  with  its  eyes,  which  are  rough, 
against  the  lining  of  its  cell,  wears  it  away, 
and  at  last  pushes  forward,  through  a  passage 
which  is  small  at  first,  but  which  enlarges  as 
the  animal  increases  its  efforts  for  emancipa- 
tion; while  the  tattered  remnants  ofitsaurelia 
skin  lie  in  confusion  within  the  cone,  like  a 
bundle  of  dirty  linen. 

The  animal,  when  thus  set  free  from  its 
double  confinement,  appears  exhausted  with 
fatigue,  and  seems  produced  for  no  other 
purpose  but  to  transmit  a  future  brood.  It 
neither  flies  nor  eats ;  the  male  only  seeking 
the  female,  whose  eggs  he  impregnates ;  and 
their  union  continues  for  four  days,  without 
interruption.  The  male  dies  immediately 
after  separation  from  his  mate ;  and  she  sur- 
vives him  only  till  she  has  laid  her  eggs, 
which  are  not  hatched  into  worms  till  the 
ensuing  spring. 


However,  there  are  few  of  these  animals 
suffered  to  come  to  a  state  of  maturity ;  for 
as  their  bursting  through  the  cone  destroys 
the  silk,  the  manufacturers  take  care  to  kill 
the  aurelia,  by  exposing  it  to  the  sun,  before 
the  moth  cotnes  to  perfection.  This  done, 
they  take  off  the  floss,  and  throw  the  cones 
into  warm  water,  stirring  them  till  the  first 
thread  offers  them  a  clue  for  winding  all  off! 
They  generally  take  eight  of  the  silken 
threads  together;  the  cones  being  still  kept 
under  water,  till  a  proper  quantity  of  the  silk 
is  wound  off:  however,  they  do  not  take  all ; 
for  the  latter  parts  grow  weak,  and  are  of  a 
bad  colour.  As  to  the  paper-like  substance 
which  remains,  some  stain  it  with  a  variety 
of  colours,  to  make  artificial  flowers;  others 
let  it  lie  in  the  water,  till  the  glutinous  matter 
which  cements  it  is  all  dissolved  :  it  is  then 
carded  like  wool,  spun  with  a  wheel,  and 
converted  into  silk  stuffs  of  an  inferior  kind. 


800 


A  HISTORY  OF 


or  INSECTS  or  THE  FOURTH  ORDER. 


CHAPTER  CLXXX1X. 

OF  THE  FOURTH  ORDER  OF  INSECTS  IN  GENERAL. 


IN  the  foregoing  part  we  treated  of  cater- 
pillars changing  into  butterflies;  in  the  pre- 
sent will  be  given  the  history  of  grubs  chang- 
ing into  their  corresponding  winged  animals. 
These,  like  the  former,  undergo  their  trans- 
formation, and  appear  as  grubs  or  maggots, 
as  aurelias,  and  at  last  as  winged  insects. 
Like  the  former,  they  are  bred  from  eggs ; 
they  feed  in  their  reptile  state;  they  continue 
motionless  and  lifeless,  as  aurelias  ;  and  fly 
and  propagate,  when  furnished  with  wings. 
But  they  differ  in  many  respects :  the  grub 
or  maggot  wants  the  number  of  feet  which 
the  caterpillar  is  seen  to  have;  theaureliais 
not  so  totally  wrapped  up,  but  that  its  feet 
and  its  wings  appear.  The  perfect  animal, 
when  emancipated,  also  has  its  wings  either 
cased,  or  transparent  like  gauze;  not  colour- 
ed with  that  beautifully  painted  dust  which 
adorns  the  wings  of  the  butterfly. 


In  this  class  of  insects,  therefore,  we  may 
place  a  various  tribe,  that  are  first  laid  as 
eggs,  then  are  excluded  as  maggots  or  grubs, 
then  change  into  aurelias,  with  their  legs  and 
wings  not  wrapped  up,  but  appearing;  and, 
lastly,  assuming  wings,  in  which  state  they 
propagate  their  kind.  Some  of  these  have 
four  transparent  wings,  as  bees ;  some  have 
two  membranous -cases  to  their  wings,  as 
beetles  ;  and  some  have  but  two  wings,  which 
are  transparent,  as  ants.  Here,  therefore, 
we  will  place  the  bee,  the  wasp,  the  humble- 
bee,  the  ichneumon  fly,  the  gnat,  the  tipula 
or  longlegs,  the  beetle,  the  may-bug,  the 
glow-worm,  and  the  ant.  The  transforma- 
tions which  all  these  undergo,  are  pretty 
nearly  similar;  and  though  very  different  ani- 
mals in  form,  are  yet  produced  nearly  in  the 
same  manner. 


CHAPTER  CXC. 

OF  THE  BEE. 


TO  give  a  complete  history  of  this  insect 
in  a  few  pages,  which  some  have  exhausted 
volumes  in  describing,  and  whose  nature  and 
properties  still  continue  in  dispute,  is  impos- 
sible. It  will  be  sufficient  to  give  a  general 
idea  of  the  animal's  operations;  which,  though 
they  have  been  studied  for  more  than  two 
thousand  years,  are  still  but  incompletely 


known.  The  account  given  us  by  Reaumur 
is  sufficiently  minute;  and1,  if  true,  sufficient- 
ly wonderful :  but  I  find  many  of  the  facts 
which  he  relates,  doubted  by  those  who  are 
most  conversant  with  bees ;  and  some  of 
them  actually  declared  not  to  have  a  real  ex- 
istence in  nature. 

It  is  unhappy,  therefore,  for  those  whose 


THE  BEE. 


801 


method  demands  a  history  of  bees,  that  they 
are  unfurnished  with  those  materials  which 
have  induced  so  many  observers  to  contradict 
so  great  a  naturalist  His  life  was  spent  in 
the  contemplation;  and  it  requires  an  equal 
share  of  attention,  to  prove  the  error  of  his 
discoveries.  Without  entering,  therefore, 
into  the  dispute,  I  will  take  him  for  my  guide; 
and  just  mention,  as  f  go  along,  those  parti* 
culars  in  which  succeeding  observers  have 
begun  to  think  him  erroneous.  Which  of 
the  two  are  right,  time  only  can  discover; 
for  my  part,  I  have  only  heard  one  side,  for 
as  yet  none  have  been  so  bold  as  openly  to 
oppose  Reaumur's  delightful  researches. 

There  are  three  different  kinds  of  bees  in 
every  hive.  First,  the  labouring  bees,  which 
make  up  the  far  greatest  number,  and  are 
thought  to  be  neither  male  nor  female,  but 
merely  born  for  the  purposes  of  labour,  and 
continuing  the  breed,  by  supplying  the 
young  with  provision,  while  yet  in  their  help- 
less state.  The  second  sort  are  the  drones; 
they  are  of  a  darker  colour,  longer,  and  more 
thick  by  one-third  than  the  former;  they  are 
supposed  to  be  the  males;  and  there  is  not 
above  a  hundred  of  them  in  a  hive  of  seven 
or  eight  thousand  bees.  The  third  sort  is 
much  larger  than  either  of  the  former,  and 
stil!  fewer  in  number;  some  assert  that  there 
is  not  above  one  in  every  swarm:  but  this 
later  observers  affirm  not  to  be  true,  there 
being  sometimes  five  or  six  in  the  same  hive. 
These  are  called  queen  bees,  and  are  said  to 
lay  all  the  eggs  from  which  the  whole  swarm 
is  hatched  in  a  season. 

In  examining  the  structure  of  the  Common 
working  bee,  the  first  remarkable  part  that 
offers  is  the  trunk,  which  serves  to  extract 
the  honey  from  flowers.  It  is  not  formed, 
tike  that  of  other  flies,  in  the  manner  of  a 
tube,  by  which  the  fluid  is  to  be  sucked  up; 
but  like  a  besom  to  sweep,  or  a  tongue  to 
lick  it  away.  The  animal  is  furnished  also 
with  teeth,  which  serve  it  in  making  wax. 
This  substance  is  gathered  from  flowers,  like 
honey  ;  it  consists  of  that  dust  or  farina  which 
contribute  to  the  fecundation  of  plants,  and 
is  moulded  into  wax  by  the  little  animal  at 
leisure.  Every  bee,  when  it  Iv-ives  th"  hive 
to  -'ollect  this  precious  sto>-  •  enter?,  into  the 
cup  of  the  flower,  particularly  such  as  seem 


charged  with  the  greatest  quantities  of  this 
yellow  farina.  As  the  animal's  body  is  cover- 
ed over  with  hair,  it  rolls  itself  within  the 
flower,  and  soon  becomes  quite  covered  with 
the  dust,  which  it  soon  after  brushes  off  with 
its  two  hind-legs,  and  kneads  into  two  little 
balls.  In  the  thighs  of  the  hind-legs  there 
are  two  cavities,  edged  with  hair,  and  into 
these,  as  into  a  basket,  the  animal  sticks  its 
pellets.  Thus  employed,  the  bee  flies  from 
flower  to  flower,  increasing  its  store,  and 
adding  to  its  stock  of  wax;  until  the  ball 
upon  each  thigh  becomes  as  big  as  a  grain  of 
pepper:  by  this  time,  having  got  a  sufficient 
load,  it  returns,  making  the  best  of  its  way  to 
the  hive. 

The  belly  of  the  bee  is  divided  into  six 
rings,  which  sometimes  shorten  the  body,  by 
slipping  one  over  the  other.  It  contains 
within  it,  beside  the  intestines,  the  honey-bag, 
the  venom-bag,  and  the  sting.  The  honey- 
bag  is  as  transparent  as  crystal,  containing 
the  honey  that  the  bee  has  brushed  from  the 
flowers;  of  which  the  greater  part  is  carried 
to  the  hive,  and  poured  into  the  cells  of  the 
honey-comb,  while  the  remainder  serves  for 
the  bee's  own  nourishment;  for  during  sum- 
mer, it  never  touches  what  has  been  laid  up 
for  winter.  The  sting  which  serves  to  defend 
this  little  animal  from  its  enemies,  is  composed 
of  three  pnrts;  the  sheath  and  two  darts, 
which  are  extremely  small  and  penetrating. 
Both  the  darts  have  several  small  points  or 
barbs,  like  those  of  a  fish-hook,  which  render 
the  sting  more  painful,  and  makes  the  darts 
rankle  in  the  wound.  Still,  however,  this  in- 
strument would  be  very  slight,  did  not  the 
bee  poison  the  wound.  The  sheath,  which 
has  a  sharp  point,  makes  the  first  impression; 
which  is  followed  by  that  of  the  darts,  and 
then  the  venomous  liquor  is  poured  in.  The 
sheath  sometimes  sticks  so  fast  in  the  wound, 
that  the  animal  is  obliged  to  leave  it  behind ; 
by  which  the  bee  soon  after  dies,  and  the 
wound  is  considerably  inflamed.  It  might  at 
first  appear  well  for  mankind,  if  the  bee  were 
without  its  sting;  but,  upon  recollection,  it 
will  be  found,  that  the  little  animal  would 
then  have  too  many  rivals  in  sharing  its 
labours.  A  hundred  other  lazy  animals  fond 
of  honey,  and  hating  labour,  would  intrude 
upon  the  sweets  of  the  hive ;  and  the  treasure 


802 


A  HISTORY  OP 


would  be  carried  off  for  want  of  armed  guar- 
dians to  protect  it. 

From  examining  the  bee  singly,  we  now 
corne  to  consider  it  in  society,  as  an  animal 
not  only  subject  to  laws,  but  active,  vigilant, 
laborious,  and  disinterested.  All  its  provi- 
sions are  laid  up  for  the  community ;  and  all 
its  arts  in  building  a  cell,  designed  for  the 
benefit  of  posterity.  The  substance  with 
which  bees  build  their  cells  is  wax ;  which  is 
fashioned  into  convenient  apartments  for  them- 
selves and  their  young.  When  they  begin  to 
work  in  their  hives,  they  divide  themselves 
into  four  companies :  one  of  which  roves  in 
the  fields  in  search  of  materials  ;  another  em- 
ploys itself  in  laying  out  the  bottom  and  par- 
titions of  their  cells ;  a  third  is  employed  in 
making  the  inside  smooth  from  the  corners 
and  angles;  and  the  fourth  company  bring 
food  for  the  rest,  or  relieve  those  who  return 
with  their  respective  burdens.  But  they  are 
not  kept  constant  to  one  employment ;  they 
often  change  the  tasks  assigned  them :  those 
that  have  been  at  work,  being  permitted  to  go 
abroad  ;  and  those  that  have  been  in  the  fields 
already,  take  their  places.  They  seem  even 
to  have  signs,  by  which  they  understand  each 
other ;  for  when  any  of  them  wants  food,  it 
bends  down  its  trunk  to  the  bee  from  whom 
it  is  expected,  which  then  opens  its  honey-bag, 
and  lets  some  drops  fall  into  the  other's  mouth, 
which  is  at  that  time  open  to  receive  it.  Their 
diligence  and  labour  is  so  great,  that  in  a  day's 
time  they  are  able  to  make  cells,  that  lie  upon 
each  other,  numerous  enough  to  contain  three 
thousand  bees. 

If  we  examine  their  cells,  they  will  be 
found  formed  in  the  exactest  proportion.  It 
was  said  by  Pappus,  an  ancient  geometrician, 
that,  of  all  other  figures,  hexagons  were  the 
most  convenient ;  for  when  placed  touching 
each  other,  the  most  convenient  room  would 
be  given,  and  the  smallest  lost.  The  cells  of 
the  bees  are  perfect  hexagons  :  these,  in  every 
honey-comb,  are  double,  opening  on  either 
side,  and  closed  at  the  bottom.  The  bottoms 
are  composed  of  little  triangular  panes,  which, 
when  united  together,  terminate  in  a  point, 
and  lie  exactly  upon  the  extremities  of  other 
panes  of  the  same  shape,  in  opposite  cells. 
These  lodgings  have  spaces,  like  streets,  be- 
tween them,  large  enough  to  give  the  bees  a 
free  passage  in  aud  out ;  and  yet  narrow 


enough  to  preserve  the  necessary  heat.  The 
mouth  of  every  cell  is  defended  by  a  border, 
which  makes  the  door  a  little  less  than  the 
inside  of  the  cell,  which  serves  to  strengthen 
the  whole.  These  cells  serve  for  different 
purposes:  for  laying  up  their  young;  for  their 
wax,  which  in  winter  becomes  a  part  of  their 
food  ;  and  for  their  honey,  which  makes  their 
principal  subsistence. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  habitation  of  bees 
ought  to  be  very  close  ;  and  what  their  hives 
want,  from  the  negligence  or  unskilfulness  of 
man,  these  animals  supply  by  their  own  indus- 
try :  so  that  it  is  their  principal  care,  when 
first  hived,  to  stop  up  all  the  crannies.  For 
this  purpose  they  make  use  of  a  resinous  gum, 
which  is  more  tenacious  than  wax,  and  dif- 
fers greatly  from  it.  This  the  ancients  called 
propolis:  it  will  grow  considerably  hard  in 
June;  though  it  will  in  some  measure  soften 
by  heat ;  and  is  often  found  different  in  con- 
sistence, colour,  and  smell.  It  has  generally 
an  agreeable  aromatic  odour  when  it  is  warm- 
ed ;  and  by  some  it  is  considered  as  a  most 
grateful  perfume.  When  the  bees  begin  to 
work  with  it,  it  is  soft,  but  it  acquires  a  firmer 
consistence  every  day;  till  at  length  it  assumes 
a  brown  colour,  and  becomes  much  harder 
than  wax.  The  bees  carry  it  on  their  hinder 
legs  ;  and  some  think  it  is  met  with  on  the 
birch,  the  willow,  and  poplar.  However  it  is 
procured,  it  is  certain  that  they  plaster  the  in- 
side of  their  hives  with  this  composition. 

If  examined  through  a  glass  hive,  from  the 
hurry  the  whole  swarm  is  in,  the  whole  ap- 
pears at  first  like  anarchy  and  confusion  :  but 
the  spectator  soon  finds  every  animal  diligent- 
ly employed,  and  following  one  pursuit,  with 
a  settled  purpose.  Their  teeth  are  the  instru- 
ments by  which  they  model  and  fashion  their 
various  buildings,  and  give  them  such  symme- 
try and  perfection.  They  begin  at  the  top  of 
the  hive  ;  and  several  of  them  vvprk  at  a  time, 
at  the  cells  which  have  two  faces.  If  they 
are  stinted  with  regard  to  time,  they  give  the 
new  cells  but  half  the  depth  which  they  ought 
to  have ;  leaving  them  imperfect,  till  they 
have  sketched  out  the  number  of  cells  neces- 
sary for  the  present  occasion.  The  construc- 
tion of  their  combs  costs  them  a  great  deal  of 
labour:  they  are  made  by  insensible  additions; 
and  not  cast  at  once  in  a  mould,  as  some  are 
apt  to  imagine.  There  seems  no  end  of  their 


THE  BEE. 


G0.5 


shaping,  finishing,  and  turning  them  neatly 
up.  The  cells  tor  their  young  are  most  care- 
fully formed  ;  those  designed  for  lodging  the 
drones,  are  larger  than  the  rest ;  and  that  for 
th;'  queen-bee  the  largest  of  all.  The  cells  in 
which  the  young  brood  are  lodged,  serve  at 
different  times  for  containing  honey  ;  and  this 
proceeds  fro'ii  an  obvious  cause  :  every  worm, 
before  it  is  transformed  into  an  aurclia,  bungs 
irs  old  skin  on  the  partitions  of  its  cell  ;  and 
thus,  while  it  strengthens  the  wall,  diminishes 
the  capacity  of  its  late  apartment.  The  same 
cell,  in  a  single  summer,  is  often  tenanted  by 
three  or  four  worms  in  succession  ;  and  the 
next  season  by  three  or  four  more.  Each 
worn  takes  particular  care  to.f  >rtifv  the  pan- 
nels  of  its  cell,  by  hanging  up  its  spoils  there  : 
thus,  the  partitions  being  lined  six  or  eight 
deep,  hero  lie  at  last  too  narrow  for  a  new 
brood,  and  are  converted  into  store-houses  for 
honey. 

Those  cells  where  nothing  but  honey  is 
deposited,  are  much  deeper  than  the  rest. 
When  the  harvest  of  honey  i*  so  plentiful  that 
they  have  not  sufficient  roo.n  for  it,  they  either 
lengthen  their  combs,  or  build  more  ;  which 
are  much  longer  titan  t!i  •  form  T.  Sometimes 
they  work  at  three  combs  at  a  time ;  for  when 
there  are  three  work-houses,  more  bees  may 
be  thus  employed,  without  embarrassing  each 
other. 

But  honey,  as  was  before  observed,  is  not 
the  only  food  upon  which  these  animals  sub- 
sist. The  meal  of  flo«  err,,  of  which  their  wax 
is  formed,  is  one  of  their  most  favourite  re- 
pasts. This  is  a  diet  which  they  live  upon 
during  the  summer;  and  of  which  th  y  lay  tip 
a  large  winter  provision.  The  wax  of  which 
their  combs  are  made,  is  no  more  than  this 
meal  digested,  and  wrought  into  a  paste. 
When  the  flowers  upon  which  bees  generally 
feed,  are  not  fully  blown,  and  this  meal  or 
du*t  is  not  offered  in  sufficient  quantities,  the 
bees  pinch  the  tops  of  the  sta.nina  in  which  it 
is  contained,  with  their  teeth  ;  and  thus  anti- 
cipate the  progress  of  vegetation.  In  April 
and  May,  tlv  bees  are  busy,  from  morning  to 
evening,  in  gathering  this  meal ;  but  when  the 
weather  becomes  too  hot  in  the  midst  of  sum- 
mer, they  work  only  in  the  morning. 

The  bee  is  furnished  with  a  stomach  for  its 
wax,  as  well  as  its  honey.     In  the  former  of 
the  two,  their  powder  is  altered,  digested,  and 
no.  67  &  68. 


concocted  into  re.al  wax  ;  and  is  thus  ejected 
by  the  same  passage  by  which  it  was  swallow- 
ed. Every  comb,  newly  made,  is  white  ;  but 
it  becomes  yellow  as  it  grows  old,  and  almost 
black  when  kept  too  long  in  the  hive.  Beside 
the  wax  thus  digested,  there  is  a  large  portion 
of  the  powder  kneaded  up  for  food  in  every 
hive, 'and  kept  in  separate  cells,  for  winter 
provision.  This  is  called  by  the  country 
people,  bee-bread  ;  and  contributes  to  the 
health  and  strength  of  the  animal  during  win- 
ter. Those  who  rear  bees,  may  rob  them  of 
their  honey,  and  feed  them,  during  the  winter, 
with  treacle;  but  no  proper  substitute  has  yet 
been  found  for  the  bee-bread  ;  and,  without  it, 
the  animals  become  consumptive,  and  die. 

As  for  the  honey,  it  is  extracted  from  that 
part  of  the  flower  called  the  nectareum. 
From  the  mouth  tins  delicious  fluid  passes 
into  the  gullet ;  and  then  into  the  first  stomach, 
or  honey-bag,  which,  when  filled,  appears 
like  an  oblong  bladder.  Children,  that  live 
in  country  places,  are  well  acquainted  with 
this  bladder  ;  and  destroy  many  bees,  to  come 
at  their  store  of  honey.  When  a  bee  has  suf- 
ficiently fiiled  its  first  stomach,  it  returns  back 
to  the  hive,  where  it  disgorges  the  honey  into 
one  of  the  cells.  It  often  happens  that  the 
bee  delivers  its  store  to  some  other,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  hive,  and  flies  off  for  a  fresh  sup- 
ply. Some  honey-combs  are  always  left  open 
for  common  use  ;  but  many  others  are  stopped 
up,  till  there  is  a  necessity  of  opening  them. 
Each  of  these  is  covered  carefully  with  wax  ; 
so  close,  that  the  covers  seem  to  be  made  at 
the  very  instant  the  fluid  is  deposited  within 
them. 

Having  thus  given  a  cursory  description  of 
the  insect,  individually  considered,  and  of  the 
habitation  it  forms,  we  next  come  to  its  social 
habits  and  institutions :  and,  in  considering 
this  little  animal  attentively,  after  the  neces- 
sary precautions  for  the  immediate  preserva- 
tion of  the  community,  its  second  care  is  turn- 
ed to  the  continuance  of  posterity.  How 
numerous  soever  the  multitude  of  bees  may 
appear  in  one  swarm,  yet  they  all  owe  their 
original  to  a  single  parent,  which  is  called  the 
Queen-See.  It  is  indeed  surprising  that  a 
single  insect  shall,  in  one  summer,  give  birth 
to  above  twenty  thousand  young :  but,  upon 
opening  her  body,  the  wonder  will  cease;  as 
the  number  of  eggs  appearing,  at  one  time 

5T 


804 


A  HISTORY  OF 


amounts  to  five  thousand.  This  animal, 
whose  existence  is  of  suofi  importance  to  her 
subjects,  may  easily  be  distinguished  from  the 
rest  by  her  size,  and  the  shape  of  her  body. 
On  her  safety  depends  the  whole  welfare  of 
the  commonwealth  ;  and  the  attentions  paid 
her  by  all  the  rest  of  the  swarm,  evidently 
show  the  dependence  her  subjects  have  upon 
her  security.  If  this  insect  be  carefully  ob- 
served, she  will  be  seen  at  times  attended  with 
a  numerous  retinue,  marching  from  cell  to 
cell,  plunging  the  extremity  of  her  body  into 
many  of  them,  and  leaving  a  small  egg  in 
each. 

The  bees  which  generally  compose  her 
train,  are  thought  to  be  males,  which  serve  to 
impregnate  her  by  turns.  These  are  larger 
and  blacker  than  the  common  bees  ;  without 
stings,  and  without  industry.  They  seem 
formed  only  to  transmit  a  posterity  ;  and  to 
attend  the  queen,  whenever  she  thinks  proper 
to  issue  from  the  secret  retreats  of  the  hive, 
where  she  most  usually  resides.  Upon  the 
union  of  these  two  kinds  depends  all  expecta- 
tions of  a  future  progeny ;  for  the  working 
bees  are  of  no  sex,  and  only  labour  for  another 
offspring :  yet  such  is  their  attention  to  their 
queen,  that  if  she  happens  to  die,  they  will 
leave  off  working,  and  take  no  farther  care  of 
posterity.  If,  however,  another  queen  is,  in 
this  state  of  universal  despair,  presented  them, 
tht>y  immediately  acknowledge  her  for  their 
sovereign,  and  once  more  diligently  apply  to 
their  labour.  It  must  he  observed,  however, 
that  all  this  fertility  of  the  queen-bee,  and  the 
great  attentions  paid  to  her  by  the  rest,  are 
controverted  by  more  recent  observers.  They 
assert,  that  the  common  bees  are  parents 
themselves ;  that  they  deposite  their  eggs  in 
the  cells  which  they  have  prepared  ;  that  the 
females  are  impregnated  by  the  males,  and 
bring  forth  a  progeny,  which  is  wholly  their 
own. 

However,  to  go  on  with  their  history,  as  de- 
livered us  by  Mr.  Reaumur.  When  the  queen- 
bee  has  deposited  the  number  of  eggs  neces- 
sary in  the  cells,  the  working  bees  undertake 
the  care  of  the  rising  posterity.  They  are 
seen  to  leave  off  their  usual  employments ;  to 
construct  proper  receptacles  for  eggs ;  or  to 
complete  those  that  are  already  formed. 
They  purposely  build  little  cells,  extremely 
*olid,  for  the  young ;  in  which  they  employ  a 


great  deal  of  wax  :  those  designed  for  lodging 
the  males,  as  was  already  observed,  are  larger 
than  the  rest;  and  those  for  the  queen  bees 
the  largest  of  all.  There  is  usually  but  one 
egg  deposited  in  every  cell ;  but  when  the  fe- 
cundity of  the  queen  is  such,  that  it  exceeds 
the  number  of  cells  already  prepared,  there 
are  sometimes  three  or  four  eggs  crowded 
together  in  the  same  apartment.  But  this  is 
an  inconvenience  that  the  working  bees  will 
by  no  means  suffer.  They  seem  sensible  that 
two  young  ones,  stuffed  up  in  the  same  cell, 
when  they  grow  larger,  will  but  embarrass, 
and  at  last  destroy  each  other  :  they  therefore 
take  care  to  leave  a  cell  to  every  egg  ;  and  re- 
move or  destroy  the  rest. 

The  single  egg  that  is  left  remaining,  is  fixed 
to  the  bottom  of  the  cell,  and  touches  it  but  in 
a  single  point.  A  day  or  two  after  it  is  de- 
posited, the  worm  is  excluded  from  the  shell 
of  the  egg,  having  the  appearance  of  a  maggot 
rolled  up  in  a  ring,  and  lying  softly  on  a  bed 
of  a  whitish-coloured  jelly  ;  upon  which  also 
the  little  animal  begins  to  feed.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  instant  it  appears,  the  working  bees 
attend  it  with  the  most  anxious  and  parental 
tenderness ;  they  furnish  it  every  hour  with  a 
supply  of  this  whitish  substance,  on  which  it 
feeds  and  lies,-  and  watch  the  cell  with  unre- 
mitting care,  They  are  nurses  that  have  a 
greater  affection  for  the  offspring  of  others, 
th.m  many  parents  have  for  their  own  chil- 
dren. They  are  constant  in  visiting  each  cell, 
and  seeing  that  nothing  is  wanting ;  preparing 
the  white  mixture,  which  is  nothing  but  a 
composition  of  honey  and  wax,  in  their  own 
bowels,  with  which  they  feed  them.  Thus  at- 
tended, and  plentifully  fed,  the  worm,  in  less 
than  six  days'  time,  comes  to  its  full  growth, 
and  no  longer  accepts  the  food  offered  it. 
When  the  bees  perceive  that  it  has  no  further 
occasion  for  feeding,  they  perform  the  last 
offices  of  tenderness,  and  shut  the  little  animal 
up  in  its  cell ;  walling  up  the  muuih  of  its 
apartment  with  wax :  where  they  leave  the 
worm  to  itself;  having  secured  it  from  every 
external  injury. 

The  worm  is  no  sooner  left  enclosed,  but 
from  a  state  of  inaction,  it  begins  to  labour, 
extending  and  shortening  its  body ;  and  by 
this  means  lining  the  walls  of  its  apartment 
with  a  silken  tapestry,  which  it  spins  in  the 
manner  of  caterpillars,  before  they  undergo 


THE  BEE. 


805 


their  last  transformation.  When  their  cell  is 
thus  prepared,  the  animal  is  soon  after  trans- 
formed into  an  aurelia;  but  differing  from 
that  of  the  common  caterpillar,  as  it  exhibits 
not  only  the  legs,  but  the  wings  of  the  future 
bee,  in  its  present  state  of  inactivity.  Thus, 
in  about  twenty  or  one  and  twenty  days  after 
the  egg  was  laid,  the  bee  is  completely  form- 
ed, and  fitted  to  undergo  the  fatigues  of  its 
state.  When  all  its  parts  have  acquired  their 
proper  strength  and  consistence,  the  young 
animal  opens  its  prison,  by  piercing  with  its 
teeth  the  waxen  door  that  confines  it.  When 
just  freed  from  its  cell,  it  is  as  yet  moist,  and 
incommoded  with  the  spoils  of  its  former 
situation :  but  the  olficious  bees  are  soon 
seen  to  flock  round  it,  and  to  lick  it  clean  on 
all  sides  with  their  trunks ;  while  another 
band,  with  equal  assiduity,  are  observed  to 
feed  it  with  honey:  others  again  begin  imme- 
diately to  cleanse  the  cell  that  has  been  just 
left;  to  carry  the  ordure  out  of  the  hive,  and 
to  fit  the  place  for  a  new  inhabitant.  The 
young  bee  soon  repays  their  care  by  its  in- 
dustry; for  as  soon  as  ever  its  external  parts 
become  dry,  it  discovers  its  natural  appetites 
for  labour,  and  industriously  begins  the  task, 
which  it  pursues  unremittingly  through  life. 
The  toil  of  man  is  irksome  to  him,  and  he 
earns  his  subsistence  with  pain;  but  this  lit- 
tle animal  seems  happy  in  its  pursuits,  and 
finds  delight  in  all  its  employments. 

When  just  freed  from  the  cell,  and  proper- 
ly equipped  by  its  fellow-bees  for  duty,  it  at 
once  issues  from  the  hive,  and,  instructed 
only  by  nature,  goes  in  quest  of  flowers, 
chooses  only  those  that  yield  it  a  supply,  re- 
jects such  as  are  barren  of  honey,  or  have 
been  already  drained  by  other  adventurers; 
and  when  loaded,  is  never  at  a  loss  to  find  its 
way  back  to  the  common  habitation.  After 
this  first  sally,  it  begins  to  gather  the  mealy 
powder  that  lies  on  every  flower,  which  is 
aft  M-wards  converted  into  wax;  and  with 
this,  the  very  first  day,  it  returns  with  two 
large  balls  stuck  to  its  thighs. 

When  bees  first  begin  to  break  their  pri- 
sons, there  are  generally  above  a  hundred 
excluded  in  one  day.  Thus,  in  the  space  of 
a  few  weeks,  the  number  of  the  inhabitants 
in  one  hive,  of  moderate  size,  becomes  so 
great,  that  there  is  no  place  to  contain  the 


new  comers ;  and  they  are  scarcely  excluded 
from  the  cell,  when  they  are  obliged,  by  the 
old  bees,  to  sally  forth  in  quest  of  new  habi- 
tations. In  other  words,  the  hive  begins  to 
swarm,  and  the  new  progeny  prepares  for  exile. 

While  there  is  room  enough  in  the  hive, 
the  bees  remain  quietly  together;  it  is  neces- 
sity alone  that  compels  the  separation. 
Sometimes,  indeed,  the  young  brood,  with 
graceless  obstinacy,  refuse  to  depart,  and 
even  venture  to  resist  their  progenitors.  The 
young  ones  are  known  by  being  browner 
than  the  old,  with  whiter  hair,  the  old  ones 
are  of  a  lighter  colour,  with  red  hair.  The  two 
armies  are  therefore  easily  distinguishable, 
and  dreadful  battles  are  often  seen  to  ensue. 
But  the  victory  almost  ever  terminates  with 
strict  political  justice  in  favour  of  the  veterans, 
and  the  rebellious  offspring  are  driven  off,  not 
without  loss  and  mutilation. 

In  different  countries,  the  swarms  make 
their  appearance  at  different  times  of  the 
year,  and  there  are  several  signs  previous  to 
this  intended  migration.  The  night  before, 
an  unusual  buzzing  is  heard  in  the  hive;  in 
the  morning,  though  the  weather  be  soft  and 
inviting,  they  seem  not  to  obey  the  call,  being 
intent  on  more  important  meditations  within. 
All  labour  is  discontinued  in  the  hive;  every 
bee  is  either  employed  in  forcing,  or  reluc- 
tantly yielding,  a  submission;  at  length,  after 
some  noise  and  tumult,  a  queen-bee  is  chosen 
to  guard  rather  than  conduct  the  young 
colony  to  other  habitations,  and  then  they 
are  marshalled  without  any  apparent  con- 
ductor. In  less  than  a  minute  they  leave 
(heir  native  abode,  and  forming  a  cloud  round 
their  protectress,  they  set  off,  without  seem- 
ing to  know  the  place  of  their  destination; 
the  world  before  them,  inhere  to  choose  their  place 
of  rest.  The  usual  time  of  swarming  is  from 
ten  in  the  morning  to  three  in  the  afternoon, 
when  the  sun  shines  bright,  and  invites  them 
to  seek  their  fortunes.  They  flutter  for  a 
while  in  the  air,  like  flakes  of  snow,  and 
sometimes  undertake  a  distant  journey,  but 
more  frequently  are  contented  with  some 
neighbouring  asylum;  the  branch  of  a  tree, 
a  chimney-top,  or  some  other  exposed  situa- 
tion. It  is,  indeed,  remarkable,  that  all  those 
animals,  of  whatever  kind,  that  have  long 
been  under  the  protection  of  man,  seem  to 


806 


\  HISTORY  OF 


lose  a  part  of  their  natural  sagacity  in  pro- 
viding for  themselves.  The  rabbit,  when  do- 
mesticated, forgets  to  dig  holes,  the  hen  to 
build  a  nest,  and  the  bee  to  seek  a  shelter 
that  shall  protect  it  from  the  inclemencies  of 
winter.  In  those  countries  where  the  bees 
are  wild,  and  unprotected  by  man,  they  are 
always  sure  to  build  their  waxen  cells  in  the 
hoilo-.v  of  a  tree;  but  with  us,  they  seem  im- 
provident in  their  choice,  and  the  first  green 
bninch  that  stops  their  flight,  seems  to  be 
thought  sufficient  for  their  abode  through 
winter.  However,  it  does  not  appear  that 
the  queen  chooses  the  place  where  they  are 
to  alight,  for  many  of  the  stragglers,  who  seem 
to  be  pleased  with  a  particular  branch,  go 
and  settle  upon  it;  others  are  seen  to  suc- 
ceed ;  and,  at  last,  the  queen  herself,  when 
ghe  finds  a  sufficient  number  there  before  her, 
goes  to  make  it  the  place  of  her  head-quar- 
ters. When  the  queen  is  settled,  the  rest  of 
the  swarm  soon  follow;  and  in  about  a  quar- 
ter of  an  hour,  the  whole  body  seem  to  be  at 
ease.  It  sometimes  is  found,  that  there  are 
two  or  three  queens  to  a  swarm,  and  the 
colony  is  divided  into  parties;  but  it  most 
usually  happens,  that  one  of  these  is  more 
considerable  than  the  other,  and  the  bees,  by 
degrees,  desert  the  weakest,  to  take  shelter 
under  the  most  powerful  protector.  The 
deserted  queen  does  not  long  survive  this  de- 
feat;  she  takes  refuge  under  the  new  monarch, 
and  is  soon  destroyed  by  her  jealous  rival. 
Till  this  cruel  execution  is  performed,  the 
bees  never  go  out  to  work;  and  if  there 
should  be  a  queen-bee  belonging  to  the  new 
colony  left  in  the  old  hive,  she  always  under- 
o-oes  the  fate  of  the  former.  However,  it 
must  be  observed,  that  the  bees  never  sacri- 
fice any  of  their  queens,  when  the  hive  is 
full  of  wax  and  honey  ;  for  there  is  at  that 
time  no  danger  in  maintaining  a  plurality  of 
breeders. 

When  the  swarm  is  thus  conducted  to  a 
place  of  rest,  and  the  policy  of  government 
is  settled,  the  bees  soon  resume  their  former 
labours.  The  making  cells,  storing  them 

vith  honey,  impregnating  the  queen,  making 
proper  cells  for  the  reception  of  the  rising 
progeny,  and  protecting  them  from  external 
danger,  employ  their  unceasing  industry. 

But  soon  after,  and  towards  the  latter  end  of 


summer,  when  the  colony  is  sufficiently  stored 
with  inhabitants,  a  most  cruel  polir.)  ei  •  ». 
The  drone  bees,  which  are  (as  has  been  said) 
generally  in  a  hive  to  the  number  of  a  hun- 
dred, are  marked  for  slaughter.  These, 
which  had  hitherto  led  a  lite  oi  indolence  and 
pleasure,  whose  only  employment  was  in 
impregnating  the  queen,  and  rioting  upoi  ihe 
labours  of  the  hive,  without  aiding  in  the 
general  toil,  now  share  the  fate  of  riiost  vo- 
luptuaries, and  fall  a  sacrifice  to  the  general 
resentment  of  society. 

The  working  bees,  in  a  body,  declare  war 
against  them  ;  and  in  two  or  three  days'  time, 
the  ground  all  round  th<  hive  is  covered 
with  their  dead  bodies.  Nay,  the  working 
bees  will  even  kill  such  drones,  as  are  yet  in 
the  worm  state,  in  the  cell,  and  eject  their 
bodies  from  the  hive,  among  the  general  car- 
nage. 

When  a  hive  sends  out  several  swarms  in 
the  year,  the  first  is  always  the  best,  and  the 
most  numerous.  These,  having  the  whole 
summer  before  them,  have  the  more  time  to? 
making  wax  and  honey,  and  consequently 
their  labours  are  the  most  valuable  to  the 
proprietor.  Although  the  swarm  chiefly  con- 
sists of  the  youngest  bees,  yet  it  is  often 
found,  that  bees  of  all  ages  compose  (be  mul- 
titude of  emigrants,  and  it  often  happens,  that 
bees  of  all  ages  are  seen  remaining  behind. 
The  number  of  them  is  always  more  con- 
siderable than  that  of  some  populous  cities, 
for  sometimes  upwards  of  forty  thousand  are 
found  in  a  single  hive.  So  large  a  body  may 
well  be  supposed  to  work  with  great  expedi- 
tion; and,  in  fact,  in  less  than  twenty -four 
hours,  they  will  make  combs  above  twenty 
inches  long,  and  seven  or  eight  broad.  Some- 
times they  will  half  fill  their  hives  with  wax 
in  less  than  five  days.  In  the  first  fifteen 
days,  they  are  always  found  to  make  more 
wax  than  they  do  afterwards  during  the  rest 
of  the  year. 

Such  are  the  outlines  of  the  natural  history 
of  these  animals,  as  usually  found  in  our  own 
country.  How  they  are  treated,  so  as  to  pro- 
duce the  greatest  quantity  of  honey,  belongs 
rather  to  the  rural  economist,  than  the  natu- 
ral historian  ;  volumes  have  been  written  on 
the  subject,  and  still  more  remains  equally 
curious  and  new.  One  thing,  however,  it  may 


THE  BEE. 


807 


be  proper  to  observe,  that  a  farm,  or  a  coun- 
try, may  be  over-stocked  with  bees,  as  well 
as  with  any  other  sort  of  animal;  tor  a  cer- 
tain number  of  hives  always  require  a  cer- 
tain number  of  (lowers  to  subsist  on.  \\  hen 
the  flowers  near  home  are  rilled,  then  are 
these  industrious  insects  see;i  taking  more 
extensive  ranges:  but  their  abilities  may  be 
over  taxed;  and  if  they  are  obliged,  in  quest 
of  honey,  to  go  too  fir  from  home,  they  are 
over-wearied  in  the  pursuit,  they  are  devour- 
ed by  birds,  or  beat  down  by  the  winds  and 
rain. 

From  a  knowledge  of  this,  in  some  parts  of 
France  and  Piedmont,  they  have  contrived,  as 
I  have  often  seen,  a  kiiid  of  (loafing  bee-house. 

They  have  on  board  one  barge  threescore 
or  a  hundred  bee-hives,  well  defended  from 
the  inclemency  of  an  accidental  storm;  and 
with  these  the  owners  sutler  themselves  to 
float  gently  down  the  river.  As  the  bees  are 
continually  choosing  their  flowery  pasture 
along  the  banks  of  the  stream,  they  are  fur- 
nished with  sweets  before  unrifled:  and  thus 
a  single  floating  bee-house  yields  the  pro- 
prietor a  considerable  income.  Why  a 
method  similar  to  this  has  never  been  adopt- 
ed in  England,  where  we  have  more  gentle 
rivers,  and  more  flowery  banks,  than  in  any 
other  part  of  the  world,  I  know  not :  certain- 
ly it  might  be  turned  to  advantage,  and  yield 
the  possessor  a  secure,  though  perhaps  a 
moderate  income. 

Having  mentioned  the  industry  of  these 
admirable  insects,  it  will  be  proper  to  say 
something  of  the  effects  of  their  labour,  of 
that  w  ix  and  honey  which  are  turned  by  man 
to  such  various  uses.  Bees  gather  t'.vo  kinds 
of  wax  ;  one  coarse,  and  the  other  fine.  The 
coarser  sort  is  bitter,  and  with  this,  which  is 
call  •  1  propolis*  they  stop  up  all  the  holes  and 
crevices  of  their  hives.  It  is  of  a  more  resin- 
ous nature  than  the  fine  wax,  arid  is  conse- 
quently better  qualified  to  resist  the  moisture 
of  !h»  season,  and  preserve  the  works  warm 
and  dry  within.  The  fine  wax  is  a*  nec"s- 
sary  to  the  animal's  preservation  as  the  honey 
itself  With  this  they  make  their  lodgings, 
with  this  they  cover  the  cells  of  their  young, 
and  in  this  they  lay  up  their  magazines  of 
honey.  This  is  made,  as  has  been  alr^-ly 
cbserved,  from  the  dust  of  flowers,  which  is 


carefully  kneaded  by  the  little  insect,  then 
swallowed,  and  having  undergone  a  kind  of 
digestion,  is  formed  imo  the  cells,  which 
answer  such  a  variety  of  purposes.  To  col- 
lect this,  the  animal  rolls  itself  in  the  flower 
it  would  rob,  and  thus  takes  up  the  vegetable 
dust  with  the  hair  of  its  body.  Then  care- 
fully brushing  it  into  a  lump,  with  its  fore- 
pans  it  thrusts  the  composition  into  two 
cavities  behind  the  thighs,  which  are  made 
like  spoons  to  receive  the  wax,  and  the  hair 
that  lines  them  serves  to  keep  it  from  falling. 

As  of  wax,  there  are  also  two  kinds  of 
honey;  the  white  and  the  yellow.  The 
white  is  taken  without  fire  from  the  honey- 
combs. The  yellow  is  extracted  by  heat, 
and  squeezed  through  bags,  in  a  press.  The 
best  honey  is  new,  thick,  and  granulated,  of 
a  clear  transparent  white  colour,  of  a  soil  and 
aromatic  smell,  and  of  a  sweet  lively  taste. 
Honey  made  in  mountainous  countries,  is 
preferable  to  that  of  the  valley.  The  honey 
made  in  the  spring  is  more  highly  esteemed 
than  that  gathered  in  summer;  which  last  is 
still  more  valuable  than  that  of  autumn,  when 
the  flowers  begin  to  fade,  and  lose  their  fra- 
grance. 

The  bees  are  nearly  alike  in  nil  parts  of 
the  world  ;  yet  there  are  differences  worthy 
our  notice.  In  Guadaloupe,  the  bee  is  less 
by  one  half  than  the  European,  and  more 
black  and  round.  They  have  no  sting,  and 
make  their  cells  in  hollow  trees  ;  where,  if 
the  hole  they  meet  with  is  too  large,  they 
form  a  sort  of  waxen  house  of  the  shape  of  a 
pear,  and  in  this  they  lodge  and  store  their 
JK>riey.  and  lay  their  eggs.  They  lay  op  their 
hoitev  in  waxen  vessels,  of  the  size  of  a 
pig  'Oil's  e«jfg.  of  a  black  or  deep  violet  colour; 
and  these  are  so  joined  together,  that  there  is 
no  space  left  between  them.  The  honey 
never  congeals,  but  is  fluid,  of  the  consis- 
tence of  oil.  and  the  colour  of  amber.  Re- 
sembling these,  there  are  found  little  black 
bees,  without  a  sting,  in  all  the  tropical  cli- 
mates; and  though  these  countries  are  replete 
with  bees  like  our  own,  yet  those  lorm  the 
most  useful  and  laborious  tribe  in  that  part  of 
the  world.  The  honey  they  produce  is  nei- 
ther so  unpalatable  nor  so  surfeiting  as  ours; 
aiid  the  wax  is  so  soft,  that  it  is  only  used  for 
medicinal  purposes,  it  being  never  found 


808 


A  HISTORY  OF 


hard  enough  to  form  into  candles,  as  in  Eu- 
rope. 

Of  insects  that  receive  the  name  of  bees 
among  us,  there  are  several;  which,  however, 
differ  very  widely  from  that  industrious  social 
race  we  have  been  just  describing.  The 
Humble-Bee  is  the  largest  of  all  this  tribe, 
being  as  large  as  the  first  joint  of  one's  mid- 
dle finger.  These  are  seen  in  every  field, 
and  perched  on  every  flower.  They  build 
their  nest  in  holes  in  the  ground,  of  dry  leaves, 
mixed  with  wax  and  wool,  d'-fended  with  moss 
from  the  weather.  Each  humble-bee  makes 
a  separate  cell  about  the  size  of  a  small  nut- 
meg, which  is  round  and  hollow,  containing 
the  honey  in  a  bag.  Several  of  these  cells 
are  joined  together  in  such  a  manner,  that  the 
whole  appears  like  a  cluster  of  grapes.  The 
females,  which  have  the  appearance  of  wasps, 
are  very  few,  and  their  eggs  are  laid  in  cells, 
which  the  rest  soon  cover  over  with  wax.  It 
is  uncertain  whether  they  have  a  queen  or 
not;  but  there  is  one  much  larger  than  the 
rest,  without  wings  and  without  hair,  and  all 
over  black,  like  polished  ebony.  This  goes 
and  views  all  the  works,  from  time  to  time, 
and  enters  into  the  cell,  as  if  it  wanted  to  see 
whether  every  thing  was  done  right.  In  the 
morning  the  young  humble-bees  are  very  idle, 
and  seem  not  at  all  inclined  to  labour,  till  one 
of  the  largest,  about  seven  o'clock,  thrusts 
half  its  body  from  a  hole  designed  for  that 
purpose,  and  seated  on  the  top  of  the  nest, 
beats  its  wings  for  twenty  minutes  successive- 
ly, buzzing  the  whole  time,  till  the  whole 
colony  is  put  in  motion.  The  humble-bees 
gather  honey,  as  well  as  the  common  bees; 
but  it  is  neither  so  fine  nor  so  good,  nor  the 
wax  so  clean,  or  so  capable  of  fusion. 

Beside  the  bees  already  mentioned,  there 
are  various  kinds  among  us,  that  have  much 
the  appearance  of  honey-m  ikers,  and  yet 
make  only  wax.  The  Wood-Bee  is  seen  in 
every  garden.  It  5s  rather  larger  than  the 
common  queen-bee ;  its  body  of  a  bluish 
black,  which  is  smooth  and  shining.  It  be- 
gins to  appear  at  the  approach  of  spring,  and 
is  seen  flying  near  walls  exposed  to  a  sunny 
aspect.  This  bee  makes  its  nest  in  some 
piece  of  wood,  which  it  contrives  to  scoop 
and  hollow  for  its  purpose.  This,  however, 
ie  never  done  in  trees  that  are  standing,  for 


the  wood  it  makes  choice  of  is  half  rotten. 
The  holes  are  not  made  directly  forward,  but 
turning  to  one  side,  and  have  an  opening  suf- 
ficient to  admit  one's  middle  finger,  from 
whence  runs  the  inner  apartment,  generally 
twelve  or  fifteen  inches  long.  The  instru- 
ments used  in  boring  these  cavities,  are  their 
•teeth ;  the  cavity  is  usually  branched  into 
three  or  four  apartments ;  and  in  each  of 
these  they  lay  their  eggs,  to  the  number  of 
ten  or  twelve,  each  separate  and  distinct  from 
the  rest:  the  egg  is  involved  in  a  sort  of  puste, 
which  serves  at  once  for  the  young  animal's 
protection  and  nourishment.  The  grown 
bees,  however,  feed  upon  small  insects,  par- 
ticularly a  louse,  of  a  reddish  brown  colour, 
of  the  size  of  a  small  pin's  head. 

Mason-Bees  make  their  cells  with  a  sort  of 
mortar  made  of  earth,  which  they  build 
against  a  wall  that  is  exposed  to  the  sun. 
The  mortar,  which  at  first  is  soft,  soon  be- 
comes as  hard  as  stone,  and  in  this  their  eggs 
are  laid.  Each  nest  contains  seven  or  eignt 
cells,  an  egg  in  every  cell,  placed  regularly 
one  over  the  other.  If  the  nests  remain  un- 
hurt, or  want  but  little  repairs,  they  make  use 
of  them  the  year  ensuing :  and  thus  they  often 
serve  three  or  four  years  successively.  From 
I  the  strength  of  their  houses,  one  would  think 
I  these  bees  in  perfect  security;  yet  none  are 
more  exposed  than  they.  A  worm  with 
very  strong  teeth,  is  often  found  to  bore  into 
their  little  fortifications,  and  devour  their 
young. 

The  Ground-Bee  builds  its  nest  in  the 
earth,  wherein  they  make  round  holes,  five 
or  six  inches  deep;  the  mouth  being  narrow, 
and  only  just  sufficient  to  admit  the  little  in- 
habitant. 

Itisamusingenough  to  observe  the  patience 
and  assiduity  with  which  they  labour.  They 
carry  out  all  the  earth,  grain  by.  grain,  to  the 
mouth  of  the  hole,  where  it  forms  a  little  hil- 
lock; an  alps,  compared  to  the  power  of  the 
artist  by  which  it  is  raised.  Sometimes  the 
walks  of  a  garden  are  found  undermined  by 
their  labours  ;  some  of  the  holes  running  di- 
rectly downward,  others  horizontally  beneath 
the  surface.  They  lay  up  in  these  cavities 
provisions  for  their  young,  which  consist  of  a 
paste  that  has  the  appearance  of  corn,  and  i» 
of  a  sweetish  taste. 


THE  WASP. 


809 


The  Leaf-cutting  Bees  make  their  nost  and 
lay  their  eggs  among  bits  of  leaves,  very 
artificially  placed  in  holt's  in  the  earth,  of  about 
the  length  of  a  tooth-pick  case.  They  make 
the  bits  of  leaves  of  a  roundish  form,  and  with 
them  line  the  inside  of  their  habitations. 
This  tapestry  is  still  further  lined  by  a  reddish 
kind  of  paste,  somewhat  sweet  or  acid. 
These  bees  are  of  various  kinds ;  those  that 
build  their  nests  with  chesnut  leaves  are  as  big 
as  drones,  but  those  of  the  rose-tree  are  smal- 
ler than  the  common  bee. 

The  Wall-Bees  are  so  called  because  they 
make  their  nests  in  walls,  of  a  kind  of  silky 


membrane,  with  which  they  fill  up  the  vacuities 
between  the  small  stones  which  form  the  sides 
of  their  habitation.  Their  apartment  consists 
of  several  cells  placed  end  to  end,  each  in  the 
shape  of  a  woman's  thimble.  Though  the 
web  which  lines  this  habitation  is  thick  and 
warm,  yet  it  is  transparent,  and  of  a  whitish 
colour.  This  substance  is  supposed  to  be  spun 
from  the  animal's  body.  The  males  and  fe- 
males are  of  a  size,  but  the  former  are  without 
a  sting.  To  these  varieties  of  the  bee  kind 
might  be  added  several  others,  which  are  all 
different  in  nature,  but  not  sufficiently  distin- 
guished to  excite  curiosity. 


CHAPTER  CXXI. 

OF  THE  WASP. 


HOWEVER  similar  many  insects  may  be 
in  appearance,  this  does  not  imply  a  simili- 
tude in  their  history.  The  bee  and  the  wasp 
resemble  each  other  very  strongly,  yet,  in 
examining  their  manner  and  their  duration, 
they  differ  very  widely  :  the  bee  labours  to 
lay  up  honey,  and  lives  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
its  industry  :  the  wasp  appears  equally  as- 
siduous; but  only  works  for  posterity,  as  the 
habitation  is  scarcely  completed  when  the  in- 
habitant dies. 

The  wasp  is  well  known  to  be  a  winged 
insect  with  a  sting.  To  be  longer  in  propor- 
tion to  its  bulk  than  the  bee.  to  be  marked 
with  bright  yellow  circles  round  its  body,  and 
to  be  the  most  swift  and  active  insect  of  all 
the  fly  kind.  On  each  side  of  the  mouth  this 
animal  is  furnished  with  a  long  tooth,  notched 
like  a  saw,  and  with  these  it  is  enabled  to  cut 
any  substance,  not  omitting  meat  itself,  and 
to  carry  it  to  its  nest.  Wasps  live,  like  bees, 
in  community,  and  sometimes  ten  or  twelve 
thousand  are  found  inhabiting  a  single  nest. 

Of  all  other  insects  the  wasp  is  the  most 
fierce,  voracious,  and  most  dangerous,  when 
enraged.  They  are  seen  wherever  flesh  is 
cutting  up.  gorging  themselves  with  the  spoil, 
and  then  flying  to  their  nests?  with  their  reek- 
ing prey.  They  make  war  also  on  every 


other  fly,  and  the  spider  himself  dreads  their 
approaches. 

Every  community  among  bees  is  composed 
of  females  or  queens,  drones  or  males,  and 
neutral  or  working  bees.  Wasps  have  similar 
occupations;  the  two  first  are  for  propagating 
the  species,  the  last  for  nursing,  defending, 
and  supporting  the  rising  progeny.  Among 
bees,  however,  there  is  seldom  above  a  queen 
or  two  in  a  hive ;  among  wasps  there  are 
above  two  or  three  hundred. 

As  soon  as  the  summer  begins  to  invigorate 
the  insect  tribes,  the  wasps  are  tbe  most  of 
the  Dumber,  and  diligently  employed  either 
in  providing  provisions  for  their  nest,  if  al- 
ready made;  or  in  making  one,  if  the  former 
habitation  be  too  small  to  receive  the  increas- 
ing community.  The  nest  is  one  of  the  most 
curious  objects  in  natural  history,  and  con- 
trived almost  as  artificially  as  that  of  the  bees 
themselves.  Their  principal  care  is  to  seek 
out  a  hole  that  has  been  begun  by  some  other 
animal,  a  field- mouse,  a  rat,  or  a  mole,  to 
build  their  nests  in.  They  sometimes  build 
upon  the  plain,  where  they  are  sure  of  the 
dry  ness  of  their  situation  ;  but  most  common- 
ly on  the  side  of  a  bank,  to  avoid  the  rain  or 
water  that  would  otherwise  annoy  them. 
When  they  have  chosen  a  proper  place,  they 


810 


A  HISTORY  OF 


go  to  work  with  wonderful  assiduity.  Their 
tirst  labour  is  lo  enlarge  and  widen  Ihe  hole, 
taking  away  the  earth,  and  carrying  it  off  to 
some  distance.  They  are  perfectly  formed 
for  labour,  being  furnished  with  a  trunk  above 
their  mouths,  two  saws  on  each  side,  which 
play  to  the  right  and  left  against  each  other, 
and  six  strong  muscular  legs  to  support  them. 
They  cut  the  earth  into  small  parcels  with 
their  saws,  and  carry  it  out  with  their  legs  or 
paws.  This  is  the  work  of  some  days;  and 
at  length  the  outline  of  their  habitation  is 
formed,  making  a  cavity  of  about  a  foot  and 
a  half  every  way.  While  some  are  working 
in  this  manner,  others  are  roving  the  fields  to 
seek  out  materials  for  their  building.  To 
prevent  the  earth  from  falling  down  and 
crushing  their  rising  city  into  ruin,  they  make 
a  sort  of  roof  with  their  gluey  substance,  to 
which  they  begin  to  fix  the  rudiments  of  their 
building,  working  from  the  top  downwards, 
as  if  they  were  hanging  a  bell;  which,  how- 
ever, at  length  they  close  up  at  the  bottom. 
The  materials  with  which  they  build  their 
nests  are  bits  of  wood  and  glue.  The  wood 
they  get  where  they  can  from  the  rails  and 
posts  which  they  meet  with  in  the  fields  and 
elsewhere.  These  they  saw  and  divide  into  a 
multitude  of  small  fibres,  of  which  they  take 
up  little  bundles  in  their  claws,  letting  fall 
upon  them  a  few  drops  of  gluey  matter,  with 
which  their  bodies  are  provided,  by  the  help 
of  which  they  knead  the  whole  composition 
into  a  paste,  which  serves  them  in  their  future 
building.  When  they  have  returned  with 
this  to  the  nest,  they  stick  their  load  of  paste 
on  that  part  where  they  make  their  walls  and 
partitions;  they  tread  it  close  with  their  feet, 
and  trowel  it  with  their  trunks,  still  going 
backwards  as  they  work.  Having  repeated 
this  operation  three  or  four  times,  the  com- 
position is  at  length  flatted  out  until  it  be- 
comes a  small  leaf  of  a  gray  colour,  much 
finer  than  paper,  and  of  a  pretty  firm  texture. 
This  done,  the  same  wasp  returns  to  the  field 
to  collect  a  second  load  of  paste,  repeating 
the  same  several  times,  placing  layer  upon 
layer,  and  strengthening  every  partition  in 
proportion  to  the  wants  or  convenience  of 
the  general  fabric.  Other  working  wasps 
come  quickly  after  to  repeat  the  same  opera- 
tion, laying  more  leaves  upon  the  forme  ,  till 


at  length,  after  much  toil,  they  have  finished 
the  large  roof,  which  is  to  secure  them  from 
the  tumbling  in  of  the  earth.  This  dome 
being  finished,  they  make  another  entrance 
to  their  habitation,  designed  either  for  letting 
in  the  warmth  of  the  sun,  or  for  escaping,  in 
case  one  door  be  invaded  by  plunderers. 
Certain  however  it  is,  that  by  one  of  these 
they  always  enter,  by  the  other  they  sally 
forth  to  their  toil;  each  hole  being  so  small 
that  they  can  pass  but  one  at  a  time.  The 
walls  being  thus  composed,  and  the  whole 
somewhat  of  the  shape  of  a  pear,  they  labour 
at  their  cells,  which  they  compose  of  the 
same  paper-like  substance  that  goes  to  the 
formation  of  the  outside  works.  Their  combs 
differ  from  those  of  bees  not  less  in  the  com- 
position, than  the  position  which  they  are 
always  seen  to  obtain.  The  honey-comb  of 
the  bee  is  edgeways  with  respect  to  the  hive  ; 
that  of  the  wasp  is  Hat,  and  the  mouth  of 
every  cell  opens  downwards.  Thus  is  their 
habitation  contrived,  story  above  story,  sup- 
ported by  several  rows  ot  pillars,  which  give 
firmness  to  the  whole  building,  while  the  up- 
per story  is  Hat-roofed,  and  as  smooth  as  the 
pavement  of  a  room,  laid  with  squares  of 
marble.  The  wasps  can  freely  walk  upon 
these  stories  between  the  pillars,  to  do  what- 
ever their  wants  require.  The  pillars  are 
very  hard  and  compact,  being  larger  at  each 
end  than  in  the  middle,  not  much  unlike  the 
columns  of  a  building.  All  the  cells  of  the 
nest  are  oidy  destined  for  the  reception  ot 
the  young,  being  replete  with  neither  wax 
nor  honey. 

Each  cell  is  like  that  of  the  bee,  hexagonal : 
but  they  are  of  two  sorts  ;  the  one  larger,  for 
the  production  of  the  male  and  female  wasps; 
the  other  less,  for  the  reception  of  the  work- 
ing part  of  the  community.  When  the  fe- 
males are  impregnated  by  the  males,  they  lay 
their  eggs,  one  in  each  cell,  anil  stick  it  in 
with  a  kind  of  gummy  matter  to  prevent  its 
falling  out.  From  this  egg  proceeds  the  in- 
sect in  its  worm  state,  of  which  the  old  ones 
are  extremely  careful,  feeding  it  from  time  to 
time  till  it  becomes  large,  and  entirely  tills  up 
its  cell.  But  the  wasp  community  differs 
from  that  of  the  bee  in  this;  that  among  the 
latter  the  working-bees  take  the  parental 
duties  upon  them,  whereas  among  the  wasps 


THE  WASP. 


the  females  alone  are  permitted  to  feed  their 
young,  and  to  nurse  their  rising  progeny. 
For  this  purpose  the  female  waits  with  great 
patience  till  the  working-wasps  have  brought 
in  their  provisions,  which  she  takes  from 
them,  and  cuts  into  pieces.  She  then  goes 
with  great  composure  from  cell  to  cell,  and 
feeds  every  young  one  with  her  mouth. 
When  the  young  worms  have  come  to  a  cer- 
tain size  they  leave  off  eating,  and  begin  to 
spin  a  very  fine  silk,  fixing  their  first  end  to 
the  entrance  of  the  cell  ;  then  turning  their 
heads,  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the  other, 
they  fix  the  thread  to  different  parts,  and  thus 
they  make  a  sort  of  a  door,  which  serves  to 
close  upthe  mouth  of  the  cell.  After  this  they 
divest  themselves  of  their  skins  after  the  usual 
mode  of  transformation  :  the  aurelia,  by  de- 
grees, begins  to  emancipate  itself  from  its 
shell ;  by  little  and  little,  it  thrusts  out  its  legs 
and  wings,  and  insensibly  acquires  the  colour 
and  shape  of  its  parent. 

The  wasp  thus  formed,  and  prepared  for 
depredation,  becomes  a  bold,  troublesome, 
and  dangerous  insect :  there  are  no  dangers 
which  it  will  not  encounter  in  pursuit  of  its 
prey,  and  nothingseems  to  satiate  its  gluttony. 
Though  it  can  gather  no  honey  of  its  own,  no 
animal  is  more  fond  of  sweets.  For  this  pur- 
pose it  will  pursue  the  bee  and  the  humble- 
bee,destroy  them  with  itssting.and  then  plun- 
der them  of  their  honey-bag,  with  which  it 
flies  triumphantly  loaded  to  its  nest  to  regale 
its  young.  Wasps  are  ever  fond  of  making 
their  nests  in  the  neighbourhood  of  bees, 
merely  to  have  an  opportunity  of  robbing 
their  hives,  and  feasting  on  the  spoil.  Yet 
the  bees  are  not  found  always  patiently  sub- 
missive to  their  tyranny,  but  fierce  battles 
are  sometimes  seen  to  ensue,  in  which  the 
bees  make  up  by  conduct  and  numbers  what 
they  want  in  personal  prowess.  When  there 
is  no  honey  to  be  had,  they  seek  for  the  best 
and  sweetest  fruits,  and  they  are  never  mis- 
taken in  their  choice.  From  the  garden  they 
fly  to  the  city,  to  the  grocers'  shops,  and 
butchers'  shambles.  They  will  sometimes 
carry  off  bits  of  flesh  half  as  big  as  them- 
selves, with  which  they  fly  to  their  nest  for 
the  nourishment  of  their  brood.  Those  who 
cannot  drive  them  away,  lay  for  them  a  piece 
of  ox's  liver,  which  being  without  fibres,  they 

wo.  69  &  70. 


prefer  to  other  flesh ;  and  whenever  they  are 
found,  all  other  flies  are  seen  to  desert  the 
place  immediately.  Such  is  the  dread  with 
which  these  little  animals  impress  all  the  rest 
of  the  insect  tribes,  which  they  seize  and  de- 
vour without  mercy,  that  they  vanish  at  their 
approach.  Wherever  they  fly,  like  the  eagle 
or  the  falcon,  they  form  a  desert  in  the  air 
around  them.  In  this  manner  the  summer  is 
passed  in  plundering  the  neighbourhood,  and 
rearing  up  their  young:  every  day  adds  to 
their  numbers;  and  from  their  strength, 
agility,  and  indiscriminate  appetite  for  every 
kind  of  provision,  were  they  as  long-lived  as 
the  bee,  they  would  soon  swarm  upon  the 
face  of  nature,  and  become  the  most  noxious 
plague  of  man;  but  providentially  their  lives 
are  measured  to  their  mischief,  and  they  live 
but  a  single  season. 

While  the  summer  heats  continue,  they  are 
bold,  voracious,  and  enterprising;  but  as  the 
sun  withdraws,  it  seems  to  rob  them  of  their 
courage  and  activity.  In  proportion  as  the 
cold  increases,  they  are  seen  to  become  more 
domestic;  they  seldom  leave  the  nest,  they 
make  but  short  adventures  from  home,  they 
flutter  about  in  the  noon-day  heats,  and  soon 
after  return  cliilled  and  feeble. 

As  their  calamities  increase,  new  passions 
soon  begin  to  take  place ;  the  care  for  pos- 
terity no  longer  continues;  and  as  the  parents 
are  no  longer  able  to  provide  their  growing 
progeny  a  supply,  they  take  the  barbarous 
resolution  of  sacrificing  them  all  to  the  neces- 
sity of  the  times.  In  this  mariner,  like  a  gar- 
rison upon  short  allowance,  all  the  useless 
hands  are  destroyed;  the  young  worms, 
which  a  little  before  they  fed  and  protected 
with  so  much  assiduity,  are  now  butchered, 
and  dragged  from  their  cells.  As  the  cold 
increases,  they  no  longer  find  sufficient  warmth 
in  their  nests,  which  grow  hateful  to  thr-m, 
and  they  fly  to  seek  it  in  the  corners  of  houses, 
and  places  that  receive  an  artificial  heat. 
But  the  winter  is  still  insupportable;  and, 
before  the  new  year  begins,  they  wither  and 
die  ;  the  working-wasps  first,  the  males  soon 
following,  and  many  of  the  females  suffer  in 
the  general  calamity.  In  every  nest,  however, 
one  or  two  females  survive  the  winter,  and 
having  been  impregnated  by  the  male  during 
the  preceding  season,  she  begins  in  spring  to 
5U 


81'2 


A  HISTORY  6F 


lay  her  eggs  in  a  little  hole  of  her  own  contri- 
vance. This  bundle  of  eggs,  which  is  clus- 
tered together  like  grapes,  soon  produces  two 
worms,  which  the  female  takes  proper  pre- 
caution to  defend  and  supply,  and  these,  when 
hatched,  soon  give  assistance  to  the  female, 
who  is  employed  in  hatching  two  more  ;  these 
also  gathering  strength,  extricate  themselves 
out  of  the  web  that  enclosed  them,  and  become 
likewise  assistants  to  their  mother ;  fifteen 
days  after,  two  more  make  their  appearance  : 
thus  is  the  community  every  day  increasing,, 
while  the  female  lays  in  every  cell,  first  a 
male  and  then  a  female.  These  soon  after 
become  breeders  in  turn,  till,  from  a  single  fe- 
male, ten  thousand  wasps  are  seen  produced 
before  the  month  of  June.  After  the  female 
has  thus  produced  her  progeny,  which  arc 
distributed  in  different  districts,  they  assemble 
from  all  parts  in  the  middle  of  summer,  and 
provide  for  themselves  the  large  and  commo- 
dious habitation  which  has  been  described 
above. 

Such  is  the  history  of  the  social  wasp ;  but, 
as  among  bees,  so  also  among  these  insects, 
there  are  various  tribes  that  live  in  solitude ; 
these  lay  their  eggs  in  a  hole  for  the  purpose, 
and  the  parent  dies  long  before  the  birth  of  its 
offspring.  In  the  principal  species  of  the 
Solitary-Wasps,  the  insect  is  smaller  than  the 
working-wasp  of  the  social  kind.  The  fila- 
ment by  which  the  corselet  is  joined  to  the 
body,  is  longer  and  more  distinctly  seen,  and 
the  whole  colour  of  the  insect  is  blacker 
than  in  the  ordinary  kinds.  But  it  is  not 
their  figure,  but  the  manners  of  this  extra- 
ordinary insect,  that  claim  our  principal  re- 
gard. 

From  the  end  of  May  to  the  beginning;  of 
July  this  wasp  is  seen  most  diligently  employ- 
ed. The  whole  purpose  of  its  life  seems  to  be 
in  contriving  and  fitting  up  a  commodious 
apartment  for  its  yonng  one,  which  is  not  to 
succeed  it  till  the  yc«.r  ensuing.  For  this  end 
it  is  employed,  with  umvearied  assiduity,  in 
boring  a  hole  into  the  finest  earth  some  inches 
deep,  but  not  much  wider  than  the  diameter 
of  its  own  body.  Tin's  is  but  a  gallery  leading 
to  a  wider  apartment  destined  for  the  conve- 
nient lodgment  of  its  young.  As  it  always 
chooses  a  gravelly  soil  to  work  in,  and  where 
the  eanh  is  almost  as  hard  as  stone  itself,  the 
digging  and  hollowing  this  apartment  is  an 


enterprise  of  ho  small  labour :  for  effecting  its. 
operations,  this  insect  is  furnished  with  two 
teeth,  which  are  strong  and  firm,  but  not  suf- 
ficiently hard  to  penetrate  the  substance  through 
which  it  is  resolved  to  make  its  way.  In  or- 
der therefore  to  soften  that  earth  which  it  is 
unable  to  pierce,  it  is  furnished  with  a  gummy 
liquor,  which  it  emits  upon  the  place,  and 
which  renders  it  more  easily  separable  from 
the  rest,  and  the  whole  becoming  a  kind  of 
soft  paste,  is  removed  to  the  mouth  of  the 
habitation.  The  animal's  provision  of  liquor 
in  these  operations  is  however  soon  exhaust- 
ed; and  it  is  then  seen  taking  up  water  either 
from  some  neighbouring  flower  or  stream,  in 
order  to  supply  the  deficiency. 

At  length,  after  much  toil,  a  hole  some  in- 
ches deep  is  formed,  at  the  bottom  of  which  is 
a  large  cavity  ;  and  to  this  no  other  hostile 
insect  would  venture  to  find  its  way,  from 
the  length  and  the  narrowness  of  the  de- 
file through  which  it  would  be  obliged  topnss. 
In  this  the  solitary  wasp  lays  its  egg,  which  is 
destined  to  continue  the  species;  there  the 
nascent  animal  is  to  continue  for  about  nine 
months  unattended  and  immured,  and,  at  first 
appearance,  the  most  helpless  insect  of  the 
creation.  But  when  we  come  to  examine, 
new  wonders  offer;  no  other  insect  can  boast 
so  copiously  luxurious  a  provision,  or  such 
confirmed  security. 

As  soon  as  the  mother  wasp  has  deposited 
her  egg  at  the  bottom  of  the  hole,  her  next 
care  is  to  furnish  it  with  a  supply  of  provisions, 
which  may  be  off  red  to  the  young  insect  as 
soon  as  ii  leaves  the  egg.  To  this  end  she 
procures  a  numb  r  of  little  green  worms,  gene- 
rally from  eight  to  twelve,  and  these  are  to 
serve  as  foiwl  for  the  young  one  the  instant  it 
awakens  into  life.  When  this  supply  is  regu- 
larly arranged  and  laid  in,  the  old  one  then, 
with  as  much  assiduity  as  it  before  worked  out 
its  hole,  now  closes  the  mouth  of  the  passage ; 
and  thus  leaving  its  young  ora;  immured  in 
perfect  security,  and  in  a  copious  supply  of 
animal  food,  she  dies  satisfied  with  having 
provided  for  a  future  progeny. 

When  the  young  one  leaves  the  egg,  it  is 
scarcely  visible,  and  is  seen  immured  among 
a  number  of  insects,  infinitely  larger  than  itself, 
ranged  in  proper  order  around  it,  which,  how- 
ever, give  it  no  manner  of  apprehension- 
Whether  the  parent,  when  she  laid  in  the  in- 


THE  ICHNEUMON  FLY. 


sect  provision,  contrived  to  disable  the  worms 
from  resistance,  or  whether  they  wen:  at  first 
incapable  of  any,  is  not  known.  Certain  it 
is,  that  the  young  glutton  feasts  upon  the  liv- 
ing spoil  without  any  control ;  his  game  lies 
at  his  hand,  and  he  devours  one  after  the 
other  as  the  calls  of  ippetite  incite  him.  The 
life  of  the  young  animal  is  therefore  spent  in 
the  most  luxurious  manner,  till  its  whole  stock 
of  worms  is  exhausted,  when  the  time  of  irs 
transformation  begins  to  approach  ;  and  then 
spinning  a  silken  web,  it  continues  fixed  in  its 
cell  till  the  sun  calls  it  from  its  dark  abode  the 


ensuing  summer. 


The  wasps  of  Europe  are  very  mischievous, 
yet  they  are  innocence  itself  when  compared 
to  those  of  the  tropical  climates,  wiiere  all  the 
insect  tribes  are  not  only  numerous,  but  large, 
voracious,  and  formidable.  Those  of  the 
W  st  Indies  are  thicker,  and  twice  as  lo-ig, 
as  the  common  bee;  they  are  of  a  gray 
colour,  striped  with  yellow,  and  armed  with 
a  very  dangerous  sting.  They  make  their 


cells  in  the  manner  of  a  honey-comb,  in  which 
thi-  young  ones  are  hatched  and  bred.  They 
generally  hang  their  nests  by  threads,  coni- 
po  ed  of  the  same  substance  with  the  cells,  to 
the  branches  of  trees,  and  the  eaves  of  houses. 
They  are  seen  every  where  in  great  abun- 
dance, descending  like  fruit,  particularly  pears, 
of  which  shape  they  are,  and  as  large  as  one's 
head.  ,  The  inside  is  divided  into  three  round 
stories  full  of  cells,  each  hexagonal,  like  those 
of  a  honey-comb.  In  some  of  the  islands 
these  insects  are  so  very  numerous,  that  their 
nests  are  stuck  up  in  this  manner,  scarce  two 
feet  asunder,  and  the  inhabitants  are  in  conti- 
nual apprehension  from  their  accidental  re- 
sentment. It  .-ometinies  happens  that  no  pre- 
cautions can  prevent  their  attacks,  and  the 
pain  of  their  sting  is  almost  insupportable. 
Those  who  have  felt  it,  think  it  more  terrible 
than  even  that  of  a  scorpion  ;  the  whole  visage 
swells,  and  the  features  are  so  disfigured,  that 
a  pel-son  is  scarcely  known  by  his  most  inti- 
mate acquaintance. 


CHAPTER  CXXll. 

OF  THE  ICHNEUMON  FLY. 


EVERY  rank  of  insects,  how  voracious 
soever,  have  enemies  that  are  terrible  to  them, 
and  that  revenge  upon  them  the  injuries  done 
upon  the  rest  of  the  animated  creation.  The 
wasp,  as  we  have  seen,  is  very  troublesome  to 
man,  and  very  formidable  to  the  insect  tribe; 
but  the  ichneumon  fly  (of  which  there  are 
in  inv  varieties)  fears  not  the  wasp  itself;  it 
enters  its  retreats,  plunders  its  habitations,  and 
takes  possession  of  that  cell  for  its  own  young, 
which  the  wa-p  had  laboriously  built  for  a 
dearer  posterity. 

Though  there  are  many  different  kinds  of 
this  insect,  yet  the  most  formidable,  and  that 
best  known,  is  called  the  common  ichneumon, 
with  four  wings,  like  the  bee,  a  long,  slender, 
bhek  body,  and  a  three-forked  tail,  consisting 
of  bristles;  the  two  outermost  black,  and  the 
middle- nost  red.  This  fly  receives  its  name 
from  the  little  qu  idruped,  which  is  found  to 
be  so  destructive  to  the  crocodile,  as  it  bears 


a  strong  similitude  in  its  courage  and  rapa- 
city. 

Though  this  instrument  is,  to  all  appearance, 
slender  and  feeble,  yet  it  is  found  to  be  a 
weapon  of  great  force  and  efficacy.  There  is 
scarcely  any  substance  which  it  will  not 
pierce  ;  and  indeed  it  is  seldom  seen  but  em- 
ployed in  penetration.  This  is  the  weapon 
of  defence;  this  is  employed  in  destroying  its 
prey  ;  and  still  more,  by  this  the  animal  de- 
posites  her  eggs  wherever  she  thinks  fit  to  lay' 
them.  As  it  is  an  instrument  chiefly  employ- 
ed for  this  purpose,  the  male  is  unprovided 
with  such  a  sting,  while  the  female  uses  it  with 
great  force  and  dexterity,  brandishing  it  \\  hen 
caught,  froiii  side  to  side,  and  very  often 
wounding  those  who  thought  they  held  her 
with  the  greatest  security. 

All  the  flies  of  this  tribe  are  produced  in  the 
same  manner,  and  owe  their  birth  to  the  de- 
struction of  some  other  insect,  within  whose 
5  U* 


014 


A  HISTORY  OF 


body  they  have  been  deposited,  and  upon 
whose  vitals  they  have  preyed,  till  they  came 
to  maturity.  There  is  no  insect  whatever, 
which  they  will  not  attack,  in  order  to  leave 
their  fatal  present  in  its  body ;  the  caterpillar, 
the  gnat,  and  even  the  spider  himself,  so  for- 
midable to  others,  is  often  made  the  unwilling 
fosterer  of  this  destructive  progeny. 

About  the  middle  of  the  summer,  when 
other  insects  arc  found  in  great  abundance, 
the  ichneumon  is  seen  flying  busily  about,  and 
seeking  proper  objects  upo.n  whom  to  deposite 
its  progeny.  As  there  arc  various  kinds  of 
this  fly,  so  they  seem  to  have  various  appe- 
tites. Some  are  found  to  place  their  eggs 
within  the  aurelia  of  some  nascent  insect, 
others  place  them  within  the  nest,  which  the 
wasp  had  curiously  contrived  for  its  own 
young  :  and  as  both  are  produced  at  the  same 
time,  the  young  of  the  ichneumon  not  only 
devours  the  young  wasp,  but  the  whole  supply 
of  worms,  which  the  parent  had  carefully  pro- 
vided for  its  provision.  But  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  the  ichneumon  tribe  are  seen  settling 
upon  the  back  of  the  caterpillar,  and  darting, 
at  different  intervals,  their  stings  into  its  body. 
At  every  dart  they  deposite  an  egg,  while  the 
wounded  animal  seems  scarcely  sensible  of  the 
injury  it  sustains.  In  this  manner  they  leave 
from  six  to  a  do/en  of  their  eggs  within  the 
fatty  substance  of  the  reptile's  body,  and  then 


fly  off  to  commit  further  depredations.  la 
the  mean  time,  the  caterpillar,  thus  irreparably 
injured,  seems  to  feed  as  voraciously  as  before; 
does  not  abate  of  its  usual  activity  ;  and,  to 
all  appearance,  seems  no  way  affected  by  the 
internal  enemies  that  are  preparing  its  destruc- 
tion in  their  darksome  abode.  But  they  soon 
burst  from  their  egg  state,  and  begin  to  prey 
upon  the  substance  of  their  prison.  As  thry 
grow  larger,  they  require  a  greater  supply  ; 
till  at  last  the  animal,  by  whose  vitals  they  are 
supported,  is  no  longer  able  to  sustain  them, 
but  dies;  its  whole  inside  being  almost  eaten 
away.  It  often  happens,  ho\<  ever,  that  it  sur- 
vives their  worm-state,  and  then  they  change 
into  a  chrysalis,  enclosed  in  the  caterpillar's 
body  till  the  time  of  their  delivery  approaches, 
when  they  burst  their  prisons,  and  fly  away. 
The  caterpillar,  however,  is  irreparably  de- 
stroyed, it  never  changes  into  a  chrysalis,  but 
dies  shortly  after  from  the  injuries  it  had  sus- 
tained. 

Such  is  the  history  of  this  fly,  which,  though 
very  terrible  to  the  insect  tribe,  fails  not  to  be 
of  infinite  service  to  mankind.  The  millions 
which  it  kills  in  a  single  summer,  are  incon- 
ceivable ;  and  without  such  a  destroyer,  the 
fruits  of  the  earth  would  only  rise  to  furnish  a 
banquet  for  the  insect  race,  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  all  the  nobler  ranks  of  animated  na- 
ture, 


CHAPTER  CXCIII, 

OF  THE  ANT. 


THOUGH  the  number  of  two-winged  flies 
be  very  great,  and  the  naturalists  have  taken 
much  pains  to  describe  their  characters  and 
varieties ;  yet  there  is  such  a  similitude  in  their 
forms  and  manners,  that,  in  a  work  like  this, 
one  description  must  serve  for  all.  We  now, 
therefore,  come  to.  a  species  of  four-winged 
insects,  that  are  famous  from  all  antiquity  for 
their  social  and  industrious  habits,  that  are 
marked  for  their  spirit  of  subordination,  that 
are  offered  as  a  pattern  of  parsimony  to  the 
profuse,  and  of  unremitting  diligence  to  the 
sluggard. 


In.  the  experiments,  however,  which  hare 
been  more  recently  made,  and  the  observa- 
tions which  have  been  taken,  much  of  their 
boasted  frugality  and  precaution  seems  denied 
them:  the  treasures  they  lay  up  are  no  lon- 
ger supposed  intended  for  future  provision  j 
and  the  choice  they  make  in  their  stores, 
seems  no  way  dictated  by  wisdom.  It  is,  in- 
deed, somewhat  surprising,  that  almost  every 
writer  of  antiquity  should  describe  this  insect, 
as  labouring  in  the  summer,  and  feasting  upon 
the  produce  during  the  winter.  Perhaps,  in 
§ome  of  the  warmer  climates,  where  the 


THE  ANT. 


815 


ter  is  mild,  and  of  short  continuance,  this  may 
take  place;  but  in  France  and  England, 
these  animals  can  have  no  manner  of  occa 
sion  for  a  supply  of  winter  provisions,  as  they 
are  actually  in  a  state  of  torpidity  during  that 
season. 

The  common*  ants  of  Europe  are  of  two  or 
three  different  kinds;  some  red,  some  black; 
some  with  sth>gs,  and  others  without:  such 
as  have  stings,  inflict  their  wounds  in  that 
manner;  such  as  are  unprovided  with  inese 
weapons  of  defence,  have  a  power  of  spurting 
from  their  hinder  parts  an  acid  pungent 
liquor,  which,  if  it  lights  upon  the  skin,  in- 
flames and  burns  it  like  nettles. 

The  body  of  an  ant  is  divided  into  the 
head,  breast,  and  belly.  In  the  head  the 
eyes  are  placed,  which  are  entirely  black, 
and  under  their  eyes  there  are  two  small 
horns  or  feelers,  composed  of  twelve  joints, 
all  covered  with  a  fine  silky  hair.  The  mouth 
is  furnished  with  two  crooked  jaws,  which 
project  outwards,  in  each  of  which  are  seen 
incisures,  that  look  like  teeth.  The  breast 
is  covered  with  a  fine  silky  hair,  from  which 
project  six  legs,  that  are  pretty  strong  and 
hairy,  the  extremities  of  each  armed  with  two 
small  claws,  which  the  animal  uses  in  climb- 
ing. The  belly  is  more  reddish  than  ihe  rest 
of  the  body,  which  is  of  a  brown  chesnut 
colour,  shining  as  glass,  and  covered  with  ex- 
tremely fine  hair. 

From  such  a  formation,  this  animal  seems 
bolder  and  more  active,  for  its  size,  than  any 
other  of  the  insect  tribe,  and  fears  not  to  at- 
tack a  creature  often  above  ten  times  its  own 
magnitude. 

As  soon  as  the  winter  is  past,  in  the  first 
fine  day  in  April,  the  ant-hill,  that  before 
seemed  a  desert,  now  swarms  with  new  lile, 
and  myriads  of  these  insects  are  seen  just 
awaked  from  their  annual  lethargy,  and  pre- 
paring for  the  pleasures  and  fatigues  of  the 
season.  For  the  first  day  they  -never  otter 
to  leave  the  hill,  which  may  be  considered 
as  their  citadel,  but  run  over  every  part  of 
it,  as  if  to  examine  its  present  situation,  to 
observe  what  injuries  it  has  sustained  during 
the  rigours  of  winter,'  while  they  slept,  and 

(a)  Memoires  pour  servir  sk  1'Histoire  des  Insectes  par 
Charles  de  Geer. 


to  meditate  and  settle  the  labours  of  the  day 
ensuing. 

At  the  first  display  of  their  forces,  none 
but  the  wingless  tribe  appears,  while  those 
furnished  with  wings  remain  at  the  bottom. 
These  are  the  working  ants  that  first  appear, 
and  that  are  always  destitute  of  wings ;  the 
males  and  females,  that  are  furnished  with 
four  large  wings  each,  are  more  slow  in 
making  their  appearance. 

Thus,  like  bees,  they  are  divided  into  males, 
females,  and  the  neutral  or  the  working  tribe. 
These  are  all  easily  distinguished  from  each 
other;  the  females  are  much  larger  than  the 
males ;  the  working  ants  are  the  smallest  of 
all.  The  two  former  have  wings;  which, 
however,  (hey  sometimes  are  divested  of; 
the  latter  never  have  any,  and  upon  them  are 
devolved  'all  the  labours  that  tend  to  the  wel- 
fare of  the  community.  The  female,  also, 
may  be  distinguished  by  the  colour  and  struc- 
ture of  her  breast,  which  is  a  little  more 
brown  than  that  of  the  common  ant,  and  a 
little  brighter  than  that  of  the  male. 

In  eight  or  ten  days  after  their  first  ap- 
pearance, the  labours  of  the  hill  are  in  some 
forwardness  ;  the  males  and  females  are  seen 
mixed  with  the  working  multitude,  and  pur- 
sued or  pursuing  each  other.  They  seem  no 
way  to  partake  in  the  common  drudgeries  of 
the  state  :  the  males  pursue  the  females  with 
great  assiduity,  and  in  a  manner  force  them 
to  compliance.  They  remain  coupled  for 
some  time ;  while  the  males,  thus  united, 
suffer  themselves  to  be  drawn  along  by  the 
will  of  their  partners. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  working  body  of  the 
state  take  no  part  in  their  pleasures;  they 
are  seen  diligently  going  from  the  ant-hill,  in 
pursuit  of  food  for  themselves  and  their  asso- 
ciates, and  of  proper  materials  for  giving  a 
comfortable  retreat  to  their  young,  or  safety 
to  their  habitation.  In  the  fields  of  England, 
ant-hills  are  formed  with  but  little  apparent 
regularity.  In  the  more  southern  provinces 
of  Europe  they  are  constructed  with  wonder- 
ful contrivance,  and  oflR-r  a  sight  highly 
worthy  a  naturalist's  curiosity.  These  arc 
generally  formed  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
some  large  tree  and  a  stream  of  water.  The 
one  is  considered  by  the  animals  as  the  pro- 
per place  for  getting  food ;  the  other  for  sup- 


816 


A  HISTORY  OF 


plying  them  with  moisture,  which  they  can- 
not well  dispense  with.  The  shape  of  the 
ant-hill  is  that  of  a  sugar-loaf,  about  three 
feet  high,  composed  of  various  substances; 
leaves,  bits  of  wood,  sand,  earth,  bits  of  gum, 
and  grains  of  corn.  These  are  all  united 
into  a  compact  body,  perforated  with  galle- 
ries down  to  the  bottom,  and  winding  ways 
within  the  body  of  the  structure.  From  this 
retreat,  to  the  water,  as  well  as  to  the  tree, 
in  different  directions,  there  are  many  paths 
worn  by  constant  assiduity,  and  along  these 
the  busy  insects  are  seen  passing  and  repass- 
ing  continually;  so  that  from  May,  or  the  be- 
gi'ining  of  June,  according  to  the  state  of  the 
season,  they  work  continually,  till  the  bad 
weather  comes  on. 

The  chief  employment  of  the  working-ants, 
is  in  sustaining  not  only  the  idlers  at  home, 
but  also  finding  a  sufficiency  of  food  for  them- 
selves. They  live  upon  various  provisions, 
as  well  of  the  vegetable  as  of  the  animal  kind. 
Small  insects  they  will  kill  and  devour: 
sweets  of  all  kinds  they  are  particularly  fond 
of.  They  seldom,  however,  think  of  their 
community,  till  they  themselves  are  first 
satiated.  Having  found  a  juicy  fruit,  they 
swallow  what  they  can,  and  then  tearing  it  in 
pieces,  carry  home  their  load.  If  they  meet 
with  an  insect  above  their  match,  several  of 
them  will  fall  upon  it  at  once,  and  having 
mangled  it,  each  will  carry  off  a  part  of  the 
spoil.  If  they  meet,  in  their  excursions,  any 
thing  that  is  too  heavy  for  one  to  bear,  and 
yet  which  they  are  unable  to  divide,  several 
of  them  will  endeavour  to  force  it  along,  some 
dragging,  and  others  pushing.  If  any  one  of 
them  happens  to  make  a  lucky  discovery,  it 
will  immediately  give  advice  to  others,  and 
then,  at  once,  the  whole  republic  will  put 
themselves  in  motion.  If  in  these  struggles 
one  of  them  happens  to  be  killed,  some  kind 
survivor  will  carry  him  off  to  a  great  distance, 
to  prevent  the  obstructions  his  body  might 
give  to  the  general  spirit  of  industry. 

But  while  they  are  thus  employed  in  sup- 
porting the  state  in  feeding  abroad,  and  car- 
rying in  provisions  to  those  that  continue  at 
home,  they  are  not  unmindful  of  posterity. 
After  a  few  days  of  fine  weather,  the  female 
ants  begin  to  lay  their  eggs,  and  those  areas 
assiduously  watched  and  protected  by  the 


working  ants,  who  take  upon  themselves  to 
supply  whatever  is  wanting  to  the  nascent 
animal's  convenience  or  necessity.  They 
are  carried,  as  soon  as  laid,  to  the  safest 
situation,  at  the  bottom  of  their  hill,  where 
they  are  carefully  defended  from  cold  and 
moisture.  We  are  not  to  suppose,  that  those 
white  substances  which  we  so  plentifully  find 
in  every  ant-hill,  are  the  eggs  as  newly  laid. 
On  the  contrary,  the  ant's  egg  is  so  very 
small,  that,  though  laid  upon  a  black  ground, 
it  can  scarcely  be  discerned.  The  little 
white  bodies  we  see  are  the  young  animals 
in  their  maggot  state,  endued  with  life,  long 
since  freed  from  the  egg,  and  often  involved 
in  a  cone,  which  it  has  spun  round  itself,  like 
the  silkworm.  The  real  egg  when  laid,  if 
viewed  throughamicroscope,appears  smooth, 
polished,  and  shining,  while  the  maggot  is 
seen  composed  of  twelve  rings,  and  is  often 
larger  than  the  ant  itself.  It  is  impossible 
to  express  the  fond  attachment  which  the 
working  ants  show  to  their  rising  progeny. 
In  cold  weather  they  take  them  in  their 
mouths,  but  without  offering  them  the  smallest 
injury,  to  the  very  depths  of  their  habitation, 
where  they  are  less  subject  to  the  severity  of 
the  season.  In  a  fine  day  they  remove  them 
with  the  same  care  nearer  the  surface,  where 
their  maturity  may  be  assisted  by  the  warm 
beams  of  the  sun.  If  a  formidable  enemy 
should  come  to  batter  down  their  whole  habi- 
tation, and  crush  them  by  thousands  in  the 
ruin,  yet  these  wonderful  insects,  still  mind- 
ful of  their  parental  duties,  make  it  their  first 
care  to  save  their  offspring.  They  are  seen 
running  wildly  about,  and  different  ways, 
each  loaded  with  a  young  one,  often  bigger 
than  the  insect  that  supports  it.  I  have  kept,' 
says  Swammerdam,  several  of  the  working 
ants  in  my  closet,  with  their  young  in  a  glass 
tilled  with  earth.  I  took  pleasure  in  observ- 
ing, that  in  proportion  as  the  earth  dried 
on  the  surface,  they  dug  deeper  and  deeper 
to  deposite  their  eggs ;  and  when  I  poured 
water  thereon,  it  was  surprising  to  see  with 
what  care,  affection,  and  diligence,  they  la- 
boured, to  put  their  brood  in  safety,  in  (he 
driest  place.  I  have  seen  also,  that  when 
water  has  been  wanting  for  several  days,  and 
when  the  earth  was  moistened  after  it  a  little, 
they  immediately  carried  their  young  ones  to 


THE  ANT. 


817 


have  a  share,  who  seemed  to  enjoy  and  suck 
the  moisture. 

When  the  young  maggot  is  corne  to  its  full 
growth,  the  breast  swells  insensibly,  it  casts 
its  skin,  anil  loses  all  motion.  All  the  mem- 
bers which  were  hidden  before,  then  begin 
to  appear;  an  aurelia  is  formed,  which  re- 
presents very  distinctly  all  the  parts  of  the 
animal,  though  they  are  yet  without  motion, 
and,  as  it  were,  wrapped  up  in  swaddling 
clothes.  When  at  length  the  little  insect  has 
passed  through  all  its  changes,  and  acquired 
its  proper  maturity,  it  bursts  this  last  skin,  to 
assume  the  form  it  is  to  retain  ever  after. 
Yet  this  is  not  done  by  efforts  of  the  little 
animal  alone,  for  the  old  ones  very  assiduous- 
ly break  open  with  their  teeth  the  covering 
in  which  it  is  enclosed.  Without  this  assist- 
ance the  aurelia  would  never  be  able  to  get 
free,  as  M.  de  Gear  often  found,  who  tried 
the  experiment  by  leaving  the  aurelia  to 
themselves.  The  old  ones  not  only  assist 
them,  but  know  the  very  precise  time  for 
lending  their  assistance  :  for,  if  produced  too 
soo.i,  the  young  one  dies  of  cold  ;  if  retarded 
too  long,  it  is  suffocated  in  its  prison. 

When  the  female  has  done  laying,  and  the 
whole  brood  is  thus  produced,  her  labours, 
as  well  as  that  of  the  male,  become  unne- 
cessary: and  her  wings,  which  she  had  but 
a  short  time  before  so  actively  employed, 
drop  off!  What  becomes  of  her  when  thus 
divested  of  her  ornaments  is  not  well  known, 
for  she  is  seen  in  the  cells  for  some  weeks 
after.  '  The  males,  on  the  other  hand,  having 
no  longer  any  occupation  at  home,  make  use 
of  those  wings  with  which  they  have  been 
furnished  by  nature,  and  fly  away,  never  to 
re: HIM  or  he  heard  of  more.  It  is  probable 
they  perish  with  the  cold,  or  are  devoured 
by  t!ir-  birds,  which  are  particularly  fond  of 
this  petty  prey. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  working  ants  having 
probably  deposed  their  queens,  and  being 
deserted  by  the  males,  that  served  but  to  clog 
the  co'iitnunity,  prepare  for  the  severity  of 
the  winter,  and  bury  their  retreats  as  deep 
in  the  earth  as  they  conveniently  can.  It  is 
no'-v  found  that  the  grains  of  corn,  and  other 
substances  with  which  they  furnish  their  hill, 
are  only  meant  as  fences  to  keep  off  the  ri- 
gours of  the  weather,  not  as  provisions  to  sup- 


port them  during  its  continuance.  It  is  found 
generally  to  obtain,  that  every  insect  that 
lives  a  year  after  it  is  come  to  its  full  growth, 
is  obliged  to  pass  four  or  five  months  without 
taking  any  nourishment,  and  will  seem  to  be 
dead  all  that  time.  It  would  be  to  no  pur- 
pose, therefore,  for  ants  to  lay  up  com  for  the 
winter,  since  they  lie  that  time  without  mo- 
tion, heaped  upon  each  other,  and  are  so  far 
from  eating,  that  they  are  utterly  unable  to 
stir.  Thus,  what  authors  have  dignified  by 
the  name  of  a  magazine,  appears  to  be  no 
more  than  a  cavity,  which  serves  lor  a  com- 
mon retreat  when  the  weather  forces  them  to 
return  to  their  letliargic  state.  ' 

What  has  been  said  with  exaggeration  of 
the  European  ant,  is  however  true,  if  assert- 
ed of  those  of  the  tropical  climates.  They 
build  an  ant-hill  with  great  contrivance  and 
regularity,  they  lay  up  provisions,  and  :>s 
they  probably  live  the  whole  year,  they  sub- 
mit themselves  to  regulations  entirely  un- 
known among  the  ants  of  Europe. 

Those  of  Africa  are  of  three  kinds,  the  red, 
the  green,  and  the  black ;  the  latter  are 
above  an  inch  long,  and  in  every  respect  a 
most  formidable  insect.  Their  sling  pro- 
duces extreme  pain,  and  their  depredations 
are  sometimes  extremely  destructive.  They 
build  an  ant-hill  of  a  very  great  size,  from  six 
to  twelve  feet  high  ;  it  is  made  of  viscous  clay, 
and  tapers  intoa  pyramidal  form.  This  habita- 
tion is  constructed  with  great  artifice  ;  and 
the  cells  are  so  numerous  and  even,  that  a 
honey-comb  scarce  exceeds  them  in  number 
and  regularity. 

The  inhabitants  of  this  edifice  seem  to  be 
under  a  very  strict  regulation.  At  the  slight- 
est warning  they  will  sally  out  upon  whatever 
disturbs  them  ;  and  if  they  have  time  to  arrest 
their  enemy,  he  is  sure  to  find  no  mercy. 
Sheep,  hens,  and  even  rats,  are  often  destroy- 
ed by  these  merciless  insects,  and  their  flesh 
devoured  to  the  bone.  No  anatomist  in  the 
world  can  strip  a  skeleton  so  completely  as 
they ;  and  no  animal,  how  strong  soever, 
when  they  have  once  seized  upon  it,  has 
power  to  resist  them. 

It  often  happens  that  these  insects  quit 
their  retreat  in  a  body,  and  go  in  quest  of 
adventures.  '•  During  my  stay."  says  Smith, 
"  at  Cape  Coast  Castle,  a  body  of  these  ants 


818 


A  HISTORY  OF 


came  to  pay  us  a  visit  in  our  fortification.  It 
was  about  day-break  when  the  advanced 
guard  of  this  famished  crew  entered  the 
chapel,  where  some  negro  servants  were 
asleep  upon  the  floor.  The  men  were  quick- 
ly alarmed  at  the  invasion  of  this  unexpected 
army,  and  prepared,  as  well  as  they  could, 
for  a  defence.  While  the  foremost  battalion 
of  insects  had  already  taken  possession  of  the 
place,  the  rear-guard  was  more  than  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  distant.  The  whole  ground 
seemed  alive,  and  crawling  with  unceasing 
destruction.  After  deliberating  a  few  mo- 
ments upon  what  was  to  be  done,  it  was  re- 
solved to  lay  a  large  train  of  gunpowder  along 


the  path  they  had  taken :  by  this  means  mil- 
lions were  blown  to  pieces;  and  the  rear- 
guard perceiving  the  destruction  of  their 
leaders,  thought  proper  instantly  to  return 
and  make  back  to  their  original  habitation." 
The  order  which  these  ants  observe,  seems 
very  extraordinary ;  whenever  they  sally  forth, 
fifty  or  sixty  larger  than  the  rest  are  seen  to 
head  the  band,  and  conduct  them  to  their 
destined  prey.  If  they  have  a  fixed  spot 
where  their  prey  continues  to  resort,  they 
then  form  a  vaulted  gallery,  which  is  some- 
times a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length;  and  yet 
they  will  hollow  it  out  in  the  space  of  ten  or 
twelve  hours.* 


CHAPTER  CXX1V. 

OF  THE  BEETLE,  AND  ITS  VARIETIES. 


HITHERTO  we  have  been  treating  of 
insects  with  four  transparent  wings,  we  now 
come  to  a  tribe  with  two  transparent  wings, 
witli  cases  that  cover  them  close  while  at 
rest,  but  which  allow  them  their  proper  play 
when  flying.  The  principal  of  these  are  the 
Beetle,  the  May-bug,  and  the  Cantharis. 
These  are  all  bred  like  the  rest  of  their  or- 
der, first  from  eggs,  then  they  become  grubs, 
then  a  chrysalis,  in  which  the  parts  of  the 
future  fly  are  distinctly  seen;  and,  lastly,  the 
animal  leaves  its  prison,  breaking  forth  as  a 
winged  animal  in  full  maturity. 

Of  the  Beetle  there  are  various  kinds  ;  all, 
however,  concurring  in  one  common  forma- 
tion of  having  cases  to  their  wings,  which  are 
the  more  necessary  to  those  insects,  as  they 
often  live  under  the  surface  of  the  earth,  in 
holes  which  they  dig  out  by  their  own  indus- 


(a)  But  far  exceeding  in  wisdom  and  policy  the  Bee, 
the  Ant,  or  the  Beaver,  is  the  White  Ant,  inhabiting  the 
plains  of  East  India,  Africa,  and  South  America.  The 
animals  of  this  extraordinary  community  consist  of  work- 
ing insects  or  labourers,  about  half  an  inch  long,  having 
six  feet,  and  no  eyes  ;  fighting  insects  or  soldiers,  about 
an  inch  long,  with  a  large  head,  and  no  eyes;  and  the 
perfect  male  and  female  insect,  which  alone  are  furnished 
with  wings.  They  build  pyramidal  structures,  ten  or 


try.  These  cases  prevent  the  various  inju- 
ries their  real  wings  might  sustain,  by  rubbing 
or  crushing  against  the  sides  of  their  abode. 
These,  though  they  do  not  assist  flight,  yet 
keep  the  internal  wings  clean  and  even,  and 
produce  a  loud  buzzing  noise  when  the  ani- 
mal rises  in  the  air. 

If  we  examine  the  formation  of  all  animals 
of  the  beetle  kind,  we  shall  find,  as  in  shell- 
fish, that  their  bones  are  placed  externally, 
and  their  muscles  within.  These  muscles 
are  formed  very  much  like  those  of  quadru- 
peds, and  are  endued  with  such  surprising 
strength,  that,  bulk  for  bulk,  they  are  a  thou- 
sand times  stronger  than  those  of  a  man. 
The  strength  of  these  muscles  is  of  use  in 
digging  the  animal's  subterraneous  abode, 
where  it  is  most  usually  hatched,  and  to 
which  it  most  frequently  returns,  even  after 

twelve  feet  in  height,  and  divided  into  appropriate  apart- 
ments. These  are  so  firmly  cemented  together,  that  they 
will  easily  bear  the  weight  of  four  or  five  men  to  stand 
upon  them  :  and  in  the  vast  plains  of  Senegal,  they  ap- 
pear like  the  huts  of  -the  natives.  After  impregnation, 
the  abdomen  of  the  female  grows  to  a  prodigious  bulk, 
and  she  actually  protrudes  to  the  amount  of  eight  thou- 
sand eggs  in  twenty-four  hours. 


THE  BEETLE. 


819 


it  becomes  a  winged  insect,  capable  of  fly- 
ing. 

Beside  the  difference  which  results  from  the 
shape  and  colour  of  these  animals,  the  size 
also  makes  a  considerable  one  ;  some  beetles 
faring  not  larger  than  the  head  of  a  pin,  while 
others,  such  as  the  elephant-beetle,  are  as  big 
as  one's  fist.  But  the  greatest  difference 
among  them  is,  that  some  are  produced  in  a 
month,  and  in  a  single  season  go  through  all 
th  suges  of  their  existence  ;  while  others  take 
near  four  years  to  their  production,  and  live 
as  winded  insects  a  year  more.  To  give  the 
history  of  all  these  animals,  that  are  bred 
pretty  much  in  the  same  way,  would  be  insipid 
and  endless  ;  it  will  suffice  to  select  one  or  two 
from  the  number,  the  origin  of  which  may 
serve  as  specimens  of  the  rest.  I  will,  there- 
fore, offer  the  history  of  the  May-bug  to  the 
reader's  attention  ;  premising  that  most  other 
beetles,  though  not  so  long-lived,  are  bred  in 
the  same  itianner. 

The  May-bug,  or  dor-beetle,  as  some  call 
it,  lias,  like  all  the  rest,  a  pair  of  cases  to  its 
wings,  which  are  of  a  reddish  brown  colour, 
sprinkled  with  a  whitish  dust,  which  easily 
co  nes  off.  In  some  years  their  necks  are 
seen  covered  with  a  red  plate,  and  in  others 
with  a  black ;  these,  however,  are  distinct 
sorts,  and  their  difference  is  by  no  means  ac- 
cidental. The  fore-legs  are  very  short,  and 
the  better  calculated  for  burrowing  in  the 
ground,  where  this  insect  makes  its  retreat. 
It  is  well  known,  for  its  evening  buzz,  to 
children  ;  but  still  more  formidably  introduced 
to  the  acquaintance  of  husbandmen  and  gar- 
deners ;  for,  in  some  seasons,  it  has  been  found 
to  swarm  in  such  numbers,  as  to  eat  up  every 
vegetable  production. 

The  two  sexes  in  the  May-bug  are  easily 
distinguished  from  each  other,  by  the  superior 
length  -if  the  tufts,  at  the  end  of  the  horns,  in 
the  male.  Tiiev  begin  to  copulate  in  summer; 
and,  at  that  season,  they  are  seen  joined  toge- 
ther a  considerable  time.  The  female  being 
impregnated,  quickly  falls  to  boring  a  hole 
into  the  ground,  where  to  deposite  her  bur- 
den. This  is  generally  about  half  a  foot  deep, 
and  in  it  sii  •  places  her  eggs,  which  are  of  an 
ob'onn  shape,  \>h  great  regularity,  one  by 
the  other.  They  are  of  a  bright  yellow 
colour,  and  no  w  y  wrapped  up  in  a  common 
covering,  as  some  have  imagined.  When  the 
wo.  60  &  70 


female  is  lightened  of  her  burden,  she  again 
ascends  from  her  hole,  to  live  as  before,  upon 
leaves  and  vegetables,  to  buzz  in  the  summer 
evening,  and  to  lie  hid  among  the  branches  of 
trees  in  the  heat  of  the  day. 

In  about  three  months  after  these  eggs  have 
been  thus  deposited  in  the  earth,  the  contain- 
ed insect  begins  to  break  its  shell,  and  a  small 
grub  or  maggot  crawls  forth,  and  feeds  upon 
the  roots  of  whatever  vegetable  it  happens  to 
be  nearest. 

All  substances  of  this  kind  seem  equally 
grateful,  yet  it  is  probable  the  mother  insect 
has  a  choice  among  what  kind  of  vegetables 
she  shall  deposite  her  young.  In  this  manner 
these  voracious  creatures  continue  in  the  worm 
state,  for  more  than  three  years,  devouring 
the  roots  of  every  plant  they  approach,  and 
making  their  way  under  ground,  in  quest  of 
food,  with  great  despatch  and  facility.  At 
length  they  grow  to  above  the  size  of  a  wal- 
nut, being  a  great  thick  white  maggot  with  a 
red  head,  which  is  seen  most  frequently  in 
new-turned  earth,  and  which  is  so  eagerly 
sought  after  by  birds  of  every  species.  When 
largest,  they  are  found  an  inch  and  a  half 
long,  of  a  whitish  yellow  colour,  with  a  body 
consisting  of  twelve  segments  or  joints,  on 
each  side  of  which  there  are  nine  bieathing- 
holes,  and  three  red  feet.  The  head  is  large 
in  proporton  to  the  body,  of  a  reddish  colour, 
with  a  pincer  before,  and  a  semi-circular  lip, 
with  which  it  cuts  the  roots  of  plants,  and 
sucks  out  their  moisture.  As  this  insect  lives 
entirely  under  ground,  it  lias  no  occasion  for 
eyes,  and  accordingly  it  is  found  to  have 
none ;  but  is  furnished  with  two  feelers, 
which,  like  the  crutch  of  a  blind  man,  serve  to 
direct  its  motion.  Such  is  the  form  of  this 
animal,  that  lives  for  years  in  the  worm  state 
under  ground,  still  voracious,  and  every  year 
changing  its  skin. 

It  is  not  till  the  end  of  the  fourth  year,  that 
this  extraordinary  insect  prepares  to  emerge 
from  its  subterraneous  abode,  and  even  this  is 
not  effected,  but  by  a  tedious  preparation. 
About  the  l.uter  end  of  autumn,  t  e  grub  he- 
gins  to  perceive  the  approach  of  its  transfor- 
mation :  it  then  buries  itself  deeper  and  deeper 
in  the  earth,  sometimes  six  feet  beneath  the 
surface,  and  there  forms  itself  a  capacious 
apartment,  the  walls  of  which  it  renders  very 
smooth  and  shining  by  the  excretions  of  its 

5X 


820 


A  HISTORY  OF 


body.  Its  abode  being  thus  formed,  it  begins, 
soon  after,  to  shorten  itself,  to  swell,  and  to 
burst  its  last  skin,  in  order  to  assume  the  form 
of  a  chrysalis.  This,  in  the  beginning,  ap- 
pears of  a  yellowish  colour,  which  heightens 
by  degrees,  till  at  last  it  is  seen  nearly  red. 
Its  exterior  form  plainly  discovers  all  the 
vestiges  of  the  future  winged  insect,  all  the 
fore-parts  being  distinctly  seen  ;  while,  behind, 
the  animal  seems  as  if  wrapped  in  swaddling 
clothes. 

The  young  May-bug  continues  in  this  state 
for  about  three  months  lunger  ;  and  it  is  not 
till  the  beginning  of  January  that  the  aurelia 
divests  itself  of  all  its  impediments,  and  be- 
comes a  winged  insect,  completely  formed. 
Yet  still  the  animal  is  far  from  attaining  its 
natural  strength,  health,  and  appetite.  It  un- 
dergoes a  kind  of  infant  imbecility ;  and,  un- 
like most  other  insects,  that  the  instant  they 
beconv;  flies  are  arrived  at  their  state  of  full 
perfection,  the  May-bug  continues  feeble  and 
sickly.  Its  colour  is  much  brighter  than  in 
the  perfect  animal,  all  its  parts  are  soft,  and  its 
voracious  nature  seems,  for  a  while,  to  have 
entirely  forsaken  it.  As  the  animal  is  very 
often  found  in  this  state,  it  is  supposed,  bv 
those  unacquainted  with  its  real  history,  that 
the  old  ones,  of  the  former  season,  have  buried 
themselves  for  the  winter,  in  order  to  revisit 
the  sun  the  ensuing  summer.  But  the  fact  is, 
the  old  one  never  survives  the  season,  but 
dies,  like  all  the  other  winged  tribe  of  insects, 
fro >n  the  severity  of  cold  in  winter. 

About  the  latter  end  of  May,  these  insects, 
after  having  lived  for  four  years  under  ground, 
burst  from  the  earth,  when  the  first  mild  even- 
ing invites  them  abroad.  They  are  at  that 
time  seen  rising  from  their  long  imprisonment, 
fro  n  living  only  upon  roots,  and  imbibing 
only  the  moisture  of  the  earth,  to  visit  the 
mildness  of  the  summer  air,  to  choose  the 
sweetest  vegetables  for  their  banquet,  and  to 
drink  the  dew  of  the  evening.  Wherever  an 
attentive  observer  then  walks  abroad,  he  will 
see  them  bursting  up  before  him  in  his  pathway, 
like  ghosts  on  a  theatre.  He  will  see  every 
part  of  the  earth,  that  had  its  surface  beat  into 
hardness,  perforated  by  their  egression.  When 
the  season  is  favourable  for  them,  they  are 
seen  by  myriads  buzzing  along,  hitting  against 
every  object  that  intercepts  their  flight.  The 
mid-day  sun,  however,  seems  too  powerful  for 


their  constitutions ;  they  then  lurk  under  the 
leaves  and  branches  of  some  shady  tree  :  but 
the  willow  seems  particularly  their  most 
favourite  food ;  there  they  lurk  in  clustrrs, 
and  seldom  quit  the  tree  till  they  have  devour- 
ed all  its  verdure.  In  those  seasons  which 
are  favourable  to  their  propagation,  they  are 
seen  in  an  evening  as  thick  as  flakes  of  snow, 
and  hitting  against  every  object  with  a  sort 
of  capricious  blindness.  Their  duration,  how- 
ever, is  but  short,  as  they  mver  survive  the 
season.  They  begin  to  join  shortly  after  they 
have  been  let  loose  from  their  prison,  and 
when  the  female  is  impregnated,  she  cautious- 
ly bores  a  hole  in  the  ground,  with  an  instru- 
ment fitted  for  that  purpose,  which  she  is  fur- 
nished with  at  the  tail,  and  there  deposiu-s  her 
eggs,  generally  tt>  the  number  of  threescore. 
If  the  season  and  the  soi!  be  adapted  to  their 
propagation,  these  soon  multiply,  as  already 
described,  and  go  through  the  noxious  stages 
of  their  contemptible  existence.  This  insect, 
however,  in  its  worm  state,  though  prejudicial 
to  man,  makes  one  of  the  chief  repasts  of  the 
feathered  tribe,  and  is  generally  the  first  nou- 
rishment with  which  they  supply  their  young. 
Rooks  and  hogs  are  particularly  fond  of  these 
worms,  and  devour  them  in  great  numbers. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Norfolk,  some 
time  since,  went  into  the  practice  of  destroy- 
ing their  rookeries  ;  but  in  proportion  as  they 
destroyed  one  plague,  they  were  pestered  with 
a  greater ;  and  these  insects  multiplied  in  such 
an  amazing  abundance,  as  to  destroy  not  only 
the  verdure  of  the  fields,  but  even  the  roots  of 
vegetables  not  yet  shot  forth.  One  farm  in 
particular  was  so  injured  by  them  in  the  year 
1751,  that  the  occupier  was  not  able  to  pay 
his  rent,  and  the  landlord  was  content  not 
only  to  lose  his  income  f  >r  that  year,  but  also 
gave  money  for  the  support  of  the  farmer  and 
his  family.  In  Ireland  they  suffered  so  much 
by  these  insects,  that  they  came  to  a  resolu- 
tion of  setting  fire  to  a  wood,  of  some  miles  in 
extent,  to  prevent  their  mischievous  propaga- 
tion. 

Of  all  the  beetle  kind,  this  is  the  most  nu- 
merous, and  therefore  deserves  the  chief  atten- 
tion of  history.  The  numerous  varieties  of 
other  kinds  might  repay  the  curiosity  of  the 
diligent  observer,  but  we  must  be  content  iu 
general  o  observe,  that  in  the  great  outlines 
of  their  history,  they  resemble  those  of  which 


THE  BEETLE. 


821 


we  have  just  been  giving  a  description;  like 
them,  all  other  beetles  are  bred  from  the  egg, 
which  is  deposited  in  the  ground,  or  so  ne- 
times,  (hough  seldom,  in  the  barks  of  trees ; 
they  change  into  a  worm  ;  they  subsist  in  that 
state  by  living  upon  ihe  roots  of  vegetables, 
or  the  succulent  parts  of  the  bark  round  them. 
They  generally  live  a  year  at  least  before  they 
change  into  an  au relit-; ;  in  that  stale  th<y  are 
not  entirely  motioniesc,  nor  entirely  swaddled 
up  without  form. 

It  would  be  tedious  and  endless  to  give  a 
description  of  all  ;  and  yet  it  would  bean  un- 
pardoimble  omission  not  to  mention  the  par- 
ticularities of  some  beetles,  which  are  singul  ir 
rather  from  their  size,  their  manners,  or  their 
for  nation.  That  beetle,  which  the  Americans 
call  the  Tumble-dune;,  particularly  demands 
our  attention  ;  it  is  ali  over  of  a  dusky  black, 
rounder  than  those  animals  are  generally 
found  to  be,  and  so  strong,  though  not  much 
larger  than  the  common  black  beetle,  that  if 
one  of  them  be  put  under  a  brass  candlestick, 
it  will  cause  it  to  move  backwards  and  for- 
wards, as  if  it  were  by  an  invisible  hand,  to 
the  admiration  of  those  who  are  not  accus- 
tomed to  the  sight ;  but  this  strength  is  given 
it  for  much  more  useful  purposes  than  those  of 
exciting  human  curiosity,  for  there  is  no  crea- 
ture more  laborious,  either  in  seeking  subsis- 
tence, or  in  providing  a  proper  retreat  for  its 
young.  They  are  endowed  with  sagacity  to 
discover  subsistence  by  tiiHr  excellent  smelling, 
which  directs  them  in  (lights  to  excrements 
just  fallen  from  man  or  beast,  on  which  they 
instantly  drop,  and  foil  unanimously  to  work 
in  forming  round  balls  or  pellets  thereof,  in 
the  middle  of  which  they  lay  an  egg.  These 
pellets,  in  September,  they  convey  three  feet 
deep  in  the  earth,  where  they  lie  till  the  ap- 
proach of  spring ;  when  the  eggs  are  hatched 
the  nests  burst,  and  the  insects  find  their  way 
out  of  the  earth.  They  assist  each  other  with 
indefatigable  industry,  in  rolling  these  globu- 
lar pellets  to  the  place  where  they  are  to  be 
buried.  This  they  are  to  perform  with  the 
tail  foremost,  bv  raising  up  their  hinder  part, 
and  shoving  along  the  ball  with  their  hind 
feet.  They  are  always  accompanied  with 


fa)  The  crepitating  Beetle  has  a  very  singular  method 
of  defending  itself,  and  annoying  its  enemies.  When- 
ever it  is  touched  it  makes  a  report,  not  unlike  the  dis- 


other  beetles  of  a  larger  size,  and  of  a  more 
elegant  structure  and  colour.  The  breast  of 
this  is  covered  with  a  shield  of  a  crimson 
colour,  and  shining  like  metal ;  the  head  is  of 
the  like  colour,  mixed  with  green,  and  on  the 
crown  of  the  head  stands  a  shining  black  horn, 
bended  backwards.  These  are  called  the 
kings  of  the  beetles :  but  for  what  reason  is 
uncertain,  since  they  partake  of  the  same  dirty 
drudgery  with  the  rest. 

The  Elephant-Beetle  is  the  largest  of  this 
kind  hitherto  known,  and  is  found  in  South 
America,  particularly  Guiana  and  Surinam, 
as  well  as  about  the  river  Oroonoko.  It  is  of 
a  black  colour,  and  the  whole  body  is  covered 
with  a  very  hard  shell,  full  as  thick  and  as 
strong  as  that  of  a  small  crab.  Its  length, 
from  the  hinder  part  to  the  eyes,  is  almost  four 
inches,  and  from  the  same  part  to  the  end  of 
the  proboscis,  or  trunk,  four  inches  and  three 
quarters.  The  transverse  diameter  of  the 
body  is  two  inches  and  a  quarter,  and  the 
breadth  of  each  elytron,  or  case  for  the  wings, 
is  an  inch  and  three-tenths.  The  attennae, 
or  feelers,  are  quite  horny  ;  for  which  reason 
the  proboscis,  or  trunk,  is  moveable  at  its  in- 
sertion into  the  head,  and  seems  to  supply  the 
place  of  feelers.  The  horns  are  eight-tenths 
of  an  inch  long,  and  terminate  in  points.  The 
proboscis  is  an  inch  and  a  quarter  long,  and 
turns  upwards,  making  a  crooked  line,  ter- 
minating in  two  horns,  each  of  which  is  near 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  long;  but  they  are  not 
perforated  at  the  end  like  the  proboscis  of 
other  insects.  About  four-tenths  of  an  inch 
above  the  head,  or  that  side  next  the  body,  is 
a  prominence  or  small  horn,  which,  if  the 
rest  of  the  trunk  were  away,  would  cause  this 
part  to  resemble  the  horn  of  a  rhinoceros. 
There  is  indeed  a  beetle  so  called,  but  then 
the  horns  or  trunk  has  no  fork  at  the  end, 
though  the  lower  horn  resembles  this.  The 
feet  are  all  forked  at  the  end,  but  not  like  lob- 
sters' claws." 

To  this  class  we  may  also  refer  the  Glow- 
worm, that  little  animal  which  makes  such  a 
distinguished  figure  in  the  descriptions  of  our 
poets.  No  two  insects  can  differ  more  than 
the  male  and  female  of  this  species  from  each 


charge  of  a  musket  in  miniature ;  and  this  discharge  is 
accompanied  with  a  blue  vapour  highly  acrimonious  and 
pungent. 

5X» 


822 


A  HISTORY  OF 


other.  The  male  is  in  every  respect  a  beetle, 
having  cases  to  its  wings,  and  rising  in  the 
air  at  pleasure ;  the  female,  on  the  contrary, 
has  none,  hut  is  entirely  a  creeping  insect, 
and  is  obliged  to  wait  the  approaches  of  her 
capricious  companion.  The  body  of  the  fe- 
male has  eleven  joints,  with  a  shield  breast- 
plate, the  shape  of  which  is  oval ;  the  head 
is  placed  over  this,  and  is  very  small,  and  the 
three  last  joints  of  her  body  are  of  a  yellow- 
ish colour;  but  what  distinguishes  it  from  all 
other  animals,  at  least  in  this  part  of  the 
world,  is  the  shining  light  which  it  emits  by 
night,  and  which  is  supposed  by  some  philo- 
sophers to  be  an  emanation  which  she  sends 
forth  to  allure  the  mule  to  her  company. 
Most  travellers  who  have  gone  through  sandy 
countries,  must  well  remember  the  little 
shining  sparks  with  which  the  ditches  are 
studded  on  each  side  of  the  road.  If  incited 
b^  curiosity  to  approach  more  nearly,  he 
will  fiiid  this  light  sent  forth  by  the  glow- 
worm ;  if  he  should  keep  the  little  animal  for 
some  time,  its  light  continues  to  grow  paler, 
and  at  last  appears  totally  extinct.  The 
manner  in  which  this  light  is  produced  has 
hitherto  continued  inexplicable;  it  is  proba- 
ble the  little  animal  is  supplied  with  some 
electrical  powers,  so  that  by  rubbing  (he 
joints  of  its  body  against  each  other,  it  thus 
supplies  a  stream  of  light,  which  if  it  allures 
the  male,  as  we  are  told,  serves  for  very  use- 
ful purposes. 

The  Cantharis  is  of  the  beette  kind,  from 
whence  come  cantharides,  well  known  in  the 
shops  by  the  name  of  Spanish  flies,  and  for 
their  use  in  blisters.  They  have  feelers  like 
bristles,  flexible  cases  to  the  wings,  a  breast 
pretty  plain,  and  the  sides  of  the  belly 
wrinkled.  Cantharides  differ  from  each 
other  in  their  size,  shape,  and  colour:  those 
used  in  the  shops  also  do  the  same.  The 
largest  in  these  parts  are  about  an  inch  long, 
and  as  much  in  circumference,  but  others  are 
not  above  three  quarters  of  an  inch.  Some 
are  of  a  pure  azure  colour,  others  of  pure 
gold,  and  others  again  have  a  mixture  of  pure 
gold  and  azure  colours;  but  they  are  all  very 
brilliant,  and  extremely  beautiful.  These 
insects,  as  is  well  known,  are  of  the  greatest 
benefit  to  mankind,  making  a  part  in  many 
medicines  conducive  to  human  preservation. 


They  are  chiefly  natives  of  Spain,  Italy,  and 
Portugal;  but  they  are  to  be  met  wiiii  id>o 
about  Paris  in  the  summer  time,  upon  the 
leaves  of  the  ash.  the  poplar,  and  the  rose- 
trees,  and  also  among  wheat,  and  in  meadows. 
It  is  very  certain,  that  these  insects  are  tend 
of  ash-leaves,  insomuch  that  thej  will  some- 
times strip  one  of  these  trees  quite  bare. 
Some  ailirm  that  these  flies  delight  in  eweet- 
smelling  herbs;  and  it  is  very  certain,  that 
they  are  fond  of  honeysuckles,  lilac,  and  uild- 
cherry  shrubs;  but  some  that  have  sought 
after  them  declare  they  never  could  find  them 
on  elder-trees,  nut-trees,  and  among  wheat. 
We  are  told,  that  the  country  people  expect 
the  return  of  these  insects  every  seven  }  ears. 
It  is  very  certain,  that  such  a  number  oi  these 
insects  have  been  seen  together  in  the  airr 
that  they  appeared  like  swarms  of  bees  ;  and 
that  they  have  so  disagreeable  a  smell,  that 
it  may  be  perceived  a  great  way  off!  especial- 
ly about  sun-set,  though  they  are  not  seen  at 
that  time.  This  bad  smell  is  a  guide  for 
those  who  make  it  their  business  to  catch 
them.  When  they  are  caught  they  dry  them, 
after  which  they  are  so  light,  that  fifly  will 
hardly  weigh  a  dram.  Those  that  gather 
them  tie  them  in  a  bag,  or  a  piece  of  linen 
cloth,  that  has  been  well  worn,  and  then  they 
kill  them  with  the  vapours  of  hot  vinegar, 
after  which  they  dry  them  in  the  sun,  and 
keep  them  in  boxes.  These  flies,  thus  dried, 
being  chymically  analyzed,  yield  a  great  deal 
of  volatile  caustic  salt,  mixed  with  a  little  oil, 
phlegm,  and  earth.  Cantharides  are  pene- 
trating, corrosive,  and,  applied  to  the  skin, 
raise  blisters,  from  whence  proceeds  a  great 
deal  of  serocity.  They  are  made  use  of 
both  inwardly  and  outwardly.  However,  it 
is  somewhat  strange  that  the  effects  of  these 
flies  should  fall  principally  upon  the  urinary 
passages  ;  for  though  some  authors  h;ive  en- 
deavoured to  account  for  this,  we  are  still  in 
the  dark,  for  all  they  have  said  amounts  to 
no  more  than  that  they  affect  these  parts  in  a 
manner  which  may  be  very  learnedly  describ- 
ed, but  very  obscurely  comprehended. 

An  insect  of  great,  though  perhaps  not 
equal  use  in  medicine,  is  that  which  is  known 
by  the  name  of  the  Kermes;  it  is  produced 
in  the  excrescence  of  an  ojik,  called  the 
berry-bearing  ilex,  and  appears  at  first  wrapt 


THE  COCHINEAL. 


823 


up  in  a  membranaceous  bladder,  of  the  size 
ot  t  p"a.  s/uootii  .i.iii  shining,  uf  a  browmsh- 
red  colour,  and  covered  with  a  very  fine  ash- 
coloured  powder.  This  bag  teems  with  a 
number  ot  reddish  eggs  or  insects,  which  be- 
ing rubbed  with  the  lingers  pour  out  a  crim- 
son liquor.  It  is  only  met  with  in  warm 
countries  in  the  months  of  May  and  June.  In 
the  month  of  April  this  insect  becomes  of  the 
size  ami  shape  of  a  pea,  and  its  eggs  some 
time  after  burst  from  the  womb,  and  soon 
turning  worms,  run  about  the  branches  and 
leaves  of  the  tree.  They  are  of  two  sexes, 
and  the  (females  have  been  hitherto  described; 
but  the  males  are  very  distinct  from  the  for- 
mer, and  are  a  sort  of  small  flies  like  gnats, 
with  six  feet,  of  which  the  four  forward  are 
short,  and  the  two  backward  long,  divided 
into  four  joints,  and  armed  with  three  crook- 
ed nails.  There  are  two  feelers  on  the  head, 
a  line  and  a  half  long,  which  are  moveable, 
streaked,  and  articulated.  The  tail,  at  the 
back  part  of  the  body,  is  half  a  line  long,  and 
forked.  The  whole  body  is  covered  with 
two  transparent  wings,  and  they  leap  about 
in  the  manner  of  fleas.  The  harvest  of  the 
kermes  is  greater  or  less  in  proportion  to  the 
severity  of  the  winter,  and  the  women  gather 
them  before  sun-rising,  tearing  them  off  with 
their  nails,  for  fear  there  should  be  any  loss 
from  the  hatching  of  the  insects.  They 
sprinkle  them  with  vinegar,  and  lay  them  in 
the  sun  to  dry,  where  they  acquire  a  red 
colour. 

An  insect,  perhaps  still  more  useful  than 
either  of  the  former,  is  the  Cochineal,  which 
has  been  very  variously  described  by  authors: 
some  have  supposed  it  a  vegetable  excres- 
cence from  the  tree  upon  which  it  is  found  ; 
some  have  described  it  as  a  louse;  some,  as 
a  bug;  and  some,  as  a  beetle.  As  they  ap- 
pear in  our  shop*  when  brought  from  Ameri- 
ca, they  are  of  an  irregular  shape,  convex  on 
one  side,  and  a  little  concave  on  the  other: 
but  are  both  marked  with  transverse  streaks 
or  wrinkles.  They  are  of  a  scarlet  colour 
within,  and  without  of  a  blackish  red.  and 
sometimes  of  a  white,  reddish,  or  ash-col  ;iir. 
which  are  accounted  the  best,  and  are 
brought  us  from  Mexico.  The  cochineal  in- 
sect is  of  an  oval  form,  of  (ho  size  of  a  small 
pea,  with  six  feet,  and  a  suout  or  trunk.  It 


brings  forth  its  young  alive,  and  is  nourished 
by  sucking  the  juice  of  the  plant.  Its  body 
consists  of  several  rings,  and  when  it  is  once 
fixed  on  the  plant,  it  continues  immoveable, 
being  subject  to  no  change.  Some  pretend 
there  an-  two  sorts,  the  one  domestic,  which 
is  best;  and  the  other  wild,  that  is  of  a  vivid 
colour :  however,  they  appear  to  be  the  same, 
only  with  this  difference,  that  the  wild  feeds 
upon  uncultivated  trees,  without  any  assist- 
ance, whereas  the  domestic  is  carefully,  at  a 
stated  season,  removed  to  cultivated  trees, 
where  it  feeds  upon  a  purer  juice.  Those 
who  take  care  of  these  insects,  place  them 
on  the  prickly-pear  plant  in  a  certain  order, 
and  are  very  industrious  in  defending  them 
from  other  insects;  for  if  any  other  kind 
come  among  them,  they  take  care  to  brush 
them  off  with  foxes'  tails.  Towards  the  end 
of  the  year,  when  the  rains  and  cold  weather 
are  coming  on,  which  are  fatal  to  these  in- 
sects, they  take  off  the  leaves  or  branches 
covered  with  cochineal,  that  have  not  attain- 
ed their  utmost  degree  of  perfection,  and 
keep  them  in  their  houses  till  winter  is  past. 
These  leaves  are  very  thick  and  juicy,  and 
supply  them  with  sufficient  nourishment,  while 
they  remain  within  doors.  When  the  milder 
weather  returns,  and  these  animals  are  about 
to  exclude  their  young,  the  natives  make 
them  nests,  like  those  of  birds,  but  less,  of 
tree  moss,  or  soft  hay,  or  the  down  of  cocoa- 
nuts,  placing  twelve  in  every  nest.  These 
they  fix  on  the  thorns  of  the  prickly-pear 
plant,  and  in  three  or  four  days'  time  they 
bring  forth  their  young,  which  leave  their 
nests  in  a  few  days,  and  creep  upon  the- 
br.mches  of  the  plant,  till  they  find  a  proper 
place  to  rest  in,  and  take  in  their  nourish- 
ment;  and  until  the  females  are  fecundated 
bv  the  males,  which,  as  in  the  former  tribe, 
differ  very  widely  from  the  females,  being- 
winged  insects,  whereas  the  others  only 
creep,  and  are  at  most  stationary.  When 
they  are  impregnated,  they  produce  a  new 
offspring,  so  that  the  propagator  has  a  new 
harvest  thrice  a  year.  When  the  native 
Americans  have  gathered  the  cochineal,  they 
put  them  into  holes  in  the  ground,  where  they 
kill  them  with  boiling  water,  and  afterwards 
dry  them  in  the  sun,  or  in  an  oven,  or  lay 
them  upon  hot  plates.  From  the  various 


824 


A  HISTORY  OF 


methods  of  killing  them,  arise  the  different 
colour-  which  they  appear  in  when  brought 
to  u-.  While  they  are  living  they  seem  tc 
be  sprinkled  over  with  a  white  powder, 
which  they  lose  as  soon  as  the  boiling  water 
is  poured  upon  them.  Those  that  are  dried 
upon  hot  plates  are  the  blackest.  What  we 
call  the  cochineal  are  only  the  females,  for 
the  males  are  a  sort  of  fly,  p.s  already  observ- 
ed in  the  kermes.  They  are  used  both  for 
dying  and  medicine,  and  are  said  to  have 
much  the  same  virtue  as  the  kernes,  though 
they  are  now  seldom  used  alone,  but  are 
mixed  with  other  things  for  ths  sa!:e  of  the 
colour. 

I  shall  end  this  account  of  the  beetle  tribe 
with  the  history  of  an  animal  which  cannot 
properly  be  ranked  under  this  species,  n.nd 
yet  cannot  be  more  methodically  ranged  un- 
der any  other.  This  is  the  insect  that  forms 
and  resides  in  the  gall-nut,  the  spoils  of 
which  are  converted  to  such  useful  purposes. 
The  gall-insects  are  bred  in  a  sort  of  bodies 
adhering  to  a  kind  of  oak  in  Asia,  which  dif- 
fer with  regard  to  their  colour,  size,  rough- 
ness, smoothness,  and  shape,  and  which  we 
call  galls.  They  are  not  fruit,  as  some  have 
imagined,  but  preternatural  tumours,  owing  to 
the  wounds  given  to  the  buds,  leaves,  and 
twigs  of  the  tree,  by  a  kind  of  insects  that 
lay  their  eggs  within  them.  This  animal  is 
furnished  with  an  implement,  by  which  the 
female  penetrates  into  the  bark  of  the  tree, 
or  into  that  spot  which  just  begins  to  bud, 
and  there  sheds  a  drop  of  corrosive  fluid  into 
the  cavity.  Having  thus  formed  a  recep- 
tacle for  her  eggs,  she  deposites  them  in  the 
place,  and  dies  soon  after.  The  heart  of  the 
bud  beitig  thus  wounded,  the  circulation  of 
the  nutritive  juice  is  interrupted,  and  the  fer- 
mentation thereof,  with  the  poison  injected 
by  the  fly,  burns  the  parts  adjacent,  and  then 
alters  the  natural  colour  of  the  plant.  The 
juice  or  sap,  turned  back  from  its  natural 
course,  extravasates,  and  flows  round  the  egg. 

(a)  To  the  Beetle  kind  also  belongs  that  little  animal 
which  causes  such  alarm  to  the  superstitious  hy  its  ticking 
noise,  and  which  is  often  called  the  death-watch.  It  is 
found  in  decayed  trees  and  furniture,  or  among  hay  and 
dried  leaves.  This  noise  is  merely  the  call  of  one  sex  to 


After  which  it  swells  and  dilates  by  the  as- 
sistance of  some  bubbles  of  air,  which  get 
admission  through  the  pores  of  the  bark,  and 
which  run  in  the  vessels  with  the  sap.  The 
crterrial  coat  of  this  excrescence  is  dried  by 
the  air,  anil  grows  into  a  figure,  which  bears 
some  resemblance  to  the  bow  of  an  arch,  or 
the  roundneso  of  a  kernel.  Ibis  little  ball 
.-?:c»ves  its  nutriment,  growth,  and  vegeiation, 
as  the  other  parts  of  the  tree,  by  slow  de- 
grees, and  is  what  we  rail  the  gall-nut.  1  he 
worm  that  is  hatched  under  this  spacious 
vault,  finds  in  the  substance  of  the  ball,  which 
is  ao  yet  very  tender,  a  subsistence  suitable 
toitsnaturs;  gnaws  and  digests  it  till  the 
time  cornes  for  its  transformation  to  a  nyinph, 
and  from  that  state  of  existence  changes  into 
a  fly.  After  this,  the  insect,  perceiving'iiself 
duly  provided  with  all  things  requisite,  dis- 
engages itself  soon  from  its  confinement,  and 
takes  its  flight  into  the  open  air.  The  case, 
however,  is  not  similar  with  respect  to  the 
gall-nut  that  grows  in  autumn.  The  cold 
weather  frequently  comes  on  belbre  the  worm 
is  transformed  into  a  fly,  or  before  the  fly  can 
pierce  through  its  enclosure.  The  nut  falls 
with  the  leaves,  and  although  you  may  imagine 
that  the  fly  which  lies  within  is  lost,  yet  in 
reality  it  is  not  so  ;  on  the  contrary,  its  being 
covered  up  so  close,  is  the  means  of  its  |  re- 
servation. Thus  it  spends  the  winter  in  a 
warm  house,  where  every  crack  and  cranny 
of  the  nut  is  well  stopped  up;  and  lies  buri- 
ed, as  it  were,  under  a  heap  of  leaves,  which 
preserves  it  from  the  injuries  of  the  weather. 
This  apartment,  however,  though  so  commo- 
dious a  retreat  in  the  winter,  is  a  perfect 
prison  in  the  spring.  The  fly,  roused  out  of 
its  lethargy  by  the  first  heats,  breaks  its  way 
through,  and  ranges  where  it  pleases.  A 
very  small  aperture  is  sufficient,  since  at  this 
time  the  fly  is  but  a  diminutive  creature.  Be- 
sides, the  ringlets  whereof  its  body  is  com- 
posed, dilate,  and  become  pliant  in  the  pas- 
sage." 

the  other,  and  is  caused  by  the  animal's  beating  on  any 
hard  substance  with  the  shield  or  fore  part  of  the  head  j 
which  is  always  in  seven,  nine,  or  eleven  distinct  strokes. 
A  little  insect,  hardly  the  tenth  of  an  inch  lone;,  often  found 
in  old  books,  is  sometimes  falsely  charged  with  this  alarm* 


THE  GNAT  AND  TIPULA. 


825 


CHAPTEtt  CXCV. 

OF  THE  GNAT  AND  TIPULA. 


THERE  are  two  insccf s  which  entirely  re- 
semble each  other  in  their  form,  and  yet  wide- 
ly differ  in  their  habits,  manners,  and  propa- 
Eition.  Those  who  have  seen  the  Tipula,  or 
ong-lcgs,  and  the  larger  kind  of  Gnat,  have 
most  probably  mistaken  the  one  for  the  other; 
they  have  often  accused  the  tipula,  a  harmless 
insect,  of  depredations  made  by  the  gnat,  and 
the  innocent  have  suffered  for  the  guilty  ;  in- 
deed the  differences  in  their  form  are  so  very 
minute,  that  it  often  requires  the  assistance  of 
a  microscope  to  distinguish  the  one  from  the 
other  :  they  are  both  mounted  on  long  legs, 
both  furnished  with  two  wings  and  a  slender 
body  :  their  heads  are  large,  and  they  seem  to 
be  hump-backed ;  the  chief  and  only  dif- 
ference, therefore,  is,  that  the  tipula  wants  a 
trunk,  while  the  gnat  has  a  large  one,  which 
it  often  exerts  to  very  mischievous  purposes. 
The  tipula  is  a  harmless  peaceful  insect,  that 
offers  injury  to  nothing ;  the  gnat  is  sangui- 
nary and  prcdaceous,  ever  seeking  out  for  a 
place  in  which  to  bury  its  trunk,  and  pump- 
ing up  the  blood  from  the  animal  in  large 
quantities. 

The  gnat  proceeds  from  a  little  worm, 
whicli  is  usually  seen  at  the  bottom  of  stand- 
ing waters.  The  manner  iti  which  the  insect 
lays  its  eggs  is  particularly  curious ;  after 
having  laid  the  proper  number  on  the  surface 
of  the  water,  it  surrounds  them  with  a  kind 
of  unctuous  matter,  which  prevents  them  from 
sinking,  but  at  the  same  lime  fastens  them 
with  a  thread  to  the  bottom,  to  prevent  their 
floating  away,  at  the  mercy  of  every  breeze, 
from  a  place,  the  warmth  of  which  is  proper 
for  their  production,  to  any  other,  where  the 
wnier  may  bo  too  cold,  or  the  animals'  ene- 
mies too  numerous.  Thus  the  insects,  in 
their  egg  state,  resemble  a  buoy,  which  is  fix- 
ed by  an  anchor.  As  they  come  to  maturity 
they  sink  deeper:  and  at  last,  when  they 
leave  the  egg  as  worms,  they  creep  at  the 
bottom.  They  now  make  themselves  lodg- 


ments of  cement,  which  they  fasten  to  some 
solid  body  at  the  very  bottom  of  the  water, 
unless,  by  accident,  they  meet  with  a  pic-re  of 
chalk,  which  being  of  a  soft  and  pliant  nature, 
gives  them  an  opportunity  of  sinking  a  retreat 
for  themselves,  where  nothing  but  the  claws 
of  a  cray-fish  can  possibly  molest  them.  The 
worm  afterwards  changes  its  form.  It  ap- 
pears with  a  large  head,  and  a  tail  invested 
with  hair,  and  moistened  with  an  oleaginous 
liquor,  which  she  makes  use  of  as  a  cork  to 
sustain  her  head  in  the  air,  and  her  tail  in  the 
water,  and  to  transport  her  from  one  place  to 
another.  When  the  oil,  with  which  her  tail  is 
moistened,  begins  to  grow  dry,  she  discharges 
out  of  her  mouth  an  unctuous  humour,  which 
she  sheds  all  over  her  tail,  by  virtue  whereof 
she  is  enabled  to  transport  herself  where  she 
pleases,  without  being  either  wet  or,  any  ways 
incommoded  by  the  water.  The  gnat,  in  her 
second  state,  is,  properly  speaking,  in  her  form 
a  nymph,  which  is  an  introduction  or  entrance 
into  a  new  life.  In  the  first  place,  she  divests 
herself  of  her  second  skin  ;  in  .the  next,  she 
resigns  her  eyes,  her  antennae,  and  her  tail  ; 
in  short,  she  actually  seems  to  expire.  How- 
ever, from  the  spoils  of  the  amphibious  ani- 
mal, a  little  winged  insect  cuts  the  air.  whose 
every  part  is  active  to  the  last  degree,  and 
whose  whole  structure  is  the  just  object  of 
our  admiration.  Its  little  head  is  adorned 
with  a  plume  of  feathers,  and  its  whole  body 
invested  with  scales  and  hair,  to  secure  it 
from  any  wet  or  dust.  She  makes  trial  of 
the  activity  of  her  wings,  bv  rubbing  them 
either  against  her  body,  or  her  broad  side- 
bags,  which  keep  her  in  an  equilibrium. 
The  furbelow,  or  litile  border  of  fine  feathers, 
which  graces  her  wings,  is  very  curious,  and 
strikes  the  eye  in  the  most  agreeable  man- 
ner. There  is  nothing,  however,  of  greater 
importance  to  the  gnat  than  her  trunk,  and 
that  weak  implement  may  justly  be  deemed 
one  of  nature's  master-pieces.  It  is  so  very 


826 


A  HISTORY  OF 


small,  that  the  extremity  of  it  can  scarcely 
bediscerned  through  the  best  microscope  that 
can  be  procured.  That  part  which  is  at 
first  obvious  to  the  eye,  is  nothing  but  a  long 
scaly  sheath  under  the  throat.  At  near  the 
distance  of  two-thirds  of  it,  there  is  an  aper- 
ture, through  which  the  insect  darts  out  four 
stings,  and  afterwards  retracts  them.  One  of 
which,  however  sharp  and  active  it  may  be, 
is  no  more  than  the  case  in  which  the  other 
three  lie  concealed,  and  run  in  a  long  groove. 
The  sides  of  these  stings  are  sharpened  like 
two-edged  swords;  they  are  likewise  barbed, 
and  have  a  vast  number  of  cutting  teeth  to- 
wards the  point,  which  turns  up  like  a  hook, 
and  is  fine  beyond  expression.  When  all 
these  darts  are  stuck  into  the  flesh  of  animals, 
sometimes  one  after  another,  and  sometimes 
all  at  once,  the  blood  and  humours  of  the  ad- 
jacent parts  must  unavoidably  be  extrava- 
sated ;  upon  which  a  tumour  must  consequent- 
ly ensue,  the  little  orifice  whereof  is  closed 
up  by  the  compression  of  the  external  air. 
When  the  gnat,  by  the  point  of  her  case, 
which  she  makes  use  of  as  a  tongue,  has 
tasted  any  fruit,  flesh,  or  juice,  that  she  has 
found  out ;  if  it  be  a  fluid,  she  sucks  it  up, 
without  playing  her  darts  into  it;  but  incase 
she  finds  the  least  obstruction  by  any  flesh 
whatever,  she  exerts  her  strength,  and  pierces 
through  it,  if  possibly  she  can.  After  this 
she  draws  back  her  stings  into  their  sheath, 
which  she  applies  to  the  wound  in  order  to 
extract,  as  through  a  reed,  the  juices  which 
she  finds  enclosed.  This  is  the  implement 
with  which  the  gnat  performs  her  work  in  the 
summer,  for  during  the  winter  she  has  no 
manner  of  occasion  for  it.  Then  she  ceases 
to  eat,  and  spends  all  that  tedious  season 
either  in  quarries  or  in  caverns,  which  she 
abandons  at  the  return  of  summer,  and  flies 
about  in  search  after  some  commodious  ford, 
or  standing  water,  where  she  may  produce 
her  progeny,  which  would  be  soon  washed 
away  and  lost,  by  the  too  rapid  motion  of  any 
running  stream.  The  little  brood  are  some- 
times so  numerous,  that  the  very  water  is 
tinged  according  to  the  colour  of  the  species, 
as,  green,  if  they  be  green,  and  of  a  sanguine 
hue,  if  they  be  red. 

These  are  circumstances  sufficiently  ex- 
traordinary in  the  life  of  this  little  animal ; 


but  it  offers  something  still  more  curious  in 
the  method  of  its  propagation.  However 
similar  insects  of  the  gnat  kind  are  in  their 
appearance,  yet  they  differ  widely  from  each 
other  in  the  manner  in  which  they  are  brought 
forth,  for  some  are  oviparous,  and  are  pro- 
duced from  eggs;  some  are  viviparous,  and 
come  forth  in  their  most  perfect  form;  some  are 
males,  and  unite- with  tin-  female;  some  are  fe- 
males, requiringthe  impregnation  of  the  male; 
someareof  neithersex.yet  still  produceyoung, 
without  any  copulation  whatsoever.  This  is 
one  of  the  strangest  discoveries  in  all  natural 
history  !  A  gnat  separated  from  the  rest  of 
its  kind,  and  enclosed  in  a  glass  vessel,  with 
air  sufficient  to  keep  it  alive,  shall  produce 
young,  which  also,  when  separated  from  each 
other,  shall  be  the  parents  of  a  numerous 
progeny.  Thus,  down  for  five  or  six  genera- 
tions, do  these  extraordinary  animals  propa- 
gate without  the  use  of  copulation,  without 
any  congress  between  the  male  and  the  fe- 
male, but  in  the  manner  of  vegetables,  the 
young  bursting  from  the  body  of  their  parents, 
without  any  previous  impregnation.  At  the 
sixth  generation,  however,  their  propagation 
stops;  the  gnat  no  longer  produces  itslike,  from 
itself  alone,  but  it  requires  the  access  of  the 
male  to  give  it  another  succession  of  fecundity. 
The  gnat  of  Europe  gives  but  little  un- 
easiness; it  is  sometimes  heard  to  hum  about 
our  beds  at  night,  and  keeps  off"  the  ap- 
proaches of  sleep  by  the  apprehension  it 
causes ;  but  it  is  very  different  in  the  ill- 
peopled  regions  of  America,  where  the  wa- 
ters stagnate,  and  the  climate  is  warm,  and 
where  they  are  produced  in  multitudes  be- 
yond expression.  The  whole  air  is  there 
filled  with  clouds  of  those  famished  insects, 
and  they  are  found  of  all  sizes,  from  six  in- 
ches long  to  a  minuteness  that  even  requires 
the  microscope  to  have  a  distinct  perception 
of  them.  The  warmth  of  the  mid-day  sun 
is  too  powerful  for  their  constitutions ;  but 
when  the  evening  approaches,  neither  art 
nor  flight  can  shield  the  wretched  inhabitants 
from  their  attacks;  though  millions  are  de- 
stroyed, still  millions  more  succeed,  and 
produce  unceasing  torment.  The  native 
Indians,  who  anoint  their  bodies  with  oil, 
and  v\ho  have  from  their  infancy  been  used 
to  their  depredations,  find  them  much  les» 


THE  €NAT  AN!>  TIPULA. 


82T 


inconvenient  than  those  who  are  newly  ar- 
rived from  Europe;  they  sleep  in  their 
cottages  covered  all  over  with  thousands  of 
the  gnat  kind  upoii  their  bodies,  and  yet  do 
not  seem  to  have  their  slumbers  disturbed 
by  their  cruel  devourers.  If  a  candle  hap- 
NO.  C9  &  70. 


pens  to  be  lighted  in  one  of  those  places,  a 
cloud  of  insects  at  once  light  upon  the  tiame, 
and  extinguish  it:  they  art  therefore  obliged 
to  keep  their  candles  in  glass  lanterns;  a 
miserable  expedient  to  prevent  an  unceasing 
calamity ! 

5Y 


828 


A  HISTORY  OF 


OP   THE   ZOOPHYTES. 


CHAPTER  CXCVI. 

OF  ZOOPHYTES  IN  GENERAL. 


WE  now  come  to  the  last  link  in  the  chain 
of  animated  nature,  to  a  class  of  beings  so 
confined  in  their  powers,  and  so  defective  in 
their  formation,  that  some  historians  have 
been  at  a  loss  whether  to  consider  them  as  a 
superior  rank  of  vegetables,  or  the  humblest 
order  of  the  animated  tribe.  In  order,  there- 
fore, to  give  them  a  denomination  agreeable 
to  their  existence,  they  have  been  called 
Zoophytes,  a  name  implying  vegetable  nature 
endued  with  animal  life ;  and,  indeed;,  in 
some  the  marks  of  the  animal  are  so  few, 
that  it  is  difficult  to  give  their  place  in  na- 
ture with,  precision,  or  to  tell  whether  it  is  a 
plant  or  an  insect  that  is  the  object  of  our 
consideration. 

Should  it  be  asked  what  it  is  that  consti- 
tutes the  difference  between  animal  and 
vegetable  life;  what  it  is  that  lays  the  line 
that  separates  those  two  great  kingdoms 
from  each  other;  it  would  be  difficult,  per- 
haps we  should*  find  it  impossible,  to  return 
an  answer.  The  power  of  motion  cannot 
form  this  distinction,  since  some  vegetables 
are  possessed  of  motion,  and  many  animals 
arc  totally  without  it.  The  sensitive  plant 
has  obviously  a  greater  variety  of  motions 
lhan  the  oyster  or  the  pholas.  The  animal 
that  fills  the  acorn-shell  is  immoveable,  and 
can  only  close  its  lid  to  defend  itself  from  ex- 
ternal injury,  while  the  flower,  which  goes 
by  the  name  of  the  fly-trap,  seems  to  close 
upon  the  flies  that  tight  upon  it,  and  that  at- 
tempt to  rifle  it  of  its  honey.  The  animal  in 
this  instance  seems  to  have  scarce  a  power 
of  self-defence;  the  vegetable  not  only  guards 
its  possessions,  but  seizes  upon  the  robber 


that  would  venture  to  invade  them.  In  like 
manner,  the  methods  of  propagation  give  no 
superiority  to  the  lower  rank  of  animals.  On 
the  contrary,  vegetables  are  frequently  pro- 
duced more  conformably  to  the  higher  ranks 
of  the  creation,  and  though  some  plants  are 
produced  by  cuttings  from  others,  yet  the 
general  manner  of  propagation  is  from  seeds, 
laid  HI  the  womb  of  the  earth,  where  they  are 
hatched  into  the  similitude  of  the  parent  plant 
or  flower.  But  a  most  numerous  tribe  of  ani~ 
mals  have  lately  been  discovered,  which  are 
propagated  by  cuttings,  and  this  in  so  extra- 
ordinary a  manner,  that,  though  the  original 
insect  be  divided  into  a  thousand  parts,  each, 
however  small,  shall  be  formed  into  an  ani- 
mal, entirely  resembling  that  which  was  at 
first  divided  :  in  this  respect,  therefore,  cer- 
tain races  of  animals  seem  to  fall  beneath 
vegetables,  by  their  more  imperfect  propaga- 
tion. 

What,  therefore,  is  the  distinction  between 
them  ?  or  are  the  orders  so  intimately  blend- 
ed as  that  it  is  impossible  to  mark  (he  boun- 
daries of  each  ?  To  me  it  would  seem,  that 
all  animals  are  possessed  of  one  power,  of 
which  vegetables  are  totally  deficient:  I 
mean,  either  the  actual  ability,  or  an  awk- 
ward attempt  at  self-preservation.  However 
vegetables  may  seem  possessed  o.f  this  im- 
portant quality,  yet  it  is  with  them  but  a 
mechanical  impulse,  resembling  the  raising 
one  end  of  the  lever  when  you  depress  the 
other:  the  sensitive  plant  contracts  and 
hangs  its  leaves  indeed,  when  touched,  but 
this  motion  no  way  contributes  to  its  safety  ;. 
the  fly-trap  flower  acts  entirely  in  the  same 


THE  WORM. 


820 


manner;  and  though  it  seems  to  seize  the 
little  animal  that  comes  to  annoy  it,  yet,  in 
reality,  only  closes  mechanically  upon  it,  and 
this  enclosure  neither  contributes  to  its  pre- 
servation nor  its  defence.  Bat  it  is  very  dif- 
ferent with  insects  even  of  the  lowest  order; 
the  earth-worm  not  only  contracts,  but  hides 
itself  in  the  earth,  and  escapes  with  some 
share  of  swiftness  from  its  pursuers.  The 
polypus  hides  its  horns ;  the  star-fish  con- 
tracts its  arms  upon  the  appearance  even  of 
distant  dangers;  they  not  only  hunt  for  their 
food,  but  provide  for  their  safety ;  and  how- 
ever imperfectly  they  may  be  formed,  yet 
still  they  are  in  reality  placed  many  degrees 
above  the  highest  vegetable  of  the  earth,  and 
are  possessed  of  many  animal  functions  as 
well  as  those  that  are  more  elaborately  formed. 
But  though  these  be  superior  to  plants, 
they  are  far  beneath  their  animated  fellows 
of  existence.  In  the  class  of  zoophytes,  we 
may  place  all  those  animals  which  may  be 
propagated  by  cuttings ;  or,  in  other  words, 
which,  if  divided  into  two  or  more  parts,  each 
part  in  time  becomes  a  separate  and  perfect 
animal ;  the  head  shoots  forth  a  tail,  and,  on 
the  contrary,  the  tail  produces  a  head;  some 
of  these  will  bear  dividing  but  into  two  parts, 
such  is  the  earth-worm ;  some  may  be  divided 
into  more  than  two,  and  of  this  kind  are 


many  of  the  star-fish;  others  still  may  he  cut 
into  a  thousand  parts,  each  becoming  a  per- 
fect animal ;  they  may  be  turned  inside  out, 
like  the  finger  of  a  glove ;  they  mav  be 
moulded  into  all  manner  of  shapes,  yet  still 
their  vivacious  principle  remains,  still  every 
single  part  becomes  perfect  in  its  kind,  and, 
after  a  few  days'  existence,  exhibits  all  the 
arts  and  industry  of  its  contemptible  parent! 
We  shall  therefore  divide  zoophytes  accord- 
ing to  their  several  degrees  of  perfection, 
namely,  into  Worms,  Star-fish,  and  Polypi ; 
contenting  ourselves  with  a  short  review  of 
those  nauseous  and  despicable  creatures, 
that  excite  our  curiosity  chiefly  by  their  im- 
perfections :  it  mast  not  be  concealed,  how- 
ever, that  much  has  of  late  been  written  on 
this  part  of  natural  history.  A  new  mode  of 
animal  prodtiction,  could  not  fail  of  exciting 
not  only  the  curiosity,  but  the  astonishment 
of  every  philosopher:  many  found  their 
favourite  systems  totally  overthrown  by  the 
discovery ;  and  it  was  not  without  a  wordy 
struggle,  that  they  gave  up  what  had  former- 
ly been  their  pleasure  and  their  pride.  At 
last,  however,  conviction  became  too  strong 
for  argument;  and  a  question,  which  owed 
its  general  spread  rather  to  its  novelty  than 
to  its  importance,  was  given  up  in  favour  of 
the  new  discovery. 


CHAPTER  CXCVIL 

OF  WORMS. 


THE  first  in  the  class  of  zoophytes,  are 
animals  of  the  worm  kind,  which  being  en- 
tirely destitute  of  feet,  trail  themselves  along 
upon  the  ground,  and  find  themselves  a  re- 
treat under  the  earth,  or  in  the  water.  As 
these,  like  serpents,  have  a  creeping  motion, 
so  both,  in  general,  go  under  the  common 
appellation  of  reptiles ;  a  loathsome,  noxious, 
malignant  tribe,  to  which  man  by  nature,  as 
well  as  by  religion,  has  the  strongest  antipa- 
thy. But  though  worms,  as  well  as  serpents, 
are  mostly  without  feet,  and  have  been 
doomed  to  creep  along  the  earth  on  their 


bellies,  yet  their  motions  are  Very  different. 
The  serpent,  as  has  been  said  before,  having 
a  back-bone,  which  it  is  incapable  of  con- 
tracting, bends  its  body  into  the  form  of  a 
bow,  and  then  shoots  forward  from  the  tail: 
but  it  is  very  different  with  the  worm,  ivl'ich 
has  a  power  of  contracting  or  lengthening 
itself  at  will.  There  is  a  spiral  muscle,  that 
runs  round  its  whole  body,  from  the  hend  to 
the  tail,  somewhat  resembling  a  wire  wound 
round  a  walking-cane,  which  when  slipped 
oflT,  and  one  end  extended  and  held  fast,  will 
bring  the  other  nearer  to  it ;  in  this  manner 
5  Y* 


839 


A  HISTUKT  OF 


the  earth-worm,  having  shot  out,  or  extended 
its  body,  takes  hold  by  the  sUme  of  the  (ore 
pnrt  of  its  body,  and  so  contracts  and  brings 
forward  the  hinder  part;  in  this  manner  it 
moves  onward,  not  without  great  efforts;  but 
the  occasions  for  its  progressive  motion  are 
fe  \v. 

As  it  is  designed  for  living  under  the  earth, 
and  leading  a  life  of  obscurity,  so  it  seems 
tolerably  adapted  to  its  situation.  Its  body 
is  armed  with  small  stiff  sharp  burrs  or 
prickles,  which  it  can  erect  or  depress,  at 
pleasure;  under  the  skin  there  lies  a  slimy 
juice,  to  be  ejected  as  occasion  requires,  at 
certain  perforations,  between  the  rings  of 
the  muscles,  to  lubricate  its  body,  and  tacili- 
tate  its  passage  into  the  earth.  Like  most 
other  irvseets,  it  has  breathing-holes  along  the 
back,  adjoining  each  ring;  but  is  without 
bones,  without  eyes,  without  ears,  and  pro- 
perly without  feet.  It  has  a  mouth,,  and  also 
an  alimentary  canal,  which  runs  along  to  the 
very  point  of  the  tail.  In  some  worms,  how- 
ever, particularly  such  as  are  found  in  the 
bodies  of  animals,  th.is  canal  opens  towards 
the  middle  of  the  belly,  at  sojne  distance 
from  the  tail.  The  intestines  of  the  earth- 
worm are  always  found  filled  with  a  very 
fine  earth,  which  seeras.to  be  the  only  nourish- 
ment these  animals  are  capable  of  receiving. 

The  animal  is  entirely  without  a  brain,  but 
near  the  head  is  placed  the  heart,  which  is 
seen  to  beat  with  a  very  distinct  motion,  and 
round  it  are  the  spermatic  vessels,  forming  a 
number- of  little  globules,  containing  a  milky 
fluid,  which  have  an  opening  into  the  belly, 
not  far  from  the  head ;  they  are  also  often 
found  to  contain  a  number  of  eggs,  which  are 
laid  in  the  earth,  and  are  hatched  in  twelve 
or  fourteen  days  into  life^  by  the  genial 
warmth  of  their  situation ;  like  snails,  all 
these  animals  unite  in  themselves,  both  sexes 
at  once;  the  reptile  that  impregnates,  being 
impregnated  in  turn  :  few  that  walk  out.  but 
must  have  observed  them,  with  their  heads 
laid  against  each  other,  and  so  strongly  at- 
tached, that  they,  sutler  themselves  to  be  trode 
upon. 

When  the  eggs  are  laid  in  the  earth,  which, 
in  about  fourteen  days,  as  has  been  said,  are 
hatchet)  into  maturity,  the  young  ones  come 
forth  very  small*  but  perfectly  formed,  and 


suffer  no  change  during  their  existence :  how. 
long  their  life  continues  is  not  well  known, 
but  it  certainly  holds  for  more  than  two  or 
three  seasons.  During  the  winter,  they  bury 
themselves  deeper  in  the  earth,  and  seem,  in 
some  measure,  to  share  the  general  torpidity 
of  the  insect  tribe.  In  spring,  they  revive 
with  the  rest  of  nature,  and  on  those  occa- 
sions, a  moist  or  dewy  evening  brings  them 
forth  from  their  rctseats,  i'ov  the  universal 
purpose  of  continuing  their  kind.  They 
chieily  live  in  a  light,  rich,  and  fertile  soil,, 
moistened  by  dews  or  accidental  showers, 
but  avoid  those  places  where  the  water  is  apt 
to  lie  on  the  surface  of  the  earth,  or  where 
the  clay  is  too  stiff' for  their  easy  progression 
under  ground. 

Helpless  as.  they  are  formed,  yet  they  seem, 
very  vigilant  in  avoiding  those  animals  that 
chk'lly  make  them  their  prey;  in  particular,, 
the  mole,  who  feeds  entirely  upon  them  be- 
neath Uie  surface,  and  who  seldom  ventures, 
from  the  dimness  of  its  sight,  into  the  open 
air;  him  they  avoid,  by  darting  up  from  the 
earth,  the  instant  they  feel  the  ground  move; 
and  fishermen,  who  are  well  acquainted  with 
this,  take  them  in  what  numbers  they  choose* 
by  stirring  the  earth  where  they  expect  to, 
find  tliem.  They  are  also  driven  from  their 
retreats  under  ground,  by  pouring  bitter  or 
acrid  water  thereon,  such  as  that  water  in 
which  green  walnuts  have  been  steeped,  or  a 
ley  made  of  pot-ashes. 

Such  is  the  general  outline  of  the  history 
of  these  reptiles,  which,  as  it  should  seem, 
degrades  them  no  way  beneath  the  rank  of 
other  animals,  of  the  insect  creation :  but 
now-  we  come  to  a  part  of  their  history,  which, 
proves  the  imperfection  of  their  organs,  from 
the  easiness  with  which  these  little  machines 
may  be  damaged  and  repaired  again.  It  is 
well  known  in  mechanics,  that  the  finest  and 
most  complicated  instruments  are  the  most 
easily  put  out  of  order,  and  the  most  difficultly 
set  right ;  the  same  also  obtains  in  the  anU 
mal  machine.  IHan,  the  most  complicated 
machine  of  all  others,  whose  nerves  are  more 
numerous,  and  powers  of  action  more  various* 
is  most  easily  destroyed :  he  is  seen  to  die 
under  wounds  which  a  quadruped  OP  a  bird 
could  easily  survive;  and  as  we  descend 
gradually  to  the  lower  ranks,  the  ruder  the 


THE  WORM. 


831 


composition,  the  more  difficult  it  is  to  disar- 
range it.  Some  animals  live  without  their 
limbs,  and  often  are  seen  to  reproduce  them  ;. 
some  are  seen  to  live  without  their  brain  for 
many  weeks  together;  caterpillars  continue 
to  increase  and  grow  large,  though  all  their 
nobler  organs  are  entirely  destroyed  within; 
some  animals  continue  to  exist,  though  cut  in 
two,  their  nobler  parts  preserving  life,  while 
the  others  perish  that  were  cut  away  :  but 
the  earth-worm,  and  all  the  zoopln  te  tribe, 
continue  to  live  in  separate  parts,  and  one 
animal,  by  the  means  of  cutting,  is  divided 
into  two  distinct  existences,  sometimes  into  a 
thousand ! 

There  is  no  phenomenon  in  all  natural 
history  more  astonishing  than  this,  that  man 
at  pleasure  should  have  a  kind  of  creative 
power,  and;  out  of  one  life  make  two,  each 
completely  formed,  with  all  its  apparatus  and 
functions;  each  with  its  perceptions,  and 
powers  of  motion  and  self  preservation ;  each 
as  complete  in  all  respects  as  that  from 
which  it  derived  its  existence,  and  equally 
enjoying  the  humblegratifications  of  its  nature. 

When  Des  Cartes  first  started  the  opinion, 
thnt  brutes  were  machines,  the  discovery  of 
this  surprising  propagation  was  unknown, 
which  might,  in  some  measure,  have  strength- 
ened his  fanciful  theory.  What  is  life  in 
brutes,  he  might  have  said,  or  where  does  it 
reside  ?  In  some  we  find  it  so  diffused,  that 
every  part  seems  to  maintain  a  vivacious 
principle,  and  the  same  animal  appears  pos- 
sessed of  a  thousand  distinct  irrational  souls 
at  the  same  time.  But  let  us  not.  he  would 
say,  give  so  noble  a  name  to  such  contemp- 
tible powers,  bat  rank  the  vivifying  principle  ; 
in  these  with  the  sap  that  rises  in  vegetables, 
or  the  moisture  that  contracts  a  cord,  or  the 
heat  that  puts  water  into  motion !  No- 
thing, in  fact,  deserves  the  name  of  soul,  but 
that,  which  reasons,  that  which  understands, 
and  by  knowing  God,  receives  the  mark  of 
its  currency,  and  is  minted  with  the  impres- 
sion of  its  great  Creator. 

Such  might  have  been  the  speculations  of 
this  philosopher:  however,  to  leave  theory, 
it  will  be  sufficient  to  say,  that  we  owe  the 

(a)  Allied  to  these  In  their  vermicular  shape,  are  seve- 
i«I  other  kinds  of  worms,  commonly  known  by  the  name 


first  discovery  of  this  power  of  reproduction 
in  animals  to  Mr.  Trembley,  who  first  ob- 
served it  in  the  Polypus,  and  after  him, 
Spalanzani  and  others  found  it  taking  place 
in  the  earth-worm,  the  sea-worm,  and  several 
other  ill-formed,  animals  of  a  like  kind,  which 
were  susceptible  of  this  new  mode  of  propa- 
gation. This  last  philosopher  has  tried  seve- 
ral experiments  upon  the  earth-worm,  many 
of  which  succeeded  according  to  his  expecta- 
tion ;  every  earth-worm,  however,  did  not 
retain  the  vivacious  principle  will)  the  same 
obstinacy ;  some,  when  cut  in  two,  were  en- 
tirely destroyed  ;  others  survived  only  in  the 
nobler  part;  and  while  the  head  was  living, 
the  tail  entirely  perished,  and  a  new  one  was 
seen  to  bourgeon  from  the  extremity.  But 
what  was  most  surprising  of  all,  in  some,  par- 
ticularly in  the  small  red-headed  earth-worm, 
both  extremities  survived  the  operation  ;  Uie 
head  produced  a  tail,  with  the  anus,  the  in- 
testines, the  annular  muscle,  and  the  prirkly 
beards ;  the  tail  part,  on  the  other  hand,  was 
seen  to  shoot  forth  the  nobler  organs,  and  in 
less  than  the  space  of  three  months  sent  forth 
a  head,  a  heart,  with  all  the  apparatus  and 
instruments  of  generation.  This  part,  as 
may  easily  be  supposed,  was  produced  much 
more  slowly  than  the  former,  a  new  head 
taking  above  three  OP  four  months  for  its 
completion;  anew  tail  being  shot  forth  in 
less  than  as  many  weeks.  Thus  two  animals, 
by  dissection,  were  made  out  of  one,  each 
with  their  separate  appetites,  each  endued 
with  life  and  motion,  and  seemingly  as  per- 
fect as  that  single  animal  from  whence  they 
derived  their  origin. 

What  was  performed  upon  the  earth-worm,, 
was  found  to  obtain  also  in  many  of  the  ver- 
micular species.  The  sea-worn),  the  white 
water-worm,  and  many  of  those  little  worms 
with  feelers,  found  at  the  bottom  of  dirty 
ditches;  in  all  these  the  nobler  organs  are  of 
such  little  use,  that  if  taken  away,  the  animal 
does  not  seem  to  feel  the  want  of  them ;  it 
lives  in  all  ks  parts,  and  in  every  part;  and 
by  a  strange  paradox  in  nature,  the  most  use- 
less-and  contemptible  life  is  of  all  others  the 
most  difficult  to  destroy." 


of  Threifd-worms.     The  common  Hair-worm  is  found  ia 
fresh  waters,  or  in  a  wet  clayey  soil,  through  which  it  per- 


832 


A  HISTORY  OF 


CHAPTER  CXCVIII. 

OF  THE  STAR-FISH. 


THE  next  order  of  zoophytes  is  that  of 
the  star-fish,  a  numerous  tribe,  shapeless  and 
deformed,  assuming  at  different  times  dif- 
ferent appearances.  The  same  animal  that 
now  appears  round  like  a  ball,  shortly  after 
flattens  as  thin  as  a  plate.  All  of  this  kind 
are  formed  of  a  semi-transparent  gelatinous 
substance,  covered  with  a  thin  membrane, 
and  to  an  inattentive  spectator  often  appear 
like  a  lump  of  inanimate  jelly,  floating  at  ran- 
dom upon  the  surface  of  the  sea,  or  thrown 
by. chance  on  shore  at  the  departure  of  the 
tide.  But  upon  a  more  minute  inspection, 
they  will  be  found  possessed  of  life  and  mo- 
tion ;  they  will  be  found  to  shoot  forth  their 
arms  ,\n  .every  direction,  in  order  to  seize 
upon  such  insects  as  are  near,  and  to  devour 
them  with  great  rapaeky.  Worms,  the  spawn 
of  fish,  and  even  muscles  themselves,  with 
their  hard  resisting  shell,  have  been  found  in 
the  stomachs  of  these  voracious  animals;  and 
what  is  very  extraordinary,  though  the  sub- 
stance of  their  own  bodies  be  almost  as  soft 
as  water,  yet  they  are  no  way  injured  by 
swallowing  these  shells,  which  are  almost  of 
a  stony  hardness.  They  increase  in  size  as 
all  other  animals  do.  In  summer,  when  the 
water  of  the  sea  is  warmed  by  the  heat  of 
the  sun,  they  float  upon  the  surface,  and  in 
(lie  dark  they  send  forth  a  kind  of  shining 
light  resembling  that  of  phosphorus.  Some 
h.ive  given  these  aitinaals  tlie  name  of  sea- 
nettles,  because  they  burn  the  hands  of  those 
that  touch  them,  as  nettles  are  found  to  do. 
They  are  often  seen  fastened  to  the  rocks, 


lorates.  In  size  and  appearance  it  exactly  resembles  the 
Ir.iir  of  a  horse's  tail ;  and,  when  touched,  twists  itself  into 
a  variety  of  knot-like  contortions,  for  which  reason  it  has 
been  called  the  Gordius.  The  Guinea-worm  is  shaped 
something  like  this,  except  that  the  mouth  is  dilated,  and 
has  a  roundish  concave  lip.  ft  enters  the  naked  arms  and 
legs  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  East  and  West  Indies,  sink- 
ing Jfep  into  the  muscles,  and  frequently  occasioning  in- 
flammation and  fever.  The  Fury  Is  a  still  more  danger- 


and  to  the  largest  sea-shells,  as  if  to  derive 
their  nourishment  from  them.  If  they  be 
taken  and  put  into  spirit  of  wine,  they  will 
continue  for  many  years  entire ;  but  if  they 
be  left  to  the  influence  of  the  air,  they  arc, 
in  less  than  four  and  twenty  hours,  melted 
down  into  limpid  and  offensive  water. 

In  all  of  this  species,  none  are  found  to 
possess  a  vent  for  their  excrements;  but  the 
same  passage  by  which  they  devour  their 
food,  serves  for  the  ejection  of  their  faeces. 
These  animals,  as  was  said,  take  such  a 
variety  of  figures,  that  it  is  impossible  to  de- 
scribe them  under  one  determinate  shape  ; 
but  in  general  their  bodies  resemble  a  trun- 
cated cone,  whose  base  is  applied  to  the  rock 
to  which  they  are  found  usually  attachedv 
Though  generally  transparent,  yet  they  are 
found  of  different  colours,  some  inclining  to 
green,  some  to  red,  some  to  white,  and  some 
to  brown."  In  some,  their  colours  appear 
diffused  over  the  whole  surface,  in  some  they 
are  often  streaked, and  in  others  often  spotted. 
They  are  possessed  of  a  very  slow  progres- 
sive motion,  and  in  fine  weather  they  are 
continually  seen,  stretching  out,  and  fishing 
for  their  prey.  Many  of  them  are  possessed 
of  a  number  of  long  slender  filaments,  in 
which  they  entangle  any  small  animals  they 
happen  to  approach,  and  thus  draw  them  into 
their  enormous  stomachs,  which  fill  the  whole 
cavity  of  their  bodies.  The  harder  shells 
continue  for  some  weeks  undigested,  but  at 
length  they  undergo  a  kind  of  maceration  in 
the  stomach,  and  become  a  part  of  the  sub- 

ous  worm,  and  has  on  each  side  a  single  row  of  closely 
pressed  reflected  prickles.  It  is  found  in  Finland  and  the 
northern  parts  of  Sweden,  in  marshy  places,  where  it 
crawls  up  the  steins  of  sedge-grass  and  low  shrubs;  and 
being  wafted  by  the  wind,  darts  into  the  naked  parts  of 
such  as  :nav  happen  to  be  near  it.  The  celebrated  natu- 
ralist, Sir  Ohnrles  Linne,  was  so  severely  bitten  by  one  of 
these  dreadful  animals,  that  for  some  time  it  was  doubt- 
ful whether  he  would  live  or  die* 


THE  STAR-FISH— THE  POLYPUS. 


833 


stance  of  the  animal  itself.  The  indigestible 
parts  are  returned  by  ttie  same  aperture  by 
which  they  were  swallowed,  and  then  the 
star-fish  begins  to  fish  for  more.  These  also 
may  be  cut  in  pieces,  and  every,  part  will 
survive  the  operation;  each  becoming  a  per- 
fect animal,  endued  with  its  natural  rapacity. 

Of  this  tribe,  the  number  is  various,  and 
the-  description  of  each  would  be  tedious  arid 
uninstructing;  the  manners  and  nature  of  all 
are  nearly  as  described  :  but  I  will  just  make 
mention  of  oue  creature,  which,  though  not 
properly  belonging  to  this  class,  yet  is  so 
nearly  related,  that  the  passing  it  in  silence 
would  be  an  unpardonable  omission. 

Of  all  other  animals,  the  Cuttle-fish,  though 
in  some  respects  superior  to  tlxis  tribe,  pos- 
sesses qualities  the  most  extraordinary.  It 
is  about  two  feet  long,,  covered  with  a  very 
thin  skin,  and  its  flesh  composed  of  a  gelati- 
nous substance,  which,  however,  within-side, 
is  strengthened  by  a  strong  bone,  of  which 
such  great  use  is  made  by  the  goldsmith.  It 
is  possessed  of  eight  arms,  which  it  extends, 
and  which  are  probably  of  service  to  it  in 


fishing  for  its  prey ;  while  in  life,  k  is  capable 
of  lengthening  or  contracting  these  at  plea- 
sure ;  but,  when  dead,  they  contract,  and 
lose  their  rigidity.  They  feed  upon  small 
fish,  which  they  seize  with  their  arms;  and 
they  are  bred  from  eggs,  which  are  laid  upon 
the  weeds  along  the  sea-shore. 

The  cuttle-fish  is  found  along  many  of  the 
eoasts  of  Europe,  but  are  not  easily  eawght, 
from  a  contrivance  with  which  they  are  fur- 
nished by  nature ;  this  is  a  black  substance,  of 
the  colour  of  ink,  which  is  contained  in  a 
bladder  generally  on  the  left  side  of  the  belly, 
and  which  is  ejected  in  the  manner  of  an  ex- 
crement from  the  anus.  Whenever,  there- 
fore, this  fish  is  pursued,  and  when  it  finds  a 
difficulty  of  escaping,  it  spurts  forth  a  great 
quantity  of  this  black  liquor,  by  which  (lie 
waters  are  totally  darkened-,  and  then  it 
escapes  by  lying  close  at  the  bottom.  In 
this  manner  the  creature  finds  its  safety  ;  and 
men  find  ample  cause  for  admiration,  from 
the  great  variety  of  stratagems  with  which 
creatures  are  endued  for  their  peculiar  pre- 
servation. 


CHAPTER  CXCIX. 

OF  THE  POLYPUS.. 


THOSE  animals  which  we  have  described 
in  the  last  chapter  are  variously  denominated. 
They  have  been  called  the  Star-fish,  Sea- 
nettles,  and  Sea-polypi.  This  last  name  has 
been  peculiarly  ascribed'  to  them  by  the  an- 
cients, because  of  the  number  of  feelers  or 
feet  of  which  they  are  all  possessed,  and  with, 
which  they  have  a  slow  progressive  motion  ; 
but  the  moderns  have  given  the  name  of  Poly- 
pus to  a  reptile  that  lives  in  fresh  water,  by 
no  means  so  large  or  observable.  These 
are  found  at  the  bottom  of  wet  ditches,  or  at- 
tached to  the  under  surface  of  the  broad- 
leafed  plants  that  grow  and  swim  on.  the  wa. 
ters.  The  same  difference  holds  between 
these  and  the  sea-water  polypus,  as  between, 
$11  the  productions  of  the  sea,  and  of  the  land- 
and  the  ocean,.  The  marine  vegetables  and 


animals  grow  to  a  monstrous  size.  The  eel, 
the  pike,  or  the  bream,  of  fresh  waters,  is  but 
small ;  but  in  the  sea  they  grow  to  an  enor- 
mous magnitude.  The  herbs  of  the  field  are 
at  most  but  a  few  feet  high;  those  of  the  sea- 
often  shoot  forth  a  stnlk  of  a  hundred.  It  is 
so  between  (lie  Polypi  of  both,,  elements. 
Those  of  the  sea  are  found  from,  two  feet  in 
length  to  three  or  four,  and  Pliny  has  even 
described  one,  the  arms  oC  which  were  no 
less  than  thirty  feet  long.  Those  in  fresh 
waters,  however,  are  comparatively,  minute  ; 
at  their  utmost  sjze  seldom  above  three  parts 
of. an  inch  long,  and  when  gathered  up  into 
their  usual  form,  not  above  a  third-  even  of 
those  dimensions* 

It  was  upon  thfse  minute  animals,  that  the- 
power  of  dissection  was  first  tried  va  mulli- 


834 


A  HISTORY  OF 


plying  their  numbers.  They  had  been  long 
considered  as  little  worthy  the  attention  of 
observers,  and  were  consigned  to  that  neglect 
in  which  thousands  of  minute  species  of  in- 
sects remain  to  this  very  day.  It  is  true,  in- 
deed, that  Reaumur  observed,  classed,  and 
named  them.  By  contemplating  their  mo- 
tions, he  was  enabled  distinctly  to  pronounce 
on  their  being  of  the  animal,  and  not  of  the 
vegetable  kingdom  ;  and  he  called  them  Poly- 
pi, from  their  great  resemblance  to  those 
larger  ones  that  were  found  in  the  ocean. 
Still,  however,  their  properties  were  neglect- 
ed, and  their  history  unknown. 

Mr.  Trembley  was  the  person  to  whom  we 
owe  the  first  discovery  of  the  amazing  proper- 
ties and  powers  of  this  little  vivacious  creature. 
He  divided  this  class  of  animals  into  four  dif- 
ferent kinds:  into  those  inclining  to  green, 
those  of  a  brownish  cast,  those  of  a  (lesh- 
colour,  and  those  which  he  calls  the  polype  de 
panache.  The  differences  of  structure  in  these, 
as  also  of  colour,  are  observable  enough  ;  but 
the  manner  of  their  subsisting,  of  seizing  then- 
prey,  and  of  their  propagation,  is  pretty  near- 
ly the  same  in  all. 

Whoever  has  looked  with  care  into  the  bot- 
tom of  a  wet  ditch  when  the  water  is  stagnant, 
and  the  sun  has  been  powerful,  may  remem- 
ber to  have  seen  many  little  transparent  lumps 
of  jelly,  about  the  size  of  a  pea,  and  flatted  on 
one  side  ;  such  also  as  have  examined  the  un- 
der side  of  the  broad-leafed  weeds  that  grow 
on  the  surface  of  the  water,  must  have  observ- 
ed them  studded  with  a  number  of  these  little 
jelly-like  substances,  which  were  probably 
then  disregarded,  because  their  nature  and 
history  were  unknown.  These  little  sub- 
stances, however,  were  no  other  than  living 
polypi,  gathered  up  into  a  quiescent  state,  and 
sce.ningly  inanimate,  because  either  undis- 
turbed, or  not  excited  by  the  calls  of  appetite 
to  action.  When  they  are  seen  exerting  them- 
selves, they  put  on  a  very  different  appearance 
from  that  when  at  rest:  to  conceive  a  just 
idea  of  their  figure,  we  may  suppose  the  finger 
of  a  glove  cut  off  at  the  bottom  ;  we  may  sup- 
pose also  several  threads  or  horns  planted 
round  the  edge  like  a  fringe.  The  hollow  of 
this  finger  will  give  us  an  idea  of  the  stomach 
of  the  animal ;  the  threads  issuing  forth  from 
(he  edges  may  be  considered  as  the  arms  or 
feelers,  with  which  it  hunts  for  its  prey.  The 


animal,  at  its  greatest  extent,  is  seldom  seen 
above  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  but  it  is  much 
shorter  when  it  is  contracted  and  at  rest ;  it  is 
furnished  neither  with  muscfcs  nor  rings,  and 
its  manner  of  lengthening  or  contracting  itself 
more  resembles  that  of  the  snail,  than  worms, 
or  any  oilier  insect.  The  polypus  contracts 
itself  more  or  less,  in  proportion  as  it  is  touch- 
ed, or  as  the  water  is  agitated  in  which  they 
are  seen.  Warmth  animates  them,  and  c<  Id 
benumbs  them  ;  but  it  requires  a  degree  of 
cold  approaching  congelation  before  they  are 
reduced  to  perfect  inactivity:  those  of  an  inch 
have  generally  their  arms  double,  often  thrice 
as  long  as  their  bodies.  The  arms,  where  the 
animal  is  not  disturbed,  and  the  season  not 
unfavourable,  are  thrown  about  in  various 
directions,  in  order  to  seize  and  entangle  its 
little  prey  ;  sometimes  three  or  four  of  the 
arms  are  thus  employed,  while  the  rest  are 
contracted  like  the  horns  of  a  snail,  within  the 
animal's  body.  It  seems  capable  of  giving 
wh-it  length  it  pleases  to  these  arms ;  it  con- 
tracts and  extends  them  at  pleasure,  and 
stretches  them  only  in  proportion  to  the  re- 
moteness of  the  object  it  would  seize. 

These  animals  have  a  progressive  motion, 
which  is  performed  by  that  power  they  have 
of  lengthening  and  contracting  themselves  at 
pleasure  ;  they  go  from  one  part  of  the  bottom 
to  another  ;  they  mount  along  the  margin  of 
the  water,  and  climb  up  the  side  of  aquatic 
plants.  They  often  are  seen  to  come  to  the 
surface  of  the  water,  where  they  suspend 
themselves  by  their  lower  end.  As  they  ad- 
vance but  very  slowly,  they  employ  a  great 
deal  of  time  in  every  action,  and  bind  them- 
selves very  strongly  to  whatever  body  they 
chance  to  move  upon  as  they  proceed  ;  their 
adhesion  is  voluntary,  and  is  probably  perform- 
ed in  the  manner  of  a  cupping-glass  applied 
to  the  body. 

All  animals  of  this  kind  have  a  remarkable 
attachment  to  turn  towards  the  light,  and 
this  naturally  might  induce  an  inquirer  to  look 
for  their  eyes ;  but  however  carefully  this 
search  has  been  pursued,  and  however  excel- 
lent the  microscope  with  which  every  part 
was  examined,  yet  nothing  of  the  appearance 
of  this  organ  was  found  over  the  whole  body; 
and  it  is  most  probable  that,  like  several  other 
insects  which  hunt  their  prey  by  their  feeling, 
these  creatures  are  unfurnished  with  advan- 


THE  POLYPUS. 


S36 


tages  which  would  be  totally  useless  for  their 
support. 

In  the  centre  of  the  arms,  as  was  said  before, 
the  mouth  is  placed,  which  the  animal  can 
open  and  shut  at  pleasure,  and  this  serves  at 
once  as  a  passage  for  food,  and  an  opening 
for  it  after  digestion.  The  inward  purt  of  the 
animal's  body  seems  to  be  one  great  stomach, 
which  is  open  at  both  ends  ;  but  the  purposes 
which  the  opening  at  the  bottom  serves  are 
hitherto  unknown,  but  certainly  not  for  ex- 
cluding taeir  excrements,  for  those  are  eject- 
ed at  the  aperture  by  which  they  are  taken  in. 
If  the  surface  of  the  body  of  this  little  creature 
be  examined  with  a  microscope,  it  will  be 
found  studded  with  a  number  of  warts,  as  also 
the  anus,  especially  when  they  are  contract- 
ed ;  and  these  tubercles,  as  we  shall  presently 
see,  answer  a  very  important  purpose. 

If  we  examine  their  way  of  living,  we  shall 
fiiid  thes"  insectschiefly  subsisting  upon  others, 
much  less  than  themselves,  particularly  a  kind 
of  millepedes  that  live  in  the  water,  and  a 
very  small  red  worm,  which  they  seize  with 
great  avidity.  In  short,  no  insect  whatsoever, 
less  than  themselves,  seems  to  come  amiss  to 
them  ;  their  arms,  as  was  said  before,  serve 
them  as  a  net  would  a  fisherman,  or  perhaps, 
more  exactly  speaking,  as  a  lime-twig  does  a 
fowler. 

Wherever  their  prey  is  perceived,  which  the 
animal  effects  by  its  feeling,  it  is  sufficient  to 
touch  the  object  it  would  seize  upon,  and  it  is 
fastened  without  a  power  of  escaping.  The 
instant  one  of  this  insect's  long  arms  is  laid 
upon  a  milh-pede,  the  little  insect  sticks  with- 
out a  possibility  of  retreating.  The  greater 
the  distance  at  which  it  is  touched,  the  greater 
is  the  ease  with  which  the  polypus  brings  the 
prey  to  its  mouth.  If  the  little  object  be  near, 
though  irretrievably  caught,  it  is  not  without 
great  difficulty  that  if  can  be  brought  to  the 
mouth  to  be  swallowed.  When  the  polypus 
is  unapplied  with  prey,  it  testifies  its  hunger 
by  opening  its  mouth  ;  the  aperture,  however, 
is  so  small  that  it  cannot  be  easily  perceived  ; 
but  when,  with  any  of  its  long  arms,  it  has 
seized  upon  its  prey,  it  then  opens  the  mouth 
disMnctly  enough,  and  this  opening  is  always 
in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  animal  which 
it  would  swallow  ;  the  lips  dilate  insensibly 
by  small  degrees,  and  adjust  themselves  pre- 
cisely to  the  figure  of  their  prey.  Mr.  Trem- 

*o  71  &  72. 


bley,  who  took  n  pleasure  in  feeding  this  use- 
less brood,  found  that  th<y  could  devour  ali- 
ments of  every  kind,  fish  Hiiri  flesh,  as  well  as 
insects  ;  but  he  owns  they  did  not  thrive  so 
well  upon  beef  and  veal,  as  upon  the  little 
worms  of  their  own  providing.  When  he 
gave  one  of  these  famished  leptiles  any  sub- 
stance which  was  improper  to  serve  (or  ali- 
ment, tit  first  it  seized  the  prey  with  avidity, 
but  after  keeping  it  some  time  entan»l<  d  m  ar 
the  mouth,  it  dropt  it  again  w'uh  distinguishing 
nicety. 

When  several  polypi  happen  to  fall  upon 
the  same  worm,  they  dispute  their  common 
prey  with  each  other.  Two  of  them  are  often 
seen  seizing  the  same  worm  at  different  ends, 
and  dragging  it  at  opposite  directions  with 
great  force.  It  often  happens,  that  while  one 
is  swallowing  its  respective  end,  the  other  is 
also  employed  in  the  same  manner,  and  thus 
they  continue  swallowing  each  his  part,  until 
their  mouths  meet  together;  they  then  rest, 
each  for  some  time  in  this  situation,  till  the 
worm  breaks  between  them,  and  each  goes  off 
with  his  share  ;  but  it  often  happens,  that  a 
seemingly  more  dangerous  combat  ensues, 
when  the  mouths  of  both  are  thus  joh.ert  upon 
one  common  prey  together:  the  largest  poly- 
pus then  gapes  and  swallows  his  antagonist ; 
but  what  is  very  wonderful,  the  animal  thus 
swallowed  seems  to  be  rather  a  gainer  by  the 
misfortune.  After  it  has  lain  in  the  conqueror's 
body  for  about  an  hour,  it  issues  unhurt,  and 
often  in  possession  of  the  prey  which  had  been 
the  original  cause  of  contention.  How  happy 
would  it  be  for  men,  if  they  had  as  little  to 
fear  from  each  other ! 

These  reptiles  continue  eating  the  wthole 
year,  except  when  the  cold  approaches  to 
congelation  ;  and  then,  like  most  others  of  the 
insect  tribe,  they  feel  the  general  torpor  of  na- 
ture, and  all  their  faculties  are  for  two  or  three 
months  suspended  :  but  if  they  abstain  at  one 
time,  they  are  equally  voracious  at  another, 
and,  like  snakes,  ants,  and  other  animals  that 
are  torpid  in  winter,  the  meal  of  one  day  suf- 
fices them  for  several  months  together.  In 
general,  however,  they  devour  more  largely 
in  proportion  to  their  size,  and  their  growth 
is  quick  exactly  as  they  are  fed  ;  such  as  are 
best  supplied,  soonest  acquire  their  largest  size, 
but  they  di'ninish  also  in  their  growth  with 
the  same  facility  if  their  food  be  taken  away 


A  HISTORY  OF 


Such  arc  the  more  obvious  properties  of 
these  little  animals,  but  the  most  wonderful 
still  remain  behind :  Their  manner  of  propa- 
gation, or  rather  multiplication,  has  for  some 
years  been  the  astonishment  of  all  the  learned 
of  Europe.  They  are  produced  in  as  great  a 
variety  of  manners  as  every  species  of  vege- 
table. Some  polypi  are  propagated  from 
<'ggS  as  plants  are  from  their  seed  ;  some  are 
produced  by  buds  issuing  from  their  bodies, 
as  plants  are  produced  by  inoculation  ;  while 
all  may  be  multiplied  by  cuttings,  and  this  to  a 
degree  of  minuteness  that  exceeds  even  philo- 
sophical perseverance. 

With  respect  to  such  of  this  kind  as  are 
hatched  from  the  egg,  little  curious  can  be 
added,  as  it  is  a  method  of  propagation  so 
common  to  all  the  tribes  of  insect  nature ; 
but  with  regard  to  such  as  are  produced  like 
buds  from  their  parent  stem,  or  like  cuttings 
from  an  original  root,  their  history  requires  a 
more  detailed  explanation.  If  a  polypus  be 
carefully  observed  in  summer,  when  these  ani- 
mals are  chiefly  active,  and  more  particularly 
prepared  for  propagation,  it  will  be  found  to 
bourgeon  forth  from  different  parts  of  its  body 
several  tubercles  or  little  knobs,  which  grow 
larger  and  larger  every  day :  after  two  or 
three  days'  inspection,  what  at  first  appeared 
but  a  small  excrescence  takes  the  figure  of  a 
small  animal,  entirely  resembling  its  parent, 
furnished  with  feelers,  a  mouth,  and  all  the 
apparatus  for  seizing  and  digesting  its  prey. 
This  little  creature  every  day  becomes  larger, 
like  the  parent  to  which  it  continues  attached ; 
it  spreads  its  arms  to  seize  upon  whatever  in- 
sect is  proper  for  aliment,  and  devours  it  for 
its  own  particular  benefit :  thus  it  is  possessed 
of  two  sources  of  nourishment,  that  which  it 
receives  from  the  parent  by  the  tail,  and  that 
which  it  receives  from  its  own  industry  by  the 
mouth.  The  food  which  these  animals  re- 
ceive often  tinctures  the  whole  body,  and  up- 
on this  occasion  the  parent  is  often  seen  com- 
municating a  part  of  its  own  fluids  to  that  of 
its  progeny  that  grows  upon  it ;  while,  on  the 
contrary,  it  never  receives  any  tincture  from 
any  substance  that  is  caught  and  swallowed 
by  its  young.  If  the  parent  swallows  a  red 
worm,  which  gives  a  tincture  to  all  its  fluids, 
the  young  one  partakes  of  the  parental  colour ; 
but  if  the  latter  should  seize  upon  the  same 
prey,  the  pprent  polypus  is  no  way  benefited 


by  the  capture,  but  all  the  advantage  remains 
with  the  young  one. 

But  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  the  parent 
is  capable  of  producing  only  one  at  a  time; 
several  young  ones  are  thus  seen  at  once,  of 
different  sizes,  growing  from  its  body,  some 
just  budding  forth,  others  acquiring  their  per- 
fect form,  and  others  come  to  sufficient  ma- 
turity, and  just  ready  to  drop  from  the 
original  stem  to  which  they  had  been  attach- 
ed for  several  days.  But  what  is  more  extra- 
ordinary still,  those  young  ones  themselves 
that  continue  attached  to  their  parent,  are 
seen  to  bourgeon,  and  propagate  their  own 
young  ones  also,  each  holding  the  same  de- 
pendence upon  its  respective  parent,  and  pos- 
sessed of  the  same  advantages  that  have  been 
already  described  in  the  first  connexion. 
Thus  we  see  a  surprising  chain  of  existence 
continued,  and  numbers  of  animals  naturally 
produced  without  any  union  of  the  sexes,  or 
other  previous  disposition  of  nature. 

This  seems  to  be  the  most  natural  way  by 
which  these  insects  are  multiplied  ;  their  pro- 
duction from  the  egg  being  not  so  common ; 
and  though  some  of  this  kind  are  found  with 
a  little  bladder  attached  to  their  bodies,  which 
is  supposed  to  be  filled  with  eggs,  which  after- 
wards come  to  maturity,  yet  the  artificial 
method  of  propagating  these  animals  is  much 
more  expeditious,  and  equally  certain.  It  is 
indifferent  whether  one  of  them  be  cut  into 
ten,  or  ten  hundred  parts,  each  becomes  as 
perfect  an  animal  as  that  which  was  originally 
divided  ;  but  it  must  be  observed,  that  the 
smaller  the  part  which  is  thus  separated  from 
the  rest,  the  longer  it  will  be  in  coming  to 
maturity,  or  in  assuming  its  perfect  form.  It 
would  be  endless  to  recount  the  many  experi- 
ments that  have  been  tried  upon  this  philoso- 
phical prodigy  :  the  animal  has  been  twisted 
and  turned  into  all  manner  of  shapes ;  it  has 
been  turned  inside  out,  it  has  been  cut  in 
every  division,  yet  still  it  continued  to  move ; 
its  parts  adapted  themselves  again  to  each 
other,  and  in  a  short  time  it  became  as  voraci- 
ous and  industrious  as  before. 

Besides  these  kinds  mentioned  by  Mr. 
Trembley,  there  are  various  others  which 
have  been  lately  discovered  by  the  vigilance 
of  succeeding  observers,  and  some  of  these  so 
strongly  resemble  a  flowering  vegetable  in 
their  forms,  that  they  have  been  mistaken  by 


THE  LYTHOPHYTES  AND  SPONGES. 


837 


many  naturalists  for  such.  Mr.  Hughes,  the 
author  of  the  natural  history  of  Barbadoes, 
has  described  a  species  of  this  animal,  but 
has  mistaken  its  nature,  and  called  it  a  sensi- 
tive flowering  plant ;  he  observed  it  to  take 
refuge  in  the  holes  of  rocks,  and,  when  un- 
disturbed, to  spread  forth  a  number  of  rami- 
fications, each  terminated  by  a  flowery  petal, 


which  shrunk  at  the  approach  of  (he  hand, 
and  withdrew  into  the  hole  from  whence  be- 
fore it  had  been  seen  to  issue.  This  plant, 
however,  was  no  other  than  an  animal  of  the 
polypus  kind,  which  is  not  only  to  be  found 
in  Barbadoes,  but  also  on  many  parls  of  the 
coast  of  Cornwall,  and  along  the  shores  of 
the  continent. 


CHAPTER    GC. 

OF  THE  LYTHOPHYTES  ANV  SPONGES. 


IT  is  very  prooable  that  the  animals  we 
see  and  are  acquainted  with,  bear  no  man- 
ner of  proportion  to  those  that  are  concealed 
from  us.  Although  every  leaf  and  vegetable 
swarms  with  animals  upon  land,  yet  at  sea 
they  are  still  more  abundant ;  for  the  great- 
est part  of  what  would  seem  vegetables 
growing  there,  are  in  fact  nothing  but  the 
artificial  formation  of  insects,  palaces  which 
they  have  built  for  their  own  habitation. 

If  we  examine  the  bottom  of  the  sea  along 
some  shores,  and  particularly  at  the  mouths 
of  several  rivers,  we  shall  find  it  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  forest  of  trees  under  water, 
millions  of  plants  growing  in  various  direc- 
tions, with  their  branches  entangled  in  each 
other,  and  sometimes  standing  so  thick  as  to 
obstruct  navigation.  The  shores  of  the  Per- 
sian Gulf,  the  whole  extent  of  the  Red-sea, 
and  the  western  coasts  of  America,  are  so 
choaked  up  in  many  places  with  these  cora- 
line  substances,  that  though  ships  force  a 
passage  through  them,  boats  and  swimmers 
find  it  impossible  to  make  their  way.  These 
aquatic  groves  are  formed  of  different  sub- 
stances, and  assume  various  appearances. 
The  coral  plants,  as  they  are  called,  some- 
times shoot  out  like  trees  without  leaves  in 
winter ;  they  often  spread  out  a  broad  sur- 
'ace  like  a  fan,  and  not  uncommonly  a  large 
oundling  head  like  a  faggot;  sometimes  they 
are  found  to  resemble  a  plant  with  leaves 
and  flowers;  and  often  the  antlers  of  a  stag, 
with  great  exactness  and  regularity.  In  other 
parts  of  the  sea  are  seen  sponges  of  various 


magnitude,  and  extraordinary  appearances, 
assuming  a  variety  of  phantastic  forms,  like 
large  mushrooms,  mitres,  fonts,  and  flower- 
pots. To  an  attentive  spectator  these  vari- 
ous productions  seem  entirely  of  the  vege- 
table kind  ;  they  seem  to  have  their  leaves 
and  their  flowers,  and  have  been  experimen- 
tally known  to  shoot  out  branches  in  the 
compass  of  a  year.  Philosophers,  therefore, 
till  of  late,  thought  themselves  pretty  secure 
in  ascribing  these  productions  to  the  vege- 
table kingdom  ;  and  Count  Marsigli,  who  has 
written  very  laboriously  and  learnedly  upon 
the  subject  of  corals  and  sponges,  has  not 
hesitated  to  declare  his  opinion,  that  they 
were  plants  of  the  aquatic  kind,  furnished 
with  flowers  and  seeds,  and  endued  with  a 
vegetation  entirely  resembling  that  which  is 
found  upon  land.  This  opinion,  however, 
some  time  after,  began  to  be  shaken  by  Rum-, 
phius  and  Jussieu,  and  at  last  by  the  ingeni- 
ous Mr.  Ellis,  who  by  a  more  sagacious  ami 
diligent  inquiry  into  nature,  put  it  past  doubt, 
that  corals  and  sponges  were  entirely  the 
works  of  animals,  and  that,  like  the  honey- 
comb which  was  formed  by  the  bee,  the  co- 
ral was  the  work  of  an  infinite  number  of  rep- 
tiles of  the  polypus  kind, whose  united  labours 
were  thus  capable  of  filling  whole  tracts  of 
the  ocean  with  those  embarrassing  tokens  of 
their  industry. 

If,  in  our  researches  \after  the  nature  of 

these  plants,  we  should  be  induced  to  break 

off  a  branch  of  the  coraline  substance,  and 

observe   it  carefully,  we  shall  perceive  its 

5Z* 


A  HISTORY  OF 


whole  surface,  which  is  very  rugged  and 
irregular,  covered  with  a  mucous  fluid,  and 
almost  in  every  part  studded  with  little  jelly- 
like  drops,  which,  when  closely  examined, 
will  be  (bund  to  be  no  other  than  reptiles  of 
the  polypus  kind.  These  have  their  motions, 
their  arms,  their  appetites,  exactly  resembling 
those  described  in  the  last  chapter;  but  they 
soon  expire  when  taken  out  of  the  sea,  and 
our  curiosity  is  at  once  stopped  in  its  career, 
by  the  animals  ceasing  to  give  any  mark  of 
(heir  industry:  recourse,  therefore,  has  been 
had  to  other  expedients,in  order  to  determine 
the  nature  of  the  inhabitant,  as  well  as  the 
habitation. 

If  a  coraline  plant  be  strictly  observed, 
while  still  growing  in  the  sea,  and  the  ani- 
mals upon  its  surface  be  not  disturbed,  either 
by  the  agitation  of  the  waters,  or  the  touch 
of  the  observer,  the  little  polypi  will  then  be 
seon  in  infinite  numbers,  each  issuing  from  its 
cell,  and  in  some  kinds  the  head  covered 
with  a  little  shell,  resembling  an  umbrella, 
the  arms  spread  abroad,  in  order  to  seize  its 
prey,  while  the  hinder  part  still  remains  at- 
tached to  its  habitation,  from  whence  it  never 
wholly  removes.  By  this  time  it  is  perceiv- 
ed, that  the  number  of  inhabitants  is  infinite- 
ly greater  than  was  at  first  suspected ;  and 
that  they  are  all  assiduously  employed  in  the 
samo  pursuits,  and  that  they  issue  from  their 
respective  cells,  and  retire  into  them  at  plea- 
sure. Still,  however,  there  are  no  proofs 
that  those  large  branches  which  they  inhabit, 
are  entirely  the  construction  of  such  feeble 
and  minute  animals.  But  chymistry  will  be 
found  to  lend  a  clue  to  extricate  us  from  our 
doubts  in  this  particular.  Like  the  shells 
which  are  formed  by  snails,  muscles,  and 
oysters,  these  coraline  substances  effervesce 
with  acids;  and  may  therefore  well  be  sup- 
posed to  partake  of  the  same  animal  nature. 
Bui  Mr.  Ellis  went  still  farther,  and  examined 
their  operations,  just  as  they  were  beginning. 
Observing  an  oyster-bed  which  had  been  for 
some  time  neglected,  he  there  perceived  the 
first  rudiments  of  a  coraline  plantation,  and 
tufts  of  various  kinds  shooting  from  different 
parts  of  this  favourable  soil.  It  was  upon- 
these  he  tried  his  principal  experiment.  He 
took  out  the  oysters  which w.ere  thws  furnish- 
ed with  ccraliufs,  and  placed  them  in  a  targe 


wooden  vessel,  covering  them  with  sea-water. 
In  about  an  hour  he  perceived  the  animals, 
which  before  had  been  contracted  by  hand- 
ling, and  had  shown  no  signs  of  life,  expand- 
ing themselves  in  every  direction, and  appear- 
ing employed  in  their  own  natural  manner. 
Perceiving  them,  therefore,  in  this  state,  his 
next  aim  was  to  preserve  them  thus  expand- 
ed, so  as  to  be  permanent  objects  of  cunosjty. 
For  this  purpose,  he  poured,  by  slow  degrees, 
an  equal  quantity  of  boiling  water  into  the 
vessel  of  sea-water  in  which  they  were  im- 
mersed. He  then  separated  each  polypui 
with  pincers  from  its  shell,  and  plunged  each 
separately  into  small  crystal  vases,  filled 
with  spirit  of  wine  mixed  with  water.  By 
this  means  the  animal  was  preserved  entire, 
without  having  time  to  contract  itself,  and  he 
thus  perceived  a  variety  of  kinds,  almost 
equal  to  that  variety  of  productions  which 
these  little  animals  are  seen  to  form.  He 
has  been  thus  able  to  perceive  and  describe 
fifty  different  kinds,  each  of  which  is  seen  to 
possess  its  own  peculiar  mode  of  construc- 
tion, and  to  form  a  coraline  that  none  of  the 
rest  can  imitate.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  on 
every  coraline  substance  there  are  a  number 
of  polypi  found,  no  way  resembling  those 
which  are  the  erectersof  the  building:  these 
may  be  called  a  vagabond  race  of  reptiles, 
that  are  only  intruders  upon  the  labours  of 
others,  and  that  take  possession  of  habita- 
tions, which  they  have  neither  art  nor  power 
to  build  for  themselves.  But,  in  general,  the 
same  difference  that  subsists  between  the 
honey-comb  of  the  bee,  and  the  paper-like 
cells  of  the  wasp,  subsists  between  the  dif- 
ferent habitations  of  the  coral-making  polypi. 
With  regard  to  the  various  forms  of  these 
substances,  they  have  obtained  different 
names  from  the  nature  of  the  animal  that  pro- 
duced them,  or  the  likeness  they  bear  to 
some  well-known  object,  such  as  coralines, 
fungi-madrepores,  sponges,  astroites,  and 
keratophytes.  Though  these  differ  extreme- 
ly in  their  outward  appearances,  yet  they  are 
all  formed  in  the  same  manner  by  reptiles  of 
various  kinds  and  nature.  When  examined 
chymically,  they  all  discover  the  marks  of 
animal  formation ;  the  corals,  as  was  said, 
dissolve  in  acids,  the  sponges  burn  with  an 
odour  strongly  resembling  that  of  burnt  horn. 


THE  LYTHOPHYTES  AND  SPOiNGES. 


839 


We  are  left  somewhat  at  a  loss  with  regard 
to  the  precise  manner  in  which  this  multitude 
of  cells,  which  at  last  assume  the  appearance 
of  a  plant  or  flower,  are  formed. 

If  we  may  be  led  in  this  subject  by  analogy, 
it  is  most  probable,  that  the  substance  of  co- 
ral is  produced  in  the  same  manner  that  the 
shell  of  the  snail  grows  round  it;  these  little 
reptiles  are  each  possessed  of  a  slimy  matter, 
which  covers  its  body,  and  this  hardening,  as 
in  the  snail,  becomes  a  habitation  exactly 
fitted  to  the  body  of  the  animal  that  is  to  re- 
side in  it ;  several  of  these  habitations  being 
joined  together,  form  at  length  a  considerable 
mass;  and  as  most  animals  are  productive  in 
proportion  to  their  minuteness,  so  these  mul- 
tiplying in  a  surprising  degree,  at  length  form 
those  extensive  forests  that  cover  the  bottom 
of  the  deep. 

Thus  all  nature  seems  replete  with  life ; 
almost  every  plant  on  land  has  its  surface 
covered  with  millions  of  these  minute  crea- 
tures, of  whose  existence  we  are  certain,  but 
of  whose  uses  we  are  entirely  ignorant ; 


while  numbers  of  what  seem  plants  at  sea, 
are  not  only  the  receptacles  of  insects,  but 
also  entirely  of  insect  formation.  This  might 
have  led  some  late  philosophers  into  an 
opinion,  that  all  nature  was  animated  ;  thai 
every,  even  the  most  inert  mass  of  matter, 
was  endued  with  life  and  bensation,  but  wan- 
ed organs  to  make  those  sensations  percepti- 
ble lo  the  observer:  those  opinions,  taken 
up  at  random,  are  difficultly  maintained,  and 
as  difficultly  refuted  ;  like  combatants  that 
meet  in  the  dark,  each  party  may  deal  a 
thousand  blows  without  ever  reaching  the 
adversary.  Those,  perhaps,  are  wiser,  who- 
view  nature  as  she  offers ;  who,  without 
searching  too  deeply  into  the  recesses  into 
which  she  ultimately  hides,  are  contented  to 
take  her  as  she  presents  herself;  and  storing 
their  minds  with  effects  rather  than  with 
causes,  instead  of  the  embarrassments  of  sys- 
tems, about  which  few  agree,  are  contented 
with  the  history  of  appearances,  concern- 
ing which  all  mankind  have  but  one  opi- 
nion. 


END  or  GOLDSMITH'S  HISTORY  or  THE  EARTH  AND  ANIMATED  NATVPE. 


TO  THE 


REV.  HENRY  GOLDSMITH. 


DEAR  SIR, 

I  AM  sensible  that  the  friendship  between  us  can  acquire  no  new  force  from  the  ceremonies  of  a  dedication ; 
and  perhaps  it  demands  an  excuse  thus  to  prefix  your  name  to  my  attempts,  which  you  decline  giving  with  your  own. 
But  as  a  part  of  this  poem  was  formerly  written  to  you  from  Switzerland,  the  whole  can  now,  with  propriety,  be  only 
inscribed  to  you.  It  will  also  throw  a  light  upon  many  parts  of  it,  when  the  reader  understands  that  it  is  addressed  to  a 
man,  who,  despising  fame  and  fortune,  has  retired  early  to  happiness  and  obscurity,  with  an  income  of  forty  pounds  a  year. 

I  now  perceive,  my  dear  brother,  the  wisdom  of  your  humble  choice.  You  have  entered  upon  a  sacred  office,  where 
the  harvest  is  great,  and  the  labourers  are  but  few  ;  while  you  have  left  the  field  of  ambition,  where  the  labourers  are 
many,  and  the  harvest  not  worth  carrying  away.  But  of  all  kinds  of  ambition,  what  from  the  refinement  of  the  times, 
from  different  systems  of  criticism,  and  from  the  divisions  of  party,  that  which  pursues  poetical  fame  is  the  wildest. 

Poetry  makes  a  principal  amusement  among  unpolished  nations  ;  but  in  a  country  verging  to  the  extremes  of  refine- 
ment, painting  and  music  come  in  for  a  share.  As  these  offer  the  feeble  mind  a  less  laborious  entertainment,  they  at 
first  rival  poetry,  and  at  length  supplant  her  ;  they  engross  all  that  favour  once  shown  to  her,  and,  though  but  younger 
sisters,  seize  upon  the  elder's  birthright. 

Yet  however  this  art  may  be  neglected  by  the  powerful,  it  is  still  in  greater  danger  from  the  mistaken  efforts  of  the 
learned  to  improve  it.     What  criticisms  have  we  not  heard  of  late  in  favour  of  blank  verse,  and  pindaric  odes,  cho* 
nisses,  anapests,  and  iambics,  alliterative  care,  and  happy  negligence  !     Every  absurdity  has  now  a  champion  to  de 
feud  it ;  and  as  he  is  generally  much  in  the  wrong,  so  he  has  always  much  to  say ;  for  error  is  ever  talkative. 

But  there  is  an  enemy  to  this  art  still  more  dangerous;  I  mean  party.  Party  entirely  distorts  the  judgment,  and 
destroys  the  taste.  When  the  mind  is  once  infected  with  this  disease,  it  can  only  find  pleasure  in  what  contributes  to 
increase  the  distemper.  Like  the  tiger,  that  seldom  desists  from  pursuing  man,  after  having  once  preyed  upon  human 
flesh,  the  reader,  who  has  once  gratified  his  appetite  with  calumny,  makes  ever  after  the  most  agreeable  feast  upon 
murdered  reputation.  Such  readers  generally  admire  some  half-witted  thing,  who  wants  to  be  thought  a  bold  man, 
having  lost  the  character  of  a  wise  one.  Him  they  dignify  with  the  name  of  poet:  his  tawdry  lampoons  are  called 
satires ;  his  turbulence  is  said  to  be  force,  and  his  phrenzy  fire. 


342  DEDICATION. 

What  reception  a  poem  may  find,  which  has  neither  abuse,  party,  nor  blank  verse  to  support  it,  I  cannot  tell, 
nor  am  I  solicitous  to  know.  My  aims  are  right.  Without  espousing  the  cause  of  any  party,  I  have  attempted  to 
moderate  the  rage  of  all.  I  have  endeavoured  to  show,  that  there  may  be  equal  happiness  in  states  that  are  differently 
governed  from  our  own  ;  that  every  state  has  a  particular  principle  of  happiness,  and  that  this  principle  in  each  may 
be  carried  to  a  mischievous  excess.  There  are  few  can  judge  better  than  yourself  how  far  these  positions  are  illut- 
trated  in  this  poem.  I  am,  dear  sir,  your  most  affectionate  brother, 

OLIVER  GOLDSMITH. 


THE 


REMOTE,  unfriended,  melancholy,  slow, 

Or  by  the  lazy  Scheld,  or  wandering  Po  ; 

Or  onward,  whe're  the  rude  Carinthian  boor 

Against  the  houseless  stranger  shuts  the  door ; 

Or  where  Campania's  plain  forsaken  lies, 

A  weary  waste  expanding  to  the  skies; 

Where'er  I  roam,  whatever  realms  to  see, 

My  heart,  untravelled,  fondly  turns  to  thee  ; 

Still  to  my  brother  turns,  with  ceaseless  pain, 

And  drags,  at  each  remove,  a  lengthening  chain  ; 

Eternal  bless^gs  crown  my  earliest  friend, 

And  round  his  dwelling  guardian  saints  attend  ; 

Blessed  be  that  spot,  where  cheerful  guests  retire, 

To  pause  from  toil  and  trim  their  evening  fire ; 

Blessed  that  abode,  where  want  and  pain  repair, 

And  every  stranger  finds  a  ready  chair  : 

Blessed  be  those  feasts,  with  simple  plenty  crowned, 

Where  all  the  ruddy  family  around 

Laugh  at  the  jests  or  pranks  that  never  fail, 

Or  sigh  with  pity  at  some  mournful  tale  ; 

Or  press  the  bashful  stranger  to  his  food, 

And  learn  the  luxury  of  doing  good! 

But  me,  not  destined  such  delights  to  share, 
My  prime  of  life  in  wandering  spent,  and  care 
Impelled,  with  steps  unceasing,  to  pursue 
Some  fleeting  good,  that  mocks  me  with  the  view  ; 
That,  like  the  circle,  bounding  earth- and  skies, 
Allures  from  far,  yet,  as  I  follow,  flies  ; 
My  fortune  leads  to  traverse  realms  alone, 
And  find  no  spot  of  all  the  world  my  own. 

MO.  71  &  72. 


E'en  now  where  Alpine  solitudes  ascend, 
I  sit  me  down  a  pensive  hour  to  spend  ; 
And  placed  on  high,  above  the  storm's  career, 
Look  downward  where  an  hundred  realms  appear; 
Lakes,  forests,  cities,  plains,  extending  wide, 
The  pomp  of  kings,  the  shepherd's  humbler  pride. 

When  thus  creation's  charms  around  combine, 
Amidst  the  store  should  thankless  pride  repine, 
Say,  should  the  philosophic  mind  disdain 
That  good  which  makes  each  humbler  bosom  vain  ? 
Let  school-taught  pride  dissemble  all  it  can, 
These  little  things  are  great  to  little  man ; 
And  wiser  he,  whose  sympathetic  mind 
Exults  in  all  the  good  of  all  mankind. 
Ye  glittering  towns,  with  wealth  and  splendour  crowned  ; 
Ye  fields,  where  summer  spreads  profusion  round  ; 
Ye  lakes,  whose  vessels  catch  the  busy  gale ; 
Ye  bending  swains,  that  dress  the  flowery  vale; 
For  me  your  tributary  stores  combine : 
Creation's  heir  !  the  world,  the  world  is  mine  ! 

As  some  lone  miser,  visiting  his  store, 
Bends  at  his  treasure,  counts,  recounts  it  o'er ; 
Hoards  after  hoards  his  rising  raptures  fill, 
Yet  still  he  sighs,  for  hoards  are  wanting  still ; 
Thus  to  my  breast  alternate  passions  rise, 
Pleased  with  each  good  that  heaven  to  man  supplies ; 
Yet  oft  a  sigh  prevails,  and  sorrows  fall, 
To  see  the  hoard  of  human  bliss  so  small : 
And  oft  I  wish,  amidst  the  scene,  to  find 
Some  spot  to  real  happiness  consigned, 

6A 


844 


THE  TRAVELLER. 


Where  my  worn  soul,  each  wandering  hope  at  rest, 
May  gather  bliss  to  see  my  fellows  blessed. 

But  where  to  find  that  happiest  spot  below, 
Who  can  direct,  when  all  pretend  to  know  ? 
The  shuddering  tenant  of  the  frigid  zone 
Boldly  proclaims  that  happiest  spot  his  own  ; 
Extols  the  treasures  of  his  stormy  seas, 
And  his  long  nights  of  revelry  and  ease  ;    ' 
The  naked  negro,  panting  at  the  line, 
Boasts  of  his  golden  sands  and  palmy  wine  ; 
Uasks  in  the  glare,  or  stems  the  tepid  wave, 
And  thanks  his  gods  for  all  the  good  they  gave. 
Such  is  the  patriot's  boast,  where'er  we  roam  ; 
His  first,  best  country  ever  is  at  home  : 
And  yet,  perhaps,  if  countries  we  compare, 
And  estimate  the  blessings  which  they  share, 
Though  patriots  flatter,  still  shall  wisdom  find 
An  equal  portion  dealt  to  aH  mankind  ; 
As  different  good,  by  art  or  nature  given, 
To  different  nations,  makes  their  blessings  even. 

Nature,  a  mother  kind  alike  to  all, 
Still  grants  her  bliss  at  labour's  earnest  call ; 
With  food  as  well  the  peasant  is  supplied 
On  Idra's  cliffs  as  Arno's  shelvy  side  ; 
And  though  the  rocky-crested  summit's  frown> 
These  rocks  by  custom  turn  to  beds  of  down. 
From  art  more  various  are  the  blessings  sent ; 
Wealth,  commerce,  honour,  liberty,  content : 
Yet  these  each  other's  power  so  strorig  contest 
That  either  seems  destructive  of  the  rest. 
Where  wealth  and  freedom  reign,  contentment  fails; 
And  honour  sinks  where  commerce  long  prevails  : 
Hence  every  state,  to  one  loved  blessing  prone, 
Conforms  and  models  life  to  that  alone. 
Each  to  the  favourite  happiness  attends, 
And  spurns  the  plan,  that  aims  at  other  ends ; 
Till,  carried  to  excess  in  each  domain, 
This  favourite  good  begets  peculiar  pain. 

But  let  us  try  these  truths  with  closer  eyes, 
And  trace  them  through  the  prospect  as  it  lies  ; 
Here  for  a  while  my  proper  cares  resigned, 
Here  let  me  sit  in  sorrow  for  mankind  ; 
Like  yon  neglected  shrub  at  random  easr^ 
That  shades  the  steep,  and  sighs  at  every  blast. 

Far  to  the  right  where  Appennine  ascends, 
Bright  as  the  summer,  Italy  extends  ; 


Its  uplands  sloping,  deck  the  mountain's  side, 
Woods  over  woods  in  gay  theatric  pride  ; 
While  oft  some  temple's  mouldering  tops  between, 
With  venerable  grandeur  mark  the  scene. 

Could  nature's  bounty  satisfy  the  breast, 
The  sons  of  Italy  were  surely  blest. 
Whatever  fruits  in  different  climes  are  found, 
That  proudly  rise,  or  humbly  court  the  ground ; 
Whatever  blooms  in  torrid  tracts  appear, 
Whose  bright  succession  decks  the  varied  year; 
Whatever  sweets  salute  the  northern  sky 
With  vernal  lives,  that  blossom  but  to  die  : 
These,  here  disporting,  own  the  kindred  soil, 
Nor  ask  luxuriance  from  the  planter's  toil, 
While  sea-born  gales  their  gelid  wings  expand, 
To  winnow  fragrance  round  the  smiling  land. 

But  small  the  bliss  that  sense  alone  bestows, 
And  sensual  bliss  is  all  the  nation  knows. 
In  florid  beauty  groves  and  fields  appear," 
Man  seems  the  only  growth  that  dwindles  here. 
Contrasted  faults  through  all  his  manners  reign  : 
Though  poor,  luxurious  ;  though  submissive,  vain  : 
Though  grave,  yet  trifling ;  zealous,  yet  untrue  ; 
And  e'en  in  penance  planning  sins  anew. 
All  evils  here  contaminate  the  mind, 
That  opulence  departed  leaves  behind  ; 
For  wealth  was  theirs  ;  not  far  removed  th~  date, 
When  commerce  proudly  flourished  through  the  state; 
At  her  command  the  palace  learned  to  rise, 
Again  the  long-fallen  column  sought  the  skies ; 
The  canvass  glowed  beyond  e'en  .nature  warm, 
The  pregnant  quarry  teemed  with  human  form  j 
Till,  more  unsteady  than  the  southern  gale, 
Commerce  on  other  shores  displayed  her  sail ; 
While  nought  remained  of  all  that  riches  gave, 
But  towns  unmanned  and  lords  without  a  slave : 
And  late  the  nation  found  with  fruitless  skill 
Its  former  strength  was  but  plethoric  ill. 

Yet  still  the  loss  of  wealth  is  here  supplied 
By  arts,  the  splendid  wrecks  of  former  pride  ; 
From  these  the  feeble  heart  and  long-fallen  mind 
An  easy  compensation  seem  to  find. 
Here  may  be  seen,  in  bloodless  pomp  arrayed, 
The  pasteboard  triumph  and  the  cavalcade  ; 
Processions  formed  for  piety  and  love, 
A  mistress  or  a  saint  in  every  grove. 


THE  TRAVELLER. 


845 


By  sports  like  these  are  all  their  cares  beguiled, 
The  sports  of  children  satisfy  the  child  ; 
Eacli  nobler  aim,  repressed  by  long  control, 
Now  sinks  at  last,  or  feebly  mans  the  soul ; 
While  low  delights,  succeeding  fast  behind, 
In  happier  meanness  occupy  the  mind  : 
As  in  those  domes,  where  Caesars  once  bore  sway, 
Defaced  by  time,  and  tottering  in  decay, 
There  in  the  ruin,  heedless  of  the  dead, 
The  shelter-seeking  peasant  builds  his  shed  ; 
And,  wondering  man  could  want  the  larger  pile, 
Exults,  and  owns  his  cottage  with  a  smile. 

My  soul,  turn  from  them — turn  we  to  survey 
Where  rougher  climes  a  nobler  race  display  ; 
Where  the  bleak  Swiss  their  stormy  mansion  tread, 
And  force  a  churlish  soil  for  scanty  bread. 
No  product  here  the  barren  hills  afford, 
But  man  and  steel,  the  soldier  and  his  sword. 
No  vernal  blooms  their  torpid  rocks  array, 
But  winter,  lingering  chills  the  lap  of  May  ; 
No  zephyr  fondly  sues  the  mountain's  breast, 
But  meteors  glare,  and  stormy  glooms  invest. 

Yet  still  e'en  here,  content  can  spread  a  charm, 
Redress  the  clime,  and  all  its  rage  disarm. 
Though  poor  the  peasant's  hut,  his  feasts  though  small, 
He  sees  his  little  lot  the  lot  of  all ; 
Sees  no  contiguous  palace  rear  its  head, 
To  shame  the  meanness  of  his  humble  shed  ; 
No  costly  lord  the  sumptuous  banquet  deal, 
To  make  him  loath  his  vegetable  meal ; 
But  calm,  and  bred  in  ignorance  and  toil, 
Each  wish  contracting,  fits  him  to  the  soil.  , 

Cheerful  at  morn,  he  wakes  from  short  repose, 
Breaths  the  keen  air,  and  carols  as  he  goes : 
With  patent  angle  trolls  the  finny  deep, 
Or  drives  his  venturous  plough-share  to  the  steep ; 
Or  seeks  the  den  where  snow-tracks  mark  the  way, 
And  drags  the  struggling  savage  into  day. 
At  night  returning,  every  labour  sped, 
He  sits  him  down,  the  monarch  of  a  shed  ; 
Smiles  by  his  cheerful  fire,  and  round  surveys 
His  children's  looks,  that  brighten  at  the  blaze  : 
While  his  loved  partner,  boastful  of  her  hoard, 
Displays  her  cleanly  platter  on  the  board  ; 
And  haply,  too,  some  pilgrim  thither  led, 
With  many  a  tale  repays  the  nightly  bed. 


Thus  every  good  his  native  wilds  impart 
Imprints  the  patriot  passion  on  his  heart : 
And  e'en  those  hills,  that  round  his  mansion  rise, 
Enhance  the  bliss  his  scanty  fund  supplies. 
Dear  is  that  shed  to  which  his  soul  conforms, 
And  dear  that  hill  which  lifts  him  to  the  storms ; 
And  as  a  child,  when  scaring  sounds  molest, 
Clings  close  and  closer  to  the  mother's  breast, 
So  the  loud  torrent,  and  the  whirlwind's  roar, 
But  bind  him  to  his  native  mountains  more. 

Such  are  the  charms  to  barren  states  assigned, 
Their  wants  but  few,  their  wishes  all  confined. 
Yet  let  them  only  share  the  praises  due ; 
If  few  their  wants,  their  pleasures  are  but  few  ; 
For  every  want  that  stimulates  the  breast, 
Becomes  a  source  of  pleasure  when  redressed. 
Whence  from  such  lands  each  pleasing  science  flies, 
That  first  excites  desire,  and  then  supplies  ; 
Unknown  to  them,  when  sensual  pleasures  cloy, 
To  fill  the  languid  pause  with  finer  joy  ; 
Unknown  those  powers  that  raise  the  soul  to  flame, 
Catch  every  nerve,  and  vibrate  through  the  frame. 
Their  level  life  is  but  a  mouldering  fire, 
Unquenched  by  want,  unfanned  by  strong  desire  ; 
Unfit  fur  raptures;  or,  if  raptures  cheer, 
On  some  high  festival  of  once  a  year, 
In  wild  excess  the  vulgar  breast  takes  fire, 
Till,  buried  in  debauch,  the  bliss  expire. 

But  not  their  joys  alone  thus  coarsely  flow  ; 
Their  morals,  like  their  pleasures,  are  but  low  > 
For,  as  refinement  stops,  from  sire  to  son, 
Unaltered,  unimproved,  the  manners  run  ; 
And  love's  and  friendship's  finely-pointed  dart 
Fall  blunted  from  each  indurated  heart. 
Some  sterner  virtues  o'er  the  mountain's  breast 
May  sit  like  falcons  cowering  on  the  nest ; 
But  all  the  gentler  morals,  such  as  play 
Through  life's  more  cultured  walks  and  charm  the  way, 
These  far  dispersed,  on  timorous  pinions  fly. 
To  sport  and  flutter  in  a  kinder  sky. 

To  kinder  skies,  where  gentler  manners  reign, 
I  turn — and  France  displays  her  bright  domain. 
Gay  sprightly  land  of  mirth  and  social  ease, 
Pleased  with  thyself,  whom  all  the  world  can  please, 
How  often  have  I  led  thy  sportive  choir, 
With  tuneless  pipe,  beside  the  murmuring  Loire  ! 


6  A* 


846 


THE  TRAVELLER. 


Where  shading  elms  along  the  margin  grew, 
And,  freshened  from  the  wave,  the  zephyr  flew ; 
And  Imply,  though  my  harsh  touch  faltering  still, 
But  mocked  all  tune,  and  marred  the  dancers'  skill, 
Yet  would  the  village  praise  my  wonderous  power, 
And  dance,  forgetful  of  the  noon-tide  hour  ! 
Mike  all  ages.     Dames  of  ancient  days 
Slave  led  their  children  through  the  mirthful  maze ; 
And  the  gay  grandsire,  skilled  in  gestic  lore, 
Has  frisked  beneatli  the  burden  of  threescore. 

So  blessed  a  life  these  thoughtless  realms  display, 
Thus  idly  busy  rolls  their  world  away: 
Theirs  are  those  arts  that  mind  to  mind  endear, 
For  honour  forms  the  social  temper  here. 
Honour,  that  praise  which  real  merit  gains, 
Or  e'en  imaginary  worth  obtains, 
Here  passes  current ;  paid  from  hand  to  hand,. 
It  shifts  in  splendid  traffic  round  the  land ; 
From  courts  to  camps,  to  cottages  it  strays, 
And  all  are  taught  an  avarice  of  praise; 
They  please,  are  pleased,  they  give  to  get  esteem, 
Till  seeming  blessed,  they  grow  to  what  they  seem. 

But  while  this  softer  art  their  bliss  supplies, 
It  gives  their  follies  also  room  to  rise; 
For  praise  too  dearly  loved,  or  warmly  sought, 
Enfeebles  all  internal  strength  of  thought; 
And  the  weak  soul,  within  itself  unblessed, 
Leans  for  all  pleasure  on  another's  breast. 
•Hence  ostentation  here  with  tawdry  art, 
Pants  for  the  vulgar  praise  which  fools  impart  t 
Here  vanity  assumes  her  pert  .grimace, 
And  trims  her  robes  of  frieze  with  copper  lace  ; 
Here  beggar-pride  defrauds  her  daily  cheer, 
To  boast  one  splendid  banquet  once  a  year ; 
The  mind  still  turns  where  shifting  fashion  draws, 
Nor  weighs  the  solid  worth  of  self-applause. 

To  men  of  other  minds  my  fancy  flies, 
Embosomed  in  the  deep  where  Holland  lies.  , 

Methinks  her  patient  sons  before  me  stand, 
Where  the  broad  ocean  leans  against  the  land: 
And  sedulous  to  stop  the  coming  tide, 
Lift  the  tall  rampire's  artificial  pride. 
Onward,  nit-thinks,  and  diligently  slow, 
The  firm  connected  bulwark  seems  to  grow ; 
Spreads  its  long  arms  amidst  the  watery  roar, 
Scoops  out  an  empire,  and  usurps  the  shore, 


While  the  pent  ocean,  rising  o'er  the  pile, 

Sees  an  amphibious  world  beneath  him  smile  ; 

The  slow  canal,  the  yellow-blossomed  vale, 

The  willow-tufted  bank,  ihe  gliding  sail, 

The  crowded  mart,  the  cultivated  plain ; 

A  new  creation  rescued  from  his  reigji. 

Thus  while  around  the  wave-subjected  soil 

Impels  the  native  to  repeated  toil, 

Industrious  h;ibits  in  each  bosom  reign, 

And  industry  begets  a  love  of  gain. 

Hence  all  the  good  from  opulence  that  springs, 

With  all  those  ills  superfluous  treasure  brings 

Are  here  displayed.     Their  much-loved  wealth  imparts- 

Convenience,  plenty,  elegance,  and  arts  ; 

But  view  them  closer,  craft  and  fraud  appear, 

E'en  liberty  itself  is  bartered  here. 

At  gold's  superior  charms  all  freedom  flies, 

The  needy  sell  it,  and  the  rich  man  buys ; 

A  land  of  tyrants,  and  a  den  of  slaves, 

Here  wretches  seek  dishonourable  graves, 

And  calmly  bent,  to  servitude  conform, 

Dull  as  their  lakes  that  slumber  in  the  storm. 

Heavens  !  how  unlike  their  Belgic  sires  of  old  ! 
Rough,  poor,  content,  ungovernably  bold  ; 
War  in  each  breast,  and  freedom  on  each  brow ;. 
How  much  unlike  the  sons  of  Britain  now  ! 

Fired  at  the  sound,  my  genius  spreads  her  wing, 
And  flies  where  Britain  courts  the  western  spring ; 
Where  lawns  extend  that  scorn  Arcadian  pride, 
And  brighter  streams  than  famed  Hydaspis  glide. 
There  all  around  the  gentlest  breezes  stray, 
There  gentle  music  melts  on  every  spray  ; 
Creation's  mildest  charms  are  there  combined  ; 
Extremes  are  only  in  the  master's  mind  ! 
Stern  o'er  each  bosom,  reason  holds  her  state, 
With  daring  aims  irregularly  great : 
Pride  in  their  port,  defiance  in  their  eye, 
I  see  the  lords  of  human-kind  pass  by  ; 
Intent  on  high  designs,  a  thoughtful  band, 
By  forms  unfashioned  fresh  from  nature's  hand; 
Fierce  in  their  native  hardiness  of  soul, 
True  to  imagined  right,  above  control, 
While  e'en  the  peasant  boasts  these  rights  to  scan, 
And  learns  to  venerate  himself  as  man. 

Thine,  Freedom,  thine  tire  blessings  pictured  here, 
Thine  are  those  charms  that  dazzle  and  endear  -. 


THE  TRAVELLER. 


347 


Too  blessed,  indeed,  were  such  without  alloy, 
But  fostered  e'en  by  Freedom  ills  annoy ; 
That  independence  Britons  prize  too  high, 
Keeps  man  from  man,  and  breaks  the  social  tie; 
The  self-dependent  lordlings  stand  alone, 
.All  claims  that  bind  and  sweeten  life  unknown; 
Here,  by  the  bonds  of  nature  feebly  held, 
Minds  combat  minds,  repelling  and  repelled  ; 
Ferments  arise,  imprisoned  factions  roar, 
Repressed  ambition  struggles  round  her  shore. 
Till,  over-wrought,  the  general  systems  feels 
Its  motions  stop,  or  phrenzy  fire  the  wheels. 

Nor  this  the  worst.     As  nature's  ties  decay, 
As  duty,  love,  and  honour  fail  to  sway, 
Fictitious  bonds,  the  bonds  of  wealth  and  law, 
Still  gather  strength,  and  force  unwilling  awe. 
Hence  all  obedience  bows  to  these  alone, 
And  talent  sinks,  and  merit  weeps  unknown  ; 
Till  time  may  come,  when,  stripped  of  all  her  charms, 
The  land  of  scholars,  and  the  nurse  of  arms, 
Where  noble  stems  transmit  the  patriot  flame, 
Where  kings  have  toiled,  and  poets  wrote  for  fame, 
One  sink  of  level  avarice  shall  lie, 
And  scholars,  soldiers,  kings,  unhonoured  die. 

Yet  think  not,  thus  when  freedom's  ills  I  state, 
I  mean  to  flatter  kings,  or  court  the  great : 
Ye  powers  of  truth  !  that  bid  my  soul  aspire, 
Far  from  my  bosom  drive  the  low  desire  ! 
And  thou,  fair  Freedom  !  taught  alike  to  feel 
The  rabble's  rage,  and  tyrant's  angry  steel ; 
Thou  transitory  flower  !  alike  undone 
By  proud  Contempt,  or  Favour's  fostering  sun, 
Still  may  thy  blooms  the  changeful  clime  endure, 
I  only  would  repress  them  to  secure  ; 
For  just  experience  tells,  in  every  soil, 
That  those  who  think  must  govern  those  that  toil ; 
And  all  that  Freedom's  highest  aims  can  reach, 
Is  but  to  lay  proportioned  loads  on  each. 
Hence,  should  one  order  disproportioned  grow, 
Its  double  weight  must  ruin  all  below.  , 

O  then,  how  blind  to  all  that  truth  requires, 
Who  think  it  freedom  when  a  part  aspires! 
Calm  is  my  soul,  nor  apt  to  rise  in  arms, 
Except  when  fast-approaching  danger  warms ; 
But  when  contending  chiefs  blockade  the  throne, 
Contracting  regal  power  to  stretch  their  own ; 


When  I  behold  a  factious  band  agree 

To  call  it  freedom  when  themselves  are  free  ; 

Each  wanton  judge  new  penal  statutes  draw, 

Laws  grind  the  poor,  and  rich  men  rule  the  law  ; 

The  wealth  of  climes,  where  savage  nations  roam, 

Pillaged  from  slaves,  to  purchase  slaves  at  home ; 

Fear,  pity,  justice,  indignation  start, 

Tear  ofF reserve,  and  bear  my  swelling  heart ; 

Till  half  a  patriot,  half  a  coward  grown, 

I  fly  from  petty  tyrants  to  the  throne. 

.Yes,  brother,  curse  with  me  that  baleful  hour, 
When  first  ambition  struck  at  regal  power  ; 
And  thus  polluting  honour  in  its  source, 
Gave  wealth  to  sway  the  mind  with  double  force. 
Have  we  not  seen  round  Britain's  peopled  shore, 
Her  useful  sons  exchanged  for  useless  ore  ? 
Seen  all  her  triumphs  but  destruction  haste, 
Like  flaring  tapers,  brightening  as  they  waste  ; 
Seen  Opulence  her  grandeur  to  maintain, 
Lead  stem  Depopulation  in  her  train, 
And  over  fields,  where  scattered  hamlets  rose, 
In  barren,  solitary  pomp  repose  ? 
Have  we  not  seen,  at  Pleasure's  lordly  call, 
The  smiling  long-frequented  village  fall  ? 
Behold  the  duteous  son,  the  sire  decayed, 
The  modest  matron,  and  the  blushing  maid. 
Forced  from  their  homes,  a  melancholy  train, 
To  traverse  climes  beyond  the  western  main  ; 
Where  wild  Oswego  spreads  her  swamps  around, 
And  Niagara  stuns  with  thundering  sound  ? 

E'en  now,  perhaps,  as  there  some  pilgrim  strays, 
Through  tangled  forests,  and  through  dangerous  ways  j 
Where  beasts  with  man  divided  empire  claim, 
And  the  brown  Indian  marks  with  murderous  aim  ; 
There,  while  above  the  giddy  tempest  flies,. 
And  all  around  distrustful  yells  arise, 
The  pensive  exile,  bending  with  his  woe, 
To  stop  too  fearful,  and  too  faint  to  go, 
Casts  a  long  look  where  England's  glories  shine,. 
And  bids  his  bosom  sympathize  with  mine. 

Vain,  very  vain,  my  weary  search  to  find 
That  bliss  which  only  centres  in  the  mind  ! 
Why  have  I  strayed  from  pleasure  and  repose, 
To  seek  a  good  each  government  bestows  ? 
In  every  government  though  terrors  reign, 
Though  tyrant  kings,  or  tyrant  laws  restrain,. 


848 


THE  TRAVELLER. 


JIow  small,  of  all  that  human  hearts  endure, 
That  part  which  laws  or  kings  can  cause  or  cure. 
Still  to  ourselves  in  every  place  consigned, 
Our  own  folicity  we  make  or  find  ; 
With  secret  course,  which  no  loud  storms  annoy, 


Glides  the  smooth  current  of  domestic  joy. 
The  lifted  axe,  the  agonizing  wheel, 
Luke's  iron  crown,  and  Damien's  bed  of  steel, 
To  men  remote  from  power  but  rarely  known, 
Leave  reason,  faith,  and  conscience,  all  our  own. 


TO 


SIR  JOSHUA  REYNOLDS. 


DEAR  SIB 

I  CAN  have  no  expectations,  in  an  address  of  this  kind,  either  to  add  to  your  reputation,  or  to  establish  my  own.  You  can 
gain  nothing  from  my  admiration,  as  I  am  ignorant  of  that  art  in  which  you  are  said  to  excel ;  and  I  may  lose  much  by  tne 
severity  of  your  judgment,  as  few  have  a  juster  taste  in  poetry  than  you.  Setting  interest  therefore  aside,  to  which  I  never 
paid  much  attention,  I  must  be  indulged  at  present  in  following  my  affections.  The  only  dedication  I  ever  made  was  to  my 
brother,  because  I  loved  him  better  than  most  other  men.  He  is  since  dead.  Permit  me  to  inscribe  this  poem  to  you. 

How  far  you  may  be  pleased  with  the  versification  and  mere  mechanical  parts  of  this  attempt,  I  do  not  pretend  to  inquire ; 
but  I  know  you  will  object  (and  indeed  several  of  our  best  and  wisest  friends  concur  in  the  opinion)  that  the  depopulation  it 
deplores  is  no  where  to  be  seen,  and  the  disorders  it  laments  are  only  to  be  found  in  the  poet's  own  imagination.  To  this 
I  can  scarce  make  any  other  answer,  than  that  I  sincerely  believe  what  I  have  written ;  that  I  have  taken  all  possible  pains, 
in  my  country  excursions,  for  these  four  or  five  years  past,  to  be  certain  of  what  I  allege,  and  that  all  my  views  and  inquiries 
have  led  me  to  believe  those  miseries  real  which  I  here  attempt  to  display.  But  this  is  not  the  place  to  enter  into  an  in- 
quiry, whether  the  country  be  depopulating,  or  not ;  the  discussion  would  take  up  much  room  ;  and  I  should  prove  myself, 
at  best,  an  indifferent  politician,  to  tire  the  reader  with  a  long  preface,  when  I  want  his  unfatigued  attention  to  a  long  poem. 

In  regretting  the  depopulation  of  the  country,  I  inveigh  against  the  increase  of  our  luxuries ;  and  here  also  1  expect  the 
shout  of  modern  politicians  against  me.  For  twenty  or  thirty  years  past,  it  has  been  the  fashion  to  consider  luxury  as  one 
of  the  greatest  national  advantages  ;  and  all  the  wisdom  of  antiquity  in  that  particular  as  erroneous.  Still,  however,  I  must 
remain  a  professed  ancient  on  that  head,  and  continue  to  think  those  luxuries  prejudicial  to  states,  by  which  so  many  vices 
are  introduced,  and  so  many  kingdoms  have  been  undone.  Indeed,  so  much  has  been  poured  out  of  late  on  the  other  side  of 
the  question,  that,  merely  for  the  sake  of  novelty  and  variety,  one  would  sometimes  wish  to  be  in  the  right. 

I  am,  dear  sir, 

your  sincere  friend, 

and  ardent  admirer, 

OLIVER  GOLDSMITH. 


THE 


SWEET  AUBURN  !  loveliest  village  of  the  plain, 

Where  health  and  plenty  cheered  the  lab'ring  swain, 

Where  smiling  spring  its  earliest  visit  paid, 

And  parting  summer's  lingering  blooms  delayed. 

Dear  lovely  bowers  of  innocence  and  ease, 

Seats  of  my  youth,  when  every  sport  could  please, 

How  often  have  I  loitered  o'er  thy  green, 

Where  humble  happiness  endeared  each  scene  ! 

How  often  have  I  paused  on  every  charm, 

The  sheltered  cot,  the  cultivated  farm, 

The  never-failing  brook,  the  busy  mill, 

The  decent  church,  that  topt  the  neighbouring  hill; 

The  hawthorn  bush,  with  seats  beneath  the  shade ; 

For  talking  age  and  whispering  lovers  made  ! 

How  often  have  I  blest  the  coming  day, 

When  toil  remitting  lent  its  turn  to  play, 

And  all  the  village  train,  from  labour  free, 

Led  up  their  sports  beneath  the  spreading  tree, 

While  many  a  pastime  circled  in  the  shade, 

The  young  contending  as  the  old  surveyed  ; 

And  many  a  gambol  frolic'd  o'er  the  ground, 

And  sleights  of  art  and  feats  of  strength  went  round. 

And  still,  as  each  repeated  pleasure  tired, 

Succeeding  sports  the  mirthful  band  inspired  ; 

The  dancing  pair  that  simply  sought  renown, 

By  holding  out,  to  tire  each  other  down  ; 

The  swain  mistrustless  of  his  smutted  face, 

While  secret  laughter  tittered  round  the  place ; 

The  bashful  virgin's  side-long  looks  of  love, 

The  matron's  glance  that  would  those  looks  reprove. 


These  were  thy  charms,  sweet  villap*  sports  like  these, 
With  sweet  succession,  taught  e'en  toil  to  please ; 
These  round  thy  bowers  their  cheerful  influence  shed, 
These  were  thy  charms — but  all  these  charms  are  fled. 

Sweet  smiling  village  !  loveliest  of  the  lawn, 
Thy  sports  are  fled,  and  all  thy  charms  withdrawn ; 
Amidst  thy  bowers  the  tyrant's  hand  is  seen, 
And  desolation  saddens  all  thy  green : 
One  only  master  grasps  the  whole  domain, 
And  half  a  tillage  stints  thy  smiling  plain  ; 
No  more  thy  glassy  brook  reflects  the  day, 
But  choked  with  sedges,  works  its  weedy  way  ; 
Along  thy  glades,  a  solitary  guest, 
The  hollow-sounding  bittern  guards  its  nest ; 
Amidst  thy  desert  walks  the  lapwing  flies, 
And  tires  their  echoes  with  unvaried  cries, 
Sunk  are  thy  bowers  in  shapeless  ruin  all, 
And  the  long  grass  o'ertops  the  mouldering  wall ; 
And,  trembling,  shrinking,  from  the  spoiler's  hand, 
Far,  far  away  thy  children  leave  the  land. 

Ill  fares  the  land,  to  hastening  ills  a  prey ; 
Where  wealth  accumulates,  and  men  decay : 
Princes  and  lords  may  flourish  or  may  fade ; 
A  breath  can  make  them,  as  a  breath  has  made : 
But  a  bold  peasantry,  their  country's  pride, 
When  once  destroyed,  can  never  be  supplied. 
A  time  there  was,  ere  England's  griefs  began, 
When  every  rood  of  ground  maintained  its  man; 
For  him  light  labour  spread  her  wholesome  store, 
Just  gave  what  life  required,  but  gave  no  more: 


THE  DESERTED  VILLAGE. 


His  best  companions,  innocence  and  health  ; 
And  his  best  riches,  ignorance  of  wealth. 

But  times  are  altered  :  trade's  unfeeling  train 
Usurp  the  land,  and  dispossess  the  swain  ; 
Along  the  lawn,  where  scattered  hamlets  rose, 
Unwieldy  wealth,  and  cumberous  pomp  repose: 
And  every  want  to  luxury  allied, 
And  every  pang  that  folly  pays  to  pride. 
Those  gentle  hours  that  plenty  bade  to  bloom  ; 
Those  calm  desires  that  asked  but  little  room  ; 
Those  healthful  sports  that  graced  the  peaceful  scene, 
Lived  in  each  look,  and  brightened  all  the  green ; 
These,  far  departing,  seek  a  kinder  shore, 
And  rural  mirth  and  manners  are  no  more. 

Sweet  Auburn  !  parent  of  the  blissful  hour, 
Thy  glades  forlorn  confess  the  tyrant's  power. 
Here,  as  I  take  my  solitary  rounds, 
Amidst  thy  tangling  walks  and  ruined  grounds, 
And,  many  a  year  elapsed,  returned  to  view 
Where  once  the  cottage  stood,  the  hawthorn  grew, 
Remembrance  wakes,  with  all  her  busy  train, 
Swells  at  my  breast,  and  turns  the  past  to  pain. 

In  all  my  wanderings  through  this  world  of  care, 
In  all  my  griefs — and  God  has  given  my  share — 
I  still  had  hopes  my  latest  hours  to  crown, 
Amidst  these  humble  bowers  to  lay  me  down  ; 
To  husband  out  life's  taper  at  the  close, 
And  keep  the  flame  from  wasting  by  repose  : 
I  still  had  hopes,  for  pride  attends  us  still, 
Amidst  the  swains  to  show  my  book-learned  skill, 
Around  my  fire  an  evening  group  to  draw, 
And  tell  of  all  I  felt,  and  all  I  saw  ; 
And  as  a  hare,  whom  hounds  and  horns  pursue, 
Pants  to  the  place  from  whence  at  first  she  flew, 
I  still  had  hopes,  my  long  vexations  past, 
Here  to  return — and  die  at  home  at  last. 

O  blest  retirement !  friend  to  life's  decline, 
Retreat  from  cares,  that  never  must  be  mine, 
How  blest  is  he  who  crowns,  in  shades  like  these, 
A  youth  of  labour  with  an  age  of  ease  ! 
Who  quits  a  world  where  strong  temptations  try, 
And  since  'tis  hard  to  combat,  learns  to  fly  ! 
For  him  no  wretches,  born  to  work  and  weep, 
Explore  the  mine,  or  tempt  the  dangerous  deep.; 
No  surly  porter  stands  in  guilty  state, 
To  spurn  imploring  famine  from  the  gate; 

wo.  71  &  72. 


But  on  he  moves  to  mnet  his  latter  end, 

Angels  around  befriending  virtue's  friend  ; 

Sinks  to  the  grave  with  unperceived  decay, 

While  resignation  gently  slopes  the  way  ; 

And  all  his  prospects  brightening  to  the  last, 

His  heaven  commences  ere  the  world  be  past ! 

Sweet  was  the  sound,  when  oft,  at  evening's  close, 

Up  yonder  hill  die  village  murmur  rose; 

There,  as  I  passed  with  careless  steps  and  slow, 

The  mingling  notes  came  softened  from  below; 

The  swain  responsive,  as  the  milk-maid  sung ; 

The  sober  herd,  that  lowed  to  meet  their  young : 

The  noisy  geese,  that  gabbled  o'er  the  pool ; 

The  playful  children,  just  let  loose  from  school ; 

The  watch-dog's  voice,  that  bayed  the  whispering  wind ; 

And  the  loud  laugh,  that  spoke  the  vacant  mind  ; 

These  all  in  sweet  confusion  sought  the  shade, 

And  filled  each  pause  the  nightingale  had  made. 

But  now  the  sounds  of  population  fail, 

No  cheerful  murmurs  fluctuate  in  the  gale  ; 

No  busy  steps  the  grass-grown  foot-way  tread, 

But  all  the  bloomy  flush  of  life  is  fled. 

All  but  yon  widowed  solitary  thing, 

That  feebly  bends  beside  the  plashy  spring  ; 

She,  wretched  matron,  forced,  in  age,  for  bread, 

To  strip  the  brook  with  mantling  cresses  spread, 

To  pick  her  wintry  faggot  from  the  thorn, 

To  seek  her  nightly  shed  and  weep  till  morn  ; 

She  only  left  of  all  the  harmless  train, 

The  sad  historian  of  the  pensive  plain. 

Near  yonder  copse,  where  once  the  garden  smiled, 
And  still  where  many  a  garden  flower  grows  wild  ; 
There,  where  a  few  torn  shrubs  the  place  disclose, 
The  village  preacher's  modest  mansion  rose. 
A  man  he  was,  to  all  the  country  dear, 
And  passing  rich  with  forty  pounds  a  year ; 
Remote  from  towns  he  ran  his  godly  race, 
Nor  e'er  had  changed,  nor  wished  to  change  his  place  ; 
Unskilful  he  to  fawn,  or  seek  for  power, 
By  doctrines  fashioned  to  the  varying  hour; 
Far  other  aims  his  heart  had  learned  to  prize, 
More  bent  to  raise  the  wretched  than  to  rise. 
His  house  was  known  to  all  the  vagrant  train, 
He  chid  their  wanderings,  but  relieved  their  pain. 
The  long  remembered  beggar  was  his  guest, 
Whose  beard  descending  swept  his  aged  breast  j 
CB 


852 


THE  DESERTED  VILLAGE. 


The  ruined  spendthrift,  now  no  loeo»er  proud, 

Claimed  kindred  there,  and  had  his  claims  allowed ; 

The  broken  soldier  kindly  bade  to  stay, 

Sat  by  his  fire,  and  talked  the  night  away ; 

Wept  o'er  his  wounds,  or  tales  of  sorrow  done, 

Shoulder 'd  his  crutch,  and  show'd  how  fields  were  won. 

Pleased  with  his  guests,  the  good  man  learned  to  glow, 

And  quite  forgot  their  vices  in  their  woe  ; 

Careless  their  merits  or  their  faults  to  scan, 

His  pity  gave  ere  charity  began. 

Thus  to  relieve  the  wretched  was  his  pride, 

And  even  his  failings  leaned  to  virtue's  side; 

But  in  his  duty,  prompt  at  every  call, 

He  watched  and  wept,  he  prayed  and  felt  for  all. 

And,  as  a  bird  each  fond  endearment  tries, 

To  tempt  its  new-fledged  offspring  to  the  skies, 

He  tried  each  art,  reproved  each  dull  delay, 

Allured  to  brighter  worlds,  and  led  the  way. 

Beside  the  bed  where  parting  life  was  laid, 
And  sorrow,  guilt,  and  pain,  by  turns  dismayed, 
The  reverend  champion  stood.     At  his  control, 
Despair  and  anguish  fled  the  struggling  soul ; 
Comfort  came  down  the  trembling  wretch  to  raise, 
And  his  last  faltering  accents  whispered  praise. 

At  church,  with  meek  and  unaffected  grace, 
His  looks  adorned  the  venerable  place ; 
Truth  from  his  lips  prevailed  with  double  sway, 
And  fools,  who  came  to  scoff,  remained  to  pray. 
The  service  past,  around  the  pious  man, 
With  ready  zeal,  each  honest  rustic  ran ; 
E'en  children  followed  with  endearing  wile, 
And  plucked  his  gown,  to  share  the  good  man's  smile. 
His  ready  smile  a  parent's  warmth  exprest ; 
Their  welfare  pleased  him,  and  their  cares  distrest ; 
To  them  his  heart,  his  love,  his  griefs  were  given, 
But  nil  his  serious  thoughts  had  rest  in  heaven. 
As  some  tall  cliff  that  lifts  its  awful  form, 
Swells  from  the  vale,  and  midway  leaves  the  storm, 
Though  round  its  breast  the  rolling  clouds  are  spread, 
Eternal  sunshine  settles  on  its  head. 

Beside  yon  straggling  fence,  that  skirts  the  way 
With  blossomed  furze  unprofitably  gay, 
There,  in  his  noisy  mansion,  skilled  to  rule, 
The  village  master  taught  his  little  school ; 
A  man  severe  he  was,  and  stern  to  view  ; 
I  knew  him  well,  and  every  truant  knew  ; 


Well  had  the  boding  tremblers  learned  to  trace 

The  day's  disasters  in  his  morning  face  ; 

Full  well  they  laughed,  with  counterfeited  glee, 

At  all  his  jokes,  for  many  a  joke  had  he  ; 

Full  well  the  busy  whisper,  circling  round, 

Conveyed  the  dismal  tidings  when  he  frowned  ; 

Yet  he  was  kind,  or  if  severe  in  aught, 

The  love  he  bore  to  learning  was  in  fault ; 

The  village  all  declared  how  much  he  knew, 

'Twas  certain  he  could  write,  and  cipher  too  ; 

Lands  he  could  measure,  terms  and  tides  presage ; 

And  even  the  story  ran,  that  he  could  guage  : 

In  arguing  too,  the  parson  owned  his  skill, 

For  even  though  vanquished  he  could  argue  still ; 

While  words  of  learned  strength,  and  thundering  sound, 

Amazed  the  gazing  rustics  ranged  around  ; 

And  still  they  gazed,  and  still  the  wonder  grew, 

That  one  small  head  ronld  carry  all  he  knew. 

But  past  is  all  his  fame.     The  very  spot 

Where  many  a  time  he  triumphed  is  forgot. 

Near  yonder  thorn,  that  lifts  its  head  on  high, 
Where  once  the  sign-post  caught  the  passing  eye, 
Low  lies  that  house  where  nut-brown  draughts  inspired, 
Where  gray-beard  mirth,  and  smiling  toil  retired, 
Where  village  statesmen  talked  with  looks  profound, 
And  news  much  older  than  their  ale  went  round. 
Imagination  fondly  stoops  to  trace 
The  parlour  splendours  of  that  festive  place  ; 
The  white-washed  wall,  the  nicely  sanded  floor, 
The  varnished  clock  that  clicked  behind  the  door ; 
The  chest,  contrived  a  double  debt  to  pay, 
A  bed  by  night,  a  chest  of  drawers  by  day  ; 
The  pictures  placed  for  ornament  and  use, 
The  twelve  good  rules,  the  royal  game  of  goose  ; 
The  hearth,  except  when  winter  chilled  the  day, 
With  aspen  boughs,  and  flowers  and  fennel  gay  j 
While  broken  tea-cups,  wisely  kept  for  show, 
Ranged  o'er  the  chimney,  glistened  in  'a  row. 

Vain  transitory  splendour  !  could  not  all 
Reprieve  the  tottering  mansion  from  its  fall  ? 
Obscure  it  sinks,  nor  shall  it  more  impart 
An  hour's  importance  to  the  poor  man's  heart : 
Thither  no  more  the  peasant  shall  repair, 
To  sweet  oblivion  •>! 'las  laily  care  ; 
No  more  the  farmer's  news,  the  barber's  tale, 
No  more  the  woodman's  ballad,  shall  prevail ; 


THE  DESERTED  VILLAGE. 


853 


No  more  the  smith  his  dusky  brow  shall  clear, 
Relax  his  ponderous  strength,  and  lean  to  hear  ; 
The  host  himself  no  longer  shall  be  found 
Careful  to  sec  the  mantling'bliss  go  round  ; 
Nor  the  coy  maid,  half  willing  to  be  pre.st, 
Shall  kiss  the  cup  to  pass  it  to  the  rest. 

Yes!   lut  the  rich  deride,  the  proud  disdain, 
These  simple  blessings  of  the  lowly  train, 
To  me  more  dear,  congenial  to  my  heart, 
One  native  charm,  than  all  the  gloss  of  art  ; 
Spontaneous  joys,  where  nature  has  its  play, 
The  soul  adopts,  and  owns  their  first-born  sway  : 
Lightly  they  frolic  o'er  the  vacant  mind, 
Unenvied,  unmolested,  unconfined. 
But  the  long  pomp,  the  midnight  masquerade, 
With  all  their  freaks  of  wanton  wealth  arrayed, 
In  these,  ere  triflers  half  their  wish  obtain, 
The  toiling  pleasure  sickens  into  pain  ; 
And,  even  while  fashion's  brightest  arts  decoy, 
The  heart  distrusting  asks,  if  this  be  joy  ? 

Ye  friends  to  truth,  ye  statesmen,  who  survey 
The  rich  man's  joys,  increase,  the  poor's  decay, 
'Tis  yours  to  judge,  how  wide  the  limits  stand 
Between  a  splendid  and  a  happy  land. 
Proud  swells  the  tide  with  loads  of  freighted  ore, 
And  shouting  Folly  hails  them  from  her  shore ; 
Hoards,  even  beyond  the  miser's  wish,  abound, 
And  rich  men  flock  from  all  the  world  around. 
Yet  count  our  gains.     This  wealth  is  but  a  name 
That  leaves  our  useful  product  still  the  same. 
Not  so  the  loss.     The  man  of  wealth  and  pride 
Takes  up  a  space  that  many  poor  supplied  ; 
Space  for  his  lake,  his  park's  extended  bounds, 
Space  for  his  horses,  equipage,  and  hounds  ; 
The  robe  that  wraps  his  limbs  in  silken  sloth, 
Has  robbed  the  neighbouring  fields  of  half  their  growth; 
His  seat,  where  solitary  sports  are  seen, 
Indignant  spurns  the  cottage  from  the  green  : 
Around  the  world  each  needful  product  flies, 
For  all  the  luxuries  the  world  supplies. 
While  thus  the  land  adorned  for  pleasure,  all 
In  barren  splendour  feebly  waits  the  fall. 

As  some  fair  female  unadorned  and  plain, 
Secure  to  please  while  youth  confirms  her  reign, 
Slights  every  borrowed  charm  that  dress  supplies, 
Nor  shares  with  art  the  triumph  of  her  eyes ; 


But  when  those  charms  are  past,  (for  charms  are  frail,) 

When  time  advances,  and  when  lovers  fail, 

iilie  then  >liines  ford),  solicitous  to  bless, 

In  all  the  glaring  impotence  of  dress. 

Tims  fares  the  land  by  luxury  betrayed, 

In  nature's  simplest  charms  at  first  arrayed, 

But  verging  to  decline,  its  splendours  rise, 

Its  vistas  strike,  its  palaces  surprise ; 

While  scourged  by  famine  from  the  smiling  land, 

The  mournful  peasant  leads  his  humble  band; 

And  while  he  sinks,  without  one  arm  to  save, 

The  country  blooms — a  garden  and  a  grave. 

Where  then,  ah  !  where  shall  poverty  reside, 
To  'scape  the  pressure  of  contiguous  pride  ? 
If  to  some  common's  fenceless  limits  strayed, 
He  drives  his  flock  to  pick  the  scanty  blade, 
Those  fenceless  fields  the  sons  of  wealth  divide, 
And  even  the  bare-worn  common  is  denied. 

If  to  the  city  sped — what  waits  him  there? 
To  see  profusion  that  he  must  not  share; 
To  see  ten  thousand  baneful  arts  combined 
To  pamper  luxury  and  thin  mankind  ; 
To  see  each  joy  the  sons  of  pleasure  know 
Extorted  from  his  fellow  creature's  woe. 
Here,  while  the  courtier  glitters  in  brocade, 
There  the  pale  artist  plies  the  sickly  trade  ; 
Here,  while  the  proud  their  long  drawn  pomps  display, 
There  the  black  gibbet  glooms  beside  the  way  : 
The  dome  where  Pleasure  holds  her  midnight  reign, 
Here,  richly  decked,  admits  the  gorgeous  train; 
Tumultuous  grandeur  crowds  the  blazing  square, 
The  rattling  chariots  clash,  the  torches  glare. 
Sure  scenes  like  these  no  troubles  e'er  annoy  ! 
Sure  these  denote  one  universal  joy  ! 
Are  these  thy  serious  thoughts  ? — Ah,  turn  thine  eyes 
Where  the  poor  houseless  shivering  female  lies. 
She  once,  perhaps,  in  village  plenty  blest, 
Has  wept  at  tales  of  innocence  distrest ; 
Her  modest  looks  the  cottage  might  adorn, 
Sweet  as  the  primrose  peeps  beneath  the  thorn  ; 
Now  lost  to  all ;  her  friends,  her  virtue  fled, 
Near  her  betrayer's  door  she  lays  her  head  ; 
And,  pinched  with  cold,  and  shrinking  from  the  showera 
With  heavy  heart  deplores  that  luckless  hour, 
When  idly  first,  ambitious  of  the  town, 
She  left  her  wheel,  and  robes  of  country  brown. 

6B« 


854 


THE  DESERTED  VILLAGE. 


Do  thine,  sweet  Auburn,  thine  the  loveliest  train, 
Do  thy  fair  tribes  participate  her  pain  ? 
Even  now,  perhaps,  by  cold  and  hunger  led, 
At  proud  men's  doors  they  ask  a  little  bread  ! 

Ah,  no.     To  distant  climes,  a  dreary  scene, 
Where  half  the  convex  world  intrudes  between, 
Through  torrid  tracks  with  fainting  steps  they  go, 
Where  wild  Altama  murmurs  to  their  woe. 
Far  different  there  from  all  that  charmed  before, 
The  various  terrors  of  that  horrid  shore  ; 
Those  blazing  suns  that  dart  a  downward  ray, 
And  fiercely  shed  intolerable  day  ; 
Those  matted  woods  where  birds  forget  to  sing, 
But  silent  bats  in  drowsy  clusters  cling ; 
Those  poisonous  fields  with  rank  luxuriance  crowned, 
Where  the  dark  scorpion  gathers  death  around  ; 
Where  at  each  step  the  stranger  fears  to  wake 
The  rattling  terrors  of  the  vengeful  snake  ; 
Where  crouching  tigers  wait  their  hapless  prey, 
And  savage  men  more  murderous  still  than  they ; 
While  oft  in  whirls  the  mad  tornado  flies, 
Mingling  the  ravaged  landscape  with  the  skies. 
Far  different  these  from  every  former  scene, 
The  cooling  brook,  the  grassy-vested  green, 
The  breezy  covert  of  the  warbling  grove, 
That  only  sheltered  thefts  of  harmless  love. 

Good  heaven  !  what  sorrows  gloomed  that  parting  day, 
That  called  them  from  their  native  walks  away  ; 
When  the  poor  exiles,  every  pleasure  past, 
Hung  round  the  bowers,  and  fondly  looked  their  last, 
And  took  a  long  farewell,  and  wished  in  vain 
For  seats  like  these  beyond  the  western  main; 
And,  shuddering  still  to  face  the  distant  deep, 
Returned  and  wept,  and  still  returned  to  weep. 
The  good  old  sire,  the  first  prepared  to  go 
To  new-found  worlds,  and  wept  for  others'  woe  ; 
But  for  himself,  in  conscious  virtue  brave, 
He  only  wished  for  worlds  beyond  the  grave. 
His  lovely  daughter,  lovelier  in  her  tears, 
The  fond  companion  of  his  helpless  years, 
Silent  went  next,  neglectful  of  her  charms, 
And  left  a  lover's  for  a  father's  arms. 
With  louder  plaints  the  mother  spoke  her  woes, 
And  blessed  the  cot  where  every  pleasure  rose  ; 
And  kissed  her  thoughtless  babes  with  many  a  tear, 
And  clasped  them  close,  in  sorrow  doubly  dear; 
Whilst  her  fund  husband  strove  to  lend  relief 


In  all  the  silent  manliness  of  grief. 

O,  luxury  !  thou  cursed  by  heaven's  decree, 
How  ill  exchanged  are  things  like  these  for  thee  ! 
How  do  thy  potions,  with  insidious  joy, 
Diffuse  their  pleasures  only  to  destroy  ! 
Kingdoms  by  thee,  to  sickly  greatness  grown, 
Boast  of  a  florid  vigour  not  their  own. 
At  every  draught  large  and  more  large  they  grow, 
A  bloated  mass  of  rank  unwieldy  woe  ; 
Till  sapped  their  strength,  and  every  part  unsound, 
Down,  down  they  sink,  and  spread  a  ruin  round. 

E'en  now  the  devastation  is  begun, 
And  half  the  business  of  destruction  done  ; 
E'en  now,  methinks,  as  pondering  here  I  stand, 
I  see  the  rural  virtues  leave  the  land. 
Down  where  yon  anchoring  vessel  spreads  the  sail, 
That  idly  waiting  flaps  with  every  gale, 
Downward  they  move,  a  melancholy  band, 
Pass  from  the  shore,  and  darken  all  the  strand. 
Contented  toil,  and  hospitable  care, 
And  kind  connubial  tenderness,  are  there ; 
And  piety,  with  wishes  placed  above," 
And  steady  loyalty,  and  faithful  love. 
And  thou,  sweet  poetry,  thou  loveliest  maid, 
Still  first  to  fly  where  sensual  joys  invade; 
Unfit,  in  these  degenerate  times  of  shame, 
To  catch  the  heart,  or  strike  for  honest  fame ; 
Dear  charming  nymph  !  neglected  and  decried, 
My  shame  in  crowds,  my  solitary  pride. 
Thou  source  of  all  my  bliss,  and  all  my  woe, 
That  found'st  me  poor  at  first,  and  keep'st  me  so; 
Thou  guide,  by  which  the  nobler  arts  excel, 
Thou  nurse  of  every  virtue,  fare  thee  well ; 
Farewell,  and  O  !  where'er  thy  voice  be  tried, 
On  Torno's  cliffs,  or  Pambamarca's  side, 
Whether  where  equinoctial  fervours  glow, 
Or  winter  wraps  the  polar  world  in  snow, 
Still  let  thy  voice,  prevailing  over  time, 
Redress  the  rigours  of  the  inclement  clime  ; 
Aid  slighted  truth,  with  thy  persuasive  strain ; 
Teach  erring  man  (o  spurn  the  rage  of  gain  ; 
Teach  him,  that  states  of  native  strength  possessed, 
Though  very  poor,  may  still  be  very  blessed ; 
That  trade's  proud  empire  hastes  to  swift  decay, 
As  ocean  sweeps  the  laboured  mole  away ; 
While  self-dependent  power  can  time  defy, 
As  rock   resist  the  billows  and  the  sky. 


THE 


OR, 


EDWIN    AND    ANGELINA. 


'  TURN,  gentle  hermit  of  the  dale, 
And  guide  my  lonely  way, 

To  where  yon  taper  cheers  the  vale 
With  hospitable  ray : 

'  For  here  forlorn  and  lost  I  tread, 
With  fainting  steps  and  slow ; 

Where  wilds  immeasurably  spread, 
Seem  lengthening  as  I  go.' 

4  Forbear,  my  son,'  the  Hermit  cries, 
4  To  tempt  the  dangerous  gloom ; 

For  yonder  faithless  phantom  flies 
To  lure  thee  to  thy  doom. 

4  Here  to  the  houseless  child  of  want 

My  door  is  open  still ; 
And  though  my  portion  is  but  scant, 

I  give  it  with  good  will. 

4  Then  turn  to-night,  and  freely  share 
Whate'er  my  cell  bestows ; 

My  rushy  couch  and  frugal  fare, 
My  blessing  and  repose. 

4  No  flocks,  that  range  the  valley  free, 
To  slaughter  I  condemn  ; 

Taught  by  that  power  that  pities  me, 
I  learn  to  pity  them : 


'  But  from  the  mountain's  grassy  aide 

A  guiltless  feast  T  bring ; 
A  scrip  with  herbs  and  fruits  supplied, 

And  water  from  the  spring. 

'  Then,  pilgrim,  turn,  thy  cares  forego ; 

All  earth-born  cares  are  wrong  : 
Man  wants  but  little  here  below, 

Nor  wants  that  little  long.' 

Soft  as  the  dew  from  heaven  descends, 

His  gentle  accents  fell : 
The  modest  stranger  lowly  bends, 

And  follows  to  the  cell. 

Far  in  a  wilderness  obscure 
The  lonely  mansion  lay ; 

A  refuge  to  the  neighbouring  poor, 
And  strangers  led  astray. 

No  stores  beneath  its  humble  thatcb 
Required  a  master's  care ; 

The  wicket,  opening  with  a  latch, 
Received  the  harmless  pair. 

And  now,  when  busy  crowds  retire 
To  take  their  evening  rest, 

The  Hermit  trimmed  his  little  fire, 
And  cheered  his  pensive  guest; 


856 


THE  HERMIT. 


And  spread  his  vegetable  store, 

And  gayly  pressed  and  smiled  ; 

And,  skilled  in  legendary  lore, 

The  lingering  hours  beguiled. 

Around  in  sympathetic  mirth, 

Its  tricks  the  kitten  tries  ; 
The  cricket  chirrups  in  the  hearth  , 

The  crackling  faggot  flies. 

But  nothing  could  a  charm  impart 
To  sooth  the  stranger's  woe  ; 

For  grief  was  heavy  at  his  heart, 
And  tears  began  to  flow. 

His  rising  cares  the  Hermit  spied, 
With  answering  care  opprest : 

'  And  whence,  unhappy  youth ."  he  cried, 
'  The  sorrows  of  thy  breast  ? 

'  From  better  habitations  spurned, 

Reluctant  dost  thou  rove : 
Or  grieve  for  friendship  unreturned, 

Or  unregarded  love  ? 

1  Alas  !  the  joys  that  fortune  brings, 

Are  trifling,  and  decay  ; 
And  those  who  prize  the  paltry  things, 

More  trifling  still  than  they. 

'  And  what  is  friendship  but  a  name, 

A  charm  that  lulls  to  sleep  ; 
A  shade  that  follows  wealth  or  fame, 

And  leaves  the  wretch  to  weep  ? 

'  And  love  is  still  an  emptier  sound, 

The  modern  fair-one's  jest; 
On  earth  unseen,  or  only  found 

To  warm  the  turtle's  nest. 

4  For  shame,  fond  youth  !  thy  sorrows  hush, 
And  spurn  the  sex  !'  he  said  : 

But  while  he  spoke,  a  rising  blush 
His  love-lorn  guest  betrayed. 

Surprised  he  sees  new  beauties  rise, 

Swift  mantling  to  the  view, 
Like  colours  o'er  the  morning  skies, 

As  bright,  as  transient  too. 


The  bashful  look,  the  rising  breast, 
Alternate  spread  alarms : 

The  lovely  stranger  stands  confest 
A  maid,  in  all  her  charms. 

'  And,  ah,  forgive  a  stranger  rude, 
A  wretch  forlorn,'  she  cried  ; 

'  Whose  feet  unhallowed  thus  intrude 
Where  heaven  and  you  reside  ! 

'  But  let  a  maid  thy  pity  share, 

Whom  love  has  taught  to  stray  ; 

Who  seeks  for  rest,  but  finds  despair 
Companion  of  her  way. 

'  My  father  lived  beside  the  Tyne, 

A  wealthy  lord  was  he ; 
And  all  his  wealth  was  marked  as  mine, 

He  had  but  only  me. 

'  To  win  me  from  his  tender  arms, 
Unnumbered  suitors  came ; 

Who  praised  me  for  imputed  charms, 
And  felt,  or  feigned  a  flame. 

'  Each  hour  a  mercenary  crowd 
With  richest  proffers  slrove  : 

Among  the  rest  young  Edwin  bowed, 
But  never  talked  of  love. 

'  In  humble,  simplest  habit  clad, 
No  wealth  or  power  had  he  : 

Wisdom  and  worth  were  all  he  had, 
But  these  were  all  to  me. 

'  The  blossom  opening  to  the  day, 
The  dews  of  heaven  refined, 

Could  nought  of  purity  display, 
To  emulate  his  mind. 

'  The  dew,  the  blossoms  of  the  tree, 
With  charms  inconstant  shine ; 

Their  charms  were  his,  but,  woe  to  me  I 
Their  constancy  was  mine. 

'  For  still  I  tried  each  fickle  art, 

Importunate  and  vain ; 
And  while  his  passion  touched  my  heart, 

I  triumphed  in  his  pain  : 


THE  HERMIT. 


857 


1  Till,  quite  dejected  with  my  scorn, 
He  left  me  to  my  pride ; 

And  sought  a  solitude  forlorn 
In  secret,  where  he  died. 

But  mine  the  sorrow,  mine  the  fault, 

And  well  my  life  shall  pay  ; 
I'll  seek  the  solitude  he  sought, 
And  stretch  me  where  he  lay. 

'  And  there  forlorn  despairing  hid, 
I'll  lay  me  down  and  die: 

:Twas  so  for  me  that  Edwin  did, 
And  so  for  him  will  I.' 

'  Forbid  it,  heaven  !'  the  Hermit  cried, 
And  clasped  her  to  his  breast ; 


The  wondering  fair  one  turned  to  chide : 
'Twas  Edwin's  self  that  prest. 

'  Turn,  Angelina,  ever  dear, 

My  charmer,  turn  to  see 
Thy  own,  thy  long-lost  Edwin  here, 

Restored  to  love  and  thee. 

'  Thus  let  me  hold  thee  to  my  heart, 

And  every  care  resign 
And  shall  we  never,  never  part, 

My  life — my  all  that's  mine  ! 

'  No,  never,  from  this  hour  to  part ; 

We'll  live  and  love  so  true, 
The  sigh  that  rends  thy  constant  heart, 

Shall  break  thy  Edwin's  too.' 


THE 


IN  IMITATION  OF  DEAN  SWIFT. 


LOGICIAKS  have  but  ill  defin'd 

As  rational  the  human  mind  : 

Reason,  they  say,  belongs  to  man, 

But  let  them  prove  it  if  they  can. 

Wise  Aristotle  and  Smiglesius, 

By  Ratiocinations  specious, 

Have  strove  to  prove  with  great  precision, 

With  difinition  and  division, 

Homo  est  rat  tone  preditum  ; 

But  for  my  soul  I  cannot  credit  'eni ; 

And  must  in  spite  of  them  maintain, 

That  man  and  all  his  ways  are  vain  ; 

And  that  this  boasted  lord  of  nature ; 

Is  both  a  weak  and  erring  creature. 

That  instinct  is  a  surer  guide, 

Than  reason-boasting  mortals'  pride ; 

And  that  brute  beasts  are  far  before  'em, 

Deus  est  anima  brutorum. 

Whoever  knew  an  honest  brute, 

At  law  his  neighbour  prosecute, 

Bring  action  for  assault  and  battery, 

Or  friend  beguile  with  lies  and  flattery  ? 

O'er  plains  they  ramble  unconfin'd, 

No  politics  disturb  their  mind  ; 

They  eat  their  meals,  and  take  their  sport, 

Nor  know  who's  in  or  out  at  court : 

They  never  to  the  levee  go 

To  treat  as  dearest  friend,  a  foe : 

They  never  importune  his  grace, 


Nor  ever  cringe  to  men  in  place ; 
Nor  undertake  a  dirty  job, 
Nor  draw  the  quill  to  write  for  Bob. 
Fraught  with  invective,  they  ne'er  go 
To  folks  at  Pater-noster-Row  : 
No  judges,  fiddlers,  dancing  masters, 
No  pick-pockets,  or  poetasters, 
Are  known  to  honest' quadrupeds; 
No  single  brute  his  fellow  leads. 
Brutes  never  meet  in  bloody  fray, 
Nor  cut  each  other's  throat  for  pay. 
Of  beasts,  it  is  confess'd,  the  ape 
Comes  nearest  us  in  human  shape  ; 
Like  man  he  imitates  each  fashion, 
And  malice  is  his  ruling  passion  : 
But  both  in  malice  and  grimaces, 
A  courtier  any  ape  surpasses. 
Behold  him  humbly  cringing  wait 
Upon  the  minister  of  state  : 
View  him  soon  after  to  inferiors 
Aping  the  conduct  of  superiors  : 
He  promises  with  equal  air, 
And  to  perform  takes  equal  care. 
He  in  his  turn  finds  imitators  ; 
At  court,  the  porters,  lackeys,  waiters, 
Their  master's  manners  still  contract, 
And  footmen  lords  and  dukes  can  act. 
Thus  at  the  court,  both  great  and  small, 
Behave  alike,  for  all  ape  all. 


ESSAYS. 


ESSAY  I. 


J-  HERE  are  some  acquaintances  whom  it 
is  no  easy  matter  to  shake  off  My  little  beau 
yesterday  overtook  me  again  in  one  of  the 
public  walks,  and  slapping  me  on  the  shoul- 
der, saluted  me  with  an  air  of  the  most  per- 
fect familiarity.  His  dress  was  the  same  as 
usual,  except  that  he  had  more  powder  in  his 
hair,  wore  a  dirtier  shirt,  and  had  on  a  pair 
of  temple  spectacles,  with  his  hat  under  his 
arm. 

As  I  knew  him  to  be  an  harmless  amusing 
little  thing,  I  could  not  return  his  smiles  with 
any  degree  of  severity;  so  we  walked  for- 
ward on  terms  of  the  utmost  intimacy,  and  in 
a  few  minutes  discussed  all  the  usual  topics 
of  a  general  conversation. 

The  oddities  that  marked  his  character, 
however,  soon  began  to  appear :  he  bowed  to 
several  well-dressed  persons,  who,  by  their 
manner  of  returning  the  compliment,  appear- 
ed perfect  strangers.  At  intervals  he  drew 
out  a  pocket-book,  seeming  to  take  memo- 
randums before  all  the  company,  with  much 
importance  and  assiduity.  In  this  manner  he 
led  me  through  the  length  of  the  whole  Mall, 
fretting  at  his  absurdities,  and  fancying  my- 
self laughed  at,  as  well  as  he,  by  every  spec- 
tator. 

When  we  were  got  to  the  end  of  our 
procession,  he  cried,  with  an  air  of  vivacity, 
'  I  never  saw  the  Park  so  thin  in  my  life  be- 
fore ;  there's  no  company  at  all  to-day.  Not 
a  single  face  to  be  seen.'  'No  company!' 
interrupted  I,  peevishly ;  '  no  company, 
where  there  is  such  a  crowd !  Why,  man, 
there  is  too  much.  What  are  the  thousands 
that  have  been  laughing  at  us  but  company !' 
'Lord,  my  dear,'  returned  he,  with  the  utmost 
No.  73  &  74. 


good  humour,  'you  seem  immensely  cha- 
grined ;  when  the  world  laughs  at  me,  I  laugh 
at  the  world,  and  so  we  are  even.  My  lord 
Trip,  Bill  Squash  the  Creolian,  and  I,  some- 
times make  a  party  at  being  ridiculous.  But 
I  see  you  are  grave ;  so  if  you  are  for  a  fine 
grave  sentimental  companion,  you  shall  dine 
with  my  wife;  I  must  insist  on't;  I'll  intro- 
duce you  to  Mrs.  Tibbs,  a  lady  of  as  elegant 
qualifications  as  any  in  nature  ;  she  was  bred, 
but  that's  between  ourselves,  under  the  in- 
spection of  the  countess  of  Shoreditch.  A 
charming  body  of  voice  !  But  no  more  of  that, 
she  shall,  give  us  a  song.  You  shall  see  my 
little  girl  too,  Carolina  Wilhelmina  Amelia 
Tibbs,  a  sweet  pretty  creature !  I  design  her 
for  my  lord  Drumstick's  eldest  son;  but  that's 
in  friendship,  let  it  go  no  farther;  she's  but 
six  years  old,  and  yet  she  walks  a  minuet 
and  plays  on  the  guittar  immensely  al- 
ready. I  intend  she  shall  be  as  perfect  as 
possible  in  every  accomplishment.  In  the 
first  place,  I'll  make  her  a  scholar;  I'll  teach 
her  Greek  myself,  and  I  intend  to  learn  that 
language  purposely  to  instruct  her;  but  let 
that  be  a  secret.' 

Thus  saying,  without  waiting  for  a  reply, 
he  took  me  by  the  arm,  and  hauled  me  along. 
We  passed  through  many  dark  alleys  and 
winding  ways.  From  some  motives  to  me 
unknown,  he  seemed  to  have  a  particular 
aversion  to  every  frequented  street ;  but,  at 
last,  we  got  to  the  door  of  a  dismal  looking 
house  in  the  outlets  of  the  town,  where  he 
informed  me  he  chose  to  reside  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  air. 

We  entered  the  lower  door,  which  seemed 
ever  to  lie  most  hospitably  open ;  and  began 
6C 


800 


ESSAYS. 


to  ascend  an  old  and  creaking  staircase ; 
when,  as  he  mounted  to  show  me  the  way, 
he  demanded,  whether  I  delighted  in  pros- 
pects ;  to  which,  answering  in  the  affirmative, 

*  Then,'  says  he, '  I  shall  show  you  one  of  the 
most  charming  out  of  my  windows,  for  I  live 
at  the  top  of  the  house;  we  shall  seethe  ships 
sailing,  and  the  whole  country  twenty  miles 
round,  tip  top,  quite  high.     My   lord   Swamp 
Would  give  ten  thousand  guineas  for  such  a 
one ;  but,  as  I  sometimes  pleasantly  tell  him, 
I  always  love  to  keep  my  prospects  at  home, 
that  my  friends  may    come  to  see  me  the 
oftener.' 

By  this  time  we  were  arrived  as  high  as 
the  stairs  would  permit  us  to  ascend,  till  we 
came  to  what  he  was  facetiously  pleased  to 
call  the  first  floor  down  the  chimney;  and 
knocking  at  the  door,  a  voice,  with  a  Scotch 
accent,from  within, demanded, '  Wha's  there.' 
My  conductor  answered,  that  it  was  him. 
But  this  not  satisfying  the  querist,  the  voice 
again  repeated  the  demand ;  to  which  he 
answered  louder  than  before,  and  now  the 
door  was  opened  by  an  old  maid-servant,  with 
cautious  reluctance. 

When  we  were  got  in,  he  welcomed  me  to 
his  house  with  great  ceremony,  and  turning 
to  the  old  woman,  asked  where  her  lady  was. 

*  Good    troth,'    replied   she  in  the   northern 
dialect,  'she's  washing  your  twa  shirts  at  the 
next  dobr,  because  they  have  taken  an  oath 
against  lending  out  the  tub  any  longer.'    'My 
two  shirt!?!'  cried  he,  in  a  tone  that  faltered 
willj  confusion,  '  what  docs  the  idiot  mean?' 
' !  ken  what  I  mean  well  enough,'  replied  the 
other,  •  she's  washing  your  twa  shirts  at  the 
next  door,  because' — '  Fire  and  fury,  no  more 
of  thy  stupid   explanations,'  cried    he. — 'Go 
and  inform  her  we  have  got  company.    Were 
that  Scotch  hag,'  continued  he.  turning  to  me, 
1  to  be  for  ever  in  my  family,  she  would  never 
learn  politeness,  nor  forget  that  absurd  poi- 
sonom  accent  of  her's,  or  testify  the  smallest 
specimen  of  breeding  or  high-life  ;  and  yet  it 
is  very  surprising  too,  as  1  had  her  from  a  par- 
liament-man, a  friend  of  mine  from  the  High- 
lands, one  of  the  politest  men  in  the  world  ; 
but  that's  a  secret. 

We  waited  sorne  time  for  Mrs.  Tibb's  arri- 
val, during  which  interval  I  had  a  full  oppor- 
tunity of  surveying  the  chamber  and  all  its 


furniture ;  which  consisted  of  four  chairs  with 
old  wrought  bottoms,  that  he  assured  me 
were  his  wife's  embroidery  ;  a  square  table 
that  had  been  once  japanned,  a  cradle  in  one 
corner,  a  lumbering  cabinet  in  the  other ;  a 
broken  shepherdess,and  a  mandarine  without 
a  head,  were  stuck  over  the  chimney;  and 
round  the  wall  several  paltry,  unframed  pic- 
tures, which  he  observed  were  all  his  own 
drawing:  'What  do  you  think,  Sir,  of  that 
head  in  the  corner,  done  in  the  manner  of 
Grisoni  ?  There's  the  true  keeping  in  it;  it's 
my  own  face;  and,  though  there  happens  to 
be  no  likeness,  a  countess  offered  me  a  hun- 
dred for  its  fellow  :  I  refused  her,  for  hang  it. 
that  would  be  mechanical  you  know.' 

The  wife,  at  last,  made  her  appearance; 
at  once  a  slattern  and  a  coquet;  much  ema- 
ciated, but  still  carrying  the  remains  of  beau- 
ty. She  made  twenty  apologies  for  being 
seen  in  such  an  odious  dishabille,  but  hoped 
to  be  excused,  as  she  had  staid  out  all  night 
at  Vauxhall  Gardens  with  the  countess,  who 
was  excessively  fond  of  the  horns.  '  And  in- 
deed, my  dear,'  added  she,  turning  to  her 
husband,  'his  lordship  drank  your  health  in 
a  bumper.'  'Poor  Jack,'  cries  he.  'a  dear 
good  natured  creature,  J  know  he  loves  me; 
but  1  hope,  my  dear,  you  have  given  orders 
for  dinner;  you  need  make  no  great  prepa- 
ration neither,  there  are  but  rhree  of  us; 
something  elegant,  and  a  little  will  do;  a 
turbot,  an  ortolan,  or  a-r— '  'Or  what  do  you 
think,  my  dear,'  interrupts  the  wife,  'of  a 
nice  pretty  bit  of  ox-cheek  piping  hot,  and 
dressed  with  a  little  ofmy  own  sauce?' — 'Tl:e 
very  thing,'  replies  he:  'it  will  eat  best  with 
some  smart  bottled  beer;  but  be  sure  to  let's 
have  the  sauce  his  grace  was  HO  fond  of.  1 
hate  your  immense  loads  of  meat;  that  is 
country  all  over:  extreme  disgusting  to  those 
who  are  in  t hp  least  acquainted  with  high- lite.' 

By  this  time  mv  curiosity  began  to  abate, 
and  my  appetite  -to  increase;  the  compaiy 
of  fools  may  at  first  make  us  smile,  but  at 
last  never  tails  of  rendering  us  melancholy. 
1  therefore  pretended  to  recollect  ;i  prior  <  n- 
gngoment,  mid.  after  having  shown  my  respect 
to  the  house,  by  giving  the  old  servant  a 
piece  of  money  at  the  door,  I  took  mv  leave; 
Mrs.  Tibbs  assuring  me,  that  dinner,  if'I  nlajd, 
would  be  read^  at  least  in  less  than  two  hours. 


ESSAYS. 


ESSAY  11. 


AGE,  that  lessens  the  enjoyment  of  life, 
increases  our  desire  of  living.  Tliose  dan- 
gers which,  in  the  vigour  of  youth,  we  had 
learned  to  despise,  assume  new  terrors  as  we 
trow  old.  Our  caution  increasing  as  our 
years  increase,  fear  becomes  at  last  the  pre- 
vailing passion  of  the  mind  ;  and  the  small 
remainder  of  lite  is  taken  up  in  useless  efforts 
to  keep  off  our  end,  or  provide  fora  continu- 
ed existence. 

Strange  contradiction  in  our  nature,  and  to 
which  even  the  wise  are  liable!  If 'I  should 
judge  of  that  part  of  life  which  lies  before  me 
bv  that  which  I  have  already  seen,  the  pros- 
pect is  hideous.  Experience  tells  me,  that 
my  past  enjoyments  have  brought  no  real  fe- 
licity ;  and  sensation  assures  me,  that  those 
1  have  felt  are  stronger  than  those  which  are 
yet  to  come.  Yet  experience  and  sensation 
in  vain  persuade  ;  hope,  more  powerful  than 
either,  dresses  out  the  distant  prospect  in 
fancied  beauty;  some  happiness,  in  long  per- 
spective, still  beckons  me  to  pursue ;  and, 
like  a  losing  gamester,  every  new  disap- 
pointment increases  my  ardour  to  continue 
the  game. 

Whence  then  is  this  increased  love  of  life, 
which  grows  upon  us  with  our  years;  whence 
comes  it,  that  we  thus  make  greater  efforts  to 
preserve  our  existence,  at  a  period  when  it 
becomes  scarce  worth  keeping?  Is  it  that 
nature,  attentive  to  the  preservation  of  man- 
kind, increases  our  wishes  to  live,  while  she 
lessens  our  enjoyments;  and,  as  she  robs  the 
senses  of  every  pleasure,  equips  imagination 
in  the  spoils  ?  Life  would  be  insupportable 
to  an  old  man,  who,  loaded  with  infirmities, 
feared  death  no  more  than  when  in  the  vigour 
of  manhood ;  the  numberless  calamities  of 
decaying  nature;  and  the  consciousness  of 
surviving  every  pleasure,  would  at  once  in- 
duce him,  with  his  own  hand,  to  terminate 
the  scene  of  misery;  but  happily  tiie  con- 


tempt  of  death  forsakes  him  at  a  time  when  it 
could  only  be  prejudicial;  and  life  requires 
an  imaginary  value,  in  proportion  as  its  real 
value  is  no  more. 

Our  attachment  to  every  object  around  us 
increases,  in  general,  from  the  length  of  our 
acquaintance  with  it.  '  1  would  not  choose,' 
says  a  French  philosopher,  '  to  see  an  old 
post  pulled  up  with  which  I  had  been  long 
acquainted.'  A  mind  long  habituated  to  a 
certain  set  of  objects,  insensibly  becomes 
fond  of  seeing  them  ;  visits  them  from  habit, 
and  parts  from  them  with  reluctance  :  from 
hence  proceeds  the  avarice  of  the  old  in 
every  kind  of  possession;  they  love  the  world 
and  all  that  it  produces;  they  love  life  and 
all  its  advantages;  not  because  it  gives  them 
pleasure,  but  because  they  have  known  it 
long. 

Chinvang  the  Chaste,  ascending  the  throne 
of  China,  commanded  that  all  who  were  un- 
justly detained  in  prison,  during  the  preced- 
ing reigns,  should  be  set  free.  Among  the 
number  who  came  to  thank  their  deliverer 
on  this  occasion,  there  appeared  a  majestic 
old  man,  who,  falling  at  the  emperor's  feet, 
addressed  him  as  follows:  'Great  father  of 
China,  behold  a  wretch,  now  eighty-five  years 
old,  who  was  shut  up  in  a  dungeon  at  the  age 
of  twenty-two.  I  was  imprisoned,  though  a 
stranger  to  crime,  or  without  being  even  con- 
fronted by  my  accusers.  I  have  now  lived  in 
I  solitudeand  darkness  for  more  than  fifty  years, 
!  and  am  grown  familiar  with  distress.  As  yet 
j  dazzled  with  the  splendour  of  that  sun  to 
which  you  have  restored  me,  I  have  been 
wandering  the  streets  to  find  out  some  inentf 
that  would  assist,  or  relieve,  or  remember  me; 
but  my  friends,  my  family,  and  relations,  arc 
all  dead,  and  I  am  forgotten.  Permit  me 
then,  O  Chinvang,  to  wear  out  the  wretched 
remains  of  my  life  in  former  prison  ;  the  walls 
of  iuy  dungeon  are  to  me  more  pleasing  than 
6  C* 


862 


ESSAYS. 


the  most  splendid  palace :  I  have  not  long  to 
live,  and  shall  be  unhappy  except  I  spend  the 
rest  of  my  days  where  my  youth  was  passed, 
in  that  prison'  from  whence  you  were  pleased 
to  release  me. 

The  old  man's  passion  for  confinement  is 
similar  to  that  we  all  have  for  life.  We  are 
habituated  to  the  prison,  we  look  round  with 
discontent,  are  displeased  with  the  abode, 
and  yet  the  length  of  our  captivity  only  in- 
creases our  fondness  for  the  cell.  The  trees 
we  have  planted,  the  houses  we  have  built, 
or  the  posterity  we  have  begotten,  all  serve 
to  bind  us  closer  to  the  earth,  and  embitter 
our  parting.  Life  sues  the  young  like  a  new 
acquaintance ;  the  companion,  as  yet  unex- 
hausted, is  at  once  instructive  and  amusing; 
its  company  pleases,  yet,  for  all  this,  it  is  but 
little  regarded.  To  us,  who  are  declined  in 
years,  life  appears  like  an  old  friend  ;  its  jests 
have  been  anticipated  in  former  conversation : 
it  has  no  new  story  to  make  us  smile,  no  new 
improvement  with  which  to  surprise,  yet  still 
we  love  it;  destitute  of  every  enjoyment,  still 
we  love  it;  husband  the  wasting  treasure 
with  increasing  frugality,  and  feel  all  the 
poignancy  of  anguish  in  the  fatal  separation. 


Sir  Philip  Mordaunt  was  young,  beautiful, 
sincere,  brave,  an  Englishman.  He  had  a 
complete  fortune  of  his  own  and  the  love  of 
the  king  his  master,  which  was  equivalent  to 
riches.  Life  opened  all  her  treasures  before 
him,  and  promised  a  long  succession  of  hap- 
piness. He  came,  tasted  of  the  entertain- 
ment, but  was  disgusted  even  at  the  begin- 
ning. He  professed  an  aversion  to  living; 
was  tired  of  walking  round  the  same  circle; 
Imd  tried  every  enjoyment,  and  found  them 
all  grow  weaker  at  every  repetition.  '  If  life 
be  in  youth  so  displeasing,'  cried  he  to  him- 
self, 'what  will  it  appear  when  age  comes  on; 
if  it  be  at  present  indifferent,  sure  it  will  then 
be  execrable.'  This  thought  embittered 
every  reflection ;  till,  at  last,  with  all  the 
serenity  of  perverted  reason,  he  ended  the 
debate  with  a  pistol.  Had  this  self-deluded 
man  been  apprized,  that  existence  grows 
more  desirable  to  us  the  longer  we  exist,  he 
would  have  then  faced  old  age  without 
shrinking!  he  would  have  boldly  dared  to 
live ;  and  served  that  society,  by  his  future 
assiduity,  which  he  basely  injured  by  his  de- 
sertion. 


ESSAY  111. 
THE  STORY  OF  ALCANDER  AND  SEPTIMIUS. 


ATHENS,  long  after  the  decline  of  the  Ro- 
man empire,  still  continued  the  seat  of  learn- 
ing, politeness,  and  wisdom.  Theodoric,  the 
Ostrogoth,  repaired  the  schools  which  bar- 
barity was  suffering  to  fall  into  decay,  and 
continued  those  pensions  to  men  of  learning, 
which  avaricious  governors  had  monopoliz- 
ed. 

In  this  city,  and  about  this  period,  Alcan- 
<Jer  and  Septimius  were  fellow-students  to- 
gether. The  one,  the  most  subtle  reasoner 
of  all  the  Lyceum ;  the  other,  the  most  elo- 
quent speaker  in  the  academic  grove.  Mu- 
tual admiration  soon  begot  a  friendship. 
Their  fortunes  were  nearly  equal,  and  they 
were  natives  of  the  most  celebrated  cities  in 


the  world  ;  for  Alcander  was  of  Athens,  Sep- 
timius came  from  Rome. 

In  this  state  of  harmony  they  lived  for  some 
time  together,  w  hen  Alcander,  after  passing 
the  first  part  of  his  youth  in  the  indolence  of 
philosophy,  thought  at  length  of  entering  into 
the  busy  world  ;  and,  as  a  step  previous  to 
this,  placed  his  affections  on  Hypatia,  a  lady 
of  exquisite  beauty.  The  day  of  their  intend- 
ed nuptials  were  fixed;  the  previous  cere- 
monies were  performed  ;  and  nothing  now  re- 
mained but  her  being  conducted  in  triumph 
to  the  apartment  of  the  intended  bridegroom. 

Alcander's  exultation  in  his  own  happiness, 
or  being  unable  to  enjoy  any  satisfaction 
without  making  his  friend  Sentiuuius  a  partner, 


ESSAYS. 


803 


prevailed  upon  him  to  introduce  Hypatia  to 
his  fellow-student;  winch  he  did  with  all  the 
gayety  of  a  man  who  found  himself  equally 
happy  in  friendship  and  love.  But  this  was 
an  interview  fatal  to  the  future  peace  of  both: 
for  Septimius  no  sooner  saw  her,  but  he  was 
smitten  with  an  involuntary  passion ;  and, 
though  he  used  every  effort  to  suppress  de- 
sires at  once  so  imprudent  and  unjust,  the 
emotions  of  his  mind  in  a  short  time  became 
so  strong,  that  they  brought  on  a  fever,  which 
the  physicians  judged  incurable. 

During  this  illness,  Alcander  watched  him 
with  all  the  anxiety  of  fondness,  and  brought 
his  mistress  to  join  in  those  amiable  offices  of 
friendship.  The  sagacity  of  the  physicians, 
by  these  means,  soon  discovered  that  the 
cause  of  their  patient's  disorder  was  love ; 
and  Alcander  being  apprized  of  their  dis- 
coverv,  at  length  extorted  a  confession  from 
the  reluctant  dying  lover. 

It  would  but  delay  the  narrative  to  de- 
scribe the  conilict  between  love  and  friend- 
ship in  the  breast  of  Alcander  on  this  occa- 
sion;  it  is  enough  to  say,  that  the  Athenians 
were  at  that  time  arrived  at  such  refinement 
in  morals,  that  every  virtue  was  carried  to 
excess.  In  short,  forgetful  of  his  own  felicity, 
he  gave  up  his  intended  bride,  in  all  her 
charms,  to  the  young  Roman.  They  were 
married  privately  by  his  connivance,  and  this 
unlocked  for  change  of  fortune  wrought  as 
unexpected  a  change  in  the  constitution  of 
the  now  happy  Septimjus,  In  a  few  days  he 
was  perfectly  recovered,  and  set  out  with  his 
fair  partner  for  Rome.  Here,  by  an  exertion 
of  those  talents  which  he  was  so  eminently 
possessed  of,  Septimius  in  a  few  years  arrived 
at  the  highest  dignities  of  the  state,  and  was 
constituted  the  city-judge  or  praetor. 

In  the  mean  time  Alcander  not  only  felt 
the  pain  of  being  separated  from  his  friend 
and  his  mistress,  but  a  prosecution  was  also 
commenced  against  him  by  the  relations  of 
Hypatia,  for  having  basely  given  up  his  bride, 
as  was  suggested,  for  money.  Hi&  innocence 
of  the  crime  laid  to  his  charge,  and  even  his 
eloquence  irj  his  own  defence,  were  not  able 
to  withstand  the  influence  of  a  powerful  parly. 
He  was  cast  and  condemned  to  pay  an 
enormous  fine.  However,  being  unable  to 
raise  so  large  a  sum  at  the  time  appointed, 


his  possessions  were  confiscated,  he  himself 
was  stripped  of  the  habit  of  freedom,  exposed 
as  a  slave  in  the  market-place,  and  sold  to 
the  highest  bidder. 

A  merchant  of  Thrace  becoming  his  pur- 
chaser, Alcander,  with  some  other  compa- 
nions of  distress,  was  carried  into  that  region 
of  desolation  and  sterility.  His  stated  em- 
ployment was  to  follow  the  herds  of  an  impe- 
rious master,  and  his  success  in  hunting  was, 
all  that  was  allowed  him  to  supply  his  pre- 
carious subsistence.  Every  morning  waked 
him  to  a  renewal  of  famine  or  toil,  and  everv 
change  of  season  served  hut  to  aggravate  his 
unsheltered  distress.  After  some  years  of 
bondage,  however,  an  opportunity  of  escap- 
ing offered;  he  embraced  it  with  ardour;  so 
that  travelling  by  night, andlodgingin  caverns 
by  day,  to  shorten  a  long  story,  he  at  last  ar- 
rived in  Rome.  The  same  day  on  which 
Alcander  arrived,  Septimius  sate  administer- 
ing justice  in  the  forum,  whither  our  wanderer 
came,  expecting  to  be  instantly  known,  and 
publicly  acknowledged,  by  his  former  friend. 
Here  he  stood  the  whole  day  among  the 
crowd,  watching  the  eyes  of  the  judge,  and 
expecting  to  be  taken  notice  of;  but  he  was 
so  much  altered  by  a  long  succession  of  hard- 
ships, that  he  continued  unnoted  among  the 
rest ;  and  in  the  evening,  when  he  was  going 
up  to  the  praetor's  chair,  he  was  brutally  re- 
pulsed by  the  attending  lictors.  The  atten- 
tion of  the  poor  is  generally  driven  from  one 
ungrateful  object  to  another;  for  night  coming 
on,  he  now  found  himself  under  a  necessity 
of  seeking  a  place  to  lie  in,  and  yet  knew  not 
where  to  apply.  All  emaciated,  and  in  rags 
as  he  was,  none  of  the  citizens  would  harbour 
so  much  wretchedness;  and  sleeping  in  the 
streets  might  be  attended  with  interruption 
and  danger:  in  short,  he  was  obliged  to  take 
up  his  lodging  in  one  of  the  tombs  without 
the  city,  the  usual  retreat  of  guilt,  poverty, 
and  despair.  In  this  mansion  of  horror,  lay. 
ing  his  head  upon  an  inverted  urn,  he  forgot 
his  miseries  for  awhile  in  sleep:  and  found, 
on  his  flinty  couch,  more  ease  than  beds  of 
down  can  supply  to  the  guilly. 

As  he  continued  here,  about  midnight, two 
robbers  came  to  make  this  their  retreat;  but 
happening  to  disagree  aLout  the  division  ot* 
their  plunder,  one  of  them  stabbed  the  other 


864 


ESSAYS. 


to  the  heart,  and  left  him  weltering  in  his  Wood 
at  the  entrance.  In  these  circumstances  he 
was  found  next  morning  dead  at  the  month  of 
vlie  vault.  This  naturally  inducing  a  further 
inrv/irv,  an  a!. inn  was  spread  ;  the  cave  was 
examined  ;  and  Alcander  being  found,  WHS 
'rnmediatelv  apprehended  and  accused  of 
robbery  and  murder.  The  circumstances 
against  him  were  strong,  and  the  wietchednrss 
of  his  appearance  confirmed  suspicion.  Mis- 
fortune and  he  were  now  so  long  acquainted, 
that  he  at  last  became  regardless  of  life.  He 
detested  a  world  where  he  had  found  only  in- 
gratitude, falsehood,  and  cruelty  ;  he  was  de- 
termined to  make  no  defence  ;  and  thus  lower- 
ing with  resolution,  he  was  dragged,  bound 
with  cords,  before  the  tribunal  of  Septimius. 
As  the  proofs  were  positive  against  him,  and 
he  offered  nothing  in  his  own  vindication,  the 
judge  was  proceeding  to  doom  him  to  a  most 
"cruel  and  ignominious  death,  when  the  atten- 
tion of  the  multitude  was  soon  divided  by 


another  object.  The  robber,  \vl:o  had  been 
really  gi'il'y,  was  apprehended  selling  his 
plunder,  and,  struck  \\ith  a  pai.ic,  had  c<,n- 
fessed  his  crime.  He  was  brought  bom .d  to 
the  same  tribunal,  and  acquitted  every  other 
person  of  any  partnership  in  his  guilt.  Al- 
cander's  innocence  therefore  apptsmd,  but 
the  snll<  n  rashness  of  his  conduct  nn-fiirrd 
a  wonder  to  the  surrounding  multitude  ;  but 
their  astonishment  was  still  further  inert  ased, 
when  they  saw  their  judge  start  from  his  tri- 
bunal to  embrace  the  supposed  criminal :  Sep- 
timius recollected  his  friend  and  former  bene- 
factor, and  hnng  upon  his  neck  with  tears  of 
pity  and  joy.  Need  the  sequel  be  related  ; 
Alcander  was  acquitted  ;  shared  the  friendship 
and  honours  of  the  principal  citizens  of  Rome  ; 
lived  afterwards  in  happiness  and  ease  ;  and 
left  it  to  be  engraved  on  his  tomb,  That  no 
circumstances  are  so  desperate,  which  Provi- 
dence may  not  relieve. 


ESSAY  IV. 


WHEN  I  reflect  on  the  unambitious  retire- 
ment in  which  I  passed  the  earlier  part  of  my 
life  in  the  country,  I  cannot  avoid  feeling  some 
pain  in  thinking  that  those  happy  days  are 
never  to  return.  In  that  retreat  all  nature 
seemed  capable  of  affording  pleasure  ;  1  then 
made  no  refinements  on  happiness,  but  could 
be  pleased  with  the  most  awkward  efforts  to 
rustic  mirth  ;  thought  cross-purposes  the  high- 
est stretch  of  human  wit ;  and  questions  and 
commands  the  most  rational  way  of  spend- 
ing the  evening.  Happy  could  so  charming 
an  illusion  still  continue!  I  find  that  age 
and  knowledge  only  contribute  to  sour  our 
dispositions.  My  present  enjoyments  may 
be  more  refined,  but  they  are  infinitely  less 
pleasing.  The  pleasure  the  best  actor  gives, 
can  no  way  compare  to  that  I  have  re- 
ceived from  a  country  wag  who  imitated  a 
quaker's  sermon.  The  music  of  the  finest 
singer  is  dissonance  to  what  I  felt  when  our 
old  dairy-maid  sung  me  into  tears  with  John- 
ny Armstrong's  Last  good  night,  or  the  Cru- 
elty of  Barbara  Allen. 


Writers  of  every  age  have  endeavoured  to 
show  that  pleasure  is  in  us,  and  not  in  the  ob- 
jects offered  for  our  amusement.  If  the  soul 
be  happily  disposed,  every  thing  becomes  ca- 
pable of  affording  entertainment ;  and  distress 
will  always  want  a  name.  Every  occurrence 
passes  in  review  like  the  figures  of  a  proces- 
sion ;  some  may  be  awkward,  others  ill  dress- 
ed ;  but  none  but  a  fool  is  for  this  enraged 
with  the  master  of  the  ceremonies. 

I  remember  to  have  once  seen  a  slave  in  a 
fortification  in  Flanders,  who  appeared  no 
way  touched  with  his  situation.  He  was 
maimed,  deformed,  and  chained  ;  obliged  to 
toil  from  the  appearance  of  day  till  night-fall, 
and  condemned  to  this  for  life:  yet  with  all 
these  circumstances  of  apparent  wretchedness, 
he  sung,  would  have  danced,  but  that  he  want- 
ed a  leg,  and  appeared  the  merriest,  happiest 
man  of  all  the  garrison.  What  a  practical 
philosopher  was  here ;  an  happy  constitution 
supplied  philosophy ;  and  though  seemingly 
destitute  of  wisdom,  he  was  really  wise.  No 
reading  or  study  had  contributed  to  disenchant 


ESSAYS. 


the  fairy-land  around  him.  Every  thing  fur- 
nished him  with  an  opportunity  of  mirth  ;  and 
though  some  thought  him,  from  his  insensibili- 
ty, a  fool,  he  was  such  an  Hiot  as  philosophers 
should  wish  to  imitate  ;  for  al!  philosophy  is 
only  forcing  the  trade  of  happiness,  when  na- 
ture seems  to  deny  the  means. 

They  who,  like  our  slaves,  can  place  them- 
selves on  that  side  of  the  world  in  which  every 
thing  appears  in  a  pleasing  light,  will  find 
something  in  every  occurrence  to  excite  their 
good  humour-.  The  most  calamitous  events, 
either  to  themselves  or  others,  can  bring  no 
new  affliction  !  the  whole  world  i*  to  them  a 
theatre,  on  which  comedies  only  are  acted. 
All  the  bustle  of  heroism,  or  the  rants  of  am- 
bition, serve  only  to  heighten  the  absurdity  of 
the  scene,  and  make  the  humour  more  poig- 
nant. They  feel,  in  short,  as  little  anguish  at 
their  own  distress,  or  the  complaints  of  others, 
as  the  undertaker,  though  dressed  in  black, 
feels  sorrow  at  a  funeral. 

Of  all  the  men  1  ever  read  of,  the  famous 
cardinal  de  lleiz  possessed  this  happiness  of 
temper  in  the  highest  degree.  A-*  he  was  a 
man  of  gallantry,  and  despised  all  that  wore 
the  pedantic  appearance  of  philosophy,  where- 
ever  pleasure  was  to  be  sold,  he  was  generally 
foremost  to  raise  the  auction.  Being  an  uni- 
versal admirer  of  the  fair  sex,  when  he  found 
one  lady  cruel,  he  generally  fell  in  love  with 
another,  from  who.n  he  expected  a  more  fa- 
vourable reception  :  if  she  too  rejected  his  ad- 
dresses, he  never  thought  of  retiring  into  de- 
sarts,  or  pining  in  hopeless  distress.  He  per- 
suaded hi  nsflf,  that,  instead  of  loving  the  lady, 
he  only  fancied  that  he  had  loved  her,  and  so 
all  was  well  again.  When  fortune  wore  her 
angriest  look,  lie  at  last  fell  into  the  power  of 
his  most  deadly  enemy,  cardinal  Mazarine, 
(being  confined  a  close  prisoner  in  the  castle 
of  V  ilencieiM  •*,)  he  never  attempted  to  snp- 
p  >rr  his  di>jtre-*s  by  wisdom  or  philosophy,  for 
he  pretended  to  neither.  He  only  laughed  at 
himself  and  his  persecutor,  and  seemed  infinite- 
ly pleased  at  his  new  situation.  In  this  man- 
sion of  distress,  though  secluded  from  his  friends, 
though  denied  all  the  amusements,  and  even 
the  conveniences  of  life,  he  still  retained  his 
go,) !  humour  ;  laughed  at  all  the  little  spite  of 
his  enemies  ;  and  carried  the  j;:st  *o  far,  as  to 
be  revenged,  by  writing  the  life  of  his  gaoler. 

All  that  the  w  isdom  of  the  proud  can  teach, 


is  to  be  stubborn  or  sullen  under  misfortunes. 
The  cardinal's  example  will  instruct  us  to  be 
merry  in  circumstances  of  the  highest  afflic- 
tion. It  matters  not  whether  our  good  humour 
be  construed  by  others  into  insensibility,  or 
even  idiotism  ;  it  is  happiness  to  ourselves,  and 
none  but  a  fool  would  measure  his  satisfaction 
by  what  the  world  thinks  of  it ;  for  my  own 
part,  I  never  pass  by  one  of  our  prisons  for 
debt,  that  I  do  not  envy  that  felicity  which  is 
still  going  forward  among  those  people  who 
forget  the  cares  of  the  world  by  being  shut  out 
from  its  ambition. 

The  happiest  silly  fellow  I  ever  knew,  was 
of  the  number  of  these  good-natured  creatures 
that  are  said  to  do  no  harm  to  any  but  them- 
selves. Whenever  he  fell  into  any  misery,  he 
usually  called  it,  Seeing  Life.  If  liis  head  was 
hroke  by  a  chairman,  or  his  pocket  picker)  by 
a  sharper,  he  comforted  himself  by  imitating 
the  Hibernian  dialect  of  the  one,  or  the  more 
fashionable  cant  of  the  other.  Nothing  came 
amiss  to  him.  His  inattention  to  money  mat- 
ters had  incensed  his  father  to  such  a  degree, 
that  all  the  intercession  (if  his  friends  in  his  fa- 
vour was  fruitless.  The  old  gentleman  was 
on  his  death-bed.  The  whole  family,  and 
Dick  among  the  number,  gathered  around 
him,  '  I  leave  my  second  son,  Andrew,'  said 
the  expiring  miser,  '  my  whole  estate,  and  de- 
'  sire  him  to  be  frugal.'  Andrew,  in  a  sorrow- 
ful tone,  as  is  usual  on  these  occasions,  prayed 
Heaven  to  prolong  his  life  and  health  to  enjoy 
it  himself.  '  1  recommend  Simon,  n;\  third 
'  son,  to  the  care  of  his  elder  brother,  and  !e; -\ 
'  him  beside  four  thousand  pounds.'  '  Ah  ! 
'  father,'  cried  Simon,  (in  great  affliction  to  be 
sure)  *  May  heaven  give  you  life  and  health 
'  to  enjoy  it  yourself,'  At  last,  turning  to  poor 
Dick,  '  As  for  you,  you  have  always  been  a  sad 
'  dog  ;  you'll  never  come  to  good  ;  you'll  neve  r 
'  be  rich  ;  I'll  leave  you  a  shilling  to  buy  a  l.ul- 
'  ter.'  '  All  !  father,'  cries  Dick,  \\itht-ut  uny 
emotion, '  may  Heaven  give  you  life  aiiu  htyhh 
'  lo  enjoy  it  yourself.'  This  was  ;.!!  ilie  trouble 
the  loss  of  fortune  gave  this  thoughtless  im- 
prudent creature.  However,  the  tenderness 
of  an  uncle  recompensed  the  neglect  of  a 
father;  and  my  friend  is  now  not  only  ex- 
cessively good  humoured,  but  competently 
rich. 

Yes,  let  the  world  cry  out  at  n  bankrupt  who 
appears  at  a  ball ;  at  an  author  n  ho  laughs  at 


86(5 


ESSAYS. 


the  public,  which  pronounces  him  a  dunce;  at 
a  general  who  smiles  at  the  reproach  of  the 
vulgar,  or  the  lady  who  keeps  her  good- 
humour  in  spite  of  scandal;  but  such  is  the 
wisest  behaviour  that  any  of  us  can  possibly 
assume ;  it  is  certainly  a  better  way  to  op- 
pose calamity  by  dissipation,  than  to  take  up 


the  arms  of  reason  or  resolution  to  oppose 
it :  by  the  first  method,  we  forget  our  mise- 
ries ;  by  the  last,  we  only  conceal  them  from 
others ;  by  struggling  with  misfortunes,  we 
are  sure  to  receive  some  wounds  in  the  con- 
flict; but  a  sure  method  to  come  off  victori- 
ous, is  by  running  away. 


ESSAY  V. 


I  AM  fond  of  amusement  in  whatever  com- 
pany it  is  to  be  found;  and  wit,  though  dress- 


ed in  rags,  is  ever 


to  me.     I  went 


some  days  ago  to  take  a  walk  in  St.  James's 
Park,  about  the  hour  in  which  company  leave 
it  to  go  to  dinner.  There  were  but  few  in 
the  walks,  and  those  who  stayed,  seemed  by 
their  looks  rather  more  willing  to  forget  that 
they  had  an  appetite  than  gain  one.  I  sat 
down  on  one  of  the  benches,  at  the  other 
end  of  which  was  seated  a  man  in  very  shab- 
by clothes. 

We  continued  to  groan,  to  hem,  and  to 
cough,  as  usual  upon  such  occasions;  and, 
at  last,  ventured  upon  conversation.  '  I  beg 
pardon,  sir,'  cried  I,  '  but  I  think  I  have  seen 
you  before;  your  face  is  familiar  to  me.' 
'  Yes,  sir,'  replied  he, '  I  have  a  good  familiar 
face,  as  my  friends  tell  me.  I  am  as  well 
known  in  every  town  in  England  as  the  dro- 
medary, or  live  crocodile.  You  must  under- 
stand, sir,  that  I  have  been  these  sixteen 
years  Merry  Andrew  to  a  puppet-show;  last 
Bartholomew  fair  my  master  and  1  quarrelled, 
beat  each  other,  and  parted ;  he  to  sell  his 
puppets  to  the  pincushion-maker  in  Rose- 
mary-lane, and  I  to  starve  in  St.  James's 
Park. 

'  I  am  sorry,  sir,  that  a  person  of  your  ap- 
pearance should  labour  under  any  difficulties.' 
*  O,  sir,'  returned  he,  '  my  appearance  is  very 
much  at  your  service;  but  though  I  cannot 
boast  of  eating  much,  yet  there  are  few  that 
are  merrier:  if  I  had  twenty  thousand  a  year 
I  should  be  very  merry  ;  and,  thank  the  fates, 
though  not  worth  a  groat,  I  am  very  merry 
still.  If  I  have  three-pence  in  my  pocket,  I 
never  refuse  to  be  my  three-half-pence  ;  and, 


if  I  have  no  money,  I  never  scorn  to  be  treat- 
ed by  any  that  are  kind  enough  to  pay  my 
reckoning.  What  think  you,  sir,  of  a  steak 
and  a  tankard  ?  You  shall  treat  me  now,  and 
I  will  treat  you  again  when  I  find  you  in  the 
Park  in  love  with  eating,  and  without  money 
to  pay  for  a  dinner. 

As  I  never  refuse  a  small  expense  for  the 
sake  of  a  merry  companion,  we  instantly  ad- 
journed to  a  neighbouring  alehouse,  and,  in 
a  few  moments,  had  a  frothing  tankard,  and 
a  smoking  steak  spread  on  the  table  before 
us.  It  is  impossible  to  express  how  much  the 
sight  of  such  good  cheer  improved  my  com- 
panion's vivacity.  'I  like  this  dinner,  sir,' 
says  he,  'for  three  reasons;  first,  because  I 
am  naturally  fond  of  beef;  secondly,  because- 
I  am  hungry  ;  and,  thirdly  and  lastly,  because 
I  get  it  for  nothing:  no  meat  eats  so  sweet  as 
that  for  which  we  do  not  pay.' 

He  therefore  now  fell  to,  and  his  appetite 
seemed  to  correspond  with  his  inclination. 
After  dinner  was  over,  he  observed,  that  the 
steak  was  tough :  *  and  yet,  sir,'  returns  he, 
'  bad  as  it  was,  it  seemed  a  rump-steak  tome. 
O  the  delights  of  poverty  and  a  good  appetite! 
We  beggars  are  the  very  fondlings  of  nature  ; 
the  rich  she  treats  like  an  arrant  step-mother; 
they  are  pleased  with  nothing;  cut  a  steak 
from  what  part  you  will,  and  it  is  insupport- 
ab\y  tough;  dress  it  up  with  pickles, — even 
pickles  cannot  procure  them  an  appetite. 
But  the  whole  creation  is  filled  with  good 
things  for  the  beggar;  Calvert'sbutt  out-tastes 
Champaigne,  and  Sedgeley's  home-brewed 
excels  Tokay.  Joy,  joy,  my  blood,  though 
our  estates  lie  no  where,  we  have  fortunes 
wherever  we  go.  If  an  inundation  sweeps 


ESSAYS. 


867 


away  half  the  grounds  of  Cornwall,  I  am  con- 
tent ;  i  have  no  lands  there  :  if  the  stocks 
sink,  that  gives  me  no  uneasiness ;  I  am  no 
Jew.'  The  fellow's  vivacity,  joined  to  his 
poverty,  I  own,  raised  my  curiosity  to  know 
something  of  his  life  and  circumstances;  and 
I  entreated  that  he  would  indulge  my  desire. 
'That  I  will,  sir,'  said  he,  'and  welcome; 
only  let  us  drink  to  prevent  our  sleeping  ;  let 
us  have  another  tankard  while  we  are  awake: 
let  us  h;ive  another  tankard  ;  for,  ah,  how 
charming  a  tankard  looks  when  full ! 

'  You  must  know,  then,  that  I  am  very  well 
descended;  my  ancestors  have  made  some 
noise  in  the  world ;  for  my  mother  cried 
ovsters,  and  my  father  beat  a  drum  :  I  am 
told  we  have  even  had  some  trumpeters  in 
our  family.  Many  a  nobleman  cannot  show 
so  respectful  a  genealogy  :  but  that  is  neither 
here  nor  there.  As  I  was  their  only  child, 
my  lather  designed  to  breed  me  up  to  his  own 
employment,  which  was  that  of  a  drummer  to 
a  puppet-show.  Thus  the  whole  employment 
of  my  younger  years  was  that  of  interpreter 
to  Punch  and  king  Solomon  in  all  his  glory. 
But,  though  my  father  was  very  fond  of  in- 
structing me  In  beating  all  the  inarches  and 
points  of  war,  I  made  no  very  great  progress, 
because  I  naturally  had  no  ear  for  music;  so 
at  the  age  of  fifteen,  I  went  and  listed  for  a 
soldier.  As  I  had  ever  hated  beating  a  drum, 
so  I  soon  found  that  I  disliked  carrying  a  mus- 
ket also  ;  neither  the  one  trade  nor  the  other 
were  to  my  taste,  for  I  was  by  nature  fond  of 
being  a  gentleman :  besides,  I  was  obliged  to 
obey  my  captain  ;  he  has  his  will,  I  have  mine, 
and  you  have  yours:  now  I  very  reasonably 
concluded, that  it  was  much  more  comfortable 
for  a  man  to  o-bey  his  own  will  than  another's. 

'  The  life  of  a  soldier  soon  therefore  gave 
me  the  spleen ;  I  asked  leave  to  quit  the  ser- 
vice ;  but.  as  I  was  tall  and  strong,  my  cap- 
tain thanked  me  for  my  kind  intention,  and 
said,  because  he  had  a  regard  for  me,  we 
should  not  part.  I  wrote  to  my  fatheravery 
dismal  penitent  letter,  and  desired  he  would 
raise  money  to  pay  for  my  discharge;  but 
the  good  man  was  as  fond  of  drinking  as  I  was, 
(Sir,  my  service  to  you.)  and  those  who  are 
fond  of  drinking  never  pay  for  other  people's 
discharges :  in  short,  he  never  answered  my 
letter.  What  could  be  done  ?  If  I  have  not 


money,  said  I  to  myself,  to  pay  for  my  dis- 
charge, I  must  find  an  equivalent  some  other 
way ;  and  that  must  be  by  running  away.  I 
deserted,  and  that  answered  my  purpose 
every  bit  as  well  as  if  I  had  bought  my  dis- 
charge. 

'Well,  I  was  now  fairly  rid  of  my  military 
employment;  I  sold  my  soldier's  clothes, and 
bought  worse,  and,  in  order  not  to  be  over- 
taken, took  the  most  unfrequented  roads  pos- 
sible. One  evening,  as  I  was  entering  a  vil- 
lage, I  perceived  a  man,  whom  I  afterwards 
found  to  be  the  curate  of  the  parish,  thrown 
from  his  horse  in  a  miry  road,  and  almost 
smothered  in  the  mud.  He  desired  my  as- 
sistance; I  gave  it,  and  drew  him  out  with 
some  difficulty.  He  thanked  me  for  my  trou- 
ble, and  was  going  ofT;  but  I  followed  him 
home,  for  I  loved  always  to  have  a  man  thank 
me  at  his  own  door.  The  curate  asked  me 
an  hundred  questions;  as,  whose  son  I  was, 
from  whence  I  came,  and  whether  I  would  be 
faithful?  I  answered  him  greatly  to  his  satis- 
faction ;  and  gave  myself  one  of  the  best  cha- 
racters in  the  world  for  sobriety,  (Sir,  I  have 
the  honour  of  drinking  your  health,)  discre- 
tion, and  fidelity.  To  make  a  long  story  short, 
he  wanted  a  servant,  and  hired  me.  With 
him  I  lived  but  two  months  ;  we  did  not  much 
like  each  other;  I  was  fond  of  eating,  and  he 
gave  me  but  little  to  eat.  I  loved  a  pretty 
girl,  and  the  old  woman,  my  fellow-servant, 
was  ill-natured  and  ugly.  As  they  endea- 
voured to  starve  me  between  them,  I  made  a 
pious  resolution  to  prevent  their  committing 
murder :  I  stole  the  eggs  as  soon  as  they  were 
laid ;  I  emptied  every  unfinished  bottle  that 
I  could  lay  my  hands  on  ;  whatever  eatable 
came  in  my  way  was  sure  to  disappear:  in 
short,  they  found  I  would  not  do  :  so  I  was  dis- 
charged one  morning,  and  paid  three  shillings 
and  sixpence  for  two  months'  wages. 

'  While  my  money  was  getting  ready,  I 
employed  myself  in  making  preparations  for 
my  departure;  two  hens  were  hatching  in  an 
out-house,  I  went  and  habitually  took  the  eggs, 
and,  not  to  separate  the  parents  from  the 
children,  I  lodged  hens  and  all  in  my  knap- 
sack. After  this  piece  of  frugality,  I  return- 
ed to  receive  my  money,  and  with  my  knap- 
sack on  my  back,  and  a  staff'  in  my  hand.  I 
bid  adieu,  with  tears  in  my  eyes,  to  my  old 
6D 


868 


ESSAYS. 


benefactor.  I  had  not  gone  far  from  the 
h<>use.  when  I  heard  behind  me  the  cry  of 
stop  thief!  but  this  only  increased  my  des- 

Fatch;  it  would  have  been  foolish  to  stop,  as 
knew  the  voice  could  not  be  levelled  at  me. 
But  hold,  I  think  I  passed  those  two  months 
at  the  rurate's  without  drinking:  come,  the 
times  are  dry,  and  may  this  be  rny  poison  if 
ever  I  spent  two  more  pious,  stupid  months, 
in  all  my  life. 

'  Well,  after  travelling  some  days,  whom 
should  I  light  upon  but  a  company  of  stroll- 
ing players.  The  moment  I  saw  them  at  a 
distance  my  heart  warmed  to  them ;  I  had  a 
sort  of  natural  love  for  every  thing  of  the 
vagabond  order:  they  were  employed  in 
settling  their  baggage,  which  had  been  over- 
turned in  a  narrow  way  ;  I  offered  my  assist- 
ance, which  they  accepted  ;  and  we  soon  be- 
came so  well  acquainted,  that  they  took  me 
as  a  servant.  This  was  a  paradise  to  me; 
they  sung,  danced,  drank,  eat,  and  travelled, 
all  at  the  same  time.  By  the  blood  of  the 
Mirabels,  I  thought  I  had  never  lived  till  then; 
I  grew  as  merry  as  a  grig,  and  laughed  at 
every  word  that  was  spoken.  They  liked 
me  as  much  as  I  liked  them ;  I  was  a  very 
good  figure,  as  you  see;  and,  though  I  was 
poor,  I  was  not  modest. 

'  I  love  a  straggling  life  above  all  things  in 
the  world  ;  sometimes  good,  sometimes  bad  ; 
to  be  warm  to-day,  and  cold  to-morrow ;  to 
eat  when  one  can  get  it, and  drink  when  (the 
tankard  is  out)  it  stands  before  me.  We 
arrived  that  evening  at  Tenderden,  and  took 
a  large  room  at  the  Grayhound ;  where  we  | 
resolved  to  exhibit  Romeo  and  Juliet,  with 
the  funeral  procession,  the  grave  and  the 
garden  scene.  Romeo  was  to  be  performed 
by  a  gentleman  from  the  Theatre-Royal 
in  Drury-lane ;  Juliet,  by  a  lady  who  had 
never  appeared  on  any  stage  before ;  and  I 
was  to  s'mlHlie  candles  :  all  excellent  in  our 
way.  We  had  figures  enough,  but  the  diffi- 
culty was  to  dress  them.  The  same  coat 
that  served  Romeo,  turned  with  the  blue 
lining  outwards,  served  for  his  friend. Mer- 
cutio  :  a  largo  piece  of  crape  sufficed  at  once 
for  Juliet's  petticoat  and  pall:  a  pestle  and 
mortar,  from  a  neighbouring  apothecary's, 
answered  all  the  purposes  of  a  hell:  and  our 
landlord's  own  family,  wrapped  in  white 


I  sheets,  served  to  fill  up  the  procession.  In 
|  short,  there  were  but  three  figures  among  us 
that  might  be  said  to  be  dressed  with  any 
propriety :  I  mean  the  nurse,  the  starved 
apothecary,  and  myself.  Our  performance 
gave  universal  satisfaction  :  the  vt  hole  audi- 
ence were  enchanted  with  our  powers,  and 
Tenderden  is  a  town  of  taste. 

'  There  is  one  rule  by  which  a  strolli'ng- 
player  may  be  over  secure  of  success;  that 
is,  in  our  theatrical  way  of  expressing  it,  to 
make  a  great  deal  of  the  character.  To 
speak  and  act  as  in  common  life,  is  not  play- 
ing, nor  is  what  people  come  to  see:  natural 
speaking,  like  sweet  wine,  runs  glibly  over 
the  palate,  and  scarce  leaves  any  taste  be- 
hind it;  but  being  high  in  a  part  resembles 
vinegar,  which  grates  upon  the  taste,  and  one 
feels  it  while  he  is  drinking.  To  please  the 
town  or  country,  the  way  is,  to  cry,  wring, 
cringe  into  attitudes,  mark  the  emphasis,  slap 
the  pockets,  and  labour  like  one  in  the  falling 
sickness:  that  is  the  way  to  work  for  applause, 
that  is  the  way  to  gain  it. 

'As  we  received  much  reputation  for  our 
skill  on  this  first  exhibition,  it  was  but  natu- 
ral lor  me  to  ascribe  part  of  the  success  to 
myself;  I  snuffed  the  cam!  les  :  and  lot  me  toll 
you,  that,  without  a  candle-snufibr,  the  piece 
would  lose  half  its  embellishments.  In  this 
manner  we  continued  a  fortnight,  and  drew 
tolerable  houses;  but  the  evening  before  our 
intended  departure,  we  gave  out  our  very 
best  pioce,  in  which  all  our  strength  was  to 
be  exerted.  We  had  great  expectations  from 
this,  and  even  doubled  our  prices,  when,  be- 
hold, one  of  the  principal  actors  foil  ill  of  a 
violent  fever.  This  was  a  stroke  like  thun- 
der to  our  little  company  :  they  wore  rest>lv- 
ed  to  go,  in  a  body,  to  scold  the  man  for  fall- 
ing sick  at  so  inconvenient  a  time,  and  that 
too  of  a  disorder  that  threatened  to  be  ex- 
pensive ;  1  seized  the  moment,  arid  offered  to 
act  the  part  myself  in  his  stead.  The  case 
was  desperate  ;  they  accepted  my  offor  ;  and 
I  accordingly  sat  down,  with  the  pnrt  in  my 
bond  and  the  tankard  before  me,  (Sir.  your 
health,)  and  studied  the  character,  which  was 
to  be  rehearsed  the  next  day,  and  played 
soon  after. 

I  found  my  memory  excessively  helped  by 
drinking:  i  learnt  my  part  with  astonishing 


ESSAYS. 


869 


rapidity,  and  bid  adieu  to  snuffing  candles 
ever  after.  I  found  that  nature  had  designed 
me  for  more  noble  employments,  and  1  was 
resolved  to  take  her  when  in  the  humour. 
We  got  together  in  order  to  rehearse,  and  I 
informed  my  companions,  masters  now  no 
longer,  of  the  surprising  change  1  felt  within 
me.  Let  the  sick  man,  said  I,  be  under  no 
uneasiness  to  get  well  again  ;  I'll  fill  his  place 
to  universal  satisfaction  :  he  may  even  die,  if 
he  thinks  proper,  I'll  engage  that  he  shall 
never  be  missed.  I  rehearsed  before  them, 
strutted,  ranted,  and  received  applause. 
They  soon  gave  out  that  a  new  actor  of 
eminence  was  to  appear,  and  immediately  all 
the  genteel  places  were  bespoke.  Before  I 
ascended  the  stage,  however,  I  concluded 
within  myself,  that,  as  I  brought  money  to 
the  house,  I  ought  to  have  my  share  of  the 
profits.  Gentlemen,  said  I,  addressing  our 
company,  I  don't  pretend  to  direct  you;  far 
be  it  from  me  to  treat  you  with  so  much  in- 
gratitude; you  have  published  my  name  in 
the  bills  with  the  utmost  good  nature  ;  and  as 
affairs  stand,  cannot  act  without  me;  so, 
gentlemen,  to  show  you  my  gratitude,  I  ex- 
pect'to  be  paid  for  my  acting  as  much  as  any 
of  you,  otherwise  I  declare  off;  I'll  brandish 
my  snuffers  and  clip  candles  as  usual.  This 
was  a  very  disagreeable  proposal,  but  they 
found  that  it  was  impossible  to  refuse  it;  it 
was  irresistible,  it  was  adamant:  they  con- 
sented, and  I  went  on  in  king  Bajazet:  my 
frowning  brows,  bound  with  a  stocking  stuffed 
into  a  turban,  while  on  my  captived  arms  I 
brandished  a  jack-chain.  Nature  seemed  to 
have  fitted  me  for  the  part;  I  was  tall,  and 
had  a  loud  voice,  my  very  entrance  excited 
universal  applause ;  I  looked  round  on  the 
audience  with  a  smile,  and  made  a  most  low 
and  graceful  bow,  for  that  is  the  rule  among 
us.  As  it  was  a  very  passionate  part,  I  in- 
\igorated  my  spirits  with  three  full  glasses 
(the  tankard  is  almost  out)  of  brandy.  By 
Alia!  it  is  alinost  inconceivable  how  I  went 
through  with  it ;  Tamerlane  was  but  a  fool  io 
me,  though  he  was  sometimes  loud  enough 
too,  yet  I  was  still  louder  than  he ;  but,  then, 
besides,  I  had  attitudes  in  abundance:  in 
general  I  kept  my  arms  folded  up  thus  upon 
the  pit  "f  my  stomach;  it  is  tue  way  it 
Drury-lane,  and  has  always  a  fine  effect.  The 
NO.  75  &  76. 


tankard  would  sink  to  the  bottom  before  I 
could  get  through  the  whole  of  my  merits  • 
in  short,  I  came  off  like  a  prodigy;  and,  such 
was  my  success,  that  I  could  ravish  the  laurels 
even  from  a  sirloin  of  beef.  The  principal 
gentlemen  and  htdies  of  the  town  came  tome 
after  the  play  was  over,  to  compliment  me 
upon  my  success;  one  praised  my  voice, 
another  my  person  :  upon  my  word,  says  the 
'squire's  lady,  he  will  make  one  of  the  finest 
actors  in  Europe;  I  say  it,  and  I  think  1  am 
something  of  a  judge. — Praise  in  the  beginning 
is  agreeable  enough,  and  we  receive  it  as  a 
favour  ;  but  when  it  comes  in  great  quantities 
we  regard  it  only  as  a  debt,  which  nothing 
but  our  merit  could  extort:  instead  of  thank- 
ing them,  I  internally  applauded  myself.  We 
were  desired  to  give  our  piece  a  second  time  ; 
we  obeyed,  and  1  was  applauded  even  more 
than  before. 

'  At  last  we  left  the  town,  in  order  to  be  at 
a  horse-race  at  some  distance  from  thence. 
I  shall  never  think  of  Tenderden  without 
tears  of  gratitude  and  respect.  The  ladies 
and  gentlemen  there,  take  my  word  for  it,  are 
very  good  judges  of  pla)s  and  actors.  Come, 
let  us  drink  their  healths,  if  you  please,  Sir. 
We  quitted  the  town,  I  say  ;  and  there  was  a 
wide  difference  between  my  coming  in  and  go- 
ing out :  I  entered  the  town  a  candle-snuffer, 
and  quitted  itanhero! — such  is  the  world;  little 
to-day,  and  great  to-morrow.  I  could  say  a 
great  deal  more  upon  that  subject;  something 
truly  sublime  upon  the  ups  and  downs  of  for- 
tune ;  but  it  will  give  us  both  the  spleen,  and 
so  I  shall  pass  it  over. 

'The  races  were  ended  before  we  arrived 
at  the  next  town,  which  was  no  small  disap- 
pointment to  our  company ;  however,  we 
were  resolved  to  take  all  we  could  get.  I 
played  capital  characters  there  too,  and  came 
off  with  my  usual  brilliancy.  I  sincerely  be- 
lieve I  should  have  been  the  first  actor  of 
Europe,  had  my  growing  merit  been  proper- 
ly cultivated:  but  there  came  an  unkindly 
frost  which  nipped  me  in  the  bud,  and  levelled 
me  once  more  down  to  the  common  standard 
of  humanity.  I  played  Sir  Harry  Wildair:  all 
the  country  ladies  were  charmed :  if  I  but  drew 
out  my  snuff-box,  the  whole  house  was  in  a  roar 
of  rapture;  when  I  exercised  my  cudgel,  I 
thought  they  would  have  fa  lien  into  convulsions 
6D* 


870 


ESSAYS. 


'  There  was  here  a  lady  who  had  received 
an  education  of  nine  months  in  London;  and 
this  gave  her  pretensions  to  taste,  which 
rendered  her  the  indisputable  mistress  of 
the  ceremonies  wherever  she  came.  She 
wan  informed  of  my  merits;  every  body  prais- 
ed me ;  yet  she  refused  at  first  going  to  see 
me  perform  :  she  could  not  conceive,  she 
said,  any  thing  but  stuff"  from  a  stroller ;  talk- 
ed something  in  praise  of  Garrick,  and  amazed 
the  ladies  with  her  skill  in  enunciations,  tones, 
and  cadences :  she  was  at  last,  however,  pre- 
vailed upon  to  go;  and  it  was  privately 
intimated  to  me  what  a  judge  was  to  be  pre- 
sent at  my  next  exhibition  :  however,  no  way 
intimidated,  I  came  on  as  Sir  Harry,  one 
hand  stuck  in  my  breeches,  and  the  other  in 
my  bosom,  as  is  usual  at  Drury-lane  ;  but,  in- 
stead of  looking  at  me,  I  perceived  the  whole 
audience  had  their  eyes  turned  upon  the  lady 


who  had  been  nine  months  in  London :  from 
her  they  expected  the  decision  which  was  to 
secure  the  general's  truncheon  in  my  hand, 
or  sink  me  down  into  a  theatrical  letter-car- 
rier. I  opened  my  snuff-box,  took  snuff;  the 
lady  was  solemn,  and  so  were  the  rest ;  I 
broke  the  cudgel  on  alderman  Smuggler's 
back  ;  still  gloomy,  melancholy  all,  the  lady 
groaned  and  shrugged  her  shoulders ;  I  at- 
tempted, by  laughing  myself,  to  excite  at  least 
a  smile;  but  the  devil  a  cheek  could  I  per- 
ceive wrinkled  into  sympathy  :  I  found  it 
would  not  do;  all  my  good  humour  now  be- 
came forced ;  my  laughter  was  converted 
into  hysteric  grinning  ;  and  while  I  pretended 
spirits,  my  eye  showed  the  agony  of  my  heart; 
in  short,  the  lady  came  with  an  intention  to  be 
displeased,  and  displeased  she  was ;  my 
fame  expired;  I  am  here,  and  (the  tankard 
is  no  more !) 


ESSAY  VI. 


NO  observation  is  more  common,  and  at 
the  same  time  more  true,  than  that  one  half 
of  the  world  are  ignorant  how  the  other  half 
lives.  The  misfortunes  of  the  great  are  held 
up  to  engage  our  attention;  are  enlarged 
upon  in  tones  of  declamation  ;  and  the  world 
is  called  upon  to  gaze  at  the  noble  sufferers  ; 
the  great,  under  the  pressure  of  calamity,  are 
conscious  of  several  others  sympathizing  with 
their  distress :  and  have  the  comfort  of  ad- 
miration and  pity. 

There  is  nothing  magnanimous  in  bearing 
misfortunes  with  fortitude,  when  the  whole 
world  islooking  on :  men  in  such  circumstances 
will  act  bravely  from  motives  of  vanity  ;  but 
he  who,  in  the  vale  of  obscurity,  can  brave 
adversity;  who,  without  friends  to  encourage, 
acquaintances  to  pi'y,  or  even  without  hope, 
to  alleviate  his  misfortunes,  can  behave  with 
tranquillity  and  indifference,  is  truly  great  : 
whether  peasant  or  courtier,  he  deserves  ad- 
miration, and  should  be  held  up  for  our  imi- 
tation and  respect. 

While  the  slightest  inconveniences  of  the 
great  are  magnified  into  calamities,  while 


tragedy  mouths  out  their  sufferings  in  all  the 
strains  of  eloquence,  the  miseries  of  the  poor 
are  entirely  disregarded;  and  yet  some  of 
the  lower  ranks  of  people  undergo  more  real 
hardships  in  one  day,  that  those  of  a  more 
exalted  station  suffer  in  their  whole  lives.  It 
is  inconceivable  what  difficulties  the  meanest 
of  our  common  sailors  and  soldiers  endure 
without  murmuring  or  regret;  without  pas- 
sionately declaiming  against  Providence,  or 
calling  their  fellows  to  be  gazers  on  their 
intrepidity.  Every  day  is  to  them  a  day 
of  misery,  and  yet  they  entertain  their  hard 
fate  without  repining. 

With  what  indignation  do  I  hear  an  Ovid, 
a  Cicero,  or  a  Rabutin,  complain  of  their  mis- 
fortunes, and  hardships,  whose  greatest 
calamity  was  that  of  being  unable  to  visit  a 
certain  spot  of  earth,  to  which  they  had  fool- 
ishly attached  an  idea  of  happiness.  Their 
distrf-sses  were  pleasures,  compared  to  what 
manv  of  the  adventuring  poor  every  day  en- 
dure without  murmuring.  They  ate.  drank, 
and  slept ;  thev  hud  slaves  to  attend  thorn, 
aud  were  sure  of  subsistence  for  life ;  while 


ESSAYS. 


871 


many  of  their  fellow  creatures  are  obliged  to 
wander  without  a  friend  to  comfort  or  assist 
them,  and  even  without  shelter  from  the 
severity  of  the  season. 

1  have  been  led  into  those  reflections  from 
accidentally  meeting,  some  days  ago,  a  poor 
fellow  whom  I  knew  when  a  boy,  dressed  in 
a  sailors  jacket,  and  begging  at  one  of  the 
outlets  of  the  town,  with  a  wooden  leg.  I 
knew  him  to  have  been  honest  and  industri- 
ous when  in  the  country,  and  was  curious  to 
learn  what  had  reduced  him  to  his  present 
situation.  Wherefore,  alter  having  given  him 
what  I  thought  proper,  I  desired  to  know  the 
history  of  his  lite  and  misfortunes,  and  the 
manner  in  which  he  was  reduced  to  his  pre- 
sent distress.  The  disabled  soldier,  for  such 
he  was,  though  dressed  in  a  sailor's  habit, 
scratching  his  head,  and  leaning  on  his 
crutch,  put  himself  into  an  attitude  to  comply 
with  my  request,  and  gave  me  his  history  as 
follows. 

'  As  for  my  misfortunes,  master,  I  cannot 
pretend  to  have  gone  through  any  more  than 
other  folks;  for,  except  the  loss  of  my  limb, 
and  my  being  obliged  to  beg.  1  don't  know 
any  reason,  thank  Heaven,  that  I  have  to 
complain;  there  is  Bill  Tibbs,  of  our  regi- 
ment, he  has  lost  both  his  legs  and  an  eye  to 
boot;  but,  thank  Heaven,  it  is  not  so  bad 
with  me  yet. 

'  I  was  born  in  Shropshire,  my  father  was 
a  labourer,  and  died  when  I  was  five  years 
old;  so  I  was  put  upon  the  parish.  As  he 
had  been  a  wandering  sort  of  a  man,  the 
parishioners  were  not  able  to  tell  to  what 
parish  I  belonged,  or  where  I  was  born,  so 
they  sent  me  to  another  parish,  and  that 
parish  sent  me  to  a  third.  I  thought  in  my 
heart,  they  kept  sending  me  about  so  long, 
that  they  would  not  let  me  be  born  in  any  par- 
ish at  all ;  but  at  last,  however, they  tixed  me.  I 
had  some  disposition  to  be  a  scholar,  and  was 
resolved,  at  least,  to  know  my  letters;  but 
the  master  of  the  work-house  put  me  to  busi- 
ness as  soon  as  I  was  able  to  handle  a  mallet; 
and  here  I  lived  an  easy  kind  of  life  for  five 
years.  I  o'lly  wrought. ten  hours  in  the  day, 
and  had  my  meat  and  drink  provided  for  my 
labour.  It  is  trup,  I  was  not  suffered  to  stir 
out  of  the  house,  for  fear,  as  they  said,  I 
should  run  away;  but  what  of  that,  I  had  the 


j  liberty  of  the  whole  house,  and  the  yard  be- 
fore the  door,  and  that  was  enough  for  me. 
I  was  then  bound  out  to  a  farmer,  where  I 
was  up  both  early  and  late :  but  1  ate  and 
drank  well,  and  liked  my  business  well 
enough,  till  he  died,  when  1  was  obliged  to 
provide  lor  myself;  sol  was  resolved  to  go 
seek  my  fortune. 

'  In  this  manner  I  went  from  town  to  town, 
worked  when  I  could  get  employment,  and 
starved  when  I  could  get  none:  when  happen- 
ing one  day  to  go  through  a  field  belonging 
to  a  justice  of  peace,  I  spyed  a  hare  crossing 
the  path  just  before  me;  and  I  believe  the 
devil  put  it  in  my  head  to  Hing  my  stick  at 
it: — Well,  what  will  you  have  on't  ?  1  killed 
the  hare,  and  was  bringing  it  away,  when  the 
justice  himself  met  me:  he  called  me  a 
poacher  and  a  villain  ;  and  collaring  me,  de- 
sired I  would  give  an  account  of  myself;  I 
fell  upon  my  knees,  begged  his  worship's  par- 
don, and  began  to  give  a  lull  account  of  all 
that  I  knew  of  my  breed,  seed,  and  genera- 
tion ;  but,  though  I  gave  a  very  true  account, 
the  justice  said  I  could  give  no  account ;  so  I 
was  indicted  at  the  sessions,  found  guilty  of 
being  poor,  and  sent  up  to  London  to  New- 
gate, in  order  to  be  transported  as  a  vagabond. 

k  People  may  say  this  and  that  of  being  in 
jail ;  but,  for  my  part,  I  found  Newgate  as 
agreeable  a  place  as  ever  I  was  in,  in  al!  my 
life.  I  had  my  belly  full  to  eat  and  drink,  and 
did  no  work  at  all.  This  kind  of  life  was  too 
good  to  last  for  ever ;  so  I  was  taken  out  of 
prison,  after  five  months,  puton  board  a  ship, 
and  sent  off,  with  two  hundred  more,  to  the 
plantations.  We  had  but  an  indifferent  pas- 
sage, for,  being  all  confined  in  the  hold,  more 
than  a  hundred  of  our  people  died  for  want 
of  sweet  air;  and  those  that  remained  were 
sickly  enough,  God  knows.  When  we  came 
a-shore,  we  were  sold  to  the  planters,  and  I 
was  bound  for  seven  years  more.  As  I  was 
no  scholar,  for  1  did  not  know  my  letters,  I 
was  obliged  to  work  among  the  negroes ; 
and  1  served  out  my  time,  as  in  duty  bound 
to  do. 

'When  my  time  was  expired.  I  worked  my 
passage  home,  and  glad  I  was  to  see  old 
England  again,  because  I  loved  my  country. 
1  was  afraid,  however,  that  I  should  be  in- 
dicted for  a  vagabond  once  more,  go  did  not 


872 


ESSAYS. 


much  care  to  go  clown  into  the  country,  but 
kept  about  the  town,  and  did  little  jobs  when 
I  could  get  them. 

'  I  was  very  happy  in  this  manner  for  some 
time,  till  one  evening,  coming  home  from 
work,  two  men  knocked  me  down,  and  then 
desired  me  to  stand.  They  belonged  to  a 
press-gang ;  I  was  carried  before  the  justice, 
and,  as  I  could  give  no  account  of  myself,  I 
had  my  choice  left,  whether  to  go  on  board  a 
man  of  war,  or  list  for  a  soldier.  I  chose  the 
latter ;  and,  in  this  post  of  a  gentleman,  I 
served  two  campaigns  in  Flanders,  was  at 
the  battles  of  Val  and  Fontenoy,  and  receiv- 
ed but  one  wound,  through  the  breast  here; 
but  the  doctor  of  our  regiment  soon  made  me 
well  again. 

Then  the  peace  came  on  I  was  discharg- 
ed ;  and,  as  I  could  not  work,  because  my 
wound  was  sometimes  troublesome,  I  listed 
for  a  landsman  in  the  East-India  company's 
service.  I  have  fought  the  French  in  six 
pitched  battles :  and  1  verily  believe,  that  if 
I  could  read  or  write,  our  captain  would  have 
made  me  a  corporal.  But  it  was  not  my  good 
fortune  to  have  any  promotion,  for  I  soon  fell 
sick,  and  so  got  leave  to  return  home  again 
with  forty  pounds  in  my  pocket.  This  was 
at  the  beginning  of  the  present  war,  and  1 
hoped  to  be  set  on  shore,  and  to  have  the 
pleasure  of  spending  my  money ;  but  the 
government  wanted  men,  and  so  I  was  press- 
ed for  a  sailor,  before  ever  I  could  set  foot 
on  shore. 

'  The  boatswain  found  me,  as  he  said,  an 
obstinate  fellow  :  he  swore  he  knew  that  I  un- 
derstood my  business  well,  but  that  I  shammed 
Abraham,  to  be  idle  :  but  God  knows,  I  knew 
nothing  of  sea  business,  and  he  beat  me  with- 
out considering  what  he  was  about.  1  had 
still,  however,  my  forty  pounds,  and  that  was 
some  comfort  to  me  under  every  beating; 
and  the  money  I  might  have  had  to  this  day, 
but  that  our  ship  was  taken  by  the  French, 
and  so  I  lost  all. 

'  Our  crew  was  carried  into  Brest,  and 
many  of  them  died,  because  they  were  not 
used  to  live  in  a  jail ;  but,  for  my  part,  it  was 
nothing  to  me,  for  I  was  seasoned.  One 
night,  as  I  was  asleep  on  the  bed  of  boards, 
with  a  warm  blanket  about  me,  for  I  always 
Joved  to  lie  well,  I  was  awakened  by  the 


boatswain,  who  had  a  dark  lantern  in  his 
hand ;  "  Jack,"  says  he  to  me,  "  will  you  knock 
out  the  French  sentry's  brains?''  'I  don't 
care,'  says  I,  striving  to  keep  myself  awake, 
'  if  I  lend  a  hand.'  "  Then  follow  me,"  says 
he,  "  and  I  hope  we  shall  do  business."  So 
up  I  got,  and  tied  my  blanket,  which  was  all 
the  clothes  I  had,  about  my  middle,  and  went 
with  him  to  fight  the  Frenchman.  1  Late  the 
French,  because  they  are  all  slaves,  and  wear 
wooden  shoes. 

'  Though  we  had  no  arms,  one  Englishman 
is  able  to  beat  five  French  at  any  time ;  so 
we  went  down  to  the  door,  where  both  the 
sentries  were  posted,  and  rushing  upon  them, 
seized  their  arms  in  a  moment,  and  knocked 
them  down.  From  thence,  nine  of  us  ran  to- 
gether to  the  quay,  and  seizing  the  first  boat 
we  met,  got  out  of  the  harbour  and  put  to  sea. 
We  had  not  been  here  three  days  before  we 
were  taken  up  by  the  Dorset  privateer,  who 
were  glad  of  so  many  good  hands;  arid  we 
consented  to  run  our  chance.  However,  we 
had  not  as  much  luck  as  we  expected.  In 
three  days  we  fell  in  with  the  Pompadour 
privateer,  of  forty  guns,  while  we  had  but 
twenty-three  ;  so  to  it  we  went,  yard-arm  and 
yard-arm.  The  fight  lasted  for  three  hours, 
and  I  verily  believe  we  should  have  taken  the 
Frenchman,  had  we  but  had  some  more  men 
left  behind ;  but,  unfortunately,  we  lost  all  our 
men  just  as  we  were  going  to  get  the  vic- 
tory. 

'  I  was  once  more  in  the  power  of  the 
French,  and  I  believe  it  would  have  gone 
hard  with  me  had  I  been  brought  back  to 
Brest;  but, by  good  fortune,  we  were  retaken 
by  the  Viper.  I  had  almost  forgot  to  tell 
you,  that  in  that  engagement,  I  was  wounded 
in  two  places  :  I  lost  four  fingers  off  the  left, 
hand,  and  my  leg  was  shot  off!  If  I  had  had 
the  good  fortune  to  have  lost  my  leg  and  use 
of  my  hand  on  board  a  king's  ship,  and  not 
a-board  a  privateer,  I  should  have  been 
entitled  to  clothing  and  maintenance  during 
the  rest  of  my  life:  but  that  was  not  my 
chance :  one  man  is  born  with  a  silver  spoon 
in  his  mouth,  and  another  with  a  wooden 
ladle.  However,  blessed  be  God,  I  enjoy 
good  health,  and  will  forever  love  liberty  and 
old  England.  Liberty,  property,  and  old 
England,  for  ever,  huzza !' 


ESSAYS. 


873 


Thus  saying,  he  limped  off,  leaving  me  in 
admiration  at  his  intrepidity  and  content; 
nor  could  I  avoid  acknowledging,  that  an 


habitual  acquaintance  with  misery  serves 
better  than  philosophy  to  teach  us  to  de- 
spise it. 


— e9»— 


ESSAY  VII. 


AN  alehouse-keeper,  near  Islington,  who 
had  long  lived  at  the  sign  of  the  French 
king,  upon  the  commencement  of  the  last  war, 
pulled  down  his  old  sign,  and  put  up  that  of 
the  queen  of  Hungary.  Under  the  influence 
of  her  red  face,  and  golden  sceptre,  he  con- 
tinued to  sell  ale,  till  she  was  no  longer  the 
favourite  of  his  customers  ;  he  changed  her, 
therefore,  some  time  ago,  for  the  king  of 
Prussia,  who  may  probably  be  changed,  in 
turn,  for  the  next  great  man  that  shall  be  set 
up  for  vulgar  admiration. 

In  this  manner  the  great  are  dealt  out  one 
after  the  other,  to  the  gazing  crowd.  When 
we  have  sufficiently  wondered  at  one  of  them, 
he  is  taken  in,  and  another  exhibited  in  his 
room,  who  seldom  holds  his  station  long;  for 
the  mob  are  ever  pleased  with  variety. 

I  must  own  I  have  such  an  indifferent 
opinion  of  the  vulgar,  that  I  am  ever  led  to 
suspect  that  merit  which  raises  their  shout ; 
at  least  I  am  certain  to  find  those  great  and 
sometimes  good  men,  who  find  satisfaction  in 
such  acclamations,  made  worse  by  it ;  and 
history  has  too  frequently  taught  me,  that  the 
head  which  has  grown  one  day  giddy  with 
the  roar  of  the  million,  has  the  very  next  been 
fixed  upon  a  pole. 

As  Alexander  VI.  was  entering  a  little 
town  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Rome,  which 
had  been  just  evacuated  by  the  enemy,  he 
perceived  the  townsmen  busy  in  the  market- 
place in  pulling  dowi  from  a  gibbet  a  figure 
which  had  been  designed  to  represent  him- 
self. Tnere  were  some  also  knocking  down 
a  neighbouring  statue  of  one  of  the  Orsini 
family,  with  whom  he  was  at  war,  in  order  to 
put  Alexanders  effigy  in  its  place.  It  is  pos- 
sible a  man  who  knew  less  of  the  world, 
would  have  condemned  the  adulation  of  those 
bare-facpd  flatterers;  but  Alexander  seemed 
pleased  at  their  zeal ;  and  turning  to  Borgia, 


his  son,  said  with  a  smile,  'Vides,  mi  fili 
quam  leve  discrimen  patibulum  inter  et  sta- 
tuam.'  '  You  see,  my  son,  the  small  difference 
between  a  gibbet  and  a  statue.'  If  the  great 
could  be  taught  any  lesson,  this  might  serve 
to  teach  them  upon  how  weak  a  foundation 
their  glory  stands;  for,  as  popular  applause 
is  excited  by  what  seems  like  merit,  it  as 
quickly  condemns  what  has  only  the  appear- 
ance of  guilt. 

Popular  glory  is  a  perfect  coquet;  her 
lovers  must  toil,  feel  every  inquietude,  indulge 
every  caprice;  and,  perhaps,  at  last  be  jilted 
for  their  pains.  True  glory,  on  the  other 
hand,  resembles  a  woman  of  sense:  her  ad- 
mirers must  play  no  tricks ;  they  feel  no  great 
anxiety,  for  they  are  sure,  in  the  end,  of  being 
rewarded  in  proportion  to  their  merit.  When 
Swift  used  to  appear  in  public,  he  generally 
had  the  mob  shouting  in  his  train.  'Pox 
take  these  fools,'  he  would  say,  'how  much 
joy  might  all  this  bawling  give  my  lord-mayor. 

We  have  seen  those  virtues,  which  have, 
while  living,  retired  from  the  public  eye, 
generally  transmitted  to  posterity,  as  the 
truest  objects  of  admiration  and  praise.  Per- 
haps the  character  of  the  late  duke  of  Marl- 
borough  may  one  day  be  set  up,  even  above 
that  of  his  more  talked-of  predecessor;  since  an 
assemblage  of  all  the  mild  and  amiable  vir- 
tues, are  far  superior  to  those  vulgarly  called 
the  great  ones.  I  must  be  pardoned  for  this 
short  tribute  to  the  memory  of  a  man,  who, 
while  living,  would  as  much  detest  to  receive 
any  thing  that  wore  the  appearance  of  flatte- 
ry, as  I  should  to  offer  it. 

I  know  not  how  to  turn  so  trite  a  subject 
out  of  the  beaten  road  of  common-place,  ex- 
cept by  illustrating  it.  rather  by  the  assistance 
of  my  memory  than  judgment ;  and  instead  of 
making  reflections,  by  telling  a  stor\. 

A  Chinese,  who  had  long  studied,  the  workj 


874 


ESSAYS. 


of  Confucius,  who  knew  the  characters  of 
fourteen  thousand  words,  and  could  read  a 
great  part  of  every  book  that  came  in  his  way. 
once  took  it  into  his  head  to  travel  into  Eu- 
rope, and  observe  the  customs  of  a  people 
which  he  thought  not  very  much  interior, 
even  to  his  own  countrymen.  Upon  his  ar- 
rival at  Amsterdam,  his  passion  for  letters 
naturally  led  him  to  a  bookseller's  shop;  and, 
as  he  could  speak  a  little  Dutch,  he  civilly 
asked  the  bookseller  for  the  works  of  the 
immortal  Xixofou.  The  bookseller  assured 
him  he  had  never  heard  the  book  mentioned 
before;  'Alas!'  cries  our  traveller,  '  to  what 
purpose,  then,  has  he  fasted  to  death,  to  gain 
a  renown  which  has  never  travelled  beyond 
the  precincts  of  China!' 

There  is  scarce  a  village  in  Europe,  and 
not  one  university,  that  is  not  thus  furnished 
with  its  little  great  men.  The  head  of  a 
petty  corporation,  who  opposes  the  designs 
of  a  prince,  who  would  tyrannically  force  his 
subjects  to  save  their  best  clothes  for  sun- 
days;  the  puny  pedant,  who  finds  one  undis- 
covered quality  in  the  polype,  or  describes 
an  unheeded  process  in  the  skeleton  of  a 
mole;  and  whose  mind,  like  his  microscope, 
perceives  nature  only  in  detail ;  the  rhymer, 
who  makes  smooth  verses,  and  paints  to  our 
imagination,  when  he  should  only  speak  to 


our  hearts;  all  equally  fancy  themselves 
walking  forward  to  immortality,  and  desire 
the  crowd  behind  them  to  look  on.  The 
crowd  takes  them  at  their  word.  Patriot, 
philosopher,  and  poet,  are  shouted  in  their 
train.  '  Where  was  there  ever  so  much  merit 
M'en;  no  times  so  important  as  our  own; 
ages,  yet  unborn,  shall  gaze  with  wonder  and 
applause!'  To  such  music,  the  important 
pigmy  moves  forward;  bustling  and  swell- 
ing, and  aptly  compared  to  a  puddle  in  a 
storm. 

I  have  lived  to  see  generals  who  once  had 
crowds  hallooing  after  them  wherever  they 
went,  who  were  bepraised  by  newspapers 
and  magazines,  those  echoes  of  the  voice  of 
the  vulgar,  and  yet  they  have  long  sunk  into 
merited  obscurity,  with  scarce  even  au  epitaph 
left  to  flatter.  A  few  years  ago  the  herring- 
fishery  employed  all  Grub-street ;  it  was  the 
topic  in  every  coffee-house,  and  the  burden 
of  every  ballad.  We  were  to  drag  up  oceans 
of  gold  from  the  bottom  of  the  sea;  we  were 
to  supply  all  Europe  with  herrings  upon  our 
own  terms.  At  present  we  hear  no  more  of 
this.  We  have  "fished  up  very  little  gold  that 
I  can  learn  ;  nor  do  we  furnish  the  world  with 
herrings,  as  was  expected.  Let  us  wait  but 
a  few  years  longer,  and  we  shall  find  all  our 
expectations  an  herring-fishery. 


— »e*~- 


ESSAY  VIII. 


THOUGH  naturally  pensive,  yet  I  am  fond 
of  gay  company,  and  take  every  opportunity 
of  thus  dismissing  the  mind  from  duty.  From 
this  motive  I  am  often  found  in  the  centre  of 
a  crowd ;  and  wherever  pleasure  is  to  be 
sold,  am  always  a  purchaser.  In  those  places, 
without  being  remarked  by  any,  I  join  in 
whatever  goes  forward,  work  my  passions  into 
a  similitude  of  frivolous  earnestness,  shout  as 
they  shout,  and  condemn  as  they  happen  to 
disapprove.  A  mind  thus  sunk  for  a  while 
below  its  natural  standard,  is  qualified  for 
stronger  flights;  as  those  first  retire  who 
Would  spring  forward  with  greater  vigour. 

Attracted  by  the  serenity  of  the  evening,  a 


friend  and  I  lately  went  to  gaze  upon  the 
company  in  one  of  the  public  walks  near  the 
city.  Here  we  sauntered  together  for  some 
time,  either  praising  the  beauty  of  such  as 
were  handsome,  or  the  dresses  of  such  as  had 
nothing  else  to  recommend  them.  We  had 
gone  thus  deliberately  forward  for  some  time, 
when  my  friend  stopping  on  a  sudden,  caught 
me  by  the  elbow,  and  led  me  out  of  the  public 
walk  ;  I  could  perceive  by  the  quickness  of 
his  pace,  and  by  his  frequently  looking  be- 
hind, that  he  was  attempting  to  avoid  some- 
body who  followed  ;  we  now  turned  to  the 
right,  then  to  the  left :  as  we  went  forward, 
he  still  went  faster,  but  in  vain;  the  person 


ESSAYS. 


876 


whom  he  attempted  to  escape,  hunted  us 
through  every  doubling,  and  gained  upon  us 
each  moment ;  so  that,  at  last,  we  fairly  stood 
still,  resolving  to  face  what  we  could  not 
avoid. 

Our  pursuer  soon  came  np,  and  joined  us 
with  all  the  familiarity  of  an  old  acquaintance. 
'  My  dear  Charles,'  cries  he,  shaking  my 
friend's  hand,  '  where  have  you  been  hiding 
this  half  a  century  ?  Positively,  I  had  fancied 
von  were  gone  down  to  cultivate  matrimony 
siiul  your  estate  in  the  country.'  During  the 
reply,  1  had  an  opportunity  of  surveying  the 
appearance  of  our  new  companion.  His  hat 
was  pinched  up  with  peculiar  smartness ;  his 
looks  were  pale,  thin,  and  sharp;  round  his 
neck  he  wore  a  broad  black  ribbon,  and  in  his 
bosom  a  buckle  studded  with  glass  ;  his  coat 
was  trimmed  with  tarnished  twist ;  he  wore 
by  his  side  a  sword  with  a  black  hilt ;  and  his 
stockings  of  silk,  though  newly  washed,  were 
grown  yellow  by  long  service.  I  was  so  much 
engaged  with  the  peculiarity  of  his  dress,  that 
I  attended  only  to  the  latter  part  of  my  friend's 
reply  ;  in  which  he  complimented  Mr,  Tibbs 
on  the  t^ste  of  his  clothes,  and  the  bloom  in 
his  countenance.  'Psha,  psha,  Charles,'  cried 
the  figure,  '  no  more  of  that  if  you  love  me  ; 
you  know  I  hate  flattery,  on  my  soul  I  do ; 
and  yet  to  be  sure  an  intimacy  with  the  great 
will  improve  one's  appearance,  and  a  course 
of  venison  will  fatten  ;  and  yet,  faith,  I  despise 
the  great  as  much  as  you  do ;  but  there  are  a 
great  many  honest  fellows  among  them ;  and 
we  must  not  quarrel  with  one  half  because  the 
other  wants  breeding.  If  they  were  all  such 
as  my  lord  Mtidler,  one  of  the  most  good- 
natured  creatures  that  ever  squeezed  a  lemon, 
I  should  myself  be  among  the  number  of  their 
admirers.  1  was  yesterday  to  dine  at  the 
duchess  of  Piccadilly's.  My  lord  was  there. 
'  Ned,'  says  he  to  me,  '  Ned',  says  he,  '  I'll 
hold  gold  to  silver  I  can  tell  where  you  were 
po:iclung  last  night.'  '  Poaching,  my  lord,' 
savs  I ;  '  faith,  you  have  missed  already  ;  for  1 
staid  at  home,  and  let  the  girls  poach  for  me. 
That's  my  way  ;  1  take  a  fine  woman  as  some 
animals  do  their  prey  ;  stand  still,  and  swoop, 
they  fall  into  my  mouth.' 

'  Ah,  Tibbs,  thou  art  an  happy  fellow,' 
cried  my  companion  with  looks  of  infinite  pity, 
'  I  hope  your  fortune  is  as  much  improved  U3 

NO.  75  &  76. 


your  understanding  in  such  company  ?'  '  Im- 
proved,' replied  the  oilier;  'you  shall  know, — 
but  let  it  go  no  farther, — a  gn  at  secret — five 
hundred  a  year  to  begin  with — My  lord's 
word  of  honour  for  it — Ills  lordship  took  me 
down  in  his  own  chariot  yesterday,  and  we 
had  a  tete-a-tete  dinner  in  the  country ;  where 
we  talked  of  nothing  else,'  '1  fancy  you  forgot, 
Sir,'  cried  I,  '  you  told  us  but  this  moment  of 
your  dining  yesterday  in  town  !'  '  Did  I  sny 
so,'  replied  he  cooly.  '  To  be  sure,  if  I  said  so 
it  was  so. — Dined  in  town:  egad,  now  I  do 
remember  I  did  dine  in  town  :  but  I  dined  in 
the  country  too  :  for  you  must  know,  my  boys, 
I  eat  two  dinners.  By  the  by,  I  am  grown 
as  nice  as  the  devil  in  my  eating.  I'll  tell  you 
a  pleasant  affair  about  that :  we  were  a  select 
party  of  us  to  dine  at  lady  Giograrn's,  r.n  af- 
fected piece,  but  let  it  go  no  farther;  a  secret: 
Well,  says  I,  I'll  hold  a  thousand  guineas,  and 
say  done  first,  that — But  dear  Charles,  you 
are  an  honest  creature,  lend  me  half  a  crown 
fora  minute  or  two,  orso,  just  till — But  hark'e, 
ask  me  for  it  next  time  we  meet,  or  it  may  br. 
twenty  to  one  but.  1  forget  to  pay  you.' 

When  he  left  us,  our  conversation  natural!} 
turned  upon  so  extraordinary  a  character 
'  His  very  dress,'  cries  my  friend,  '  is  not 
less  extraordinary  than  his  conduct.  If  you 
meet  him  this  day,  you  find  him  in  rags ;  if 
the  next,  in  embroidery  :  w  ith  those  persons  of 
distinction,  of  whom  he  talks  so  familiarly,  he 
has  scarce  a  coffee-house  acquaintance.  How- 
ever, both  for  the  interest  of  society,  and  per- 
haps for  his  own,  Heaven  has  made  him  poor; 
and,  while  all  the  world  perceives  his  w  ants, 
he  fancies  them  concealed  from  every  eye. 
An  agreeable  companion,  because  he  under- 
stands flattery  :  and  all  must  be  pleased  wilh 
the  first  pair  of  his  conversation,  though  all 
are  sure  of  its  ending  with  a  demand  on  their 
purse.  While  his  youth  countenances  the  le- 
vhy  of  his  conduct,  he  may  thus  earn  a  pre- 
carious subsistence  ;  but  when  atce  conies  on, 
the  gravity  of  which  is  incompatible  with  buf- 
foonery, then  will  he  find  himself  forsaken  by 
all.  Condemned  in  the  decline  of  life  to  hang 
upon  some  rich  family  whom  he  once  despised, 
there  to  undergo  all  the  ingenuity  of  stu  ied 
contempt;  to  be  employed  only  as  a  spy  upon 
the  servants,  or  a  bug-bear  to  frighten  children 
into  duty.' 

6E 


876 


ESSAYS. 


ESSAY  IX. 


WHEN  Catharina  Alexowna  was  made 
empress  of  Russia,  the  women  were  in  an  ac- 
tual state  of  bondage,  but  she  undertook  to 
introduce  mixed  assemblies,  as  in  other  parts 
of  Europe:  she  altered  the  women's  dress,  by 
substituting  the  fashions  of  England  !  instead 
of  furs,  she  brought  in  the  use  of  taffeta  and 
damask;  and  coronets  and  commodes,  instead 
of  caps  and  sable.  The  women  now  found 
themselves  no  longer  shut  up  in  separate  apart- 
ments, but  saw  company,  visited  each  other, 
and  were  present  at  every  entertainment. 

But  as  the  laws  to  this  effect  were  directed 
to  a  savage  people,  it  is  amusing  enough  the 
manner  in  which  the  ordinances  ran.  Assem- 
blies were  quite  unknown  among  them,  the 
czarina  was  satisfied  with  introducing  them, 
for  she  found  it  was  impossible  to  render  them 
polite.  An  ordinance  was  therefore  publish- 
ed according  to  their  notions  of  breeding, 
which,  as  it  is  a  curiosity,  and  has  never  be- 
fore been  printed,  that  we  know  of,  we  shall 
give  our  readers. 

'  I.  The  person  at  whose  house  the  assem- 
bly is  to  be  kept,  shall  signify  the  same  by 
hanging  out  a  bill,  or  by  giving  some  other 
public  notice,  by  way  of  advertisement,  to  per- 
sons of  both  sexes. 

'  II.  The  assembly  shall  not  be  opened 
sooner  than  four  or  five  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, nor  continue  longer  than  ten  at  night. 

'  III.  The  master  of  the  house  shall  not  be 
obliged  to  meet  his  guests,  or  conduct  them 
out,  or  keep  them  company ;  but,  though  he 
is  exempt  from  all  this,  he  is  to  find  them 
chairs,  candles,  liquors,  and  all  other  necessa- 
ries that  the  company  may  ask  for ;  he  is  like- 


wise to  provide  them  with  cards,  dice,  and 
every  necessary  for  gaming. 

'  IV.  There  shall  be  no  fixed  hours  for 
coming  or  going  away  ;  it  is  enough  for  a 
person  to  appear  in  the  assembly. 

'  V.  Every  one  shall  be  free  to  sit,  walk,  or 
game  as  he  pleases ;  nor  shall  any  one  go 
about  to  hinder  him,  or  take  exceptions  at 
what  he  does,  upon  pain  of  emptying  the  great 
eagle,  (a  pint  bowl  full  of  brandy :)  it  shall 
likewise  be  sufficient,  at  entering  or  retiring,  to 
salute  the  company. 

'  VI.  Persons  of  distinction,  noblemen,  su- 
perior officers,  merchants,  and  tradesmen  of 
note,  head-workmen,  especially  carpenters, 
and  persons  employed  in  chancery,  are  to  have 
the  liberty  to  enter  the  assemblies :  as  likewise 
their  wives  and  children. 

'  VII.  A  particular  place  shall  be  assigned 
the  footmen,  except  those  of  the  house,  that 
there  may  be  room  enough  in  the  apartments 
designed  for  the  assembly. 

'  VIII.  No  ladies  are  to  get  drunk  upon  any 
pretence  whatsoever,  nor  shall  gentlemen  be 
drunk  before  nine. 

'  IX.  Ladies,  who  play  at  forfeitures,  ques- 
tions and  commands,  &,c.  shall  not  be  riotous: 
no  gentleman  shall  attempt  to  force  a  kiss, 
and  no  person  shall  offer  to  strike  a  woman 
in  the  assembly,  under  pain  of  future  exclu- 
sion.' 

Such  are  the  statutes  upon  this  occasion, 
which,  in  their  very  appearance,  carry  an  air 
of  ridicule  and  satire.  But  politeness  must 
enter  every  country  by  degrees ;  and  these 
rules  resemble  the  breeding  of  a  clown,  awk- 
ward but  sincere. 


ESSAYS. 


877 


ESSAY  X. 


WHERE  Tauris  lifts  its  head  above  the 
storm,  and  presents  nothing  to  the  sight  of  the 
distant  traveller,  but  a  prospect  of  nodding 
rocks,  falling  torrents,  and  all  the  variety  of 
tremendous  nature ;  on  the  bleak  bosom  of 
this  frightful  mountain,  secluded  from  society, 
and  detesting  the  ways  of  men,  lived  Asem  the 
Man-hater. 

Asem  had  spent  his  youth  with  men  ;  had 
shared  in  their  amusements ;  and  had  been 
taught  to  love  his  fellow-creatures  \vith  the 
most  ardent  affection  :  but  from  the  tender- 
ness of  his  disposition,  he  exhausted  all  his 
fortune  in  relieving  tne  wants  of  the  distressed. 
The  petitioner  never  sued  in  vain ;  the  weary 
traveller  never  passed  his  door ;  he  only  de- 
sisted from  doing  *iOod  when  tie  had  no  longer 
the  power  of  relieving. 

Fro  n  a  fortune  thus  spent  in  benevolence, 
he  expected  a  grateful  return  from  those  he 
had  formerly  relieved  ;  and  made  his  appli- 
cation with  confidence  of  redress  ;  the  ungrate- 
ful world  soon  grew  weary  of  his  importunity  ; 
for  pity  is  but  a  short-lived  passion.  He  soon, 
therefore,  began  to  view  mankind  in  a  very 
different  light  from  that  in  which  he  had  be- 
fore beheld  them  ;  he  perceived  a  thousand 
vices  he  had  never  before  suspected  to  exist : 
wherever  he  turned,  ingratitude,  dissimulation, 
and  treachery,  contributed  to  increase  his  de- 
testation of  them.  Resolved,  therefore,  to  con- 
tinue no  longer  in  a  world  which  he  hated, 
and  which  repaid  his  detestation  with  con- 
tempt, he  retired  to  this  region  of  sterility,  in 
order  to  brood  over  his  resentment  in  solitude, 
and  converse  with  the  only  honest  heart  he 
knew  ;  namely,  with  his  own. 

A  cave  was  his  only  shelter  from  the  in- 
clemency of  the  weather ;  fruits  gathered  with 
difficulty  from  the  mountain's  side,  his  only 
food  ;  and  his  drink  was  fetched  with' danger 
and  toil  from  the  headlong  torrent.  In  this 
manner  he  lived,  sequestered  from  socie'y, 
passing  the  hours  in  meditation  and  some- 


times exulting  that  he  was  able  to  live  inde- 
pendently of  his  fellow  creatures. 

At  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  an  extensive 
lake  displayed  its  glassy  bosom  ;  reflecting  on 
its  broad  surface  the  impending  horrors  of  the 
mountain.  To  this  capacious  mirror  he  would 
sometimes  descend,  and,  reclining  on  its  steep 
bank,  cast  an  eager  look  on  the  smooth  ex- 
panse that  lay  before  him.  '  How  beautiful,' 
he  often  cried,  '  is  nature  !  how  lovely,  even 
in  her  wildest  scenes !  how  finely  contrasted 
is  the  level  plain  that  lies  beneath  me,  with 
yon  awful  pile  that  hides  its  tremendous  head 
in  clouds!  But  the  beauty  of  these  scenes  is 
no  way  comparable  with  their  utility ;  from 
hence  an  hundred  rivers  are  supplied  v\  hich 
distribute  health  and  verdure  to  the  various 
countries  through  uhich  they  flow.  Every 
part  of  the  universe  is  beautiful,  just,  and  wise ; 
but  man,  vile  man,  is  a  solecism  in  nature; 
the  only  monster  in  creation.  Tempests  and 
whirlwinds  have  their  use ;  but  vicious,  un- 
grateful man,  is  a  blot  in  the  fair  page  of  uni- 
versal beauty.  Why  was  I  born  of  that  de- 
tested species,  whose  vices  are  almost  a  re- 
proach to  the  wisdom  of  the  divine  Creator  ? 
Were  men  entirely  free  from  vice,  all  would 
be  uniformity,  harmony,  and  order.  A  world 
of  moral  rectitude  should  be  the  result  of  a 
perfectly  moral  agent.  Why,  why  then,  O 
Alia !  must  I  be  thug  confined  in  darkness, 
doubt,  and  despair  ?' 

Just  as  he  uttered  the  word  despair,  he  was 
going  to  plunge  into  a  hike  beneath  him,  at 
once  to  satisfy  his  doubts,  and  to  put  a  period 
to  his  anxiety  ;  w  hen  he  perceived  a  most 
majestic  being  walking  on  the  surface  of  the 
water,  and  approaching  the  bank  on  which  he 
stood.  So  unexpected  an  object  at  once  check- 
ed his  purpose  ;  he  stopped,  contemplated,  and 
fancied  he  saw  something  awful  and  divine  in 
his  aspect. 

'  Son  of  Adam,'  cried  the  genius.  '  stop  thy 
rash  purpose ;  the  father  of  the  faithful  has 

6E* 


878 


ESSAYS. 


seen  thy  justice,  thy  integrity,  thy  miseries,  and 
hath  sent  me  to  afford  and  administer  relief. 
Give  me  thine  hand,  and  follow  without 
trembling,  wherever  I  shall  lead  ;  in  me  be- 
hold the  genius  of  conviction,  kept  by  the 
great  prophet,  to  turn  from  their  errors  those 
who  go  astray,  not  from  curiosity,  but  a  recti- 
tude of  intention.  Follow  me,  and  be  wise.' 

Asem  immediately  descended  upon  the 
lake,  and  his  guide  conducted  him  along  the 
surface  of  the  water ;  till  coming  near  the 
centre  of  the  lake  they  both  began  to  sink  ; 
the  waters  closed  over  their  heads  ;  they  de- 
scended several  hundred  fathoms,  till  Asem, 
just  ready  to  give  up  his  life  as  inevitably  lost, 
found  hi  nself  with  his  celestial  guide  in  ano- 
ther world,  at  the  bottom  of  the  waters,  where 
human  foot  hud  never  trod  before.  His 
astonishment  was  beyond  description,  when 
he  saw  a  sun  like  tliat  he  had  left,  a  serene 
sky  over  his  head,  and  blooming  verdure  un- 
der his  feet. 

'  I  plainly  perceive  your  amazement,'  said 
the  genius ;  '  but  suspend  it  for  a  while. 
This  world  was  formed  by  Alia,  at  the  request 
and  under  the  inspection  of  our  great  prophet, 
wlio  once  entertained  the  same  doubts  which 
filled  your  mind  when  I  found  you,  and  from 
the  consequence  of  which  you  were  so  lately 
rescued.  The  rational  inhabitants  of  this 
world  are  formed  agreeable  to  your  own  ideas; 
they  are  absolutely  without  vice.  In  other  re- 
spects it  resembles  your  earth,  but  differs  from 
it  in  being  wholly  inhabited  by  men  who 
never  do  wrong.  If  you  find  this  world  more 
agreeable  than  that  you  so  lately  left,  you  have 
free  permission  to  spend  the  remainder  of  your 
days  in  it;  but  permit  me,  for  some  time,  to 
attend  you,  that  I  may  silence  your  doubts, 
and  make  you  better  acquainted  with  your 
company  and  your  new  habitation.' 

'  A  world  without  vice !  Rational  beings 
without  immorality  !'  cried  Asem,  in  a  rap- 
ture: 'I  thank  thee,  O  Alia,  who  hast  at 
length  heard  my  petitions ;  this,  this  indeed 
will  produce  happiness,  ectasy,  and  ease.  O 
for  an  immortality  tospend  it  among  men  who 
are  incapable  of  ingratitude,  injustice,  fraud, 
violence,  and  a  thousand  other  crimes,  that 
render  society  miserable !' 

'  Cease  thine  acclamations,'  replied  the 
penius.  '  Look  around  thee  ;  reflect  on  every 
object  and  action  before  us.  and  communicate 


to  me  the  result  of  thine  observations.  Lead 
wherever  you  think  proper,  I  shall  be  your 
attendant  and  instructor.'  Asem  and  his  com- 
panion travelled  on  in  silence  for  some  time, 
the  former  being  entirely  lost  in  astonishment; 
but  at  last,  recovering  his  former  serenity,  he 
could  not  help  observing,  that  the  face  of  the 
country  bore  a  near  resemblance  to  that  he 
had  left,  except  that  this  subterranean  v\  orld 
still  seemed  to  retain  its  primaeval  wildness. 

'  Here,'  cried  Asem,  '  I  perceive  animals  of 
prey,  and  others  that  seem  only  designed  for 
their  subsistence ;  it  is  the  very  same  in  the 
world  over  our  heads.  But  Imd  I  been  per- 
mitted to  instruct  our  prophet,  I  would  have 
removed  this  defect,  and  formed  no  \oracious 
or  destructive  animals,  which  only  prey  on 
the  other  parts  of  the  creation.'  '  Your  ten- 
derness for  inferior  anin>als  is,  I  find,  remark- 
able,' said  the  genius,  smiling,  '  but,  with  re- 
gard to  meaner  creatures,  this  world  exactly 
resembles  the  other;  and,  indeed,  for  obvious 
reasons  :  for  the  earth  can  support  a  more 
considerable  number  of  animals,  by  thrirthus 
becoming  food  for  each  other,  than  if  they 
had  lived  entirely  on  the  vegetable  productions. 
So  that  animals  of  different  natures  thus  form- 
ed, instead  of  lessening  their  multitude,  subsist 
in  the  greatest  nuinbi  r  possible.  But  let  us 
hasten  on  to  the  inhabited  country  before  us, 
and  see  what  that  offers  for  instruction.' 

They  soon  gained  the  utmost  verge  of  the 
forest,  and  entered  the  country  inhabited  by 
men  without  vice  ;  and  Asem  anticipated  in 
idea  the  rational  delight  he  hoped  to  experi- 
ence in  such  an  innocent  society.  But  they 
had  scarce  left  the  confines  of  the  wood,  when 
they  beheld  one  of  the  inhabitants  flying  with 
hasty  steps,  and  terror  in  his  countenance, 
from  an  army  of  squirrels  that  closely  pursued 
hi  ii.  '  Heavens  !'  cried  Asem,  '  why  does  he 
fly  ?  What  can  he  fear  from  animals  so  con- 
temptible !'  He  had  scarce  spoke  when  he 
pnrceived  two  dogs  pursuing  another  of  the 
human  species,  who  with  equal  terror  and 
haste  attempted  to  avoid  them.  *  This,'  cried 
Asem  to  his  guide,  '  is  truly  surprising ;  nor 
can  I  conceive  the  reason  for  so  strange  an 
action.'  'Every  species  of  animals,'  leplied 
the  genins,  '  has  of  late  grown  very  powerful 
in  this  country;  for  the  inhabitants,  at  first, 
thinking  it  unjust  to  use  either  fraud  or  force 
in  destroying  them,  they  have  insensibly 


ESSAYS. 


879 


increased,  and  now  frequently  ravage  their 
harmless  frontiers.'  '  But  they  should  have 
been  destroyed,'  cried  Asem;  'you  seethe 
consequence  of  such  neglect.'  '  Where  is 
then  that  tenderness  you  so  lately  expressed 
for  subordinate  animals?'  replied  the  genius, 
smiling;  'you  seem  to  have  forgot  that  branch 
of  justice.'  '  1  must  acknowledge  my  mis- 
take,' returned  Asem  ;  '  1  am  now  convinced 
that  we  must  be  guilty  of  tyranny  and  injus- 
tice to  the  brute  creation,  if  we  would  enjoy 
the  world  ourselves.  But  let  us  no  longer 
observe  the  duty  of  men  to  these  irrational 
creatures,  but  survey  their  connections  with 
one  another.' 

As  they  walked  farther  up  the  country,  the 
more  he  was  surprised  to  see  no  vestiges  of 
handsome  houses,  no  cities,  nor  any  mark  of 
elegant  design.  His  conductor  perceiving 
his  surprise,  observed,  that  the  inhabitants 
of  this  new  world  were  perfectly  content 
with  their  ancient  simplicity  ;  each  had  an 
house,  which,  though  homely,  was  sufficient 
to  lodge  his  little  family  ;  they  were  too  good 
to  build  houses,  which  could  only  increase 
their  own  pride,  and  the  envy  of  the  specta- 
tor; what  they  built  was  for  convenience, 
and  not  for  show.  'At  least  then,'  said  Asem, 
*  they  have  neither  architects,  painters,  or 
statuaries  in  their  society  ;  but  these  are  idle 
art-,  and  may  be  spared.  However,  before  I 
spend  much  more  time  here,  you  should  have 
my  thanks  for  introducing  me  into  the  society 
of  some  of  their  wisest  men:  there  is  scarce 
any  pleasure  to  me  equal  to  a  refined  conver- 
sation; there  is  nothing  of  which  I  am  so 
enamoured  as  wisdom.'  '  Wisdom,'  replied 
his  instructor,  '  how  ridiculous!  We  have  no 
wisdom  here,  for  we  have  no  occasion  for  it; 
true  wisdom  is  only  a  knowledge  of  our  own 
duty,  and  the  duty  of  others  to  us;  but  of 
what  use  is  such  wisdom  here  ?  each  intui- 
tively performs  what  is  right  in  himself,  and 
expects  the  same  from  others.  If  by  wisdom 
you  should  mean  vain  curiosity,  and  empty 
speculation,  as  such  pleasures  have  their 
origin  in  vanity,  luxury,  or  avarice,  we  are 
too  good  to  pursue  them.'  '  All  this  may  be 
right,'  says  Asem,  '  but  methinks  I  observe  a 
solitary  disposition  prevail  among  the  people; 
each  family  keeps  separately  within  their 
own  precincts,  without  society,  or  without  j 


intercourse.'  '  That  indeed,  is  true,'  replied 
the  other;  'here  is  no  established  society; 
nor  should  there  be  any :  all  societies  are 
made  either  through  fear  or  friendship;  the 
people  we  are  among,  ere  too  good  lo  fear 
each  other;  and  there  are  no  motives  to  pri- 
vate friendship,  where  all  are  equally  meri- 
torious.' '  Well  then,'  said  the  sceptic,  '  as  I 
am  to  spend  my  time  here,  if  I  am  to  have 
neither  the  polite  arts,  nor  wisdom,  nor  friend- 
ship, in  such  a  world,  I  should  be  glad  at 
least  of  an  easy  companion,  who  may  tell  me 
his  thoughts,  and  to  whom  I  may  communi- 
cate mine.'  '  And  to  what  purpose  should 
either  do  this  ?'  says  the  genius  :  '  flattery  or 
curiosity  are  vicious  motives,  and  never 
allowed  of  here;  arid  wisdom  is  out  of  the 
question.' 

' Still,  however,'   said  Asem,  'the  inhabi- 
tants must  be  happy  ;  each  is  contented  with 
his  own  possessions,  nor  avariciously  endea- 
ours  to  heap  up  more  than  is  necessary  for 
his  own  subsistence:  each  has  therefore  lei- 
sure to  pity  those  that  stand  in  need  of  his 
compassion.'     He  had   scarce  spoken  when 
his  ears  were  assaulted  with  the  lamentations 
of  a  wretch  who  sat  by  the  way-side,  and.  in 
the  most  deplorable  distress,  seemed  gently 
to  murmur  at  his  own   misery.     Asem  imme- 
diately ran  to  his  relief,  and  found  him  in  the 
last  stage  of  a  consumption.     '  Strange,'  cried 
the  son  of  Adam,  '  that  men  who  are  free 
from  vice  should  thus  suffer  so  much  misery 
without  relief!'    '  Be  not  surprised,'  said  the 
v\  retch  who  w  as  dying ;  '  would  it  not  be  Hie 
greatest  injustice  for  beings,  who  have  only 
just  sufficient  to  support  themselves,  and  are 
content  with  a  bare  subsistence,  to   take  it 
from  their  own    mouths  to  put  it  into  mine  ? 
They  never  are  possessed  ofasingle  meal  more 
than  is  necessary,  and  what  is  barely  neces- 
sary cannot  be  dispensed  with.'  'They  should 
have  been  supplied  with  more  than  i^  neces- 
sary,' cried  Asem:  'and  yet  I  contradict  my 
own  opinion  but   a   moment   before:    all   is 
doubt,  perplexity,  and  confusion.     Even  the 
want  of  ingratitude  is  no  virtue  here,  since 
they  never  received  a  favour.     Th'^y   have, 
however,  another  excellence,  yet  bejjind;  the 
love  of  their  country  is  still,  [  hope,  ons  01 
their  darling  virtues.'   '  Peace,  Asem,'  replied 
the  guardian,  with  a  countenance  not  less 


880 


ESSAYS. 


severe  than  beautiful, '  nor  forfeit  all  thy  pre- 
tensions to  wisdom;  the  same  selfish  motives 
by  which  we  prefer  our  own  interest  to  that 
of  others,  induce  us  to  regard  our  country 
preferable  to  that  of  another.  Nothing  less 
than  universal  benevolence  is  free  from  vice, 
and  that  you  see  is  practised  here.'  'Strange!' 
cries  the  disappointed  pilgrim,  in  an  agony  of 
distress;  '  what  sort  of  a  world  am  I  now  in- 
troduced to  ?  There  is  scarce  a  single  virtue 
but  that  of  temperance,  which  they  practise; 
and  in  that  they  are  no  way  superior  to  the 
very  brute  creation.  There  is  scarce  an 
amusement  which  they  enjoy ;  fortitude, 
liberality,  friendship,  wisdom,  conversation, 
and  love  of  country,  all  are  virtues  entirely 
unknown  here;  thus  it  seems,  that,  to  be  ac- 
quainted with  vice  is  not  to  know  virtue. 
Take  me,  O  my  genius,  back  to  that  very 
world  which  I  have  despised  ;  a  world  which 
has  Alia  for  its  contriver  is  much  more  wisely 
formed  than  that  which  has  been  projected 
by  Mahomet.  Ingratitude,  contempt,  and 
hatred,  I  can  now  suffer,  for  perhaps  I  have 
deserved  them.  When  I  arraigned  the  wis- 
dom of  Providence,  I  only  showed  my  own 


ignorance ;  henceforth  let  me  keep  from  vice 
myself,  and  pity  it  in  others.' 

He  had  scarce  ended,  when  the  genius,  as- 
suming an  air  of  terrible  complacency,  called 
all  his  thunders  around  him,  and  vanished  in 
a  whirlwind.  Asem,  astonished  at  the  terror 
of  the  scene,  looked  for  his  imaginary  world; 
when,  casting  his  eyes  around,  he  perceived 
himself  in  the  very  situation,  and  in  the  very 
place,  where  he  first  began  to  repine  and 
despair;  his  right  foot  had  been  just  advanced 
to  take  the  fatal  plunge,  nor  had  it  yet  been 
withdrawn:  so  instantly  did  Providence  strike 
the  series  of  truths  just  imprinted  on  his  soul. 
He  now  departed  from  the  water-side  in 
tranquillity,  and.  leaving  his  horrid  mansion, 
travelled  to  Segestan,  his  native  city  ;  where 
he  diligently  applied  himself  to  commerce, 
and  put  in  practice  that  wisdom  he  had 
learnt  in  solitude.  The  frugality  of  a  few 
years  soon  produced  opulence;  the  number 
of  his  domestics  increased;  his  friends  came 
to  him  from  every  part  of  the  city;  nor  did 
he  receive  them  with  disdain;  and  a  youth 
of  misery  was  concluded  with  an  old  age  of 
elegance,  affluence,  and  ease. 


INDEX. 


ABDOMINAL  FISH,  has  the  ventral  nearer  the  tail  than  the 

pectoral  fins,  (J49. 

Abstemious  life,  its  great  benefit,  174. 

Abstinence,  religiously  observed  long  after  the  Reformation ; 
Queen  Elizabeth's  injunction  upon  this  head ;  a  heavenly  institution, 
from  its  benefit  to  individuals  and  advantage  to  society,  155  ;  re- 
markable instance  of  it  in  the  sloth,  444. 

Jicauihujiitrian,  a  name  of  the  prickly-finned  fish,  647. 

Jlcurn,  a  shell-fish,  694 ;  the  shell  of  the  acorn  filled  by  an  immove- 
able  animal,  t*28. 

Adriatic,  its  empire  claimed  by  the  republic  of  Venice,  68. 

Jr'Jian,  his  account  of  the  dreadful  cavern  called  the  Gulf  of  Pluto, 
18.  See  Eephant,  417. 

JF.tn(i,  volcano  in  Sicily  ;  remarkable  eruption  in  1537;  an  account 
«f  it ;  the  burning  seen  at  Malta,  20 ;  the  quantity  of  matter  dis- 
charged, supposed  to  exceed  twenty  times  the  original  bulk  of  the 
mountain  ,  walls  built  of  materials  thrown  up  by  it,  30. 

JEolipiie,  an  instrument  to  produce  artificial  wind  ;  its  description, 
and  the  manner  of  generating  violent  blasts,  ill). 

Africa,  its  sandy  storms,  100;  destroy  villages  and  armies,  107; 
see  Animals,  207  ;  has  the  largest  and  the  smallest  of  the  cow  kind, 
235 ;  the  ferret  originally  from  Africa,  351. 

Age,  the  mountains  of  Scotland,  Wales,  Auvergne,  and  Switzer- 
land, furnish  more  instances  of  old  age,  than  the  plains  of  Holland, 
Flanders,  Germany,  or  Poland,  175.  See  fishes,  611.  See  Trees,  612. 

Agouti,  an  animal  found  in  great  abundance  in  South  America, 
and  by  some  called  the  rabbit  of  that  continent ;  it  resembles  the 
rabbit,  vet  is  different  from  ours,  and  peculiar  to  the  new  world  ;  its 
description  ;  its  ordinary  food ;  it  has  the  hair  and  the  voraciousness 
of  the  hog  ;  eats  greedily,  and  hides  the  remainder  ;  burrows  in  hol- 
low trees  ;  its  manner  of  feeding  and  walking  ;  sight  and  hearing  ; 
its  flesh  how  dressed  ;  how  hunted  and  forced  out  ol  its  hole  ;  it  turns 
in  its  own  defence  upon  the  hunters  ;  its  bite  and  cry ;  how  tamed  ; 
bears  two  young  at  each  litter  ;  breeds  at  least  twice  a  year  ;  carries 
its  young  about  like  a  cat ;  and  lodges  them  in  a  tree,  where  they 
soon  become  able  to  provide  for  themselves,  357. 

Agricola,  has  seen  hats  made  of  mole  skins,  most  beautiful,  372. 

Agriculture,  the  number  of  hands  employed  in  the  manufacture 
of  silk,  turned  to  agriculture,  would  increase  the  quantity  of  corn  to 
more  than  equivalent  tor  the  diminution  of  national  wealth  in  pur- 
chasing wrought  silk  from  other  countries.  See  Silk-worm. 

Ai,  a  name  of  the  sloth  ;  its  description,  442. 

Aicurous,  a  great  parrot ;  its  sagacity  and  docility,  527. 

Aigaes-miirtes,  town  in  France,  a  port  in  the  time  of  St.  Louis ; 
now  removed  more  than  four  miles  from  the  sea,  til. 

Air,  the  only  active  agent  in  earthquakes,  30  ;  Amonton's  calcu- 
lation of  a  moderate  degree  of  heat  sufficient  t"  give  the  air  amazing 
powers  of  expansion,  31  ;  too  fine  for  our  sight,  is  very  obvious  to 
our  touch  ;  its  elasticity  ;  a  cubic  foot  of  air  weighs  more  than  an 
ounce,  87,  88  ;  a  hand  upon  the  mouth  of  a  vessel  from  which  the  air 
has  been  exhausted,  is  violently  sucked  inwards,  and  why,  88  ;  the 
mouth  of  such  vessel  inverted  being  immersed,  the  water  will  rise 
into  the  empty  space,  and  fill  the  glass ;  the  manner  in  which  this 
is  done ;  water  never  ascends  higher  than  thirty-two  feet ;  our  ordi- 
nary load  of  air  amounts  nearly  to  forty  thousand  pounds.  89  ;  four 
thousand  pounds  weight  of  air  carried  at  one  time  more  than  at 
another,  and  why  ;  the  air  contained  in  a  nut-shell,  may  be  dilated 
intounknowndimensions  ;  the  air  contained  in  a  house,  may  be  com- 
pressed into  a  cavity  equal  to  the  eye  of  a  needle  ;  the  increasing 
elasticity  of  compressed  air  augmented  by  heat  would, when  expanded, 
be  sufficient  for  the  explosion  ofa  world,  8!* ;  one  of  the  most  compound- 
ed bodies  in  nature, :  1  ;  scarcely  any  substance  resisting  its  corroding 
qualities,  91 ;  factitious  air  produced  in  great  quantities  from  vege- 
table, animal,  or  mineral  substances  ;  proves  a  greater  enemy  to 
animals  than  a  vacuum  ;  a  bird  enclosed  in  artificial  air,  from  raisins, 
died  in  a  quarter  of  a  minute  ;  a  frog,  in  seven  minutes  ;  a  snail  put 
into  the  receiver,  with  air  of  paste,  died  in  four  minutes,  93;  to 
be  wholesome,  should  not  be  of  one  kind,  but  a  compound  of  several 
•ubst-mces.  !'4  ;  how  air  contributes  to  the  support  of  our  lives  ;  dis- 
pute upon  it,  97 ;  gives  life  and  body  to  flame,  1*7  ;  kindles  fire  into 

NO  75  &  76. 


flame,  moderates  the  rays  of  light,  and  dissipates  their  violence ;  con- 
veyance of  sound  ;  all  the  pleasure  received  from  conversation  or  from 
music,  depends  entirely  upon  the  air  ;  odours  are  diffused  by  the  air, 98 ; 
vegetables,  or  the  bodies  of  animals,  left  to  putrefy ,  produce  air  in  a 
very  copious  manner ;  it  finds  admission  into  wine  or  other  fermented 
liquors. and  most  easily  into  spirits  of  wine ;  mountains,  minerals. vege- 
tables, animals,  and  fires,  contribute  to  increase  a  current  of  air,  99  ; 
a  tide  of  air  produced  by  the  sun  ami  moon  ;  a  current  of  air,  driven 
through  a  contracted  space,  grows  more  violent  and  irresistible,  104. 

Air-Madder,  in  fishes,  described,  610.     See  Fishes,  &c.  610. 

Air-pump,  the  experiment  on  a  Curp,  t>10. 

Albatross,  a  bird  of  the  gull  kind  ;  ils  description  by  Edwards  ;  is 
an  inhabitant  of  the  tropical  climates,  and  other  regions,  as  far  as 
the  straits  of  Magellan  in  the  South  Seas  ;  is  the  most  fierce  and 
formidable  of  the  aquatick  tribe  ;  it  chiefly  pursues  the  flying-fish, 
forced  from  the  sea  by  the  dolphins:  Wiquefort's  account  of  this 
bird  ;  it  seems  to  have  a  peculiar  affection  for  the  penguin,  and  a 
pleasure  in  its  society  ;  its  nest,  578,  579. 

Aibouras,  a  famous  volcano  near  Mount  Taurus,  29. 

Alder,  bares  will  not  feed  on  the  bark  of  it,  346. 

Atgazel,  the  seventh  variety  of  gazelles  with  Mr.  Buffon,  251. 

Aidrovandus,  places  the  bats  aiming  birds,  3c3  ;  he,  having  spent 
a  fortune  to  enlighten  mankind,  and  collected  more  truth  and  false- 
hood than  any  man,  was  reduced  to  want,  to  suffer  ingratitude,  and 
to  die  in  an  hospital,  595. 

Alexander's  soldiers  agitated  by  curiosity  and  apprehension  at  the 
tides  in  the  river  Indus,  76. 

Alligator,  or  the  Cayman,  a  kind  of  crocodile,  712. 

Alps,  dreadful  chasms  found  in  them,  17;  Pope's  description  ofa 
traveller  straining  up  the  Alps,  42 ;  the  highest  point  of  them  not 
above  sixteen  hundred  toises  above  the  surface  of  th'e  sea,  44. 

Amazons,  the  greatest  river  in  the  world,  has  its  source  among 
the  Andes,  42;  its  course  from  its  origin  in  the  lake  of  Lauri- 
cocha,  to  its  discharge  in  the  Western  Ocean,  is  more  than  twelve 
hundred  leagues :  its  discharge  is  through  a  channel  of  a  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  broad,  after  receiving  above  sixty  considerable 
rivers,  63. 

Ambergris,  long  considered  as  a  substance  found  floating  on  the 
sea,  but  since  discovered  to  belong  to  the  cachalot :  the  balls  of  am- 
bergris found  in  all  fishes  of  this  kind,  but  chiefly  in  the  oldest  and 
strongest,  624. 

Ambrose,  (St.)  his  credulity  concerning  the  halcyon,  602. 

America,  exceeds  in  the  size  of  its  reptiles,  but  is  inferior  in  its 
quadrupeds,  211;  that  part  of  the  American  continent  which  lies 
under  the  line,  is  cool  and  pleasant,  183;  the  cause  of  the  tawny 
colour  of  the  North  American  Indians  ;  they  paint  their  skins  with 
red  ochre,  and  anoint  them  with  the  fat  of  bears,  lt>4;  the  original 
cause  of  their  flat  heads,  185;  American  wood-duck  described,  598. 
See  Tapir,  214.  See  Quadrupeds,  ib.  See  Dog,  387.  See  lints, 
366.  See  Rabbits,  (Syrian)  351.  See  Hats,  2o5.  See  Suruges, 
who  suppose  monkies  to  be  men,  410.  See  Pacoes,  434.  See  Mode- 
bird,  540. 

Amia,  or  Bonito,  description  of  this  fish,  650. 

Ammodytes,  or  the  Lance,  a  fish ;  its  description,  649. 

Ammodytes,  a  kind  of  viper  ;  it  darts  with  amazing  swiftness,  729. 

Amontons.     See  Air,  31. 

Amour,  a  river  of  Eastern  Tartary,  62 ;  it  receives  about  forty 
lesser  rivers,  ib. 

Ampliesbiena,  or  the  double-headed  serpent,  740. 

Anarchicas,  the  wolf-fish,  its  description,  649. 

Anatomists.     See  Apes,  205.     See  Lamprey,  638. 

Anchovy,  has  no  bladder,  611. 

Anda'usia,  gennets  of  that  province  the  best,  218. 

Andes,  amazing  chasms  or  fissures  in  them  ;  some  of  these  are  a 
mile  wide,  and  others  running  under  ground,  resemble  a  province, 
17  ;  the  highest  mountains  of  the  world,  29  ;  excellent  description 
of  them  by  Ulloa;  the  Andes  are  by  measure  three  thousand  one 
hundred  and  thirty-six  toises  or  fathoms,  above  the  surface  of  the 
sea,  45 ;  at  the  top  no  difficulty  of  breathing  perceived,  ib. ; 
of  mules  going  down  the  precipices,  227. 

6  F 


AN1 


INDEX. 


AMI 


Anemomet»r,  an  instrument  to  measure  the  velocity  of  the  wind  ; 
gives  no  certain  information  of  the  force  of  a  storm,  104. 

Anaiira,  the  cat  of  Angora.  2ii2;  the  goat  of  Angora  ;  a  number 
of  animals  about  Angora,  affording  liair  for  trade ;  the  camblet 
made  of  such  hair,  247. 

Arthimu,  a  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  of  Brazil,  258 ;  described  ;  the 
cock  and  the  hen  prowl  together ;  when  one  dies,  the  other  stays  by 
it,  and  dies  also,  ib. 

Jlnimals,  hold  the  first  rank  amidst  the  infinitely  different  produc- 
tions the  earth  offers ;  arc  endowed  with  powers  of  motion  and  de- 
fence, even  those  fixed  to  one  spot ;  organized  beings,  provided  wjtli 
some  defence  for  their  own  security ;  endued  with  life  and  vigour  ; 
Bouie.  by  nature,  violent ;  have  their  enmities  and  affections  ;  ulti- 
mately supported  upon  vegetables ;  those  in  a  dry  sunny  climate 
strong  and  vigorous  ;  different  vegetables  appropriated  to  the  dif- 
ferent appetites,  and  why  ;  of  domestic  kinds,  carried  from  milder 
countries  into  the  northern  climates,  quickly  degenerate  and  grow 
Jess ;  in  the  internal  parts  of  South  America  and  Africa  grow  to  a 
prodigious  size,  and  why  ;  no^  so  in  the  cold  frozen  regions  of  the 
North  ;  the  most  perfect  races  have  the  least  similitude  to  the  vege- 
table productions  on  which  they  are  ultimately  fed  ;  the  meaner  the 
animal,  the  more  local;  assume  different  habits  as  well  as  nppear- 
anccs,  and  why;  some  peculiar  to  every  part  of  the  vegetable  sys- 
tem; there  are  that  live  upon  other  animals;  this  wisely  so  consti- 
tuted ;  to  diminish  the  number  of  animals,  and  increase  that  of  vege- 
tables, the  general  scope  of  human  industry  ;  of  the  vast  variety, 
very  few  serviceable  to  man  ;  in  a  catalogue  of  more  than  twenty 
thousand  land  animals,  scarcely  a  hundred  are  any  way  useful  to 
man ;  expediency  of  man's  living  upon  animals  as  well  as  vegetables ; 
Kttlc  more  known  than  that  the  greatest  number  require  the  concur- 
rence of  a  male  and  female  to  reproduce  their  kind  ;  and  these  dis- 
tinctly and  invariably  found  to  beget  creatures  of  their  own  species, 
J  lit  to  123;  usual  distinction,  with  respect  to  their  manner  of  gene- 
ration, into  oviparous  and  viviparous  kinds,  I2.r> ;  the  warmth  ot'tlie 
sun.  or  of  a  stove,  efficacious  in  bringing  the  animal  in  the  egg  to 
perfection,  12C;  such  parts  as  the  animal  has  double,  or  without 
which  it  can  live,  are  the  latest  in  production,  128  ;  De  Graaf  has 
attended  the  progress  and  increase  of  various  animals  in  the  womb, 
and  minutely  marked  the  changes  they  undergo,  129;  that  which, 
in  proportion  to  its  bulk,  takes  the  longest  time  for  production,  the 
most  complete  when  finished ;  of  all  others,  man  the  slowest  in  com- 
ing into  life,  the  most  formidable  are  the  least  fruitful ;  and  why ; 
those  which  bring  forth  many  engender  before  they  have  arrived  at 
half  their  natural  size  ;  approach  more  to  perfection,  whose  genera- 
tion nearly  resembles  that  of  man,  132  to  133;  men  and  apes  only 
have  eye-lashes  upon  the  upper  and  lo\ver  lids,  all  others  want  them 
on  the  lower  lid,  142;  that  which  has  most  desires  appears  capable 
of  the  greatest  variety  of  happiness,  153;  those  of  the  forest  remain 
without  food  several  weeks ;  all  endure  the  want  of  sleep  and  hun- 
ger with  less  injury  to  health  than  man  ;  nature  contracts  the  sto- 
machs of  carnivorous  animals  of  the  forest  to  suit  them  to  their  pre- 
carious way  of  living  ;  but  the  meaner  tribes  are  still  more  capable 
of  sustaining  life  without  food,  ib. ;  some  lower  animals  seem  to 
spend  the  greatest  part  of  their  lives  in  sleep,  15C  ;  some  affected  by 
music  ;  instances  of  it,  157;  those  furnished  with  hands  have  more 
understanding  than  others,  170;  in  general  the  large  animals  live 
longer  than  the  little,  174  ;  difference  between  animals  in  a  state  of 
nature  and  domestic  tameuess,  so  considerable  that  Mr.  Buffon 
makes  it  a  principal  distinction  of  classes,  31)11 ;  their  teeth  fitted  to 
the  nature  of  their  food  ;  and  their  legs  as  well  fitted  to  their  respec- 
tive wants  or  enjoyments  ;  those  who  chew  the  cud  have  four  sto- 
machs ;  several  that  with  us  have  four  stomachs,  have  but  two  in 
Africa:  no  carnivorous  animal,  except  the  dog,  makes  a  voluntary 
attack  but  with  superiority  ;  the  stomach  generally  proportioned  to 
the  nature  of  the  food,  or  the  ease  with  which  it  is  obtained  ;  the  size 
of  the  intestines  proportioned  to  the  nature  of  the  food  ;  few  of  the 
wild  sort  seek  their  prey  in  the  day  time  ;  in  proportion  as  each  car- 
nivorous animal  wants  strength,  it  uses  all  the  assistance  of  patience, 
nssirluitv,  and  cunning  ;  some  animals  carefully  avoid  their  enemies 
by  placing  sentinels  to  warn  of  the  approach  of  danger,  and  know 
how  to  punish  such  as  have  neglected  their  post,  or  been  unmindful 
of  the  common  safety  ;  the  wild  sort  subject  to  few  alterations,  and 
in  the  savage  state  continue  for  ages  the  same,  in  size,  shape,  and 
colour  ;  is  otherwise  when  subdued  and  taken  under  the  protection 
of  man  ;  the  tame  kind  bears  no  resemblance  to  its  ancestors  in  the 
woods  ;  animals  feeding  only  upon  grass,  rendered  carnivorous ;  two 
instances,  20C  to  210  ;  Africa  ever  remarkable  for  the  fierceness  of 
its  animals  ;  the  smallest  multiply  the  fastest ;  the  larger  sort  bring 
few  at  a  time  ;  seldom  generate  till  they  be  near  their  full  growth  ; 
those  which  bring  manv  reproduce  before  they  arrive  at  half  their 
natural  size  ;  with  ail  animals,  the  time  of  their  pregnancy  is  pro- 


portioned to  their  size  ;  in  all  kinds  the  intermediate  litters  the  most 
fruitful ;  the  first  and  last  generally  produce  the  fewest  in  number 
and  worst  of  kind  ;  natural  instinct  to  choose  the  proper  times  of 
copulation;  whatever' the  natural  deposition  of  animals,  they  have 
all  courage  to  defend  their  young  ;  instances  of  it ;  milk  in  the  car- 
nivorous animals  more  sparing  than  in  others ;  choice  of  situation 
in  bringing  forth,  remarkable  in  animals,  210  to  213;  the  ass,  in  a 
state  of  lameness,  the  most  gentle  and  quiet  of  all  animals,  225  ;  of 
all  animals  covered  with  hair,  the  ass  the  least  subject  to  vermin, 
22b' ;  the  zebra,  the  most  beautiful,  but  the  wildest  animal  in  nature, 
X."J?  ;  perfectly  know  their  enemies,  and  howto  avoid  them  ;  instances 
of  it,  22!';  best  method  of  classing  animals  adopted  by  Ray.  Kiien, 
and  Linnteus,  20]  ;  the  author's  method  of  classing  them,  909  to 
•JiM  ;  the  carnivorous  seek  their  food  in  gloomy  solitude  ;  they  are 
sharper  than  the  ruminating  kind,  and  why  ;  ruminating  animals 
most  harmless,  and  most  easily  tamed  ;  generally  go  in  herds  tor 
their  mutual  security  ;  live  entirely  upon  vegetables  ;  the  meanest 
of  them  unite  in  each  others  defence  ;  carnivorous  animals  have 
small  stomachs  and  short  intestines;  ruminating  animals  naturally 
more  indolent  and  less  artful  than  the  carnivorous  kinds,  and  why ; 
their  bowels  considered  as  an  elaboratory,  with  proper  vessels  in  it ; 
nature  enlarges  the  capacity  of  their  intestines,  to  take  in  a  greater 
supply  ;  and  furnishes  thrrn  with  four  stomachs  ;  the  names  of  these 
four  stomachs  ;  the  intestines  of  carnivorous  animals  are  thin  and 
lean :  but  those  of  the  ruminating  sort  strong,  fleshy,  and  well 
covered  with  fat ;  of  all  others,  man  spends  the  least  time  in  eating  ; 
of  all  ruminant  animals  the  cow  kind  deserve  the  first  rank,  231  to 
232;  naturalists  give  various  names  to  the  same,  only  differing  in 
accidental  circumstances  ;  of  all,  except  man,  the  cow  most  exten- 
sively propagated  ;  greatest  variety  among  cows  ;  none  more  hum- 
ble and  pliant  of  disposition  ;  the  large  kind  of  the  torrid  zone  ;  very 
fond  of  the  water  ;  some  void  their  dung,  when  pursued  ;  this  arises 
rather  from  fear,  than  a  desire  of  defence  ;  the  number  of  the  cow 
kind,  bv  naturalists  extended  to  eight  or  ten  sorts,  reduced  to  two  ; 
one  animal  of  the  cow  kind,  no  naturalist  has  hitherto  described  ;  it 
may  be  added  as  a  third  species  ;  description  of  it ;  all  the  ruminant 
internally  much  alike  ;  those  that  take  refuge  under  the  protection 
of  man,  in  a  few  generations  become  indolent  and  helpless  ;  the 
sheep,  in  a  domestic  state,  the  most  defenceless  and  inoffensive  ; 
also  the  most  stupid,  237  to  241  ;  a  great  number  and  variety  about 
Angora;  the  inhabitant.,  drive  a  trade  with  their  hair,  247;  the 
kinds  actually  not  distinguished  by  the  horns,  colour,  position  of 
the  ears,  or  fineness  of  the  hair,  ib. ;  the  fat,  urine,  beak,  and  even 
dung,  of  various  animals,  efficacious  in  some  disorders,  250  ;  of  all 
in  the  world,  the  gazelle  has  the  most  beautiful  eye,  251  ;  scarcely 
one  animal,  except  the  carnivorous,  that  does  not  produce  concre- 
tions in  the  stomach,  intestines,  kidneys,  bladder,  or  in  the  heart, 
252 ;  no  naturalists  inform  us  whether  that  which  bears  the  musk  be  a 
ruminant,  or  of  the  hog  kind,  250;  by  a  general  rule*  every  animal 
lives  about  seven  or  eight  times  the  number  of  years  it  continues  to 
grow,  25!)  ;  of  all  natives  of  this  climate,  none  have  such  a  beauti- 
tiful  eye  as  the  stag,  2(iO  ;  no  two  more  nearly  allied  than  the  stag 
and  the  fallow  deer,  yet  form  distinct  families,  and  never  engender 
together,  -^(i5  ;  many  that  onr.e  flourished  in  the  world,  may  now  be 
extinct,  208;  of  all  the  deer  kind  the  rein-deer  the  most  extraordi- 


only  not  afraid  singly  to  make  opposition  to  the  lion,  arc  the  ele- 
phant, the  rhinoceros,  the  tiger,  and  the  hippopotamus,  2!>5  ;  of  all 
American,  the  tiger  the  most  formidable  ami  mischievous,  3111  ;  the 
generality  have  greater  agility,  greater  mviftness,  and  more  ll.rmi- 
dable  arms,  from  nature,  than  man  ;  and  their  senses,  particularly 
that  of  smelling,  are  far  more  perfect  ;  those  living  upon  flesh  hunt 
by  nature,  300;  all  under  the  influence  of  man,  are  subject  to 
great  variations,  310  ;  many  in  this  country  bred  between  a<l":r  •mil 
a  fox,  315;  all  savage,  that  have  once  tasted  human  flesh,  never  re- 
frain from  pursuing  mankind.  :W(i ;  those  of  flu-  north,  in  winter, 
are  more  hairy,  than  those  of  milder  climates  ;  and  what  the  causn, 
331  ;  of  the  arctic  climates,  have  their  winter  and  summer  gar- 
ments, except  as  far  north  as  Greenland,  ib.  ;  of  the  weasel  kind, 
the  martin  the  most  pleasing,  334  ;  feeding  entirely  upon  vegeta- 
bles, are  inoffensive  and  timorous,  345  ;  remarkable  for  speed  ;  ex- 
cept the  horse,  have  the  hind  feet  longer  than  the  fore  feet  ;  none 
receives  the  male  when  pregnant  except  the  hare,  34(i ;  hares  the 
only  that  have  hair  on  the  inside  of  their  mouths.  347  ;  few  of  the 
wild  kind  have  so  many  varieties  as  the  squirrel,  351  ;  all  are  tamed 
more  difficultly  in  proportion  to  their  cowardice,  365  ;  in  all  coun- 
tries, civilized  and  improved,  the  lower  ranks  of  animals  repressed 
and  degraded,  38i) ;  the  beaver  the  only  that  in  its  fore  parts  re- 


APE 


INDEX. 


ASP 


sembl«s  a  quadruped,  and  in  its  hinder  parts  approaches  the  nature 
of  fishes,  ib. ;  the  lori  of  all  others  the  longest,  in  proportion  to 
size,  413  ;  the  camel  the  most  temperate  of  all,  430  ;  the  ostrich  the 
most  voracious,  463 ;  of  all  that  use  their  wings  and  legs  in  running, 
the  ostrich  is  the  swiftest,  465  ;  none  has  greater  courage  than  the 
cock,  opposed  to  one  of  bis  own  species,  495  ;  the  presence  of  man 
destroys  the  society  of  meaner  animals,  and  their  instincts  also,  5#0 ; 
those  longest  in  the  womb,  are  the  longest  lived,  according  to  Pliny, 
595  ;  none  harder  to  he  killed  than  the  shark,  630 ;  the  snail  kind 
are  hermaphrodites,  684  ;  of  all  four-footed,  the  frog  the  best  swim- 
mer, 61)7  ;  whatever  kind,  long  under  the  protection  of  man.  lose 
part  of  their  natural  sagacity  in  providing  for  themselves,  576  ;  that 
which  fills  the  acorn-shell  is  iminoveable,  828  ;  a  most  numerous 
tribe  lately  discovered,  propagated  by  cuttings  ;  many  entirely 
without  motion  ;  all  seem  possessed  of  one  power,  of  which  vegeta- 
bles are  totally  deficient  ;  certain  races  of  animals  fall  beneath  ve- 
getables, by  their  more  imperfect  propagation,  828;  some  live  with- 
out limbs,  and  often  reproduce  them  ;  some  live  without  brain  for 
many  weeks  together  ;  some  increase  and  grow  large,  though  all 
their  nobler  organs  are  entirely  destroyed  ;  some  continue  to  ex- 
ist though  cut  in  two,  their  nobler  parts  preserving  lite,  while  the 
others  perish  that  were  cut  away  ;  the  zoophyte  tribe,  continues  to 
live  in  separate  parts,  and  one  animal,  by  means  of  cutting,  is  divid- 
ed into  two  distinct  existences,  sometimes  into  a  thousand,  C31  ; 
the  first  discovery  of  the  power  of  reproduction  in  animals  owing  to 
Mr.  Trembley,  831. 

Antelope,  tenth  variety  of  gazelles  by  Mr.  Burton  ;  its  descrip- 
tion ;  the  Indian  antelope,  252,  253. 
Entities.     See  jYttrrots,  169. 
Antiers,  their  distinct  names,  202. 
Antiparos,  its  grotto  most  remarkable,  20. 

Antipathy,  many  have  it  to  some  animals,  whose  presence  they 
instantly  perceive  by  the  smell,  16!* ;  n"  animals  more  alike  than  the 
cow  ;>nd  the  buffalo,  yet  none  have  stronger  dislikes  to  each  other, 
238;  dogs  and  wolves  so  different  in  their  dispositions,  that  no  animals 
can  have  a  more  perfect  antipathy,  31*  ;  the  same  subsists  bet  ween  the 
jackal  and  the  dog,  326  ;  of  the  mafmount  to  the  dog.  354  ;  quad- 
rupeds which  have  natural  antipathy  against  the  Norway  rat,  363  ; 
between  the  porcupine  and  serpent  so  irreconcileable  as  never  to 
meet  without  a  mortal  engagement,  376. 

Antiquity,  most  naturally  looked  up  to  with  reverential  won- 
der, 191. 

Anthony,  (St.)  lived  a  hundred  and  five  years,  155. 
Ants,  every  writer  of  antiquity  describes  this  insect,  as  labouring 
in  the  summer,  and  feasting  upon  the  produce  during  the  winter  ; 
in  some  of  the  warmer  climates  this  may  be  so ;  but  in  France  and 
England  they  are  in  a  state  of  torpidity  during  winter  ;  common 
ants  of  Europe  ;  their  description  ;  fears  not  to  attack  a  creature 
ten  times  its  own  magnitude  ;  are  divided  into  males,  females,  and 
neutral  or  working  tribe  ;  in  what  manner  distinguished  from  each 
other  ;  males  and  females  seem  no  way  to  partake  in  the  common 
drudgeries  of  the  state  ;  males  pursue  the  females  with  great  assi- 
duity, and  force  them  to  Compliance  ;  remain  coupled  for  some 
time  ;  description  of  the  ant-hills  in  the  southern  parts  of  Europe, 
constructed  with  wonderful  contrivance  ;  their  food  and  excursions  ; 
their  ecrjjs  so  very  small,  that  upon  a  black  ground  they  can  scarce- 
ly be  discerned  ;  fond  attachment  of  the  working  ants  to  their 
progeny  ;  the  aurelia  state,  and  efforts  to  get  rid  of  their  skins  ;  ex- 
periment of  Mr.  De  Geer  to  this  purpose  ;  state  of  the  female  after 
she  has  done  laying,  not  known  ;  the  males  then  flv  away,  and  are 
heard  of  no  more  ;  ants  of  the  tropical  climates  build  a  hill  with 
great  contrivance  and  regularity,  lay  up  provisions,  and,  living  the 
whole  year,  submit  to  regulations  entirely  different  from  the  ants 
of  Europe  ;  three  kinds  of  African  ants  ;  their  hills  from  six  to 
twelve  feet  high;  amazing  number  and  regularity  of  their  cells  ; 
depredations  and  adventures;  they  live  under  strict  regulations  a 
order  in  which  they  sally  forth ;  often  quit  their  dwelling  in  a  body, 
and  go  in  quest  of  adventures  ;  an  instance  of  it  given  by  Smith  ; 
thjir  sting  produces  extreme  pain,  814  to  818  ;  drive  the  hair  from 
its  form,  247  ;  many  animals  live  upon  ants  in  Africa  and 
America,  441. 

Ant-fattr,  or  Ant-bear,  description  and  habits,  441  ;  their  art  to 
catch  the   ants  ;  manner  of  defence  against  its  enemies  ;    kills  the 
invader,  and  remains  fastened  upon  him  with  vindictive  desperation. 
Ant-lion,  the,  768. 

Antioch,  buried  by  an  earthquake,  32. 
Aorta,  the  great  artery,  131 

Aprrea,  by  some  the  Brazilian  rabbit;  its  description,  359. 
Apes,  have  eye-lashes  upon  the  upper  and  lower  lids.  142;  the 
only  animal  possessed  of  hands  and  arms,  rJ4s  ;  in  some  of  the  kinds 
the  resemblance  to  mau  so  striking,  that  anatomists  are  puzzled  to 


find  in  what  part  of  the  human  body  man's  superiority  consists ; 
enjoy  many  advantages  in  common  with  men,  above  the  lower 
tribes  of  nature,  205 ;  the  foremost  of  the  kind  is  the  ouran-outang 
or  wild  man  of  the  woods,  399 ;  description  of  this  animal  by  Dr. 
Tyson  ;  comparative  view  of  this  creature  with  man;  another  de- 
scription of  it  by  Mr.  Buffon  ;  two  young  ones,  only  a  year  old,  dis- 
covered an  astonishing  power  of  imitation,  399,  400;  a  kind  called 
baris,  properly  instructed  when  young,  serve  as  useful  domestics; 
Le  Cornt«'s  account  of  an  ape  in  the  Straits  of  Molucca,  401  ;  the 
long-armed  ape  an  extraordinary  and  icmarkable  creature,  403  ;  its 
description;  a  native  of  the  Ki'.st  !mln-.<i.  and  found  along  all  the 
coasts  of  Coromandel,  404  ;  rling  thi-msi'lv*  from  one  rope  to 
another,  at  thirty,  forty,  and  filly  feet  distance,  401  ;  instances  of 
amazing  ninibleness  ;  in  a  state  of  nature  they  run  upon  all  fours  ; 
certain  proof's  of  it,  4(13  ;  in  the  navies  of  Solomon,  among  the  ar- 
ticles imported  from  the  East,  arc  ;>]>es  and  peacocks,  4.'7. 

.tfin'tus,  noted  for  having  taught  mankind  to  suffocate  fish  in 
Carthaginian  pickle,  613  ;  manner  of  dressing  a  hare  in  true  Ro- 
man taste,  349. 

Apodal,  the  name  of  the  fish  without  ventral  fins,  647. 
jfppndfets  in  the  intestines  of  birds,  452. 

Appetite,  Nature,  by  supplying  a  variety,  has  multiplied  life  in  her 
productions,  471. 

Arabia,  its  sandy  tempests  described,  106;  men  and  animals 
buried  in  the  sands  of  Arabia,  preserved  from  corruption  for  several 
ages,  as  if  actually  embalmed,  195  ;  the  ass  originally  a  native  of 
Arabia,  236.  See' Worses,  214  to  227.  See  Camel,  4:iO. 

Archimedes,  discovered  the  method  of  determining  the  purity  of 
gold,  by  weighing  in  water,  55. 

Arrhipelago,  very  good  horses  in  its  islands,  219 ;  the  wild  ass 
found  in  those  islands,  particularly  in  Cerigo,  224. 

Ardebil,  the  pastures  in  those  plains  excellent  for  rearing 
horses,  219. 

Arequipa,  a  celebrated  burning  mountain  in  Peru,  29. 
Argentine,  description  of  this  fish,  650. 

Arion,  his  harp  gathered  the  dolphins  to  the  ship's  side,  165. 
Aristotle's  opinion  about  the  formation  of  the  incipient  animal, 
llS ;  and  mules  being  sometimes  prolific,  223. 

Arlotto,  an  Italian  Franciscan  friar  ;  for  his  sleeping  transgres- 
sions taken  before  the  Inquisition,  and  like  to  be  condemned  for 
them,  15rt. 

Armadillo,  or  Tatou,  generally  referred  to  the  tribe  of  insects  or 
snails,  206  ;  an  inhabitant  of  South  America  ;  a  harmless  creature, 
furnished  with  a  peculiar  covering  for  its  defence  ;  attacked  with- 
out danger,  and  liable  to  persecution  ;  is  of  different  sizes ;  in  all, 
however,  the  animal  is  partially  covered  with  a  coat  of  mail;  a 
striking  curiosity  in  natural  history  ;  has  the  same  method  of  pro- 
tecting itself  as  the  hedgehog  or  pangolin  ;  when  attacked,  rolls  it- 
self Op  in  its  shell  like  a  ball,  and  continues  so  till  the  danger  is 
over  ;  the  Indians  take  it  in  this  form,  lay  it  close  to  the  fire,  and 
oblige  it  to  unfold  ;  this  animal  utterly  unknown  before  the  disco- 
very of  America  ;  does  mischief  in  gardens  ;  bears  the  cold  of  our 
climate  without  inconvenience  ;  the  mole  does  not  burrow  swifter 
than  the  armadillo  ;  burrows  deep  in  the  earth  ;  expedients  used  to 
force  them  out ;  manner  of  taking  them  alive  ;  sometimes  in  snares 
by  the  sides  of  rivers,  and  low  moist  places  which  they  frequent ; 
never  found  at  a  distance  from  their  retreats ;  escapes  by  rolling  it- 
self up,  and  tumbling  down  from  rock  to  rock,  without  danger  or 
inconvenience  ;  its  food  ;  scarcely  any  that  do  not  root  the  ground 
like  a  hog  ;  a  kind  friendship  between  them  and  the  rattlesnake ; 
they  are  frequently  found  in  the  same  hole;  they  all  resemble  each 
other,  as  clothed  with  a  shell,  yet  differ  in  size,  and  in  the  division 
of  their  shell  ;  the  various  kinds  ;  the  pig-headed  sort,  the  weasel- 
headed,  the  kabassou,  and  the  encoubert,  are  the  largest,  380  to  382. 
Arno,  the  river,  a  considerable  piece  of  ground  gained  at  the 
mouth  of  it,  81, 

Aru,  numbers  of  birds  of  paradise  seen  there,  523. 
Arsenius,  tutor  to  the  emperor  Arcadius,  lived  an  hundred  and 
twenty  years,  155. 

Arts,  faults  that  have  infected  most  of  our  dictionaries  and  com- 
pilations of  natural  history,  2"4  ;  teaching  the  arts  of  cruelty  equi- 
valent to  committing  them,  495. 

Asia,  aim  of  the  Asiatics  to  possess  many  women,  and  to  furnish 
a  seruglio  their  only  ambition,  138  ;  lustre  of  jewels  and  splendour 
of  brilliant  colours  eagerly  sought  after  by  all  conditions  of  men,  145. 
Asm  Minor,  description  of  its  inhabitants,  183. 
Asiatic,  the  olive-coloured,  claims  the  hereditary  resemblance  to 
our  common  parent  ;  an  argument  to  prove  the  contrary,  185. 
Asp,  a  kind  of  serpent,  73',). 

Aspha -turn,  an  injection  of  petreoleum  and  an  application  of 
asphaltum  suffice  to  make  a  mummy,  I'M, 

6  F* 
I 


AUV 


INDEX. 


BAR 


Jlss  and  horse,  though  nearly  alike  in  form,  are  distinct  kinds, 
different  in  natures  ;  with  only  one  of  each  kind,  both  races  would 
be  extinguished  ;  in  the  state  of  nature  entirely  different  ;  wild  ass 
in  greater  abundance  than  the  wild  horse  ;  wild  ass  and  the  zebra  a 
different  species  ;  countries  where  the  wild  ass  is  found  ;  some  run 
so  swift,  few  coursers  can  overtake  them  ;  caught  with  traps ; 
taken  chiefly  for  the  flesh  and  skins,  which  make  that  leather  called 
shagreen  ;  entertainment  of  wild  asses  in  Persia  seen  by  Olearius  ; 
the  delicacy  of  its  flesh  a  proverb  there  ;  Galen  deems  it  unwhole- 
some ;  asses  originally  imported  into  America  by  the  Spanhrcls. 
have  run  wild,  and  multiplied  in  such  numbers  as  to  be  a  nuisance  ; 
chase  of  them  in  the  kingdom  of  Quito  ;  have  all  the  swiftness  of 
horses  ;  declivities  and  precipices  do  not  retard  their  career ;  after 
the  first  load  their  celerity  leaves  them,  their  dangerous  ferocity 
lost,  and  they  contract  the  stupid  look  and  dulness  peculiar  to  the 
assinine  species ;  will  not  permit  a  horse  to  live  among  them ; 
always  feed  together  ;  and  a  horse  straying  where  they  graze,  they 
fall  upon,  bite,  and  kick  him,  till  he  be  dead  ;  their  preference  to 
any  vegetable  is  to  the  plantain  ;  they  drink  as  soberly  as  they 
eat,  and  never  dip  the  nose  into  the  stream  ;  fear  to  wet  their  feet, 
and  turn  out  to  avoid  the  dirty  parts  of  a  road  ;  show  no  ardour  but 
for  the  female,  and  often  die  after  covering ;  scent  an  owner  at  a 
distance,  and  distinguish  him  in  a  crowd  ;  with  eyes  covered,  they 
will  not  stir  a  step ;  when  laid  down,  one  eye  covered  with  the 
grass,  and  the  other  hidden  with  a  stone,  or  other  contiguous  body, 
they  will  not  stir  or  attempt  to  rise,  to  get  free  from  impediments  ; 
several  brought  up  to  perform,  and  exhibited  at  a  show  ;  suffered 
to  dwindle  every  generation,  and  particularly  in  England  ;  bulk  for 
bulk,  an  ass  stronger  than  a  horse,  and  surer-footed  ;  also  less  apt 
to  start  than  the  horse  ;  more  healthy  than  the  horse  ;  Persians 
cleave  their  nostrils  to  give  them  more  room  for  breathing  ;  Spa- 
niards alone  know  the  value  of  the  ass;  the  Spanish  jack- ass  above 
fifteen  hands  high;  the  ass  originally  a  native  of  Arabia;  warm 
climates  produce  the  largest  and  best ;  entirely  lost  among  us  during 
the  reign  of  queen  Elizabeth  ;  Hollingshead  pretends  our  land 
yields  no  asses,  yet  they  were  common  in  England  before  that  time  ; 
in  Sweden  they  are  a  sort  of  rarity  ;  by  the  last  history  of  Norway, 
they  had  not  reached  that  country  ;  in  Guinea,  they  are  larger  and 
more  beautiful  than  the  horses  of  that  country  ;  in  Persia,  are  two 
kinds,  some  sold  for  forty  or  fifty  pounds  ;  no  animal  covered  with 
hair  less  subject  to  vermin  ;  live  till  twenty  or  twenty-five  ;  sleeps 
less  than  the  horse,  and  never  lies  down  for  it,  unless  much  tired  ; 
she-ass  crosses  fire  and  water  to  protect  her  young  ;  the  gimerro 
bred  between  the  ass  and  the  bull ;  the  size  and  strength  of  our 
asses  improved  by  importation  of  Spanish  jack-asses,  223  to  227; 
destroyed  by  the  South-American  bat,  called  vampyre,  385. 

Jlssafte/ida,  savage  nations  delighted  with  the  smell,  169. 

Jissinlboils  lake,  where  the  river  St.  Lawrence  takes  its  rise,  63. 

Jlstruites,  among  coral  substances,  838. 

Atalantes,  an  island  submersed,  was  as  large  as  Asia  Minor  and 
Syria  ;  the  fruits  of  the  earth  offered  without  cultivation,  39. 

Jtlluinatus,  instance  of  his  strength,  151. 

J)t/ii:lstan,  prohibited  the  exportation  of  mares  and  stallions,  ex- 
cept as  presents,  222. 

Athenians  had  their  cock-matches,  495.  See  Quail-fighting,  509. 

dthvrine,  description  of  this  fish,  650. 

Atinosfktre,  most  disorders  incident  to  mankind,  says  Bacon, 
arise  from  changes  in  the  atmosphere,  611. 

Attraction,  defined  ;  the  sun  possessed  of  the  greatest  share,  2. 

Aeosr.Un,  or  scooper,  a  bird  found  in  Italy ;  now  and  then  comes 
over  into  England  ;  its  description,  and  extraordinary  shape  of  its 
bill,  5(J7. 

Aurclia,  one  of  the  appearances  of  the  caterpillar,  784  to  787 ; 
laying  it  in  a  warm  room,  Mr.  Reaumur  hastened  the  disclosure 
of  the  butterfly,  and  by  keeping  it  in  an  ice-house,  retarded  it ; 
though  it  hears  a  different  appearance,  it  contains  all  the  parts  of 
the  butterfly  in  perfect  formation  ;  some  insects  continue  under 
that  form  not  above  ten  days,  some  twenty,  some  several  months, 
others  for  a  year  together,  789  ;  how  the  butterfly  gets  rid  of  that 
covering,  ib. ;  aurelia  of  the  bee  different  from  that  of  the  common 
caterpillar,  ^05. 

Aurora  Roreahs,  or  northern  light,  streams  with  peculiar  lustre, 
and  a  variety  of  colours,  round  the  pole  ;  its  appearance  almost 
constant  in  winter  ;  and  when  the  sun  departs  for  half  a  year,  this 
meteor  supplies  its  beams,  affording  light  for  all  the  purposes  of 
existence,  113. 

Aurora,  or  the  aamiri,  the  smallest  and  most  beautiful  of  the 
sapajou  monkeys;  its  description;  is  very  tender,  delicate,  and 
held  in  high  price,  412. 

.•luverfinc,  in  France,  an  amazing  mummy  dug  up  at  that  place, 


Auk,  a  bird  bred  in  the  island  of  St.  Kilda,  589. 
Jixis,  a  kind  of  beautiful  stag  ;  its  description.  265. 
Azores,  serpents,  adders,  and  snakes,  seen  about  these  islands  by 
sir  Robert  Hawkins  in  1590,  70. 


B. 

Baboon,  survey  of  the  baboon  kind,  404 ;  fierce,  malicious,  igno- 
rant, and  untractable ;  its  description  ;  impelled  by  a  hatred  for 
the  males  of  the  human  species,  and  a  desire  for  women  ;  the 
Chevalier  Forbin  relates,  that  in  Siam,  whole  troops  will  sally  forth, 
plunder  the  houses  of  provisions,  and  endeavour  to  force  the  wo- 
men ;  manner  of  robbing  an  orchard  or  vineyard  at  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  ;  the  female  brings  forth  one  at  a  time,  carries  it  in  her 
arms,  clinging  to  her  breast ;  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  the 
young  of  these  animals  are  taught  to  guard  houses,  and  perform 
the  duty  with  punctuality  ;  they  seem  insensible  of  the  mischief 
they  do  ;  a  baboon  described  by  Mr.  Buffon  ;  lasciviousness  pre- 
dominant ;  their  food  ;  are  not  found  to  breed  in  our  climate  ;  are 
not  carnivorous  ;  their  liver,  like  that  of  a  dog,  divided  into  six 
lobes  ;  the  largest  of  the  kind  is  the  mandril ;  its  description  ;  dis- 
pleased, it  weeps  like  a  child  ;  is  a  native  of  the  Gold  Coast  ;  that 
called  Wanderow  chiefly  seen  in  the  woods  of  Ceylon  and  Mala- 
bar ;  its  description  ;  the  Maimon  of  Buffon,  by  Edwards  called 
the  pig-tail,  the  last  of  the  sort ;  its  description  ;  a  native  of  Suma-- 
tra,  406. 

Baby,  the  name  of  a  dwarf,  whose  complete  history  is  very 
accurately  related  by  Mr.  Daubenton,  189. 

Babi/rouessa,  the  Indian  hog ;  its  description  ;  travellers  call  it 
the  hog  of  Borneo  ;  in  what  manner  it  escapes  the  pursuers  ;  has 
enormous  tusks  of  fine  ivory  ;  less  dangerous  than  the  wild  boar  ; 
the  tusks  have  points  directed  to  the  eyes,  and  sometimes  grow 
into  them  ;  these  animals,  in  a  body,  are  seen  with  the  wild  boars, 
with  which  they  are  not  known  to  engender  ;  are  easily  tamed ; 
have  a  way  of  reposing  different  from  other  animals  of  the  larger 
kind,  by  hitching  one  of  their  upper  tusks  on  the  branch  of  a  tree, 
and  suffering  their  whole  body  to  swing  down  at  ease  ;  they  are 
fierce  and  terrible  when  offended,  and  peaceable  and  harmless 
when  unmolested ;  their  flesh  good  to  be  eaten,  but  said  to  putrefy 
in  a  short  time  ;  they  chiefly  live  upon  vegetables  and  the  leaves 
of  trees  ;  are  found  in  the  island  of  Borneo,  and  in  other  parts  of 
Asia  and  Africa,  285  to  287. 

Bacon's  observations  upon  fishes,  611. 

Badger,  a  solitary,  stupid  animal ;  forms  a  winding  hole,  and 
remains  in  safety  at  the  bottom ;  the  fox  takes  possession  of  the 
hole  quitted  by  the  badger,  or  forces  it  from  the  retreat  by  wiles  ; 
surprised  by  the  dogs  at  a  distance  from  its  hole,  it  fights  with 
desperate  resolution ;  all  that  has  life  is  its  food ;  it  sleeps  the 
greatest  part  of  its  time,  and  though  not  voracious,  keeps  fat.  par- 
ticularly in  winter;  it  keeps  the  hole  very  clean  ;  the  female 
makes  a  bed  of  hay  for  her  young  ;  brings  forth  in  summer,  three 
or  four  young  ;  how  she  feeds  them  ;  the  young  are  easily  tamed  ; 
the  old  are  savage  and  incorrigible  ;  are  fond  of  fire,  and  often 
burn  themselves  dangerously  ;  are  subject  to  the  mange,  and  have 
a  gland  under  the  tail,  which  scents  strongly ;  its  flesh  rank  and 
ill-tasted,  438. 

Ba",  name  of  the  false  belly  of  the  oppossum ;  its  description, 
414. 

Bug,  or  pouch,  of  the  civet.     See  Civet,  341. 

Bait,  the  best  for  all  kinds  of  fish  is  fresh  herring  ;  the  larger 
sort  will  take  a  living  small  fish  upon  the  hook  sooner  than  any 
other  bait,  634. 

Balance,  to  determine  the  specific  gravity  of  metals,  55. 

Balearic  crane,  its  description  ;  the  real  crane  of  Pliny  ;  comes 
Jrom  the  coast  of  Africa  and  Cape  de  Verd  Islands ;  ha*  been  de- 
scribed by  the  name  of  sea-peacock  ;  foreign  birds  of  the  crane 
kind  described,  the  jabiru,  the  jabiruguacu,  the  anhima,  and  the 
buffoon-bird,  557,  558. 

Ball  of  fire  of  the  bigness  of  a  bomb  ;  its  effects,  111. 

Banks  of  a  river,  after  inundations,  appear  above  water,  when 
all  the  adjacent  valleys  are  overflown,  and  why,  59. 

Banana,  the  elephant  eats  the  plant  to  the  roots,  418. 

Barb,  an  Abrabian  horse  bred  in  Barbary,  218. 

Barbs  of  the  whale,  or  whale-bone,  617. 

Barbary  hen,  its  description,  503. 

Barbie,  a  flat  fish,  its  </rowth,  657. 

Barja,  in  South  A  merica,  cattle  destroyed  at  that  place  by  Ike 
American  bats,  called  vampyres,  386, 

Baris.     See  Apes,  401. 

Barnacle,  imaginary,  a  shell-fish,  694. 


BEA 


INDEX. 


BED 


5 


Barometer,  serviceable  in  measuring  the  height  of  mountains, 
45  ;  measures  the  weight  of  the  air  ;  in  what  manner,  89  ;  frequent 
changes  in  the  air  without  any  sensible  alteration  in  the  barome- 
ter, 90  ;  when  it  marks  a  peculiar  lightness  in  the  air,  no  wonder 
that  it  foretells  a  storm  ;  and  why,  103. 

Barretiere,  a  famous  youth,  considered  as  a  prodigy  of  learning 
at  the  age  of  fourteen;  slept  regularly  twelve  hours  in  the  twenty- 
four,  157. 

Buss,  a  rocky  island  in  the  Frith  of  Forth.     See  Birds,  582. 

Balk,  persons  coming  out  of  a  warm  bath  several  ounces  heavier 
than  when  they  went  in  ;  warm  bath  of  sea  water,  a  kind  of  relief 
to  mariners,  upon  a  failure  of  fresh  water  at  sea,  78. 

Bat., — bats  as  biff  as  rabbits,  120  ;  by  some  reckoned  among 
birds,  2116  ;  doubtful  among  naturalists  whether  beast  or  bird,  now 
universally  take  place  among  quadrupeds,  382 ;  Pliny,  Gesner, 
and  Aldrovandus,  placed  it  among  birds  ;  scarcely  in  any  particu- 
lar resembles  the  bird,  except  in  the  power  of  sustaining  itself  in 
the  air  ;  description  of  the  common  sort  in  England  ;  its  intestines 
and  skeleton,  in  some  measure,  resemble  those  of  mankind  ; 
makes  its  first  appearance  early  in  summer,  and  begins  its  flight  in 
the  evening  ;  is  seen  to  skim  along  the  surface  of  waters  ;  feeds 
upon  gnats,  moths,  and  nocturnal  insects  of  every  kind,  which  it 
pursues  open-mouthed  ;  its  flight  laborious,  irregular,  and,  if 
interrupted,  not  readily  followed  by  a  second  elevation  ;  usually 
taken  when  striking  against  an  object  it  falls  to  the  ground  ;  even 
in  the  summer,  it  sleeps  the  greatest  part  of  the  time  ;  its  retreat ; 
continues  in  a  torpid  state  during  winter  ;  is  usually  hanging  by 
its  hooked  claws  to  the  roofs  of  caves  ;  unaffected  by  all  change 
of  weather  ;  is  destroyed  particularly  by  the  owl  ;  the  bat  couples 
and  brings  forth  in  summer  from  two  to  five  young  at  a  time  ;  the 
female  has  two  nipples  forward  on  the  breast,  as  in  the  human 
kind  ;  and  this  is  a  motive  for  Linnaeus  to  give  it  the  title  of  a 
primas,  to  rank  it  in  the  same  order  with  mankind  ;  the  female 
makes  no  nest  for  her  young  ;  when  she  begins  to  grow  hungry, 
and  finds  a  necessity  of  stirring  abroad,  she  takes  her  little  ones 
and  sticks  them  by  their  hooks  against  the  sides  of  her  apartment, 
and  there  they  immoveably  cling,  and  patiently  wait  her  return  ; 
less  similitude  to  the  race  of  birds  than  of  quadrupeds  ;  great 
labour  in  flying,  soon  fatigues,  and  tires  it  in  less  than  an  hour  ; 
its  petty  thefts  upon  the  fat  of  bacon  ;  long-eared  bat  ;  horse-shoe 
bat ;  rhinoceros  bat ;  a  large  race  of  bats  in  the  East  and  West 
Indies  truly  formidable  ;  a  dangerous  enemy  ;  when  united  in 
flocks  they  become  dreadful ;  are  eaten  ;  the  Negroes  of  the  Afri- 
can coast  will  not  eat  them  though  starving  ;  on  the  African 
coast  they  fly  in  such  numbers,  as  to  «bscure  the  setting  sun  ;  the 
rousette,  or  great  bat  of  Madagascar,  is  found  along  the  coasts 
of  Africa  and  Malabar  ',  where  it  is  often  seen  about  the  size  of  a 
large  hen  ;  destroys  the  ripe  fruits,  and  sometimes  settles  upon 
animals,  and  man  himself;  destroys  fowls  and  domestic  animals, 
unless  preserved  with  the  utmost  cure,  and  often  fasten  upon  the 
inhabitants,  attack  them  in  the  face,  and  make  terrible  wounds  ; 
the  ancients  have  taken  their  idea  of  harpies  from  these  fierce  and 
%'oraeious  creatures,  equally  deformed,  greedy,  uncleanly,  and 
cruel  ;  the  bat  called  the  American  vampyre  ;  its  description  by 
IJlloa  ;  purport  of  his  account  confirmed  bv  various  travellers, 
who  all  agree  that  it  has  a  faculty  of  drawing  blood  from  persons 
sleeping,  and  destroying  them  before  they  awake  ;  a  strong 
difficulty  remains  how  they  make  the  wound  ;  Ulloa  and  Buffon's 
opinions  ;  suppose  the  animal  endowed  with  a  strong  power  of 
suction  ;  and  that,  without  inflicting  any  wound,  by  continuing  to 
draw,  it  enlarges  the  pores  of  the  skin,  so  that  the  blood  at  length 
passes  ;  they  are  one  of  the  great  pests  of  South  America,  380  to 
388  ;  found  in  the  holes  deserted  by  the  woodpecker,  520. 

To  bay,  said  of  a  stag  when  he  turns  his  head  against  the 
hounds,  2(>2. 

Kiatrle.     See  Jlmtnd,  311. 

Bi'iili.  how  that  of  animals  is  produced.  147. 

Beam,  by  Irtnters  meant  that  part  which  bears  the  antlers,  262. 

Beams,  those  of  the  sun  shining  upon  the  fire  put  il  out,  and 
why  ;  darting  directly  upon  us,  without  the  medium  of  the  air, 
would  burn  us  up  at  once,  or  blind  us  with  effulgence,  98. 

Bears,  in  cold  frozen  regions  of  the  North,  not  smaller  than  in 
milder  covintries,  120  ;  the  North  American  Indians  anoint  their  skins 
with  fat  of  bears,  184.  the  bears  now  and  then  make  depredations 
upon  the  rein-deer,  277  ;  in  Greenland  do  not  change  colour,  278; 
three  different  kinds  ;  the  black  of  America  does  not  reject  animal 
food,  as  believed  ;  places  where  they  are  found  ;  retreat  of  the 
brown  bear  ;  a  vulgar  error,  that  during  winter  the  brown  bear 
lives  by  sucking  its  paws ;  it  seems  rather  to  exist  upon  the  ex- 
uhernnce  of  its  former  flesh,  436;  the  male  and  female  do  not 
inhabit  the  same  den,  and  seldom  are  seen  together,  but  on  the  ac- 


cesses of  genial  desire  ;  care  of  the  female  for  her  young  ;  the  bear, 
when  tamed,  seems  gentle  and  placid,  yet  still  to  be  distrusted  and 
managed  with  caution,  being  often  treacherous  and  resentful  with- 
out a  cause  ;  is  capable  of  a  degree  of  instruction  ;  when  come  to 
maturity,  can  never  be  tamed  ;  methods  of  taking  them  ;  their 
paws  and  hams  a  great  delicacy ;  the  white  placed  in  the  coldest 
climates,  grows  larger  than  in  the  temperate  zones,  and  remains 
master  of  the  icy  mountains  in  Spitzbergen  and  Greenland  ; 
unable  to  retreat,  when  attacked  with  fire-arms  they  make  a 
fierce  and  long  resistance ;  they  live  upon  fish  and  seals ;  their 
flesh  is  too  strong  for  food  ;  are  often  seen  on  ice-floats  several 
leagues  at  sea,  though  bad  swimmers  ;  the  white  sometimes  jumps 
into  a  Greenlander's  boat,  and  if  he  does  not  overset  it,  sits  down 
calmly,  and  like  a  passenger  suffers  itself  to  be  rowed  along  ;  hun- 
ger makes  it  swim  after  fish  ;  often  a  battle  ensues  between  a  bear 
and  a  morse,  or  a  whale,  and  the  latter  generally  proves  victorious, 
436,  437. 

Beards,  Americans  taking  great  pains  to  pluck  theirs  up  by 
the  roots,  the  underpart,  and  all  but  the  whiskers,  therefore  sup- 
posed to  have  no  hair  growing  on  that  part ;  Linnaeus  himself  has 
fallen  into  this  mistake  ;  different  customs  of  men,  in  the  manner 
of  wearing  their  beards,  145,  146. 

Beasts  are  more  fierce  and  cruel  in  all  countries  where  men  are 
most  barbarous,  22. 

Beasts  of  chase,  in  the  reign  of  William  Rufus,  and  Henry  tho 
First,  it  was  less  criminal  to  destroy  one  of  the  human  species 
than  a  beast  of  chase  ;  sacred  edifices  thrown  down,  and  turned  to 
waste,  to  make  room  for  beasts  of  chase,  261. 

Beasts  of  prey  seldom  devour  each  other  ;  they  chiefly  seek 
after  the  deer  or  the  goat  ;  their  usual  method  of  hunting,  208. 

Beaver,  known  to  build  like  an  architect,  and  rule  like  a  citizen, 
210  ;  its  fore  parts  taste  like  flesh,  and  the  hinder  like  the  fish  it 
feeds  on,  285  ;  a  remaining  monument  of  brutal  society  ;  its 
qualities,  taken  from  its  fellows,  and  kept  in  solitude  or  domestic 
lameness  ;  resists  only  when  driven  to  extremity,  and  fights  when 
its  speed  cannot  avail ;  the  only  quadruped  that  has  a  flat  broad 
tail,  covered  with  scales,  serving  as  a  rudder  to  direct  its  motions 
in  the  water  ;  the  sole  quadruped  with  membranes  between  the 
toes  on  the  hind  feet,  and  none  on  the  fore  feet ;  the  only  animal 
in  its  fore  parts  entirely  resembles  a  quadruped,  and  in  its  hinder 
parts  approaches  the  nature  of  fishes,  having  a  scaly  tail  ;  its 
description ;  has  but  one  vent  for  the  emission  of  excrements  and 
urine  ;  they  assemble  about  the  months  of  June  and  July ;  make 
a  society  to  continue  the  greatest  part  of  the  year ;  form  a  com- 
pany of  above  two  hundred  ;  fix  their  abode  by  the  side  of  a  lake  or 
river ;  cut  with  their  teeth  a  tree  thicker  than  a  man's  body ; 
amazing  works  and  mansion-houses  ;  convey  their  materials  by 
water ;  mix  clay  and  dry  grass  together,  work  it  into  a  mortar, 
and  with  their  tails  plaster  their  work  within  and  without ;  their 
walls  perpendicular,  and  two  feet  thick  ;  their  piers  fourscore  or  a 
hundred  feet  long,  and  ten  or  twelve  feet  thick  at  the  base  ;  their 
dykes  ten  and  twelve  feet  thick  at  the  foundation;  their  apiirt- 
ments  round  or  oval,  and  divided  into  three  stories,  one  above  the 
other ;  visited  too  often  by  men.  they  work  only  in  the  night  time, 
or  abandon  the  place,  and  seek  a  safer  situation  ;  four  hundred 
reside  in  one  mansion-house,  divided  into  a  number  of  apartments, 
having  communication  with  each  other ;  their  works  in  the  north- 
ern parts  finished  in  August  or  September  ;  in  summer  they  are 
epicures  ;  their  provisions  for  the  winter  season  ;  they  drive  piles 
into  the  earth,  to  fence  and  fortify  their  habitation  against  the 
wind  and  water  ;  cut  down  branches  three  to  ten  feet  in  length  ; 
the  largest  are  conveyed  to  their  magazines  by  a  whole  body  ;  the 
smallest  by  one  only  ;  each  taking  a  different  way,  and  having  a 
walk  assigned  him,  that  no  one  should  interrupt  another  in  his 
work  ;  wood-yards  larger  or  smaller,  in  proportion  to  the  number 
in  the  family  ;  manner  of  catching  them  in  snares  or  by  surprise  ; 
they  swim  with  their  mortar  on  their  tails,  and  their  stakes  between 
their  teeth ;  their  works  damaged  by  force  of  water,  or  feel  of 
huntsmen,  instantly  repaired,  389  to  391. 

Iliiiuti/,  every  country  has  peculiar  ideas  of  beauty ;  extraordi- 
nary tastes  for  beauty,  139  ;  every  nation,  how  barbarous  soever, 
has  peculiar  arts  of  heightening  beauty ;  several  of  these  arts, 
140  ;  a  modern  lady's  face  formed  exactly  like  the  Venus  of  Me- 
dicis,  or  the  sleeping  Vestal,  would  scarcely  be  considered  as  a 
beauty,  except  by  the  lovers  of  antiquity  ;  less  in  the  object  than 
in  the  eye  of  the  beholder  ;  superior  beauty  of  our  ancestors  not 
easily  comparable,  102. 

Beccajigo,  a  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  357. 

Bed,  of  a  river,  an  increase  of  water  there  increases  its  rapidity, 
except  in  cases  of  inundation,  and  why  ;  such  bed  left  dry  for 
some  hours  by  a  violent  storm  blowing  directly  against  the  stream. 
60,61. 


BEE 


INDEX. 


BIR 


Beds,  the  earth  every  where  in  beds  over  beds,  and  each  :( 
them  maintaining  exactly  the  same  thickness,  17. 

See,  a  ruminating  insect,  or  seemingly  so  ;  its  stomach  is  com- 
posed of  muscular  libres,232 ;  operations  studied  ibr  two  thousand  I 
years,  are  still  incompletely  known  ;  Reaumur's  account  sufficiently  ! 
wonderful ;  many  of  the  facts  held  dubious  by  those  conversant 
with  the  subject;  some  declared  not  to  have  existence  in  nature;  |! 
three  different  kinds  of  bees  ;  common  working  bees  neither  male  nor  ' 
female  ;  queen  bees  lay  all  the  eggs  that  are  hatched  m  a  season  ; 
structure  of  the  working  bee,  particularly  of  its  trunk,  which  ex- 
tracts the  honey  from  flowers  ;  manner  of  building  their  cells  ;  in 
one  day,  they  make  cells  upon  each  other  enough  to  contain  three 
thousand  bees  ;  description  of  those  cells ;  the  combs  made  by  insen- 
sible degrees,  not  at  once,  as  some  imagine  ;  the  cells  for  the  young 
and  for  the  drones  ;  that  for  the  queen  bee  the  largest  of  all  ;  those 
for  honey  are  deeper  than  the  rest ;,  that  not  the  only  food  upon 
which  they  subsist ;  manner  of  anticipating  the  progress  of  vegeta- 
tion ;  the  bee  has  a  stomach  for  wax  as  well  as  honey  ;  bee  bread  ; 
treacle  for  food  of  bees  in  winter  ;  what  part  of  the  flower  has  the 
honey  ;  sting  of  the  bee  ;  any  wanting  i'ood,  bends  down  its  trunk 
to  the  bee  from  whom  it  is  expected,  which  then  opens  its  honey- 
bag,  and  lets  some  drops  fall  into  the  other's  mouth  ;  numerous  as 
the  multitude  of  bees  appears  in  a  swarm,  they  all  owe  their  origin 
to  one  parent,  called  the  queen-bee  ;  opening  the  body  of  a  queen, 
the  eggs  at  one  time  found  to  amount  to  five  thousand  ;  the  queen 
easily^  distinguished  from  the  rest ;  great  fertility  of  the  queen,  and 
the  great  attention  paid  to  her,  controverted  by  recent  observers; 
thev  leave  a  cell  to  every  egg,  and  destroy  the  rest;  great  care  and 
affe'ction  for  the  young ;  in  about  twenty  days  aller  the  egg  was 
laid,  the  bee  was  completely  formed,  and  fitted  to  undergo  the  fa- 
tigues of  its  state  ;  the  cell  being  prepared,  the  animal  soon  trims- 
formed  into  an  aurelia  different  from  that  of  the  common  caterpillar  ; 
when  they  begin  to  break  their  prisons,  above  a  hundred  are  ex- 
cluded in  one  day  ;  dreadful  battles  ol'tun  ensue  between  the  young 
brood  and  the  progenitors  ;  signs  previous  to  their  migrations  ;  alter 
the  migration,  the  queen  being  settled,  the  swarm  follows,  and  in  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  the  whole  body  is  at  ease ;  sometimes  sacrifice 
their  queen,  but  never  when  the  hive  is  full  of  wax  and  honey  ;  the 
working  sort  kill  the  drones  in  the  worm-state,  in  the  cell,  and  eject 
their  bodies  from  the  hive  among  the  general  carnage  ;  upwards  of 
forty  thousand  bees  found  in  a  single  hive  ;  instances  of  expedition 
in  working  ;  in  the  first  fifteen  days,  they  make  more  wax  than 
during  the  rest  of  the  year  ;  a  hive  sending  out  several  swarms  in 
the  year,  the  first  always  the  best  and  most  numerous;  a  kind  of 
floating  bee-house  used  in  France,  600  to  007. 

Bees,  in  other  countries ;  in  Guadaloupe  are  less  by  half  than  in 
Europe,  and  have  no  sting  ;  sometimes  there  are  two  or  three  queens 
to  a  swarm  ;  then  the  weaker  deserted  for  the  more  powerful  protec- 
tor ;  the  deserted  queen  does  not  survive  the  defeat ;  is  destroyed 
by  the  jealous  rival ;  and  till  this  be  done,  the  bees  never  go  out  to 
work  ;  at  Guadaloupe  their  cells  are  in  hollow  trees,  sometimes  with 
a  sort  of  waxen-house,  shaped  like  a  pear,  in  which  they  lodge  their 
honey,  and  lay  thinr  eggs  ;  their  honey  never  congeals,  is  fluid  as 
oil,  and  has  the  colour  of  amber  ;  in  the  tropical  climates  are  black 
bees  without  a  sting  ;  their  wax  is  soft,  and  only  used  for  medicinal 
purposes,  not  being  hard  enoiigh  for  candles,  as  in  Europe  ;  whether 
the  humble-bees  have  a  queen  or  not,  there  is  one  much  larger  than 
the  rest,  without  wings,  without  hair,  all  over  black,  like  polished 
ebony  ;  this  views  all  the  works  from  time  to  time  ;  their  habits  ; 
the  honey  gathered  by  ihe  humble-bees  neither  so  fine,  so  good,  nor 
the  wax  so  clear,  or  so  capable  of  fusion,  as  those  of  the  common 
bees,  807,  808. 

Bees,  Leaf-cutting,  make  their  nest,  and  lay  their  eggs,  among 
bits  of  leaves,  808. 

Bees,  Wall,  so  called,  because  they  make  their  nests  in  walls  ;  the 
male  and  females  are  of  a  size  ;  the  former  without  a  sting,  BO!*. 

Bee,  Wouil,  80H  ;  Bee,  Mas:/n,  liee,  Ground,  builds  its  nest  in  the 
earth  ;  the  patience  and  assiduity  of  their  labour,  ib. 

Beetles,  a  ruminating  insect,  or  seems  to  ruminate,  232 ;  their  ge- 
neral characteristics  ;  their  kuids  distinguished  from  each  other  ;  de- 
scription of  the  sexes;  dor-beetle,  or  the  May-bug ;  how  the  two  in  the 
May-bug  are  distinguished  from  each  other ;  season  of  their  coupling ; 
the  female  bores  a  hole  into  the  ground,  where  to  deposit  her  bur- 
den ;  and  when  lightened  of  it,  ascends  from  the  hole  to  live  as  be- 
fore ;  their  eggs  ;  description  of  the  insect,  and  of  its  manner  of 
life  in  the  worm-state  ;  continues  in  that  state  for  more  than  three 
years,  changing  every  year  its  skin  ;  and  living  under  the  ground 
without  eyes  ;  in  what  manner  it  assumes  the  Form  of  a  chrysalis ; 
time  when  it  becomes  winged,  and  completely  formed  ;  the  old  one 
never  survives  the  season  ;  and  dies  from  the  severity  of  cold  in 
yrinter  ',  its  habits  and  food,  when  completely  formed  ;  number  of 


their  eggs  ;  rooks  and  hogs  particularly  fond  of  them,  and  devour 
them  in  great  numbers  ;  instances  of  great  devastations  made  bv 
the  May-bug  ;  description  and  habits  of  that  beetle  which  the 
Americans  call  the  tumble-dung  ;  the  insect  called  the  king  of  the 
beetles  ;  description  of  the  elephant-beetle,  the  largest  of  this  kind 
hitherto  known,  t<18  to  ?2I. 

lirififtirs,  a  question  in  the  schools,  which  the  most  happy  man, 
the  beggar  by  night,  and  the  king  by  day  ;  or  the  beggar  by  day, 
and  king  by  night,  J57. 

l,i  Idler,' (Mr.)     See  Stood,  173. 

Be.ll,  the  great  diving-bell  improved  by  Dr.  Halley ;  lie  could 
write  or  read  in  it  when  the  sea  was  clear,  and  especially  when  the 
sun  shone.  Nj. 

Hell,  when  the  stag  cries,  he  is  said  tu  liell,  262. 

Belli,  their  vibrations  not  heard  under  the  receiver  of  an  air- 
pump,  98. 

JJclly,  a  minute  description  of  the  false  belly  of  the  oppossum,  414. 

Berries,  the  Laplanders  drink  water,  in  which  juniper-berries 
have  been  infused,  J7'J. 

lincaiter,  or  the  sai,  a  monkey  of  the  new  continent,  412. 

Bezoar,  German  bezoar,  2C>2. 

Bizuar-goat,  the  oriental  bezoar,  251 ;  cow-bezoar,  monkey-be- 
zoar,  and  hog-bezoar,  2T>2. 

HUIitin",  a  name  given  by  the  huntsmen  to  the  excrement  of  the 
fox,  323. 

Jiirclt,  hares  are  particularly  fond  of  it,  34t>. 

Birds,  all  produced  from  the  egg,  120  ;  their  lower  eye-lid  alone 
has  motion,  142 ;  have  the  neck  longer  than  any  other  kind  of  ani- 
mals;  those  which  have  short  claws  have  also  short  necks,  those 
that  have  long  claws  have  the  neck  in  proportion,  147  ;  have  a  power 
of  discharging  food  to  feed  their  young  ;  ruminating  birds,  232 ; 
many  kinds  which  the  dog  will  not  touch,  317  ;  hunters  often  in- 
formed by  the  birds  of  the  place  of  retreat  of  the  fox,  324  ;  a  flock 
of  small  birds  often  alarms  every  thicket,  and  directs  the  hunter  to 
the  martin,  33G;  formed  fur  a  life  of  escape  ;  surpass  fishes  and  in- 
sects in  the  structure  of  their  bodies,  and  in  sagacity  ;  their  anatomy 
and  conformation  ;  compared  to  a  ship  making  way  through  water  ; 
are  furnished  with  a  gland  behind  containing  a  proper  quantity  of 
oil ;  to  what  purpose  ;  description  of  their  feathers ;  the  pectoral 
muscles  of  quadrupeds  trifling  to  those  of  birds  ;  choose  to  rise 
against  the  wind,  and  why  ;  all  except  the  nocturnal  have  the  heads 
smaller,  and  less  in  proportion  to  the  body,  than  quadrupeds  ;  their 
sight  exceeds  most  other  animals,  and  excels  in  strength  and  preci- 
sion ;  have  no  external  ear  standing  out  from  the  head  ;  the  feathers 
encompassing  the  ear-holes  supply  the  defect  of  the  exterior  ear ; 
the  extreme  delicacy  of  their  sense  of  hearing  is  easily  proved  by 
their  readiness  in  learning  tunes,  or  repeating  words,  and  the  exact- 
ness of  their  pronunciation  ;  their  delicacy  in  the  sense  of  smelling  ; 
instances  of  it  in  ducks;  the  tail  guides  their  flight  like  a  rudder, 
and  assists  them  either  in  the  ascent  or  descent ;  wonderftil  internal 
conformation;  the  wind-pipe  often  makes  many  convolutions  within 
the  body  of  the  bird,  and  is  then  called  the  labyrinth;  of  what  use 
these  convolutions  are,  no  naturalist  has  been  able  to  account ;  this 
difference  obtains  in  birds  to  all  appearance  of  the  same  species  ; 
whence  some  derive  that  loud  and  various  modulation  in  their 
warbling  is  not  easily  accounted  for  ;  birds  have  much  louder  voices 
in  respect  to  their  bulk  than  animals  of  other  kinds  ;  all  have  pro- 
perly but  one  stomach,  but  different  in  different  kinds ;  the  organs 
of  digestion  in  a  manner  reversed  in  birds;  why  they  pick  up  sand, 

f  ravel,  and  other  hard  substances  ;  most  have  two  appendices  or 
lind-guts  ;  in  quadrupeds  always  found  single  ;  all  birds  want  a 
bladder  for  urine  ;  their  urine  differs  from  that  of  other  animals  ; 
effects  of  the  annual  moulting  which  birds  suffer  ;  their  moulting- 
time  artificially  accelerated,  and  how  ;  the  manner  in  which  nature 
performs  the  operation  of  moulting ;  their  moulting-season  ;  many 
live  with  fidelity  together  for  a  length  of  time  ;  when  one  dies, 
the  other  shares  the  same  fate  soon  after  ;  the  male  of  wild  birds  ae 
happy  in  the  young  brood  as  the  female  ;  nothing  exceeds  their  pa- 
tience while  hatching  ;  Addison's  observations  to  this  purpose  ;  great 
care  and  industry  in  providing  subsistence  for  their  young ;  they 
feed  eacli  of  the  young  in  turn,  and  why  ;  perceiving  their  nests  or 
young  to  have  been  handled,  they  abandon  the  place  by  night,  and 
provide  a  more  secure,  though  less  commodious  retreat ;  the  young 
taught  the  art  to  provide  for  their  subsistence  ;  those  hatched  and 
sent  out  earliest  in  the  season  the  most  strong  and  vigorous,  448  to 
4(il  ;  they  endeavour  to  produce  early  in  the  spring,  and  why  ;  ef- 
forts for  a  progeny  when  their  nests  are  robbed  ;  such  as  would  have 
laid  but  two  or  three  eggs,  if  their  eggs  be  stolen,  will  lay  ten  or 
twelve  ;  the  greatest  number  remain  in  the  districts  where  they 
have  been  bred  ;  and  are  excited  to  migration  only  by  fear,  climate, 
or  hunger  ;  cause  of  the  annual  emigrations  of  birds  ;  limes  of  mi- 


BIR 


INDEX. 


BLO 


grations ;  in  what  order  performed  ;  follow  the  weather  rather  than 
the  country,  and  go  on  as  they  perceive  the  atmosphere  more  suita- 
ble to  tlieir  wants  and  dispositions  ;  in  all  countries,  longer-lived 
thaji  quadrupeds  or  insects  of  the  same  climate;  surprising  age  of 
swans  and  geese  ;  plumage  and  voice  of  birds  in  different  zoin-s  .  all 

in  quadrupeds  ;  the  greatest  of  one  class  surpass  the  greatest 
of  the  other  in  magnitude  ;  causes  of  the  great  variety  in  the  middle 
order  of  birds  ;  the  ostrich  is  the  greatest  of  birds  ;  the  humming- 
bird the  smallest ;  wild  birds  generally  of  the  same  magnitude  and 
shape  ;  inferior  to  quadrupeds  in  docility  ;  the  number  already 
known  above  eight  hundred ;  difference  between  land-birds  and 
water-fowls  ;  description  of  birds  of  the  rapacious  kind  ;  the  pie 
kind  ;  the  poultry  kind  ;  the  sparrow  kind  ;  the  duck  kind  ,  the  crane 
kind.  4.")C>  to  4(11  ;  the  cormorant  the  best  fisher  ;  the  nauseous  bird, 
or  dodo  ;  powers  of  land-birds  of  the  rapacious  kind  to  obtain  their 
food  ;  sight  of  such  as  prey  by  day  surprisingly  quick  ;  such  as 
ravage  by  night  have  their  sight  fitted  to  see  in  darkness  with  pre- 
cision ;  inhabit  the  most  lonely  places  and  desert  mountains  ;  ap- 
pearing in  cultivated  plains,  or  the  warbling  groves,  is  for  depreda- 
tion ;  every  order  of  carnivorous  birds  seek  for  those  of  the  size  ap- 

ing  tlieir  own  ;  the  carnivorous  kinds  only  breed  annually, 
and  are  less  fruitful  than  others  ;  breed  but  few  at  a  time  ;  where 
supplies  of  food  are  difficult,  the  old  soon  drive  the  brood  from  the 
nest  to  shift  for  themselves,  and  often  destroy  them  in  a  fury  caused 
by  hunger  ;  almost  all  birds  of  prey  unsociable  ;  the  male  and  fe- 
male, when  necessary  to  each  other,  live  together,  but  they  most 
usually  prowl  alone  ;  birds  with  crooked  beaks  and  talons  are  soli- 
tary ;  all  males  of  prey  are  less  and  weaker  than  the  females ;  the 
females  are  of  a  greater  size,  more  beautiful  and  lovely  for  shape  ij 
and  colours,  stronger,  more  fierce,  and  generous,  than  the  males  ;  it  jj 
may  be  necessary  to  be  thus  superior,  to  provide  for  herself  and  her  | 
young  ;  these  birds  are  lean  and  meagre  ;  their  flesh  is  stringy  and 
ill-tasted,  soon  corrupting,  and  flavoured  of  that  animal  upon  which  |i 
they  subsist  ;  Belonius  asserts,  many  people  like  the  flesh  of  the  jj 
vulture  and  falcon,  and  dress  them  for  eating  ;  and  that  the  osprey,  j 
when  young,  is  excellent  food  ;  five  kinds  of  land-birds  of  the  rapacious  I 
nature  ;  whence  their  distinctive  mark  ;  bird  of  heaven,  name  given  by  |! 
the  ancients  to  the  eagle  ;  two  children  carried  off  by  eagles,  471)  to  I 
474;  the  most  formidable  birds  of  prey  respect  the  butcher-bird, 
486;  the  digestion  of  such  as  live  upon  mice,  lizards,  or  the  like 
food,  not  very  perfect,  4tfO  ;  Father  Kircher  set  the  voice  of  birds 
to  music,  490  ;  domestic  birds  of  the  poultry  kind,  maintained  in  our 
yards,  are  of  foreign  extraction,  492  ;  the  wilder  species,  cooped  or 
caged,  pine  away,  grow  gloomy,  and  some  refuse  all  sustenance ; 
the  poultry  kind'alone  grow  fat,  403  ;  climate,  food,  and  captivity, 
three  very  powerful  agents  in  the  alteration  of  the  habits,  and  the 
very  form  of  birds  ;  of  all  birds  the  cock  the  oldest  companion  of 
mankind,  and  the  first  reclaimed  from  the  forest,  494  ;  also  the  Per- 
sian bird  of  Aristophanes,  ib. ;  description  of  the  tamis,  or  the  bird 
of  Numidia.  503 ;  the  bustard  the  largest  land-bird,  native  of  Bri- 
tain, 504 ;  none  secures  its  young  better  from  external  injury 
than  the  toucan,  518;  God's  bird,  the  bird  of  paradise,  023 ;  para- 
keets the  most  beautiful  in  plumage,  and  the  most  talkative 
birds  in  nature,  528 ;  the  pigeon,  for  its  size,  has  the  largest 
crop,  530 ;  small  birds  the  greatest  favourites  of  man ;  mark 
out  a  territory  to  themselves,  which  they  permit  none  of  their 
own  species  to  remain  in  ;  at  some  seasons  of  the  year,  all  small 
birds  migrate  from  one  country  to  another,  or  from  more  in- 
land provinces  towards  the  shore:  months  of  their  migrations; 
autumn  the  principal  season  for  catching  those  wanderers  ;  the  nets, 
and  the  method  of  catching  them  ;  flur-birds  ;  singing  among  birds 
universally  the  prerogative  of  the  male  ;  small  birds  fight  till  one 
yields  his  life  with  the  victory  ;  two  male  birds  strive  in  song,  till 
the  loudest  silences  the  other;  during  the  contention,  the  female 
sits  an  attentive  silent  auditor,  and  often  rewards  the  loudest 
songster  with  her  company  during  the  season  ;  the  male,  while  his 
mMte  is  hatching,  sits  upon  some  neighbouring  tree,  to  watch  and 
to  sing  ;  the  nest  of  small  birds  warmer  than  of  larger  ;  small  birds 
having  finished  their  nests,  nothing  exceeds  the  cunning  they  em- 
ploy to  conceal  it ;  worms  and  insects  the  first  food  of  all  birds  of 
the  sparrow  kind  ;  how  birds  of  the  sparrow  kind  bring  forth  and  I! 
hatch  their  young  ;  manner  of  life  durinc  the  rigours  of  winter  ; 
the  male  of  small  birds  not  finding  a  mate  of  his  own  species,  flies  ' 
to  one  of  another,  like  him,  It-it  out.  in  pairing  ;  a  mixed  species  be- 
tween a  gold-finch  and  a  canary-bird,  between  a  linnet  and  a  lark  ; 
these  breed  frequently  together,  and  produce  not,,  like  the  mules 
among  quadrupeds,  a  race  incapable  of  breeding  again,  hut  one  as 
frirtful  as  thi-ir  parents  :  various  birds  of  the  sparrow  kind;  many 
plants  propagated  from  the  depositions  of  birds  ;  many  of  those  kinds, 
which  are  <>f  passage  in  England,  permanent  in  other  countries  ; 
and  some  with  us  constant  residents,  in  other  kingdoms  have  the 


nature  of  birds  of  passage  :  instances  of  it,  533  to  538  ;  the  heroa 
commits  tlic  greatest  devastation  in  fresh  waters, r>b'U  ;  the  flamingo 
has  the  largest  tongue,  5t>ti ;  binis  of  various  sorts  and  sizes,  more 
than  the  stars  in  a  serene  night,  seen  in  the  rock  of'  the  Bass  and  in 
the  Frith  of  Forth,  5p<{ ;  none  make  a  more  indifferent  figure  upon 
land,  or  a  more  beautiful  in  the  water,  than  the  swan,  593;  of  all 
birds  known  it  is  the  longest  in  the  shell,  505 ;  the  duck,  reared 
under  a  hen,  despises  the  admonitions  of  its  leader;  an  inconli-sti- 
blo  proof  that  birds  have  their  manners  rather  from  nature  than 
education,  507. 

Bird-catchrrs  sport  by  counterfeiting  the  cry  of  the  owl,  490 ; 
nets  for,  and  method  of  taking  small  birds,  5:14. 

Kison  and  lirus,  names  of  descendants  of  one  common 
error  of  the  naturalists  upon  this  point ;  the  cow  and  bison  are  ani- 
mals oi  the  same  kind  ;  description  of  the  bison  ;  it  is  supposed  by 
Klein  and  Buffon  no  more  than  another  name  for  the  bonasus  :  th--1 
breed  found  in  all  the  southern  parts  of  the  world  ;  that  breed  more 
expert  and  docile  than  ours ;  many  bend  their  knees  to  take  burdens 
up,  or  set  them  down  ;  the  respect  for  them  in  India  degenerated 
into  adoration  ;  it  is  nimble  of  foot ;  it  is  esteemed  by  the  Hotten- 
tots ;  assists  them  in  attending  their  flocks,  and  guarding  them 
against  invaders  ;  is  taught  to  combat  the  enemies  of  the  nation,  and 
every  army  of  the  Hottentots  is  furnished  witli  a  herd  of  them  ;  they 
procure  the  Hottentots  an  easy  victory  before  they  strike  a  blow  ; 
lives  in  the  same  cottage  with  its  master,  and  when  it  dies,  a  new 
one  is  chosen  to  succeed  it  by  a  council  of  the  old  men  of  the  vil- 
lage, and  is  then  joined  with  a  veteran  of  its  own  kind,  from  v,  I  0111 
itlearns,  becomes  social  and  diligent,  and  is  taken  for  life  into  friend 
ship  and  protection  ;  the  bisons  are  found  to  differ  from  each  u1tr:'i 
in  several  parts  of  the  world;  some  have  horns,  and  some  are  with- 
out ;  they  are  equally  tractable  and  gentle  when  tamed,  and  are  fur- 
nished with  a  fine,  lustrous,  soft  hair,  more  beautiful  than  that  of 
our  own  breed  ;  their  hump  of  different  sizes,  weighing  from  forty 
to  fifty  pounds,  more  or  less  ;  cuts  and  tastes  somewhat  like  a 
dressed  udder  ;  the  bisons  of  Malabar,  Abyssinia,  Madagascar,  Ara- 
bia, Asia,  Africa,  and  America  ;  in  the  course  of  a  few  generations, 
the  hump  wears  away ;  its  description  ;  the  bison  and  the  cow 
breed  among  each  other  ;  the  grunting  or  Siberian  cow,  and  thu 
little  African  cow,  or  zebu,  are  different  races  of  the  bison,  235 
to  237. 

Bitch,  a  pregnant  bitch,  so  placed  by  Mr.  Buffon  that  her  puppies 
were  brought  forth  in  warm   water,  133;  one  forgotten  in  ,-i 
try  house  lived  forty  days  without  any  other  nourishment  thai:  tho 
wool  of  a  quilt  she  had  torn  to  pieces,  317. 

Bittern,  or  mire-drum,  the  solemnity  of  its  evening-call  cannot  l,o 
described  by  words  ;  »hey  are  calls  to  courtship  or  of  connubial  lo- 
licity  ;  it  differs  from  the  heron  chiefly  in  colour  ;  its  wind-pipe 
fitted  for  the  sound  ;  opinions  concerning  the  cause  of  its  boomings  ; 
never  utters  its  call  in  domestic  captivity  ;  its  residence  ;  a  retired 
timorous  animal ;  its  food,  nest,  and  eggs ;  in  three  days,  leads  its 
little  ones  to  their  food;  differences  between  the  bittern  and  thn 
heron ;  its  hollow  boom  considered  by  the  vulgar  as  the  pie^'ire  i 
some  sad  event  ;  instance  of  it ;  its  flesh  greatly  esteemed  by  the 
luxurious  ;  it  seldom  rises  but  when  almost  trode  upon  ;  at  the  kil- 
ter end  of  autumn,  in  the  evening,  its  wonted  indolence  forsakes  it ; 
is  then  seen  rising  in  a  spiral  ascent,  till  quite  lost  from  the  view, 
making  a  singular  noise  different  from  its  lornicr  boomings;  names 
given  to  this  bird  by  the  Greeks  and  Latins,  5<i2.  5KII. 

Biralre  shells,  070;  all  Ilie  kinds  hermaphrodite,  yet  require  no 
assistance  towards  impregnation,  687 ;  it  is  particularly  hi  these 
shell-fish  that  pearls  are  found,  ti91. 

Blackbird,  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537 ;  sometimes  seen  all  over 
white  ;  its  eggs  and  nest,  539. 

Black-cap,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  538  ;  prized  by  some  for  its 
singing,  and  is  also  called  the  mock  nightingale,  543. 

Blacks,  conjectural  opinion  that  the  blacks  are  a  race  of  people 
bred  from  one  man  accidentally  black.  1^3  ;  the  climate  a  cause*ob- 
vious  and  sufficient  to  produce  blackness  ;  nothing  satisfactory  dis- 
covered upon  the  cause  of  producing  it  in  human  complex  ions  ; 
opinion  of  Sir  Thomas  Brown  upon  the  subject.  ltJ4  ;  win-nee 
originally  tlieir  flat  noses,  1S5  ;  black  parents  have  procreated  two 
\vlnte  Negroes,  ib. 

Bladder,  birds  have  no  bladder  for  urine,  45'i.  Sre  l-'is!.ts. (ill,  C12. 

Blcnnius.  or  blenny,  description  of  this  ti*h.  til'.?. 

J!:iii</.  such  as  live  in  countries  generally  covered  with  snow  be- 
come blind,  103  ;  the  mole  not  blind,  371. 

BlmdKorm,  its  description,  740. 

Blood,  arterial  blood  immediately  mixed  with  air  in  the  lungs, 
is  of  a  fine  florid  scarlet  colour  ;  that  of  the  veins  returning  to  the 
heart,  is  of  a  blackish  crimson  hue  ;  whence  this  difference  »f  colour 
proceeds  not  well  understood)  97;  the  blood  circulates  through  the 


BRA 


INDEX. 


BUP 


bones,  as  through  every  other  part  of  the  body;  Mr.  Belcher  the 
first  who  discovered  it;  his  experiment  to  this  purpose,  173;  blood 
of  the  rein-deer  preserved  in  small  casks  for  sauce  with  the  mar- 
row in  spring,  277  ;  the  heat  of  the  blood  in  man  and  other 
animals  above  thirty  degrees  above  congelation ;  in  the  marmout, 
and  other  animals  which  sleep  the  winter,  it  is  not  above  ten  de- 
grees, 357. 

Blue-bird  described  ;  its  residence  ;  is  rarely  caught ;  its  docility  ; 
speaks  and  whistles  at  the  word  of  command ;  manner  of  taking 
it,  539. 

Blue  Cat  described,  291. 

Blushing,  whence  it  proceeds,  144. 

Boar,  wild,  varies  not  his  colour  as  dogs  of  the  domestic  kind  ; 
description  ;  he  ploughs  the  ground  like  a  furrow ;  his  tusks  seen 
almost  a  foot  long  ;  they  differ  from  those  of  the  elephant  in  that 
they  never  fall ;  when  the  lioars  come  to  a  state  of  maturity,  they 
dread  no  single  creature  ;  their  position  when  attacked,  27!) ;  the 
manner  of  hunting  them  ;•  when  killed,  the  testicles  cut  off  to  pie- 
vent  their  tainting  the  flesh,  280  ;  was  formerly  a  native  of  our 
country  ;  William  the  Conqueror  punished  with  the  loss  of  their 
eyes  such  as  killed  it  in  his  forests  ;  at  present  the  wild  breed  is  ex- 
tinct, 282 ;  the  Canary  boar  described  ;  the  tusks  being  broken 
away,  the  animal  abates  its  fierceness  and  venery,  and  nearly  the 
game  effect  as  castration  is  produced,  287  ;  does  not  fly  at  the  ap- 
proach of  the  lion  ;  combat  of  a  lion  and  a  wild  boar,  in  a  meadow 
near  Algiers,  295. 

BobaK,  name  of  the  marmout  in  Poland,  358. 

Bodies,  why  some  light  bodies  swim,  and  ponderous  bodies  sink  ; 
the  deeper  a  body  sinks,  the  greater  the  resistance  of  the  depressed 
fluid  beneath;  how  then,  after  it  has  got  a  certain  way,  it  does 
sink  at  all,  55,  56  ;  animal  bodies  left  to  putrefy,  produce  air  co- 
piously, 98 ;  symmetry  of  the  human  body  ;  the  body  of  a  well- 
shaped  man  ought  to  be  square,  140;  human  body  often  found  to 
differ  from  itself  in  size ;  instance  of  it ;  the  cause ;  differs  also  from  it- 
self in  weight,  149  ;  those  parts  furnished  with  the  greatest  quantity 
of  nerves,  are  first  in  formation,  15!) ;  the  tone  of  a  sonorous  body 
made  to  depend  upon  the  number  of  its  vibrations,  and  not  the 
force,  is  taking  an  effect  for  a  cause,  164  ;  suffering  is  but  to  a  cer- 
tain degree  ;  torture  becoming  excessive,  destroys  itself ;  and  the 
mind  ceases  to  perceive,  when  the  body  can  no  longer  endure,  170. 

Boerhaave  taxed  with  marking  out  to  his  pupils  a  little  ridge  of 
hills  in  Holland,  as  mountains  of  no  small  consideration,  40. 

Boiguacu,  the  largest  of  the  serpent  kind  in  South  America ; 
sometimes  forty  feet  in  length,  120;  description  of  this  creature,  741. 

Bonasus,  supposed  by  Klein  and  Buffou  another  name  for  the 
bison,  236. 

Bones,  in  the  embryo,  almost  as  soft  as  the  muscles  and  flesh, 
173  ;  hard  as  the  bones  seem,  the  blood  holds  its  current  through 
them,  as  through  other  parts  of  the  body  ;  in  old  age  more  solid, 
also  more  brittle,  and  why,  ib. ;  fossil  bones  found  on  the  banks  of  the 
Ohio,  in  Peru  and  Brazil,  424.  See  Blood,  173.  See  Bread,  179. 
See  Fish,  651. 

Bonet-  Chinois,  Mr.  Buffon's  name  of  a  monkey,  supposed  to  be  a 
variety  of  that  called  malbrouk,  411. 

Bonito,  description  of  this  fish,  650. 

Booby,  name  given  by  our  seamen  to  birds  of  the  penguin  tribe, 
589. 

Borandians,  description  of  them,  178. 

Boristhtnes,  or  Nieper,  a  river,  its  course  and  source,  61. 

Borneo,  the  natives  hunt  the  ouran-outang  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  elephant  or  the  lion,  403. 

Boror/t,  in  the  kingdom  of  Cambaya,  flocks  of  peacocks  seen  in 
the  fields  near  that  city,  4!I8. 

Bosphorus,  (the  Thracian)  was  the  first  appropriated,  by  grant- 
ing to  such  as  were  in  possession  of  its  shore  the  right  of  fishing 
in~"it.  68. 

Bottom  of  the  Red  Sea,  a  forest  of  submarine  plants,  85  ;  that  of 
the  sea  in  some  parts  not  found,  and  why ;  that  of  the  sea  near 
America  covered  with  vegetables  ;  a  map  of  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
between  Africa  and  America,  by  M.  Buache,  ib. 

Borneo,  island  in  the  East  Indies,  where  the  babyrouessa,  or  In- 
dian hog,  is  principally  found  ;  hog  of  Borneo,  the  name  given  by 
travellers  to  the  babyrouessa,  285. 

Bowels,  of  the  ruminating  animals  considered  as  an  elaboratory 
•with  vessels  in  it,  231 

Boyuna,  of  Ceylon,  a  kind  of  serpent,  a  great  favourite  among 
the  natives.  741. 

Brain  and  spiral  marrow  the  first  seen  in  the  embryo,  159 ;  earth- 
worm entirely  without  it,  829  ;  some  animals  live  without  their 
brains  for  many  weeks  together,  830. 

Bramhling,  a  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537, 538. 


Brarnms  of  India  have  a  power  of  smelling  equal  to  most  crea- 
tures ;  they  smell  the  water  they  drink,  though  to  us  quite  in- 
odorous, 169. 

Brasil,  black  clothes  worn  there  soon  turn  of  an  iron-colour ; 
kept  in  the  shops,  preserve  their  proper  hue,  92 ;  duck  described. 
51  '8. 

Bread,  twelve  ounces  of  it,  and  nothing  but  water,  the  common 
allowance  for  four  and  twenty  hours,  among  the  primitive  Chris- 
tians of  the  East,  155  ;  that  of  the  Laplanders  composed  of  bones 
of  fishes,  pounded  and  mixed  with  the  inside  tender  bark  of  the 
pine-tree,  179. 

Bream,  description  of  the  sea  bream,  648. 

Breasts  in  women  larger  than  in  men ;  milk  found  in  the  breasts 
of  men  as  well  as  of  women,  147  ;  black  women's  breasts,  after 
bearing  one  child,  hang  down  below  the  navel ;  it  is  customary 
among  them  to  suckle  the  child  at  their  backs,  throwing  the  breasts 
over  the  shoulder,  182. 

Breath  of  the  lion  is  very  offensive,  295  ;  manner  of  breathing 
in  fishes,  tiO!>. 

Breeze,  constant  breeze  produced  by  the  melting  of  snows,  101  ; 
from  sea  increases  gradually  till  twelve,  sinks  away,  and  totally 
hushed  at  five  ;  upon  its  ceasing,  the  land  breeze  begins,  increases 
till  twelve  at  night,  and  is  succeeded  'n  the  morning  by  the 
sea-breeze  ;  cause  of  these  two  breeze;  ;  sometimes  the  sea  and 
land-breezes  come  at  all  hours  ;  the  land  and  sea-breezes  on  the 
coast  of  Malabar  and  at  Congo,  102. 

Brisson,  his  method  of  classing  animals,  201. 

Bristol,  a  citizen  of  it  who  ruminated  his  food,  232. 

Britons,  the  ancient,  considered  the  hare  as  an  unclean  animal, 
and  religiously  abstained  from  it,  348 ;  the  cock  a  forbidden  food 
among  them,  494. 

Broches,  the  horns  of  the  stag  the  first  year,  2C2. 

Brock,  the  stag  of  the  third  year,  202. 

Brown  (Sir  Thomas)  hoped  one  day  to  produce  children  by  the 
same  method  as  trees,  126 ;  his  opinion  upon  the  cause  of  black- 
ness in  human  complexions,  184. 

Brun  (Le)  giving  a  painter  directions  about  the  passions,  place* 
the  principal  expressions  of  the  face  in  the  eye-brows,  142. 

Brush,  the  name  given  by  huntsmen  to  the  tail  of  the  fox,  323. 

Brutes,  in  those  countries  where  men  are  most  barbarous  and 
stupid,  are  most  active  and  sagacious,  357. 

Bulia/HS,  an  animal  partaking  of  the  mixed  natures  of  the  cow, 

been  called  the 


Bubalus  of  the  ancients,  supposed  of  the  cow  kind  by  Buffon, 
placed  among  the  lower  class  of  ruminant  quadrupeds,  230'. 

Buccinums,  one  or  two  of  them  viviparous.  6rt4. 

Buck,  capable  of  propagating  at  the  age  of  one  year  ;  one  buck 
sufficient  for  a  hundred  and  fifty  goats  ;  is  enervated  in  four  years 
at  most ;  becomes  old  before  his  seventh  year,  246 ;  hunting  the 
buck  and  the  stag  performed  in  the  same  manner  in  England,  262; 
number  of  names  invented  by  hunters  for  this  animal  ;  does  not 
change  his  layer  like  the  stag ;  manner  of  hunting  him  is  much 
the  same  as  that  of  stag  hunting,  266. 

Buck-goat  produces  with  the  ewe  an  animal  that,  in  two  or  three 
generations,  returns  to  the  sheep,  retaining  no  marks  of  his  an- 
cient progenitor,  241. 

Buffalo,  of  the  varieties  of  the  cow  kind,  but  two  are  really 
distinct,  the  cow  and  the  buffalo ;  they  bear  antipathy  to  each 
other ;  they  do  not  breed  among  each  other,  and  no  animals  aro 
more  distinct  and  like  each  other  less  ;  are  in  abundance  in  Gui- 
nea and  Malabar  ;  it  is  a  great  swimmer  ;  description  of  it ;  the 
veal  of  the  young  is  not  better  eating  than  the  beef  of  the  old  ; 
they  are  natives  of  the  warmer  climates ;  yet  are  bred  in  several 
parts  of  Europe,  particularly  in  Italy  ;  the  female  produces  one  at 
a  time  ;  continues  pregnant  for  twelve  months  ;  is  afraid  of  fire  ; 
leather  made  of  its  hide  is  well-known  for  thickness,  softness,  and 
impenetrability  ;  guided  by  a  ring  thrust  through  the  nose  ;  milk 
of  the  female  not  so  good  as  that  of  the  cow  ;  two  buffaloes  yoked 
draw  more  thnn  four  strong  horses  ;  its  flesh  hard  and  blackish, 
disagreeable  to  taste  and  smell  ;  this  animal  wild  in  many  parts  of 
India,  and  dangerous  ;  manner  of  hunting  them  ;  when  tamed, 
no  animal  more  patient  or  humble  ;  inferior  in  size  only  to  the 
elephant,  the  rhinoceros,  or  hippopotamus;  the  camelopard,  or 
camel,  if  taller,  neither  so  long,  nor  so  corpulent  ;  is  fond  of  the 
water,  and  crosses  the  largest  rivers  without  difficulty ;  has  an 
aversion  to  red  colours  tlint  resemble  flame;  in  those  countries 
where  they  are  in  plenty  no  person  dresses  in  scarlet ;  they  make 
most  use  of  their  feet  in  combat,  and  rather  tread  their  enemies  to 
death  than  gore  them,  236  to  239. 


BUT 


INDEX. 


CAM 


Buffon,  (M.)  his  theory  of  the  earth,  and  a  detail  of  it,  10,  11 ; 
questions  that  might,  he  asked  this  most  ingenious  philosopher  con- 
cerning his  theory  of  the  earth  ;  he  has  brought  together  a  multi- 
tude of  facts  relative  to  the  history  of  the  earth,  11  ;  his  system 
about  the  rudiments  of  animals,  124  ;  objections  against  it,  ib. ; 
thinks  that  women  never  become  bald,  142  ;  his  description  of 
the  first  sensations  of  a  man  just  brought  into  existence,  pointing 
out  the  steps  by  which  lie  arrived  at  reality,  171,  172. 

Buffoon-bird,  name  our  sailors  gave  the  Numidian  crane  ;  its  pe- 
culiar gestures  and  contortions  ;  the  French  call  it  demoiselle  ;  is 
a  vcrv  scarce  bird  ;  the  ancients  have  described  a  buffoon-bird,  but 
not  meant  the  Numidian  crane,  5.71. 

Jliii;,  the  May-bug.     See  Beetles. 

Bugs,  their  habits;  described  ;  are  often  found  coupling  tail  to 
tail ;  manner  of  destroying  them ;  they  devour  fleas,  and  devour 
each  other.  7 .">('>.  7~i~. 

Hn'hous.  h;iir  is  so  at  the  root,  143. 

liii'in.  ::  BeOHHiail,  performs  the  office  of  male  and  female  at  the 
same  time,  ('•'•">. 

li/ili,  tlic  gimerro  asserted  to  be  between  the  ass  and  the  bull,  220. 

ISii'fmch,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  538,  539  ;  may  be  taught  to 
whistle  to  a  regular  tune,  540. 

llitil-lninl,  description  of  this  fish,  206. 

Hulls,  thu  wild,  in  Spain  mean  despicable  animals  ;  have  nothing 
of  that  sternness  of  aspect  remarkable  in  our  bulls,  2'.iO. 

llu/l.'f-1-iif:,  thu  name  given  by  sailors  to  a  terrible  hurricane  ; 
described,  105. 

Hunting,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537. 

Jluniet,  his  theory  of  the  earth  ;  a  detail  of  that  work,  7,  8. 

I'.iistard,  the  largest  land-bird  that  is  a  native  of  Britain  ;  inha- 
bits the  open  and  extensive  plain  ;  is  much  larger  than  the  turkey, 
tho  male  generally  weighing  from  twenty -five  to  twenty -seven 
pounds;  its  description  ;  places  where  frequently  seen  in  flocks  of 
\\i\\-  or  mor:;  ;  its  food  ;  they  have  sentinels  ahvavs  placed  at  pro- 
•inenccs,  ever  on  the  watch,  to  warn  the  flock  of  the  appear- 
ance of  danger  ;  are  often  run-down  by  greyhounds  ;  in  what  man- 
n  ir  .  I  wander  above  twenty  or  thirty  miles  from  home  ; 

lea  have  a  pouch,  holding  near  seven  quarts  of  water  ;  they 
•  their  mates  at  the  season  of  incubation,  about  the  latter  end 
nier  ;  separate  in  pairs,  if  there  be  a  sufficiency  of  females 
fur  the  males  ;  otherwise  the  males  fight  until  one  of  them  falls  ;  in 
France,  some  of  those  victims  of  gallantry  found  dead  in  the  fields  ; 
their  nests  made  upon  the  ground  ;  they  lay  two  eggs  almost  of  the 
size  of  a  goose-egg  ;  Inteli  in  about  five  weeks;  the  young  run 
about  as  so:m  as  out  of  the  shell ;  they  assemble  in  flocks  in  Octo- 
ber, and  keep  together  till  April;  their  food  in  winter;  in  some 
parts  of  Switzerland  they  are  found  frozen  in  the  fields  in  severe 
weather  :  when  taken  to  a  warm  place,  they  again  recover  ;  usual- 
ly live  fifteen  years,  and  are  incapable  of  being  propagated  in  a  do- 
mestic state.  50 1,  505. 

Butcher-binl,  its  description,  with  its  habits  ;  leads  a  life  of  con- 
tinual combat ;  intrepidity  of  this  little  creature,  in  going  to  war 
with  the  pie,  the  crow,  and  the  kestril,  all  above  four  times  bigger 
than  itself;  it  fights  upon  the  defensive,  and  often  comes  to  tlic  at- 
tack with  advantage,  particularly  when  the  male  and  female  unite 
to  protect  their  young,  a. id  to  drive  away  the  more  powerful  birds 
of  rapine  ;  in  what  manner  they  sally  forth  against  them  ;  some- 
times the  combat  ends  with  the  destruction  of  tlu  assailant,  and 
also  of  the  defender  ;  the  most  redoubtable  birds  of  prev  respect 
>!u-m,  and  they  fly  in  their  company  without  fearing  their  power  or 
avoiding  their  resentment;  small  birds  are  its  usual  food;  and 
when  it  lias  killed  the  bird  or  insect,  as  asserted  by  the  best  au- 
thority, it  fixes  them  upon  some  neighbouring  thorn,  and  when 
thus  spitted,  pulls  them  to  pieces  with  its  bill  ;  the  smaller  red 
butcher-bird  migrates ;  the  places  where  they  are  to  be  found  ;  their 
nests,  and  the  number  of  their  eggs  ;  the  feinale  feeds  her  young 
with  caterpillars  and  other  insects,  but  soon  after  accustoms  them 
to  flesh  procured  by  the  male  with  great  industry  ;  their  nature 
very  different  from  other  birds  of  pre.y  in  their  parental  care  ;  for 
instead  of  driving  out  their  young  from  the  nest  to  shift  for  them- 
selves, they  keep  them  with  care,  and  even  when  adult  do  not  for- 
sake them  ;  the  whole,  brood  thus  live  in  a  familv  together  ;  each 
family  afterwards  live  ap:>rt.  and  build  in  concert ;  upon  the  return- 
ing season  of  courtship,  this  union  is  at  an  end;  the  manner  of  (lying 
is  always  up  am!  down,  seldom  direct  or  sideways  ;  different  kinds 
of  this  bird.  4,-<:. 

ttultcr,  tho  fat  of  the  ma.ir.it  i  serves  in  all  cases  instead  of 
Jiutter. 

Butterfly,  some  kinds  actually  live  upon  little  or  nothing,  153  ; 
one  of  tho  principal  ornaments  of  oriental  poetry  ;  in  those  coun- 
tries, the  insect  is  larger  and  more  beautiful  than  with  us  ;  easily 

NO  77  &,  78. 


distinguished  from  flies  of  every  other  kind  iiy  i  ;   Lin- 

niEUS  has  reckoned  up  above  seven  hundred  and  sixty  different 
kinds,  yet  the  catalogue  is  incomplete  ;  number  and  beauti'.ul  co- 
lours of  its  wings  ;  butterflies  can  di-'cover  their  mates  at  more  than 
a  mile  distance  ;  description  of  the  head,  corselet,  and  body  ;  the 
eyes  have  not  all  the  same  form  ;  but  the  outward  coat  has  a  lustre, 
in  which  may  be  discovered  all  the  colours  of  the  rainbow  ;.when 
examined  closely,  it  hn*  the  appearance  of  a  multiplying  glass;  tha 
use  of  their  horns  or  feelers,  as  yet  unknown  ;  the  uso  of  their 
trunks;  difference  between  butterflies  and  tuol:^  -n  per- 

ceive the  approach  of  the  female  at  about  two  m  re  ;  by 

what  sense  is  not  easy  to  conceive  ;  it  h:ts  no  organs  for  smelling  : 
the  female  is  larger  than  the  male  ;  if  disturbed  while  united,  the 
female  flies  off  with  the  male  on  her  back,  entirely  passive  on  the 
occasion  ;  after  junction  they  deposit  their  eggs  and  die  ;  all  females 
of  this  tribe  are  impregnated  by  the  e  aperture,  and  lay 

their  egg"  by  another  ;  every  butterfly  chooses  for  her  bro.xj.  in- 
stead oi'tiio  plant  most  grateru]  in  >t.  !te.  that  which  it 
has  fed  upon  in  its  reptile  form  ;  how  they  keep  their  eggs  warm, 
and  also  entirely  concealed  ;  many  do  not  lay  till  the  winter  warns 
them  of  their  approaching  end  ;  some  continue  the  whole  winter  in 
hollows  of  trees,  and  do  not  provide  for  poster  it'1  until  the  beginning 
of  April,  then  leave  their  retreats,  deposit  their  eggs,  and  die, 
791  to  7:)4.  See  jiurrlia,  7.-1 

Buttufl;,  in  man,  different  from  that  of  all  other  animals.  148. 

Buzzorrf,  a  sluggish,  inactive  bird ;  ofien  remains  perched  whole 
days  upon  the  same  bough  ;  lives  more  upon  frogs,  mice,  and  in 
suets,  than  upon  birds  ;  more  troublesome  to  seize;  its  manner  of 
living  in  summer ;  resembles  the  owl  kind  in  his  countenance  more 
Ih.j.'i  any  other  rapacious  bird  of  prey  ;  so  little  capable  of  instruc- 
tion that  it  is  a  proverb  to  call  one  obstinately  ignorant,  a  buzzard  ; 
the  honey-buzzard,  the  moor-buzzard,  and  the  lieu-barrier,  are  of  this 
stupid  tribe,  and  differ  chiefly  in  their  size.  4I!.">. 

Byron.  (C'ommodure)  our  last  voyager  that  has  seen  the  gigantic 
race  of  mankind,  l!'l. 


i,  the  same  animal  as  the  rapihara,  2^-i. 

Cac/iuli/t.  a  fish  said  to  pursue  a  shoM  of  herring?,  and  to  swallow 
thousands  at.  a  L'ulp.  ''(Ill  ;  it  has  generally  gone  under  t!ie  name  of 
the  spermaceti  whale,  till  Mr.  1'enmint  made  the  distinction,  bor- 
rowing its  name  from  the  French  ;  seven  d'stiie-tions  in  this  tribe  ; 
description  ;  the  throat  of  this  animal  very  formidable;  with  ease  it 
could  swallow  an  ox  ;  it  terrifies  the  dolphins  and  porpoises  so 
much,  as  often  to  drive  them  on  shore  ;  it  contains  two  precious 
drugs,  spermaceti  and  ambergris  ;  the  oil  of  thi.-*  fish  is  easily  con- 
vertible into  spermaceti,  by  boiling  it  with  a  lay  of  pot-ash,  ami 
hardening  it  in  the  manner  of  soap  ;  candles  are  now  made  of  it; 
the  balls  of  ambergris  not  round  in  all  fishes  of  this  kind,  but  chiefly 
in  the  oldest  and  strongest,  (j'23,  t>24. 

Cagui,  or  the  saki,  is  the  largest  monkey  of  the  sagoin  kind  ;  its 
description,  412. 

<  '•i_:'rtii.  a  mountain  i:car  it.  w:s  split,  by  n;i  earthquake,  40. 

(,'iiirn,  iii  what  manner  they  produce  their  six  or  seven  thousand 
chickens  at  a  time,  4!K>. 

Ciilttci,  the  horned  Indian  raven.  .",](!. 

Cntriimtiiin,  all  animal  substances  when  calcined  are  the 
same,  Tii-\ 

name  given  to  the  young  of  the  hind,  or  the  female  of  the 
stag,  260. 

Calf,  or  hind-calf;  the  stag  called  so  the  first  ye.ar,  2(52. 

Callitrix,  the  green  monkey  of  St.  Jago,  \>f  the  ancient  conti- 
nent; its  o  ill. 

C'ii.nyuni/nnts,  the  dragonet ;  description  of  this  fish,  648. 

Ft*,  attended  with  a  deluge  of  rain  ;  why,  and  where,  101. 

Cumliii  f .  rim!'-  of  hair  of  anim&Is  about  Angora,  247. 

C'nmi'l.  a  ruminating  animal.  '.' ">'i  ;  camel  and  dromedary  not  two 
distinct  kinds,  only  a  variety  of  the  same,  which  has  subsisted  time 
immemorial  ;  the  only  sensible  difference  between  those  two  races, 
they  produce  with  each  other,  and  ihe  mixed  breed  is  considered 
the  best ;  of  the  two  the  dromedary  is  far  the  most  numerous  ; 
countries  where  the  camel  and  dromedary  are  found  ;  neither  can 
subsist  or  propagate  in  the  climates  towards  the  north  ;  Arabia  the 
most  adapted  to"  the  support  and  production  of  this  animal ;  tha 
camel  the  most  temperate  of  all  animals  ;  it  can  continue  to  travel 
several  days  without  drinking,  and  is  often,  six  or  seven  days  with- 
out any  sustenance  ;  its  feet  formed  to  travel  upon  sand,  and  utter- 
ly unfit  for  moist  or  marshy  places ;  many  vain  efforts  tried  to  pro- 
pagate the  camel  in  Spain  ;  they  have  been  transported  into 
6  6 


10 


CAP 


INDEX. 


CAS 


America,  but  have  multiplied  in  neither  ;  they  might  perhaps  pro- 
duce in  these  countries,  but  would  in  a  few  years  degenerate ;  their 
strength  and  their  patience  would  forsake  them  ;  and  instead  of 
enriching  become  a  burden  to  their  keepers  ;  uses  to  which  this 
animal  is  put  among  (lie  Arabians ;  its  education  ;  it  has  a  fifth 
stomach,  which  serves  as  a  reservoir  to  hold  a  greater  quantity  of  wa- 
ter than  immediately  wanted  ;  when  the  camel  finds  itself  pressed 
with  thirst,  it  throws  up  a  quantity  of  this  water  by  a  simple  con- 
traction of  the  muscles,  into  the  other  stomachs  ;  travellers,  when 
straitened  for  water,  have  often  killed  their  camels  for  what  they 
expected  to  find  within  them  ;  countries  where  commerce  is  carried 
on  by  means  of  camels  ;  trading  journeys  in  caravans  ;  capable  of 
carrying  a  thousand  weight ;  their  food ;  pursue  their  way  when 
the  guides  are  utterly  astray  ;  its  patience  and  docility  when  load- 
ed; Buffon  considers  the  camel  to  be  the  most  domesticated  of  all 
other  creatures  ;  in  what  manner  the  female  receives  the  male  ; 
one  male  left  to  wait  on  ten  females,  the  rest  castrated  ;  they  live 
from  forty  to  fifty  years ;  every  part  of  this  animal  converted  to 
some  useful  purpose ;  its  very  excrements  are  not  useless,  430  to  433. 

Camclfon,  its  dimensions  and  appetites  ;  has  a  power  of  driving 
the  air  it  breathes  over  every  part  of  the  body,  719;  changes  of  its 
colour  ;  it  is  an  error  that  it  assumes  the  colour  of  the  object  that  it 
approaches  ;  description  of  it  by  Lc  Brun,  720  ;  it  often  moves  one 
eye,  when  the  other  is  at  rest ;  sometimes  one  eye  seems  to  look 
directly  forward,  while  the  other  looks  backward ;  and  one  looks 
upward,  while  the  other  regards  the  earth,  ib. 

Camelojiard  described ;  dimensions  of  a  young  one  ;  inhabits 
the  deserts  of  Africa  ;  no  animal,  from  its  disposition  or  its  forma- 
tion, less  fitted  for  a  state  of  natural  hostility  ;  it  lives  entirely  upon 
vegetables,  and  when  grazing,  spreads  its  fore-legs  wide  to  reach 
the  pasture  ;  known  to  the  ancients,  but  rarely  seen  in  Europe  ; 
often  seen  tame  at  Grand  Cairo,  in  Egypt ;  Pompey  exhibited  at 
one  time  ten  upon  the  theatre,  429. 

Camerarius,  his  description  of  the  perfections  a  horse  ought  to 
possess,  222. 

Canada,  above  thirty  thousand  martins'  skins  usually  imported 
from  that  country  into  England,  33C. 

Canal.     See  Blood,  173. 

Canary-bird  taught  to  pick  up  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  at  the 
word  of  command,  to  spell  any  person's  name  in  company,  450  ;  by 
the  name  originally  from  the  Canary  Islands  ;  comes  to  us  from 
Germany,  where  they  are  bred  in  numbers  ;  at  what  period  brought 
into  Europe  is  not  known  ;  about  a  century  ago  they  were  sold  at 
very  high  prices,  and  kept  only  for  the  amusement  of  the  great ;  in 
its  native  islands  it  is  of  a  dusky  gray  colour,  and  so  different  from 
those  seen  in  Europe,  as  to  raise  a  doubt  about  its  species  :  rules 
and  instructions  for  breeding  them  in  a  domestic  state  ;  apparatus 
for  breeding  in  Germany  ;  food  the  old  ones  must  be  supplied  with, 
when  the  young  ones  are  excluded  ;  so  prolific  are  these  birds 
sometimes,  that  the  female  will  be  ready  to  hatch  a  second  time 
before  the  first  is  able  to  quit  the  nest ;  this  bird  kept  in  company 
with  the  linnet,  or  the  gold-finch,  pairs  and  produces  a  mixed 
breed,  most  like  the  canary-bird,  and  resembling  it  in  its  song, 
544,  545. 

Canary-boar  described.  287. 

Cancerous  breasts  cured  by  the  sucking  of  the  rubeth,  or  the 
land-toad,  7(15. 

Candle  quickly  extinguishes  in  an  exhausted  receiver,  and  why ; 
07. 

Cannons  filled  with  water,  and  left  to  freeze,  burst,  52. 

Cuntharidcs,  well  known  in  the  shops  by  the  name  of  Spanish 
flies,  and  for  their  use  in  blisters  ;  their  description,  with  the  dif- 
ferences from  eacii  other  ;  the  countries  where,  and  trees  on 
which,  they  are  seen  ;  it  is  reported,  that  the  country  people  ex- 
pect the  return  of  these  insects  every  seven  years  ;  their  bad 
smell  is  a  guide  for  those  who  catch  them ;  they  smell  so  disagree- 
able, as  to  be  perceived  at  a  great  distance,  especially  about  sun- 
set, though  not  seen  at  the  time ;  they  yield  a  deal  of  volatile 
caustic  salt ;  their  qualities  ;  the  effects  fall  principally  upon  the 
urinary  passages  ;  in  what  manner  they  are  killed,  822,  823. 

Cape  dc  Vcr<Le  islands ;  a  south  wind  prevails  in  them  during 
the  month  of  July,  10). 

Cape  of  Good  Hope,  a  north-west  wind  blows  there  during  the 
month  of  September,  101  ;.  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  it  is  custom- 
ary to  hunt  the  elephant  for  its  teeth  ;  in  what  manner  ;  account 
of  an  unhappy  huntsman,  424. 

Cujiibara,  or  cahiai,  an  animal  resembling  a  hog  of  about  two 
years  old ;  its  description  ;  some  naturalists  have  called  it  the 
water-hog,  and  why  ;  a  native  of  South  America,  and  chiefly 
.frequenting  the  borders  of  lakes  and  rivers,  like  the  otter  ;  it 
seizes  the  fiah,  upon  which  it  preys,  with  its  hoofs  and  teeth  ;  lives 


also  upon  fruits,  corn,  and  sugar-canes ;  is  often  seen  sitting  up 
like  a  dog  that  is  taught  to  beg  ;  its  cry  resembles  the  braying  of 
an  ass,  more  than  the  grunting  of  a  hog  ;  its  only  place  of  safety 
is  the  water,  into  which  it  plunges  when  pursued,  and  keeps  so 
long  at  the  bottom,  that  the  hunter  can  have  no  hopes  of  taking 
it  there  ;  when  young  is  easily  tamed  ;  its  flesh  has  a  fishy  taste, 
but  its  head  is  said  to  be  excellent,  484,  485. 

Capons  taught  to  clutch  a  fresh  brood  of  chickens  throughout 
the  year,  ^96. 

Capon  of  Pkaratih,  supposed  the  true  ibis  ;  is  a  devourer  of  ser- 
pents, and  follows  the  caravans  that  go  to  Mecca,  to  feed  upon  the 
offal  of  the  animals  lulled  on  the  journey,  557. 

Caracal,  or  the  siagush,  a  native  of  the  East  Indies,  resembles 
the  lynx  in  size  and  form,  304. 

Caracal,  a  town  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Andes,  43. 

Caraguatii,  a  plant  in  the  West  Indies,  which  clings  round  the 
tree  it  happens  to  be  near  ;  it  keeps  away  that  nourishment  de- 
signed to  feed  the  trunk,  and  at  last  entirely  destroys  its  supporter, 
WO. 

Carapo,  description  of  this  fish,  G49. 

Carassa,  a  volcano  in  South  America,  29. 

Caravan,  a  single  lion  of  the  desert  often  attacks  an  entire  cara- 
van, 293;  the  assemblage  called  a  caravan  sometimes  composed  of 
numbers  amounting  to  ten  thousand,  431. 

Carcajou,  name  given  by  the  North  Americans  to  the  glutton ; 
its  manner  of  killing  the  rein-deer,  277. 

Caribou,  name  the  North  Americans  give  the  rein-deer,  273. 

Carli,  (Father)  See  Monkey,  410. 

Carnitorous  animals,  there  is  one  class  that  pursue  in  a  pack, 
and  encourage  each  other  by  their  mutual  cries  ;  generally  lead  a 
life  of  famine  and  fatigue  ;  support  a  state  of  famine  for  several 
weeks  together,  208,  209  ;  milk  in  those  animals  is  more  sparim* 
than  in  others,  212.  See  Animals,  231,  232. 

Carnivorous  birds  seek  for  such  as  are  of  the  size  most  approach- 
ing their  own,  470.  See  Birds. 

Carp,  an  experiment  made  with  this  fish  in  a  large  vase  of  wa- 
ter, under  an  air-pump,  609  ;  one  found  by  Buffon  not  less  than  a 
hundred  years  old  ;  this  discovery  confirmed  by  other  authors,  Cll ; 
continues  in  the  egg  not  above  three  weeks,  613 ;  Mr.  Tull  famous 
for  his  invention  of  spaying  carp  to  give  it  a  fine  flavour,  ib. ;  its 
description,  650  ;  the  method  of  fattening  it  in  a  damp  cellar  ;  it 
has  been  known  thus  to  live  for  a  fortnight,  to  grow  exceedingly 
fat,  and  to  get  a  superior  flavour,  652. 

Carriers,  pigeons  used  to  carry  letters,  532. 

Carrion-crow,  resembles  the  raven  in  its  appetites,  its  laying, 
and  manner  of  bringing  up  its  young,  514. 

Cartesius,  his  theory  to  explain  the  invariable  motion  of  the 
winds,  not  quite  BO  absurd  as  that  of  Dr.  Lyster,  100. 

Carthagcna,  in  America  ;  the  heat  of  the  hottest  day  ever 
known  in  Europe  is  continual  there  ;  the  heat  of  its  climate 
affects  the  speech  of  its  inhabitants,  which  is  soft  and  slow,  and 
their  words  generally  broken  ;  more  than  three  parts  of  our  army 
destroyed  by  the  climate,  in  our  unsuccessful  attack  upon  it.  94. 

Carthamus,  or  bastard-saffron,  strongly  purgative  to  mau  ;  par- 
rots very  fond  of  it,  528. 

Cartilage,  the  thyroid  cartilage,  147 ;  cartilages  in  youth  elastic 
and  pliant,  in  age  become  at  last  hard  and  bony,  and  why,  173. 

Cartilaginous  fishes  ;  their  general  conformation  ;  supposed 
they  grow  larger  every  day  till  they  die  ;  their  internal  structure ; 
are  possessed  of  a  two-fold  power  of  breathing  ;  apertures  by 
which  they  breathe  ;  the  cartilaginous  shark,  or  ray,  live  for  some 
hours  after  they  are  taken  ;  fishes  of  this  tribe  possessed  of  powers 
that  other  fishes  are  wholly  deprived  of;  can  remain  under  water, 
without  taking  breath  ;  and  can  venture  their  heads  above  the 
deep,  and  continue  for  hours  out  of  their  native  element ;  their 
season  and  manner  of  copulating,  and  of  bringing  forth  ;  little 
difference  between  the  viviparous  and  the  oviparous  kinds  in  this 
class  of  fishes  ;  five  divisions  of  the  cartilaginous  fish,  627, 628. 

Cassowary,  a  bird  first  brought  into  Europe  by  the  Dutch  from 
Java,  in  the  East  Indies,  where  only  it  is  found  ;  its  description  ; 
the  part  which  most  distinguishes  this  animal  is  the  head,  which 
inspires  some  deo-ree  of  terror  ;  its  internal  parts  described  ;  t'jeir 
intestines  are  thirteen  times  shorter  than  those  of  the  Oslric  h  ;  it 
has  the  head  of  a  warrior,  the  eye  of  a  lion,  the  defence  of  a  por- 
cupine, and  the  swiftness  of  a  courser  ;  is  not  fierce  in  its  natural 
character;  how  it  defends  itself;  extraordinary  manner  of  going; 
swallows  every  thing  that  comes  within  the  capacity  of  its  gullet ; 
the  Dutch  assert  that  it  can  devour  glass,  iron,  and  stones,  and  can 
even  live  on  burning  coals,  without  the  smallest  fear,  or  the  least 
injury  ;  the  largest  of  its  eggs  is  fifteen  inches  round  one  way,  and 
twelve  the  other ;  placet  where  this  animal  is  found ,  it  has  not 


CAT 

multiplied  in  any  considerable  degree,  as  a  king  of  Java  made  a 
present  of  one  to  the  captain  of  a  Dutch  ship,  as  a  rarity,  467,  408. 

Catacombs  of  Egypt,  190. 

Catanrountain  hunts  for  the  hare  or  the  rabbit,  207 ;  the  ocelot  of 
Mr.  Buffon  ;  its  description,  304  ;  is  one  of  the  fiercest,  and,  for 
its  size,  one  of  the  most  destructive  animals  in  the  world  ;  no  arts 
can  tame  or  soften  their  natures,  305. 

Catanea,  a  city  utterly  overthrown  by  an  earthquake,  33. 

Cataphractus,  or  kabassou,  is  one  of  the  largest  kinds  of  the 
armadillo,  3*2. 

Cataracts  of  the  Rhine,  and  of  the  Nile  ;  the  cataract  of  the 
river  Velino,  in  Italy,  is  above  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  perpendicu- 
lar ;  a  cataract  near  the  city  of  Gottenburg  in  Sweden ;  other 
cataracts,  305. 

Cataract  of  the  eye  ;  Mr.  Cheselden  having  couched  a  boy  of 
thirteen,  who  to  that  time  had  been  blind,  and  at  once  having 
restored  him  to  sight,  curiously  marked  the  progress  of  his  mind 
upon  the  occasion,  101. 

Caterpillars,  their  differences  from  all  other  insects  ;  all  these 
animals  are  hatched  from  the  eggs  of  butterflies  ;  during  the  win- 
ter, the  greatest  number  of  caterpillars  are  in  an  egg  state  ;  in  the 
aurelia  state,  they  are  seemingly  deprived  of  life  and  motion  ; 
some  do  not  make  any  change  at  the  approach  of  winter,  but 
choose  themselves  some  retreat,  and  there  remain  quite  motion- 
less, and  as  insensible  as  if  actually  dead  ;  caterpillars  of  this  kind 
are  found  in  great  numbers  together,  enclosed  in  one  common  web 
that  covers  them  all  ;  there  are  some  of  this  kind,  whose  butterflies 
live  all  the  winter,  and  where  ;  a  single  caterpillar -eats  double  its 
own  weight  of  leaves  in  a  day,  and  seems  no  way  disordered  by  the 
meal ;  the  body  of  the  caterpillar  anatomically  considered  ;  avidi- 
ty with  which  they  feed  ;  number  of  their  stigmata,  or  those  holes 
through  which  the  animal  is  supposed  to  breathe  ;  it  has  eighteen 
lungs  :  the  experiment  of  Malpighi  to  ascertain  their  use  ;  all  ca- 
terpillars spin  at  one  time  or  another  ;  many  of  them  change  their 
skins  five  or  six  times  in  a  season  ;  and  in  what  manner  ;  change 
into  an  aurelia  ;  their  retreats  in  that  state,  782  to  789;  there  are 
thousands  of  fishes,  birds,  and  insects,  that  live  chiefly  upon  cater- 
pillurs;  a  single  sparrow  and  its  mate,  that  have  young  ones,  de- 
stroy above  three  thousand  caterpillars  in  a  week  ;  some  of  the 
kind,  fitted  only  to  live  upon  leaves  and  plants,  will  eat  each  other, 
in  preference  to  their  vegetable  food;  the  bodies  of  the  larger  kinds 
serve  as  a  nest  to  various  flies,  that  very  carefully  deposit  their 
eggs  in  them  ;  number  of  worms  remain  within  the  body  of  the  ca- 
terpillar, devouring  its  entrails  without  destroying  its  life  ;  the 
ichneumon  tribe  is  not  the  caterpillar's  offspring,  as  supposed,  but 
iis  murderers,  794,  795. 

Cat-Jin/:,  its  description,  048. 

Cats,  the  wild  hunt  for  the  squirrel  or  the  mouse,  207 ;  lead  a 
solitary  ravenous  life  ;  the  whole  tribe  seek  their  food  alone,  and 
never  unite  for  mutual  support ;  and,  except  at  certain  seasons,  are 
enemies  to  each  other  ;  all  of  the  cat  kind  devour  nothing  but  flesh  ; 
and  starve  upon  any  other  provision  ;  a.ro  fierce,  rapacious,  subtle, 
and  cruel ;  their  greatest  force  lies  in  their  claws  ;  the  cat  goes  with 
young  fifty-six  days,  and  seldom  brings  forth  above  five  or  six  at  a 
lime;  the  male  often  devor.rs  the  kittens;  before  they  are  a  year 
old  they  are  fit  to  engender  ;  the  female  seeks  the  male  with  cries ; 
nor  is  their  copulation  performed  without  great  pain,  and  why  ; 
when  young  are  very  playful  and  amusing  ;  cits  hunt  the  serpents 
in  the  Isle  of  Cyprus;  any  animal  weaker  than  themselves,  is  to 
them  an  indiscriminate  object  of  destruction  ;  the  mouse  is  their 
favourite  game,  and  they  patiently  watch  a  whole  day  until  the  mouse 
appears;  a  flagrant  mark  by  which  the  cat  discovers  its  natural 
malignity ;  their  eyes  see  better  in  darkness  than  in  light,  and 
why  ;  if  the  inhabitant  quits  the  house,  the  cat  still  remains  ;  is 
particularly  fearful  of  water,  of  cold,  and  of  ill  smells  ;  is  excessive- 
ly fond  of  some  plants,  such  as  varelian,  marum,  and  cat-mint ;  par- 
ticularly loves  fish  ;  its  sleep  is  very  light ;  its  hair  sends  forth 
shining  sparks,  if  rubbed  in  the  dark ;  the  wild  breed  with  the 
t  line  ;  description  of  the  wild  cat ;  inhabits  the  most  mountainous 
and  woody  parts  ;  lives  mostly  in  trees,  and  feeds  only  by  night ; 
the  cat  was  much  higher  in  esteem  among  our  ancestors  than  it  is 
at  present;  laws  of  Howcl,  concerning  the  price  of  cats;  cats 
were  not  naturally  bred  in  our  forests ;  of  all  quadrupeds,  the  wild- 
cat is,  perhaps,  that  whose  intestines  are  proportionably  the 
smallest  and  the  shortest,  and  why  ;  common  to  the  new  continent 
as  well  as  the  old  ;  the  blue-cat,  the  lion-cat,  or  more  properly,  the 
cat  of  Angora ;  the  cats  in  Syria  and  Persia  remarkable  for  their 
long  soft  hair,  288  to  292  ;  all  the  cat  kind  are  kept  off  by  the  fires, 
which  the  inhabitants  light  to  preserve  their  flocks  and  herds  ;  and 
they  hunt  rather  by  the  sight  than  the  smell ;  it  happens  that  the 
Hon  pursues  the  jackal,  or  the  wild  dog,  while  they  are  hunting 


OH  A 


11 


E 


upon  the  scent  and  merely  lor  themsrlvcs  ;  tlio  lion  is  then  an  un- 
welcome intruder  upon  the  fruits  of  their  toil;  from  thence,  proba- 
bly, has  arisen  the  story  of  the  lion's  provider,  294  ;  the  lion  de- 
vours a  great  deal  at  a  time,  and  generally  fills  himself  for  two  or 
three  days  to  come  ;  in  the  deserts  and  forests,  his  most  usual  prey 
are  the  gazelles  ;iml  the  monkeys,  21*5  ;  the  race  of  cats  noxious  in 
proportion  to  their  power  to  do  mischief;  inhabit  the  most  torrid 
latitudes  of  India,  Africa,  and  America,  and  have  never  been  able 
to  multiply  beyond  the  torrid  zone,  they  seldom  attack  man.  though 
provoked  ;  of  all  animals  these  are  the  most  sullen,  and,  to  a  pro- 
verb, untameablc  ;  they  still  preserve  their  fierce  and  treacherous 
spirit,  305;  different  classes  of  the  kind  from  the  lion  to  the  cat, 
307  ;  the  wild  cat  and  the  martin  seldom  meet  without  a  combat  ; 
it  is  not  a  match  ibr  the  martin,  237  ;  the  ichneumon  injudiciously 
called  the  cat  of  Pharaoh,  3o7  ;  cats  of  Constantinople,  a  name  of 
the  genet,  and  why,  340. 

Cattle,  we  have  the  best,  breed  of  horned  cattle  in  Europe  ;  tlm 
large  hornless  breed  in  some  purts  of  England,  originally  from 
Poland,  234  ;  the  Dutch  bring  great  quantities  of  lean  cattle  from 
Denmark  to  fatten  on  their  own  rich  grounds  ;  that  of  Ukraine  be- 
comes fat,  and  is  considered  the  largest  breed  of  all  Kurope  ;  in 
Switzerland  these  animals  grow  to  a  large  size ;  not  so  in  France  ; 
size  in  liarbary,  Ethiopia,  Persia,  and  Tartary,  2'i'i ;  leather- 
mouthed  cattle,  243 ;  liable  to  be  destroyed  by  the"  South  American 
bat,  vampyre,  380. 

Caverns,  the  amazing  cavern  of  Eldenhole  in  Derbyshire  ;  the 
dreadful  oavern  in  the  country  of  the  Arrian  Indians,  called  the 
gulf  of  Pluto,  described  by  ./Elian  ;  the  famous  cavern  of  Candle, 
supposed  to  be  entirely  the  work  of  art  ;  cavern  of  Maestricht ;  its 
description  ;  no  part  of  the  world  has  a  greater  number  of  artificial 
caverns  than  Spain  ;  in  those  countries  where  the  climate  is  vcrv 
severe,  still  made  use  of  as  houses ;  in  general  deserted  by  every 
race  of  meaner  animals,  except  the  bat  ;  the  caverns  called  Oakey- 
hole,  the  Devil's-hole,  and  Penpark-hole,  in  England  ;  description 
of  tbem ;  the  cavern  of  Antiparos,  and  its  discovery  ;  Magni's 
amusing  account  of  it ;  how  natural  caverns  formed  ;  two  hundred 
feet  as  much  as  the  lowest  of  them  is  found  to  sink,  17  to  21  ;  one 
in  Africa,  near  Fez,  continually  sends  forth  smoke  or  flames,  39. 

Cavier,  the  inhabitants  of  Norway  prepare  from  eggs  found  in 
the  body  of  the  porpoise,  a  savoury  liquor,  which  makes  a  delicate 
sauce,  and  is  good  when  eaten  with  bread,  (>20;  it  is  made  with  the 
roe  of  the  sturgeon  ;  more  in  request  in  other  countries  of  Europe 
than  with  us  ;  formerly  in  much  request  at  the  politest  table  in 
England,  now  sunk  entirely  into  disuse  ;  is  a  considerable  mer- 
chandise among  the  Turks,  Greeks,  and  Venetian! ;  manner  of 
making  it,  041,  042. 

Causes,  the  investigation  of  final  causes  a  barren  study ;  and,  like" 
a  virgin  dedicated  to  the  Deity,  brings  forth  nothing.  0. 

Caustic,  cantliarides  yield  a  great  deal  of  volatile  caustic  salt,  822. 

Cayman,  a  sort  of  crocodile,  711. 

Cayopolin,  a  kind  of  oppossum ;  its  description,  415. 

Cr.a,,  an  island  washed  away  with  several  thousand  inhabitants,  39. 

Cells,  made  by  the  bees,  8H2. 

Ccnere,  a  mount  of  recent  appearance,  47. 

Centiuel.  See  J«/wi«/.s20!).  See  Marmouts,  356.  See  Bustard,  504. 

Cc-ntipes,  the  scolopcndra.  7(11. 

Centriseus.  a  kind  of  cartilaginous  fish,  044. 

Ccplms,  name  given  by  the  ancients  to  the  monkey  now  called 
mona,  411. 

Crpola,  the  description  of  this  fish. '' !-. 

Cefigii,  an  island  of  the  Archipelago,  where  many  wild  asses  are 
found,  224. 

Cetaceous  fishes,  the  v.  hale  and  its  varieties  resemble  quadrupeds 
in  their  internal  structure,  and  in  some  of  their  appetites  and  affec- 
tions ;  they  are  constrained  every  two  or  three  minutes  to  come  up 
to  the  surface  to  tuke  breath,  as  well  as  to  spout  out  through  their 
nostril  (for  they  have  but  one)  that  water  which  they  sucked  in 
while  gaping  for  their  prey  ;  the  senses  of  these  animals  superior 
to  those  of  other  fishes  ;  and  it  is  most  likely  that  all  animals  of  the 
kind  can  hear  ;  they  never  produce  above  one  young,  or  two  at  the 
most ;  and  this  the  female  suckles  in  the  manner  of  quadrupeds,  her 
breasts  being  placed  as  in  the  human  kind,  above  the  navel  ;  inte- 
resting story  founded  upon  fact  from  Waller  ;  distinctive  marks  of 
this  tribe,  014,  G15. 

Cliacrelas,  white  men  go  by  that  name  in  the  East  Indies,  180. 

Chatodon.     See  Cat-fish,  048. 

Chaffinch,  a  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537,  538  ;  time  of  emigra- 
tion of  the  hen,  457, 

Cliapotonadas,  a  distemper  in  America,  90. 

Charles  XII.  when  shot  at  the  siege  of  Frederickshall,  was  sesn 
to  clap  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  170. 
6  G* 


12 


CIV 


INDEX. 


COC 


Charossi,  the  only  sort  of  horses  for  hunting  lions,  296. 

Charybdis,  a  gulf;  Nichola  Pesce  jumped  into  it,  continued  for 
three  quarters  of  an  hour  below,  and  at  last  appeared  holding  a 
golden  cup  in  one  hand,  and  making  his  way  among  the  waves  with 
the  other;  description  of  this  gulf,  8(3.  "<7. 

Chase,  men  of  every  age  and  nation  have  made  that  of  the  stag  a 
favourite  pursuit ;  in  our  country  it  was  ever  esteemed  a  principal 
diversion  of  the  great,  2ti<);  these  sports  reserved  by  Bovereipu  tor 
particular  amusement,  and  when  ;  in  the  reigns  of  William  Hnfiis 
and  Henry  the  First,  it  was  less  criminal  to  destroy  a  human  being 
than  a  beast  of  chase  ;  s::crrd  edifice:)  thrown  down  for  room  to 
beasts  of  chase.  201  :  chase  of  the  stag,  as  performed  in  Kngland; 
terms  used  by  hunters  in  that  chase,  202  ;  the  same  in  Sk-.ily  ;  and 
in  China,  10'J  ;  chase  of  the  fox  :  cant  terms  used  by  the  huntsmen 
in  it,  323;  of  all  varieties,  that  of  the  ostrich  the  most  laborii'iis, 
is  also  the  most  entertaining  ;  description  of  it,  -Iti.j. 

Chasms,  amazing  in  the  Alps,  and  still  more  in  the  And:/;;,  17  ; 
'causes  that  produce  chasms  or  fissures,  18. 

Chatterer,  a  bird,  native  of  Germany ;  its  description,  517,  51.-. 

Cheese,  the  inhabitants  of  Canada  use  no  other  than  the  milk  of 
the  hind,  or  the  female  of  the  stag,  265  ;  those  of  Ijapland  little  and 
well  tasted;  never  breed  mites, 206. 

Cheops,  the  oldest  measure  of  the  human  figure  in  his  monument, 
in  the  first  pyramid  of  Eirypt,  192. 

Cheseldcn.     See  Cataract,  101,  162. 

Clirrrotia,  or  little  Guinea  Deer.  Die  least  of  all  cloven-footed 
quadrupeds,  and  perhaps  tin1  !;ii;  is  most  delicately  shaped; 

its  description  ;  ivitive  «f  l:idi  i.  ( ruiivj,-:,  and  the  warm  climates  be- 
tween the  tropics  ;  the  nvile  in  Guinea  has  horns,  but  the  female  is 
without  any;  they  chiefly  abound  in  Java  and  Ceylon,  253,  254. 

Chan  1  the  quantity  of  water  on  the  earth  daily  de- 

creasing, 53. 

Chicken,  an  amazing  history  of  it  in  the  egg,  by  Malpighi  and 
Haller,  126 ;  in  what  manner  six  or  seven  thousand  are  produced 
at  a  time,  at  Grand  Cairo ;  capons  clutch  a  fresh  brood  of  chickens 
throughout  the  year,  490. 

ChM,  history  of  the  child  in  the  womb,  120  to  131  ;  children  of 
Xi'grocs  able  to  walk  at  two  months  old,  at  least  to  move  from  one 
place  to  another  ;  in  our  own  country  seldom  able  to  walk  under  a 
twelvemonth  ;  skin  of  children  newly  brought  forth,  is  always  red, 
and  why  ;  the  size  of  a  new-born  infant  about  twenty  inches,  and 
its  weight  twelve  pounds.  134  ;  when  newly  born,  pass  most  of  their 
time  in  sleeping,  and  awake  with  crying ;  in  cold  countries  continue 
to  be  suckled  for  four  or  five  years  together ;  in  Canada  and  Green- 
land mothers  are  often  se'en  suckling  two  or  three  children  of  dif- 
ferent ages  at  a  time,  135  ;  child's  growth  less  every  year  till  the 
time  of  puberty,  when  it  seems  to  start  up  of  a  sudden,  ib. ;  in  some 
countries  speak  sooner  than  in  others,  and  why ;  children  of  the 
Italians  speak  sooner  than  those  of  the  Germans ;  various  methods 
pointed  out  to  improve  the  intellects  of  children,  188,  181) ;  inherit 
the  accidental  deformities  of  their  parents  ;  instances  of  it,  1-5  ; 
white  children  frequently  produced  from  black  parents  ;  but  never 
Black  children  from  two  whites,  136 ;  many  instances  of  the  child 
in  the  womb  being  marked  by  the  strong  affections  of  the  mother  ; 
how  performed  is  not  known  ;  hard  to  conceive  that  the  child  in  the 
womb  should  take  the  print  of  the  father's  features,  187,  Is8. 

f.'liiinborazo,  a  remarkable  mountain  in  South  America,  44. 

Chinese,  have  neither  flats  nor  sharps  in  their  music,  161 ;  their 
uorses  weak,  little,  ill-shaped,  and  cowardly,  220;  description  of 
that  people,  ISO,  181. 

Ckorosan,  in  Persia,  bodies  previously  embalmed,  and  burird  in 
the  sands  of  that  country,  preserved  from  corruption  a  thousand 
years. 

Cliou^li.  description  of  the  Cornish  Chough,  514. 

Christmher  (St.)     See  Fish,  020. 

Chrysalis,  or  the  avrclia,  787. 

Ckryscs.  an  island  sunk  near  Lemnos,  3!). 

Cicero,  a  long  poem  of  his  in  praise  of  the  halcyon,  of  which  but 
i  wo  lines  remain,  602. 

Cii-i-insians,  described,  183. 

Circe,  an  enchantress,  armed  her  son  with  a  spear  headed  with 
i  lie  spine  of  the  trygon,  O'i5. 

Clrrnlatiun  of  the  blood.     See  Hlootl,l7'3. 

L'ivet,  tlie  species  distinguished  into  two  kinds ;  Mr.  Buffon  calls 
one  the  civet,  the  other  the  zibet ;  distinctions  between  the  two 
kinds ;  the  civet  thirty  inches  long  ;  both  civet  and  zibet  considered 
as  varieties  of  the  same  animal,  as  former  naturalists  have  done  ; 
the  civet  resembles  the  weasel  kind,  in  what ;  differs  from  them,  in 
what;  the  opening  of  the  pouch  or  bag,  the  receptacle  of  the  civet; 
manner  of  taking  the  civet  from  the  pouch  ;  although  a  native  of 
'the  warmest  climates,  (his  animal  lives  in  temperate  and  even  cold 


I 


countries  ,  the  quantity  of  perfume  which  a  single  animal  affords, 
generally  depends  upon  its  health  and  nourishment ;  kinds  of  food  it 
likes  best ;  drinks  rarely,  yet  it  makes  urine  often  ;  and.  upon  such 
occasions,  the  male  is  not  distinguishable  from  the  female  ;  numbers 
of  these  animals  bred  in  lli.lhmd,  and  the  perfume  of  Amsterdam 
reckoned  the  purest  of  any  ;  the  quantity  greater  proportionably  to 
the  quality  and  abundance  of  the  food  ;  this  perfume  so  strong  that 
it  communicates  to  all  parts  of  the  animal's  body,  to  its  fur  and  skin  : 
a  person  shut  up  with  one  of  them  in  a  close  room,  cannot  support, 
the  perfume  ;  manner  of  i:h<ic-';-.,r  (],,•  perfume  ;  the  places  of  con - 
•ble  traffic  in  it  :  the  animal  irritated,  its  scent  become* 
greater  ;  and  tormented,  its  sweat  is  Ptill  stronger,  and  serves  to 
adulterate  or  increase  what  is  otherwise  obtained  from  it  ;  civet  a 
more  grateful  perfume-  than  musk  :  sold  in  Holland  for  fifty  shillings 
an  ounce  :  its  eyes  shine  in  the  night ;  sees  better  in  the  dark  than 
by  day;  breeds  very  fast  in  climates  where  beat  conduces  lo  propa- 
•' at  ion  ;  thought  a  wild  fierce  animal  ;  never  thoroughly  familiar: 
.ives  by  prey  ;  birds,  and  nnimals  it  can  overcome  ;  its  teeth  strong- 
and  cutting  ;  its  claws  feeble  and  inflexible  ;  this  perfume  quite  dis- 
continued in  prescription  ;  persons  of  taste  proscribe  it  from  the 
toilet,  340  to  342. 

Clarities,  or  collar-bones,  what  animals  have  them;  Mr.  Buff.m 
says  none  but  monkeys,  but  this  is  an  oversight,  147. 

Claws  of  the  lion  give  a  false  idea  of  its  power ;  we  ascribe  to  its 
force  the  effects  of  its  arms,  149;  the  weasel  kind  neither  draw  in. 
nor  extend  their  claws,  as  cats  do,  328 ;  those  of  the  civet  feeble  and 
inflexible,  341. 

Climates,  calamities  in  those  where  the  air  is  condensed  by  cold, 
95 ;  cause  obvious,  and  sufficient  to  produce  blackness  of  Negroes, 
184;  complexions  of  different  countries  darken  in  proportion  to  the 
heat  of  the  region  ;  next  to  human  influence,  the  climate  has  the 
strongest  effects  upon  the  nature  and  form  of  quadrupeds,  408  ; 
those  excessively  hot.  unfavourable  to  horses,  220;  in  general, 
water-fowls  of  no  particular  climate,  537. 

Clot/i.  now  made  worse  than  some  years  past ;  Flemings  possessed 
the  art  of  cloth-working  in  a  superior  degree,  243. 

Clone-trees  cut  down  by  the  Dutch  at  Ternate  to  raise  the  price 
of  tile  spice  ;  soon  had  reason  to  repent  of  their  avarice,  95. 

Cluuils,  the  forerunners  of  a  terrible  hurricane,  called  by  the  sai- 
lors the  bull's  eye,  105  ;  dashing  against  each  other,  produce  electri- 
cal fire  ;  water  evaporates,  and  rising  forms  clouds;  the  theory  upon 
it ;  that  of  Dr.  Hamilton  ;  the  author's  theory  of  evaporation,  107, 
108  ;  at  once  pour  down  their  contents,  and  produce  a  deluge  ;  re- 
flecting back  images  of  things  on  earth,  like  mirrors;  during  the 
winter  months,  under  the  Line,  usually  about  May,  the  whole  hori- 
zon seems  wrapt  in  a  muddy  cloud,  110. 

Clupea,  or  herring,  its  description,  650. 

Coaili,  a  monkey  of  the  new  continent,  described,  412. 

Coan,  the  name  of  a  dwarf  lately  dead  at  Chelsea,  189. 

Coast  of  Italy  is  bordered  with  rocks  of  marble  of  different  kinds  ; 
quarries  of  which  may  easily  be  distinguished  at  a  distance  from 
sea  ;  those  of  France  from  Brest  to  Bourdeaux,  and  Spain,  composed 
of  rocks,  79  ;  of  the  sea,  have  peculiar  winds.  102  ;  deadly  winds  all 
along  those  of  the  Persian  Gulf,  and  those  of  India,  105. 

Coatimondi,  extreme  length  of  its  snout;  its  description;  very 
subject  to  eat  its  own  tail;  its  habits,  440. 

Cobitis,  the  loach,  description  of  this  fish,  050. 

Cobra  di  Capcllo,  a  kind  of  serpent,  732, 739. 

Cochineal,  a  description  of  this  insect,  as  in  our  shops  brought 
from  America  ;  difference  between  the  domestic  and  the  wild 
cochineal ;  precautions  used  by  those  who  take  cire  of  those  insects  ; 
the  propagator  has  a  new  harvest  thrice  a  year  ;  various  methods 
of  killing  them  ;  produce  different  colours  as  brought  to  us  ;  our 
cochineal  is  only  the  females,  used  both  for  dying  and  medicine,  f-23. 

Cock,  of  all  birds  the  cock  the  oldest  companion  of  man,  and  first 
reclaimed  from  the  forest ;  scarcely  two  in  the  whole  species  that 
exactly  resemble  each  other  in  plumage  and  form  ;  species  of  cock 
from  Japan,  covered  over  with  hair  instead  of  feathers  ;  the  western 
world  had  the  cock  from  Persia  ;  Aristophanes'  cock  the  Persian 
bird ;  it  was  one  of  the  forbidden  foods  among  the  ancient  Britons ; 
Persia,  that  first  introduced  it  to  us,  no  longer  knows  it  in  its  natural 
form:  countries  where  it  is  wild  ;  peculiarities,  in  a  wild  condition; 
another  peculiarity  in  those  of  the  Indian  woods,  their  bones,  when 
boiled,  are  as  black  as  ebony  ;  the  Athenians  had  cock-matches  ae 
we  ;  no  animal  of  greater  courage,  when  opposed  to  one  of  its  own 
species;  in  China,  India,  the  Philippine  islands,  and  over  the  East, 
cock-fighting  the  sport  and  amusement  of  kings  and  priuces;  cocks 
in  China  as  bold,  or  bolder,  than  ours  ;  and  of  more  strength  with 
less  weight ;  its  great  courage  proceeds  from  being  the  most  sala- 
cious of  all  birds ;  a  single  cock  suffices  for  a  dozen  liens ;  and  is  the 
only  animal  whose  spirits  are  not  abated  by  indulgence  ;  soon  grows 


CON 


INDEX. 


COU 


13 


old,  and  in  three  or  four  years  becomes  unfit  for  the  purposes  of  im- 
pregnation ;  how  long  cocks  live,  left  to  themselves,  not  well  ascer- 
tained ;  Aldrovandus  makes  their  age  to  be  ten  years  ;  arc  injured, 
as  Linnxus  asserts,  by  elder  hurries,  494  to  '1'Jti  ;  the  black  chiefly 
found  in  heathy  mountains,  and  piny  forests,  50S ;  cock  of  the  wood. 
See  tt'ouilcock. 

Cackle,  a  bivalved  shcll-iis'.- 

Coeua,  the  elephant  >  nts  to  the  roots,  3(>li. 

Cut!,  from  the    banks  :'nHainl,    pursues   the   whitin?- 

which  flies  before  it  to  the  southern  shores  of  Spain,  <10!>  ;  spawn 
in  one  season,  as  Lewenlieecl.  ve  nine  millions  of  eggs 

or  peas,  contained  in  a  Mingle  roe,  (il'J  ;  its  description,  t!-i:>;  fishery 
in  Nowiiiinidiand  ;  wh:  such  large  quantities,  that  they 

supply  all  Europe  with  a  emisidcrahln  share  of  provision  ;  when 
their  provision  is  exhausted,  they  go  to  the  polar  seas,  where  they 
deposit  their  roes  in  i'uil  srenrily.  ' 

Cniil  promotes  oviiporation,  although  diminisliing  the  force  of 
other  menstruums,  I1'-;  extremity  of  it  not  less  productive  of  tawny 
complexions  than  that  of  heat,  JS4;  excessive,  preserves  bodies 
from  corruption,  I'.'"*:  s^me  fishes  rendered  so  torpid  by  cold  in 
the  northern  rivers,  as  to  bo  frozen  up  in  the  masses  of  ice,  where 
they  continue,  for  months  together,  without  life  or  sensation,  pri- 
soners of  congelation,  waiting  a  warmer  sun  to  restore  them  to 
life  and  liberty,  U.".:i, 

Collar-bouts,  what  animals  have  them,  347 

Colliers,  eight  dropped  down  dead  by  the  vapour  of  the  mines 
in  Scotland,  as  if  shot,  ^1. 

Ctiluur,  none  refreshes  the  sight  so  well  as  green,  5  ;  of  the  sea, 
not  from  any  thing  floating  in  it,  hut  from  different  reflections  of 
rays  of  light ;  the  proof,  85;  different  colours  of  the  eye,  141; 
whence  proceeds  the  tawny  of  the  North  American  Indians.  l'*4. 
\f~j-,  different  of  the  waters  of  the  same  sea,  80;  hair  takes  its 
colour  from  juices  flowing  through  it,  143  ;  that  of  the  object  con- 
tributes to  form  an  idea  of  the  distance  at  which  it  appears,  1(>2  ; 
of  all  those  by  which  mankind  is  diversified,  ours  most  beautiful  to 
the  eye.  and  most  advantageous,  183  ;  those  changes  the  African, 
the  Asiatic,  or  the  American,  undergo  in  their  colour,  are  but 
:':'.!  defrrmitks.  \\iiicii  might  probably  be  removed,  I^G  ; 
nothing  exceeds  the  delicate  regularity  of  those  of  tlie  y.cbra,  '^Jl  ; 
Change  of  colour  in  tile  hair  obtains,  in  some  degree,  in  all  quad- 
rupeds, 331 ;  different  in  several  parts  of  the  fur  of  the  sable,  33G. 

Comets,  their  appearance  formerly  terrible  to  mankind  ;  their 
number  much  greater  than  that  of  (lie  planets  ;  they  roll  in  orbits; 
f.xperiencc  has  not  sufficiently  confirmed  the  truth  of  the  investi- 
gation about  their  returning  periods,  y. 

Cnnijinj  i<m,  extremity  of  cold  not  less  productive  of  a  tawny  than 
that  of  heat  ;  not  easy  to  conceive  how  the  sun  whitens  wax  and 
linen,  and  darkens  the  human  complexion  ;  the  sun  not  the  only 
cause  of  darkening  it  ;  tiie  sun  tinges  the  complexion  in  propor- 
tion to  its  vicinity,  184,  1-5. 

Cumptc's  (Lc)  account  of  an  ape  he  saw  in  the  straits  of  Molucca, 
401. 

Cunrt  ir.,tif,  scarce  an  animal,  or  a  part  of  their  bodies,  in 
which  concretions  are  not  formed  ;  experience  has  found  but  few 
cures  by  the  efficacy  cf  these  concretions  ;  often  prove  fatal  to  the 
animal  that  bears  them,  'i'i'1. 

Conduiiiine  (Iji)  knows  a  fish  possessed  of  the  powers  of  the 
torpedo,  and  every  way  resembling  a  lamprey,  1)37. 

Ciindoina,  anomalous  animal  of  the  goat  kind;  its  description, 
253. 

Condor,  poeses^es,  in  a  !ii,/hf?r  degree  than  the  eagle,  all  the 
qualities  that  render  it  f  immlatdc  In  the  leathered  kind,  to  beasts, 
a:..-  :  '  man  hiin.self;  is  eighteen  feut  across  this  wings  extended, 
according  lo  Acosta,  Gareilasso,  and  Desinarchais  ;  the  beak  so 
strong  as  to  pierce  the  body  of  a  cow  ;  two  of  them  able  to  devour 
it;  they  do  not  abstain  from  man  himself;  fortunately  there  are 
few  of  the  species;  the.  Indians  believe  that  they  will  carry  off  a 
deer,  or  a  young  calf  in  their  talons,  as  eagles  would  a  hare 
ar  a  rabbit  ;  and  that  their  sight  is  piercing  and  their  air 
terrible  ;  that  they  seldom  fiv'.uent  the  forests,  as  they  require  a 
large  space  for  the  display  of  their  wings  ;  they  come  down  to  the 
-iM-shore  at  certain  seasons;  when  their  prey  fails  upon  land,  they 
!hen  feed  upon  dead  fish,  and  such  nutritious  substances  as  are 
thrown  upon  the  shore  ;  their  countenances  not  so  terrible  as  old 
writers  have  represented  ;  those  who  have  seen  this  animal,  say 
the  body  isaslargc  as  that  of  a  sheep  ;  many  instances  of  its  car- 
rying away  children  ;  circumstantial  account  of  this  bird  by  P. 
I'euilee,  the  only  traveller  who  has  accurately  described  it ;  it  is 
supposed  that  the  great  Bird  called  the  Rock,  described  by  Arabian 
writers,  and  so  much  exaggerated  by  fable,  is  but  a  species  of  the 
condor ;  countries  where  it  is  found  ;  in  the  deserts  of  Pachoinac, 


men  seldom  venture  to  travel ;  its  flesh  as  disagreeable  as  carrion, 
477,  -; . 

"ilt,  an  animal  resembling  the  skink  in  all  things  except 
size,  3:;-i. 

•  /•  of  America,  resembles  the  tiger  in  natural  ferocily, 
though  far  inferior  in  its  dimensions.  4311. 

I'uni'i  .utntn.      See    Hlttixl.  357. 

Cuiiao,  the  land   and  sea-brco/e-    th>  re.  101?;  the  inhabit 
;mtry  desire  ardently  to  pH>;;itnV  their  v.  ives  ,'uiil 
0  strangers  for  trifling  advantages,  !')!>. 

l>lc,  its  cats  ;  name  given  to  tiie  genets,  and   why, 

Continent  of  America;  that  part  under  the  line  is  cool  ami 
pleasant  ;  cither  shaded  by  mountains,  or  refreshed  by  breezes 
from  the  sea,  li-l. 

Cunt,  description  of  that  bird,  572;  residence  and  nest ;  rears 
two  or  three   broods  in  a  season;  sometimes  swims  down  'i 
rent,  till  it  reaches   the    sea;    dangers  encountered   in    this  voy- 

•  '•'.  manner  of  making  that  vcsvo!,  41V 

('{i[niiiitiutt.  natural  instinct  for  the  proper  times  ;  instances  of  it. 
Ul'i  ;  »nats  produce  young  without  copulation,  J-Jii. 

Cii'<nnUin  the  Bazilian  squirrel,  so  called  by  BufFon,  3.V.?. 
Ciiml,  the  common  red  never  met  witii  in  the  fossil  world,  13. 

('f'l'ni-tf :  ,  ,  ilieti.  7of*. 

Corul-pluntf,  their  various  appearances  ;  opinion  of  count  Mar- 
sigli  upon  corals  ;  Mr.  Ellis  proves  it  the  work  of  reptiles  of  the 
polypus  kind  ;  principal  experiment  to  this  purpose,  837,  838. 

Cura/ints  called  JWI£1  until  /-< 

Curi  t.  a  sea  snail,  performs  tin;  office  of  male  and  female,  685. 

(  •»     'o/cr  used  in  dressing  a  burn  iu  the  true  Roman  taste,  340. 

Cm-ill,  name  of  the  third  variety  of  gazelles,  by  Mr.  Buffon, 
251. 

Cormorant,  its  description  and  food  :  remarkably  voracious,  with 
a  sudden  digestion;  has  a  rank  and  dis.iinveab'i'  sine',! ;  and  is  more 
fciitid  than  even  carrion  ;  its  form  disagreeable  ;  its  voice  hoarse  and 
croaking  ;  all  its  qualities  obscene  ;  no  wonder  Mi'lou  makes  S;>t,'  > 
personate  this  bird  ;  objection  :ijr,riinst  this  passage  of  Milton 
dise  Lost  vindicated;  fisho:<  in   fresh  water,   and  in  the  il  pliis  o. 
the  ocean  ;  builds  in  cliffs  of  reeks,  and  in  trees  :  preyfl  in  : 
time,  and  by  night ;  once  used  in  F.ngland  for  ii  .  i  what 

manner  ;  how  educated  in  Chinn.  for  the   purposes  *  : 
best  fisher  of  all  birds  ;  a  most  .-11111181111:  spectacle,  stv 
cliff  on  the  shore  to  see  it  dive  aitcr  its  prey  ;  son;&limvs  h,i  .  e;T>r>h:. 
thn  nVh  by  the  tail  ;  the  fins   prevent  its  bi-inn-  s"-a'Vwi.d  in  tlia'. 
position,   how  it  manages  the  fish  in  this  i  -i  ;  remarked 

for  the  quickness  of  its  sight . 

Corn,  the  flying  squirrel  is  apt  to  do  a  great  deal  of  damage  iu 
the  corn-fields,  355. 

Cornaro,  lived  a  hundred  years  with  a  constitution  naturally 
feeble,  174. 

Cornwall,  pilchards  make  that  coast  a  place  of  resort ;  their 
arrival  proclaimed  by  the  birds,  and  the  larger  fishes.  '• 

Cftrtniuintlff,  dreadful  tempests  wholly  unknown  along  its 
coasts,  1(I'<J  ;  amazing  size  of  oysters  along  that  coast.  (Ml. 

C'orrira,  or  the  Runner,  a  bird  of  the  crane  kind  ;  its  descrip- 
tion, 507. 

Corruption,  excessive  cold  preserves  bodies  from  it  ;  and  a  great 
degree  of  dryness  produced  by  heat ;  eart.li.  if  drying  and  astrin- 
gent, produces  the  same  effect  ;  bodies  never  corrupt  at  Spitsber- 
gen, though  buried  for  thirty  years  ;  men  and  animals  buried  in  the 
sands  of  Arabia,  preserve. 1  from  corruption  fiir  B  i'-tually 

embalmed  ;  corruption  of  dead  bodies  entirely  caused  by  the  fer- 
mentation of  the  humours:  bodies  buried  in  flu:  monastery  of  the 
Cordeliers  at  Tboulouse,  preserved  from  corruption  '•  bodies  pre- 
viously embalmed  buried  in  the  sonds  of  Chorosaii.  in  Persia,  pre- 
served from  corruption  for  a  thousand  years;  an  ;r,-..ng  preser- 
vation from  it,  in  a  mummy  lately  ducr  op  in  France,  1H5  to  I1.)?'. 

Conjphftnti.  the  razor  fi-.li.  its  oe-eription,  400. 

Cotojiaxi,  volcano  in  South  Ainencu,  described  by  Utloa,  29; 
more  than  three  geographical  miles  above  the  surface  of  the  sea,  44. 

Cotton-tree,  the  seed  intoxicates  parrots,  as  wine  does  man, 
538. 

Coitus,  the  bull-head  ;  description  of  this  fi--h,  04!). 

Ctniniido,  much  less  than  the  porcupine,  its  description,  377. 

Cougar,  the  red  tiger,  by  Mr.  Buffon.  3011  ;  extremelv  common 
in  South  America  ;  make  frequent  incursions  by  night  into  the 
midst  of  the  streets,  carrying  off  dogs  and  other  domcitic  crea- 
tures ;  in  what  manner  the  Indians  encounter  it  "01. 

Coulterneb,  remarkable  bird  of  the  Penguin  kind.  S«e  Puffin, 
590. 


H 


CRA 


INDEX. 


CRO 


Cows,  allured  by  music,  100  ;  of  ruminant  animals,  the  cow  kind 
deserves  the  first  rank  ;  meanest  peasants  in  Germany,  Poland,  and 
Switzerland,  kill  one  cow  at  least  for  their  own  table  ;  salted  and 
hung  up,  is  preserved  as  a  delicacy  the  year  round  ;  cows  want  the 
upper  tore-tcetli  ;  in  no  part  of  Europe  cows  grow  so  large,  yield 
more  milk,  or  more  readily  tiit'en,  than  in  England  ;  make  no  par- 
ticular distinction  in  their  herbage,  indiscriminately  devouring  the 
proper  quantity  ;  it  givus  buck  mr.rc  than  it  takes  from  the  soil  ; 
•••so  of  the  cow  known  by  the  teeth  and  horns  ;  the  number  of 
.eth;  h«ve  eight  cutting  teeth  in  the  lower  jaw;  manner  of 
i  Hewing  tin-in  :  flic  horns  more  surely  determine  this  animal's 
n;fe,  and  ho\v  ;  while  this  animal  lives,  the  horns  lengthen  ;  wants 
in  udder  what  it  his  in  neck  ;  the  larger  the  dew-lap,  the  smaller 
liie  quantity  of  iis  milk  ;  the  kind  to  be  found  in  every  part  of  the 
world  ;  larger  in  proportion  to  the  richness  of  the  pasture  ;  Africa 
remarkable  tor  tliu  largest  and  smallest  cattle  of  this  kind  ;  as  also 
India,  Poland,  and  Switzerland  ;  among  tile  Elutli  Tartars,  the  cow 
so  Urge,  tiiat  a  tall  man  can  only  reach  the  tip  of  its  shoulder  ;  of 
all  quadrupeds,  the  cow  most  liaule  to  alteration  from  its  pasture  ; 
the  breed  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  most  parts  of  Scotland,  much  less 
than  in  England,  sis.j  differently  shaped  ;  the  breed  improved  by 
foreign  mixture,  adapted  to  supply  the  imperfections  of  our  own; 
such  as  purely  British,  far  inferior  in  size  to  those  of  the  Continent  ; 
the  cow,  the  urus,  and  the  bison,  animals  of  the  same  kind  ;  differ- 
ence in  size  not  so  remarkable  as  those  in  its  form,  hair,  and  horns  ; 
many  considered  as  a  different  kind,  and  names  given  to  them  as  a 
distinct  species,  when  in  reality  all  the  same  ;  only  two  varieties 
of  the  kind  really  distinct,  the  cow  and  the  buffalo  ;  they  bear  an  anti- 
pathy to  each  other  ;  scarce  a  part  of  the  world  where  the  cow  kind 
is  not  found  ;  variety  of  the  horns  ;  those  in  Iceland,  are  without 
horns;  the  Barbary  cow,  or  zebu  ;  of  all  animals,  the  cow  most  ex- 
tensively propagated  ;  an  inhabitant  of  the  frozen  fields  of  Iceland 
and  the  burning  deserts  of  Lybia  ;  other  animals  preserve  their  na- 
ture or  their  form  with  inflexible  perseverance  ;  the  cows  suit 
themselves  to  the  appetites  and  convenience  of  mankind  ;  no  ani- 
mal has  a  greater  variety  of  kinds,  none  more  humble  and  pliant  ; 
the  cow  and  bison  breed  among  each  other  ;  the  cow  does  not 
breed  with  the  buffalo  ;  no  animals  more  distinct,  or  have  stronger 
antipathies  to  each  other  ;  the  cow  goea  nine  months  with  young  ; 
the  grunting  or  Siberian  cow,  and  the  little  African  or  zebu,  are 
different  races  of  the  bison  ;  animals  of  the  cow  kind  by  naturalists 
extended  to  eight  or  ten  sorts,  reduced  to  two  ;  an  animal  of  the 
cow  kind  no  naturalist  has  described  ;  the  description  of  it,  233  to 
240  ;  the  Greeks  compared  the  eyes  of  a  beautiful  woman  to  those 
of  a  cow,  251  ;  it  eats  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  plants,  and  re- 
jects two  hundred  and  eighteen,  26U. 

Cow  liczoar,  a  factitious  sort,  '^.V>. 

Crab,  a  ruminating  fish,  39  ;  surprising  manner  in  which  the 
monkeys  draw  crabs  from  the  water,  4011  ;  found  in  fresh  and  salt 
water,  and  upon  land  ;  description  ;  its  intestines  have  many  con- 
volutions ;  land-crabs  of  various  kinds;  some  healthful  and  nou- 
rishing ;  others  poisonous  or  malignant  to  a  great  degree  ;  places 
where  found,  005. 

Crab  (cialet)  of  the  Caribbee  islands,  described;  most  noted, 
both  for  shape  and  delicacy  of  its  flesh  ;  their  food  ;  their  nippers 
the  principal  instruments  for  seizing  and  cutting  their  food  ;  catch 
such  hold,  that  the  limb  is  lost  sooner  than  the  grasp  ;  thus  it  gets 
off,  leaving  its  claw  fastened  upon  the  enemy  ;  the  claw  performs 
its  duty,  and  keeps  a  minute  fastened  upon  the  finger,  while  the 


uinazing  inarch  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea-shore,  to  deposit  the 
spawn,  from  which  soon  after  millions  of  little  crabs  are  seen  slow- 
ly travelling  up  the  mountains  ;  wait  the  benefit  of  sea-water  for 
their  delivery  ;  eiiange  their  shells,  at  which  period  they  become 
quite  naked,  and  almost  without  motion  for  six  days,  when  they  be- 
come so  fat  as  to  be  delicious  food  ;  have  under  their  stomachs  four 
white  stones,  which  gradually  decrease,  as  the  shell  hardens,  and 
when  come  to  perfection  are  not  to  be  found  ;  season  and  manner 
in  which  they  are  caught  ;  in  Jamaica  they  are  in  great  plenty,  and 
considered  as  one  of  the  greatest  delicacies  ;  many  of  this  kind 
found  poisonous,  003  to  607. 

Crab  (soldier)  a  native  of  the  West  Indies  ;  its  description  ;  seen 
every  year  descending  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea-shore,  to  de- 
posit its  spawn,  and  to  provide  itself  with  a  new  shell  ;  contest  be- 
tween them  for  some  well-looking  favourite  shell,  for  which  they 
are  rivals  ;  strike  with  their  claws  ;  bite  »ach  other,  till  the  weakest 
is  obliged  to  yield  and  give  up  the  object  of  dispute  ;  when  taken 
.sends  forth  a  feeble  cry,  endeavouring  to  seize  the  enemy  with  its 
jnippers  ;  not  much  esteemed  for  its  flesh,  COS,  669. 


Cravr,  bred  familiarly  in  our  marshes  formerly ;  not  now,  ami 
why,  457  ;  general  characteristics  and  habits  of  birds  of  the  crane- 
kind  ;  their  food  and  flesh  ;  description  of  the  crane  ;  their  nests 
are  more  simple  than  the  sparrow's  ;  Gesner  says,  its  feathers,  in 
his  time,  were  set  in  gold,  and  worn  as  ornaments  in  caps  ;  de- 
scription of  this  bird  from  ancient  writers,  who  have  mixed  ima- 
tion  with  history  ;  whence  have  arisen  the  fables  of  supporting  Their 
aged  parents,  and  fighting  with  pigmies  ;  the  crane  a  social  bird, 
iit.il  seldom  seen  alone  ;  usual  method  of  flying  or  sitting,  in  flocks 
of  fifty  or  sixty  together ;  while  part  feed,  the  rest  keep  guard  ; 
subsists  mostly  upon  vegetables  ;  are  known  in  every  country  of 
Europe,  except  our  own;  are  birds  of  passage;  seasons  of  their 
migrations,  during  which  they  do  incredible  damage,  chiefly  in  the 
night  ;  were  formerly  known,  and  held  in  great  estimation  here  for 
the  delicacy  of  their  flesh  ;  there  was  a  penalty  upon  destroying 
their  eggs;  Plutarch  says  cranes  were  blinded,  kept  in  coops,  ami 
fattened  for  the  tables  of  the  great  in  Rome  ;  at  present  they  are 
considered  all  over  Europe  as  wretched  eating  ;  qualities  of  its 
flesh  ;  the  cold  Arctic  region  this  bird's  favourite  abode  ;  their  note 
the  loudest  of  all  other  birds  ;  and  often  heard  in  the  clouds,  when 
the  bird  itself  is  unseen ;  amazing  heights  to  which  they  ascend 
when  they  fly;  though  unseen  themselves,  they  have  distinct 
vision  of  every  object  below  ;  govern  and  direct  their  flight  by  their 
cries  ;  extraordinary  length  and  contortion  of  its  windpipe;  use 
made  of  their  clangorous  sound  ;  they  rise  but  heavily,  are  shy 
birds,  and  seldom  let  the  fowler  approach  them  ;  their  depredations 
usually  in  the  darkest  nights,  when  they  enter  a  field  of  corn,  and 
trample  it  down,  as  if  crossed  over  by  a  regiment  of  soldiers  ;  corn 
their  favourite  food,  scarce  any  other  comes  amiss  to  them  ;  Redi'H 
experiments  to  this  purpose  ;  a  little  falcon  pursues,  and  often  dis- 
ables it ;  method  used  on  such  occasions  by  those  fond  of  hawking; 
barbarous  customs  of  breeding  up  the  cranes  to  be  thus  baited ; 
easily  tamed  ;  Albertus  Magnus  says,  it  has  a  particular  affection 
for  man  ;  the  female  distinguished  from  the  male,  by  not  being  bald 
behind  ;  never  lays  above  two  eggs  at  a  time  ;  the  young  are  soon 
fit  to  fly,  and  then  the  parents  forsake  them  to  shift  for  themselves ; 
when  unfledged,  they  run  with  such  swiftness  that  a  man  cannot 
easily  overtake  them  ;  Aldrovandus  assures  us  one  was  kept  tamo 
for  above  forty  years  ;  the  vulgar  bear  the  crane  a  compassionate 
regard  ;  prejudices  in  its  favour  ;  a  heinous  offence  in  some  coun- 
tries to  kill  a  crane ;  distinctions  between  the  crane  and  the  stork, 
551  to  555. 

Crane,  the  Belearic,  from  the  coast  of  Africa,  and  the  Cape  de 
Verde  islands,  its  description  ;  habits  ;  has  been  described  by  the 
name  of  the  sea-peacock  ;  real  Belearic  crane  of  Pliny  ;  foreign 
birds  of  the  crane  kind,  described  ;  the  jabiruguacu  ;  the  anhima  ; 
the  buffoon-bird  or  Numidian  crane,  described,  557,  558;  place 
where  the  crane  kind  seem  to  have  formed  their  general  rendez- 
vous, 504  ;  the  flamingo  the  most  remarkable  of  all  the  kind,  the 
tallest,  bulkiest,  and  most  beautiful,  described,  5(55  ;  small  birds  of 
the  crane  kind,  508. 

Criesus,  (king  of  Lydia)  seated  on  his  throne  with  all  the  barba- 
rous pomp  of  Eastern  splendour,  asking  Solon  if  he  had  ever  beheld 
any  thing  so  fine  ?  was  answered,  that  after  the  beautiful  plumage 
of  the  pheasant,  he  could  be  astonished  at  no  other  finery,  50). 

Cricetus,  the  German  rat,  by  Mr.  Buffon  called  the  hamster,  its 
description  ;  is  the  greatest  pest  in  the  countries  where  found.  ;md 
every  method  made  use  of  to  destroy  it;  its  hole  a  curious  object 
for  contemplation  ;  shows  a  skill  superior  to  the  rest  of  the  rat  kind ; 
description  of  it ;  their  storehouses :  contain  two  bushels  of  good 
rain  in  each  apartment ;  means  of  finding  out  their  retreats  ;  pro- 


duce young  twice  or  thrice  a  year,  and  bring  five  or  six  at  a  tin:i>  ; 
their  devastations  produce  a  famine  ;  tlu-y  destroy  each  et'-tw:' ; 
their  fur  very  valuable,  308. 


Crirkct,  a  ruminating  insect,  or  seemingly  so,  282 ;  difference 
from  the  grasshopper;  their  voice;  food,  770;  never  drink; 
sound  of  drums  and  trumpets  make  them  forsake  their  situation,  ib. 

Cricket  (i:iti!t:)  described,  thought  to  be  amphibious,  777;  the 
number  of  their  eggs  ;  a  most  detested  insect  by  gardeners;  its  de- 
vastations ;  precautions  of  the  female  against  the  black  beetle  ;.  their 
care  and  aseiduity  in  the  preservation  of  their  young,  ib. 

Crochet,  in  the  head  of  the  stag,  202. 

Crocodile,  extraordinary  combat  between  this  animal  and  the 
tiger,  301  ;  the  ichneumon  discovers  and  destroys  its  eggs  ;  kills  its 
young,  and  sometimes  entering  the  mouth  of  the  crocodile,  when 
sleeping  on  the  shore,  effectually  destroys  it,  337 ;  the  eggs  it  lays 
in  the  sand  often  amount  to  three  or  four  hundred,  338 ;  the 
places  where  found,  together  with  their  dimensions  ;  description ; 
during  an  inundation,  it  sometimes  enters  the  cottages  of  the  na- 
tives, and  seizes  the  first  animal  it  meets  with ;  several  examples 
of  taking  a  man  out  of  a  xatioe  from  his  companions,  notwithatani- 


CUR 


INDEX. 


DEE 


ing  all  opposition  and  resistance  ;  can  overturn  a  fanoe  with  a  sin- 
gle blow  of  its  tail ;  terrible  even  upon  land  ;  its  depredations  ; 
combats  between  the  crocodile  and  the  tiger ;  in  what  manner  it 
seizes  its  prey  ;  there  is  no  animal  but  man  alone  that  can  combat 
it  with  success  ;  hnw  a  negro  ventures  to  attack  this  animal  in  its 
own  element ;  manner  of  taking  it  at  Siuiu  ;  often  managed  like  a 
horse  ;  a  curb  put  into  its  mouth,  and  the  rider  directs  it  as  lie  likes  ; 
makes  an  object  of  savage  pomp  near  the  palacos  of  their  monarchs  ; 
manner  of  taking  it  uong  the  rivers  of  Africa;  pools  of  water 
where  bred,  as  we  breed  carp  in  our  ponds ;  in  Egypt,  and  other 
long-peopled  countries,  this  animal  solitary  and  fearful ;  in  the  river 
San  Domingo,  they  are  most  inoffensive,  children  play  with  them, 
and  ride  about  on  their  backs  ;  beat  them  without  receiving  the 
smallest  injury  ;  probable  opinion,  its  musky  substance  amassed  in 
glands  under  the  legs  and  arms  ;  its  flesh ;  the  eggs  to  the  savages 
most  delicate  morsels  ;  all  breed  near  fresli  waters  ;  precautions  in 
laying  their  eggs;  the  female  having  introduced  her  young  to 
their  natural  element,  she  and  the  male  become  their  most  formida- 
ble enemies  ;  their  eggs  eagerly  sought  after  by  every  bird  and 
be;ist  of  prey  ;  the  Gallinazo  (a  species  of  the  vulture)  their  greatest 
rnemv  ;  th<;  open-bellied  crocodile,  thought  viviparous  ;  his  a  false 
belly  like  the  oppossum,  for  the  young  to  creep  out  and  in,  as  dan- 
ger or  necessity  requires ;  their  age  ;  produced  to  fight  at  the  am- 
phitheatre at  Koine,  711  to  71(1. 

Croppers,  a  kind  of  pigeons,  530. 

Crossbill,  a  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537. 

Cross-fax,  animal  between  the  dog  and  fox,  320. 

Crown,  in  the  head  of  a  stag,  3t!2. 

Crotcs  fetch  and  carry  with  the  docility  of  a  spaniel,  512;  the 
rarrinii-crow  resembles  the  raven  in  appetites,  laying,  and  manner 
of  bringing  up  its  young;  the  Roystcn-crow,  514. 

Cruelty,  teaching  the  arts  of  cruelty,  equivalent  to  committing 
them,  495. 

Crustaceans,  animals  of  the  lobster  kind,  6G3. 

Cu/i,  the  fox  is  so  called  during  the  first  year,  323 ;  born  blind, 
like  those  of  the  dog,  324. 

Cuckoo,  fables  invented  of  this  bird  now  sufficiently  refuted  ;  where  it 
resides  in  winter,  or  how  provides  for  its  supply  during  that  season, 
still  undiscovered  ;  this  bird  somc<vliat  less  tfian  a  pigeon,  shaped 
like  a  magpie,  and  of  a  grayish  colour;  is  distinguished  from  all 
other  by  its  round  prominent  nostrils  ;  discovers  itself  in  our  couu- 
1  ry  early  in  the  spring,  bv  its  well  known  call;  its  note  heard  ear- 
lier or  later  as  the  season  is  more  or  less  forward,  and  the  weather 
inviting  ;  from  the  cheerful  voice  of  this  bird  Ihe  farmer  instructed 
in  the  real  advancement  of  the  year  ;  from  this  bird's  note,  the  hus- 
bandman mav  be  taught  when  to  sow  his  most  useful  seeds  ;  history 
and  nature  of  this  bird  still  in  great  obscurity  ;  its  call  an  invitation 
t.o  courtship,  used  only  by  the  male,  generally  perched  upon  a  dead 
tiee,  or  bare  bough,  repeating  his  song,  which  he  loses  when  the 
genial  season  is  over  ;  his  note  pleasant  though  uniform  ;  the  female 
makes  no  nest ;  repairs  to  the  nest  of  some  other  bird,  generally  the 
water-wagtnil  or  hedge-sparrow,  and,  after  devouring  the  eggs  of 
the  owner,  lays  her's  in  their  place  ;  usually  lays  but  one,  and  this 
the  little  foolish  bird  hatches  with  great  assiduity,  and  when  ex- 
rjuded  fondly  thinks  the  ill-looking  changeling  her  own  ;  to  supply 
Ibis  voracious  creature,  the  credulous  nurse  toils  with  unwearied 
labour,  not  sensible  she  is  feeding  up  an  enemy  to  her  race  ;  the 
stomach  of  this  bird  is  enormous,  and  reaches  from  (he  breast-bone 
to  the  vent ;  its  food  ;  naturally  weak  and  fearful  ;  the  smaller  birds 
•misiJer  the  young  cuckoo  as  an  enemy  ;  revenge  the  cause  of  their 
kind  by  repeated  insults,  and  form  a  train  of  pursuers  ;  the  wry- 
neck in  particular,  the  most  active  in  the  ehace  ;  supposed,  in  win- 
ter, to  lie  hid  in  hollow  trees,  or  to  pass  into  warmer  climates;  story 
of  a  cuckoo  found  in  a  willow  log,  in  winter  ;  probable  opinion  con- 
cerning its  residence  in  winter  ;  Brisson  makes  not  less  th:m  twenty- 
eight  sorts  of  this  bird  ;  and  tiilks  of  one  of  Brazil,  as  making  a  hor- 
rible noise  in  the  forests,  523,  524  ;  follows  a  very  different  trade 
from  what  its  nurse  endeavoured  to  teach  it;  and,  according  to 
Pliny,  in  time  destroys  its  instructer,  5(J7. 

Cuckoo-spit,  or  froth-worm,  its  description,  779. 

Cud,  the  hare,  the  rabbit,  and  the  squirrel,  placed  by  Pyerius 
among  those  that  chew  the  cud  ;  how  far  true  is  not  determined,  345. 

t'n^nnt'.i  fijxini.  name  in  Brazil  for  the  roe-buck,  2*i9. 

Cummin-seed,  formerly  used  in  dressing  a  hare  in  true  Roman 
taste,  349. 

Cur,  the  cur-fox,  325. 

Curlew,  a  small  bird  of  the  crane  kind  ;  its  dimensions  ;  places 
where  found  ;  manner  of  procuring  its  food  ;  its  habits  ;  its  nest, 
and  number  of  eggs  ;  a  bird  of  passage  ;  our  country,  during  the 
summer  season,  becomes  uninhabitable  to  them  ;  season  of  court- 
rtiip,  568  to  570, 


Currents  of  rivers  well  explained  by  the  Italians,  5f>;  side,  current ; 
back  current,  CO  ;  sometimes  the  current  at  bottom  swifter  than  al. 
top,  and  when  ;  double  current,  ib. ;  found  to  run  in  all  directions  ; 
manner  in  which  mariners  judge  of  the  setting  and  rapidity  of  the 
current ;  currents  are  generally  found  most  violent  under  the  equa- 
tor ;  along  the  coasts  of  Guinea,  if  a  ship  happens  to  overshoot  the 
mouth  of  any  river  it  is  bound  to,  the  current  prevents  its  return  ; 
a  passage,  with  the  current,  gone  in  two  days,  with  difficulty  per- 
formed in  six  weeks  against  it ;  currents  do  not  extend  itbove  twenty 
leagues  from  the  coast ;  the  currents  at  Sumatra  extremely  rapid, 
run  from  south  to  north;  also  strong  currents  between  Mndngasrar 
and  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  ;  on  the  western  coasts  of  America,  this 
current  always  runs  from  the  south  to  the  north  ;  but  the  most  re- 
markable are  those  continually  flowing  into  the,  Mediterranean  s  -.1  . 
between  the  North  and  the  South  Foreland,  the  current  runs  one 
way  at  top,  and  the  ebb  another  way  at  bottom,  7(i  to  7*. 

Current  of  air,  driven  through  a  contracted  space,  grows  more 
violent,  104. 

CILSCO,  Garcilasso  do  la  Vcgo  asserts  the  air  is  so  dry  and  so  cold 
there,  that  flesh  dries  like  wood  without  corrupting,  195. 

Ciiftom,  the  form  of  the  face  seems  rather  the  result  of  cus- 
tom, i 

l.uttlr-fish,  its  description  ;  contrivance  with  which  it  is  furnished 
by  nature,  when  under  a  difficulty  of  escaping,  833. 

Cybotus,  a  lofty  mountain  swallowed  by  an  earthquake,  47. 

Cijnocephalus,  the  Magot  of  Buffon,  the  last  of  the  ape  kind  ;  its 
description  ;  is  a  native  of  Africa  and  the  East,  404. 

Cyprinus,  or  the  carp.     See  Carp,  650. 


D. 

Dam,  in  the  rapacious  kinds,  leads  her  young  forth  for  months 
together  ;  it  is  not  so  with  those  of  the  hare  kind,  34<i. 

Dam/tier,  has  added  more  to  natural  history  than  half  the  philo- 
sophers before  him,  (374. 

Damps,  of  various  natures  in  mines  ;  the  fulminating  sort,  23,  24. 

Dance,  hares  taught  to  dance  to  music,  347. 

Dane,  the  tallest  dog  bred  in  Kngland,  312,  313. 

Danube,  has  seven  openings  into  (he  t'uxiiit!  Sea,  39  ;  proceeds 
from  the  Alps,  42  ;  its  course  ;  the  Turks  and  Christians  have  fleets 
of  men  of  war  upon  it,  61  ;  it  receives  thirty  lesser  rivers.  (14  ;  the 
huso,  or  isinglass-tish,  caught  in  great  quantities  in  tiie  river,  042. 

Dam,  its  inhabitants  use  ostriches  as  horses.  4C5. 

Darkness,  surprising  how  far  the  eye  accommodates  itself  to  it, 
1b'3;  remarkable  instance  of  it  in  a  gentleman,  a  major  under 
Charles  the  First,  103. 

Dmilmton  gives  a  complete  history  of  a  dwnrf.  1^9. 

Deaf  men  often  found  to  see  the  force  of  those  reasonings  wiiich 
they  could  not  hear,  understanding  every  word  as  it  was  spoken, 
108 ;  one  born  deaf,  must  necessarily  be  dumb  ;  inst-tncesof  two  young 
men,  who,  born  deaf,  were  restored  to  hearing,  1(J7  ;  a  person  born 
deaf,  by  time  and  pains  taught  to  write,  read,  speak,  and  by  the  mo- 
tion of  the  lips  to  understand  what  is  said;  instances  of  it,  UH. 

Deafness  one  of  the  most  common  disorders  in  old  age  ;  way  t<j 
know  this  defect  cither  internal  or  external.  Hi7. 

Death,  a  young  man  born  deaf  and  dumb,  knew  nothing  of  death, 
and  never  thought  of  it  till  the  age  of  twenty-four,  when  he  began 
to  speak  of  a  sudden,  107;  a  spectre,  which  frights  us  nt  a  distance, 
but  disappears  when  we  come  to  approach  it,  170;  uncertainty  of 
the  signs  of  death,  177. 

Deer,  annually  shedding  horns,  and  their  permanence  in  the  sheep, 
draws  a  distinct  line  between  their  kinds,  241;  the  little  Guinea- 
deer,  the  least  of  all  cloven-footed  quadrupeds,  and  most  beautiful; 
its  description,  253;  the  male  in  Gniiu-;i  has  horns,  but  the  fcmalq 
is  without ;  they  abound  in  Java  and  Ceylon,  ib. ;  all  of  the  deer- 
kind  want  the  gall-bladder,  2~>7  ;  a  downy  substance,  like  velvet, 
upon  the  skin,  covering  the  skull  of  a  deer,  when,  the  old  horn  is 
fallen  off;  their  horns  grow  differently  from  those  of  sheep  or  cows  j 
they  are  furrowed  along  the  sides,  and  why,  257  ;  the  bran-deer,  or 
the  brown-deer,  called  by  the  ancients  fragelaphus,  found  in  the 
forests  of  Germany  ;  the  new  continent  of  America  produces  ani- 
mals of  the  deer-kind  in  sufficient  plenty,  205. 

Deer  (Fallow,}  no  animals  more  nearly  allied  than  the  stag  and 
fallow-deer,  yet  they  never  herd  nor  engender  together,  nor  form, 
a  mixed  breed  ;  each  form  distinct  families,  and  retain  an  unalter- 
able aversion ;  the  fallow-deer, rarely  wild  in  the  forests ;  are  in  gene- 
ral bred  in  parks,  and  their  flesh  is  preferred  to  that  of  any  other  ani- 
mal ;  a  herd  of  them  divides  into  two  parties,  and  engages  each  other 
with  great  ardour  and  obstinacy  ;  bothdesirMis.of  y;  lining  a  favourite 
spot  of  the  park  for  pasture,  and  of  driving  the  vanquished  into  tka 


DIV 


U'DEX. 


DOG 


more   disagreeable    pnrts ;    mann.-r    of  .   ars  easily 

'  uind  ;  :iiid  browse  rW;r   tlwn   the  si  •  •  ''  k  tin)  female  at 

their  second  year  ;  their  strength,  eunidng,  and  courage  inferior  to 
those  of  tlic  stag  ;  a  more  dolicale  unim.il  than  ih  have 

in  En.rt'iud  Uvo  varieties  oi'tlip  fallow-deer,  ono  brought  from  Ben- 
pal,  the  other  from  Norway  ;  flesh  of  this  French  fallow-dyer,  lias 
'«  f.itnes-i  or  the  flavour  ef  th»t  fed  up. .11  English  pasture  ; 
Spanish  arid  Virginia  fallow-deer  larger  and  stronger  than  ours; 
d.'er  without  horns,  their  description,  21 15,  2'o<'>. 

Dcir  (Jicin.)  the  most  extraordinary  and  nio-st  useful;  native  of 
t';e  icy  regions  of  the  North  ;  it  answers  the  purposes  of  a  horse  -, 
attempts  made  to  accustom  it  to  a  morn  southern  climate,  in  a  lew 
months  it  declines  and  dii  s  ;  answers  the  purpose  of  a  cow  in  giving 
nilk,  and  of  the  sheep  in  furnisljing  warm  clothing  to  the  people  of 
Lapland  and  Greenland  ;  description  of  the  rein-deer  ;  its  rutl ing- 
lime,  and  that  of  shedding  its  horns  ;  difference  between  this  deer 
and  the  stag  ;  it  is  not  known  to  the  natives  of  Siberia  ;  Americans 
call  it  caribou  ;  herdsmen  of  Lapland  known  to  possess  a  thousand 
rein-deer  in  a  single  herd  ;  it  subsists  upon  moss;  and  makes  tile 
riches  of  the  people  of  Lapland  ;  gnats  and  gadflies  very  formidable 
to  this  deer  in  Lapland  ;  female  brings  forth  in  May  ;  its  milk  thin- 
ner than  that  of  the  cow;  sweeter  and  more  nourishing  ;  is  of  two 
kinds  in  Lapland;  it  draws  sledges;  can  go  about  thirty  miles 
without  halting,  and  without  dangerous  effort ;  generally  castrated 
by  the  Laplanders  ;  one  male  left  for  six  females ;  begin  to  bleed 
when  two  years  old  ;  go  with  young  eight  months,  and  bring  two 
at  a  time  :  fondness  of  the  dam  remarkable  ;  live  but  fifteen  or  six- 
teen years  ;  manner  in  which  the  Laplanders  kill  them  ;  scarce  any 
part  of  this  animal  not  converted  to  peculiar  uses  ;  tiie  Laplanders 
tind  their  necessities  supplied  from  the  rein-deer  alone  ;  in  what 
manner  ;  diseases  of  this  animal ;  the  blood  of  the  rein-deer  pre- 
served in  small  casks,  for  sauce  v.'ith  the  marrow  in  spring  ;  the 
horns  converted  into  glue  ;  the  sinews  make  the  strongest  sewing- 
thread  ;  the  tongues  a  great  delicacy  ;  the  intestines,  washed  like 
our  tripe,  in  high  esteem  among  the  Laplanders;  bears  make  de- 
predations upon  the  rein-deer  ;  glutton  its  most  dangerous  and  suc- 
cessful persecutor  ;  only  method  of  escape  from  this  creature,  272 
to  276  ;  in  what  manner  the  rein-deer  is  killed  by  it.  :!!:!  ;  the  wolf 
never  attacks  a  rein-deer  that  is  haltered  in  Lapland,  and  why.  321. 

Drfurmity,  children  often  inherit  even  the  accidental  delor- 
inlties  of  their  parents  ;  instances  oi'  it ;  accidental  deformities  be- 
come natural  ;  by  assiduity  continued  and  increased,  through  suc- 
cessive generations,  ]r-'5  ;  all  those  changes  the  African,  the  Asiatic, 
or  the  American,  undergo  in  their  colour,  are  accidental  deformi- 
ties probably  to  be  removed,  18t>. 

Demoiselle,  name  given  by  the  French  to  the  Numidian  bird, 558. 

Itiitvitti.  a  large  serpent,  native  of  .Mexico.  742. 

Derlirnt,  pastures  in  these  plains  excellent  for  rearing  horses,  21!). 

Derbyshire,  description  ol'  the  nest  oi'au  eagle  found  in  the  peak 
of  Derbyshire,  -175. 

Derhtini,  by  a  microscope,  discovered  in  the  eye  of  a  mole,  the 
parts  known  in  other  animals.  '.i7!. 

Desman,  one  of  the  three  distinctions  of  the  musk-rat ;  a  native 
of  Lapland,  307. 

Deri^,  the  Swedish  Laplanders  consult  him,  178. 

l>i  rll  (Sea.)  or  fishing-frog  described,  (>43. 

Due  compensates  tin:  want  of  showers  in  Egypt,  105. 

Diitblt.ret,  a  mountain  of  France  suddenly  fallen  down  ;  its  ruins 
covered  an  extent  of  a  large  square,  4lJ. 

iHt'liuiiur^ts  ol  Arts  und  Sciences,  a  fault  that  has  infected  most 
of  them,  204. 

fa  thin  sparisg  kind   remarkable  among  quadrupeds,  as 
•  human  species,  to  produce  hair,  331. 

!)t<,r<*t?r,  an  instrument;  moat  and  bones  put  into  it,  dissolved 
into  a  jelly  in  six  or  eight  minutes. '.Hi. 

Digcstum,  these  organ,  in  birds  are  in  a  manner  reversed.  4.72  ;  is 
not  perfect  in  all  birds  that  live  upon  mice,  lizards,  or  such  like  food, 
48!)  ;  performed  by  some  unknown  principle  in  the  stomach,  acting 
in  a  manner  different  from  all  kinds  of  artificial  masceration  ;  this 
luiimal  power  lodged  in  the  maw  of  fishes,  60!). 

/.'•:.•.  'i ties  of  the  rein-deer;  the  manner  in  which  the  Laplanders 
cure  them,  277. 

Disorders,  infectious,  propagated  by  the  effluvia  from  diseased 
bodies,  95;  most  of  these  incidents  to  mankind,  says  Bacon,  arise 
from  the  changes  of  the  atmosphere,  Gil;  fishes  have  their  dis- 
orders, 659. 

Diver  (the  great  northern.)  a  bird  of  the  smaller  tribe  of  the  pen- 
guin kind  ;  the  gray-speckled  diver  ;  the  scarlet-throated  diver,  590. 

Divers  known  to  descend  from  twenty  to  thirty  fathom,  85  ;  of 
all  those  who  have  brought  information  from  the  bottom  of  the 
tteep,  Nicola  Peace  the  most  celebrated ;  account  of  hie  perform- 


ances by  Kireher.  8fi  ;  some  known  to  continue  three  quarters  of 
an  hour  under  water,  without  breathing  ;  they  usually  die  con- 
sumptive;  manner  of  fishing  for  pearls.  (\:>3. 

Dutlo,  its  description,  40!' ;  among  birds,  as  the  sloth  among 
quadrupeds,  an  unresisting  animal,  equally  incapable  of  flight  or 
defence  ;  native  of  the  Isle  of  France  ;  the  Dutch  first  discovered 
it,  a.nd  called  it  the  nauseous  bird  ;  travellers  deem  its  flesh  good 
and  wholesome  ;  it,  is  easily  taken  ;  three  or  foul'  dodos  enough  to 
dine  a  hundred  men ;  whether  the  dodo  be  the  same  bird  with  that 
described  under  the  name  of  the  bird  of  Nazareth,  remains  uncer- 
tain, 470. 

J)nc,  the  female  of  the  deer  kind,  266. 

Dogs,  always  running  with  their  noses  to  the  ground,  supposed 
of  old  the  first  that  felt  infection,  93  ;  no  other  animal  of  the  carni- 
vorous kind  will  make  a  voluntary  attack,  but  with  the  odds  on 
their  side,  '207;  the  Arabian  horses  outrun  them,  9;  in  the  dog 
kind  the  chief  power  lies  in  the  under  jaw,  2S8  :  in  Syria,  remark- 
able for  the  fine  glossy  length  and  softness  of  their  hair,  2,*2  ;  in 
tropical  climates.  lose  the  delicacy  of  their  scent,  and  whv  :  the 
lion,  tiger, panther,  and  ounce,  all  natural  enemies  to  the  do:}.  305  : 
dog  kind  not  so  solitary  as  those  of  the  cat  ;  their  proper  prey  are 
animals  unfitted  for  climbing  ;  they  can  live  for  some  time  upon 
fruits  and  vegetables,  306  ;  description  of  the  dog  ;  knows  n  beggar 
by  his  clothes,  by  his  voice,  or  his  gestures,  and  forbids  his  approach, 
ib.  ;  the  do«r  most  susceptible  o'"  cliaiiire  in  its  form.  310;  all  dogs 
are  of  one  kind  ;  which  the  original  of  all  the  rest,  which  the  savage 
dog,  whence  such  a  variety  of  descendants,  is  no  easy  matter  to  de- 
termine; the  shepherd's  the  primitive  animal  of  his  kind;  those 
wild  in  America  and  Congo,  as  those  of  Siberia,  Lapland.  Iceland, 
of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  of  Madagascar.  Madura,  Calicut,  and 
Malabar,  resemble  the  shepherd's  dog  ;  those  in  Guinea,  at  llv 
second  or  third  generation,  forget  to  bark  ;  dogs  of  Albany,  of 
Greece,  of  Denmark,  and  of  Ireland,  larger  and  stronger  than  any 
other;  shepherd's  dog,  transported  into  temperate  climates,  ami 
among  people  entirely  civilized,  from  influence  of  climate  and  Ibn.i 
alone,  becomes  a  matin,  a  mastiff,  or  a  hound  ;  Turkish  ilog  ;  /rrrtit 
Danish  itnir  •  IT r cat  wolf  iloif.  or  Irish  inilf  ilo<r  ;  the  liltie  Daiiix/i. 
dug  ;  their  variety  now  in  England  much  greater  than  in  the  reign 
of  queen  Elizabeth;  Dr.  Cains  divides  t!:c  whole  race  into  three 
kinds ;  the  generous,  the  farm-kind,  the  mongrel,  309  to  312  : 
three  shepherd's  dogs  reckoned  a.  match  for  a  bear,  and  four  for  a 
lion  ;  three  of  them  overcame  a  lion  in  the  time  of  king  James  thu 
First;  the  famous  poet  Lord  Surry,  the  first  who  taught  dogs  to 
set ;  the  pnp  flog ;  the  English  buil  flo;f  ;  the  lion  dog,  originallv 
from  Malta  ;  its  description  ;  the  Molossian  dogs  of  the  ancients, 
according  to  Mr.  BufFon  ;  l';>irotic  il^ifx.  mentioned  by  Pliny  ;  /«- 
tlian  (In:.'.--,  mentioned  by  .l^ian  ;  his  description  of  a  combat  be- 
tween a  dog  and  a  lion  :  the  bravest  of  the  kind  ;  the  nobler  kinds 
of  dogs,  of  which  such  brauiii'ul  ancient  descriptions,  now  utlerl\ 
unknown,  313,  314;  puppies'  eyes  not  open  till  ten  or  twelve 
days  old  ;  dog's  teeth  am.'iiiit  to  forty-two  ;  this  animal  capable  of 
reproducing  at  the  age  ot'  twelve  months  ;  goes  nine  weeks  with 
youue;  ;  and  lives  abeut  twelve  vears  :  other  particulars  concerning 
dogs  ;  many  kinds  of  birds  the  doirs  will  not  touch  ;  dogs  and  vul- 
tures living  wild  about  Grand  Cairo  in  Egypt,  continue  together 
in  an  amicable  manner,  and  are  known  to  hrinn-  up  their  youn-j  in 
the  same  nest  ;  dogs  bear  hunger  tin-  a  long  time  ;  a  bitch  f,-. 
ten  in  a  country  house,  lived  forty  days  without  any  otlr-r 
nance  than  the  wool  of  a  quilt  she  had  torn  in  pieces,  31(i.  317; 
the  wild  hunt  in  packs;  unknown,  such  as  he  was  before  the  pro- 
tection of  man;  some  from  n  don-  .  have  turned  savage, 
and  partaken  of  the  disposition  of  the  wolf,  and  attack  tlie  most 
formidable  animals  of  the  forest  ;  are  easily  tamed,  and  quickly  be- 
come familiar  and  submissive,  309  ;  experiments  to  prove  the  volt" 
and  the,  fox  not  of  the  same  nature  with  the  dog,  but' of  a  nature 
perfectly  distinct ;  animals  in  this  country  bred  between  a  d«ij 
a  fox  ;  a  d  >L;  set  at.  liberty  in  his  s:ivag:;  fury  Hew  upon  every  ani- 
mal, fowls,  dogs,  and  men.  310;  the  clog  and  the  wolf  so  much  alike 
internallv.  lint  anatomists  can  scarce  perceive  the  difference  317; 
a  younj1  dog  shudders  at  the  sight  of  a  wolf:  dogs  and  wolves  so  dif- 
ferent in  their  d'>  ii  it  no  animals  have  a  more  perfect  an- 
tipathy, 313  ;  by  instinct, without  education,  dogs  take  care  of  flocks 
and  herds,  ib. ;  show  no  appetite  to  enjoy  their  victory  when  the 
wolf  is  killed,  but  leaves  him  wiiere  he  falls,  321;  Calosby  asserts 
the  wolf  was  the  only  dog  used  by  the  Americans,  before  the  Eu- 
ropeans came  among  them,  and  they  have  since  procreated  together ; 
thus  proving  the  dog  and  the  wolf  of  the  same  species  ;  unsur- 
mountable  antipathy  between  the  dog  and  the  jackal)  ;  they  never 
pa.rt  without  an  engagement.  32G  ;  famished  dogs  more  hairy  than 
those  whose  food  has  been  more  plentiful,  331  ;  all  kinds  pursue 
the  hare  by  instinct  and  follow  it  more  eagerly  than  other  animals  : 


DUC- 


INDEX. 


EAR 


17 


few  dogs  dare  to  encounter  the  otter  ;  some  purposely  trained  for 
discovering  the  retreat  of  the  otter,  388. 

Dog-butchers  all  over  China,  and  shambles  for  selling  their 
flesh ;  wherever  a  dog-butcher  appears,  all  the  dogs  in  the  place 
are  in  full  cry  after  him  ;  along  the  coast  of  Guinea  their  flesh  is 
esteemed  a  delicacy  by  the  Negroes ;  they  give  a  cow  for  a  dog, 
315. 

Dolphin  caught  in  the  Red  Sea,  known  by  a  ring  to  be  the 
name  taken  before  in  the  Mediterranean,  77 ;  allured  by  music,  165 ; 
not  easy  to  assign  a  cause  why  the  undents  have  invented  so 
many  fables  on  the  subject;  their  boundings  in  the  water,  have 
taught  mariners  to  prepare  for  a  storm  ;  old  painters  nnd  sculptors 
have  drawn  them  wrong  ;  the  poets  have  adopted  the  error  ; 
Pliny  has  asserted,  they  instantly  die  when  taken  out  of  the  water; 
Rondelet  assures  us,  he  has  seen  a  dolphin  carried  alive  from 
Montpelier  to  Lyons  ;  found  in  such  vast  numbers  in  all  parts  of 
the  sea  that  surrounds  this  kingdom,  as  to  be  noxious  to  the  fisher- 
men ;  their  motions  the  gambols  of  pleasure,  or  the  agitations  of 
terror,  not  well  known  ;  in  fair  weather  they  herd  together,  and 
pursue  shoals  of  various  fish  with  impetuosity  ;  method  of  killing 
them,  b'24.  68o. 

Dolphin  is  also  the  name  of  the  ophidium,  or  the  gilt-head,  648. 

Don,  or  Tanais,  a  river,  its  course,  til  ;  the  sturgeon  is  caught 
in  great  quantities  at  the  mouth  of  that  river,  640. 

Dorado,  supposed  a  ruminating  fish,  232  ;  a  fish  of  the  spinous 
kind,  the  most  voracious;  the  most  active  and  most  beautiful  of 
;  he  finny  region  ;  its  description  ;  the  flying  fish  is  chiefly  sought 
by  it ;  warfare  carried  on  between  them,  t'>5ti. 

Doree,  description  of  this  fish,  649. 

Dormouse,  the  mercury  of  the  thermometer  plunged  into  the 
body  of  a  living  dormouse  never  rose  beyond  its  pitch  m  air,  and 
sometimes  sunk  above  a  degree,  357  ;  the  greater  sort  Mr.  Buffon 
calls  the  loir,  the  middle  size  he  calls  the  terot,  and  the  less  he 
denominates  the  muscardin  ;  their  descriptions  ;  agree  in  being 
stupitied  like  the  marmout  during  winter;  their  nest  and  provi- 
sions ;  they  bring  forth  three  or  four  young  at  a  time,  but  once  a 
»'ear,  in  spring,  30(i. 

Dorr-beetle,  or  May-bug,  819.     See  Beetle. 

Dottrel,  small  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  568. 

Doves,  the  stock-dore,  529 ;  the  turtle-dove,  531 ;  the  ring-dore, 
532.  See  Pigeon. 

Dour,  a  monkey  of  the  ancient  continent,  so  called  in  Cochin- 
China,  where  it  is  a  native  ;  its  description  ;  forms  part  of  the 
chain  by  which  the  monkeys  of  one  continent  are  linked  with  those 
of  the  other,  411. 

I)ri;eo  rolans.  a  flying  ball  of  fire,  111. 

Drag,  name  given  by  the  huntsmen  to  the  tail  of  a  fox,  323. 

Dragons,  the  whole  race  dwindled  down  to  the  flying  lizard,  721. 

Dragon-fly,  or  the  fibeltn,  described,  7tlti. 

Dragunet,  description  of  this  fish,  648. 

Dress,  the  first  impression  generally  made,  arises  from  dress,  146. 

Drill,  of  Purchas,  an  ape  of  the  kind  of  the  ouran-outang,  399. 

Dromedary,  a  sort  of  camel,  430. 

Drone,  a  ruminating  insect,  or  seemingly  so,  232. 

Drones,  the  second  sort  of  bees,  supposed  to  be  the  males, 
798  ;  their  cells,  803  ;  the  workimr-bees  kill  the  drones  in  the 
worm-state  in  the  cell,  and  eject  them  from  the  hive  among  the 
general  carnage,  806. 

Drugs,  in  the  tropical  climates  lose  their  virtue,  and  become  ver- 
jninous,  92. 

Drum,  among  the  Swedish  Laplanders  every  family  has  one  for 
consulting  the  devil,  178  ;  hares  taug-ht  to  beat  the  drum,  347. 

Dryness,  a  great  degree  of  it  produced  by  heat,  preserves  from 
corruption,  195. 

Duck,  when  ducks  are  caught,  the  men  keep  a  piece  of  turf  burn- 
ing near  their  mouths,  and  breathe  upon  it,  lest  the  fowl  smelling 
them  should  escape,  451  ;  of  the  numerous  tribes  of  the  duck  kind, 
no  more  than  five  breed  here,  457;  Plutarch  assures  us  Cato  kept 
his  family  in  health,  feeding  them  with  duck  whenever  they 
threatened  to  be  out  of  order,  5!)3 ;  its  eggs  often  laid  under  a 
hen  ;  seems  a  heedless  inattentive  mother  ;  of  the  tame  duck,  ten 
different  sorts ;  and  of  the  wild,  Brisson  reckons  above  twenty  ; 
the  most  obvious  distinction  between  the  wild  and  tame  ducks  ; 
difference  between  wild  ducks  among  each  other  ;  sea  and  pond 
ducks  ;  names  of  the  most  common  birds  of  the  duck  kind,  among 
ourselves,  and  of  the  most  noted  of  the  foreign  tribe  ;  the  Ameri- 
can wood-duck  ;  their  habits,  nests,  and  number  of  eggs  ;  are,  in 
general,  birds  of  passage  ;  their  flesh  ;  the  ducks  flying  in  the  air, 
often  lured  down  from  their  heights  by  the  loud  voice  of  the  mal- 
lard from  below ;  what  part  of  the  lake  they  generally  choose  ; 
what  can  employ  them  all  day,  not  easy  to  guess  ;  manner  of 

NO.  77  &,  78. 


making  and  managing  a  decoy  to  tulm  C,  <  -i  sensors  for 

catching  them  in  decoys,  from  the  end  "- 
taking  them  earlier  prohibited  by  an  act  of  C 
imposing  a  penally  of  five  shillings  for  every  bird  rentroyert  ,.•  .i'iy 
other  season;  ama'/ing   quantity  of  durk*  *eni  t  j  :n:p]J>  I'.IG  mar- 
kets of  London:  manner  of  taking   them  frequently  practised  in 
China,  597  to  t;n|. 

Dung,  some  animals  void  it  when  pursued  ;  this  arises  rather 
from  fear  than  a  desire  of  defence,  23i). 

Dunlin,  a  small  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  5GS. 

Dutch,  solicitous  nbout  the  preservation  of  the  stork,  in  every 
part  of  their  republic,  ;V>(>. 

Dwarf,  in  England,  as  late  as  the  times  of  King  James  the 
First,  the  court  was  furnished  with  one  ;  and  he  was  called  Little 
Jeffrey  ;  Peter  of  Russia  celebrated  a  marriage  of  dwarfs,  188,  189; 
they  seem  to  have  faculties  resembling  those  of  children ;  history 
of  a  dwarf  accurately  related  by  Mr.  Daubenton,  ib. 

Dwinn,  a  river  ;  its  course  and  source,  61. 


Eagle-kind,  the  flap  of  an  eagle's  wing  known  to  lay  a  man 
dead  in  an  instant,  450  ;  it  flies  at  the  bustard  or  the  pheasant,  471  ; 
distinctive  marks  from  the  other  kinds  of  carnivorous  birds  ;  the 
golden  eagle  is  the  largest  and  noblest  of  all  those  birds  designated 
by  the  name  of  eagle ;  its  description  ;  its  sight  and  sense  of 
smelling  very  acute  ;  breed  among  the  loftiest  cliffs,  and  choose 
those  places  most  remote  from  man  ;  considered  among  birds  as 
the  lion  among  quadrupeds  ;  strong  similitude  to  each  other  ; 
great  patience,  and  much  art.  required  to  tame  an  eagle;  though 
taken  young,  and  brought  under  by  long  assiduity,  yet  it  is  a  dan- 
gerous domestic,  and  often  turns  its  force  against  its  master  ; 
sometimes  has  an  attachment  for  its  feeder  ;  it  is  then  serviceable, 
and  will  provide  for  his  pleasure  and  support ;  flies  the  highest  of 
all  birds,  and  from  thence  has  by  the  ancients  been  called  the  bird 
of  heaven  ;  it  has  also  the  quickest  eye  ;  but  its  sense  of  smelling 
is  far  inferior  to  that  of  the  vulture  ;  it  never  pursues,  but  in 
sight ;  finds  difficulty  in  rising  when  down ;  carries  away  geese, 
cranes,  hares,  lambs,  and  kids,  and  often  destroys  fawns  and  calves', 
to  drink  their  blood,  and  carries  a  part  of  their  flesh  to  its  retreats  ; 
infants  when  left  unattended,  have  been  destroyed  by  these  rapa- 
cious creatures  ;  the  eagle  is  peculiarly  formidable  when  bringing 
up  its  young  ;  a  poor  man  got  a  comfortable  subsistence  for  his 
family,  during  a  summer  of  famine,  out  of  an  eagle's  nest,  by  rob- 
bing the  eaglets  of  food ;  eagles  killed  a  peasant  who  had  robbed 
their  nests  ;  there  is  a  law  in  the  Orkney  islands,  which  entitles 
any  person  that  kills  an  eagle  to  a  hen  out  of  every  house  in  the 
parish  in  which  the  plunderer  is  killed  ;  the  nest  of  the  eagle  is 
usually  built  in  the  most  inaccessible  cliff  of  the  rock  ;  description 
of  one  found  in  the  Peak  of  Derbyshire  ;  it  hatches  its  eggs  for 
thirty  days  ;  very  rare  to  find  three  eaglets  in  the  same  nest  ;  and 
it  is  asserted,  that  the  mother  kills  the  most  feeble,  or  the  most  vo- 
racious ;  it  is  believed  they  live  about  an  hundred  years,  and  that 
they  die,  not  of  old  age,  but  from  the  beaks  turning  inward  upon 
the  under  jaw,  and  preventing  their  taking  any  food  ;  an  eagle  en- 
dured hunger  for  twenty-one  days,  without  any  sustenance  what- 
ever ;  they  are  first  white,  then  inclining  to  yellow,  and  at  last 
light  brown;  age,  hunger,  captivity,  and  diseases,  make  them 
whiter  ;  those  kept  tame  are  fed  with  every  kind  of  flesh,  fresh 
or  corrupting  ;  and  upon  a  deficiency  of  that,  bread,  or  any  other 
provision,  will  suffice  ;  it  is  dangerous  approaching  them,  if  not 
quite  tame,  and  they  sometimes  send  forth  a  loud  piercing  lamenta- 
ble cry,  which  renders  them  still  more  formidable  ;  they  drink  but 
seldom,  and  perhaps,  when  at  liberty,  not  at  all ;  the  bald  eagle  an 
inhabitant  of  North  Carolina  ;  breeds  in  that  country  all  the  year 
round  :  manner  in  which  the  eggs  are  hatched  ;  characteristics  and 
habitudes  of  this  animal ;  its  nest  is  large  enough  to  fill  the  body  of 
a  cart,  and  commonly  full  of  bones,  half  eaten,  and  putrid  neshj 
the  stench  of  which  is  intolerable,  473  to  476. 

Eagle,  the  sea-eagle  called  aquila  poimbina  by  the  Italians  ; 
they  often  lay  three  or  four  eggs,  of  a  less  size  than  those  of  a 
hen,  of  a  white  elliptical  form  ;  distinctive  marks  of  the  goldm- 
eagle,  of  the  common  eagle,  of  the  bald  eagle,  of  the  white  eagle, 
475,  476;  of  the  rough-footed,  eagle,  of  the  white-tailed  eagle,  of 
the  erne,  of  the  Mock  eafle,  of  the  sea  eagle,  of  the  osprey,  of  tho 
jean  le  blanc,  of  the  Brazil  eagle,  of  the  Oroonoko  eagle,  of  the 
crot.-iicd  African  eagle,  of  the  f agle  of  Pondicherry,  476. 

Ears,  distinguishing  features  in  quadrupeds  ;  serve  in  them  as 
principal  marks  of  the  passions  ;  smallest  ears  in  men  said  to  be 
most  beautiful ;  the  largest  the  best  for  hearing  ;  some  savage  na» 
6H 


18 


EGG 


INDEX. 


ELE 


tions  bore  their  ears,  and  draw  that  part  down,  till  die  tip  of  the  ear 
rests  upon  the  shoulder,  145  ;  "  the  richest  jewels  in  an  £thiop's 
ear,"  a  proverb,  ib. ;  undulations,  which  strike  the  ear,  supposed 
but  one  continued  sound,  by  their  quick  successions,  though  in 
reality  they  make  many,  1U4  ;  persons  hear  differently  with  one  ear 
from  the  other ;  these  have  what  musicians  call  a  bad  ear ;  and,  as 
hearing  false,  also  sing  false  ;  such  persons  also  deceived  as  to  the 
side  whence  the  sound  conies,  167  ;  from  what  cause  the  long  ears 
of  the  Tartars'and  Chinese,  185;  those  of  the  hare  moveablc,  and 
capable  of  direction  to  every  quarter,  34C ;  are  remarkably  good. 
347;  birds  have  not  the  external  ear  standing  out  from  the  head; 
probably  the  feathers  encompassing  the  ear-holes,  supply  the  defect 
of  the  exterior  car,  451. 

Earth,  its  globe  a  million  of  times  less  than  the  sun.  1  ;  placed  at 
a  happy  distance  from  the  centre,  in  our  solar  system  ;  less  distant 
from  the  sun  than  Saturn,  Jupiter,  and  Mars,  and  less  parched  up 
than  Venus  and  Mercury,  situated  too  near  the  violence  of  its 
power ;  the  earth,  like  a  chariot-wheel,  has  a  compound  motion  ;  its 
rotunditv  proved,  3  ;  is  rather  flatted  at  the  poles,  and  its  form  re- 
sembles that  of  a  turnip,  ib. ;  considered  as  one  scene  of  extensive 
desolation,  7  ;  supposed  by  Buffon  a  globe  of  glass  :  by  Whiston  a 
sphere  of  heated  iron ;  by  Kircher  one  dreadful  volcano  ;  by  Burnet 
a  great  mass  of  water  ;  composed  of  different  layers  or  beds,  lying 
horizontally  one  over  the  other,  like  the  leaves  of  a  book,  15. 

Earth  (garden)  or  mound-earth,  a  kind  of  mother,  never  found 
an  enemy  to  man,  15  ;  black  earth  formed  by  decayed  leaves  and 
branches  in  Burgundy,  10;  drying  and  astringent  earth  preserves 
bodies  from  coi  ruption,  l!!f> ;  all  such  earths  as  ierment  with  vinegar, 
are  a  composition  of  shells,  decayed,  and  crumbled  down  to  one 
uniform  mass,  6eO. 

Earthquakes  frequent  through  a  whole  region  where  a  volcnno  is 
situated,  20  ;  various  kinds  of  them  distinguished  by  philosophers, 
and  by  Mr.  Buffon  ;  air  the  only  active  operator  in  them  ;  several 
opinions  upon  the  cause  of  them  ;  activity  of  internal  heat  alone 
sufficient  to  account  for  every  appearance  attending  earthquakes ; 
twelve  cities  in  Asia  Minor  swallowed  up  in  one  night ;  extraordi- 
nary earthquake  related  by  Pliny  ;  the  city  of  Antioch,  and  a  great 
part  of  the  adjacent  country,  buried  by  an  earthquake  ;  in  1594  an 
earthquake  at  Puteoli  caused  the  sea  to  retire  200  yards  from  its  for- 
mer bed  ;  account  of  that  in  the  year  1693,  extending  to  a  circum- 
ference of  two  thousand  six  hundred  leagues  ;  minute  description 
of  that  in  Jamaica  in  1692,  30  to  33;  account  of  the  dreadful  shock 
in  Calabria  in  1638,  34 ;  concomitant  circumstances  attending 
earthquakes,  35. 

Eurt/i-icorm  of  America  often  a  yard  in  length,  and  as  thick  as  a 
walking-cane,  190  ;  multiplied  by  being  cut  in  pieces,  125;  its  de- 
scription, 829.  See  Worms. 

Eanri",  its  habits  ;  reproaches  groundless  about  this  animal ;  its 
food,  778°;  general  characteristics  of  the  kind  ;  lives  in  its  winged 
state  a  few  days  ;  dies  to  all  appearance  consumptive,  ib. 

East-Indies,  favourable  months  of  embarking  for  them,  101. 

Echineis,  the  sucking  fish,  its  description,  6t>0. 

Echini,  or  urchin,  a  multivalve  shell  fish,  693.     See  Urchins. 

Echo,  no  art  can  make  an  echo,  167. 

Edgar.  King  of  England,  the  first  who  attempted  to  rid  this  king- 
dom of  wolves,  and  in  what  manner,  321. 

Edward  I.  issued  his  mandate  to  Peter  Corbet  to  superintend  and 
assist  in  the  destruction  of  wolves,  321. 

Edward  III.  made  it  felony  to  steal  a  hawk,  482. 

Edward  IV.  his  act  concerning  swans,  595. 

Eel  described,  649. 

Effluvia  from  diseased  bodies  propagate  disorders  called  infec- 
tious, 96. 

Egg,  all  birds,  most  fishes,  and  many  of  the  insect  tribes,  brought 


quadrupeds  brought  forth  from  the  egg,  above  two  hundred  at  a 
time,  213  ;  the  ichneumon  discovers  and  destroys  the  eggs  of  the 
crocodile,  337  ;  the  crocodile  lays  in  the  sand,  at  a  time  three  or 
four  hundred,  338;  some  eggs  only  addled  by  incubation,  454  ;  such 
birds  as  undisturbed  lay  but  two  or  three  eggs,  when  their  eggs  are 
stolen,  lay  ten  or  twelve  ;  a  common  hen,  moderately  fed,  lays  above 
one  hundred  from  the  beginning  of  spring  to  the  latter  end  of 
autumn,  456 ;  some  of  the  ostrich's  weigh  above  fifteen  pounds, 
464  ;  Galen  thought  the  eggs  of  hens  and  pheasants  good  to  be 
eaten  ;  those  of  geese  and  ostriches  are  the  worst  of  all,  466  ;  and 
those  hatched  in  the  hot  sand,  where  laid,  70  ;  taking  the  eggs  of  a 
hawk,  even  in  a  person's  own  ground,  punished  with  imprisonment 
for  a  year  and  a  day,  and  a  fine  at  the  king's  pleasure,  in  the  reign 
of  Edward  III.  482;  inhabitants  of  Norway  prepare  from  the  eggs 


of  the  porpoise  a  kind  of  caviar,  or  delicate  sauce,  and  good  when 
eaten  with  bread,  (126  ;  manner  in  which  the  eo-gs  of  fishes  are  im- 
pregnated, wholly  unknown,  657 ;  doubts  whether  fish  come  from 
the  egg  completely  formed,  ib. ;  those  of  the  turtle  hatched  by  the 
sun,  675. 

Eggs  (Sea)  name  given  in  our  cabinets  to  a  multivalve  shell-fish 
called  echini,  or  urchins,  by  naturalists,  693 ;  those  of  the  sea-urchin 
a  great  delicacy,  694  ;  opening  the  body  of  a  queen-bee,  there  ap- 
peared in  it  five  thousand  eggs,  803. 

Eglantine,  found  at  a  well  dug  at  Marly.  17. 

Egy/it  has  south  winds  so  hot  during  summer,  that  respiration  is 
almost  stopped  by  them  ;  they  are  charged  with  such  quantities  of 
sand,  that  they  darken  the  air,  as  with  a  cloud  ;  continuing  for  any 
length' of  time,  they  produce  epidemic  diseases;  it  rains  very  sel- 
dom in  that  country  ;  but  the  want  of  showers  is  compensated  by 
the  copiousness  of  their  dews,  104,  105  ;  the  catacombs,  196 ;  a 
mummy,  not  long  since  dug  up  in  France,  shows  the  art  of  embalm- 
ing was  more  completely  understood  in  the  western  world,  than  in 
Egypt  itself,  197  ;  the  Tingitanians  and  Egyptians  have  now  the 
fame  of  rearing  the  finest  horses,  both  for  size  and  beauty,  218  ;  the 
ichneumon  used  in  this  kingdom,  for  the  same  purposes  that  cats 
are  in  Europe,  337. 

Egyptian.     See  Embalming.     See  Ibis. 

Eider  duck,  598  ;  remarkable  for  the  warmth  of  its  nest,  599. 

Elaboratory,  bowels  of  ruminating  animals  considered  as  an  ela- 
boratory,  with  vessels  in  it,  38 ;  the  chemical  apparatus  for  hatching 
chickens,  496. 

Elasticity  of  the  air,  87. 

Elder-berries  hurtful  to  cocks,  497. 

Elephant,  not  afraid  singly  to  make  opposition  to  the  lion,  295  ; 
not  less  remarkable  for  its  size  than  its  docility  ;  all  historian's  con- 
cur in  giving  it  tho  character  of  the  most  sagacious  animal  next  to 
man  ;  its  height  from  seven  to  fifteen  feet ;  impossible  to  give  an 
idea  of  this  animal's  figure  by  description  ;  assisted  by  the  art  of  the 
engraver,  it  will  but  confusedly  represent  the  original ;  general  ob- 
servations about  its  conformation  ;  of  all  quadrupeds,  the  elephant 
the  strongest  and  largest,  yet  neither  fierce  nor  formidable  ;  in  its 
native  deserts  seldom  alone,  being  a  social  friendly  creature  ;  tho 
oldest  conducts  the  band  ;  the  next  in  seniority  brings  up  the  rear  ; 
order  maintained  in  dangerous  marches  ;  never  so  far  asunder  as  to 
be  incapable  of  reciprocal  assistance ;  their  invasions  the  more  dis- 
agreeable, there  being  no  means  of  repelling  them,  since  an  attempt 
to  molest  a  drove  would  certainly  be  fatal ;  manner  of  going  against 
him  who  offers  the  insult  ;  do  no  personal  injury  when  suffered  to 
feed  uninterrupted  ;  molested  by  man,  they  seek  all  occasions  to  be 
revenged  ;  where  they  like  best  to  live  in  this  natural  state  ;  cannot 
live  far  from  water,  and  always  disturb  it  before  they  drink  ;  often 
fill  their  trunk  with  water  to  cool  it,  or  by  way  of  play  to  spurt  it 
out  like  a  fountain  ;  equally  distressed  by  the  extremes  of  heat  and 
cold  ;  swim  from  the  continent  into  islands  some  leagues  distant ; 
frequently  migrate  from  one  country  to  another,  and  why  ;  their 
food  of  the  vegetable  kind,  loathing  all  sort  of  animal  diet ;  one 
finding  a  spot  of  good  pasture,  invites  the  rest  to  partake  of  it;  pre- 
cautions by  Negroes  and  Indians  against  them  ;  they  often  break 
through  their  fence,  destroy  the  harvest,  overturn  their  habitations, 
and  then  retreat  in  order,  as  they  made  the  irruption  ;  looks  with 
attention  and  friendship  at  its  master  ;  its  ears  wipe  its  eyes,  and 
cover  them  against  the  flies  and  dust ;  it  likes  music,  learns  to  beat 
time,  moves  in  measure,  and  joins  its  voice  to  the  sound  of  drum 
and  trumpet ;  is  pleased  with  the  odours  that  dcliyht  man  ;  the 
orange  flower  particularly  grateful  to  its  taste  and  smell  ;  picks  up 
flowers,  and  is  pleased  with  the  scent ;  seeks  the  most  odoriferous 
plants  for  food  ;  prefers  the  cocoa,  the  banana,  the  palm,  and  tho 
sago  tree,  to  all  others ;  eats  plants  to  the  roots ;  their  sense  of 
touching  most  delicate ;  description  of  its  trunk  ;  serving  all  the 
purposes  of  a  hand  ;  breathes,  drinks,  and  smells  through  the  trunk ; 
takes  a  pin  from  the  ground,  and  unties  the  knots  of  a  rope,  unlocks 
a  door,  and  writes  with  a  pen ;  jElian  saw  an  elephant  write  Latin 
characters  on  a  board,  his  keeper  only  showing  him  the  figure  of 
each  letter,  416  to  418;  an  object  too  large  for  the  trunk  to  srasp, 
is  sucked  up  by  its  breath,  lifted,  and  sustained  ;  the  trunk  its  organ 
of  smelling,  of  touching,  of  suction,  of  ornament,  and  defence;  its 
neck  is  so  short  that  it  must  turn  about  to  discover  what  is  behind  ; 
how  the  hunters  escape  its  resentment ;  a  description  of  its  legs; 
while  young  it  bends  the  legs,  but  when  old  or  sickly,  it  wants  hu- 
man assistance,  and  chooses  to  sleep  standing  ;  a  description  of  its 
feet,  and  of  its  tusks;  these  with  age  become  so  heavy,  that  it  is 
obliged  to  rest  them  in  holes  in  the  walls  of  its  stall  ;  they  are 
two ;  their  amazing  size  ;  they  proceed  from  the  upper  jaw,  not 
from  the  frontal-bones  ;  and  are  not  horns,  as  some  have  supposed ; 
nor  ever  shed  in  a  domestic  state  ;  extraordinary  manner  of  eating; 


ELE 


INDEX. 


EilM 


19 


is  not  a  ruminating  animal ;  its  stomach  and  intestines  resemble 
those  of  a  horse ;  opinion  that  the  young  elephant  sucks  witli  its 
trunk,  not  with  its  mouth,  referred  to  future  discoveries  ;  the  skin 
not  covered  with  hair  ;  a  few  bristles  in  the  scars  and  wrinkles  of 
the  hody,  and  thinly  scattered  over  the  skin  ;  the  hide  resembles 
the  bark  of  an  old  tree  more  than  the  skin  of  an  animal ;  is  subject 
to  that  disorder  known  by  the  name  of  the  elephantiasis,  or  Ara- 
bian leprosy  ;  in  what  manner  the  Indians  endeavour  to  prevent 
it ;  the  flies  torment  this  animal  incessantly  ;  what  arts  it  tries  to 
keep  them  off;  in  a  state  of  nature,  it  rarely  quits  the  river,  and 
often  stands  in  water  up  to  the  belly,  41!',  420  ;  from  time  imme- 
morial employed  for  the  purposes  of  labour,  of  war,  to  increase  the 
grandeur  of  Eastern  princes,  or  to  extend  their  dominions  ;  is  a  na.- 
tive  of  Africa  and  Asia,  still  retains  its  natural  liberty  in  Africa  ; 
during  the  splendour  of  the  Carthaginian  empire  they  were  used  in 
the  wars;  no  elephant  found  on  this  side  Mount  Atlas;  places 
where  tiiey  are  in  great  numbers  ;  the  greatest  elephants  found  in 
Asia  :  their  price  increases  in  proportion  to  their  size  ;  the  largest 
kept  for  princes  ;  their  colour  ;  that  appropriated  for  the  monarch's 
own  riding,  kept  in  a  palace,  attended  by  nobles,  and  almost  adored 
by  the  people  ;  opinions  concerning  the  white  elephant ;  the  East- 
ern princes  maintain  as  many  elephants  as  they  are  able,  and  place 
freat  confidence  on  their  assistance  in  an  engagement ;  thr-y  never 
reed  in  a  state  of  servitude,  and  the  generative  powers  fail  when 
it  comes  under  the  dominion  of  man  ;  duration  of  pregnancy  in  the 
female  still  a  secret;  what  Aristotle  and  others  say  concerning  this 
and  their  young  is  doubtful;  method  of  taking  them  wild  in  the 
woods  ;  Negroes  of  Africa  who  hunt  this  animal  for  its  flesh,  take 
it  in  pit-falls  ;  its  attachment  to  the  person  who  attends  it  ;  it  com- 
prehends several  of  the  signs  made  to  it  ;  distinguishes  the  tone  of 
command  from  that  of  anger  or  approbation,  and  acts  accordingly  ; 
executing  orders  with  prudence,  eagerly,  yet  without  precipitation; 
is  taught  to  kneel  down  to  receive  its  rider,  usually  mounted  upon 
its  neck  ;  caresses  those  it  knows  ;  salutes  such  as  ordered  to  dis- 
tinguish, and  helps  to  take  up  part  of  its  load ;  takes  a  pleasure  in 
the  finery  of  its  trappings  ;  draws  chariots,  cannon,  or  shipping, 
with  strength,  perseverance,  and  satisfaction,  provided  it  be  not 
corrected  without  a  cause,  and  that  its  master  be  pleased  with  its 
exertions  ;  in  what  manner  the  conductor  guides  it  ;  frequently 
takes  such  an  affection  to  its  keeper,  as  to  obey  no  other  ;  has  been 
known  to  die  of  grief  for  killing  its  conductor  in  a  fit  of  madness  ; 
surprising  instance  of  moderation  in  its  fury  ;  a  word  sufficient  to 
put  it  in  motion,  420,  421  ;  a  century  or  two  ago,  the  Indian  gene- 
rals made  great  dependence  upon  the  number  and  the  expertnes-s 
9!"  their  elephants  ;  of  late  they  are  little  used,  except  for  drawing 
cannon,  and  transporting  provisions  ;  still  they  are  used  in  war  in 
Siam.  in  Cochin-China,  in  Tonquin,  and  Pegu;  in  what  manner 
armixi  and  led  to  battle  ;  effects  of  its  fury  in  the  field  ;  those  placed 
upon  its  back,  in  a  square  tower,  combat  as  from  an  eminence,  and 
fllBg  dowll  their  \vcapons  with  double  force  ;  nothing  more  dread- 
ful or  more  irresistible  than  such  moving  machines  to  men  unac- 
quainted witli  the  modern  arts  of  war;  Romans  quickly  learned  the 
art  of  opening  their  ranks  to  admit  the  elephant,  and  separating  it 
from  assistance,  compelled  its  conductors  to  sooth  the  animal's 
fury,  and  to  submit ;  sometimes,  instead  of  obeying,  turned  upon 
those  it  was  employed  to  assist ;  one  elephant  is  known  to  consume 
as  much  as  forty  men  in  a  day  ;  they  are  now  chiefly  employed  in 
carrying  or  drawing  burdens  throughout  the  Peninsula  of  India  ;  it 
can  with  ease  draw  more  than  six  horses  can  remove  ;  it  carries 
upon  its  back  three  or  four  thousand  weight,  and  upon  its  tusks  it 
can  support  near  a  thousand  ;  when  pushed,  it  moves  as  swiftly  as 
a  horse  at  full  gallop  ;  it  travels  fifty  or  sixty  miles  a  day,  and, 
hard  pressed,  almost  double  that  quantity ;  heard  trotting  on  at  a 
rcat  distance  ;  its  track  is  deeply  impressed  on  the  ground,  and 
rom  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches  in  diameter ;  used  in  India  as  exe- 
cutioners, and  with  what  dexterity  they  perform  the  horrid  task  ; 
sometimes  they  impale  the  prisoner  on  their  enormous  tusks  ;  two 
surprising  instances  how  sensible  it  is  of  neglect ;  the  keeper  de- 
spising its  endeavours  when  launching  a  ship,  the  animal  redoubled 
its  efforts,  fractured  its  skull,  and  died  upon  the  spot  ;  revenge  one 
of  them  took  upon  a  tailor  who  pricked  its  trunk  with  a  needle  in 
Delhi ;  is  mindful  of  benefits  ;  instance  of  it ;  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  they  are  liuntnd  f  >r  the  sake  of  their  teeth  ;  in  what  manner  ; 
an  account  of  an  unhappy  huntsman  ;  teeth  of  the  elephant  found 
in  a  fossil  state  ;  two  grinding  teeth,  and  part  of  the  tusk  of  an  ele- 
phant, discovered  at  the  depth  of  forty-two  yards  in  a  lead-mine  in 
Flintshire  ;  tusks  of  the  elephants  that  come  from  Africa,  seldom 
exceed  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  ;  it  is  defeated  by  the  rhino- 
ceros ;  tusks  of  the  Mammoth,  often  found  fossil  in  Siberia,  gene- 
rally supposed  to  belong  to  the  elephant,  423,  424. 

E/r.p/tantiasis,  or   the  Arabian   leprosy,  a  disease  to  which  man 


I 


and  tlio  elephant  are  equally  subject ;  in  what  manner  the  Indians 
endeavour  to  preserve  the  elephant  from  it,  420. 

Elizabeth  (f^ir.oi,)  her  injunction  upon  fasting  ;  in  the  author's 
opinion  very  unwise,  155  ;  in  her  times,  the  whole  kingdom  could 
not  supply  two  thousand  horses  to  form  the  cavalry,  '222. 

his  principal  experiment  upon  coroline  substances  ;  he  pnt 
it  past  doubt,  that  corals  and  spnngcs  were  entirely  the  work  of  ani- 
mals of  the  reptile  or  polypus  kind.  K17. 

Elk,  its  size  equal  to  that  of  the  elephant  ;  is  an  animal  rather  of 
tho  buck  than  the  stag  kind  ;  known  in  America  by  the  name  of 
the  moose-deer ;  is  sometimes  taken  in  the  German  and  Russian 
forests,  but  extremely  common  in  North  America  ;  its  horns  for- 
tuitously dug  up  in  many  parts  of  Ireland,  measuring  ten  feet  nine 
inches  from  tip  to  tip  ;  a  small  one  the  size  of  a  horse,  and  the 
horns  a  little  larger  than  those  of  a  common  st.ig  ;  Jocolyn  and 
Dudley  describe  this  animal  above  eleven  feet  high  ;  others  extend 
their  accounts  to  twelve  and  fourteen  feet ;  never  disturbs  any  other 
animal,  when  supplied  itself;  a  female  of  this  kind  shown  at  Paris 
in  the  yonr  17-12;  its  description;  they  gave  it  thirty  pounds  of 
bread  every  day,  besides  hav,  and  it  drank  ei"-ht  buckets  of  water, 
200,  270. 

Elk  (.Imcriran,)  of  two  kinds,  the  gray  and  the  black  ;  describ- 
ed ;  they  prefer  cold  countries,  feeding  upon  grass  in  summer,  and 
the  bark  of  trees  in  winter  ;  time  and  manner  of  hunting  them  ;  its 
flesh  very  well  tasted,  and  very  nourishing  ;  its  hide  strong,  and  so 
thick  as  to  turn  amnsket-ball  ;  yet  is  soil  and  pliable  ;  the  horns  ap- 
plied to  all  the  purposes  for  which  hartshorn  is  beneficial ;  this  ani- 
mal troubled  with  the  epilepsy  ;  is  but  very  indifferently  and  con- 
fusedly described  by  travellers  ;  their  various  descriptions,  270,  271  ; 
in  what  manner  killed  by  the  glutton,  34.1. 

Elops,  or  Sea,-serpent,  its  description,  040. 

Ely,  an  island,  the  country  round  it  was  once  a  most  delightful 
spot ;  produced  grapes  that  afforded  excellent  wine  ;  the  sea  break- 
ing in,  overwhelmed  the  whole  country,  102. 

Emtimtcl,  (king  of  Portugal.}  to  try  the  strength  of  the  elephant 
and  rhinoceros,  made  them  fight,  and  the  elephant  was  defeated, 42<i. 

Embalming,  the  Egyptians  carried  this  art  to  perfection  ;  copious 
detail  of  this  art  as  practised  among  them  ;  in  Genesis,  Joseph  see- 
ing his  father  expire,  ordered  his  physicians  to  embalm  the  body, 
1!':!;  various  methods  of  embalming,  ib. ;  the  art  still  among  the 
Guanches,  ancient  inhabitants  of  the  island  of  Teneriffe,  when  the 
Spaniards  conquered  it ;  particulars  of  their  method  of  embalming  ; 
the  Peruvians  also  understood  this  art,  according  to  Father  Acasto, 
104  ;  a  mummy  lately  dug  up  in  France,  shows  the  art  more  com. 
pletely  understood  in  the  western  than  the  pastern  world,  107. 

Embroidery,  done  in  India  with  porcupine  quills,  as  belts,  baskets 
and  necessary  pieces  of  furniture,  376*. 

Embryo,  its  first  rudiments  ;  in  a  month  an  inch  long  ;  the  male 
developes  sooner  than  the  female  ;  progress  and  increase  of  it,  130 
to  l:!2;  in  the  human,  the  under-jaw  much  advanced  before  tho 
upper,  144  ;  brain  and  spinal  marrow,  first  seen  begun,  54  ;  the 
bones  as  soft  as  the  flesh,  170. 

Emigration,  causes  of  emigration  of  birds,  457;  manner  perform- 
ed, 458,  459. 

Emu.  an  inhabitant  of  the  New  Continent,  called  also  the  Ameri- 
can ostrich  ;  description  and  places  where  found  ;  runs  so  swiftly,  the 
dogs  lose  the  pursuit ;  one  surrounded  by  hunters,  the  dogs  avoided 
its  rage  ;  peculiar  in  hatching  its  young ;  the  young  at  first  familiar ; 
follow  any  person ;  as  they  grow  older,  become  cunning  and  dis- 
trustful ;  their  flesh  good  to  be  eaten ;  they  live  entirely  upon 
grass,  466,  467. 

Encoubert  of  Buffon,  the  tatou  of  Ray,  a  shelly  quadruped,  382. 

England  claims  dominion  over  the  seas  encompassing  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  ;  losing  its  superiority  upon  the  ocean,  its  safe 
ty  becomes  precarious,  08;  late  as  King  James  I.  the  court  still 
furnished  with  a  dwarf,  a  giant,  and  a  jester,  188;  the  ass  entirely 
lost  under  queen  Elizabeth,  226  ;  more  famous  for  its  venison  than 
any  other  country  in  the  world,  267  ;  not  infested  with  wolves,  321 
the  viper  the  only  venomous  animal  there,  735. 

Enquiries  most  intricate  generally  most  useless,  125. 

Entry,  a  term  in  the  chase  of  the  stag,  202. 

Ephemera,  various  kinds  of  this  insect ;  ita  description,  colours 
of  their  aurelias  ;  their  transmutations  ;  places  where  found  in 
abundance  ;  short  duration  ;  their  impregnation,  780,  781. 

Epicure,  the  greatest  has  the  most  depraved  taste,  170. 

E/iipnaniits  (.?/.)  lived  a  hundred  and  fifteen  years,  155. 

Ei/uator,  description  of  the  regions  under  it,  4. 

Ermine,  its  description;  alike  in  figure  to  the  weasel;  its  fur  the 

most  valuable  of  any  ;  the  time   in   which   it  is  called  the  stoat ; 

manner  of  moulting  its  hair  ;  one  ate  honey,  and  died  shortly  after; 

oroof  of  a  distinct  species  from  the  pole-cat  or  the  martin ;  one  of 

6  H* 


20 


EYE 


INDEX. 


FER 


those,  fed  with  eggs  and  flesh,  lot  them  putrefy  before  it  touched 
either ;  in  Siberia  taken  in  traps  baited  with  flesh,  and  in  Norway 
shot  with  blunt  arrows,  or  taken  in  traps;  their  skins  a  valuable 
article  of  commerce  in  Siberia  ;  sometimes  found  white  in  Great 
Britain,  and  is  then  called  the  white  weasel ;  its  fur  among  us  of  no 
value,  330  to  332 ;  preys  upon  the  leming,  370 

Erne,  kind  of  eagle ;  its  distinctive  marks,  476. 

Eruption  of  a  volcano,  remarkable,  in  1537,  26  ;  of  Vesuvius,  in 
which  Pliny  the  naturalist  was  suffocated,  and  the  city  of  Hercula- 
neum  was  overwhelmed;  another  of  the  same  mountain,  in  1707, 
described;  of  Cotopaxi,  in  1743,  described  by  Ulloa ;  matter  thus 
exploded  lies  a  little  below  the  bed  of  the  mountains,  in  Mr.  Buf- 
fon's  system  ;  but  supplied  from  the  deeper  regions  of  the  earth  ; 
the  greatest  part  of  Sicily  seems  covered  with  the  eruptions  of 
mount  Etna,  27  to  30. 

Escu/a/jian  serpent  of  Italy  ;  its  excrement  a  pleasing  perfume, 
730;  a  domestic  creature,  741. 

Esox,or  the  pike,  description  of  this  fish,  650. 

Esquimaux  Indians  described,  178. 

Evaporation,  cold  diminishing  the  force  of  menstruums,  promotes 
evaporation  ;  theory  for  the  formation  of  the  clouds,  108  ;  prevented 
by  moist  weather  ;  dry  frost  assists  evaporation,  ib. 

Evils,  thousands  of  natural  evils  permitted  to  exist  in  the  world, 
•and  why,  6. 

Eunuchs,  of  two  kinds,  the  white  and  the  black,  130;  made  in 
Italy  to  improve  the  voice  ;  instance,  in  our  country,  of  a  very  fine 
woman  married  to  an  eunuch,  ih. 

Eujthamia,  a  city  in  Calabria,  sunk  by  an  earthquake,  35. 

Euphrates,  a  river,  its  sources,  62 ;  receives  eleven  rivers,  64. 

Eurites,  a  city  swallowed  by  an  earthquake,  47. 

Europeans  resemble  our  common  parent  more  than  any  of  the 
rest  of  his  children.  185 ;  argument  which  suffices  to  prove  it,  186. 

Eusfac/iiun  tube  a  passage  from  the  ear  into  the  mouth  ;  its 
use,  167. 

Eice.     See  Buck-goat,  241. 

Excri.mr.nl s  of  some  serpents  kept  as  the  most  pleasing  perfume 
at  Calicut  and  Cranganon,  in  East  India,  730. 

Executioner,  elephants  in  India  used  as  such  ;  impale  the  crimi- 
nals on  their  tusks,  424. 

Exercise.  (Manual,)  hares  taught  to  go  through  it,  347. 

Exhalations,  mineral,  raised  by  subterranean  heat,  163 ;  when 
copious  every  where  fatal,  95. 

Ex.ocr.lus,  the  flying  fish,  its  description,  650. 

Expt.ru.nre,  repeated,  shows  how  seldom  pains  are  suffered,  or 
pleasures  enjoyed,  to  the  utmost,  177. 

Expirimriit,  by  Mr.  Belcher,  upon  the  circulation  of  the  blood 
through  the  bones,  173 ;  made  by  approaching  a  looking-glass  to 
the  mouth  to  discover  breathing,  very  uncertain,  177;  of  a  carp 
placed  under  an  air-pump,  IJ10  ;  the  famous  experiment  of  Malpighi, 
concerning  the  stigmata  of  the  caterpillar,  7S6. 

Extramuuf,  or  fossil  shells,  found  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth;  in 
this  class  there  are  as  many  kinds  as  in  the  sea  itself,  680. 

Eyes,  opened  by  the  infant  the  moment  of  its  birth.  133;  particu- 
larly in  them  the  passions  are  painted,  141  ;  small  and  nearly  closed, 
ure  liked  in  China  and  Japan,  140;  different  colours  of  the  eye, 
whence  they  arise  ;  eyes  of  oxen  are  brown  ;  those  of  sheep  of  a 
water-colour ;  of  goats  are  gray  ;  and  those  of  most  white  animals 
are  red  ;  distance  between  the  eyes  less  in  man  than  in  any  other  ani- 
mal. 142 ;  iMontaigne  disliked  those  men  who  shut  one  eye  in  look- 
ing upon  any  object,  145;  in  what  circumstances  women  with  child 
are  said  to  be  all  mouth  and  eyes  ;  the  lower  eye-lids,  in  women  with 
child  drawn  downwards,  148;  of  all  parts  the  animal  has  double, 
the  eyes  produced  soonest,  and  appear  the  most  prominent,  159 ;  pri- 
vation of  feeling  and  sight  would  misrepresent  the  situation  and 
number  of  all  things  around  us,  ib. ;  two  contribute  to  distinct  and 
extensive  vision,  ItJU ;  both  eyes  see  round  the  object,  and  give  it 
that  heightened  relief  which  no  painting  does  attain  to ;  in  either 
if  there  he  a  point  which  has  no  vision,  the  defect  is  corrected  by 
having  the  organ  double ;  easy  experiment  to  be  convinced  of  it, 
160  ;  objects  at  a  distance  rarely  equal  in  both  eyes  ;  the  best  eyes 
sees  objects  largest ;  infants  having  their  eyes  less,  must  see  objects 
vmaller  in  proportion  ;  when  we  look  at  an  object  extremely  bril- 
liant, vision  becomes  indistinct,  and  why  ;  how  far  the  eye  can 
accommodate  itself  to  darkness,  163;  remarkable  instance  of  it  in 
a  major  under  King  Charles  the  First,  ib. ;  whence  have  arisen  the 
small  eyes  of  the  Tartars  and  Chinese.  185  ;  Eastern  poets  compare 
the  eyes  of  their  mistresses  to  those  of  the  gazelle;  the  Greeks  re- 
semble the  eyes  of  a  beautiful  woman  to  those  of  a  cow,  76  ;  of  all 
animals,  natives  of  this  climate,  none  have  an  eye  so  beautiful  as 
the  stag,  200 ;  that  of  the  wolf  opens  slantingly  upwards  in  the  same 
direction  with  the  nose,  317;  of  UK;  fox  placed  obliquely,  like  those 


of  the  wolf,  222;  of  the  civet  shine  in  the  night,  342  ;  those  of  the 
hare  placed  backwards,  to  see  behind  it  as  it  runs,  and  these  arc  never 
wholly  closed,  346 ;  peculiar  advantages  of  the  smallness  of  the  eyo 
in  the  mole,  371  ;  description  of  the  eyes  of  birds  of  the  owl  kind  ; 
in  the  eyes  of  all  animals,  a  complete  provision  to  shut  out  too 
much  light,  or  to  admit  a  sufficiency,  by  contraction  and  dilation  of 
the  pupil,  488  ;  those  of  the  great  Greenland  whale  not  larger  than 
those  of  an  ox,  617  ;  of  the  snail  on  the  points  of  its  largest  horns, 
682 ;  peculiarities  in  the  eyes  of  the  chamelion,  721  ;  eyes  of  the 
butttrfly  have  not  all  the  same  form  ;  the  outward  coat  has  a  lustre 
displaying  the  various  colours  of  the  rainbow ;  examined  a  little 
closely,  it  will  be  found  to  have  the  appearance  of  a  multiplying- 
glass,  702  ;  the  beetle,  in  its  worm  state,  has  no  eyes,  819. 

Eye-brows,  joining  in  the  middle,  considered  a  peculiar  grace  by 
Tibullus,  and  by  the  Persians,  140 ;  Le  Brun's  directions  regarding 
the  passions,  place  the  principal  expression  in  them  ;  such  as  have 
them  most  at  command  are  the  best  actors,  142 ;  the  Talapoins  of 
Siam  shave  the  eye-brows  of  the  children  committed  to  their  care,  145. 

Eye-lashes,  man  and  apes  only  have  them  upon  the  upper  and 
the  lower  lids,  all  other  animals  want  them  on  the  lower  lid,  142. 

Eye-lids,  in  birds  and  amphibious  quadrupeds,  the  lower  lid  alone 
has  motion  ;  fishes  and  insects  have  no  eye-lids,  142. 

F. 

Face,  its  form,  the  result  of  custom,  185.     See  Beauty,  192. 

Falcon- gentle,  a  kind  of  hawk  ;  it  pursues  the  gazelle,  254 ;  many 
people  admire  its  flesh,  and  dress  it  for  eating,  says  Bellonius,  472; 
method  of  training  up  this  bird ;  falconry,  much  disused  among  us, 
was  a  principal  amusement  of  our  ancestors ;  among  the  Welsh, 
the  king's  falconer  the  fourth  officer  of  the  state,  was  forbid  to 
take  more  than  three  draughts  of  beer  from  his  horn,  lest  he 
should  neglect  his  duty;  the  falcon-gentle  and  the  peregrine  much 
less  than  the gyr-falcon,  which  exceeds  all  others  in  largeness;  de- 
scription of  the  gyr-falcoia ;  a  courageous  and  fierce  bird,  not  fearing 
the  eagle ;  it  chiefly  flies  at  the  stork,  the  heron,  and  the  crane ;  is 
chiefly  found  in  the  northern  regions,  but  loses  neither  strength  nor 
courage  when  brought  into  the  milder  climates  ;  the  falcon-gentle 
moults  in  March  or  sooner  ;  the  peregrjpe  does  not  moult  till 
August ;  the  common  falcon  is  of  such  spirit,  that,  like  a  con- 
queror of  a  country,  he  keeps  all  in  awe  and  subjection  to  his 
prowess;  young  falcons,  though  depressed  by  captivity,  will,  when 
brought  out,  fly  at  barnacles  and  wild  geese ;  the  falcon's  pursuit  of 
the  heron,  kite,  or  woodlark,  the  most  delightful  sport ;  names  of 
the  falcons  in  use  here  and  in  other  countries,  482  to  486. 

Falconers,  by  means  of  the  great  owl,  catch  the  kite  for  the  pur- 
poses of  training  the  falcon,  and  how,  490. 

Faltopius,  the  two  tubular  vessels  perceived  by  him,  123. 

Famine  supported  by  carnivorous  animals  for  several  weeks  to- 
gether, 208. 

Fat  of  the  shamois,  its  medicinal  virtue  ;  fat  of  animals  found 
efficacious  in  some  disorders,  250;  of  the  manati,  exposed  to  the 
sun,  has  a  fine  smell  and  taste,  and  exceeds  the  fat  of  any  sea- 
animal  ;  the  heat  of  the  sun  will  not  spoil  it,  nor  make  it  rancid; 
several  other  qualities  of  this  fat,  397. 

Father-lasher,  description  of  this  fish,  G48. 

Fawn,  name  of  the  buck  and  the  doe  the  first  year,  266. 

Feathers  of  birds  described,  449;  of  the  ostrich  almost  as  soft  as 
down,  462 ;  different  uses  made  of  goose-feathers,  597. 

Feather-beds,  utterly  unknown  in  countries  bordering  on  the  Le- 
vant, and  all  Asia ;  ancients  did  not  use  feather-beds ;  Pliny  speaks 
of  bolsters  of  feathers  for  their  heads  ;  feathers  make  a  considera- 
ble article  of  commerce  ;  different  qualities;  best  method  of  curing 
them ;  old  feathers  more  valuable  than  new,  597. 

Fecundity  of  the  rabbit  greater  than  the  hare.  349. 

Feeling,  deprived  of  feeling,  our  eyes  would  misrepresent  the 
situation  and  the  number  of  all  things  around  us,  159 ;  blind  men 
have  their  senses  finer  than  others,  and  why  ;  the  grossest  and 
most  useful  of  the  senses  ;  no  total  deprivation  of  it  but  with  life  ; 
those  parts  most  exercised  in  it,  acquire  the  greatest  accuracy  ;  the 
fingers,  by  habit,  greater  in  the  art  than  others,  not  from  their 
having  more  nerves ;  fishes  having  no  organs  for  feeling,  must  be 
the  most  stupid  of  all  animals ;  feeling,  the  guardian,  the  judge,  and 
the  examiner  of  all  the  senses,  is  never  found  to  deceive,  170,  171. 

Ferret  has  eyes  of  a  red  colour,  141 ;  not  found  at  present 
here,  but  in  the  domestic  state;  its  description;  a  native  of  the 
torrid  zone  ;  naturally  such  an  enemy  of  the  rabbit,  that  a  young 
ferret,  although  unacquainted  with  the  kind,  will  fiercely  attack 
and  bite  even  a  dead  one ;  use  of  ferrets  in  warrens  to  enter  the 
holes  muzzled,  and  drive  the  rabbits  into  the  nets  at  the  mouth  ;  to 


FIS 


INDEX. 


FIS 


21 


bring  the  ferret  from  his  hole,  straw  and  other  substances  burnt  at 
the  mouth  ;  the  female  less  than  the  male,  whom  she  seeks  with 
great  ardour,  and  often  dies  without  being  admitted  ;  they  sleep 
almost  continually,  and  the  instant  they  awake  seem  eager  for 
food  ;  are  usually  fed  with  bread  and  milk  ;  breed  twice  a  year  ; 
some  devour  their  young  as  soon  as  brought  forth,  and  then  be- 
come fit  for  the  malu  again  ;  they  litter  usually  from  five  to  six 
young,  and  these  consist  of  more  females  than  males  ;  its  scent 
foetid ;  its  nature  voracious ;  has  attacked  and  killed  children  in 
the  cradle ;  is  easily  irritated,  and  then  smells  more  offensively  ; 
its  bite  difficult  of  cure  ;  lias  eight  grinding  teeth  ;  to  the  ferret 
kind  may  by  added  an  animal  called  by  Mr.  Buffon,  the  vansirc, 
332,  333  ;  comes  originally  from  Africa,  3.11 . 

Fever,  opinion  that  tho  lion  is  in  a  continual  fever,  295. 
Fumet,  name  of  the  excrement  of  the  stag,  202. 
Fibres,  muscular,  compose  the  stomachs  of  insects,  232. 
Fieldfare,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537. 
Fielding.     See  Smile. 

Figure,  little  known  exactly  of  the  proportion  of  the  human 
figure,  148  ;  different  opinions  concerning  it,  149;  whence  proceed 
the  variations  in  the  human  figure,  134  ;  the  oldest  measure  of  the 
human  figure  in  the  monument  of  Cheops,  in  the  first  pyramid  of 
Egypt,  141. 

Finder,  a  dog  of  the  generous  kind,  312. 

Fins,  different  purposes  they  answer  in   fishes,  606;  those  of 
the  whale  ;  their  use,  617,  018. 
Fin-Jink,  610  ;  its  food,  619. 

Fingers,  by  habit,  and  not  from  a  greater  number  of  nerves,  be- 
come exacter  in  the  art  of  feeling  than  any  other  part  even  where 
sensation  is  more  delicate  and  fine,  170. 

Fire,  perpetual  in  the  kingdom  of  Persia,  25;  advantages  aris- 
ing from  the  subterranean  fires,  36  ;  put  out  by  the  sun  shining 
upon  it,  and  why,  98;  fleeting  balls  of  fire,  110;  great  globe  of 
fire  seen  at  Bononia  in  Italy,  not  less  than  a  mile  long,  and  half  a 
mile  broad,  111,  112;  lighted  to  preserve  herds  and  flocks  from  ani- 
mals of  the  cat  kind,  294. 

Fireflare,  the  dread  of  the  boldest  and  most  experienced  fisher- 
men ;  Pliny,  ^Elian,  and  Oppian,  supply  the  weapon  of  this  fish 
with  a  venom  affecting  even  inanimate  creation  ;  reasons  to  doubt 
of  it,  635.  -^ 

Fishes,  petrified,  found  in  the  mountains  of  Castravan,  13;  fish 
in  abundance  found  in  a  new  formed  island  ;  those  who  eat  of  them 
died  shortly  after,  37  ;  cannot  live  in  water  whence  the  air  is  ex- 
h»  nstcd,  03  ;  showers  of  fishes  raised  in  the  air  by  tempests,  114  ; 
most  of  them  produced  from  the  egg,  126  ;  have  no  eye-lids  at  all, 
142;  nor  any  neck.  147;  are  allured  by  music,  105;  having  n<t 
organs  for  feeling,  must  be  stupid,  170  ;  a  ruminating  sort,  232; 
opinion  that  all  fish  are  naturally  of  the  salt  element,  and  have 
mounted  up  into  fresh  water  by  accidental  migration  ;  some  swim 
up  rivers  to  deposit  their  spawn,  of  which  the  size  is  enormous, 
and  the  shoals  endless  ;  all  keep  to  the  sea,  and  would  expire  in 
fresh  water  ;  the  number  to  which  names  are  given,  and  of  the 
figure  of  which  something  is  known,  according  to  Linnaeus,  are 
above  four  hundred  ;  their  pursuits,  migrations,  societies,  antipa- 
thies, pleasures,  times  of  gestation,  manner  of  bringing  forth,  are 
all  hidden  in  the  turbulent  element  that  protect  them  ;  the  history 
of  fishes  can  have  little  in  it  entertaining  ;  for  instead  of  study- 
ing their  nature,  p;iins  have  been  taken  to  increase  their  cata- 
logues ;  that  shape  granted  to  most  fishes,  is  imitated  in  such  ves- 
sels as  are  designed  to  sail  with  the  greatest  swiftness  ;  any  large 
fish  overtakes  a  ship  in  full  sail,  with  great  ease ;  takes  voyages  of 
a  thousand  leagues  in  a  season  ;  the  shark  one  of  the  swiftest 
swimmers  ;  the  chief  instruments  in  the  motion  of  a  fish  are  the 
fins;  in  some  they  are  more  numerous  than  in  others;  it  is  not 
always  the  fish  with  the  greatest  number  of  fins  that  has  the 
swiftest  motion  ;  how  the  fins  assist  the  fish  in  rising  or  sinking, 
in  turning  or  leaping  out  of  the  water  ;  all  this  explained  by  the 
experiment  of  a  carp  put  into  a  large  vessel ;  all  fishes  covered 
with  a  slimy  glutinous  matter  that  defends  tireir  bodies  from  the 
immediate  contact  of  the  surrounding  fluid  ;  they  fall  behind  ter- 
restrial animals  in  their  sensations  ;  their  sense  of  touching  and 
fcinclling  ;  their  sense  of  tasting  ;  hearing  is  found  still  more  im- 
perfect, if  found  at  all  ;  Mr  Gouan's  experiment  to  this  purpose; 
from  it  is  learned  they  are  as  deaf  as  mute  ;  their  sense  of  seeing  ; 
their  brain  ;  a  ceaseless  desire  of  food  gives  the  ruling  impulse  to 
all  their  motions  ;  their  rapacity  insatiable  ;  when  out  of  water, 
and  almost  expiring,  they  greedily  swallow  the  bait  by  which  they 
were  allured  to  destruction  ;  the  maw  placed  next  the  mouth,  and 
though  possessed  of  no  sensible  heat,  is  endued  with  a  faculty  of 
digestion,  contrary  to  the  system,  that  the  heat  of  the  stomach  is 
aloua  sufficient  for  digestion  ;  though  for  ever  prowling,  can  suf- 


fer want  of  food  very  long  ;  instances  of  it ;  life  of  a  fish  but  one 
scene  of  hostility,  violence,  and  evasion  ;  the  causes  of  animal  mi- 
gration ;  all  stand  in  need  of  air  for  support  ;  those  of  the  whale 
kind  come  to  the  surface  of  the  sea  every  two  or  three  minutes  to 
breathe  fresh  air  ;  experiment  of  a  carp  in  a  large  vase  of  water, 
|j  placed  under  an  air-pump  ;  general  method  of  explaining  respira- 
lj  tion  in  fishes;  the  description  and  uses  of  their  air-bladder;  full 
i;  play  of  the  gills  prevented,  or  the  bony  covers  kept  from  moving, 
i  the  animal  would  fall  into  convulsions,  and  die,  005  to  Oil  ;  some 
';  fishes  have  no  air-bladder  ;  can  live  but  a  few  minutes  without  air  ; 
i  nothing  more  difficult  to  account  for  than  the  manner  of  getting 
this  supply  ;  no  part  of  the  account  of  the  use  of  the  air-bladder 
well  supported  ;  Bacon's  observations  upon  their  growth  and  age  ; 
two  methods  for  determining  the  age  of  fishes,  more  ingenious 
than  certain  ;  a  carp  found  to  be  a  hundred  years  old  ;  the  disco- 
very confirmed  by  authors  ;  longevity  of  these  animals,  nothing 
compared  to  their  fecundity ;  some  multiply  by  millions  ;  some 
bring  forth  their  young  alive,  and  some  produce  eggs  ;  the  former 
rather  the  least  fruitful  ;  the  viviparous  blenny  brings  forth  two  or 
three  hundred  at  a  time,  all  alive,  and  playing  round  the  parent ; 
the  cod  spawns  in  one  season  above  nine  millions  of  eggs,  the 
flounder  above  one  million,  and  the  mackarel  above  five  hundred 
thousand  ;  different  seasons  for  depositing  spawn  ;  some  fishes 
have  the  tenderness  of  birds  or  quadrupeds  for  their  young  ;  their 
copulation  as  yet  a  doubt;  the  flesh  of  fishes;  question  to  tho 
learned  concerning  the  flesh  of  fishes  ;  cetaceous  fishes,  611  to  015  ; 
cartilaginous  fishes,  627  ;  sucking  fish  sticks  to  the  shark  ;  called 
the  shark's  pilot,  and  why,  631 ;  all  fish  more  delicate  about  a 
baited  hook  than  their  ordinary  food,  633  ;  best  bait  for  all  is  fresh 
herring  cut  in  pieces  of  a  proper  size  ;  experience  shows,  the  larger 
fish  take  a  living  small  one  upon  the  hook  sooner  than  any  other 
bait,  634  ;  more  than  those  of  the  ray  kind  possessed  of  the  numb- 
ing quality ;  Condamine  informs  us  of  a  fish  with  the  powers  of 
the  torpedo,  and  resembling  a  lamprey ;  lamprey  of  the  English 
Severn  the  most  delicate  fish  whatever,  037 ;  sun-jish  described, 
043  ;  lump-fish,  ib.  ;  pipe-fsh,  644  ;  ga.Ury-Jlsh,  645  ;  spinous 
fishes,  ib. ;  Mr.  Gouan's  system  of  spinous  fishes,  647  to  651  ;  use 
of  it;  all  fish  of  the  same  kinds  have  the  same  number  of  bones ; 
the  small,  lean,  and  with  many  fins,  the  most  bony  ;  vulgar  expres- 
sion, that  fishes  at  some  seasons  are  more  bony  than  at  others, 
scarce  deserves  contradiction ;  none  imbibe  the  sea-saltness  with 
their  food,  or  in  respiration  ;  whence  then  do  some  fishes  live 
there,  and  quickly  expire  in  fresh  water  ;  some  tribes  live  only  in 
the  sea  ;  others  only  in  fresh  water  ;  some  part  of  the  season  in 
one,  and  a  part  in  the  other,  as  the  salmon,  the  shad,  the  smelt, 
and  the  flounder  ;  some  fish,  as  the  eel,  descend  the  fresh  water 
stream,  to  bring  forth  their  young  in  the  sea  ;  in  what  season  , 
long  voyages  undertaken  by  some  tribes  that  constantly  reside  in 
the  ocean,  and  may  be  called  the  fish  of  passage  ;  the  stated  re- 
turns and  regular  progress  of  these  fish  of  passage,  the  most  ex- 
traordinary circumstances  in  the  history  of  nature  ;  the  names 
of  several  migrating  fishes  ;  of  all  such,  the  herring  and  pilchard 
take  the  most  adventurous  voyages  ;  places  where  found  in  abun- 
dance, 651  to  654  ;  in  the  islands  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  an  over- 
quantity,  in  shoals,  on  the  swamps,  dried  up  by  the  sun  ;  the  putre- 
faction renders  the  eountry  unhealthful  ;  amazing  propagation 
along  our  coasts  and  rivers  not  proportionate  to  the  quantities 
among  the  islands  of  the  Indian  Ocean  ;  places  where  the  spawn 
is  deposited  ;  doubts  whether  most  fish  come  from  the  egg  com- 
pletely formed ;  manner  in  which  the  eggs  of  fishes  are  impreg- 
nated wholly  unknown  ;  the  eel  and  the  blenny  bring  forth  their 
young  alive ;  growth  of  fishes ;  instances  in  the  growth  of  tho 
carp  and  mackarel  ;  all  live  upon  each  other,  in  some  state  of  their 
existence  ;  of  those  in  the  ocean  of  the  spinous  kinds,  the  dorado 
the  most  voracious  ;  flying  fish  chiefly  sought  by  the  dorado  ;  their 
warfare  ;  opinion  that  all  fishes  are  natives  of  the  sea,  founded 
upon  their  superior  fecundity  of  breeding  twenty  to  one  ;  certainly 
fresh-water  fishes  abate  of  their  courage  and  rapacity  ;  greediness 
of  the  sea-fish  to  devour  the  bait  prodigious  compared  with  the 
manner  it  is  taken  in  fresh  water  ;  difference  of  bait  with  which 
they  are  caught  ;  some  fishes  rendered  so  torpid  in  the  northern 
rivers,  as  to  be  frozen  up  in  the  masses  of  ice,  and  continue  there 
several  months,  seemingly  without  life  or  sensation,  waiting  the 
approach  of  a  warmer  sun,  to  invite  them  to  life  and  liberty  ;  each 
species  of  fish  infested  with  worms  of  different  kinds  ;  most  viva- 
cious animals ;  often  live  upon  substances  poisonous  to  the  mor9 
perfect  classes  of  animated  nature  ;  numbers  of  fishes  making  poi- 
sonous wounds  scarcely  to  be  doubted  ;  some  fishes  being  poison- 
ous is  notorious ;  the  cause  inscrutable  ;  Dr.  Grainger,  after  re- 
siding many  years  at  St.  Christopher's,  affirms,  that  of  fish  caught 
at  one  end  of  the  island,  some  were  good  and  wholesome,  wfciilo 


FLE 


1JNUEX. 


FOX 


others  of  the  same  kind,  taken  at  a  ditFcrrnt  end,  were  dangerous, 
and  commonly  fatal ;  the  Philosophical  Transactions  give  an  ac- 
nount  of  poisonous  qualities  offish  at  New  Providence;  all  kinds,  at 
different  times,  alike  dangerous  ;.  the  same  species  this  day  serving 
is  nourishment,  the  next  found  fatal  ;  speculations  and  conjectures 
to  which  these  poisonous  qualities  have  given  rise,  655  to  680. 

Filc-Jish,  most  wonderful  of  the  shelly  tribe,  l>!)4.     See  I'ho'.ndis. 

Fishery  of  pearls,  several ;  chiefly  carried  on  in  the  Persian  Gulf, 
•via  ;  the  people  destined  for  the  pearl-fisheries ;  they  die  consump- 
tive ;  in  what  manner  they  fish  for  pearls,  692,  693. 

Fig/iiiiv-froir,  from  its  deformity  called  the  sea-dcril ;  conceit 
t  jat  this  tish'uses  its  two  long  beards  or  filaments  for  fishing  ; 
Rondeletius  says,  that  the  bowels  taken  out,  the  body  appears  trans- 
parent ;  and  with  a  lighted  candle  in  it,  has  a  formidable  appear- 
ance ;  fishermen  have  a  great  regard  for  this  ugly  fish,  as  an  enemy 
to  the  dog-fish  ;  when  taken  they  set  it  at  liberty,  6-O. 

Fisfures,  perpendicular,  found  in  every  field  and  every  quarry ; 
their  causes,  18. 

Fin  til  ar  in,  description  of  this  fish,  650. 

Flame  will  burn  under  water  ;  none  found  continuing  to  burn 
without  air,  97. 

Flamingu,  the  most  remarkable  of  the  crane  kind,  the  tallest, 
bulkiest,  and  most  beautiful ;  its  description  ;  chiefly  found  iu 
America ;  once  known  on  all  the  coasts  of  Europe  ;  its  beauty  and 
the  peculiar  delicacy  of  its  flesh,  have  been  such  temptations  to  de- 
stroy or  take  it,  that  it  has  long  since  deserted  the  shores  frequent- 
ed by  men ;  in  deserted  regions,  the  flamingos  live  in  a  state  of  socie- 
ty, and  under  a  better  polity  than  others  of  the  feathered  creation  ; 
delicacy  of  its  flesh  ;  when  the  first  Europeans  in  America  killed 
one,  the  rest  regarded  the  fall  in  fixed  astonishment ;  thus  the 
fowler  levelled  the  flock,  before  any  began  to  escape  ;  it  is  now  one 
of  the  scarcest  and  shyest  birds  in  the  world  ;  places  it  chiefly  in- 
habits ;  always  appoints  one  as  a  watch,  who  gives  notice  of  dan- 
ger with  a  voice  shrill  as  a  trumpet ;  Negroes  fond  of  their  com- 
pany, and  think  their  society  a  gift  of  heaven,  and  protection  from 
evils  ;  these  killed  are  hidden  in  the  long  grass,  to  prevent  ill  treat- 
ment from  the  blacks  discovering  the  murder  of  their  sacred  birds  ; 
are  frequently  taken  with  nets ;  refuse  all  nourishment  when  taken  ; 
pine  and  die,  if  left  to  themselves  in  captivity  ;  its  tongue  is  the 
most  celebrated  delicacy  ;  a  dish  of  them,  says  Labat,  is  a  feast  for 
an  emperor  ;  a  Roman  emperor  had  fifteen  hundred  flamingo's 
tongues  served  up  in  a  dish  ;  their  tongue  larger  than  any  other  || 
birj ;  its  flesh  ;  they  move  in  rank  like  cranes ;  appear  in  flight  of 
a  bright  red  as  a  burning  coal ;  manner  of  feeding  very  singular  ; 
savages  of  Canada  call  it  tococo,  and  why  ;  time  of  breeding,  and 
their  nests ;  number  of  their  eggs  ;  colour  when  young  ;  they  be- 
come familiar  in  five  or  six  days,  eat  out  of  the  hand,  and  drink 
sea-water  ;  but  generally  pine  away,  wanting  their  natural  supplies, 
and  die  in  a  short  time  ;  savages  make  ornaments  of  their  plumes  ; 
and  the  skin  sometimes  serves  the  Europeans  to  make  muffs, 
564  to  567. 

Flea,  persecutes  the  hare,  348;  it  can  draw  a  chain  a  hundred 
times  heavier  than  itself,  and  eat  ten  times  its  own  size  of  provi- 
sions in  one  day,  747  ;  its  description,  753 ;  aborescent  water-flea, 
or  monoculus,  described,  598  ;  Lewenhoeck  has  discovered  above 
six  thousand  facets  on  the  cornea  of  a  flea,  702. 

Flemings  possessed  the  art  of  cloth-working  in  a  superior  de- 
gree ;  were  invited  to  settle  here,  243. 

flesh  dries  at  Cusco  like  wood,  without  corrupting,  195  ;  the 
Persians  esteem  that  of  the  wild  ass  so  highly,  that  its  delicacy  is  a 
proverb  among  them,  224  ;  of  the  fallow-deer  preferred  to  any 
other,  265 ;  of  the  roe-buck,  between  one  and  two  years  old,  allowed 
the  greatest  delicacy  known,  269  ;  of  the  tiger,  is  good  for  food, 
some  hold  it  superior  to  mutton,,  302  ;  of  dogs,  sold  in  shambles  all 
over  China  ;  and  the  Negroes  of  the  coast  of  Guinea  esteem  it  a 
delicacy  ,  as  likewise  that  of  toads,  lizards,  and  tigers,  315  ;  that  of 
the  wolf  very  indifferent ;  no  creature  known  to  eat  it  but  the  wolf 
himself,  322  ;  of  the  squash,  tolerable  food,  339  ;  that  of  the  glut- 
ton, not  fit  to  be  eaten,  344  ;  of  the  hare,  religiously  abstained  from 
by  the  Jews,  ancient  Britons,  and  Mahometans,  348  ;  of  the  paca, 
considered  a  groat  delicacv,  359  ;  of  the  tendrac,  thought  by  the 
Indians  a  great  delicacy,  375  ;  of  the  pangolin,  considered  a  very 
great  delicacy  by  the  Negroes  of  Africa,  379  ;  of  the  armadillo,  or 
tatou,  said  to  be  delicate  eating,  381  ;  of  the  seal,  formerly  found 
place  at  the  tables  of  the  great,  396 ;  of  the  monkey,  liked  by  the 
Negroes,  498  ;  of  the  ostrich,  proscribed  in  scripture  unfit  to  be 
eaten,  463;  of  the  emu,  or  the  American  ostrich,  good  to  be  eaten, 
467  ;  of  the  dodo,  good  and  wholesome  eating,  76  ;  of  the  vulture, 
falcon,  and  osprcy,  when  young,  excellent  food,  according  to  Bel- 
lonius  ;  that  of  carnivorous  birds,  stringy  and  ill-tasted,  soon  cor- 
raptiag,  and  tinctured  with  that  animal  food  upon  which  they  sub- 


sist, 472 ;  of  the  bird  condor,  as  disagreeable  as  carrion,  477  ;  of 
the  peacock,  keeps  unputrified  longer  than  of  any  other  animal, 
498  ;  that  of  the  partridge,  so  valued  by  the  French,  according  to 
Willoughby,  that  no  feast  could  be  complete  without  it,  507;  of  the 
pheasant,  considered  us  the  greutc.it  dainty,  501  ;  of  the  quail,  a 
very  grent  delicacy,  50(1 ;  of  the  toucan,  tender  and  nourishing,  519; 
of  the  young  herons,  in  particular  estimation  in  France,  561  ;  of  the 
bittern,  greatly  esteemed  among  the  luxurious,  563  ;  of  the  puffin, 
formerly  by  the  church  allowed  on  Lenten  days,  591  ;  of  fishes, 
yield  little  nourishment ;  questions  proposed  to  the  learned  concern- 
ing it,  613 ;  of  the  young  porpoise  ;  said  to  be  as  well  tasted  as  veal, 
(121) ;  of  the  shark,  hardly  digestible  by  any  but  Negroes,  who  are 
fond  of  it  to  distraction,  631 ;  of  the  turtle,  is  become  a  branch  of 
commerce,  674  ;  that  of  some  crabs  is  poisonous,  603 ;  of  the  great 
Mediterranean  turtle  sometimes  poisonous,  (173. 

Files  torment  the  elephant  unceasingly  ;  arts  the  elephant  tries 
to  keep  them  off.  420  :  dragon-fly,  or  the  iibella,  76(i ;  common  wa- 
ter-fly swims  on  its  back,  779  ;  the  cornea  so  adapted  by  Puget,  as 
to  see  objects  through  it  with  a  microscope  ;  strangeness  of  its  re- 
presentations ;  does  the  fly  see  objects  singly,  as  with  one  eye,  or 
is  every  facet  a  complete  eye,  exhibiting  its  objects  distinct  from 
the  rest,  792  ;  the  Spanish  fly  ?  822  See  Cantha  rides. 

Flintshire,  in  a  lead-mine  there,  two  great  grinding-tecth,  and 
part  of  the  tusk  of  an  elephant,  discovered  at  the  depth  of  forty -two 
yards,  425. 

Flounder,  known  to  produce  in  one  season  above  one  million  of 
eggs,  612. 

Fluids,  ascending  in  vessels  emptied  of  air ;  rising  in  capillary 
tubes,  and  how  this  comes  to  pass,  56. 

Flux  of  the  sea,  73;  not  equal  in  the  straits  of  Magellan,  76. 

Flij-rutc/ier,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  5:',<. 

Flying-fish,  its  description,  650 ;  chiefly  sought  by  the  dorado,  658. 

Fly-trap,  name  of  a  flower,  closing  upon  the  flies  that  light  upon 
it,  828.  ' 

Fatus,  the  canal  of  communication  through  which  the  blood  cir- 
culates in  the  fcetus,  without  going  through  the  lungs,  has  been 
found  open  in  some  bodies  that  have  been  dissected,  ti!'2. 

Fongieang,  natives  of  China  give  a  fantastic  description  of  this 
imaginary  bird,  503. 

Fontenellc,  a  celebrated  writer,  of  a  weak  and  delicate  habit  of 
body  ;  the  remarkable  equality  of"  his  temper  lengthened  out  his 
life  to  above  a  hundred  ;  nothing  could  vex  or  make  him  uneasy, 
174,  175. 

Food,  man  can  live  without  it  for  seven  days ;  a  Scotchman  for 
the  space  of  six  weeks  took  no  food  at  all,  155. 

Foot,  hares  have  the  sole  of  it  furnished  with  hair,  347.  See 
Hare  and  Hair. 

Foramen  ovule,  opening  in  the  heart  of  the  foetus,  131;  in  the 
seal's  heart  never  closes,  393. 

Forbin  (C/iera/ier)  his  account  of  baboons  forcing  women  in 
Siam,  404. 

Forehead,  narrow,  liked  by  the  Romans,  140. 

Forest,  generally  divided  between  monkeys  and  serpents,  407. 

Formica  leo,  the  linn-ant,  described  ;  its  habits  ;  its  retreat ;  its 
contrivances  for  catching  other  insects  ;  when  attaining  a  certain 
age,  changes  its  form;  description  when  become  a  large  and  beau- 
tiful fly  of  the  libellula  kind  ;  equally  wonderful  in  all  its  different 
stages  of  existence,  7(>8  to  770. 

Fossil,  teeth  of  elephants  often  found  in  that  state,  425  ;  bones 
found  in  Peru  and  Brusil,  which  when  cut  and  polished  appear  like 
ivory,  ib. ;  shells  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  not  found  in  the 
ocean,  680. 

Fouinc,  animal  of  the  weasel  kind,  335. 

Fowls,  large  do  not  rise  easily,  and  why,  450  ;  few  water-fowls 
known  to  breed  in  England,  and  why,  457  ;  those  of  reddish  plu- 
mage the  ancients  held  invaluable  ;  the  white,  as  unfit  for  domestic 
purposes,  and  fit  as  prey  to  rapacious  birds  ;  Aristotle  thinks  them 
less  fruitful  than  the  former,  494  ;  sea-fowls  ever  sporting  on  for- 
midable sea-coasts,  584  ;  general  characteristics  of  water-fowls  ; 
their  fuod  ;  the  jjull  kind  ;  the  penguin  kind  ;  the  goose  kind, 
574,  575  ;  water-fowls  properly  of  no  climate,  592. 

Foxes  hunt  in  packs  ;  taken  young  are  gentle  only  while  cubs, 
growing  older  discover  their  natural  appetites  of  rapine  and  cruelty, 
309  ;  their  cubs  born  blind,  like  those  of  the  dog ;  the  fox  lives 
about  twelve  or  fourteen  years ;  remarkable  instance  of  parental 
affection  of  a  she-fox  ;  all  animals  make  war  upon  the  fox  ;  even 
the  birds  ;  refuses  to  engender  with  the  dog  ;  brings  forth  fewer 
than  the  dog,  and  but  once  a  year ;  the  female  goes  with  young 
six  weeks,  and  seldom  stirs  out  while  pregnant ;  various  colours  of 
them  ;  three  varieties  of  this  animal  in  Great  Britain;  greyhound 
fox,  mastiff  fox,  ajid  cur  fox ;  round  the  pole  they  are  all  cokmrs; 


GAD 


INDEX. 


GIA 


23 


jackal  taken  for  the  fox  ;  skin  of  the  black  fox  most  esteemed,  a 
single  skin  selling  for  forty  or  fifty  crowns,  the  hair  so  disposed; 
impossible  to  tell  which  way  the  grain  lies,  323,  324  ;  in  Green- 
land do  not  change  colour  at  all,  331  ;  many  animals  in  this  coun- 
try bred  between  a  dog  and  a  fox  ;  experiments  prove  neither  the 
wolf  nor  the  fcx  of  the  same  nature  with  the  dog  ;  each  a  species 
perfectly  distinct,  315  ;  nothing  eatable  comes  amiss  to  them,  rats, 
mice,  serpents,  toads,  and  lizards  ;  insects,  crabs,  shrimps,  and 
shell-fish  ;  carrots,  wax,  and  honey  ;  even  the  hedgehog,  323 ; 
chase  of  the  fox  ;  their  offensive  smell  often  the  cause  of  their 
death ;  way  they  find  to  subsist ;  name  given  by  huntsmen  to  a 
tbx  of  the  second  year ;  old  fox  the  name  for  the  third  year,  322, 
323  ;  exactly  resembles  the  wolf  and  the  dog  internally,  322 ;  de- 
scription ;  eyes  obliquely  situated  like  the  wolf,  213;  often  takes 
possession  of  the  hole  quitted  by  the  badger,  or  forces  it  from  its 
retreat  by  art,  438. 

Fox  (crost)  name  of  the  isatis.  when  turning  white,  327. 

Fus-tailed  monkey,  of  the  sagoin  kind,  412. 

France,  its  kings  of  the  first  race  had  whiskers  knotted  and 
buttoned  with  gold,  145;  under  Francis  I.  peacocks  served  up  at 
the  tables  of  the  great,  not  to  be  eaten,  but  seen,  407. 

Frederic,  emperor  of  Germany,  wrote  a  treatise  upon  hawking, 
402. 

Friczland,  great  inundations  happened  in  it,  82. 

Vrieschaff,  a  hike  where  the  sturgeon  is  found  in  great  numbers, 
640. 

Frog,  designedly  introduced  into  Ireland  before  the  Norway 
rat,  363;  the  rat  put  a  stop  to  their  increase,  and  the  frog  is  almost 
extinct  in  that  kingdom,  3(i4  ;  differences  between  it  and  the  toad, 
in  figure  and  conformaliori ;  tbe  frog  the  beet  swimmer  of  all  four- 
footed  animals  ;  its  description  ;  male  or  female  have  no  external 
instruments  of  generation  ;  the  anus  serving  for  that  purpose  in 
both  ;  coupling  of  the  common  brown  frog  ;  experiments  to  dis- 
cover how  their  impregnation  is  performed ;  the  female  not  im- 
pregnated by  the  mouth,  as  conjectured,  nor  by  the  thumbs,  as 
imagined  by  Linnreus,  but  by  inspersion  of  male  seminal  fluid 
upon  the  eggs  proceeding  from  the  body  ;  how  the  female  brings 
forth  eggs  ;  various  changes  in  the  eggs  after  impregnation  by  the 
male;  the  animal  in  its  perfect  state,  from  feeding  upon  vegetables, 
hrn. njes  carnivorous  ;  lives  upon  worms  and  insects,  and  seeks  for 
food  upon  land  ;  myriads  seen  on  such  occasions,  have  been  fan- 
cied to  be  generated  in  the  clouds,  and  showered  down  on  earth  ; 
tiieir  habitudes  and  food  ;  differences  of  sexes  not  perceivable,  un- 
til their  fourth  year  ;  do  not  begin  to  propagate  till  that  period  ; 
live  about  twelve  years;  a  German  surgeon  kept  one  eight  years 
in  a  glass  covered  with  a  net,  fed  it  often,  but  sparingly  ;  instances 
of  tenaciousness  of  life  ;  the  male  only  croaks  ;  from  their  croak- 
ing in  some  countries  distinguished  by  the  ludicrous  name  of 
Dutch  Nightingales  ;  large  water-frog's  note  as  loud  as  the  bellow- 
ing of  a  bull,  and  heard  at  three  miles  distance  ;  times  of  their 
croaking  ;  no  weather-glass  so  true  in  foretelling  changes  ;  adhere 
to  the  backs  of  fishes  ;  story  of  Walton  to  this  purpose  ;  dry  wea- 
ther hurtful  to  frogs,  6<»7,  698.  See  Fishing-frog. 

Frost,  dry,  augments  evaporation,  168. 

Frost-smoke,  fogs  near  the  pole  from  halos,  or  luminous  circles,  113. 

Froth-worm,  its  description,  77!). 

Fumes  of  hot  iron,  copper,  or  other  metal,  blown  into  the  place 
where  an  animal  is  confined,  instantly  destroys  it,  93. 

Fur,  the  colder  the  country,  the  larger  and  warmer  the  fur  ; 
instances  of  it,  210  ;  of  the  white  fox  not  esteemed,  and  why,  325 ; 
the  isatis  of  no  value,  unless  killed  in  winter,  327  ;  the  ermine  the 
most  valuable  of  any,  331  ;  no  easy  matter  to  account  for  warmth 
of  furs  of  northern  quadrupeds,  or  how  they  come  to  have  such 
abundant  covering  ;  particulars  on  this  subject,  ib. ;  white  weasel, 
found  in  Great  Britain,  of  no  value  ;  ermine  in  evorv  country 
o  lunges  by  time,  332;  of  the  pole  cat  in  less  estimation  than  some 
of  inferior  kinds,  from  its  offensive  smell,  which  can  never  be  re- 
moved, 334  ;  of  the  yellow-breasted  martin  more  valuable  and 
beautiful  than  the  white,  335  ;  different  colours  of  the  sable,  330  ; 
of  the  genet  valuable.  340  ;  of  the  civet  impregnated  with  the  per- 
fiime,  341  ;  of  the  glutton  has  the  most  beautiful  lustre,  and  is  pre- 
ferred to  all  except  the  Siberian  sable,  344  ;  of  the  hare  forms  a 
considerable  article  in  the  hat  manufacture,  348  ;  of  the  cricetus,  or 
German  rat,  very  valuable,  308  ;  inside  down  of  the  vulture's 
wing  makes  a  warm  and  comfortable  kind  of  fur,  479. 

G. 

Gad-fly,  formidable  in  Lapland  ;  brings  on  an  incurable  disorder 
upon  the  rein-deer  ;  precautions  used  against  them,  274. 
Gadus,  the  cod-fish,  its  description,  050. 


Gaganda,  island  of  Ethiopia ;  parrots  found  there  by  the  Ro- 
mans, 529. 

Galam,  a  place  900  miles  up  the  Senegal,  taken  from  the  French, 
C2. 

Galen  asserts  the  eggs  of  hens  and  pheasants  good  to  be  eaten  ; 
those  of  geese  and  ostriches  worst  of  all,  400. 

Galinassos,  Spanish  name  of  vultures  in  America,  481. 

Gall  of  the  shammoy  held  useful  to  strengthen  the  sight,  250 ; 
the  deer  kind  have  none,  257. 

Gall-nuts,  description  of  the  insect  forming  and  residing  in 
them,  and  its  transformations,  824. 

Galley-fish,  its  description  ;  its  legs  adhesive  ;  common  in 
America,  perpetually  floating  ;  no  efforts  made  to  hurt,  can  make 
it  sink  ;  never  perceived  to  move  on  shore,  so  strongly  adhering  to 
whatever  substances  applied  ;  the  smallest  quantity  of  slimy  sub- 
stance from  its  legs,  burns  the  skin  like  hot  oil  ;  extremely  common 
along  all  tlie  coasts  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  ;  the  shore  covered 
with  them,  a  forerunner  of  a  storm,  645. 

Galley-irorm,  its  difference  from  the  scolopendra,  762. 

Game,  sanguinary  laws  to  preserve  it,  261. 

Gangm.  a  river  visited  annually  by  a  hundred  thousand  pilgrims, 
who  pay  their  devotions  to  it  as  to  God,  C2  ;  in  its  course  receives 
twenty  rivers,  63, 

Guiniet,  the  soland  goose,  its  description;  subsists  upon  fish; 
places  abounding  with  them  ;  manner  of  preserving  them  and  their 
eggs,  in  the  island  of  St.  Kilda;  the  inhabitants  of  that  island 
principally  subsist  on  them  throughout  the  year  ;  twenty-three 
thousand  of  this  kind  of  young  birds  consumed  annually  there  ;  a 
bird  of  passage  ;  its  migrations  ;  never  comes  near  the  land  ; 
where  seen,  it  announces  the  arrival  of  herrings;  exceeds  the  cor- 
morant in  quickness  of  sight ;  method  of  taking  its  prey  ;  manner 
of  taking  them  at  sea  ;  number  of  their  eggs  ;  their  young  counted 
a  great  dainty,  and  sold  very  dear,  582.  583. 

Garter-fish,  the  lipidopus,  its  description,  650. 

Gasterostcus,  or  tlie  stickleback,  description  of  this  fish,  649. 

Gazelles,  neither  goat  nor  deer;  partake  of  both  natures  ;  they 
form  a  distinct  kind  ;  their  description  ;  of  all  anirnnls  it  has  the 
most  beautiful  eye  ;  Eastern  poets  compare  the  eyes  of  their 
mistresses  to  those  of  the  gazelle  ;  Buffon  makes  but  twelve  va- 
rieties ;  their  names  and  description*  ;  comparing  them  together, 
we  find  but  slight  distinctions;  are  inhabitants  of  the  warmer  cli- 
mates ;  no  animals,  but  of  the  winged  kind,  can  overtake  them ; 
are  pursued  by  falcons,  and  this  hunting  is  a  principal  amusement 
among  the  great  in  the  East ;  also  hunted  with  the  ounce  ;  another 
way  of  taking  them  ;  ke«p  in  solitary  and  inaccessible  places, 
250  to  253  ;  the  bubalus.  more  properly  one  of  Africa,  272  ;  the 
most  usual  prey  for  the  lion,  in  deserts  and  forests.  9P5 ;  the  prey 
of  the  panther,  304  ;  pursued  by  the  jackal,  makes  towards  houses 
and  towns,  326. 

Gek/to,  a  kind  of  salamander,  717. 

Generation  most  complete  where  fewest  animals  are  produced, 
132 ;  late  discovery  that  male  fishes  have  two  organs  of  genera- 
tion, 612;  all  animals  of  the  snail  kind  are  hermaphrodites,  each 
containing  the  instruments  of  generation  double,  685  ;  these  organs 
in  the  mussel,  688  ;  tlie  male  or  female  frogs  have  no  external  in- 
struments for  that  use.  698. 

Genet,  its  odour  more  faint  than  civet ;  description  of  this  animal ; 
resembles  the  martin  ;  more  easily  tamed  ;  Bellonius  has  seen  them 
at  Constantinople  tame  as  cats ;  glands  open  differently  from 
others  of  its  kind  ;  called  the  cat  of  Constantinople  ;  never  found 
in  mountains  or  dry  places  ;  its  fur  valuable  ;  species  not  much 
diffused  ;  countries  where  it  is  found  ;  the  most  beautiful,  cleanly, 
and  industrious  animal  ;  keeps  a  house  free  from  mice  and  rats  by 
its  smell,  340. 

Genette,  of  the  province  of  Andalusia  the  best,  218. 

Georgians,  their  description,  1*3. 

Gerenda.  a  serpent,  to  which  the  natives  of  Calicut  and  those  of 
the  Mozambique  coast  pay  divine  honours,  741. 

Germanij,  the  meanest  peasant  kills  a  cow  for  his  table,  salts  and 
hangs  it  up,  and  preserves  it  as  a  delicacy  all  the  year  round,  281. 
Gesner,    minutely  describes   a  variety   of   mouse-traps,    365; 
places  bats  among  birds,  381. 

Giant,  in  England,  as  late  as  King  James  I.  the  court  had  one, 
188. 

Giants,  probability  of  the  race  affirmed,  possibility  of  their  ex 
istence  denied;  Grew's  opinion  ;  Ferdinand  Magellan,  a  Portu- 
guese, first  discovered  a  race  of  such  people,  towards  the  extreme 
coast  of  South  America  ;  assent  to  the  existence  of  this  <_rigantie 
race  of  mankind  ;  travellers  confirm  it ;  seen  here,  have  the  same 
defects  of  understanding  as  dwarfs  ;  are  heavy,  phlegmatic,  stupid* 
and  inclined  to  sadness,  190  to  192. 


GOA 


hNDEX. 


GRA 


Gibbon,  the  long-arme'l  ape,  its  description,  -103. 

Gills,  their  free  play  prevented,  the  animal  falls  into  eom-uleions 
and  dies  in  a  few  momenta,  OOM. 

Gilthcad,  called  dolphin  by  sailors  ;  its  description,  648. 

Gimcrro,  imagined  a  breed  between  an  ass  and  a  hull,  226. 

Glands,  furnish  the  foetiil  substances  in  animals  of  the  weasel 
kind,  330  ;  of  the  genet  open  differently  from  others,  303 ;  unctuous 
in  birds  to  preserve  their  feathers,  37;  salivary  in  the  gullet  and 
crop  of  birds,  43. 

Glass,  a  looking-glass  held  to  the  mouth  of  a  person  supposed  to 
be  dead,  an  uncertain  experiment  for  determining  latent  life,  177. 

Glitters,  little  impressions  BO  called  in  the  heads  of  stags,  202. 

Globe  of  Jirc  rising  from  the  side  of  the  mountain  Pichinca;  a 
great  one  seen  at  Bononia,  in  Italy,  in  the  year  1670 ;  past  west- 
ward at  the  rate  of  a  hundred  and  sixty  miles  in  a  minute  :  could 
not  be  less  than  a  mile  long,  and  half  a  mile  broad,  111. 

Globe  of  glass,  filled  with  water,  assumes  successively  all  the 
colours  of  the  rainbow,  112. 

Gloucester,  its  corporation  had  an  old  custom  annually  to  present 
the  king  with  a  lamprey  pye,  585. 

Glow-worm,  male  and  female  of  this  species  differ  entirely  from 
each  other  ;  how  and  in  what  manner  the  light  sent  forth  by  the 
glow-worm  is  produced,  hitherto  inexplicable  ;  the  light  continues 
to  grow  paler,  and  at  last  is  totally  extinct,  if  the  worm  be  kept  for 
sometime,  821,822. 

Glue,  made  of  the  horns  of  the  rein-deer,  277 ;  Mr.  Jackson 
found  out  a  method  of  making  glue  to  answer  the  purposes  of 
isinglass,  042. 

Glutton,  the  most  dangerous  and  most  successful  persecutor  of 
the  rein-deer  ;  its  manner  of  killing  that  deer,  277  ;  belongs  to  the 
weasel-kind  ;  there  is  no  precise  description  of  it,  some  resembling 
it  to  a  badger,  some  to  a  fox,  others  to  a  hyiena ;  one  brought  alive 
from  Siberia,  was  three  feet  long,  and  about  a  foot  and  a  half  high, 
342 ;  so  called  from  its  voracious  appetite  ;  countries  where  found  ; 
called  carcajou  in  North  America  ;  general  description ;  Ray  and 
Others  doubt  of  its  existence  ;  endued  with  great  patience  ;  watches 
for  its  prey  for  several  days  together ;  takes  its  prey  by  surprise, 
and  in  what  manner  ;  darts  down  from  the  branches  of  trees  upon 
the  elk  or  the  rein-deer,  sticks  its  claws  between  their  shoulders  ; 
and  remains  there  firm,  eating  their  necks,  and  digging  to  the  great 
blood  vessels  that  lie  in  that  part ;  amazing  quantity  one  of  these 
•nimala  can  eat  at  a  time  ;  that  seen  by  Mr.  Klein,  without  exer- 
eise  or  air,  taken  from  its  native  climate,  and  enjoying  but  indifferent 
»ealth,  ate  thirteen  pounds  of  flesh  every  day,  and  was  not  satisfied  ; 
\  continues  eating  and  sleeping  till  its  prey,  bones  and  all,  be  de- 
voured ;  prefers  putrid  flesh  to  that  newly  killed ;  it  is  so  slow  that 
»ny  quadruped  can  escape  it,  except  the  beaver;  pursues  it  upon 
and ;  but  the  beaver  taking  water,  the  glutton  has  no  chance  to 
4ucceed  ;  called  the  vulture  of  the  quadrupeds  ;  in  what  manner  it 
Hakes  up  by  stratagem  the  defects  of  nature ;  the  female  goes  with 
roung  four  months,  and  brings  forth  two  or  three  ;  the  male  and 
Vuia'.e  equally  resolute  in  defence  of  their  young ;  is  difficult  to  be 
skinned  ;  does  not  fear  man  ;  is  a  solitary  animal,  and  never  in  com- 
pany but  with  its  female  ;  couples  in  the  midst  of  winter ;  the  flesh 
not  fit  to  be  eaten  ;  the  fur  has  the  most  beautiful  lustre,  and  pre- 
ferred to  all,  except  the  Siberian-fox,  or  the  sable,  343,  344. 

Gnats,  in  Lapland,  fill  the  air  like  clouds  of  dust ;  are  chiefly  ene- 
mies to  the  rein-deer ;  remedies  used  against  them,  273 ;  proceed 
from  a  little  worm  ;  usually  seen  at  the  bottom  of  standing  waters ; 
curious  manner  in  which  their  eggs  are  laid  ;  in  their  egg  state  it 
resembles  a  buoy,  fixed  by  an  anchor ;  different  states  of  the  insect ; 
in  its  last  transformation  divested  of  a  second  skin,  in  the  next  it 
resigns  ita  eyes,  its  antennse,  ami  its  tail,  and  seems  to  expire  ;  from 
the  spoils  of  the  amphibious  animal  appears  a  little  winged  insect, 
whose  structure  is  an  object  of  admiration  ;  description  of  this  in- 
sect, and  of  its  trunk,  justly  deemed  one  of  Nature's  master-pieces  ; 
implement  with  which  the  gnat  performs  its  work  in  summer  ; 
places  where  it  spends  the  winter  ;  the  little  brood  so  numerous 
that  the  water  is  tinged  with  the  colour  of  the  species  ;  some  gnats 
oviparous,  others  viviparous,  and  come  forth  in  a  perfect  form; 
some  are  males,  and  unite  with  the  female ;  some  are  females  re- 
quiring the  male ;  others  are  of  neither  sex,  and  produce  young 
without  copulation  ;  at  the  sixth  generation  the  propagation  stops, 
the  gnat  no  longer  reproduces  its  likeness,  but  requires  the  male  to 
renew  its  fecundity  ;  produced  in  multitudes  beyond  expression  in 
America ;  and  found  of  all  sizes,  from  six  inches  long,  to  a  minute- 
ness beyond  the  perception  of  the  common  eye  ;  native  Indians, 
anointed  with  oil.  sleep  in  cottages  covered  with  thousands  of  gnats, 
and  have  not  their  slumbers  interrupted  by  these  cruel  devourers, 
825,  826. 

Goal,  ita  eyes  are  gray,  142 ;  from  Europe  imported  into  South 


America,  soon  degenerates  ;  as  it  grows  less  it  becomes  more  pro- 
lific; imported  to  the  African  coast,  it  seems  to  improve,  211, 
goat  and  sheep  propagate  together,  and  may  be  considered  as  of 
one  family  ;  the  buck-goat  produces  with  the  ewe  an  animal  in  two 
or  three  generations  returning  to  the  sheep,  and  retaining  no  marks 
of  its  ancient  progenitor,  56 ;  more  fitted  for  a  life  of  savage 
liberty  than  the  sheep;  more  lively  aid  more  possessed  of  animal 
instinct ;  it  is  not  easily  confined  .  its  flock,  but  chooses  its  own 
pasture,  and  loves  to  stray  from  the  rest ;  delights  in  climbing  pre- 
cipices ;  walks  as  securely  on  the  ridge  of  a  house,  as  on  the  level 
ground  ;  is  capricious  and  vagrant ;  is  not  terrified  at  storms,  or  in- 
commoded by  rain  ;  immoderate  cold  affects  it,  and  produces  a  ver- 
tigo, to  which  this  animal  is  subject ;  a  hardy  animal,  and  very 
easily  sustained,  for  which  reason  chiefly  the  property  of  the  poor  ; 
its  favourite  food  is  the  tops  of  boughs,  or  the  tender  bark  of  young 
trees ;  proof  of  its  being  naturally  the  friend  of  man,  and  that  it 
seldom  resumes  its  forest  wildness,  when  once  reduced  into  th« 
state  of  servitude ;  in  some  places  they  bear  twice  a  year ;  in 
warmer  climates  generally  bring  forth  three,  four,  and  five,  at  once ; 
one  buck  sufficient  for  a  hundred  and  fifty  goats  ;  milk  of  goats 
medicinal ;  not  apt  to  curdle  on  the  stomach  ;  in  several  parts  of 
Ireland  and  the  highlands  of  Scotland  the  goat  the  chief  possession 
of  the  inhabitants  ;  flesh  of  the  goat,  properly  prepared,  ranked  by 
some  not  inferior  to  venison  ;  is  never  so  good  and  so  sweet  in  our 
climate  as  mutton  ;  no  man  can  attend  above  fifty  goats  at  a  time  ; 
flesh  of  the  goat  found  to  improve  between  the  tropics  ;  remarkable 
varieties  in  this  kind  ;  that  of  Natoli,  by  Mr.  Buft'on  called  goat  of 
Angora;  its  description;  the  Assyrian  goat  of  Gesner  ;  chieflv 
kept  about  Aleppo  ;  little  goat  of  Africa,  the  size  of  a  kid,  has  hair 
as  long  as  the  ordinary  breed  ;  Julia  goat,  not  much  larger  than  a 
hare  ;  common  in  Guinea,  Angola,  and  the  coast  of  Africa  ;  blue 
i  goat,  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  ;  its  description,  245  to  2-17  ; 
boundaries  between  the  goat  and  the  deer  kind  difficult  to  fix,  250; 
Bfzoar  gottt,  the  pazan,  found  in  the  mountains  of  Egypt,  251 ; 
African  wild  goat  of  Grimmius.  fourth  anomalous  of  the  kind  ;  its 
description,  253;  goats  eat  four  hundred  and  forty-nine  plants,  and 
reject  a  hundred  and  twenty-six,  280 ;  in  Syria,  remarkable  for  their 
fine,  glossy,  long,  soft  hair,  292. 

Goat-sucker,  a  nocturnal  swallow  ;  description  and  habits,  546. 

Gobius,  the  gudgeon,  description  of  this  fish,  648. 

Godigmis,  in  his  history  of  Abyssinia,  exaggerates  the  effects  of 
the  shock  of  the  torpedo,  to  an  incredible  degree,  637. 

Godwit,  its  dimensions,  568  ;  a  bird  of  passage,  570. 

Gojam,  kingdom,  where  the  Nile  takes  its  rise,  62. 

G.;/rf  never  contracts  rust,  and  why  ;  except  in  places  where 
much  salt  is  used,  92. 

Golden-eye,  bird  of  the  duck  kind,  598. 

Gol/lfinch,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537 ;  learns  a  song  from  the 
nightingale,  546. 

Goose,  marks  of  the  goose  kind  ;  abstained  from  by  the  ancient* 
as  indigestible,  592,  593 ;  one  known  to  live  a  hundred  years ; 
marks  of  the  tame  and  wild  sort ;  wild  supposed  to  breed  in  the 
northern  parts  of  Europe  ;  flight  regularly  arranged, 596. 

Goose  (Brent,)  most  harmless,  but  for  their  young  pursue  dogs 
and  men ;  use  of  its  feathers  in  beds  unknown  in  countries  of  the 
Levant  and  Asia ;  feathers  a  considerable  article  of  commerce  ;  dif- 
ferent qualities  of  them  ;  the  best  method  of  curing  them,  596, 597. 

Goose  (Soland)  described.     Sec  Gannrt,  582. 

Gooseander,  a  round-billed  water-fowl,  its  description ;  feeds 
upon  fish,  296. 

Gordian,  the  emperor,  wrote  a  poem  upon  the  halcyon,  of  which 
are  no  remains,  (i()2. 

Goss-hau-k,  of  the  baser  race  of  hawks,  482;  taught  to  fly  at 
game;  little  obtained  from  its  efforts,  46ti. 

Gottenburg,  in  Sweden,  a  cataract  near  it,  65. 

Gouan,  a  learned  Frenchman,  his  system  deserves  applause  for 
more  than  its  novelty  ;  how  followed  in  arranging  the  spinous 
classes  of  fishes,  047. 

Graaf,  his  observations  upon  the  progress  and  increase  of  ani- 
mals in  the  womh,  12!). 

Grampus,  fierce  and  desperate  in  defence  of  its  young ;  remark- 
able instance,  015  ;  description  and  habits,  624. 

Grasslioppef.a  ruminating  insect,  or  seemingly  so,  232;  diffe- 
rences between  ours  and  the  cicada  of  the  ancients  ;  great  varieties 
of  this  animal  in  shape  and  colour  ;  description  of  the  little  grass- 
hopper that  breeds  plentifully  in  meadows,  and  continues  chirping 
through  the  summer  ;  the  male  of  this  tribe  only  vocal ;  how  their 
fecundation  is  performed  ;  the  male  or  female  never  survive  the 
winter  ;  their  eggs  from  first  appearing,  possessed  of  wings  ;  how  it 
gets  rid  of  the  outer  skin ;  their  food ;  places  where  they  deposit 
their  eggs,  771  to  773. 


GUI 


INDEX. 


I1AI 


Grave,  the  greatest  care  recommended  not  to  commit  those 
dearest  to  us  to  the  grave,  before  real  signs  of  certain  death  be 
ascertained,  177. 

Greta/i,  river  in  Yorkshire  running  under  ground,  and  rising 
again,  66. 

Grebe,  description  of  this  bird  ;  residence  and  habits  ;  perpetual- 
ly diving,  and  very  difficult  to  be  shot ;  never  seen  on  land  ;  chief- 
ly sought  for  the  skin  of  its  breast,  and  why  ;  in  breeding-time 
their  breasts  are  bare,  573. 

Gree7ijinch,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537. 

Greenland,  Cntntz's  account  of  the  formation  of  ice-monntains 
in  that  country,  72,  73  ;  aurora  bortalis,  its  appearance  almost  con- 
stant in  winter  ;  the  inhabitants  not  entirely  forsaken  in  the  midst 
of  their  tedious  night,  this  aurora-  affording  them  light  for  the  pur- 
poses of  existence,  1 13  ;  they  live  mostly  upon  seals  ;  their  number 
daily  diminishing,  and  why,  306. 

(ir?ri<lunde,rs,  described,  178;  customary  among  them  to  turn 
I'uropciiiis  into  ridicule  ;  a  quiet,  or  a  modest  stranger,  they  deem 
almost  as  well  bred  as  a  Greenlander,  179. 

Gifir,  his  opinion  concerning  dwarfs  and  giants,  190. 

Greyhound  kind,  312  ;  greyhound  fox,  325. 

Grii,  the  petit  gris,  Mr.  Burton's  name  for  the  gray  Virginian 
squirrel.  3-Y.'. 

Grusslteak,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  538. 

Grotto  of  .iiuijniros,  in  the  Archipelago,  the  most  remarkable 
subterraneous  cavern  now  known  ;  description,  28. 

Grotto  del  Cane,  near  Naples,  situation  and  description  ;  noxious 
effects,  25. 

Groits,  chiefly  found  in  heathy  mountains  and  pinv  forests,  505. 

Growth  of  the  child  less  every  year,  till  the  time  of  puberty, 
when  it  starts  up  of  a  sudden  ;  growth  of  the  mind  in  children  cor- 
responds with  that  of  the  body,  and  why,  135,  136  ;  of  some  young 
people  ceases  at  fourteen  or  fifteen ;  of  others  continues  till  two 
or  three  and  twenty,  140  ;  of  fishes  irregular  and  tardy,  (J57. 

Guadulquii'er,  river  in  Spain  buried  iu  sand,  60. 

Guanarues,  a  kind  of  camel  in  America,  434. 

Guam-lies,  ancient  inhabitants  of  the  island  of  TenerifF;  art  of 
embalming  still  preserved  among  them,  when  the  Spaniards  con- 
quered the  island,  194. 

Giuiribu,  Brasilian  guariba,  or  warine,  the  largest  of  the  monkey- 
kind  in  America,  described,  412. 

Guayaquil,  river  in  South  America,  43. 

Gat/aeon,  fresh-water  sort,  as  well  as  the  anchovy,  has  no  bladder, 
61 1  ;  description  of  this  fish,  648. 

Guiba.  animal  resembling  the  gazelle  ;  its  description,  253. 

Guilltmut,  bird  of  the  smaller  tribe  of  the  penguin  kind,  500. 

Guinea,  the  natives  kill  numbers  of  hares  at  a  time,  and  in  what 
manner,  348. 

Guinea-ass,  larger  a.nd  more  beautiful  than  the  horse,  226. 

Guinea-lit  n.  described,  503. 

Guinea-horse.,  remarkable  exercise  and  sports  with  it  among  the 
grandees  of  that  country,  220. 

Guinea-pig,  by  Brisson  placed  among  the  rabbit  kind  ;  native  of 
the  warmer  climates  ;  rendered  domestic,  and  now  become  common 
every  where  ;  its  description  ;  in  some  places  a  principal  favourite ; 
often  displacing  the  lap-dog  ;  manner  of  living  among  us  ;  most 
helpless  and  inoffensive,  scarce  possusse  j  of  any  courage  ;  their  ani- 
mosity exerted  against  each  other  ;  often  right  obstinately,  and  the 
stronger  destroys  the  weaker  ;  no  natural  instinct,  the  female  sees 
her  young  destroyed  without  attempting  to  protect  them ;  suffer 
themselves  to  be  devoured  by  cats  ;  fed  upon  recent  vegetables, 
they  seldom  drink;  sometimes  gnaw  clothes,  paper,  or  other  things 
of  the  kind  ,  drink  by  lapping  ;  confined  in  a  room,  seldom  cross 
the  floor,  but  keep  along  the  wall ;  never  move  abreast  together ; 
chiefly  seek  the  most  intricate  retreats,  and  venture  out  only  when 
all  interruption  is  removed,  like  the  rabbits  ;  in  cold  weather  more 
active ;  a  very  clennly  animal ;  their  place  must  be  regularly 
cleaned,  and  a  new  bed  of  hay  provided  for  them  once  a  week  ;  the 
young  falling  into  the  dirt,  or  other  ways  discomposed,  the  female 
takes  an  aversion  to  them,  and  never  permits  them  to  visit  her 
more  ;  her  employment  and  that  of  the  male,  consists  in  smoothing 
their  skins,  disposing  their  hair,  and  improving  its  gloss,  and  take 
this  office  by  turns  ;  do  the  same  to  their  young,  and  bite  them 
when  refractory  ;  reared  without  any  artificial  heat ;  no  keeping 
them  from  tire  in  winter  if  once  permitted  to  approach  it ;  manner 
of  sleeping  ;  the  male  and  female  watch  one  another  by  turns  ; 
never  seen  both  asleep  at  the  same  time  ;  generally  capable  of 
coupling  at  six  weeks  old;  time  of  their  gestation;  the  female 
brings  forth  from  three  to  five  at  a  time  ;  not  without  pain  ;  the  fe- 
male admits  the  male  the  very  day  she  ban  brought  forth,  and  again 

NO.  77  &  7*. 


becomes  pregnant ;  suckles  her  young  about  twelve  or  fifteen  days, 
and  suffers  the  young  of  others,  though  older,  to  drain  her,  to  tkn 
disadvantage  of  her  own  ;  produced  with  eyes  open,  and  in  twelve 
hours  equal  to  the  dam  in  agility ;  capable  of  feeding  upon  vegeta- 
bles from  the  beginning  ;  their  disputes  for  the  warmest  place,  or 
most  agreeable  lood  ;  manner  of  fighting  ;  moat  timorous  creature 
upon  earth,  a  lalling  leaf  disturbs  them,  and  every  animal  overcomes 
them  ;  flesh  indifferent  food  ;  difficultly  tamed  ;  suffer  no  approaches 
but  of  the  person  who  breeds  them  ;  manner  of  eating;  drink  sel- 
dom, and  ui..k«  writer  often;  grunt  like  a  young  pig;  appear  to 
chew  the  cud,  3GI)  to  :;i;-j 

Guineji-flir.rp,  have  a  kind  of  dewlap  under  the  chin  ;  breed  with 
other  sheep,  therefore  not  animals  of  another  kind,  244. 

Qv&ratemg&i  name  given  by  the  natives  of  Brasil  to  the  little 
taovd-pr.c.kr.r,  521. 

Gulls,  places  where  found  in  plenty;  their  food,  584;  various 
ways  of  imposing  upon  each  oilier  ;  contests  in  breeding  ;  resi- 
dence, with  their  nests  und  eggs  ;  their  flesh  :  method  of  taking 
them  in  the  P'eroe  islands;  anciently  n  law  in  Norway  concerning 
those  who  died  in  taking  them,  riSV 

Gulf,  the  Persian  ;  deadly  wind  along  its  coasl.--.  I'l.'i:  chief  pearl 
fishery  carried  on  there,  tiH2. 

Gun,  wind-gun,  instrument  determining  the  elasticity  of  the  air  ; 
a  ball  from  it  pierces  a  thick  board,  90  ;  great  guns,  in  climates 
near  the  equator,  with  every  precaution,  after  some  years  become 
useless,  and  why.  !>'->. 

Gunpowder,  readily  fires  with  a  spark,  not  with  the  flame,  24; 
will  not  go  off  in  an  exhausted  receiver  ;  a  train  of  gunpowder  laid, 
one  part  in  open  air,  the  other  part  in  vacuo,  the  latter  will  remain 
untouched,  97. 

Gunmrd,  description  of  this  fish,  649. 

Gustavus  Jidoljtl.us,  attempted  in  vain  to  form  a  regiment  of 
Laplanders,  as  they  can  live  but  in  their  own  country,  and  in  their 
own  manner,  178. 

Guts,  most  birds  have  two  blind  guts,  which  in  quadrupeds  are 
found  single,  452. 

Gymiwtus,  the  Curapo,  description  of  this  fish,  640. 

Gyr-faleou,  exceeds  all  others  in  largeness  of  size ;  its  descrip- 
tion, 483. 

Gyrle,  name  given  by  hunters  to  the  roebuck,  the  second 
year,  268. 


II 

Ifnl>it,  contracted  during  life,  to  make  out  pleasures  and  pains  ip 
extremes,  though  either  can  hardly  be  suffered  or  enjoyed  to  the 
utmost,  177. 

Haddock,  a  periodical  shoal  appeared  on  the  Yorkshire  coasts,  on 
December  10,  171)6,  and  exactly  on  the  same  day  in  the  following 
year,  653. 

Hteniorrhois,  a  kind  of  serpent,  730. 

Hail,  Cartesians  say,  is  a  frozen  cloud  half-melted  and  frozen 
again  in  its  descent ;  the  most  injurious  meteor  in  our  climate  ; 
hail-stones  fourteen  inches  round  ;  struck  out  an  eye  of  a  young 
man,  and  killed  him  on  the  spot  ;  a  dreadful  shower  recorded  by 
Mezeray,  fell  in  15)0;  the  hail-stones  were  of  a  blueish  colour,  and 
some  weighed  a  hundred  pounds  ;  the  fishes  were  general  sufferers 
in  that  great  calamity,  109,  110. 

Hair  of  the  Roman  ladies  praised  for  the  redness  of  its  shade, 
140;  the  hair  under  the  temples  and  at  the  back  of  the  head  seldom 
known  to  fail ;  found  most  different  in  different  climates ;  marks  the 
country  and  the  disposition  of  tlje  man  ;  by  the  ancients  held  a  sort 
of  excrement,  produced  like  the  nails  ;  according  to  moderns,  every 
hair  lives,  receives  nutriment,  fills  and  distends,  like  other  parts  of 
the  body  ;  takes  colour  from  the  juices  flowing  through  it ;  each, 
viewed  with  a  microscope,  consists  of  five  or  six  lesser,  wrapped  up 
in  one  common  covering,  and  sends  forth  branches  at  the  joints ; 
suitable  to  the  size  or  shape  of  the  pore  through  which  it  issues  ; 
bulbous  at  the  root,  and  its  ends  resemble  a  brush;  length  and 
strength  of  hair  a  mark  of  a.  good  constitution  ;  Americans  and  the 
Asiatics  have  it  thick,  black,  straight,  and  shining ;  inhabitants  of 
the  torrid  climates  of  Africa  have  it  black,  short,  and  woolly  ;  the 
people  of  Scandinavia  have  it  red,  long,  and  curled  ;  opinion  that 
every  man  has  dispositions  resembling  tho.-e  of  the  inhabitants  of 
countries  he  resembles  in  the  colour  and  nature  of  his  hair  ;  curled 
hair  among  us  a  beauty  ;  the  Greeks  have  taken  one  of  their  na 
tional  distinctions  from  the  length  and  straightness  of  the  hair, 
142,  143  ;  Americans  take  the  greatest  pains  in  cutting  their  hair  ; 
the  Tartars  waved  a  long  and  bloody  war  with  the  Persians  be- 
6  I 


26 


JIAR 


INDEX. 


IIEA 


cause  they  would  not  give  their  whiskers  the  orthodox  cut ;  variety 
in  customs  and  manner  of  cutting  hair,  145 ;  trade  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Angora  with  the  hair  of  animals  of  their  country ;  camblet  and 
the  other  stuffs  made  of  it,  247;  hair  of  the  cat  rubbed  in  the  dark, 
sends  forth  shining  sparks,  2!>0  ;  Syria  and  Persia  noted  for  long 
soft  hair  to  the  animals  bred  in  them,  292  ;  each  hair  of  the  lynx  ot 
three  different  colours  ;  of  the  black  fox  so  disposed  as  impossible  to 
tell  which  way  the  grain  lies,  325  ;  coats  of  hair  seem  to  thicken  at 
the  approach  of  winter  ;  among  quadrupeds,  as  among  men.  thin 
spare  diet  produces  hair,  331  ;  on  the  soles  of  the  feet,  and  on  the 
inside  of  the  mouths  of  hares,  347. 

Halcyon,  a.  rapacious  water-fowl,  602.     See  King-fisher. 

Halle.y  (Dr.)  his  plausible  theory  to  explain  the  invariable  mo- 
tion of  the  winds,  100,  101. 

Hallontide,  in  1580  ;  an  army  of  mice  so  over-run  the  marshes 
near  Southminster,  that  they  eat  up  the  grass  to  the  roots,  491. 

Halos,  or  luminous  circles,  oftener  seen  in  countries  near  the 
poles,  than  any  other  part  of  the  earth,  113. 

Hammer,  the  yellow,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  533. 

Hamster,  the  cricctus  or  German  rat  of  Mr.  Burton.  368. 

Hand,  sufficient  to  vindicate  the  dominion  of  man  over  other  ani- 
mals, a  poor  assertion  ;  a  man  without  hands  or  legs,  converts  his 
stumps  to  most  convenient  purposes,  and  performs  astonishing 
feats  of  dexterity,  415,  416. 

Harbour  of  a  stag,  in  covert  or  thicket,  962. 

Hare,  a  gregarious  animal,  where  it  has  no  enemies  but  beasts 
of  the  forest,  231  ;  the  swiftest  animal  for  the  time  it  continues  to 
run,  345  ;  animals  of  the  hare-kind  inoffensive  and  timorous  ;  being 
the  prey  of  every  voracious  animal,  are  incessantly  pursued ;  placed 
by  I'yerius  among  those  that  chew  the  cud  ;  whether  or  not,  cer- 
tainly the  lips  continually  move  sleeping  or  waking ;  they  use  their 
fore-paws  like  hands  :  tliat  kind  remarkably  salacious,  and  furnished 
by  nature  with  ampler  powers  than  others  for  propagation  ;  if  not  i 
thinned  by  constant  depredations,  would  over-run  the  earth  ;  of  I 
these,  the  hare  the  largest  and  most  timorous  :  has  large  prominent  | 
«yes  placed  backwards  to  see  behind  as  it  runs ;  these  never  closed ;  > 
it  sleeps  with  them  open  ;  the  ears  moveable,  and  capable  of  direc-  j 
tion  to  every  quarter ;  muscles  of  its  body  strong  and  without  fat ;  j 
hinder  feet  longer  than  the  fnre  on  account  of  speed ;  persecuted 
by  dogs,  cats,  weasels,  and  birds  of  prey ;  in  a  state  of  engendering 
very  early  ;  females  go  with  young  thirty  days,  and  bring  forth 
three  or  four  at  a  time  ;  has  young  of  different  ages  in  her  womb  j 
together  ;  though  already  impregnated  she  admits  the  male,  and 
receives  a  second  impregnation  ;  reason  of  this  extraordinary  cir- 
cumstance ;  the  young  brought  forth  with  their  eyes  open  ;  the 
dam  suckles  them  twenty  days  ;  food  they  are  fond  of;  sleep  or  re- 
pose in  their  form  by  day.  and  live  only  by  night ;  the  rutting  sea- 
son begins  in  February  ;  the  male  pursues  and  discovers  the  female 
by  the  sagacity  of  its  nose  ;  the  slightest  breeze  or  falling  of  a  leaf 
disturbs  their  revels  ;  they  instantly  fly  off,  each  taking  a  separate 
way;  are  more  easily  taken  than  the  fox,  a  much  slower  animal 
than  they,  and  why  ;  always  choose  to  run  up  a  hill,  and  why; 
have  the  sole  of  the  foot  furnished  with  hair,  and  seem  the  only 
animal  with  hair  on  the  inside  of  the  mouth  ;  live  seven  or  eight 
vears,  and  come  to  perfection  in  one  year  ;  females  live  longer  ; 
Mr.  Bnffon  makes  a  doubt  of  it ;  seldom  heard  to  cry,  except  when 
seized  or  wounded  ;  their  cry  nearly  like  the  squalling  of  a  child ; 
are  easily  tamed,  but  are  incapable  of  attachment  to  any  person  ; 
though  never  so  young,  regain  their  native  freedom  at  the  first  op- 
portunity; have  a  good  ear,  and  been  taught  to  beat  the  drum, 
dance  to  measure,  and  go  through  the  manual  exercise  ;  make 
themselves  a  form  where  the  colour  of  the  grass  resembles  that  of 
their  skin,  open  to  the  south  in  winter,  and  to  the  north  in  summer  ; 
sore  hunted,  will  start  a  fresh  hare,  and  squat  in  its  form ;  some- 
times will  hide  among  a  flock  of  sheep,  and  no  vigilance  can  drive 
them  from  it ;  some  enter  holes  like  the  rabbit,  by  hunters  termed 
going  to  vault ;  as  it  tires,  treads  heavier,  and  its  scent  is  stronger  ; 
young  hares  tread  heavier  than  the  old  ;  male  makes  doublings  of 
greater  compass  than  the  female ;  divided  by  hunters  into  mountain 
and  measled  hares  ;  mode  of  expression,  the  more  you  hunt,  the 
more  hares  you  shall  have,  and  why ;  what  animals  persecute  the 
hare  ;  its  enemies  so  various,  that  it  seldom  reaches  the  short  term 
limited  to  it  by  nature  ;  in  countries  near  the  north  pole,  they  be- 
come white,  and  are  often  in  great  troops  of  four  or  five  hundred  ; 
their  skins  sold  for  less  than  seven  shillings  a  hundred ;  the  fur 
known  to  form  a  conciderable  article  in  the  hat  manufacture  ;  found 
also  entirely  black,  in  much  less  quantity  than  the  former ;  some  have 
been  seen  with  horns,  but  rarely  ;  those  in  hot  countries  smaller  than 
•UTS  ;  those  in  the  Milanese  the  best  in  Europe ;  scarce  a  country  where 
not  found,  from  the  torrid  zone  to  the  polar  circle  ;  natives  of  Guinea 
Xill  numbers  at  a  lime ;  in  what  manner;  the  Jews,  ancient  Britons, 


and  Mahometans,  all  considered  it  as  an  unclean  animal,  and  reli- 
giously abstained  from  it ;  Apicius  shows  the  manner  of  dressing  a 
hare  in  true  Roman  taste  ;  hare  and  rabbit  distinct  kinds,  refuse  to 
mix  with  each  other ;  an  instance  of  it,  Mr.  Buffon  having  in  vain 
tried  to  make  them  engender  with  each  other;  laws  made  for  the 
preservation  of  them,  345  to  349. 

Harfang.  or  great  Hudson's  Bay  owl,  the  largest  of  the,  noctur- 
nal tribe,  and  as  white  as  snow.  599. 

Harlequin,  a  kind  of  a  dog.  3]  2  ;  an  useless  animal,  somewhat  be- 
tween an  Italian  greyhound  and  a  Dutch  mastiff,  313. 

Harmony  of  our  planetary  system.  2. 

Harold.     See  Hawk,  482. 

Harp,  the  story  of  Arion's  gathering  the  dolphins  about  the 
ship,  165. 

Harpies,  that  ancient  idea  taken  from  the  rousette,  or  the  great 
bat  of  Madagascar,  385. 

Harrier,  hound,  and  beagle,  all  of  the  same  kind,  311 ;  a  dog  of 
the  generous  kind,  312. 

Hart,  name  of  the  stag  the  sixth  year,  262. 

Hartshorn,  and  musk,  the  only  medicines  of  reputation  of  several 
procurable  from  quadrupeds,  250. 

Harvey,  his  opinion  about  the  formation  of  the  incipient  animal ; 
altercations  against  his  system,  123. 

Hatching,  nothing  exceeds  the  patience  of  birds  hatching,  455  ; 
Mr.  Addison's  observations  to  this  purpose,  ib. ;  the  emu  very  pecu- 
liar in  the  hatching  of  its  young,  466  ;  the  crocodile's  eggs  hatched 
in  the  sand,  715. 

Hatjield,  in  Yorkshire,  description  of  one  of  those  spouts  called 
typhons,  observed  there  in  1687, 115. 

Hatannah,  in  the  fortunate  expedition  which  gave  us  that  place, 
the  climate  left  not  a  fifth  part  of  the  army  survivors  of  the  victo- 
ry, 94. 

Hawfinch,  a  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  538. 

Hawk-kind,  destroys  mice,  365  ;  perceives  a  lark  at  a  distance 
which  neither  men  nor  dogs  could  spy,  450  ;  distinctive  marks  from 
other  carnivorous  birds,  473 ;  in  old  paintings,  the  criterion  of  nobili- 
ty ;  no  person  of  rank  stirred  without  Tiis  hawk  on  his  hand ; 
Harold,  afterwards  king  of  England,  going  on  an  important  embas- 
sy into  Normandy,  is  drawn  in  an  old  bas-relief,  embarking  with  a 
hawk  on  his  fist,  and  a  dog  under  his  arm ;  in  those  days,  it  was  suf- 
ficient for  noblemen's  sons  to  wind  the  horn  and  carry  the  hawk 
fair ;  this  diversion  in  such  high  esteem  among  the  great  all  over 
Europe,  that  Frederick,  Emperor  of  Germany,  wrote  a  treatise  upon 
hawking  ;  this  amusement  now  much  given  over  in  this  kingdom, 
and  why  ;  this  sport  attended  with  very  great  expense  ;  in  the 
reign  of  James  I.  Sir  Thomas  Monson  gave  a  thousand  pounds  for 
a  cnst  of  hawks  ;  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  it  was  made  felony  to 
steal  a  hawk  ;  to  take  its  eggs  was  punished  by  imprisonment  for  a 
year  and  a  day,  with  a  fine  at  the  king's  pleasure  ;  in  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth,  the  imprisonment  reduced  to  three  months,  the  offender 
to  lie  in  prison  till  he  got  security  for  his  good  behaviour  during 
seven  years  ;  in  earlier  times  the  art  of  gunning  was  but  little  used, 
and  the  hawk  was  then  valuable  for  its  affording  diversion  and  pro- 
curing delicacies  for  the  table  not  otherwise  to  be  obtained  ;  of  such 
spirit  that  he  keeps  all  birds  in  awe  and  subjection  to  his  prowess  ; 
distinctive  marks  of  the  tribe  called  the  long-winged  hawks ;  their 
names  and  description ;  have  attachment  to  their  feeders,  and  docility 
the  baser  race  are  strangers  to  ;  names  of  hawks  of  the  baser  race ; 
those  of  the  generous  breed  remarkable  for  courage,  swiftness, 
and  docility,  in  obeying  the  commands  and  the  signs  of  their  mas- 
ter ;  to  train  up  the  hawk  so  as  to  hunt  for  his  master,  and  bring 
him  the  game  he  shall  kill,  requires  great  skill  and  assiduity  ;  ac- 
count of  the  manner  of  training  a  hawk  ;  falconers  had  a  language 
peculiar,  in  which  they  conversed  and  wrote,  482  to  486. 

Hawk,  (sparrow)  pursues  the  thrush  and  the  linnet,'4?2;  said  to 
be  the  boldest  and  the  best  of  all  others  for  the  chase,  486. 

Hawk,  (goss)  and  sparrow-hawk,  unfit  for  training;  taught  to  fly 
at  game,  but  little  obtained  from  them,  486. 

Hawkins  (Sir  Robert.)     See  Azores,  70. 

Hr.ad  of  man  externally  and  internally  different  from  that  of  all 
other  animals,  the  monkey-kind  excepted,  146  ;  whence  originally 
the  flat-heads  of  the  American  Indians,  185;  of  quadrupeds  different 
from  other,  but  adapted  to  their  several  ways  of  living,  and  how, 
206  ;  in  all  birds,  except  nocturnal,  the  head  smaller  and  less  propor- 
tioned to  the  body  than  in  quadrupeds,  450  ;  of  the  great  Greenland 
whale  makes  a  third  of  its  bulk,  617. 

Hearing,  extreme  delicacy  of  this  sense  in  birds,  451  ;  that  sense 
in  whales  in  great  perfection,  617. 

Hrarse,  name  of  the  female  of  the  stag,  the  second  year,  262. 

Heart,  a  broken  heart,  in  common  language,  in  reality  a  disorder 
caused  by  hunger,  154. 


HER 


INDEX. 


HIP 


Heat,  Bocrhaave  considered  it  30  prejudicial  to  health,  that  he  !j  bred  familiarly  in  our  marshes ;  not  now,  and  why,  457  ;  anatomi- 
never  went  near  a  fire,  05  ;  of  the  blood  in  man  and  other  animals  ]j  cal  distinction  in  which  herons  differ  from  other  birds  ;  of  this  tribe 

Brisson  has  enumerated  forty -seven  sorts  ;  excessively  dertructive 
and  voracious  ;  ever  have  lean  and  carrion  bodies  ;  description  of 


about  thirty  degrees  above  congelation ;  in  animals  which  sleep  the 
winter,  not  above  ten,  357. 


Hec/a,  the  bellowings  of  that  volcano,  believed  by  the  inhabitants 
of  Iceland  to  be  the  cries  of  the  damned,  26. 

Hedge-hog,  with  an  appearance  the  most  formidable,  the  most 
harmless  of  animals  ;  destitute  of  either  cunning  or  switlness;  has 
but  one  expedient  for  safety,  and  from  this  alone  it  finds  protec- 
tion ;  the  cat,  the  weasel,  the  ferret,  and  the  martin,  decline  com- 
bat with  it ;  even  the  dog  attacks  it  ineffectually ;  its  description  ; 
usual  appearance  on  the  approach  of  danger  ;  to  disgust  its  enemy 
from  pursuit,  sheds  its  urine,  the  smell  of  which  is  sufficient  to 
send  him  off;  sleeps  by  day,  and  ventures  out  by  night  ;  places 
where  found  ;  its  food  ;  does  not  suck  cattle  ;  arc  not  hurtful  in  gar 
dens  or  orchards ;  the  spines  so  disposed,  that  no  fruit  will  stick  upon 
them  :  appears  serviceable  in  ridding  the  fields  of  insects  and  worms  ; 
Mr.  Buffon  accuses  it  of  tricks,  of  which,  from  its  form  and  habits, 
one  would  not  be  led  to  suspect  it ;  he  kept  males  and  females  to- 
gether, but  they  never  coupled  ;  time  of  their  coupling  ;  sleep  dur- 
ing winter,  bat  do  not  lay  up  provisions  for  that  fjason  ;  at  no  time 
eat  much,  and  remain  long  without  food  ;  blood  cold,  and  their  flesh 
not  good  for  food  ;  their  skins  converted  to  no  use,  except  to  muz- 
zle calves  from  sucking,  373,  374  ;  destroyed  and  devoured  by  the 
fox  :  in  what  manner,  323. 

Hedge-hog  of  the  sea,  a  cartilaginous  fish  of  the  sea-orb  kind,  644. 

Hedge-spa  rrow,  a  slender  billed  bird,  537. 

Iliight,  Maximin,  the  Emperor,  above  nine  feet  in  stature,  151. 

Hcliogulinltis.  noted  for  having  the  brains  of  six  hundred  ostriches 
dressed  in  one  dish,  405. 

Hellebore,  a  quantity  of  the  black  sort  pounded  carelessly  purged 
several  persons  who  were  present,  and  the  operator  strongly,  96. 

Htlwo's  (-S7.)  fire,  or  the  mariner's  light,  111. 

lltln>ont,  his  experiment  to  show  all  things  made  of  water,  49. 

Hemisphere,  half  illuminated  by  northern  lights,  110. 

Htmiork,  eat  by  the  horse  without  injury,  214. 

Hrifvaf.  name  hunters  give  the  roebuck  the  third  year,  268. 

Hen,  in  the  Museum  at  Brussels,  a  creature  covered  with  feathers 
and  hair,  said  to  be  bred  between  a  rabbit  and  a  hen,  349. 

Hen  of  the  common  sort,  moderately  fed,  lays  above  an  hundred 
esirs  from  spring  to  autumn,  450  ;  after  three  years  become  effete 
aim  barren;  clutches  one  brood  of  chickens  in  a  season  ;  instances 
of  two,  very  rare  ;  number  of  eggs  of  a  domestic  hen  in  the  year 
above  two  hundred,  being  well  fed,  supplied  with  water,  and  at 
liberty  ;  trodden  by  the  cock  or  not,  she  continues  to  lay  ;  eggs  of 
this  kind  never  by  hatching  produce  living  animals;  her  nest  made 
without  care;  chicking  season  artificially  protracted,  and  entirely 
removed,  in  wliat  manner;  left  to  herself,  would  seldom  lay  above 
twenty  eggs  without  attempt  ing  to  hatch  them;  as  she  lays,  her 
eggs  being  removed,  she  continues  to  increase  the  number  ;  in  the 
wild  state,  seldom  lays  above  fifteen  eggs  ;  particularities  of  incu- 
bation ;  affection  and  pride  after  producing  chickens  ;  every  in- 
vading animal  she  boldly  attacks,  the  horse,  the  hog,  or  the  mastiff; 
inarching  before  her  little  troop,  by  a  variety  of  notes  calls  her 
train  to  their  food,  or  warns  thorn  of  danger  ;  instance  of  the  brood 
running  for  security  into  a  hedge,  while  the  hen  stood  boldly  forth, 
and  faced  a  fox  that  came  for  plunder  ;  twelve  chickens  are  the 
greatest  number  that  a  hen  can  rear  and  clutch  at  a  time;  artificial 
method  of  hatching  chickens  in  stoves  practised  at  Grand  Cairo,  or 
in  a  laboratory  with  gratuated  heat,  effected  with  woollen  hens,  by 
Mr.  Reaumur  ;  by  these  contrivances,  from  a  hen  naturally  produc- 
ing twelve  chickens  in  the  year,  are  obtained  artificially  above  two 
hundred.  495, 406;  common  hen  supplies  the  place  of  the  hen-phea- 
sant, when  refusing  to  hatch  her  eggs,  and  performs  the  task  with 
perseverance  and  success,  but  the  young  ones  very  difficult  to  be 
reared,  502. 

Hen  (Guinea)  or  Barbary  hen,  described,  503. 
Hen  (water)  described,   residence  and   food ;   nest   and  habits, 
572,  573. 

Henry  IV.  King  of  Denmark,  desirous  of  trying  the  skill  of  a 
musican,  who  boasted  he  could  excite  men  to  madness,  submitted 
to  the  operation,  became  mad.  and  killed  four  of  his  attendants,  106. 
Hereuianeum  overwhelmed  in  that  eruption  of  Vesuvius  in  which 
Pliny  the  naturalist  was  suffocated  ;  its  ruins  lately  discovered  at 
sixty  feet  below  the  surface,  and  forty  below  the  bottom  of  the 
sea,  27. 

Hermaphrodites,  such  are  all  animals  of  the  snail  kind,  685  ;  the 
bivalve  tribe  are  so  too ;  they  require  no  assistance  from  each  other 
towards  impregnation,  6S7. 

Hermetical-sraling,  a  glass  vessel,  the  meaning  of  it,  40. 
Heron,  a  ruminating  bird,  232 ;  the  great  heron,  in  former  times, 


I  the  common  heron  ;  indolent  and  cowardly,  and  flies  at  the  ap- 
proach of  the  sparrow-hawk  ;  commits  the  greatest  devastations  in 
fresh  waters  ;  destroys  more  in  a  week  thiui  the  otter  in  three 
months ;  a  fish  over  so  large  he  will  strike  at.  and  wound,  though 
unable  to  carry  it  away  ;  one  heron,  says  Willoughby,  will  destroy 
fifteen  thousand  carp  in  half  a  year  ;  usual  attitude,  waiting  for 
|  prey  ;  food  in  cold  and  stormy  seasons;  manner  of  fishing ;  vVil- 
i  loughby's  receipt  for  taking  thum  ;  their  nests;  never  in  flocks 
when  they  iish,  but  making  nests,  they  love  each  other's  society ; 
ilcsh  of  the  young  esteemed  in  France  ;  formerly  much  esteemed 
i  in  England  ;  at  present  nothing  domestic  but  a  cat  will  (ouch  it ; 
method  used  to  obtain  them  ;  the  young  once  excluded,  the  old  in- 
cessantly provide  them  with  an  amazing  quantity  offish  ;  instance 
of  it;  by  Mr.  Kcvsli  r's  account,  this  bin!  may  exceed  sixty  years  ; 
recent  instance  of  one  taken  in  Holland,  with  a  silver  plate  to  one 
leg,  and  an  inscription,  that  it  had  been  struck  by  the  elector  of 
Cologne's  hawks  thirty-five  years  before;  they  contract  a  consump- 
tive disposition,  559  to  501. 

Ilti'oit-/n!w/;in(?,  a  favourite  diversion  among  our  ancestors  ;  had 
laws  enactetl  for  the  preservation  of  the  species  ;  he  who  destroyed 
their  eg<r,s  was  liable  to  a  penalty  of  twenty  shillings  for  each 
offence,  559. 

Her  ram  confirms  the  existence  of  giants,  If'l. 
Herring,  its  description,  051) ;  of  migrating  fish,  this  and  the 
pilchard  take  the  most  adventurous  voyages;  places  where  the 
herrings  are  in  the  greatest  abundance  ;  numerous  enemies  met  in 
their  migrations  ;  in  Chesapeak  bay,  the  shoals  so  great  as  to  cover 
the  shores,  and  become  a  nuisance  ;  that  body  upon  our  coast  be- 
gins to  appear  off  the  Shetland  isles  in  April  ;  forerunners,  the 
grand  shoal  descending  in  June,  and  announced  by  the  gannet, gull, 
&c. ;  the  main  body  divided  into  distinct  columns  of  five  or  six  miles 
in  length,  and  three  or  four  broad  ;  in  bright  weather  reflect  a  vari- 
ety of  splendid  colours  ;  fishermen  take  two  thousand  barrels  at  a 
single  draught;  places  of  Europe  where  herrings  are  punctual  in 
their  visitations ;  doubts  in  every  part  of  their  migration ;  first 
great  bank  for  herrings  was  along  the  Norway  shore  ;  before  1584, 
the  number  of  ships  irom  various  parts  of  Europe  resorting  thither, 
exceeded  some  thousands  ;  quantity  of  herrings  then  assembled 
there  was  such,  that  a  spear  stuck  in  the  water,  as  Olaus  Magnus 
asserts,  would  stand  on  end  ;  soon  after  that  period,  they  deserted 
the  Norway  shores,  and  took  up  along  the  German  coasts ;  no 
cause  assigned  for  this  seemingly  capricious  desertion ;  their 
greatest  colonies  now  in  the  British  channel,  and  upon  the  Irish 
shores  ;  a  herring  suffered  to  multiply  unmolested,  and  undimi 
nished  for  twenty  years,  would  show  a  progeny  greater  in  bulk  than 
ten  such  globes  as  that  we  live  upon,  653. to  65b. 

Hertfordshire,  a  dreadful  storm  which  happened  in  it,  in  1697, 
described,  109. 

He  nitrons,  with  Pappus,  the  most  convenient  figures  in  build- 
ing; cells  of  bees  are  perfect  hexagons,  S02. 

Hide  of  the  elk,  often  known  to  turn  a  musket  ball,  271. 
Heira  island,  in  the  Mediterranean,  risen  and  formed  by  subter- 
raneous explosions,  37. 

Heiro.     See  Arekimtdet,  55. 

Hinil,  or  female  of  the  stag,  has  no  horns;  time  of  gestation,  and 
usual  season  of  bringing  forth  ;  hides  her  young  in  obscure  thickets ; 
obliged  to  use  all  arts  to  conceal  them  from  the  stag,  the  most  dan- 
gerous of  her  pursuers  :  how  she  defends  her  young,  260,  261 ;  the 
female  stag,  still  so  called  the  third  year,  202 ;  manner  of  knowing 
the  track  of  a  hind,  262  ;  inhabitants  of  Canada  have  no  other  milk 
but  that  of  the  hind  ;  and  no  other  cheese  but  that  made  of  it,  265 ; 
the  hunter's  name  for  the  roe-buck,  the  first  year,  268. 


Hippocampus,  the  sea-horse,  its  description,  644. 

Hippocrates,  his  opinion  about  the  formation  of  the  incipient 
animal,  123. 

Hippopotamus  not  afraid  singly  to  oppose  the  lion,  295;  its 
dimensions  ;  places  where  it  resides  ;  its  lood  ;  swims  with  much 
force,  and  remains  at  the  bottom  for  thirty  or  forty  minutes ;  it 
commits  dreadful  havock  among  the  plantations ;  method  the  Afri- 
cans use  to  frighten  it  back  to  its  element ;  inoffensive  in  arts  and 
disposition  ;  never  attacks  mariners  in  their  boats,  unless  inadver- 
tently struck  against,  or  otherwise  disturbed,  then  it  would  send 
them  at  once  to  the  bottom ;  instances  of  its  great  strength  ;  never 
goes  beyond  the  mouth  of  fresh-water  rivers;  attacked  on  shore, 
and  incapable  of  vengeance  upon  a  flying  enemy,  returns  to  the 
river,  and  plunges  in  head  foremost ;  the  princes  of  Africa  amuse 
themselves  with  combats  on  their  lakes,  between  this  ftiid  othet 
6  I* 


HOIl 


INDEX. 


HOR 


formidable  animals  ;  the  negroes,  apprized  of 'its  force,  do  not  en- 
gage it ;  continues  uncontrolled  master  of  the  river,  all  other  fly 
its  approach,  or  become  an  easy  prey  ;  moves  slowly  upon  land  ; 
seldom  goes  from  the  river  side,  unless  pressed  by  necessities  of 
hunger,  or  of  bringing  forth  its  young  ;  lives  upon  fish  and  vegeta- 
bles ;  natives  of  Africa  say  it  often  devours  children,  and  other 
creatures  surprised  upon  land  ;  the  young  are  excellent  eating  ; 
the  female  seldom  produces  above  one  at  a  time  ;  hearing  the 
slightest  noise,  she  dashes  into  the  stream,  and  the  young  one  fol- 
lows her  with  equal  alacrity;  Dr.  Pococke  has  seen  tiieir  flesh 
sold  in  shambles  like  beef;  their  breast  thought  as  delicate  eating 
as  veal ;  this  creature,  once  numerous  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nile, 
now  wholly  unknown  in  Lower  Egypt,  and  no  where  found  but 
above  the  cataracts,  427  to  42!>. 

Historian,  (natural)  what  his  proper  business,  2 ;  going  too 
much  into  speculation  certainly  wrong,  and  why,  ti ;  method  his 
principal  help,  199;  faults  of  systematic  writers,  200. 

History,  (natural)  of  all  other  sciences  has  the  least  danger  of 
obscurity,  and  why,  202  ;  best  set  forth,  as  Mr.  Locke  has  observed, 
by  drawings  of  animals,  taken  from  life,  204  ;  rule  in  natural  his- 
tory, that  neither  horns,  colour,  fineness  or  length  of  hair,  or  posi- 
tion of  ears,  make  actual  distinctions  in  the  kinds,  2 17  ;  accounts 
of  fishes  little  entertaining  ;  philosophers  not  studying  their  na- 
ture, but  employed  in  increasing  their  catalogue,  605  ;  Dampier 
has  added  more  to  it  than  half  the  philosophers  before  him,  C74  ; 
one  of  the  strangest  discoveries  in  all  natural  history,  826. 

Hobby,  bird  of  the  generous  breed  of  hawks,  for  smaller  game, 
daring  larks,  and  stooping  at  quails.  4-\i. 

Hugs,  animals  of  this  Kind  resemble  those  of  the  horse  as  well 
as  the  cow  kind,  and  in  what ;  this  kind  partakes  of  the  rapacious 
and  the  peaceful  kinds  ;  offends  no  animal  of  the  forest ;  remark- 
able that  none  of  this  kind  ever  shed  their  teeth  ;  any  animal 
dying  in  the  forest,  or  so  wounded  as  to  make  no  resistance,  is  the 
jirey  of  the  hog,  who  refuses  no  animal  food,  however  putrid ;  in  a 
state  of  wildness,  most  delicate  in  the  choice  of  its  vegetables,  re- 
jects a  greater  number  than  any  other  ;  they  eat  but  seventy-two 
plants,  and  reject  a  hundred  and  seventy  ;  indelicacy  of  this  animal 
more  in  our  apprehensions  than  in  its  nature,  and  why  ;  in  orchards 
of  peach-trees  in  North  America,  rejects  the  fruit  that  has  lain  a 
few  hours  on  the  ground,  and  watch  hours  for  a  fresh  wind-fall ; 
have  had  mice  burrowing  in  their  backs  while  fattening  in  the  sty, 
without  seeming  to  perceive  it ;  scent  the  hounds  at  a  distance  ; 
by  nature  stupid,  inactive,  and  drowsy  ;  its  whole  life  a  round  of 
sleep  and  gluttony  ;  has  passions  more  active  only  when  incited  by 
venery,  or  when  the  wind  blows  with  vehemence  ;  foresees  the 
approach  of  bad  weather  ;  much  agitated  on  hearing  any  of  its 
kind  in  distress ;  have  often  gathered  round  a  dog  that  teazed 
them,  and  killed  him  upon  the  spot ;  their  various  diseases  ;  ge- 
nerally live,  when  permitted,  to  eighteen  or  twenty  years  ;  the  fe- 
males produce  to  the  age  of  fifteen  ;  produce  from  ten  to  twenty  at 
a  litter,  and  that  twice  a  year;  in  the  wild  state  less  prolific,  279 
to  2t"i. ' 

Hug  (Guinea)  and  that  about  Upsal,  described,  282. 

Hug  (water.)     See  Capibara,  284. 

Hug  of  Borneo.     See  Babyrouessa,  285. 

fluff  of  the  isthmus  of  Darien,  described  by  Wafer,  286. 

Holiauho,  a  river  of  China,  in  Asia ;  its  course,  62 ;  receives 
thirty-five  lesser  rivers,  64. 

Holland,  a  conquest  from  the  sea,  and  rescued  from  its  bosom  ; 
the  surface  of  its  earth  below  the  level  of  tile  bottom  of  the  sea ; 
upon  approaching  the  coast,  it  is  looked  down  upon  from  the  sea, 
as  into  a  valley;  is  every  day  rising  higher,  and  by  what  means  ; 
those  parts  which  formerly  admitted  large  men  of  war,  are  now  too 
shallow  to  receive  ships  of  moderate  burden,  81. 

Honey,  the  polecat  and  the  martin  feed  upon  honey,  332  ;  from 
what  part  of  the  flower  it  is  extracted,  803 ;  two  kinds  of  it ; 
which  to  be  preferred,  807 ;  that  gathered  by  the  humble-bee,  808  ; 
gathered  by  the  black  bees  in  the  tropical  climates,  neither  so  un- 
palatable nor  so  surfeiting  as  ours  ;  produced  by  the  bees  at  Gua- 
duloupe,  808.  See  Bres,  808,  809. 

Honeycomb,  name  of  the  second  stomach  of  ruminating  animals,G79. 

Huuf  of  the  Persian  mares,  ao  hard  that  shoeing  is  unnecessary, 
6GG. 

Hooper,  name  of  the  wild  swan,  on  account  of  the  harshness  of 
its  voice,  594. 

Horizon,  seems  wrapt  in  a  iKtddy  cloud,  upon  the  approach  of 
winter,  under  the  line,  1 10. 

Horn,  to  wind  it,  and  to  carry  the  hawjk  fair,  formerly  sufficient 
accomplishments  for  noblemen's  sons,  482. 

Horns,  in  what  manner  those  of  animals  are  produced,  147 ; 
JJTOW  differently  in  deer  from  those  of  sheep  or  OOWB  ;  doers'  boms 


|  furrowed  along  the  sides,  and  why  ;  in  every  respect  resembling  a 
vegetable  substance,  grafted  upon  the  head  of  the  stag  ;  beauty 
and  size  of  those  of  a  stag,  mark  their  strength  and  their  vigour  ; 
the  time  of  shedding  them  ;  severe  winters  retard  the  shedding  the 
horns  in  stags  ;  generally  increase  in  thickness  nnd  height  from  the 

jj  second  year  to  the  eighth  ;  partake  of  the  nature  of  the  soil;  their 
horns  shed,  they  seek  the  plainer  part  of  the  country,  remote  from 
those  animals  they  are  then  unable  to  oppose,  and  walk  with  their 
heads  stooping  down,  to  prevent  striking  against  the  brancli(.'s  of  a 
tree,  257,  258  ;  of  a  stag,  called  his  head  ;  their  names  according 
to  the  different  ages  of  the  stag.  Slid  ;  the  author  has  seen  the 
horns  of  the  elk  ten  feet  nine  inches  from  one  tip  to  the  other. 
y70  ;  applied  to  the  same  purposes  as  hartshorn,  271  ;  rein-deer 
converted  into  glue,  277  ;  of  the  rhinoceros,  sometimes  from  three 
to  three  feet  and  a  half  long,  composed  of  the  most  solid  sub- 
stance, and  pointed  to  inilict  the  most  fatal  wounds,  426'  ;  of 
owls  nothing  more  than  two  or  three  feathers  that  stand  up  on  each 
side  of  the  head,  over  the  ea.r,  489. 

Horses,  characteristic  marks  given  by  Linmcus  ;  eats  hemlock 
without  injury,  214  ;  near  as  the  ape  approaches  man  in  external 
conformation,  so  the  horse  is  the  most  remote  ;  wild  horses  herd 
together,  and  feed  in  droves  of  five  or  six  hundred;  one  among 
their  number  always  stands  as  sentinel,  and  after  having  alarmed 
his  fellows  to  flight,  remains  the  hindermost,  215  ;  there  are  but 
three  animals  of  the  horse  kind,  the  horse,  ass,  and  zebra,  227; 
a  horse  will  not  carry  upon  its  back  a  weight  of  more  than  two  or 
three  hundred  pounds.  150  ;  to  estimate  the  strength  of  a  horse,  ie 
not  to  try  what  he  can  carry,  but  what  he  can  draw  ;  he  draws  a 
load  ten  men  cannot  move  ;  and  in  some  cases  a  draught  horse  draws 
better  being  somewhat  loaded,  ib. ;  allured  by  music,  165  ;  not 
readily  attacked  by  the  lion  ;  the  combats  between  them  in  Italy, 
207 ;  one  fond  of  oysters,  209 ;  from  what  country  the  horse 
came  originally,  uncertain  ;  according  to  the  ancients,  wild  horses 
once  in  Europe  ;  the  colder  climates  do  not  agree  with  them ; 
how  wild  horses  are  caught ;  set  at  liberty  they  never  become 
wild  again  ;  the  Buccaneers  agreeably  surprised  to  see  their  faith- 
ful horses  present  themselves  awain  with  their  us/  il  assiduity,  and 
receive  the  rein ;  this  animal  in  a  state  of  nature  in  the  old,  not 
the  new  world,  215 ;  wild  horses  finding  a  tame  horse  to  associate 
with  them,  gather  round  him,  and  oblige  him  to  seek  safety  by 
flight ;  countries  where  wild  horses  are  found  ;  the  natives  of  An. 
gola,  or  Cafraria,  catch  a  horse  only  to  eat  him.  Jtrabinn  wild 
liorscs,  the  most  beautiful  breed,  the  most  generous,  swift,  and 
persevering  ;  the  negroes  show  terror  and  surprise  when  first  they 
see  a  horse,  ib. ;  no  Arabian,  however  poor,  but  has  his  horse  ; 
tame  Arabian  horses,  some  valued  at  a  thousand  ducats  ;  different 
classes  among  the  Arabians  ;  they  know  the  race  of  a  horse  by  his 
appearance  ;  Arabians  preserve  the  pedigree  of  their  horses  with 
care,  for  several  ages,  217  ;  countries  into  which  the  race  of  their 
horses  has  spread  itself,  ib.  ;  they  take  the  wild  horses  with  traps ; 
the  young  horse  considered  by  them  as  a  great  delicacy  ;  they 
feast  upon  him  while  any  part  is  remaining ;  the  usual  manner  of 
trying  the  swiftness  of  Arabian  horses,  by  hunting  the  ostrich  ; 
and  a  horse  of  the  first  speed  is  able  to  out-run  it,  216  ;  treat  their 
horses  gently  ;  hold  a  discourse  with  them  ;  permits  them  to  sleep 
indiscriminately  with  his  family  ;  written  attestations  given  to  per- 
sons who  buy  Arabian  horses  ;  they  stand  stock  still  in  the  midst 
of  their  career,  the  rider  happening  to  fall  ;  keep  them  saddled  at 
their  tents  from  morning  to  night,  to  prevent  surprise  ;  when  the 
Arabians  begin  to  break  their  horses  ;  how  the  Arabians  dress  and 
feed  their  horses,  217  ;  first  began  the  management  of  horses  in 
the  time  of  sheque  Ishmael  ;  the  rapidity  of  the  flight  of  Arabian 
horses  is  such,  that  the  dogs  give  up  the  pursuit,  2Hi  ;  upon  com- 
putation, the  speed  of  the  English  horse  is  one-fourth  greater 
carrying  a  rider,  than  that  of  the  swiftest  barb  without  one  ;  in 
Persia,  according  to  Marcus  Paulus,  there  are  studs  of  ten  thou- 
sand white  mares  altogether,  very  fleet,  and  with  the  hoof  so  hard 
that  shoeing  is  unnecessary  ;  Numidian  race  much  degenerated  ; 
the  Tingitanians  and  Egyptians  have  the  fame  of  rearing  the  finest 
horses  for  size  and  beauty,  218  ;  horses  of  Barbary  ;  an  Italian  pe- 
culiar sport,  in  which  horses  of  this  breed  run  against  each  other, 
ib.  ;  Spanish  genctte  described,  ib.  ;  those  of  Andalusia  pass  for 
the  best,  and  preferred  as  war  horses  to  every  other  country, 
Italian  horses  have  a  particular  aptitude  to  prance,  ib.  ;  the  horses 
of  India,  weak  and  washy ;  fed  with  peas,  sugar,  and  butter;  one 
brought  to  England  not  much  larger  than  a  common  mastiff;  cli- 
mates excessively  hot  seem  unfavourable  to  horses,  remarkable 
sports  on  horseback  ;  the  horses  of  the  Gold  Coast  and  Guinea  ex- 
tremely little,  but  very  manageable  ;  of  China,  weak,  little,  ill- 
shaped,  and  cowardly  ;  those  of  Corea  timorous,  as  not  to  be  ser- 
viceable in  war,  220  ;  Tartar  horses  very  serviceable  in  war ;  they 


HUG 


INDEX. 


HY^E 


were  properly  the  conquerors  of  China  ;  march  two  or  three  days 
without  stopping  ;  continue  five  or  six,  without  eating  more  than  a 
handful  of  grass  at  every  eight  hours  ;  and  remain  without  drink- 
ing four  and  twenty  hours  ;  lose  all  their  strength  when  brought 
into  China  or  the  indies  :  thrive  pretty  well  in  Persia  and  Turkey  ; 
the  Tartars  towards  the  north  have  a  breed  of  little  horses  which 
they  set  such  a  value  upon  that  it  is  forbidden  to  sell  them  to 
strangers  ;  ancient  opinions  on  the  nature  and  qualities  of  the  horses 
of  Thessaly,  Achaia,  Ethiopia,  Arabia,  Africa,  Italy,  and  particu- 
larly of  Apulia  ;  of  Sicily,  Cappadocia,  Syria,  Armenia,  Media, 
Persia ;  of  Sardinia,  and  Corsica  ,  of  Spain,  W:\llachia,  Transylvania ; 
of  Denmark,  Scandinavia,  Flanders  ;  of  the  Gaulish  hurses  ;  of  tho 
German,  Swiss,  Hungarian,  and  lastly,  of  the  English  horses,  221  ; 
Danish  horses  of  such  excellent  size  and  strong  make,  that  they  are 
preferred  to  all  others  for  draught;  some  streaked  like  the  tiger, 
or  mottled  like  the  leopard  ;  Gcriuaimud  Ilutigaritiu  horses;  Dutch 
horses  are  good  for  draught,  the  best  come  from  the  province  of 
Friezland  ;  the  Fiunders  horses,  219  ;  few  Fr<  nrlt  horses  good  ;  in 
general  are  heavy  shouldered  ;  the  best  of  that  country  cuaie  from 
Limosin,  and  Normandy  furnishes  the  next ;  Jlnwnrun  tame  horses 
admirable  ;  method  of  hunting  with  them,  ib. ;  islands  of  the  Archi- 
pelago have  very  good  horses  ;  those  of  Crete  were  in  great  re- 
putation among  the  ancients,  at  present  seldom  used  in  tiie  coun- 
try itself,  because  of  the  unevemiess  of  the  ground  ;  the  original 
horses  of  Morocco,  smaller  than  the  Arabian  breed  ;  in  Turkey 
there  are  horses  of  all  races;  Persian  horses,  in  general,  the  most 
beautiful  and  most  valuable  of  all  the  East,  ib. ;  some  greatly  esteem- 
ed in  the  Ukraine,  in  Wallachia,  Poland,  Sweden,  220;  English 
horses  excel  the  Arabians  in  size  and  swiftness;  are  more  durable 
ihan  the  barb,  and  more  hardy  than  the  Peisian  ;  one  instance  of 
their  great  rapidity,  in  the  admirable  Childers,  frequently  known  to 
move  eighty-two  feet  and  a  half  in  a  second,  221  ,  fau'.t  of  our  man- 
ner of  breaking  horses  ;  the  French-managed  horse  never  falls  be- 
fore, but  more  usually  on  one  side  ;  the  English  are  lor  speed  and 
despatch,  the  French  and  other  nations  are  more  for  parade  and 
spirit ;  English  hunters  considered  the  noblest  and  most  useful 
horses  in  the  world,  222  :  Iti-ger  de  Delegme,  the  hrst  recorded  to 
have  attempted  mending  our  native  breed  ;  number  of  horses  in 
London  in  the  reign  of  King  Stephen,  said  to  have  amounted  to 
t.ventv  thousand  ;  in  the  times  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  the  kingdom 
could  not  supply  two  thousand  horses  to  fori::  the  cavalry  ;  Powis- 
iand.  in  \\aies,  for  many  ages  famous  for  a  swifl  and  generous  race 
of  horses,  and  why,  222  ;  perfections  which  a  horse  ought  to  have, 
according  to  Carnerarius,  ib. ;  a  ruminating  animal,  252  ;  in  a  course 
of  years  impoverish  tho  ground,  233;  the  horse  and  the  ass  differ 
not  so  much  in  form  as  the  cow  and  the  bison,  yet  the  former  are  dis- 
tinct animals,  and  the  latter  animals  of  the  same  kind,  235 ;  eats  two 
hundred  and  sixtv-two  plants,  and  rejects  two  hundred  and  twelve, 
280  ;  famished  horses  more  hairy  than  those  fed  plentifully, 
331  ;  for  hunting  lions,  must  be  of  that  sort  called  charossi ;  all 
others  fly  at  the  sijrlit  of  the  lion,  296;  are  killed  by  wild  asses, 
225 ;  destroyed  by  the  American  bat  called  vampyre,  in  South 
America,  385. 

Hume  (*>'«/.)  described,  C44. 

Hortcnsius,  the  orator,  the  first  who  had  peacocks  served  up  at 
an  entertainment  in  Rome,  4U7. 

llafjiitals  erected  in  India  for  the  maintenance  of  all  kinds  of 
vermin,  181  ;  for  monkeys,  erected  by  the  Bramins,  410. 

llutlrnliitf  outstrip  lions  in  the  chase,  as  travellers  report,  150  ; 
make  much  and  very  extraordinary  use  of  the  bison,  237. 

Hiiuntl,  hurrir.r,  and  Italic,,  all  of  the  same  kind;  proj  matin 
limind.  transported  to  the  North,  becomes  a  great  Danish  dog,  and 
this  sent  into  the  South,  becomes  a  greyhound  of  different  sizes  ; 
the  same  transported  into  Ireland,  the  Ukraine,  Tartary,  Epirus, 
and  Albania,  becomes  the  great  wolf  dog  known  by  the  namo  of  the 
Irish  teolf-dog  ;  the  ulooil-huund,  a  dog  of  the  generous  kind;  and 
likewise  the  jftize-hoiind,  and  the  gre\jlivuntt ;  ail  used  for  hunting  ; 
the  blood-hound  a  dog  of  groat  use  and  in  high  esteem  among  our 
ancestors ;  formerly  employed  in  hunting  thieves  and  robbers, 
whom  they  traced  by  their  footsteps;  the  gaze-hound  hunted,  like 
our  greyhound,  by  the  eye,  not  by  the  scent;  the  greyhound 
formerly  held  in  such  estimation  that  it  was  the  peculiar 
companion  of  a  gentleman  ;  by  some  game-laws,  persons  under  a 
certain  rank  in  life  are  forbid  from  keeping  this  animal,  311,  312. 
Greyhound  fox,  the  largest,  tallest,  and  boldest  of  the  kind,  325. 

Howlet,  a  kind  of  owl  without  horns,  489. 

Hudson's  Bay,  above  twelve  thousand  martins'  skins  annually 
imported  from  thence  into  England,  336. 

Huers,  name  given  to  the  men  employed  to  give  signals  where  to 
wxtend  the  nets  in  the  pilchard-fishery,  655. 

Hughes.    See  Polypus,  837. 


Hull  had  the  honour  of  first  attempting  that  profitable  branch  of 
trade,  the  whale-fishery,  620. 

lluinl/ir,  a  new  island  formed  at  the  mouth  of  this  river  ;  it  is 
about  nine  miles  in  circumference,  and  worth  to  the  proprietor 
about  eight  hundred  pounds  a  year,  30. 

Humming-bird  is  the  smallest  of  birds,  and  seems  nearly  allied 
to  the  insect,  251)  ;  belongs  to  the  sparrow-kind,  5:>?  ;  found  in  great 
numbers,  during  the  summer  season,  in  America  ;  the  smallest  of 
them  about  the  size  of  a  hazel-nut;  its  description;  the  larger 
humming-bird  is  near  half  as  big  as  the  common  wren  ;  its  descrip- 
tion ;  are  seen  fluttering  about  the  nW  ITS.  without  ever  lighting 
upon  them  ;  their  wings  in  such  rapid  motion,  it  is  impossible  to 
discern  their  colours,  except  by  their  glittering  :  1/ut  only 'extract- 
ing the  honey  as  with  a  kiss  ;  their  nests  and  the  number  of  e 
tiicir  time  of  incubation;  instance  of  their  docility;  countries 
!  where  found;  in  the  Leeward  Islands,  they  continue  in  a  torpid 
state  during  the  severity  of  winter  ;  Lahat  asserts,  thit  besides  tho 
humming  noise  produced  by  the  wings,  they  have  a  pleasing  melan- 
choly melody  in  their  voices,  small  and  proportioned  to  their  or- 
gans ;  the  Indians  make  use  of  this  pretty  bird's  plumage  ;  in  what 
manner  the  children  take  them;  when  taken,  they  are  instantly 
killed,  and  hung  up  in  the  chimney  to  dry  ;  some  dry  them  in. 
stoves  ;  at  present  this  bird  is  taken  rather  for  selling  as  a  curiosity 
to  Europeans  than  an  ornament  for  themselves,  54S  to  5f>0. 

Jliini/i.  of  the  bison  of  different  sizes,  weighing  from  forty  to  fifty 
pound  .  sometimes  less  ;  cuts  and  tastes  like  a  dressed  udder;  in  a 
few  generations  it  wears  away,  237,  238. 

fliinvir,  every  .inimal  endures  the  wants  of  sleep  and  hunger 
v.  itii  less  injury  to  health  than  man  ;  hunger  kills  man  sooner  than 
watchfulness ;  more  dreadful  in  its  approaches  than  continuance  ;  so 
terrible  to  man,  that  rather  than  endure  its  tortures  he  exchanges 
them  for  immediate  destruction  ;  dreadful  effects  of  hunger  related 
to  the  author  by  the  captain  of  a  ship,  who  was  one  of  six  that  eu- 
dured  it  in  its  extremities  ;  different  opinions  concerning  the  cause 
of  hunger;  few  instances  of  men  dying,  except  at  sea,  of  absolute 
hunger  ;  those  men  whose  disorder  is  caused  by  hunger  ;  the  num- 
ber of  such  as  die  in  London  of  hunger  supposed  not  less  than 
two  thousand  in  a  year  ;  method  of  palliating  hunger  among  the 
American  Indians,  153,  154  ;  instances  of  amazing  patience  in 
hunger,  179. 

Hunters,  the  English  considered  tiie  noblest  and  most  useful 
horses  in  the  world,  227  ;  terms  used  by  hunters  in  pursuing  the 
stag;  names  invented  by  them  for  the  stag,  262;  for  the  fallow- 
deer,  266. 

Hunting,  the  natural  rights  of  hunting  nirde  royal,  and  v,  hen, 
2C1  ;  the  stag  and  the  buck  performed  in  the  same  manner  in  Eng- 
land, and  how,  262  ;  ancient  manner  of  hunting  the  stag.  204  ;  the 
manner  in  Sicily,  and  in  China,  ib. ;  the  wolf.  321  ;  wolves  used  in 
hunting,  322;  hunting  of  the  fox,  323;  hunting  tiie  sable  chiefly 
the  lot  of  the  exiles  in  Siberia,  336;  of  the  ouran-outang,  or  wild 
man  in  Borneo,  a  favourite  amusement  of  the  king.  402  ;  of  the 
elephant  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  423  ;  the  method  used  to  lake 
it  alive,  421  ;  manner  of  hunting,  the  ostrich  by  the  Arabians,  and 
by  the  Struthophagi,  465  ;  manner  of  hunting  the  turkey,  499. 

Hurco  (.dnjiilius,)  charged  by  Pliny  with  being  the  first  who  fut- 
ted  peacocks  for  the  feasts  of  the  luxurious,  4!>7. 

Hurricane,  the  cloud  preceding  a  hurricane,  called  by  sailors 
bull's  eye,  described  ;  houses  made  of  timber,  bend  to  the  blast  of 
the  hurricane  like  osiers,  and  recover  their  rectitude  ;  hurricanes 
offensive  to  the  sense  of  smelling  ;  maggots  brought  with  them, 
105  ;  common  in  all  tropical  climates  ;  on  the  coasts  of  Guinea  fre- 
quently three  or  four  in  a  day  ;  their  seasons  upon  those  coasts,  at 
Loango  and  the  opposite  coast  of  Africa  ;  the  hurricane  called  tor- 
nado ;  its  dreadful  effects,  106. 

Has,  in  Greek  signifies  a  sow,  and  kuoina  derived  from  it,  327. 

Huso,  the  isingluss  fish,  caught  in  great  quantities  in  the  Danube, 
from  October  to  January;  furnishes  the  commodity  called  isinglass; 
method  of  making  it;  often  above  four  hundred  pounds  wtighk;  its 
flesh  suited  is  better  tasted,  and  turns  red  like  salmon,  6-12. 

Hija'iio,  no  words  give  an  idea  adequate  to  thia  animal's 
figure,  deformity,  and  fierceness ;  more  savage  and  unt-iiae- 
able  than  any  quadruped ;  for  ever  in  a  state  of  rage  or  rapacity  ; 
its  description  ;  for  its  size,  the  most  terrible  of  all  quadrupeds  :  de- 
fends itself  against  the  lion,  is  a  match  for  the  panther,  and  attacks 
the  ounce,  which  it  seldom  fails  to  conquer  ;  an  obscene  and  soli- 
tary animal ;  its  first  howl  sometimes  mistaken  for  the  voice  of  a 
man  mourning  ;  its  latter  like  the  violent  efforts  of  retching ; 
whence  it  first  took  its  name  ;  native  of  the  torrid  zone  ;.  resides  m 
the  caverns  of  mountains,  the  clefts  of  rocks,  or  dens  it  has  formed 
under  earth ;  taken  ever  so  young,  it  never  can  be  tamed  ;  some- 
times attacks  man,  and  carries  off  cattle  :  its  eyes  shine  by  night, 


ICII 


LNDEX. 


LNU 


and  it  is  asserted  that  it  sees  better  by  night  than  by  day  ;  scrapes 
up  graves,  and  devours  dead  bodies,  how  putrid  soever  ;  absurdities 
of  the  ancients  about  this  animal,  3'27,  S'i*. 


I  &.  J. 

Jabiru  and  jahiru-guacu,  birds  of  the  crane  kind,  natives  ofBrasil; 
their  descriptions,  f>;'.-*. 

Jackals,  hunt  in  a  pack,  and  encourage  eacli  other  by  mutual 
*  /iej  ;  what  has  ffivt-n  rise  to  the  report  of  its  bein<j  the  lion's  pro- 
vider, 208  ;  travellers  have  mistaken  the  jackal  for  the  fox  ;  one  of 
the  commonest  wild  animals  in  tin:  East,  yet  scarce  any  less  known 
in  Europe,  or  loss  distinctly  described  by  naturalists;  its  descrip- 
tion ;  in  most  parts  of  Africa  takes  up  tile  place  of  the  wolf,  which 
in  that  country  is  not  so  common  ;  its  cry  a  lamentation  resembling 
that  of  human  distress  ;  is  more  noisy  in  its  pursuit  than  a  dog. 
more  voracious  than  the  wolf;  never  goes  alone,  but  always  in  a 
pack  of  forty  or  fifty  together  ;  seems  little  afraid  of  man  ;  take  up 
with  the  smallest  animals,  and  yet,  when  united,  have  courage  to 
face  the  largest  ;  pursues  its  game  to  the  doors  without  apprehen- 
sion ;  enters  insolently  into  sheep-folds,  yards,  and  stables,  and  rind- 
ing nothing  else,  devours  leather  harness,  boots,  and  shoes  ;  scratches 
up  new-made  graves,  and  devours  the  corpse,  how  putrid  soever  ; 
the  corpse  how  dug  up  ;  follows  armies,  and  keeps  in  the  rear  of 
caravans  ;  the  most  putrid  substances  it  greedily  devours  ;  hides  in 
holes  by  day,  and  appears  abroad  at  night-fall  ;  hunts  by  the  scent  ; 
irreeoncileable  antipathy  between  it  and  the  dog  ;  no  wonder  it  be 
voracious,  and  why  ;  is  as  stupid  as  impudent  ;  instances  of  it  ; 
Indian  peasants  often  chase  it  as  we  do  foxes,  272,  273. 

Jackdaw,  its  description  ;  builds  in  steeples,  old  castles,  and  high 
rocks,  514  ;  rings  found  in  the  nest  of  a  tame  jackdaw,  512. 

Jacobines,  a  kind  of  pigeons,  5:12. 

Jaculus,  the  swiftest  serpent,  its  manner  of  progression  by  coil- 
ing,  729. 

Jaguar,  or  the  panther  of  America,  30:). 

James,  the  hermit,  said  to  have  lived  a  hundred  and  four 
years,  155. 

Japanese,  description  of  that  people,  180. 

Jaw,  the  upper,  thought  by  many  quite  immoveable  ;  that  it 
moves  in  man,  an  easy  experiment  will  evince  ;  has  its  proper 
muscles  behind  the  head  for  thus  raising  and  depressing  it;  the  un- 
der jaw  in  the  embryo  much  advanced  before  the  upper,  and  in  the 
adult  hangs  more  backward  ;  in  a  Chinese  face  it  falls  still  more 
backward  than  with  us,  the  difference  is  thought  half  an  inch,  the 
mouth  being  shut  naturally  ;  M'Laurin,  a  professor  at  Edinburgh, 
was  subject  to  have  his  j.iw  dislocated  ;  the  under  jaw  has  often 
an  involuntary  quivering  motion  ;  and  often  a  state  of  languor  pro- 
duces another  ;  that  of  yawning,  a  very  sympathetic  kind  of  lan- 
guid motion  ;  ridiculous  instance  of  this  sympathetic  affection  com- 
monly practised  upon  the  same  famous  M'Laurin.  143,  144. 

Jay,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  British  birds  ;  its  descrip- 
tion; feeds  upon  fruits,  kills  small  birds,  and  is  extremely  docile, 
517^  'ays  its  eggs  in  the  hole  deserted  by  the  woodpecker,  520. 

Ibex,  a  native  of  the  Alps,  the  Pyrennees,  and  the  mountains  of 
Greece  ;  its  description,  243. 

Ibis,  the  Egyptians  paid  divine  honours  to  this  bird  :  different 
opinions  concerning  the  ancient  and  modern  ibis  ;  Mailer's  obser- 
vation to  this  purpose  ;  the  true  ibis  thought  a  bird  of  the  vulture 
kind,  called  by  some  the  capon  of  Pharaoh  ;  follows  the  caravans 
that  go  to  Mecca,  to  feed  upon  the  offal  of  the  animals  that  are 
killed  on  the  journey  ;  held  sacred  by  the  Egyptians,  550,  557. 

Ice,  very  elastic,  53;  floats  of  it  diffused  into  plains  of  above  two 
hundred  leagues  in  length,  and  mountains  of  it  rising  amidst  them; 
flat  ice  and  mountain  ice,  71  ;  their  formation  ;  mountains  of  it 
presenting  the  resemblance  of  trees  in  blossom,  a  glory,  &c.  72. 

Ichneumon,  by  some  injudiciously  denominated  the  cat  of  Ph-iraoh, 
one  ef  the  boldest  and  most  useful  animals  of  the  weasel  kind  ;  used 
iii  Egypt  for  the  aamc  purposes  as  cats  in  Europe,  but  is  more  ser- 
viceable, being  more  expert  in  catching  mice  ;  description;  dis- 
covers and  destroys  the  eggs  of  the  crocodile  ;  serpents  its  most 
natural  food  ;  grows  fast  and  dies  soon  ;  easily  strangles  a  cat 
stronger  and  larger  than  itself;  countries  where  found;  attacks 
every  living  thing  it  is  able  to  overcome,  and  fears  not  the  force  of 
the  dog,  nor  the  claws  of  the  vulture  ;  takes  the  water  like  an 
otter,  and  will  continue  under  much  longer  ;  not  able  to  support 
the  rigour  of  our  winters  ;  one  come  from  the  island  of  Ceylon, 
climbed  up  the  walls  and  the  trees  with  very  great  ease  ;  this  ani- 
mal one  of  those  formerly  worshipped  by  the  Egyptians,  337,  338. 

Ichneumon  fly,  its  weapon  of  defence  ;  flies  of  this  tribe  owe  their 
birth  to  the  destruction  of  some  other  insect,  wiUun  whose  body 


they  have  lioen  deposited,  and  upon  whose  vitals  they  have  preyed, 
till  they  came  to  maturity  ;  of  all  others  the  most  formidable  to  in- 
sects of  various  kinds  ;  it  makes  the  body  of  the  caterpillar  the 
place  for  depositing  its  eggs  ;  the  tribe  is  not  the  caterpillar's 
offspring,  as  was  supposed,  but  its  murderers;  description  ;  whence 
its  name  ;  fears  not  the  wasp,  and  plunders  its  habitations';  vari- 
ous appetites  of  the  several  kinds  of  this  fly ;  the  millions  of  insects 
this  fly  kills  in  a  summer  inconceivable,  813,  814. 

Ir/iin  union,  a  root  the  Indians  believe  an  antidote  for  the  bite  of 
the  asp  or  the  viper,  337. 

li/rn,  deplorable  infirmities  of  the  workmen  in  the  quicksilver 
mines  near  it,  23. 

Jean-It- Slonc.  a  kind  of  eagle  ;  its  distinctive  marks,  476. 

Jenisca.,  in  Tartary,  a  river,  o'2 ;  receives  above  sixty  lesser 
rivers,  04. 

Ji.  11/,'in.s,  a  peasant,  lived  to  a  hundred  and  sixty-five  years,  with- 
out much  regularity,  175. 

Jerboa,  has  lour  feet,  uses  only  the  hinder  in  running  or  resting  ; 
the  swiftest  creature  in  the  world  ;  description  ;  countries  where 
found  ;  lives  upon  vegetables,  and  burrows  like  rabbits,  444.  445. 

Jcstrr,  in  England,  as  late  as  the  times  of  King  James  1.  the 
court  was  furnished  with  a  jester,  1 

Jeicels,  the  richest  jewels  found  in  an  Ethiop's  ear,  a  proverb,  14C. 

jgnitjahaU)  or  wandering  fire,  111. 

Iguana,  description  of  this  animal ;  its  flesh  the  greatest  delicacy 
of  Africa  and  America  ;  its  food  ;  in  what  manner  it  is  taken, 
719,  720. 

Jiboya,  the  great,  of  Java  and  Brazil,  the  dimensions  of  this  ser- 
pent ;  method  of  killing  its  prey,  741. 

Imagination,  by  day  as  well  as  by  night,  always  employed,  158; 
very  remarkable  instances  of  its  power  in  women.  1-7. 

Impaling,  in  some  courts  of  the  more  barbarous  princes  of  India, 
they  employ  the  elephant  to  impale  the  criminals  on  its  enormous 
tusks,  424. 

I  in/in  ti  nation,  the  hare,  though  already  impregnated,  admits  the 
male,  and  receives  a  second  impregnation,  240  ;  in  what  manner 
the  sea  and  garden-snails  impregnate  each  other  respectively,  682 
to  685;  the  bivale  shell-fish  require  no  assistance  from  each  other 
towards  impregnation.  088  ;  frogs  impregnated  without  any  appa- 
rent instrument  of  generation,  an  object  of  inquiry  ;  continues  iu 
great  obscurity  ;  experiments  made  to  this  purpose,  698. 

Inr.as,  Father  Acosta  and  Garcilasso  de  la  Vega  have  seen  the 
bodies  of  several  incas  perfectly  preserved  from  corruption,  194. 

India,  (East)  in  the  warm  countries  of  India,  the  women  are  mar- 
riageable at  nine  or  ten,  and  the  men  at  twelve  or  thirteen,  138  ; 
description  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  islands  that  lie  scattered  in  the 
Indian  ocean  ;  over  all  India,  children  arrive  sooner  at  maturity 
than  in  Europe  ;  they  often  ir.arrv  and  consummate,  the  husband  at 
ten  years  old,  arid  the  wife  at  eight,  and  frequently  have  children 
at  that  age  ;  Indians  have  long  been  remarkable  for  cowardice  and 
effeminacy  ;  are  slothml,  submissive,  and  luxurious  ;  they  may  be 
considered  as  a  feeble  race  of  sensualists  ;  from  the  times  of  Alex- 
ander to  the  present  day,  scarcely  any  instances  to  be  found  of  thf-ir 
success  in  arms;' their  dress,  181,  182;  the  horses  of  India  are 
weak  and  washy,  220  ;  lions  are  found  to  diminish  in  their  numbers 
in  this  country,  2!>2  ;  the  Indians  eagerly  pursue  the  porcupine,  in 
order  to  make  embroidery  of  its  quills,  and  to  eat  its  flesh,  376; 
they  cat  bats  in  the  East  Indies,  :iri4.  See  Elr.phajtt.  422. 

India  ( Wcsl)  whence  originally  come  the  flat  heads  of  the  Ame- 
rican Indians,  li-5. 

Indus,  river,  its  course,  62  ;  its  water  and  that  of  the  Thames, 
the  most  light  and  wholesome  in  the  world,  50  ;  the  tide  at  the 
mouth  of  this  river  the  greatest  known,  75. 

Infants,  just  born,  may  be  said  to  come  from  one  element  into 
another,  and  why;  open  their  eyes  the  instant  of  their  birth  ;  more 
capable  of  sustaining  hunger,  and  more  patient  of  cold,  than  grown 
persons  ;  and  why  ;  infants  have  milk  in  their  own  breasts  ;  their 
life  very  precarious  till  the  age  of  thr?e  or  four;  instances  of  it; 
the  comparative  progress  of  the  understanding  greater  in  infants, 
than  in  children  of  three  or  four  years  old.  1:53,  134. 

Inundations  generally  greater  towards  the  source  of  rivers,  than 
farther  down,  and  why,  01  ;  some  distribute  health  and  plenty  ; 
others  cause  diseases,  famine,  and  death,  64  ;  every  inundation  of 
the  sea  attended  with  some  correspondent  dereliction  of  another 
shore  ;  one  of  the  most  considerable  inundations  in  history,  is  that 
which  happened  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  First ;  an  inundation  in 
the  territory  of  Dort,  destroyed  a  hundred  thousand  persons,  and  yet 
a  greater  number  round  the  Dullart  ;  remarkable  inundations  in 
Fnezlaud  and  Zealand,  in  which  more  than  three  hundred  villages 
were  overwhelmed ;  their  remains  continue  visible  at  the  bottom  of 
the  water  in  a  clear  day ;  some  in  which  the  sea  has  overflowed  the 


ISL 


INDEX. 


KIN 


31 


country,  and  afterwards  retired,  81 ;  inundation  of  the  Thames  at  I 
Dagenham  in  Essex,  83;  instantly  produced  by  land  spouts,  115. 

ln-i  r/s,  in  the  internal  parts  of  South  America  and  Africa,  they  ! 
grow  to  a  prodigious  size,  and  why;  those  of  the  minute  kind  in  j 
the  northern  climates  not  half  so  large  as  in  the  temperate  z»nr  ; 
the  ocean  has  its  insects  ;  their  feet  are  placed  upon  their  !>•: 
and  almost  all  without  eyes,  120;  in  some  countries  almost  darken 
the  air,  and  a  candle  cannot  be  lighted  without  their  instantly  fly- 
ing upon  it,  and  putting  out  the  flame,  122  ;  and  827  ;  many  may 
be  multiplied  by  being  cut  in  pieces,  125 ;  many  of  the  tribes 
brought  forth  from  the  e^g,  126 ;  have  no  eye-lids  whatsoever, 
142;  the  Indians  are  fearful  of  killing  the  meanest,  181  ;  quickly 
brought  to  change  and  adapt  themselves  to  the  clim-ite,  205  :  have 
their  stomachs  composed  of  muscular  fibres  ;  of  a  ruminating 
kind,  232  ;  afford  so  gre.it  a  variety  as  to  elude  the  search  of  the 
most  inquisitive  pursuer,  448  ;  those  \vith  the  greatest  number  of  , 
legs  move  the  slowest.  633  ;  the  general  definition  of  insects.  744  : 
the  different  classes,  7-15  :  general  characteristics  of  insects  without 
wings,  746  ;  of  those  that  have  wings.  7b'6  ;  some  continue  under 
the  form  of  an  aurelht  not  ten  days  ;  some  twenty  ;  some  several 
months,  and  even  for  a  year,  789  ;  general  rule,  that  the  female  is 
larger  than  the  male,  794 ;  every  insect  that  lives  a  year  after  its 
full  growth,  is  obliged  to  pass  four  or  five  months  without  nourish- 
ment, and  will  seem  to  be  dead  all  that  time,  817  ;  description  of 
that  which  forms  and  resides  in  the  gall-nut,  824. 

Instinct  of  all  animals  in  choosing  the  proper  times  of  copula- 
tion, 212;  the  Guinea-pig  lias  not  that  natural  instinct  so  common 
to  almost  every  other  creature,  380. 

Intestines,  in  all  animals  the  size  of  the  intestines  proportioned  ; 
to  the  nature  of  the  food.  207;  intestines  of  ruminating  animals 
enlarged  by  nature,  to  take  in  a  greater  supply  ;  those  of  the  car-  ! 
nivorous  kind  are  short,  231 ;  also  thin  and  lean  ;  but  of  the  mini-  ; 
nating  are   strong,  fleshy,  and  covered  witli  fat,  232;    of  sheep 
found  to  be  above  thirty  times  the  length  of  the  body  ;  those  of  the 
wild  cat  not  above  three  times  the  length  of  its  body,  291  ;  this  j 
shortness  still  unaccounted  for,  292 ;  of  the  rein-deer  washed  like 
our  tripe,  in  high  esteem  among  the  Laplanders,  277  ;  of  the  bat,  I 
in  some  measure  resemble  those  of  man,  1123  ;  those  of  the  manati 
longer,  in  proportion,  than  those  of  any  other  creature,  the  horse 
exempted,  3!'r»  ;  the  tribe  of  woodpeckers  want  that  intestine  called 
the  csecum,  513;  the  lamprey  seems  to  have  but  one,  Ii3!> ;  those  j 
of  the  crab  have  many  convolutions,  666. 

Jnlmdorif,  Quin  noted  for  a  sauce  to  this  fish,  013. 

JrHii'!*,  hair  in  its  crrowth  sends  forth  branches  at  the  joints,  143.  j 

Junelin  has  obliged  the  curious  with  the  first  accurate  descrip- 
tion of  the  form  and  mture  of  the  sable.  331!. 

Ire.lnnd  not  infested   with   wolves,  391  ;  frogs  designedly  intro-  j 
duccd  into  that  kingdom  some  years  before  the  Norway  rat,  363;  I 
that  rat  put  a  stop  to  their  increase,  and  the  frog  is  once  more 
almost  extinct  in  that  kingdom,  364  ;  the  mole  utterly  a  stranger  ' 
there,  371. 

Iron  extracted  from  all  the  substances  upon  earth,  221. 

hutia,  an  animal  very  common  in  all  the  northern  countries  bor- 
derino1  upon  the  icy  sea,  and  seldom  found  in  warm  climates  ;  de- 
scription ;  burrows  like  the  fox,  and  when  with  young,  the  female 
retires  to  her  kennel,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  fox  ;  its  kennel 
vi:ry  narrow,  and  extremely  deep,  has  many  outlets;  manner  of 
coupling,  time  of  gestation,  and  number  of  young,  all  similar  to  j 
what  is  found  in  the  fox  ;  brings  forth  at  the  end  of  May,  or  the 
beginning  of  June  ;  considered  as  between  the  dog  and  the  fox  ; 
changes  its  colour,  and  is  at  one  time  brown,  at  another  white  ; 
some  naturally  blue,  which  never  change  colour;  its  fur  is  two 
inches  long;  of  no  value  except  the  animal  is  killed  in  winter; 
time  in  which  it  is  called  the  rra.tt-fox,  326,  327. 

isinglass,  serviceable  in  medicine,  and  many  arts  ;  very  great 
sums  yearly  expended  upon  this  article  of  commerce  ;  manner  of 
making  it  ;  principally  furnished  from  Russia,  where  great  quanti- 
ties are  prepared  surprisingly  cheap;  Mr.  Jackson  found  out  a  me- 
thod of  making  a  glue  that  answered  the  purposes  of  isinglass,  642. 

Islands,  new,  formed  in  two  ways  ;  either  suddenly  by  the  action 
of  subterraneous  fires,  or  more  slowly  by  the  deposition  of  mud, 
carried  down  by  rivers,  and  stopped  by  some  accident  ;  thirteen 
islands  in  the  Mediterranean  appearing  at  once  emerging  from  the 
water;  one  new  formed  in  the  year  1720  near  that  ot  Tercera ; 
formed  at  the  mouths  of  many  rivers,  and  how  ;  a  beautiful  and 
large  one  formed  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Nanquin,  in  China,  not 
Jess  than  sixtv  miles  long,  and  about  twenty  broad,  36,  37;  appear, 
at  first,  infinitely  greater  than  they  naturally  are  ;  seem  to  travel 
to  the  shore,  and  represent  a  wood  ;  the  scene  then  shifted,  repre- 
sents curious  fiofures,  ships  with  sails,  streamers,  and  flags,  antique 
elevated  castles,  and  at  length  vanish  into  nothing,  113. 


Ismarl  (Shrqne  in  his  time  the  Arabians  first  began  the  ma- 
nagement of  horses,  216. 

l.-'l/n/iaii,  the  prince's  messengers  go  on  foot  36  leagues  in  four- 
teen hours,  150. 

Italy,  the  horses  there  have  a  particular  aptitude  to  prance,  218. 

.'iKntan,  a  peninsula  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  formerly  a  part  of 
the  sea,  81. 

Jit<la-goat  common  in  Guinea,  Angola,  and  all  alunjr  the  coasts 
of  Africa,  not  much  larger  than  a  hare,  247. 

Jugular  fish,  name  given  to  that  fish  which  has  the  ventral  fins 
placed  more  forward  than  the  pectoral,  047. 

Julian's  Buy,  (St.)  an  American  harbour,  forty-nine  degrees 
south  of  the  line  ;  Ferdinand  Magellan  happened  to  winter  in  it, 

Jiniij/cr,  its  shade  was  fatal,  if  we  credit  the  ancients,  96;  the 
Laplanders  drink  water  in  which  these  berries  have  been  infused, 
1 7'1. 

Irory,  the  tusks  of  the  babyrouessa  are  a  very  fine  ivory, 
smoother  and  whiter  than  that  of  the  elephant,  hut  not  so  hard  and 
serviceable.  286  ;  that  of  the  morse  more  esteemed  than  that  of  the 
elephant,  being  whiter  and  harder,  390  ;  almost  all  our  ivory  comes 
from  Africa,  where  the  greatest  part  is  found  in  the  forests  ;  the 
tusks  of  the  Mammoth  converted  to  purposes  of  ivory  ;  fossil 
bones  found  in  Peru  and  the  Brazils,  which  when  cut  and  polished, 
appear  in  every  respect  similar  to  ivory,  425  ;  teeth  of  the  nar- 
whale  far  surpass  ivory  in  all  its  qualities,  622. 

Justinian,  the  emperor,  till  his  time  the  sea  was  open  to  all  na- 
tions. 68. 

Irij-ln'rrief,  showers  of  them  raised  by  tempests  in  one  country, 
and  falling  in  another,  114. 


K. 

Kabassoii,  or  cataphractus,  one  of  the  largest  kinds  of  the  arma- 
dillo, 382. 

Kamtschatka,  description  of  its  natives,  178. 

Kangaroo,  an  animal  first  discovered  and  described  by  Mr 
Banks,  445. 

Ktrataphit.es,  among  the  coraline  fungi,  838. 

krriiu's,  an  insect  of  great  use  in  medicine  and  dying  ;  its  de- 
scription ;  the  difference  of  the  male  from  the  female;  the  harvest 
of  the  kcrmes  greater  or  less  in  proportion  to  the  severity  ot  tha 
winter  ;  women  gather  them  before  siln-risino-,  tearim'  them  off 
with  their  nails,  822.  >-.':!. 

Kcstr'd,  a  bird  of  the  generous  breed  of  hawks,  4S3. 

Kcvel,  name  of  a  second  variety  of  gazelles,  made  by  Mr.  Buf- 
fon,251 

Kilda,  (St.)  a  rocky  island  ;  its  shores  to  the  West  six  hundred 
fathom  perpendicular  above  the  surface  of  the  sea,  80  ;  the  inhabi- 
tants consume  annually  near  twenty-three  thousand  young  gan- 
nets,  and  a  great  quantity  of  their  eggs,  582  ;  its  rocks  more  than 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  high.  584. 

Killer,  a  cetaceous  animal  of  surprising  strength,  which  attacks 
the  whale,  619. 

Kinds  of  animals  not  actually  distinguished  by  horns,  colour, 
position  of  the  ears,  or  fineness  of  hair,  247  ;  difficult  to  fix  precise 
boundaries  between  the  goat  kind  and  the  deer  ;  the  gazelles  form 
a  distinct  kind,  250  ;  all  of  the  deer-kind  have  no  gall-bladder, 
257. 

Kinr.,  in  Iceland,  are  without  horns,  236. 

King,  a  question  in  schools,  which  man  most  happy,  the  beggar 
by  night,  and  king  by  day  ;  or  the  beagar  by  day,  and  kino-  by 
night?  157. 

King-fishrr,  a  remarkable  bird  ;  its  description  ;  one  of  the  most 
rapacious  little  animals  that  skims  the  dt-ep  ;  places  it  frequents, 
and  how  it  takes  its  prey  ;  the  plumage  a  beautiful  variety  of  bril- 
liant colours  ;  instances  of  credulity  with  respect  to  this  bird  ;  its 
nest,  or  rather  hole,  very  different  from  that  described  by  the  an- 
cients ;  instances  of  the  credulity  of  mankind  with  respect  to 
this  bird  ;  feeds  upon  fish  in  that  hole  ;  foitid  from  the  remains  of 
fi.sh  ;  the  king-fisher  is  found  with  from  five  to  nine  eggs,  which 
the  female  continues  to  hatch  ;  though  disturbed  and  robbed,  she 
returns  and  lays  again  ;  Reaumur's  account  of  this  ;  season  for 
excludino-  the  brood  ;  the  male  faithful  beyond  the  turtle,  brings 
the  female  large  provisions  of  fish,  and  keeps  her  plump  and  fat ; 
he  used  to  twitter  before,  now  enters  the  nest  quietly  and  private- 
ly ;  the  young  hatched  in  twenty  days ;  differ  in  their  size  and 
beauty,  602,  603. 

King-fisher,  the  Halcyon. — Cicero  has  written  a  long  poem  in 
praise  of  this  bird,  of  which  but  two  lines  remain  ;  the  emperor 


LA? 


INDEX. 


LEM 


Gordian  has  al.-o  written  a  long  poem  on  it,  nothing  of  which  is 
left;  St.  Ar.i!>r-iM-'.-,  credulity  concerning  this  bud:  tables  the  ino- 
•k-ru  v.iljar  have  of  it  :  its  flesh  unfit  to  he  oaten,  and  its  beautil'ul 
plumage  pre*erveg  its  iustre  longer  than  any  other.  002,  603. 

Kircker,  hl<  •••:lrul;i.ti'in  of  t!:e  hc.ights  of  the  mountains  arc  in- 
credible, ami  \\-\iv.  45;  has  sot  the  voices  of  birds  to  music,  -490. 

Kiic,  from  the  greatest  height,  darts  down  on  its  prey  with  uner- 
tinir  aim,  4">H  :  one  of  tlin  b -is-'T  race  of  hawks,  461  ;  distinguished 
by  its  forky  toil,  and  slow  floating  motion;  seems  ever  upon  the 
vin^.  :i::<l  In  i. Hike  no  effort  in  11.,  in;;  :  livt's  upon  accidental  car- 
cage,  every  bird  i:i  til '  air  being  able  to  make  its  retreat  from  it ; 
•mail  birds  wounded,  er  straying  chicken*,  it  seizes  viith  rapacity  ; 
of  all  birds,  the  £"o'<d  huusu'.yitu  s  neatest  tormentor  and  aversion. 
'•f'i :  us'-ii  ii.r  lra~iir.ii:;  falcons,  and  how  lured  with  the  great  horned 
•wl,  when  caught  tor  tliat  purpose.  4iiO. 

Kitten,  of  alf  yeung  animals  none  more  prettily  playful,  ifc:*. 

Klein,  his  method  of  classing  animals, '21)1. 

Kuui,  small  bird  of  the  crune  kind,  508  ;  a  bird  of  passage,  509. 

Krakrn,  all  tiiat  has  been  said  of  this  great  fish  seems  fictitious, 
yet  there  is  a  possibility  of  its  existence,  620. 

Krantz's  account  of  the  origin  and  formation  of  the  ice-mountains 
of  Greenland,  72. 


L. 

Lalirus.  the  wrasse,  description  of  this  fish,  648. 

Labyrinth  of  Candia,  a  subterranean  wonder;  supposed  the  work 
ef  art,  18. 

Labyrinth,  convolutions  in  the  windpipe  and  lungs  of  some 
birds,  451. 

Lama,  the  camel  of  the  new  world  ;  countries  where  fouixt  ;  their 
flesh  an  excellent  food  ;  their  hair,  or  rather  wool,  spun  into  beauti- 
ful cloathing ;  carry  their  burdens  over  precipices  and  craggy 
rocks,  where  men  can  scarce  accompany  them  ;  often  dies  under, 
but  never  resists  his  driver's  cruelty  ;  description  and  age  ;  manner 
of  coupling;  its  food  ;  exceeds  the  camel  intemperance;  requires 
little  water,  being  supplied  with  quantities  of  saliva,  the  only  offen- 
sive weapon  it  has  to  testify  its  resentment ;  the  Indians  say, 
where  this  saliva  falls,  it  will,  from  its  acrimonious  nature,  burn  the 
skin,  or  cause  dangerous  eruptions  ;  colour  and  wool ;  habits  and 
marks  of  agility  in  the  state  of  nature  ;  the  stag  scarcely  more 
swift,  or  the  goat  a  better  climber  ;  seems  the  largest  of  the  camel 
kind  in  America ;  the  natives  hunt  the  wild  lama  for  its  fleece ;  a 
smaller  weaker  sort  of  the  camel  kind,  called  also  guanacoe  and 
paco  ;  the  manufacture  of  stuffs,  carpets,  and  quilts,  made  of  the 
wool  of  the  paco,  form  a  considerable  branch  of  commerce  in  South 
America,  and  might  usefully  be  extended  to  Europe,  4:i3,  4:>4. 

Lambs,  how  to  be  produced  all  the  year  round,  212  ;  the  third  an 
ewe  brings  forth  supposed  the  best,  2-1:1. 

Lamprey,  a  fish,  every  way  resembling  the  lamprey,  was  pos- 
sessed of  the  numbing  quality  of  the  torpedo  ;  people  will  not  ven- 
ture to  touch  those  of  Ireland  ;  a  species  very  different  from  ours 
served  up  as  a  delicacy  among  the  modern  Romans  ;  doubtful 
whether  it  be  the  murcna  of  the  ancients,  which  our  lamprey  is 
not ;  ours  differently  estimated  according  to  the  season ;  those  of 
the  river  Severn  the  mcst  delicate  of  all  fish;  description  of  this 
fish's  extraordinary  power  of  adhering  to  stones  ;  instance  of  it ; 
Muralto  giving  the  anatomy  of  this  fish,  makes  no  mention  of  the 
lungs,  for  which  it  has  absolute  necessity  to  breathe  in  the  air  ;  its 
time  of  leaving  the  sea  annually,  in  order  to  spawn,  is  the  begin- 
ning of  spring ;  after  a  few  months  it  returns  to  the  sea ;  peculiar 
preparation  for  spawning  ;  the  young  from  eggs :  the  female  re- 
mains at  the  place  where  produced  ;  has  her  family  playing  about 
her,  and  conducts  them  in  triumph  to  the  ocean  ;  its  food;  some  not 
having  sufficient  strength  to  return,  continue  in  fresh  water  'till 
they  die  ;  a  single  brood  the  extent  of  the  female's  fertility,  two 
years  being  the  limits  of  her  existence  ;  very  indifferent  eating  at 
the  approach  of  hot  weather  ;  best  season  for  them  in  the  months 
of  March,  April,  and  May  ;  are  usually  taken  in  nets  with  salmon, 
sometimes  in  baskets  at  the  bottom  of  the  river  ;  old  custom  for  the 
city  of  Gloucester  annually  to  present  the  king  with  a  lamprey  pie  ; 
a  senator  of  Rome  used  to  throw  into  the  ponds  such  of  his  slaves 
as  displeased  him,  to  feed  the  lampreys,  637,  638. 

Lands,  new,  produced  from  the  sea,  and  in  what  manner,  81. 

Ijinner,  bird  of  the  generous  breed  of  hawks,  now  little  known 
in  Europe,  483. 

Lapland,  its  division,  273  ;  mountains  there  preferred  to  the 
woods  ;  the  country  abounds  more  than  others  with  marshy  bottoms 
and  weedy  lakes  ;  gnats  and  gad-flies  formidable  there,  274  ;  the 
manner  of  travelling  in  it ;  Laplanders  castrate  the  rein- deer  with 


their  teeth,  245,  246 ;  the  wo!f  never  attacks  a  rein-deer  that  is 
haltered,  and  why,  321  ;  the  isitis  found  in  this  country,  o27  ;  in  the 
forests,  squirrels  observed  to  change  their  habitation  ;  they  remove 
in  numbers  from  one  country  to  another,  353. 

IsaplandeTfj  one  of  the  first  distinct  races  of  men  r-~und  the  polar 
regions  ;  description  of  thfir  persons  and  manners  ;  h;.ve  in  every 
family  a  drum  for  consulting  the  devil;  Gustavus  Adolphus  at- 
tempted in  vain  to  form  a  regiment  of  Laplanders  ;  ii-;1  skates  to 
run  and  slide,  and  how  ;  are  all  hunters  ;  offer  their  wives  and 
daughters  to  strangers,  177,  17d;  manner  of  life,  00  ;  v.ants  sup- 
plied, and  riches  derived  from  the  rein-deer ;  daub  their  fares  with 
pitch  mixed  with  milk,  to  shield  their  skins  from  the  dreadful  de- 
predations of  the  gnats,  274  ;  boil  milk,  with  wood-sorrel,  and  keep 
it  in  casks  under  ground  to  be  eaten  in  winter,  277  ;  when  the 
leming's  draw  up  to  fight,  they  form  ominous  prognostics  from  their 
arrangement,  o?0  ;  happy  when  an  army  of  lemings  comes  down 
nmcmg  them  ;  they  then  feast  upon  their  flesh,  which  cats  and  dogs 
detest,  ib. 

Lapwing,  a  small  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  5C3  ;  its  arts  to  lead  off 
men  and  dogs  from  their  nests;  their  seasons  of  courtship,  570. 

Lark,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537  ;  the  sky,  the  wood,  or  the 
tit  lark,  distinguishable  from  other  little  birds  by  length  of  heel,  and 
loud  song  ;  nest,  number  of  eggs,  and  habits  ;  when  risen  to  a.n  im- 
perceptible height,  does  not  lose  siyht  of  its  nest,  either  ascending 
or  descending,  543  ;  those  that  remain  with  us  the  year  throughout 
are  birds  of  passage  in  Sweden.  53.^. 

Lark,  (Sea)  a  small  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  503 ;  breeds  in  this 
country,  570. 

Lara,  matter  discharged  by  the  eruptions  of  volcanoes,  30. 

Luvgkter,  in  what  manner  produced,  144. 

Launce,  description  of  this  fish,  649. 

Lauricocha,  a  lake  where.in  the  river  Amazons  ha?  its  source,  63. 

Lawrence,  (St.)  a  river  ;  its  rise  and  source  ;  receives  about  forty 
rivers,  63 ;  its  cataract,  65. 

Laws,  one  of  the  Orkney  islands,  entitling  any  person  that  kills 
an  eagle  to  a  hen  from  every  house  in  the  parish  where  killed,  474. 

Layer,  the  impression  on  the  place  where  the  stag  has  lain,  202. 

Layers  of  the  earth  regularly  disposed,  but  not  of  the  same  kind 
in  every  place  ;  enumeration  of  layers  of  earth  in  a  well  dug  at  Am- 
sterdam, and  of  another  dug  at  Marly  ;  a  layer,  as  far  as  it  extends, 
always  maintains  the  same  thickness ;  proceeding  to  considerable 
depths,  every  layer  is  thicker;  are  sometimes  very  extensive, 
and  often  found  to  spread  over  a  ,«pace  of  some  leagues  in  cir- 
cumference, 17;  remarkable  layers  of  earth  round  the  city  of 
Modena,  83. 

Lead-mine,  teeth  of  the  elephant  found  in  one  in  Flintshire,  424. 

Leather  called  shammoi,  made  of  the  skin  of  that  animal,  and 
also  from  those  of  the  tame  goat,  the  sheep,  and  the  deer,  250. 

Leather-harness  devoured  by  the  jackal,  320. 

Leaves,  two  of  a  fig-tree,  by  experiment,  imbibed  from  the  earth 
two  ounces  of  water  in  five  hours  and  a  half.  57. 

Letch,  different  kinds  ;  its  description  ;  takes  a  large  quantity  of 
food  ;  has  no  anus  or  passage  to  eject  it  from  the  body  when  digested  ; 
in  wliat  it  differs  from  the  rest  of  the  reptile  tribe' ;  produces  forty 
or  fifty  at  a  birth  ;  never  breeds  in  confinement ;  the  leech  used  in 
medicine  ;  a  girl  of  nine  years  old  killed  by  leeches  ;  best  way  of 


applying  leeches,  7(13,  7(1-1". 
Legs,  a  i 


man  without  them  performed  astonishing  feats  of  dex- 
terity, 416. 

Leming,  a  bold  animal  of  the  rat  kind,  native  of  Scandinavia; 
often  pours  down  in  myriads  from  the  northern  mountains,  and, 
like  a  pestilence,  destroys  all  the  productions  of  the  earth  ;  they 
are  often  seen  covering  the  ground  a  mile  broad  ;  Laplanders  be- 
lieve they  drop  from  the  clouds  ;  their  description  ;  .they  move,  in 
a  square,  forward  by  niijiit.  and  lying  still  by  day  ;  whither  their 
motions  are  turned  nothing  can  stop  them  ;  a  fire,  a  deep  well,  a 
torrent,  does  not  turn  them  out  of  their  direction  ;  they  never  re 
treat ;  interrupted  by  a  boat  across  a  river,  they  go  over  it ;  stopped 
by  a  stack  of  hay  or  corn,  they  gnaw  their  way  through  ;  and  ob- 
structed by  a  house  they  cannot  get  through,  continue  before  it  till 
they  die ;  eat  nothing  prepared  for  human  subsistence  ;  never  enter 
a  house  to  destroy  provisions  ;  passing  through  a  meadow,  destroy 
it  in  a  short  time,  and  leave  it  with  the  appearance  of  being  burnt 
up  and  strewed  over  with  ashea ;  a  man  imprudently  attacking  one 
of  them,  the  animal  furiously  flies  tit  him,  barking  something  like  a 
puppy,  fastens,  and  does  not  easily  quit  his  hold ;  their  leader 
forced  out  of  the  line  after  a  long  defence,  and  separated  from  the 
rest,  sets  up  a  plaintive  cry,  not  of  anger,  and  hangs  itself  on  the 
fork  of  a  tree  ;  they  destroy  and  devour  each  other  ;  after  incredi- 
ble devastations,  they  separate  into  armies,  opposed  with  deadly 
hatred,  and  move  along  the  coasts  of  the  larger  lakes  and  rivers : 


L1O 


INDEX. 


LOB 


33 


round,  and  produce  malignant  disorders  ;  they  seem  also  to  inf 
the  plants,  the  cattle  often  dying  in  the  places  where  they  passe 


the  Laplanders  form  prognostics  from  the  manner  of  their  arrange- 
ment ;  what  prognostics  ;  the  divisions  continue  their  engagements 
and  animosity  until  one  party  be  overcome,  then  they  disappear  ; 
and  it  is  supposed,  that  having  nothing  to  subsist  on,  they  devour 
each  other  ;  their  carcasses  sometimes  infect  the  air  for  miles 

nfect 

ng  in  the  places  where  they  passed  ; 

the  male  larger,  and  more  beautifully  spotted  than  the  female  ;  are 
extremely  prolific  ;  breeding  does  not  hinder  their  march,  some 
carrying  one  young  in  their  mouth,  and  another  on  their  back  ;  are 
greatly  preyed  upon  by  the  ermine,  and  even  by  the  rein-deer;  dogs 
and  cats  detest  their  flesh,  but  the  Laplanders  esteem  it  good  eating, 
and  devour  it  greedily,  369,  370. 

Leo,  the  emperor,  granted  the  nations  in  possession  of  the  shore 
the  sole  right  of  fishing  before  their  respective  territories,  68. 

Leopard,  the  American,  is  neither  so  fierce  nor  so  valiant  as  that 
of  Africa  and  Asia,  211  ;  the  leopard  will  not  fly  at  the  approach 
of  the  lion,  295;  the  great  panther  and  the  leopard  or  panther  of 
Senegal  ;  differences  between  these  animals,  303. 

Lepudogaster,  description  of  this  fish,  649. 

Leprosy,  in  what  manner  the  Indians  endeavour  to  prevent  the 
Arabian  leprosy,  or  the  elephantiasis  ;  a  disease  to  which  man  and 
the  elephant  are  equally  subject,  420. 

Lerot,  the  middle  dormouse,  according  to  Mr.  Buffon,  366. 

Libt'lla,  the  dragon-fly  ;  general  characteristics  ;  eggs  ;  food  of 
the  young  ;  how  they  prepare  to  change  from  the  reptile  to  the  Hy- 
ing state  ;  description  ;  the  strongest  and  most  courageous  of  all 
winged  insects  :  their  appetite  so  great  that  they  have  been  seen  to 
devour  three  times  their  own  size  in  the  capture  of  a  single  hour  ; 
the  business  of  impregnation  how  performed,  766,  767. 

Liboyti,  the  greatest  of  the  serpent  kind,  727. 

Lichen  ranaiferinus,  the  food  of  the  rein-deer,  a  moss  in  Lapland 
of  two  kinds,  the  white  in  the  fields,  and  the  black  on  the  trefs, 
273,  274. 

Life,  formerly  supposed  producible  only  by  oviparous  and  vivipa- 
rous generation,  but  later  discoveries  induce  many  to  doubt 
whether  animal  lif'o  may  not  be  produced  merely  from  putrefac- 
tion, 125;  the  beginning  of  our  lives,  as  well  as  the  end,  is  marked 
with  anguish,  133  ;  that  of  infants  very  precarious  till  the  age  of 
three  or  four  ;  instances  of  it,  138  ;  the  duration  of  life  in  general 
nearly  the  same  in  most  countries,  175  ;  the  most  useless  and  con- 
temptible, of  all  others  the  most  difficult  to  destroy,  831. 

Light,  the  hand  exposed  to  broad  day-light  some  time,  then  im- 
mediately snatched  into  a  dark  room,  will  be  luminous,  and  re- 
main so  for  some  time,  and  why;  dangerous  to  the  sight  to  look 
steadily  upon  bright  and  luminous  objects,  and  why  ;  such  persons 
as  read  or  write  for  any  continuance  should  choose  a  moderate 
light,  163. 

Light  sent  forth  by  the  glow-worm,  how  produced  hitherto  in- 
explicable, 821  ;  sent  forth  by  the  star-fish,  resembles  that  of 
phosphorus,  832. 

Lightning,  is  an  electrical  flash  produced  by  the  opposition  of 
two  clouds,  109  ;  of  the  torrid  zone  not  so  fatal  or  so  dangerous  as 
with  us,  otherwise  those  regions  would  be  uninhabitable,  111;  flash- 
ing without  noise,  illuminates  the  sky  all  round  in  the  torrid 
zone,  110. 

Lights,  northern  lights  illuminate  half  the  hemisphere,  110. 

Limbs,  of  the  inhabitants  near  the  poles  are  sometimes  frozen  and 
drop  off,  113;  some  animals  live  without,  and  ollen  are  seen  to  re- 
produce them,  831. 

Lime,  manner  of  making  it  in  Persia,  25. 

Line,  upon  the  approach  of  the  winter  months  under  the  line,  the 
whole  horizon  seems  wrapt  in  a  muddy  cloud,  110  ;  in  America,  all 
that  part  of  the  continent  which  lies  under  the  line  is  cool  and 
pleasant,  184  ;  in  general,  as  we  approach  the  line,  we  find  the  inha- 
bitants of  each  country  grow  browner,  until  the  colour  deepens  into 
perfect  blackness,  ib. 

Liniueus,  the  celebrated  naturalist,  supposes  man  a  native  of  the 
tropical  climates,  and  only  a  sojourner  more  to  the  north  ;  argu- 
ment to  prove  the  contrary,  185;  his  method  of  classing  animals, 
201  ;  makes  the  female  of  the  bat  a  primus,  to  rank  in  the  same 
order  with  man,  3S4. 

Linnet,  a  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  837  ;  taught  to  whistle  a  long 
and  regular  tune,  546. 

Lion,  to  compare  the  strength  of  the  lion  with  that  of  man,  it 
should  be  considered  that  the  claws  of  this  animal  give  a  false  idea 
of  its  power,  ascribing  to  its  force  what  is  the  effect  of  its  arms,  149  ; 
does  not  willingly  attack  the  horse,  and  only  when  compelled  by 
the  keenest  hunger  ;  combats  between  a  lion  and  a  horse  in  Italy  ; 
the  lion  stunned  and  left  sprawling,  the  horse  escapes,  but  the  lion 
succeeding,  sticks  to  its  prey,  and  tears  the  horse  to  pieces  instant- 

NO.  79  &,  80. 


ly  ;  leaps  twenty  feet  at  a  spring,  207,  208  ;  produced  under  the 
burning  sun  of  Africa,  is  the  most  terrible  and  undaunted  creature  ; 
he  degenerates  when  removed  from  the  torrid  zone,  293  ;  descrip- 
tion of  this  noble  animal ;  a  single  lion  of  the  desert  often  attacks 
an  entire  caravan  ;  he  crouches  on  his  belly,  and  continues  so  with 
patient  expectation,  until  his  prey  comes  within  a  proper  distance  ; 
the  female  has  no  mane  ;  his  roaring  is  so  loud,  that  when  heard  in 
the  night,  and  re-echoed  by  the  mountains,  it  resembles  distant 
thunder  ;  his  most  usual  prey  are  gazelles  and  monkeys,  294,  295  ; 
in  countries  tolerably  inhabited,  the  lion  is  cowardly,  and  often 
scared  by  the  cries  of*  women  and  children,  289;  attends  to  the  call 
of  the  jackal,  326. 

Lions,  those  of  mount  Atlas  have  not  the  strength  or  ferocity  of 
those  of  Biledulgerid  or  Zaara ;  aperies  of  this  animal  diminishing 
daily  ;  Mr.  Shaw  observes,  the  Romans  carried  fifty  times  as  many 
lions  from  Lybia  in  one  year,  for  their  amphitheatres,  as  are  in  the 
whole  country  at  this  time  ;  the  same  remark  made  with  regard  to 
Turkey,  Persia  .and  I  lie  Indies,  where  lions  diminish  in  their  number 
daily;  those  inhabiting  the  peopled  countries  of  Morocco,  or  India, 
scared  away  with  a  shout  ;  the  keepers  play  with  him,  plague  and 
chastise  him,  without  a  cause,  he  bears  it  with  composure  ;  but  his 
anger  once  excited,  the  consequences  are  terrible  ;  an  instance 
from  Labat  ;  numberless  accounts  assure  his  anger  noble,  his 
courage  magnanimous,  and  his  natural  ferocity  seldom  exerted 
against  his  benefactors  ;  lie  has  spared  the  lives  of  those  thrown  to 
be  devoured  by  him,  afforded  them  part  of  his  subsistence,  and 
sometimes  abstains  from  food  himself  to  suppnrt  them  ;  necessity 
alone  makes  him  cruel ;  the  manner  of  hunting  him  by  Hottentots 
and  others  ;  reported  that  he  sustains  hunger  a  long  time,  but 
thirst  he  cannot  support ;  some  believe  him  in  a  continual  fever ;  he 
drinks  as  often  as  lie  finds  water,  and  laps  it ;  he  requires  about  fif- 
teen pounds  of  raw  flesh  in  a  day  ;  he  rather  hunts  for  a  fresh  spoil, 
than  returns  to  that  he  had  before  ;  his  breath  is  offensive,  and  his 
urine  insupportable  ;  horses  for  hunting  them  of  that  sort  called 
charossi,  all  others  fly  at  the  sight  of  him,  292,  293  ;  the  lion  pre- 
fers the  flesh  of  camels  to  other  food  ;  is  also  fond  of  that  of  young 
elephants  ;  when  old,  finding  men  and  quadrupeds  together,  he  at- 
tacks the  latter,  and  never  meddles  with  men,  unless  provoked  ; 
manner  of  copulation,  time  of  gestation,  number  brought  forth,  and 
time  taken  to  come  to  perfection,  all  known;  his  internal  structure 
in  almost  every  respect  resembles  that  of  a  cat ;  a  lion  in  the 
Tower  of  London  above  seventy  years  ;  the  lioness  fearing  her  re- 
treat discovered,  hides  her  tracks  by  running  back,  or  Brushing 
them  out  with  her  tail ;  becomes  terrible  with  young  ones  to  pro- 
vide for  ;  lions,  incited  by  desire,  fight  bloody  battles,  till  one  be- 
comes victorious  over  the  rest ;  the  size  of  the  lion  between  three  and 
four  feet ;  the  female,  in  all  dimensions,  about  one-third  less ;  there 
are  properly  no  lions  in  America  ;  the  puma  has  received  the  name 
of  the  American  lion,  but  when  compared,  is  a  very  contemptible 
animal ;  the  ancients  all  concurred  in  denominating  the  lion  the 
king  of  beasts,  296,  297. 

Lion-cut  or  Anaura-cat,  a  beautiful  animal,  a  native  of  Syria  and 
Persia,  291,292. 

Lion,  (Sea)  described  in  Anson's  voyages,  regarded  as  the  largest 
!  of  the  seal  family,  395. 

f.ijjiilo/His,  the  garter  fish,  its  description,  650. 

Lips,  those  of  the  hare  and  of  the  squirrel  continually  move, 
whether  sleeping  or  waking,  345. 

Lilti'rs,  in  all  animals,  intermediate  litters  most  fruitful  ;  first 
and  last  generally  produce  fewest  and  weakest  of  the  kind,  212. 

Littoral es,  Latin  name  for  those  shells  that  are  cast  upon  shore,  680. 

Liter  of  a  shark  affords  three  or  four  quarts  of  oil,  631. 

Lizards,  along  the  coasts  of  Guinea  their  flesh  esteemed  a  deli- 
cacy. 315 ;  differ  from  every  other  class  of  animals  and  from  each 
other,  709,  710  ;  whence  the  greatest  distinction;  general  charac- 
teristics ;  the  water-kind  changes  its  skin  everv  fourth  or  fifth  day ; 
sprinkled  with  salt,  the  whole  body  emits  a  viscous  liquor,  and  the 
lizard  dies  in  three  minutes  in  great  agonies  ;  whole  of  the  kind 
sustain  the  want  of  ibod  in  a  surprising  manner.  "I:'. 

Lizard  (Chalcydon)  of  Aldntvandus  described.  722. 

Lizard  (flying)  of  Java,  account  of  it  by  Gentil,  722. 

Loach,  a  description  of  this  fish,  650 

Lobster,  a  ruminating  fish,  232  ;  very  voracious,  though  without 
warmth  in  its  body,  or  red  blood  in  its  veins  ;  whatever  it  seizes 
upon  and  has  life  perishes,  however  well  defended  ;  they  devour 
each  other,  and,  in  some  measure,  eat  themselves  ;  changing  their 
shell  and  stomach  every  year,  the  old  stomach  is  the  first  morsel  to 
glut  the  new  ;  at  first  sight  the  head  may  be  mistaken  for  the  tail  ; 
its  description  ;  the  food  of  the  young  ;  the  moulting  season  ;  how 
they  change  their  shells  ;  many  die  under  this  operation  ;  speedy 
growth  of  the  new  shell ;  and  of  itself  after  the  change)  the  claws  of 

6K 


34 


MAG 


INDEX. 


MAN 


unequal  magnitude,  anil  why  :  at  certain  seasons  they  never  meet 
without  an  engagement;  wonders  this  extraordinary  creature 
offers  to  the  imagination  ;  are  endowed  with  a  vital  principle  that 
furnishes  out  such  limbs  as  have  been  cut  away  ;  varieties  of  this 
animal  with  diii'erences  in  the  claws,  little  in  the  habits  or  con- 
formation ;  the  shell  black  when  taken,  but  turns  red  by  boiling  ; 
common  way  of  taking  the  lobster,  663  to  b'6(i. 

Locust,  the  great  brown  locust  seen  in  several  parts  of  England 
in  1748  ;  in  some  southern  kingdoms  they  are  still  formidable  ; 
description  of  this  insect;  in  what  manner  they  take  the  field; 
their  devastations  ;  are  still  more  noxious  when  dead  ;  instance  of 
it ;  account  of  their  devastations  in  Russia,  Poland,  Lithuania,  and 
Barbery  ;  transformations ;  eaten  by  the  natives  in  many  kingdoms 
of  the  East,  and  caught  in  small  nets  for  that  purpose  ;  their  taste  : 
are  considered  as  a  great  delicacy  in  Tonquin,  by  the  rich  and  the 
poor;  must  have  been  a  common  food  with  the  Jews  ;  description 
of  the  great  West  Indian  Locust,  the  most  formidable,  773  to 
776. 

Loir,  the  great  dormouse,  so  called  hy  Mr.  Buffon.  3t>6. 

Longevity,  persons  remarkable  for  it,  2!)5. 

Lori,  the  longest  of  all  animals  in  proportion  to  its  size  ;  descrip- 
tion ;  a  native  of  the  island  of  Ceylon,  413. 

Loricaria,  description  of  this  fish,  650. 

Lories,  a  kind  of  parrot,  526. 

Louse,  its  description  ;  whether  distinguished  by  the  parts  of 
generation  into  males  and  females,  not  yet  discovered  ;  the  lousy 
disease  frequent  among  the  ancients,  many  of  whom  died  of  this 
disorder,  753,  754. 

Louse  (wood,)  the  description  ;  of  great  use  in  medicine,  758. 

Lowenhoeck,  his  opinion  about  the  rudiments  of  animals,  123. 

Luminous  appearance  of  the  waves  in  the  night,  the  cause,  73. 

Lump-fish,  its  description  ;  flung  into  a  pail  of  water,  will  stick 
so  close  to  the  bottom,  that  on  taking  the  fish  by  the  tail,  the 
pail  and  several  gallons  of  water  may  be  lifted ;  their  flesh,  043, 
644. 

Lungs,  animals  before  birth  make  no  use  of  their  lungs,  393  ;  no 
anatomist  has  described  the  lungs  of  the  lamprey,  63ci ;  caterpil- 
lars have  eighteen  lungs,  and  live  several  days  in  the  exhausted 
receiver  of  the  air-pump,  786. 

Lybia,  its  inhabitants  use  ostriches  as  horses ;  also  at  Joar  ;  in- 
stance of  it  at  the  factory  of  Podore,  465. 

l.ijlinijii.  of  Surinam,  a  kind  of  serpent,  thirty-six  feet  long,  727. 

Lynx,  distinguished  from  the  ounce,  and  described  ;  first  striking 
distinction  between  it  and  those  of  the  panther-kind  is  the  tail ; 
each  hair  of  this  animal  is  of  three  different  colours  ;  it  is  not 
above  the  size  of  the  ounce ;  chiefly  met  with  in  the  cold  coun- 
tries bordering  on  the  pole,  in  the  north  of  Germany,  Lithuania, 
Muscovy,  Siberia,  and  North  America  ;  those  of  the  New  Con- 
tinent are  smaller  than  in  Europe  ;  this  animal  has  been  called  the 
lupus  cervarius  ;  but  for  what  reason  hard  to  guess  ;  in  its  nature 
it  cx-ictly  resembles  the  cat,  is  bigger,  and  near  two  feet  long,  is 
also  bolder  and  fiercer  ;  more  delicate  than  the  cat ;  resembles  the 
wolf  in  nothing  except  its  cry  ;  several  reports  of  the  lynx,  pro- 
pagated by  ignorance  or  imposture,  304  to  306. 

Lyster,  strangeness  of  his  theory  to  explain  the  invariable  mo- 
tion of  winds,  100. 

Lytlwphytes  and  coraline  substances,  837. 


M. 

Macaguo,  a  kind  of  monkey  described  by  Mr.  Buffon,  411. 

Mftccair,  the  large  kind  of  parrot,  the  size  of  a  raven,  526. 

Maiichhiel-tree,  in  America,  its  shade  fatal,  95 ;  no  plant  will 
grow  under  it,  128. 

Machines,  the  invention  of  many  has  rendered  human  strength 
less  valuable,  152. 

Mnrkarel  produces  five  hundred  thousand  eggs  in  one  season, 
(i!2  ;  described,  648  ;  its  growth,  657. 

Madagascar,  its  natives  desire  nothing  so  ardently  as  to  prosti- 
tute their  wives  or  daughters  to  strangers,  and  for  the  most  trifling 
advantages,  139  ;  the  great  bat  of  that  island  described,  385. 

Madder.     See  Biiioa,  173. 

.   Madness,  produced   by  want   of   sleep,  156  ;   cured  by  music, 
and  also  caused  by  it.     See  Henry  IV.  166. 

Maelstroom,  Dutch  name  for  a  whirlpool;  one  upon  the  coast  of 
Norway,  considered  as  most  dreadful  and  destructive  ;  the  body 
of  water  forming  this  whirlpool,  extended  in  a  circle  of  above 
thirteen  miles,  7^. 

Ma/gtHaa  (Ferdinand,)  a  Portuguese  of  noble  extraction,  first 
discovered  the  gigantic  race  of  mankind,  towards  the  extremity 


of  South  America  ;  account  of  this  discovery  ;  he  waa  slain  upon 
one  of  the  Molucca  islands,  191. 

Magni.  an  llalian  traveller,  discovered  the  remarkable  grotto  of 
Antiparos,  in  the  Archipelago,  20. 

Ma-got  of  Buffon,  the  Cynocephalus,  the  last  of  the  ape  kind, 
described,  404. 

Magpie,  thievish;  rings  found  in  the  nest  of  a  tame  magpie, 
512  ;  habits  and  food  ;  when  satisfied  for  the  present  it  lays  up 
the  remainder  for  another  time  ;  places  where  it  builds,  and  nest 
described  ;  number  of  eggs  in  its  domestic  state  ;  preserves  its 
natural  character  strictly  ;  foolish  custom  of  cutting  its  tongue  to 
teach  it  to  speak  ;  puts  the  animal  to  pain,  and  balks  the  inten- 
tion, 516,  .">!  7. 

Mahumi/un.t,  considering  the  hare  as  an  unclean  animal,  reli- 
giously abstain  from  its  flesh,  348. 

Mni.mnn,  the  last  of  the  baboons,  Edwards  calls  it  the  pigtail ; 
its  description  ;  native  of  Sumatra  ;  does  not  well  endure  the 
rigours  of  our  climate,  406. 

Ma  ire  (James  Le,)  a  traveller  who  confirms  the  existence  of 
giants  in  America,  191. 

Maki.,  the  last  of  the  monkey  kind,  398  ;  their  description  ;  many 
diU'i-rrnt  kinds  of  these  animals,  411,  412. 

Malabar,  land  and  sea  breezes  upon  those  coasts,  103. 

Malacopterigii,  the  barbarous  Greek  name  given  to  the  soft- 
finned  fish  ;  the  prickly-finned  sort  termed  .4cantlwptcrigii,  647. 

Malnhnllo,  a  very  considerable  volcano  in  South  America,  29. 

Malbianclic,  grounds  his  beautiful  theory  of  monstrous  produc- 
tions upon  a  famous  instance  related  by  him,  and  some  theory 
from  which  he  deduces  the  effects  of  imagination  upon  the  foetus, 
187. 

Mulbrouk,  a  monkey  of  the  ancient  continent ;  its  description  ; 
the  Bramins  have  hospitals  for  such  as  are  sick  or  disabled,  638. 

Ma-tu.it  ia  Islands  have  land  in  them  at  one  time  covered  with 
water,  and  at  another  free,  82. 

Milliard,  a  kind  of  duck,  598  ;  with  very  particular  faculties  for 
calling,  600. 

Malpighi,  his  famous  experiment  upon  the  stigmata  of  cater- 
pillars, 786. 

Mammoth,  its  tusks,  which  are  used  as  ivory,  and  supposed  to 
belong  to  the  elephant,  often  weigh  four  hundred  pounds,  425. 

Man  endures  a  greater  variety  of  climates  than  the  lower  orders 
are  able  to  do,  and  why.  93 ;  on  comparing  the  minute  differences 
of  mankind,  it  will  be  found  that  there  is  scarce  one  nation  upon 
earth  that  entirely  resembles  another  ;  differences  in  his  species  less 
than  in  animals,  and  rather  taken  from  the  tincture  of  the  skin  than 
variety  of  figure  ;.  there  are  not  in  the  world  above  six  distinct 
varieties  in  the  race  of  men  ;  first  race  in  the  polar  regions,  deep 
brown,  short,  oddly  shaped,  savage  ;  second,  the  Tartar  race, 
olive-coloured,  middle-sized,  ugly,  robust  ;  third,  the  southern 
Asiatics,  dark  olive,  slender  shaped,  straight  black  hair,  feeble  ; 
fourth,  the  Negroes  of  Africa,  black,  smooth  skin,  woolly  hair, 
well  shaped  ;  fifth,  the  Americans,  copper  colour,  straight  black 
hair,  small  eyes,  slight  lii.ibed,  not  strong  ;  sixth,  the  Europeans 
and  bordering  nations,  white  and  of  different  tints,  fine  hair,  large 
limbed,  vigorous,  177  to  183 ;  may  be  called  the  animal  of  every 
climate,  121;  intended  naturally  to  be  white,  184;  white  men 
resemble  our  common  parent  more  than  the  rest  of  his  children  ; 
a  native  of  the  tropical  climates,  and  only  a  sojourner  more  to  the 
north,  according  to  Linnaeus;  argument  sufficient  to  prove  the 
contrary,  185  ;  marriageable  in  the  warm  countries  of  India  at 
twelve  and  thirteen  years  of  age,  189;  just  come  into  the  world 
gives  a  picture  of  complete  imbecility,  133;  a  vain  man  ventures 
to  excite  an  auditor's  attention  at  the  risk  of  incurring  his  dislike, 
146  ;  as  man  has  a  superiority  of  powers  over  other  animals,  so  is 
he  proportionably  inferior  to  them  in  his  necessities  ;' nature  has 
made  him  subject  to  more  wants  and  infirmities  than  other  crea- 
tures, but  all  these  wants  seem  given  to  multiply  the  number  of 
his  enjoyments ;  and  in  what  manner,  153  ;  first  sensations  of  a 
man  newly  brought  into  existence,  and  the  steps  by  which  he 
arrives  at  reality,  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Buffon,  171  ;  the  only 
animal  that  supports  himself  perfectly  erect ;  the  buttock  in  man 
different  from  all  other  animals  ;  man's  feet  also  different  from 
those  of  other  animals,  the  apes  not  excepted  ;  the  nails  less 
in  man  than  in  any  animal,  148  ;  said  to  be  tall  when  from  five 
feet  eight  inches  to  six  feet  high,  149 ;  probability  that  men  have 
been,  in  all  ages,  much  of  the  same  size  they  are  at  present,  J92  ; 
proportionably  stronger  for  his  size  than  any  other  animal ;  to 
compare  the  strength  of  the  lion  with  that  of  man,  it  must  be 
considered  the  claws  of  the  animal  give  a  false  idea  of  its  power, 
and  ascribe  to  its  force  the  effects  of  its  arms  ;  another  manner  of 
comparing  the  strength  of  man  with  that  of  animals,  is  by  the 


MAR 


INDEX. 


35 


weights  which  either  Can  carry  ;  Dr.  Desaguliera  speaks  of  a  man 
able  to  raise  two  thousand  pounds,  by  distributing  the  weights  in 
such  a  manner  that  every  part  of  his  body  bore  its  share,  350  ; 
exercised  in  runninp;  outstrips  horses ;  a  stout  walker,  in  a  jour- 
ney, walks  down  a  horse  ;  those  employed  as  messengers  at  Ispa- 
han in  Persia,  runners  by  profession,  go  thirty-six  leagUM  in  four- 
teen hours,  150  ;  every  animal  endures  the  want  of  sleep  and  hun- 
ger with  less  injury  to  health  than  man,  153  ;  he  nannot,  uninjured, 
live  many  days  without  eating,  drinking,  and  sleeping,  ib. ;  one 
said  to  live  without  food  for  seven  days,  155  ;  requires  sloep  for 
double  motives,  the  refreshment  of  the  mental  as  well  as  the  bodi- 
ly frame,  156  ;  more  difficult  for  man  than  any  other  animal  to 
procure  sleep,  ib. ;  has  a  lump  upon  the  windpipe  not  to  bo  seen  in 
women,  147;  a  young  man  deaf  and  dumb  from  his  birth,  knew 
nothing  of  death,  and  never  thought  of  it  till  the  age  of  twenty- 
four,  when  he  began  to  speak  all  of  a  sudden,  107  ;  account  of  a 
man  ruminating,  232 ,  in  those  countries  where  men  are  most  bar- 
barous and  stupid,  their  brutes  are  most  active  and  sagacious,  410  ; 
one,  without  hands  or  legs,  by  practice  used  his  stumps  for  the 
most  convenient  purposes,  and  performed  astonishing  feats  of  dex- 
terity, 416;  man  dies  under  wounds  which  a  quadruped  or  bird 
could  easily  survive,  830. 

Manufactures,  the  woollen  manufacture  not  carried  on  here  till 
several  agea  after  sheep  were  propagated  in  England  ;  unavailing 
efforts  of  our  kings  to  introduce  and  preserve  it;  the  Flemings 
possessed  the  art  to  a  superior  degree  ;  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Netherlands  improved  us  in  this  art,  and  when  ;  the  woollen-manu- 
facture supposed  for  some  time  decaying  among  us,  243 ;  of  stuff's 
of  the  wool  of  the  pacos,  a  considerable  branch  of  commerce  in 
South  America,  434. 

Mnii'iti,  may  indiscriminately  be  the  last  of  beasts,  or  the  first  of 
fishes;  its  description;  the  female  has  breasts  placed  forward  like 
those  of  women  ;  holds  her  young  ones  with  her  paws  to  her  bosom, 
where  it  sticks  and  accompanies  her  wherever  she  goes  ;  the  tongue 
so  short,  some  have  pretended  it  has  none ;  never  entirely  leaves 
the  water  ;  only  advances  the  head  out  of  the  stream,  to  reach  the 
grass  on  the  river  sides  ;  it  feeds  entirely  on  vegetables  ;  places 
where  found  ;  graze  among  turtles  and  other  crustaceous  fishes, 
giving  or  fearing  no  disturbance  ;  unmolested  they  keep  together 
in  large  companies,  and  surround  their  young  ;  bring  forth  in 
autumn ;  and  supposed  to  go  with  young  eighteen  months ;  the  ma- 
nati  has  no  voice  nor  cry ;  its  intestines  are  longer  in  proportion 
than  those  of  any  other  creature,  the  horse  exempted  ;  the  fat  which 
lies  under  the  skin,  exposed  to  the  sun,  has  a  fine,  smell  and  taste, 
and  exceeds  the  fat  of  any  sea  animal ;  the  heat  of  the  sun  does  not 
make  it  rancid  ;  it  tastes  like  the  oil  of  sweet  almonds,  and  serves 
every  way  instead  of  butter  ;  any  quantity  may  be  taken  inwardly, 
having  no  other  effect  than  to  keep  the  body  open  ;  the  fat  of  the 
tail  boiled,  more  delicate  than  the  former  ;  the  lean  takes,  a  long 
time  in  boiling,  and  eats  like  beef;  may  be  kept  a  long  time  in  the 
hottest  days  without  tainting ;  the  fat  of  the  young  like  pork,  and 
the  lean  like  veal ;  upon  the  whole  this  animal's  flesh  resembles 
turtle,  H'.iii. 

Mandril,  the  largest  of  the  baboon  kind;  its  description  ;  when 
displeased,  weeps  like  a  child  ;  is  a  native  of  the  Gold  Coast,  406. 

Mangabc.ij,  a  monkey  of  the  ancient  continent ;  its  descrip- 
tion, 411. 

Mangrove-tree,  that  grows  down  in  the  water  of  the  Senegal 
river,  64. 

Manks-jmJJln,  or  coulterncb,  a  small  water-fowl,  described, 
590,591.  ' 

Jtforeonre*,  their  composition  ;  experiment  by  way  of  proof.  33. 

Mares,  their  exportation  prohibited  by  law  in  Arabia,  '217  ;  studs 
in  Persia  of  ten  thousand  white  mares,  with  hoofs  so  hard,  that 
shoeing  is  unnecessary,  218  ;  a  law  in  England,  prohibiting  the  ex- 
portation of  mares  and  stallions  ;  and  one  similar  to  this  obtained 
co  early  as  the  time  of  Athelstan,  222. 

Marikina,  a  monkey  of  the  sagoin  kind,  with  a  mane  round  the 
neck,  and  a  bunch  of  hair  at  the  end  of  the  tail,  like  a  lion,  412. 

Marmose,  only  differs  in  size  from  the  oppossum,  being  less  ;  in- 
stead of  the  bag  to  receive  the  young,  has  only  two  longitudinal 
folds,  within  which  the  premature  young  continue  to  suck ;  when 
first  produced,  not  above  the  size  of  a  bean  ;  but  stick  to  the  teat 
until  they  arrive  at  maturity,  415. 

Murmout,  or  marmotte,  a  ruminating  animal,  232;  a  native  of  the 
Alps ;  its  description  ;  is  easily  tamed,  readily  taught  to  dance, 
wield  a  stick,  and  obey  the  voice  of  its  master  ;  it  has  an  antipathy 
to  the  dog  ;  and  when  become  familiar,  and  is  supported  by  its  mas- 
ter, it  attacks  and  bites  the  largest,  mastiff;  strength  and  agility  ; 
except  its  enmity  to  dogs,  lives  in  friendship  with  every  creature, 
unless  provoked ;  ludicrous  saying  that  the  Savoyards,  the  only 


Jl  chimney-sweepers  of  Paris,  have  learned  their  art  from  the  mar- 
l'  mottn  they  carry  about  for  show  ;  is  apt  to  knaw  the  furniture  ; 
|l  other  afflictions  of  this  animal ;  its  food;  is  cleanly,  but  has  a  dis- 
||  agreeable  scent;  sleeps  during  winter;  though  a  native  of  the 
I  highest  mountains,  and  where  the  snow  is  nevei  wholly  melted,  yet 
it  fuels  the  influence  of  cold  more  than  any  other  animal;  form  of  its 
,;  hole  resembles  the  letter  Y;  manner  of  making  it;  they  live 
•;  together,  and  work  in  common  to  make  their  habitations  snug  and 
convenient;  whan  they  venture  abroad,  one  is  placed  as  sentinel 
upon  a  lofty  rock  ;  Mr.  Buffon  says  it  does  not  sleep  during  winter,  is 
rather  in  a  torpor,  a  stagnation  of  all  its  faculties;  its  heat  not  more 
;  than  ten  degrees  above  congelation  ;  the  flesh  said  to  have  a  wild 
|j  taste,  and  to  cause  vomiting  ;  countries  whore  it  is  found  ;  inhabi- 
tants of  the  Alps  do  not  till  winter  open  its  hole ;  produces  but 
once  a  year,  and  brings  forth  three  or  four  at  a  time  ;  they  grow 
fast,  and  their  lives  not  above  nine  or  ten  years,  355.  :tr>li. 

Miirrintfr  and  Consummation  of  the  Indians,  the  husband  at  ten 
yrars  old,  and  the  wife  at  eight ;  frequently  have  children  at  that 
age,  1*1. 

Mnriiiitr,  his  experiment  proves  that  water  acts  as  a  menstruum 
upon  air.  111-'. 

Miirniir,  spinal,  and  the  brain,  the  first  seen  as  begun  in  the 
embryo,  159. 

Martin,  its  description;  the  most  beautiful  of  all  British  beasls  of 
prey  ;  its  scent  a  pleasing  perfume  ;  the  v'ellow-breasleil  martin ;  its 
fur  more  valuable  than  the  white-breasted  eort ;  Mr.  Buffon  sup- 
poses them  a  distinct  species  ;  that  distinction  unnecessary  ;  of  all 
the  weasel-kind  the  most  pleasini,  334,  335  ;  is  fond  of  honey,  332; 
seldom  meets  the  wild  cat  without  a  combat ;  the  wild  cat  not  a 
match  for  the  martin  ;  there  is  scarcely  an  animal  in  our  woods 
that  will  venture  to  oppose  it ;  kept  tame  by  Gesner  and  Mr.  Buf- 
fon ;  often  slept  for  two  days,  and  then  was  two  or  three  days  with- 
out sleeping  ;  the  yellow-breasted  more  common  in  France  than 
England;  in  their  retreat  the  female  brings  fortli  her  younor,  three 
or  lour  at  a  time,  and  they  come  with  their  eyes  closed ;  how  she 
compensates  for  her  deficiency  of  milk  ;  this  animal  more  common 
in  North  America  than  Europe  ;  found  in  all  northern  parts  of  tho 
world,  from  Siberia  to  China  and  Canada  ;  small  birds  alarm  the 
spot,  where  the  dam  keeps  her  young,  and  direct  the  hunter  in  his 
pursuit  ;  the  white-breasted  keeps  near  houses  and  villages  ;  the 
yellow  in  woods  ;  leads  a  savage  life,  335  ;  its  nest  generally  the 
tenement  of  the  squirrel,  taking  possession,  and  killing  the  owner, 
353  ;  seizes  also  the  flying-squirrel,  354. 

Martin,  a  bird  of  the  swallow-tribe,  546. 

Mastiff,  one  of  the  three  descendants  of  the  shepherd's  dog ; 
chiefly  a  native  of  England  ;  when  transported  into  Denmark,  be- 
comes the  little  Danish  dog,  311 ;  the  Dutch  mastiff,  312. 

Mastiff-fox,  second  variety  of  foxes  less  than  the  greyhound 
fox,  325. 

Maturity,  attained  to  by  slow  steps,  announces  a  slow  march  to 
old  age  ;  as  true  to  other  animals  as  to  man  and  vegetables,  174 ; 
sooner  arrived  at  in  India  than  in  Europe,  181. 

Maie,  in  fishes  possesses  the  power  of  digesting,  608. 

Musi  win,  (the  Emperor)  a  prodigy  of  strength  ;  several  instances 
of  it  ;  by  birth  a  Thracian  ;  from  being  a  simple  herdsman  he  rose 
by  the  gradations  of  office,  until  he  became  Emperor  of  Rome  ;  was 
above  nine  feet  in  height,  and  the  best  proportioned  man  in  the 
empire;  was  killed  by  his  own  soldiers,  while  sleeping,  151,  152. 

May-bug,  or  dor-beetle,  described,  819.     See  Beetle. 

Mf-asled-harfs,  distinguished  from  mountain  hares,  348. 

Mechanism,  which  regulates  the  number  of  our  years,  admits  no 
change  in  its  laws,  and  can  be  affected  only  by  long  fasting,  or 
great  excess.  175. 

JHedavro,  the  brass  helmet  dug  up  there  fits  a  common  man,  yet 
is  allowed  to  have  been  left  there  at  the  overthrow  of  Asdrubal,  192. 

Mniia  has  pastures  in  its  plains  excellent  for  rearing  horses,  220. 

Mediterranean  si  a,  always  receiving,  and  never  discharging  wa- 
ter, is  no  way  fuller  than  before  ;  in  what  manner  some  account  for 
this,  77;  water-snouts  seen  in  it;  description  of  them  by  Tournc- 
f'ort  ;  salutions  ottered  for  this  phenomenon  by  Mr.  Buffon  and  Dr. 
Stuart.  114  ;  this  sea  one  of  the  smoothest  and  most  gentle  in  the 
world.  7-. 

Medusa,  name  given  by  Linna>ns  to  a  small  insect,  thought  tho 
simple  food  of  the  Greenland  whale,  618. 

Mi.il/omius  has  collected  some  few  remains  of  ancient  music, 
which  do  not  leave  room  to  regret  what  is  lost.  166. 

M<  inljrane  the  nictitating  membrane  in  birds  ;  vails  the  eye  at 
pleasure,  450. 

Mendip  Mines,  in  Somersetshire,  account  of  them  by  Mr.  Locke,  23. 

Menstruum,  that  body  which  is  most  fluid  and  penetrating,  in 
likely  to  be  the  menstruum  of  one  less  so  ;  Mariotte's  experiment 

OK* 


MLS 


INDEX. 


MON 


shows  that  water  will  act  as  a  menstruum  upon  air  ;  cold  di- 
minishes the  force  of  menstruums,  and  often  promotes  evapora- 
tion, 168. 

Merlin,  the  smallest  of  the  hawk  or  falcon-kind  ;  scarce  larger 
than  a  thrush;  displays  a  degree  of  courage  rendering  him  formida- 
ble to  birds  far  above  his  size  ;  kills  a  partridge  or  a  quail  at  a  sin- 
gle pounce  from  above,  483. 

Metals,  the  richest  in  their  native  state,  much  less  glittering  and 
splendid  than  useless  marcasitus  ;  the  basest  ores  are  generally  the 
most  beautiral  to  the  eye  ;  description  of  one  by  Mr.  Condamine, 
22;  those  trades  that  deal  in  their  preparations,  always  unwhole- 
some, 59 ;  all  pieces  swallowed  by  animals  lose  part  of  their  weight , 
and  often  the  extremities  of  their  figure,  463. 

Meteors,  between  the  tropics,  and  near  the  poles,  assume  dread- 
ful and  various  appearances.  110;  in  those  countries  where  the  sun 
exerts  the  greatest  force  in  raising  vapours,  there  are  the  greatest 
quantity  ot  meteors,  ib. ;  one  of  a  verv  uncommon  kind,  seen  by 
Ulloa,  at  Quito,  1 12. 

Method,  the  principal  help  in  natural  history  ;  without  it.  little 
progress  made  in  this  scienco  ;  the  most  applauded  of  classing  ani- 
mals ;  the  author's  method  of  classing  them  ;  that  of  describing  all 
things  by  words  alone,  a  fault  that  has  infected  most  of  our  diction- 
aries, and  bodies  of  arts  and  sciences  ;  Mr.  Locke  has  observed, 
that  a  drawing  of  an  animal  taken  from  life,  is  the  best  method  of 
advancing  natural  history,  19!)  to  20:2. 

Mew,  said  of  stags  when  they  cast  their  heads,  262. 
Mice,  have  burrowed  in  the  backs  of  hugs,  while  fattening  in  the 
sty,  without  being  felt,  281  ;  in  1580,  at  Hallontide,  an  army  of 
mice  over-run  the  marshes  near  Southminster,  and  eat  up  the  grass 
to  the  roots  ;  but  soon  after  they  were  all  devoured  by  a  number  of 
strange-painted  owls ;  the  like  happened  again  in  Essex  about  sixty 
years  afterwards,  491. 

Mica,  the  least  and  most  beautiful  monkey  of  the  sagoin  kind,  412. 
Microscope  increases  the  magnitude  of  an  object,  and  that  of  its 
motion  also,  124;  the  pupil  and  humours  of  the  eye  of  the  mole  dis- 
covered by  it,  371. 

Migrating  fishes.     See  Fishes,  653. 

Migration,  causes  of  migration  of  birds  ;  in  what  manner  they  per- 
form them ;  at  what  times  ;  rather  follow  the  weather  than  country, 
and  go  on  as  they  perceive  the  atmosphere  more  suitable  to  their 
wants  and  dispositions  ;  some  birds  by  migrating  make  an  habita- 
tion of  every  part  of  the  earth  ;  migration  of  some  swallows,  and 
retreat  of  others  into  old  walls,  to  avoid  the  rigour  of  winter,  wrap 
this  subject  in  great  obscurity,  456,  457 ;  of  bees  several  signs  pre- 
vious to  it,  803. 

Milk,  infants  have  it  in  their  own  breasts.  137  ;  sometimes  found 
in  the  breasts  of  men,  as  well  as  in  those  of  women,  147  ;  in  car- 
nivorous animals  more  sparing  than  in  others,  212  ;  of  goats  medi- 
cinal, and  not  apt  to  curdle  upon  the  sttimach  as  that  of  the  cow, 
246 ;  of  the  rein-deer  thinner  than  that  of  the  cow,  but  sweeter 
and  more  nourishing.  274  ;  boiled  up  with  wood-sorrel,  by  the  Lap- 
landers, kept  in  casks  under  ground,  to  be  eaten  in  winter,  276  ;  in- 
jected into  a  vein,  kills  with  more  certainty  than  the  venom  of  a 
viper,  734. 

Millepedes  multiplied  by  being  cut  in  pieces,  125. 
Milo,  an  instance  of  his  strength,  when  stood  upright,  151. 
Milton  makes  Satan   personate  the  cormorant,  a  most  nauseous 
bird,  275. 

Minerals,  mere  inactive  and  insensible  bodies,  119. 
Miners  first  become  paralytic,   then   die  consumptive,   for  the 
trifling  reward  of  seven-pence  a  day,  23 ;  peculiar  contrivance  for  to 
supply  light  for  their  operations,  24. 

Minis,  the  deepest  that  at  Cotteberg  in  Hungary,  not  more  than 
three  thousand  feet  deep,  15 ;  a  coal-mine  of  the  North  of  England  said 
to  be  eleven  hundred  yards  deep,  22  ;  air  different  in  them,  pro- 
portionablv  as  th<>  magazines  of  fire  lay  nearer  the  centre  ;  other 
causes  of  this  difference;  Mendip  lead-mines  in  Somersetshire; 
their  dfMcription,  ib.;  mines  of  coal  generally  less  noxious  than 
th<>se  of  tin  ;  tin  than  those  of  copper  ;  but  none  are  so  dreadfully 
destructive  as  those  of  quicksilver  ;  deplorable  infirmities  of  work- 
in,  n  .'i  llie  ininei  near  the  village  of  Idra,  23  ;  metallic,  often  de- 
utrovs  all  vegetal'  n  by  their  volatile  corrosive  fumes  ;  salt  mines 
naturally  cold,  '£> :  natives  of  countries  abounding  in  mines  too 
often  experience  the  n-ixn..!!'  effects  of  their  vicinity,  95  ;  in  a  lead- 
ruin"  in  Flintsl'irf  wen-  f'<  U-K'  two  grinding  teeth  and  part  of  the 
tusk  of  an  elepnunt,  at  forty  two  .-irds  depth.  424. 

JHingrtHu.t  s  among  the  sixth  variety  of  the  human  species,  de- 
»cri!ic<!.  \1''. 

Mirt-driim,  the  Viltrnt,  described.  .'07.     See  Bittern. 

Mtftlitue.  u  piiint.  thought  propagated  by  seeds  voided  by  birds, 

657. 


Mississippi,  a  great  river  in  North  America ;  its  source  and 
length,  t>3. 

Miflu  continually  rise  upon  the  approach  of  the  winter  months 
undrr  the  line,  1111 ;  called  frost  smoke  ;  raises  blisters  on  the  body, 
in  tlie  regions  round  ihe  poles.  I  13. 

.Mil.t:-Jftij,  not  found  in  Lapland,  276. 

Mia  in  i .  a.  river  in  America ;  enormous  skeletons  lately  discovered 
near  it.  425. 

Mark-bird,  description  of  the  American  mock-bird  ;  its  habits  ; 
run  assume  the  tone  of  every  animal  in  the  wood,  from  the  wolf  to 
the  raven.  .Tin. 

Meck-nau,  meteors,  and  other  phenomena,  in  the  northern  re- 
gions, 110. 

.Mococa,  first  of  the  maki-kind,  which  is  the  last  of  the  monkeys; 
its  description  ;  a  native  of  Madagascar ;  its  qualities,  412, 413 ;  eats 
its  iiwn  tail,  44(1. 

ModeniL,  a  city  in  Italy ;  its  remarkable  wells  ;  other  rarities  round 
it,  83.  . 

Movld.  black,  or  garden-earth,  the  first  layer  on  the  surface  of 
the  globe  ;  is  formed  from  animal  and  vegetable  bodies  decayed  ; 
soil  tortile  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  that  putrified  mould  bears 
to  the  gravelly  mixture  ;  and  as  the  former  predominates,  so  far  is 
the  vegetation  upon  it  more  luxuriant,  15. 

Mule,  a  ruminating  insect,  or  seemingly  so.  232  ;  no  quadruped 
fatter,  none  with  a  more  sleek,  glossy  skin  ;  an  utter  stranger  in 
Ireland  ;  formed  to  live  under  the  earth  ;  its  description  ;  the  an- 
cients, and  some  moderns,  of  opinion  that  the  rnole  was  blind,  but 
Derham,  by  a  microscope,  discovered  all  the  parts  of  the  eye  known 
in  other  animals  ;  a  mole  let  loose  in  the  midst  of  a  field,  like  a 
ghost  on  a  theatre,  instantly  sinks  into  the  earth  ;  peculiar  advan- 
tage of  the  smallness  of  its  eyes  ;  when  once  buried  in  the  earth, 
it  seldom  stirs  out  ;  it  chooses  the  looser  softer  grounds  ;  chiefly 
preys  upon  worms  and  insects  ;  is  most  active  and  casts  up  most 
earth  immediately  before  rain,  and  in  winter  before  a  thaw  ;  in  dry 
weather  it  seldom  forms  hillocks;  readily  evades  the  pursuit  of  ani- 
mals stronger  and  swifter  than  itself;  their  greatest  calamity  is  an 
inundation,  which  whenever  it  happens  destroys  great  numbers  of 
them  ;  description  of  the  mole-hill  in  which  the  female  has  brought 
forth  her  young  ;  is  scarcely  found,  except  in  cultivated  countries  ; 
the  varieties  are  but  few;  that  of  Virginia  is  black,  mixed  with  a 
deep  purple  ;  that  of  Poland  is  white ;  Agricola  says,  he  saw  hats 
made  of  mole-skins,  the  finest  and  most  beautiful  imaginable,  370 
to  372. 

Molossian  breed  of  dogs,  and  its  perfections,  set  forth  by  Neme- 
sianus,  314. 

Mintlting,  annually  suffered  by  birds ;  its  effects,  453;  artificially 
accelerated,  and  how  ;  the  manner  in  which  nature  performs  the 
operation,  ih. ;  moulting  season,  from  the  end  of  summer  to  the 
middle  of  autumn,  ib. 

Molucca  Islands,  Ferdinand  Magellan  slain  upon  one  of  them, 
191. 

Mniin.  the  cejihus  of  the  ancients,  a  monkey  of  the  ancient  con- 
tinent, 411. 

Monax,  name  given  to  the  marmout  in  Canada,  358. 

Mangoz,  one  of  the  maki  kind,  the  last  of  the  monkeys ;  its  de- 
scription, 413. 

Monkey,  they  sometimes  fall  a  prey  to  the  lion  in  deserts  and 
forests,  2115  ;  one  general  description  will  not  serve  for  all  animals 
of  the  monkey  kind,  398 ;  La  Condamine  asserts  that  it  would  take 
up  a  volume  to  describe  the  difference  of  monkeys  found  along  the 
river  of  Amazons  ;  and  we  are  sure  that  every  one  of  these  is  dif- 
ferent from  those  on  the  African  coast ;  there  is  scarcely  a  country 
in  the  tropical  climates  that  does  not  swarm  with  them,  and  scarcely 
a  forest  that  is  not  inhabited  by  a  race  distinct  from  all  others  ;  those 
of  two  cantons  never  found  to  mix ;  of  all  kinds  less  than  the  baboon, 
have  less  power  of  doing  mischief,  and  their  ferocity  diminishes  with 
their  size ;  in  their  native  woods,  are  the  pests  of  other  animals, 
and  the  masters  of  the  forest  where  they  reside;  the  tiger,  nor  the 
lion,  will  not  venture  to  dispute  dominion  with  creatures,  who  from 
the  tops  of  trees  with  impunity  carry  on  an  offensive  war,  and  by 
their  agility  escape  all  pursuit ;  birds  have  not  less  to  fear  from 
their  continual  depredations;  such  being  their  petulant  delight  in 
mischief,  that  they  fling  the  eggs  against  the  ground  when  wanting 
appetite  to  devour  them  ;  one  only  animal  in  the  forest  ventures  to 
oppose  them  ;  that  is  the  serpent ;  large  snakes  often  wind  up  the 
trees,  where  they  reside,  and  happening  to  surprise  them  sleeping, 
swallow  them  whole,  before  they  can  make  a  defence  ;  they  gene- 
rally inhabit  the  tops  of  trees,  and  the  snakes  cling  to  the  branches 
near  the  bottom  ;  in  this  manner  they  are  near  each  other,  like  ene- 
mies in  the  same  field  of  battle  ;  some  suppose  their  vicinity  rather 
argued  mutual  friendship;  Father  Labat  has  seen  them  playing 


MOR 


INDEX. 


MUM 


37 


their  gambols  upon  those  branches  on  which  the  snakes  were  re- 
posing, and  jumping  over  them  without  receiving  any  injury;  they 
provoke  the  snake  us  the  sparrov.  s  twitter  at  a  cat ;  when  attacked, 
they  show  perfect  skill  in  defending  ami  assisting  each  other,  40(i, 
407  ;  they  regularly  begin  hostilities  against  those  who  enter  their 
woods  ;  one  being  wounded,  the  rest  come  round,  put  their  fingers 
into  the  wound,  as  desirous  of  sounding  its  depth  ;  the  blood  flow- 
ing in  any  quantity,  some  stop  it,  while  others  get  leaves,  chew, 
and  thrust  them  into  the  opening  ;  are  often  killed  in  numbers  be- 
fore they  make  a  retreat  ;  in  this  retreat  the  young  are  clinging  to 
the  b.ick  of  the  female,  who  jumps  away,  seemingly  unembarrassed 
bv  thu  burden  ;  usual  way  of  taking  them  alive  ;  skinned  and  served 
up  at  negro  feasts,  so  like  a  child,  an  European  is  shocked  at  the 
sight ;  the  negroes  seeing  Europeans  buy  young  and  tame  monkeys, 
with  equal  cure  brought  rats  to  the  factors  for  sale,  ami  were  greatly 
disappointed  at  finding  no  purchaser;  they  carry  oft'  what  they  are 
able,  and  destroy  ten  times  more  ;  manner  of  their  plundering  ;  are 
under  a  kind  of  discipline,  exercised  among  themselves  ;  accounts 
to  tins  purpose  by  Margrave ;  one  species,  by  Mr.  Button,  called 
the  ouarine,  remarkable  for  loudness  and  distinctness  of  voice; 
use  to  which  they  convert  it ;  are  generally  together  in  companies, 
march  in  exact  order,  and  obey  the  voice  of  some  chieftain,  re- 
markable for  his  size  and  gravity  ;  chief  food  of  the  tribe  ;  extra- 
ordinary manner  of  managing  an  oyster  ;  manner  of  drawing  crabs 
from  the  water  ;  no  snare,  however  nicely  baited,  takes  a  monkey 
of  the  West  Indian  islands ;  females  bring  forth  one,  and  some- 
times two  at  a  tiiiie  ;  rarely  breed  when  brought  into  Europe  ;  the 
male  and  female  never  tire  of  fondling  their  young,  and  instructing 
it  with  no  little  assiduity  ;  often  severely  correct  it,  if  stubborn,  or 
disinclined  to  profit  by  their  example,  408,  409  ;  manner  of  carry- 
ing their  young  in  the  woods  ;  dexterity  in  passing  from  one  tree 
to  another,  by  forming  a  kind  of  chain,  locking  tail  to  tail,  or 
hand  in  hand  ;  one  amused  itself  for  hours  imposing  upon  the  gra- 
vity of  a  cat,  and  playing  its  pranks  among  rabbits;  faithful  ser- 
vices which  Father  Carli  received  from  the  monkeys  in  Angola, 
where  he  went  to  convert  the  savage  natives  to  Christianity  ; 
savages  of  Africa  and  America  suppose  monkeys  to  be  men,  idle, 
slothful,  rational  beingjs,  capable  of  speech  and  conversation,  but 
obstinately  dumb,  for  tear  of  being  compelled  to  labour  ;  monkeys 
of  Africa  most  expert  and  entertaining  ;  show  a  greater  degree  of 
cunning  and  activity  ;  three  marks  by  which  monkeys  of  the  new 
continent  are  distinguished  from  those  of  the  old  ;  Mr.  Buffon 
makes  but  nine  species  of  monkeys  belong  to  the  ancient  continent, 
and  eleven  to  the  new;  their  names,  with  their  descriptions;  the 
red  Jifr'rcan,  the  jidtus,  second  sort  of  the  ancient  continent  ;  the 
trlriti  ntjse,  or  moustoc,  of  the  ancient  continent,  most  beautiful  ; 
its  description  ;  the  (rreen  of  St.  Jago,  also  called  caittitrif,  is  of 
the  ancient  continent  ;  its  description  ;  some  of  the  kinds  eat 
their  own  tail,  and  seem  to  feel  no  pain  ;  the  Bramins  have  hospi- 
tals for  those  that  happen  to  be  sick  or  disabled  ;  those  monkeys  of 
the  new  continent,  with  muscular  holding  tails,  are  called  sapajous, 
and  those  with  feeble  useless  tails,  are  called  sagoins;  the  fox-tail- 
ed monkev ;  tnakits,  the  lastof  the  kind;  their  description,  410  to  413. 

Munkey-bczoar,  a  factitious  concrete,  252.     Sec  Brzoar. 

Atonot'ulits,  the  arborescent  water-flea;  its  description;  are  of  a 
blood-red  colour  ;  and  sometimes  in  such  multitudes  on  standing 
waters,  as  to  make  them  appear  all  over  red,  whence  the  water  has 
been  thought  turned  into  blood,  768. 

MenffO^HS,  so  called  from  a  famous  Pilot  of  that  name,  who  first 
used  them  in  navigation  with  success  ;  in  that  part  of  the  ocean 
between  Africa  and  India  those  of  the  east  winds  begin  in 
January,  and  end  at  the  commencement  of  June  ;  in  August,  or 
September,  the  contrary  takes  place  ;  and  the  west  winds  blow 
for  three  or  four  months  ;  these  winds  are  always  subject  to  their 
grpufiist  variations  as  they  approach  the  land,  so  that  on  one  side 
of  the  great  peninsula  of  India  the  coasts  are  for  near  half  the 
year  harassed  by  violent  hurricanes,  while  on  the  opposite  side 
theso  dreadful  tempests  are  wholly  unknown,  102;  monsoons  pre- 
vail at  different  seasons  throughout  the  Indies,  ib. 

M«nx!*ri<.  after  a  e-ii.'l,<;rue  of  them.  Liana-Mis  particularly  adds 
the  lender  wtists  of  the  women  of  Europe.  Hri. 

.to^/w.'  romt  jtrodtictidns.  Father  Mnlbrauche's  ingenious  theory 
of;  remarkable  instance  rei:<,teci  b\r  him,  Irt7. 

Mnusc-dtir,  nii:, i«  in  America  for  the  elk.  270;  its  description, 
271. 

Miirmijrus,  description  of  this  fish,  <>.">!. 

.Wjro'T'o,  the  original  horses  there,  much  smaller  than  the  Ara- 
bian breed,  2l!!. 

M  'rvi.  a  kind  of  salamander,  thought  venomous.  717. 

.U-  3f.  an  animal  of  ;:ie  seal-kind,  mi^ht  be  n-nked  among  the 
fishes,  216  ;  generally  frequents  the  same  place  where  seals  reside 


in;  different  fi-im  'ho  rest  in  a  very  particular  formation  of  the 
teeth;  rescmhlt .,  ,*  se;il.  <  \eej>t  that  it  is  much  larger  ;  are  rarely 
found  but  in  the  frozen  regie  MIS  near  the  pole  ;  the  Greenlanders, 
who  formerly  had  great  plenty,  and  who  made  them  their  principal 
food,  now  find  them  very  scarce,  and  are  obliged  to  toil  more 
assiduously  for  a  subsistence  ;  its  teeth  generally  trom  two  to  three 
feet  long  ;  the  ivory  more  esteemed  than  that  of  the  elephant ;  the 
fishers  have  formerly  killed  three  or  four  hundred  morses  at  once  ; 
their  bones  are  still  lying  in  prodigious  quantities  along  those 
shores  they  chiefly  frequented,  395,  H:M>. 

Moschelots,  excessive  torments  caused  by  them,  43. 

Muss,  the  only  support  of  the  rein-deer  in  Lapland ;  of  two  sorts, 

Mother-of-pearl,  taken  from  the  pearl  oyster,  G91. 
Moths,  difference  from  butterflies,  7!)3. 

Mutiuit  keeps  the  water  of  the  sea  sweet,  73;  destroys  numbers 
of  viler  creatures,  ib.;  constant  motion  of  the  waters  of  the   sea 


worm  kind  move,  tsKI. 

MouJ/lon,  the,  sheep  in  a  savage  state,  a  bold  fleet  creature,  able 
to  escape  from  greater  animals,  or  oppose  the  smaller  ;  its  descrip- 
tion, 242. 

Mountains,  rising  from  places  once  level,  10 ;  give  direction  to 
the  course  of  the  air,  195  ;  how  formed  and  for  what  designed  ; 
upon  our  globe  considered  as  angles  of  small  lines  in  the  circum- 
ference of  a  circle,  40,  41;  countries  most  mountainous,  are  most 
barren  and  uninhabitable,  43  ;  some  valleys  are  fertilized  by  earth 
washed  down  from  great  heights,  47;  the  more  extensive  the 
mountain,  the  greater  the  river,  42;  tops  of  the  highest  mountains 
bare  and  pointed,  and  why.  45 ;  tops  of  land-mountains  appear 
barren  and  rocky,  of  sea-mountains  verdant  and  fruitful,  85  ;  the 
highest  in  Africa,  those  called  of  the  moon,  giving  source  to  the 
Niger  and  Nile  in  Africa ;  the  greatest  and  highest  under  the  line  ; 
some  rise  three  miles  perpendicular  above  the  bottom  of  the 
ocean,  42,  43  ;  highest  in  Asia  ;  Mount  Caucasus  makes  near 
approaches  to  the  Andes  in  South  America,  45 ;  burning  moun- 
tains in  Europe,  26 ;  in  Asia ;  in  the  Molucca  Islands  ;  in  Africa ; 
in  America  ;  those  of  the  Andes ;  those  of  Arequipa,  Carasso, 
Malahallo,  and  Cotopaxi,  29 ;  description  of  the  latter  by  Ulloa, 
and  an  eruption  of  it,  ib. 

Mouse,  the  most  feeble  and  most  timid  of  all  quadrupeds,  except 
the  Guinea-pig  ;  never  leaves  its  hole  but  to  seek  provision  ;  never 
rendered  quite  familiar  ;  though  fed  in  a  cage  retains  its  apprehen- 
sions ;  no  animal  has  more  enemies,  and  few  so  incapable  of  resist- 
ance ;  the  owl,  cat,  snake,  hawk,  weasel,  and  rat,  destroy  them 
by  millions  ;  brings  forth  at  all  seasons ;  and  several  times  in  the 
year ;  its  usual  number  from  six  to  ten ;  these  in  a  fortnight  strong 
enough  to  shift  for  themselves ;  places  where  chiefly  found  ;  Aris- 
totle, having  put  a  mouse  with  young  into  a  vessel  of  corn,  some 
time  after  found  a  hundred  and  twenty  sprung  from  that  original ; 
its  life  lasts  two  or  three  years ;  the  species  found  in  all  parts  of 
the  ancient  continent,  and  has  been  exported  to  the  new  ;  although 
enemies  to  man,  are  never  found  but  near  those  places  where  he 
has  fixed  his  habitation  ;  Gesner  minutely  describes  the  variety 
of  mouse-traps  ;  long-tailed  field-mouse  ;  short-tailed  field-mouse  ; 
has  a  store  against  winter,  a  bushel  at  a  time  ;  a  description  of  the 
shrew-mouse,  3b'5.  366. 

Moustoc,  or  White-nose,  monkey  of  the  ancient  continent,  de- 
scription, 411. 

Mouth  of  hares  lined  with  hair  ;  the  only  animals  that  have  it  on 
the  inside,  347  ;  the  snails  of  the  trochus  kind  have  none,  685. 

Mucous  /ii/uiir.  giving  the  joints  an  easy  and  ready  play,  149. 

Mu^ii,  the  mullet,  description  of  this  fish,  649. 

Mule,  reputed  barren,  though  Aristotle  says  it  is  sometimes 
prolific,  223 ;  engendered  between  a  horse  and  a  she-uss,  or  a  jack- 
ass and  a  mare  ;  inhabitants  of  mountainous  countries  cannot  do 
without  them  ;  how  they  go  down  the  precipices  of  the  Alps 
and  Andes  ;  a  fine  mule  in  Spain  worth  fifty  or  sixty  guineas  ; 
common  mule  very  healthy  ;  lives  thirty  years  and  more,  226;  in 
S.iutli  America  destroyed  by  a  bat  c;iiled  vampyre,  3b6. 

JMuluf  or  sur mulct,  a  description  of  this  fish,  -421. 

.Wii/tictiive  shells,  third  division  of  shells  by  Aristotle,  fi79  ;  two 
principal  kinds  of  multivuive  sludl-fish,  moving  and  stationary,  693. 

Mummy,  formerly  a  considerable  article  in  medicine;  ParsRus 
wrote  a  teatise  on  the  ineflicacy  of  mummy  in  physic  ;  counter- 
feited by  the  Jews,  and  how  ;  the  method  of  seeking  for  mum- 
mies ;  found  in  the  sands  of  Arabia,  in  Egypt,  in  wooden  coffins, 
or  in  cloths  covered  with  bitumen,  196  ;  remarkable  munmiv  dug 
up  at  Auvergne,  in  France,  197;  an  injection  of  petreuleum  in- 


38 


NAR 


INDEX. 


NIL 


wardly,  and  a  layer  of  asphaltura  without,  suffice  to  make  a  mum- 
my, 198. 

Murtena,  the  eel,  its  description,  649. 

Murena  of  the  ancients,  not  our  lamprey,  637. 

Muralto.     See  Lam/trey,  638. 

Muscardin,  name  of  the  lesser  dormouse,  by  Mr.  Buffon,  36G. 

Muscles,  if  we  compare  the  largeness  and  thickness  of  our  mus- 
cles with  those  of  any  other  animal,  we  shall  find  that  we  have 
the  advantage  ;  to  judge  of  the  strength  of  animals  by  the  thick- 
ness of  their  muscles,  inconclusive,  152;  those  of  the  hare  are 
strong  and  without  fat,  345  ;  the  pectoral  muscles  of  quadrupeds 
trifling  in  comparison  to  those  of  birds  ;  in  quadrupeds,  as  in  man, 
the  muscles  moving  the  thighs  and  hinder  parts  are  strongest, 
while  those  of  the  arms  are  feeble  ;  in  birds  the  contrary  obtains, 
450  ;  those  of  the  shark  preserve  their  motion  after  being  separat- 
ed from  the  body,  631. 

Mussel,  the  shell-fish,  its  description  ;  its  organs  of  generation 
are  what  most  deserve  to  excite  our  curiosity  ;  the  crab,  and  the 
cray-fish,  are  seen  to  devour  them,  but  the  trochus  is  their  most 
formidable  enemy;  it  endeavours  to  become  stationary,  and  to 
attacli  itself  to  any  fixed  object  it  happens  to  be  near ;  its  ene- 
mies ;  it  is  supposed  that  those  threads,  which  are  usually  called 
the  beard  of  the  mussel,  are  the  natural  growth  of  the  animal's 
body,  and  by  no  means  produced  at  pleasure,  as  Reaumur  sup- 
poses ;  its  instrument  of  motion,  by  which  it  contrives  to  reach 
the  object  it  wants  to  bind  itself  to ;  its  food  ;  some  of  this  kind 
have  been  found  a  foot  long  ;  the  natives  of  Palermo  sometimes 
make  gloves  and  stockings  of  its  beards  ;  the  places  where  found  , 
it  requires  a  year  for  the  peopling  a  mussel  bed,  087,  088. 

Muscovy  duck,  or  mast  duck,  so  called  from  a  supposed  musky 
smell,  598. 

Music,  said  by  the  ancients  to  have  been  invented  from  the 
blows  of  different  hammers  on  an  anvil ;  in  all  countries,  where 
music  is  in  its  infancy,  the  half  tones  are  rejected  ;  the  Chinese 
have  neither  flats  nor  sharps  in  their  music  ;  many  barbarous 
nations  have  their  instruments  of  music  ;  and  the  proportion 
between  their  notes  is  the  same  as  in  ours ;  all  countries  pleased 
with  music,  and  where  they  have  no  skill  to  produce  harmony, 
they  substitute  noise  ;  its  effects  ;  the  ancients  give  us  many 
strange  instances  of  them  upon  men  and  animals  ;  and  the  mo- 
derns likewise  ;  madness  cured  by  it  ;  and  also  excited  by  it ;  re- 
makable  instance  in  Henry  IV.  of  Denmark  ;  fishes  are  allured  by 
music;  horses  and  cows  likewise,  164,  105  ;  the  elephant  appears 
delighted  with  music,  418  ;  Father  Kircher  has  set  the  voices  of 
birds  to  music,  490. 

Musk,  among  the  numerous  medicines  procurable  from  quadrupeds, 
none,  except  the  musk  and  hartshorn,  have  preserved  a  degree  of 
reputation,  250  ;  a  doubt  whether  the  animal  producing  it  be  a  hog, 
an  ox,  a  aoat,  or  a  deer  ;  no  animal  so  justly  the  reproach  of  natu- 
ral historians  as  that  which  bears  the  musk  ;  it  has  been  various!}' 
described,  and  is  known  very  imperfectly  ;  the  description  given  by 
Grew  ;  formerly  in  high  request  as  a  perfume  ;  has  for  more  than 
a  century  been  imported  from  the  East ;  is  a  dusky  reddish  sub- 
stance, like  coagulated  blood ;  a  grain  of  it  perfumes  a  whole  room ; 
its  odour  continues  for  days,  without  diminution,  and  no  substance 
known  has  a  stronger  or  more  permanent  smell ;  in  larger  quanti- 
ties it  continues  for  years,  and  scarce  wasted  in  weight,  although  it 
has  filled  the  atmosphere  to  a  great  distance  with  its  parts  ;  the 
most  powerful  remedy  now  in  use,  in  nervous  and  hysteric  disorders ; 
the  bags  of  musk  from  abroad  supposed  to  belong  to  some  other 
animal,  or  taken  from  some  part  of  the  same,  filled  with  its  blood, 
and  enough  of  the  perfume  to  impregnate  the  rest;  it  conies  from 
China,  Tonquin,  Bengal,  and  often  from  Muscovy  ;  that  of  Thibet 
reckoned  the  best,  and  of  Muscovy  the  worst,  255,  2ot>. 

Musk-rat,  three  distinctions  of  it,  307. 

Musky-smell  docs  not  properly  make  the  characteristic  marks  of 
any  kind  of  animals,  240. 

Musmon  or  mcufflon,  resembles  a  ram  ;  its  description.  244. 

Myoides,  a  broad  thin  skin,  covering  the  whole  upper  fore-part  of 
the  body,  its  effect  in  women  with  child,  147. 

N. 

Wails,  how  formed  in  man;  those  of  some  of  the  learned  men  in 
China  longer  than  their  fingers  ;  savages  that  let  them  grow  long, 
use  them  in  flaying  animals,  147,  148. 

Nanquin,  a  river  in  Asia,  receives  thirty  rivers,  64. 

Narwhal,  the  sea  unicorn  ;  its  description  ;  errors  concerning  the 
teeth  of  this  animal ;  the  most  harmless  and  peaceful  inhabitant  of 
the  ocean ;  the  Greenlanders  call  it  the  fore-runner  of  the  whale, 


and  why  :  its  food :  is  a  gregarious  animal ;  a  cenfury  acrn,  its  teeth 
considered  Hie  greatest  rarity  in  the  world  ;  they  far  surpass  ivory 
in  its  qualities,  621,  622. 

Niitotian  Goat,  a  remarkable  variety  in  the  goat  kind.  246. 

Nature,  lavish  of  life  in  the  lower  orders  of  the  creation,  132  ;  has 
brought  man  into  life  with  more  wants  and  infirmities  than  the 
rest  of  her  creatures,  153;  in  a  course  of  ages  shapes  herself  to 
constraint,  and  assumes  hereditary  deformity  ;  instances  of  it,  185  ; 
has  contracted  the  stomachs  of  animals  of  the  forest,  suitable  to 
tlieir  precarious  way  of  living,  153  ;  has  left  no  part  of  her  fabric 
destitute  of  inhabitants,  448 ;  what  might  have  led  some  late  philoso- 
phers into  the  opinion  that  all  nature  was  animated.  839. 

Nautilus,  a  sea-snail,  most  frequently  seen  swimming  ;  its  shell 
very  thin,  and  easily  pierced  ;  its  description,  086. 

Nazareth  bird,  whether  the  dodo  or  not  is  uncertain,  470. 

Neck,  fishes  and  other  animals  that  want  lungs  have  none  : 
birds,  in  general,  have  it  longer  than  any  other  kind  of  animals,  148 ; 
in  women  it  is  prciportionably  longer  than  in  men,  ib. 

Nectartum,  that  part  of  a  flower  from  which  the  honey  is  ex- 
tracted, 803. 

Negroes  of  the  Leeward  Islands,  by  the  smell  alone  distinguish 
the  footsteps  of  a  Frenchman  from  those  of  a  Negro,  169  ;  several 
of  them  have  white  beards  and  black  hair ;  described  ;  their  fea- 
tures not  deformed  by  art ;  they  are  in  general  found  to  be  stupid, 
indolent,  and  mischievous  ;  tho  women's  breasts,  after  bearing  one 
child,  hang  down  below  the  navel,  and  are  thrown  over  the  shoul- 
ders to  suckle  the  child  at  their  backs,  181, 182  ;  the  jet  black  claim 
the  honour  of  hereditary  resemblance  to  our  common  parent;  an 
argument  sufficient  to  prove  the  contrary ;  two  white  Negroes  the 
issue  of  black  parents,  185,  180;  show  their  terror  and  surprise 
when  they  first  see  a  horse,  21 5;  of  the  African  coasts  regard  the 
bat  with  horror,  and  will  not  eat  it  though  ready  to  starve,  385  ; 
happy  to  see  numbers  of  monkeys  destroyed,  because  they  dread 
their  devastations,  and  love  their  flesh  ;  cannot  comprehend  advan- 
tages arising  to  Kuropeans  from  educating  or  keeping  monkeys  ; 
and  having  seen  young  and  tame  monkeys  bought,  have  offered 
rats  for  pale  to  our  factors,  and  been  greatly  disappointed  at  finding 
no  purchaser,  408  ;  tlieir  manner  of  killing  the  shark  ;  are  distract- 
edly fond  of  its  flesh,  631,  032. 

Negrolmd,  or  Nigritia,  the  plague  not  known  in  it,  96. 

Nerves,  wherever  they  go,  or  send  their  branches  in  number, 
these  parts  are  soonest  begun,  and  must  completely  finished,  159. 

Ness,  or  Nttke.  a  river  near  Bruges,  in  Flanders  ;  great  quanti- 
ties of  trees  found  in  its  mouth,  at  the  depth  of  fifty  feet ;  in  such 
perfect  preservation,  that  the  particular  kind  of  each  tree  may  be 
instantly  known,  82. 

Nest  of  every  species  of  birds  has  a  peculiar  architecture  ;  Where 
eggs  are  numerous,  the  nest  must  be  warm,  454  ;  different  places 
which  birds  choose  for  their  nests,  435 ;  description  of  the  nest  of  an 
eagle  found  in  the  Peak  of  Derby  shire,  475  ;  of  the  bald  eagle,  large 
enough  to  fill  the  body  of  a  cart,  476;  hanging  nests  in  Brazil,  16o; 
nests  in  the  Philippine  islands ;  made  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  have 
no  opening  but  at  the  bottom,  520  ;  the  Chinese  get  those  of  the 
swallows  from  the  rocks,  and  sell  them  in  great  numbers  in  the  East 
Indies,  where  they  are  esteemed  great  delicacies,  and  eat  dissolved 
in  chicken  or  mutton  broth,  447  ;  that  of  the  wasp  one  of  the  most 
curious  objects  in  natural  history  ;  its  description,  409,  410. 

Netherlands,  their  inhabitants  greatly  improved  us  in  the  woollen 
manufacture,  243. 

Nettles,  how  used  to  teach  capons  to  clutch  a  fresh  brood  of 
chickens  throughout  the  year,  49o. 

Nettles  of  the  sea.  name  given  by  some  to  the  star-fish,  832. 

Nicota  Pesce,  a  celebrated  diver  ;  his  performances  related  by 
Kircher  ;  he  often  swam  over  from  Sicily  into  Calabria,  carrying 
letters  from  the  king  ;  frequently  known  to  spend  five  days  in  the 
midst  of  the  waves,  dO. 

Nieper,  or  Boristhr.ncs,  a  river  rising  in  the  middle  of  Muscovy, 
and  running  three  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  to  empty  itself  in  the 
Black  Sea.  61. 

Niger,  this  river  has  a  course  of  several  hundred  miles  from  its 
source,  at  the  Mountains  of  the  Moon,  42  ;  confidently  asserted  that 
it  is  lost  before  it  reaches  the  ocean,  66. 

Nightingale,  a  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  538  ;  description  of  its 
melody  by  Pliny  ;  its  residence  ;  for  weeks  together  undisturbed,  it 
sits  upon  the  same  tree ;  its  nest  and  eggs  ;  its  song  in  captivity 
not  so  alluring  ;  Gesner  says  it  is  possessed  of  a  faculty  of  talking; 
story  related  by  him  in  proof  of  this  assertion  ;  its  food,  and  in  what 
manner  they  must  be  kept ;  manner  of  catching  the  nightingale, 
and  of  managing  when  caught,  540  to  544. 

Nile,  its  course  ;  its  sources  ascertained  by  missionaries  ;  takes  its 
rise  in  the  kingdom  of  Gojani ;  receives  many  lesser  rivers  ;  PJiny 


OPP 


INDEX. 


OTT 


39 


mistaken,  in  savin;;  that  it  received  none;  the  pause  of  its  annual 
overflowings ;  time  of  their  increase  and  decrease  more  inconsider- 
able now  than  in  the  time  of  the  ancients,  02,  lili. 

Abi'sr,  the  mind  predisposed  to  joy,  noise  fails  not  to  increase  it 
into  rapture  ;  and  those  nations  which  have  not  skill  enough  to  pro- 
duce harmony,  readily  substitute  noise;  loud  and  unexpected  dis- 
turbs the  whole  frame,  and  why,  165. 

JYuse,  that  of  the  Grecian  Venus,  sucli  as  would  appear  at  present 
an  actual  deformity,   140  ;  the  form  of  the  nose,  and  its  advanced  ! 
position,  peculiar  to  the  human  visage  ;  among  the  tribe  of  savage  I 
men,  the  nose  is  very  flat ;  a  Tartar  seen  in  Europe  with  little  more  i 
than  two  holes  through  which   to  breathe,  1-J't  ;  whence  originally 
may  have  come  the  flat  noses  of  the  blacks,  1S5. 

Jfottrilf,  wide,  add  a  great  deal  to  the  bold  and  resolute  air  of  the 
countenance  ;  narrow  ones,  though  supposed  to  constitute  beauty, 
seldom  improves  expression,  143  ;  of  the  coriaceous  tribe,  614 ;  two 
in  the  great  Greenland  whale,  017. 

.\'iiliiiii:c-ln.  the  common  water-fly  ;  swims  on  its  back,  to  feed  on 
the  under  side  of  plants  growing  in  water.  779. 

Nti.mid  inn  bird,  or  Guinea-lien,  described,  503. 

J\'umuliiin  crane  ;  its  peculiar  gestures  and  contortions,  559. 

•Nut  vomiea,  ground  and  mixed  with  meal,  supposed  to  be  the  most 
certain  poison,  and  least  dangerous,  to  kill  rats,  3(i5  ;  fatal  to  most 
animals,  except  man,  497. 

.Vyl-ghaip,  an  animal  between  the  cow  and  the  deer,  native  of  In- 
dia ;  its  description  ;  dispositions  and  manners  of  one  brought  over 
to  this  country  ;  its  manner  of  righting  ;  at  all  our  settlements  in 
India,  considered  as  a  rarity  ;  esteemed  good  and  delicious  food, 
435. 


O. 

Oaks,  of  ITatfield  Chase  Levels,  as  black  as  ebony,  very  lasting, 
and  close  grained,  sold  for  fifteen  pounds  a-piece,  83. 

Objects.     See  Eye. 

Ohy,  in  Tartary  a  river  of  five  hundred  leagues,  running  from  I 
the  lake  of  Kila,  into  the  Northern  Sea,  02 ;  receives  about  sixty 
rivers,  04. 

Oce.dii,  occupies  considerably  more  of  the  globe  than  the  land  ; 
its  different  names ;  all  the  rivers  in  the  world  flowing  into  it, 
would,  upon  a  rude  computation,  take  eight  hundred  years  to  fill  it 
to  its  present  height,  b'7  ;  savages  consider  it  as  an  angry  deity, 
and  pay  it  the  homage  of  submission  ;  the  bays,  gulfs,  currents, 
and  shallows  of  it,  much  better  known  and  examined  than  the  pro- 
vinces and  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  and  why  ;  when  England  loses 
its  superiority  there,  its  safety  begins  to  be  precarious,  68 ;  opinions 
concerning  its  saltness,  and  that  of  Boyle  particularly,  69  ;  winds 
never  change  between  the  tropics  in  the  Atlantic  and  Ethiopic 
Oceans,  nor  in  the  great  Pacific  sea,  100  ;  each  has  its  insects  and 
vegetables.  120. 

Ocelot,  or  catamountain,  its  description,  304  ;  of  the  panther 
kind;  one  of  the  fiercest,  and,  for  its  size,  one  of  the  most  destruc- 
tive animals  in  the  world  ;  no  arts  can  tame  or  soften  their  man- 
ners, 305. 

Ocotzimt-can,  a  kind  of  pigeon,  one  of  the  most  splendid  tenants 
of  the  Mexican  forests,  532. 

Ohin,  several  enormous  skeletons,  five  or  six  feet  beneath  the 
surface  on  the  banks  of  that  river,  lately  discovered.  425. 

Oil,  the  oil  of  that  fish  called  cachalot  is  very  easily  converted 
in*,  i  spermaceti,  623  ;  the  porpoise  yields  a  large  quantity  of  it, 
62(5;  by  the  application  of  olive  oil,  the  viper's  bite  is  effectually 
cured.  73G. 

Olifc  colour,  the   Asiatic,  of  that  colour,  claims  the  honour  of  j 
the  hereditary  resemblance  to  our  common  parent,  185. 

Olire.r,  (William)  the  first  who  discovered  that  the  application 
of  olive  oil,  cured  the  viper's  bite  effectually,  730. 

Onager,  or  the  wild  ass,  is  in  still  greater  abundance  than  even  : 
the  wild  horse,  223. 

Ondatra,  one  of  the  three  distinctions  of  the  musk-rat ;  a  na-  j 
tive  of   Canada;    can  contract  and  enlarge  its  body  at  pleasure;  I 
ureeps    into    holes  where    others    seemingly  less    cannot   follow  ;  i 
the-  female  has  two   distinct  apertures,  one  for  urine,  the  other  for 
propagation  ;  this  animal,  in  some  measure,  resembles  the  beaver;  | 
;'-:  manner  of  life  during  winter,  in  houses  covered   under  a  depth  j 
of  eight  or  ten  feet  of  snow  ;  savages  of  Canada  cannot  abide  its 
scent  ;  call  it  stinkr.rd  ;  its  skin  very  valuable,  307,  368. 

Onza,  or  ounce,  of  the  panther  kind  ;   the  onza  of  Linnreus,  303. 

O/ili  'ilium,  the  giltheud,  by  sailors  called  the  dolphin,  its  descrip- 
tion, 048. 

Of  possum,  the  female's  belly  found  double ;  when  pursued,  she 


instantly  takes  her  younff  into  a  false  belly  nature  has  given  her, 
and  carries  them  off.  or  dies  in  the  endeavour,  212  ;  an  animal  in 
North  and  South  America,  of  the  size  of  a  small  cat,  and  of  the 
monkey  kind  ;  its  description,  413  ;  a  minute  description  of  its 
bag  ;  the  young  when  first  produced  arc  very  small,  and  immedi- 
ately on  quitting  the  real  womb  they  creep  into  the  false  one,  but 
the  time  of  continuing  there  is  uncertain  ;  Ulloa  has  found  five 
voung  hidden  in  the  belly  of  the  dam,  alive  and  clinging  to  tho 
teat  three  days  after  she  was  dead  ;  chiefly  subsists  upon  birds, 
and  hides  among  the  leaves  of  trees  to  seize  them  by  surprise  ; 
cannot  run  with  anv  swiftness,  but  climbs  trees  with  great  ease 
and  expedition ;  it  often  hangs  by  the  tail,  and  for  hours  together 
with  the  head  downwards,  keeps  watching  for  its  prey  ;  by  means 
of  its  tail,  flings  itself  from  one  tree  to  another,  hunts  insects,  and 
escapes  its  pursuers  ;  cats  vegetable  as  well  as  animal  substances ; 
is  easily  tamed,  but  a  disagreeable  domestic,  from  its  stupidity, 
figure,  and  scent,  which,  though  fragrant  in  small  qantities,  is  un- 
grateful when  copious  ;  during  its  gestation,  the  bag  in  which  the 
young  arc  concealed  may  be  opened  and  examined  without  inconve- 
nience ;  the  young  may  be  counted  and  handled ;  they  keep  fixed  tr, 
the  teat,  and  cling  as  firm  as  if  they  made  a  part  of  the  body  of 
the  mother,  414,  415. 

Orb,  description  of  the  sea-orb,  also  called  the  sea-porcupine  ;  is 
absolutely  poisonous  if  eaten,  644. 

Ore  of  tin  is  heavier  than  that  of  other  metals,  22. 

Organs  of  digestion  in  a  manner  reversed  in  birds,  452. 

Organs  of  generation  in  fishes,  612. 

Orifices,  or  different  verges  in  snails,  G85. 

Orkney  Islands,  on  their  shores,  the  sea,  when  agitated  by 
storms,  rises  two  hundred  feet  perpendicular,  80. 

Oroonuka,  a  river  in  South  America,  its  source  and  length,  63. 

Ortolan,  a  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537. 

Os/irey,  its  flesh  liked  by  many,  and,  when  young,  an  excellent 
food,  according  to  Belonius,  472. 

Ostiac  Tartars,  a  race  that  have  travelled  down  from  tho  north, 
179. 

Ostracion,  a  fish  of  the  cartilaginous  kind ;  is  poisonous,  644. 

Ostrich,  manner  in  which  the  Arabians  hunt  them,  216,  and 
465  ;  an  Arabian  horse  of  the  first  speed  scarcely  outruns  them, 
216;  its  flesh  proscribed  in  Scripture  as  unfit  to  be  eaten;  the 
greatest  of  birds  ;  makes  near  approaches  to  the  quadruped  class  ; 
its  description ;  appears  as  tall  as  a  man  on  horseback ;  one  brought 
into  England  above  seven  feet  high  ;  surprising  conformation  ofits 
internal  parts  ;  a  native  only  of  the  torrid  regions  of  Africa ;  not 
known  to  breed  elsewhere  than  where  first  produced  ;  places  they 
inhabit ;  the  Arabians  say  it  never  drinks  ;  are  seen  in  large  flocks, 
which  to  the  distant  spectator  appear  like  a  regiment  of  cavalry, 
and  have  often  alarmed  a  whole  caravan  ;  will  devour  leather, 
glass,  hair,  iron,  stones,  or  any  thing  given  ;  in  native  deserts, 
leads  an  inoffensive  social  life ;  Theveuot  affirms  the  male  keeps 
to  the  female  with  connubial  fidelity  ;  thought  much  inclined  to 
venery  ;  some  of  their  eggs  above  five  inches  in  diameter,  and 
weigh  fifteen  pounds  ;  lay  from  forty  to  fifty  eggs  at  one  clutch  ; 
none  has  a  stronger  affection  for  her  young  ;  assiduous  in  supply- 
ing the  young  with  grass,  and  careful  to  defend  them,  encounter- 
ing every  danger  boldly  ;  way  of  taking  them  among  the  ancients  i 
the  plumes  used  in  their  helmets  ;  feathers  plucked  from  the 
animal  while  alive  more  valued  than  those  taken  when  dead ;  some 
savage  nations  of  Africa  hunt  them  for  their  flesh  ;  the  young  fe- 
male said  to  be  the  greatest  delicacy  of  the  natives  of  Africa  ;  a 
single  egg  sufficient  entertainment  for  eight  men  ;  eggs  well 
tasted,  and  extremely  nourishing;  of  all  chases,  that  of  the  ostrich, 
though  most  laborious,  the  most  entertaining ;  use  they  make  of 
its  skin  ;  its  blood  mixed  with  the  fat  a  great  dainty  with  the  Ara- 
bians ;  inhabitants  of  Dara  and  Lybia  breed  flocks  of  them  ; 
tamed  with  little  trouble  ;  prized  for  more  than  feathers  in  their 
domestic  state  ;  often  ridden  upon  and  used  as  horses ;  Moore 
assures  us  he  saw  a  man  at  Joar  travelling  upon  an  ostrich  ;  and 
Adanson  asserts  that  he  had  two  young  ostriches,  the  strongest  of 
which  ran  swifter  than  the  best  English  racer,  with  two  Negroes 
on  his  back  ;  of  all  animals  using  wings  with  legs  in  running,  these 
are  by  far  the  swiftest ;  the  American  ostrich,  4C2  to  466. 

Oltar  of  roses,  a  modern  perfume,  valued  for  its  vegetable  fra- 
grance, 342. 

Oiler,  the  link  between  land  and  amphibious  animals,  resembles 
terrestrial  in  make,  and  aquatic  in  living;  swims  faster  than  it  runs  ; 
is  brown,  and  like  an  overgrown  weasel;  differs  in  no  respect  from 
the  weasel  kind,  except  in  having  the  feet  webbed,  and  in  living 
almost  constantly  in  the  water  ;  its  description  ;  voracious  animal, 
found  near  lakes  ;  not  fond  of  fishing  in  running  water,  and  why  ; 
when  in  rivers,  always  swims  against  the  stream,  to  meet  rather 


40 


OWL 


INDEX. 


PAR 


than  pursue  the  fish  it  preys  upon ;  in  lakes,  destroys  more  than  it 
devours,  and  spoils  a  pond  in  a  few  nights  ;  tears  to  pieces  the  nets 
of  the  fishers  ;  two  different  methods  of  fishing  practised  by  it ;  in- 
fects the  edges  of  lakes  with  the  dead  fish  it  leaves  ;  often  distressed 
for  provisions  in  winter,  when  lakes  are  frozen,  and  then  obliged  to 
live  upon  grass,  weeds,  and  bark  of  trees ;  its  retreat  the  hollow  of 
a  bank  made  by  the  water  ;  there  it  forms  a  gallery  several  yards 
along  the  water  ;  description  of  its  habitation  ;  way  of  training  it 
up  to  hunt  fish,  and,  at  the  word  of  command,  drive  them  up  to~the 
corner  of  a  pond,  seize  the  largest,  and  bring  it  in  its  mouth  to  its 
master ;  marks  of  its  residence  ;  bites  with  great  fierceness,  and 
never  lets  go  its  hold  ;  brings  forth  its  young  under  hollow  banks 
upon  beds  of  rushes,  flags,  or  weeds  ;  manner  of  taking  the  young 
alive  ;  how  fed  when  taken  ;  some  dogs  trained  up  to  discover  its 
retreat ;  otters  met  with  in  most  parts  of  the  world  ;  in  North 
America  and  Carolina  found  white,  inclining  to  yellow ;  description 
of  the  Brasilian  otter,  380  to  389. 

Ovaria,  two  glandular  bodies  near  the  womb,  resembling  the 
cluster  of  small  eggs  found  in  fowls,  123. 

Ouarine,  species  of  the  monkeys  so  called  by  Mr.  Buffon,  remark- 
able for  the  loudness  of  their  voice,  and  the  use  to  which  they  apply 
it,  409,  410. 

Oviparous  animals,  distinguished  from  the  viviparous,  the  two 
classes  for  generation  ;  all  other  modes  held  imaginary  and  errone- 
ous, 125. 

Oa.ran.g-ou.tang,  the  wild  man  of  the  wood,  an  animal  nearly  ap- 
proaching the  human  race  ;  is  the  foremost  of  the  ape  kind  ;  this 
name  given  to  various  animals  walking  upright,  but  of  different 
countries,  proportions,  and  powers  ;  the  troglodyte  of  Bontius,  the 
drill  of  Purchas,  and  the  pigmy  of  Tyson,  have  received  this  gene- 
ral name  ;  its  description  in  a  comparative  view  with  man  ;  gigan- 
tic races  of  it  described  by  travellers  truly  formidable  ;  in  the 
gloomy  forests  where  only  found,  they  hold  undisputed  dominion  ; 
many  are  taller  than  man,  active,  strong,  intrepid,  cunning,  lasci- 
vious, and  cruel  ;  countries  where  found  ;  in  Borneo,  the  quality 
course  him  as  we  do  the  stag,  and  this  hunting  is  a  favourite 
amusement  of  the  king  ;  runs  with  great  celerity  ;  its  description  ; 
Battel  calls  him  pongo ;  assures  us  that  in  all  he  resembles  man, 
but  is  larger  to  a  gigantic  state  ;  a  native  of  the  tropical  climates ; 
he  lives  upon  fruits,  and  is  not  carnivorous ;  gnes  in  companies,  and 
this  troop  meeting  one  of  the  human  species  without  succour,  show 
him  no  mercy;  they  jointly  attack  the  elephant,  beat  him  with 
clubs,  and  force  him  to  leave  that  part  of  the  forest  they  claim  as 
their  own ;  is  so  strong  that  ten  men  are  not  a  match  for  him ; 
none  of  the  kind  taken  but  very  young ;  one  of  them  dying,  the 
rest  cover  the  body  with  leaves  and  branches  ;  a  Negro  boy  taken 
by  one  of  these,  and  carried  into  tlv.'  woods,  continued  there  a  whole 
year  without  any  injury ;  they  often  attempt  the  female  Negroes 
going  into  the  woods,  and  keep  them  against  their  wills  for  their 
company,  feeding  them  plentifully  all  the  time  ;  a  traveller  as- 
sures that  he  knew  a  woman  of  Loango  that  lived  among  them  for 
three  years;  they  build  sheds,  and  use  clubs  for  their  defence; 
sometimes  walk  upright,  and  sometimes  upon  all-fours,  when  fan- 
tastically disposed  ;  though  it  resembles  man  in  form,  and  imitates 
his  actions,  it  is  inferior  in  sagacity  even  to  the  elephant  or  the 
beaver;  two  of  these  creatures  brought  to  Europe  discovered  an  as- 
tonishing power  of  imitation,  sat  at  table  like  men,  ate  of  every 
thing  without  distinction,  made  use  of  knife,  fork,  and  spoon,  drank 
wine  and  other  liquors  ;  the  male  of  these  two  creatures  being  sea- 
sick, was  twice  bled  in  the  arm,  and  afterwards,  when  out  of  order, 
he  showed  his  arm,  as  desirous  of  relief  by  bleeding;  another  was 
surprisingly  well  behaved,  drank  wine  moderately,  and  gladly  left 
it  for  milk,  or  other  sweet  liquors:  it  had  a  defluxion  upon  the 
breast,  which  increasing  caused  its  death  in  the  space  of  one  year 
from  its  arrival ;  these  animals:  naturally  run  on  all-four,  31)9  to  403. 

Ounce,  or  onza,  remarkable  for  being  easily  tamed,  and  employed 
all  over  the  East  for  the  purposes  of  hunting,  304  ;  distinguished 
from  the  panther,  the  ounce  of  LinnicuR,  303  ;  does  not  pursue  by 
the  smell  like  those  of  the  dog  kind ;  a  natural  enemy  to  the 
dog,  305. 

Old,  description  of  the  common  horned  owl ;  the  screech-owl, 
and  its  distinctive  marks,  473 ;  common  mark  by  which  all  birds  of 
this  kind  are  distinguished  from  others  ;  general  characteristics  of 
birds  of  the  owl  kind ;  though  dazzled  by  a  bright  day-light,  they 
do  not  see  best  in  darkest  nights,  as  imagined ;  moonlight  nights 
are  the  times  of  their  most  successful  plunder ;  seeing  in  the  night, 
or  being  dazzled  by  day,  not  alike  in  every  species  of  this  kind  ; 
description  of  the  great  horned  owl ;  names  of  several  owls  with- 
out horns  ;  these  horns  nothing  more  than  two  or  three  feathers 
that  stand  up  on  each  side  over  the  ear  ;  father  Kircher,  having 
set  the  voices  of  birds  to  music,  has  given  all  the  tones  of  the  owl- 


note,  which  make  a  most  tremendous  melody ;  sometimes  bewfl 
dered  ;  what  they  do  in  that  distress;  aversion  of  the  small  bitds  to 
the  owl  ;  how  they  injure  and  torment  him  in  the  day-time  ;  sport 
of  bird-catchers  by  counterfeiting  the  cry  of  the  owl ;  in  what 
manner  the  great  horned  owl  is  used  by  falconers  to  lure  the  kite, 
when  wanted  for  training  the  falcon;  places  where  the  great 
horned  owl  breeds ;  its  nest,  and  number  of  eggs  ;  the  lesser  owl 
takes  by  force  the  nest  of  some  other  bird  ;  number  of  eggs  ;  the 
other  owls  build  near  the  place  where  they  chierly  prey  ;  a  single 
owl  more  serviceable  than  six  cats,  in  ridding  a  barn  of  mice ;  an 
army  of  mice  devoured  at  Hallontide  by  a  number  of  strange  paint- 
ed owls  ;  are  shy  of  man,  extremely  untractable,  and  difficult  to 
tame  ;  the  white  owl  in  captivity  refuses  all  nourishment,  and  dies 
of  hunger  ;  account  of  Mr.  Buffon  to  this  purpose,  488  to  491. 

Of,  its  eyes  are  brown,  142  ;  on  the  fertile  plains  of  India  it 
grows  to  a  size  four  times  as  large  as  the  same  kind  bred  on  the 
Alps,  185. 

Orni-f/,  an  island  near  Bomney  Marsh,  in  what  manner  pro- 
duoed,  81. 

Oysters,  a  horse  known  to  be  fond  of  oysters,  209 ;  surprising 
manner  in  which  monkeys  manage  an  oyster,  409 ;  bivalved  shell- 
fish are  self-impregnated  ;  they  are  deposited  in  beds  where  the  tide 
comes  in,  at  Colchester,  and  other  places  of  the  kingdom  ;  these 
said  to  be  better  tasted  ;  amazing  size  of  oysters  along  the  coasts 
of  Coromandel,  (189.  690;  the  -pearl  oyster  has  a  large  whitish  shell, 
the  internal  coat  of  which  is  the  mother-of-pearl,  691. 


P. 

Paca,  improperly  called  American  rabbit,  an  animal  of  South 
America  ;  its  cry,  and  manner  of  eating  ;  is  most  like  the  agonti, 
yet  differs  in  several  particulars  ;  its  description  ;  places  where 
generally  found  ;  a  very  fat  animal  ;  its  flesh  considered  as  a  deli- 
cacy, and  often  eaten,  skin  and  all,  like  a  young  pig;  is  seldom 
taken  alive,  defending  itself  to  the  last  extremity  ;  persecuted  not 
only  by  man,  but  by  every  beast  and  bird  of  prey  ;  breeds  in  such 
numbers,  the  diminution  is  not  perceptible,  359.  3GO. 

Parlivmor.  deserts,  where  the  formidable  bird  condor  is  chiefly 
seen,  men  seldom  venture  to  travel,  478. 

Parifir,  sea,  the  winds  never  change  in  it,  100. 

Pai-oes,  a  kind  of  camel  in  South  America;  its  woof  very  valua- 
ble, 434. 

I'<iddoc/i-mo<rn,  the  silence  of  frogs  in  dry  weather,  may  serve  to 
explain  an  opinion  which  some  entertain,  that  there  is  a  month  in 
the  year  so  called,  in  which  they  never  croak,  701. 

Pain,  nothing  but  repeated  experience  shows  how  seldom  pain 
can  be  suffered  to  the  utmost,  177. 

Paleness,  often  effect  of  anger,  144. 

Ptilm-tree.,  the  elephant  eats  the  shoots  and  branch  to  the 
stump,  418. 

Pambamarra,  mountains  at  Quito  in  Peru  ;  a  very  uncommon 
meteor  seen  upon  it  by  Ulloa,  112. 

Pangolin,  vulgarly  the  scaly  lizard,  is  a  native  of  the  torrid  cli- 
mates of  the  ancient  continent ;  of  all  animals  the  best  protected 
from  external  injury  ;  its  description  ;  at  the  approach  of  an  ene- 
my, it  rolls  itself  up  like  the  hedge-hog  ;  its  scales  so  hard,  when 
the  animal  has  acquired  ils  full  growth,  as  to  turn  a  musket-ball  ; 
the  tiger,  panther,  and  hyfvna.  make  vain  attempts  to  force  this 
animal,  when  it  rolls  itself  up  like  the  hedge-hog  ;  its  flesh  is  con- 
sidered by  the  Negroes  of  Africa  as  a  great  delicacy  ;  it  has  no 
teeth  ;  lives  entirely  upon  insects ;  there  is  not  a  more  harmless 
inoffensive  creature  than  this,  unmolested  ;  countries  where  found, 
378,  379. 

Panther,  the  foremost  of  the  mischievous  spotted  kind,  by  many 
naturalists  mistaken  for  the  tiger;  the  panther  of  Senegal;  the 
large  panther ;  difference  between  these  two ;  that  of  America,  or 
jaguar,  compared  with  the  two  former,  302,  303  ;  sometimes  em- 
ployed in  hunting  ;  the  gazelle  or  leveret  are  its  prey  ;  it  some- 
times attacks  its  employer,  305. 

Parr,  a  peasant,  lived  to  a  hundred  and  forty-four,  without  being 
abstemious,  175. 

Paradise-bird,  few  have  more  deceived  and  puzzled  the  learned 
than  this  ;  it  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Molucca  Islands ;  erroneous 
reports  concerning  this  bird,  and  what  has  given  rise  to  them  ;  the 
native  savages  of  those  islands  carefully  cut  off  its  legs  before  they 
bring  it  to  market,  and  why ;  two  kinds  of  the  bird  of  paradise  ; 
their  distinction  from  other  birds  ;  the  description  of  this  bird ; 
found  in  great  numbers  in  the  island  of  Aro,,  where  the  inhabitants 
call  it  God's  bird  ;  live  in  large  flocks,  and  at  night  perch  upon  the 
same  tree ;  are  called  by  aome  the  swallows  of  Ternate,  and,  like 


PAU 


INDEX 


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41 


them,  have  tlieir  stated  times  of  return  ;  their  king  distinguished 
from  the  rest  by  the  lustre  of  his  plumage,  and  the  respect  and 
veneration  paid  to  him  ;  killing  the  king,  the  best  chance  of  get- 
ting the  flock  ;  the  chief  mark  to  know  the  king  is  by  the  ends  of 
the  feathers  in  the  tail,  having  eyes  like  those  of  the  peacock  ;  how 
this  bird  breeds,  or  what  the  number  of  its  young,  remains  for  dis- 
covery ;  for  beauty  it  exceeds  all  others  of  the  pie-kind  ;  the  na- 
tives of  the  isle  of  Aro  make  a  trade  of  killing  and  selling  them  to 
the  Europeans,  522  to  525. 

Parakeet.     See  Parrot. 

Parana,  a  river  in  South  America,  from  which  the  Plata  runs 
eight  hundred  leagues  from  its  source  to  its  mouth,  H3. 

Parasina,  name  given  by  the  Italians  to  a  fishing  line,  not  less 
than  twenty  miles  long  ;  baited  with  above  ten  or  twelve  thousand 
hooks,  and  sunk  to  the  bottom  along  the  coast  in  the  Mediterranean, 
fur  that  fishing  called  the  pieliigo.  034. 

Parasitt:  plants,  not  able  to  support  themselves,  grow  and  fix 
upon  some  neighbouring  tree,  12'^. 

Parrot,  the  middle  or  second  size  of  the  kind  described;  llie  ease 
with  which  this  bird  is  taught  to  speak,  and  the  number  of  words  it 
is  capable  of  repeating,  are  surprising  ;  a  grave  writer  allirms, 
that  one  of  these  was  taught  to  repeat  a  whole  sonnet  from  Pi 
the  author  has  seen  one  taught  to  pronounce  the  ninth  command- 
ment articulately  ;  account  of  a  parrot  belonging  to  Henry  VII.; 
Linnaeus  makes  its  varieties  amount  to  forty-seven  ;  Brisson  ex- 
tends his  catalogue  to  ninety-five  ;  and  the  author  thinks  them 
numberless  ;  peculiarities  observed  in  their  conformation  ;  common 
enough  in  Europe  ;  will  not,  however,  breed  here  ;  the  rook  is  not 
better  known  with  us  than  the  parrot  in  almost  every  part  of  the 
East  and  West  Indies  ;  instances  of  sagacity  and  docility,  particu- 
larly of  the  great  parrot  called  aieurous  ;  their  nests  and  the  num- 
ber of  eggs  ;  usual  method  of  taking  the  young  ;  always  speak  best 
when  not  accustomed  to  harsh  wild  notes  ;  in  France  very  expert, 
but  nothing  to  those  of  Brazil,  which,  Clausius  says,  are  most  sen- 
sible and  cunning;  natives  of  Brazil  shoot  them  with  heavy  ar- 
rows, headed  with  cotton,  which  knock  down  the  bird  \vi1hout  kill- 
ing it ;  those  of  the  parakeet  tribe  are  delicate  eating  :  of  this  kind 
in  Brazil,  Labat  assures  these  are  the  most  beautilul  in  plumage, 
nnd  the  most  talkative  possible  :  are  restless,  tmd  ever  on  the  wing ; 
their  habits  ;  tlieir  outcry  when  their  companions  fall ;  are  very 
destructive  on  the  coast  of  Guinea,  and  are  considered  by  the 
negroes  as  their  greatest  tormentors;  more  than  a  hundred  dif- 
ferent kinds  counted  on  the  coast  of  Africa  ;  the  white  sort  called 
lories  ;  countries  where  found  ;  one,  north  of  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  takes  its  name  from  the  multitude  of  parrots  in  its  woods  ; 
a  hundred  kinds  now  known,  not  one  of  which  naturally  breeds  in 
countries  that  acknowledged  the  Roman  power  ;  the  green  para- 
keet, with  a  red  neck,  was  the  first  of  this  kind  brought  into  En- 
rope,  and  the  only  one  known  to  Ihe  ancients  from  Alexander  the 
Great  to  Nero;  disorders  peculiar  to  the  parrot  kind;  one  well 
kept  will  live  five  or  six  and  twenty  years,  525  to  52!  >. 

Partridffs,  in  England,  a  favourite  delicacy  at  the  tables  of  the 
rich,  whose  desire  of  keeping  them  to  themselves  has  been  gratified 
with  laws  fur  their  preservation,  no  way  harmonizing  with  the 
general  spirit  of  English  legislation,  and  -•.  M-C  two  kinds, 

the  gray  and  the  red  ;  the  gray  is  most  prolific,  and  always  keeps 
on  the  ground;  the  red  less  common,  and  perches  upon  trees;  the 
partridge  is  found  in  every  country,  and  climate;  in  On 
where  Ft  is  brown  in  summer,  becomes  white  in  winter ;  those  of 
Baraconda  are  larger  legged,  swifter  of  foot,  and  reside  in  the 
highest  rocks  ;  partridges  of  all  sorts  agree  in  one  character,  being 
iimnoderately  addicted  to  venery,  often  to  an  unnatural  <!i -:n -,.<•  ;  the 
male  pursues  the  hen  to  her  nest,  and  breaks  her  eggs  ratiior  than 
be  disappointed;  the  young  having  kept  in  ii.icks  during  winter, 
break  society  in  spring,  when  they  begin  to  pair,  ami  terrible  com- 
bats ensue;  their  manners  otherwise  resemble  these  of  pmil'ry. 
but  their  cunning  and  instincts  are  superior;  means  l!i  • 
uses  to  draw  away  any  formidable  animal  that  aptinwiits  h 
the  covies  are  from  ten  to  fifteen,  and,  unmolested,  they  live  from 
fifteen  to  seventeen  years  ;  method  of  taking  them  in  a  net.  with  a 
setting-dog,  the  most  pleasant,  and  most  secure  ;  they  are  never  so 
tame  as  our  domestic  poultry.  507.  5(>r-. 

Passions,  most  of  the  furious  sort  characterized  from  the  eleva- 
tion and  depression  of  the  eye-brows,  142  ;  freedom  from  passions 
not  only  adds  to  the  happiness  of  the  mind,  hut  preserves  the  beau- 
ty of  the  face,  17-1. 

Pastures,  those  of  Great  Britain  excellently  adapted  to  the  cow 
kind,  233. 

Patas,  by  some  called  the  red  African  monkey;  its  descrip- 
tion, 411. 

Paul  f  St.)  in  Lower  Brittany.     Sec  Sand. 
NO.  79  &.  80. 


Pnuneli,  name  of  the  first  stomach  of  ruminating  animals,  231. 

1'ir-ini,  name  of  the  eighth  variety  of  gazelles,  by  Mr.  Buffon,251. 

I't  acock,  a  saying  among  the  ancients,  As  beautiful  as  is  the  pea- 
cock among  birds,  so  is  the  tiger  among  quadrupeds,  2!>7;  varieties 
of  this  bird;  some  white,  others  crested;  that  of  Thibet  the  most 
beautiful  of  the  feathered  creation  ;  our  first  were  brought  from 
the  East  Indies,  and  they  are  still  found  in  flocks  in  a  wild  state  in 
the  inlands  of  Java  and  Ceylon  ;  the  common  people  of  Italy  say  it 
has  the  plumage  of  an  angel,  the  voice  of  a  devil,  and  the  guts  of  a 
thief;  in  the  days  of  Solomon  we  find  his  navies  imported  from  the 
I'.ast,  apes  ami  peaeocks ;  ^Klian  relates  they  were  brought  into 
Greece  from  some  barbarous  country,  and  that  a  male  and  female 
were  valued  at  thirty  pounds  of  our  money  ;  it  is  said  also,  that 
when  Alexander  was  in  India,  he  saw  them  flying  wild  on  the  banks 
of  the  river  Hyarotis,  and  was  so  struck  with  their  beauty,  that  ho 
laid  a  fine  and  punishment  on  all  who  should  kill  or  disturb  them; 
the  Greeks  were  so  much  taken  with  the  beauty  of  this  bird,  when 
first  brought  among  them,  that  it  was  shown  tor  money,  and  many 
came  to  Athens  from  Laec.drrmon  and  Thessaly  to  see  it;  once 
esteemed  a  delicacy  at  the  tallies  of  Ihe  rich  and  great  ;  Aufidius 
Hurco  stands  charged  by  Pliny  with  being  the  first  who  fatted  up 
peacocks  for  the  feasts  of  the  luxurious  ;  Hortensius,  the  orator,  was 
'lie  I'nst  who  served  them  up  at.  an  entertainment  at  Rome,  and 
jj  they  are  talked  of  as  the  first  of  viands  ;  in  the  times  of  Francis  I. 
it  was  a  custom  to  serve  up  peacocks  to  the  tables  of  the  great,  not 
to  be  eaten,  but  seen  ;  in  what  manner  they  served  them ;  its  flesh 
is  said  to  keep  longer  unputrefied  than  any  other  ;  has  a  predilec- 
tion for  barley  ;  but  as  a  proud  and  fickle  bird,  there  is  scarce  any 
food  it  will  at  all  times  like  ;  it  strips  the  tops  of  houses  of  tiles  or 
thatch,  lays  waste  the  labours  of  the  gardener,  roots  up  the  choicest 
seeds,  and  nips  favourite  flowers  in  the  bud ;  is  still  more  salacious 
than  the  eock  ;  requires  five  females  at  least  to  attend  him,  and, 
the  number  not  sufficient,  will  run  upon  and  tread  the  sitting  hen  ; 
the  pea-hen,  as  much  as  possible  hides  her  nest  from  him,  that  he 
may  not  disturb  her  sitting  ;  she  seldom  lays  above  five  or  six  eggs 
in  this  climate  ;  Aristotle  describes  her  laying  twelve  ;  in  forests 
where  they  breed  naturally  they  are  very  numerous;  this  bird 
lives  about  twenty  years,  and  not  till  the  third  year  lias  that  beau- 
tiful variegated  plumage  of  its  tail;  in  the  kingdom  of  Cambaya, 
says  Taverner,  near  the  city  of  Baroch,  whole  flocks  of  them  are  in 
the  fields;  description  of  their  habits;  decoy  made  use  of  to  catch 
them  there,  497,  4!i8. 

Pcuriirk  (sea)  a  name  given  to  the  Balearic  crane,  5.".-'. 

/'ml;  nf  Tun  riffr,  its  volcano  seldom  free  from  eruptions,  29. 

Peak,  mountain  in  the  Molucca  islands,  swallowed  by  an  earth- 
quake, 47. 

Pearl,  an  animal  substance  concreted  and  taking  a  tincture  from 
the  air  ;  found  in  all  bivalved  shells,  the  inside  of  which  resembles 
that  substance  called  mother-of-pearl;  jmiri-vystcr,  from  which 
the  mother-of-pearl  is  token  ;  several  pearl  fisheries  ;  the  chief  of 
them  in  the  Persian  Gulf,  and  the  most  valuable  pearls  brought 
from  thence  ;  the  wretched  people  destined  to  fish  for  pearls,  usually 
die  consumptive;  in  what  manner  they  fish  for  them,  691,692. 

Pearls,  in  stags,  are  parts  rising  from  the  crust  of  the  beam, 
262. 

Pecrary  or  tajara,  an  animal,  a  native  of  America  ;  found  there 
in  sueh  numbers,  that  they  are  seen  in  herds  of  several  hundreds 
("u'-tluT  ;  at  fii-st  view  resembling  a  small  hog;  its  description; 
has  upon  the  back  a  lump  like  the  navel  in  other  animals ;  goes  in 
herds  of  two  or  three  hundred,  and  unites,  like  hogs,  in  each  other's 
defence  ;  delights  not  in  marshes  or  mud  like  our  hogs  ;  an  unceas- 
ing enemy  to  the  lizard,  the  toad,  and  the  serpent  kinds  ;  also  feeds 
upon  toads  and  serpents.  '}••:!  to  'J-4. 

n  ' .  the  Arabians  preserve  that  of  their  best  horses,  216. 

/'•:."•.&  river  c:;llad  the  Indian  iNile,  because  of  its  overflow- 
ing, <>4. 

Ptlagii,  the  Latin  name  for  those  shells  fished  up  from  the 
deep,  0>U. 

t'llirnn,  a  ruminating  bird.  9:12 ;  a  native  of  Africa  and  America; 
its  df.cription  ;  the  description  of  this  bird  from  Father  Labat; 
their  flesh  rancid,  and  tastes  worse  than  it  smells;  use  made  by 
the  Americans  of  their  pouches  ;  is  U'>t  entirely  incapable;  of  in- 
struction in  a  domestic  stat" ;  iiuUuices  of  it  ;  Gesner  tells  us  that 
the  Emperor  Maximilian  had  a  tame  one  which  lived  eighty  years  ; 
Aldrovandus  mentions  one  believed  to  be  fifty  years  old,  576  to  578. 

Penguins,  a  heavy  water-fowl ;  the  wings  of  this  tribe  unfit 
for  flight ;  and  their  legs  still  more  awkwardly  adapted  for  walk- 
ing :  they  dive  to  the  bottom  ;  or  swim  between  two  waters  ;  they 
never  visit  land  but  when  coming  to  breed  ;  their  colour  ;  are  co- 
vered more  warmly  with  feathers  than  other  birds  ;  description  of 
the  Mao-ellanic  penguin ;  they  unite  in  them  the  qualities  of  men, 

6L 


PIE 


INDEX. 


PLA 


fowls,  »nd  fi&hrs;  instances  of  its  gluttonous  appetite;  their  food 
and  flesh ;  are  a  bird  of  society,  5ft?  to  .">.•*!'. 

Peninsula  of  India,  on  one  side  the  coasts  are  near  half  the  year 
harassed  by  violent  hurricanes  and  northern  tempests,  102. 

Penpark-holc,  in  Gloucestershire  ;  its  description,  from  Captain 
Sturmey,  19. 

People,  so  young  as  fourteen  or  fifteen,  often  found  to  cease 
growing,  140. 

Pepper,  the  Indians  prefer  that  devoured  and  voided  unconcocted 
by  the  toucan,  518. 

Perch,  a  prickly-finned  thoracic  fish,  its  description.  648. 

Perfumes,  no  perfume  has  a  stronger  or  more  permanent  smell 
than  musk,  255  ;  the  scent  of  the  martin  a  most  pleasant  perfume, 
334 ',  some  of  the  weasel  kind  have  a  smell  approaching  to  per- 
fume, 338;  that  of  the  musk  or  the  civet,  33'.t;  in  whiit.  manner 
taken  from  the  pouch  ;  civet  a  more  grateful  perfume  thon  rnusk  ; 
is  communicated  to  all  parts  of  the  animal's  body  ;  the  fur  impreg-  J 
Dated,  and  the  skin  also  ;  a  person  shut  up  with  one  of  them  in  a 
close  room  cannot  support  the  scent ;  this  perfume  sold  in  Holland 
for  about  fifty  shillings  an  ounce,  340,  341. 

Perscpons,  its  pastures  excellent  for  the  purpose  of  rearing 
horses,  21!). 

Persia,  the  horses  of  that  country  the  most  beautiful  and  most 
valuable  of  all  in  the  East.  219;  there  are  studs  of  ten  thousand 
white  mares  together,  with  hoofs  so  hard  th.it  shoeing  is  unnecessa- 
ry,216  ;  description  of  the  Persian  horses  by  Pif3tro  de  la  Valle,  219  ; 
the  flesh  of  the  wild  ass  so  much  liked  that  its  delicacy  is  a  pro- 
verb there  ;  an  entertainment  of  wild  asses  exhibited  by  the  mo- 
parch  to  Olearius.  224;  two  kinds  of  asses  there,  and  some  of  them 
worth  forty  or  fifty  pounds,  22(i. 

Persian  Gulf,  a  very  dangerous  wind  prevails,  by  the  natives 
called  the  Sameyel  j  it  suddenly  kills  all  those  it  involves  in  its  pas- 
sage, and  frequently  assumes  a  visible  form,  darting  in  a  blueish 
vapour  along  the  surface  of  the  country,  105. 

Perspiration,  an  experiment  from  which  the  learned  may  infer 
npon  what  foundation  the  doctrine  of'Sanctorian  perspiration  is 
built,  149. 

Peruvians  understood  the  art  of  preserving  their  dead  for  a  long 
time,  194. 

Peter  the  Great,  of  Russia,  celebrated  a  marriage  of  dwarfs  ; 
the  preparations  for  this  wedding  were  grand,  yet  in  a  style  of  bar- 
barous ridicule,  188,  189. 

Petreoleum ,  an  injection  of  this  bituminous  oil  inwardly,  and  an 
application  of  asphaltum  without,  sufficient  to  make  a  mummy,  188. 

Pcttichaps,  a  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537. 

Phalanger,  a  kind  of  oppossum  ;  its  description ;  called  the  rat 
of  Surinam,  415. 

Pharaoh  (the  cat  of)  name  given  to  the  ichneumon.  337. 

Pliaraoh  (the  capon  of)  thought  to  be  the  true  ibis  ;  a  devourer 
of  serpents,  557. 

Phasis,  a  river  of  Colchis,  in  Asia  Minor,  from  the  hanks  of 
which  the  pheasants  were  brought  into  Europe,  and  still  retain 
their  name,  501. 

Phalagin,  an  animal  less  than  the  pangolin  ;  where  to  be  found, 
380. 

Pheasants,  at  first  propagated  among  us,  brought  into  Europe 
from  the  banks  of  the  Phusis  a  river  of  Colchis,  in  Asia  Minor, 
where  they  still  retain  their  name  ;  description  of  tmV;  beautiful  bird  ; 
wild  arnonff  us,  is  an  envied  ornament  of  our  parks  and  forests, 
where  he  f"eeds  upon  acorns  and  berries ;  in  the  woods  the  hen 
pheasant  lays  from  eighteen  to  twenty  eggs  in  a  season ;  but  in  a 
domestic  state  seldom  above  ten  ;  it  is  better,  left  at  large  in  the 
woods  than  reduced  to  its  pristine  captivity;  its  fecundity,  when 
wild,  is  mifificient  to  stock  the  forest,  and  its  flesh  acquires  a  higher 
flavour  from  its  unlimited  freedom ;  many  varieties  of  pheasants  ; 
of  nil  others,  the  golden  pheasant  of  China  the  most  beautiful,  501 
to  503. 

Phlrgium  a  high  mountain  of  Ethiopia,  swallowed  by  an  earth- 
quake, 47. 

Pholas,  the  file-fish,  places  where  these  animals  are  found  ;  their 
power  of  penetrating  ;  the  pillars  of  the  temple  of  Serapis  at  Pu- 
teoli  were  penetrated  by  them;  they  pierce  the  hardest  bodies 
with  their  tongue,  (394.  695. 

Pichincha,  a  remarkable  mountain  near  Quito,  in  South  America, 
44. 

Pie,  no  class  of  birds  so  ingenious,  active,  and  well-fitted  for  so- 
ciety ;  they  live  in  pairs,  and  their  attachments  are  confined  to 
each  other  ;  they  Iniild  nests  in  trees  or  bushes  ;  the  male  shares 
in  the  labour  of  building,  and  relieves  his  mate  in  the  duties  of  in- 
cubation ;  and  the  young  once  excluded,  both  are  equally  active 
in  making  them  ample  provision ;  general  laws  prevail,  and  a  re- 


publican  form  of  government  is  established   among  them  ;    th«jr 
wiitrli  for  the  general  safety  of  every  bird  of  the  grove  ;  they  are 
remarkable  for  instinct,  and  capacity  for  instruction  ;  instances  of 
it ;  the  few  general  characters  in  which  they  all  agree.  511,  512. 
Pie  (sea)  breeds  in  this  country,  and  resides  in  its  marshy  parts, 

Pigrons,  are  ruminating  birds,  232  ;  those  that  live  in  a  wild 
state  by  no  means  so  fruitful  as  those  in  our  pigeon-houses  near 
home  ;  the  tame  pigeon,  and  all  its  beautiful  varieties,  owe  their 
origin  to  one  species,  the  stock-dove ;  various  names  of  tume 
pigeons :  attempts  made  to  render  domestic  the  ring-dove,  but 
fruitless;  the  turtle-dove  a  bird  of  passage  ;  a  pair  put  in  a  cage, 
and  one  dying,  the  other  does  not  survive  ;  the  pigeon  called  ocot- 
zimtzcan,  is  one  of  the  splendid  tenants  of  the  Mexican  forests; 
pigeon  of  the  dove-house  is  not  so  faithful  as  the  turtle-dove  ;  near 
fifteen  thousand  pigeons  may  in  four  years  be  produced  from  a 
single  pair  ;  the  stock-dove  seldom  breeds  above  twice  a  year  ; 
the  dove-houso  pigeon  breeds  every  month  ;  have  a  stronger 
attachment  to  their  young  than  those  who  breed  so  often  ;  the 
pigeons  called  carriers  used  to  convey  letters;  not  trained  with 
as  much  care  as  formerly,  when  sent  from  a  besieged  city  to  those 
coining  to  relieve  it ;  in  an  hour  and  a  half  they  perform  a  journey 
of  forty-miles,  529  to  532. 

Pigmy,  the  existence  of  a  pigmy  race  of  mankind  is  founded  in 
error  or  in  fable,  188. 

Pigtail,  is  the  last  of  the  baboons  ;  its  description,  406. 

Pike,  the  description  of  this  fish,  059 ;  instances  of  its  rapacity, 
659. 

Pilc/iards,  little  differing  from  the  herring  ;  make  the  coast  of 
Cornwall  their  place  of  resort ;  advantages  of  this  fishery  ;  money 
paid  for  pilchards  exported  has  annually  amounted  to  near  fifty 
thousand  pounds,  655,  G56. 

Pillau.  on  the  Baltic,  the  shores  there  divided  into  districts  for 
the  sturgeon-fishery,  041. 

Pills,  of  calcined  shells  and  tobacco,  used  by  the  American  In- 
dians to  palliate  hunger,  155. 

Pilori,  one  of  the  three  distinctions  of  the  musk-rat ;  a  native 
of  the  West  Indies,  307. 

Pilot  of  the  shark,  name  given  the  sucking-fish  or  remora,  and 
why,  631. 

Pinch,  name  of  a  monkey  of  the  sagoin  kind  ;  its  description, 
412. 

Pintadal,  or  the  Guinea  hen,  its  description;  different  names 
given  to  this  bird,  503. 

Pintail,  a  kind  of  duck,  598. 

Pipal,  the  Surinam  toad,  an  extraordinary  and  hideous  creature  ; 
its  description.  707. 

Pipr-Jifh,  cartilaginous,  and  not  thicker  than  a  swan's  quill ;  its 
description.  644. 

Pipe-worms,  and  other  little  animals,  fix  their  habitations  to  the 
oyster's  sides,  and  live  in  security,  089. 

Pit-falls,  a  wolf,  a  friar,  and  a  woman,  taken  in  one  all  in  the 
same  night ;  the  woman  lost  her  senses,  the  friar  his  reputation, 
and  the  wolf  his  life,  321. 

Pithckos,  a  name  given  by  the  ancients  to  the  ape  properly  so 
called,  403. 

Pivot,  the  razor -shell,  its  motion,  and  habits  ;  is  allured  by  salt, 
690. 

Placenta,  that  body  by  which  the  animal  is  supplied  with  nou- 
rishment, 130. 

Plague,  not  well  known  whence  it  has  its  beginning  ;  is  propa- 
gated by  infection  ;  some  countries,  even  in  the  midst  of  Africa, , 
never  infected  with  it ;  others  generally  visited  by  it  once  a  year, 
as  Eygpt ;  not  known  in  Nigritia  ;  Nmnidia  it  molests  not  once  in 
a  hundred  years  ;  plague  spread  over  the  world  in  1346,  after  two 
years  travelling  from  the  great  kingdom  of  Cathay,  north  of 
China,  to  Europe  ;  the  plague  desolated  the  city  of  London  in 
1665  ;  for  this  last  age,  it  has  abated  its  violence,  even  in  those 
countries  where  most  common,  and  why  ;  a  plague  affected  trees 
and  stones,  96,  97. 

Plaisne  en  Jlnjou,  a  village  in  France,  particular  account  of  a 
dwarf  born  there,  189. 

Plaster  of  Paris,  finely  powdered,  boils  and  heaves  in  great 
waves,  like  water,  53. 

Planets  exceed  the  earth  one  thousand  times  in  magnitude  ;  at 
first  supposed  to  wander  in  the  heavens  without  fixed  paths ;  per- 
form their  circuits  with  great  exactness,  and  strict  regularity,  1. 

Plants  and  vegetables,  will  not  grow  so  fast  in  distilled  as  un- 
distilled  water,  49 ;  smell  of  some  BO  powerful  as  hardly  to  be  en- 
dured, 64  ;  do  not  vegetate  in  an  exhausted  receiver,  92  ;  but  thus 
ceasing  to  vegetate,  keep  longer  sweet  than  when  exposed  to  ex 


POL 


INDEX. 


PTA 


43 


(ernal  air,  ib. ;  their  juices  rarefied  principally  by  the  sun,  to  give 
an  escape  to  their  imprisoned  air,  99;  a  certain  plant  in  Ireland  so 
strongly  affected  the  person  who  beat  it  in  a  mortar,  and  the  physi- 
cian present,  that  their  hands  and  faces  swelled  to  an  enormous 
•ize,  and  continued  tumid  for  some  time  after,  96;  compared  with 
animals  ;  similitude  ;  how  assimilated  in  different  climates  and  soils, 
119,  120;  the  sensitive,  that  moves  at  the  touch,  lias  as  much  per- 
ception as  the  fresh-water  polypus,  possessed  of  a  still  slower  share 
ef  molion,  119.  See  Caraguata,  120.  See  Parasite,  121. 

Plate,  or  Plata,  a  great  river  in  South  America  ;  its  source  and 
length,  63. 

Platina.  or  white  gold,  the  most  obstinate  of  all  substances,  22. 

Pleurs  en  Champagne,  a  town  in  France,  buried  beneath  a  rocky 
mountain,  46. 

Pliny,  in  his  arrangements,  placed  the  bats  among  birds,  383. 

Placer,  the  green  and  gray,  are  birds  of  passage  ;  the  Norfolk 
plover  for  the  most  part  resides  here,  569,  570. 

Pochard,  a  kind  of  duck,  598. 

Poetry,  our  ancestors  excel  us  in  the  poetic  arts,  192. 

Pointer,  a  kind  of  dog,  318. 

Poison,  the  most  deadly  poisons  are  often  of  great  use  in  medi- 
cines, 168;  fishes  often  live  and  subsist  upon  such  substances  as  are 
poisonous  to  the  more  perfect  classes  of  animated  nature  ;  the 
many  speculations  and  conjectures  to  which  this  poisonous  quality 
in  some  fishes  has  given  rise,  660  ;  some  crabs  found  poisonous, 
668  ;  the  seat  where  the  poison  in  venomous  serpents  lies,  733  ;  the 
serpent-poison  may  be  taken  inwardly,  without  any  sensible  effects, 
or  any  prejudice  to  the  constitution  ;  if  milk  be  injected  into  a  vein, 
it  will  kill  With  more  certain  destruction  than  even  the  poison  of  the 
riper,  734.  See  Fire-fare.  See  ,Veu>  Providence 

Polar  regions,  description  of  them,  3,4  ;  and  of  the  inhabitants 
round  them  ;  are  of  short  stature,  and  savage  appearance,  178. 

Pole-cat,  a  distinct  species  from  the  ermine  ;  resembles  the  fer- 
ret so  much,  that  some  have  thought  them  the  same  animal  ;  there 
are  many  distinctions  between  them  ;  description  of  the  pole-cat  ; 
very  destructive  to  young  game ;  the  rabbit  its  favourite  prey  ;  and 
one  pole-cat  destroys  a  whole  warren  by  a  wound  hardly  percepti- 
ble ;  it  kills  much  more  than  it  can  devour  ;  generally  reside  in 
woods  or  thick  brakes,  making  holes  two  yards  deep  under  ground ; 
female  brings  forth  in  summer  five  or  six  young  at  a  time,  and  sup- 
plies the  want  of  milk  with  the  blood  of  such  animals  as  she  can 
seize  ;  the  fur  is  in  less  estimation  than  of  inferior  kinds,  and  why; 
an  inhabitant  of  temperate  climates,  being  afraid  of  cold  as  well  as 
heat ;  the  species  confined  in  Europe  to  a  range  from  Poland  to  Italy, 
333,  334 ;  pole-cat  of  America  and  Virginia  are  names  for  the 
squash  and  the  skink  ;  distinctions  of  these  animals,  338,  339  ; 
seizes  the  flying-squirrel.  354. 

Poles,  trade  winds  continually  blow  from  them  towards  the  equa- 
tor, 191  ;  the  winter  beginning  round  the  poles,  the  same  misty  ap- 
pearance produced  in  the  southern  climates  by  heat  is  there  pro- 
duced by  cold  ;  the  sea  smokes  like  an  oven  there,  113  ;  the  strength 
of  the  natives  round  polar  regions  is  not  less  amazing  than  their 
patience  in  hunger,  179 

Polynemus,  description  of  this  fish,  649. 

Polypus,  very  voracious  ;  noted  for  its  amazing  fertility ;  its 
description  ;  uses  its  arms  as  a  fisherman  his  net  ;  is  not  of  the 
vegetable  tribe,  but  a  real  animal;  every  polypus  has  a  colony 
sprouting  from  its  body;  and  these  new  ones,  even  while  attached 
to  the  parent,  become  parents  themselves,  witli  a  smaller  colony 
also  budding  from  them  ;  though  cut  into  thousands  of  parts,  each 
still  retains  its  vivacious  quality,  and  shortly  becomes  a  distinct  and 
complete  polypus,  fit  to  reproduce  upon  cutting  in  pieces  ;  it  hunts 
for  its  food,  and  possesses  a  power  of  choosing  it,  or  retreutm:/  frv>m 
danger,  125,  126  ;  dimensions  of  the  sea-polypus,  and  of  that  which 
grows  in  freshwater;  the  power  of  dissection  first  tried  upon  these 
animals  to  multiply  their  numbers  ;  Mr.  Trembley  has  the  honour 
of  the  first  discovery  of  the  amazing  properties  and  powers  of  this 
little  vivacious  creature  ;  their  way  of  living  ;  arms  serve  them  as 
lime  twigs  do  a  fowler;  how  it  seizes  upon  its  prey  ;  the  cold  approach- 
ing to  congelation,  they  feel  the  general  torpor  of  nature,  and  their 
faculties  are  for  two  or  three  months  suspended  ;  such  as  are  best 
supplied  soonest  acquire  their  largest  size,  but  they  diminish  also 
iu  their  growth  with  the  same  facility  if  their  food  be  lessened  ; 
some  propagated  from  eggs  ;  some  produced  by  buds  issuing  from 
the  bodv,  as  plants  by  inoculation  ;  while  all  may  be  multiplied  by 
cuttings,  to  an  amazing  degree  of  minuteness;  of  those  produced 
like  buds  from  the  parent  stem,  should  the  parent  swallow  a  red 
worm,  it  gives  a  tincture  to  all  its  fluids,  and  the  young  partake  of 
the  parental  colour  ;  but  if  the  latter  should  seize  upon  the  same 
prey,  the  parent  is  no  way  benefited  by  the  capture,  all  the  advan- 
tage thus  remains  with  the  young ;  several  young  of  different  sizes 


are  growing  from  its  body  ;  some  just  budding  forth,  others  ac- 
quiring perfect  form,  and  others  ready  to  drop  from  the  original 
stem  ;  those  young  still  attached  to  the  parent,  bud  and  propagata 
also,  each  holding  dependence  upon  its  parent ;  artificial  method  of 
propagating  these  animals  by  cuttings  ;  Mr.  Hughes  describei  a 
species  of  this  animal,  but  mistakes  its  nature,  and  calls  it  a  sensi- 
tive flowering  plant,  833  to  83l>. 

Polypus-coral,  the  work  of  an  infinite  number  of  reptiles  of  that 
kind,  p37. 

Pomr.rania,  a  large  part  of  it  covered  by  the  sea,  82. 

Pongo,  name  given  by  Battel  to  the  ouran-outang,  402. 

Poppies  affect  with  drowsiness  those  who  walk  through  fields  of 
them,  S»6. 

Poretluin,  an  artificial  composition  of  earth  and  water,  united  bj 
heat,  49. 

Porrupinc,  as  to  quills  might  be  classed  among  the  birds,  206  ; 
its  description,  1175;  of  all  those  brought  into  Europe,  not  one  ever 
seen  to  launch  its  quills,  though  sufficiently  provoked  ;  their  man- 
ner of  defence  ;  dirt-els  its  quills  pointing  to  the  enemy  ;  and  Kol- 
ben  relates,  the  lion  then  will  not  venture  an  attack  ;  feeds  on  ser- 
pents and  other  rrptiles  ;  porcupine  of  Canada  subsists  on  vegeta- 
bles ;  those  brought  to  this  country  for  show  usually  fed  on  bread, 
milk,  and  fruits  ;  do  not  refuse  meat  when  offered  ;  is  extremely 
hurtful  to  gardens;  the  Americans  who  hunt  it,  believe  it  live* 
from  twelve  to  filleen  years  ;  time  of  their  gestation  ;  the  female 
brings  forth  one  at  a  time  :  she  suckles  it  about  a  month,  and  accus- 
toms it  to  live  like  herself  upon  vegetables  and  the  bark  of  trees  ; 
the  porcupine  never  attempts  to  bite  or  any  way  injure-  its  pursuers  ; 
manner  of' escaping,  when  hunted  by  a  dog  or  a  wolf;  circumstances 
concerning  it  remaining  to  be  known  ;  little  known  w  ith  precision, 
except  what  offers  in  a  state  of  captivity  ;  description  of  one  kept 
in  an  iron  cage  ;  the  porcupine  of  America  differs  much  from  that 
of  the  ancient  continent ;  two  kinds,  the  couanda  and  the  urson  ; 
description  of  both,  375  to  377. 

Porcupine  of  tlie  sea,  described,  595. 

Pork,  unpalatable  with  us  in  summer,  is  the  finest  eating  in  the 
warmer  latitudes,  224. 

Por/ioisf,  or  porpesse,  a  fish  less  than  a  grampus,  with  the  snout 
of  a  hog;  its  description  and  habits,  515,  olti;  possess,  proportion- 
ably  to  their  bulk,  the  manners  of  whales  ;  places  where  they  seek 
for  prey  ;  manner  of  killing  them  in  the  Thames  ;  yield  a  large 
quantity  of  oil ;  the  lean  of  some,  not  old,  said  to  be  as  well  tasted 
as  veal  ;  caviar  prepared  from  the  eggs  of  this  fish,  626,  627. 

Ports  choked  up  with  sand  by  the  vehemence  of  the  wind,  102. 

Pouch,  or  bag,  receptacle  of  the  civet,  341.  See  Bustard,  504. 
See  Pelican,  576, 

Poultry,  general  characteristics  of  the  poultry  kind  ;  nearly  all  do- 
mestic birds  of  this  kind  maintained  in  our  yards,  are  of  foreign  extrac- 
tion ;  the  courtship  of  this  kind  is  short,  and  the  congress  fortuitous ; 
the  male  takes  no  heed  of  his  offspring;  though  timorous  with  birds  of 
prey,  he  is  incredibly  bold  among  his  own  kind;  the  sight  of  a  male 
of  fiis  own  species  produces  a  combat ;  the  female  takes  all  the  la- 
bour of  hatching  and  bringing  up  her  young,  choosing  a  place  re- 
mote from  the  cock,  492.  493. 

Powis  Land,  in  Wales,  for  many  ages  famous  for  a  swift  and 
generous  race  of  horses.  222. 

I'lnrtr.rs,  a  variety  of  the  tame  pigeons,  532. 

Pri-ynancy  of  some  women  found  to  continue  a  month  beyond 
the  usual  time,  132  ;  of  all  animals,  in  point  of  time,  is  proportioned 
to  their  size.  212  ;  in  that  state  no  animals,  except  the  hare,  receive 
the  male,  346  ;  the  duration  in  the  female  of  the  elephant  still  un- 
known, 421. 

Prctfurts,  perpendicular  in  rivers,  always  in  exact  proportion  to 
the  depth,  59. 

Prey,  all  the  males  of  these  birds  less  and  weaker  than  the  fe- 
males,'472.  See  Birds. 

Pricket,  name  hunters  give  the  buck  the  second  year,  266. 

Propagation  of  enats.  ul)e  f>f  the  strangest  discoveries  in  natural 
history,  &&i ;  a  new  kind  lately  discovered  in  a  most  numerous  tribe 
of  animals,  propagated  by  cuttings,  82d ;  different  manner  of  that 
operation  in  the  polypi,  836. 

Pro/iulis,  a  rc.inous  gum,  with  which  bees  plaster  the  inside  of 
their  hives,  802. 

Proportion  of  the  human  figure,  very  little  known  with  precision 
in  regard  to  it,  148. 

Provider,  of  the  lion,  what  has  given  rise  to  the  jackal's  being  so 
called,  208. 

Psalmudi,  an  island  in  France,  in  A.  D.  815,  now  six  miles  from 
the  shore,  81. 

Ptarmigan,  sort  of  grouse,  chiefly  found  in  heathy  mountains 
and  piny  forests,  505,  500. 

6L* 


44 


11AB 


INDEX. 


REG 


PMriasis,  the  lousy  disease,  frequent  among  the  ancients  ;  prin- 
cipal people  who  died  of  this  disorder  ;  plants  and  animals  are  in- 
fested with  diseases  of  this  kin*;  a  vegetable  louse  from  America 
over-run  all  the  physic-garden  of  Leyden  ;  the  leaf-louse  de- 
scribed ;  three  principal  and  constant  enemies  to  those  insects,  754 
to  756. 

Puffin,  or  Coulterncb,  marks  that  distinguish  this  bird ;  its  resi- 
dence ;  migration ;  found  by  hundreds,  cast  away  upon  shores, 
lean  and  perished  with  famine  ;  lays  one  egg  ;  few  birds  or  beasts 
venture  to  attack  its  retreat ;  in  what  manner  it  defends  itself 
against  the  raven ;  the  Manks'  puffin  is  itself  one  of  the  most  terri- 
ble invaders  ;  instances  of  it ;  places  which  abound  with  them  ;  in 
what  manner  their  young  are  fed  ;  their  food,  5M9  to  592. 

Puget  adapted  the  cornea  of  a  flea  in  such  a  position,  as  to  see 
objects  through  it  by  means  of  a  microscope  ;  strangeness  of  the 
representations,  792. 

Puma,  an  animal  decorated  with  the  name  of  American  lion, 
though,  when  compared,  so  contemptible  as  to  be  inferior  to  that 
called  the  American  tiger,  519. 

Pump,  an  experiment  upon  a  carp  put  under  a  receiver,  610. 

Ptirre,  a  small  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  with  a  shorter  bill,  and 
thighs  bare  of  feathers,  568. 

Pull  oii,  a  city  swallowed  up  by  an  earthquake,  had  a  temple  of 
Serapis,  the  pillars  of  which,  while  under  water,  were  penetrated 
by  the  pholas,  or  file-fish,  6!)5. 

Putrefaction,  a  new  CTUSC  of  animal  life,  125. 

Pyramids  of  Egypt,  one  of  them  entirely  built  of  a  kind  of  free- 
stone, in  which  petrified  shells  are  found  in  great  abundance,  14. 

Purard.  his  account  of  a  kind  of  apes  called  baris,  which,  pro- 
perly instructed  when  young,  serve  as  useful  domestics,  401. 

Pyrites,  their  composition,  23. 


Q. 

Quadrupeds,  they  bear  the  nearest  resemblance  to  man,  205  ;  the 
weaker  races  exert  all  efforts  to  avoid  their  invaders  ;  next  to  hu- 
man influence,  the  climate  seems  to  have  the  strongest  effects  upon 
their  nature  and  form ;  both  at  the  line  and  the  pole,  the  wild  are 
fierce  and  untameable.  America  inferior  to  us  in  these  produc- 
tions ;  opinion  that  all  in  South  America  are  a  different  species  from 
those  most  resembling  them  in  the  old  world  ;  such  as  peculiarly 
belong  to  the  new  continent  are  without  any  marks  of  the  perfec- 
tion of  their  species;  the  large  and  formidable  produce  but  one 
young  at  a  time,  while  the  mean  and  contemptible  are  prolific  ;  it 
has  been  wisely  ordered  so  4)y  Providence,  208  to  212;  those  that 
ruminate  are  harmless  and  easily  tamed,  231  ;  they  are  chiefly  the 
cow,  the  sheep,  and  the  deer  kind.  232  ;  the  largest  are  found  in  the 
torrid  zone,  and  these  are  all  fond  of  the  water.  239 ;  chevrotin,  or 
little  Guinea-deer,  the  least  of  all  cloven-footed  aniinaU,  ;md  per- 
haps the  most  beautiful  ;  its  description,  253  ;  none  can  be  more 
beautiful  than  the  tiger,  237  ;  change  of  colour  in  the  hair  obtains 
in  them  all  to  a  degree  plainly  observable,  330  ;  the  carnivorous 
have  not  milk  in  plenty,  334  ;  are  not  fond  of  engaging  each  other, 
i)35  ;  general  description  of  amphibious  quadrupeds,  3d6. 

Quail,  a  bird  of  passage  ;  description  of  it,  509. 

Quarry  of  Maestricht,  40,000  people  may  take  shelter  in  it ;  its 
description,  19. 

Qu'ctrs'l-eer,  remarkable  effects  of  it  at  the  mines  near  Idra,  re- 
lated by  Dr.  Pope  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions,  23. 

Quills.     See  Porcupine,  275. 

Quito,  in  South  America,  one  of  the  most  charming  regions  upon 
earth,  44. 


R. 


Rabbit,  a  ruminating  animal,  232;  rabbit  and  hare  distinct  kinds; 
a  creature  covered  with  feathers  and  hair  said  to  be  bred  between 
a  rabbit  and  a  hen  ;  breed  seven  times  a  year,  and  bring  eight 
young  each  time,  263,  264  ;  various  colours  of  rairfjits;  the  mouse- 
coloured  kinds  originallv  from  an  island  in  the  river  Humber,  still 
continuing  their  general  colour  after  a  number  of  successive  gene- 
rations ;  account  of  their  production  ;  the  rabbit  generally  fatter, 
and  lives  longer,  than  the  hare  ;  native  of  the  warmer  climates;  it 
has  been  imported  into  England  from  Spain  ;  in  some  of  the  islands 
of  the  Mediterranean  they  multiplied  in  such  numbers,  that  mili- 
tary aid  v:as  demanded  to  destroy  them  ;  love  a  warm  climate  ;  de- 
light in  grounds  of  a  sandy  soil ;  the  fur  u  very  useful  commodity 
in  England,  349  to  357. 


Rabbit  (Syrian)  remarkable  for  the  length,  gloss,  and  softness  of 
the  hair,  292,  351. 

Rabbit  (Brazilian)  shaped  like  the  English,  but  without  a  tail, 

Racoon,  with  some  the  Jamaica  rat ;  its  description  and  habits  ; 
do  more  injury  in  one  night  in  Jamaica  than  the  labours  of  a  month 
can  repair  ;  capable  of  being  instructed  in  amusing  tricks  ;  drinks 
by  lapping  as  well  as  by  sucking  ;  its  food,  4'.A),  440. 

Ramlnni's,  circular  rainbows  in  the  Alps,  42;  and  between  the 
tropics,  and  near  the  poles,  110;  one  of  the  three  rainbows  seen  by 
Ulloa,  at  Quito,  was  real,  the  rest  only  reflections  thereof;  a  glass 
globe  filled  with  water,  will  assume  successively  all  the  colours,  of 
the  rainbow,  1 12. 

Rainfinal,  the  name  given  in  some  parts  of  the  country  to  the 
woodpecker,  519. 

Rams,  it  is  no  uncommon  thing,  in  the  counties  of  Lincoln  and 
Warwick,  to  give  50  guineas  for  a  ram,  243. 

Ranguer,  name  of  the  ninth  variety  of  gazelles,  made  by  Mr. 
Buffoii,  252. 

Rarefaction  of  the  nir  produced  by  the  heat  of  the  sun  in  coun- 
tries under  the  line,  101. 

Rats,  musk-rut,  three  distinctions  of  that  species,  the  ondatra, 
desman,  and  pilori ;  in  what  they  resemble  each  other  ;  the 
savages  of  Canada  think  the  musk-rat  intolerably  fetid,  but  deem 
its  flesh  good  eating  ;  great  rat,  called  also  rat  of  fforway,  though 
unknown  in  all  northern  countries  ;  originally  from  the  Levant,  and 
a  new-comer  into  this  country  ;  first  arrival  upon  the  coasts  of  Ire- 
land, with  ships  trading  in  provisions  to  Gibraltar;  a.  single  pair 
enough  for  the  numerous  progeny  now  infesting  the  British  Empire ; 
called  by  Mr.  BulFon  the  surinalot ;  its  description;  the  Norway 
rat  lias  destroyed  the  black  rat  or  common  rat,  as  once  called  ;  and 
being  of  an  amphibious  nature,  has  also  destroyed  the  frogs  in  Ire- 
land ;  the  feeble  animals  do  not  escape  the  rapacity  of  the  Norway 
rat,  except  the  mouse  ;  they  eat  and  destroy  each  other  ;  produce 
from  fifteen  to  thirty  at  a  time,  and  bring  forth  three  times  a  year; 
the  black  rat  has  propagated  in  America  in  great  numbers,  intro- 
duced from  Europe,  and  are  become  the  most  noxious  animals  there ; 
biack  water-rut  not  web-footed,  as  supposed  by  Ray  ;  the  German  rut. 
See  Cricctus,  362  to  368. 

Rat  of  Surinam.     See  Phalanger,  415. 

Rat  of  Jamaica.,  a  name  by  some  given  to  the  racoon,  439. 

Rattlesnake,  kind  of  friendship  between  it  and  the  armadillo,  or 
tatou,  frequently  found  in  the  same  hole,  382;  its  description  and 
dimensions  ;  effects  of  its  bite  ;  the  remedies  against  it ;  power  of 
charming  its  prey  into  its  mouth  ;  facts  related  to  this  purpose, 
736  to  739. 

Ravens,  how  distinguished  from  the  carrion-crow  and  rook;  man- 
ners and  appetites  ;  ravens  found  in  every  region  of  the  world  ; 
white  ravens  often  shown,  and  rendered  so  by  art;  amusing  quali- 
ties, vices,  and  defects ;  food  in  the  wild  state  ;  places  for  building 
nests  ;  number  of  eggs  ;  will  not  permit  their  young  to  keep  in  the 
same  district,  but  drive  them  off,  when  sufficiently  able  to  shift  for 
themselves  ;  the  Romnns  thought  it  ominous,  and  from  fear  paid  it 
profound  veneration  ;  Pliny's  account  of  one  kept  in  the  temple  of 
Castor,  that  flew  down  into  the  shop  of  a  tailor  ;  some  have  lived 
near  a  hundred  years,  512,  513  ;  the  horned  Indian  raven,  516. 

Rarenna,  once  stood  by  the  sea-side,  and  is  now  removed  from 
it,  81. 

Ray,  his  method  of  classing  animals,  200. 

Ray,  figure  of  the  fish  of  this  kind,  and  their  differences  ;  amaz- 
ing dimensions  of  one  speared  by  Negroes  at  Guadaloupe  ;  to 
credit  the  Norway  bishop,  there  are  some  above  a  mile  over ;  sup- 
posed to  be  the  largest  inhabitants  of  the  deep  ;  three  hundred 
eggs  taken  out  of  the  body  of  a  ray ;  in  what  manner  the  eggs 
drop  into  the  womb  from  the  ovary  or  egg-bag,  632,  633. 

Rays  of  light  moderated,  and  their  violence  dissipated,  by  the 
air,  98. 

Raijs  of  the  sun,  darted  directly  upon  the  surface  of  the  water, 
compared  to  so  many  bars  of  red-hot  iron,  108. 

Razor-shell,  the  pirot ;  its  motion  and  habits;  is  allured  by 
salt,  690. 

Rtuumur,  his  chemical  elaboratory  for  hatching  chickens,  496. 

Red-breast.     See  Robin  Red-breast. 

Red-start,  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537. 

Red-icing,  or  fieldfare,  bird  of  passage  ;  its  nest  and  eggs,  539. 

Rrr.d,  stuck  into  the  ground  in  Persia  continues  to  burn  like  a 
flambeau,  25. 

Reeve,,  name  given  to  the  female  of  the  ruff,  571. 

Reflection  of  sound,  its  laws  not  as  well  understood  as  tboeo  of 
light,  167. 

Regions,  the  highest  region  in  the  world,  44. 


RUM 


INDEX. 


SCO 


v> 


Rein-deer.     See  T)rrr,  272. 

Rcmora,  the  .••iicking-Jisli,  it  sticks  to  the  shark,  and  drains 
away  its  ino'iMiiri1.  li.>l. 

Reproduction.     Sivr  TVerafrfcy,  831. 

r;> [it-  i  *  ^:'ow  to  a  prodigious  size  in  the  internal  parts  of  South 
America  and  Africa,  and  why  ;  infinite  numbers  of  them  not  seen 
in  this  part  of  the  world,  and  why,  120,  121. 

Kitieinhiiinne   to  the   common  parent  of  all;  the  olive-coloured 

Astatic,  and  the  jet  black  Negro,  claim   tho   honour  of  hereditary 

iv.-v.nbl.nire   to  him;  argument  sufficient  to  prove  the  contrary, 

ld.">  ;  uiilieult  to  give  a  reason  why  the   child  should  resemble  the 

or  the  muthcr,  187. 

R<  spirillum  itt  Jisin'x,  general  method  of  explaining  it,  609. 

Rliinr,  a  great  river  proceeds  from  the  Alps,  42  ;  part  of  it  lost 
in  the  sands,  not  far  from  Leyden  ;  the  greatest  part  arrives  at  the 
ocean,  ijii. 

Kh'noce.ros,  a  ruminating  animal,  232  ;  not  afraid  singly  to  oppose 
the  lion,  2fi5  ;  next  to  the  elephant  the  most  powerful  of  animals  ; 
general  outline  of  it  ;  the  elepiunt  defeated  by  it;  its  horn  some- 
times found  from  three  feet  to  throe  feet  and  a  half  long  ;  this 
horn  composed  of  the  most  solid  substance,  and  pointed  so  as  to 
inflict  the  most  fatal  wounds  ;  a  rhinoceros  sent  from  Bengal  to 
London,  not  above  two  years  old,  cost  near  £1000  for  his  convey- 
ance and  tbod  ;  in  some  parts  of  Asia,  those  animals  are  tamed, 
and  led  into  the  field  to  strike  terror  into  the  enemy,  but  are  as 
dangerous  to  their  employers  ;  method  of  taking  them  ;  some  found 
in  Africa  with  a  double  horn,  one  above  the  other  ;  many  medicinal 
virtues  ascribed  to  this  horn,  when  taken  in  powder,  without  any 
foundation,  42;~>,  426. 

/.';><  r.s,  all  our  greatest  find  their  source  among  mountains,  42; 
their  production  according  to  De  la  Hire,  57  ;  other  hypotheses 
upon  the  same  subject,  58  ;  make  their  own  beds,  and  level  the 
bottom  of  their  channels  ;  their  sinuosities  and  turnings  more 
numerous  as  they  proceed  ;  a  certain  sign  with  the  savages  of 
Nortli  America,  they  are  near  the  sea,  when  they  find  the  rivers 
winding  and  often  changing  their  direction  ;  a  little  river  received 
into  a  large,  without  augmenting  either  width  or  depth,  and  why  ; 
instance  of  it ;  a  river  tending  to  enter  another  either  perpendicu- 
larly or  in  an  opposite  direction,  will  be  diverted  by  degrees  from 
that  direction,  and  obliged  to  make  itself  a  more  favaurable  en- 
trance with  the  stream  of  the  former  ;  whatever  direction  the 
ridge  of  the  mountain  has,  the  river  takes  the  opposite  course,  59, 
60  ;  every  great  river,  whose  source  lies  within  the  tropics,  lias  its 
stated  inundations,  64  ;  those  of  countries  least  inhabited  are  very 
rocky  and  broken  into  cataracts,  and  why,  65  ;  at  the  poles  neces- 
sarily small,  and  why  ;  the  rivers  of  Kurope  more  navigable  and 
more  manageable  than  those  of  Africa  and  of  the  torrid  zone  ;  all 
rivers  in  the  world  tlowing  into  the  sea  with  a  continuance  of  their 
•resent  stores,  would  take  up,  at  a  rude  computation,  800  years  to 
ill  it  to  its  present  height,  67. 

Halt  in  Rtd-brcast,  a  blender-billed  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind, 
living  upon  insects,  5157. 

Ruck,  great  bird  described  by  Arabian  writers,  and  exaggerated 
by  fable,  but  a  species  of  the  Condor,  478. 

KuetfS.     See  St.  Kiltln.  .V<4. 

Rurbuck.     See  Drr.r,  267. 

R.iii-rr  tlf  Kf.legme,  the  fivst  who  attempted  to  mend  our  breed 
of  horses,  222. 

ii"ijtr  of  Sicily.     See  Silk  Mtiniifttctitrcs,  796. 

Roller,  a  beautiful  bird  of  the  pie  kind  ;  its  description,  517. 

H<n:stin*  cat  down  all  the  woods  and  forests  in  Britain,  and  why, 
84  ;  the  vanity  of  their  boasts  best  shown  by  the  parrot  kind  ;  in 
a  hundred  species  now  known,  not  one  of  those  birds  naturally 
breeds  in  any  of  the  countries  that  acknowledged  the  Roman 
po'.ver.  5:3: >  ;  a  Roman  emperor  had  fifteen  hundred  flamingos' 
tniiTues  served  up  in  a  single  dish  at  a  feast,  566  ;  a  Roman  sena- 
tor irj'.-d  to  throw  into  his  ponds  such  of  his  slaves  as  orferided  him, 
to  feed  tile  lampreys,  639. 

liiii:ilin<il.  a  holy  temperate  man,  said  to  hnve  lived  120 years,  155. 

/i'./r»v>.  of  the  pie  kind  ;  not  carnivorous  :  their  plan  of  policy  ; 
tUiir  chiiii'  food.  514,  515. 

I\otf:'ftlc,  the  sjreat  bat  of  Madagascar.     See  Bat,  3c5. 

I-tuuxiuii-ffHio,  a  bird  of  passage,  described,  514, 

y.Vv//i.  the  lurid  loud.     See  fond,  706. 

/,'  if.  Kiiall  bird  of  the  crane  kind  ;  manner  of  taking  it,  57). 

K'nnitatttt  quadrupeds,  birds,  fishes,  insects  ;  men  known  to 
ruminate  ;  instance  in  a  young  man  at  Bristol  ;  those  of  the  cow 
kind  hold  the  first  rank,  2:12  ;  all  of  this  class  internally  much 
alike  ;  have  not  the  upper  ioreteeth,  2415  ;  the  stag  performs  this 
with  more  difficulty  than  the  cow  or  sheep,  200.  See  diurnal, 
231,  232. 


1" 
ti 


Runner,  the  corrira,  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  ita  description,  567. 

Hunts,  a  variety  of  tame  pigeons  produced  by  cross  coupling, 
532. 

Hu.ii.  copper  and  iron  quickly  covered  with  it  ;  gold  contracts  no 
rust,  92. 

Rut,  time  when  the  stag  feels  the  desire  of  copulating,  259. 


S. 


Sal/Ie,  its  description  from  Mr.  Jonelin,  the  first  accurate  obser- 
ver of  this  animal ;  sables  leap  with  case  from  tree  to  tree,  and  ara 
afraid  of  the  sun  ;  different  colours  of  their  fur  ;  hunting  the  sable 
chiefly  the  lot  of  soldiers  and  condemned  criminals;  how  directed 
to  shoot  them,  336. 

Sabre,  the  trachepterus,  description  of  this  spinous  fish,  649. 

Sucre,  bird  of  the  generous  breed  of  hawks,  4-H. 

Stigo  tree,  ate  by  the  elephant  to  the  stump,  418. 

Sui,  the  bowailcr.  a  monkey  of  the  new  continent,  412. 

So/7,  a  stag  hard  hunted,  taking  to  the  water,  is  said  to  go  sail,  262. 

Snini's,  name  of  the  nets  used  in  the  pilchard  fishery,  on  the 
coast  of  Cornwall,  655. 

Sujuu,  third  soil  of  the  sapajou,  a  monkey  of  the  new  continent, 
412. 

Sold,  the  cagui,  the  largest  monkey  of  the  sagoin  kind  ;  its  de- 
scription, 413. 

Sal  jimmoiiiac  made  of  the  urine  of  camels,  432. 

Salamander,  there  is  no  such  animal  existing  as  that  described 
by  the  ancients  ;  the  modern  salamander  a  lizard  ;  there  are  many 
kinds  ;  its  conformation  and  habits  ;  reports  concerning  their 
venom  ;  idle  notion  of  its  being  inconsumable  in  fire,  717,  718. 

Salira,  in  the  lama,  or  American  camel,  supplied  by  nature  in 
such  abundance,  that  it  spits  on  all  occasions,  and  seems  the  only 
offensive  weapon  of  this  harmless  creature,  434. 

Salmon,  a  ruminating  fish,  232  ;  a  soft  finned  abdominal  fish,  G50. 

Salt-water.     See  Sea  and  Sea-water. 

Salt,  Bay  salt,  brought  from  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  a  strong  kind 
made  by  evaporation  in  the  sun,  71  ;  volatile  caustic  salt  obtained 
in  great  quantities  from  the  cantharides  fly,  822. 

Samari,  the  aurora,  the  smallest  and  most  beautiful  monkey  of 
the  sapajou  kind,  412. 

Saw/aid  Tartars,  description  of  that  people,  177. 

Sanctorian  statical  experiments  upon  a  weak  foundation,  149. 

Sand,  rolling  in  waves  like  a  troubled  sea,  and  overwhelming 
all  with  inevitable  destruction,  4  ;  tract  of  a  country,  lying  along 
the  sea-side  in  Lower  Brittany,  inhabited  before  the  year  1666, 
now  lies  desert,  being  covered  with  sand  to  the  height  of  twenty 
feet,  100. 

Sanderling,  small  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  568. 

Sandpiper,  small  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  568. 

Santurin,  an  earthquake  there  in  1707;  a  volcano  near  it,  37. 

Sa/iajiiH,  name  given  to  the  monkies  of  the  new  continent,  411. 

Savages  more  difficult  in  point  of  dress  than  the  most  fashion- 
able or  tawdry  European  ;  instance  of  it,  145  ;  perform  a  journey 
of  twelve  hundred  leagues  in  less  than  six  weeks,  150  ;  oblige 
their  women  to  a  life  of  continual  labour  ;  is  surprised  tin  European 
walks  forward  for  his  amusement  and  returns  back  again,  152. 

Saucr.,  made  with  the  blood  and  marrow  of  the  rein-deer  by  the 
Laplanders,  277. 

Scallop,  in  its  shell  moves  forward  upon  land,  and  swims  upon 
the  surface  of  the  water,  by  contrivance  in  a  singular  manner,  690. 

Scar,  a  child  distinctly  marked  similar  to  one  the  father  received 
in  battle,  1H5. 

Scarus,  if  we  believe  Ovid,  is,  like  the  salmon,  a  ruminating 
238. 

Samp  durlt,  a  variety  of  the  duck-kind,  598. 

Sn  nt,  tin!  iNugroes  of  Guinea  have  an  insupportable  scent,  183. 

ScliaUt.H!!  assures  us,  he  saw  an  instance  of  fishes  being  allured 
by  music,  166. 

Sciiena.  a  spinous  fish  ;  description  of  this  fish,  648. 

Sru/upeudru,  the  centipedes,  a  hideous  angry  worm,  described, 
762. 

SfinnJitr,  the  mackarel,  a  prickly-finned  thoracic  fish;  its  do" 
scription,  648. 

i       Scnrpiena,  or  father-lasher,  of  the  prickly-finned  thoracic  kind. 
648. 

Scorpion,  four  principal  parts  distinguishable  in  this  animal ;  the 
reservoir  where  its  poison  is  kept  ;  effect  of  its  sting  upon  a  dog, 
in  an  experiment  made  by  M  Maupertius  ;  experiments  made 
upon  other  dogs  ;  instances  of  its  irascible  nature  and  malignity; 
when  driven  to  extremity,  destroys  itself;  instance  of  it ;  captivity 


46 


SER 


INDEX. 


SHE 


makes  it  destroy  its  young  ;  a  scorpion  of  America  produced  from 
the  egg,  759  to  7b'2. 

Scorpion  (Water)  an  insect  with  wings,  described,  779. 
Scoter,  an  European  duck. 

Scotland  has  land  in  it  at  one  time  covered  with  water,  at  another 
free,  82. 

Scotchman,  in  the  Tower,  took  not  the  least  sustenance  during 
six  weeks,  155. 

Sea  was  open  to  all  till  the  time  of  the  emperor  Justinian,  68  ;  i 
sensibly  retired  in  many  parts  of  the  coasts  of  France,  England, 
Holland,  Germany,  and   Prussia,  81  ;  Norwegian  sea  has  formed 
several  little  islands  from  the   main  land,  and  still  daily  advances 
upon  the  continent.  82  ;  its  colour  not  from  any  thing  floating  in  it, 
but  from  the  different  reflections  of  the  rays  of  light;  a  proof  of  it; 
the  sea  grows  colder  in  proportion  as  divers  descend,  85  ;  smokes 
like  an  oven  near  the  poles,  when  the  winter  begins,  113 ;  no  fish 
imbibe  any  of  the  sea-saltness  with  food  or  in  respiration,  522. 
Sea  (Red)  choked  up  with  coraline  substances,  85. 
Sea-eggs,  name  given  to  the  niultivalve  shell-fish  of  the  echini, 
which  move,  693. 

Sea-nettles,  name  given  by  some  to  the  star-fish,  832. 
Sea-water,  various  methods  proposed  to  render  it  fresh  for  the  use 
of  seamen  in  long  voyages,  70  ;  about  a  forty-fifth  part  heavier  than 
fresh-water  ;   is  heavier,  and  consequently  salter,  the  nearer  we 
approach  the  line,  71. 

Sea-worm  may  be  multiplied  by  being  cut  to  pieces,  125.  See 
Polypus. 

Seal,  its  description;  the  varieties  innumerable  ;  the  brain  largest 
of  any  animal  ;  the  foramen  arale  in  its  heart  never  closing,  fits  it 
for  continuing  under  water  ;  the  water  its  habitation  ;  seldom  at  a 
distance  from  the  shore ;  found  in  the  North  and  Icy  Seas,  and  on 
those  shores  in  flocks  ;  gregarious  and  migrant ;  direct  their  course 
to  northern  coasts,  and  seas  free  of  ice,  in  two  departures,  observing 
time  and  track  ;  how  and  by  what  passages  they  return  unknown  ; 
females  in  our  climate  bring  forth  in  winter  ;  where  they  rear  their 
young ;  hunt  and  herd  together,  and  have  a  variety  of  tones  like 
dogs  and  cats,  to  pursue  prey,  or  warn  of  danger  ;  neither  length 
of  time  in  pregnancy,  nor  duration  of  these  animals'  lives,  yet 
known  ;  two  taken  young,  ai'ter  ten  years  had  the  marks  of  age  ; 
how  the  Europeans  and  Greenlanders  destroy  them  ;  in  our  climate 
they  are  wary,  and  suffer  no  approach  ;  never  sleep  without  moving, 
and  seldom  more  than  a  minute  ;  taken  for  the  skin  and  oi]  the  tat 
yields  ;  the  flesh  formerly  at  the  tables  of  the  great ;  an  instance 
of  it;  sea-lion  in  Anson  s  Voyages,  the  largest  of  the  seal  family, 
392  to  395. 

Seeds,  some  thought  to  thrive  better  for  maceration  in  the  sto- 
mach of  birds,  before  they  be  voided  on  the  ground,  538. 

Senegal,  a  river  in  Africa  ;  its  course ;  is  navigable  for  more  than 
three  hundred  leagues,  62  ;  receives  more  than  twenty  rivers,  64  ; 
the  natives  consider  forty  years  as  a  very  advanced  time  of  life,  and 
generally  die  of  old  age  at  fifty,  94. 

Sensations,  their  illusions  at  first  when  man  is  newly  brought  into 
existence,  described  by  Mr.  Button,  171 ;  fish  fall  behind  terrestrial 
animals  in  their  sensations,  608. 

Senses,  of  all  senses  man  is  most  inferior  to  other  animals  in  that 
of  smelling  ;  and  it  seems  not  to  offend  them,  1C9 ;  the  grossest,  and 
most  useful  of  all,  is  that  of  feeling,  170. 

Sensitive  plant  has  as  much  perception  as  the  fresh-water  poly- 
pus, 129. 

Heps,  improper  name  of  the  Chalcidian  lizard ;  its  description, 
722. 

Seraglio,  to  be  able  to  furnish  one  the  only  ambition  of  an  Asia- 
tic, 138. 

Serpents,  the  sea  about  the  islands  of  Azores  replenished  with 
them  for  want  of  motion,  70  ;  the  various  hissings  at  the  close  of  the 
evening,  make  a  louder  symphony  in  Africa,  than  birds  in  Euro- 
pean groves  in  a  morning,  20ti ;  to  believe  all  said  of  the  sea-serpent 
is  credulity,  to  refuse  assent  to  its  existence  is  presumption,  616  ; 
sea-serpent,  the  elops  described,  ib. ;  marks  distinguishing  them 
from  the  rest  of  animals  ;  their  conformation ;  progressive  motion  ; 
the  only  animal  in  the  forest  that  opposes  the  monkey  ;  entwines 
and  devours  the  buffalo  ;  account  of  a  combat  between  a  serpent 
and  a  buffalo  ;  no  animals  bear  abstinence  so  long  as  they  ;  little 
serpents  live  for  several  years  in  glasses,  never  eat  at  all,  or  stain 
the  glass  with  excrements ;  little  serpent  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  north  of  the  river  Senegal ;  long  serpent  of  Congo ;  some 
bring  forth  their  young  alive,  some  bring  forth  eggs;  some  veno- 
mous, and  some  inoffensive  ;  animals  which  destroy  them  ;  boasted 
pretensions  of  charming  serpents  ;  have  docility  ;  Egyptians  paid 
adoration  to  a  serpent,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  western  coast  of 
Africa  retain  the  some  veneration  ;  all  amphibious  ;  their  motion, 


swimming  in  liquids  ;  the  ^Esculapian  serpent,  724  to  730  ;  seat  of 
poison  in  venomous  serpents ;  instrument  by  which  the  wound  is 
made;  those  destitute  of  fangs  are  harmless;  various  appearances 
the  venom  produces;  may  be  taken  inwardly  without  sensible  effects 
or  prejudice  to  the  constitution  ;  instance  of  the  force  of  serpents' 
poison  from  Ray  ;  their  principal  food  birds,  moles,  toads,  lizards, 
732  to  735 ;  the  prince  of  serpents,  a  native  of  Japan,  the  greatest 
favourite  of  savages,  741. 

Serial,  a  native  of  Malabar,  resembling  the  panther  in  spots. 
304. 

Setter,  a  dog  of  the  generous  kind,  312. 

Si-rera,  lamprey  of  this  river  the  most  delicate  of  all  fish,  638. 

Shagreen  made  of  the  skin  of  the  wild  ass,  224  ;  also  the  shark. 
632. 

Shammoy,  a  kind  of  goat,  in  the  mountains  of  Dauphiny,  Pied- 
mont, Savoy,  Switzerland,  and  Germany  ;  its  description  ;  their 
flesh  good  to  eat ;  in  cases  of  danger,  its  hissing  noise  is  heard  at  a 
great  distance  ;  by  smell  discovers  a  man  at  half  a  league  ;  admired 
tor  the  beauty  of  its  eyes  ;  not  found  in  summer  except  in  caverns 
of  rocks,  amidst  fragments  of  ice,  or  under  the  shades  of  spreading 
trees  ;  during  winter,  it  sleeps  in  the  thicker  forests,  and  feeds  upon 
shrubs  and  buds  of  pine-trees,  and  scratches  up  the  snow  for  herb- 
age ;  manner  of  hunting  it ;  skin  of  the  shammoy  when  tanned, 
liked  for  softness  and  warmth  ;  the  leather  now  called  shammoy, 
made  from  the  tame  goat,  sheep,  and  deer,  248  to  250.  See  Bczoar, 
250. 

Shan!;,  the  red  and  green  shank,  varieties  of  the  crane  kind, 
268. 

Shark,  description  of  the  great  white  shark  ;  no  fish  swims  so 
fast  ;  outstrips  the  swiftest  ships  ;  instances  of  frightful  rapacity  in 
this  fish  ;  its  enmity  to  man  ;  usual  method  of  sailors  to  take  them ; 
no  animal  harder  to  kill ;  how  killed  by  the  African  negroes ;  the 
reniora.  or  sucking  fish,  sticks  to  it ;  for  what  purpose  ;  brings  forth 
living  young  ;  Rondclctius  says,  the  female  of'  the  blue  shark  lets 
her  brood,  when  in  danger,  swim  down  her  throat,  and  shelter  in 
her  belly,  629  to  631. 

Sheldrake,  a  variety  of  the  pond-duck  ;  supposed  a  native  of  Eng- 
land. 598. 

Shnith-Jifh,  the  silurus,  of  the  prickly-finned  abdominal  kind,  649. 

Sheep,  the  author  saw  one  that  would  eat  flesh,  209  ;  proper  care 
taken  of  the  animal,  produces  favourable  alterations  in  the  fleeces 
here  and  in  Syria,  ib. ;  in  course  of  time  impoverish  the  pasturage, 
2:il!  ;  in  the  domestic  state,  stupid,  most  defenceless,  and  inoffensive  ; 
those  without  horns,  more  dull  and  heavy  than  the  rest ;  those  with 
longest  and  finest  fleeces  most  subject  to  disorders  ;  the  goat,  re- 
sembling them  in  many  respects,  much  their  superior  ;  they  propa- 
gate together,  as  of  one  family  ;  distinguished  from  deer,  240,  241  ; 
do  not  appear  from  old  writers  to  have  been  bred  in  early  times  in 
Britain  ;  no  country  produces  such  sheep  as  England,  larger  fleeces, 
or  better  for  clothing  ;  sheep  without  horns  the  best  sort ;  the  sheep 
in  its  noblest  state  is  in  the  African  desert,  or  the  extensive  plains 
of  Siberia  ;  sheep  in  the  savage  state  ;  the  woolly  sheep  is  only  in 
Europe,  and  in  the  temperate  provinces  of  Asia  ;  subsists  in  cold 
|  countries,  but  not  a  natural  inhabitant  of  them  ;  the  Iceland  sheep 
have  four,  and  sometimes  eight  horns  ;  with  broad  tails,  common  in 
Tartary.  Arabia,  Persia,  Barbary,  Syria,  and  Egypt;  the  tail  often 
weighs  from  twenty  to  thirty  pounds  ;  those  called  strepsichorop, 
natives  of  the  Archipelago;  Guinea  sheep  described  ;  bring  forth 
one  or  two  at  a  time,  sometimes  three  or  four ;  bear  their  young 
five  months,  242,  243  ;  tlin  intestines  thirty  times  the  length  of  their 
body,  291  ;  in  Syria  and  Persia,  remarkable  for  fine  gloss,  length, 
and  softness  of  hair.  *J'.  2.  See  Moujflim. 

Shells,  (fossil)  found  in  all  places  near  to  and  distant  from  the 
sea,  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth,  on  the  tops  of  mountains,  or  at 
different  depths,  digging  for  marble,  chalk,  or  other  terrestrial  mat- 
ters, so  compact  as  to  preserve  these  shells  from  decay.  6  ;  various 
kinds  found  at  a  hundred  miles  from  the  sea,  at  Touraine  in  France; 
a  continued  bed  of  oyster-shells  found  through  the  whole  circum- 
ference of  five  or  six  acres  of  ground  near  Reading,  in  Berkshire  ; 
shells  found  petrified  in  all  the  Alpine  rocks,  in  the  Pyrenees,  on 
the  hills  of  France.  England,  and  Flanders  ;  a  floor  or  pavement  of 
petrified  shells  found  in  Kent,  near  the  Medway  ;  shells  always  re- 
maining in  the  deep  ;  easier  to  believe  fossil  shells  bred  in  fresh 
water,  than  that  the  sea  for  a  long  time  covered  the  tops  of 
high  mountains.  12  to  14  ;  methods  of  conveying  a  just  idea  of  the 
formation  of  sea-shells  and  garden-shells :  usual  way  of  accounting 
for  different  colouring  in  shells ;  they  assume  every  colour  but 
blue  ;  stairs-shell,  or  admiral-shell,  not  more  precious  for  their 
scarceness,  than  pearls  for  their  beauty  ;  collections  of  shells  have 
their  use  ;  naturally  classed  by  Aristotle;  places  where  shells  are 
found,  and  substances  of  which  they  are  composed;  supposition 


SKI 


INDEX. 


SNO 


47 


that  all  earths  fermenting  with  vinegar,  are  composed  of  shells 
orumbled  down  to  one  mass  :  \\  hat,  shi  11s  most  valunhle  :  sen-shells 
exceed  land  or  inssil  shells  in  ht:;intv  •  some  living  hind-shells  not 
inferior  in  be.-uity  to  fn  sh-wali:r  shells;  great  variety  of  fossil 
or  extrm-'uiK-i  shells  ;  different  st-'tos  of  preservation  :  every  shell 
the  spoil  of  some  animal ;  no  matter  how  parted  from  the  sea,  676 
to  031. 

Shells  of  the  sen,  of  all  sea-vhclla,  that  of  the  nautilus  the  thin- 
nest and  most  easily  pierced,  687  ;  all  bivalved  shells  furnish  pearls, 
ami  their  i'-.sides  resemble  and  afford  that  substance  called  mother- 

•I.    I'ill. 

Skrlh  (animal)  of  the  armadillo  or  tatou,  one  of  the  most  striking 
curiosities  in  natural  history,  380  ;  turtle  shells  of  an  amazing 
magnitude,  671. 

Shi-llnni!  Isli-s,  amazing  quantities  of  herrings  appearing  off 
these  islnnds,  654. 

Short-heads,  name  given  by  sailors  to  the  younir  of  the  whale, 

618. 

Hlinreller,  species  of  the  crane  kind  ;  inhabitants  of  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  respect  it  as  the  ancient  Egyptians  did  their  Ibis  ;  its 
nest  and  e^s.  ."it;:;. 

Shoultlfr*.  high  in  sickly  persons  ;  people  dying  are  seen  with 
their  shoulders  drawn  up  ;  shoulders  in  women  narrower  than  in 
men,  147,  1-K 

Showers,  shower  of  hail  in  1510  ;  its  description,  110;  of  stones, 
fishes,  and  ivy-berries,  raised  into  the  air  by  tempests  in  one  coun- 
try, and  falling  at  a  distance  like  rain  to  astonish  another,  114. 

Siberia,  the  isatis  found  in  this  country,  and  seldom  in  milder 
climates.  326  ;  the  sable  resembling  the  martin  found  in  it,  336  ; 
enormous  tusks  found  lodged  in  the  sandy  banks  of  its  rivers.  424. 

.s/.<; /*.«.  in  what  manner  produced;  when  invigorated  produce 
sobbing,  144. 

Sight,  of  old  men  indistinct  for  bodies  close  to  them,  but  more 


and  darts  on  it  with  unerring  aim,  450  ;  of  birds  that  prey  by  day, 
astonishingly  quick,  and  in  such  as  ravage  by  night,  so  fitted  as  to 
discern  objects  in  darkness  with  precision,  471. 

Signs  of  death,  uncertainty  01  them  ought  to  make  every  one 
cautious  of  giving  up  a  friend  as  dead,  and  exposing  him  to  real 
death,  or  a  premature  interment,  177. 

Silks,  brought  to  Jamaica,  and  there  exposed  to  the  air,  rot 
while  they  preserve  their  colour  ;  but  kept  from  air,  retain  their 
strength  and  gloss,  92. 

Silk  Miiinijnrlurrs.  established  in  Europe,  in  the  beginning  of 
the  twelfth  century,  by  Roger  of  Sicily,  707. 

Silkworm,  the  most  serviceable  of  all  such  creatures,  733  ;  its 
real  history  unknown  among  the  Romans  to  the  time  of  Justinian, 
and  supposed  only  brought  into  Europe  in  the  twelfth  century :  two 
methods  of  breeding  them  ;  Pausanias's  description  of  this  worm  ; 
changes  its  skin  in  three  weeks  or  a  month  ;  gummy  fluid  forming 
the  threads  ;  preparations  made  before  spinning  the  web  :  the  cone 
or  ball  of  silk  described  ;  efforts  to  burst  the  cone  ;  free  from  con- 
finement, it  neither  flies  nor  eats  ;  few  of  these  animals  suffered  to 
come  to  a  state  of  maturitv.  and  why.  706  to  799. 

SHnrun,  the  sheath-fish,  of  the  prickly  finned  abdominal  kind,  649. 

Simeon,  said  to  have  lived  a  hundred  and  twelve  vears,  155. 

S:m  ws  of  the  rein-deer,  the  strongest  kind  of  sewing  thread,  225. 

birttrlf.  name  of  the  tail  of  the  stag   '^>'2. 

•S/.-7,  in.  singing  bird  of  the  sparrow-kind,  with  a  thick  and  short 
bill,  ">:(7. 

Size  of  men  varies  considerably  ;  the  human  bodv  often  differs 
from  itself ;  the  same  person  taller  in  the  morning  than  at  night; 
sometimes  the  difference  is  an  inch  :  this  first  perceived  in  England 
by  a  recruiting  officer  ;  men  are  tall  from  five  feet  eight  inches  to 
•ix  feet  high  ;  middle  size  from  five  feet  to  five  feet  eight,  14(1 ;  Maxi- 
min.  the'  empenn.  above  nine  feet  in  height.  151  ;  approaching  to- 
wards the  north  pole,  the  natives  diminish  proportionably,  growing 
loss  and  less  in  higher  la,! .Hides,  179. 

Skilrton  of  th«  bat,  in  some  measure,  resembles  that  of  man, 
tilO  ;  of  the  elephant,  some  lately  discovered  of  an  enormous  size, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  in  America.  425. 

Skin,  the  only  pnrt.  of  the  body  that  ajre  does  not  harden  :  whence 
its  wrinkles  proceed,  174  ;  of  the  rein-deer,  277;  of  the  tiger,  300  ; 
of  the  black  fox, .325;  most  valuable  part  of  the  martin's  skin  ;  of 
all,  that  of  the  sable  most  coveted,  and  held  in  highest  esteem,  the 
fur  surpassing  all,  336;  of  the  civet,  341  ;  of  the  ondatra  also  very 
valuable,  367  ;  of  the  mole,  372  ;  of  the  hedgehog,  374  ;  of  the  ele- 
phant, 420  ;  of  the  rhinoceros,  425 ;  of  the  ostrich,  465  ;  of  the 
great  Greenland  whale,  t>J7, 


Skiiil-.  an  animal  called  one  of  the  polecats  of  America,  338. 

Skull-Ji.ih,  name  of  the  whale  above  two  years  old,  618. 

.S'  ailn  ft.',  in  Iceland,  (in  the  lands  of)  there  stood  a  declivity,  »nd 
the  earth  of  it  was  found  sliding  down  the  hill  upon  the  subjacent 
plain,  47. 

Sleep,  with  some  of  the  lower  animals,  takes  up  the  greatest  part 
of  their  lives  ;  man  the  only  creature  requiring  sleep  from  doubla 
motives,  for  the  refreshment  of  the  mental  and  of  the  bodily  frame; 
want  of  it  produces  madness ;  procured  to  man  with  more  difficulty 
than  to  other  animals  ;  in  what  manner  sleep  fetters  us  for  hours 
together,  according  to  Rohault  ;  bodily  labour  demands  a  less  quan- 
tity of  it  than  mental  ;  the  famous  Philip  Barretier  slept  twelve 
hours  in  the  twenty-four ;  numberless  instances  of  persons,  who, 
asleep,  performed  many  ordinary  duties  of  their  calling  ;  and,  with 
ridiculous  industry,  completed  by  night  what  they  failed  doing  by 
day  ;  remarkable  instance  related  in  the  German  Ephemerides. 
See  Arlolto,  155,  156. 

Sloth,  two  different  kinds  of  that  animal,  the  ai  and  the  unan  ; 
both  seem  the  meanest  and  most  ill-formed  of  all  animals  that  chew 
the  cud  ;  formed  by  nature  to  climb  ;  they  get  up  a  tree  with  pain, 
but  utterly  unable  to  descend,  drop  from  the  branches  to  the  ground  ; 
strip  a  tree  of  its  verdure  in  less  than  a  fortnight,  afterwards  de- 
vour the  bark,  and  in  a  short  time  kill  what  mignt  prove  their  sup- 
port; every  step  taken,  sends  forth  a  plaintive  melancholy  cry; 
like  birds,  have  but  one  vent  for  propagation,  excrement,  and 
urine  ;  their  look  piteous,  to  move  compassion,  accompanied  with 
tears,  that  dissuade  injuring  so  wretched  a  being  ;  one  fastened  by  its 
feet  to  a  pole,  suspended  across  two  beams,  remained  forty  days 
without  meat,  drink,  or  sleep  ;  an  amazing  instance  of  strength  in 
the  feet  instanced,  442  to  444. 

Slot,  term  for  the  print  of  the  hoof  of  the  stag.  262. 

Slow,  name  given  by  some  to  the  blind  worm,  740. 

Smell,  the  musky  not  properly  a  characteristic  mark  of  any  kind 
of  animal,  240  ;  none  more  permanent  than  musk,  255  ;  strong  of- 
fensive smell  of  foxes  often  the  cause  of  their  death,  322 ;  ot  the 
genet,  not  endured  by  mice  and  rats,  340. 

Smelling,  Bramins  of  India  have  a  power  of  smelling  equal  to 
what  is  in  other  creatures ;  can  smell  the  water  they  drink,  to  us 
quite  inodorous  ;  negroes  of  the  Antilles  by  smell  distinguish  the 
footsteps  of  a  Frenchman  from  those  of  a  negro  ;  gives  often  false 
intelligence ;  natives  of  different  countries,  or  different  natives  of 
the  same,  differ  widely  in  that  sense  ;  instances  of  it ;  mixtures  of 
bodies  void  of  odour  produce  powerful  smells  ;  a  slight  cold  blunts 
all  smelling  ;  smallest  changes  in  man  make  great  alterations  in 
this  sense,  169 ;  delicacy  of  tmelling  in  birds  instanced  in  ducks,  451. 
See  Senses. 

Smile.  Fielding  asserts,  a  person  with  a  steady  glavering  smile, 
never  failed  to  prove  himself  a  rogue,  145. 

Snail  (Garden)  is  surprisingly  fitted  for  the  life  it  is  to  live  ;  or- 
gans of  life  it  possesses  in  common  with  animals  ;  and  what  pecu- 
liar to  itself;  every  snail  at  once  male  and  female  ;  and  while  it 
impregnates  another,  is  impregnated  in  turn  ;  coupling  of  these 
animals  ;  possessed  of  the  power  of  mending  the  shell ;  and  come 
to  full  growth  they  cannot  make  a  new  one  ;  Swammerdam's  ex- 
periment to  this  purpose  ;  salt  destroys  them,  so  does  soot  ;  con- 
tinue in  a  torpid  state  during  the  severity  of  winter  ;  so  great  their 
multiplication  in  some  years,  that  gardeners  imagine  they  burst 
from  the  earth  ;  wet  seasons  favourable  to  their  production  ;  .sea 
snail,  fresh-water  snail,  and  land  snail ;  common  garden  snail  com- 
pared with  the  fresh-water  snail  and  sea  snail ;  fresh-water  snail 
brings  forth  young  alive,  with  shells  upon  their  backs  ;  at  all  timos 
of  the  year,  fresh-water  snails  open,  are  pregnant  with  eggs,  or 
with  living  snails,  or  with  both  together  ;  sea  snails  found  vivipa- 
rous, others  lay  eggs  ;  manner  in  which  the  sea  snails  impregnate 
each  other  ;  different  orifices  or  verges  of  snails  ;  the  difference  be- 
tween land  and  sea  snails ;  of  the  trochus  kind,  have  no  mouth  } 
their  trunk  ;  are  among  snails,  as  the  tiger,  the  eagle,  or  the  shark, 
among  beasts,  birds,  and  fishes  ;  food  of  all  sea  snails  lies  at  the  bot- 
tom ;  of  sea  snails,  that  most  frequently  swimming  upon  the  surface, 
whose  shell  is  thinnest,  and  most  easily  pierced,  is  the  nautilus; 
its  description  ;  peculiarity  by  which  the  nautilus  is  most  distin- 
guished, 631  to  687. 

Snail-sea,  a  cartilaginous  fish,  described,  643. 

Snake  (black)  its  description  and  food  ;  are  oviparous,  740.  See 
Serpents. 

Sni/ie,  a  water-bird  of  passage  :  its  description,  574,  575. 

Snow,  inhabitants  of  places  where  fields  are  continually  white 
with  snow,  generally  become  blind  before  their  usual  course  of  ma- 
ture, 5. 

Snow-slips,  a  family  in  Germany  lived  for  a  fortnight  beneath 
one  47. 


48 


SPO 


INDEX. 


STI 


Sobbing  is  a  sigh  still  more  invigorated,  144. 

Soland  goose,,  582.     See  Bass  and  Gannet. 

Soldier-crab,  663.     See  Crab. 

Solfatara,  a  valley  near  Naples  ;  exhibits  the  appearance  of  an 
earthquake,  36. 

Soot,  as  well  as  salt,  will  destroy  snails,  683. 

Sore,  name  the  hunters  give  the  buck  the  fourth  year,  3GG. 

Sorel,  the  hunter's  name  for  the  buck  the  third  year,  3G(>. 

Sound  convej'ed  by  air  is  lost  in  vacuo,  96  ;  sounding  bodies  of 
two  kinds,  unelastic  returning  a  single  sound,  and  elastic  render- 
ing a  succession  of  sounds  ;  laws  of  the  reflection  of  sound  not  so 
well  understood  as  those  of  light ;  persons  of  a  bad  ear  oft  deceived 
as  to  the  side  whence  sound  comes ;  trumpets  made  to  increase 
sounds,  1G7. 

Source,  rivers  have  their  source  in  mountains,  or  elevated  lakes, 
59. 

Southminster  marshes  over-run  with  an  army  of  mice,  491. 

Spalanzani,  his  experiments  concerning  the  power  of  reproduc- 
tions in  animals,  831. 

Spaniards,  the  only  people  'in  Europe  acquainted  with  the  value 
of  the  ass,  226. 

Spaniels,  land  and  water,  the  offspring  of  the  beagle,  transported 
into  Spain  or  Barbary,  so  altered,  and  converted  there  ;  a  dog  of 
the  generous  kind;  the  land-spaniel;  the  water-spaniel,  311,312. 

Spanish  flics,  described  ;  their  use  in  medicine,  and  as  blisters. 
See  Cantharides,  822. 

Sparrows,  house  sparrow  ;  various  birds  of  the  sparrow  kind  ; 
their  food  ;  songsters  of  this  class  ;  their  migrations,  537,  538  ;  a 
male  and  its  mate,  that  have  young,  destroy  above  three  thousand 
caterpillars  in  a  week,  794. 

Sparrow-hawk,  one  of  the  baser  race  of  hawks,  482  ;  taught  to 
fly  at  game,  but  little  obtained  from  its  efforts  ;  lately  asserted. 
upon  respectable  authority,  the  boldest  of  all  for  the  pleasures  of 
the  chase,  486. 

Sparus,  the  sea-bream,  its  description,  648. 

Spawn,  different  seasons  for  fish  to  deposit  their  spawn,  612. 

Spawning,  peculiar  preparation  of  the  lamprey  for  spawning, 
638. 

Spears  (burning')  a  peculiar  kind  of  aurora  borealis,  113. 

Spears,  the  horns  of  the  stag  the  third  year,  262. 

Spermaceti,  the  whole  oil  of  the  cachalot  easily  converted  into 
that  concrete  ;  efficacy  of  spermaceti  in  medicine  very  small.  (324. 

Spermaceti  whale,  the  cachalot,  described,  623. 

Spiders,  in  South  America  and  Africa,  as  large  as  sparrows,  120  ; 
the  spider  for  several  months  together  subsists  upon  a  single  meal, 
153;  chief  of  our  native  spiders  not  venomous;  Martinico  spi- 
der's body  as  large  as  a  hen's  egg  ;  manner  of  making  their  webs; 
Lister  has  distinguished  the  sexes  of  tins  animal ;  experiment  made 
by  Mr.  Reaumur  to  turn  their  labours  to  the  advantage  of  man  ; 
gloves  made  from  their  webs  ;  found  it  impracticable  to  rear  them, 
747  to  751. 

Spiders  (water)  inhabit  the  bottom,  yet  never  wet,  but  enclosed 
in  a  bubble  of  air  surrounding  them  on  all  sides,  7.~>l . 

Spinal  marrow  and  the  brain,  the  parts  first  seen  begun  in  the 
embryo,  159. 

Spinous  class  of  fishes  already  extended  to  four  hundred  sorts, 
646  ;  Gouan's  system  and  arrangement  of  the  various  sorts  of 
spinous  fishes,  047 ;  their  general  leading  marks  and  difference 
from  others,  651. 

Spirits  of  wine  flame  with  a  candle,  not  with  a  spark,  24. 

Spitzbergen,  bodies  never  corrupt  there,  though  buried  for  30 
years,  195. 

Sponges,  opinion  of  count  Marsigli  and  others  about  them  ;  that 
of  Rumph  and  Jussien  set  in  a  clearer  light  by  Mr.  Ellis,  837. 

Spoonbill,  descriptions  of  the  European  and  American  spoonbill, 
563. 

Sports,  one  peculiar  to  the  Italians,  in  which  horses  without 
riders  run  against  each  other,  217  ;  remarkable  on  horseback, 
among  the  grandees  of  Guinea.  22  ;  of  wild  asses  exhibited  in 
Persia,  224  ;  of  the  bird-catchers  counterfeiting  the  cry  of  the 
owl,  490  ;  of  hunting  the  turkey  in  Canada,  499.  See  Cock,  494. 

Spouts  of  water  at  sea  common  in  the  tropical  seas,  and  some- 
'  times  in  our  own  ;  description  of  one  in  the  Mediterranean  by 
Tournefort;  solutions  offered  for  this  phenomenon  ;  those  called 
typhons,  sometimes  seen  at  land,  differ  from  those  at  sea  described 
by  mariners ;  description  of  that  observed  at  Hatfield  in  Yorkshire, 
in  1687  ;  land-spouts  sometimes  drop  in  a  column  of  water  at  once 
upon  the  earth,  and  produce  an  inundation  ;  they  appear  in  the 
calmest  weather  at  sea;  facts  still  wanting  to  form  a  rational 
theory  of  them,  114,  115. 

Spoutlwles  in  the  cetaceous  tribe,  described,  G14. 


Springs  of  water,  experience  alone  can  determine  the  useful  or 
noxious  qualities  of  every  spring,  50  ;  one  mentioned  by  Derham, 
which  he  never  perceived  to  diminish  in  the  greatest  drought, 
i  when  all  ponds  in  the  country  were  dry  for  several  months,  5ti. 

Squash.     See  Polecat.     See  Stinkard,  338. 

Sgv.int.ing,  instances  of  squinting  communicated  by  a  father  to 
his  offspring,  185. 

Squirrel,  a  ruminating  animal,  232  ;  classed  as  such  by  Pieiius, 
294  ;  the  kind  has  as  many  varieties  as  any  wild  animal ;  enumera- 
tion of  some  ;  its  way  of  moving  is  by  bounds  ;  few  animals  so 
tender,  or  so  unfit  for  a  change  of  abode ;  some  live  on  the  tops  of 
trees,  others  feed  on  vegetables  below,  where  also  they  take  shel- 
ter in  storms  ;  description  of  its  qualities,  food,  and  mansion  ;  the 
martin  destroys  the  squirrel,  then  takes  possession  of  its  mansion, 
351  to  353. 

Squirrels.  Nature  particular  in  the  formation  of  these  animals 
for  propagation  ;  in  Lapland  vast  numbers  remove  from  one  part 
to  another;  method  of  crossing  broad  rivers  or  extensive  lakes; 
the  Laplanders  eut  their  flesh  ;  description  of  the  common  sort, 
and  of  the  gray  Virginian  kind;  the  Barbary;  Siberian  white; 
Carolina  black;  Brazilian;  little  ground  Carolina,  and  .Yttt:  Spain 
squirrel ;  jltfin?  squirrel  more  common  in  America  than  in  Eu- 
rope ;  its  food  and  mansion,  351  to  354. 

Stag,  first  in  rank  among  quadrupeds  ;  its  elegant  form  describ- 
ed ;  no  obvious  difference  between  the  internal  structure  of  the 
stag  and  the  bull,  but  to  a  nice  observer  ;  ruminates  not  so  easily 
as  the  cow  or  sheep  ;  reason  why  ;  manner  of  knowing  its  age  ; 
differs  in  size  and  horns  from  a  fallow-doer  ;  seldom  drinks  in 
winter,  and  less  in  spring  ;  different  colours  of  stags  ;  of  animals, 
natives  of  this  climate,  none  have  such  a  beautiful  eye  as  the  stag  ; 
horns  increase  in  thickness  and  height  from  the  second  year  of  age 
to  the  eighth  ;  grow  differently  in  stags  from  sheep  and  cows  ;  stag 
castrated  when'its  horns  are  off,  they  never  grow  again  ;  the  same 
operation  performed  when  they  are  on,  they  never  full  off;  one 
testicle  only  tied  up,  he  loses  the  horn  of  the  opposite  side  ;  horns 
resembled  to  a  vegetable  substance,  grafted  upon  the  head  of  the 
stag  ;  time  of  feeling  impressions  of  rut,  or  desire  of  copulation  ; 
effects  the  rut  causes  ;  stag  lives  about  forty  years  ;  voice  in  the 
time  of  rut  terrible  ;  and  then  keeps  dogs  off  intrepidly ;  a  stag  and 
a  tiger  enclosed  in  the  sa.me  area,  the  stag's  defence  so  bold,  the 
tiger  was  obliged  to  fly  ;  the  slug  in  rut  ventures  out  to  sea  from 
one  island  to  another,  and  swims  best  when  fattest,  257  to  260  ; 
the  hind,  rr  female,  uses  all  her  arts  to  conceal  her  young  from 
him.  the  most  dangerous  of  her  pursuers;  stag  remaining  wild  in 
England,  called  red-door,  found  on  moors  bordering  on  Cornwall 
and  Devonshire  ;  different  names  given  them  according  to  their 
ages  ;  terms  used  by  hunters  pursuing  the  stag  ;  the  manner  of 
knowing  the  track  of  a  stag,  and  that  of  a  hind;  he  changes  his 
manner  of  feeding  every  month  ;  in  what  manner;  swims  against 
the  stream  ;  the  ancient  manner  of  pursuing  him  ;  that,  of  hunting 
him  ;  and  in  China  ;  stag  of  Corsica  ;  a  kind  called  by  the  ancients 
tre arlnphus  ;  Germans  call  it  bran-deer,  or  liroicn-dcer  ;  a  beauti- 
ful stag,  thouu-ht  a  native  of  Sardinia,  though  perhaps  of  Africa  or 
the  East-Indies  ;  its  description  ;  stag  royal  in  Mexico  ;  of  Canada, 
brought  into  the  state  of  domestic  lameness,  as  our  sheep,  goats, 
and  black  cattle.  2UO  to  2(>5. 

Stiiggaril,  name  of  the  stag  the  fourth  year,  2G2. 

Sinl/ioiis,  law  prohibiting  exportation  oi  stallions  and  mares, 222. 

Stanislaus,  the  exiled  king  of  Poland,  had  a  dwarf  at  his  court, 
189. 

Stare,  bird  classed  with  the  thrush,  distinction  from  the  rest  of 
its  tribe  ;  its  residence  ;  its  eggs;  it  is  easily  taught  to  speak;  its 
food,  240. 

Star-fish,  general  description  of  the  tribe ;  are  also  called  sea- 
nettles  ;  cut  in  pieces,  every  part  survives  the  operation,  becoming 
a  perfect  animal,  endued  with  its  natural  rapacity.  832,  833* 

Starling,  slender-billed  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  living  upon  in- 
sects, 537. 

Stars  (fitril)  supposed  by  philosophers  suns,  2. 

Stars  (falling)  meteors  or  unctuous  wibstances  raised  from  the 
earth,  114. 

Statues  of  antiquity,  first  copied  after  the  human  form,  now  mo- 
dels of  it,  148. 

Stature,  middle  in  men  from  five  feet  five  to  five  feet  eight 
inches,  149  ;  Mr.  Uerham  observes,  probably  the  same  now  as  at 
the  beginning,  192. 

Stellaris,  name  given  by  the  Latins  to  the  bittern,  5(i3. 

St.eno,  his  opinion  about  the  formation  of  the  incipient  animal, 
123. 

Stigmata,  holes  through  which  caterpillars  breathe,  786.  _ 

Stickleback,  the  gasterosteus  of  the  prickly -finned  thoracic  sort, 


SUG 


INDEX. 


TAJ 


49 


description  of  this  fish,  649 ;  this  fish  appears  in  great  quantities 
every  seven  or  eight  years  in  the  river  Welland,  near  Spalding  ;  a 
man  employed  by  a  farmer  to  take  them,  for  manuring  his  grounds, 

got  for  a  considerable  time  four  shillings  a-day,  selling  them  at  a 
alfpenny  a  bushel,  656. 

SlMicon,  his  two  daughters,  buried  with  much  finery,  found 
eleven  hundred  years  after  in  good  preservation,  excepting  the 
pearls,  692. 

Stinkard,  name  given  by  our  sailors  to  one  or  two  animals  of  the 
weasel  kind,  chiefly  found  in  America,  288  ;  and  by  the  savages  of 
Canada  to  the  musk-rat,  367. 

Stint,  smaller  and  shorter  billed  water-bird  of  the  crane  kind,  568. 

fitoat,  the  ermine,  its  description,  330. 

Stomach,  Nature  has  contracted  the  stomach  of  animals  of  the 
forest,  suitable  to  their  precarious  way  of  living,  153  ;  proportioned 
to  the  quality  of  the  animal's  food,  or  the  ease  of  obtaining  it ;  those 
who  chew  the  cud  have  four  stomachs ;  yet  several  of  those  have 
but  two  in  Africa,  207;  the  camel  has  a  fifth  stomach,  as  a  reservoir 
of  water  for  occasional  use,  431  ;  birds  have  properly  but  one 
stomach,  yet  this  is  different  in  different  kinds,  4.r>2. 

Stork,  true  difference  between  it  and  the  crane  ;  are  birds  of 
passage,  returning  into  Europe  in  March  ;  the  Dutch  attentive  to 
the  preservation  of  the  stork  in  their  republic,  the  bird  protected 
by  laws  and  the  prejudices  of  the  people  ;  countries  where  found  ; 
ancient  Egyptians'  regard  for  this  bird  carried  to  adoration  ;  the 
ancient  ibis  supposed  the  same  which  at  present  bears  the  same 
name,  556,  557. 

Storms,  foretold  by  the  barometer  ;  above  their  region  all  is  calm 
and  serene;  rise  to  the  tops  of  the  highest  mountains;  confirmed  by 
those  who  have  been  on  the  Andes,  and  by  the  deep  snows  that 
crown  them;  with  powerful  effects,  do  not  show  great  speed, 
103,  104;  one  most  dreadful  in  Herefordshire,  in  1697;  description 
of  it,  110 ;  do  not  terrify  goats,  245. 

Stones,  showers  of  stones  raised  by  storms  in  one  country,  carried 
to  another,  114. 

Stone-chatter,  slender-billed  bird  of  the  sparrow-kind,  537 ; 
migrates,  538. 

Store,  expeditious  in  bringing  the  animal  in  the  egg  to  perfec- 
tion, 126. 

Strabism,  an  inequality  of  sight,  and  particular  cast  of  the  eye  ; 
whence  it  proceeds,  162. 

Stream  of  rivers  more  rapid  in  proportion  as  its  channel  is 
diminished,  and  why,  60. 

Strength,  a  just  way  of  estimating  human  strength,  by  perse- 
verance and  agility  of  motions  ;  not  hereditary  ;  prodigies  of  it ; 
Maximin  the  emperor  described  ;  instances  of  it  in  Milo,  and  also 
in  Athanatus  ;  estimation  of  strength  in  animals  by  the  bulk  of 
their  muscles  very  fallacious ;  thin  and  raw-boned  men  being  gene- 
rally stronger  and  more  powerful  than  those  seemingly  more  mus- 
cular ;  women  much  inferior  in  strength  to  men  ;  of  man  less 
valuable  since  the  invention  of  gunpowder,  of  new  machines,  and 
the  application  of  the  power  of  animals  to  the  purposes  of  life ;  the 
comparative  strength  of  a  horse,  measured,  not  by  what  he  can 
carry,  but  by  what  he  can  draw,  150  to  152 ;  of  the  inhabitants 
round  the  poles  is  amazing,  179. 

Stromateus,  a  soft-finned  apodal  fish,  described,  640. 

Strut/iophaffi,  nations  so  called  from  their  fondness  of  the  flesh 
of  the  ostrich,  465. 

Stuffs,  made  of  hair  of  animals  about  Angora,  247  ;  half  com- 
posed of  silk  forbid  to  be  worn  at  home,  as  a  luxurious  refine- 
ment, 796. 

Stunts,  name  given  to  whales  at  the  age  of  two  years,  618. 

Sturgeon,  a  cartilaginous  fish,  of  a  considerable  size,  yet  flies  ter- 
rified from  the  smallest  fishes  ;  its  description  ;  three  kinds  of  it ; 
the  largest  caught  in  Great  Britain  taken  in  the  Eske,  where  fre- 
quently found  weighing  four  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  ;  live  in  so- 
ciety among  themselves  ;  and  Gesner  has  seen  them  shoal  together 
at  the  notes  of  a  trumpet ;  in  the  water  it  is  one  of  the  strongest 
fishes,  and  often  breaks  the  nets  that  enclose  it ;  but  its  head  once 
raised  above  water,  its  activity  ceases ;  two  methods  of  preparing 
it ;  that  from  America  not  so  good  as  from  the  north  of  Europe  ; 
caviar  made  with  the  roe  of  all  kinds  of  sturgeon;  manner  of 
making  it,  640  to  642. 

Sucking-fish,  the  remora,  sticks  to  the  shark  ;  called  the  shark's 
pilot,  631. 

Sucking-fish,  the  echineis,  a  soft-finned  thoracic  fish ;  its  de- 
•cription,  650. 

Suction,  from  whence  that  amazing  power  in  the  lamprey 
irises,  638. 

Sugar,  the  white  sort  in  the  tropical  climates  sometimes  full  of 
maggots,  92. 

NO.  79  &  80. 


Siit/>!iiir.  with  iron  filings  kneaded  together  into  a  paste,  with  wa- 
ter, when  heating,  produce  a  flame,  23. 

Hun,  mock  suns  and  other  meteors  seen  in  the  Alps,  42;  in  tho 
polar  regions,  110;  reflected  upon  opposite!  clouds,  appear  lika 
three  or  lour  real  suns  in  the  firmament ;  real  sun  always  readily 
known  by  superior  brightness ;  the  rainbow  also  different  in  thosa 
countries,  112;  not  easy  to  conceive  how  it  whitens  wax  and  linen, 
and  darkens  the  human  complexion.  184. 

*iiiii-j!stt,  an  anomalous  cartilaginous  fish,  like  a  bulky  head, 
643. 

Surf  of  the  am,  name  the  mariners  give  waves,  breaking  against 
the  shore,  80. 

rat,  the  phalangcr,  a  small  monkey,  described,  415. 


Surinam  tuail.  iht:  pip:il,  a  hideous  toad  ;  its  description,  707. 
Surmal 
creature, 


Surmalot.  with  Mr 


[)ip:il.  a  h 
.  Buft'ou, 


the  great  rat,  a  hateful  rapacious 


Titittlrt.  the  mullus.  a  spinous  fish  ;  its  description,  648. 

Niralloifs.  time  of  their  migrations;  departure  of  some,  and  re- 
treat of  others  into  old  walls,  from  the  inclemencies  of  winter, 
wrap  the  migrations  of  birds  in  great  obscurity,  458  ;  experiment 
of  Mr.  Buffon  to  this  purpose,  ib. ;  with  us  birds  of  passage  ;  breed 
in  Upper  Egypt  and  the  land  of  Java,  and  never  disappear,  538 ; 
hiiuxi-fifalluu-  ;  characteristics  of  the  swallow  tribe  ;  at  the  end  of 
September  they  depart  ;  those  migrating  first  seen  in  Africa,  in 
the  beginning  of  October,  having  performed  their  journey  in  seven 
days  ;  sometimes  seen,  interrupted  by  contrary  winds,  wavering  in 
their  course  at  sea.  and  lighting  upon  the  ships  in  their  passage  ;  a 
doubt  whether  all  swallows  thus  migrate,  or  some  others  of  thin 
species  externally  alike,  and  internally  different,  be  differently  af- 
fected by  the  approach  of  winter  ;  observations  made  to  this  pur- 
pose by  Reaumur,  Frisch,  and  Klein  ;  Chinese  pluck  their  nests 
from  rocks,  and  send  great  numbers  into  the  East-Indies  for  sale  ; 
gluttons  esteem  them  great  delicacies,  dissolved  in  chicken  or  mut- 
ton broth  ;  the  number  of  their  eggs,  546  to  548. 

Swallow  of  Ternate,  or  God's  bird,  the  bird  of  paradise,  described, 
523. 

Swammerdam  lent  attention  to  testaceous  animals,  almost  ex- 
ceeding credibility,  681. 

Su-an,  a  stately  web-footed  water-fowl ;  doubt  whether  the  tame 
kind  be  in  a  state  of  nature  ;  none  found  in  Europe  ;  the  wild  swan, 
though  strongly  resembling  it  in  colour  and  form,  yet  another  bird  ; 
differences  between  wild  and  tame  swans ;  the  tame  most  silent, 
the  wild  has  a  loud  and  disagreeable  note  ;  from  thence  called  the 
hooper  ;  accounts  sufficient  to  suspend  an  opinion  of  its  musical 
abilities  ;  two  months  hatching,  and  a  year  growing  to  proper  size  ; 
longest  in  the  shell  of  any  bird  ;  said  to  live  three  hundred  years ; 
by  an  act  of  Edward  IV.  the  son  of  the  king  was  allowed  to  keep  a 
swan,  and  no  others,  unless  possessed  of  five  marks  a  year  ;  pu- 
nishment for  taking  their  eggs,  imprisonment  for  a  year  and  a  day, 
and  a  fine  at  the  king's  will ;  places  which  abound  with  them,  593 
to  505. 

Swarms,  (lee-kite)  several  swarms  in  the  year,  the  first  alwayi 
the  best,  806. 

Sweden,  asses  a  sort  of  rarity  in  Sweden,  226. 

Sweetmeats,  in  tropical  climates,  exposed  by  day  in  the  sun,  to 
prevent  their  putrefying  by  the  night  air,  92. 

Swift,  a  bird  of  the  swallow  lund  ;  peculiar  position  of  the 
toes,  546. 

Swiftness  of  sarages,  many  surprising  stories  about  it,  150. 

Sword-fish,  encounters  the  whale,  619  ;  its  description,  647,  648. 

Syagushes,  carnivorous  animals,  like  the  jackal  and  wolf,  hunt  in 
packs,  208. 

Symmetry  and  proportion  of  the  human  body.  140. 

Sympathetic  affuction  of  yawning  ;  a  ridiculous  instance  of  it 
practised  upon  professor  M'Laurin,  at  Edinburgh,  144. 

Synuria,  a  lubricating  liquor  in  the  joints,  so  called  by  anato- 
mists, 149. 

Syria,  most  of  its  cities  destroyed  in  1182  by  an  earthquake,  32. 

System,  in  what  manner  the  harmony  of  our  planetary  system  is 
preserved,  2 ;  very  useful  in  natural  history  ;  books  containing 
them,  useful  to  be  consulted,  but  unnecessary  to  be  read  ;  that  of 
Linnaeus  deserves  the  preference  ;  faults  of  systematic  writers  in 
natural  history,  199,  200  ;  what  has  given  birth  to  the  variety  of 
systems  in  natural  history,  202.  See  tjuuun,  047. 

T. 

TMies,  streaked  cats,  to  which  the  civet's  colour  is  com- 
pared, 341. 

Tujucu.    See  Peccary,  282. 


50 


THE 


INDEX. 


TOC 


Tails  of  sheep  a  foot  broad,  and  weighing  from  twenty  to  thirty 
pounds,  sometimes  supported  by  a  board  upon  wheels,  244. 

Talapoin,  eighth  division  of  monkeys  of  the  ancient  continent, 
411. 

Talons,  in  what  manner  produced  in  animals,  147. 

Tamain,  a  monkey  of  the  second  sort  of  the  sagoin  kind  ;  descrip- 
tion, 412. 

Tamandua,  an  ant-bear,  larger  and  smaller,  lives  upon  ants,  441. 

Tamis-bird,  one  of  the  names  of  the  Guinea-hen,  described,  503. 

Tanais,  a  principal  river  in  Europe,  parting  it  from  Asia,  61. 

Tanrec,  of  the  hedge-hog  kind,  different  enough  to  constitute 
another  species ;  covered  with  prickles,  though  mixed  with  hair ; 
only  found  in  the  East  Indies ;  Indians  consider  its  flesh  a  deli- 
cacy, 375. 

Tapeti,  the  Brasilia!!  rabbit.     See  Rabbit,  349. 

'In/iir,  the  largest  animal  of  America,  not  comparable  to  the  ele- 
phant of  Africa  in  size,  211  ,  considered  as  the  hippopotamus  of  the 
new  continent ;  its  description,  439. 

Tar  used  by  the  Laplanders  for  all  disorders  of  the  rein-deer, 
277. 

Tarantula,  the  bite  of  this  animal,  and  its  cure  by  music,  all  a 
deception  ;  instance  of  it,  16b' ;  native  of  Apulia  in  Italy ;  descrip- 
tion, 751. 

Tarcel,  name  falconers  give  the  male  bird  of  prey;  and  why, 
472. 

Tariguag-ua,  ruggedness  of  road  from  it  up  to  the  Andes,  43. 

Tarnassar,  great  bird  in  the  East  Indies,  no  other  than  the  con- 
dor, 478. 

Tarsier,  a  monkey,  last  of  the  class  of  the  oppossum  kinds,  415. 

Tartars,  their  religion  consists  in  part  by  managing  their  whis- 
kers ;  they  waged  a  bloody  war  with  the  Persians  as  intidels,  for 
not  giving  the  whiskers  the  orthodox  cut,  145,  146;  Samoeid,  first 
distinct  race  of  men  round  the  pole,  described,  178;  the  Ostiac,  a 
face  travelled  down  from  the  north,  and  originally  sprung  from  mi- 
nute savages,  1 79. 

Tartary  comprehends  great  part  of  Asia  ;  natives  and  manners, 
179,  180. 

Taste,  in  all  substances,  on  mountain  tops,  and  valley  bottoms. 
98  ;  to  determine  somewhat  upon  the  nature  of  tastes,  bodies  to  be 
tasted  must  be  moistened,  or  dissolved  by  saliva,  to  produce  a  sen- 
sation ;  the  tongue  and  body  to  be  tasted,  being  dry,  no  taste  en- 
sues ;  relish  of  tastes  stronger  in  children  than  in  persons  advanced 
in  life,  170. 

Tatou,  or  armadillo,  a  quadruped  ;  covered  with  shells,  380. 

Tatu-apara,  first  of  the  kinds  of  the  armadillo  ;  the  second,  the 
tatou  of  Ray,  or  the  encoubert  of  Buffon  ;  the  third,  the  tatuette  ; 
their  diversities  described,  382. 

Teal,  smallest  bird  of  the  duck-kind  distinguished,  598. 

Teats,  great  variety  of  them  in  animals;  their  form,  and  how 
placed,  147. 

Teeth-  in  cows,  eight  cutting  teeth  in  their  lower  jaw,  234. 

Teeth,  coloured,  the  passion  for  them  in  China  and  Japan  ;  in 
some  parts  of  India  black  teeth  desired  with  ardour,  140 ;  teeth  of 
animals  various  ;  how  formed  in  man,  147 ;  of  the  elephant,  shed 
like  horns  of  deer,  or  obtained,  after  death,  not  yet  known  ;  natives 
of  Africa  find  them  in  their  forests  ;  of  the  narwhale  surpass  ivory  ; 
ascribed  to  a  different  animal ;  curiosity,  and  the  desire  of  scarce 
things,  made  them  very  valuable  a  century  ago,  622  ;  the  white 
uliark  is  said  to  have  one  hundred  and  forty-four  teeth,  629. 

Tegg,  what  the  hunters  call  the  doe  the  second  year,  266. 

TejafuaKU,  tockey,  and  cordyle,  all  of  the  lizard  kind,  gradually 
less,  fill  up  the  chasm  between  the  crocodile  and  the  African  iguana, 
720. 

Tempests,  loudest  formed  by  united  contributions  of  minerals, 
vegetables,  and  animals,  increasing  the  streams  of  air  fleeting  round 
the  globe,  99 ;  frequent  under  the  tropics,  and  a  space  beyond  them, 
104;  in  Arabia  and  Africa  described,  106. 

Tencriffe  (the  peak  of)  a  mile  and  a  half  perpendicular  from  the 
sea,  45. 

Ttndrac,  an  animal  less  than  a  mole,  different  from  the  hedge- 
hog, and  a  different  species  ;  description ;  grunt  like  hogs,  and  love 
lo  be  near  water.  374. 

Ternate,  a  Molucca  island,  its  swallow  taken  for  the  bird  of  para- 
dise, 523. 

Terrier,  first  division  of  dogs  of  the  generous  kind,  used  for 
hunting,  312. 

Testaceous  substances  on  the  tops  of  mountains,  and  in  the  heart 
«f  marble,  6. 

Thales.  the  philosopher,  held  all  things  made  of  water,  49. 

Thames  water,  and  that  of  the  Indus,  most  light  and  wholesome,  50. 

Thtoritt  of  the  earth,  those  of  the  must  celebrated  authors,  7. 


Theory  of  evaporation,  for  the  formation  of  clouds,  107,  108; 
other  theories  upon  that  subject;  theory  of  sympathy,  of  Father 
Malbranche,  beautiful  upon  monstrous  productions,  187. 

Tkerasia,  an  island,  appeared  unexpectedly  to  mariners,  37. 

Thermomeier  measures  heat  and  cold  by  a  fixed  standard;  de- 
scription, 52. 

Theutys,  a  prickly-finned  abdominal  fish,  description  of  it,  649. 

Thibet,  the  musk  from  thence  reckoned  the  best ;  sells  at  14s.  the 
ounce,  266  ;  the  peacock  there  the  most  beautiful  of  the  feathered 
creation,  498. 

Thoracic  fsh,  that  which  has  the  ventral  fins  directly  under  the 
pectoral  fins,  647. 

Throat  of  the  great  Greenland  whale  is  so  narrow,  that  any  ani- 
mal larger  than  a  herring  could  not  enter,  618  ;  but  that  of  the 
cachalot  can  with  great  ease  swallow  an  ox,  623  ;  that  of  the  shark 
most  amazing,  629 

Thrush,  &  slender-billed  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537 ;  its  distinc- 
tion from  all  of  the  kind  ;  its  song  very  fine  ;  the  largest  of  the 
kind  with  a  musical  voice  ;  its  food,  539. 

Thumb-footed  shell-fish,  testaceous,  described,  694. 

Thunder,  (j'lloa  heard  it  rolling  beneath  him,  when  upon  the 
Andes,  44  ;  its  cloud  always  moves  against  the  wind,  103  ;  a  sound 
produced  by  the  opposition  of  two  clouds,  and  continued  by  rever- 
berated echo  ;  thunder  clears  the  air  and  kills  insects  noxious  te 
vegetation.  109. 

Thyroid  cartilage  forms  a  lump  upon  the  wind-pipe  in  men,  not 
seen  in  women.  147. 

Ttdes,  with  Pliny,  were  influenced  partly  by  the  sun,  and  in  a 
greater  degree  by  the  moon  ;  Kepler  first  conjectured  attraction  the 
principal  cause  of  them  ;  the  precise  manner  discovered  by  Newton  ; 
high  tides  happen  at  the  same  time,  on  opposite  sides  of  the  globe, 
where  waters  are  fa.rthest  from  the  moon  ;  solar  and  lunar  tides  ; 
greatest  in  siziges,  least  in  quadratures;  flows  strongest  in  narrow- 
est places ;  Mediterranean,  Baltic,  and  Black  Sea,  no  sensible 
tides,  the  gulf  of  Venice  excepted.  and  why  ;  higher  in  the  torrid 
zone,  than  in  the  rest  of  the  ocean  ;  greatest  in  the  river  Indus, 
rising  thirty  feet  ;  remarkably  high  on  the  coasts  of  Malay,  in  the 
straits  of  Sunda,  the  Red  Sea,  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  along  the 
coast  of  China  and  Japan,  at  Panama,  and  in  the  gulf  of  Bengal ; 
those  at  Tonquin  most  remarkable  in  the  world ;  one  tide  and  one 
ebb,  in  twenty-four  hours  ;  twice  in  each  month  no  tide  at  all ;  in 
the  straits  of  Magellan  it  rises  twenty  feet,  flows  six  hours,  and  the 
ebb  lasts  but  two  hours,  73  to  76. 

Tiger  leaps  twenty  feet  at  a  spring,  208  ;  defeated  by  a  stag,  260; 
taught  to  defend  herds,  288  ;  attacks  the  lion,  295  ;  often  bigger 
than  the  lion ;  nothing  tames  it ;  perfectly  resembles  the  cat ;  three 
sorts  in  Sunda  Rajah's  dominions  ;  the  royal  tiger  carries  a  buffalo 
over  its  shoulder  to  its  den  ;  said  to  follow  the  rhinoceros  for  its 
excrements  ;  other  tales  about  it ;  under  Augustus,  a  tiger  an  ex- 
traordinary sight:  the  species  scarce  ;  opinion  of  Varro,  that  it  was 
never  taken  alive  ;  the  ancients  commended  it  for  beauty  among 
quadrupeds,  equal  to  that  of  the  peacock  among  birds  ;  supposed  to 
bring  forth  four  or  five  young  at  a  time  ;  expresses  his  resentment 
at  the  lion  ;  the  skin  esteemed  in  the  east,  particularly  in  China  ; 
battle  of  one  tiger  and  three  elephants  at  Siam  described  ;  another 
between  a  crocodile  ;  the  red  tiger,  Mr.  Buffon's  cougar  ;  common 
in  Guinea,  Brasil,  Paraguay,  and  other  parts  of  South  America ; 
the  flesh  superior  to  mutton,  297  to  302 ;  and  esteemed  by  the  ne- 
groes as  a  dainty,  315. 

Tiger-cat,  or  cat-a-mountain,  a  beautiful  animal  of  its  kind,  304. 

Tigris,  a  great  river  in  Asia,  lost  under  mount  Taurus,  66. 

Tingitanians,  and  Egyptians,  famous  for  fine  horses,  218. 

Tf.pula  (water}  of  the  second  order  of  insects  ;  description  of  it,  779. 

Tipu'.a,  long-legged  gnat,  description  of  this  insect,  825. 

Titmouse,  a  slender-billed  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537. 

Toad,  some  bigger  than  ducks,  120  ;  their  flesh  is  a  delicacy  oft 
the  coast  of  Guinea,  315  ;  differences  between  the  frog  and  it,  as  to 
figure  and  conformation,  6!)7  ;  their  nature,  appetites,  and  food  ; 
coupling  ;  difficulty  in  bringing  forth;  curious  particulars  relating 
to  this  animal  ;  one  swallowing  a  bee  alive,  the  stomach  stung,  and 
the  insect  vomited  up  again  ;  toads  not  venomous ;  accounts  of 
toads  taken  inwardly  ;  difficult  to  be  killed  ;  lives  for  centuries  in  a 
rock,  or  within  an  oak,  without  access,  nourishment,  or  air,  and 
yet  found  alive  and  perfect ;  accounts  of  this ;  toads  suck  cancer- 
ous breasts,  and  perform  a  cure  ;  progress  of  this  operation  ;  the  ru- 
beth,  the  land  toad,  alone  has  the  property  of  sucking  ;  doubtful 
whether  they  die  by  internal  or  external  application  of  the  can- 
cerous matter  ;  description  of  the  Surinam  toad,  called  pipal,  702 
to  707. 

Toeuco,  sort  of  cry,  given  as  a  name  in  Canada  to  the  flamingo, 
566. 


TRE 


INDEX. 


TUS 


51 


Tots,  usually  four  in  all  animals  of  the  poultry  kind  ;  in  a  species 
of  cock  amount  to  five,  494. 

Tone,  a  continuing  tone  produced  from  a  non-elastic  body,  re- 
peatimr  blows  quick  and  often  ;  of  a  sonorous  body  made  to  depend 
upon  the  number  of  vibrations,  not  the  impelling  force,  is  mistaking 
an  effect  for  a  cause ;  half  tones  rejected  in  all  countries  where  mu- 
sic is  in  its  infancy,  as  in  China,  lb'4,  165. 

Toitgres,  a  city  in  the  county  of  Liege  formerly  encompassed  by 
the  sea,  and  at  present  thirty-five  leagues  distant  from  it,  81. 

Tt/iiguc  of  tlio  rein-deer  a  great  delicacy,  277  ;  the  flamingo's 
much  celebrated,  and  larger  than  that  of  any  bird,  566 ;  of  the  great 
Greenland  whale,  fills  several  hogsheads  witli  blubber,  (517. 

Tonquln,  tides  there  the  most  remarkable  in  the  world,  76. 

Tornado,  a  formidable  tempest,  so  called  by  the  Spaniards,  10G. 

Ti>r/ifdo,  its  description;  by  an  unaccountable  puwer,  the  instant 
touched  even  with  a  stick,  when  immediately  taken  out  of  the  s,r;i, 
it  numbs  the  hand  and  arm,  or  whole  body  ;  the  shock  resemblns  an 
elentiical  stroke;  sudden,  tingling,  and  painful;  accounts  by 
Kcmpfer  of  numbness  produced  by  it;  he  believes  holding  in  the 
breith  prevents  the  violence;  implicit  belief  of  eliicucy  would  be 
painfully  undeceived  ;  this  power  not  exerted  upon  every  occasion  ; 
trials  by  Reaumur  to  this  purpose  ;  opinions  concerning  the  cause 
of  this  strange  effect;  the  fish  dead,  the  power  destroyed,  then 
handled  or  eaten  with  security  ;  the  power  not  extended  to  the  de- 
gree some  believe,  reaching  fishermen  at  the  end  of  a  line,  or 
numbing  fishes  in  the  same  pond  ;  ridiculous  excess  of  this  numbing 
quality  in  the  history  of  Abyssinia,  by  Godignus  ;  Lorenzini,  from 
experiments,  is  convinced  the  power  resides  in  two  thin  muscles  of 
tile  back  ;  several  fishes  have  acquired  the  name  of  the  torpedo, 
possessed  of  the  sa  e  quality  ;  Moore's  and  Condamine's  accounts 
of  them.  635  to  637. 

Tortoise  ranked  among  crustaceous  fishes,  though  superior  to 
them  all  ;  amphibious,  according  to  Seba  ;  distinguished  into  two 
classes,  the  land  tortoise,  and  the  sea  turtle  ;  differ  more  in  habits 
than  conformation  ;  description ;  principal  distinctions  ;  varieties 
are,  trunk-turtle,  loggerhead,  hawks-bill,  and  green  turtle  ;  all  gene- 
rally found  in  warm  countries,  without  retiring;  the  shell  never 
changes,  and  growing  with  the  body,  is  formed  in  pieces;  a  defence 
against  dangerous  attacks;  the  blood  warm  and  red;  how  circulat- 
ed ;  turtle  larger  than  tortoise  ;  weighs  from  filly  to  five  hundred 
pounds  ;  ancients  speak  of  some  of  amazing  sizes  ;  live  to  80  and 
120  years ;  can  live  without  limbs,  head,  or  brain,  proved  by  ex- 
periments of  Rhedi  ;  moves  with  great  Weight  upon  it ;  hears  dis- 
tinctly by  means  of  an  auditory  conduit  opening  into  the  mouth; 
sighs  when  ill  situated,  and  sheds  tears  when  distressed  ;  torpid 
during  winter,  sleeping  in  some  cave,  and  breathing  imperceptibly; 
account  of  a  land-tortoise  caught  in  a  canal  at  Amst.ordaiu  ;  and  of 
a  turtle  in  the  Loire,  in  1729 ;  the  food  chiefly  vegetables,  though 
believed  to  eat  insects,  snails,  and  bugs,  069  to  G76. 

Toucan,  a  bird  of  the  pie  kind,  has  a  bill  as  large  as  its  body  ;  of 
five  varieties  ;  the  red-beaked  described  ;  its  food  ;  has  birds,  men, 
monkeys,  and  serpents,  to  guard  against  ;  scoops  out  its  nest  into 
the  hollow  of  some  tree  ;  leaves  scarce  room  to  go  in  and  out,  and 
with  its  great  beak  guards  that  entrance  ;  found  only  in  the  warm 
parts  of  South  Amurica,  where  it  is  valued  for  its  tender  and 
nourishing  flesh,  and  the  beauty  of  its  plumage,  particularly  tbe 
breast,  the  skin  of  which  the  Indians  dry,  and  glue  to  their  ciiceks 
for  beauty,  518,  519. 

Tiiucli,  those  parts  of  the  body  most  exercised  in  touching,  ac- 
quire the  greatest  accuracy  ;  the  fingers,  by  long  habit,  not  Irom  a 
greater  quantity  of  nerves,  become  masters  in  the  art.  170. 

Tuurne/ort  describes  a  spout  seen  in  the  Mediterranean,  114. 

Trnckinus.  the  weaver,  a prickly-finned  jugular  fish,  described,  648. 

Tracldpttrus,  the  sabre,  a  prickly-finned  thoracic  fish  ;  its  de- 
scription, 649. 

Track  of  a  stag,  manner  of  knowing  it,  and  that  of  a  hind,  262. 

TrairfJiiphus.  n;mie  of  the  stag  with  the  ancients,  264. 

TIH/IS  for  horses,  used  by  the  Arabians  for  the  wild  sort,  216  ;  for 
wild  ayses,  ust^d  in  the  Archipelago,  224. 

Treacle,  food  for  bees  during  winter,  when  robbed  of  their 
honey,  803. 

Trees  ( fossil)  in  the  body  of  solid  rocks,  and  deep  under  the 
earlh  upon  which  they  once  grew  ;  conjectures  upon  this  subject, 
14  ;  found  in  quantities  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Ness  in  Flanders, 
at  the  depth  of  fifty  feet,  62  ;  laying  twenty  feet  deep  under  ground 
for  many  ages,  become  hard  and^ough,  prooi's  of  alternate  over- 
flowings and  desertions  of  the  sea,  83  ;  usually  of  the  largest  kinds 
in  wild  uncultivated  w'.ldernesH,  in  the  state  of  rude  nature,  121  ; 
the  banana  and  plantain,  so  immense,  as  to  be  inimically  inhabited 
by  monkeys,  snakes,  and  birds  of  the  most  delightful  plumage,  021  ; 
age  known  by  the  number  of  their  circles,  6 12. 


TrrmMnj.  first  discovered  in  the  polypus  the  power  of  repro- 
duction, 831. 

Tric/iurus,  a  prickly-finned  apodal  fish,  of  a  sword-like  form,  647. 

Trig/a,  the  gurnard,  of  a  spiuous  kind  ;  description  of  this  fisb, 
648. 

Trochus.     See  Sea-snail. 

Troglodyte  of  Bontius,  is  the  ouran-outang,  or  wild  man  of  tb* 
woods,  399. 

Troglodytes,  the  mountain  of  that  name  in  Arabia,  has  a  passaga 
made  through  it  by  a  disruption,  as  if  artificial,  46. 

Tropical  .w/.*.  under  them,  and  for  a  good  space  beyond,  tempest* 
are  frequent,  and  their  effects  anticipated,  1U4  ;  are  those  in  which 
spouts  are  seen  very  commonly,  114  ;  tropics  supposed  by  Linneeus 
the  native  spot  of  man.  and  the  northern  climates  only  places  of 
sojourning  for  them  ;  an  argument  sufficient  to  prove  the  contrary, 
157  ;  the  climates  so  hot.  tbe  dogs  in  process  of  time  lose  the  deli- 
cacy of  thoir  scent  entirely,  and  why,  305. 

'j'rti  in  fifty,  increase  sounds  in  the  same  manner  as  the  telescope 
does  bodies  ;  persons  hard  of  hearing  find  the  same  advantage  iu 
the  trumpet  made  for  this  purpose,  that  short-sighted  persons  do 
from  glasses  ;  were  they  farther  enlarged,  they  could  be  used  to 
advantage  only  in  a  plane  of  solitude  and  stillness,  as  the  multitude 
of  sounds  would  produce  tumult  and  confusion,  167. 

Trunks  of  animals,  that  of  the  elephant  described,  418  ;  that  of 
the  gnat  may  justly  be  deemed  one  of  Nature's  master-pieces,  625. 

Trutrcn,  the  fire-Mitre,  the  enchantress  Circe  armed  her  son  with 
a  spear  headed  with  the  spine  of  this  fish,  635. 

Tubes  of  glass,  drawn  as  tine  as  a  hair,  still  preserve  their  hollow 
within.  56. 

Tubular  vessels,  discovered  by  Fallopius,  and  called  his  tubes, 
12)!. 

Tufted  duck,  a  variety  of  the  kind,  native  of  Europe,  598. 

Tumble-dung,  a  strong  beetle,  remarkable  for  make  and  man 
ners,  821. 

Tumbler,  in  the  division  of  Dr.  Caius,  a  dog  of  the  first  chss,  or 
generous  kind  ;  supposed  the  lurcher,  and  described,  312. 

Tiirliinutrd  shells  are  univalves,  and  the  first  kind  of  Aristotle's 
divisions,  679. 

Turbits,  variety  of  the  tame  pigeons,  obtained  by  cross  breed, 
532. 

Turuots  (OH.//  rays)  extremely  delicate  in  their  choice  of  baits  ;  a 
piece  of  herring  or  haddock,  twelve  hours  out  of  the  sea,  and  used 
as  a  bait,  will  not  be  touched,  634. 

Turkey,  bird  of  the  poultry  kind  ;  its  native  country  disputed  ; 
arguments  for  the  old  and  new  continent  ;  first  seen  in  France  in 
the  reign  of  Francis  I.  and  in  England  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.; 
its  tenderness  with  us  ;  when  young,  argues  not  for  our  climate  ;  in 
the  wild  state,  hardy  and  numerous  in  the  snowy  forests  of  Canada ; 
also  larger  and  more  beautiful  than  in  the  domestic  state ;  the 
savages  weave  the  feathers  into  cloaks,  and  fashion  them  into  fans 
and  umbrellas ;  hunting  the  turkey  a  principal  diversion  with 
them,  its  flesh  chiefly  supporting  their  families  ;  manner  of  hunting  ; 
the  cock's  antipathy  to  red  ;  manner  of  increasing  their  animosity 
for  diversion  ;  the  female  gentler,  and  particularly  fond  of  eggs  of 
ants  and  caterpillars  ;  Inys  eighteen  or  twenty  eggs  ;  the  young 
very  tender  at  first  ;  the  hen's  care  of  her  young  at  the  sight  of  a 
bird  of  prey  ;  in  Norfolk  weigh  thirty  pounds  ;  in  the  East  Indies 
grow  to  weigh  sixty  pounds.  499,  500. 

Turkey,  in  Asia,  lias  in  different  parts  horses  of  almost  all  races, 
219  ;  lions  found  to  diminish  in  number  in  this  country,  292. 

Turnings  of  rivers,  more  numerous  as  they  approach  the  sea,  be- 
come indications  through  trackless  lands  ;  the  bends  increasing, 
form  different  channels  and  mouths  into  the  sea,  as  the  Danube. 
Nile,  Wolira,  60. 

Turnspit,  a  dog  of  the  mongrel  kind.  312. 

Turnfloitr,  a  small  bird  of  the  crane  kind,  568. 

Turtte-dore,  one  of  the  ruminating  birds,  '332.     See  Pigeon. 

Turtle,  prepares  for  laying,  and  deposits  her  eggs  in  the  sand, 
where  in  twenty-six  days  they  are  hatched  by  the  sun  ;  lays  from 
1511  to  200  in  the  season  ;  the  young  run  by  instinct  into  the  sea, 
ignorant  of  all  danger  ;  propagated  on  shore  only  ;  conies  from  sea 
on  purpose  in  coupling  season;  female  is  passive  and  reluctant; 
the  male  is  slow,  but  grasps  so  fast  nothing  can  loose  the  hold.  G75. 

Tusks,  those  of  a  boar  sometimes  a  foot  long,  279  ;  of  the  baby- 
rotti'^sa  a  fine  ivory,  smoother  a.nd  whiter  than  the  elephant's,  but 
not  so  hard  ;  of  enormous  size,  2^6  ;  of  castrated  animals  scarce  ap- 
pear without  the  lips  ;  those  of  a  boar  broken,  abate  his  fierceness 
and  venery  ;  producing  nearly  the  same  effect  as  castration,  ib. ;  of 
the  mammoth  weigh  four  hundred  pounds  ;  those  of  the  elephant 
from  Africa,  two  hundred  and  fifty  ;  some  remarkable  lately  found 
near  the  Ohio,  and  Miume,  in  America;  Dr.  Hunter  thinks  them 

6M* 


VIP 


LNDEX. 


VUL 


of  a  larger  animal  than  the  elephant,  425 ;  of  the  uarwhale,or  sea- 
unicorn,  a  cetaceous  fish  witli  teeth,  from  nine  to  fourteen  feet 
long,  621. 

Twins,  never,  while  infants,  so  large  or  strong  as  children  that 
come  singly  into  the  world,  and  why,  132. 

Typhons,  spouts  so  called  seen  at  land ;  differ  in  several  re- 
spects from  those  at  sea,  115. 

Tyson,  (Dr.)  his  description  of  an  ouran-outang,  by  the  name 
of  pigmy,  the  best  and  most  exact.  See  Ouran-outang,  400. 

V. 

Valerian,  a  plant  of  which  cats  are  excessively  fond,  290. 

Valle,  (Pietro)  his  description  of  Persian  horses,  219. 

Vampyre,  a  foreign  bat  having  the  reputed  faculty  of  drawing 
blood  from  persons  asleep,  and  thus  destroying  them  before  they 
awake.  See  Bat,  385. 

Vansire,  a  sort  of  ferret  of  Madagascar,  according  to  Mr.  Buffon, 
333. 

Vapour  of  metals  in  mines  not  BO  noxious  as  those  of  substan- 
ces with  which  ores  are  usually  united,  such  as  arsenic,  cinnabar, 
&c.  ;  fragrance  of  their  smell  ;  warnings  about  them,  23 ;  disen- 
gaged from  water,  and  attenuated,  ascends  into  the  atmosphere, 
where  condensed  and  acquiring  weight  as  it  rolls,  falls  down  in  a 
chape  suitable  to  the  temperature  of  its  elevation,  108  ;  most  fcetid, 
breathed  from  the  jaws  of  the  wolf,  322. 

Varetiius,  his  opinion  upon  the  formation  of  rivers,  58. 

Vurl.  a  kind  of  maki,  last  of  the  monkey  kind,  its  description,  41 3. 

Vault,  go  to  vault,  phrase  used  by  hunters  when  the  hare  enters 
holes  like  the  rabbit,  347. 

Vegetables,  vegetable  earth  ;  the  bed  of  it,  in  an  inhabited  coun- 
try, must  be  always  diminishing,  and  why,  16;  plant  with  a  round  bul- 
bous head,  which,  when  dried,  becomes  of  amazing  elasticity,  grows 
near  the  extremity  of  that  region,  on  mountains  where  continual 
enow  reigns,  44  ;  like  fluids  and  mineral  substances,  produce  air  in 
a  copious  manner,  93  ;  totally  unprotected,  and  exposed  to  every 
assailant,  119  ;  those  in  a  dry  and  sunny  soil,  are  strong  and  vi- 
gorous, not  luxuriant ;  and  those  the  joint  product  of  heat  and  mois- 
ture, are  luxuriant  and  tender  ;  different  kinds  appropriated  to  dif- 
ferent appetites  of  animals,  and  why  ;  birds  distribute  the  seeds  of 
vegetables  where  they  fly  ;  vegetables  cover  the  bottom  of  many 
parts  of  the  sea,  120  ;  but  few  noxious  ;  that  life  as  much  promoted 
by  human  industry,  as  animal  life  is  diminished,  122  ;  the  ass  gives 


some  pus; 

difference  between  animal  and  vegetable  life,  difficult,  if  not  impos- 
sible, to  answer,  82H  ;  not  possessed  of  one  power  which  animals 
have,  the  actual  ability,  or  awkward  attempt  at  selt-preservation, 
ib. ;  th«se  called  marine  grow  to  a  monstrous  size,  833. 

Vfifettttion  anticipated  in  its  progress  by  bees,  803. 

Velino,  a  river  in  Italy,  has  a  cataract  of  150  feet  perpendicular 
in  height,  65. 

Velocity,  not  alone  the  actuating  force  of  winds,  but  also  the  de- 
gree of  density,  104. 

Velrrt-like  downy  substance  upon  the  skin  covering  the  skull, 
when  the  horn  of  a  deer  is  fallen  off,  257. 

Velvet-duck,  a  variety  of  the  common  duck,  a  native  of  the  Eu- 
ropean dominions,  598. 

Venery,  partridges  immoderately  addicted  to  it,  to  an  unnatural 
degree,  508. 

Venom,  given  to  the  fire-flare  by  Pliny,  ^Elian,  and  Oppian,  in  a 
degree  to  affect  the  inanimate  creation  ;  many  reasons  to  doubt  of 
it,  035. 

Vrnus.     See  Jfose,  140.     See  Fart,  192. 

Verges,  or  orifices  of  the  snails,  are  two,  one  active,  the  other 
passive.  ii>5. 

Vtrmia,  hospitals  erected  by  the  Bramins  in  India  for  the  main- 
tenance of  all  kinds  of  vermin,  1st  ;  less  found  with  asses,  than 
with  other  animals  covered  with  hair,  22ii. 

Vertigo,  in  gonts.  produced  by  an  immoderate  cold,  246. 

Vesuvius,  its  eruptions,  the  most  remarkable  described  by  Valet- 
ta;  account  of  another  by  bishop  Berkeley,  27  to  29. 

Vibrations.     See  Tone,  164. 

Vineta.,  a  port  of  Pomerania,  overflowed  and  destroyed  by  the 
Baltic,  82. 

Violet-crab  of  the  Caribbee  islands,  most  noted  for  shape,  deli- 
cacv  of  flesh,  and  singularity  of  manners,  665,  666. 

Viuer.  most  vivacious  of  reptiles  ;  experiment  on  a  viper  in  the 
receiver  of  the  air-pump,  by  Mr.  Boyle,  93  ;  kept  in  boxes  for  six 
or  eight  mouths,  without  any  food  ;  iU  progressive  motion,  72y  ; 


the  only  animal  in  Great  Britain,  whose  bite  is  feared  ;  do  not  de- 
vour their  young  ;  their  food  ;  by  the  application  of  olive  oil,  the 
bite  ot  the  viper  effectually  cured  ;  who  first  discovered  this  reme- 
dy ;  effects  of  the  viper's  bite,  735,  736. 

Vinton,  its  errors  ;  objects  represented  upside  down  and  double  ; 
the  point  without  sensation  ;  and  want  of  measure  for  distance, 
159,  160. 

Viviparous  and  oviparous  animals,  the  two  classes  for  generation 
and  production  ;  all  other  modes  held  imaginary  and  erroneous, 
125  ;  the  bl.'nny,  a  spinous  fish,  brings  forth  two  or  three  hundred 
young  at  a  time,  alive  and  playing  around  their  parent,  612. 

Ukraine,  the  cattle  there  become  very  fat,  and  considered  the 
largest  of  all  Europe,  2M. 

Dltoa,  his  description  of  South  America,  of  Cotopaxi,  of  Quito, 
of  the  Andes,  and  a  volcano,  29. 

Umvuital  vessels,  those  of  the  placenta  to  the  foetus,  131. 

I/rum,  one  of  the  two  kinds  of  the  sloth,  an  animal  about  tlw 
size  of  a  badger,  442. 

Underhung,  expression  among  painters,  meaning  a  prominent 
under-jaw,  144. 

i'tulcrstaiiiling,  comparative  progress  of  it  ;  greater  in  infanta 
than  in  children  of  three  or  lour  years  old,  136. 

Unduiations,  in  elastic  bodies  supposed  by  the  ear  one  continued 
sound,  though  in  reality  many,  164. 

Unicorn,  of  the  sea.  a  whale  with  teeth  in  the  upper-jaw ;  its 
description,  349.  See  ffarwhaie. 

Lnicalve  shells,  first  division  by  Aristotle,  as  to  figure,  679. 

Volcano,  opinions  of  philosophers  and  ignorant  men  about  it; 
three  very  remarkable  in  Europe,  26  ;  Albouras  most  famous  in 
Asia ;  one  in  the  island  of  Ternate  ;  in  the  Molucca  islands,  in 
Japan,  in  Java  and  Sumatra,  in  the  Cape  de  Verde  islands,  the 
peak  iu  Teneriffe,  and  also  in  America,  29  ;  marine  ones  not  very 
frequent,  and  why,  38. 

Uranoscopns,  a  prickly-finned  apodal  fish  ;  description  of  it,  646. 

Urchins,  or  echini,  a  multivalve  shell-fish  ;  manner  of  exhibiting 
this  extraordinary  animal  in  every  light ;  its  description  ;  some 
kinds  as  good  eating  as  the  lobster,  and  its  eggs  considered  as  a 
great  delicacy,  693,  094. 

Urinary  passages,  effects  of  the  cantharides  falling  principally 
upon  them,  822. 

Urine  of  animals  found  efficacious  in  some  disorders,  250 ;  of  the 
lion  insupportable,  295  ;  of  camels,  an  ingredient  in  sal  ammoniac, 
432  ;  of  birds  differ  from  that  of  other  animals,  452. 

Urson  or  Hudson,  of  the  hedgehog  kind,  a  native  of  Hudson's 
bay  ;  its  description  ;  sleeps  much,  and  feeds  upon  the  bark  of 
juniper  ;  in  winter,  snow  serves  it  as  drink,  and  in  summer  it  laps 
water  like  a  dog;  377. 

Urus  and  bison  in  fact  descendants  of  one  common  stock,  and 
naturalists  assigning  them  different  classes,  have  separated  what  is 
really  united  ;  this  wild  bull  chiefly  met  with  in  Lithuania  ;  de- 
scription of  it ;  generally  taken  by  pit-falls  ;  the  breed  chiefly  oc- 
cupies the  cold  and  temperate  zones,  235,  236. 

Vulture  kind,  vulture  and  dog,  about  Grand  Cairo  in  Egypt, 
keep  together  in  a  sociable  friendly  manner,  and  bring  up  their 
young  in  the  same  nest,  317 ;  its  distinctive  marks  from  other 
kinds  of  carnivorous  birds  ;  the  flesh  liked,  and  dress  for  eating, 
according  to  Bellonius,  472  ;  of  Senegal,  said  to  carry  off  children, 
probably  no  other  than  the  condor,  478  ;  seldom  attacks  living 
annuals  when  supplied  with  dead,  479  ;  description  of  the  golden 
vulture,  ib. 

Vulture,  bird  ot'  prey,  next  in  rank  to  the  eagle,  less  generous 
and  buld.  47U  ,  countries  where  found  ;  unknown  in  England  ;  flocks 
of  them  near  Grand  Cairo,  not  permitted  to  be  destroyed,  as  they 
devour  all  the  filth  and  carrion  there  ;  in  company  with  wild  dogs, 
tear  and  devour  together  without  quarrelling;  wonderful  method 
of  separating  the  flesli  from  the  bones,  and  leaving  the  skin  entire  ; 
smell  carrion  from  afar  ;  follow  those  that  hunt  for  skins  alone, 
and  so  voraciously  fill  theuisi'lves  as  merely  to  waddle,  and  to  want 
disgorging  belbre  they  fly  away  ;  are  little  apprehensive  of  danger, 
and  allow  themselves  to  be  approached  ;  an  eagle  falling  in  upon 
their  meals,  keeps  them  at  a  distance  till  he  be  satiated  ;  an  ox 
returning  home  alone,  lying  down  by  the  way,  becomes  their  prey, 
and  is  devoured  alive  ;  attempt  oxen  grazing  ;  destroy  lambs,  and 
feed  much  upon  serpents,  rabbits,  hares,  and  what  game  they  can 
overpower;  also  demolish  whole  .broods  of  crocodiles;  lay  two 
eggs  at  a  time,  and  produce  but  once  a  year  ;  make  nests  in  inac- 
cessible cliffs  and  remotest  places;  their  flfsh,  lean,  stringy,  nau- 
seous, tasting  and  smelling  of  carrion  ;  the  down  of  their  wing 
makes  a  pretty  kind  of  fur,  commonly  sold  in  Asiatic  markets, 
479  to  481. 

Vultures,  (King  of)  description  of  this  bird,  461. 


WEA 


INDEX. 


win 


w. 

Wulfischoas,  whales'  provender,  insects  floating  in  clusters  on 
the  surface  of  the  sea,  and  called  Medusa  by  Linnsjus,  619. 

Walnut-trees,  with  walnuts  on  the  stern,  leaves,  and  branches,  in 
exact  preservation,  found  at  twenty-six  feet  depth  round  the  city 
of  Modena  in  Italy,  83. 

Wandcroui,  a  baboon,  less  than  the  mandril:  its  description, 
406. 

ll'itnnp,  doff  of  the  monirrel  kind,  in  the  third  division  of  Dr. 
Ca:us.  313. 

Warbling  of  birds,  so  loud  and  various  in  modulation,  not  easily 
to  be  accounted  for,  451. 

Warine,  the  Brazilian  guariba,  largest  of  the  monkey  kind  in 
America,  4 12. 

Waree,  hog  of  the  isthmus  of  Darien,  described  by  Wafer,  286. 

Wasps,  ruminating  insects,  or  seemingly  such,  232  ;  their  de- 
scription itnd  habits;  their  habitation  scarcely  completed  when  the 
inhabitant  dies  ;  have  two  or  three  hundred  queens  in  a  hive  ;  their 
nest  a  most  curious  object ;  the  social  wasps  gather  no  honey  them- 
selves, though  fond  ot  sweets  ;  fierce  battles  with  the  bees,  who 
make  up  by  conduct  and  numbers  the  deficiency  of  prowess  ;  their 
depredations  ;  where  found,  other  flies  desert  the  place  ;  live  but 
one  season  ;  cannot  endure  winter  ;  before  new-year  they  wither 
and  die,  having  butchered  thnir  young  ;  in  every  nest  one  or  two 
females  survive  ;  impregnated  the  preceding  season,  she  begins  in 
spring  to  lay  eggs  ;  and  before  June  produces  ten  thousand  young, 
which  are  nursed  and  fed  by  her  atone  ;  solitary  wasp,  its  manners  ; 
provisions  made  for  the  young  at  leaving  the  egg  ;  the  provisions 
arranged  and  laid  in,  the  old  one  closes  the  hole  and  dies  ;  the 
young  leaving  the  egg  are  scarcely  visible  ;  how  the  life  of  the 
young  is  spent ;  wasps  of  Europe  innocent  compared  to  those  of 
the  tropical  climates  ;  description  of  those  of  the  West  Indies,  and 
their  habits  ;  pains  of  their  sting  insupportable,  more  terrible  than 
that  of  a  scorpion,  the  part  swells,  and  people  are  so  disfigured  as 
scarce  to  be  known,  809  to  8)  II. 

Water,  its  parts  infinitely  small  ;  driven  through  the  pores  of 
gold  ;  penetrating  through  all  substances,  except  glass ;  enter  the 
composition  of  all  bodies,  vegetable,  animal,  and  fossil ;  birds, 
beasts,  fishes,  insects,  trees,  and  vegetables,  with  their  parts,  have 
growth  from  it,  and  by  putrefaction  become  water  ;  gives  all  other 
bodies  firmness  and  durability  ;  a  phial,  hermetically  sealed,  kept 
fifty  years,  deposed  no  sediment,  and  continued  transparent ; 
gathered  after  a  thunder-clap,  in  sultry  weather,  deposits  a  real 
salt  ;  spring  water  collected  from  the  air  ;  of  river  waters,  the 
Indus  and  the  Thames  otter  the  most  light  and  wholesome  ;  light- 
ness, and  not  transparency,  the  test  of  purity  ;  purest  waters  distil- 
led from  snow  on  tops  of  highest  mountains  ;  different  kinds,  and 
adapted  to  different  constitutions  ;  very  transparent  ;  fresh-water 
at  sea,  putrefies  twice,  sometimes  thrice,  in  a  voyage;  a  month  at 
sea,  sends  up  a  noisome  and  dangerous  vapour,  wliich  takes  fire 
from  a  flame  ;  elementary  water  not  compounded  is  ice  kept  in 
fusion  ;  dilates  in  bulk  by  cold  ;  confirmed  by  experiments,  48  to 
5'J  ;  very  compressible  and  elastic;  made  to  resemble  air;  a  drop 
of  water  converted  into  steam,  capable  of  raising  twenty  ton 
weight ;  keeps  its  surface  level  and  even  ;  a  single  quart  sufficient 
to  burst  a  hogshead,  and  how,  52  to  55  ;  water  of  the  sea  heavier 
and  more  buoyant  than  fresh-water,  71. 

ll'ittfr-spoiits  burst  from  the  sea,  and  join  mists  immediately 
above  them,  110  ;  most  surprising  phenomena,  dreadful  to  ma- 
riners, and  astonishing  to  observers  of  nature  ;  common  in  the 
tropical  seas,  sometimes  in  our  own  ;  description  of  those  seen  by 
Tournefort  in  the  Mediterranean,  114;  solutions  offered  for  this 
surprising  phenomenon,  115. 

IViiter-icngtoil .  slender-billed  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind.  537. 

Wtivts,  their  luminous  appearance  in  the  night,  and  the  cause, 
72.  73. 

Wax,  the  first  fifteen  days  the  bees  make  more  wax  than  during 
the  rest  of  the  vear.  H06  ;  of  two  k-ndd  gathered  by  common  bees  ; 
ti)  it.  produced  by  black  bees  in  tropical  climated  only  used  for 
medicinal  purposes,  being  too  soft  for  candles,  as  in  Europe,  r07. 

Weasel,  a  small  carnivorous  animal ;  mark*,  common  to  the  kind  ; 
th'-s"  differ  from  the  cat  kind  in  the  formation  :md  disposition  of 
cirri's,  :  differ  from  the  dog  kind  in  a  clothing  of  fur  rattier  than 
hair:  one  of  the  species  is  like  all  the  rest ;  this  the  smallest  of  tiie 
whole  kind  ;  its  description  ;  untame'ible  and  uritntctable  ;  hides 
and  sleeps  three  parts  of  the  day,  and  sallies  forth  for  prey  in  the 
evening  ;  attacks  animals  much  above  its  own  size  ;  catches  rats 
and  »aice  better  than  cats  ;  also  small  birds  ;  destroys  youn<*  poul- 
try, and  svicks  the  eggs  ;  so  nimbly  runs  up  high  A-ills,  no  place  is 
•secure  from  it ,  in  cultivated  lands,  it  thing  the  number  of  hurtful 


vermin ;  never  cries  but  when  struck ;  all  the  kind  have  gland* 
near  the  anus,  secreting  a  substance  fcetid  in  some,  and  a  perfumo 
in  others;  this  most  offensive  in  summer,  and  insufferable  when  ir- 
ritated ;  one  sort  in  America  is  by  sailors  called  the  stinkard  ;  con- 
fined to  a  cage,  is  ever  in  uneasy  agitations  ;  must  have  leave  to 
hide  itself;  eats  only  by  stealth,  and  will  not  touch  the  foou  until  it 
begins  to  putrefy  ;  the  female  makes  an  easy  bed  for  her  young,  and 
generally  brings  forth  from  three  to  five  at  a  time,  and  with  closed 
eyes;  account  of  a  weasel's  forming  her  nest,  and  bringing  forth 
her  young,  in  the  putrid  carcass  of  a  wolf;  the  white  ermine  found 
in  Great  Britain  is  called  the  white  weasel  ;  its  fur  among  us  of  no 
value,  328,  329  ;  of  the  weasel  kind,  the  martin  most  pleasing,  334  ; 
the  boldest  and  most  useful  of  all  is  the  ichneumon,  337.  See 
Stinkard,  338. 

Weather,  the  moist  alone  prevents  evaporation,  108. 

Weathercocks,  often  erroneous  with  Derham  in  regard  to  upper 
regions,  103. 

Weever,  the  trachinus,  a  prickly-finned  jugular  fish,  its  descrip- 
tion, 648;  the  sting  given  by  its  back-fin  is  poisonous,  660. 

Weed,  floating  over  great  tracts  of  the  sea,  serve  as  sustenance 
for  many  fish,  bearing  similitude  with  such  vegetables,  120. 

Weight  of  the  human  body  often  found  to  differ  from  itself;  in- 
stances of  it ;  the  difference  often  amounts  to  a  pound,  or  sometimes 
to  a  pound  and  a  half;  not  easy  to  conceive  whence  this  adventi- 
tious weight  is  derived ;  the  porters  of  Constantinople  carry  burdens 
of  nine  hundred  pounds  weight ;  a  man  able  to  raise  a  weight  of 
two  thousand  pounds  ;  a  horse  will  not  carry  upon  his  back  above 
two  or  three  hundred  pounds;  whence  this  seeming  superiority 
comes,  149. 

H'fll,  burning,  at  Brosely,  now  stopped,  had  a  fire-damp  in  it, 
which  would  kindle  with  the  flame  of  a  candle,  55  ;  some  continue 
full,  neither  affected  by  rain  or  droughts,  83. 

Wetland,  river  near  Spalding,  has  amazing  shoals  of  sticklebacks, 
656. 

Wert  (Sfbald}  a  traveller,  confirms  the  existence  of  giants,  on  a 
coast  of  South  America,  towards  the  straits  of  Magellan,  19  J. 

Whale,  the  largest  animal  known  ;  no  precise  anatomy  of  this 
fish  yet  given  ;  two  centuries  ago,  they  were  described  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  long;  Biscayneers  practised  the  whale-fishery 
near  Greenland  soon  after  the  year  1300;  seven  different  kinds 
distinguished  by  external  figure  or  internal  conformation  ;  are  gre- 
garious animals  ;  make  migrations  from  one  ocean  to  another,  and 
generally  resort  whore  they  have  the  least  dinturbance  ;  great 
Greenland  whale  ;  its  description  ;  from  sixty  to  seventy  feet  long ; 
the  head  one-third  of  its  bulk,  its  hearing  is  acute  ;  breathes  air  at 
the  surface  of  the  water,  and  cannot  remain  under  it  like  other 
fishes  ;  it  blows  loudly  through  the  spout-holes,  and  most  fiercely 
when  wounded  ;  whalebone  different  from  the  bones  of  the  body  ; 
the  fins  are  from  five  to  eight  feet  long ;  the  throat  is  narrow  ; 
nothing  larger  than  a  herring  can  be  swallowed  ;  the  tail,  its  only 
weapon  of  defence,  is  twenty-four  feet  broad,  and  strikes  hard  blows; 
one  seen  by  Ray  marbled,  with  the  figures  122  distinctly  marked 
upon  it ;  the  blubber  and  other  parts  turn  out  to  very  good  account ; 
the  flesh  palatable  to  some  nations;  the  female  and  male  keep 
much  together  ;  their  fidelity  exceeds  that  of  birds  ;  do  not  cross 
breeds  ;  she  goes  with  young  nine  months,  is  then  fatter  than  at 
other  times  ;  produces  two  breasts  and  teats  at  pleasure  ;  suckles 
her  young  a  year,  and  how  ;  is  very  tender  of  them  ;  defends  them 
fiercely  when  pursued;  instance  of  it;  dives  with  them,  and  comes 
up  soon  to  give  them  breath  ;  during  the  first  year  called  short- 
heads,  and  then  yields  fifty  barrels  of  blubber;  at  two  years  they 
are  called  stunts,  and  after  that  skull-fish ;  the  food  of  this  animal 
an  insect  called  medusa  by  Linntcus,  and  walfischoas  by  the  Ice- 
landers ;  pursues  no  other  fish,  and  is  inoffensive  in  its  element ; 
the  whale-louse,  of  the  shell-fish  kind,  sticks  to  its  body  as  to 
the  foul  bottom  of  a  ship,  gets  under  the  fins,  and  eats  through  the 
skin  into  the  fat;  the  sword-fUh  affrights  the  whale,  avoids  the 
stroke  of  its  tail,  bounds  upon  its  back,  and  cuts  into  it  with  tlie 
toothed  edges  of  its  bill  ;  the  killer,  a  cetaceous  fish  of  great 
st.remrth,  with  powerful  teeth,  beset  the  whale  as  dogs  do  a  bull, 
teiir  it  down,  and  then  devour  only  its  tongue  ;  old  manner  of  taiing 
the  whale  ;  improvements  hinted.  614  to  621. 

Whale  (Spr.rma.ceti.)     See  CarkuJut. 

Wheat  and  currants,  swallowed  whole,  indigestible  to  man.  460. 

Wheat-ear,  a  short-billed  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  thought 
foreign,  537. 

Wk'm-r.hat,  a  slender-billed  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537. 

Whip-sntike,  a  very  venomous  serpent  of  the  East,  is  five  feet 
long,  and  its  bite  kills  in  six  hours  time  ;  happy  preservation  from 
one  of  them,  738. 

Whirlpool,  the  ceutial  point  always  Jowcrt,  and  why,  60 ;  man- 


54 


WIN 


INDEX. 


WOM 


ner  in  which  it  is  formed,  78;  those  of  the  ocean  particularly  dan- 
gerous ;  extraordinary  one  upon  the  coasts  of  Norway,  called  the 
Maelstroom,  78,  79. 

Whirlwind,  the  most  rapid  formed  by  united  contributions  of 
minerals,  vegetables,  and  animals,  increasing  the  current  of 
air,  99. 

Whiskers,  a  man  without  them  formerly  considered  as  unfit  for 
company  in  Spain  ;  Nature  denying,  Art  supplied  the  deficiency  ;  a 
Spanish  General  borrowing  money  of  the  Venetians,  pawned  his 
whiskers,  and  took  care  to  release  them  ;  part  of  the  religion  of  the 
Tartars  consists  in  the  management  of  their  whiskers,  and  they 
waged  war  with  the  Persians  as  infidels,  whose  whiskers  had  not 
the  orthodox  cut ;  the  kings  of  Persia  wore  them  matted  with  gold 
thread,  and  the  kings  of  France,  of  the  first  races,  had  them  knotted 
and  buttoned  with  gold,  145. 

Whiston,  his  reasoning  concerning  the  theory  of  the  earth.  8,  9 ; 
finds  water  enough  in  the  tail  of  a  comet  for  the  universal  de- 
luge, 10. 

White,  the  natural  colour  of  man,  all  other  tints  proceed  from 
greater  or  lesser  heat  of  climate  ;  among  the  white  races  of  people, 
our  own  country  bids  fairest  for  pre-eminence,  J64. 

White-bait,  shoals  appear  near  Greenwich  in  July,  G56. 

White-nose,  the  moustoc,  monkey  of  the  ancii-nt  continent,  a 
beautiful  little  animal ;  its  description  ;  a  native  of  the  Gold  Coast, 
411. 

White-throat,  a  slender-billed  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  living 
upon  insects,  537. 

Widgeon,  a  variety  of  the  European  duck,  described,  but  best 
known  by  its  whistling  sound,  5!'5. 

Wild  man  of  the  woods.     See  Ouran-outunir,  399. 

Wind,  a  current  of  air  ;  artificial ;  causes  assigned  for  the  variety, 
activity,  continual  change,  and  uncertain  duration  of  it ;  in  what 
manner  to  ibretel  the  certainty  of  a  wind,  as  the  return  of  an  eclipse  ; 
to  account  for  variations  of  wind  upon  land,  not  at  present  expucted ; 
recourse  to  be  had  to  the  ocean,  and  why  ;  in  many  parts  of  the 
world  the  wind  pays  stated  visits;  in  some  places  they  blow  uno 
way  by  day,  and  another  by  night;  in  others,  for  one  half-year  they 
go  in  a  direction  contrary  to  their  former  course ;  in  some  places 
the  winds  never  change  ;  the  wind  which  never  varies  is  the  great 
universal  wind,  blowing  from  the  east  to  the  west,  in  all  extensive 
oceans,  where  the  land  does  not  break  the  general  current ;  thi- 
other  winds  are  deviations  of  its  current ;  many  theories  explain 
the  motion  of  the  winds;  that  of  Dr.  Lyster  ;  theory  of  Cartusius  ; 
Dr.  Halley's  more  plausible,  99,  100. 

//  tiida  (Trade)  blow  from  the  poles  towards  the  equator  ;  wore 
the  surface  of  the  globe  sea,  the  winds  would  be  constant,  and  blow 
iii  one  direction ;  various  circumstances  break  its  current,  and  drive 
it  back  against  its  general  course,  forcing  it  upon  coasts  that  face 
the  west ;  want  of  a  true  system  of  trade  winds,  supplied  by  an  im- 
perfect history  of  them  ;  north  wind  prevails  during  October,  No- 
vember, December,  and  January,  in  the  Atlantic,  under  the  tempe- 
rate zone  ;  north  wind  reigns  during  the  winter  in  Nova  Zembla, 
and  other  arctic  countries;  south  wind  prevails  during  July  in  the 
Cape  de  Verd  Islands  ;  north-west  wind  blows  during  September  at 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope ;  regular  winds  produced  by  various  causes 
upon  land  ;  ancient  Greeks  first  observed  them  ;  in  general, 
wherever  a  strong  current  of  water,  there  is  a  wind  to  attend  it ; 
regular  winds  produced  by  the  flux  and  reflux  of  the  sea ;  winds 
vailed  monsoons  ;  some  peculiar  to  certain  coasts  ;  south  wind  con- 
stant upon  those  of  Chili  and  Peru  ;  other  winds  peculiar  to  various 
coasts,  100  to  102. 

Winds  at  land  puff  by  intervals,  and  why  ;  not  so  at  sea  ;  east 
wind  more  constant  than  any  other,  and  generally  most  powerful ; 
wind  blowing  one  way  and  clouds  moving  another,  forerunners  of 
thunder  ;  cause  of  this  surprising  appearance  remains  a  secret ; 
from  sea,  generally  moister  than  those  over  tracts  of  land  ;  more 
boisterous  in  spring  and  autumn  than  at  other  seasons  ;  their  force 
does  not  depend  upon  velocity  alone,  but  also  upon  density  ;  re- 
flected from  sides  of  mountains  and  towers,  often  more  powerful 
than  in  direct  progression  ;  raise  sandy  deserts  in  one  country,  to 
deposit  them  upon  some  other  ;  south  winds  in  summer  so  hot  in 
Egypt  as  almost  to  stop  respiration,  and  produce  epidemic  disorders, 
continuing  for  any  length  of  time  ;  deadly  along  the  coasts  of  the 
Persian  Gulf,  and  of  India;  assume  a  visible  form,  103  to  105. 

Wind-pipe  in  men  has  a  lump  not  seen  in  women,  147  ;  makes 
convolutions  within  a  bird,  and  is  called  the  labyrinth,  this  dif- 
ference obtains  in  birds  seemingly  of  the  same  species,  451 ;  strange 
in  the  throat  of  the  crane,  554 ;  of  the  bittern,  562 ;  in  the  wild 
swan,  594. 

Wings  of  birds,  their  description  ;  bastard  wing,  449  ;  flap  of  a 
swan's  wing  breaks  a  man's  leg  ;  a  similar  blow  from  an  eagle  lays 


a  man  dead  instantly,  450 ;  of  butterflies,  distinguish  them  from 
flies  of  other  kinds;  their  number  and  beautiful  colours,  791. 

Winter  beginning  round  the  poles,  the  misty  appearance  of  heat 
in  southern  climates  is  there  produced  by  cold,  1 13. 

Wistiti,  a  monkey  of  the  sagoin  kind,  remarkable  for  the  tufts  of 
hair  upon  its  face,  and  its  annulatcd  tail,  412. 

H'olga,  its  length  ;  abounds  with  water  in  May  and  June ;  at 
other  times  very  shallow  ;  the  English  disappointed  in  a  trade  into 
Persia  through  it,  61 ;  receives  thirty-three  lesser  rivers  in  its  course. 
04 ;  and  has  seventy  openings  into  the  Caspian  sea,  39. 

Wolf,  wild  dogs  partake  of  the  disposition  of  the  wolf;  the  wolf 
t;iken  young  is  gontle  only  while  a  cub;  as  it  grows  older,  discovers 
its  natural  appetite  of  rapine  and  cruelty,  309  ;  experiments  prove 
neither  wolf  nor  fox  of  the  same  nature  with  the  dog,  but  each  a 
distinct  species,  315  ;  a  fierce,  strong,  cunning,  carnivorous  quadru- 
ped, externally  and  internally  so  nearly  resembling  the  dog,  they 
seem  modelled  alike,  yet  have  a  perfect  antipathy  to  each  other  ^ 
description  of  the  wolf;  principal  distinction  from  the  dog  is  the  eye, 
which  opens  slantingly  upwards  in  the  same  direction  with  the 
nose  ;  also  the  tail  is  long,  bushy,  hanging  lank  ;  the  wolf  lives  about 
twenty  years  ;  it  is  not  much  with  those  of  his  kind,  yet  hunts  in 
packs  with  them  ;  quarrelling,  they  devour  each  other  ;  is  watchful 
and  easily  waked  ;  supplied  with  water,  lives  four  or  five  days  with- 
out food  ;  carries  off  a  sheep  without  touching  the  ground,  and  runs 
with  it  swifter  than  his  pursuers  ;  smells  a  carcass  at  a  great  dis- 
tance ;  leaving  the  wood,  goes  out  against  the  wind  ;  particularly 
fond  of  human  flesh ;  follow  armies,  and  arrive  in  numbers  upon  a 
field  of  battle  ;  two  or  tiiree  wolves  keep  a  province  for  a  time  in 
continual  alarm  ;  distinguished  by  huntsmen  into  young,  old,  and 
ijriiat  wolf  :  manner  of  hunting  them  ;  young  dogs  shudder  at  their 
sight;  the  wolf  killed,  no  dogs  show  an  appotite  to  enjoy  their  vic- 
tory :  the  flesh  so  very  indifferent,  no  creature  eats  it  but  the  kind 
itself;  breathe  a  most  fetid  vapour  from  their  jaws;  often  die  of 
hunger  after  running  mad  by  furious  agitations ;  season  for  coupling 
lasts  but  fifteen  days  ;  no  strong  attachment  appears  between  male 
and  female  ;  se«k  each  other  only  once  aycar  ;  couple  in  winter,  several 
males  then  follow  one  female,  dispute  cruelly,  growl,  and  tear  each 
othrr.  and  sometimes  kill  that  preferred  by  the  female  ;  she  flies 
from  all  with  the  chosen  when  the  rest  are  asleep  ;  males  pass  from 
one  female  to  another;  time  of  pregnancy  about  three  months  and 
a  half;  couple  lik.-  tiir  dor;,  and  the  separation  hindered  by  the  same 
eansw  ;  bring  forth  from  five  to  six,  or  nine  at  a  litter  ;  the  cubs 
brought  forth  with  eyes  closed  ;  young  wolves  play  with  hares  or 
birds  brought  by  their  dams,  and  end  by  killing  them  ;  able  to  en- 
gender when  two  years  old;  France,  Spain,  and  Italy,  much  infested 
with  them  ;  England,  Ireland,  and  Scotland,  happily  free  ;  King 
Edgar  first  attempted  to  rid  this  kingdom,  and  in  what  manner  ; 
Edward  I.  issued  a  mandate  to  Peter  Corbet  for  the  destruction  of 
them  ;  some  quite  black,  some  white  all  over ;  found  in  Asia,  Africa, 
and  America;  in  the  East  trained  up  for  show,  taught  to  dance  and 
play  tricks ;  one  thus  educated  sells  for  four  or  five  hundred  crowns  ; 
in  Lapland  the  wolf  never  altacks  a  rein-deer  when  haltered  ;  wolves 
of  North  America  used  in  hunting;  caught  in  pit-falls ;  a  wolf,  a 
friar,  and  a  woman,  taken  in  one  the  same  night,  317  to  fi2^. 

Wolf,  (Giililm)  the  Latin  name  for  the  Jackal,  325. 

Woif-jia/i,  the  anarbicas ;  a  soft-filmed  apodal  fish ;  its  description, 
649. 

Womb,  history  of  the  child  in  the  womb,  129  to  132  ;  of  the  hare 
divided  in  two,  as  a  double  organ,  one  side  of  which  may  be  filled, 
while  the  other  remains  empty,  346;  description  of  the  false  womb 
of  the  oppossum,  414. 

Women,  some  continue  pregnant  a  month  beyond  the  usual  time ; 
those  of  Africa  deliver  themselves,  and  are  well  a  few  hours  after, 
132 ;  in  barbarous  countries,  the  laborious  duties  of  life  thrown  upon 
the  women  ;  the  chief  and  only  aim  of  an  Asiatic  is  possession  of 
many  women  ;  instance,  in  our  own  country,  of  a  fine  woman  .nar- 
ried  to  an  eunuch;  a  principal  employment  of  those  of  Thibet,  is 
reddening  the  teeth  with  herbs,  and  making  their  hair  white,  138, 
139;  the  body  arrives  at  perfection  sooner  than  in  men  ;  the  persons 
of  women  as  complete  at  twenty  as  those  of  men  at  thirty,  141  ;  less 
apt  to  become  bald  than  men  ;  Mr.  Buffon  thinks  they  never  become 
bald  ;  there  are  too  many  instances  to  the  contrary,  142;  lower 
eyelids  drawn  downwards  when  with  child  ;  the  corners  of  the 
mouth  also  ;  then  likewise  high  shouldered  ;  circumstances  under 
which  the  midwifes  call  them  all  mouth  and  eyes,  148  ;  the  shoulders 
narrower,  and  the  neck  proportionably  longer  than  in  men,  ib. ;  first 
impulse  of  savage  nature  confirms  women's  slavery  ;  the  next  of  half 
barbarous  nations,  appropriates  their  beauty  ;  and  that  of  the  per- 
fectly polite  engages  their  affections,  152;  the  bones,  cartilages, 
muscles,  and  other  parts  of  the  body,  softer  than  in  men ;  a  woman 
of  sixty  has  a  better  chance  than  a  man  of  that  age  to  live  to  eighty  ; 


WRE 


INDEX. 


20R 


55 


women  longer  in  growing  old  lhan  men,  205  ;  in  the  polar  regions 
as  <i".  H-.ned  as  the  men,  178;  women  of  India  described;  marry 
and  consummate  at  eight,  nine,  or  ten  years  old,  and  have  children 
at  thai  age  ;  cease  bearing  before  the  age  of  thirty  ;  those  of  savage 
nations  in  a  great  measure  exempt  from  painful  labours,  181  ;  after 
a  catalogue  jf  deformities,  Linnfeus  puts  down  the  slender  waists  of 
women  in  Europe,  by  strait  lacing  destroying  their  health,  through 
a  mistaken  notion  of  improving  their  beauty,  1»6  ;  remarkable  in- 
stance of  the  power  of  imagination  upon  the  fffitus,  Io7. 

tt'oods,  in  Britain,  cut  down  by  the  Romans,  and  for  what  rea- 
son, ^4. 

Woodcock,  or  cock  of  the  wood,  of  the  grouse  kind  ;  places 
which  this  bird  inhabits  ;  how  distinguished  from  the  other  birds 
of  the  poultry  kind  ;  the  delicacy  of  its  flesh  ;  its  food  and  habitation ; 
amorous  desires  first  felt  in  spring  ;  keeps  to  the  place  where  he 
first  courts,  and  continues  till  the  trees  have  their  leaves,  and  the 
forest  is  in  bloom  ;  its  cry,  clapping  of  wings,  and  ridiculous  pos- 
tures in  this  season  ;  during  which  the  females,  attending  his  call, 
are  impregnated  ;  sportsmen  use  this  time  to  fire  at  them,  and  take 
many  irhile  thus  tame,  though  at  others  it  is  most  timorous  and 
watchful ;  the  female  much  less  than  her  mate,  and  so  unlike  him  in 
plumage,  she  might  be  mistaken  for  another  species;  number  and 
size  of  the  eggs  ;  she  hatches  them  without  the  cock,  and  when 
obliged  to  Ie;ive  them  in  quest  of  food,  so  covers  them  with  moss 
or  leaves,  it  is  difficult  to  find  them  ;  she  is  then  extremely  tame 
and  qniet ;  keeps  her  nest,  though  attempted  to  be  driven  away  ; 
the  young  being  hatched,  they  run  with  agility  after  the  mother, 
though  scarcely  disengaged  from  the  shell  ;  their  food  ant's  eggs, 
and  wild  mountain  berries  ;  older,  they  feed  upon  the  tops  of 
hether,  and  cones  of  pine-trees ;  are  hardy;  the  clutching  time 
over,  the  young  males  forsake  the  mother,  keep  together  til! 
spring,  when  the  first  genial  access  sets  them  at  variance  for  ever ; 
fight  each  other  like  garne-cocks,  and  easily  fall  a  prey  to  the 
fowler,  505  to  507. 

Woo'lrock,  bird  of  the  crane  kind  ;  its  dimensions,  food,  568. 

H'uttiUhut ,  a  rapacious  bird  ;  third  kind  of  the  butcher  bird,  487. 

Wood/oust,  its  description  ;  has  three  varieties,  758. 

Woodpecker,  of  this  bird  are  many  kinds  and  varieties  in  each  ; 
general  characteristics  ;  description  of  the  green  woodpecker,  or 
woodspite ;  called  the  rain-fuivl  in  some  parts;  its  food;  its 
tongue,  the  instrument  for  killing  and  procuring  food  ;  want  that 
intestine  which  anatomists  call  the  ccecum  ;  in  what  manner  they 
make  nests,  and  how  delicate  in  the  choice  ;  number  of  eggs  ; 
nests  in  warmer  regions  of  Guinea  and  Brasil  ;  little  woodpecker, 
called  by  the  natives  of  Brasil  /riiirntein<;ii,  519  to  521. 

Wuvdward,  his  essay  towards  a  natural  history  ;  detail  of  it,  8. 

Wool,  the  Spanish  finer  than  ours ;  but  in  weight  not  comparable 
to  that  of  Lincoln  or  Warwickshire  ;  some  Spanish  wool  required 
to  work  up  with  it,  243. 

Worms  of  different  kinds  infest  each  species  of  fish,  659  ;  sea- 
worms  make  the  shells  of  fishes  their  food,  681  ;  within  the  body 
of  the  caterpillar,  devour  its  entrails  without  destroying  its  life, 
795. 

Worm  (blind)  of  the  serpent  kind ;  lies  torpid  all  winter,  796. 

If  or  ii>  (  froth)  an  insect  in  that  sort  of  substance  on  the  surface 
of  plants,  779. 

Worm  kind,  general  description  of  the  earth-worm,  829. 

Wrasse,  the  labrus,  of  the  prickly-finned  thoracic  kind.  648. 

Wren  and  golden- crowned  wren,  slender-billed  birds  of  the  spar- 
row kind,  537;  willow  wren,  a  wandering  bird  of  the  sparrow 
kind,  53d. 


Wrinkles,  whence  those  of  the  body  and  face  proceed,  174. 
Wryneck,  or  cuckoo's  attendant,  a  little  bird  most  active  in  the 
chase  of  the  young  cuckoo,  524. 


Xiphias,  or  the  sword-fish,  of  the  prickly-finned  apodal  kind,  648. 


Y. 

Yellow-hammer,  a  small  bird  of  the  sparrow  kind,  537, 538. 
Young  People  sometimes  cease  growing  at  fourteen  or  fifteen, 
140. 


Z. 

Zealand,  inundations  there,  in  which  many  villages  were  and 
remain  overflowed,  82. 

Zebra,  the  most  beautiful,  but  wildest  animal ;  a  native  of  the 
southern  parts  of  Africa  ;  nothing  exceeds  the  delicate  regularity 
of  its  colour  ;  description  ;  watchful  and  swift  ;  its  speed  a  pro- 
verb among  Spaniards  and  Portuguese  ;  stands  better  upon  its 
legs  than  a  horse ;  in  what  countries  found  ;  the  Portuguese  pre- 
tend to  have  tamed,  and  tsent  four  from  Africa  to  Lisbon,  to  draw 
the  king's  coach ;  some  sent  to  Brasil  could  not  be  tamed  ;  Me- 
rolla  asserts  when  tamed,  they  are  still  as  estimable  for  swiftness 
as  beauty  ;  their  noise  resembles  the  confused  barking  of  a  mastiff 
dog ;  in  two,  the  author  saw,  the  skin  below  the  jaw,  upon  the 
neck,  hung  loose  in  a  kind  of  dewlap ;  they  are  easily  fed  ;  »ome  in 
England  eat  bread,  meat,  and  tobacco ;  the  Emperor  of  Japan 
made  a  present  of  sixty  thousand  crowns  value,  for  one  received 
from  the  governor  of  Batavia  ;  the  great  Mogul  gave  two  thoo- 
sand  ducats  for  another ;  African  Ambassadors  to  the  court  of  Con- 
stantinople, bring  some  with  them,  as  presents  for  the  Grand 
Seignior  ;  zebra  and  wild  ass  of  a  very  different  species,  445,  446. 

Zebu,  the  barbary  cow,  and  the  grunting  and  Siberian  cow,  are 
but  different  races  of  the  bison,  240. 

Zeiran,  name  of  the  fourth  variety  of  gazelles,  by  Mr.  Bufton, 
251. 

Zembla  (Nova)  north  wind  reigns  there  during  winter,  101  ;  a 
description  of  its  inhabitants,  178. 

Zens,  or  doree,  of  the  prickly-finned  thoracic  kind  ;  its  descrip- 
tion, 649. 

Zibet,  one  of  the  two  species  of  the  civet,  according  to  Mr.  Buf~ 
fon  ;  distinction  between  them,  340. 

Zone  ( Temperate)  properly  speaking  the  theatre  of  natural  his- 
tory, 5. 

Zone  (Torrid)  in  the  centre  the  heat  very  tolerable,  in  other 
places  the  cold  painful ;  temperature  and  advantages  of  perpetual 
spring  under  it,  44  ;  lightning  there  not  fatal  or  dangerous,  111; 
has  the  largest  quadrupeds  ;  all  fond  of  the  water,  23!  I. 

Zoophytes,  name  of  vegetable  nature  endued  with  animal  life, 
828  ;  first  class  of  zoophytes,  829 ;  all  the  tribe  continue  to  live  in 
separate  parts  ;  one  animal  by  cuttings  divided  into  distinct  exist- 
ences, sometimes  into  a  thousand,  831  ;  second  class,  832. 

Zorilte,  a  stinkard  of  the  weasel  kind  ;  resembles  the  skink  ;  if 
smaller,  and  more  beautifully  coloured,  338. 


DIRECTIONS  TO  THE  BINDER. 


Head  of  Goldsmith, 

Sheep, 

Lion,  Lioness,  &c. 

Tigers,        . 

Dogs,  . 

Porcupines,          .        .        . 

Seals,          .        . 

Oppossums,         .        .        . 

Hippopotamus,    .        .        . 

Camelopard,        .        .        . 

Camels  and  Dromedary, 


To  face  the  Title. 

page  241 

.     292 

.     297 

•  .  .307 
.  .375 
.  392 
.413 
.  427 
.  429 
.  430  | 


Eagle,  &c. 

Bee-Eater,  Hoopoe,  &c. 

Humming  Bird,  &c. 

Land-Rail, 

Pelicans,      .         . 

Phaeton,  &c. 

Whales,       . 

Porpoise,  Dolphin,  &c. 

Flounders, 

Serpents, 


473 
522 
548 
572 
576 
597 
616 
624 
646 
723 


^80788 


UIOT  ,    //4 
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